Saints Speak – 2/20/2020 – Compassion

From Mrs. Santos

This week, we have broken open the virtue of compassion.  When we feel sorry for those who are hurt or who are in need, we take the first step in showing compassion, which by definition is a sympathetic understanding of another person’s pain with the desire to remove it.  The next step is doing something to help them feel better.  We are connecting with others’ suffering in these moments.

In these waning days of winter, our All Saints school community has been challenged.  There has been a lack of sunshine on many days.  The cold temperatures, which began back before Halloween, have kept us cooped up inside, with no outlet for our energy.  Students, family members and staff have experienced illness.  Some of us have shared words, conversations, or emails that are intentional and unkind.  It can sometimes feel as if our personal problems or the problems of the world are way too much for any of us to handle or to solve.  These frustrations have caused many of us to act in ways that are contrary to the meaning and actions of compassion.  Some of us have not only become involved in conflicts or painful events, we have even been the initiator.

The true goal of compassion is to be present to others, and aware.  Our words and actions have meaning, and can never be taken back.  In my younger days as a 6^th grade student in a small Catholic school, I was verbally and physically bullied.  I am 51 years old, and I still remember the words, the feelings, and the pain of a long ago yesterday as if it happened just today. 

Life is such that we are not going to be best friends with everyone.  We are not going to be invited to everyone’s birthday celebrations, or over to their house for a playdate.  There will be people in our lives that ‘push our buttons’, or quite simply annoy us.  This is true whether you are a preschooler, or a seasoned adult like myself.   

Our gospel message over the past few weeks has focused on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  In it, Jesus shares the Great Commandment, which includes loving our neighbor as ourselves.  At our school liturgy this week, our 5^th grade students who were the presenting class, participated in a beautiful reflection after communion. 

I would like to share some of their thoughts with you:

“Loving your neighbor is part of the Great Commandment, but Jesus included love for enemies.  It is a call to act well toward those who treat us badly, and to pray for them.  Loving only those who love us is expected, but to love those who do not love us marks us out as distinctly different.”

“At the beginning of mass, we were asked to reflect on if there were things in our life that we should be doing differently.  The places that may need some work might be our relationships with other people that we may not even think of as our enemies.  How do we treat our brothers and sisters?  Do we find ways to get along, or are we always fighting?  How about our parents.  So we do what we are asked, or are we always trying to argue our way out of things?  And finally, how do we treat the other students at our school?  Do we treat everyone kindly and with respect even if we do not like them or find them annoying?  Jesus calls us to treat everyone we meet with love and respect, no matter what.  This is a tough challenge.”

There are students here at All Saints who are hurting because of words or actions that have been directed toward them by others.  My heart weeps for the students who may carry the sting of how they were treated here for the rest of their lives, like I do in remembering my childhood.   There are staff members here at All Saints, myself included, who have received emails that have been hurtful, and many times hateful in their content.  What part of our job descriptions, let alone the lack of respect and courtesy, allows us to be subjected to this type of behavior and discourse.   

The practice of Compassion, and its closely related cousin Empathy, which is the ability to share and understand the feelings of others, is how we must treat each other.  Each one of us has the capacity to both give and to receive compassion; and to love, respect, and to forgive one another.  I am not perfect; none of us are.   We have been challenging our students to choose compassion.  I will continue to strive to live the Great Commandment of loving my neighbor with compassion; and I hope that all of you will join me and our children.    

2020-2021 School Calendar

Please click here for the 2020-2021 ASCA School Calendar. 

No Classes – County Wide Teacher Institute - Friday, February 28

Please mark your calendars – No Classes on Friday, February 28.  

The Crystal Gala News – this year’s 15^th Annual Dinner Dance Auction

The deadline to purchase your tickets to The Crystal Gala, our 15^th Annual Dinner Dance Auction, which will take place at the Chicago Marriott Naperville on Friday, March 6, has been extended to Tuesday, February 25. Please click here to RSVP and to snag your tickets.   

Also, the pot has been sweetened once again for the Tuition Credit Raffle.  There are only 47 tickets remaining; and all tuition credit raffle tickets that have been purchased by 4 pm on Tuesday, February 25 will be entered into a drawing for a FREE OVERNIGHT STAY at the Chicago Marriott Naperville with breakfast for two!  Click here to purchase your ticket.

