This Week at St. Patrick – Week of February 13

We hope you had a wonderful weekend – we are looking forward to another excellent week at St. Patrick!

As of this evening, we are at 72% of our enrollment capacity for the 2023-24 school year. Very soon, we will open registration to the public, so if you have not yet submitted your enrollment packet for the 2023-24 school year, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible to guarantee your spot for the upcoming school year. To complete your reenrollment packet(s), please login to your FACTS Family Portal. Then, click on Apply/Enroll in the left menu and the Enrollment/Reenrollment link. If you have any questions or need assistance with the reenrollment process, please reach out to Emily Aldrich, Director of Admissions and Strategic Communications.

Tickets are now on sale for Shamrockin’ the Coast! Get ready to party and celebrate Catholic education with us! Join us for a night of fine cuisine, spirits, and live music. Our fifteenth annual Shamrockin’ the Coast party will be held at the Beau Rivage on March 18 from 7 to 11 pm. This year’s event is presented by Tradition. The virtual auction will begin on March 12 at noon and continue until 11 pm on March 18.

Click here to purchase tickets.

We are calling on every St. Patrick student and staff member to participate in this year’s auction. Students who sell at least two tickets to the event will receive free-dress for the entire week of Shamrockin’ the Coast. Please be certain to list a student as your reference when purchasing tickets. If you plan to purchase a table with multiple families or a strategic partner, you will be able to list a student under each attendee’s name.  For additional information, please contact Patrick Miller ’08, Director of Advancement.

St. Patrick will be closed on Monday, February 20, and Tuesday, February 21, for our Mardi Gras Holidays.  Classes will resume and offices will reopen on Ash Wednesday – February 22.

Let’s make it a great week at St. Patrick! Check out the calendar section below for a list of all the events we have planned for this week.

Go Irish!
Dr. Matt Buckley

Psalm 63:3: Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

Sounds like the words to some modern love song, doesn’t it: “Your love is better than life.” Well, it is a love song; it’s just not modern. While in the desert, David spoke of his longing for the Lord. He recognized that life would be worthless if he had to live it without the love of God. When is the last time you’ve told God you loved him? When was the last time you sang a love song to Jesus? No matter how long or short that time has been, today is THE perfect time to let God know how precious his mercy is to you, how liberating his grace is for you, and how his love is more important to you than life itself.

Loving Father, you have sacrificed so much for me and you have given so much to me. I do not have adequate words to express my thanks, my appreciation, and most importantly, my love for you. But please receive my words knowing the commitment and passion of my heart when I say, “Dear God, I love you.” In Jesus’ name, I praise and thank you. Amen.

Brazier, Trenton
Dujmov, Kyla
Holliman, Evan
Hood, Olivia
Johnson, Jericho
Khan, Adnan
King, Soren
Knowles, Ryan
Le, Thao My Van
Lord, Caleb
Sergent, Jacob
|Theriot, Byron
Vann, Josie
Warburton, Abigail
Mr. Juan Carreon

Monday, February 13
Sunny | 68° | 49° | 4%

7:30am Holy Half – Eucharistic Adoration
7:45am French Honor Society/French Club Meeting
7:45am Spanish Honor Society/Spanish Club Meeting
8:30am Logistics Team Meeting
2:15pm Leadership Team Meeting – Advancement
3:05pm FIRST Robotics Competition Workdays (FRC)
4pm Tennis vs. Gulfport (Away)
5pm JH Softball vs. Bay (Home)
6pm Women’s Varsity Basketball vs. Magee (Home- 1st Round MHSAA Playoffs)

Tuesday, February 14
Mostly Cloudy | 72° | 64° | 21%

Valentine’s Day
7:45am Students for Life Meeting
11am Mississippi State University Admissions Visit
3:05pm FIRST Robotics Competition Workdays (FRC)
3:05pm Chick-fil-A Leader Academy Meeting
3:05pm LEGO Robotics Work Session
5pm JV Baseball vs. Bay (Home)
5pm JV Softball vs. Purvis (Away)
6pm Men’s Varsity Basketball vs. St. Andrews (Home- 1st Round MHSAA Playoffs)
6:30pm Varsity Softball vs. Purvis (Away)
7pm Varsity Baseball vs. Bay (Home)

Wednesday, February 15
Cloudy | 73° | 66° | 24%

7:30am Holy Half – Eucharistic Adoration
7:45am National Honor Society Meeting
8:30am Discipleship Retreat – 9th Grade Boys – “Come and See”
3:05pm FIRST Robotics Competition Workdays (FRC)
3:05pm Interact Club Meeting
3:05pm Choir Practice
3:05pm Drama Guild Auditions for Spring Production
4pm Tennis vs. Pass Christian (Away)
5pm JH Baseball vs. Resurrection (Away)
5pm JV Softball vs. Long Beach (Home)
6:30pm Varsity Softball vs. Long Beach (Home)

