2015 School Newsletter - St. Peter Catholic Church

St. Peter Catholic School 2015
THE PRIDE
GOOD NEWS FROM ST. PETER SCHOOL
This
issue
Inside
this
Issue
2
Mark Your Calendar
Upcoming Dates
Note from Dr. Freitag
3
The Gift of Sunday
A word from Msgr. Jack
PTO Pride
We are Holy, We are Strong!
The 2014-2015 school year was filled with the Holy Spirit at St. Peter School.
Reverence was the focus of our school community and we practiced it in our
words and actions each school day. Through religion classes and weekly School
Masses, we worked towards a deeper understanding of how reverence, or holy
respect, can help us grow stronger in our faith and in our community.
There is no better show of reverence by our children than when they receive a
sacrament for the first time. Our second graders were blessed by receiving their
First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. On January 24th, Monsignor Jack
reminded the second graders at First Reconciliation to think of Reconciliation as
an eraser that they can use to confess their sins in order for God to forgive or
“erase’ them. Several months later, on April 25th, he showed them what the
sacrament of First Eucharist means when he brought a Dairy Queen Real Meal
Deal into his homily. He explained that the Eucharist is not just a symbol of
Jesus’ Body and Blood…The second graders were about to experience the Real
Presence of Christ, the Real Meal Deal!
Our eighth graders prepared all year for their Confirmation. On May 7th, they
listened to Monsignor Rivituso talk to them about receiving the Holy Spirit in the
sacrament of Confirmation. They would soon become full members of the
Catholic Church and continue their lifelong faith journey as members of St. Peter
Parish.
Throughout the year, we grew in reverence and learned what holy respect looks
like. As a result, we are a holier and stronger school community!
4
A Year in Review
5
Cry the Gospel 5
Living our Faith
Together
Spreading Their
Wings…
6
8th Graders ready to soar
Alums
7
Making their Mark
8
The Smiles That
Light Up St. Peter
St. Peter Catholic School 2015
A Note from Our Principal
Over five years ago, our school community committed to select an annual virtue
and practice specific ways of living it out. We started with the virtue of Kindness. Most
people can identify kindness when they see it, but it can be hard to define. One way we
practiced kindness was to let others go first. This isn’t that hard to do until you are running
out of patience or you think you have something more important to do than the person who
wants to merge into traffic or jump the line at the drinking fountain. We focused on the
virtue of kindness for two years. I hope you now see our students, staff and parents letting
others go first.
The third year, we chose the virtue of Patience. It can be easier to be kind, than
patient. It’s been said, “Patience is the true test of character!” St. Paul said it best when he
was defining “love,” the Queen virtue, to the Corinthians (1:13). He used “patience” and
“kind” as the first two words to describe it. One of the ways we worked on being patient
was to not interrupt others, especially our moms. This one is harder. Most people don’t
wait until someone is completely finished talking before they talk.
Last year, we focused on the virtue of Unity. This virtue turned out to be very
providential for us, considering how badly our city and country need it now. Our sports
mascot here at St. Peter is the “Pride,” a family of lions. We reminded the students that a
pride sticks together and always protects the smaller cubs in the pride. Our Lord asked that
we all be one. The older students do this very well in their family groups. They make sure
their pride stays together. Another way we practiced unity was to look out for others who
need to be included. Pope Francis challenges all of us to reach out to others by pushing
our personal comfort and seeing Christ in others.
This year, we worked on the virtue of Reverence. The Holy Spirit is at work here
because the students are really getting it! We focus on seeing Christ in others and practice
reverence in the small but meaningful ways. The students are learning that every time they
make the Sign of the Cross in a reverent way, all by itself it’s a prayer. The beauty of
practicing Reverence is that when you do it in a spirit of “holy respect” all the virtues of
Kindness, Patience and Unity naturally come out.
We all had a great time during Catholic Schools Week. The family groups had a
wonderful time singing along with “Frozen” and breaking into spontaneous dance. All
done in celebration of the gift of Catholic education! Congratulations to the 8th graders
who have beaten the faculty three years in a row at the faculty-student volleyball game.
Everything was blue and white, the noise level was ear-splitting and the dominant 8th
graders rushed the court as three-peat champions!
Please stop by and say hello anytime. We are grateful for your continuous support
and prayers.
