Dear SPC Families,
I pray you all enjoyed a joyful Easter! We are excited to be back for the last few months of school. Please make sure to note all the calendar notes below; the end of the year is always a very busy one. On Monday, we all enjoyed coming back to school for the Solar Eclipse! It was fun to be together outside watching the eclipse together as a school community!
Congratulations 5th Grade STEAM Teams!
Congratulations to two of our 5th Grade STEAM teams who won Honorable Mention Awards from the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision 2023-2024 Competition! The Honorable Mention awards place them among the top 10% of all ExploraVision projects submitted to the national competition this year. The 4th and 5th grade students researched, engineered, and designed a technology that may be available in the near future. Congratulations to Molly and Emily, who designed a Robotic Air Crew, and Parker, Nate, Jace, and Ryan, who designed a Bladeless Wind Generator. Great job, future engineers!!
LENTEN ALMSGIVING
We are excited to announce that we have contributed over $3000 to the Lenten Almsgiving project with Catholic Extension. The school funds will be combined with the parish collections.
ENDOWMENT MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS:
The Endowment Committee is excited to announce the merit-based scholarships available to current SPC students returning for the 2024-2025 school year. Each year the Endowment administers five merit-based, named scholarships totaling $3,750:
- Pastoral Leadership Award- We are pleased to invite current 5th and 6th grade students to apply. Three monetary awards of $750 will be given to students who demonstrate the qualities of leadership and service to others.
- Maureen Kelly McCambridge Scholarship- We are pleased to invite current 7th grade students to apply for this $1000 scholarship established in Maureen’s honor and memory.
- McHugh Downes New Family Welcome Award- This $500 award is available to new families who, for the first time during the 2023-2024 school year, have students in K-7th grades and are returning to SPC for a second year. It will be granted to welcome a new family to the SPC community.
The submission deadline for the Endowment Merit-Based Scholarships is April 18, 2024.
Please click here for detailed information concerning each scholarship and its respective criteria.
WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD
Next week, we are excited to celebrate our youngest students at SPC! Preschool - 3rd grade families, please be sure to check your emails we sent out yesterday with VIP Day details, permission slips, and more important information regarding next week. Week of the Young Child Schedule, click here.
ANNIE JR.
The sun will come out tomorrow! Please click here for your tickets! Our actors have been practicing, so please join us in May for a wonderful show! Students will get a small sneak peek during school, but please join us for the entire show! Please see more information below.
SHORTS!
Beginning on April 15th, students may wear uniform shorts to school!
SUMMER CAMPS–There is still space!
We are excited about our fun menu of summer enrichment camps for three weeks this coming summer! Registration is now open for all current SPC students and incoming new SPC students! Click here for the Summer Camp brochure, which includes the registration link.
FINAL 24-25 SCHOOL CALENDAR
We have finalized the 24-25 school calendar and uploaded it into the Google calendar, so please check to see if it has synced with your phones. Click Here.
Click here to download the pdf.
SAVE THE DATES APRIL-MAY (I can’t believe how fast the year has gone!)
APRIL 15-19: Week of the Young Child
APRIL 19: VIP DAY Grades Preschool-3
APRIL 26: Career Day Grades 4–8
MAY 6-10: Teacher Appreciation Week
MAY 8: Trip to Springfield Grades 6-7
MAY 15: May Crowning – 2nd and 8th grade can bring two guests to Mass. More details will follow later. Mass is at 1:00 pm.
MAY 15 & 16: SPC Spring Musical, Annie
MAY 21-24: Spring Book Fair
MAY 31: SPC Olympics
Peace,
Dr. Erika Mickelburgh
MORE SCHOOL NEWS & HAPPENINGS
Week of the Young Child April 15-19
We will be collecting books for Bernie's Book Drive during the weeks of April 15-19 and April 22-26. So, if you are organizing and cleaning out your bookshelves over the next few weeks, we have just the place for your book donations!
Please click here for information.
The SPC School Board will have 3 open positions for the upcoming 2024-25 school year. We invite parents and parish members to consider taking a leadership role and participate on the school board.
As an advisory board, our school board assists our Principal, Dr. Erika Mickelburgh, in formulating and implementing policies and procedures to run our parish school. The school board meets monthly during the school year. Board activities include finance, academic education, religious education, public relations, technology and building planning.
The eligibility requirements for the Board are as follows:
1. 21 years of age or older;
2. registered member of the Parish;
3. no full-time or part-time employees of the school or immediate member of the family of an employee shall be eligible for Board membership;
4. genuine interest in Catholic education;
5. ability to work with others to achieve consensus;
6. available for meeting and committee work;
7. ability to maintain confidentiality and exhibit the highest levels of respect and integrity.
If you are interested in participating on the school board, please email Siobhan Haugh at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The nomination deadline is Tuesday, April 16, 2024.
Annie Jr. hits the SPC Stage May 15th and 16th!
Annie Playbill Shout Outs
We know you are just as excited as our young thespians about the upcoming production of Annie Jr! You have the perfect opportunity to shout out your favorite actors in the playbill. Please click here for the details.
Save the Date! Spring Art Show April 14, 2024!
5 Tips for Talking to Teen Boys About Mental Health
Free Well being Course for Teens: Yale University
SPC ATHLETICS
For more information, please email Mrs. Kelly Spanos at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.t.
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' "The Daily" - Daily Mass Readings and Reflections
St. Paul's Vacation Bible School - For Incoming PK 4 yrs - 5th-Graders
Join us for a week of morning fun and faith, here at St. Paul of the Cross' VBS Program - Table of Plenty, June 17 - 21! Students entering PK 4 through 5th grade in the Fall are welcome to register. Please click here for the fillable pdf.
Rising Star Scholarship Application - Attention 8th Grade Boys
Attention Current 8th Grade Female Students Attending ANY Catholic High School in the Fall of 2024
Deadline: Friday, May 3, 2024
St. Paul of the Cross Women’s Group, the Apostolate of Women (AOW), is accepting applications for its annual Catholic Education Scholarship award. This scholarship is open to young women of the parish who are currently in 8th grade and will be attending a Catholic High School in the Fall of 2024. Two winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship for tuition at any Catholic High School in the Chicagoland area. This is an achievement/merit based scholarship and is not based on financial need.
Please click here for the details and application requirements.
Introducing Monthly SPC Women's Group Gatherings!
The SPC Women’s Group, also known as the Apostolate of Women, will now gather monthly to meet new and old friends and to provide all women of the parish with updates on recent activities of our pillars (Spiritual, Service, and Social) as well as our guilds (small groups). . We’ll also share opportunities for you to get involved and, most importantly, enjoy each other’s fellowship.
You don’t have to be a member to attend, although of course we would love you to join the group.
Many women have told us they would love to get involved yet can’t commit a lot of time. That’s okay – there are plenty of one or two hour service opportunities for you to contribute your time or talent.
Don’t miss out on our upcoming gatherings (doors open at 7 p.m., meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.):
· Tuesday, April 9 in the Holy Family Chapel
· Monday, May 6 in the Holy Family Chapel
We look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions or topics you’d like included in these meetings, please send us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
FROM THE COMMUNITY
From Our Catholic High Schools
Loyola Academy Spring Events for Junior High Students