St. Patrick Catholic School
Principal's Newsletter - April 2nd, 2026
April 2, 2026
Recently, I had a conversation with a community member I have known for quite some time. When he realized I was the principal at St. Patrick Catholic School, he asked, “You are a Leader In Me School, correct?” I was grateful that our staff had recently participated in professional development reflecting on a very important question: How apparent is it that we are a Catholic school? Because of that conversation, I felt prepared to respond with even more clarity. I replied, “No, we are a Catholic school that incorporates Leader In Me.”
That distinction matters.
Our identity is rooted first and foremost in our Catholic faith. Programs and initiatives, including Leader In Me and its connection to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, are tools that support our mission, but they do not define it. Our mission is to form disciples of Jesus Christ, to nurture saints in the making, and to help our students grow academically, spiritually, and morally.
After this pleasant and thoughtful exchange, I continued to reflect: What do we portray as a school? Even more personally, what do I portray as an individual Catholic?
One of the habits from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is “Begin with the End in Mind.” As I pondered this habit through the lens of our Catholic identity, it took on a deeper meaning. As a school, what is our “end in mind”? Certainly, we strive for academic excellence. We want our students to be successful in high school and beyond. But ultimately, our end goal is heaven. We desire for our students to know Christ, love Christ, and serve Christ.
When we begin with that end in mind, our school feels and looks different. Yes, you recognize you are in a Catholic school when you enter our building through the crucifixes on the walls, the sacred images, and the prayer that begins and ends our day. But even more importantly, you should recognize we are Catholic by how we treat one another.
The greater question becomes personal: When someone encounters us, do they know we are a Christian by our actions? Do they see patience, kindness, forgiveness, and joy? Do they feel respected and valued? When we begin with what God has in mind, we must ask ourselves what we hope people see and feel after interacting with us. Do they experience Christ through us?
This reflection challenges all of us. Our Catholic identity is not simply something we display; it is something we live. It is evident in how we speak to our children, how we support one another, how we handle conflict, and how we serve those in need.
At St. Patrick Catholic School, we will continue to use strong leadership principles and effective practices. But we will always remain grounded in our true identity. We are a Catholic school first. Everything else flows from that foundation.
Blessings,
Mr. Wiebers
This is a reminder that, beginning April 1, students are permitted to wear shorts or skirts of appropriate length without leggings underneath.
For reference, examples of skirt lengths are provided in the image. Only skirts labeled 4, 5, and 6 meet dress code requirements. Please note: walking shorts, skirts, skorts, and jumpers must not be more than three inches above the middle of the knee in order to comply with the school’s dress code.
Please keep the weather in mind when dressing for the day. If the temperature is above zero, and it is not actively raining, we will be outside for recess.
Join us on Thursday, April 9, for the 5th & 6th Grade Musical: Parablelooza at 7 p.m. in the Dutcher Gymnasium. 'Parablelooza' is an interactive musical that uses game show competitions and songs to teach lessons from the parables. Students will compete in the game show competitions live during the musical performance. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. We hope to see you all there!
🍀Save the date for our 15th Annual Shamrock Shuffle!🍀
This years fun run will take place on Saturday, May 2nd at 1:00 p.m. at the South Side Shelter at Big Woods Lake in Cedar Falls. All participants will receive a HURTS donut, fruit, and water - post race. Handheld inflatable horses provided to "ride" for the kid's race. Get registered here by April 26th to guarantee a t-shirt!
We currently have openings for the 2026–27 school year:
We are looking for a part-time 3rd/4th-grade associate (20 hours per week) and a part-time marketing position (20 hours per week). These roles are presently combined into one full-time position, but they may also be filled separately as two part-time positions, depending on interest and fit.
Contact Mr. Wiebers at
jwiebers@cfcatholicschool.org or
319-277-6781
We are also looking for kitchen help just a few hours a day—perfect for parents with school-aged kids!
Enjoy the same days off (including summers!) as your child—no babysitter needed!
Join our team, serve up smiles, and help make lunchtime the best part of the day!
Interested? Contact Principal Jon Wiebers
Our next volunteer night at the Northeast Iowa Food Bank will be from 6-7:30 p.m. tonight, Thursday, April 2nd. Anyone kindergarten or older are able to volunteer. Email Erin Youngblut with questions, or to get signed up!
Catholic schools are an important option for families and Senate File 2425/House File 2713 helps strengthen and support our schools. These bills expand access to preschool, provide added flexibility for ESA enrollment, and improve access to funding for school facilities. We encourage our families to contact their state legislators to express support for these efforts. Your voice matters in sustaining Catholic education across Iowa. Click here to send your legislator(s) a message.
Just a reminder that Transportation Reimbursement Request Forms for the second semester will be due soon. If you live more than 2 miles from school and transport your student(s) to and from school, you may be eligible for state reimbursement. Students on our bus route are not eligible.
If you haven’t submitted your second semester form yet, download and fill out the form for your district at the link below and return it to school office:
Transportation Reimbursement Requests - Waterloo School District
Transportation Reimbursement Requests - Cedar Falls School District and surrounding districts
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