In the spirit of St. Peter our Patron,
Dr. John Freitag, Principal
Upcoming dates
Back to School Sunday
August 16, 2015
10:00am-1:00pm
Backpack Blessing
August 15-16, 2015
All Sunday Masses
First Day of School
1st Grade-8th Grade
August 18, 2015
First Day of Kindergarten
August 19, 2015
First Day of Preschool
August 24, 2015
Parent Night
August 24, 2015
7:00 pm
Donuts after Drop Off
August 25, 2015
8:15 am
St. Peter Dash 5K
October 10, 2015
7:30 am
PreK-K Info Night
October 13, 2015
7:00 pm
Blue & White
Middle School Night
November 17, 2015
7:00 pm
2
St. Peter Catholic School 2015
The Gift of Sunday Eucharist
Last week Jamie Neusal stopped by for a visit. If you remember, Jamie and Jason left us last year when they moved
with their family to Zurich, Switzerland. Jamie and her family love living in Europe but miss St. Louis and St. Peter
Parish very much. In the course of our conversation, Jamie told me about their travels and how their children,
Avery, Molly, and George are learning German and Swiss and all sorts of new things in their Swiss schools. She
also shared with me about just how secular Europe really is and how sad it is that the abundant and beautiful
churches are mostly empty on a Sunday morning. Yet she did share with me that, although few go to church,
Sunday has a decidedly different feel to it. It looks different, it even sounds different. Most stores, if not all stores,
are closed from Saturday at noon until Monday morning. There is even an ordinance in Zurich prohibiting loud
noise on Sunday. That means no one can use power mowers. You can’t allow your dog to bark in your yard. Your
children must be quiet when they play in the yard. She said that that ordinance is so challenging and just about
impossible that they often take the children to the mountains and hike so the kids can run and play and make noise.
People spend time with their families and often share Sunday dinner with each other. Sunday is a true day of rest and
relaxation. I thought, “Wow, What a difference from here!”
I remember when Sunday used to look and feel different here, too. The Sunday “Blue Laws” meant that stores were
closed and so were the bars and pubs and saloons. The streets were deserted and it was whole lot quieter, too.
Sunday meant Mass in the morning and family time in the afternoon and Sunday supper in the evening. The
organized sports teams and other organized activities on Sunday morning, afternoon and evening that we see today
simply did not exist years ago on a Sunday.
While Europe is getting more and more secular and far less religious it still retains a “Sunday atmosphere.” Here in
the United States we are certainly more devoted to Sunday Church services and Mass attendance (although that is
changing too) than Europe but less and less experiencing a “ Sunday atmosphere.” Now more and more are involved
in sports and other activities on Sundays than ever before and fewer and fewer stores, pubs and bars are closed. The
roads are just as filled with cars and Sunday no longer looks and feels any different from other days of the week. On
Sundays, it seems to me, we are just as busy as ever and spending less time with our families than we used to.
And…that is a sad, sad, very sad turn of events. I hate losing the meaning of Sunday in our culture.
Someone once asked me, how can I get my kids to go to Mass on Sunday? The kids say they don’t get anything out
of it.” It sometimes gets so challenging that we parents just give up and give in to their “Mass protest.” My
response is, what is it like in your house on a Sunday? Are you running all over the place with games and events and
shopping and mowing the lawn? Or are you able to sleep later, go to Mass together and have a great brunch together
afterward? Is Sunday afternoon or evening family time? Is this the day grandma and grandpa come over or you
visit Aunt Martha and Uncle Fred. Or is Sunday pretty much like Saturday or any other day? I know that this would
be very challenging and maybe impossible but consider not signing up for non CYC teams that play on Sunday
mornings. Get your Sundays back as a family!
Regarding the “not getting something out of Mass” response of young people: That is not the issue. The Mass is not like going to a
Cardinal game or a play or a movie or a party where the focus is on entertainment. Whoever said you’re supposed to get something out
of Mass? Mass is a community of believers who worship together in praise and thanksgiving to the God who created us. It is where we
enter into a mystical communion with God by receiving the Body and Blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
Mr. Bill Dunn wrote an article in Catholic 365.com entitled “I Don’t Get Anything Out of Mass” and in it he said “The priest is not the
performer and the people in the pews are not the audience sitting back to be entertained. Rather the people are the performers; the priest
is the prompter who guides the pace of the performance (Mass); the audience is God. When we go to Mass we are not going as an
audience to be entertained. We’re going as performers to put on a presentation of prayer and worship and gratitude for our audience of
One: God Himself.”
