Parent Newsletter: 2/25/2019
A Message from the Headmaster
KFerdinandt
Dear Families,

I write today to inform you of the wonderful news that Mr. Michael Adkins, our current Interim Lower School Director and Academic Dean, has happily requested to remain our Lower School Director for the 2019-20 school year, effective July 1, 2019. In addition, he will retain his part-time role as Preschool through 12th grade Academic Dean.

The Lower School faculty members have been exceedingly grateful for his leadership this year, and our Preschool through 6th grade program has profited a great deal under his direction. I would like to thank our entire Lower School team as well as our parents for their support for Mr. Adkins this year. He has stated numerous times that he has very much enjoyed his time as interim director this year, and he is pleased to continue in the role:

I am grateful to our outstanding faculty in the Lower School – they have helped to transform what I had envisioned as a temporary or interim position into a great joy and a calling (I believe from God) that I’m excited to continue. In addition, I have really delighted in being among the Lower School students who are full of faith and enthusiasm to learn!

Moreover, I am grateful for the administrative skill, support for faculty members, and vision he has offered our school this past decade, and I know that he will continue to work hard to make this school the best possible place it can be! Please continue to pray for Mr. Adkins and the entire faculty at Saint Agnes School.

Thank you for your support.

Blessings to you,
Kevin Ferdinandt
A Message from the Assistant Headmaster
Dear Families,

While we are here in the depths of a snowy winter, planning is well under way for next school year! Re-enrollment took place in January, and the deadline to submit Financial Aid applications for the 2019-20 school year closes this Thursday, February 28. Two other important steps for next year’s high school students take place this week. For students who will be freshmen next year, our Freshmen Registration Event is tomorrow night, Tuesday the 26 th , at 6:30 PM in the Helene Houle Auditorium. For the rest of the high school students, next year’s sophomores, juniors, and seniors, course requests will be made online through Educate. The request period begins this Wednesday the 27 th and runs into the following week. Further details on both of those items follow in this newsletter.

Yours in Christ,
Mr. Karl Hendrickson
Assistant Headmaster
UPCOMING EVENTS
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.
Latin Informational Session for Parents - Thursday, February 28
For parents of students in grades 3-6 Latin, Sr. Mary Margaret and Mr. Adkins will host a Latin informational session on Thursday, February 28. The session will cover the following topics: Why Study Latin?; Basic Grammar Overview; How Each Class Works; Assessments (Quizzes/Tests); Homework Expectations; Resources for Parents.
Where: Sr. Mary Margaret’s Classroom (2nd Floor Gruden, next to Sisters’ Chapel)
When: Thursday, February 28
Two Session Times: 8:05 AM (after drop off) / 3:00 PM (at pick up)
Length:  The session will last about 45 minutes plus time for questions.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Mr. Adkins so we have an estimate for numbers of chairs.
Lenten Lecture Series - Begins Friday, March 8
The Church of Saint Agnes hosts its annual  Lenten Lectures every Friday evening in Lent following 7:00 PM Stations of the Cross. This year's theme—“Great Spiritual Doctors of the Church"—features presentations on six masters of the Catholic interior life and how they contribute to the Church’s understanding of the spiritual life of the faithful. Spend this Lent brushing up on Catholic spirituality with a wonderful line-up of speakers from the Saint Agnes community and beyond. Free and open to the public; light refreshments served. All talks will take place in Schuler Hall.
March 8 – St. Augustine, Dr. David Deavel
March 15 – St. Catherine of Siena, Sr. Mary Margaret O’Brien, OP
March 22 – St. Teresa of Avila, Sr. Teresa Christi Balek, OP
March 29 – St. John of the Cross, Elizabeth Kelly
April 5 – St. Francis de Sales, Dr. Kevin Ferdinandt
April 12 – St. Therese of Lisieux, Fr. Robert Altier​
Food Packing Opportunity - Saturday, March 9
All families of Saint Agnes School and Church are invited to participate in our food packing event on March 9 from 9:00-11:00 AM in Schuler Hall. Volunteers of all ages can assist with packaging the food, which will be shipped to Haiti. The event is organized through the Sodality of Saint John the Baptist, a local Catholic nonprofit organization. The Sodality coordinates these events and ships the food to specific needs, primarily through Hopital Sacre Coeur (Hospital of the Sacred Heart) in Milot, Haiti. Learn more at their website . A sign-up link will be available soon, but please consider saving the date for this fun service event.
RSVP for 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. View the schedule and RSVP online at this link ! We look forward to seeing you for this special occasion.
PARENTS
Announcing the 2019 Summer Series - Registration Opens this Friday, March 1!
It's not too early to start planning your summer! Our Summer Series of academic and athletic offerings cannot be found during the normal school year and are decidedly unique, branching during the leisurely summer into the various interests and needs of our community. We are pleased to welcome you once again to our new and air-conditioned Ubel Activity Center for all on-site offerings! Participants do need not be students of Saint Agnes School to join. Find full course descriptions on  our website .
Pre-12 Spring Conferences Coming Up - Thursday, March 14
Mark your calendars for Parent/Teacher Conferences on Thursday, March 14, from 3:15-8:00 PM. Please note that school is in session on this day.
Preschool-6 Conferences: Grade school conferences will take place in classrooms as they did this past fall, and parents may schedule K-6 conferences using Sign-Up Genius here . Sign up is now open, but reserved for families with three or more children in grades Preschool-6 until 8:00 AM on Monday, March 5, after which time all families may sign up. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
7-12 Conferences: Conferences for parents of students in grades 7-12 are available on a drop in basis in Gruden Gym (the grade school gymnasium) and the UAC Commons.
No After School Care - Thursday, March 14
After School Care will not be offered Thursday, March 14 with spring conferences taking place. Please make appropriate arrangements for your child(ren). 
Host an International Student this Spring!
We currently have an 8th grade student from Korea that has applied to Saint Agnes and would like to start this year. Her English is strong and she is excited to attend a Catholic institution. A small snippet of her bio is her below. Please reach out to Mr. Joseph Olson in the Admissions Office at 651-925-8803 for more information.

