Holiday-Winter Issue - St. Bernadette Parish

The Saint Bernadette School
Home of the Bulldogs
CONNECTION
Westlake, Ohio News, Views and Information for Parents Holiday-­‐Winter Issue 2014-­‐15 Congratulations to our “Classroom of Champions” Team who took First Place at Saint Edward’s
High School competition!! The team consisted of Kelly Coyne, Kate Daugherty, Kyle Kolick,
Gabby Sheppard, Nate Stuart and Maureen Van Oosten. The students put in many weeks of
practice after school to prepare for the competition. This makes the third year in a row the students
of Saint Bernadette have taken home the championship. A big thanks you to Mrs. Sent and Mr.
Stuber for being our moderators and coaches for this event!! Great job students!! Saint Bernadette
School is proud of each and every one of you!!
SAVE THE DATE
OPEN HOUSE
SUNDAY, JANUARY
25, 2015
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
January 2015
13 Early Spring Sports Registration Begins
22 Candid Picture Day
22 Market Day Pick-Up 2:30-3:30 (DH)
23 Report Cards
25 Open House 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
27 8th Gr. Olympics 1:00 pm (PAC)
25-31 Catholic Schools Week
30 27th Annual Men’s Reverse Raffle (DH) 6:00 pm
February 2015
9-11
Jump Rope/Hoops for Heart (PAC)
10 Confirmation Interviews
12 Box Tops “Dress Down Day” (Winning Homerooms)
12 Market Day Paper & Online Order Deadlines (11 am & 11 pm)
13
No School - Teacher Day
16 No School - President’s Day
18 Ash Wednesday
18 Spring Sports Registrations End
19 Market Day Pick-Up 2:30-3:30 (DH)
24-27 ITBS and/or CogAT Testing (Gr. 1-8)
25 First Eucharist Parent Meeting
25 Teacher Luncheon by PTU
March 2015
AN ALL SCHOOL MASS
IS CELEBRATED EACH
FRIDAY AT 9:00 AM.
PLEASE JOIN US!!
5 Box Tops “Dress Down Day” (Winning Homerooms)
2-16 ITBS and/or CogAT Testing (Gr. 1-8)
12 Confirmation Interviews
13 Market Day Paper & Online Order Deadlines (11 am & 11 pm)
17 No School - St. Patrick’s Day
18 Confirmation Candidates/Sponsors Meeting
19 Donuts with Dad (PAC)
19 St. Joseph’s Feast Day & Fr. Joe’s Birthday
Market Day Pick-Up 2:30-3:30 (DH)
21 Father-Daughter Dance 6:30-9 pm (PAC)
24 Confirmation Retreat
25 Muffins with Mom (PAC)
27 End of Third Quarter
Spirit Day (PAC)
29 Palm Sunday
April 2015
1 Report Cards
2 Holy Thursday
3 Good Friday
3-10 Easter Break
5 Easter Sunday
13 Classes Resume
15 Confirmation 7:00 pm (Church)
17 Market Day Paper & Online Order Deadline (11 am & 11 pm)
20-21 Kindergarten Screenings
22 Teacher Luncheon by PTU
23 Market Day Pick-Up 2:30-3:30 pm (DH)
24 Gr. 2 Jesus Day Retreat (PAC)
THESE ARE JUST A FEW
OF OUR IMPORTANT
SCHOOL DATES...PLEASE
CHECK CALENDAR ON OUR
WEBSITE:
WWW.STBERN.NET FOR
MORE IMPORTANT DATES*
SAINT BERNADETTE SCHOOL NEWS
ATTENDANCE LINE
YOU MUST call the school attendance line
440.734.4601 anytime your child will not be
coming to school or is either late or absent
all day. Tardies and absences MUST be
called in NO LATER than 8:00 am. If you
wish to speak with the school nurse,
please call 440.734.0565.
