the pride - St. Peter Catholic Church

St. Peter Catholic School – Celebrating 150 Years
Summer/Fall 2014
THE PRIDE
GOOD NEWS FROM ST. PETER SCHOOL
A Community Built on Tradition
Since 1863, St. Peter Catholic School has built a community rich in tradition. Just
as the previous 150 years have been a journey of faith, community and academic
success, the 2013-14 school year was no exception. With a theme of Unity for the
year, we continued to strengthen the community we have all grown to love and
cherish through traditions old and new.
From weekly all school Masses to special occasion Masses, celebrating the
Eucharist is where it all begins. To attend an all school Mass is to witness the
truest sense of community. Coming together, singing hymns led by our Sacred
Singers, hearing students as lectors, wondering what will be in Msgr. Jack’s
homily bag and witnessing the entire school community from Kindergarten to 8 th
grade, faculty, parents and parishioners gather at the table all remind us what the
tradition of Catholic education is all about.
The blessing of a Kindergarten through 8th grade school is quite evident when the
Field Day families gather together throughout the year. The tradition of Field Day
families offers a unique opportunity for the younger students to have role models
in the older students and the older students enjoy leadership opportunities by
mentoring the younger children.
Events like the Father Daughter Dance, St. Patrick’s Day parade and St. Peterfest
offer a chance to delight in the traditions of our whole parish. On March 16th, the
St. Patrick Day Mass and parade were enjoyed by parishioners of all ages as well
as members of the Kirkwood community. On April 12th, fathers and daughters
gathered in the gym for a newer tradition, the Father Daughter Dance. It was a
pure joy seeing all the fathers with their daughters enjoying each other so much!
We look forward to another tradition filled year that will kick off with a new
tradition this year. At all Sunday Masses on August 16th and 17th, students of all
ages can bring their backpacks to receive a blessing for a grace filled 2014-15
school year. We look forward to bringing the entire parish community together
once again!
This issue
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Mark Your Calendar
Upcoming Dates
Note from Mr. Freitag
3
Coyle High School
We Hardly Knew Ye!
4
PTO Pride
News and Events
We are One!
5
Living our Faith
Together
Spreading Their
Wings…
6
8th Graders ready to fly
Alums
7
Making their Mark
150 Years and
Counting!
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St. Peter Catholic School – Celebrating 150 Years
A Note from Our Principal
Can you hear the Roar? You should! Faith, Academics and Community - these are the
cornerstones of St. Peter School and our successes in all three continue to multiply.
Let’s start with Faith. As a Catholic School it is critical for us to reflect on our progress
with our virtues. Over the past four years do the staff, students and parents seem more Kind,
Patient and Unified? I certainly think so! After all, we have spent two years working on
Kindness, one year working on Patience, and this past year working on Unity!
Let’s take a closer look:
Has our Kindness grown through our Faith In Action program? Have we pushed
ourselves to recognize and serve others as Christ in need? I think so!
Patience, the first word St. Paul used to define Love in 1 Corinthians 13. I hear people
not interrupting and letting others speak first. I see more doors being held open for
others, putting others first. It can be easier to see patience in Mother Teresa than a child
who is really trying not to interrupt a parent on the phone, but we’re working on it.
Unity, a parent this year thought it was ironic that we were practicing Unity while her
child felt the opposite. This is exactly the reason we chose Unity as our virtue! We
have to persevere with it! However, I do see unity both within and outside our walls. I
see it in the children who invite another child to play with them during recess. I see it in
the soon to be 7th graders getting together to introduce a new student to their class and I
see it when parents come together to organize and plan all our wonderful events.
Our virtue for this year is Reverence, and I am excited about it. Reverence embodies respect
yet takes it to a supernatural level. I believe reverence occurs when God is present. We
should show reverence towards our fellow human because if for no other reason, Our Lord is
present in that person. In our faith, we don’t have reverence for bread, but when it becomes
the Eucharist we have reverence for God who is present there. The beauty of reverence is
that when it is practiced well, we will find that we become more kind, patience and unified!
Let’s move on to Academics. The graduating class of 2014 had an average English Language
Arts (ELA) score of the 95th percentile on the Iowa Assessment (formerly the ITBS). Yes,
that’s right; the average for all 49 students in the class of 2014 was the 95th percentile.
Additionally many of our 8th grade graduates will be placed in Honors, Advanced and second
year high school courses as Freshman this fall.
This fall we will enhance our Math curriculum with a spiral review of the Common Core
Standards and we are excited to offer an advanced Math option for our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade
students. Our Language Arts teachers are completing the revision of the English curriculum
which will culminate in the selection of a comprehensive writing program for all grades.
