Krause`s Korner - Mary Immaculate Catholic School

Mary Immaculate School Parents/Teachers Club Newsletter
www.mischool.org
Sept 2015
Holy Father,
Krause’s Korner
We thank you for the
opportunity to begin this
new school year, and we
ask that you bless the
students, faculty, and
student families that make
our school a great place.
Welcome back one and all for the 2015-2016 school year here at MIS! I hope you all spent a
wonderful summer creating many fabulous memories that you will carry with you as a family and
will look back on fondly. These childhood years go so fast—you blink and they are gone!—so
I hope you all took the time as a family to enjoy the time you d id get together. Having a high
school senior in my house has only taught us that you cannot slow time, you just have to enjoy
what you are given.
We pray that you will
guide us in all ways, so
that we will seek your will
in everything that we do.
We ask this in the name of
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
As we begin another school year, we must rededicate ourselves to the service of our Lord and
to raise our levels of expectations for both spiritual and academic growth. Our tradition of hard
working students who are reliable and respected is recognized throughout the diocese. In addition
to that, we will strive to continue the family feel that sets us apart and makes MIS the place that
our students want to be at and love.
We are pleased to have Linda Coffin move into the role of our second Assistant Principal, and
Joette Viggiano into the role of Dean of Students.Along with our new faculty members (see page
3), I believe these changes will make us a stronger school and better suited to serve the population
of the churches we draw from. Another change this year will be opportunities for the students to
attend mass more often with having classes go one extra time per month when available. I hope
you all join us in a prayer to start the year well for a successful 2015-2016.
God Bless,
Matthew Krause, Principal
Greeter Desk
Volunteers Needed!
CONTENTS
Feature Story:
New Teachers ....3
Still not ready to give up seeing your child during
the middle of the day after the long summer?
Then volunteer at the greeter desk! No special
talents required except a willingness to serve.
You may work 1x month or more dependingon
your schedule. It’s so easy and you can bring
busy work with you (free wifi!) or just hang
out and watch the kids walk by . We have the
following open shifts at this time. Interested
volunteers should contact: Stephanie Cole
([email protected])
Parent/Student Handbooks
The Parent/Student Handbook for this school
year is now available on the school website.
Paperwork was sent to all families via kidmail
last week that you must sign and return to
confirm that your family has reviewed the
handbook. If a hardcopy is needed, they are
available through the office.
To view the electronic copy of the Parent/
Student Handbook, please click here.
To request a hard copy of the publication,
please email your request to pecheverry@
mischool.org.
Community
News ..................4
Community
Events ................7
Serving
Our Community ..8
Photo Finish .......9
1 September 2015
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MIS PTC BOARD
President
Maria Ilarina Curran
Vice President
Amy Smart
President-Elect
Ania Linkiewicz-Gawel
Treasurer
Christina Palacios-Martin
April Breen
Secretary
Vipul Patel
Volunteer Services
Stephanie Cole
Angie Meenan
Community Enrichment
Dyan Dalton
Kristi Montemayor
Spiritual Enrichment
Rita Ford
Angelica Ortiz
Hospitality Chair
Susan Ratz-Thomas
Kristin Lebon
Teacher Liaison
Sandra Loshelder
MIS ADVISORY
COUNCIL
President
Craig Senick
Vice-President
Ana Schaller
Secretary
Diane Kucera
Members
Pat Gasper
Pamela Krakosky
Jennifer Calvin
Pete McMahon
Steven Bristow
Sean McIntyre
2 September 2015
From the PTC
Welcome home to our returning families and to
new families who now call MIS their new home
away from home. It is awe-inspiring to know
many of you who have been members of our MIS
family for 10 plus years and counting. By way
of the Parent/Teacher Club FacePage, I would
like to introduce the returning and new PTC
Board officers and thank them all for prayerfully
accepting the call to love and serve our Lord via
this organization. Our officers have children in
K-8, so the grades are well represented and a
few have served in various roles over the course
of many years. On behalf of the 2015-2016
PTC Board, I invite you to engage with the PTC
Spiritual Enrichment, Community Enrichment,
Hospitality and Volunteer Services committees
to love, connect, serve and grow with us this
new school year.
