As we begin the new school year, we are pleased to welcome Angie Barnes as our Parish and School Security Manager.

Angie oversees the safety and security of our parish and school campus, working closely with school leadership, faculty, staff, and first responders to help provide a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for all members of our STA community.

Please join us in welcoming Angie to the STA family. We are grateful for the experience, leadership, and commitment she brings as we continue to make the safety and well-being of our students our highest priority.

Over the summer, the school continued to work on school safety initiatives which impact our security infrastructure, and we will continually review safety procedures and protocols through training, emergency preparation, and safety drills throughout the school year. We realize that despite all the steps taken, we are not immune to unforeseen incidents, and we must all remain vigilant to keep our school community safe. We all play a critical role in the safety and security of STA.

• Be familiar with the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) on the parent page of the website or by clicking HERE.
• Always check in and check out at the front desk. It’s important to always know who is on campus.
• Talk to your children about the importance of reporting any threats of violence to a trusted adult, school administrators, or the Dallas Police Department.
• Be vigilant when in carpool or on campus and report any suspicious activity to the Dallas Police Department and school principals.
• Talk to your children about the importance of not participating in or promoting any threats of violence. Making a threat against a school is a punishable offense that could lead to being charged with a misdemeanor  or felony. Posting threatening language on social media violates the Student Code of Conduct which could lead to expulsion from school.

In compliance with the Diocese of Dallas, STA has a comprehensive Safe Environment Program in place for all of our volunteers. In order to volunteer at the school, church, or any affiliated event, you are required to be Safe Environment cleared. This is an easy process that is outlined on the school website. Once you receive your Safe Environment badge, it must be updated annually on the anniversary date. Badges must be worn on school premises any time you are on campus. Please know that for the safety of our students and teachers, this policy is strictly enforced. All visitors who do not have a Safe Environment badge and are on campus for a meeting must sign in at the front desk, receive a Raptor sticker, and be accompanied by a cleared person at all times.

For more information:
Gina Rangel
Safe Environment Director
rangel@stadallas.org

All parent volunteers must be Safe Environment cleared and wear their badge at all times when on campus!

SAFE ENVIRONMENT

Morning:

• Third – 8th grade morning carpool begins at 7:30 AM. Families can drop off in the north or south lots in the morning. Children may not be dropped off before 7:30 AM.
   
• Please remember, do not drop your child off on any streets connected to the STA property or directly across from STA. This includes the corner of the church at Kenwood and Alderson, Kenwood and Abrams Road, and anywhere along Alderson past the athletic field. It is very dangerous to have children crossing the street to the sidewalk during morning carpool.
   
• School starts promptly at 7:50 AM.

Afternoon:

• All cars will enter the South parking lot at Gate #3 and ANNOUNCE on PikMyKid.
• Carpool tags must be displayed.
• Drivers will pull forward toward the field house and follow the path set and marked by cones. 
• Drivers will follow the guidance given by school personnel as needed.
• The carpool will end in the front parking lot.
• All students will be picked up in the front parking lot.
• When exiting onto Kenwood, drivers must turn left. 

If you have both a Lower School and an Upper School student, you may use Lower School Priority Pick-Up and pick up your Upper School child at a designated location.

You may always continue using the regular carpool line, but this option provides a way to expedite pick-up if needed.

Lower School families may use this option for Upper School pick-up. Please follow the instructions below for details.

1. Select Priority Pick Up in Pikmykid.
2. Pick Up at the Upper School heading NORTH on Alderson and pick up on the right by the back side of the STA ball field parallel to the St. Anne Hall entrance.

When it rains, our goal is to keep carpool running as smoothly as possible. Rainy Day and Emergency Dismissals require close coordination among staff, students, and families to ensure everyone’s safety. For this reason, we are unable to accommodate last-minute changes or individual exceptions during these dismissal times.

There are TWO main dismisal lines.

• Dismissal #1 is the main campus carline that runs from gate #3 through the school parking lot and exits onto Kenwood Avenue.
  • Enter campus off Abrams through gate #3.
  • Students will be staged under the covered circle drive area.
  • Exit through the front parking lot onto Kenwood.
  • Turn left onto Kenwood to prevent traffic from backing up.
     
• Dismissal #2 is the secondary campus release for Lower School Priorty Pick up and Alderson Walkers who exit on the Alderson side of campus.
  • Dismissal #2 students will be held in the gym until their ride arrives.
  • Students will exit through the back gym doors toward the Alderson/Martel intersection.
  • Walk-ups are allowed. Parents are welcome to park on neighborhood side streets (please do not park on Alderson) and walk to the main door to pick up their child. If there is thunder and lightning, please do not walk up and kindly remain patient as the car line continues to move.

