1. education
2. school

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School
Est. 2001
Rev. Tom Rafferty
Pastor
Reneé B. Nunez
Principal
Susan Leddy
Assistant Principal
Kendall Shamas
Dean of Middle
School & Auxiliary
November 5, 2014
Dear School Families,
We had a great time last Friday celebrating Halloween Science Day in our classrooms. November is off to a great start.
Report cards for 2nd-8th grades and Home & School Reports for PreK are going home today. Honor Roll and Citizenship Award
certificates are also going home in report card envelopes. A complete list of the award winners is included as part of this week’s
Messenger. Thanks to Mrs. O’Connor and Student Council for making Red Ribbon Week a success. Please join PTO for their Fall
Forum with guest speaker John Barone tonight at 6:30 in the gym. Students whose parents attend the PTO Forum will have a Free
Dress day tomorrow, Thursday, November 6.
Our Discipleship message is about our character trait for the month of November, which is CARING. Caring is
being concerned about something or someone. It is showing understanding of others by treating them with kindness,
compassion, generosity, and a forgiving spirit. Our culture of discipleship is all about caring and sharing the love of Jesus with
everyone. As a school community we are all one body in Christ, we are all one family. When someone is hurting we need to show
that person care and love. When someone is in need, we should all try to help. When someone is going down the wrong road,
perhaps making choices that lead them away from God, we all need to show that person the way back to Him. That is true caring
and true sharing of the love of Christ with each other. Parents, we hope you will find time to talk about CARING at home.
Don’t forget to complete the survey on the Parish Master Plan. If you have not received a copy in the mail, please go to
the parish website at www.staoptw.org to access the survey online. The password is “Houston”. We’re all looking
forward to our Fall Book Fair in two weeks. Our Thanksgiving holiday will be here before you know it, and we’re already looking
forward to spending time with family and friends. We wish everyone a great and blessed week.
Sincerely in Christ,
Reneé B. Nunez
Susan Leddy
Kendall Shamas
Principal
Assistant Principal PreK-5th
Dean of Middle School & Auxiliary
The first step in our Accreditation Self-Study and Strategic Plan Revision is complete! Our
mission, vision, and philosophy have been revised. We want to thank the committee who
completed the revision and to all those who provided input along the way. The revised
statements retain the beliefs that our school was founded and built upon. They only improve
upon them, make them easier to understand, and incorporate some of the new ideals we have
embraced over the years.
VISION STATEMENT
The vision of St.
Anthony of Padua
Catholic School is to
guide the mind, body,
and spirit of the next
generation of Catholic
leaders to live the
Gospel of Jesus Christ
and to meet their full
potential as people
created in the image
of God.
MISSION STATEMENT (Revised 2014)
The mission of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School
is to:
Instill Roman Catholic identity, reverence for the
sacraments and a lifelong commitment
to joyful discipleship;
Enrich students by fostering academic excellence
and providing opportunities that nurture and
challenge all to reach their full potential;
Develop, with parents, the moral compass that
guides students to serve
with Jesus Christ as their model.
VISION STATEMENT (Revised 2014)
The vision of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School is
to guide the mind, body, and spirit of the next
generation of Catholic leaders to live the Gospel of
Jesus Christ as beacons of light to the world.
PHILOSOPHY (Revised 2014)
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School, in partnership with parents, is focused on the continuous
formation of the whole Christian person. Our
learner-centered curriculum maintains high
academic standards and nurtures the development
of a life-long love of learning. Students are actively
engaged through the use of a variety of instructional methods and emerging technologies that
promote collaboration and higher level thinking
skills. Within a welcoming, Christ-centered environment, students are made aware of their role as
members of the Christian community through the
teaching of Catholic doctrine, participation in liturgy
and worship, preparation for the sacraments and
involvement in service projects. Members of our
school community are encouraged to live as
Disciples of Christ, serving all people by sharing the
gifts and talents received from God.
Excellence...Strengthened by Faith!
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School
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The Messenger, Weekly Newsletter
OCTOBER WRITING LEADERS
JR. MASTER GARDENER—WALKWAY FOR
Congratulations to the following students for being named OUR GARDEN OF PEACE & LOVE
Writing Leaders for the month of October.
excellent writing!