For the love of MIS, many of our students,
parents, families, relatives, teachers, and staff
were already putting their love in action before
school even started. Thank you for carving time
out of your busy work schedules and summer
plans to paint the school, organize, execute
and attend the Back to School activities such
as prep day, newcomers social, room parents
luncheon, first day of school coffee/donuts and
rosary, skating party, picnic and more. Through
your contributions and support of last school
year’s PTC events most notably the Heart of
Gold Auction, the PTC was able to contribute
$60,000 for the school’s needs. Your current
PTC room fees and family dues will help pay
for grade specific educational events/parties,
field trips, little extras and some of the teachers’
classroom supplies. Your love manifested in
your prayers and support for those families
who needed spiritual, emotional, physical and
financial help over this past school year and
summer lifted the spirits of our brothers and
sisters in Christ.
Participating in future PTC sponsored events
is a blessed way to connect with less familiar
and new members plus to make new friends.
You’re invited to connect with us to learn and
get involved in the PTC sponsored events we
are planning during our PTC Board meetings
on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 pm
at Mary Immaculate Church. We encourage
you to reach out to any of us on the board to
communicate and partner with us on providing
quality programs and events to enrich the lives
of our MIS family.
Starting in August, the PTC Board is sponsoring
a Volunteer of the Month award to show our
appreciation to a family member whose acts
of love enrich our community. Thanks to many
of you who have already volunteered so far
and for those of you who have signed up for
future events. Before the first day of school,
we already had almost 300 volunteers sign up
for various events throughout the year. Your
many hands make our good works light. The
PTC owned and maintained mobile online
directory on www.myschoolanywhere.com
is in its second year of operation. This year
the online directory is expanded to utilize the
volunteer signup feature. We intend for the
majority of our PTC sponsored events to be set
up, managed and tracked on MSA and to make
it is easier for you to have one place to view all
your volunteer sign ups. We are also soliciting
sponsors to advertise in our online directory as
a way to offset the annual software license fee
and as a fundraiser for the PTC. We request
your patronage and support of our sponsors.
Thanks be to God for our freedom to grow
our faith and knowledge, so we can educate
and train our children in our Christian faith,
worship and morality. Our Spiritual Enrichment
Committee implements many opportunities
to grow ourselves, our students, families and
communities through prayer and rosary groups,
book studies, and monthly bulletin board of a
Saint and virtue to name a few.
In the many parts of our one body of Christ, there
is a wealth of faith, compassion, knowledge,
skills, talents and gifts which thankfully many of
you have shared through your past and present
service and volunteerism. I look forward to
getting to know more of our rich community of
families and to partnering with you and our PTC
Board as we raise our children according to
God’s will and prepare them for their heavenly
home.
In Christ’s service,
Maria Ilarina Curran
MIS PTC President, 2015-2016
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FEATURE
STORY: NEW
TEACHERS
Welcome New MIS Faculty!
Amy Montoya, 1st Grade
My name is Amy Montoya, and I am excited to be on the other side of the desk at MIS. I am a
proud mom of an MIS graduate who enjoyed Kindergarten-8th grades at MIS and is currently a
10th grader at Bishop Lynch. I was raised in Famers Branch-Carrollton and I have been a part
of Mary Immaculate my entire life. My love for this church, school and community is deep and
has led me to this exciting new career here. I am beyond excited to be teaching first grade. I
have been a teacher for 13 years. I hold a Bachelors from the University of North Texas and a
Masters from The University of Texas at Dallas. My family—my husband, my teen son, my two
daughters (ages four and six), and our dog Zowie—keep this mama busy. You can usually find
us cheering on my son in one of three varsity sports: cross country, swimming, and track and
field. I am obsessed with DIY and HGTV and you can find me binge watching shows on these
channels during my free time. I am looking forward to my first year at MIS!