Special Presenta.on for Grades Six, Seven and Eight:
On December 2, 2014, Rabbi Enid Lader, from Beth Israel-­‐West Temple, did a special presentaAon to the students. She explained the Jewish lunar year and the Jewish holidays. She brought relics, from the temple, to show the students. She also gave each student a dreidel with instrucAons for the game. The dreidel game Aes into Chanukah (Hanukkah) as the lePers on the dreidel stand for the phrase, “A great miracle happened there.” Students study Judaism in their Religion and Social Studies classes. Rabbi Lader’s presentaAon was a wonderful connecAon to concepts the students The current schedule is on our website:
www.stbern.net. A big THANK YOU to all are learning. Also, last month the students saw the movie, “Paper Clips,” regarding a school in rural Tennessee that collected a paper clip for every of our hard working Saint Bernadette parent
volunteers for supporting our Bingo
person who died in the Holocaust (six million). Discussions regarding Program!! Bingo is a great way of getting to
diversity, tolerance vs. intolerance, stereotyping and other topics were know other parents while enjoying an evening
addressed. Later this year, some middle school students will go to the Maltz away from home!!
Museum and visit a Jewish temple
BINGO
BULLDOG CAFE
Our ‘Hot Lunch Program‘ is a delicious and
nutritious way for your child to eat each
school day. Monthly menus are posted on the
school website. Lunch, milk and snack tickets
can be purchased and forms are on our
website or pick one up in the school office.
GIFT CARD PROGRAM
THANK YOU to our families who ordered
gift cards over the holidays and to the
students who have earned FREE ‘Field Trips’
this year!! Remember....gift cards make
wonderful presents for upcoming
Confirmations, First Communions, Birthdays
and even Weddings!!
NOTES NEEDED
Parents MUST write a NOTE each and
every day your child has a change of schedule.
NOTES MUST be turned in to their
homeroom teacher first thing in the am.
PLEASE also discuss with your child
their pm plan each morning!
$$$$$$$
Labels for Education, Box Tops, Market Day,
Coke Rewards, Heinen’s Tasteful Rewards,
Giant Eagle Apples for the Students, and
Target ‘Take Charge of Education” are all easy
and fun ways to raise money for our school!!
THANK YOU for your support!!
SAVE THE DATES
MAY 14, 15 & 16
WESTLAKE HIGH
SCHOOL
More info. coming soon!!
Developing Grit in Today’s Students
AROUND CAMPUS
Grit is a term that has been in use frequently with regards to
Ohio’s New Learning Standards. The dictionary defines grit as
firmness of character or an indomitable spirit. Grit is what
students need to demonstrate as they work to master
understanding in the classroom.
Bulldogs on the Ice
According to Daniel S. Mulhall, talent does not develop grit.
Children are more likely to develop grit when they know that they
can fail. What can educators do to help foster grit?
1. Praise effort, not intelligence.
2. Give feedback about effort or strategies.
3. Put children in charge of their own self-esteem.
4. Provide opportunities to practice.
5. Provide opportunities to overcome obstacles.
6. Provide rules and enforce them.
7. Encourage optimism.
8. Talk often about the importance of character, strengths, and
virtues.
Harvard researcher Angela Duckworth isolated two qualities that
she thought might be a better predictor of outstanding
achievement than ability:
1. The tendency not to abandon tasks from mere
changeability: not seeking something because of novelty; not
“looking for a change.”
2. The tendency not to abandon tasks in the face of obstacles:
perseverance, tenacity, doggedness.
Our 5th Grade Junior Girl Scout Troop 70436 had a
good turnout for our first ever “Cookies & Crafts
with Jolly Old St. Nick.” Our Elves transformed
Dempsey Hall into the North Pole. We had over 50
children come, do crafts, eat cookies, and visit with
Santa. Santa was amazing with the young ones! We
collected 126 canned and boxed goods which were
donated to the Westlake food bank. It was a
wonderful opportunity to celebrate St. Nicholas Day
and a great time was had by all. We hope to do it
again next year! Thank you to everyone that came
out to support the Girl Scouts!!
COOKIES &
CRAFTS
WITH JOLLY
OLD
ST. NICK
FIRST RECONCILIATI
ON
Our 2nd grade students received the gifts of mercy
and forgiveness on December 6th . The children
have been preparing for this special Sacrament
since the beginning of the school year and have
“prepared their hearts for Jesus” by writing their
name on a heart which was placed on a banner in
the Church during the liturgy. Eight visiting priests
were present for the communal penance service.
