Saints Speak – 1/16/2020 – Celebrating our Achievements

In most manners and etiquette books, it is often said that it is not polite to brag about ones’ accomplishments.   Those who are boastful are thought to be self-indulgent and rude.  Personally, I believe that it is ok to be proud of our successes, sprinkled with a healthy dose of humility. 

That being said, I would like to share, maybe be a little bit proud, and truly celebrate the achievements of our junior high math students at All Saints.  Throughout the diocese, other schools have wondered whether there is something in the water here at All Saints that causes our students to be ‘so incredibly good’ at math. 

I like to think that it is because we have a very strong math curriculum that articulates seamlessly all the way from preschool through 8^th grade.  I know that our very knowledgeable, talented, and dedicated faculty factor into the equation (yes, pun is intended).  Our advanced math tracks, which formally begin in grade 4, are able to challenge our most avid and enthusiastic math students. 

Most of all, I want to recognize the students.  They are willing to put the work in, day in and day out.  They desire to learn more, and to become better at math.  Our students enjoy math so much, that we even have a Junior High Math Club that meets on Sunday evenings where students learn ‘outside the box’ thinking about math.   Like our student athletes who play basketball, volleyball, or run, these students practice, compete, and win.  They are ‘mathletes’, and they are incredibly successful.                     

This year alone, our students have competed in contests at Marmion Academy, Montini Catholic High School, Benet Academy, and St. Francis High School.  Students also competed in the American Junior High Math Contest.   Historically, our students have also competed in the MathCounts competition in which our students have gone up against the best math students in schools throughout the state. 

I would like to share a little bit more detail about the recent math competition at St. Francis High School.  All Saints did very well against the 25 teams from 14 schools competing in the Catholic school division.  The ASCA teams finished 1st and 2nd, our school overall placed 1st, and many ASCA students received individual accolades which included 1st place for Michael Budd in 8th grade, and 1st place for William Jimenez in 7th grade. 

Even if All Saints had competed against all schools, including public schools (~45 teams in total), All Saints still would have held 1st place in the team competition, and would have finished 2nd overall as a school just behind Avery Cooley.  WOW!!!

It has truly been an amazing year for All Saints, effectively winning every competition and capturing 1st place team and individual awards, and outperforming all public schools.  Additionally, All Saints made the Merit Roll for the AMC-8 competition, with Michael Budd receiving Distinguished Honors (top 1%), both a 1st for our school.

These are amazing accomplishments, reflecting hard work and time invested by so many of our students.  We, as a school community, celebrate these achievements, and all of the students who participate in these math contests.  Please stop by the school office sometime.  You will find many of the academic trophies won by our students displayed outside the office. 

Perhaps, it is time to raise a banner for our mathletes at ASCA.  

Chicago Blackhawks are coming to ASCA

On January 21^st, members from the Chicago Blackhawks G.O.A.L. (Get Out and Learn) program will be coming to All Saints to teach Mr. Lindgren’s 7th and 8th Grade PE classes the basics of hockey. The Chicago Blackhawks started G.O.A.L. to teach children throughout the Chicagoland area more about hockey, as they might not ever have a chance or opportunity to play. G.O.A.L. is also going to provide new hockey sticks, hockey goals, and hockey balls to All Saints after their lesson. That is so neat!  ASCA and Mr. Lindgren would like to thank the Blackhawks G.O.A.L. program for coming out and teaching his students the fundamentals of hockey, and for generously donating their hockey equipment to our school. Go Hawks!  A huge thank you to Mr. Lindgren for making this amazing opportunity come to All Saints. 

Upcoming ASCA Open House, Sunday, January 26 from 1-3 pm

There is so much to celebrate at ASCA.  We hope that you feel that way too!  The most successful way that All Saints attracts new students and families is not through newspaper ads or social media.  It is not through signs, banners, or our website.   

It is through word of mouth.  It is through our families sharing all of the great things that are happening here at All Saints with friends, neighbors, and other potential new students.  We like to say that happy school families bring us more happy school families. 