ASCA NOW News

Click here for this week’s 2/19/2020 edition of the ASCA NOW News, produced by our junior high academy students. 

Upcoming Faith Opportunities at ASCA

• This Wednesday, February 26, is Ash Wednesday.  We will pray the Rosary in the gym prior to Mass.  We will begin promptly at 7:50 am.  All are invited!  No experience required.

• Looking for something new to do during Lent? The Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be prayed school days at 7:50 am in the Chapel through Lent.  Join us for eight minutes of mercy!  All are welcome! 

• Our next Eucharistic Adoration will be Wednesday, March 4 in the Chapel.  We invite you to join us for a quiet moment of prayer and reflection during your Lenten journey.  A sign-up schedule will be posted at the Welcome Desk on Thursday, February 27.  Any questions email Christi Kluzak at dkluzak@gmail.com.

• Please turn in your old palms no later than Monday, February 24.

Box Top and Pop Tab Collection

Don’t forget to send in your Box Tops for Education, and Pop Tabs for Ronald McDonald House.  Please bring in your Box Tops to your child’s homerooms by TOMORROW, Friday, February 21 for our next submisson deadline (March 1, 2020).  Also, Box Tops for Education (BTFE) submission has gone digital.  Please be sure to download the BTFE App.  Need more info on how to submit digital Box Tops?  Go to https://youtu.be/qWuXDKejVEg.   

Things to Do and Upcoming Events

2020-2021 Financial Aid Applications 

Please do not wait if you are interested in applying for financial assistance for the 2020-2021 school year, as the deadline quickly approaches.  Click here to start your FACTS application (must be completed by all families seeking assistance).  All applications and supporting information must be completed by Monday, March 2, 2020 for consideration.   This is a hard deadline.    Questions?  Please contact Patty Bajek at pbajek@ascacademy.org. 

Plunge Into Fitness

All Saints is happy to announce we are participating in the Plunge into Fitness program from Raging Waves. All students in grades K-8 are eligible to participate. The program started February 10th and ends April 6th. Students that complete the program will be allowed to PICK ONE of the following offers:

• one free admission ticket valid in June, or
• a $10 OFF discount on a one day admission in July 1st through September 7th.

The details and fitness log were sent home last week with each student. Please contact Mr. Lindgren at glindgren@ascacademy.org or Kathy Kokkinos at kkokkinos@ascacademy.org with any questions.  There are additional fitness logs at the Welcome Desk, or click here. 

Spring Sticky Fingers Cooking Class

A new session of Sticky Fingers Cooking Class for K – 5^th grade students will be starting in March.  Click here to sign up.   

New After School Activities from RLS

We have two new classes starting in March.

• Explore Art: The focus of this class is to explore creativity and celebrate how each person can create his/her own art. This group of sessions will concentrate on creating art with a winter theme. Each week students will have a different project that they will bring home. For K- Grade 4 students.

• Build A Tiny House: If you’ve been watching TV or reading magazines, chances are that you have seen a tiny house. These little homes are popping up everywhere! In this project-based learning class, your child will be challenged to build his/her own tiny house while reinforcing math skills. Students will create blueprints, design floor plans, write their home specs, and create the exterior design. Growth mindset will be taught and reinforced throughout this project. For Grade 3 – 8 students.

Click here to register for both classes.

All Saints Parents Association (ASPA)

Saints in Service - ASPA's Community Service Committee

MLK Day Followup

We would like to thank all students, parents and caregivers who participated in our annual MLK Day of Service.  We had over 550 people signed up to volunteer for a variety of service activities in honor of MLK Day!  We know that many families also created their own service activities.  Thank you all for donating your time and talents to serve our community.  We are in awe of your outpouring of generosity!

We would like to give special thanks to those who helped make these MLK Day activities possible:

• Thank you, Lauren Giroux for coordinating the games and activities at St. Patrick's residence.  We know the residents of St. Patrick's look forward to spending time with our students! 
• Thank you, Lauren Giroux and Karen Hughes for your generous donation of fleece material for our blanket-making session for the Ronald McDonald House.  We are so grateful to you both!
• Thank you, Terri Dieter for organizing our annual clean-up day at St. Margaret Mary Parish.   Thank you, Michele Klein for coordinating our event with West Suburban Food Pantry.  We are so grateful to you both for helping to coordinate these activities for many years!
• Thank you, Mrs. Santos and Mrs. Huber for your help in coordinating our MLK service activities at ASCA.   And thank you, Mrs. Bajek, for your help in advertising all of our MLK Day events!