Thank you to Mrs. Hajduk, Mrs. Bobko, Fr. Racco and
Fr. Seebauer for working with the youngsters and
instructing them so well in their Faith.
THE NEXT
TIGER WOODS??
First Grade Student, Peter
Myers was invited to play in
the Jr. PGA Championship
in Florida in October.
Pete earned the invitation by winning 11 golf
tournaments this summer. It was an amazing
opportunity for him to test himself and meet
people from around the world. We congratulate
this young golfer and wish hime a bright future on
the course.
What a wonderful time all our
Grandparents and Grandfriends had at
our annual Grandparent’s Day celebration
on October 10th. Our guests attended
Mass with their special students and then
came over to the school for visits and
refreshments. A good time was had by
all!! A big THANK YOU to our committee
members who organized this event: Nikki
Hyland, Chris Kamrass and Tracy Shively
and our teachers and staff!! Great job!!
Christine Jakyma and another b
ALUMNI NEWS
On November 8th, a couple of our students headed
to support Saint Bernadette Alum, Kevin Burke, as
he guided his Mount Union team as quarterback in
the battle against Baldwin Wallace. Thank you to
Nancy Breckenridge for putting together this surprise,
and the support you gave Kevin in that important
game.
The following is an AP press release from December
10...Mount Union senior quarterback Kevin Burke
could repeat as winner of the Gagliardi Trophy given
to the top all-around player in NCAA Division III. Burke is among four
finalists named Tuesday for the award. He won the 2013 trophy as a
junior. This season Burke directed an offense that led Division III in
yards per game (619.2) and points scored (577). The other finalists
are senior quarterback Michael Bates from Illinois College, Wesley
junior quarterback Joe Callahan and senior running back Dylan Jones
from Willamette. The 22nd annual Gagliardi Trophy will be presented
Dec. 17 in Salem, Virginia. The award is named after former St.
John's coach John Gagliardi, who retired after the 2012 season with
489 career victories, the most in college football history. - AP Sports
Mount Union Competes in the Stagg Bowl, Friday December 19 in
Salem Virginia and can be seen on ESPN.
Mrs. Long’s Library News...
Due to the success of the 2014 Book Fair, we are
BULLDOG BOOK
in the process of ordering books for our library
WORMS
shelves. The children will enjoy a nice variety of
Thank you to everyone who
books and magazines very soon!! We know Mrs.
purchased items at the Scholastic
Long will add many new Caldecott and Newbery
Medal books along with other exciting and
educational items for our students!!
P.S. For your information - the website that is available to inquire if
a book is on the Accelerated Reading List is - www.arbookfind.com
Book Fair in
the fall. We raised close to
$8,000.00 for the Saint
Bernadette Library!! The
funds will be used to purchase new
books and magazines!! Thank you!!
BULLDOG ATHLETIC NEWS
Congratulations to our Sixth Grade Boys Football
Team for winning the CYO Championship!!
Awesome job!!
Girls 6th grade volleyball Team made it to the CYO
Championship game!! They gave it their all!!
Congrats on a great season bulldog girls!!
Thank you to all our players, coaches and families
who came out to cheer our bulldogs on!!
Winter Sports have begun and it will be a
another season of FUN!!, FUN!! FUN!! and many
WINS!! WINS!! WINS!!
The 8th grade Saint Bernadette
CYO girls Basketball team
dedicated their Holy Trinity
Tournament over the past 4 weeks
to The Orbany's in memory of
Michael and winning the
Championship! Great job girls!!
#NEGU
IN MEMORY OF MICHAEL
Mr. Greg Strick ran the Chicago Marathon on
October 12th in honor of our hero and friend
Michael Orbany. Greg decided to do this over the
summer and set his goal...he met and exceeded
that goal!! His race time was 3:54 and $1, 520.00
was raised for St.
Baldrick’s in memory
of “Big Mike”.
A THANK YOU FROM OUR PASTOR....
