May 18, 2017




Dear St. Alphonsus Families,

This is the big weekend for the 8th grade production of "Beauty and the Beast, Jr."  I have heard rave reviews of it from those attending last night's dress rehearsal. I have tickets for  tomorrow evening, and I can't wait to see it!

This is also a special weekend for some of our second grade students who will be celebrating their First Holy Communion in a large group at the 1:30 PM Mass on  Sunday, May 21st . Congratulations to all of our second graders on receiving this beautiful sacrament.

We will soon be saying goodbye to Father Aaron as he readies himself for summer school in Washington, DC. Studying Canon law is a laborious task and a lengthy process. Please keep him in your prayers this summer. Father Alan will return for Masses in June, and Fr. Kevin will be here in July. 

Please notice Joanne Haupt and Mary Bailen's picture in this issue. We will certainly miss their friendly faces as they have served our school for 26 and 22 years respectively. Blessings on their next leg of life's journey.

Within the next two weeks, I will be sending a detailed summary to you of this year's accomplishments and the upgrades planned for next year. I am very proud of my staff and the efforts they make to insure excellence in your children's education. 

Hope you are able to make it to the play.

Hand in Hand in Education, 

Mrs. Pat Wadzinski
Principal


Second Graders digging for bones (chocolate chips) in Science Class


Our soon-to-be-retired School Secretaries, Mrs. Joanne Haupt and Mrs. Mary Bailen, were honored at a special Mass and reception at the Cousins Center on Tuesday.  Archbishop Jerome Listecki was the presider at the Mass, so it was a very special day for them! 

Imagine if you couldn’t have any breakfast.

This is how some children live in the summer, when their school meal programs end.  The 7th grade Tablesetters would like to work with the St. Alphonsus Food Pantry to provide children with a meal in the morning.  From May 30th to June 2nd, please consider donating a nutritious box of hot or cold cereal.  Thank you for your prayers and consideration.


Important Message from our Hot Lunch Program

As of Monday, May 22nd, we will no longer be making cold bag lunches for the rest of this school year. Thank you for your support this year!


Library Reminder

Remember to return all books or other items that you have checked out from our school library by tomorrow, Friday, May 19th.  Thank you so much for your cooperation!


ST. ALPHONSUS SCHOOL GUARDIAN ANGEL WALK

On May 31, 2017, the Staff and Students of St. Alphonsus School will participate in the 6th Annual St. Alphonsus School Guardian Angel Walk.  This year, St. Alphonsus is supporting 7th grader Tori Donnelly and her family.

Each student received a permission slip and pledge form in backpack mail on Tuesday, May 16,.  Each student needs to return a signed permission slip in order to participate in the walk.  Permission slips should be returned on or before Thursday, May 25th.  Donations may be brought to school any time prior to the walk.

Please click here if you need a copy of the permission slip or click here for a donation form.  

Thank you in advance for supporting the Guardian Angel Walk and the Donnelly family.


Home & School Meeting Minutes

Click here for the April Home & School Minutes and here for the May minutes.


8th Grade Class Musical and Ticket Information

The 8th Grade Class of 2017 will be presenting Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jr.
in St. Alphonsus Spangler Hall.  The show times are:

Thursday, May 18th:  7:00 p.m.

SOLD OUT    Friday, May 19th:  7:30 p.m.   SOLD OUT

SOLD OUT    Saturday, May 20th:  7:30 p.m.   SOLD OUT

Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time.  There are approximately 100 unsold tickets available for purchase at the door starting 30 minutes prior to show time for tonight’s performance (Thursday).  Friday and Saturday nights are sold out.  All tickets are $9.00 each.  Advanced ticket orders were sent home via backpack mail last Wednesday (5/10).  See the attached flyer for additional performance information.  The St. Alphonsus Class of 2017 thanks you for your support!  Hope to see you at the show!


Friendship Without Borders Update 

Mr. Gerry and the group Friendship Without Borders will be travelling to the orphanage in Guatemala again this year.  We are asking for donations of needed items.  This year, the School Sisters of St. Francis, who run the orphanage, have asked for the following items: 

-New socks

-New underwear

-New or lightly used T-shirts (plain or with words or pictures) 

They can use sizes for children from 0-3 months all the way up to 17-year-old children. 

Mr. Gerry will have a box near the office to collect the donations during the weeks of May 15-19 and May 22-26. 

Thank you in advance for your generous help.  Please keep our mission team in your prayers as we travel from June 2nd through June 12th.


Fiesta of the Arts

Join us for the 2nd annual Fiesta of the Arts Night, on Thursday, May 25th from 6:00- 7:30. This event will benefit the Ronald McDonald House right here in Milwaukee.  The different groups and classes have been working very hard to be involved in this very important Fundraiser.

There will be so many activities going on that evening.

