November 2019
God of all creation,
You give us the gift of seasons to mark our journey through time.
The season of autumn, with its change of colors and falling leaves,
reminds us that sometimes things must die and fall away for a new life to arise.
Such is the message of the cross ---
That through death to self we find life in all its richness.
Help us to trust in you and in your presence of new life.
Peter Jarret, C.S.C.
Peace and Greetings:
Seasons give our lives rhythm. November marks autumn’s end approaching and how simply the trees let go of the riches of a season. In addition to nature’s seasons, the Catholic Church also celebrates liturgical seasons. All Saints and All Souls Days usher in November and remind us to reflect upon those great men and women of the Church who have gone before us as well as our family and friends who have touched our lives before entering eternal life themselves. Appropriately, Thanksgiving Day will arrive soon after, a time to pause and gives thanks for all God has bestowed on each of us.
At St. Paul, the seasons are changing, as well. The first marking period has come to an end, the fall athletic season is winding down, we celebrated a beautiful Remembrance Mass for our deceased alumni and former faculty last Friday, and give thanks every day for all the people God has brought together to make this faith community a truly special place.
A special thanks to our advancement team and terrific committee of volunteers for last Saturday’s Forever Falcons Gala 2019, held at the Aqua Turf Club, Southington. It was a great night with over 300 people in attendance! In addition to being our biggest fundraiser of the year, we inducted Dr. James Aseltine, Dr. Karen Matthews ‘82 Leary and the 1980 Boys Soccer State Championship Team into our Circle of Honor. Well deserved!
Grandparents are invited for a special program/prayer service and reception in their honor on Friday, November 15. They are a source of love and wisdom in our families and in our St. Paul community. We look forward to welcoming them on campus next week.
Our first Placement Exam for the Class of 2024 and potential transfer students was held last Saturday. Our second exam is scheduled for Saturday, December 14 at 8:00 am. Please encourage prospective students in your home town to consider St. Paul Catholic for their high school experience.
Mark your calendar to attend a performance of our fall drama production, “
Charlotte’s Web.”
Performances are Friday, November 22 and Saturday, November 23 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, November 24 at 2:00 pm.
The NVL girls swim championship is Friday at Kennedy High School.
Good luck
to the girls and all our fall athletic teams participating in the CIAC Connecticut state tournament starting next week. While the tournament seeds are unofficial until tomorrow, it looks like we might have two home games on Monday. Go Falcons!
Unfortunately, Msgr. Gary Simeone, pastor of St. Gregory’s Parish and St. Paul school board chair, suffered a fall last week that will require surgery on two fractured arms. Please keep him in your prayers for a speedy recovery.
Our annual Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated at St. Gregory the Great Church on Wednesday, November 27 at 11:00 am. You’re invited to join us for this beautiful holiday celebration. Truly, we have much to be thankful for at St. Paul!
In the Spirit of St. Paul,
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Cary M. Dupont ‘72
President/Chief Administrator
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Class of 2021 Junior Retreats
Members of the Class of 2021 had their junior retreats on Thursday, October 24. Each group enjoyed the beautiful setting and hospitality of Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in Litchfield. Ms. Lauren Noce, Education Coordinator at Carolyn's Place, was a guest speaker for the ladies on the topic of true friendship. SP graduate Mr. Alex Wells '13, currently working in animal control for the town of Cheshire, addressed the gentlemen on what it means to be a real man and build meaningful friendships with one another. was Oct. 24 for both girls and boys; boys were at Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in Litchfield, and girls were at Wisdom House in Litchfield.
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Creative Process in Action
On Monday, Nov. 4, as this marking period closes, St. Paul seniors culminated their study of "Creative Process" (i.e., preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification) thus far with a marigold experience in the Marian Garden dedicated to Sharon Mielcarz. Members of the Class of 2020 harvested seeds from marigold plants the Class of 2019 had planted last fall. They then worked the soil, sowed the seeds, and will look forward to signs of new life in spring. The exercise was also an opportunity to pray for Mrs. Mielcarz and all our beloved who have gone before us. "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the rest in peace. Amen."
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Join Us at the Franciscan Christmas Fair
The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist invite you to their annual Franciscan Christmas Fair on November 23, 9:30-2:30 (271 Finch Ave., Meriden). Join us for a joy-filled day of Christmas spirit and fun at the Fair. Enjoy the living crèche, Santa Claus, Franciscan Pottery, homemade jams, jellies, pickles, cookies, children's activities, fresh cut Christmas trees, and don't miss Sister Marie Benedict's homemade breads!
A Vision for Life, Love and Marriage -
is a two-day retreat for married and engaged couples, single adults, college students, priests and religious based on Humanae Vitae, an encyclical on life, love and marriage. Sponsored by the Franciscan Life Center - Saturday, December 7, 2019 8:30am to 5:00pm and Sunday, December 8, 2019 10:00am to 4:00pm Visitflcenter.org for more information or to register.
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Getting Ready to March for Life!
