September 6, 2019
NEWSLETTER
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All Saints Catholic School, a regional faith-based community, focuses on academic excellence while ensuring the dignity of each individual. While modeling Gospel values, the school incorporates a STEM approach to teaching and learning in order to prepare its population for the challenges of a global society.
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“Do whatever he tells you…
Jesus told them to fill the jars with water.”
Listening responsibly
is our faith action this month in accord with our diocesan theme, “Believe and see the Glory of God.” In the first miracle of the Wedding Feast of Cana, Mary tells the servants to, “Do whatever he tells you,” and Jesus tells them to fill the jars with water, which they do.
Listening responsibly
involves truly hearing what it asked/said and
respon
ding accordingly. Often our own thoughts, ideas and responses get in the way of us listening well. In the case of the servants, one might hear this story and perceive that they had it pretty easy…just fill jars with water…anyone can do that! But, Doug Newton in his book,
Fresh Eyes on the Miracles of Jesus
suggests that we reconsider what was involved for the servants to do what Jesus told them…to listen responsibly.
There were six stone jars each holding twenty to thirty gallons of water. In Jesus’ time, the water source was a town well. The jars would have needed to be filled by carrying manageable sized buckets of water from the well to the jars…probably 40 to 80 trips to have filled them to “the brim”. And this was not the first time that this had been done that day, as water in those jars would have been needed for ceremonial washing. The servants did not settle for good enough…full enough, they filled the jars to the brim…they demonstrated excellence in listening responsibly.
In the last newsletter, the nine defining characteristics of a Catholic school were shared. The first defining characteristic is listed as being
centered on the person of Jesus Christ
and the third characteristic is being
distinguished by excellence
. As we begin this school year listening responsibly, let us focus on the person of Jesus Christ and do what he asks of us each day, with excellence…not settling for good enough.
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Don't Miss these
Important Dates!
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F
riday, September 6th
HSA Back- to-School Block Party
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Monday, September 9th
Hot Lunch and Breakfast Service Begins
Tuesday, September 10th
Drama Club Parent Meeting
(5 p.m.)
Instrumental Music Parent Meeting (6 p.m.).
Please note that the 7:00 pm time on the Flyer is incorrect.
Thursday, September 12th
Opening of School Mass & Commissioning of Student Council (10 a.m.)
Back to School Night
PK3 - Grade 5 Classroom Visits
5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
General Meeting 6 p.m.
Middle School Classroom Visits
7 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday, September 15th
Parish Connection Mass
St. Mary of the Assumption
11:30 a.m.
September 16 - 20 and 23-27
STAR Reading, Math and Early Literacy Testing
Friday, September 27th
Middle School Dance
7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
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Just as the servants were asked to complete an overwhelming task for a purpose they did not readily know or understand, much of what we may be asked to do as students by our teachers and classmates or as adults by our family members,
co-workers and bosses may seem overwhelming and pointless. Let us listen responsibly to the voice of Jesus speaking through one another because we may be participating in a miracle of Jesus when we do!
Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)
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ASCS Teachers and Staff Recognized By Wilmington Dioc
ese
for years of service
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At the Diocesan Spirituality Day, which brings together Catholic educators from across the diocese to kick off the 2019-2020 school year, four of our ASCS faculty & staff members were honored for their years of faithful service in Catholic education.
The following were presented with a certificate of appreciation and a pin by Bishop Malooly:
Mrs. Shannon Denhof,
fifth grade teacher, 15 years
Mr. Brandon Dougherty
, fourth grade teacher, 20 years
Ms. Sandra Still
, Business Manager, 20 years
Mrs. Nancy Swayne
, Administrative Assistant, 25 years.
May God continue to bless them
and all of our teachers and staff members.
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Welcome Back Students!
Scenes from First Day of School!
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Tuesday morning, September 3rd was joyful as grades kindergarten through eighth gathered for a half day for the first day of school. Meeting in the parking lot by grades, principal Dr. Mary Elizabeth Muir welcomed everyone, introduced our new students, and led the assembly in prayer. Father Dillingham, Pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish provided a blessing, and the students entered the school building to begin the 2019 - 2020 school year! For more photos, please check out our
Facebook Album.
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We welcome 55 students to our PK3 & 4 classes for the 2019-2020 school year! Their two-day orientation to their classes went very well - a lot of smiles and very few tears! We are grateful you are a part of our All Saints family!
