Half Day Preschool Accepting Applications

Half-Day Preschool Opening Fall 2025 at St. Alphonsus

We’re excited to announce the launch of our morning half-day preschool program, coming Fall 2025! This new offering provides families with flexible 3-day and 5-day schedule options while maintaining the same nurturing, engaging environment as our full-day preschool classes.

Designed for children ages 2.5 to 4, our multi-age classroom will be led by a dedicated lead teacher and an aide, ensuring personalized attention and a strong foundation for early learning. Through joyful, hands-on experiences, students will explore a rich curriculum that includes art, music, and PE, helping them develop essential academic, social, and motor skills.

Hiring Announcement

Below is a message from Carissa Person, our newly hired lead teacher for the half day program.

Teaching preschool is one of my greatest joys and I am so excited to be joining the St. Alphonsus community. I believe that every child is unique and has their own learning style and pace. I strive to create a warm, welcoming, and inclusive Christ-filled classroom environment where children can explore, learn, and have fun. My teaching approach is centered around play-based learning. Children learn best when they are engaged and having fun.

I live in the Ballard/Phinney Ridge neighborhood. You may see me and my husband walking our dog Maple or riding bikes with my daughter Coen and stepson Liam. My eldest daughter Carter currently works at Disney World and my son Theo is heading off to college in the fall. I also have a cat and five chickens. Yes, five! We call our backyard our Phinney Farm. Please share with friends, family and neighbors about our new half-day preschool and all the joy, wonder, and fun we will have.

Early Learning at St. Alphonsus

Our Early Learning Program is built on a commitment to nurturing each child’s academic, social, emotional, and spiritual growth at their own pace. We foster curious, confident learners who develop a positive self-image, respect for others, and an appreciation for the wonders of God’s world.

With three distinct preschool classrooms, we ensure that every child is placed in an environment best suited to their developmental needs. St. Alphonsus has been a trusted partner for families in the Ballard neighborhood since 1907, providing a preschool through 8th-grade Catholic education that blends tradition with innovation.

Enrollment Information

Interested in learning more about our new half-day preschool or our Early Learning Program?
➡️ Apply today: stalseattle.org/school/admissions/apply

For questions, contact our Admissions Director, Melissa Rodriguez-Murphy, at admissions@stalseattle.org.

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St. Alphonsus Wins Back-to-Back Academic Decathlon Championships!

Seattle, WA – St. Alphonsus Parish School has once again proven its academic excellence, winning the Archdiocese of Seattle’s Academic Decathlon for the second year in a row! Competing on Saturday, March 1, at Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien, our team showcased incredible knowledge, teamwork, and dedication, securing a first-place overall finish and earning a spot at the national competition later this month.

The Academic Decathlon, a rigorous competition featuring teams from across the Archdiocese, consists of a Super Quiz and ten individual subject challenges. In addition to the overall championship, St. Alphonsus claimed victory in the Super Quiz competition, demonstrating outstanding collaboration and mastery of key academic concepts.

Several of our students placed in their individual subject areas:

  • 1st Place: Current Events, Fine Arts, Social Studies
  • 2nd Place: Science
  • 3rd Place: English, Math

St. Alphonsus will now prepare to compete on the national stage, continuing to uphold the school’s tradition of academic rigor and excellence.

For more information, please contact:
Nick Padrnos
principal@stalseattle.org
www.stalseattle.org/school

About St. Alphonsus Parish School

St. Alphonsus Parish School, located in Seattle, is a Catholic school dedicated to academic excellence, faith formation, and leadership development for students in preschool through 8th grade.

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St. Alphonsus Parish School & Ballard Public Library Team Up for Student Art Showcase on Wonder

Seattle, WA – February 21, 2025 – St. Alphonsus Parish School, a vibrant and growing Catholic PK-8 school in Ballard, today announces the opening of its Class Art Showcase in collaboration with the Seattle Public Library, Ballard Branch. Nearly 200 students aged 3 to 14 collectively produced 8 original art pieces themed around the concept of wonder, including a honeycomb watercolor with a matching handknit shawl, a stained-glass piece, and even decorative masks created by many tiny hands. The one-of-a-kind pieces will be auctioned off at the school’s highly anticipated annual fundraiser, A Night at Carnevale on March 1.

The Class Art Showcase will be on public display at the Ballard Public Library from February 18th to February 26th, offering visitors to the Seattle Public Library Ballard Branch visitors a chance to appreciate the unique pieces before they go to auction. Each piece of art represents the collaborative creativity of students, blending education with artistic expression to support the school’s mission.

“At St. Alphonsus, we’ve been part of the fabric of the Ballard neighborhood for more than a century, and we believe that the arts are not just an ‘extra,’ but it’s an essential part of a child’s growth,” said Nick Padrnos, St. Alphonsus School Principal. “Our Class Art Showcase and auction are reflections of that belief, demonstrating how art around the theme of child-like wonder can inspire creativity and collaboration while building a strong community.”