Student applications for St. Paul participation in the annual archdiocesan March for Life Pilgrimage (Jan. 23-24, 2020) will be available
HERE or will be handed out to students through their religion teachers next week. Completed applications will be due to Sister Marie Benedict Elliott, F.S.E.,
next week - Friday, November 15. Any applicant out of school that week should submit his or her application in advance. No money is due with the application.
Those wishing to participate in the National Pro-Life Summit following the March for Life, on Saturday, January 25 from 8am to 7pm (details available at
https://prolifesummit.com/), should make sure to fill out that section on the application.
Parents or guardians with questions or concerns are welcome to contact Sister Marie Benedict at
smbenedict@spchs.com.
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The Remembrance Mass
Our annual Remembrance Mass was held on Friday, November 1st - All Saint's Day. It is such a special day at St. Paul while we remember all those in our St. Paul family that have gone before us and remembering them in our prayers not only today but every day!
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We would love for you to share with prospective grade 9 or grade 10 students looking to attend St. Paul Catholic High School in the 2020-2021 school year, our next Placement Exam date on
December 14, 2019 at 8:00 am.
Registration is open NOW -
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Do you have a St. Paul Placement Exam
lawn sign you're displaying?
Just a friendly reminder to change the date sticker on the the Placement Exam lawn signs to the
Saturday, December 14th
sticker! If you need a new sticker, please have your student stop by the main office to pick one up.
If you have an open house lawn sign and can drop it off in the main office we would greatly appreciate it! Thank you for sharing St. Paul with your neighbors and others in your hometown.
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Digital Theatre+ comes to St. Paul!
Calling all fans of literature and the stage. St. Paul has implemented a new web platform called Digital Theatre + into the school’s curriculum for the 2019-2020 school year. Digital Theatre + has a vast array of video recordings of famous plays that have been performed both in the United States and the United Kingdom.
This will provide great opportunities for both our performing arts program as well as our English teachers to enhance the learning already happening in our classrooms. Instead of students being offered the opportunity to watch the movie format of
The Crucible
or
Romeo and Juliet
after studying such classic plays, they can access actual stage performances of the play to enhance their understanding and appreciation of the written play. The
Digital Theatre + website
also includes numerous teacher resources as well as interviews with the actors and directors.
Students have access to the website 24/7 at school and at home for the entire school year.
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On October 10, St. Paul Catholic High School National Honors Society was presented the Special Service Award by the Bristol Boys and Girls Club. For the past 12 years, society members have provided tutoring at the Bristol Boys & Girls Club’s Power Hour program at Cambridge Park.The Special Service Award is given each year to an organization which provides significant resources intended to enhance the lives of others in the Greater Bristol Community.
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On November 20th we will be hosting a brown bag lunch Career Panel on Careers in Engineering and Computer Science
On November 21st the University of New Haven will be here to host an instant decision day for our seniors! Please see your school counselor for more information.
Save the Date! On December 4th we will be hosting our Junior College Night for junior parents and students. More information to come soon.
Girls With Impact -
The 2020 Winter Session registration is now open. The program includes 8 weeks of live, online classes. To learn more
CLICK HERE
On November 9th - The Quest Summit is a one-day, FREE Educational conference, dedicated to helping high school students prepare for Higher Education.
Register HERE
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St Paul Catholic High School uses an independent consultant, FACTS Grant & Aid, to evaluate financial need. Anyone who wishes to be considered for tuition assistance must submit an application to FACTS Grant & Aid. The application fee is $35.
New this year: The document requirements and deadlines have changed. Please see the table below. The online application is available as of 10/1/2019. Click
HERE
to access the online application
!
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Award announcements will be mailed out by the end of February for families with incoming freshmen, and mid-March for all other students.
Please contact the Finance Office at 860-584-0911, ext 20, if you have further questions about Tuition Assistance.
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Advanced Placement Exam Fee Payment
- If your student is taking any AP classes, the AP exam fee is due to St. Paul Catholic High School by November 15, 2019. Payment can be made online at
www.spchs.com/apexams/
using your checking account or credit card. You may also contact the Finance Department to pay by check or cash. Please make your payment by Friday, November 15, 2019.
If you have any questions, please contact Laura Stabile in the School Counseling Department or Elizabeth Gunn in the Finance Office.
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Out-of-Bristol Bus Students
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Please note, when there is a two-hour delay of school, the Out-of-Bristol buses start their run on a 90-minute delay schedule giving them a little extra time to get everyone safely to St. Paul.
If you have questions any morning, you can contact the bus company at 860-585-5466 or 860-585-5265. They will be able to tell you if the bus is on the way.
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Grandparents' Day
Grandparents' Day is next Friday, 11/15. RSVPs are not necessary. Please contact Shelley Mendoza at
smendoza@spchs.com
with any questions you may have
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Advancement Department News
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Our Forever Falcons Gala was held this past Saturday evening! A fun time was had by all.
Our auctioneer was amazing and many great items made it to new homes.
We especially want to congratulate our 2019 Circle of Honor inductees:
Dr. James Aseltine
Dr. Karen Matthews '82 Leary
The 1980 Boys Soccer State Championship Team
Thank you for your dedication to St. Paul!
The night would not have been possible without these amazing sponsors!
Thank you for all you do and for your continued support of St. Paul Catholic High School!
