Wednesday Herald                                                                    March 21, 2018
A Message From Mr. Stoops

Friday morning the 4th grade students will be presenting the Stations of the Cross in tableau form to the school, faculty, and parents. They have put in much time and effort to portray the journey that led up to Jesus' crucifixion and death. Not only is this a Guardian Angels tradition but an important part of the Lenten season. Please keep the 4th grade students in your prayers as they prepare for this special event.

God Bless,
Corey
Parish Survey & Feedback Session

Our parish survey was emailed to parishioners last week. If you did not receive an email, you can access the survey here.  We ask each parishioner/parish family to complete the survey by April 3rd.
 
The Q Group put together this survey as a way to gather parishioners' input on how to grow our parish in the future. Last year, we celebrated our 125th anniversary and used this milestone as a way to focus on how to keep our parish prospering for the next century. T he Q Group is made up of longtime parishioners, new parishioners, school families, and non-school families. They greatly appreciate your time in this effort.
Guardian Angels Named A Communication All Star

Guardian Angels has been named a 2017 All Star Award winner by Constant Contact. This is our third year in a row of being recognized!
 
The annual award recognizes the most successful 10% of Constant Contact's customer base, based on their significant achievements leveraging online marketing tools to engage their customer base and drive results for their organization. More than 650,000 small businesses and organizations use Constant Contact.
 
We use Constant Contact to send the Wednesday Herald and parish-wide emails, as well as to conduct surveys and registration for events including Open House and Camp GAudeo. The company uses several measures to determine its All Stars including:
  • Higher average open rates (>25%)
    • Our School open rate is 60%
    • Parish open rate is 43%
    • Youth Ministry open rate is 36%
  • Low Bounce Rates
  • Communicate regularly with audience
    • School: Weekly Emails
    • Parish: Monthly emails since the fall; quarterly before the dissolution of the GA Press
    • Youth Ministry: Monthly
School families are signed up for emails at the start of each school year. Parishioners can register by clicking the sign-up button on the homepage of the parish website or through the office when they register at the parish.
Spring Musical is 22nd & 23rd

The Spring Musical is this Thursday and Friday!  Our students will perform Singing in the Rain, Jr  March 22nd and 23rd . The shows begin at 7:00pm; doors open at 6:30. Tickets are available at the door and cost $10 per adult and $6 per student. Children 5 and under are free.
Heavenly Hog Jog Is March 24

Our Guardian Angels Annual GA 5K Run/Walk is this Saturday, March 24th. The race begins and ends on Guardian Angels Campus at 9:00am, You can register online through March 22nd. 

New this year:
Create or join a team! A team has already been created for each homeroom. The homeroom team with the most participants receives an award. The team can include students, relatives, and friends. When you sign-up online, choose the walk, run, or sleep-in option, and then click Join Group/Team. From there, choose your child(s) homeroom from the drop down menu under the existing teams.

We are looking for someone to volunteer as the chair of the GA Annual 5K event for future races. The 5k event is typically held in March. This is the last year our current chair, Mas Ionna, plans to serve in that role. If you are interested in volunteering for this position, please contact Mas.
Join Us For Our Last Fish Fry Of The Season

This Friday, Guardian Angels hosts its final fish fry of the Lenten season in the undercroft from 5:00-7:30. There is no Fish Fry at GA on Good Friday.
Everyone is welcome! There is plenty of food for families to eat-in or carry out. Fried and baked fish, shrimp, cheese pizza, mac-n-cheese, french fries,cole slaw, and baked goods. Senior dining available for parishioners in Room B. There is also a craft corner for children. Children must be attended by an adult at all times.
Spring Picture Day Is March 27

Lifetouch will be on site March 27th to take Spring pictures. Order forms were sent home with students earlier this week.
PTA Volunteers

The PTA is looking for new volunteers for the 2018-2019 school year. Please contact Bridget Fesenmeier or Margaret Dunn with any questions.
Eat at Ramundos to Support the 8th Grade Trip to DC

