Student Life
Essential to the Children's Growth
Saint Patrick Academy puts a premium on the development of the whole person and offers programming in both the arts and athletics. Essential to the growth of children’s perspective and imagination, offerings in music, art, and drama teach students to look and listen for beauty. Along with music recitals, weekly piano lessons, the painting of icons, concerts, and impromptu art shows, SPA stages a major drama production each spring.
Elementary students have weekly physical education classes that expose them to a variety of formal and informal physical activities, games, and sports. The Strength by Strebel program, developed by Mr. PJ Strebel, is offered exclusively for SPA students in Grades K-8. Through this strength and conditioning program, teaches the basic movement patterns of the human body and creates a foundation of strength training by learning proper form and technique. Elementary and middle school students can also participate in fun competition in the Athletic Program. Offerings include basketball for elementary students and soccer, basketball, cross country, track, and volleyball for middle schoolers.
Saint Patrick Academy has seen that participation in athletic activities helps foster the development of the student physically, mentally, socially and spiritually to create a well-rounded educational experience.
Our philosophy of “never judge yourself by the scoreboard” is reinforced by focusing on how students use their athletic opportunity to learn the concept of being on a team for the greater good.
At Saint Patrick’s Academy, we offer innovation in academic enrichment, bringing incredible local programs and opportunities into the school day. We bring a range of subject areas – foreign language, athletic development, art, music, STEM, and more – alive by partnering with proven programs offered in the local community.
Our 4th grade has a partnership with the NHSPCA. We have also worked with St. Vincent de Paul Society for a coat drive every year, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, The Edgewood Centre for our Adopted Grandparents Program, a toy drive with The Portsmouth Fire Department for Toys for Tots and we have written thank you letters to servicemen stationed overseas.
Saint Patrick Academy has many student clubs and activities, including Art Club, Tennis Club, 5-8 Homework Club, 5-6 Breakfast Book Club, and our Spring Musical.
We also offer students a safe, happy, and well-supervised environment where they can play and complete homework in our Before & After School Programs.
It has been noted that the longest journey we ever make is between our head — what we know — and our heart — what we do. Sometimes there exists a disconnect between what we know to be right and what our actions tell others we think is right. Said plainly: it is not enough to know truth. We must live it out. As educators and as parents, the responsibility of developing a lesson plan falls squarely on each one of us.
