Parent Newsletter: 2/4/2019
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A Message from the Headmaster
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Dear Families,
Thank you to all for your flexibility and goodwill amid last week’s unseasonably cold weather. I received a number of pieces of feedback regarding our decisions to delay, cancel, or remain open—on both sides. In some cases, parents chose to keep their kids home. We believe very much that you are the primary educators of your child(ren), and that you understand your family’s circumstance best. Please know that we are in full support of parental decisions to keep child(ren) home—we excuse every absence in which a parent decides not to send their child(ren) to school due to weather-related issues.
As we have stated in a number of newsletters, we give primary consideration to road/travel conditions, and we will err on the side of holding school. A substantial number of our families rely on us having school because they do not have the flexibility to take off time from work. For these families, this work affords their child the opportunity to attend Saint Agnes. We always do our best to help these families by remaining in session, all the while making sure all children are safe and secure. FYI: Just under 90% of our students (a number of whom were sick) were in school on Monday and Thursday (when we started 2 hours late), and just under 85% were here on Tuesday. In every case, we respected the decisions of parents who decided to keep their kids home.
Thank you for your understanding as we navigate the complex issues surrounding Minnesota weather and the decision to have school (or not),
Kevin Ferdinandt
Headmaster
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A Message from the Dean of Academics /
Interim Lower School Director
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Dear Parents,
Last week we had a few disruptions, but it was a wonderful Catholic Schools Week filled with fun events celebrating our unique Sacramental life:
- Tuesday – Lower School Mass (Grades P-6)
- Thursday – All-School Eucharistic Procession and Upper School Mass (Grades 7-12)
- Friday – First Friday Confessions (Grades 7-12)
- Lower School hosted the Catholic Schools Week basketball game (5th and 6th grades vs. Faculty)
- Upper School ended the day with the Snow Days Pep Fest
Catholic Schools Week – Eucharistic Procession
The Eucharistic Procession was a new event. Fr. Moriarty, accompanied by our 6th grade altar servers, processed Our Lord throughout, blessing the entire school building! He blessed every student, faculty member, and classroom in the building – the event was well-documented by the
Catholic Spirit
and will be featured by the Catholic Schools Center for Excellence in a future magazine. See a short clip (
which already has thousands of views!)
on
our Facebook page
.
Honor Roll
I want to take a moment to praise the great work of our students, especially those who earned a spot on our bi-annual
Honor Roll
. Congratulations to those students who’ve earned a spot. For those who did not meet their academic goals, please know that you can always work one-on-one with teachers after school until 3:30 PM or schedule a meeting for academic and/or study skills help with our Guidance Office. Our goal at Saint Agnes School is that every student achieve the maximum capacity of his or her God-given potential.
Homework Survey – Update & Thank you!
We’ve been working very hard to manually enter the student surveys hope to be in the next week or so with final grades. We plan to share our data with the school community once it’s all been entered and analyzed.
For Participating in the Parent HW Survey – Our Drawing Winners who’ll get free Aggie apparel:
Tina Graner, Mike Petruconis. Irene Gottwalt. Lauren Herbeck, Jeanna Moreau, and Jessica Saavedra. These individuals will be contacted directly so they can choose any item of Aggie apparel which item they’d like.
Start looking here at our online store
! Congratulations and thanks for your input!
Thank you to the following wonderful parents who spent a lot of free time entering in student data:
Rachael Herkenhoff, Nicole Hobbs, Tera Brezny, DeLariah Jones, Teresa Taggart, Kristen Grant, Kris Hintgen, Nell Alt, and Jen Bettencourt. As a thank you, these individuals will be contacted directly so they can choose any item of Aggie apparel that they’d like. I’d like to offer a special thank you to Teresa Taggart who helped to design and format the survey for us – it was a ton of work! Thank you, all!
With gratitude,
Michael Adkins
Dean of Academics | Interim Director of the Lower School
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Red & White
Benefit this Saturday
This Saturday, February 9, we are excited to welcome over 450 guests to this year's Red & White! A special thanks to all who are helping to prepare for this important event. The proceeds from the fund-a-need will be dedicated to tuition assistance for families who demonstrate financial need. Auction items are
available for browsing on our website
. Plan your bidding now! Say a prayer for good weather and some great fun- and fund-raising!
A few hands are still needed on Friday, beginning at 9:00 AM, to help assemble centerpieces. No experience necessary!