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Important Information about Early Dismissals
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Help Us to Serve You Well
Please make every effort to schedule student appointments outside of the school day so as not to interrupt your child's education. Should it be necessary to pick up your child early from school, please do so
before 2:45 p.m
. The end of the day is quite hectic in the office and it is too difficult to attend to the necessary end of the day procedures and dismiss students.
Thank you for your attention to this new procedure!
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Back-to-School Block Party
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Let's get ready to gather and enjoy a
Back-to-School Block Party at All Saints Catholic School!
Make plans to join the All Saints family on
Friday, September 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
in the parking lot area of the school.
There will be a bouncy house, games, music, and a
food tent from which delicious food may be purchased.
There will also be an ice cream truck!
This is a great opportunity to connect with old friends
and make new ones!
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Ordering Breakfast or Lunch at ASCS
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Ordering Breakfast and Lunch at All Saints is easy!
Want to help ease the morning rush and have breakfast and/or lunch available at school? Click on this
link
,
and find the information for ordering breakfast and lunch. If you do not have a family account, you will be prompted to establish one. Orders are made for two weeks at a time, and each child's order must be submitted separately. Please find the order schedule
here
.
Print out each order for confirmation. Breakfasts and lunches will be billed through FACTS.
Remember to use the ASCS School Code: 325ASCSDE
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DRAMA Club - Fall Theater Production of Seussical Jr.
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Beloved children's author Dr. Seuss and his extraordinary works will come alive during the All Saints production of
Seussical Jr.
,
November 23 -24, 2019.
There will be an important Drama Club meeting on
Tuesday, September 10th at 5 p.m.
in the Lower Level of the Elementary Building (LLEB).
Please plan on attending this important meeting if your child(ren) want to audition and participate.
Auditions will be held on Wednesday, September 18th.
Handbooks will be available next week at the parent meeting.
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Instrumental Music Offered at All Saints
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All Saints Catholic School will once again partner with
Northeastern Music Programs
to offer Instrumental Music Lessons for our students
.
We welcome Ms. Deanna Herb, as our resident musician.
We look forward to our experienced Band Members returning and welcoming new members for this school year.
There will be an important Parent meeting on
Tuesday, September 10 at 6 p.m
.
in the Lower Level of the Elementary Building (LLEB)
for those families interested in having their children take music lessons through Northeastern Music Programs.
**
Please note that the flyer brought home by your child says
7:00 pm for the parent meeting
but it will be as advertised at 6:00 pm
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Back-to-School Mass and Night Schedule
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Thursday, September 12th
is a big day in the life of All Saints Catholic School! We will have our special
Back-to-School Mass
at Corpus Christi Parish
at 10 a.m., followed by the commissioning of our
Student Council members.
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The Back-to-School Night Schedule is as follows:
PK3 - Grade 5 Classroom Visits
5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
General Parent Meeting 6 p.m.
Middle School Classroom Visits
7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
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Parish Connection Mass at St. Mary the Assumption
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Join the All Saints Catholic School Community for a special Parish Connection Mass,
Sunday, September 15th at 11:30 a.m.
at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Hockessin.
All are invited and encouraged to stay and enjoy a
Parish-wide Picnic immediately following Mass! Please go to this
link
to RSVP.
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STREAM T-Shirt Design Contest
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Are you a designer?
Looking for STREAM T-Shirt Designs and Sponsors
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We are looking for just that perfect design that captures our ASCS STREAM curriculum for our T-Shirts! Have your child(ren) bring his or her design to the front office by
Monday, September 16th.
Sponsorships are also being secured. If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the shirts, sponsorship are $200 each. Sponsors' names are displayed on the back of the T-Shirt. In addition to highly visible display on the T-shirt, worn by more than 300 people, sponsors will receive 'shout-outs' and publicity on social media, the website and in the newsletter.
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STREAM T-Shirt design for 2018-19
(Anna Drushler, 7th grade)
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STREAM T-Shirt design for 2017-18.
(Ryan Dalton, Class of 2019)
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Welcome Reading Assist Teachers for 2019-2020!
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All Saints Catholic School welcomes our Reading Assist Institute Reading Corps members Amanda Carriero and Grace Lancaster! Amanda and Grace join us through our partnership with the Reading Assist institute. We are pleased to be partnering with Reading Assist for a second year!
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Amanda Carriero
I really wanted to do a year of service and wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do after graduation so a year of AmeriCorps was the perfect opportunity for me to try something new and to help figure out what I want to do next. I hope to be the person that children feel as though they can go to and talk with if they are struggling or need any help. I know that a lot of kids in schools today don't really have a person they feel comfortable to talk with so I really want to be that person for my students.
