From Mrs. Santos
Connections
Our connections - with our God, within our families and faith communities, and with each other - are bonds that bring each one of us closer. One of the strongest bonds that exists is with our loving grandparents. On Grandparents Day at All Saints, we open our doors and classrooms to welcome our grandparents to visit and share time with us and their grandchild(ren). This year, Grandparents Day will be celebrated on Thursday, May 4. Please note that this date is a scheduling change of one day from information that has been previously communicated. More details will be forthcoming on what will be happening on this day, as well as how to sign up. Please let Grandma and Grandpa know, and put a big 'Save the Date' on your calendars. On Wednesday, May 3, we will celebrating May Crowning. All grandparents are welcome to join us for May Crowning.
On Sunday, January 29, we will be celebrating an Open House from 1-3 pm to kick off Catholic Schools Week. There will also be a huge Knights of Columbus free throw contest on Open House day. We will be welcoming lots of new families who are interested in finding out more about All Saints and how they might become part of our school family in the next school year. Come to meet new and old friends alike! All of our staff will be here on this day, and there will be something interesting to see in every room. So, spread the word to all of your friends who may be interested in coming to your school - consider giving them a personal tour and sharing why YOU love All Saints. We hope to see you at our Open House on Sunday, January 29. Together, we are stronger!
Our Martin Luther King Day of Service is this coming Monday, January 16. This is a day where we are not in attendance here at ASCA, but out in our communities serving others. Oftentimes, we receive far more back than what we are giving simply by the way we feel when we are giving back and connecting with others. This Day of Service is a tradition at All Saints. In order for a student to receive credit for attendance on the 16th, they will need to return their MLK Service Project Form by Wednesday, February 1. Students who do not return their completed form by the deadline will be marked absent on January 16. Please see information below about service options.
Smart Watches. These types of watches are being used more and more to stay connected. Many ASCA students have been wearing them to school. Because a smart watch is a student owned technology device and has the ability to access the internet, we are asking that smart watches be kept at home and no longer worn to school.
If you have visited the school office this past week, you may have noticed some uniform samples hanging near the front desk. While I hope that you have enjoyed some of the new uniform options we have offered this school year; we have some new ideas which include the introduction of a new color option for shirts and the introduction of our logo to many of our uniform items. We are working on the changes with our official uniform company Schoolbelles as we speak. We hope to be able to share details and ordering information in the near future. In the meantime, you might want to hold off on stocking up on any additional items until you see the new alternatives. Also, please note the following important information regarding uniforms: The new uniform options will be phased in over a three year period. There will be no requirement to purchase new clothing if you have old uniform items that still fit and are serviceable.
Saints News
January Busing Changes
Please note the following D203 busing changes in January:
- Tomorrow, Friday, January 13: no busing home
Please find alternate means of transportation for your student on this day.
Attendance Reporting Reminder
To report a student absence, please remember to do one of the following on or before 8 am on the day of absence:
- Call the school at 1-630-961-6125
- Email both the student's homeroom teacher and attendance@ascacademy.org
The following information should be included in your phone call or email:
- Student's Name
- Student's Homeroom
- Date of the Absence
- Reason for the Absence (if student has a fever, please mention in reason for absence)
Catholic Schools Week
There is a new All Saints CSW T-shirt which can be ordered by going to the following link - https://stores.inksoft.com/all_saints_csw_2017. This really neat t-shirt is available in two color options - blue and gold; so read the form carefully and choose your favorite (or both). If you are looking for some new spiritwear, this shirt will be a great alternative for Spiritwear Fridays!
But remember, the ordering link will only be open until this Sunday, January 15, so place your orders now! Please click here for more information on the shirt!!! Please note that students who purchase the CSW T-Shirt will be able to wear the shirt over their uniform to Mass on Wednesday, February 2. Do not forget to place your order by the Sunday, January 15 deadline.