Additionally, as a staff we will be studying Differentiated Instruction and learning how we
will become truly distinguished in this area over the next several years.
Summer/Fall 2014
Upcoming dates
Back to School Night
August 15, 2014
5:00pm-7:00pm
Backpack Blessing
August 16-17, 2014
All Sunday Masses
First Day of School
August 19, 2014
Middle School Night
August 25, 2014
7:00 pm
Donuts after Drop Off
August 26, 2014
8:15 am
K-5 Night
September 3, 2014
7:00 pm
St. Peter Dash 5K
October 11, 2014
7:30 am
PreK-K Info Night
October 13, 2014
7:00 pm
Open House
PreK-8th Grade
October 14, 2014
9:00 am-10:30 am
Finally, let me take a moment to talk about Community. This is each and every one
of us! Thank you very much for support the mission and work of St. Peter School.
All of you are THE integral part of the mission Our Lord has entrusted to us. Know
that you will be in the thoughts and prayers of all us at St. Peter School, and please
continue to keep us in yours. Stop in any time, this is your home, your community!
Can you hear the Roar now?
Roar Pride!!
Dr. John Freitag, Principal
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St. Peter Catholic School Celebrating 150 Years
Summer/Fall 2014
Coyle High School, We Hardly Knew Ye!
Walking Caleb recently to check on the restoration of the 1939 vintage front steps of school, I once again noticed the Coyle High
School cornerstone uncovered last summer during the landscape clean up and decided that I would write about Coyle High School in
my next newsletter to you.
Who is Coyle and why did St. Peter Parish even start a high school in the first place? The school was named for Father Eugene Coyle
who had been the pastor of St. Peter Parish from 1915 to 1930. In his will he donated $20,000 to the parish to be used for an
“educational project.” In the spring of 1938, an unprecedented opportunity opened up for the parish to obtain a terrific site for a new
school, just across Jefferson Avenue from St. Peter Parish. Father Westhoff, the pastor of St. Peter, saw the great need for Catholic
secondary education for our parishioners and dreamed of a parish high school. The old Adams High School, used for an elementary
school since 1921, was now up for sale. The Kirkwood School Board hoped that this sale would give them the funds needed to build
Keysor and Robinson Elementary Schools. After months and months of deliberation, the property and school was ultimately auctioned
off at noon on October 11, 1938 to the highest and only bidder, namely, St. Peter Parish.
When bids to remodel came in far higher than expected , Father Westhoff and the committee
decided to build an entirely new structure. The plans were drawn up in February 1939 and in
March 1939, construction began on a high school for St. Peter Parish. The cost was $60,000.
On May 21, 1939, the cornerstone was laid by the Very Reverend Peter J. Dooley, pastor of
Holy Redeemer Parish and Dean of the St. Louis County Deanery. During the Depression,
labor was abundant and cheap thus the building of Coyle High School was accomplished in
record speed, six months! The school opened to its first ninety students on September 11,
1939 after being dedicated the day before by the first auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese,
Christian Winkelmann. The original Coyle High School encompasses the center of our current
school building minus the two additions.
Coyle High School was unique in that it was a co-institutional school. Our school building still reflects those beginning days when the
school existed with boys on one side and the girls on the other. As you come through the main entrance of our school you will still
see two statues in their niches. The Blessed Mother on the left, and thus the girls side of the building, receiving instruction from the
Ursuline sisters, under the leadership of Mother Natalie Hayes, O.S.U. St. Joseph on the right, signifying the boys’ side of the
building, who were taught by the Brothers of Mary, under the direction of the principal, Brother Kenneth Nesbit, S.M. The separation
of the sexes was so strict there were separate drinking fountains just ten feet from each other. These are still there today. To remind
the 280 students of the line you NEVER dare cross, a bulletin board straddled the imaginary line, dubbed later by the students as the
38th parallel, in honor of the Korean War.
Coyle High School only existed from September, 1939 to June, 1960, with the beginning of the
baby boom generation and the opening of St. John Vianney High School. Its curriculum offered
college preparatory, business or general education. In its eighteen years of existence Coyle fostered
nine vocations to the priesthood, four young men to the brotherhood, and eight girls to the convent.
I interviewed three graduates from Coyle for this article, Mary Ann Shepard, Bill Biele, and Bruce
Nicolson and they all commented on the strong bond that existed among the students at that time
and still is there today. It was a small, familial, and very nurturing place to learn in far less complex
times than exists today. Memories were lasting and endearing and some stand out like that of
Mother Theresa Joseph, affectionately called “Tessie Joe” who taught the girls biology but only lightly discussed the human
reproductive system and of Brother Al Kuntemeyer, who was young, good looking, an amazing athlete and whom no one wanted to
go one on one with in the classroom or on the field. On and on the stories went which is perhaps why a Coyle reunion to this very day
draws a large crowd and lots of energy and excitement.
