Wow! Only a day and a half left of the school year. All of the planning, all of the events, and all of the excitement have once again come to an end. Our graduation celebration this past Wednesday was a huge success, and a wonderful example of why we all work so hard every day. At the end of the celebration, the 8th graders released a huge rosary made of balloons. What a wonderful site it was as the rosary drifted across Lebanon Ave. and seemed to hover above the school for a short while before disappearing into the sky. We will be putting a video of this addition to the celebration on our website in the coming days.
I would like to say thank you to everyone for once again making this school year memorable for our students through your dedication and volunteerism at St. Teresa School. We are extremely blessed to have families who choose to be involved in the education of their student as well as in the total operation of the school. Without your service and support, many of the items that make St. Teresa special simply could not happen. What a great community we have at St. Teresa School!
As we come to the end of the school year, I am reminded of the many wonderful memories that our students created this year. Attempting to list the positives that took place this year would be an exercise in futility. However, as with any healthy organization, there is always room for improvement and areas to reflect upon. With that being said, we will be making the following adjustments/additions for the upcoming school year:
*Master Schedule Change: An adjustment to the master schedule will allow us to extend the times of our middle school class periods as well as the "specials" times for the lower grades. This adjustment also allows for the synchronization of our upper and lower grade schedules, which offers flexibility in planning events that include both levels.
*Lab Update: There are a number of exciting items to discuss here. We will be implementing the Illinois Math & Science Academy Fusion program, the teachers will be receiving continuing education including practical applications of an integrated curriculum, we have received a $500 grant from the Society of American Military Engineers to be utilized next year, and we will once again continue our relationship with the Corps of Engineers.
*Band/Spanish Update: It looks like we may be able to offer both of these programs during the school day. I am still working on a few specifics and don't want to promise something that will not happen, but things are looking good at this point.
*Behavior Interventions: We will be implementing several new steps and resources for both our students and staff. Included in those are: Implementation of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (including "safe area"), continuing education for staff on addressing/handling inappropriate student interactions/bullying, implementation of a new referral system to track students who may be the victim of bullying or who may be bullying other students, and an all school assembly on proper interactions with others.
There are a few items that are necessary to discuss to wrap up the present school term and to prepare for 2016-2017...
Start of School: The first day of student attendance will be Thursday, August 18 (PreK-8). Parent/Teacher Conferences will be on Tuesday, August 16. (Families are encouraged to bring their school supplies to conferences).
Packet Pickup: In an effort to make things a little easier for our families, we have adjusted the time for Packet Pickup. This year there will be two sessions (8:00 AM-12:00 PM & 2:00 PM-6:00 PM) on August 11. In addition to the extra time slots, we are also spreading the event out between the Parish Center and the Cafeteria. More information will follow over the summer.
STAA: Remember that the annual Magazine Drive will once again start in August. Please do not renew your magazines through the publishers. Please hold off and renew your magazines through your student and support the St. Teresa athletic programs.
Lost & Found: There are many unclaimed items on the Lost & Found shelf in the cafeteria. Please have your student check for lost items. Anything left at the end of the school year will be donated to St. Vincent DePaul.
Tuition: The first tuition payment for the 2016-2017 school year is due in August. All tuition for this school year (2015-2016) should now be paid in full.
Unpaid Bills: Please pay all lunch monies owed to District #118 before the end of the year. Also athletic fees need to be paid prior to the end of the year.
Sports Physicals: All students who play a sport next year must have a new sports physical on file. If a student does not have a current sports physical on file at the start of a season, they will not be permitted to participate in any sports. All students must be registered for athletics if they wish to participate. Sixth graders and Kindergarteners will be able to use their required grade level physical and do not need a separate sports physical.
Child Protection Training: All coaches and volunteers must attend an initial CPT program or complete online recertification training prior to working with students. Please check the church bulletin for summer initial training sessions. Coaches will be contacted by the Athletic Director about coaching orientation programs over the summer including the new mandatory concussion training.
Uniforms: A reminder that the black/white/gold uniform combinations are the only options for the 2016/2017 school year. The actual uniform policy will be sent home in the white envelope next week. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Elbe or me.
School Office: The school office will be open daily during June and August from 8:00 AM until 3:00 PM. During July we will be in the office periodically, but the office will not be open daily.
Brick Pavers: We will once again continue with this program. The pavers from this year have all been placed, and we would like to thank those who participated again this year.
Summer: I hope that all of you have a safe and happy summer. Kick back and enjoy! Don't forget to highlight August 27 on your calendar, the date for the Parish Picnic.
Have a wonderful summer,
Mr. Birdsong
