Saint Patrick Catholic School

Returning Thanks

"Enduring Legacy, Endless Possibilities"

On Thursday, November 21, Wolfhound parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends of Saint Patrick Catholic School attended the Returning Thanks Breakfast. We were especially grateful to welcome so many members of our community back to campus in support of the School’s mission of educating and nurturing the whole child – mind, body, and spirit!

Guests were greeted by our always impressive student Legati and escorted to the gymnasium where they joined their table hosts for the official program. Father Jim Curran, Saint Patrick Catholic School Chaplain and Rector of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, opened the program by delivering the invocation. Fifth Grade student and grandson of Board President Dr. Pamela McKinney, DJ L., introduced his grandmother. Dr. McKinney shared some words about the transformative work happening at Saint Patrick.

After guests enjoyed a delicious breakfast prepared by our amazing Dining Hall staff, Eighth Grade student and Celtic Council President John-John W. introduced Head of School Lauren Mazzari. She stated that this year’s theme, “Enduring Legacy, Endless Possibilities, shines a spotlight on a special milestone: the 20th year of our school, dedicated to the total formation of its students. Saint Patrick “teaches our students to dream boldly and act with purpose, trusting that God has an important plan for them and will provide all they need along the way.” She closed by saying that “our goal is to ensure that Saint Patrick’s legacy of excellence - and the dream upon which it was founded - continues to inspire generations of Wolfhounds with endless possibilities and that this unique educational experience remains accessible and affordable for all who seek it, so we can continue to graduate young men and women of character who dare not only to dream but to follow those dreams.”

After a moving video presentation, Liam Combes, Class of 2013, reflected on his time at Saint Patrick. Now a Naval Aviator, flying the MH60 Sierra Knighthawk helicopter, Liam has had some time to look back and fully understand the positive impact his Wolfhound experience has had on his life. He reflected on each of the Life Ofs, but spoke to how the Life of Vocation helped him fulfill his calling to serve in the United States military, how his growth mindset and skills to persevere helped him achieve his goal of attending Boston University on an ROTC Scholarship, and how important the Life of Relationship has been to him in forging the lifelong bonds he developed with some of his Wolfhound classmates. Dubbed the “Bromigos,” Liam Combes, Alex Duvall, Ignatius Liberto, Sebastian Martinez, and Ethan Willingham have become an inseparable group of friends, despite going to different colleges and living in different areas of the country. They have traveled to Europe, hiked in Iceland, and continue to support each other as they continue to grow both personally and professionally. Liam closed by saying he is “grateful for the lessons he learned at Saint Patrick” and that this school “gave him his band of brothers.”

Our final speaker was current and alumni parent Kieran Donohue. He spoke of the wonderful experience that his daughters, Molly and Nora, have had at Saint Patrick and that he and his wife, Erika, don’t merely see Saint Patrick as their daughters’ school, but they see it as “their school and community” as well. He then graciously asked parents to join him in “Returning Thanks” through their financial support.

We truly appreciate all of the board members, parent ambassadors, table captains, volunteers, and sponsors who helped make the Returning Thanks Breakfast possible.

If you could not attend the breakfast and would like to make a donation to the Returning Thanks Annual Fund, please click HERE or scan the QR code below!

Not only is your gift a lasting investment in the mission of Saint Patrick Catholic School, but by giving TODAY you can join millions from around world in supporting what matters most to you. Tuesday, December 3 is Giving Tuesday, so show your love for Saint Patrick on this global day of giving. Thank you!

Ain't Life Grand!

We were thrilled to welcome our grandparents and special friends on campus for Grandparents Day this year. Many grandparents traveled long distances to attend the celebration on Tuesday, November 26 and it warmed our hearts to be a part of their Thanksgiving festivities!

The morning began with a special Snapshot Tour for over 40 guests. Wolfhound grandparent Dan Schuette shared what he feels makes Saint Patrick so special. Our Legati (student ambassadors) then took over the tour and spoke eloquently about the Life Ofs that are the foundation of our educational program of Total Formation.

Students in PreK through Sixth Grade entertained over 500 “grandfriends” with music from ENCORE! The Music of Our Times and were enthusiastically directed by both our Music Director Christopher Kypros and Music Teacher Dionne Smith.

