"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul." PS 23:1
Message from the Principal
Dear Families and Friends,
 
As we begin to wrap up the month of February, we are pleased to see some better weather and opportunities for our students to enjoy the outdoors once again. As parents, you know how difficult it is to keep students motivated to stay active and engaged during these winter months, so we appreciate all of your efforts to keep your students on task and here at school each day.

Over the last few months, we have been reviewing several forms of data for programs we have implemented this year. One program we have been utilizing for reading with our Title I students is Achieve 3000®. On average, students have increased their Lexile scores by 43 points, which is an increase of about 10-15% since beginning to use this program in September. In just four months, 58% of those students are already exceeding their expected growth rate due to their continued use of this program, and we couldn’t be happier with their success! We have also been utilizing IXL Math® with students in Grades 3-8 since the end of October, and we are beginning to see noticeable gains with those students who are correctly answering at least fifteen questions a week. While the specific skills assessed each week may vary, it is the repeated practice and reinforcement of these skills that helps students become better problem solvers. Continue to encourage your student not to give up when faced with challenging problems. Help guide the child through a problem or two or ask your student to articulate what is causing the difficulty or frustration. Sometimes simply talking out the process will help a student remember what step needs to be taken next. If you have any questions about either of these programs, or if you wish to learn more, please do not hesitate to ask.

Finally, we hope many of you will join us for our next PTA meeting, which will be held this Sunday, February 24th, at 7:00 p.m. in the school cafeteria.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Ramos
Announcements
Check out the latest posting on National Catholic Educational Association's blog to see how St. Michael-St. Gabriel is breaking the norm!
View the full article here .
National Junior Honor Society

Congratulations to the following students who were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society last evening:

Andrea Adams
Sara Areal
Janelle Cano
Emma Cmehil
Rossa Fisshaye
Luke Purichia
Harold Williams

We wish them continued success!
eLearning Procedures

Click here to view eLearning procedures.
2019-2020 Registration

Thank you to those families who have already submitted their registration paperwork and fee. Now that we are in the month of February, we will begin accepting new students based on the available spots we currently have open. Current families may still re-register, as long as there are openings in your child's grade. Please remember, too, that all families are required to submit a $150 non-refundable registration fee with their registration paperwork. This fee and completed paperwork will secure your student’s spot for the upcoming academic year. Remember that one fee is required per family. 
Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter Memorial Scholarship

The Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter Memorial Scholarship is available for current 8th grade students who plan on attending Cardinal Ritter High School next fall. Applications are due by Thursday, April 18. If you have any questions, please contact Kyle Powers .
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Meetings

Our Parent-Teacher Association will be meeting on the following Sundays at 7:00 p.m. in the school cafeteria. As a reminder, parents who attend these meetings receive one hour (per meeting) toward their ten required service hours. 
February 24, March 17, April 14, May 19
21 st Century Scholarship

The 21 st Century Scholarship is a program for students currently in seventh and eighth grade. This scholarship program provides income-eligible students the opportunity to earn a scholarship that covers up to four years of tuition and regularly assessed fees, such as technology and health services fees, to several public colleges and universities in the state of Indiana. For those families considering private institutions in Indiana, the scholarship will cover part of the cost to attend these schools as well. Families interested in applying for this scholarship should do so by June 30 th of a student’s eighth grade year. Several of our families have already registered for this program. For more information about this scholarship and how to apply, visit www.Scholars.IN.gov.                  
Safe and Sacred Training

We would like to remind all our families wishing to help with activities where our students are present that individuals must have completed the Safe and Sacred online training and completed a background check in order to volunteer or to serve as chaperones for a field trip. Please understand that until the certificate and background check are on file, we cannot, per the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, allow individuals to volunteer or work as employees of the school without this training and background check completed. If you completed your Safe and Sacred training, but did not complete the background check, simply log in to your account with your password and press the background check to complete the entire process. If you completed your training over a year ago or are unsure of your status, please log in to your Safe and Sacred account to see whether your training and background check are current. All Safe and Sacred certificates will have an expiration date on them, allowing your training to be valid for three years. To access the Safe and Sacred website, please go to the following: https://safeandsacred-archindy.org/login/index.php . 
Trash Bag Order Forms

To place your order for trash bags and help support the 8th grade class, please complete this order form and return it to the main office, or call us at 317-926-0516.