Why Art Matters in Education
Research consistently shows that participation in art enhances a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. According to a report from the Arts Education Partnership, students engaged in high-quality arts education are more likely to excel academically, build critical thinking skills, and develop confidence and creativity. Yet, as many schools scale back arts programs, St. Alphonsus Parish School remains deeply committed to fostering a well-rounded education that includes robust support for the arts.

Event Details

Class Art Showcase

  • Where: Ballard Public Library 
  • When: February 18 – February 26, during library hours
  • Cost: Free and open to the public

Annual Auction – A Night at Carnevale

  • When: Saturday, March 1, 2025, at 6:00 PM
  • Where: St. Alphonsus Parish School Gymnasium, 5816 15th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
  • Tickets: Angel Advocate Premium tickets are available for $175, and Standard tickets are $130

Proceeds from the auction directly benefit the school’s programs, which are ‘dedicated to the formation of the whole child through academic excellence in a welcoming, faith-filled community based on Catholic traditions and values.’

For more information about the Class Art Showcase, please visit stalseattle.org/school or to purchase tickets for the auction, please visit the St. Alphonsus Auction Website. 

About St. Alphonsus Parish School

Founded in 1907, St. Alphonsus Parish School has provided a values-based Catholic education to students in Ballard and the greater Seattle area for over a century. The school’s dedication to academic excellence, community involvement, and spiritual growth has made it a cornerstone of the community.

Media Contact:
Eric Schudiske
eric@s2spr.com

Summer Day Care

Summer Day Care Registration Open

Registration for Summer Day Care is now available! Open to students ages 2.5-5. Students must be potty-trained. Maximum of 20 students. Each week features a different kid-friendly theme for activities. Registration is open to the public. Click here for more information and to register.

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Classic Tales Come to Life at St. Alphonsus Preschool

The holiday season’s magic comes alive in our St. Alphonsus preschool classroom! As part of the Core Knowledge curriculum, our youngest learners are diving into the Classic Tales unit—a cornerstone of our program that spirals through every grade, becoming richer and more complex as students grow.

One beloved story in this unit is The Elves and the Shoemaker, where a poor shoemaker leaves out his last pieces of leather, only to find that kind-hearted elves have transformed them into beautiful shoes by morning. Inspired by this magical tale, our preschoolers have become busy little elves themselves, studying the art of shoemaking and crafting their own “shoes for others.”

This activity is more than just fun—it embodies one of the hallmarks of a St. Alphonsus education: learning to see and respond to the needs of others. It’s a joyful way to nurture empathy and generosity, key virtues that are central to our mission.

Do you remember how the story ends? The shoemaker, touched by the elves’ kindness, decides to give back by creating something special for them. Just like in the tale, our preschoolers are discovering the beauty of gratitude and giving.

Next year, our early learning program is expanding, and we’d love for you to visit and experience the magic in person. At St. Alphonsus, the seeds of lifelong learning and character are planted in joyful, nurturing ways—starting in preschool.

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St. Al’s Featured on Good Day Seattle

Catch Principal Padrnos and Preschool Director Kathleen Fleming on Good Day Seattle as they weigh in on the new alphabet song! At St. Alphonsus, it’s not just about knowing letters – it’s about mastering their sounds and patterns to build confident readers, writers, and communicators. Whether you’re team new song or classic tune, one thing’s for sure: at St. Alphonsus, we’re shaping excellent learners every day!

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St. Al’s Ahead of the Curve When It Comes to Curbing Cellphones

We were recently featured in the National Catholic Register media outlet for our stance towards cell phones at school and commitment to creating a distraction-free learning environment. A couple of our 8th graders were also interviewed and gave some insightful responses. You can read the article here: https://www.ncregister.com/news/catholic-schools-cellphone-bans-mcdonald.

You may recall that last school year, we earned the distinction of being the first and only Catholic school in Washington state to be officially registered with the Wait Until 8th pledge. This organization empowers parents to wait until at least 8th grade before giving kids a smart phone. To learn more or to sign the pledge, visit our Family Technology Resources webpage.

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Innovative Housing Project Centers Teachers in Local Community

This article appeared originally appeared FulcrumFoundation.org.

The Fulcrum-funded Innovative Housing Project at St. Alphonsus Parish in Ballard will welcome its first cohort this summer, providing affordable housing to Catholic school teachers in an increasingly high cost of living area.

“The Innovative Housing Project meets two critical needs facing the Archdiocese of Seattle,” said Lizzy Scholz, the pastoral assistant for administration at St. Alphonsus Parish. “The first is the need for adults, especially young adults, to build community. Teaching is a tough career! Living with people going through the same struggles, especially in the early years of teaching, is so beneficial. The second is how difficult it is to pay teachers who want to work in our Catholic schools a competitive rate of pay. The Innovative Housing Project allows us to provide more affordable housing as a way to level the field.”

