Students Get Interactive with Science

During the month of January, Mr. Zawacki’s Biology and Anatomy classes collaborated with the PCS Technology team, to provide students with an immersive and interactive learning experience by integrating our new zSpace laptops. zSpace technology has the ability to enhance learning through an interactive experience by integrating AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) technology with science, math, and CTE (career technical education) topics.

Students completed engaging activities such as dissecting and interacting with mitochondria, cells, and muscles. The activities were designed to supplement the existing curriculum, while supporting retention and recall of information in a non-traditional immersive classroom environment. Students were able to see these objects come off of the screen and then rotate and move them, while studying each section. The 360 degree screen-breaking experience is achieved through built-in eye tracking sensors and a stylus pen.

We hope to dive deeper with zSpace in our science courses and for career exploration activities with our students. More information about zSpace can be found at www.zspace.com.

Student using zSpaceStudent using zSpaceStudent using zSpace
Student using zSpaceStudent using zSpaceStudent using zSpace
* Students see a 3D object as they use the stylus to navigate the activity.

Students get a chance to work with a professional stage and film actor

On Wednesday, January 25th, Travis Mitchell, a professional stage and film actor, visited Pacelli Catholic High School to do a workshop with choir and theatre students. Travis shared his experiences working in the acting field on both stage and in film.  He also worked with the students to model the audition process, and had each student do a mock film audition.  The students also did activities showing the differences between stage acting and film acting, and they got a chance to try the more subtle form of film acting on camera!  Travis also shared the message of how important it is to be kind to others, and to be a joy to work with, as that’s how you book future jobs.  He shared that this way of intentional living can open doors for students in any future field of work and in life in general.  The students love when Travis is able to travel in from New York City and speak to them, and work with them! More information about Travis Mitchell can be found on his website https://www.travistravistravis.com/.

Travis working with a junior on a scene

Travis working with a student on a scene

Travis working on a single scene

Travis working with a student on a solo emotion scene

PCHS Students in acting workshop

Travis working with students on a two shot scene

Travis showing use of the camera

Travis demonstrating a camera shot

JOIN US FOR AN OPEN HOUSE!

Pacelli Catholic Schools Early Childhood Center (Childcare 6 weeks-6 years, 3K, & 4K)
Thursday, February 9 | 4-6pm

Pacelli Catholic Elementary School-St. Bronislava (3K-4)
Thursday, February 9 | 4-6pm

Pacelli Catholic Elementary School-St. Stephen (4K-4)
Monday, February 13 | 4-6pm

Pacelli Catholic Middle School (5-8)
Wednesday, February 15 | 4-6pm

Pacelli Catholic High School (9-12)
Thursday, February 16 | 4-6pm

Pacelli Ice Cream Social

You’re Invited to the
PACELLI ICE CREAM SOCIAL

WHEN: Sunday, August 21 | 1-3pm
WHERE: Pacelli Catholic High School
WHAT: Ice Cream Social for ALL Pacelli Catholic Schools Families

Come and celebrate the new school year with us and enjoy an ice cream sundae bar! Plus, learn about opportunities to get involved in our schools, including home and school associations, our big Panacea carnival fundraiser, athletics, clubs, and more! 

Click here to check out the Facebook event.

Lyndsey Larkin Hired as New Principal of Pacelli Catholic Elementary School-St. Bronislava

Effective this week, Pacelli Catholic Elementary School-St. Bronislava (PCES-St. Bron’s) in Plover has a new principal. Mrs. Lyndsey Larkin of Appleton started in the role on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. Larkin takes the reigns at PCES-St. Bron’s from Mrs. Jamie Nowinski, hired by Pacelli Catholic Schools last year as principal at both elementary locations. Nowinski will now be dedicated full-time as principal of Pacelli Catholic Elementary School-St. Stephen (PCES-St. Steve’s) in Stevens Point.

Larkin has spent over 15 years of her career teaching K-12 special education at Susie C. Altmayer Elementary School in De Pere, Langlade Elementary School in Green Bay, and Appleton West High School in Appleton. Her most recent role was serving as a K-4 Cross-Categorical Special Education Teacher at New Holstein Elementary School in New Holstein. Larkin also worked as a special education director in the Behavioral Health Unit at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and as a progression advisor for international students at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Fox Cities Campus in Menasha.