Please contact
Mary Appel
with questions or
visit the website
.
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Kindergarten Round-Up - Tuesday, February 5
Mark your calendar for 6:00-7:15 PM tomorrow, and come see what Kindergarten at Saint Agnes School is all about! Learn more about our program and curriculum, tour the campus, and enjoy conversation and treats with other families interested in becoming Aggies! Your child will enjoy a story with prospective classmates, tour the school, and get to know their future teachers, Mrs. Duppler and Mrs. Johnson! Check out our
Facebook event
and share with other friends who have Kinder-aged children! For more information, please contact Admissions Director
Mr. Joseph Olson
at 651-925-8803.
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9th Grade Course Registration - Tuesday, February 26
All students entering 9th grade for Fall 2019 will register for courses at a special event on Tuesday, February 26. This is for current 8th graders at Saint Agnes as well as those students coming from other schools. Parents and students will hear an overview of the high school academic program, have the opportunity to review course placements, and make elective requests. The program begins at 6:30 PM in the Helen Houle Auditorium. Please contact
Mr. Karl Hendrickson
, Assistant Headmaster, or
Mr. Joseph Olson
, Director of Admissions, with questions.
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Financial Aid Application Deadlines
Although our financial aid application is due February 28, the application process for Aim Higher Scholarships (found in your TADS financial aid process) will close on February 17. Complete the financial aid application through TADS by this date if you would like to be considered for these scholarships. More information available
here
. Please
contact the Admissions Office
at 651-925-8803 with questions.
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Guest Speaker: Tasha Schuh - Tuesday, February 5
In an assembly this Tuesday, our 7-12 student body will be joined by nationwide speaker, Tasha Schuh. After a tragic theater accident that left her paralyzed from the chest down, Tasha has discovered invaluable lessons of perseverance and hope. Learn more at her
website
.
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8th Grade Confirmation - Sunday, February 10
Confirmation for Saint Agnes students in the 8th grade will take place at the Cathedral of St. Paul at 2:00 PM on Sunday, February 10. (Please note correction from previously published time).
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NHS Sponsoring Game Night for Grades 9-12 - Friday, February 15
The National Honor Society will host Game Night for students in grades 9-12 on Friday, February 15 from 6:00-9:00 PM. Activities may include a ping-pong tournament, dodgeball, video games, card games, and board games. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. Admission fee is $3, or $1 if students bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to a local food shelf. Please contact
Mr. Brian Walter
with questions.
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Bean Bag Bonanza & Chili Feed - Sunday, February 17
If you love playing Bean Bags (aka Corn Hole), we have you covered! Teams are forming now and we want YOU to join us! Register your team of two people, 7th grade or older. Cost is $10 per student and $20 per adult. Trophies will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. You will be able to try over 10 different types of chili and vote for your favorite. All proceeds go to the Saint Agnes Wrestling Program and purchase of a new wrestling mat. Please join us Sunday, February 17! Doors open at 11:30 AM and tournament begins at noon in the UAC Commons and Bandas Gym. More information on the
flyer
. Please contact
Coach Odenbrett
with questions.
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Little Flowers Meeting - Wednesday, February 20
Little Flowers will host its regular 3rd Wednesday meeting on February 20 from 2:50-4:15 PM in Schuler Hall. Due to spring break scheduling in March, a service project is planned instead of a regular 3rd Wednesday meeting. Little Flowers will be participating in the Sodality of St. John the Baptist Food Packing (SSJB) at Saint Agnes on the morning of March 9 from 9:00-11:00 AM in Schuler Hall. All Little Flowers and parents are welcome to join for the service project. We look forward to seeing you there! Please contact
Arika Heffron
with questions at 507-213-0725.
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Father/Daughter Dance - Saturday, February 23
All girls in grades 9-12 are invited to attend with their father or male role model on Saturday, February 23. The event features a variety of music and dances complete with expert instruction, a dessert buffet, and professional photos.
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Upper School Grandparents Day - Thursday, April 11
Saint Agnes School invites all grandparents of Upper School students (grades 7-12) to Grandparents Day on Thursday, April 11. We will celebrate and honor our grandparents beginning with Mass at 8:45 AM in the Church. The morning’s events will include:
8:45 AM - Grades 7-12 Grandparents Day Mass (Church)
9:45 AM - Light Reception (Gruden Gym)
10:30 AM - Headmaster’s Address (Helene Houle Auditorium)
11:00 AM - Dismissal/Optional Grandchild-led tour
11:15 AM - Students return to class
Online RSVP information will be made available in the coming weeks! We look forward to seeing you for this special occasion.
