Learning Outside the Classroom

Our Saint Patrick Catholic School community is blessed with a state-of-the-art facility and beautiful grounds, but it’s our amazing faculty and staff that brings the curriculum to life each and every day. To educate the whole child - mind, body, and spirit - we offer a dynamic and total formative experience that empowers students to become lifelong learners. This model often takes our Wolfhounds out of the classroom and into the larger world to discover new ideas and enjoy truly unique opportunities.

Starting in PreK, our youngest Wolfhounds start each morning on The Green and begin learning important lessons through play. They learn how to build relationships with teachers and fellow classmates and relish the fun of being physically active. Our First Grade students cultivate their Life of Mind by studying plant life and touring the Norfolk Botanical Garden. Fourth Grade students explore Virginia history by taking a yearly trip to Jamestown. Sixth Grade starts the new school year with an exciting field trip on the Chesapeake Bay. On Tuesday, September 23, the first of three classes of sixth grade students investigated biotic and abiotic factors of the bay, identified 26 different birds and aquatic animals using field guides, and performed water quality tests to ensure the bay was a healthy habitat. 

Back on campus, all teachers and students have access to the Hammond Outdoor Classroom that offers Wolfhounds a place to study and have fun at the same time. On Wednesday, September 24, Mrs. Kitchin and Miss Patterson took their Fifth Grade Learning Lab out to perform a skit using all of their vocabulary words and play a raucous game of hangman. We would like to thank Mrs. Meg Lassalle, in her new role as our Environmental Educator, for creating a Dock Box full of supplies for teachers to use in the Outdoor Classroom!

Finally, as they began their final year at Saint Patrick Catholic School, the Eighth Grade Class of 2026 embarked on their annual retreat. This two-day adventure had them ziplining at Camp Silver Beach, celebrating a sunrise Mass on the beach, and spending time with the migrant farmworker community on the Eastern Shore. This is the first of several off-campus trips these students will take as part of their Eighth Grade Experience which helps the class grow closer and form special bonds through the Life of Relationship that will last a lifetime!

These are just a few examples of how our Wolfhound students are learning outside the classroom. The Life of Health and Wellness is put into practice on the athletic fields, the Life of Spirit is set aglow in each child through weekly Chapel and Mass, the Life of Character and Courage is found in each student’s ability to exercise a growth mindset, and the Life of Vocation is modeled and celebrated through countless student-led service projects throughout the year. Every aspect of our program is highly intentional, and the faculty and staff at Saint Patrick Catholic School remain dedicated to giving every child the opportunity to become a Christ-centered, compassionate servant leader.