Thursday Newsletter

December 7, 2011

FROM THE DESK OF MS. HESED

All-School Christmas Program

Tuesday, December 13, is our all school Christmas Musical.  Everyone is very excited and just a little nervous – the healthy sort of nervous that puts one at the top of their game. The children have been hard at work learning the songs; the 8th graders learning their parts and choreography; the teachers supporting all of that by giving time and changing schedules.  It is one of the highlights of the school year because it is a celebration of Christmas but also because it is a time when we all come together as one to celebrate who and what we are: a Catholic elementary school who is diverse, urban, vibrant and inclusive.

What directions do parents need?

  1. Children should arrive at church at 6:30
    • Those children who arrive before 6:30 will sit with their parents until 6:30 when they are invited downstairs.
  2. ALL children will leave their coats with their parents
    • K through 7 will gather downstairs with their teachers
    • Preschoolers will gather in the front pews with their teachers
    • Please make sure your child uses the bathroom before leaving home
  3. All of the children wear their Christmas musical t-shirts (to be given out on Monday).  The shirts are short sleeved but should be warm enough although you are welcome to put a long sleeve tee under – nothing too warm, please.
  4. Parking will be very difficult, please try to conserve on the number of cars: walking if possible, car-pooling if possible, etc.
  5. The program will begin at 7:00 and end before 8:00.
    • When the program is finished I will call parents forward to collect their children.  It is a little like mass chaos; all are reunited in the end!
  6. Word of warning to parents with little ones – there are no naps on Tuesday because of the dress rehearsal.  Your little one will be tired.

Parents, please remember that the dress rehearsal is at 1:30 if you have relatives who prefer to be out by day rather than by night.

Where will your child be performing?

  1. The preschoolers sit in the front pews and walk up on stage for their one big scene
  2. The Kindergartners line up along the front of the church but spend most of the program seated on the floor until their one performance scene
  3. The 6th, 7th, 3rd and 2nd graders are on right side as you face the altar.
  4. The 5th, 4th, and 1st graders are on the left side as you face the altar.

The choir loft will be available for sitting and there will be some extra chairs in the front.  It is typically crowded.  Depending on the crowd this year, we may have to consider some alternatives for next year – it’s that “good problem” the one of wonderfully increasing enrollment.  All those wonderful children come with very involved families making us a better, but more crowded, school.

The Generosity Never Ends

Dragons will constantly amaze you. Two of our students celebrated their birthdays last week – not so unusual. They celebrated by inviting class mates to their shared party – not so unusual.  They also celebrated the anniversary of their births by expressly not asking for gifts, both girls recognize that they have what they need and most of what they want.  In lieu of gifts the girls invited their guests to make donations to our school.  With the help of their generous guests, Ava Allen and Willa Henske have made a very generous donation of $275.00 to their school.  Super thanks to both Willa and Ava for the generous donation and, even more, for your generous hearts. 

Progress Reports for 1st through 8th graders

Parents, please note that Fast Direct progress reports are available and the Fast Direct Gradebooks for grades 3 through 8 are open for viewing once again.  Why the Progress Report and the open gradebook?  Although each offers the same final information – an A in Math or a B in Reading – each does it in a different way and each contains different comments from your child’s teachers.  I recommend viewing both.

Just By Way of Reminder

As we close in on 2nd quarter and the midpoint of our academic school year I want to remind our families of our academic communication systems.

  1. Fast Direct hosts our quarterly report cards and mid-quarterly progress reports.
  2. Fast Direct also hosts our teacher’s gradebooks which are viewable by parents of 3rd through 8th graders.
  3. Fast Direct also hosts our teacher’s planners or bulletin boards through which teachers are able to communicate upcoming tests, long term assignments, rubrics etc.  I do not ask teachers to post over night worksheet sorts of assignments.  Students from 3rd grade up are responsible for keeping their own planners/assignment notebooks and all those overnight assignments should be posted in there.

HINT: Your child’s teacher assumes you are accessing all of these, if for some reason you are unable to use Fast Direct as we intend, please let us know.  In the age of instant information, you have the option to stay on top of how your child is progressing academically.

  1. SMOS-school.org hosts our quarterly curriculum intents.  If you want an overview of what we hope your child will be learning in each quarter, the teacher’s pages on the SMOS-school.org website is the place to go.

Both e-systems, SMOS-school.org and Fast Direct communicate our weekly Thursday Newsletter and our school calendar.

Young Catholic Musicians

YCM has been around for years (my daughters were performers many years ago) and is open to students from across the Archdiocese.  I include information on this concert both by invitation to the concert but to also to encourage parents of children interested in performing arts to consider YCM.

Want to get into the holiday spirit?  Come to an inspirational concert of contemporary and traditional Christmas music by the Young Catholic Musicians, a group of 10-19 year-old, talented musicians and vocalists, representing over 50 parishes across the bi-state area.  The group includes our own Justin Koesterer on trumpet and Lauren Koesterer in the soprano section.  The 34th annual Christmas concert will be Dec 28 and 29 from 7:30-9 pm at Seven Holy Founders Church in Affton.  The narrator on Dec. 28 is Mr. Alan Winkelman, the Associate Superintendent for Elementary School Administration for the Archdiocese of St. Louis.  Our new auxiliary Bishop, Bishop Edward Rice will be narrating on Dec 29.  Reserved seat tickets are $10 for the front of church or $5 for the back seven rows of church and can be purchased through either Sandy Koesterer 314-776-5636 koest@swbell.net or Fr. Bruce Foreman at St. Peter and Paul 314-231-7464  revycm@charter.net

NOTE: Mr. Alan Winkleman from the Archdiocese has been very helpful as we consider short term and long term planning on how to manage our “good problem.”   Bishop Rice is a city boy and as a priest was influential in getting our South City Collaborative going with an eye to saving our Catholic city schools.  And, of course, Justin and Lauren are in our 5th grade and very talented young musicians.

Two Quick Notes:

  1. No school tomorrow, December 8; it is the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  Masses tomorrow are 6:30 am and 6:30 pm
  2. Picture retakes will happen on Friday, December 16.  You must return the original photos for retakes.  Children who were absent will be photographed.  Children being photographed may come out of uniform.

 

 

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