St. Louis Catholic School Newsletter | |
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September 7, 2023
Dear St. Louis Families,
Many thanks to those of you who were able to join us for Back-to-School Night. I hope you found the sessions helpful and enjoyed hearing about the goals your child’s teacher has for this year. Know that we are grateful for your time, your partnership, and the trust that you place in us. We ask for your continued trust. Trust in our stewardship, and in our motives. We care deeply about your children. We are committed, first, to their safety. We feel genuine pride and happiness in their successes. We know that we set a high bar for your children. It is the reason why we cheer so sincerely for their growth. We spend many hours searching for the best ways to motivate your children, transfer knowledge to them, and allow them to show what they know and what they can do. Our partnership with you is based on honesty and communication, but our instructional and assessment strategies with them are based on data and evidence. We make a deliberate effort to teach students to be collaborators. Collaboration itself is our goal, and so we are teaching students how to be better teammates, how to improve in their listening skills, how to get better at eliciting information from others, how to find their voices and speak confidently in safe group settings.
We understand and recognize that there are many demands on you as parents. We will continue to listen to your needs, and we will continue to respond and adjust as we hear them. My request of you as parent-partners is that you continue to show respect for our teachers as professionals. If you need to address a concern, please send the teacher an email asking for some time over the phone or in person. Our teachers know that they are expected to respond in a timely manner. If for some reason you don't receive a timely response, please send another email, and copy me on it. Usually there's an explanation for a delayed teacher response. Know that we are all doing our best to balance work and family. As a school community, St. Louis has always exhibited tremendous grace, patience, and flexibility as we partner together to support the academic and spiritual growth of your child. We are ready and excited for this year!
Next week---Tuesday, September 12th is our Fall PTO meeting in McClunn Hall. Please join us as we share the state of the school and launch a successful year of parent-student-school events meant to build and strengthen our community while raising necessary funds to enrich the school academic and spiritual life. Our PTO Board: Mrs. Kelly Roman, Mrs. Allison Parmiter, Mrs. Stefani Grant, Mrs. Sarah McBride, and Mr. Greg Roberts enter their 1st year of leading our community. I hope to see many of you there.
Students and staff have been practicing emergency evacuations these first weeks of school and next week we will add in a required code yellow drill along with our emergency evacuation. As a reminder, code yellow is called when a potential for danger or a potential threat may be nearby. Students and staff shelter in place during code yellow. A notification will be shared when we practice this drill.
Please join us on Sunday for 8:45am Mass. It is the 2nd Sunday of the month, and we welcome all school families to join with administration and staff in the celebration of the Mass as one school community. The Knights of Columbus host a pancake breakfast afterwards, and the two events together make for a wonderful start to the day.
Our Hawk community is a special group, thank you for trusting us with your children’s education.
God Bless,
Anne Dyke
Principal
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8th Grade Parent Coffee: Getting Ready for High School
Mrs. Dyke will be holding an informational coffee on "Getting Ready for High School" for 8th Grade Parents on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 8:30am in the cafeteria. This presentation will include recently updated diocesan high school admissions information.
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A Reminder on Diocesan/State Attendance Policy
Reporting an absence is a two-step process:
1) The first step is to notify the school via SchoolPass (preferred), or by phone call (703-768-7732) or email (attendance@stlouisschool.org) prior to or on the day of the absence to let us know where your child is and the reason for the absence.
2) The second step is to send written notification on the day that the child returns to school, confirming the days of and reason for the absence. This can be hard copy written notification sent in through kidmail or electronic copy sent to attendance@stlouisschool.org.
Thank you for your assistance with this policy – Mrs. Schymanski is happy to help you with the process!
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October Lunch Bunch and Enrichment Sign-Up
October Lunch Bunch
Register HERE by September 24th
See flyer for more information.
We Are Artists & Fall STEM Fun Enrichment Sign Up See flyer for class descriptions and more information.
Register HERE by September 24th.
