January
Principal's Message
Greetings!

I am always so proud of our successful 8th graders as they prepare for and take high school entrance exams, select their preferred schools, and embark upon a new chapter of their academic career. The Class of 2020 earned an impressive $972,532 in merit scholarship offers to Cincinnati's competitive high schools. This is one of our highest scholarship amounts and, more impressively, was earned by 43% of the class - or 16 Villa students.

We congratulate our 8th graders and look forward to all the special highlights and traditions coming up in their last few months with us here at the Villa.
EDUCATION
During Math Enrichment class, the 4th graders created input/output boxes using algebraic expressions. The students presented their inventions and challenged their classmates to solve the rule of the box using the number patterns. 
The 7th grade Drama Club presented The Dancing Princesses, adapted from the Grimm's tale, during school to the student body as well as an evening performance to an enthusiastic crowd. Ticket sale proceeds were donated to Emerge Dance Studio's Princess Ballet/City Gospel Mission which allows girls the opportunity to study dance, regardless of financial ability.
Traditional 4-year-olds studied community helpers such as doctors, dentists, postal carriers, and veterinarians. The children enjoyed a visit by Dr. Maria Carullo, a current Villa parent and veterinarian, with Kevin Bacon, her family's pet pig.
During the 8th graders' study of electricity in Science class, they created electrical circuits and identified different materials as either being insulators or conductors.
The Handchime Ensemble played two pieces for the St. Angela Mass on January 24 th . This group performs for special Masses during second trimester and features students in grades 3-6.
We are very proud of our students who participated in the 4-8th grade Geography Bee and Spelling Bee during the homeroom qualifying rounds and advanced to the school-wide competition. Congratulations to Geography Bee winner Alina Butcher (7th grade) and Spelling Bee winner Annemarie Wolfer (6th grade) who will represent St. Ursula Villa at the city competitions.
In LEAP class, 3rd graders participated in a spatial reasoning exercise and cut a single piece of copy paper into a spiral that could enclose at least five students standing shoulder to shoulder.
Congratulations to these Art students whose works were displayed at the Hyde Park Art Show. We commend First Place winners Teddy Hurst (2nd grade), Elizabeth Wolfer (3rd), Meredith Sedler (5th), and Third Place winner Gus Smith-Rogers (4th grade).
Everybody Counts Week offered opportunities for students to learn about and appreciate various disabilities and challenges. Junior High students and parents facilitated classroom activities, presentations, and discussions about the challenges of learning disabilities, visual impairment, and physical limitations.
FAITH
As an opportunity to learn more about St. Ursula Villa's Ursuline heritage, 6th graders toured the Ursuline Sisters of Cincinnati's archives located in St. Ursula Academy. The field trip included artifacts, historical displays, and a remarkable collection of Rookwood pottery in homage to Maria Longworth Storer, benefactor of the Ursulines of Cincinnati and founder of Rookwood Pottery.
Our school community celebrated St. Angela's Feast Day with Villa 4th graders leading us in observation and appreciation of St. Angela and her founding of the Ursuline Order.
St. Ursula Villa commends Lilly Futscher (1st grade), Lily Pavelka (5th), and Maggie Marburger (7th) as our Ursuline Students of the Month. They were selected for demonstrating "The Christ-Centered Spirit of Angela Merici" - this month's Ursuline characteristic.
Villa 8th graders joined the hundreds of students representing Cincinnati-area schools at the Annual Catholic Schools Week Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains.
COMMUNITY
Parents attended "Crossing the Bridge" session to learn valuable information about the transition of 4-year-olds to Kindergarten and Montessori Kindergarteners to 1st grade. Teachers shared classroom procedures and routines, as well as developmental guidelines and recommendations.
Our "Buddy" program connects students of different ages throughout the year to spend time together, do crafts, and build relationships and school community.
St Ursula Villa’s Student Council launched “Rosie’s Red Wagon Campaign” collecting toys, blankets, and other items to make a stay at Cincinnati Children's Hospital more comfortable for children and their families. Red wagons are used at the hospital to transport children instead of wheelchairs when possible and are placed throughout the school to gather donations as part of Catholic Schools Week outreach.
The Villa celebrated Catholic Schools Week in many ways - from Crazy Hat and Pajama Day to our traditional volleyball game pitting faculty against 8th graders. Though the teachers won the volleyball game, the 8th graders demonstrated their awesome school spirit and class camaraderie.
Villa Parents' Organization
VPO has picked back up during the month of January with two school events that help nurture St. Ursula Villa's identity. Students participated in Everybody Counts Week, exploring what it means to grow up, live, and prosper with a disability. They spent the week learning how people with disabilities function and can still do things that they do on an everyday basis. VPO provided volunteers and facilitators as well as the wheelchair basketball game presentation which culminated the week.

During Catholic Schools Week, VPO sponsored a soup luncheon for the entire faculty. The VPO and entire St. Ursula Villa community is extremely thankful and appreciate of everything that the faculty does for our children day in and day out.
Villa Boosters
The Villa gym lobby and concession area is newly enhanced with indoor and outdoor signage and graphics. Villa Boosters has added new players' and coaches' chairs which are padded and feature the St. Ursula Villa athletic logo.
Faculty Feature
Ms. Nicole Rouse has been a Traditional 3-year-old Preschool teacher at the Villa for 7 years. She grew up in Cincinnati and lives here with husband, Joe, and two sons, Ben (16) and Michael (14).
O ther fun facts about Ms. Rouse:
  • Favorite Food: "Sweets of any kind!"
  • Favorite Book: Puller's Runner: A Work of Historical Fiction about Lieutenant General Lewis B. 'Chesty' Puller by Nick Ragland and Joe Rouse
  • Hobbies and Interests: "Jogging, watching my children's sports games, playing with my dog, and reading."
  • Favorite Movie Quote: "I think we're going to need a bigger boat." from Jaws
  • Most Beautiful Place: "The most beautiful place is hard to answer but I cherished a summer trip to Colorado when the kids were little and a trip to Jamaica years later."
  • Why I Love Working at the Villa: "There are so many reasons but being a part of children’s lives and watching them grow through the years is an amazing blessing. "