Memo

To: All ASCS Parents

From: Steve Virgadamo

Date: November 18, 2022

Re: Week 11 - Head of School Journal Entry – November 14, 2022 – November 18, 2022

It is Report Card Time and not just for the young scholars….

The end of the first quarter means report cards for students – a snapshot in time to assess each scholar’s progress to date and highlight for parents the area each scholar needs to focus on improving to continue their formation.

We all need to step back sometimes and be open to assessments to learn what we have done well and what we can improve going forward. With that in mind, I ask that you take some time this weekend to reflect on ASCS and particularly on the job our school/administrators/staff have done to serve you and your family during the first quarter of the school year.

We want, invite, encourage and urge you to please give us a report card. Our goals each day as formators and as a school is to be better tomorrow than we are today.

Generally, let us know:

·      What we are doing well?

·      What we need to improve as we move into quarter 2?

·      And while not limited to these, perhaps you will as a minimum consider the following specifically:

o  Are we communicating well and with transparency?

o  Are you, your family, your student(s) feeling valued, supported and appreciated?

o  What can we do to help you better partner with us in forming your child(ren)?

o  What can we do more of to build a culture in which the Gospel message is inherent in how we treat each student and family we serve?

And of course, anything else you think we need to know to make ASCS a better place and more mission focused.

My definition of a perfect school – is imperfect administrators, imperfect staff and imperfect parents who never give up on each other or stop partnering on ways to improve. Please help us enhance our service to you and your family.

Together, we are larger than the sum of our parts.

I look forward to receiving your reply emails and thoughts. Of course, if you want to speak with me directly as well, I’d always welcome that. Maybe even over a cup of “good “coffee” next week.

December 2nd All Saints Family Mass with Bishop Frank

MARK YOUR CALENDAR - At 9 am on December 2nd, Bishop Frank will celebrate the Eucharist at All Saints campus for grades K-8.

All parents, grandparents and special friends are invited and encouraged to join us. Mrs. D’Andrea will provide parents and grandparents with an opportunity to let us know of their attendance in next week’s Monday News.

Mass will be celebrated in the Athletic Center. Father Perrella has formed a Campus Spiritual Direction Advisory Council. He has been working with them to plan the Liturgy. Seating will be set up with chairs on the floor, an altar will be on “risers” with a pipe and drape back drop and a Cross floated above the altar. Father P and the Spiritual Council Members asked Mrs. Brown to work with students who can lead us in song. There will be a large screen (per Mrs. Brown’s request) projecting the song lyrics. They say if you sing, you pray twice. It is always good to showcase the gifts of our students. ASCS students have talent and they are not afraid to show it. 

Superintendent and an ASCS Campus Visit

Our Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Cheeseman will be conducting a campus visit to ASCS on December 2, 2002. He is planning on staying on campus and spending time with us post the Eucharistic celebration with the Bishop.

Shout Outs and Gratitude

Mr. Guzman for making physical science alive and real for his students. Ask him about the egg walk experiment. He should be walking on air himself after engaging the scholars in such a lesson. He and Mrs. Dunn are grateful to Mrs. Wood and Mrs. Pignataro for helping clean the broken egg mess from failed experiments and videotaping the lesson as well.

Once again to the Wilberg family for trimming our overgrown trees which the Norwalk Police highlighted as a potential threat during the security audit. The front of campus looks great. Should you see the family be sure to extend our gratitude.

Stewardship

Have you put ASCS on your Christmas Gift List? Contact Mrs. D’Andrea to see the gift catalog and see how you might restrict your gift to benefit a particular class or project.

It is so easy to be excited about the generosity of our families, friends and donors. This week, a donor selected a new rug for Mrs. Fuller’s classroom from the gift catalog.

Another donor is considering rebranding our gym floor. The wood would be sanded down to the base and rebranded in ASCS blue and logo. Keep praying as the donor discerns making this gift to the school.