Walkers: In the event that walkers (bike riders, scooters included) are cancelled due to weather or an emergency, parents are asked to NOT make any changes to your Pikmykid app setting*. Walkers will automoatically be updated in our system to join one of the two dismissal lines.

• Kenwood Walkers will automatically be added to the Dismissal #1 carline.
   
• Alderson Walkers will automatically be added to Dismissal #2 carline. Families using Lower School Priority Pick-Up will not experience any changes.

  If you are an Alderson Walker and would prefer to park on Martel and walk up to pick up your child, we can accommodate this option provided there is no lightning or thunder in the area.

  *If your child will be going home with a friend, then changing the setting in the Pikmykid app is needed. All changes must be made before 2:30 PM, no last minute changes will be accommodated.

Extended Day: In the event that Extended Day is canceled due to weather or an emergency, those students will automatically be moved to Dismissal #1 and can be picked up in the main campus carline.

Reminders:

• NO last-minute changes will be accommodated.
• Please make sure your car tag is visible when arriving. Car tags are required; if you or your driver does not have a car tag, create one and then email communications@staschool.org for a replacement tag. Traffic flow is delayed when signs are missing, unreadable, not made for nannies, or missing additional student names.
• Driver of the carpool should use their original dismissal route.
• Consistency allows staff to move students safely and efficiently and lessens student confusion.
   

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter and for your cooperation in keeping dismissal safe, organized, and efficient for everyone involved.

Important: There will be no walkers or bicycle riders during the first two days of school at the Upper School. To ensure a safe and smooth dismissal as we adjust to new teachers, new students, and our incoming third graders, walkers and bicycle riders will be permitted beginning Thursday, August 13th.

Please keep in mind that the first two weeks of school are a time of transition, and it’s not uncommon for dismissal procedures to take extra time as routines are established.

For the safety and supervision of all students only those students who live within the boundary south of Mockingbird, east of Skillman St., north of Richmond Ave./Lakewood Blvd., and west of Williamson Rd./ W. Lawther Rd. and walk all the way home without being picked up in a car will be permitted to walk home at dismissal. Please consult the map below.

Supervision will continue to be provided for these students until they exit the school grounds. While we anticipate the return of our Kenwood/Abrams crossing guard, Johnny, we do not have a crossing guard at Kenwood/Alderson.

The designated walker zone will go into effect starting Thursday, August 13, 2026. Thank you for your continued partnership.

If your child is in the approved walker zone, we ask that you talk with your child about being respectful to our neighbors’ yards and property.

The carpool lane is the safest and easiest way to pick up your child at school and is almost always finished about 10-15 minutes after school is dismissed.

During carpool, the safety of our students and teachers is our highest priority. Please follow the rules below at all times.

• Important: There will be no walkers or bicycle riders during the first two days of school at the Upper School. To ensure a safe and smooth dismissal as we adjust to new teachers, new students, and our incoming third graders, walkers and bicycle riders will be permitted beginning Thursday, August 14th.
• Do not speed through the neighborhoods! Keep our neighborhood and families safe and drive slowly during carpool. 
• Stay in the carpool queue. Do not drop off your child at any other place on campus.
• Do not attempt to pass other vehicles.
• Carpool tags: Tags must always be displayed in order to pick up children from school carpool. If you need extra tags, contact communications@staschool.org.
• Stay in your car. Do not get out of your car during carpool. 
• Please communicate any changes to your child’s afternoon carpool arrangements through Pikmykid and make sure your child is aware of the change. All dismissal changes must be submitted before 2:30 PM. To help us ensure a safe and organized dismissal, we are unable to accommodate Pikmykid changes or requests for student release after 2:30 PM.
• ANNOUNCE using the Pikmykid App daily! To ensure a smooth and safe carpool process, all drivers must "ANNOUNCE" their arrival using the Pikmykid app upon entering the carpool lane.

TOPS

• Spirit Store Short Sleeved Red STA Polo
• Spirit Store Short Sleeved Navy STA Polo
• Risse Brothers Long Sleeved Red STA Polo
• Risse Brothers White Oxford Blouse

BOTTOMS

• Risse Brothers Double Button Plaid Jumper
• Risse Brothers Navy Modesty Shorts
• Risse Brothers Navy Skort
• Risse Brothers Navy Shorts
• Risse Brothers Navy Pants
• (Note: Jumpers, Skorts, and Shorts must be no shorter than 4 inches above the knee.)