How Can You Help?

1.  Please consider sharing what you love about ASCA with a friend, and then personally invite them to attend our upcoming Open House on Sunday, January 26 from 1 – 3 pm.   Families who refer a new school family to ASCA can earn a $250 credit toward their FFO (Family Fundraising Obligation).​

2.  Help Us Advertise the Open House - earn an Out of Uniform Pass for your student(s).  Please help us SHARE THE GOOD WORD about our upcoming open house on Sunday, January 26 from 1 - 3 pm.  Doing so can earn your student an out of uniform pass!    Click here for the message to be shared on social media, or printed out and posted at a public location for students to earn an out of uniform day.  (You will also be able to find the same message on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages, which you can easily share or repost.)
 
Students/parents must post the ad between today and Saturday, January 25 to get the out of uniform pass.  Either a screen print of the post or a picture of the flyer hanging up must be emailed to socialmedia@ascacademy.org by 1/25, along with the student's name(s) and homeroom teacher(s).  Parents should title the email "Open House Ad".  
 
We need your help to get the word out.  Thanks in advance!

3.  Come to enjoy the Open House yourself.  We need YOU at our Open House on Sunday, January 26th from 1 - 3 pm!  Please stop by to show your support.  Bring an aunt or uncle, a friend or someone else.  We can't wait to see you!

So, don’t be shy.  I wouldn’t even consider it boastful or rude.  Share what you love about All Saints with a friend, and invite them to find out more about how All Saints might be a great fit for them. 

Lunch and Recess Volunteers Needed

Still interested in volunteering? Lunch and recess would love the extra help! We have been short volunteers lately, so we would appreciate any time you would be willing to give. The sign-ups have been updated, and we are very short-handed. Please see the links below it sign up. Contact Cristine Shaw at cshaw@ascacademy.org, or Kathy Kokkinos at kkokkinos@ascacademy.org with any questions.

• Click here for the Lunch Room Volunteer 2019-2020 Sign Up
• Click here for the Recess Volunteer 2019-2020 Sign Up

Thank you for choosing to volunteer at All Saints Catholic Academy. We appreciate all of your help. 

Things to Do and Upcoming Events

Principal Search Community Survey

The electronic Principal Search Community Survey will remain open until midnight tomorrow, Friday, January 17.    Click here to access the survey.      

2020 DDA – our 15 Annual Dinner Dance Auction – The Crystal Gala – Friday, March 6, 2020

Have you purchased your Tuition Credit Raffle Ticket yet?   Well you are going to want to purchase that ticket or two NOW.

The DDA team has just sweetened the pot, as one lucky purchaser will have a chance at winning their student fees (Forms and Fees drawing) (a $390 value for K – 8 students; does not include graduation fee.)  All tickets purchased by Friday, February 7 will have an opportunity to be entered in the Forms and Fees drawing.

Purchasing a Tuition Credit Raffle Ticket could not be easier:

• Tickets will be sold at all home basketball games, before and after mass on Wednesdays, and on Fridays from 2 – 4 pm
• Click here to purchase online. 
• Click here for the ticket purchase form. 

Deadlines Coming Up FAST:

Friday, January 24, 2020 is the deadline for a number of items:

• Item Donations
• Wine and Champagne Donations
• Saintly Spot Ads
• Advertising Opportunities
• Corporate Sponsorship

Click here to go to the DDA website where you will find ALL forms, and all the information that you are looking for about the most dazzling, most fun, most important event of this ASCA school year, DDA 2020 - the 15^th Annual Dinner Dance Auction – The Crystal Gala.  

Email your questions to dda@ascacademy.org or visit us in person on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Martin Luther King Day of Service – THIS MONDAY, January 20, 2020

This very special day of service is ALMOST HERE.   For more information about our MLK Day of Service and to access service opportunities, please click here.   SHPP’s Community Outreach Committee has scheduled multiple service activities for your convenience; however, you are absolutely welcome to come up with your own service activity (however, cleaning your room does not count). 

