Happy Catholic Schools Week!
The CSW theme is communities of faith, knowledge, and service; and I believe that is an excellent description of All Saints Catholic Academy. This week has been an example of all three. Our faith has been deep as we walk the journey with Mr. and Mrs. Grissinger as they face earthly life without their oldest son, Kevin. Jean Grissinger is a fourth grade teacher at All Saints. Kevin was a healthy, loving husband and father of two who passed in his sleep on Sunday. This touches each of us deeply. It is not imaginable for a parent to lose their child whether they are 3 or 33. It touches each of us deeply. The only way to navigate this dark time is through our faith; and the Grissinger family is absorbing your prayers as their source of strength. Thank you.
Regarding knowledge ……we principals always joke about how CSW is the week of the school year so full of activity that we teach the least of any week of the year! That said, I just reported to the school board how truly solid our standardized test scores were this year. Our students did well! The staff and I use these results to plan for individualization and differentiation of the education of our students. We also create an improvement plan each year. This year, we are confirming that our science offerings are well aligned to the testing model. Once completed, we will do the same for social studies. We also are working to look for common language through the grade levels as we examine the fiction and nonfiction reading. We will have an in-service on Friday, February 28th. We continue to work toward application expectations for grammar and spelling in our student writing. This was the first time we received a report for our students on the common core for math and language arts. Our students were significantly above the national norms. That is the blessing of having a researched, best practices curriculum that is relatively new.
Service is woven into all that All Saints Catholic Academy is. We just completed our MLK Day of Service and we have $Change$ for Peace as a cornerstone of our CSW activities. These are just two of many possible examples to be offered. Being “others-centered” is who we aspire to be in all that we do.
Dinner Dance Auction News
Please continue to get your item donation forms into the ASCA office ASAP. We are accepting item donations now through this Friday, January 31, 2014. Again item donation forms can be found on the ASCA website at www.ascadda.org. IMPORTANT REMINDER - if you are attempting to solicit a local business you must check with Tim Traynor first to make sure the DDA Solicitations committee has not already contacted them. Tuition Raffle Tickets are still for sale. A chance to win a $5,000 ASCA tuition credit for the 2014-2015 school year can be purchased on our DDA website at www.ascadda.org. Also, stay tuned for additional sale days after mass. Saintly Spots can still be purchased for your favorite student, club, sports team, etc. This is a great way to celebrate your child's Graduation, First Communion, Sport Accomplishments, etc. Multiple families may participate together. Forms can be found on the DDA website at www.ascadda.org. The deadline for Saintly Spots is this Friday, January 31, 2014.
2014-2015 Re-enrollment Information
Re-enrollment materials for the 2014-2015 school year have been sent out to all currently enrolled school families via their oldest/only student in preschool through grade 7. The deadline for returning your re-enrollment forms and re-enrollment fee is now past due, so please return them as soon as possible. Please contact Patty Bajek at (630) 961-6125 with any questions.
RSVP’s for the 5th Grade and 4th Grade Father/Son and Mother/Daughter Puberty Presentations are Due
The SHPP Faith Formation Committee has invited Dr. Coleen Mast, a leader in the field of chastity education, to offer her popular “Puberty Presentations for Father/Son and Mother/Daughter” to ASCA Fifth Grade students and their parents on Thursday, February 6th from 7:00-9:00 pm. This is an excellent opportunity for 5th grade families to prepare for their mandatory academic and ongoing puberty changes discussions. The talks consist of two simultaneous two hour presentations in two different rooms; the girls led by Dr. Mast, and the boys led by a pro-life man. The presentations will include videos and discussions on how to mature spiritually and emotionally while these physical changes are taking place. The presentation will include some theology and biology of the body, with practical advice for puberty and virtue challenges.
The Mother/Daughter session will be held in McSherry Hall, and the Father/Son presentation will take place in Café 1. Please note that, while this is a 5th grade specific program, 4th grade parents are welcome to attend and bringing their 4th grade child along will be up to parental discretion. This opportunity will not be offered next year, as it will only be offered every other academic year.
There is no cost to attend the event, and no food will be offered during these sessions. For more information about Dr. Mast, please visit www.sexrespect.com. For questions or to RSVP, please contact ascapubertytalk2014@yahoo.com indicating names of parent and student and grade level.
No Cookin’ in the Kitchen – this week at Chuck E. Cheese
Join us for the first No Cookin' in the Kitchen of 2014, which will be held this Thursday, January 30 anytime from 3 - 9 pm at Chuck E. Cheese. The Naperville Chuck E. Cheese is located at 1154 E. Ogden Ave. Students will be receiving a sticker reminder from Chuck E. Cheese; bring the sticker to Chuck E Cheese to receive 25 FREE Tickets. A trip into the "Ticket Blaster" will cost students only $2.49. 15% of the sales generated that night will be donated toward the ASCA "Class of 2015" 8th grade trip. Please contact Colleen Rotkis at (815) 609-3279 with any questions.