Keep up the
2nd Grade: Emily Brown, Bella Garcia, Will Knower, Colin
Leahey, Gemma Madrid, Kale Marchbanks, Megan
McIninch, Valentina Otero, Isa Perez de Arenaza,
Barrett Ballay, Alan Gislason Reynoso, Brooke
Larkin, Belen Selles
3rd Grade: Katie Dickinson
4th Grade: Michael Mitchener, Jackson Knower
5th Grade: Tyler Twellman, Reagan Whatley
6th Grade: Maggie Haggerty, Reid Wing
7th Grade: Erica Reyes, Nicolas Peña
8th Grade: Blake Perry, Will Miller
Create a permanent remembrance in our school garden.
Purchase a brick engraved with your family name, in
memory of a loved one, or your business. Each brick is
placed in our garden walkway—proceeds will help support
our Jr. Master Gardener program. Order forms were sent
home in last Wednesday’s folders and can also be found
in the front office. Contact Mrs. Linda Dueitt with any
questions, [email protected].
Great things are happening inside and
outside our classrooms...
BOOK FAIR: SIR READALOT’S CASTLE—ENTER THE
KINGDOM OF BOOKS!
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School will
host a Book Fair on November 15-21 in
the Fellowship Hall. During the week, the
Book Fair is open 7:45 AM-4:00 PM. It
will be open after all Masses on November 15th and 16th. Visit us on Tuesday,
November 18 between 3:15 and 5:00,
when we will feature a special Family Event. There will be
snacks and door prize drawings throughout the afternoon.
Also,
Wednesday,
November 19th, the Book Fair will be open after the fourth
and fifth grade program — cookies will be served.
The Book Fair will offer specially priced books and educational
products from more than 150 publishers. Profits from the
Book Fair will be used to purchase books for our Library Media
Center. Families, teachers, and the church community are invited to attend our Royal Book Fair event. We hope to see
CONGRATULATIONS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL TEAM!
2014 Varsity Volleyball Team
Pictured left to right— Back row : Coach Jill Frazier,
Ryann Booth, Abby Frazier, Brittany Taylor, Francesca
Jabbour, Isa Zelaya. Front row: Addison Hoss,
Maddie Knower, and Brooke Frazier
It was another awesome
season for Coach Jill
Frazier and the girls’
Varsity Volleyball team.
At the GHCAA 3A Volleyball Championship on
October 25th, the girls
brought home the 1st
Place trophy for the 7th
year in a row. Great job,
girls — congratulations!!
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School
Contest Winners (l-r):
Samantha Kowalchuk, Emily
Perry, Lucas Brauweiler, and
Coral Petillo
CONGRATULATIONS!
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The Messenger, Weekly Newsletter
NEWEST ADDITION TO THE SAOPCS FAMILY
Thu, 11/6
Congratulations to Mrs. Brittany Nevlud (6B) on
the birth of her daughter, Maelyn Ann. The
Nevlud Family welcomed Maelyn on October 31st
weighing in at 7 lbs., 5 oz. and measuring 19-1/2”
long. Mom and baby are doing well. Blessings
and best wishes to the new family of three!
OCTOBER T-SHIRT & JEAN DAY
Thanks to the generous support of our school community, we
collected $494 for Tomball Abandoned Animal Rescue. Thank
you, everyone, for your participation.
CARLINE REMINDERS
The start of a new quarter is a great time to send out a few
reminders about carline safety and procedures. We
appreciate your help with the following:
 Watch out for pedestrian traffic on campus
 Attempting to make a left-hand turn out of the parking
lot causes a lot of congestion. Please be courteous by
turning right and making a U-turn farther down the
road to keep traffic flowing.
 Cell phones should be put away when driving on
campus.
 Put vehicles in park when students are loading or unloading
 Refrain from placing backpacks, bags, etc. in trunks or
rear access areas to avoid students having to walk
between vehicles.
 Arrive early to avoid long lines and delays.
We are also looking for additional volunteers to help with
morning arrivals. If you are interested in volunteering, you
can do so during the weeks assigned to your child’s grade
level, or any time you are available. Thanks to all who
make time in their day to welcome our students each
morning and insure their safe arrival on campus.
