Dear St.

Patrick Alumni,
Another school year is quickly flying by and it has been a good year. Our
enrollment increased again; we currently have 312 students in our Preschool to 8 th
grade. We are excited about that and hope the trend continues. We welcome new
teachers Miss Meghan Pantages for one of the kindergarten classes and Miss
Shannon Weisbruch (alumnus) for junior high. Mrs. Deb Campbell retired at the end
of the past school year; we wish her well. We also welcome Mr. Serafin Lachino
beginning second semester as Mrs. Becky Moran moved to Iowa where her husband
took a new position.
This years school theme is Let us show mercy, kindness, and respect to
others at all times. In this Year of Mercy, we are working as a school to live works
of mercy within our lives and all we do.
Our students are continuing to work in programs we initiated in the last
couple of years. The 8th graders will be confirmed at the Cathedral of the
Immaculate Conception in April after a two year preparation. We are continuing to
develop our writing program and service portfolios across the grade levels. Our
House program is in its second year with students in grades 5-8 working together
on projects, planning activities, and each House taking a turn to visit the an assisted
living home in Washington. Our Freshman Honors Algebra class went well last year
and this year, again, we have a number of students being recommended for Honors
Geometry as freshmen when they enter high school.
Fr. Steve has been providing presentations to the faculty as a part of our
professional development and adult faith formation. We have provided the staff
with monthly CDs from Lighthouse Catholic Media and the books The Church of
Mercy by Pope Francis, and Discovering Jesus by Matthew Kelly.
Our extra-curricular activities continue to grow as well. Kindergarten teacher,
Mrs. Becky Nau, has begun an Art Club with monthly art classes for grade level
groups after school. This has been a huge success among the students. Miss
Naujalis, Spanish teacher, began a Spanish Club that has been a great success as
well. The students in her club recently took a field trip to St. Hyacinth Parish in
LaSalle to learn about the Spanish culture and celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of
Guadalupe. They were guests of the parishioners for lunch. Our Junior High Choir
has grown and sings during the All School Masses each Friday and special feast
days. The choir will be singing at the 5:00 p.m. Mass on the 30 th of January as a
part of our Catholic Schools Week activities and they will cantor at the other Masses.
On March 19th St. Patrick Parish is sponsoring the Pot of Gold parish auction
and dinner at the Countryside Banquet Center. The schools portion of the proceeds
has been earmarked for technology. We are hoping to purchase additional
Chromebooks with a goal of providing 1:1 technology for at least our 5 th through 8th
grade students. We will also use a portion of the funds to increase wireless access

points and increase bandwidth. Faculty are reviewing digital curriculum and making
plans for an online program for social studies and history classes. If anyone is
interested in making a donation to this cause, please send to St. Patrick School, 100
Harvey St. Washington, IL 61571 to the Attention of Doreen Shipman-Technology
Fund. We are very grateful for any contribution to better our schools programs.
Our school has a full slate of activities scheduled for Catholic Schools Week
that include activities of Faith, Knowledge, and Service in our families, students,
communities, our nation, our vocations, and much more. Check out our plans on
the school website www.stpatswashington.com.
Soon our school will be looking to the spring activities and be completing
another wonderful year! We have been blessed to have two wonderful pastors in
our parish and school, Fr. Stephen Willard and parochial vicar Fr. Julius Turyatoranwa.
They continue to help us along the way with their teaching and wisdom they give to
our students each Friday at All School Mass and when they visit the school. We also
congratulate Fr. Steve for being nominated Pastor of the Year for the Diocese of
Peoria this year! We appreciate the dedicated service of these two priests.
There is a new vibrancy in our parish and school and it is exciting. The Faith
in Our Future team was developed as a result of our Strategic Plan replacing the
former Commission on Education. They are doing wonderful things. I am personally
very grateful for all the hard work of the sub-committees of this team, the Finance
Council, and the new Parish Council. I am also very grateful of for all the support
and hard work of the volunteers and parents. St. Patrick School could not be the
great school it is without the efforts of all of these fine people and the wonderful
teachers and staff.
Thank you.
Doreen Shipman, Principal
January, 2016