House League

Today, students dressed in their house color and participated in group team building activities with other members of their house. If you are new to St. Paul’s you may be wondering what is a “house”?


At St. Paul’s our house families are a mix of students from grade K-12 separated into four groups (aka houses). Each house honors a family that is important to St. Paul’s. They are: Hess, Ferlin, Kaiser, and Ershig.


House League provides another opportunity for students to bond with other members of our school community. House assignments begin in Kindergarten and last until graduation, providing students with another sense of identity, acceptance, and belonging. All new students are assigned a house upon joining our school. Each house has a mascot, color, and cheer.


Throughout the year our “houses” will come together to bond as a group, meet friends outside of their class and participate in activities that embody our core commitments.

Successful Citizens

Thank you for coming to back to school night on Monday. In my opening speech I mentioned that this year we would not only continue to help your child grow academically, but we are also focusing on teaching them the qualities of successful citizenship.

The way we help students become successful citizens is by teaching them the tools it takes to be a good communicator, solving conflicts by rationally discussing a problem and explaining your viewpoint, and teaching them how to flourish in any social situation. After all, as the banner by LEPS says, “learners today, leaders tomorrow.”

Our teachers have been working hard to further develop the skills it takes to make these advanced concepts easy for elementary aged students to understand. This summer, we had trainers from The Institute for Social and Emotional Learning spend a day training our teachers how to share these concepts with students.

This week our teachers each took a tool from the SEL (social emotional learning) tool box and did a skit at our back to school assembly. This launch allowed students to get an overview of all the concepts that will be taught in detail by their classroom teachers throughout the year. The tools we'll be teaching are:

• Use an I-message when you have a conflict (e.g. I feel sad when I don’t get a turn with the ball and I wish that we could all take turns). If that doesn’t work go to a teacher for help.
• Try and come to an agreement where both people feel good (Win-Win).
• Try and make others feel good by filling their buckets with put-ups (compliments).
• Recognize your emotional thermometer and use cool down strategies.
• Recognize that all have different levels of comfort and boundary bubbles.

Today a second grade student told me that her neighbor (who does not go to St. Paul’s) had a conflict with her and so she just ran home. The second grader then told me, “I had to teach her about not just running away and giving an I-message when you are upset.” I was so proud, it has made me smile for the rest of the day! There is a successful citizen in the making!

Ms. Hammack, and Mrs. Galvin show students how to create a win-win. 

Ms. McDonnell and Mrs. Owens teach students how to cool off when they get angry

Welcome Back!

Welcome to my blog!

For those of you who are viewing it for the first time-thank you for visiting! I use this blog space to get a bit deeper into the education, events, and excitement happening at St. Paul’s Academy Lower School. Each week I will give you a bit more behind the scenes information.


This week our topic is that our school year is off and running! I could not ask for better students or teachers, and I can tell this is going to be one of our best years yet! We have 125 students in the Lower School -- 26 of those students are new (including our cute as can be Kindergartners).


Our parent association is led again this year by Kara Crotty. If you have not stopped in to meet her or visit our new PALS (Parents Actively Lending Support) room, please do. It is located three doors to the right from the front entrance. There is coffee, conversation and of course, lots of projects being completed. Among the events held each year are the Auction, Fall Festival, Family Fun Night, All School Picnic, and many more. There is always something happening around here, so stay tuned!