Coyle High School came on the scene just at the right time in our parish’s life and then quickly
disappeared but left large footprints both in the hearts of its students and certainly in our parish history.
So the next time you are standing in front of our school look for the Coyle cornerstone and imagine
what life was like during World War II and the Korean War or when FDR, Truman or Eisenhower were
president. Imagine zoot suits, hoola hoops, Swing Music, Rock and Roll, Elvis, and American
Bandstand with Dick Clark. Listen and look carefully and linger for awhile for that old cornerstone is
filled with terrific stories and marvelous memories.
Monsignor Jack
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St. Peter Catholic School – Celebrating 150 Years
Summer/Fall 2014
ers!
PTO by the numb
1 new countertop in the teachers’ lounge
2 new iPads for the Learning Consultants
6 new desktop computers for the resource teachers
8 new desktop computers for middle school writing
lab
11 class videos produced
14 iPads (including 8 new ones) now available for
the Primary Grades
14 PTO Board Members
18 events sponsored by PTO last year
22 fun Poster Parties
38 hard working Room Parents
175 dinners served at the graduation party
500 sno-cones served at Field Day
600+ volunteers that make everything happen
650 new ceiling tiles in the cafeteria
2570 square feet of new flooring in the cafeteria
64,134 dollars raised last year!
Countless books sold at the book fair
Endless memories made and pictures to capture
Thank you to each and every parent and student that
participated in our many events and fund raisers.
You make St. Peter School the incredible
community it is! Thank you to the staff and teachers
that are so unbelievably supportive of all our efforts.
You are simply the best! Thank you to the Parish for
collaborating on many of our larger projects. You
have led by example in our virtue theme of Unity.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!
un !
Get Ready to R
14
October 11, 20
!
Field Day = Fun
A favorite tradition of St. Peter Students, Field Day marks the near
end of the school year. Held May 9th on the St. Peter School campus
this year, field day families competed in contests like jump roping
and the always favorite water balloon toss. From the games to the
snowcones and the cheers and the comraderie, Field Day 2014
carried on a tradition the student love! Thank you to Mrs. Katy
Muldoon, Amy Sauer, Kristen Figge, Julie Villhard and Sue
McLaughlin and the over 100 parent volunteers who came together
to make this day so successful… the smiles on the kids’ faces say
more than any words!
Fine Arts Night
Highlighting the wonderful work of the Fine Arts
department at STP, the annual Fine Arts night May 15
was huge success. The evening began with art
projects from each class posted around the building.
As the event moved into the Gym each class led by
Music teacher, Mrs. Mary Donald, gave us a
demonstration of their wonderful efforts from the
year, including the 4th and 5th recorder and the 6th
grade hand bells. The school choir, better known as
Don’t kick those running shoes to the back of the closet…The St.
the Sacred Singers, also led by Mrs. Donald, blessed
Peter Dash 5K and Fun Run has a Date! It will be held October 11, us with the beautiful voices heard at our all school
2014. One of our biggest and most successful fundraisers for St.
Masses. Also performing were the Beginner, Concert
Peter School, The Dash is a great community building event we
and Jazz Bands led by Mr. Tom Wombacher. The
anticipate will be a new fall favorite. If you are interested in getting concert band certainly delighted the younger ones in
involved in helping with the Dash (many MANY volunteers are
the crowd with selections from the ever popular
needed!), specifically helping to solicit sponsorships, please email
Disney movie Frozen, while the 8th graders closed the
[email protected]. See you at the start line!
show with a very fun review of classic Beatles songs.
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St. Peter Catholic School Celebrating 150 Years
ne!
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One in the Body
On Saturday, April 26th, 2014, 100 of our St. Peter School
and PSR 2nd Graders celebrated First Communion. What a
joy it was to witness them receive the gift and to see the
happiness of their parents who presented them for the
Sacrament that day. Much gratitude to their parents and all
the catechists and aides who prepared our Second Graders
so well for that day. A huge thanks to Jan Hartmann, our
coordinator of elementary faith formation, for all her hard
work in making the day such a special one for the parish.
Summer/Fall 2014
One in the Spirit
On May 8, 2014, Bishop
Edward Rice celebrated
the sacrament of
Confirmation for 99 St.