And, we have been blessed with yet another challenge gift. A donor has made a $5,000 challenge gift and promised to match dollar for dollar up to $5,000 the gifts made by ASCS parents before 12 noon on Giving Tuesday. Mark your calendar. Giving Tuesday art ASCS is Tuesday, November 29, 2022.

Advisory Board

The quarterly meeting of the All Saints Advisory Board will take place on November 22nd from 5 PM-7:30 PM. The agenda will include a celebration of Mass at 5 PM, followed by a light dinner and the business part of the meeting. The agenda will cover State of the School, Facility Security Updates, a timeline and process for involving All Saints Families in a Strategic Planning process and a preliminary discussion regarding the 2023-2024 tuition.

Parents in Formation

Our first parenting workshop was completed this week. About 15 parents took advantage of the parental education program.

Our second parenting workshop will be led by Chris Cipriano, Principal of Notre Dame High School. It will be at All Saints on December 1 at 630 PM. The topic is Continuing the Formation of your scholar. Everything a parent needs to know about the high school admissions process and financial aid/scholarship opportunities.

Varia

School Swag, Online Store and Stocking Stuffers – Much gratitude to the HSA. As Advent approaches they have graciously opened an online school store so parents can order school swag as stocking stuffers etc.

As of today, I have moved into the Head of School and Advancement Office Suite adjacent to the Welcome and Reception area in the main office. Come by and say hello. We are still waiting on some work to be completed and phones to be installed. As soon as the phones are installed Eileen D’Andrea will be moving in and Father Perrella will be occupying Eileen’s current office. We are grateful to Dr. Cheeseman and the diocese for facilitating and making it possible to construct of the Head of School and Advancement office suite.

School Culture

How do we know we are building a healthy school culture? Let me share an observation from the week;

Mrs. Green (5th grade teacher) was explaining to her class that the banners in our lobby represented various colleges and how we all work every day to prepare our young scholars for College and Heaven. She also shared with them information about the process of obtaining an undergraduate degree and graduate degrees. Using herself as an example she explained that she had an undergraduate degree from Albertus Magnus and a graduate degree from Southern Connecticut University. She further explained the importance of being a lifelong learner and shared with her scholars that she had been accepted to Western Governors University to earn an additional Master’s Degree. This one would be in Learning Experience Design and Education Technology and that beginning in January she would be a student just like them. She explained that she will be attending classes on weekday evenings and weekends so that she could continue to be their teacher. The young scholars gave her an ovation and congratulated her.

Mrs. Cassin asked her PK3 students to let her know what they were grateful for in their lives. Many said parents, grandparents and Jesus, and one said Mrs. Cassin. Mrs. Cassin is keeping pretty good company.

Two members of the ASCS class of 2019 prepared their college essays. Independent of each other each spoke of the formation they received at ASCS and highlighted teachers and staff members who they respect and emulate. Both wrote about their Faith journey and how their spirituality was nurtured at ASCS. Sometimes it takes a little time to see the fruits of your labors.

A new parent to ASCS wrote to tell Mrs. D’Andrea:

“We are thrilled, beyond thrilled with ASCS. It is all the right balances of academic rigor, kindness, and values – both religious and otherwise. ASCS captures the essence of childhood that is so lost today. Your social media is so happy and captures all of that happiness. We loved following along all last year. It sealed the deal for us."

Today is the 8th grade bake sale at the school. Trevor, a third grader just walked into my office and gave me a donut he purchased as a gift. Already Trevor is demonstrating one of the 10 characteristics (generosity) we want to instill in each student before they graduate.

Saintly Whisper and a Weekend Prayer

We can be better formatters, if we focus on our own spiritual growth first. So, I share this “SAINTLY  WHISPER”

“If it be a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God, it is a more terrible thing to fall out of them.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Father Robert Barrnon, author and producer of the Catholicism Film Series, refers to Archbishop Sheehan as the Patron Saint of Media and Evangelization.

It was a great week. Looking forward to you giving us a report card and of course week 12. Semper Altius!

God bless your family. Have a blessed weekend and make memories.

In Christ:

Steven Virgadamo

Head of School