Jouni Lehtola, 4th Grade
I’m blessed to be here at MIS. My name is Jouni Lehtola and yes, you guessed it right, I am from
Finland. In my early years here, I earned a Bachelor of Business degree in Marketing from the
University of Texas in Arlington. Following college, I started the local youth hockey program with
the Dallas Stars organization, then became a full-time dad for our three children, until immersing
myself in the Catholic school environment at St. Rita. At St. Rita Catholic School, I taught life
skills through P.E. to students from Kindergarten through 8th grade for eight years. Last year,
I embarked on a journey to further educate myself, earn a teaching certificate, and make a
positive impact on students in the classroom. All along, now for more than twenty years, I have
been fortunate enough to continue coaching youth ice hockey from the novice to national level.
Andrew Brimeyer, 6th Grade
Hello MIS! I am Mr. Brimeyer and I am beyond excited to join the MIS family. I am originally from
Dubuque, Iowa. I attended Augustana College where I received a Bachelor’s degree in English
Literature and Business Management. I am working towards my Masters in Education as part
of the ACE program through the University of Notre Dame. I enjoy running, watching baseball
(Go Cubs!) and exploring all of the fantastic food that Dallas has to offer.
Veronica Navarro, 6th Grade
Hello, I am Veronica Navarro and I am excited about joining the MIS faculty and family! I earned
my Bachelors degree from UTDallas in Business Administration. After several years in the
business world, I returned to UTD for teacher certification. I have taught for many years in the
Dallas Diocese, most recently as the Computer teacher at St. Philip. I am married and have 3
children – all boys. I enjoy reading and spending time with my family.
Anne Bremer, Music
I’m Anne Bremer and I am so excited to be back in the DFW area! I was raised in Bedford
and nurtured my love of music playing in the Trinity High School band. I attended Texas Tech
University where I met my husband of 15 years while marching in the Goin’ Band from Raider
land. After I graduated with my Bachelors in Music Education, we married and moved to central
Texas where we both began teaching. After spending one year teaching in public school, we
were blessed with our son. I accepted a position as a part time music teacher/band director at
our local Catholic school. Being a cradle Catholic, but a product of public schools, I had no idea
what miracles I was about to be a part of! I fell in love with Catholic education and spent the
next 14 years at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Temple, TX. During those years we had two more
children bringing us to; Joey (14), Hannah (11, in 6th grade at MIS), and our youngest Gianna
(4). I have witnessed in my own children the tremendous benefits of attending Catholic schools.
In 2013, out of a desire to see Catholic education grow, and to help promote it however I can,
I enrolled at the University of Dayton to work on my Masters in Educational Leadership with an
emphasis on Catholic schools. After graduating in May, I moved to a larger diocese for more
opportunities and to gain some administrative experience. When I was called by Mary Immaculate
to teach music and assist in administrative work, I was excited to have the opportunity to grow
professionally while continuing to teach what I love!
3 September 2015
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COMMUNITY
NEWS THIS
MONTH
Susan Ratz-Thomas joins the
MIS Office of Advancement
Susan Ratz-Thomas has joined the MIS staff
to assist with building enrollment and retention
through building relationships with nearby
Catholic churches. Susan has a Bachelors
degree in Business Education and a Masters
in Student Personnel Administration in Higher
Education, both from Ball State University. She
is ABD, all but dissertation, for a Doctorate of
Education in Higher Education at the University
of North Texas. Susan has over 20 years
experience working in administration and
teaching in Higher Education, most recently as
the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of
Judicial Affairs at Southern Methodist University.