D203 Busing Change
There will be no busing home from school for District 203 bus riders on Friday, February 14. Please note this change on your calendar now, and make alternative transportation arrangements home for your D203 bus rider on Friday, February 14. All other buses will be running on that day.
Thank You
Tammy Kuppinger was All Saints’ Special Ed Coordinator for eight years. She found a great web site that I would like to share with you. We had been looking for a way to have children practice basic math facts (and in particular, our JH math students) that had some real world meaning and connection. The thought was that the children would have a stronger engagement with such a connection. The web site is http://freerice.com/ The website has applications for foreign language, humanities, math, english, chemistry, science, geography and test preparation. When a question is answered correctly, 10 grains of rice are donated to The World Food Programme. Give it a try.
Calling actors and actresses
Think Global Arts is a Naperville based organization with a goal of promoting peace. We have had a number of students win awards each year in their visual arts and essay contest. This spring, they will be producing a show for children. If you are interested in finding out how your child can become a part of the production of this Peruvian tale, please contact Revati Natesan at revati4@gmail.com, or call (630) 697-4441.
Valentine’s Day
SHPP will have a universal snack for the Valentine’s Day Parties, which will be held from 2:15-3:15 pm on Friday, February 14th. The Junior High will have service parties while they learn about Valentine the man and how this holiday began. They will not exchange valentines in school (they will do that out of school). Grade 6 students will view a movie, and then create Valentines for the children in the pediatric unit at Edwards Hospital. Grade 7 students will create flower vases and paper flowers for the residents of the Independence Village Nursing Home while hearing how the holiday has grown and changed over the years. Grade 8 students will decorate Kleenex tissue cube boxes for the residents of St Patrick’s Nursing Home while listening to the music that represents Valentine’s Day.
All students will receive a universal snack of Skinny Pop popcorn (please note that this snack is on the acceptable snack list); and grades K-5 will have their traditional parties where room parents have crafts/games for the kids. No other food is to be brought in, and students are not to bring valentines with candy included. SHPP will purchase and sort the popcorn bags for distribution.
If the junior high needs helping hands, they will ask for parent volunteers. Grade K-5 room parents should communicate with the teachers to discuss the craft/games that they have planned to ensure that it fits with the valentine exchange.
Extreme Weather Days
It is hard to believe we still have almost two months till spring….it feels like we have had lots and lots of winter already! We annually meet the state requirement for attendance due to our extended school day and do not need to add days to the end of our school year. Even so, enough is enough! I am voting for an early spring.
ASCA Girls - Let's Go Wild! Save the Date!
The annual Daddy Daughter Dance will be held at ASCA on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 6:30 pm. Invitations will be sent home soon with more details to follow. A jungle theme is being planned for the event. Semiformal attire suggested (no costumes). If you are interested in volunteering for this amazing event or have any questions, please contact either Amy Drake at amyldrake@me.com or Regis Watson at regis1997@gmail.com.
Every Monday and Thursday morning, The Runaway Pencil is open outside Café 1 from 7:30 to 7:50 am for all of your school supply needs.
Wednesday Morning Rosary Prayer before Mass
Just a reminder – each Wednesday morning prior to mass, the Rosary is prayed in the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Reflection Chapel (located across from the school gym) at 7:50 am. Please come, even if you are running late. Instruction sheets and extra Rosaries are always available. Kids (even noisy ones) are welcome! Please contact Darlene Newman at newmdar@gmail.com with any questions.
March Lunches
Online orders for March hot lunches will be able to be placed on line this coming Saturday, February 1 through Saturday, February 15. Please visit https://fspro.orderlunches.com. All Saints’ school password is allsaints136.
All Saints Football
If you are going to be in 4th through 8th grade in the 2014-2015 school year, and you are interested in playing on the All Saints travel football team, please plan on attending the upcoming open house for more information:
On Saturday, February 1 from 1 – 5 pm at All Saints Catholic Academy
Please contact Frank Ribaudo at (630) 853-5397, or info@ascafootball.com with any questions. Also, visit the www.ascafootball.com website or the All Saints Football flyer attached to this newsletter.
Passion and Purpose for Marriage
This event will be presented by Dynamic Catholic at St. Margaret Mary on Saturday, February 15 from 9:30 am – 2 pm. For more event and ticket information, see the Passion and Purpose for Marriage flyer on the school website.