For those who volunteered to make cards for the St. Elizabeth Seton, Caring Cards ministry, we received the following feedback from St. Elizabeth Seton Parish:

• The Valentines are stunning and beautiful and so full of love! I KNOW EVERYONE WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM!!
• If you can, please give all involved a big hug and let them know how much this means to those who really need it.
• You all are truly on your way to becoming saints--God bless you!"

Please share this with your children who helped to make cards! 

We are so grateful for everyone's help in making a variety of MLK Day of Service activities available to our school community.  And thank you to all of the students, parents and caregivers who volunteered.  We received such positive feedback from the community about our students' contributions and presence.  And we are invited back each year, in large part, because of how you so positively present yourselves in our community.  Thank you for being who you are.  We are so proud of you!

Upcoming Service Activities:

Lenten Market - This very popular, fun and fabulous event is coordinated by our Junior High Staff and Students.  Plan to stop by and shop for goods made by our Junior High Students while supporting many worthy charities!  The event will take place on Thursday, March 26.  More information to follow.

Questions about Saints in Service?  Feel free to reach out to us:   Robin Beck (robindbeck24@gmail.com)  & Anne Soto (anneponcesoto@gmail.com)   Thank you!

Fundraising Corner

Scrip (counts toward FFO)

All Scrip purchases through February 29, 2020 will count towards this year’s  FFO.  Purchases made from March 1, 2020 forward will count toward next year’s 2020-2021 FFO. 

Give the gift of kindness and earn up to 12%!!!  Giving feels good. Know what feels even better? Giving gifts that give back during Random Acts of Kindness Week happening tomorrow through next Sunday.  Spread positivity by surprising friends with eGift cards for their favorite stores, places to eat, or coffee shops—while earning for your FFO.

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

Next No Cookin’ in the Kitchen – Buona Beef – Wednesday, March 11

Thank you to everyone who attended last night’s No Cookin in the Kitchen evening at Noodles and Company.  Save the date for our next No Cookin’ event at Buona Beef on Wednesday, March 11.  More details to come.

News from All Saints Athletic Association

From the Saints Sidelines . . . We are in the final stretch of the basketball season.  Congratulations to the Girls 6A and Boys 8B2 teams for their 1^st Place finish in the regular DPL season. 

Other top teams were:

• 2^nd  Place:  Girls 7A and Boys 8B1
• 3^rd Place:  Girls 5A; 6B; 8A and Boys 7A and 8A

Playoff rounds begin this weekend . . . load up the car with your friends and come out to watch our Saints in action!  Be sure to check schedules and current bracket standings on the league website - click here.   

Congratulations to the Girls 5A team for bringing home the championship at the 30^th Annual St. Jude’s Basketball Tournament.  The team held its first two opponents scoreless while winning the championship game 12-7.  Guard Kasey Glynn was selected to the All Tournament team!  Kasey also won the free throw competition by making 8 out of 10 free throws in the final round.  Congratulations girls!

Thank you to all our fans who came out to celebrate and honor our 8^th grade athletes at BLUE OUT.

Mark your calendars and be sure to come celebrate your team successes at the end of season banquet for basketball on Thursday, March 19^th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm.  RSVPs and invites will be available soon!

There is still time to register for Track & Field.  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                                             

ASAA Looking for Secretary/Communications Coordinator…Interested in getting involved in the Athletic Association?  We are currently looking for a parent to join us on the Board.  The primary responsibility of the secretary is to manage annual sports registrations and rosters and keep/publish meeting minutes.  The secretary will also be responsible for communicating concession schedules, creating/updating the Athletic calendar, coordinating athletic team photo sessions and creating the weekly sports report for inclusion in the weekly school newsletter.  Additionally, this position is responsible for communications via the sports website.

The person chosen for this position will shadow the current Secretary/Communications Coordinator for the next 9 months to learn the role before taking over.  Individuals interested should contact Erika Baka (jnebaka@gmail.com) or Keith Glab (kglab@ascacademy.org)

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.