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Parent Newsletter 5/21/18
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Update from the Headmaster
Dear Families,
As we approach the end of the school year - eight short school days from now - I want to communicate a number of updates with you:
Capital Campaign: We have almost reached the $3 Million mark, and we have just under $100,000 left to meet the $500,000 match. With only 26% of our school families contributing, we still hope that every family will contribute. Even $5 will help us reach our goals of renovating the convent, creating a preschool space, updating electrical infrastructure in the school and parish, and resurfacing our parking lots. 100% participation is deeply important to our school, so please consider a contribution before the month ends if you have not already done so.
JH and HS Awards Convocations: This week, we are planning two awards ceremonies for our 7-12 students. Junior High Awards will be given on Wednesday at 9:30AM in the Helene Houle Auditorium, and High School Academic Convocation will take place Friday at 1:45PM in the Auditorium. Please come and join us if you can spare the time. It is a great gift to see the talents of our students recognized in such a beautiful way!
2018 Commencement Speaker: Last week, I announced to the senior class that Mr. Fred Blonigen, our esteemed religion teacher who retired at the end of the 2016-17 school year, will be this year's graduation speaker! He will address the Class of 2018 during our evening commencement exercises on Friday, June 1. We are excited to welcome Mr. Blonigen back to the school where he inspired young souls for 37 years!
K-8 Field Day: Our physical education department has been planning a host of activities for K-6 students this Friday, May 25 at West Minnehaha fields beginning at 9AM. Our 7th and 8th grade students will be working hard to make the activities happen under the direction of Mr. Sam Thompson. We are praying that nice weather will accompany this great spring tradition; feel free to come out and support our elementary students!
Please continue to pray for Saint Agnes School. We are so grateful for the students and families God has entrusted to us in this wonderful place. Thank you so much for your support and generosity!
Blessings to you,
Kevin Ferdinandt
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Prayers for the Ostertag Family
Please keep in your prayers the Ostertag family, whom many of you may know from their time at Saint Agnes. They are a former school and parish family with six children who moved to Texas last summer due to a new job. Mother Jill Ostertag passed away today after a short battle with breast cancer. Their son Peter graduated in 2017; Elena (now in grade 9) and Josephine (now in grade 4) attended Saint Agnes as well. May God bless the Ostertag family as they mourn the loss of Jill. Let perpetual light shine upon her, and may she rest in peace!
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Dr. Whalen Announces His Retirement - Come Honor Him On Tuesday, June 5
This past Friday, Dr. Bob Whalen shared publicly that he would retire after 11 years at Saint Agnes School. Noting the dangers and difficulties of these past winters on his 74-year-old body, he explained, "This was a very difficult, even painful, decision on my part because I love teaching and believe that St. Agnes reaffirms for each student that s/he is a child of God. I will not be upset if some former students of mine do not remember when the War of 1812 occurred or how long the Thirty-Year War lasted. (These are, after all, tricky issues!) The important thing, the core of their education, is their love of God. THAT, at least, we must help them remember for a lifetime!"
Join us as we celebrate the retirement of Dr. Whalen on Tuesday, June 5, from 4-6PM in the UAC Conference Room. Appetizers and beverages will be provided. This is an open house style event, so stop in at any time. Families, parishioners, alumni, former faculty, past parents and friends of Saint Agnes are most welcome!
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Used Uniform Sale - Thursday, June 14
Save the date for the annual Used Uniform Sale! It will be held in the UAC Commons on Thursday, June 14, from 7-8PM. Please also consider bringing your gently used uniform items for students of all ages to the Main Office. Girls jumpers are especially appreciated donations!
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Limited Registration for Summer Series
Registration is now closed for the Summer Series. Click here to register for adult/alumni offerings, athletic camps, or Theology of the Body retreat, which will remain open for registration online until further notice. A friendly reminder for those who have already registered to please submit payments to the Business Office or pay online here. Questions? Please contact Mr. Mike Streitz (for Athletic inquiries) or Mr. Jordan Adams (for other Summer Series inquiries).
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Bring Box Tops to the Office
Prepare for the end of the school year and bring in your Box Tops, Milk Moola caps and Milk Tops, and Coke Codes to either the school or church office! (Please note that Campbell's Labels for Education has ended and labels are no longer accepted.)
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Register for Aleks, Online Summer Math Program
Improve, strengthen, and challenge skills and abilities with a 3-month subscription to Aleks, an online math enrichment program for students going into grades 2-12. Contact Ms. Davern by June 8 to register. Click here to make a one-time payment of $35. Learn more and get recommendations on pacing as well as how to use Aleks time wisely at this link.
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VIRTUS Safe Environment Training - Monday, June 11
There will be a VIRTUS Protecting God's Children live 3-hour training session at Saint Agnes in Schuler Hall starting at 5PM on Monday, June 11. Come 10 minutes early to sign-in. All are welcome to attend VIRTUS training sessions, but please remember that registration is required for all attendees.
Attendees must pre-register
at www.virtusonline.org.
Please see this link
for the VIRTUS guide to complete registration and other Essential Three requirements (Background Check, Code of Conduct, and additional Safe Environment training). Contact Annette Beaudry at 651-925-8826
with any questions.
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Updated PreK - 8 Summer Reading Lists!
Saint Agnes is pleased to offer the fiction summer reading list and non-fiction summer reading list from National Endowment for the Humanities. This reading list includes many classic books for students in grades PreK-8 to read over the summer on their own or with parents. The list has been adjusted to remove books from the Saint Agnes literature curriculum.
We have completed a brief review of the books on these lists and made some adjustments; that said, we always recommend that a parent briefly preview the contents of a book before giving it to their child.
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Summer Solution Workbooks for Sale
Summer Solutions was designed to help students return to school after summer break confident and ready to learn new material.
Enroll anytime! The paperback books (just $14.99 each) will be mailed directly to your home. Click here for more information. To order through our schools' account, go to www.SummerSolutions.net and enter our school code: H55103AGN
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Register for Grades 4-8 Fall Basketball League
Starting next fall, Saint Agnes will be hosting the first ever 3V3 Fall Basketball League! This league is a great opportunity for our CAA basketball players to play more games together before starting the CAA winter season. Fall basketball is open to all boys and girls grades 4-8; submit rosters of 3-5 players with registration. Two-twenty minute games will be played Sunday, September 23, 30; October 7, and 14 between 4-8PM. Click here to register. Official rules available here. Please contact Mr. Sam Thompson or Mr. Mike Streitz with questions.
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Summer Volleyball for Girls Grades 5-8
Learn, develop, and refine volleyball skills before the fall season! Practices will take place Wednesdays 10AM-12PM in Gruden Gym from June 13-August 8. Click here for more information. Contact Coach Odenbrett or Michelle Andersen with questions.
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Final Exam Schedule for Semester Two
Please click here to download the final exam schedule for grades 7-12.
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College Application Boot Camp for Seniors - August 6-9
Incoming seniors will complete at least one full college application, visit a college campus, write and revise application essays, complete an activity resume, and more! Registration forms available here or in the Guidance Office. Please turn registration forms into the Main Office by Thursday, June 7. Cost is $90. Questions? Contact Mrs. Rachel Kemp.
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