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School
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PTO Banking Day, 7:40-8:30 AM, School Lobby
PTO Rosary (Prayed in Spanish), 2:30 PM
Jr. Master Gardener—K-2nd, 3:30-5:00 PM
Fri, 11/7
All School Mass (Led by 3B), 9:00 AM
Quiz Bowl Practice, 3:45-5:00 PM
Sat, 11/8
Saturday ZAP, 8:00 AM-12:00 Noon, Tech Lab
Mon, 11/10 PTO Rosary, 8:15 AM
Wed, 11/12 Last Day to Turn in Food Drive Items
Thu, 11/13
Community Partner Spirit Day, 6:00-8:00 PM,
Kendra Scott, Market Street
Quiz Bowl Practice, 7:00-7:40 AM
PTO Rosary, 2:30 PM (Prayed in Spanish)
Booster Club Meeting, 6:00-7:00 PM, PLB Room
203
Fri, 11/14
Book Fair Set-Up, FH
Mass (Led by 6-1), 9:00 AM
NJHS Adopt-a-Path, 3:45-4:45 PM
Quiz Bowl Practice, 3:45-5:00 PM
11/15-11/16 Book Fair—Open After All Masses
11/15-11/21 Book Fair, Sir Readalot’s Castle—Enter the Kingdom of Books!
Mon, 11/17 PTO Rosary, 8:15 AM
Wed, 11/19 Fr. Tom’s Birthday!
Early Childhood Thanksgiving Feast
4th & 5th Grade Program, 7:00 PM, Gym
T-Shirt & Jean Day Benefiting Vocations in the
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Thu, 11/20
NCEA Principal Appreciation Day
Saints Trivia Bee, Gym
PTO Rosary (Prayed in Spanish), 2:30 PM
Jr. Master Gardener, 3rd-5th, 3:45-5:00 PM
Finance Meeting, 5:00-6:00 PM, Conference Room
M&D Meeting, 5:00-6:00 PM, Office Suite
SAC Meeting, 6:30-8:30 PM, Library
GEOMAR LUNCH MENU
Week of November 10, 2014
Monday
Popcorn Shrimp (Oven Baked), Buttered
Noodles, Peas & Carrots
Tuesday
Chicken Nuggets, Mashed Potatoes with
Cream Gravy, Green Beans
Wednesday Corn Dog (Oven Baked) or Meatball Sub with
Marinara Sauce, Tater Tots, Fresh Fruit
Thursday
Chicken Burger, Hamburger, or Cheeseburger, French Fries, Fresh Fruit
Friday
Pizza (Cheese or Pepperoni), Carrot Sticks,
Fresh Fruit
The Messenger, Weekly Newsletter
Honor Roll
5th Grade: Riley Amador, Lucas Brauweiler, Noelle Harris, Nicole Kowalchuk, John Podowski, Ainsley Reed,
Rachel Strapp, Tyler Twellman, Emma Weixel, Vivian Winton, Flora Domitrovic, Michael Black,
Joshua Fishman, Sean Fitzpatrick, Addison Janiszewski, John Paul Jardina, Avery Kemp, Alexis
Larkin, Perrin Nguyen, Sarah Pavlock, and Regan Whatley
St. Anthony Honor Roll
6th Grade: Katelyn Dumag, Zachery Dyke, Sydney Eash, Isabel Harwood, Julia Jardina, Aidan Moorman,
Emily Nelli, Chloe Porras, Will Rizzo, Christopher Perry, Elizabeth Meyer, Madelyn Philipps, and
Mark Poisler
7th Grade: Megan Abib, Kailer Amador, Kate Cleveland, Jimena Davalos, Kailey Doiron, Abby Garcia, Grant
Guidry, Maddie Knower, Eli Kraiss, Nicolas Peña, Miguel Sanchez, Madeleine Saucier, Isabela
Suter, Ashley Brown, Nicholas Denison, Eileen Evans, Grace Ann Fruge, Marcus Glass, Ignacio
Gonzalez, Addison Hoss, Allyson Hunter, Nicole Petit, Katherine Phillips, Colin Reed, and Erica
Reyes
8th Grade: Austin Brauweiler, Benjamin McKeig, William Miller, Blake Perry, Michael Singh, Brittany
Taylor, Ann Marie Piekielniak, Zachary Bernardo, Ryann Booth, Eden Coon, Abby Frazier,
Patrick Haggerty, Antony Krstulovic Opara, Joshua Lafleur, Sebastian Martiz, Abigail Philipps,
Jared Saucier, and Mia Vassilakis
Padua Honor Roll
6th Grade: Luke Lafleur, Chiara Melchiorre, Madison Morris, Gabrielle Richards, Peter Elhajj, Claire
Franques, and Ryan Pereira
th
7 Grade: Nicholas Kurzy, Sahrah Osman, John Golden, and Megan Wooddell