Seventh and Eighth Grade students hosted the The Joan Maus Middle School Art Show in the Frances M. and Harvey L. Lindsay, Jr. Art Connector. Our students showcased artwork inspired by Braque, Picasso, Rothko, and Fauvism. This show was curated by Fine Arts Chair Jacki Voorhies and Art Teacher Carrie Prince.

We are thankful so many of our Wolfhound grandparents were able to join us and see for themselves how our Fine Arts Team truly brings out the best in our students and inspires their creativity each and every day!

Honoring Our Veterans

On Friday, November 8, we held our annual Veteran’s Day ceremony to honor all our servicemen and women (past and present) that lead by example as true servant leaders. Who better to teach our children the meaning of living one’s faith through courageous and selfless service to others than our military?

Organized by Fifth Grade Teacher and military spouse Brigid Barrineau, several of our military-connected students led this special ceremony. Kindergarten through Eighth Grade students were joined by parents and grandparents who are active duty or retired members of our military as we celebrated the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Space Force.

Eighth Grade students Lucy R. welcomed everyone in attendance and Maxim D. led us in a Veteran’s Prayer. This was followed by the presentation of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. After honoring each branch of the United States military with a lantern and their respective uniform seal, a single rose and candle were placed on the stage to honor all those that have made the ultimate sacrifice. Following this solemn remembrance, photos of military-connected parents and students were shown as quotes from our own Wolfhound veterans were read aloud. Their words spoke to the courage and sense of duty all service men and women embody by joining the United States Armed Forces. We then took a reflective moment to pause and remember the fallen, before we had active duty and retired military personnel in attendance to stand and be recognized. This was followed by an acknowledgment of all the military-connected spouses and students in the theater. To close out the program, attendees recited the Prayer of Saint Michael and Mrs. Barrineau dedicated the ceremony to Marine Sergeant Major Levi Jerome Wilson Sr. as a Marine who “embodied the highest values of honor, duty, and sacrifice.” He served until days before his death and was a friend and mentor to alumnus Cory Tenney (Class of 2014). The program ended with Fifth Grade student Rhys H. leading us in the singing of America the Beautiful.

Our entire Saint Patrick Catholic School community is deeply grateful for the many sacrifices made by those in the military and by their families in order to protect and serve our country. We are proud to be a Purple Star School - a military-friendly school that has demonstrated a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military - and that nearly 40% of our students are military connected. We keep all of them in our prayers and hearts as we try to follow their examples.

Wolfhound Alumni Spotlights

Liam Combes (Class of 2013) is a Naval Aviator, flying the MH60 Sierra Knighthawk helicopter. He is stationed at Naval Station Norfolk and spoke at the Returning Thanks Breakfast on Thursday, November 21 about how his experience at Saint Patrick helped him become who he is today. Thank you for your service!

Cory Tenney (Class of 2014) graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in finance and secured a position at ADS, an international defense contracting company based in Virginia Beach. Cory is part of the Pacific Command unit, which primarily involves working with locations such as Hawaii and Guam. As part of his job, he often travels to Hawaii and will be stationed there for three months, from February to April. He truly enjoys his job and the people he works with and recently received an award for being one of the company's top salesman!

Miranda Jackson (Class of 2015) graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2023 and spent Wednesday, November 6 shadowing our Lead Counselor & Lower School Counselor Shana O'Boyle (right) as part of her work to complete her Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Heath Counseling at Old Dominion University!

Virginia Chandler (Class of 2016) was back on campus on Friday, November 22 to shadow our First Grade team. Virginia (left of Mrs. Prince) is currently earning a Master's Degree in Education at Columbia University and we couldn't be more excited to have her gain classroom experience at Saint Patrick!

Sophia Sadr (Class of 2022) was recently recognized as the Atlantic Orthopedic Specialists & Norfolk Public Schools Female Athlete of the Month. Sophia is deserving of recognition because of her many achievements and her commitment to excellence in academics and athletics. Sophia is a gifted student that maintains an impressive 4.4 GPA while taking rigorous AP courses and participating in Maury's prestigious Medical & Health Specialties Program. Congratulations, Sophia!