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Every five years St. Theresa School is audited by the State of Illinois for compliance with State standards required for non-public school recognition. Our five year audit was last Friday and we are happy to announce we are fully recognized for the next five years. Why do we bother with State recognition? Many of the aspects of the standards represent best practice for the operation of a school– for example, management of student records, facilities safety, and health and wellness expectations. With State recognition we have access to resources including title funding, grants, and other support services that are only available to institutions that hold State recognition. Maintaining state recognition ensures that St. Theresa School can continue to benefit from these resources – most recently, it qualified us to receive the CARES Act, EANS funding. Thank you to all the staff who cooperated in this quinquennial recognition process and thank you for your patience with my availability last week as we put the finishing touches on the paperwork!
Congratulations to our Student Council who, after many years of encouraging, searching, and negotiating, have secured a snack vending machine for the lunch room. How did we come to install the machine? It stems from a 6th grade writing project in which students write a persuasive essay to me, encouraging us to make a change in some aspect of the school that would be beneficial to the students. The students who began this project a number of years ago stated:
Teens do not have breakfast enough and this has an effect on school work. Only around 50% of middle school students have breakfast and that number drops to only 36% of high school students not eating breakfast. We can decrease the number of students not eating breakfast by purchasing vending machines. Not eating breakfast has an effect on a student's school work because multiple studies have shown that students that ate breakfast are more concentrated in school. Many students who have breakfast do better on tests than students who skipped their morning meal. If students are hungry until the next time they eat, then their thoughts will be focused on food, therefore they will be wasting half the school day. The student won't be able to get good grades if they have tests in the morning and they aren't focusing. Therefore, if students aren’t eating breakfast, their school work will go downhill except if we get vending machines, then the student will thrive. (Paige O, ’21)
Vending machines would have a major effect on the students of St. Theresa School. Some vending machines supply unhealthy snacks, like chips and soda, that affect your health in a negative way. Since St. Theresa can choose what to stock their vending machines with, they could provide healthy snacks for breakfast, which could benefit the students throughout the day. They could then use the profits to donate to charities. (Cole H ’21)
Vending machines can be used as a charity fundraiser. The money that is put into the vending machines can be used as a fundraiser for nearby charities. Doing this will make students responsible for their own money management and will help them be better collaborators and communicators by working together to bring money to charity. This can be another idea similar to change for change. (Raiden A ’21)
Finally, after several fits and starts, it’s here! We were actually expecting it after Spring Break, but it showed up early. The machine contains healthier snacks (no candy) and is available to supplement students’ nutritional needs at key times during the day. As a general rule, students in grades K-5 may only use the vending machines during their lunch. Middle School students may access the vending before school, during their lunch, and before they move to after school activities. We do expect a certain attraction to the vending during these initial days but know it will die down to a regular use pattern after a few weeks. You are in no way obligated to fund this machine – students never “need” money for the vending machine from the school’s perspective. Please help your child be a wise consumer of this new machine. Thank you to the President Brooke Diamond and the StuCo for their perseverance in this task. We look forward to your continued efforts in service of the school!
Today is a busy day at STS – the Palatine Police will be here on Thursday morning for their annual “Officer Friendly” safety talks to grades K-5. Officer Jeff Schlee from the Palatine Police will speak with the students about wise choices and personal safety and how to make good choices in an emergency. Thank you to Officer Schlee and the Palatine Police Department for their continual service to our students and school! On Thursday afternoon, the 4th and 5th graders will be participating in the Opera for the Young Workshop. They will present their opera here at school in the afternoon and again in the evening for their parents. Thank you to Miss Pappas for her efforts coordinating this experience and to the Parents Association for funding this wonderful opportunity to learn about and perform opera!
I hope you will join us for Stations of the Cross on Friday at 12:30 in the church. The kindergarten - 8th grade students will prepare their hearts for Holy Week – and Spring Break – together, then return to school for final dismissal at 1:30. Preschool will follow right after with dismissal at 1:45. If you are joining us for prayer, after the Stations students will return to their classrooms with their homeroom teachers. Parents can head to their cars and join the pick up line using the regular pick up procedures. We are not signing kids out in the office this time – they will come out to you in the regular pick up line.
As we close on Friday, I wish you and your loved ones a peaceful and meaningful Holy Week, a joyful Easter, and a rejuvenating Spring Break. May this time bring you closer to your Our Lord and provide you with the opportunity for rest, family, and prayer.
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