For the  parents and families of St. Therese Chinese Catholic School


Summer 2017
Dear Parents,

Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year! I hope your summer has been a pleasant and enjoyable time for you and your family. The school has been bustling with lots of activities and fun projects since the end of the school year. This school year already shows great promise and holds a few AMAZING surprises .

We would like to welcome back all faculty and staff for 2017-2018.
We sadly say goodbye to Ms. Venos, Ms. Calder, Ms. Zhang, Ms. McCracken and Mr. Cho. We wish them luck and the very best!

St. Therese welcomes Ms. Jenny Tran, Ms. Gabrielle Marsh, Mr. Matt Henties, and Ms. Zhaoyi Liu. Originally from San Diego, Ms. Tran will be our new kindergarten teacher; she has earned a master's degree in education and holds a Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certificate. Ms. Marsh will be our new junior kindergarten teacher and is a graduate from DePaul University who did her student teaching at Bernhard Moos Elementary School. Mr. Henties will be the new 4th grade homeroom teacher and will be teaching English Language Arts (ELA) to our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students. In addition to his strong ELA teaching background in the middle grades, he worked alongside Ms. Stofko (Conlin) at St. Agnes for several years. Also joining us is Ms. Liu, a highly respected Mandarin teacher in Chicago. Ms. Liu has managed her own Mandarin school for years in Chicago. She will be our new Mandarin teacher for grades PK - 2nd grade. 

Mr. Filipiak will assist with not only the religious courses, but he will teach some of the social studies classes and an engaging new course called Informational Writing, in order for Mr. Chrusciel to oversee our physical education program several days a week. We have added more gym to our students' schedules! Students will also see Mr. Gonzalez five days a week in order to better serve our growing technology needs!

New staff members began their new positions as early as this summer in order to help transition with the children and our curriculum smoothly and seamlessly. We are truly excited to have these talented educators on board with us. Please join me in welcoming them to the St. Therese community!
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Mark your calendars!  

Wednesday, August 30th

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL - full uniform, ½ day PK, JK, K students with noon dismissal

EARLY CHILDHOOD ORIENTATION 9 AM - 10 AM Basement
  • This mandatory 1-hour orientation will help all parents of young children entering preschool, junior kindergarten or kindergarten make a successful transition. We will also review our Protecting God's Children compliance procedures.  
Wednesday, September 13th

JUNIOR HIGH ORIENTATION 5:30 - 7:00 PM Basement
  • This Orientation will help guide our new and returning junior high families (grades 5 - 8) through the expectations of JH. Suggestions on homework routines and navigating the school website and portal will be given.  This is a mandatory meeting for all incoming 5 th grade and new junior high families.
Thursday, September 14th
  • The Orientation will be followed by our opening School and Family Association Meeting (7 - 8 PM). ALL parents are welcome to attend. Come meet our co-presidents - Elisa Moy and Anita Mark! Come join them to learn about how to help the St. Therese with the fundraising and school goals!
Sunday, September 17th
  • Opening Family Mass & Blessing of the Catechists @ 10:30 am, followed by our fabulous Back-to-School Bash from 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm. Come out and meet our parish and school community. There will be food, games, and fun!
Thursday, September 25th  PARENT NIGHT, 6 - 8 PM
  • All parents are welcome to attend.  Come and meet your child's teacher and see some of the school's new developments, especially our Innovations Room !  

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FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL & BELL TIMES - EVERY MINUTE COUNTS!

Our school year will begin on Wednesday, August 30th.  

Please note: 1/2 Day for Pre-school, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten on Wednesday, August 30th - PICK UP your child at noon.

Grades 1 - 8

7:30 AM       Arrival/Breakfast
7:40 AM       First Bell, line up in basement
7:45 AM       Second Bell, quick announcements and classroom readiness   
7:50 AM       FIRST PERIOD STARTS Grades 1 - 8, Homeroom begins
3:15 PM      DISMISSAL READINESS BELL
3:20 PM      DISMISSAL BELL

Grades PK, JK & K

7:30 AM      Drop off in the basement
7:40 AM      Classrooms open, morning work (PS, JK & K students must arrive by 8:00 AM *)
8:00 AM      CIRCLE TIME BEGINS
3:00 PM     DISMISSAL


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$50,000 Grand Giveaway Raffle - St. Therese is hosting a $50,000 Grand Giveaway Raffle ! We are asking that our parents purchase a minimum of 2 tickets at $100 each. Each family has an opportunity to win fabulous cash prizes, including a GRAND PRIZE of $38,888!!! Many parents have asked if there is a lump payment for all their child/ren's fee/fundraiser obligations. If this interests you, please review the table and contact Mrs. Chan to arrange.