Thank you to those who were in attendance as well. We hope you enjoyed your evening.
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Here is just a snapshot from the evening. All photos will be displayed on spchs.com
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Light Up St. Paul and Christmas Wreath Sale
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Save the date for our
11th Annual Light Up St. Paul
event - December 6th from 6:30-8:30pm. Special luminaries will cover our campus, horse and carriage rides, Santa's Corner for the kids, hot cocoa, soup and so much more. Such a fun evening! More information to come soon!
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Would you like to honor loved ones with the purchase of luminaries?
Download and fill out the LUMINARY ORDER FORM form and send w/ payment to SPCHS. Luminary bags with your message will be displayed around our campus that evening.
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St. Paul Student Government will be selling
Christmas Wreaths! again this year. The 22" wreaths will be simply decorated with a
red bow.
We will have wreaths available for purchase the night of Light Up St. Paul - but why wait? Have it waiting and ready for you by pre-ordering!
Your purchase will support the St. Paul Catholic Scholarship Fund, helping students earn a great Catholic education.
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THIS FRIDAY, 11/8
St. Paul will collect $3 AND 3 cans for the United Way of Bristol Food Drive and the Little Sisters of the Poor Mission. Students can dress down if they bring both $3 and 3 cans. Students will earn Falcon points (by class) so the more cans brought in the higher percentage of participation for their class and those valuable falcon points.
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Only one book captures this year’s incredible events and experiences - your 2019-2020 yearbook. Remember all the friends, fashion, fun, favorite teachers, classes, games, music, art, dances and everything in between.
Order your St. Paul Catholic High School Yearbook today!
Orders must be in by January 24, 2020
$65.00
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Senior Parent Ads will be created this year online, by you, giving your ad that special touch!
Josten has a wonderful support staff that will help you through the process of creation.
Deadline for the ad is January 15, 2020.
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Are you on Facebook? Want to keep in touch with the St. Paul Parents? Keep up-to-date with events happening at St. Paul, share your ideas, community events, ask questions, etc.
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Sewing Club Needs Yarn & Newborn Hats
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Sewing club is
gearing up for their third year participating in
Little Hats, Big Hearts 2020
, which honors babies, moms, and heart healthy lives in a very special way. Students are busy knitting and crocheting red hats to be given out to thousands of babies to celebrate American Heart Month and raise awareness of congenital heart defects.
Sewing club gratefully accepts donations of both newborn-size hats and yarn (red cotton or acrylic) only. The deadline for donations is Nov. 22, 2019.
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Always scrambling for lunch money as the kids are walking out the door?
No worries - Stella accepts prepayment.
Have your child bring in cash or a check (made payable to Paul Gregory’s). She will keep track of the balance and let your child know when the balance is running low.
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Sophomore Class Fundraiser
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Our fundraiser with Boon Supply (formerly Mixed Bag) will give 40% back to the sophomore class.
When browsing make sure to think "Christmas Gifts"! The fundraiser runs from November 12 through November 20.
Make sure to share this link
https://www.boonsupply.com/123475
with family and friends to help raise money for the Sophomore class. Orders will be delivered in time for Christmas.
If you have any questions contact the Sophomore class advisor, Mrs. Pisani at
lpisani@spchs.com
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Softball Team Bottle/Can Fundraiser
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The St. Paul Softball team will hold a can and bottle drive on Saturday, November 9 from 9am - 3pm. They will collect in the school's back parking lot.
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Performing Arts Poinsettia Fundraiser
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Single 6 1/2" pot - $12
Double 7 1/2" pot - $16
Triple 8" pot - $22
All orders must be submitted by Tuesday November 26th. Pick up is at SPCHS on Thursday, December 5th from 5:00-6:00pm. To order
please fill out this form
and send in to the SPCHS main office (1001 Stafford Ave. Bristol 06010) or purchase from a drama student.
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St. Paul Gift Card Program
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SCRIP Gift Cards - GREAT for Christmas Shopping AND for gifts!
Bonus items starting this month are as follows:
$5 and $10 Gift Cards: Now through 12/23. They make the perfect stocking stuffer and small gifts for friends, teachers, coaches or mail carriers. While supplies last.
ThankScriping Day - 11/21 - an event that only happens three times a year. Earn big bonus rebates.
Holiday Bonuses - 11/30-12/13 - Earn more rebates with bonuses on top brands.
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Trip to Spain and Paris - Spring Break of 2020
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Students, Parents, Alumni
are invited to join us on a once-in-a-lifetime educational tour to Spain and Paris!
When? Spring Break
April 9, 2020 - April 17, 2020
Where? Spain and Paris
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Travel to Italy and Greece - Summer of 2020
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Why Are We Going? Your child will...
- Step outside the classroom and engage with the world firsthand
- Go beyond his/her comfort zone and experience new foods, cultures and people
- Receive an experience that will help him/her stand out on college applications
- Learn how to navigate new situations with a broader global perspective
- Have a life changing experience
When? July 11, 2020 - July 19, 2020 -- Where? Travel from Boston to Rome
What's Next?
or call EF's Traveler Support Team from Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM at 800-665-5364.
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