She has been married to Ken Thomas for eleven
years, and have two daughters who both attend
MIS — Sydney is in 4th grade and Aubrey is in
1st grade. A Girl Scout Leader to Junior Troop
4623, Susan is a native of Indiana, and loves
visiting family there as much as possible.
The MIS PTC Board is proud to present our first
PTC Volunteer of the Month for August 2015, AMY
RODGERS!
#Flat Francis
Help us welcome the
Pope to America...show
Pope Francis the Catholic
Church in America and at
MIS!
Pope Francis is coming to
America for the first time in
September. We want you to
help show him the face of
American Catholicism.
Take a photo with this cutout of Pope
Francis and submit it via Facebook or post
it on Twitter/Instagram with the hashtag
#FlatFrancis #MIS.
You can also submit any photos to
[email protected] and your
photos just might make it into the Mustang
Express or other MIS communication!
h t t p : / / w w w. c a t h o l i c e x t e n s i o n . o r g /
news-media/social-media/help-uswelcome-pope-francis-america
Amy and her husband David are proud parents of West, in 2nd grade
and their daughter, Kimber, in preschool. Amy
is active in the MIS Cub Scout program as a
2nd grade den leader. She has been with the
Dallas Police Department for 20 years and is
currently assigned to the Narcotics Division.
Our Volunteer Services Chair, Stephanie
Cole, and Co-Chair, Angie Meenan, presented
Amy with a gift card and free MIS shirt. Show
your appreciation and MIS spirit to Amy and
congratulate her when you see her at school.
THANK YOU Amy for your dedication to MIS!
4 September 2015
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COMMUNITY
NEWS THIS
MONTH
MIS Faculty and Staff
spent a day of retreat
serving others at the North
Texas Food Bank before
school began.
Our room parents add so
much color into the school
year with class parties,
helping with field trips,
etc...and the Room Parents
Luncheon was an equally
colorful (and delicious!)
way to start them on their
way! Many thanks to all
who helped organize it
and make it such a great
start for all, especially
Stephanie Cole and Angie
Meenan! A list of head
roomparents for each
grade can be found at
http://www.mischool.org/
pages/Room_Parents.
5 September 2015
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COMMUNITY
NEWS THIS
MONTH
Catching Up from this Summer...
Congratulations to the MIS Varsity Softball
Team...the 2015 DPL Champions! They defeated
St. Rita 10-9 this summer to take home the trophy!
Congrats to the MIS Highsteppers on a fabulous
week at the American Dance/Drill Team Officer
Camp this summer, winning these team awards:
-Diamond Super Sweepstakes Award (for three
routines with superior rating)
-Gussie Nell Davis Team of the Day Award (team
with unity, hard work and improvement)
-Gussie Nell Davis Team of the WeekAward
-Most Admired Team of the Week (voted on by all
teams)
Individual Awards won included:
-Junior All American: Hannah Bookout
-Junior All American: Kelli Heath
-Junior All American: Millie Kerr
-Junior All American: All American Dance
Company: Hannah Bookout
-Outstanding Performer: Hannah Bookout
Congratulations to the 6th Grade Baseball
Team...the 2015 DPL Champions! They outshone
the Prince of Peace Stars 3-1 this summer to take
home the trophy. Three of these boys also joined
coach Rick Cardillo to play at Cooperstown
Dreams Park in New York
6 September 2015
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COMMUNITY
EVENTS
THIS MONTH
Chess Club
The MIS Chess Club
is now registering MIS
students ages 6 and up
for the fall. To sign up
for this 11 week session
which begins on Sept.
4, registration must be
done online at. http://
chessamerica.org/
register.html by Sept.
2. Cost is $135 per
student.
Last Chance: PLC Workshop
Sun. Sept. 13
Anyone who wishes to coach at MIS must
attend or have attended a Play Like a Champion
(PLC) workshop. Coaches only have to attend
the workshop once a lifetime unless they are
required to attend another by the DPL office.