St. Bernadette Students and School Staff,
Thank you for your kind words and best
wishes for my birthday. Your generous gift
was and is greatly appreciated. Thank you
for all that you do for our children. I enjoy
being part of the history of this parish and the
school.
Again, thank you and do know
you are always in my prayers.
NEGU
is for us now!!!!
Fr. Phil
THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE Student Council once again organized our annual Thanksgiving Drive to provide non-­‐
perishable items for The Westside Catholic Center. Our students donated such an abundance of items that we were able to load large WCS’S vans full of food and toiletries for those in need!! How wonderful is that??!! Thank you for your generosity and kindness toward this always amazing community service project!!
THE UPSIDE OF DOWNS Student Council did a great job on planning the Downs Syndrome fundraiser again this year. Each student was asked to bring in a $2.00 donation and also earned a “Dress Down Day” on Thursday, November 20th. Because of you, we were able to raise over $1,653.00 for this very important cause!! Mr. Stuber’s homeroom brought in the most $$ with a whopping $373.54. Well done Room 10!! Way to go Bulldogs!! We would like to thank you for all your support of this important cause.
PENNIES FOR PIES
With the money raised, we were able to purchase 90 pies for those in need. 50 of the pies went to the Westside Catholic Center, 20 to the
Oxcart Pantry in N. Olmsted, and 20 to Community Cares in N. Ridgeville.
Congratulations to our grand prize winner...Miss Hogan’s 7th grade!! Her class will enjoy a ‘Pizza Party’ and all homerooms who reached their donation goal, were able to “Dress Down” in December. Great job everyone!! Thank you to Mrs. Falardeau & Mrs. Gallo for heading up Market Day and to all our parents and students who gave from their hearts, their pocket books and their piggy banks this Holiday Season!! Many families in our community will enjoy a Thanksgiving dessert...all because of you!!
CANS FOR BURNED CHILDREN Our 8th graders have been reading the book, Firegirl, by Tony Abbott. In order for our students to have a real-­‐life connection to the novel, they have been collecting cans for ACBC which is an organization in partnership with the Northern Ohio FireTighter, the Northeast Fire Chief’s Association and MetroHealth Medical Center.
Thank to our families for supporting this very important cause!!
A special thank you to Miss Hinkel and Mrs. Siiman for organizing this project!!
POP TABS Keep collecting those pop tabs especially over the holidays and bring them in to your teachers. We've already taken a huge boxful to Ronald McDonald House where they are used to help pay for living expenses for those parents who have children in the hospital and need a place to stay. Let's see if we can double that amount this quarter.
ADOPT-A-FAMILY
Our school raised close to $6,500.00 and provided Christmas for over 20 families!!
This annual service project teaches our students that “giving” is truly better than “receiving”. Thank you for
your generosity and kindheartedness!!
Congratulations to our top homerooms:
1st Place, Miss Hogan’s Homeroom with $1,053.00
in donations, 2nd place was Mrs. Smith’s classroom
with $600.00 raised, and in 3rd place, Mr. Stuber
and his students with $514.00 in total monies
brought in!!! WOW!!! Great job junior high and all
our Saint Bernadette Students and teachers!!!
Thank you to our teachers and students for tying all the
blankets and to all the volunteer moms who shopped
and wrapped the gifts!!! A humungous THANK YOU
to Becky Gibel and Bridget DeMonica for taking this huge project on!!! You have made many families in
need have a beautiful Christmas!!!
SONGS AND SOUNDS OF THE SEASON
The Choir has had an exceptionally busy past few
months and has had a blast in the process! It all
started with the Holiday Mart in November when
they provided part of the entertainment for the
shoppers! After that they moved in rapid
succession through the Advent Concert, the
Christmas Concert, and programs at The
Belvedere Senior Residence and at Gale's Nursery! After a relaxing Christmas break, they came back
to sing at the Epiphany Mass on January 4. As we move forward into 2015, they are
preparing for more upcoming performances. Be sure to keep an ear open for them!
A SPARKLING SHOPPING SEASON
The Saint Bernadette Holiday Mart took place
in November and was another huge success!!