Peter School and PSR
youth. Bishop Rice talked
to the Confirmation
candidates about not being
satisfied standing on the sidelines, get involved, play the
game and be a part of building up the church. We are so
blessed that these young people have chosen to play the game,
get involved and to continue their lifelong journey of faith as
members of St. Peter Parish.
Living as One
Teaching our children to serve the Lord by serving others is no
small task. But the students of St. Peter School are not only
ready for the challenge but continue to surpass all expectations.
From the youngest grades learning how good deeds make us
God’s angels here on earth, to our 8th graders learning how
justice and education impact our most vulnerable populations,
our students see daily how their actions make a difference.
Over 27 separate projects were initiated by our classes this
year! Here are just a few of the missions completed this year:
•
Together as One
•
3rd Grade (the Hungary) participated in World Food
Day. The children helped prepare rice meal packs that
were to be sent to Tanzania, Africa.
4th Grade (the Military and Veterans) made "hero
packs" for military children in Missouri who had a
parent currently deployed. The hero packs included
gift cards, crafts, art supplies, prayer cards and
individual letters.
7th Grade (Persons with Disabilities) helped to host a
Special Olympics event at Dick Weber Lanes and
were partnered with athletes to assist and encourage
for the day
Each quarter the St. Peter School community not only
continues its focus on the annual virtue of Unity, but also
selects an additional virtue to complement Unity. For the
4th quarter that supplemental virtue was Joy. Many people
•
use the words Joy and Happiness interchangeably, but
there is difference between the two. Happiness is born in
the brain; Joy is born in the heart. Happiness comes from
humans; Joy comes from God. The students were asked
about how they can bring the virtues of unity and joy to
We are so very proud of their hard work, service to others,
others this summer. Here were a few answers:
and commitment to making our world here in Kirkwood and
as far away as Tanzania a little better.
• Playing with new neighbors
• Pray for people who are sick
• Let my siblings hang out with me when my friends
are over
• Including everyone when we play
• Work together
Learning and LIVING the virtues. Our kids are getting it!
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1
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St. Peter Catholic School – Celebrating 150 Years
Summer/Fall 2014
Spreading Their Wings!
Our 8th graders are ready to soar! Congratulations to the St. Peter Class of
2014! We are very proud to have these students represent St. Peter School at
these schools across St. Louis. We wish you much success and many
achievements during the next four years and beyond. We know that you
will always represent St. Peter School in a positive light.
Cor Jesu Academy
Kathleen Anderson
Olivia Moran
Drew Mobley
Sarah Morgan
Grace Murphy
Holly Nobbe
Maddie Pearl
St. John Vianney
Matthew Hingle
St. Louis University High
Brendan Charles
Desmet Jesuit
Jack Heller
Matthew Young
Sean Hennessey
Nerinx Hall
Billy Hughes
Emily LaValle
John F. Kennedy
Sam Lockwood
Elizabeth Hagerty
Gretchen Messmer
Jack Laux
Mary Clare Kammer
Griffin Lester
Kirkwood High School Connie Schu
Nicholas Patritti
Sophia Mulwa
Audrey Allison
Charlie Scheibelhut
Samantha Coleman
Leah Albers
Alex Sembrot
Lily Black
St. Joseph’s Academy James Storgion
Julia Griner
Matthew Thomas
Sophia Andreatta
Gaven Heaps
Molly Huggins
Sarah Hennessey
Ursuline Academy
Samantha Slane
Garrett Koob
Sarah Dreyer
Carson Herring
Charlie Kuhn
Grace Eisenbarger
Morgan Kane
Jimmy Leshe
Maggie Moran
Amelia Kohlfeld
Julia Mahoney
Maggie Schlink
Emily Wilcutt
ht
In the Spotlig
On May 15, 2014, Mr. John Freitag
became Doctor John Freitag! Four
years after beginning his studies, Mr.
Freitag earned the doctoral degree
tailored to Catholic education at St.
Louis University. In addition to the
required classes, he worked with a
team of Catholic educators to
complete their doctoral projects. His
team, along with one other team, were
the first group of graduated to
complete this program at SLU. We are
so proud of Dr. Freitag’s
accomplishments and are grateful for
his endless dedication to our school!
Congratulations to Griffin Lester and
Sarah Hennessey for being chosen by
their peers for the American Legion
Award. The award is given to a boy
and a girl in the graduating classes of
elementary school, junior and senior
high school, and college. Those who
receive a medal must exemplify six
qualities that define character:
courage, honor, leadership, patriotism,
scholarship and service.
Recently, Our Sunday Visitor
Newsweekly, a national weekly
publication, asked readers to send in
stories about their favorite priests. After
receiving an overwhelming number of
submissions, OSV Newsweekly
selected 12 stories to publish. Our very
own Father Mike was one of the 12
selected! This comes as no surprise to
those of us that know and love him but
we are thrilled to have a national
audience read about his faithful and
loving service to our parish!