8th Grade: Theresa Macora, Valeria Martiz, Sophie McDonald, Garrett Villaver, and Evan Carlson
Paduan Pride Award
1st Grade: Isabella Glass, Anderson Dufrene, Adrianna Glass, Lucas Lawrence
2nd Grade: Valentina Otero, Colin Leahey, Matthew Dampf, Alan Gislason
3rd Grade: Alexander Harris, Sofia Ritchey, Regina Arana, Marlon Olivier
4th Grade: Jackson Knower, Sawyer Watts, Ryan Leslie, Rebeca Amparan
5th Grade: Nicole Kowalchuk, John Podowski, Ikenna Ubaechu, Avery Kemp
6th Grade: Will Rizzo, Chloe Porras, Jimmy Demczak, Madelyn Philipps
7th Grade: Megan Abib, Miguel Sanchez, Grace Ann Fruge, Nicholas Denison
8th Grade: Ann Marie Piekielniak, Blake Perry, Abby Frazier
Christian Spirit Award
1st Grade: Rebecca Lafleur, Caleb Cook-Norris, Cecilia Belhumeur, Samy Ibrahim
2nd Grade: Isa Perez, Emily Brown, Madeline McCollor, Sofi DeAguirre
3rd Grade: Josie Domitrovic, Kento Nakao, Lauren McCollor, Caiden Villaver
4th Grade: Christopher Poisler, Jordan Booth, Collin Dufrene, Emily Perry
5th Grade: Noelle Harris, Riley Amador, Joshua Fishman, Addison Janiszewski
6th Grade: Christopher Perry, Julia Jardina, Aidan O’Hare, Claire Franques
7th Grade: Kailer Amador, Kate Cleveland, Ignacio Gonzalez, Ashley Brown
8th Grade: Garrett Villaver, Juan Mendez Valdez, Will Jackson
Beacon of Light
1st Grade: Katie Seifer, Joaquin Hernandez-Parks, Simona Jude, Luke Parsons
2nd Grade: Neely Newcomb, Brady Wells, Marissa Miller, Cameron Leslie
3rd Grade: Meleah Vacek, Lillie Denison, Sophie Denison, Nico Labanca
4th Grade: Bishop Moorman, Chase Garcia
5th Grade: Rachel Strapp, Tyler Twellman, Kale Watts, Isabella Knoepffler
6th Grade: Chiara Melchiorre, Trey McClure, Sammy Klie, Mark Poisler
7th Grade: Connor Davis, Maddie Knower, Eileen Evans, Katie Phillips
8th Grade: Donovan O’Hare, Antony Krstulovic Opara
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School
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The Messenger, Weekly Newsletter
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE MASS &
CELEBRATION
The Mass and celebration of Our Lady of
Guadalupe is on Friday, December 12.
The OLG Ministry is looking for a school
November greetings to all! After an action packed September and October, family to participate in the procession as
we transition quietly into November, as we prepare to give thanks for all a representative of SAOPCS, which is a
the blessings in our lives.
church ministry.
Please contact
Elizabeth Rickard, [email protected]
The character trait for November is Caring (Compassion & Generosity). if you are interested.
Caring means to be kind and compassionate. It also means expressing gratitude, forgiving others and helping people in need.
The social skills for November are “How to accept decisions, corrections,
and consequences from authority”, and “how to disagree appropriately”.
November Highlights
 Many of the Houston-area Catholic high schools will have an Open
House in November or December. All 7th and 8th graders who are interested in applying to a Catholic high school should consider attending.
Dates and times for open houses are listed on the School Counselor’s
Edline Page.
 Eighth graders who are interested in attending a Catholic high school
should begin working on their applications. Teachers will start filling
out recommendation forms in early December. Please contact the
school counselor if you have any questions.