OUTERWEAR:

• Spirit Store Navy Fleece
• Risse Brothers Navy Cardigan
• Spirit Store STA Gray Half-Zip Sweatshirt

SOCKS

• Spirit Store STA branded socks
• Black, navy, or white socks - Socks must be crew length or knee-high (no ankle socks, no no-show socks, no short sock styles, no ruffles, no other colors)

SHOES (PK Only):

• Solid white VELCRO athletic tennis shoes or VELCRO Mary Janes shoes (No athleisure (non-athletic), no slip-on, no loafer, no light up shoes, no roller skate sneakers)

SHOES (Kindergarten - 2nd Grade)

• Solid white athletic tennis shoes or navy and white saddle shoes. (No athleisure (non-athletic), no slip-on, no loafer, no roller skate sneakers)

TOPS

• Spirit Store Short Sleeved Red STA Polo
• Spirit Store Short Sleeved Navy STA Polo
• Risse Brothers Long Sleeved Red STA Polo

BOTTOMS

• Risse Brothers Navy Shorts
• Risse Brothers Navy Pants

BELT (1st - 2nd Grade ONLY)

• Risse Brothers Black (flat or braided) leather belt

OUTERWEAR:

• Spirit Store Navy Fleece
• Spirit Store STA Gray Half-Zip Sweatshirt

SOCKS

• Spirit Store STA branded socks 
• Black, navy, or white socks - Socks must be crew length or knee-high (no ankle socks, no no-show socks, no short sock styles, no other colors)

SHOES (PK ONLY):

• Solid black VELCRO athletic tennis shoes. (No athleisure (non-athletic), no slip-on, no loafer, no light up shoes, no roller skate sneakers)

SHOES (Kindergarten - 2nd Grade)

• Solid black athletic tennis shoes. (No athleisure (non-athletic), no slip-on, no loafer, no roller skate sneakers)

TOPS

• Spirit Store Short Sleeved Red STA Polo
• Spirit Store Short Sleeved Navy STA Polo
• Risse Brothers Long Sleeved Red STA Polo
• Risse Brothers White Oxford Blouse (3rd - 7th grade FORMAL)
• Risse Brothers Blue Oxford Blouse (8th grade ONLY)
   

BOTTOMS

• Risse Brothers Plaid Skirt (3rd - 8th grade FORMAL)
• Risse Brothers Navy Modesty Shorts
• Risse Brothers Navy Shorts
• Risse Brothers Navy Pants (3rd - 8th grade FORMAL)
• (Note: Plaid Skirts and Shorts must be no shorter than 4 inches above the knee.)

OUTWEAR

• Spirit Store Navy Fleece
• Spirit Store STA Gray Half-Zip Sweatshirt
• Risse Brothers Navy Cardigan (3rd - 7th grade FORMAL)
• Risse Brothers Varsity Navy Cardigan (8th grade ONLY)

SOCKS

• Spirit Store STA branded socks*
• Black, navy, or white socks - Socks must be crew length or knee-high (no ankle socks, no no-show socks, no short sock styles, no ruffles, no other colors)

SHOES

• Solid white athletic tennis shoes or navy and white saddle shoes  (No athleisure (non-athletic), no slip-on, no loafer, no roller skate sneakers)

TOPS

• Spirit Store Short Sleeved Red STA Polo
• Spirit Store Short Sleeved Navy STA Polo
• Risse Brothers Long Sleeved Red STA Polo
• Risse Brothers White Oxford (3rd - 7th grade FORMAL)
• Risse Brothers Blue Oxford (8th grade ONLY)

BOTTOMS

• Risse Brothers Navy Shorts
• Risse Brothers Navy Pants (3rd - 8th grade FORMAL)

BELT

• Risse Brothers Black (flat or braided) leather belt

OUTERWEAR:

• Spirit Store Navy Fleece
• Spirit Store STA Gray Half-Zip Sweatshirt

TIE 

• Risse Brothers or Spirit Store navy clip or hand knot tie (FORMAL)

SOCKS

• Spirit Store STA branded socks
• Black, navy, or white socks - Socks must be crew length or knee-high (no ankle socks, no no-show socks, no short sock styles, no other colors)

SHOES

• Solid black athletic tennis shoes. (No athleisure (non-athletic), no slip-on, no loafer, no roller skate sneakers)

Every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM you will receive the school’s weekly e-newsletter in your inbox. The Week at a Glance (WAAG) is your primary source of information for the upcoming weekend and the week ahead. Please add communications@staschool.org to your address book to ensure delivery. We ask that you take a moment over the weekend to read the WAAG and mark your calendar accordingly.

