October 3, 2008
It's always so much fun to welcome grandparents to school. It's apparent that each truly loves his/her granddaughter and willingly tells you everything about her-her unbridled enthusiasm, her loving heart, her incredible intelligence, and even her occasional mischief! It was a wonderful morning.
A child needs a grandparent, anybody's grandparent, to grow a little more securely into an unfamiliar world. ~Charles and Ann Morse
What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies. ~Rudolph Giuliani
Welcome:
We are delighted to welcome Betsy Uschkrat to our Sacred Heart school community. Mrs. Uschkrat is teaching music to the Toddler and Nursery girls. She is currently completing a master's degree in vocal performance, and recently moved to New Orleans when her husband accepted a teaching position at Loyola's School of Music.
Celebrate Life Week at Sacred Heart:
The Archdiocese of New Orleans is celebrating Respect Life Week beginning on Sunday, October 5. At Sacred Heart in the Primary and Preschool, we will recognize Celebrate Life Week during our morning assembly time. In the N-PK-K classes the religion and classroom teachers will be talking to the girls about their infancy and have sent home a short form for the students to use when interviewing their parents about it. When the form comes home, please help our daughter fill it out and return it to school.
Go Saints: Black and Gold Day!
The Saints will appear on Monday Night Football this coming week. To show our spirit, we will have a black and gold free dress on Monday, October 6. Your daughter may wear black/gold attire, but make sure she has on tennis shoes with socks. (Please note: Nursery "Apple Day" will be re-scheduled-stay tuned.)
Book Fair and Boutique News:
The Book Fair and Boutique begins on Monday, October 6. Don't forget about Breakfast and Books with your daughter (see calendar for days and times). If you are unable to attend at your grade's designated time, you are invited anytime during the week. Hours are M (8-3:30), T-Th (7:30-3:30), F (7:30-noon).
In preparation for the Book Fair, on Wednesday we welcomed nationally known author Helen Lester to the Mater Campus. Among her numerous children's books are Tacky the Penguin, Hooway for Wodney Wat, and A Porcupine Named Fluffy. A former elementary school teacher, Mrs. Lester related easily to the children, and entertained them with her stories, as well as with puppets and songs (her ukulele was a great hit!). We thank our librarians, Mrs. Gueringer and Mrs. Schwarzenbach for arranging her visit as part of the school's visiting authors program.
Feast of the Rosary:
Tuesday, October 7, is the Feast of the Rosary. According to the school history found in the Handbook, our St. Charles Avenue Rosary Campus was opened in 1887. "In the previous year Pope Leo XIII had proclaimed the rosary as a shield against the enemies of Christ and His Church; hence, the new school was also placed under the special patronage of Our Lady and assumed the name of 'The Rosary,' a title under which the school is still affectionately known."
Students, faculty, staff, parents, alumnae, friends are invited to a liturgy in the Parlor on the Rosary Campus at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. In the future, the Religious of the Sacred Heart will continue to have Mass in the Parlor on the first Tuesday of every month, and all are invited.
Hearty Snacks:
Next Wednesday, October 8, will be our first collection day for Little Hearts/Preschool Hearty Snacks. ASH has participated in this on-going outreach project for more than 20 years. Each month, the families of one division of the school prepare bag lunches (Hearty Meals) or bags of snacks (Hearty Snacks) for people who are in need. The bags are sent to various social service agencies or schools in the city. We give the Mater Campus Hearty Snacks to the Good Shepherd School, an inner city elementary school for at-risk children.
On Tuesday, your daughter will have a lunch bag attached to her book bag. We ask you to let her help you plan a healthy snack, and return one or two items in the bag on Wednesday morning. Snacks may include fresh fruit (the most popular item!), cheese or peanut butter crackers, raisins, cookies, goldfish/other cracker items, pretzels, popcorn, box drinks, fruit roll-ups, or other non-refrigerated items. This small gesture for others is a way for our girls to begin to live out Goal III of Sacred Heart education: social awareness which impels to action.
Community Service in October:
Please carefully read the information regarding the Mater Campus community services projects taking place during the month of October. There are so many things happening, and we want you to be aware of all of them: Hearty Snacks, Book Drive for flood victims in Iowa, Coin Drop for our Sacred Heart school in Grand Coteau, and 4th primary bake sale.
White Uniforms:
Please remember that your PK or K daughter will need her white uniform for Mater's Feast which is Monday, October 1. Colleen Barber has one (Size 6) that she is willing to sell. If you are interested, please contact her at 895-3014 or colleenb39@aol.com.
News from Admissions:
Pass on the good word...We are sending out invitations to prospective parents for our Tuesday Tours and Open Houses! Please share this information with your friends and family who may be interested in exploring Sacred Heart. On the Mater Campus (for Toddlers-4th Primary): Tuesday Tours, October 14 and 28/ November 11, 8:30; and Open House, October 22, 4:30.
Our Girls Love Their Dads!
The Fathers' Club Father-Daughter Pancake Breakfast is scheduled for Saturday, October 25. A flyer is included with this Childpost. Please respond using the RSVP email address as soon as possible so they can provide the caterer with an accurate head count.
Thank You.
To the many moms who helped transport students to and from the New Orleans Speech and Hearing testing area during last week's screenings. We're grateful to Valerie Bayle, Jane Bensel, Claudette Bienvenu, Trisha Busha, Shirley Charbonnet, Nicole Ciaccio, Beth Congemi, Lori Dugal, Dana Dupre, Gigi Gallinghouse, Melanie Gerrity, Lynne Gibbons, Dana Hammer, Jennifer Hardie, Rebecca Kelly, Danielle Lane, Jennifer Miller, Nicole Rorison, Ninfa Rosinia, Colleen Schenck, Debbie Skrmetta, Suzanne Terrillion, Anne Wypyski, and Lisa Yarborough.
