October 1, 2026

From the Principal

Dear SPC Families,

As we begin October, I want to thank our families for the energy, support, and sense of community you continue to bring to St. Paul of the Cross. The first several weeks of school have been filled with learning, faith, friendship, athletics, activities, and so many opportunities for our students to grow.

Our theme of belonging continues to guide our work this year. We want every student and family to know that they have a place at SPC—that they are known, valued, supported, and an important part of our community. The days ahead provide several wonderful opportunities to strengthen those connections.

Fun Run Update

Thank you again for making the Fun Run a huge success! Pledge money is still arriving, corporate matching gifts are still coming in, and we have surpassed our goal of $165,000. These funds go to general operating, which supports all SPC programs and allows us to offer robust, comprehensive programs. THANK YOU!

Looking Ahead

Sunday, October 4 – Family Mass & Donut Sunday
Please join us for our Family Mass at 10:30 a.m. in Holy Family Chapel. All are welcome!

Sunday is also Donut Sunday for the parish, with donuts following Mass in the gym. Family Mass is a wonderful opportunity for our school families to worship together, connect, and celebrate the faith that is at the heart of our school community. We hope to see many of our SPC families there!

Tuesday, October 6 – High School Fair
On Tuesday, we will host our High School Fair for our 7th and 8th grade students during the school day. This is an exciting opportunity for our students to explore the many high school options available to them and learn more about the next chapter of their educational journey.

Our faculty will also use Tuesday’s professional development time to prepare for Parent-Teacher Conferences. Teachers will be reviewing student performance, classroom data, i-Ready results, and other information to help make next week’s conversations meaningful and productive.

Wednesday, October 7 – Prospective Family Tour & PS–K Family Social
We are excited to welcome another group of prospective families to SPC on Wednesday. Our tours allow families to see our school in action and experience firsthand what makes SPC such a special place.

Our greatest ambassadors are our students, teachers, and families. The joy in our classrooms, the relationships throughout our school, and the way our community welcomes others tell the SPC story better than any brochure or presentation ever could.

That evening, we are excited to host our PS–K Family Social at Harp & Fiddle. This gathering is another opportunity for our youngest families to meet one another, build friendships, and become even more connected to our SPC community.

Parent-Teacher Conferences – October 8 & 9

Next week, we will hold our fall Parent-Teacher Conferences. These conversations are among our most important opportunities to strengthen the home-school partnership.

Our goal is for conferences to give families a clear understanding of what their child is doing well, areas where continued growth is needed, and ways parents and teachers can work together to support each student’s success. When questions or concerns arise, please share them with your child’s teacher. Open, respectful, and solution-focused communication between school and home allows us to provide the best possible support for our students.

Thursday, October 8: We will have an 11:50 a.m./12:00 p.m. dismissal, depending on grade level. In-person Parent-Teacher Conferences will begin at 1:00 p.m. and conclude at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, October 9: Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held virtually from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Please watch for any additional conference information and scheduling details from your child’s teacher.

In the News & Important Reminders

October 1 – Personal Communication Device Policy Begins
Our new Personal Communication Device Policy is officially in effect beginning today, October 1. We appreciate the support of our families as we work together to maintain a safe, focused, respectful, and distraction-free learning environment for our students. Please continue to remind your children of the expectations regarding cell phones, smartwatches, and other personal electronic communication devices during the school day.

October 12 – No School
There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, October 12, in observance of Columbus Day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, October 13.

October 14 – School Mass Moves to Wednesdays
Beginning Wednesday, October 14, our weekly school Mass will move from Tuesdays to Wednesdays at 9:45 a.m.While our school Mass day is changing, our Tuesday early-dismissal schedule and professional development time will continue as scheduled.

October 15 – Final Day for Shorts
A reminder that Thursday, October 15, is the final day students may wear shorts to school under our uniform guidelines. Beginning October 16, students should transition to the appropriate cold-weather uniform.

Athletic Uniform Reminder
Speaking of shorts, we also want to remind all of our student-athletes that they are expected to wear their SPC-assigned uniform for all athletic contests. For girls volleyball at every grade level, only NAVY shorts are permitted as part of the uniform. Thank you to our athletes and families for representing SPC with pride and consistency.

October 16 – Home & School Meeting
Our next Home & School Meeting will be Friday, October 16, at 8:15 a.m. in Holy Family Chapel. We welcome parents to join us and stay connected to the many activities and opportunities throughout our school community.

October 16 – Our First Pep Rally!
We are also looking forward to hosting our first school pep rally of the year on Friday, October 16! It will be a great opportunity to come together as a school, celebrate our Tigers, recognize our students, and build school spirit and belonging.

A Reminder About Partnership, Kindness & Communication

As we prepare for Parent-Teacher Conferences, I also want to share an important reminder about the partnership between our families and teachers.

Please continue to support our teachers in the important work of teaching and learning with your children. Our teachers care deeply about their students and devote tremendous time, energy, and thought to helping each child grow.

Just as we teach our students to treat one another with kindness and respect, our teachers deserve that same kindness and respect from all of us. They need collaborative support from home rather than conflict. When concerns arise—and they inevitably will in any school community—our communication should be positive, respectful, professional, and focused on solutions rather than demands, accusations, or assumptions.

As a Catholic community, the way we communicate with and about one another matters.

I would especially ask our families to be thoughtful about conversations on social media and parent chat groups. These forums can sometimes amplify frustration, spread incomplete information, or create misunderstandings before the people directly involved have had an opportunity to communicate. In those situations, the result can do more harm than good for our students, teachers, and community.

If you have a question or concern about something happening in a classroom, please begin with the teacher. Ask questions, seek understanding, listen to one another, and work toward a solution together. If additional assistance is needed, our administrative team is always available to support that conversation.

We will not always agree on every issue, but we can always choose to communicate with kindness, dignity, professionalism, and respect. That is what partnership looks like, and it is also what we want our children to see modeled by the adults in their lives.

Thank You, SPC

As we move into October, I continue to be grateful for the many ways our families contribute to the life of our school. Whether you attend Mass with us, volunteer at an event, cheer on our Tigers, support a classroom, welcome a new family, or simply ask your child about their day, you help create the community we want for every SPC student.

Belonging is built through relationships, and those relationships are strongest when our school, parish, teachers, and families work together.

Thank you for entrusting your children to us each day and for being such an important part of St. Paul of the Cross. I look forward to seeing many of you at Family Mass this Sunday and at Parent-Teacher Conferences next week.

Have a wonderful weekend, and Go Tigers!

James White, M.Ed.
Principal

SAVE THE DATE!!

More SPC Updates and Events

St. Paul of the Cross Life Team
2026 – 2027 School Year ⭐ 7th & 8th Grade
All 7th and 8th Grade students are invited to live the Gospel of Life through community service! Together, we serve the most vulnerable communities: the elderly, the homeless, the unborn, and those with special needs while growing in faith and friendship.

Please download the flyer with all the details here.

Order your **2027 St. Paul of the Cross Yearbook** today!
This year’s yearbook will have **94 pages** and include students from **Jr. Kindergarten through 8th grade**.
**Save 10% when you order by October 31st!**
Order at **https://treering.com/**
**Yearbook Password:** 101414618165482
All students receive **two complimentary custom pages** that can be personalized later.
**Final order deadline: Friday, April 16th.**
Questions? Contact Mrs. McCallister at **[email protected]**.

From the Parish

We have an active and vibrant parish and encourage everyone to read the weekly bulletins for Fr. James’ weekly letter and stay informed about all upcoming events and programs.

Please click here for the latest bulletin.
Please click here for Fr. James’ Weekly Letters