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Hawk Happenings: September 8-15, 2023 | |
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Friday, September 8
Sunday, September 10
- School Family Mass, 8:45am
Monday, September 11
- Lunch: Chicken Slider*
- MS Mass
Tuesday, September 12
- Lunch: Salisbury Steak*
- Ice Cream Available
- PTO Meeting, 7pm
Wednesday, September 13
- Lunch: Chicken Tenders*
- K-5 Mass
- 8th Grade Parent Coffee: HS 101
Thursday, September 14
- Lunch: Spaghetti*
- Ice Cream Available
- Band Sign-up Night, 6pm
Friday, September 15
- Lunch: Pizza*
- Happy Birthday St. Louis School! - popsicles @ lunch
Saturday, September 16
- Strings registration closes
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FULL SCHOOL CALENDAR
Did you know you can subscribe to our school calendar for real-time updates, convenient links to SUGs and flyers, and more? Subscribe to auto-populate your iCal, Outlook 2007+ or Google calendar
*Hot lunch must be ordered monthly in advance.
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Order October hot lunch HERE.
Orders accepted until 9pm September 29, 2023.
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Tickets must be pre-purchased to redeem for ice cream on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tickets leftover from last year may be used through the end of September.
Order ice cream tickets HERE.
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St. Louis Birthday Bash!
St. Louis School is having a birthday! To celebrate, the PTO is inviting you to participate in our Fall Fundraising Birthday Bash! As part of our fundraising goals this year, we hope to start outfitting classrooms with flexible seating options as well as support other PTO initiatives as our birthday gift to our Hawks.
Next week, you’ll be able to make a birthday donation to help your child’s class earn fabulous prizes and help the PTO reach its fall fundraising goals! Stay tuned for more information, and don’t miss the chance to kick off this week-long party at the PTO meeting September 12th at 7pm!
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Babysitting Available
Please join us for the first PTO meeting on Tuesday, September 12th at 7pm in McClunn Hall. Learn about all upcoming PTO initiatives/events – including our NEW volunteer points tracker, Connect 1. Babysitting is available for the meeting thanks to our fabulous 8th graders. Please register for babysitting HERE.
Bonus: you earn 1 volunteer hour for attending the meeting AND a comfy clothes day (date TBA) for your children!
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Spirit Dinner
Join us September 19 and/or 20th at El Paso on Cooper Road for our first Spirit Dinner of the school year! Bring the flyer with you to help St. Louis PTO raise funds while you connect with new and old classmates.
We’ll have a variety of Spirit Dinners throughout the year – some will be dine-in (or take out), while others will be pre-order and pick-up in the carpool line or EDC; so stay tuned! Contact Katie Schubert kgodburn@gmail.com if you have any questions.
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Save the Date! Hawks 5K & Fun Run - October 14th
Mark your calendars now for the annual Hawks 5k and Fun Run, back for the 10th year! Whether it’s the 5k course or the 1.5 mile Fun Run, runners of all ages will enjoy fun and exercise while raising funds for our school. Also returning this year, the Hawks Post-Race Pitstop! Be sure to stop by for Food, Friends, and Fun!
To register, sign up online at: https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Alexandria/StLouisHawks5K. Paper registration forms will be coming home in a future Friday folder.
This event is open to the entire family and Saint Louis Parish community. Proceeds benefit St. Louis Catholic School and Preschool.
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Sponsors Needed for Hawks 5K
Do you own a small business? Do you know a business that would like to support health and wellness in a school community? Or maybe you just want to see your name on lots of colorful T-shirts! Whatever the reason, please consider supporting St. Louis by becoming a sponsor for the 10th Annual Hawks 5K. Just click the “sponsorship” link on the race website or submit the paper form attached. All funds raised will directly benefit St. Louis School and Preschool. Thank you for your support!
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Dads for St. Louis School
All fathers, grandfathers, and male guardians are invited to join the Dads for Saint Louis School (DSLS). The group fosters fellowship among the Dads and supports the School's mission through social and service activities. DSLS aims to forge new friendships and create new and enduring traditions for all St. Louis male guardians, and our families in general. All are welcome to our first social event on the 21st of September @7:30pm at the Knights of Columbus Lodge (8592 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22309) to watch football and get to know each other. To join, please contact dads4stls@gmail.com or just show up to the event on the 21st!
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Monday Rosary Group
The Monday Rosary Group meets after morning drop off when school is in session in front of the Mary statue next to the main entrance. Start the week praying with and for our school community. No experience necessary!