Annual 8th Grade Art Exhibit

In eighth grade the students “spread their branches” in a program that is designed to be student directed.  It is about creating a real world experience in the life of an artist.  The students learn about the elements and principles of design, how to find meaning in works of art and how to analyze and critique works of art. Constructive criticism plays a key role in helping them improve their work and in understanding the meaning within it. They learn various techniques and experiment and explore them by using them in their work.  They research a culture and become inspired by it for one of their creations, they use their faith to inspire a religious piece, and they write about art.  An artist statement along with a mini write-up for their cultural piece is required.  They create individual pieces of art based off of their own unique ideas and the teacher is their guide.

After all of this learning, they mat, mount and display their works of art for public viewing.  They participate by bringing in food for the “Opening Reception” and by greeting and talking to the public about their work.

The 14th Annual 4K Art Show

The 4K students have  been busy all year long creating art work to display in the Community Room. You will be amazed at what these 4 year olds have made; they are truly masterpieces! The four year olds will also perform a program of singing and dancing.  The Art Show all began when Miss Heinzman wanted to do a special project that the children would  be able to understand.  Helping sick children was something that everyone could understand.

6th Grade Spanish students will perform a special play called, “Los Cuatro Cantantes de Guadalajara”, the Spanish version of the German tale “The Bremen Town Musicians”.  Students will demonstrate their reading, comprehension and speaking fluency through their performance.  They will present at 7:00 PM in the Father Alan Meeting Room (200).

The 5K class will be performing “Noah’s Big Boat” at 6:00 PM in Spangler Hall (gym). Enter through the church doors. The children have been practicing songs and dialogues to bring this wonderful story to life.

Finally, a variety of Band and Orchestra students will be performing in mini concerts in the church.

We hope to see you there!


Box Tops News

Reminder that the 4th Quarter and Color Team Contests are ending May 23rd.  You have a few more days to turn in Box Tops.

·         Mrs. Radish 1st place (19 sheets)

·         Ms. Grogan 2nd place (15 sheets)

·         Mr. Strangfeld 3rd place (12 sheets)

Current Color Team rankings

Team Blue - 448

·         Ms. Uciechowski

·         Mrs. Ramion

·        Mrs. Frank

·         Ms. Grogan

·         Mrs. Duckert

·         Mrs. Radish

·         Mr. Strangfeld

Team Red - 428

·         Mrs. Perrault

·         Mrs. Maccoux

·         Mrs. Strop

·         Mrs. Ladenthin

·         Mrs. Mudlaff

·         Mrs. Schwemmer

·         Mrs. Ligocki

Team Green - 335

·         Ms. Heinzman

·         Mrs. Patterson

·         Mrs. Osberg

·         Mr. Kneifl

·         Mrs. Petri

·         Mrs. Sokup

·         Ms. Boyle


De Sales Days 2017 | Summer Vocation Camps

Directed by Fr. Luke Strand and Fr. Enrique Hernandez:
Play hard and pray hard this summer with Fr. Luke and Fr. Enrique at our De Sales Days Vocation Camps for middle school and high school aged young men. All camps will be held at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary. For more information, or to register your son, please contact Will Hudson in the Vocation Office at whudson@sfs.edu | 414-747-6437 or visit www.thinkpriest.org/events/

High School Vocation Camp:
Sunday, June 18 at 6pm  – Wednesday, June 21 at Noon

Middle School Day Camps:
Saturday, June 17, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Thursday, July 20, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.  

Young Adult Camino Pilgrimage
Sunday, July 30 – Monday, August 7, 2017
A pilgrimage for young adults (18-39) along the arduous way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela led by Bishop Donald Hying and Fr. Luke Strand. For more information, please contact Margaret Rhody at rhodym@arch
mil.org.

Our Upper Grade Rosary Club enjoyed the beautiful day Wednesday having lunch and praying the rosary in our Mary courtyard.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Click here for


Dates

05/18/17 8th Grade Beauty and the Beast, Jr. 7:00 PM

05/19/17 Scrip Sales in the School Lobby 7:30 - 8:30 AM

05/19/17 8th Grade Beauty and the Beast, Jr. 7:30 PM

05/20/17 8th Grade Beauty and the Beast, Jr. 7:30 PM

05/21/17 Large Group First Communion 1:30 PM

05/22/17 Gr. 3K & 3 to Daffodil Park

05/23/17 Newsletter Items due to school@st-alphonsus.org by 1:00 PM

05/23/17 Gr. 5K & 1 to First Stage

05/24/17 Cousin's Night at 76th & Rawson 4:00 PM 7:00 PM

05/24/17 Gr. 6 Spanish Culture Field Trip

05/24/17 School Mass with the First Communicants 8:00 AM

05/26/17 Cougar Outdoor Extravaganza

06/08/17 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
                 MASS at 2:00 PM
               DISMISSAL at 3:00 PM

06/09/17  NO SCHOOL - HAPPY SUMMER!


Lunch Recess Help - 11:30 AM - 12:18 PM

Every school family is asked to take a turn twice a year to help supervise students at lunch-time recess (indoors or out).  We need two volunteers each school day.  Please call the school Office at 414-421-1760 to sign up to take your turn.  Thank you!
 

Next Week's Safety Patrol

Ava D., Emily H., Max H., and Emma J.

Thank you for helping to keep your schoolmates safe!