This is the final workshop offered before the
start of the football, volleyball, swimming, tennis
and cross country seasons:
Call or e-mail the DPL office to reserve a spot at
972-404-0375. This course will be held Sunday,
September 13 from 8-11 am in the upper lounge
at St. Monica
MID Father/
Child
Obstacle
Course: Fri.
Sept. 18
This MID Father/Child
Obstacle Course is active
fun reserved for MIS dads and
students in grades K through 4th
(moms welcome too!) Join the MIDs
on Friday, Sept. 18 from 6-9 pm in the
MIS Gym.
SAVE THE
DATE FOR FALL
FESTIVAL!
Preparations are
underway for this year’s
Fall Festival: Friday,
Oct. 2 and Saturday,
Oct. 3. We need many
volunteers! Please call
the church office or send
an email to marisaw@
maryimmaculatechurch.
org.
Festival committees
include entertainment,
games, food, security,
setup, baskets as well as
volunteers to work at the
festival and tear down
after. Let’s make this the
best festival yet!
7 September 2015
$25 per family includes grilled
hotdogs/chips/drink and an evening of
crazy-hopping, jiggily-jumping, runningrampage extreme fun! Watch for sign
up sheets in Mustang eMails or contact
Carl Flusche about how
you can help set up
the fun!
Watch for more
info and order
forms coming
in Mustang
eMails.
Important Dates This Month
Thu Sep 3 Safe Environment Training for NEW Volunteers
Fri Sep 4
Mass-7B
Mon Sep 7 NO SCHOOL: Labor Day
Tue Sep 8 Mary’s Birthday
PTC Board Meeting
Wed Sep 9
Mass with Grades 7 & 8
Fri Sep 11
Mass-6th
Sep 14-17
Hearing & Vision Screening
Tue Sep 15
Buck A Jean Day-6th Grade
Service Project: Fall Festival
Wed Sep 16
Mass with Grades K-2
Fri Sep 18
Mass-5th Prayer Buddies
MIDs Obstacle Course K-4
Mon Sep 21
AC Meeting
Tue Sep 22
Prospective Family Open House
Wed Sep 23
Mass with Grades 3 & 4
Thu Sep 24
Progress Reports Q1
Fri Sep 25
Mass-4A
EARLY DISMISSAL: Noon
Tue Sep 29
LifeTouch Student Photos for Yearbook
Wed Sep 30
Mass with Grades 5 & 6
MIDs Roundup: Wed. Sept. 9
Hey all you dads out there! Mark your calendar
and get ready to leave the kids with mom when
you come hang out with the Mary Immaculate
Dads on Wed. Sept. 9 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at
the Knights of Columbus Hall (2280 Springlake
Rd, Farmers Branch, TX 75234.) It’s a great
chance to meet other MIS dads, and we’ll
give you details on the dad/child events that
we will have going on during the school year.
Beverages and snacks included!
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SERVING
OUR
COMMUNITY
Saint Therese Study
Registration
Are you interested in
taking the Saint Therese
Study? This 10 week adult
study is designed to help
you grow in your faith by
showing how great God’s
love for you is and how
you can make your life
more holy by doing the
things you are already
doing! Cost is $30 and
includes book, study
guide and t-shirt. Groups
forming now. Contact Rita
Ford for more information.
[email protected]
Celebrating the Feast of the
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
Mary in September
The traditional date of the Feast of the Nativity of
the Blessed Virgin Mary is September 8th. MIS
students will celebrate Tuesday, September
9th, during the day with cupcakes. On Tuesday,
September 8 we ask that each student bring
1 flower to school. Flowers will be placed for
display in a vase next to their classroom statue
of Mary. With your family please pray a Rosary
on this day, or recite the Memorare together at
some time that day. “Her soul was the space
from which God was able to gain access into
humanity” ~ Pope Benedict XVI
24 Hour Prayer Vigil
On Friday, August 21st, and Saturday, August
22nd, members of the Advisory Council and the
Parent Teacher Club participated in a 24 hour
prayer vigil. Specific intentions were lifted up on
behalf of our school community, including our
students, parents, teachers, staff, Mr. Krause,
and Father Michael.
