Mrs. Mulvanerty's Update

August 10, 2025

Hello SKS!

Some people say that August is the Sunday of Summer. If you're like me, that means you are starting to think about the school year ahead—school supplies, calendars, and the buzz of a new year just around the corner. At school, we are finalizing the schedule, preparing classrooms, and getting ready to welcome your students!

But Sundays are also a day of rest. They are a chance to breathe, reflect, and gather strength before the week ahead begins. In the same way, we still have a few precious weeks of summer left, and I hope you are soaking up sunshine, laughter, and family time—refueling for the exciting year to come!

A Joyful Team Update

It is with great delight that I share some exciting news with you! Jess Doherty has made the joyful decision to be a stay-at-home mom with her beautiful new twin daughters. We are grateful for her service and wish her many blessings in this wonderful new chapter of her life. Stepping into her role, I am thrilled to announce the return of Katie Tosti! Many of you know and love Katie from her years teaching here at SKS. Since then, she has earned her certification as a Wilson Reading Specialist and launched her own tutoring practice. Katie will now be joining us part-time, teaching STEM and offering her expertise in Learning Support. Her knowledge, experience, and positive spirit will be an incredible asset to our team!

Looking Ahead

I am so excited about the team we have in place for this fall and for all the growth and learning we will do—TOGETHER! In the meantime, keep up with that summer reading and math practice, but don’t forget to rest, play, and delight in these last golden weeks of summer.

As we hear in last week’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us to “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). August is our chance to do just that—to find rest and renewal so that when we return, we can begin the year with joy, energy, and purpose. Enjoy this beautiful “Sunday of Summer,” SKS families. We can’t wait to see you soon!

G.B.Y.*,

Mrs. Mulvanerty

*God Bless You!

It was my honor and pleasure to accept the 2025 School of Distinction Award for St. Katharine of Siena in recognition for our performance in our standardized testing! The award is a tribute to our teachers and students who gave it their all in the last school year. I congratulate all of you on an excellent year and look forward to our continued success -- together!

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia requires that all adults who have contact with children complete several clearances before they volunteer for activities, including reading circle, lunch duty, PREP, CYO. You can find information here on what you need.

Registration is now open for the Protecting God’s Children workshop at SKS on October 1 at 7pm. The Archdiocese also schedules sessions throughout the summer (including some online). Click here for the schedule and to register.

If you have questions, contact Kim O’Neill at koneill@sksparish.org or 610-688-4584.

I am excited to announce that we are going to be using a new dismissal program called PickUp Patrol. PickUp Patrol is an online application that will help us manage our dismissal process more efficiently and safely.

Parents will use the system to report attendance and dismissal plan changes, eliminating the need for notes and phone calls. The system then automatically compiles the information and shares it with teachers and staff, streamlining the tracking process. There will be fewer interruptions throughout the day, better message tracking, and ease of use for parents. Schools who are using this LOVE IT! Stay tuned for more details in the upcoming weeks.

REGISTRATION LINK: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/491040

There are 8 Fall Sports offered for this upcoming season and we will need coaches and assistants for the following sports:

• Tackle football
• Flag Football
• Golf
• Cross Country
• Field Hockey
• Soccer
• Volleyball
• Cheerleading

If interested in Coaching one of our Fall Sports – Please contact Jason Griesser (Fall Sports Coordinator) at jasong748@gmail.com

By now you should have received your email from July 15th with new login procedures for FACTS, our new Student Information System. When you create your new login, please make sure to proofread your student and family information to ensure that everything is correct. In the near future, you will be able to enter all current medical information and emergency contacts for each student. If you have any issues when attempting to create your login information, please contact Anne Condello at acondello@sksschool.org

H.O.P.E Needs Your Help!

H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People in Emergencies) is looking for people to drive parishioners to their doctor appointments! Many of the regular volunteers are out of town for the summer. It doesn’t take much time and you can help out as your schedule permits. For more information, contact Shauna Munshower at 610-688-4348 or smunch918@comcast.net.

This summer, we invite you to join our community in reading The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. Fellow parent and art therapist, Susan Greisser, in conjunction with the Home and School Committee chose this timely and thought-provoking book because it speaks directly to the challenges today’s young people face growing up in a world shaped by smartphones, social media, and shifting childhood norms.

Haidt explores the rise of anxiety, depression, and loneliness among adolescents and offers research-based insights into how families, schools, and communities can help kids thrive. Themes include the impact of screen time, the loss of play-based childhood, and the importance of strong social connections.

Stay tuned for fall book club meeting details!

Through the generosity of many EITC donors, we have some additional funding available to us this year. If you meet the income criteria below and have not yet applied for financial aid, please email me at jmulvanerty@sksschool.org and complete your financial aid application. If you have any questions, please reach out!

BaseAdd Dependent (s)Total

1 Child 112,348 19,775 132,123

2 Children 112,348 39,550 151,898

3 Children 112,348 59,325 171,673

4 Children 112,348 79,100 191,448

There is one more summer webinar on August 14. Mark your calendars to learn more about this program!

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia requires all adults who have contact with children to complete several clearances before they volunteer for activities, including reading circle, PREP, CYO, lunch duty, etc. Get them this summer so you're ready to go in the fall! You can find information here on what you need.

SKS is offering the Protecting God’s Children workshop on October 1 at 7pm in the parish center. Registration for the in-person session will begin at the end of the summer. These workshops fill quickly! If you would like to be notified when registration opens, contact Kim O’Neill at koneill@sksparish.org.

Parents have summer homework also! Please click here for your summer checklist. You will find next year's school calendar, summer homework assignments, tuition payment information, transportation info, health forms and other forms for completion before next year. Thank you!

Now is the time to shop for your back-to-school uniform needs! Blue Beret is still carrying the gym uniform and has stock available of some other uniform pieces including the white polos. Other uniform items may be purchased at Flynn and O'Hara.

View the updated uniform slides here as a guide for your child's back-to-school clothes.

The SKS Fall Classic on October 6, 2025 is a tremendous opportunity to bring our entire SKS community together, while raising some significant dollars for the school!

The day is a combination of events that start with a racquet outing at Overbrook Golf Club, a golf outing at Philadelphia Country Club, and a reception at Philadelphia Country Club that evening. It is open to all friends of SKS, which means we are casting our fundraising net beyond the current parents that includes alumni, alumni parents, and parishioners. All proceeds will go to benefit the school through the governance of the annual fund. We have the capacity for 30 foursomes, around 50 racquets players, and 250 dinner reception tickets. Some portions of those categories have been pre-sold as part of larger sponsorships, so I strongly encourage anyone with interest to jump on the ticket information here to register.

Thank you for your continued support of SKS and we look forward to seeing you on October 6th!

Tom and Moira Hobson, Event Chairs
Bud Tosti, Coordinator of Development and Alumni Relations

Please click here for more details about after school clubs and summer camp opportunities.

For more announcements about SKS activities and clubs, CYO, and parish activities, click here!