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Parent Newsletter: 1/30/17
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Attendance Hotline: (651) 925-8777
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Headmaster's Update
Catholic Schools Week & Snow Days: We began Catholic Schools Week this week, with a host of activities kicking us off. K-6 students had a lively morning meeting today in Gruden Gymnasium, and 7-12 students enjoyed a convocation competition between select students and faculty members that involved putting multiple marshmallows in one's mouth and saying, "Chubby Bunny." Those with the largest mouths had the easiest time! Make sure to download the full schedule of events for this week.
National School Choice Week: Last week was National School Choice Week, with rallies at the Minnesota State Capitol as well as the introduction of a new bill for K-12 scholarship donation credits and extension of a K-12 education tax credit to include tuition. These two areas directly impact our Saint Agnes families. The first part of the bill offers donors the possibility of donating to non-profit foundations such as "Opportunity for All Kids" (or OAK) and claiming significant tax savings for the sake of scholarships for lower income students who would not have the possibility of a Catholic (or private) school without the funding. The other part of the bill involves individuals deducting an amount equal to 75% of education-related expenses, including tuition. A similar bill was almost passed in the 2016 session, but was eliminated at the last minute. Chances are quite good that it will pass this year. If you have not yet contacted your state representative in support of educational choice, please do so when you get the chance. Unsure who your MN representative is? Visit www.gis.leg.mn/iMaps/districts to learn more.
2017-18 Academic Calendar:
Thank you to the many parents who provided the requested feedback on calendar scenarios for the 2017-18 school year. Based on the feedback we have received from all constituents, we are happy to share the following key dates for next year's academic calendar regarding start of school, Christmas Break, and end of school:
- August 28 - First Day of School
- December 22 - End Semester 1
- January 8 - Start Semester 2
- June 1 - Final Day of School
In the next few weeks final determinations will be made regarding major events, and the complete calendar will be published shortly thereafter.
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Semester One Honor Roll Announced | Lettering in Academics (9-12)
Mr. Michael Adkins, Dean of Academics, is pleased to announce the 2016-17 Semester 1 Honor Roll. Congratulations to all those who earned a place on the Honor Roll!
Students in grades 7-12 earn a place on the Honor Roll in the following ways:
- Semester GPA of 3.00-3.32 = Honor Roll
- Semester GPA of 3.33-3.66 = Dean's List
- Semester GPA of 3.67-above = Headmaster's List
The criteria for Academic Honors and qualifying for a letter in Academics are as follows:
- First Letter (Academics Patch - book or lamp):
- 2 consecutive semesters of Headmaster's (formerly Principal's) List (3.67 GPA and above)
- 3 consecutive semesters of Dean's List (3.33-3.66 GPA)
- 4 consecutive semesters of Honor Roll (3.00-3.32 GPA)
- Subsequent Letters (Bar Patch):
- 1 semester of Dean's List or higher
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Re-Enroll for 17-18 Today to Ensure a Spot!
The re-enrollment process for all returning students closes on February 10, 2017. If you did not receive an email with a unique link for your family to re-enroll, or you have questions about the process, please contact Mr. Joseph Olson.
This year, we already have waiting lists established for some grades. F
amilies who re-enroll after February 10, 2017, will be assessed an additional $100 late fee for each student added to their tuition agreement. In addition, out of fairness for all, those who re-enroll after February 10 will also be in the unfortunate position of your child(ren)'s spot(s) being released to new students.
Please re-enroll your child(ren) promptly to ensure a place for them next year.
After re-enrolling your child(ren) via TADS, you may use the corresponding tab within the site to apply for financial aid if necessary. F
inancial Aid forms must be completed online or postmarked by February 28, 2017. Remember, only one form is needed per family. If we do not see a completed form by February 28, we will assume that your family does not need tuition assistance. Eligibility for certain scholarships and preferential consideration for additional aid are also lost if Financial Aid forms are received after February 28.
** IMPORTANT NOTE **
Please review all contact information in TADS during the re-enrollment process. Any updates made will eventually transfer to EDUCATE, so we ask that you ensure it is current and correct.
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Today is the Last Day to Order Yearbooks!
The last day to pre-order your yearbook is today, Monday, January 30. Please
contact Mrs. Richtsmeier with questions or place your order with the links below. Get your copy today!
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Register for the Spring Musical by This Friday, 2/3
Mary Poppins is flying through the halls of Saint Agnes as excitement builds about the coming spring production. Registration of the cast is now in process. Grades 7 through 12 are eligible to join the chorus. Grades 2 through 6 are welcome to be part of the Children's Chorus. Auditions are not needed to be part of these groups. The deadline to register is this Friday, February 3. Registrations cannot be accepted after that date.
Lead role auditions
are open to grades 9 through 12, and scheduled for January 31 and February 1. Registration and audition materials are available from
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson
in rooms 111 and 104. This will be the first show on the new stage, so don't miss it!
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Girls Basketball Youth Night: This Friday, 2/3
The varsity Lady Aggies take on conference rival Columbia Heights this Friday, February 3. Wear your team jersey or Aggie spirit wear to be eligible for free popcorn and soda, and to enter to win one of many prizes to be given away during the game.
Have your grade school or junior high girls basketball player to Bandas Gym by 6:30 PM in order for them to be a part of pre-game activities and introductions. Game time is 7:00 PM. Participants must arrive by 6:30 PM to be included in pregame festivities.
Get the flyer
to learn more.
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Save the Date! Kindergarten Round Up is Thursday, 2/9
Prospective parents are invited to save the date for Kindergarten Round-Up at 6:00 PM on Thursday, February 9. You and your child will learn more about Kindergarten at Saint Agnes.