Connecting with Your Child
Connecting with your child does not have to be an elaborate plan or
expensive outing. It can be simple, uncomplicated and cost nothing. Here
are some ways to connect with your child.
 Morning – Start the morning off right by getting organized the night
before. Be sure your child has everything ready and packed for school
the next day. No one benefits if the day starts off with rushing around
and harsh words. Instead, try to make time to eat breakfast together
and use this time to talk about the day ahead.
 During the day – Include a note in your child’s lunchbox or school bag.
Remind your child of something you will do together that day or
include a short note to let them know you’re thinking about them.
 After school – “What did you like best about your day?” Of course you
want to hear about the challenges of the day, too but don’t forget to
end on a positive note. Communicate to you child that you trust (that
they can handle things), and support (that you will always be there to
help). Let your child know how proud you are of any and all accomplishments—even the small ones.
 Evening – Take time to relax together. Read a book, play a game, or
enjoy a favorite family show together. Your family may sleep better
and feel more connected to each other when you unwind and spend
quality time together.
 Weekends – Weekends are a perfect time to share family time. Take a
walk, go to a park, visit the library, play outside, or make something
together. Life is hectic — be sure to take time to enjoy it!
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School
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2014-2015 SACRAMENTAL
PREPARATION SCHEDULE
Preparation for First Reconciliation & First Eucharist
FIRST RECONCILIATION SCHEDULE:
First Reconciliation Retreat—For Parent and Child to
spend time prayerfully reflecting on the Sacrament
Sat., 11/8
1:00-4:00 PM
Last name L-Z
2014-2015 YEARBOOKS
Yearbook ads are filling up fast, so reserve
your spot with Mr. Mattern today! Do not forget to order your 2014-2015 yearbook for the
discounted price of $40 at the Balfour web site:
www.balfour.com. This sale price ends December 31st. If you have any questions, please
email [email protected].
“Don’t Forget the Memories!”
The Messenger, Weekly Newsletter
Friday and Saturday!!!
December 5th & 6th
10 AM to 4 PM daily
10th Annual
St. Nick’s Market
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School
7901 Bay Branch Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77382
Featuring over 40 unique vendors
For vendor registration and more
information on the event, please
contact Sio Pitre at
[email protected]
www.staopcs.org/stnick
Pictures with
Santa
11 AM to 4 PM
Friday
Advancement Update:
YOUNG PEOPLE WHO
VOLUNTEER DO BETTER IN
WORK AND SCHOOL
Young adults who volunteer are half
as likely to drop out of school or have
trouble finding a job, according to a
report released by Opportunity Nation
and paid for by Citibank. The study
also found that places with higher
This year, as part of the Gala, there will be a Kids event, held
rates of volunteerism and higher rates
on January 24, 2015, which will be held at the
school after the 6pm Mass as a kick off to Catholic Schools
lower rates of income inequality and
Week. It is here that you will receive the
packets, get the first opportunities to
raffle ticket
of civic engagement tended to have
higher rates of economic opportunity.
BID on class
— The Chronicles of Philanthropy;
signup parties, and enjoy a fun-packed evening of family entertainment.
will return to the Woodlands Waterway Marriott this
year and will offer a night of elegance with a Latin
flare. Our feature entertainment, “Mango Punch”, will
make this a night to remember. Come ready to bid on
the class baskets, adult signup parties, school offerings,
and fabulous live-auction items.
October 9, 2014
Annual Fund Update:
88% faculty and 56% families donated
With your help, the very popular wine pull will be bigger and better
than ever. The wine drop-off begins in December. You will have opportunities to drop off a bottle of wine or donate cash for this particular
item throughout the coming months.
Please check out the Gala website for updates: gala.staopcs.org
Look for an email next week about the part each of us plays in creating the class
baskets. Also look for an email to be sent soon about sign up parties.
FUNDRAISING UPDATE:
School Annual Fund: 88% faculty and 56% families giving!!!!!!!!! 1st and 3rd grades are setting a great race to
the 100% mark! Keep going Dolphins!
St. Nick’s Market: Over 40 vendors are scheduled for your shopping pleasure, December 5 & 6. Santa visits on
FRIDAY!
Annual Gala: LOOK FOR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GALA TO COME HOME IN NEXT
WEEK’S GREEN FOLDERS. For a jump start: go to gala.staopcs.org