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Grace Lancaster
I have always loved reading, and growing up homeschooled along with my two younger brothers, I often found myself helping my mother teach my siblings reading and writing. I hope to learn about the school system and find ways in which I might be helpful to not only the children I'm working with but the staff as well.
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Sacramental Preparation programs at St. Catherine's
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Those families who
are parishioners at St. Catherine's and who have a student in second grade or above who has not received his/her First Reconciliation or First Eucharist should call St. Catherine's to find out about their Sacramental Preparation programs. Please call (302)633-4903 for information.
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STAR Assessments in Reading, Math and Early Literacy will be administered during the
weeks of
September 16th and 23rd.
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These assessments are considered base line for the beginning of the school year. Results will be used by teachers to inform instructional planning to meet the learning needs of each child.
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Middle Dance at ASCS Friday, September 27
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All Saints is not only known for its academic excellence, it is also known for its wonderful
Middle School dances!
ASCS's first dance is
Friday, September 27, from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m
., in the Corpus Christi Social Hall. School dances are open to Middle school students and their friends, and cost $10 per pserson. Popular DJ Chris McGrath is providing the music again this year.
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More particulars about the dance:
*Tickets will be available for
pre-purchase for ASCS students.
Please complete the necessary forms to attend the dance:
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Student Information Update Request
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As we begin a new school year, we ask for your kind assistance in updating your child(ren)'s information in our school data system. All forms (health/medical, emergency contact, photo release, etc.) will be completed electronically.
An email with a "snapcode" link to your account has been sent
. Your immediate attention is appreciated to ensure that all student information is up to date.
Please note that information must be updated each year.
Please contact the school office
if you have not received the email.
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Safe Environment - School Clearances
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As a school community, we love to have parent volunteers.
Completion of For the Sake of God's Children is necessary for chaperoning and interacting with our children in a volunteer capacity.
Please attend to meeting these standards to allow for your active participation in our school community.
- Conducting Background Checks
- Ethical & Behavioral Standards
- Safe Environments
For more information, please go to this
section
of our website
.
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Let's Beat the Averages! Read your Bi-Weekly All Saints Catholic School Newsletter through Constant Contact
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Our newsletter's mission is to provide timely information and connect our families and our supporters to All Saints Catholic School. Our bi-weekly newsletter is full of important information that is easy to access and provides links to other useful information. While readership is above industry standards, we hope that we will achieve close to 100 percent readership, as we know you will be provided with the most up-to-date school information and news. When you click on our newsletter in your e-mail, we know you are given helpful news and you are provided with greater connection to our school. We'd also like to hear from you! Click, read, and help us achieve 100 percent in readership!
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For further preparation for the school year, our faculty and staff completed four days of professional training and in-service - both Diocesan-wide and at school, and at St. Mary's. The experiences were edifying, instructive and inspirational, as our teachers and staff were exposed to characteristics of grace, and looking for and helping to create the Kingdom of God. One activity in particular was coming up with as many 'worship words' from the 'M' on an M & M. When turned around, the M can look like a '3', an 'E', or a 'W'. Examples given were the Blessed Mother, Mary, the Trinity, Jesus rising on the third day, wonder
,
worship and the Eucharist, among the many ideas shared.
During professional development, the teachers worked with Dr. Fran Miller, where she reviewed shifting the focus from teacher-driven to student-driven learning. Representatives from Newsela, an online current event articles platform, presented to the teachers how it can be used in the classroom. Newsela creates reading levels for all readers for each cross-curricular article. With Newsela, the students can take quizzes and expand their vocabulary with each news article. The teachers also received updated training on Renaissance 360, student assessment program.
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Home and School Association
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Forty-five new families joined us at our New Family Orientation on Thursday, August 22nd. Important topics such as drop-off and pick-up processes, uniforms and expectations, were presented. Go to our
Facebook
page to view slide shows of the evening.
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Jubal's Christmas Gift Promotion
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Perfect for Christmas Gifts!
Denny Skirvin, devoted volunteer and grandparent of All Saints Catholic School students, has written a gem of a Christmas story, with
Jubal's Christmas Gift
. All 2019 profit from sales will benefit All Saints Catholic School and St. Peter Cathedral School in Wilmington. The novella is available through Amazon. Please click on the photograph above or
here
, for a YouTube commercial. Mr. Skirvin will have book signings here at All Saints on October at our Fall Festival and Trunk and Treat, and at our Vendor Event in December.