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St. Peter Catholic School Celebrating 150 Years
Alums
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Congratulations to Ellen Heaghney, who was named
Salutatorian of the Class of 2014 of Kirkwood High School!
Ellen is a 2010 graduate of St. Peter School and we could
not be more proud of her and this huge accomplishment!
Julia Wilcutt, Senior at Kirkwood High School and 2010
graduate of St. Peter School, was chosen by a panel of
administrators to speak at graduation. Congratulations, Julia!
What an honor!
Congratulations to the following Kirkwood High School
Seniors and 2010 graduates of St. Peter School: Lauren
Weyereich won the KAPS Scholarship, Brendan Doyle
won Pioneer School of Business Scholarship, Stephen
Bregande won Ernest Jones Humanitarian Award.
Zach Roseman, a Senior at St. John Vianney High School
and 2010 graduate of St. Peter School, was Salutatorian of
the graduation class and also made the Post-Dispatch
Scholar Athletes list. Zach is in the National Honor Society,
the Math Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, the
Science Honor Society and is a National Merit Commended
Scholar. He has received First Academic Honors for eight
semesters at Vianney High School. Congratulations, Zach!
Congratulations to Notre Dame High School graduates
Haley Bonner Eschbacher, Emily Jean Henry, and
Naomi Taylor Walsby! These girls are 2010 graduates of
St. Peter School and have represented us well during their
high school years. Best wishes for continued success in your
bright future!
Nora Brooks, Sophomore at Ursuline Academy and 2012
graduate of St. Peter School, was honored during Ursuline
Academy’s first annual Scholar-Athlete Luncheon. Nora
achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher through the first
semester of the current academic year. Congratulations,
Nora! We are very proud of what you have done!
Patrick Pence, a Sophomore at SLUH and a 2012 graduate
of St. Peter School, was recently elected Junior Class Vice
President. Congratulations!
eet
Word on the Str
Summer/Fall 2014
Lauren Bequette, Senior at St. Joseph Academy and 2010
graduate of St. Peter School, is this year’s recipient of The
Archbishop John May Service Award. This award
recognizes the outstanding leadership and community
service of students in Catholic High Schools in the
Archdiocese of St. Louis and is presented to a young person
who makes service a way of life. “Lauren effortlessly blends
service and leadership,” said Anna Hotop, the campus
minister at St. Joseph Academy.
Leo Heinz, SLUH sophomore and 2012 graduate of St.
Peter School, received the coveted Father Hagen Award.
This award is given to one Freshman and one Sophomore
each year who has shown dedication to SLUH through their
participation in extracurricular activities and other areas of
SLUH. What a wonderful honor!
Will McAtee, Senior at DeSmet and St. Peter Class of 2010,
was selected as one of DeSmet Jesuit High School’s “Men
of the Year.” They are selected by both their peers and the
faculty and embody DeSmet’s communal commitment to the
values of competence, conscience, and compassion. In the
spirit of the 12 apostles, these 12 seniors are distinguished as
DeSmet’s “Men of the Year.” Way to go, Will!
Congratulations are in order for five of our St. Peter School
Class of 2012 who were recently inducted into the National
Honor Society at St. Louis University High School! Way to
go Joe Bingaman, Daniel Schu, James Leahy, John
Storgion, and Stephen Lockwood!
Congratulations to SLUH Seniors and 2010 graduates of St.
Peter School: Jordan Belloli, Joseph Grim and John
Sullivan: University of Missouri-Columbia: Bright Flight
Scholarship; Joe Mueller: University of Nebraska
Academic Scholarship; Peter Charles: St. Louis University,
Academic, Jesuit Scholarship; Patrick Ogden – Marquette
University: Academic Scholarship; and Michael Schrock:
Notre Dame University. Nice work!
Alums - Let Us Know…
What You are Doing!
We would love to hear your news! Please
send Name, Class and Info to:
[email protected] or mail it to:
St. Peter School,
215 N. Clay Avenue,
Kirkwood, MO 63122.
“St. Peter is a wonderful school. The teachers and staff are nurturing and feel like family. Our child will be
graduating this year and we will miss it greatly. We feel as though he not only has had an excellent
education, but learned to be kind and compassionate. —St. Peter School parent
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St. Peter Catholic School – Celebrating 150 Years
Summer/Fall 2014
Where did YOU go to grade school?
St. Peter Catholic School
215 North Clay
Kirkwood, MO 63122
Visit us online!
www.stpeterkirkwood.org