“Working with students of various abilities has been such a rewarding experience for me all these years,” said Larkin. 

Larkin earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and her Master of Science in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also received a Director of Special Education and Pupil Certification from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Larkin currently resides in Appleton with her husband, Chris, and their two dogs, Ollie and Laci.

“I am very passionate about meeting student’s needs and differentiating instruction for students [and] I am excited to bridge any gaps between church, school, and community relations,” said Larkin. “I look forward to working with staff, students and parents to make progress within the system.”

Pacelli to Honor Skyward Founder Jim King ’63, Late Cliff King ’72 with Distinguished Alumni Award

On Saturday, May 28, Pacelli Catholic Schools is set to recognize this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipients: Skyward founder, former CEO, and former chairman of the board Jim King and the late Cliff King, former Skyward president and CEO. 

The award, given annually to an alumnus (or alumni), recognizes graduates from the Catholic high school who exemplify a Christian lifestyle for their professional and/or volunteer achievements bringing honor and distinction to Pacelli and success in leadership, service, and character both in private and public life. To date, there are 22 recipients of Pacelli’s most prestigious alumni award. 

Jim King '63 and the late Cliff King '72

Jim King, a graduate of Pacelli’s class of 1963, founded Skyward, a school administration software provider that now employs over 650 people, in his garage in 1980. Jim King, along with his late brother Cliff King of Pacelli’s class of 1972, grew the company into a premier provider of K-12 education technology. Today, Skyward serves more than 2,500 school districts and over seven million students worldwide, continuing a strong focus on their company values of delighting customers, inspiring each other, building something better, developing lasting connections, and, most importantly, enriching communities.

“Under the King brothers’ strong leadership, Skyward has been committed to giving back to the community,” said current Skyward CEO Scott Glinski in his nomination of Jim King and Cliff King. “The company launched the Skyward Foundation to support community events, aid community groups serving those in greatest need, and promote central Wisconsin as a destination for employees.”

Outside of Skyward’s generosity, both Jim King and Cliff King have personally embodied philanthropy. Jim King is an extremely generous and giving person to his employees and community organizations, including his unwavering support of Pacelli Catholic Schools.

Cliff King was more than giving of his time and talents whenever he was asked. He was a founding member and former chair of Central Wisconsin Information Technology Alliance (CWITA), bringing local business leaders together to prove the Stevens Point area in the fields of IT and computer science. Cliff King also served on numerous boards including the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, St. Michael’s Foundation, Stevens Point Rotary Club, and the Portage County Business Council. 

“I am a true believer that the Stevens Point area wouldn’t be the same without Jim and Cliff’s many contributions and passion for the community,” said Glinski. “The King brothers are more than deserving of recognition for their commitment to serving the Stevens Point community.”

A true testament to their selfless leadership, Jim King and Cliff King have always shared any honors or recognition with their company rather than accept individual accolades. Under their leadership, Skyward has been honored with the Corporate Report Wisconsin Small Business Award, Wisconsin Family Business of the Year 2008, Employer Support of the Guard Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award 2009, Copps Philanthropic Award 2010, Bubbler Award 2017 & 2018, EdTech Digest Company of the Year 2019, and Tech Cares Award 2020, to name a few.

“It is completely safe to say that Skyward wouldn’t be here without Jim King, and it wouldn’t be where it is today without Cliff King,” said Glinski.

Jim King and Cliff King will be formally recognized this Saturday at a brunch held in their honor. Jim King will then serve as the keynote speaker at the Pacelli Catholic High School Class of 2022 graduation ceremony to be held later that same day.