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Spring Sports Registration Due by 2/17 to Form Teams
The registration process is now open for spring sports. Follow the instructions to
complete the registration here
and be sure to register
by February 17. Teams will be formed based on the number of students who are registered on that day.
Contact
Mr. Streitz
or
Mr. Thompson
if you have any questions.
Spring sports offered this year are:
- Boys Baseball: Grades 5-12
- Girls Softball: Grades 5-12
- Girls Golf: Grades 9-12
- Boys & Girls Track: Grades 7-12
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Red & White Benefit: SOLD OUT!
SOLD OUT! We are excited to announce that the 2017 Red & White Benefit is now sold out! We will start a waiting list in case of last minute cancellations, so if you are still interested in attending, please
contact Mary Appel to get on the list.
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Complimentary College Visit Opportunity to U of Mary
A local benefactor of area Catholic high schools is once again offering an opportunity for Catholic high school juniors and seniors to partake in a free college visit to the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. Two busses will leave from the Twin Cities at 7:00 AM on Sunday, March 12, returning in the late evening of Monday, March 13. The trip includes Sunday evening Mass on campus and an opportunity to participate in a live Relevant Radio broadcast on Monday. Parents are welcome to join students on the trip.
Download a permission form here
or pick one up in the Guidance Office. Forms should be returned to Mrs. Mary Jo Feltl by email at
mjfeltl@feltl.com
or by fax at (612) 592-8899. Questions? Please contact Mrs. Feltl directly at (952) 270-1865.
Please Note: This is a privately sponsored event. Parents must still contact the school if they wish to excuse a student's absence on Monday, March 13.
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Volunteering at Saint Agnes School: Update Requirements by 3/31
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis maintains that a key to our commitment to promoting safe environments in our parishes, Catholic schools and communities is for all persons in positions of trust in regard to minors and vulnerable adults to fulfill the Essential Three (E3) requirements (Background Check, Code of Conduct and VIRTUS training).
Reminder: those who have completed E3 requirements prior to July 1, 2014, must update their training records by March 31, 2017.
If you have attended an in-person VIRTUS training session (roughly three hours long), you already have an account with VIRTUS. Please do not create a new account. If you are unsure whether you need updates, you cannot remember your VIRTUS login information, or you have questions about E3, please contact Annette Beaudry at (651) 925-8826
. The process can look a bit intimidating, but know that she will walk you through it!
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Does your company support engineering initiatives in schools?
If so, we want to know! We are in the process of integrating a new Engineering course into the current high school science curriculum, while also continuing to offer after-school opportunities through our co-curricular Engineering Club. Additionally, we are working hard to advance our well-established science program with a full renovation of our high school science labs (summer 2017). This new, state-of-the-art setting will undoubtedly support our forthcoming Engineering course and the club, but various components, including durable equipment, consumable supplies, and financial resources, are still needed in order to make this initiative an ongoing success. We are looking for corporate partners who are interested and able to assist. Many local companies are involved in advancing education opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, and perhaps it's you or the company for which you work! Please contact Mr. David Crompton with any leads or for more information.
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March for Life in Washington, D.C.
Saint Agnes School was well-represented at the March for Life this past weekend. Two juniors traveled to our nation's capital and we look forward to sharing more about their experience in upcoming publications. In addition, s
everal Aggie alumni from different college campuses were also able to meet up in D.C. Pictured above are
Aggie alumni from the
classes of 2013, 2014, and 2015, representing the cities of New Orleans, Bismarck, and Fargo.
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Save the Dates for VBS: June 12-16, 2017
2017 Catholic Vacation Bible School will be celebrating its 1
0th year at Saint Agnes!
Over 100 children aged 4-12 participate in this annual week of faith and fun.
This year's program is centered around the prayer Jesus taught us and called, "Parade Around the Our Father."
VBS will take place Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM through 12 Noon and concludes with a family Mass (8:00 AM) and breakfast on Friday. Cost is $20 per student (includes a t-shirt, daily snack, and Friday's breakfast); children of volunteers will receive a 50% discount.
PLEASE NOTE:Registration on the parish website opens and closes early this year, and will run from March 27 through April 7.
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Health Information for Families
As published in last week's newsletter, please k
eep your child home if he or she:
- has a fever of 100 degrees or more during the previous evening or night or in the morning. Temperatures should be below 100 degrees for 24 hours, without use of fever reducing medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- has vomited or had diarrhea during the previous evening or night or in the morning.
- has been placed on antibiotic therapy for bacterial conditions (e.g. strep throat or pink eye). Students must be on medication for at least 24 hours before returning to school.
- has a rash that may be caused by a disease or if the cause is unknown, check with your family physician before sending the student to school.
If student is at home sick, please call the school attendance line daily (651-925-8777) to report the reason for absence.
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Reminder: New PINs for Lunch Program
Your child's original four digit PIN is no longer accepted by Educate to purchase meals in the cafeteria. Please have your student(s) memorize the new numbers. Students in grades 7 through 12 will find their student ID number listed under their name on the ID card.
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Saint Agnes Production of The Wizard of Oz Available on DVD
Last spring's production of The Wizard of Oz is available on DVD in the main office. Cast members and families can get this professional copy that includes the show's logo on the case and disk. The great sound and picture beautifully capture the excitement of the production to make a great souvenir of the experience. A donation of $10.00 is asked to cover the manufacturing expenses. Please make checks out to Saint Agnes; correct change is greatly appreciated.
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