Thursday, February 16
Thunderstorms | 71° | 44° | 96%

We will follow the liturgy bell schedule today, and students should dress in their liturgy uniform including blazers and ties.
7:30am Choir Practice
7:40am Quiz Bowl Meeting
9:40am Mass
2:30pm Varsity Track @ Sabatini Relays (Biloxi, MS)
3:05pm FIRST Robotics Competition Workdays (FRC)
3:05pm MathCounts Meeting
3:05pm eSports Meeting
3:05pm Mock Trial Meeting
3:05pm Drama Guild Auditions for Spring Production
3:30pm Induction Ceremony for the French Honor Society
5pm JH Softball vs. North Woolmarket (Home)
5:30pm Varsity Baseball vs. Mobile Christian (Away-Tournament)

Friday, February 17
Partly Cloudy | 54° | 35° | 3%

7:45am English Honor Society Meeting
7:45am Science Olympiad Meeting
8am MathCounts Competition
9am Leadership Team Meeting – Operations
11:45am Senior Luncheon
6:30pm Varsity Baseball vs. Poplarville (Away)
Women’s Varsity Basketball vs. TBA (TBA- 2nd Round MHSAA Playoffs)

Saturday, February 18
Mostly Sunny | 57° | 42° | 1%

9am FIRST Robotics Competition Workdays (FRC)
11am JV Baseball vs. Pass Christian (Away)
12pm Softball @ Vancleave
1pm Varsity Baseball vs. Pass Christian (Away)
4pm Softball vs. Stone @ Vancleave
5:30pm Band – Krewe of Neptune Parade
Men’s Varsity Basketball vs. TBA (Home- 2nd Round MHSAA Playoffs)

Monday | Hot Lunch: chicken parmesan, green beans, garlic toast; Fresh salad bar; Loaded baked potato; Fresh ham, turkey, and cheese sub sandwich with chips; Grill Items: pizza, french fries, hamburger, spicy chicken sandwich

Tuesday | Hot Lunch: chili and cheese with corn chips, corn; Fresh salad bar; Loaded baked potato; Fresh ham, turkey, and cheese sub sandwich with chips; Grill Items: pizza, french fries, hamburger, spicy chicken sandwich

Wednesday | Hot Lunch: southwest tornado’s, santa fe rice, fiesta corn; Fresh salad bar; Loaded baked potato; Fresh ham, turkey, and cheese sub sandwich with chips; Grill Items: pizza, tater tots, hamburger, spicy chicken sandwich

Thursday | Hot Lunch: chicken tetrazzini, peas, garlic bread; Fresh salad bar; Loaded baked potato; Fresh ham, turkey, and cheese sub sandwich with chips; Grill Items: pizza, french fries, hamburger, spicy chicken sandwich

Friday | Hot Lunch: chicken teriyaki with egg roll, steamed rice, stir fry vegetables; Fresh salad bar; Loaded baked potato; Fresh ham, turkey, and cheese sub sandwich with chips; Grill Items: pizza, french fries, hamburger, spicy chicken sandwich

As we progress through the second semester into the Spring, we encounter some distractions with inappropriate social media interaction between our students. Often this takes the form of gossip and the spreading of unfounded rumors. In a recent study it was found that 97% of American teenagers use a social media platform such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat or TikTok. As we are in a cell phone world, with all our students accessing cell phones and the internet, we thought it was important to share some information with our students and parents that will assist in the proper and healthy usage of social media. Please find below passages from an article published by the Mayo Clinic regarding teens and social media usage.

A 2019 study of more than 6,500 12- to 15-year-olds in the U.S. found that those who spent more than three hours a day using social media might be at heightened risk for mental health problems.

Other studies also have observed links between high levels of social media use and depression or anxiety symptoms. A 2016 study of more than 450 teens found that greater social media use, nighttime social media use and emotional investment in social media — such as feeling upset when prevented from logging on — were each linked with worse sleep quality and higher levels of anxiety and depression.

How teens use social media also might determine its impact. A 2015 study found that social comparison and feedback seeking by teens using social media and cellphones was linked with depressive symptoms. In addition, a small 2013 study found that older adolescents who used social media passively, such as by just viewing others’ photos, reported declines in life satisfaction. Those who used social media to interact with others or post their own content didn’t experience these declines.

And an older study on the impact of social media on undergraduate college students showed that the longer they used Facebook, the stronger was their belief that others were happier than they were. But the more time the students spent going out with their friends, the less they felt this way.

There are steps you can take to encourage responsible use of social media and limit some of its negative effects. Consider these tips:

Set reasonable limits. Talk to your teen about how to avoid letting social media interfere with his or her activities, sleep, meals or homework. Encourage a bedtime routine that avoids electronic media use, and keep cellphones and tablets out of teens’ bedrooms. Set an example by following these rules yourself.