If you are not receiving the WAAG each week, please email Shelley Kirby at skirby@staschool.org to troubleshoot the problem.

Download the My STA App for easy access to FACTS information. You can find it in the App Store for iPhones and Google Play for android phones. Report your child’s absence, access Upper School schedules, report cards, and homework assignments, read the WAAG, and more.

iPhone

Google Play

A detailed school calendar is available on both our website and the My STA App. You can subscribe to any or all school calendars from any device so when events are updated, your calendar will automatically reflect the changes.

To filter and subscribe to calendars, follow the directions at the top of the calendar page.
Please note: If you currently subscribe to a calendar, you will also need to follow the steps to resubscribe for this school year.

STA Calendar

Stay in the Loop!
Keep an eye on your inbox for helpful reminders from your child’s teachers and homeroom parents about upcoming events, important updates, and schedule changes. Checking your email regularly is one of the best ways to stay connected to what’s happening at STA.

The Parents page can be found at the top right of the menu page on the website. This is a great resource for information parents need including lunch menus, forms, and more.

PARENT PAGE

STA Website

Our ParentAlert system sends text messages directly to your phone for urgent matters, including severe weather and emergency information. All ParentAlerts are sent to the entire school community. If you are not receiving text alerts, text START to 22383 to enable ParentAlert messages on your phone.

If your child is sick or not attending school, please do one of the following:

• Option 1: Notify the school of absences as soon as possible by emailing your child’s homeroom teacher and the school receptionist:
  
  Upper School: Amanda Neinast, USfrontdesk@staschool.org
  Lower School: Cheryl Neeley, cneeley@staschool.org
   
• Option 2: Fill out the absence form on the school website or log into your MySTA App. 
   
• Option 3: Call the Upper School or the Lower School and
  press 1 to leave a voicemail.
  
  Upper School: 214-826-0566
  Lower School: 469-341-0911

REPORT AN ABSENCE

Every Minute of Every Day – The STA Way: Attendance and Academic Success

Attendance is vital for student success at every grade level (PK–8). For many students, the best learning happens at the beginning of the day, and tardy arrivals disrupt instruction. Class begins at 7:55 AM at the Lower School and 7:50 AM at the Upper School. Students must be in their classrooms and ready to learn by these times.

We ask families to avoid scheduling vacations during the school year, as it places unnecessary stress on both students and teachers. The school calendar offers long weekends and extended holiday breaks that are ideal for travel. Teachers will not provide assignments in advance of vacations. While emergencies and illnesses are sometimes unavoidable, vacations are not. Thank you for your cooperation!

Our Promise:

• We will collaborate to support students facing attendance barriers.

• Both campuses will keep you informed with regular updates on attendance and tardiness.

• We will reach out if a pattern of tardies or absences arises.

A strong parent-school partnership is essential in fostering a culture where punctual, daily attendance is the norm. If you have questions or need further details about our attendance policy, please contact your campus principal.

Click HERE (policies 207–210) for the full STA Attendance Policy.

Per Diocesan policy, notes from the doctor/dentist office are required to return to school from an appointment. Submit this written doctor’s note to the front desk upon the your child’s return to school.

The clinic does not supply medication for students. Parents must supply all medications in original pharmacy bottles. All prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications must be kept in the clinic. Students are not allowed to hold medicine or self-medicate. If your child has prescription medicine, please use the Diocesan Medication Form below (also located on the Parents page) of the website when bringing the medication to the school. Parents are expected to communicate and plan with the nurse. In consideration of your child, classmates, and our staff, keep your child home from school if his/her is ill or not feeling well. 

Over-the-Counter Medication Form

Prescription Medication Form

• Nikki Ramos, LVN
  Lower School Nurse
  nramos@staschool.org
   
• Renée Pinkston, RN, BSN
  Upper School Nurse
  rpinkston@staschool.org

The internet is a powerful tool for learning, communication, and collaboration. It also poses some risks and challenges for the safety, privacy, and well-being of students, staff, and parents. STA follows the Diocese of Dallas Internet Safety Policy, which aims to meet the regulatory requirements of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

LEARN MORE

Our IT team is available any time to meet or answer questions. 

• Andrew Price
  Director of Technology
  aprice@staschool.org
   
• Linda Freis
  Lower School Instructional Technologist
  lfreis@staschool.org
   

• Nick Johnson
  IT Support Specialist
  njohnson@staschool.org

Technology

All student-athletes must have an annual physical before playing on an STA team. The physical form is a standard form from the DPL and can be downloaded below. The form must be completed by a physician or physician assistant before the first game in order to play. Once completed, please send a PDF file of your child's physical to physicals@staschool.org.  

