STPCS Students
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

School Mission

Proud of our Catholic heritage and woven into the Norfolk community, Saint Patrick Catholic School proclaims the Gospel by offering families with children in grades Pre-K through 8 an exceptional Catholic education built upon character formation, spiritual development, leadership training, academic rigor, physical well-being, and an ethic of service.

Parents are the primary educators of their children, and Saint Patrick is committed to a close collaboration with them to promote their children’s growth and learning. While utilizing the best educational technologies and facilities possible, Saint Patrick is dedicated to maintaining a safe and caring Christian community in which every child’s gifts are identified, nurtured, and celebrated.

In the final analysis, as a Catholic school, we wish to be a warm, loving expression of Jesus Christ. 

The Six Pillars of Education

The Saint Patrick Catholic School mission speaks to six important pillars in education.  These foundational principles form a framework for the school’s program of the intentional and total formation of each student.

Together, these pillars support our mission for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Six Pillars

  1. Spiritual Formation through guidance in prayer, religious education, service, building relationships and charity.
  2. Character Development through programming that encourages and demands honor and integrity.
  3. Academic Preparation through high expectations, excellent curriculum and inspiring instruction.
  4. Physical Wellness through planned activities that encourage participation in those aspects that nourish and strengthen the body.
  5. Leadership Training through planned curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities in academics, athletics, the arts, and service.
  6. Service Learning through planned experiences in assisting others in which the student learns the significance between service and faith.

The Graduate at Graduation

Flowing from the educational pillars of the school mission, the Graduate at Graduation is a set of forty-three goals for a student’s total formation organized into five domains: The Life of Mind, The Life of Spirit, The Life of Relationship, The Life of Vocation, and The Physical Life. This document drives our school life and programming.  It is a document which assists our school community in living the school mission.

The creation and use of the "Journey Portfolio" is one of many ways students realize the goals found in the Graduate at Graduation document. The “Journey Portfolio" is a collection of each students' successes, experiences, insights and reflections captured throughout each school year.  It is a powerful exercise in self-reflection which leads to self-reliance, ethical problem solving, and self-responsibility.

The outcomes of the Graduate at Graduation are a set of goals intended to inspire student motivation and guide choices internally.

Click here to view The Graduate at Graduation Document.

 

The Use of Best Practice

Saint Patrick Catholic School carefully studies and uses the best educational  research and practices that integrate with the school’s Catholic philosophy and mission.   The visitor will see in use every day the ideas and insights of great educational minds such as Socrates, Saint John Bosco, Maria Montessori, John Goodlad, Dr. Ernest Boyer, Dr. Theodore Sizer, Mortimer Adler and many others.  Moreover, the school culture is influenced by the teachings of Catholic educational giants such as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and Blessed Mother Teresa.  The school is very much attune to and interested in good research and best practice in order to positively assist children in their formation.

 

We Are A Glasser Quality School

Among the educational reformers that we have given particular attention to is Dr. William Glasser. Dr. Glasser’s contribution to education is found in his promotion of good healthy relationships and its impact on high quality education.  His life work centers upon how humans are motivated and why people behave as they do.  His problem-solving technique forms the basis of how our school facilitates a process where students can identify, establish and attain their goals.

In 2008, Saint Patrick Catholic School was recognized by the William Glasser Institute as a Glasser Quality School. 

The Criteria for a Quality School

  1. Relationships are based upon trust and respect, and all discipline problems, not incidents, have been eliminated.
  2. Total Learning Competency is stressed and an evaluation that is below competence or what is now a "B" has been eliminated. All schooling as defined by Dr. William Glasser has been replaced by useful education.
  3. All students do some Quality Work each year that is significantly beyond competence. All such work receives an "A" grade or higher, such as an "A+".
  4. Students and staff are taught to use Choice Theory in their lives and in their work in school. Parents are encouraged to participate in study groups to become familiar with the ideas of Dr. William Glasser.
  5. Students perform better on state proficiency tests and college entrance examinations. The importance of these tests is emphasized in the school.
  6. Staff, students, parents and administrators view the school as a joyful place.

Click on the links below for more information on:

Every child is endowed with God-given gifts. Sometimes these gifts are obvious. Other times, they must be carefully and lovingly sought out and encouraged. At Saint Patrick, we believe that when children’s giftedness is discovered, nurtured and celebrated in the context of Christian community, the foundation is laid for a fulfilling life of faith, love and service to others. It’s an approach that takes the whole child into account—mind, body and spirit—and actually begins with the end in mind. The goal is to see that as each child graduates, it is to a life that is satisfying both academically and spiritually.