IMPORTANT:  For the service opportunities that are going to take place at ASCA - Parents are required to stay to complete the project with their child(ren).  Students CAN NOT DROPPED OFF.

Remember that your student must complete the MLK Day Reflection Form about their service project, and turn it in by Friday, February 7, 2020 to receive attendance credit for the day.  

For the MLK Day Reflection Form, please click here. 

Fun Fair 2020 – Winter Wonderland – Friday, January 31, 2020

Have you contacted all of your children’s friends yet.  Our 11^th annual 2020 Fun Fair – Winter Wonderland – is the perfect place to come out of the cold for some fun. 

To find out more about the fun fair, click here. 

Click here for the Fun Fair Parent Letter

Click here for the Fun Fair Items Available Info

Click here for the Fun Fair Order Form

Click here to place your 2020 Fun Fair order online.

Fun Fair Wristband Orders

A wristband is required for preschool/elementary/jr. high children for admittance into Fun Fair. Wristbands allow children to play all carnival games, guessing jar*(1 entry), cake walk* (3 entries), soda pop toss* (3 entries). *Additional entries available for purchase at Fun Fair. There is a family maximum of $60 if pre-ordered (after 3 wristbands – it’s free!)  You will definitely want to preorder your wristbands, as the price goes up if you purchase them at the door. 

Basket of Privileges Raffle

Ticket sales for the Basket of Privileges Raffle have been on FIRE!  – Click here for the Fun Fair Raffle Ticket Order Form.  Please note that tickets will also be sold the night of Fun Fair; and the winner will be announced that evening!

There are TWO really AWESOME Baskets of Privileges available in this raffle:

T-Shirt and Hats UPDATE

Did you forget to order your t-shirt or hat? We still have a few t-shirts and hats available.  We currently have 3- Youth Medium, 3 Youth Large, 3 Adult Small, 1 Adult Medium and 1 Adult Large.  We have 5 Knit Stocking Caps, 8 Heathered Blue Baseball hats and 9 Washed Blue Camo Baseball hats.  Please note that all of the hats are ‘one size fits all’.  Please email Kendra Kirchgessner at kirchette@yahoo.com if you have questions, or would like a t-shirt or hat.  First come, first served.

Cake Walk – SO MUCH FUN!

One of the great memories that you probably have from your youth and attending events like the fun fair is the awesome Cake Walk. 

The more donations of baked goods, the more fun the Cake Walk will be.  Can you help out with a donation?  We need LOTS of items and this is a fun fair favorite!  We ask that all donated items be nut-free.  Allergy-free items and gluten baked goods are needed too.   Click here for the Cake Walk Donation Form. 

Additionally, we are also in need of all flavors of 2 liter soda bottles for the always popular Soda Pop Toss.  We are hoping for 200 bottles – that is A LOT of soda.  Soda can be dropped off at the Welcome Desk from January 27 – 30. 

Thank you to everyone.  This year’s Fun Fair will be the best and most fun yet!

2020-2021 Financial Aid Applications  

If you are interested in applying for financial assistance for the 2020-2021 school year, please click here to start your application.  All applications and supporting information must be completed by Monday, March 2, 2020 for consideration.    Questions?  Please contact Patty Bajek at pbajek@ascacademy.org. 

Tuition and Fees paid in Calendar Year 2019

To access and print out this information that you may need for tax purposes, please click here for more information. The school will not be sending these documents home in hard copy. 

Chess Tournament

RLS Tutoring, Inc. will be hosting a chess tournament at Holy Cross Catholic School in Batavia on Saturday, March 14th from 12:30 – 3:30 PM.  They would like to invite all chess players at All Saints Catholic Academy to compete in this tournament.  A first place trophy will be awarded to the winning school and individual first, second and third place trophies are awarded to those players who place in the top three ranks.  