Athletic Physical Form

We will be conducting baseline concussion testing on student-athletes in 5th and 7th grade, and students new to DPL. 

This baseline test can be taken at home and is best done in the morning, in a quiet room with no other distractions (no cell phones, TV, video games, etc.). We ask that a parent/adult be present to supervise the athlete while testing, but not aid them in the test-taking.

IMPACT Instructions

*Note – if a student-athlete has received a concussion and has not been cleared to play, he/she will not be able to take the baseline test until he/she is cleared to play!

• New to STA Dads Get-Together
  Saturday, August 8th
  Drew Ray's House
  6815 Lakeshore. Dallas, TX 75214
  4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
   
• FOSTA Membership Kickoff Event
  TBD

At STA, there are monthly opportunities for dads to support our children, teachers, and school in meaningful ways. From fun ways to earn your required service hours (just be sure you're Safe Environment cleared—contact Tim Smith at tsmith@lpc.com for help getting trained and badged) to connecting with other dads through fellowship and social events, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Don’t forget about FOSTA Fridays—join us for carpool duty one Friday each month!
 

• Brad Levy
  FOSTA President
  bradelevy@gmail.com

The STA Annual Booster Club Classic Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, October 16th at Tenison Highlands. This is a great event open to all parents, players, and golf enthusiasts! Player registration, sponsorship opportunities, and volunteer information will be available soon! 

Booster Club Golf Tournament
Tennison Golf Course
Friday, October 16th
9:00 AM Shotgun start

Contact us now to secure your sponsorship!

• Breakfast Sponsor
• 19th Hole Sponsor
• Hole Sponsors 

We can't wait to tee off with you! 

Chairs: 

• Sarah Patterson 
• Whitney Wagner
• Evy Dinsmore
• Stephanie Holder
• Lindsey Mathia

• Booster Club yard sign or exclusive Booster Club ball cap
• Wildcat athletics sticker
• $10 in Wildcat bucks to be used at the STA concession stand
  
  JOIN

• Wildcat athletics sticker
• $5 in Wildcat bucks to be used at the STA concession stand

JOIN

Students will earn points for their House by demonstrating virtues, achieving academic excellence, participating in extracurricular activities, and performing acts of kindness or service. Teachers will track these points using a points tracker and house jars in the cafeteria. House points will be updated weekly to keep students motivated and engaged, and the current standings will be displayed on a bulletin board in the cafeteria.

The house system is designed to divide students into seven groups (or "Houses") to foster a close-knit community, teamwork, and positive competition. Each house is named after one of the seven virtues from the Catechism, in keeping with our Catholic faith.

Each house has its own color, mascot, symbol, and saints, allowing students to identify strongly with their house. Students from 3rd - 8th grades, along with teachers and staff members, have been assigned to a house, ensuring fair competition and creating opportunities for students to connect with peers across different grade levels.

Throughout the school year, students will compete in a variety of events—academic, athletic, artistic, and service-based—to earn points for their house. Additionally, points can be earned for demonstrating virtues, excelling academically, and showing leadership.

• House Directors: These are staff members who oversee each house, ensuring that activities are running smoothly, promoting house spirit, and communicating with house members.
• Teachers: Teachers will encourage students to participate in house events, monitor achievements, and provide guidance. They serve as role models in fostering the spirit of the house system.
• Students: Each student is encouraged to actively participate in house events, help earn points for their house, and contribute positively to their house community. Every student is vital to the success of their house!

• Prudental - Maroon
• Justitia - Dark Grey
• Temperantia - Teal
• Caritas - Orange
• Fortitudo - Salmon
• Fides - Hunter Green
• Spes - Yellow

House events will be held throughout the year, including academic quizzes, sports tournaments, arts performances, and community service projects. These events are designed to be fun, inclusive, and meaningful. House Directors and teachers will plan these activities to align with the school calendar, and we’ll ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate.

• House Meetings: Each house will have regular meetings where students can celebrate achievements, discuss upcoming events, and plan strategies for competitions.
• House Colors and Symbols: On designated days, students will be encouraged to wear their house colors, and classrooms will proudly display house symbols to keep the excitement alive. Each child will receive a house t-shirt. Extras are available for purchase in the Spirit Store.
• Recognition: Individual and group achievements will be celebrated to build morale and instill a sense of pride in each house.