Monitor your teen’s accounts. Let your teen know that you’ll be regularly checking his or her social media accounts. You might aim to do so once a week or more. Make sure you follow through.

Explain what’s not okay. Discourage your teen from gossiping, spreading rumors, bullying or damaging someone’s reputation — online or otherwise. Talk to your teen about what is appropriate and safe to share on social media.

Encourage face-to-face contact with friends. This is particularly important for teens vulnerable to social anxiety disorder.

Talk about social media. Talk about your own social media habits. Ask your teen how he or she is using social media and how it makes him or her feel. Remind your teen that social media is full of unrealistic images.

As always, if we can ever be of assistance with any matter regarding your child, please call on us.

As we reach the middle of February, we now begin the spring sports season! Let’s take a look at our action packed week:

On Monday, we will have a French Club and Spanish Club meeting in the morning, and in the afternoon FIRST Robotics will have a workday. In the evening, our Tennis team begins their season at Gulfport, while our Junior High Softball team hosts Bay in their first game of the season, as well as their first game as a program! At 6pm, our Varsity Women’s Basketball team will host their second ever playoff game; Tickets are $7 and are on sale at www.stpatrickhighschool.net/tickets. Only MHSAA state passes are allowed for free entry. Come out and support our teams!

Tuesday, we will begin the day with a Students for Life Meeting, while we have FIRST Robotics, LEGO Robotics, and Chick-fil-a Leader Academy in the afternoon. Tuesday night, our JV/Varsity Softball team will travel to Purvis for their opener, while our JV/Varsity Baseball team will host Bay. At 6pm, our Men’s Varsity Basketball team will play host in the first round of the MHSAA playoffs. Tickets are $7 and are on sale at www.stpatrickhighschool.net/tickets. Only MHSAA state passes are allowed for free entry. Go Irish!

During the day Wednesday, we will have a National Honor Society Meeting, FIRST Robotics work session, Interact Club Meeting, and Choir Practice. Tennis will travel to Pass Christian, Junior High Baseball will travel to Resurrection, and JV/Varsity Softball will host Long Beach, beginning at 5pm.

Thursday we will have meetings for Choir Practice, Quiz Bowl, FIRST Robotics, MathCounts, eSports, and Mock Trial. At 3:30pm we will have the induction ceremony for the French Honor Society in the auditorium. In the evening, our JH Softball team will host North Woolmarket at 5pm, while our Varsity Baseball team travels to Mobile Christian. Also, our Varsity Track teams will compete in the Sabatini Relays at Biloxi High School in the afternoon!

On Friday, English Honor Society and Science Olympiad will meet, while MathCounts participates in a competition at William Carey University. Our Varsity Baseball team will travel to Poplarville in the evening.

Saturday, FIRST Robotics will have a workday, while the JV/Varsity Baseball teams travel to Pass Christian. Varsity Softball will participate in the Vancleave tournament during the day. Good Luck to our teams!

Also, please follow our social media as we update everyone throughout the state basketball playoffs. Second round action will occur on Friday and Saturday, and we will let you know of date, time, and locations once we find out.

I hope you all have a wonderful Mardi Gras Holiday! Go Irish!

Results from the Previous Week:

2/6 Women’s Varsity Basketball vs. Perry Central (District 1st Round- Won 48-9)
2/7 Women’s Varsity Basketball vs. West Marion (District 2nd Round- Won 48-33)
2/7 Men’s Varsity Basketball vs. West Marion (District 2nd Round- Won 66-38)
2/7 Wrestling @ South State Dual-Picayune- 6 pins
2/10 Women’s Varsity Basketball vs. Jefferson Davis County (District Champ.- Lost 56-53)
2/10 Men’s Varsity Basketball vs. Tylertown (District Champ.- Lost 61-49)
2/11 Wrestling @ South State Individual-Vancleave- 10 State Qualifiers
2/11 Women’s Powerlifting Regional Meet- Region Champions
2/11 Softball vs. Long Beach (Jamboree)- Canceled
2/11 Baseball @ PRCC (Jamboree)- Lost 7-1; Lost 11-2

Congratulations to our January Students of the Month.

Mark your calendar! We are excited to welcome Fr.  Jim Sichko back to St. Patrick for our next Family Night. Join us on Ash Wednesday for food, fellowship and 60 minutes for Jesus with Father Jim! RSVP at stpatrickhighschool.net/tickets.

Attention Seniors! Once you have accepted your admission to the college you will attend in the fall and paid your deposit, remember to log in to your college portal and college email daily to check for important updates regarding dorm and room selection, orientation sign up, and course advisement. There are many benefits that go along with having a college email account, such as a free Amazon Prime student account, discounts at restaurants and fast food places, and discounted membership fees to gyms and various organizations.