Food Service -We are using FSP's Fresh Expectations . Both breakfast and lunch offers free and reduced prices to qualified families. I am asking ALL families to send back a lunch form by September 8th. If you feel that your family does not financially qualify for assistance, simply put your child's name, answer the first couple of questions, put " NA " on the remaining questions and return it to school so that we have the proper count with the state and FSP. We need EVERY form to come back.

We will begin with a short prayer service downstairs at 8:00 am on the first day of school in order to bless our children as they begin the new school year. All students, including the early childhood students, must adhere to the dress code.   The blazers/sweaters need NOT to be worn if temperatures are above 75 degrees . Temperatures do drop quickly in early fall, so please be sure to purchase your uniform by visiting Martinelli's, located at 3517 West 95 th Street.

We are pleased to have you as our educational partners. With your help and cooperation, this will be another excellent school year.

Sincerely,
Ms. Cavallone
Principal


Click below to view the St. Therese School Calendar


Click below to view your child's School Supply List


DROP OFF AND PICK UP PROCEDURES
St. Therese School is open from 7:30-3:35. Students may be dropped off no earlier than 7:30 when adult supervision in the basement starts. Students may sit at the tables while waiting for school to start. Please be aware that there is no safety patrol or adult supervision in the front courtyard or school basement prior to 7:30 AM. No running or chasing is allowed in the basement or the schoolyard. Students who run around may be given a detention.

St. Therese staff will be present to help direct traffic and to safely guide parents and students to school during arrival (7:30-8:00 am) and dismissal (3:00 - 3:35 pm) times. EVERYONE must follow instructions of school staff, student traffic aids and City of Chicago traffic management personnel for the safety of all. REMEMBER adult behavior serves either as a good or bad model for our children.

Drop Off Procedures
  • Whenever possible, drop off your child(ren) on the curbside only. Students should exit vehicles onto the sidewalk - parents should not take out their child from street side of the car - this is dangerous and increases traffic.
     
  • Cross all streets at the painted street/school crosswalks, where traffic aids are present and controlling traffic.
     
  • Do NOT drop off or pick up your child on Princeton Ave. - see circle on map below.
     
  • Follow traffic instructions of school staff and student traffic aids.
     
  • Everyone's cooperation is essential for safety of our children, families, staff, neighbors.

Pick Up Procedures

Preschool, junior kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade students are picked up directly from their classroom . When the weather is nice, early childhood and first grade teachers will direct you to pick up your child outside.

Do NOT go to the 2nd-8th grade classroom to pick up your child. Grades 2-8 students are dismissed in the outside courtyard.

When picking up or dropping off your child(ren),  DO NOT BLOCK THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. THIS IS ILLEGAL.

Students are not allowed to remain on school property after student dismissal unless they are in the afterschool program or involved in a school sanctioned extracurricular activity on that day. 

All students who have not been picked up yet will be directed to the afterschool program; parents will be charged by time block for afterschool supervision.

Early Dismissal:  A minimum of 48 hours advance notice of an early dismissal (doctor's appointment) is appreciated. When picking up your child, go directly to the office and your child will be called from his/her classroom.   Do NOT go to the classroom to get your child. Always go to the office first.

Big Surprises and Huge Smiles
 are Coming Your Way at St. Therese this Year!
Our (almost) 2nd graders sneak a peak at what's
going on in the "Tech Room" - new room & name!
Where did our tech room go?  What will it look like when school starts this year?? Stay tuned . . .
Students Attend a Science Camp
in Bush Creek, Wyoming
(Left to Right) Renee Zhao, Jackie DelRaso, Samantha Woo, Cameran Moy, Mrs. Stofko, Lucy Harley, Mandy Ruan (Left to Right) Mandy Ruan, Renee Zhao, Jackie DelRaso
(Left to right) Mandy Ruan, Renee Zhao Lucy Harley (right)
Several of our students were selected to participate in a fantastic Science Camp in  Brush Creek Ranch, Wyoming. Supported by the Big Shoulders Foundation, s tudents were selected based on grades, leadership potential, and love of science. Students found themselves immersed in the world of hands-on science learning, involving ecosystems, constellations, and conservation. Camp activities engaged students in water quality testing, animal track scavenger hunts, horse back riding, and a high ropes adventure. 
Ms. Cavallone and Teachers
Attend Project Zero at Harvard University

(Left to right) Principal Cavallone, Mrs. Stofko, Ms. Blackburn, Ms. Kielusiak, Ms. Doty.
Thanks to a professional development grant, St. Therese was able to send a team to Project Zero at Harvard University. The workshop focused on  how to deepen student engagement, encourage learners to think critically and creatively, and make learning and thinking visible. In a Project Zero classroom, teachers are also learners who model intellectual curiosity and rigor, interdisciplinary and collaborative inquiry, and sensitivity to the ethical and aesthetic dimensions of learning. Students: get ready to become more engaged and have your learning become more visible! Whoo wee! 
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