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Band & Strings Programs
BAND (Grades 4-8)
Band instruction is offered through Garwood Whaley to students in 4th-8th grades interested in playing the trumpet, trombone, percussion, saxophone, flute, and clarinet. There will be an in-school band demonstration for students on Monday, Sept. 11th. Band sign-up night and parent info. meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept. 14 @ 6pm.
STRINGS (Grades K-8)
Strings instruction is offered through Old Town Music School to students in K-8th grades interested in playing the cello, viola, violin, and guitar. Information packets have been sent home to families who completed the interest form. The interest form is not the registration form. To register your child in the strings program, please do so with Old Town Music School directly. Registration closes September 16th.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to class scheduling, students in 4th-8th grade may not participate in both Band and Strings.
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Trail Life
Have a son interested in joining Trail Life? See the attached flyer for details. Mark your calendars for "Join Trail Life Night" on September 14th, 6:30-7:30pm in the school cafeteria or visit troopva2907.org for more information and registration. Get in on the adventure!
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CYO Spirit Wear Orders
It's time to order your CYO spirit wear for the year. The link to order is www.sewnluv.com/st-louis. The site will be open ONLY through Friday, September 8th at 5:00 pm. Order today! The orders take about 2-3 weeks to fulfill. The CYO will contact you when the orders are in. If you have any questions, please contact the St. Louis parish CYO team at saintlouiscyo@gmail.com. Thank you for your support, and Go Hawks!
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CYO Hawks Cheerleading 2023-2024
Shout your St. Louis spirit loud and proud as a Hawks Cheerleader!! Hawks Cheerleading is open to all boys and girls in grades 4 - 8 and is a great opportunity to represent your parish and school and support your classmates during pep rallies, basketball games, competitions, and many other fun school events!
The Gold Team (grades 6, 7, and 8) will practice every Friday from 3:30-5:00pm in the gym; first practice is September 15th.
The Blue Team (grades 4 and 5) will practice every Tuesday from 3:30-4:30pm in the gym; first practice is September 19th.
Coach Natalie Salisbury and Coach Maria Driggers will also host a live zoom session on Wednesday, September 13th at 7pm to provide interested parents an overview of our cheer program and what to expect for the 2023 - 2024 season. To attend the session or to learn more about Hawks Cheerleading please email HawksCheerALX@gmail.com and/or fill out this form.
Registration is now open on SportsPilot.
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CYO Cross Country, Track and Tennis Teams
Calling all athletes in Grades 3-8! Registration is open for the CYO Track and Field, Cross Country and Tennis teams. Practices begin Friday, September 8th–see flyer for details and how to register. Go Hawks!
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SEPT. 10: THIS SUNDAY! 2nd Sunday School Families Mass and Pancakes!
St. Louis School families are invited to worship together at this Sunday's 8:45am Mass at Saint Louis. Join together in fellowship afterward at the Knights of Columbus Pankcake Breakfast in the cafeteria. See you there!
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SEPT 20-21: ED Games Expo
ED GAMES EXPO, an annual showcase of innovations in education technology developed through programs at the U.S. Department of Education, its Institute of Education Sciences, and across government.
The 9th annual ED Games Expo will occur in Washington, DC, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts REACH on Wednesday, September 20 and Thursday, September 21, 2023. Click here to view the ED Games Expo agenda, which provides an overview of all Expo events as well as registration information. Local community members, including families and students of all ages, should register to attend the ED Games Expo for the Public taking place on Wednesday, September 20, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Attendees will be able to demo 180+ learning games and EdTech innovations as well as meet the developers who created them! This is a family-friendly event. There is no cost to attend the ED Games Expo. For more information, contact EDGamesExpo@ed.gov.
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Oct. 7: Diocesan Pilgrimage to Emmitsburg, MD
Join Bishop Burbidge on a pilgimage to the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on October 7th. Please see the attached flyer for the schedule of events.
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Oct. 14: Bishop Ireton Cheer Clinic
Girls in 1st-8th grades are invited to spend an unforgettable day learning cheerleading and performing with the 2016-2023 Christian Cheerleaders of America National Grand Champions. The clinic on October 14th includes lunch and a halftime performance at the BI Varisty Football game. Please see the flyer for registration information.
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