Fat Tuesday Spiritual Celebration
Please join us for a Fat Tuesday Spiritual Celebration in preparation for Lent! On Tuesday, February 28, SHPP and ASCA’s Faith Formation will be taking a special pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. Therese in Darien, IL, only 25 minutes from ASCA’s school campus. Enjoy a tour of the shrine, Mass, lunch, and a special talk on how to imitate St. Therese’s little ways in our own daily life. Tour is from 10:00-2:30 pm, and the cost is $25.00/person. Transportation is not provided. Must book at least 20 participants to reserve the date at the Shrine. Please RSVP to Molly Donovan at mollyd1509@me.com with payment by Tuesday, January 31 at the latest. For more information on St. Therese and the shrine, please visit www.saint-therese.org.
Martin Luther King Day of Service - Monday, January 16, 2017
All students have received hard copy details about the pre-arranged service opportunities. You may also click here to view.
To receive credit for attendance on January 16th, students will be asked to identify their act(s) of service, and write a paragraph of reflection on how this service has helped others in the community and what it felt like to contribute in this way. All students have received a copy of the form (Click here for an electronic copy). Copies will also be available in the school office. If you are able to offer service as a family, take time together to talk about the experience and write the reflection together. To qualify the service can be performed any time during the month of January, 2017. Forms will be due on or before Wednesday, February 1.
Saints Having Fun
Finish Catholic Schools Week with your All Saints Community at the Annual Fun Fair!
Mark your calendars! The 8th annual fun fair is coming up Friday, February 3. Preschool and Kindergarten students only will have the fair to themselves from 5:30 - 6pm. 1st - 8th graders admission begins at 6pm. Come and have lots of fun before 8 pm, when the fair ends for ALL students.
NEW THIS YEAR: Flat fee, no more tickets! (some limitations will apply with opportunity for more chances for purchase). Also, there will be a junior-high only zone including pop-a-shot, photo-ops, and a dj with a dance party in McSherry Hall. There will be carnival games and a sports zone in the gym for preschool - 5th graders. Don't forget the ever-famous cake walk as well! Come and have dinner at the Fun Fair! Hot dogs, pizza, and other concessions will be available for purchase!
Admissions pre-order forms will be available next week.
Fun Fair T-Shirt News
Orders for the 8th Annual Fun Fair t-shirt have ended. We have ordered a small quantity of additional shirts that are available for purchase. The cost is $15. You can secure a shirt for your student by contacting Regis Watson (regis1997@gmail.com) or Amy Drake (amyldrake@me.com).
Please note the 8th Annual Fun Fair t-shirt is the only t-shirt that may be worn with jeans or other out of uniform bottoms on Friday, February 3rd. All other students will be required to be in uniform on Friday, February 3 (it is not a Spiritwear Friday).
Mother-Son Event 2017
Please join us for the 5th annual ASCA Mother-Son Date Night with the Chicago Wolves on SUNDAY, March 5, 2017 at 3:00 pm. The Wolves are playing the Manitoba Moose at the Allstate Arena. Tickets this year are only $16.50 per person and include an ASCA/Wolves customized T-shirt, a Wolves winter knit hat, and a special ASCA seating section. A hotdog/drink coupon is available for $6 per coupon. Please click here for the event flyer, which will also be sent home with all boys and will also be located on the school website. Payment will be done via FACTS. Signed forms with details filled out are due to the ASCA office by Thursday, January 26, 2017. If there are any questions, please contact Betsy Knox at betsy.knox@nokia.com. Please understand this is an “ordered event” (tickets and tees) and this deal will NOT be available after the deadline. We hope to see all moms and sons at this fun event!