Our 6th annual event was filled with many
talented local artists and boutiques. A portion of
the proceeds brought will go to Saint Bernadette
School and another portion to the wonderful
work at The Gathering Place!! Thank you to Mo
Loesch & her crew for putting on a fabulous
show & to all those who came out to purchase all
the wonderful “one of a kind” items!! See you
next year!!
*WINTER FAMILY FUN*
Here we are, deep in the midst of winter, and spring is still just a dream. Here are some awesome activities
to do as a family to melt these cold months away while making magical memories to last a lifetime!!
• Get bundled up and go on a nature walk or go sledding and ice skating together.
• Visit someone who is homebound and take over some cookies and enjoy some conversation with them.
• Choose your favorite winter themed activities (crafting or baking) and decorate your creations with words
that remind us of God’s beautiful winter season.
• During this “Year of Consecrated Life”, pray for Pope Francis, Bishop Lennon and all bishops, Fr. Phil
and Fr. Joe and all priests, along with deacons, nuns, and seminarians. Pray for our brothers and sisters
all over the world to hear the call of the Holy Spirit to religious life.
• Do a word search or cross word puzzle with a religious
or winter theme.
• Enjoy a night in with family board game night.
• Help out at a local Soup Kitchen and bring your energy
and your smile.
• Have a family dinner where everyone does something to
contribute to the meal (setting the table, making a recipe or doing the dishes.)
• Visit a museum or other educational venue.
• Rent a family flick, pop some popcorn and heat up the hot cocoa with marshmallows and enjoy some special
bonding and cuddling time.
Mrs. Kirchner - Kindergarten, Room 2
The kindergarteners in Rooms 1 remain very busy. We had a fabulous Thanksgiving feast and came back
from break to prepare for the birth of Jesus! In reading we are learning sight words and beginning to
read simple text from our readers. In math we can read and write our numbers up to 20, are working
with 10 frames, and measurement. We apply our phonics skills in our journals and share our writings and
illustrations with the class. And last but not least, we are working on our D’Nealian letters in printing. Great job boys and girls! Keep up the hard work and grand efforts!
Mrs. Holmes & Mrs. Burke -­‐ Fifth Grade, Room 17 & 19 Fifth Grade Learning
Our minds continue to grow in 5th grade. In Science, we have just 9inished learning about biomes. We completed a project by assembling pictures and descriptions of each biome in a suitcase format. Currently in Math, we are studying graphing and this quarter we have learned numerical expressions and pattern sequences. Our Social Studies lessons have included learning about the branches of government, the Constitution, and the Revolutionary War. We also compared Native American tribes by using a Venn Diagram. As a class, we enjoyed reading a book called The Secret School and used our creativity to summarize the story in a lapbook. In Religion, each student chose a saint to research and make a class presentation. As the New Year starts, the 5th grade looks forward to taking part in the D.A.R.E. program. ~Brock Danahey
MISS FOX’S ART ROOM
“A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS”
THANK YOU to everyone who ordered Square One Art!!
This FUNraiser that brought in $1,600.00 to purchase Art Supplies!!
TRUNK
OR
TREAT
KINDERGARTEN
THANKSGIVING
FEAST
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas at Sain
t Bernadette School
JUNIOR HIGH NEWS
Miss Hinkel -­‐ Junior High Reading
Kate Daugherty, an
eighth grader, had a
whopping 506 post-it
notes for our novel
Firegirl!
Costume Design Project
7th graders pose as a Soc or a Greaser from
the novel the “Outsiders” for their final project.
6th graders
working
together to
create
charades for
vocabulary.
8th grade students who used 3,386 post-it notes
during their analysis of our novel, Firegirl!
NEON CHRISTMAS DANCE
Our Junior High Students had a blast at their
Christmas Dance in December. There were plenty
of friends on hand who enjoyed lots of food and
fun. The kids had a dance contest and even did the
limbo! A good-time was had by all! Thank you to
our Student Council Moderators and Parent and
Teacher Chaperones for all their hard work and
dedication in making this event one our students
will remember for years to come!