All GA families are invited to support the 8th Grade Trip to DC by eating at Ramundos in Mt. Washington on Tuesday, March 27. Mention the GA Fundraiser when you place your order.
GA PTA Presents Discussion On Teen Substance Abuse

Parents with children of all ages and students in 6th through 8th grades are invited to come listen to Dr. Graham share insightful information about the new trends in teen substance abuse. The presentation will take place Monday, April 9th. A meet and greet will begin at 6:00pm in the undercroft. The presentation begins at 6:30pm. Food and drink will be provided.
We ask that anyone attending please RSVP to Bridget Fesenmeier by April 4th. A flyer is attached.
7th Grade Holding Used Shoe Drive

The Guardian Angels 7th grade is having a used shoe drive! All types of used shoes in any size or condition will be collected. You can start donating any time between Tuesday, April 10- Friday, April 13. Our goal is to donate 1,000 pairs of shoes to WaterStep, which is a non-profit organization. WaterStep's goal is for every human to have safe water to drink. The money made from the shoes will be used to bring safe drinking water to people around the world. WaterStep also repairs wells and educates others about water, such as how to clean water and how to stay clean. Did you know that 1.1 billion people don't have access to clean drinking water? So, donate shoes to help save lives!

When you bring in your shoes to donate, place them in your grade level bin which will be in your hallway. The grade level that brings in the most shoes will win an out of uniform day! On Friday, April 13th, the grade level winner will be announced on AOA. Safe water can cut the amount of health issues and save countless lives. Thank you for your donations!  
 
Sincerely,
The 7th Grade students
Mother-Son Event is April 21st

Join us for our annual GA Mother-Son Event on Saturday, April 21st to watch the FC Cincinnati Soccer Team take on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds!

Date: Saturday, April 21st
Time: Game starts at 7:00pm
Location: UC's Nippert Stadium
Ticket cost: $15 per person

Please send money (cash or check made out to "GA PTA") and the attached form to the GA school office by March 23rd. Label envelope "GA Mother-Son Event."
Tickets will be delivered to your son's homeroom in advance of the game. Please contact Jen O'Toole or MaryBeth McCombs with questions.
Football Sign-Ups At The Fish Fry March 23rd
 
Come to the fish fry on March 23rd and stop by the football table (located in the back by crafts) in order to sign up for our 2018 football program! We will have access to sign you up right then and there. Coaches, parents and players will be there to speak with any families, new or returning! Grab a free t-shirt, a fish sandwich and sign up today!
 
Important Dates 
Bandit Camp - July 24th / 25th
Practice Begins (all levels) -  July 26th 
Angel Bowl Mass/Event -  August 18th / August 19th 
Weekend Games Begin -  August 25th / August 26th
 
All home games are played on Saturday mornings/afternoons at Guardian Angels Field and GA has partnered with Mercy Health to provide an athletic trainer at all home games!

When registering, grades should be entered as next school year, 2018-2019 (NOT current grade). The GCYL ensures all players are able to participate in football. Similar to previous years, GA will have the opportunity to join forces with neighboring Catholic programs if players are needed.
 
You can also register on the  Boosters website.
Girls Fall Volleyball Registration Is Open
 
Girls Volleyball registration is now open for girls who will be in grades 3-8 next Fall. You can register today online.

Tentative Evaluation dates will be the week of May 28th.
Volleyball Season Dates:
Mid-Late May: Volleyball Evaluations - Exact Dates TBD
July 31st: Practices Begin
August 25th: League Matches Begin
October 22nd: Regular season ends
Oct 26-29: Post Season Tourney for 3/4th grade 
Nov 2-5: Post Season Tourney for 5-8th grade

UC Volleyball Camp:
Tentative Dates for UC/GA VB camp is July 23-25. More information will be released at a later date.
Save The Date: AngelsFest Is June 8, 9, 10

The Bid-N-Buy Festival Wish Cart and Amazon Wish List Are Up!
We are back and requesting all parishioners' support for the BNB!  
The BNB Festival Cart is in the Gathering Space! It is loaded with donation request items.  Please consider taking one or more tags. The donated items can be dropped off in the rectory.  Please attach your name to your donation so we can get a donation tax form to you. 
Or, you can check out our Amazon Wish List. Anything you order off our list will ship directly to the rectory.
THANK YOU for supporting the BNB booth and another successful festival! 
Please email Liz McElroy with any questions.
Upcoming School Masses 

Students will attend an All School Mass on Wednesday, March 28th at 8:15am.