Experts explain situations when starting therapy may be the best way to support your child during stressful times. As a parent, it’s important to know the signs that your child may need a bit of additional support from a mental health professional to help them better cope. Experts share the top signs it may be time for your child to start working with a therapist, plus how to find one.

Your child is constantly seeking information. “Constantly seeking information from social media or the news, or asking parents for reassurance is a key indicator of anxiety,” says Dr. Yip. “It’s the situation: ‘I don’t know, and therefore, that makes me anxious.’ Obtaining absolute certainty isn’t ever possible—now and in any situation in life. 

Changes in sleep patterns, including increased or decreased sleep. “This may mean a child may be feeling anxious or depressed. Perhaps the child is having trouble falling asleep due to worries about the pandemic and its impacts, or the child may be feeling depressed by loss of activities resulting in increased sleep,” says Kate E. Eshleman, Psy.D., pediatric psychologist at Cleveland Clinic Children’s.”

Isolation at home. “If you see your child or teen spending more time in their room and not reaching out to family or friends, this is another sign that they may need to get some extra support,” says Cat Ryan, a case therapist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. “Be mindful of how much alone time they have in their room. While most members of the family may want a little downtime to themselves, too much alone time can exacerbate depression.”

Clinginess. “Clinginess may signal anxiety. Clinginess happens when a child doesn’t feel the confidence or resiliency to deal with being alone,” says Dr. Yip. “Feeling like there’s insufficient resources to deal with potential harms. A clinician will help a child build self-confidence—that feeling of ‘I can do it’, and ‘I can figure it out!’ This kind of attitude is needed to develop resiliency and confidence.”

Increased irritability. “In children and adolescents, anxiety is often manifested as agitation, irritability, and quick responses. Children are also likely experiencing increased frustration related to the loss of many important events such as birthday parties, end of school celebrations, family trips, and summer activities,” says Dr. Eshleman. “The provider can further assess the child’s worry and assist with strategies to challenge those concerns, or acknowledge and validate them and work with the child to develop active coping strategies to manage his or her distress (i.e., ways of relaxation or distraction).”

Withdrawal from favored activities. “This may be a symptom of depression. It is especially important at this time to determine if the disinterest is related to mood versus fatigue from engaging in that favored activity,” says Dr. Eshleman. “For example, if a child typically enjoys art, though has been engaging in art projects daily for the past two plus months, he may just be tired of doing art. The provider can further assess what is underlying the change in interest, and address the underlying symptom/cause.”

Changes in hygiene and eating. “This is another warning sign that your child may be experiencing an increase in depression or anxiety,” says Ryan. “It is helpful to maintain a schedule for meals, and to make sure that kids are maintaining daily hygiene, such as brushing teeth and showering.”

What is Shamrockin’ the Coast?

Shamrockin’ the Coast is St. Patrick’s spring fundraising event and celebration of Catholic education. All proceeds directly support students, faculty, and staff.

Okay, but what do my contributions actually support?

-Teacher Raises
-Promethean Boards (Smart Boards and Software)
-Bus Transportation
-Improvements to Academic and Athletic Facilities
-Subsidizes the cost of tuition for EVERYONE
-Tuition Assistance
-Much more!

I pay tuition. Why should I donate or participate in fundraisers?

St. Patrick provides a top 1% education at nearly half the national average to educate a student. Catholic education is and always will be affordable for our families. We will never turn students away due to finances but will call upon the entire St. Patrick community to keep tuition as low as possible.

Got it! So, how can I best support Shamrockin’ the Coast?

Purchase a table, solicit businesses for silent auction items, and make your annual tax-deductible donation to the Irish Fund.

Where do I purchase a general admission ticket or table sponsorship and make my annual tax-deductible donation to the Irish Fund?

CLICK THIS LINK!

Does a general admission ticket or table sponsorship make the largest impact?

Either is beneficial to St. Patrick. The table sponsorships make the largest impact in covering the cost of the event and meeting St. Patrick’s fundraising goal of $185,000.

Should I personally purchase a table sponsorship or my business/employer?

Shamrockin’ the Coast is a wonderful opportunity to advertise your business while supporting St. Patrick. If not your business/employer, many families and alumni get together as one party and purchase table sponsorships.

When does the silent auction begin and end?

The silent auction begins at noon on March 12 and ends at 11 pm on March 18.

What is the theme, and what do I wear?

This year’s theme is the Gold Dress Gala. Wear something gold! The dress code is semi-formal. Men are encouraged to wear a jacket and tie and women a cocktail dress. This is not strictly enforced. We mainly want you to have fun!

What else should I do at Shamrockin’ the Coast?

Eat delicious food, build community, dance, and celebrate Catholic education at St. Patrick!