St. Patrick's Catholic School

Archdiocese Academic Decathlon 2013 8th Grade Team - 1st Place 7th Grade Team - 3rd Place 6th Grade Team - 1st Place 5th Grade Team - 2nd Place 4 Robotics Teams qualified for Worlds Competition in California 1st Place Creighton Prep Math Competition ...and all in the last month!

Compassionate, faith filled, and focused are words that immediately come to mind when I think about the types of students and staff members that comprise the St. Patrick's Catholic School community. Couple that with a passionate principal, priests who make connections from Scripture to our daily lives, involved parents, and a supportive church community, and it is obvious what makes St. Patrick's a great school!
—Submitted by a parent

I am personally acquainted with the Principal of this school and am aware of its excellent academic reputation. I would highly recommend it to any parent seeking a top notch academic and religious experience for his or her child. Top notch administration and faculty at St. Pat's.

I am disappointed with the quality of leadership at this school. I do not believe the principals focus is on education. I feel it is more focused on fundraising. I also noticed a large disparity in treatment form families that can afford to donate more and those who can not. I say this from someone that has donated. I have tried to get extra help in areas of math and have been met with resistance each time. I am not sure why? I have noticed that the science classes are way behind in both curriculum and in teacher quality. Math is also a major concern. I ask why the test scores are so high when national tests are not. I am told there is no correlation. I know that to be false. I ask for an explanation of the statistics they give us to "show how well St. Pat's is doing" and they will not. They just give me a pretty graph and tell me not to worry. I have noticed a huge turn over in the middle school teachers. I noticed that the good teachers are leaving not the bad ones. I have asked to discuss this with the principal and the teachers and I get no reply. I feel the school is headed in the wrong direction and I too will be moving my children elsewhere. Poor leadership abound!
—Submitted by a parent

When I first came to St. Pat's I was very pleased in the early grades. I found the teachers to be very passionate about what they did. By 4th grade things changed. I found the quality of instruction rapidly decline. In middle school I was stunned by the number of teachers, that were excellent, leave and be replaced by average candidates. I have expressed this to the principle to no avail. In fact I feel that in many cases when I question him he speaks down to me as if I am unqualified to ask questions. Which is funny since I have a higher education than his teachers or him. I have seen how math quality has diminished and is a major concern. The science classes from 5th on are below poor. I know there were a lot of children with scholarships to high school but, the teachers that taught them are no longer there. English is the only thing of quality that I can compliment them on. It is apparent that the principle cares more about telling people how good they are and making sales pitches. He is unresponsive if you have real questions. It is a shame but all three of my children will be going to a different school next year. I only hope they are not as far behind as I fear.
—Submitted by a parent

My kids have attended St. Pat's their entire grade school and middle school careers. My son is now a 7th graders and my daughter is in high school. St. Pat's offers a nuturing, supportive environment. My children are well prepared for high school and are grounded, giving, servant minded people. Those are values that we instill at home and are reinforced at St. Pat's. I wouldn't trade the St. Pat's experience my children have received for any other educational experience.
—Submitted by a parent

I have had children at St. Patrick's since 2004. The school has grown tremendously in that time, yet the principal has handled all of the changes with grace and professionalism. The staff is caring, dedicated, and often works late into the evening either at the school or from home. St. Pat's provides a challenging curriculum for students of all abilities. I am very grateful I decided to send my children to St. Patrick's.
—Submitted by a parent

I have recently moved to Elkhorn and was blessed to have been welcomed with open arms and love as a new faculty member at St. Patrick s. Not only am I a teacher at St. Patrick's, but I am a doctoral candidate in the field of education specializing in Catholic Identity and School Culture. I have worked at 4 previous schools in my educational tenure and St. Patrick's is by far the highest in both of those categories in which I have some expertise. First, the mission of "To Teach as Jesus Did" is followed by every single teacher, who care for the students as Jesus would and push them to so they reach full-actualization and potential. It is amazing the amount of 8th graders who received tuition scholarships to a bevy of the local Catholic schools. Secondly, I have never seen a more servant leadership and caring culture amongst the staff then at St. Patrick's. It s a trickledown effect from their principal and support staff all the way down to the support staff. When you enter the building, you are met with smiles and someone willing to help you at the drop of a hat. I will be recently starting my own family, and I do not want my kiddos going anywhere else. Top notch academics and care
—Submitted by a teacher

I have four children at St. Patrick's. The teachers have been so very good to my kids by offering a great balance of challenge and encouragement. The principal himself has been involved in and initiating a specialized learning program for one of my children based on individual need. I am so amazed at his loyalty to the school and to continual improvement. He genuinely cares about the school and the students and he supports and encourages his staff openly. While anyone in a position of influence can be scrutinized, there is no question about his dedication and desire to do what is good for the school. That management philosophy seems to transcend to his staff. One of the themes in the school is to be the best you can be. I see that goal in the actions of the school staff and the principal, which naturally inspires the students to feel the same way. I really appreciate it when I see that drive and focus in my children at home. They care about doing well.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have attended St. Patrick's school for the last several years. I continue to be impressed by the teacher's dedication to their students. They work hard to meet the individual needs of all their students. Many of the teachers at St. Patricks's have had each of my children at different grade levels and have never assumed that they will all learn the same way. The teachers have always been more than willing to meet with me to discuss and give suggestions to help my kids be the best learners they can be. A BIGThanks to all the wonderful teachers and staff at St. Patricks!
—Submitted by a parent