Detailed and forward-thinking, this warm, flexible, open, and easy-going girl would like to come to America to study as soon as possible and continue through high school. She is an excellent student in academics and in English. Favorite subjects include math, PE, and music, and she loves to watch movies, play piano, dance, and sing. She participates in community service, and her favorite food is spaghetti.
Science Fair Judges Needed - Monday, March 4
We are looking for people with science backgrounds to volunteer as judges for the Saint Agnes Junior High Science Fair. Judges can be parents, other relatives, older siblings (at least one year removed from high school), friends, neighbors or co-workers. Judges would need to be available from 4:30-7:00 PM on Monday, March 4 . There would be a 30-minute period for training and instructions, then judges would be asked to use a standard rubric to evaluate 6-8 projects over a 2-hour period. A light supper will be provided. If you are willing to help, know someone who might be, or have any questions, please contact Mr. Hank Kemp at hkemp@saintagnesschool.org
Coming This Week! 2019-20 Course Requests (Current Grades 9-11)
The online course request period for next year's students in grades 10-12 (current grades 9-11) will open Wednesday, February 27 on Educate. Information and materials were distributed to students during classes last week. Parents should watch for the printed instructions to come home, as well as an email that includes electronic copies of the materials distributed to students. Please note: Course registration for next year's freshman class (current 8th graders) will take place at the Freshman Registration Event on Tuesday, February 26. Contact Mr. Karl Hendrickson  with questions.
Early Family Catholic Life (ECFL) Returning to Saint Agnes this Spring!
Do you want to connect with like-minded parents in a welcoming and supportive environment? Do you want to learn the best in child development and how to teach the Faith? Do you want to deepen your relationship with your child? We hope that you will join us for Early Catholic Family Life (ECFL)!

At ECFL, we believe that a child’s first and most important teachers are his or her parents. Our mission is simple—connect parents with their peers and empower them to raise their children in the Faith. ECFL welcomes families with children 0-5 years old. Sessions facilitate parent-child interaction, parent discussion time, and children’s learning time.

We are excited to bring back ECFL to our community this spring on Sunday mornings from 9:30-11:15 AM (following 8:30 AM Mass) at Saint Agnes School. Dates include March 24, March 31, April 14, April 28, May 5, May 19, and May 26. Cost is $45 per family. Registration deadline is Friday, March 15. To learn more or join, contact Maria Posteuca and visit our webpage .
ATHLETICS
Spaghetti Dinner in Schuler Hall - Saturday, March 9
The Saint Agnes Baseball team will be hosting its annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser Saturday, March 9 in Schuler Hall from 6:00-7:30 PM. Dinner includes spaghetti, with choice of meat or meatless sauce, bread, salad, beverage and dessert. A gluten free option is offered. Dinner is also available for takeout. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased from any high school baseball player or the Athletic Office. Contact Mike Streitz at 651-925-8705 or if you have any questions.

Each ticket purchased enters you in the drawing, which includes over $3,000 in prizes! A silent auction is also available. Check out a few of the prizes on baseball websit e !
Come Support Our Aggie Athletes this Week!
(M) February 25: Girls Basketball vs. TBD at St. Ambrose of Woodbury (Grade 6, 4:15 PM)
Girls Basketball vs. Christ Household of Faith at Nativity of Our Lord (Grade 5, 6:30 PM)
Girls Basketball vs. Transfiguration at Nativity of Our Lord (Grade 7, 7:45 PM)

(T) February 26: Boys Basketball at Academy of Holy Angels (C 5:30 PM, JV 5:30 PM, Varsity 7:00 PM)

(F) March 1: Boys Basketball vs. Fridley HS at Saint Agnes Bandas Gym (C 4:15 PM, JV 5:30 PM, Varsity 6:00 PM)

View full athletics calendar  here .
Forming Catholic Hearts & Minds in Faith, Reason, & Virtue