Shamrock School Scoop
January 19, 2017
“St. Patrick’s School has made a revision to our school lunch policies. Please visit our website and download the 2017-2018 Student-Family Handbook to view the revised policies.”
Calendar Reminders
- January 28th to Feb. 2nd: CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
- Friday, February 2nd: Early Dismissal 1pm/Soup Supper and Catholic Schools Week Celebration 5-7pm
- Monday, February 5th: NO SCHOOL: Bishops Day
- Tuesday, February 6th: Kindergarten Preview 6pm
- Tuesday February 13th: Parent teacher conferences 3:45-7
- Wednesday February 14th: Ash Wednesday
- Thursday February 15th: Early Dismissal 1pm/Parent teacher conferences 1:30-7:45
- Friday February 16th: NO SCHOOL: Parent teacher conferences
News From Mrs. Bethune:
We have had a busy week here at school. We are anxiously getting ready for Catholic Schools Week. The flyer for Catholic Schools Week and the Soup Supper are coming home today. Please make sure you look over all the fun exciting events. We will be sending home more information about the visitor lunch in the coming days and how to RSVP so we have a head count. We are so excited to celebrate our school and the community in which we live. We invite you to participate in any way in which you can. In particular the Catholic Schools Week Celebration and Soup Supper on Friday night are a WONDERFUL way to help celebrate our school!
Also coming home today you will see an envelope to order copies of the Christmas Program CD. We will begin making these and need to know those who are wanting copies and the number of copies. We ask that no more than 2 copies per family are ordered. There is no cost of the CD but if you would like to include a free will offering to help cover the costs of the CD’s and envelopes, we appreciate it. The students did a wonderful job and we are so proud of their hard work and dedication to the program.
On Saturday, January 27th at the 6:30pm Mass and Sunday, January 28th at all the Masses there will be students doing the readings, offertory, etc. in celebration of Catholic Schools Week. We invite you to participate in this fun by signing up with the sign up genius in the newsletter. We also need help with the serving of coffee, juice, and rolls after all the Masses. Please let Melanie Colton know if you are interested in helping. Her email is: melanie-colton@cdolinc.net.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our school. Have a great weekend!
God Bless,
Mrs. Bethune
January Shamrock Cafe School Lunch Menu
Friday, February 2, 2018 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Free Will Donation Soup Supper for Classroom Needs
Games and Activities for Kids in the Social Hall
Classroom Work on Display
Cake Decorating Contest
Box Tops
We are over half way(7,600) to our goal of 14,000 Box Tops.
Please turn in our Box Tops by Feb 20, so we can get them sent off before our March 1 deadline.
For more information on Box Tops for Education and participating products, go to https://www.boxtops4education.com/Job Opportunity
Extended School Day Program
St. Patrick Catholic School is in search of part time Extended School Care staff! Please email brooke-kresha@cdolinc.net if you are interested in this fun & flexible after school position.
Girls Basketball Volunteers Needed
Pius X Junior High & Senior High Trap Team
If you cannot make this meeting, there are two other informational meetings available (However, no pizza, but same location.)
Tuesday, January 30th 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 3rd 12:00 noon
If more information is needed, please call Pius X Trap Coach, Craig Keaschall, at 402.499.9767.
Thanks for all you help in making our team a success in the past and the future. This is a great way for several students to get to know students from all the other grade schools prior to getting to Pius. We have a great group of students, parents and coaches that make this a great group and we could not do it without your help.
THANK YOU!
LB295
Education Choice: Why LB 295?
Given the Church’s teaching on education choice (see CCC #2229), Nebraska’s three Catholic bishops are supporting LB 295 currently being considered by the Nebraska Legislature. LB 295 would help more poor and working-class families choose a K-12 private education. It would enact a tax credit for donations to nonprofits established for the sole purpose of providing scholarships for low- and middle-class children.
Urgent Need: The Church teaches that parents have the sacred right and duty to choose the education most appropriate for their child – but many cannot actually afford to exercise this responsibility.
Answering the Call: While at least 30 states and Washington D.C. have some form of private school choice law, Nebraska has nothing. LB 295 is the first private school choice bill ever to advance from legislative committee in Nebraska, and our bishops believe it to be a sound starting point for establishing true education choice in Nebraska. Scholarships will be funded byprivate donations, not public dollars. LB 295 will likely be debated by the entire Nebraska Legislature in January or February 2018.
Common Concern: Many wonder if LB 295 will interfere with a private school’s faith and mission. However: (1) we already accept tax-incentivized donations, (2) the bill expressly forbids undue government interference, and (3) school participation would be voluntary.
Action: Write letters or messages of support to: (a) the Governor, (b) state senators, and (c) the editor of your local newspaper. Also share NCC social media posts. Learn more atwww.necatholic.org/education.
#3
Education Choice and LB 295: How it Works
As previously discussed, LB 295 is intended as a response to the Church’s call to ensure that every parent is truly free to choose the education most appropriate for their child.
How it works: LB 295 enacts an income tax credit for donations to nonprofits established solely to provide K-12 private-school scholarships to poor and working-class students. A tax credit is a direct reduction of one’s tax liability and is thus more valuablethan a tax deduction, which reduces only one’s taxable income.
Eligible students must come from families with income below twice the Free and Reduced Lunch eligibility level (about $90,000/yr for a family of four). First-time recipients must be transferring from public to private school unless (a) they’re entering kindergarten, (b) they’re entering 9th grade, or (c) they’re a sibling of one of the aforementioned recipients.
Myth: Many say LB 295 will hurt public schools, financially or otherwise. However, LB 295 incentivizes only private donations for K-12 scholarships. And because the cost-per-pupil is often significantly lower in private school, LB 295 will leave the state with more money to spend on education if it so chooses. Indeed, similar laws in 18 other states have saved a total of more than $1 billion in recent years.
Action: Write letters of support to: (a) the Governor, (b) state senators, and (c) the editor of your local newspaper. Share NCC social media posts. Learn more atwww.necatholic.org/education.