1st Day of School Rosary
It is a tradition at MIS to begin the school year as
a community in prayer. On Wednesday August
19th, MIS parents gathered in the chapel to
offer up a rosary for our school community.
September Service Project:
Parish Festival
MIS students are asked to bring canned soft
drinks to donate to the Parish Fall Festival.
Click here for details.
Donate unused fast food toys as prizes for
the Fall Festival booths. A box for collecting
these items is in the school entryway.
8 September 2015
MIS SPIRITUAL MENU
Daily Mass - The Great Feast
• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 8:00 – 8:30
AM Drop off the kids then come to Mass!
You’ll be out the door by 8:30!
• Wednesday: 8:15 – 8:45 AM Parents
welcome! Attended by groups of students
each week.
• Friday School Mass: 8:15 – 9:15 AM Parents
welcome!
• Weekends: Saturday Evening Vigil: 5:00 –
6:00 PM; Sunday, English: 7:30 AM, 10:30
AM (formal Mass, business attire), 12:00
PM (Noon), 5:00 PM; Sunday, Spanish: 8:45
AM, 1:45 PM, 6:30 PM
Reconciliation
• Wednesday, 6:00 – 6:30 PM
• Saturday, 8:30 – 9:00 AM
• Also by appointment
Eucharistic Adoration
• Come and worship in the presence of Our
Lord! First Friday after 8:15 AM Mass
The Saint Therese Study
• A 10-Week Group Study, based on the book
I Believe in Love: A Personal Retreat Based
on the Teachings of St. Therese of Lisieux
by Father Jean CJ D’elbee.
• Contact Rita Ford [email protected]
Rosary Guild
• Join other parents every Thursday afternoon
at 2:00 in the cafeteria to make rosaries
for the school and other organizations. No
experience necessary.
• Contact Christina Palacios fmartin08@
verizon.net
Parent Prayer Groups
• Would you like to deepen your spiritual life
by praying with and for others? Groups
forming now!
• Contact Kristin Lebon [email protected]
That Man Is You!
• A men’s program designed to support
men in their journey to be better Catholic
husbands and fathers by tackling issues
unique to men. Meets every Friday morning
in the Parish Hall 6:00 – 7:30 am beginning
September 11th.
• Contact Scott Ford [email protected]
A Well-Built Faith
• Need a refresher course on what it means
to be Catholic? Then this study is for you!
• Contact Rita Ford [email protected]
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PHOTO
FINISH:
BTS
PREP DAY
Back to School Prep Day
was a big success thanks
to our many volunteers
giving so generously of
their time and to our
caring parents, teachers
and staff who helped the
MIS family get students
ready for another
wonderful year!
9 September 2015
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PHOTO
FINISH:
NEWCOMERS
SOCIAL
The PTC helped to
welcome new families
to the MIS family at the
annual Newcomers Ice
Cream Social. PTC board
members, MIS faculty and
staff, mentor families and
students enjoyed meeting,
talking and eating ice
cream. Mister David
entertained younger
students and siblings
while other students
particpated in roundtable
discussions and parents
learned about school
events.
10 September 2015
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PHOTO
FINISH:
1ST DAY OF
SCHOOL
11 September 2015
More photos for this event can be found at
https://goo.gl/photos/u2dsS4kSwnH3UA1y5
Parent paparazzi were out in full force for day one of school!
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PHOTO
FINISH:
SKATING
PARTY
12 September 2015
Another great turnout at the Back to School Skating Party at InterSkate in Lewisville. Largest turnout
for MIS skating party in awhile with almost 200 students! Mustangs are on a roll with spirit, energy and
enthusiasm aplenty.
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