Lego Engineering Club – After School STEM Enrichment program – 1st through 5th grade
Bricks 4 Kidz offers hands-on, interactive and engaging curriculum that introduces students to STEM concepts and mechanics using LEGO® bricks, gears, axles and motors. The program provides children the opportunity to build motorized models using proprietary model plans and kits. Bricks 4 Kidz will be offering a winter and spring session at ASCA on Wednesdays from 3:30 – 4:30 pm (January 18th onwards). Please see the Bricks 4 Kidz flyer for further details on the session. Limited availability, register soon! Register online at www.bricks4kidz.com/naperville
Dinner Dance Auction (DDA) News
Our 12th Annual Dinner Dance Auction, “A Night in Hollywood” is being held on Saturday, March 18th at the Embassy Suites in Naperville. Each year we count on our school families to support the DDA, which is ASCA's largest and most important fundraiser. We 
have several options noted below for you to participate.
Item Donation
Please consider an item donation to this year’s auction. You will receive fundraising credit (up to $500 for this school year) for the amount your item sells for at the auction. Best sellers are: vacation getaways, concert and theater tickets, sporting event tickets, airline miles, and hotel points. The attached form and item donations are due January 20th.
Saintly Spot Ad
A terrific way to celebrate your child’s Graduation, First Communion, or School Musical is with a Saintly Spot Ad in the auction catalog. Is your child part of an ASCA sports team, Brownie, or Girl Scout Troop? Place a photo ad in the catalog! Multiple families can participate together. The ad costs $50. Please see the attached form for more details. The deadline for submission is January 20th.
Sponsor and Advertising Opportunities
More than 300 parents and members of Naperville and the surrounding communities are expected to attend our annual Dinner Dance Auction. Do you own a business, or know someone that owns a business, that could benefit from getting their company name in front of this excellent target market? It pays to advertise! Please consider becoming a Sponsor or an Advertiser - it can benefit both your company and our school! See the Sponsor and Advertising opportunities.
Sponsors and advertisers receive recognition via professional posters and screen displays at the event, an ad in the auction catalog, your name and link to your business on the school website, and your name highlighted in a letter that goes home to school families asking them to patronize our generous supporters.
Support All Saints and promote your business at the same time! The deadline for commitments is January 20th. For questions regarding sponsorship or advertising, please contact Michelle Yacullo at yacullo@sbcglobal.net.
Saints Helping Saints
No Cookin’ in the Kitchen - January
No Cookin’ in the Kitchen, benefitting the ASCA Class of 2018 and their 8th grade trip, has two events in January:
- Celebrate our MLK Day of Service at Culver's of Aurora/Naperville on Monday, January 16 from 10 am - 10 pm. Click here for the flyer.
- Tuesday, January 24 from 5 - 8 pm - Enjoy a personal 11" pizza pie at Pie Five. Click here for the flyer.
Saints In Competition
From the Saints Sidelines . . . The cold, snowy weather didn’t stop our Saints this past weekend. We had several teams protecting the nets and dominating the courts this week! Our Boys 5B1, 6B2, 7B1, 7B2 and Girls 7B teams all brought home the “W” this week. Way to go Saints! Current standings show our Boys 5B2 team in 1st place and our Boys 5A, 5B1 and 7B2 teams all holding steady in 2nd place in their respective divisions. Keep up the hard work!
Congratulations to our Boys 5A team who took 1st Place in the Hardwood Classic basketball tournament this past weekend. The boys went 3-0 against some tough travel competition to take the title. Congratulations 5A Boys!!!
The ASCA gym is nice and toasty so come out and spread your ASCA spirit and cheer on your favorite teams! You can stay on top of the league standings and schedules by visiting the league website at www.dplbba.org.
ATTENTION BOYS & GIRLS ages 9-14 years old – Don’t miss the Knights of Columbus Youth Free Throw Championship to be held on Sunday, January 29 at All Saints!
We still have a few remaining ASCA Basketball and new Track & Field car decals…be sure to pick up one today and show your team spirit!
LAST CALL for Track & Field Registration! If your athlete would like to participate in Track & Field this spring registration can be completed at www.asca.SIPlay.com. If you have questions, please email Erika Baka at jnebaka@gmail.com.
Stay Calm and Dribble On!!!