To all who sent in treats for Faculty Appreciation. The faculty and staff always look forward the surprises that await. Hard to believe, but items on the Faculty Room table on this day have zero calories! A special thanks to Nicole Ciaccio and Lisa Yarborough for chairing this Mothers' Club committee.
To the many parents who helped their older parents get to school today for Grandparent Day. You modeled for your daughter what it means to be a caring, thoughtful adult.
To Colleen McLeod, chair of Helping Hearts and mother of Gigi in second primary, for organizing the efforts to help the Hutchison family after the fire that occurred during the evacuation for Gustav. Thank you to the many families who reached out to Bailey and her parents. They appreciate your support.
Out and About:
Coach Dave (Finigan), a local P.E. teacher and sports development specialist, is offering a Soccer Kids League from Oct.-Dec. for boys and girls who are ages 3-6. Parents attend the sessions with their child. Flyers are available at the reception desk.
Enclosures:
Early Years-October
On The Day.Was Born sheet
Father-Daughter Breakfast invitation
Academy of the Sacred Heart: Little Hearts/Preschool
October 2008
|
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
|
5
Celebrate Life Week à
October is Community Service Month on the Mater Campus:
ˇ Book collection for Iowa (10/1-17)
ˇ Coin Drop (10/1-31)
|
6
ASH Book Fair and Boutique à (Nims)
Go Saints! (wear black/gold free dress) Note: Nursery "Apple Day" will be re-scheduled.
|
7
ààà
7:30-8:30 PK-Breakfast and Books
5:30 Feast of the Rosary liturgy (RC-P)-all invited
|
8
ààà
7:30-8:30 N-Breakfast and Books
LH/PS Hearty Snacks
2:15 dismissal
Faculty Meeting
|
9
ààà
7:30-8:30 T-Breakfast and Books
|
10
ààà
7:30-8:30 K-Breakfast and Books
|
11 |
|
12 |
13
Fall Holiday-No classes |
14
8:30 Admission Tuesday Tours (MC) |
15
2:15 dismissal
Faculty Meeting
|
16 |
17 |
18 |
|
19 |
20
Mater's Feast Day!
8:30 PK-12 liturgy (Nims)
(PK/K wear white uniform dresses) |
21 |
22
2:15 dismissal
4:30 Mater Campus Admission Open House
|
23 |
24 |
25 |
|
26 |
27 |
28
8:30 Admission Tuesday Tours (MC)
4th Primary Bake Sale |
29
2:15 dismissal
Faculty Meeting
|
30 |
31
Happy Halloween!
(LH-wear orange/black &
PS-wear costumes)
LH-GymRompers comes to ASH
PK-12:30 p.m.
.SenseSational Fair (parents invited)
K-Mad Science with Primary girls
12:30-parents invited for lunch (classrooms) |
RC=Rosary Campus
MC=Mater Campus
DH=Dining Hall
P=Parlor
AR=Assembly Room
|
October: Community Service Month on the Mater Campus
Each year we celebrate the feast of Mater Admirabilis and each year we are struck with the unique aspect of this day. AS we gather to pray and celebrate this feast that is unique to Sacred Heart, it is remarkable to realize that Sacred Heart students everywhere in the world are similarly gathered to honor Our Lady under this special title. This bond unites us and reminds us that as children of the Sacred Heart we are part of something much bigger than just the Rosary, New Orleans. We-with students, teachers, and parents in more than 45 countries-are working to live out the goals of Sacred Heart education. Traditionally we focus on service as part of this celebration.
Goal III states the "Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a social awareness that impels to action." Under this Goal the following are the criteria:
- The school educates to a critical consciousness that lead to its community to analyze and reflect on the values of society and to act for justice.
- The school offers all its members opportunities for direct service and advocacy and instills a lifelong commitment to service.
- The school is linked in a reciprocal manner with ministries among people who are poor, marginalized and suffering from injustice.
- In our multicultural world, the school prepares and inspires students to be active, informed, and responsible citizens locally, nationally, and globally.
- The school teaches respect for creation and prepares students to be stewards of the earth's resources.
This year we are extending this service for the entire month of October. We will begin the month with Primary Hearty Snacks on Wednesday, October 1 and then Little Hearts and Preschool Hearty Snacks on Wednesday, October 8. In addition, we are helping develop some projects with students who have been "impelled to action." Our school in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, was considerably affected by Hurricane Gustav. With the help of third primary girls Alexandra Chimento, Elise Garvey and Zoe Hardie we are going to have a Coin Drop on the Mater Campus. The funds that are raised will be matched by the school and sent to Grand Coteau. This effort will begin on October 1 and continue through Halloween.
As a result of our personal experiences with the flooding after Hurricane Katrina, our hearts went out to those suffering in Iowa from the summer floods. We have made contact with the Holy Family Schools in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They have received funds and supplies to help many of their families but are looking for ways to boost the spirits of their children. The Mater Campus and Rosary Campus are teaming together to have a new book drive for them. In homerooms we will be collecting hard and soft back books to send to the students. If your family would like to donate a new book to this drive, please bring it to school between October 1 and October 17. On the feast of Mater we will gather as a school to design bookmarks to accompany every book we collect. Our goal is to collect 650 books for students in grades prekindergarten to sixth grade.
The fourth primary will conclude this month of service with a bake sale on Tuesday, October 28. Our students are embracing Goal III by hosting other events in their neighborhoods such as small bake sales and lemonade stands. We are proud of our girls for their desire to be lifelong learners as well as "active, informed and responsible citizens."