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Newsies
Auditions
Registration is now closed, but it is not too late to think of auditioning for a lead role! Besides the major roles, there are many smaller parts that are fun to take without much pressure. These roles also let you be part of the chorus. Auditions are Monday, February 4 and Wednesday, February 6 at 2:45 PM in the choir room. Audition material may be obtained from the classrooms of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. Come audition - You might be surprised at the results!
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Grades 1-12 Writing Contest from Center for Mission
How can you share Christ's love with those who are different from you? Students in Grades 1-3; Grades 4-6; Grades 7-9; and Grades 10-12 may submit an essay answering this theme question. Winners in each division will receive a cash prize. All entries must be received by March 8 or postmarked by March 6.
Learn more about this contest
hosted by Center for Mission.
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Saint Agnes 2019 ACT Prep Course - Deadline Extended to February 21
Register for the Saint Agnes ACT Prep Course! Each session will focus on content and test-taking strategies. Classes meet twice a week (T/Th) from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, starting Thursday, February 21 and continuing until April 11. The course costs $150 per student, which includes an ACT prep book and ACT flash cards.
Download the flyer
, or pick one up in the Guidance Office!
Register online using Permission Click
(preferred) or use the flyer.
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Registration is not complete until payment has been submitted. Checks should be made payable to Saint Agnes School with “ACT Course” in the memo line and turned in to Ms. Burr (Classroom 251); or you may
pay online
. Registration and payment must be received by February 21. If the class is filling up, priority will be given to juniors. Please contact
Ms. Samantha Burr
with any questions.
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Substitute Teachers Needed
We are looking for more substitute teachers! Substitute teacher hours are 7:30 AM - 2:45 PM on days when coverage is needed. If you are interested, please email your resume to
Becca DeMarais
.
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No Catholic Vacation Bible School at Saint Agnes for 2019
Due to scheduling conflicts, Saint Agnes will not be hosting it's annual Catholic VBS during the summer of 2019. We plan to bring the program back in 2020 and apologize for any inconvenience!
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Print Your Tuition Tax Statements for Last Year (Or Prior Year)
Print your annual Household Paid Tuition Tax Statement directly from the TADS website! Here are the instructions:
2) Choose "Billing" at the top of the page.
3) Choose "Household Paid Tuition Tax Report" on the right-hand side of the page.
4) Select the year you wish to print.
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Junior Meetings
We will soon begin our annual Junior Meetings to discuss the post-secondary planning process. Each student and his or her parents will meet for 45 minutes with one of our counselors. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend. We will take time to review your student’s transcript and current academic performance, the basics of choosing a college and paying for college, and the results from a career interest inventory that all Juniors will take in the coming weeks. These meetings are a great time to get questions about the college planning process answered.
An email was sent out two weeks ago with a link to sign-up as well as your counselor assignment. Please refer to that email for your assigned counselor.
Click here to sign up
. When possible, we ask that you schedule your student's meeting during a study hall or an elective period. Please contact
Mrs. Kemp
or
Mr. Loesch
with any questions.
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Experience Christendom Summer Program
Saint Agnes School has been given three FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS ($500 value each) for current Juniors to attend the Experience Christendom Summer Program. Students would need to pay for and provide their own travel, but tuition for the program would be covered. Christendom College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Virginia, recommended by the Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College.
During this highly acclaimed program, students spend their mornings taking a variety of liberal arts classes (Philosophy, English, History, and Theology), then, after Mass and lunch, students spend their afternoons and evenings enjoying a number of recreational and social events. Activities generally include: canoeing on the Shenandoah River, hike and cookout on Skyline Drive, swing and contra dancing, singing/talking over a bonfire, bowling, participating in a talent show, and attending a debate and an Irish barn dance.
Visit their website
for more information.
Please contact Mrs. Kemp by Wednesday, February 20 if you are interested in receiving one of these scholarships. We will keep a list of students who are interested and know they can commit to attending the program. If there are more than three interested, we may request further application materials.
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4HG Basketball Camp, Grades 2-4 - Tuesday, March 12
All Saint Agnes students grades 2-4 are invited to participate in a basketball clinic hosted by 4HG (For His Glory) on March 12 from 6:00-7:30 PM. It will be run by Kelly Scott, a former Big Ten Basketball Champion for the University of Minnesota. There is NO cost for the event; just come with a water bottle and be prepared to have fun!