For a calendar of upcoming Mass times, log into your parent portal in  Rediker. Click on the Calendar, the box with the arrow, found on the right side of your home page. School Masses are shown in the light blue color. Or you can make a selection in the filter drop down, to the right above the calendar dates, to just show School Masses.
 
Parents and other family members are invited to attend any Mass your child will be attending. You are also welcome to bring any younger siblings with you.    
Other News & Announcements
Cookie Ministry
Guardian Angels School Cookie Ministry teams up with the Parish Parish Peanut Butter group to feed families in need. The Peanut Butter group makes 1,500 peanut butter and bologna sandwiches. GA students donate cookies. St. Francis Seraph Church in Over-the-Rhine gives the food to families in need. Students are asked to bring in two dozen cookies, brownies, or rice krispie bars on their classroom's designated day. They do need to be bagged, two treats per bag. All 8th grade classes classes are responsible for the next donation on Monday, March 26 th. A  complete schedule for the school year is attached.
Box Top Collection
The Guardian Angels PTA is collecting Box Tops from various consumer products. GA students can submit Box Tops to their homeroom teachers and all parishioners can drop off Box Tops in the special collection envelope located on the bulletin board in the Church Gathering Space.
The Box Tops are picked up at the following dates: March 22 and May 19.
We use the funds earned to purchase indoor recess games and outdoor recess equipment. Please start collecting Box Tops today and help us make this year even more successful! 
Fathers Team Meets This Friday
With the understanding that marriage is both a sacrament and a vocation, we can all quickly document things we have done to create a stable home life for wife and children but do you spend enough time on the BIG picture? Please join the GA Fathers team Friday at 6:05am in room B (next to cafeteria) as we discuss this topic.
In our journey on Earth we all need encouragement as well as confirmation finding sanctification!  A beautiful sunrise, hot coffee and meaningful conversation promised to all who are able to attend.
Boy Scout Mulch Sale
The Annual Boy Scout Troop 445 Mulch Sale has begun. This is our 5th year for selling mulch. The scouts earn money for troop campouts and summer camp. This is our only fundraiser of the year. Our delivery dates for this year are April 13 & 14. The order form is attached, or you can come see us at Guardian Angels Fish Fry. Orders must be postmarked before April 6th.  If you have any questions, please contact Michael Bursk .
2018 Family Mission Trip: June 14-17
Guardian Angels Parish is gearing up for its 4th annual Family Mission Trip to Frenchburg, KY on June 14 - 17. This family-friendly mission trip will include service projects for all ages and skill levels. Projects may include construction, landscaping, painting, crafting, and visiting the sick or elderly.  See the attached flyer for more information. Registration deadline is May 1. You can register online.
Questions? Email Anne Jones. 
Have News To Share?
If you have information you would like to be included in the Wednesday Herald, please email it to   Tiffany Strah . Information must be received by Friday to be included in the next Wednesday Herald.
School Events Calendar
Looking for more information about upcoming events at GA? You can find a calendar in your Rediker Parent Portal. Log into your account, then click on the Calendar on the blue navigation bar. The calendar shows school events, parish events, and much more.  Just a reminder, events posted on the school website, www.gaschool.org , only include those open to the public or new families who may not have activated a Rediker account yet. All other event information is posted in Rediker, which is password protected.
Find GA News On Facebook
This time of year gets incredibly busy and Facebook is a great way to stay-up-to-date on everything happening in our school and parish. Guardian Angels uses our Facebook page to keep families informed about upcoming events, news, and other information regarding our school and parish. 
