St. Patrick Catholic School
Principal's Newsletter August 27, 2026
August 27, 2026
Student Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
The safety of our students is our highest priority. We ask all families to carefully follow the arrival and dismissal procedures each day. These procedures help us maintain a safe, orderly environment and ensure that students are supervised at all times.
Morning Drop-Off
Students should arrive by 8:05 a.m.
7:55–8:05 a.m. Students may be dropped off for supervised play on the playground. Please do not drop students off before 7:55 a.m., as supervision does not begin until that time.
For morning drop-off, please use the express lane on Washington Street in front of the school. Remain in your vehicle, keep traffic moving, and allow your child to exit at the designated gate.
Please do not park in the bus zone on the north side of 7th Street. Keeping this area clear is important for student and traffic safety.
Families may also park on a nearby street, or the new church parking lot on the corner of 7th and Washington, and walk their child to the playground. If you need to cross 7th Street, please use only the stop signs at the corners. Do not cross between parked cars or in the middle of the street.
8:05 a.m. The whistle will blow, signaling students to enter the building. Students should be in their classrooms and seated by 8:10 a.m. for morning prayer.
After 8:10 a.m. Students are considered tardy and must enter through the main entrance at 615 Washington Street and sign in at the office. The front entrance should only be used by students arriving after 8:10 a.m.
Early Morning Circle of Care
At the K-8th school morning Circle of Care is from 6:45–7:55 a.m. Students arriving before 7:55 a.m. must check in with Circle of Care, located just inside the MPR. Please enter through the glass doors near the playground/7th Street. An hourly fee applies to students checked into Circle of Care.
Clover Patch Daycare is from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. An email was sent to all preschool parents informing them of this information.
Afternoon Pick-Up
Dismissal time is at 3:20 p.m. (1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.)
Kindergarten–2nd Grade: Students exit to the playground area with their teachers through the doors inside the fence on 7th Street. Teachers will remain with students and watch for a parent or designated adult to pick up each child.
3rd–4th Grade: Students and teachers use the southeast doors near the stop signs.
5th–8th Grade: Students exit independently through the west doors.
Please remember that students should not be picked up from other areas of the school or dismissed through alternate doors. Following these procedures allows staff to know where students are and who they are leaving with.
After-School Care
After dismissal until 5:30 p.m., students who remain at school must check into Circle of Care. Staff will maintain a notebook for student check-in and check-out. Students may be in the MPR or on the playground and may also be in the cafeteria during snack time or in the gym on occasion.
Early Pick-Up
If you need to pick up your child before regular dismissal, please come to the school office and sign your child out. Press the buzzer located to the left of the exterior glass entry door to be admitted into the building. Once you have signed your child out, the office will contact the classroom and have your child brought to the office.
A Reminder About Safety
We appreciate everyone's cooperation in following these procedures. Even small actions—using the designated drop-off areas, following crossing procedures, remaining in vehicles, and using the appropriate entrances—make a significant difference in keeping our students safe. Thank you for helping us create a safe and welcoming environment for every child at St. Patrick Catholic School.
Blessings,
Mr. Wiebers
Just a reminder of our 6:00 pm School Board meeting tonight!
Charger Friday, which occurs on the final Friday of every month, permits students to wear all other Charger tops and Columbus Catholic Sailor tops.
Please note that this only occurs on the last Friday of the calendar month, not on the last Friday that school is in session each month.
Parents of incoming 7th grade students- Please check with their doctor to make sure all immunizations are up to date. Our volunteer nurse will be contacting families before October 1st for students who will need vaccinations or an exemption on file.
Musical Performances Schedule
We have several important dates for student musical performances to add to your calendar for the 2026-27 school year. More information for these programs will be shared with families closer to performance times.
Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. - Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade Christmas concert
Thursday, Dec. 10, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. - 3rd/4th Grade Christmas Musical
Thursday, Apr. 8, 2027 at 7:00 p.m. - 5th/6th Grade Spring Musical
Thursday, May 6, 2027 at 7:00 p.m. - 7th/8th Grade Spring Musical
Band Performance Schedule
Mrs. Lawrence does an amazing job with our student band. Please join us for our upcoming Band concerts. These dates are listed below. Get them added to your calendar for an exciting evening of student musical performances.
December 15th at 6:00 p.m. - please note the earlier time
May 4th at 2:30 and 7:00 p.m.
This year food bank volunteer nights will fall on the first Thursday of the month (except May which I will follow up on as it gets closer due to the 7/8 musical) 6-7:30. Anyone kindergarten and older is able to participate! Our first volunteer night of the year will be be on Sept 3!
Due to ongoing construction at the food bank, the number of volunteers allowed in one time slot is limited and strictly enforced so I will need people to email me at erinyoungblut@gmail.com to sign up.
Our first CPTO (Catholic Parent-Teacher Organization) will be on Thursday, September 10th, 6:30 p.m. This is a great way to meet new families, get involved, and be an active part of our school family.
Scrip is our school’s ongoing fundraiser where families can earn half the rebate amount to apply towards their Circle of Care and/or lunch balance! If you’d like to place a Scrip order, simply send an email to scrip@cfcatholicschool.org. Scrip cards will be ordered every other week and your order will be ready for pickup the following Friday in the parish office.
St. Patrick Catholic School
Clover Patch Preschool Ages 3-5
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Email: office@cfcatholicschool.org
Website: cfcatholicschool.org
Location: Cedar Falls, IA, USA
Phone: 319-277-6781