Principal's Newsletter
September 28 2018
Dear School of St. Mary Parents,

Our Catholic High School Open House is next Wednesday, October 3, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. The event will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room at the UGC. High Schools in attendance will be Carmel Catholic, Loyola Academy, Notre Dame College Prep, Regina Dominican College Preparatory and Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart.  

The night is open for both parents and students to attend and learn more.  As a former Catholic High School Principal, I can tell you that students are forming opinions about what high school they would like to attend much earlier than 7 th and 8 th grade.  It may seem premature, but I would encourage parents of students in 5 th and 6 th grade to attend as well.  The more you know about the many educational choices available to you and your child, the better informed decision you can make on what high school they will attend.

The Lake Forest area is blessed with many great high schools.  You might ask yourself, why a Catholic High School when we have so many good public high schools to choose from?  Per the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, (my old stomping grounds ☺ ), a Catholic High School education offers:
  • College-bound peers - The vast majority, approximately 94% of Catholic school graduates, pursue higher education. Catholic High School graduates are often pursued by prestigious colleges.
  • A rigorous curriculum - Most students take four years of mathematics, history, English, science, foreign language, and religious studies.
  • Self-discipline - Students are expected to accept responsibility for their actions, to respect others and to make good decisions in the context of their faith experience.
  • Christ as a model - The goal of a Catholic education is to help children mature into Christ-like people. Students are encouraged to recognize the presence of Christ in themselves and others. The religious formation of children begun at home and elementary school is continued in a Catholic High School.
  • A safe, supportive environment - Reverence for the human dignity of every person comes from recognizing Christ in self and others. More than "drug-free zones" or "gun-free zones," Catholic schools strive to be "Christ-centered zones."
  • High expectations - Catholic school teachers expect every student to achieve.
  • Committed parents - Parents are a child's first teachers. At Catholic schools, parents take an active role in their children's education. The school supports families and works with them for the education and benefit of children.
  • A caring community - Catholic school parents provide hundreds of millions of volunteer service hours to their schools. Parents assist with everything from playground supervision and field trips, to raising funds, installing computer networks and building new schools.
Additionally, if you were a high school student in the 1970s, '80s, or '90s, high school has changed quite a bit since when we attended.  Many of the changes are not necessarily in ways you might think either. High school today is no longer an insulated place, with row after row of desks arranged behind four walls.  Students today are wired to the Internet and have the world at their fingertips. There are more opportunities for young adults today than ever before.  Students today are busy beyond belief.  Advanced Placement classes, online learning, and experiential learning, both here and abroad, is now quite common.  Competition to get in to the best colleges and universities starts for many as soon as they become freshmen. Many have cars, participate in school activities and/or have part-time jobs.  A number of students quite often do all of these things simultaneously and numerous other activities, all the while trying to attain a high school education.  Our young adults of today are also exposed to more risky behavior than ever before at precisely a time when they are under far less parental supervision. Many of them are under enormous pressure and stress to succeed. They face a future in a society that is changing by the day.  
 
These are some of the many reasons why having your child attend a Catholic High School is a sound investment.  Please explore all of your options. Thoroughly investigate, tour the campus and meet the faculty ahead of time at the high school your child will attend.  Take advantage of this great opportunity next Wednesday to meet with the outstanding Catholic High Schools in our area. See what they have to offer and if they would be a good fit for your child and you.  It will be well worth your while to do so.  

Finally, October is the month of the Holy Rosary. The Rosary has become a prayerful means of achieving peace as Our Lady of Fatima promised. It has also served as a powerful prayer for families.  Every Friday morning  during the month of October at 9 am, our UGC students will pray the Rosary at the Church of St. Mary.  Families and friends are welcome to join us for this prayerful start to the day.  Our PGC students will be praying the Rosary on Friday October 19.


Dave Wieters
Principal
October Coffee With the Principal 
Our October Coffee with the Principal will be held on Friday October 19 at the Upper Grade Center. To ensure we can get as much family participation as possible we ask that you please fill out the google form found here. We are hoping to have a wonderful turn out to discuss issues important to the school community. 
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Parents Association Update
The Parents Association would like to ask you to mark your calendars for Wednesday, October 10, at 6pm at the Upper Grade Center Multipurpose room. That will be the date of their first meeting of the school year.

If you would like to help support the school you can make a donation to the Annual Fund by clicking here. 
 
We would also like to remind you to keep an eye on your inbox for information about upcoming grade level gatherings and other events that are in the works. 
Hot Lunch Orders
Please make sure you are placing your orders for hot lunch by clicking here.  We are happy to again be working with such a great organization to bring our students hot lunches, for more information on this great program please read this story from the AP about how they are changing school lunches. 

After School  Activities

Needlepoint Club
Please join Miss Madsen and Mrs. Madsen for a canvas needlepoint club! You will make an ornament to put on your tree. Classes are Wednesday November 7, 28 and December 5, 12 and 19 from 3:45 until 5:15pm for students grades 3-8. The classes are $160 for the whole session and includes all materials and holiday snacks. To get the registration form please click here. 

Sticky Fingers Cooking
When's the last time you had Ethiopian food? Or yummy Indian, Swedish or Columbian food? Guess what? Your kids can have a blast every week discovering how easy and fun it is to prepare (and love to eat!) tasty, healthy globally-inspired + American Classic Sticky Fingers Cooking recipes! Let your child release their inner chef and love learning to be inspired food explorers! This is a class offering our K-3 students the opportunity to learn how to cook healthy and delicious food. For more information and to register please click here. 
 
School of St. Mary Sacrament Schedule
 
Community Events and resources for School of St. Mary Families
Carmel Catholic Financial Aid Night
Understanding that many of  7 th and 8 th grade families are evaluating their high school options, Carmel Catholic High School will be offering a Financial Aid and Information Night program on Wednesday October 3  at 7pm. For families who want to consider Carmel Catholic as an option, financial access can at times be the greatest obstacle.  At this program, we will inform families of a variety of financial resources that might help make a Carmel Catholic education more feasible.  
  
Parents can pre-register   here.

School of St. Mary Calendar
September 29-October 12
 
Monday, October 1, 2018
  • 7th grade Confirmation Service Project Meeting for students and parents @ UGC 7 pm
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
  • UGC School Mass @ 9:00 am in Saint Mary Catholic Church
  • 6th grade volleyball vs. Our Lady Perpetual Health @ 4:30pm
  • 7th grade volleyball vs. Our Lady Perpetual Health@ 5:30pm
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
    • PGC School Mass @ 9:00 am in St. Patrick Church
    • 8th grade volleyball vs. St. Athanasius @ 5:00pm
    • 7th grade volleyball vs. St. Athanasius @ 6:00pm
    • High School Parent Night @ UGC at 6:30pm
Thursday, October 4, 2018
    • Carmel Catholic 8th Grade Shadow Day @ Carmel Catholic in Mundelein
Friday, October 5, 2018
    • UGC Praying the Rosary @ 9:00 am at Saint Mary Catholic Church
Monday, October 8, 2018
    • School Closed for Columbus Day
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
    • 6th grade volleyball @ Sacred Heart @ 5:00pm
    • 8th grade volleyball @ Sacred Heart @ 6:00pm
Tuesday, October 10, 2018
    • 6th grade volleyball @ Our Lady of Perpetual Health  @ 4:30pm
    • 7th grade volleyball @ Our Lady of Perpetual Health  @ 5:30 pm
    • 8th grade volleyball @ Our Lady of Perpetual Health  @ 6:00pm
    • Parents Association Meetings @ Upper Grade Center Multipurpose room @6:00pm
          
    


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