Facebook has changed how you see information from the pages you follow. These changes mean you will see fewer posts from Pages you like, including Guardian Angels. That means you have to do more than just Like our page to see our updates in the future. If you want to make sure you continue to see information posted through the Guardian Angels page, please make sure you go to our page, click Following (just under the cover photo), and then choose See First. This way anything we share will still be seen in your newsfeed.
Support GA While You Shop On Amazon
You can now support Guardian Angels Parish when you shop at Amazon.com! GA is a newly registered participant in the AmazonSmile Program. You can sign-up to have a portion of your purchase sales come back to Guardian Angels. When you make purchases through the AmazonSmile page, and have GA selected as your beneficiary, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products back to GA. You have to be shopping from smile.amazon.com page of the site for us to receive the benefit. 
Kroger Community Rewards
Have you signed up for Kroger Community Rewards and designated GA as your beneficiary? The more families who register, the more money our school receives through the program.
Kroger Community Rewards offers a great way for you to support our school's technology fund...and you don't have to spend a penny. Register your rewards card online and select Guardian Angels as your beneficiary. You can search for GA or use our NPO number, 80200. The amount Guardian Angels receives depends on the points our supporters rack up while grocery shopping. Enrolling does NOT impact the points you use to redeem for discounts at the pump. 
Have You Checked Out Formed.org
Guardian Angels invites you to explore all of the resources offered through  Formed.org  by registering with the parish code 4EVXRB. Registration is complimentary to all parishioners and residents of our parish area, so be sure to tell your friends. Great programs, videos, books and more are added every month. There are also a number of resources now available for children!
Other Opportunities For GA Families
Summer Camps At McNick
McNicholas High School is offering a number of summer camps for students entering grades 1-9. Camps are a week long and run from June 4th through June 21st. Morning and afternoon sessions are offered. Click here for more information.
Summer Camps At Ursuline Academy
Ursuline is offering several camps this summer for girls entering grades 1-8. We have athletic camps in six different sports, as well as several academic and art camps. Camps start in early June and run through July.  Click here to learn more.
St Ursula Academy Events
Saint Ursula Academy would like to invite current 6th and 7th grade girls to our Girls Night on Friday, May 4 from 5:00pm-9:00pm. There will be many fun activities to help you get acquainted with Saint Ursula Academy. Try Zumba, tie-dye a t-shirt, participate in a cool DIY project, play games, win prizes, meet girls from around the city and MORE! This free event is open to current 6th and 7th grade girls.  Learn more here; families are asked to RSVP by April 27th.
There is something for everyone at Saint Ursula Academy this summer. We will be hosting camps for art, drama, design, guitar, HSPT review, robotics, writing, basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, volleyball and track & field. To learn more, click here. Spaces are available on a first come-first served basis so please register early! 
If you have questions about either of these events, please contact Admissions Director Michelle Dellecave.
Goddard School Summer Camps
Active and S.T.E.A.M. powered summer camps for toddlers-12-years-old are available at Goddard School on Nagel Road. Goddard offers different options for children under 5, 5-6, 6-8, and 8-12 years old.  Campers enjoy an expanded summer campus, which includes neighboring Comboni's west facilities and grounds, large indoor gym, crafts, projects, gymnastics, acting, dance, sports, science, engaging visitors, and plenty of age-appropriate field trips. Summer day camps run 9:00am-4:00pm, include morning/afternoon snack and include before and after care from 7:00am-6:00pm. Campers can attend for a few weeks or all 13 weeks of summer (June 4 - August 30, 2018). Click here for more information or  call the school at (513)474-5292.
Helpful Links
Have news to share? Send news or upcoming event information to Tiffany Strah.
The deadline to be published in next week's Wednesday Herald is Friday.
Contact
Corey Stoops, Principal
Katie Durstock, Assistant Principal
6539 Beechmont Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45230
513.624.3141
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