Players will hear inspiring messages, learn basic skills, participate in age-appropriate drills, and be given an in-depth introduction into what it means to be a 4HG student-athlete and play FOR HIS GLORY! See
flyer
for details and registration. Please submit registration information to
Mr. Sam Thompson
.
Order of Events
+ Pray the 4HG Athlete Prayer
+ Watch the 4HG Video
+ Review the 4HG Student Code of Conduct
+ Complete Clinic Training Drills
+ Distribute 4HG Credo Cards and Swag
+ Close Clinic with the 4HG Athlete Prayer
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Come Support Our Aggie Athletes this Week!
(M) February 4:
Girls Basketball
at St. Odilia (Grade 7, 4:30 PM)
Boys Basketball
vs. St. Charles Borromeo at Saint Agnes Gruden Gym (Grade 6, 5:00 PM)
Girls Basketball
at Nativity (Grade 6, 6:00 PM)
Girls Basketball
vs. Brooklyn Center at Saint Agnes Bandas Gym (Varsity 6:00 PM)
Cancelled
Boys Basketball
vs. Highland Catholic at Saint Agnes Gruden Gym (Grade 5, 6:00 PM)
Girls Basketball
vs. Faithful Shepherd at Saint Agnes Gruden Gym (Grade 5, 7:00 PM)
(T) February 5:
Boys Basketball
vs. DeLaSalle HS at Saint Agnes Bandas Gym (C 4:15 PM, JV 5:30 PM, Varsity 7:00 PM)
Girls Basketball
at DeLaSalle HS (JV 5:30 PM, Varsity 7:00 PM)
Boys Hockey
vs. Blake at SPA - Drake Arena (JV 5:30 PM, Varsity 7:30 PM)
Boys Swim & Dive
vs. Columbia Heights at St. Anthony Village HS (5:30 PM)
(W) February 6:
Boys Basketball
at Nativity (Grade 7 Red, 4:00 PM)
Boys Basketball
at St. Odilia (Grade 8, 4:30 PM; Grade 7 White, 7:00 PM)
(R) February 7:
Boys Basketball
at St. Anthony Village HS (C 4:15 PM, JV 4:15 PM, Varsity 5:30 PM)
Girls Basketball
at St. Anthony Village HS (JV 5:30 PM, Varsity 7:15 PM)
(S) February 9:
Wrestling
All-Conference Tournament at Columbia Heights HS (9:30 AM)
Boys Swim & Dive
at Minneapolis Southwest HS (JV 11:30 AM)
Boys Hockey
vs. Red Wing at SPA - Drake Arena (JV 2:00 PM, Varsity 4:00 PM)
View full athletics calendar
here
.
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VIRTUS Safe Environment Training - Thursday, February 28
There will be a VIRTUS
Protecting God’s Children
training session for at Saint Agnes in Schuler Hall starting promptly at 6:30 PM on Thursday, February 28.
Please arrive 10-15 minutes early to check-in
. All are welcome to attend VIRTUS training sessions, but attendees must pre-register at
www.virtusonline.org
.
Please see the
VIRTUS guide
to complete registration and other Essential Three requirements (Background Check, Code of Conduct, and additional Safe Environment training). New Volunteer packets with forms are located in the school office.
Contact Annette Beaudry
at 651-925-8826 with any questions or if session marked as full.
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Essential Three VIRTUS Information
New Volunteers:
Need in-person and online Safe Environment training as well as Background Check and Code of Conduct. There are links to the
New User Guide
, forms, and instructions under
New Volunteer
on the school website.
Current Volunteers:
Essential Three
are updated online every three years. The VIRTUS system sends out automatic reminders to the email address listed in the account three months before the due dates. “Vulnerable Adult” is required training for everyone within the Safe Environment series (for those who already completed “Keeping the Promise Alive”).
Check under the TOOLBOX tab in
your VIRTUS account
for any items highlighted in yellow that need to be completed and to access a guide for helping you through the update process.
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For those who work or volunteer at multiple locations within the Archdiocese, the online Background Check is authorized and owned by the VIRTUS primary location. If somewhere other than Saint Agnes, you would need to sign a release form to share copies and confirm E3 compliance at Saint Agnes.
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Forming Catholic Hearts & Minds in Faith, Reason, & Virtue
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