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Extra-curricular Activities
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Lego Club is open to students who are in grades 1 - 5. join the club today and let your building creativity blossom!
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New Offering - Chess Club!
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We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Metro Chess Program to offer a Chess Club on Thursdays, after school, for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Flyers with registration information will be forthcoming.
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STEM Programs at All Saints Catholic School
for 2019-2020
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The 2019-2020 School Year at All Saints Catholic School will include exciting new after school engineering programs for ASCS Middle School students. The STEM programs include architecture/city planning, underwater robotics, and bridge design.
Future Cities
is one of the nation’s leading engineering education programs and has received national recognition and acclaim for its role in encouraging middle schoolers to develop their interest in STEM. The
Future City Competition
engages more than 40,000 middle school students each year throughout the United States and abroad. This flexible, cross-curricular educational program gives students an opportunity to do the things that engineers do—identify problems; brainstorm ideas; design solutions; test, retest and build; and share their results. This process is called the engineering design process. With this at its center,
Future City
is an engaging way to build students’ 21st century skills.
SeaPerch
is an innovative underwater robotics program that equips students with the resources they need to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) in a school setting. Students learn best with hands-on activities. During the process of building a SeaPerch, they follow an established curriculum to completely assemble the ROV, test it, and then participate in launching their vehicles. Students will then compete in the regional competition at Temple University in Philadelphia, and hopefully on to the nationals in Washington, D.C.
The
Bridge Design Competition
is sponsored by the Delaware Department of Transportation. The program is designed to encourage middle school students to address real-world problems and inspire them to consider careers in transportation and civil engineering. Students will use Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) and 3-D modeling software to design and detail plans for a truss bridge. They will use their design to create a balsa wood model.
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Kylie Jones, '12, wins award at
Georgian Court University
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Congratulations to Kylie Jones, ASCS '12, who earned the Exercise Science: Leadership and Service Award at Georgian Court University's August Convocation Ceremony. Please see the Facebook post below. Kylie, we are proud of you!
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ASCS's Use of Alumni Finder
First Found Has Strong Results!
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ASCS has contracted with Alumni Finder to help us find alumni/alumnae from our sponsoring parish schools. The first 1,000-plus names were submitted recently, with good results. We hope to be able to locate as many graduates from our regional schools as possible to help build an Alumni/Alumnae Association. We need your help in locating alumni/alumnae too! If you stay in touch with your classmates at Corpus Christi, Our Lady of Fatima, St. Catherine's, and St. Matthews, please let us know, and we would love to hear from you and them! Please send alumni/alumnae news to
advancementdirector@ascsde.org.
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Important Reminders and other News at
All Saints Catholic School
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Find and Friend us on Facebook!
All Saints Catholic School has a very active Facebook presence, and we would love for you to share our page with your friends and family. Please consider recommending this wonderful school to the community by providing a tribute to our school on Facebook, by
clicking here.
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Gently-Used Uniforms are Downstairs in Lower Level of School
Gently used uniforms are in the Lower Level of School. For a donation of $1-$2, families can find shirts, pants, shorts and jumpers to outfit their children. Please consider donating your child's uniforms when he or she has outgrown them.
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Shop on Amazon, and Support All Saints Catholic School
Shopping on Amazon through Amazon Smile helps to support All Saints Catholic School. When you shop on Amazon, please consider going through our website, and clicking here on
Amazon Smile for All Saints Catholic School.
We
receive a percentage of purchases on qualified-only items.
Support All Saints Catholic School through our
Annual Fund Campaign
Consider making a financial contribution to All Saints Catholic School through the Annual Fund by
mailing a check to: ASCS Annual Fund, 907 New Road, Wilmington, DE 19805, or
click here
to be directed to our secure giving portal. More than 330 individuals and families gave to the 2018-19 Annual Fund, raising about $53,600. If your company has a matching gift program, let us know and we can provide the information for the company’s match. If you would like to donate stocks or other investments to the school please call Lisa Chase, Advancement Director, at (302) 995-2231, ext. 108, or e-mail her at
advancementdirector@ascsde.org
to receive more information.
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All Saints is fielding a team for the 5K Run/Walk for the Gulu Project, which helps to support the children of St. Catherine of Siena School in Uganda. When registering be sure to join the All Saints Team (Dr. Muir is registered as the Team Captain).
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