The program, which has been four years in the making, takes some of the financial burden off local Catholic school teachers by providing an affordable place to live. Accepted applicants will live in community, allowing young teachers to grow together spiritually and professionally.

“The U.S. Surgeon General recently came out and said that loneliness and lack of connection is a major public health crisis,” said Nick Padrnos, principal of St. Alphonsus Parish School. “Community, especially in this day and age, doesn’t happen by accident. It must be intentional. This project anchors young adults to a definite place with a definite purpose. I see this as an incubator, not just for well-formed educators, but also for deeply connected and committed human beings.”

The program currently has space for nine teachers who will be provided with personal apartments as well as communal living spaces, including a garden, courtyard, and chapel. Participants in the program will receive a one-year lease. Teachers will live in the repurposed convent for the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) sisters at St. Alphonsus. In 2021, the SOLT sisters decided to leave the convent, giving the parish and the archdiocese a chance to find a new purpose for the building.

“Transitioning the convent to being a part of the Innovative Housing Project is a perfect fit, because not only do we have a great facility, but Ballard is a very desirable community to live in, and therefore very expensive.  It can make it difficult for staff to afford even a simple apartment.  Our convent would allow each tenant to have access to a basic apartment, as well as a lot of communal space for cooking, gardening, and indoor and outdoor gatherings,” said Lizzy.

“St. Alphonsus has been a stronghold in the archdiocese and Ballard community since 1907,” Nick added. “To last 100+ years means you have to be adaptive and respond to the signs of the times. We’re a small community, but have lots of young families who are attracted to the energy and mission here. The reality is, we don’t have the nuns and other religious groups running our schools and occupying our living spaces. It’s a wonderful opportunity for this St. Al’s community to witness to these young adults about what family life, devotion, and kinship looks like.”

The Innovative Housing Project was, in part, modeled after programs like the Alliance for Catholic Schools (ACE) program at the University of Notre Dame and the Pacific Alliance for Catholic Education (PACE) program at the University of Portland. PACE, which has placed teachers in Catholic schools here in Western Washington, provides housing for young teachers committed to living in community as they work towards their master’s degrees. The program has a proven track-record of success building future educators and leaders within the Catholic school system.

While teachers in the Innovative Housing Program are not tied to a master’s program, they are expected to engage with one another and participate in community-building activities. The Fulcrum Foundation provided $30,000 in funding to support upgrades to the facility and community programming run by the Office for Catholic Schools.

“I am excited to have St. Alphonsus be at the forefront of this initiative, especially moving into Partners in the Gospel. This project will allow us to better utilize our buildings, provide a service to not only the St. Alphonsus community, but the Archdiocese of Seattle as a whole, and allow us all to build connections with our neighboring parishes and schools,” said Lizzy. “I’d love to see a full house with teachers not only from St. Alphonsus, but also our neighboring K-8 schools and high schools. It will be an incredible way for these teachers to grow into their careers and build relationships with others who may soon be in their parish families.”

“During my first teaching gig, I lived in an old convent with 7 other teachers through Notre Dame’s ACE program,” Nick said. “That experience is what’s kept me in the field and wanting to serve. To have that sort of intentional community in our backyard is tremendous because of the ripple effect. The zeal of the residents will spill over into ministry and engagement in our church and school. That’s the power of the Holy Spirit at work.”

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Parents’ Club Finance Update

We are incredibly thankful for the St. Alphonsus community who helped raise a total of $165K on behalf of Parent’s Club fundraising events in the last 2023-24 fiscal school year. Because of your generous giving, the Parent’s Club was able to meet a 100K commitment to the school that was set out at the beginning of the school year. We would not have been able to meet this goal had it not been for our 2 biggest fundraisers, the Auction and Jogathon, where both brought in 61K and 33K, respectively. But we also cannot forget the significance of the smaller fundraisers, such as Bingo, Trunk-or-Treat, MOD Pizza nights, and Brown Bear car wash tickets, to name a few. These important fundraisers helped us cross the 100K finish line all while keeping with the St. Al spirit of community. In addition, 56.8K was also raised for the Fund-a-Dream project for new security doors and medical AED devices, vital for the safety and well-being of our St. Al staff and children. Lastly, the community showed how much they cared about our teachers by raising 2.3K during teacher appreciation week, where every penny went back to them in the form of catered meals and gift cards through our Scrip program. In sum, $161.5K out of the $165K raised went back to the school, with 3.5K remaining for Parent’s Club startup costs for FY 2024-25.
We are confident that we can aim higher in this new school year with a 5% increase in our school commitment from 100K to 105K, as we continue to seek the kind and generous monetary and volunteer support of our amazing community. We cannot thank the community enough for helping to benefit our students and the school, both in the past year and in the days to come!
For any questions please direct them to pcboard@stalseattle.org.
– PCB Treasurer, Susan Young