Join Us for A 3K & 4K Open House

WITNESS THE DIFFERENCE
of a Pacelli Catholic Schools Education

Wednesday, April 6 | 3-6pm

  • Pacelli Catholic Schools Tim Copps Early Childhood Center | 2150 High Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481
  • Pacelli Catholic Elementary School-St. Bronislava | 3301 Willow Drive, Plover, WI 54467

Welcome prospective preschool families! We are excited that you are considering Pacelli Catholic Schools for your child’s education. We are proud of our academic excellence, small class sizes, and close family atmosphere, and know that you’ll feel right at home when visiting our schools. We look forward to seeing you at our 3K & 4K open houses and learning more about the educational needs of your family and how we can be a partner in your child’s faith and education journey.

RSVP and attend one of our open houses and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a $100 scrip gift certificate redeemable for gift cards of your choice at the Pacelli Catholic Schools Central Office!

Can’t make it on those dates? Simply fill out the form below and indicate that and we’ll follow up to schedule a tour at a time more convenient for your family.

Sign Up for A Shadow Day

SIGN UP FOR A SHADOW DAY
at Pacelli Catholic Schools

Have a student that’s interested in shadowing at one of our schools? Sign up for a shadow day and your student can witness firsthand the faith, values, and academic excellence that sets us apart.

Shadow Days:

  • Wednesday, February 2
  • Wednesday, March 2
  • Wednesday, April 6
  • Or any day that works for your family!

Students are welcome for a full day, half day, or even just a couple of hours to experience a day in the life or a Pacelli Catholic Schools student. We do our best to match your child up with a friend or student that has similar interests or are involved in the same extracurricular activities. Sign your student to sign up at one of our two elementary schools, our middle school, or our high school on one of the dates listed above or pick a different date that works best for your family. We’re happy to welcome your child into our schools for a day.

Pacelli Inducts Two Individuals, Softball Teams to Athletic Hall of Fame

On Saturday, October 9, the Pacelli Catholic High School Athletic Hall of Fame inducted its newest members. Inductees included Kyle Gramowski ‘10, Coach Wayne Sankey, and the WISAA State Champion Softball Teams from 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997.

The inductees participated in the Pacelli homecoming parade and tailgate party and were introduced at halftime of the football game on Friday night. A formal induction ceremony and brunch was held in their honor at the Holiday Inn Stevens Point Convention Center on Saturday.

“Once a Cardinal, Always a Cardinal,” was the theme echoed throughout the weekend as players and coaches were reunited to relive some of their greatest memories together and reflect on the impact their time at Pacelli has had on their lives.

Founded in 1999, the Pacelli Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes individuals, teams, coaches, and special contributors for their outstanding achievements and accomplishments in the name of Pacelli athletics. To date, there are a total of 128 inductees which includes 82 athletes, 9 coaches, 12 special contributors, and 25 state champion teams.

About the Class of 2021 Inductees

Kyle Gramowski | Class of 2010
Kyle was a standout athlete for the Cardinals in football, hockey, and baseball. He received all-state honors in football and hockey his senior year, and was a four time all-conference selection in baseball. 

His rushing statistics land him in the same company with Pacelli’s best running backs. He is the 4th leading scorer in Pacelli Hockey history, despite it only being a varsity sport beginning his sophomore year. On the baseball diamond Kyle is the all-time runs leader for Pacelli and ranks in the top 10 for hits, doubles, walks, RBIs, batting average, and stolen bases. 

Wayne Sankey | Coach
Wayne has been the head coach of the Pacelli Baseball team since 1999 and is the winningest coach in Pacelli Baseball history. During his time at the helm Wayne has led the Cardinals to 418 victories, 9 conference championships, the 2003 WIAA state title, along with WISSA state tournament appearances in 1999 and 2000, and a 2007 WIAA state tournament appearance. He has coached 133 all-conference baseball selections, which includes 8 conference players of the year, and 6 named to the all-state team.

Pacelli Softball WISAA State Champions | 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, & 1997
The 1992-1997 Pacelli softball teams won a record 6 straight WISAA state championship titles under the direction of Ron Blaha, Mike Gagas, and Ron Kurszewski. During that time they compiled a record of 113-10 and outscored their opponents by 939 runs! These teams included 12 all-state selections, 11 collegiate softball players, and 7 individual Pacelli Athletic Hall of Fame inductees. More importantly they laid the foundation for success that Pacelli Softball has sustained over the last 25 years.