I found St. Patricks to have had extremely large class sizes, 30 in my daughters class. There was no gym, and though the curriculum was not bad, it was one size fits all solution. So there was nothing to engange the interest of advanced students, or help students that were behind. St. Pats has decent ideas behind their curriculum, but by dividing the time of one teacher among thirty students they basically made is as engaging to the students as an office powerpoint presentation is to adults.
—Submitted by a parent

I felt really prepared for high school and they really pushed me to be my best!

I feel that all of the teachers at St. Pats middle school really helps me prepare for High School. It seemed unlikely at the time, but now that I am in High School I really appreciate it.

St. Patrick s has been a true blessing in our lives. It is difficult to summarize all of the wonderful things about this school. After being transferred to Omaha in 2001, we found ourselves far away from family and friends. When St. Patrick s was recommended to me, I enrolled my daughter in their preschool program. Both of my children have attended St. Pat s since they were 3 years old. My oldest daughter just graduated from 8th grade this past year. There were days when I would drop my children off at school and the principal would be helping the volunteers unload small children from the cars. He s very supportive and involved. Every day he greets the children and the faculty in the front of the school with a morning message and prayer. His expectations are very high, and the children joyfully rise to the occasion. I have been involved with the educational system my entire career and have witnessed many educators. The teachers and other support staff at St. Patrick s are truly some of the best I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. They are so knowledgeable and very dedicated to their work. From academics to developing great character in children, this school is superior.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been blessed with the wonderful experience of watching Saint Patrick s grow over the last thirteen years. I have seen a dedicated principal and able staff transform a modest group of 75 students into a school of over 700. Teachers at Saint Patrick s strive to meet the individual needs of every child while simultaneously fostering an atmosphere of devoted community where all students and staff have to opportunity to share their innumerous talents. Christian values live in the heart of this school. Teacher
—Submitted by a teacher

My three children attend St. Patrick's and have received an outstanding education thus far. The teachers here are among the most dedicated I have ever witnessed. Their compassion for their students is evident in their everyday interactions, and their ability to meet students where they are at and take them where they never thought they could go is top notch! Walking into this school you immediately feel a sense of belonging and family. Students are kind and courteous to one another... holding doors, using social skills, good manners, etc. This sure is refreshing considering the world today doesn't always promote these values. I believe this happens because the teachers expect this from their students everyday. Children will rise to the expectations put before them. I feel confident that my children will carry with them into their futures these ideals that were instilled in them at home and at St. Patrick's and the sky will be the limit!
—Submitted by a parent

St. Patrick's is a second home to me. I work with the most passionate, dedicated, and caring group of professionals. Our staff works closely together to challenge each individual student by differentiating instruction to ensure success. Our principal is extremely supportive and cares about each student. He is a role model to us all. My children will attend school here in the future, and I feel confident St. Pat's will help them reach their full potential.
—Submitted by a teacher

St. Patrick's administration, staff, and parents work hard to create a positive learning environment for all students. The environment at this school is welcoming and the students are challenged every day to be the best they can be. I adore this school and the gift they give to their students.

I attended St. Patrick's for my entire K-8th grade education. My first year at the school was the first year it opened, and if anybody can tell you whether or not it's worth it-- it's me. St. Pat's is awesome. It's a really fun school, and I learned a lot. The academics are stellar (vocab word, 6th grade) and if you want your kid to grow up and go to high school well above all the other students like I was, St. Pat's is the way to go. One of the best things about St. Pat's is it teaches kids discipline and manners. The kids who go there are nice, polite kids. A few hires during my time there were a little questionable, but turned out well, I would only recommend that they hire more experienced teachers. Never the less, all the teachers I had were fantastic. I still love to stop and talk to them after Church and when I see them around. Sure there's no gym, but who cares, they still have successful sports teams, and that's not what school is about. If you want your kid to go to a nice Catholic school with great academics and great character building, send them to St. Pat's. High school is great, but I still miss St. Pat's, it was, as principal Mr. Ridder would put it, "the best!" :)

I find this school to be more interested in it's reputation and numbers than helping individual students. The teachers gossip with other parents about their students. The principal talks in circles and does not address concerns of parents. It is difficult to volunteer and become a part of the community within the school. The communication between the teacher and parents is very poor. The acedemics are very good, but the educational experience as a whole is not very well rounded. They fall short in extracurricular activities and the social aspects of school. There is no gymnasium and sports are lacking. St Patrick's needs to focus more on the whole experience of school for the students, communicate better with parents and allow newcomers to get involved more easily.
—Submitted by a parent