Who:  For: Intermediate Chess players in grades 1 - 8
When: Saturday, March 14th
Time: 12:30 – 3:30 PM
Where: Holy Cross Catholic School
            2300 Main St.
            Batavia, IL 60510
Cost: $10.00

The last day to register for this event is Saturday, March 7th.

Register online at:  http://rlstutoringinc.org/special-events/
 

All Saints Parents Association (ASPA)

All Saints Parents Association Meeting – Tuesday, January 21

The next ASPA (All Saints Parents Association) meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 21 at 7 pm.  Find out more about upcoming events like the Daddy Daughter Dance.  All are welcome.  The meeting will take place in Café 1.  

Fundraising Corner

Scrip (counts toward FFO)

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.  Get your special sweetheart a special something using a gift card.  Hundreds of the country’s biggest retailers offer Scrip gift cards.  You have until the end of February to reach this school year’s FFO.  Please note that All Scrip purchases after February 29, 2020 will count towards the next school year’s 2020-2021 FFO. 

Simply click here to enroll.  Please contact the Scrip coordinators for the school’s enrollment code. Need more information? Contact scrip@ascacademy.org.

January’s No Cookin’ in the Kitchen at Raising Cane’s – Wednesday, January 22, 2020 from 4 – 8 pm

Click here for more information.   As always, students who attend this event are eligible to receive an out of uniform pass.   We hope to see you at Raising Cane’s on Wednesday, January 22.

SAVE THE DATE!  February’s No Cookin in the Kitchen Night will take place at Noodles and Company in downtown Naperville on Wednesday, February 19 from 4 – 8 pm.  Click here for more information. 

Nothing Bundt Cake Sales

The ASCA Class of 2020 will be selling those absolutely delicious Nothing Bundt Cake bundtlets just in time for Valentine’s Day.  Stay tuned for ordering information – coming soon!

 All Saints Athletic Association

From the Saints Sidelines . . . Our Saints didn’t let a little rain and snow sideline their games.  Bringing home wins this week were Girls 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A; Boys 7A, 7B1, 7B2, 8A, 8B1 and 8B2.  We are over half way through the season, and current league standings show many of our teams leading the ranks.  Currently sitting in 1st place are Girls 6A and Boys 8B2.  Holding strong in 2nd place standings is the Girls 7A team.  Keep hustling Saints!

Be sure to check the league website at http://www.dplbba.org for league standings and schedules.

***Parents, be sure to check the concessions/admissions sign-ups at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BAhMGnTnClxxcOafaY53eGF0RJDvHEMhBE0ue2VlAcQ/edit?usp=sharing  Parents not previously signed up for 2 volunteer assignments have been randomly assigned.

Looking for a way for your athlete to stay active this spring?  Students in grades 5-8 are welcome to join Track & Field!  The 2020 T&F season will be underway soon with practices starting late March.  Register your athlete now at

https://allsaintsathletics.sportngin.com/register/form/480300249

Remember to pick up a new ASCA sports car decal and show your team spirit!

Celebrate your athlete’s birthday, recognize your son/daughter’s team or your son/daughter for their academic/athletic performance?  SHOUT-OUTS are available for $25 through the Athletic Association.  Shout-outs will be placed on the digital scorekeeper’s table at all HOME games for one weekend.  Be sure to purchase a shout-out to recognize your child’s special moment!  Contact Keith Glab at kglab@ascacademy.org.

There is still time to show your team pride by placing a SAINTLY SPOT in the DDA booklet.  Submission deadlines are due by Friday, January 24th. For further information, contact DDA Chair, Dino Abbott (dino.abbott@westrock.com)

GO SAINTS!!

Did YOU know that All Saints is on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Check Us Out on Social Media - We welcome all of our new followers!!!  Click on the icons below to take a look.

A Tremendous Thank You to the Cornerstone Sponsors of 

Coming Home, ASCA Dinner Dance Auction 2019 

For more information, please click on the Cornerstone Sponsor logos above. 

We encourage you to patronize these generous sponsors. 

Please share with them that you are an ASCA family, and thank them for their support of All Saints Catholic Academy.