So the question should not be, “Why do I have to go to Mass if I don’t get anything out of it?” But rather a question of, ”What am I
putting into it?” Ought we not give the best performance of our lives in praising and thanking God? Ought we not work as hard as we
can at establishing a great relationship with God who knows us and loves us?
Statistically, only 30% of professed Catholics go to Mass regularly today. As a result we are losing our identity as Catholics because that
identity is so tied to the Eucharist and the Sunday experience. As parents of children in our St. Peter Catholic School perhaps the best
lesson and example you can offer to them and maybe even the best gift for life for them is Sunday Mass with the St. Peter
Community…the gift of the Sunday Eucharist.
Think about it!
Amen…and end of Sermon.
Monsignor Jack
3
St. Peter Catholic School 2015
ers!
PTO by the numb
1 new Intermediate grade Science Lab
4 STP Pretzels for teacher appreciation lunches
5 New classroom Projectors for the Smartboards
15 Microscopes bought for the Science department
18 PTO Board Members and Representatives
21 fun Poster Parties
30 Chromebooks purchased for the Middle School
300 Kids collecting candy at Trunk or Treat
400+ people at the Catholic Schools Week Magic House Night
500 hot dogs grilled for Field Day
600 participants and volunteers making the DASH successful
1,000 donuts served at Mornings with Mom and Donuts with Dad
65,000 dollars raised at the auction
Countless hours of volunteer time
Endless memories made
Thank you to each and every one of you that donated to, participated in,
or prayed for our events. YOU make St. Peter School a wonderful, faithfilled and fun community! Thank you to the parents and grandparents
that come together for the many events we help host. You are simply the
best! Thank you to the parishioners and alumni parents that lend a hand.
Your gifts of service to the school are so appreciated! Thank you to the
faculty and staff for your endless supply of support. Quite simply… You
ROCK! And last, but certainly not least, thank you to the Parish staff,
whose support and friendship easily traverses the great wall of Jefferson
Avenue. You have continued to lead by example in last year’s virtue
theme of Unity.
Thank you St. Peter Family… Thank you!!
Leapin’ Lizards!
Under the direction of Mr. Rich Mankus and Mrs. Mary Donald, the St. Peter 7th and 8th graders took the
stage in a heartwarming performance of Annie, Jr. on April 30 and May 1, 2015.
4
St. Peter Catholic School 2015
Living our Faith
Serving Each Other
“Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:28
As a student of St. Peter School, our children learn what
it means to serve God by serving others. Through our
Faith in Action program, students are involved in service
projects that focus on a different social justice for each
grade level. This year, over 30 separate projects were
completed by our school. Read what our Fourth Graders,
Delaney Carey and Kate Stoeckel have to say about their
experience this year…
Fourth Grade’s Faith in Action topic is veterans and the
military. We had a guest speaker who fought in the
Desert Storm War. He showed us his tags, a journal, and
a map of military bases. After Halloween, we collected
extra candy and shipped it to deployed soldiers. We also
said a prayer for veterans at Kirkwood’s Veterans’
Memorial and put up flags
for our Veterans’ Day
celebration. For our most
recent project, we put
together care packs for
children whose parents are
deployed. This year has
been a fun year for Faith in Action.
Top 10 Ways to Demonstrate Reverence at Mass
10. Blessing yourself with Holy Water when you enter
and exit Mass.
9. Having a prayerful posture when standing, kneeling,
and sitting.
8. Genuflecting when entering and exiting your pew.
7. Bowing before you receive the Eucharist.
6. Waiting to talk with your friends until after Mass.
5. Praying during and after Communion.
4. Listening to the readings and the homily.
3. Singing the songs.
2. Receiving the Eucharist with clean
hands and a clear “Amen.”
1. Responding to and participating in
the prayers.
Mission Carnival By Allison Westphale
Every year at St. Peter the seventh graders hold a mission
carnival. This carnival raises money for missions that the
seventh grade class chooses. This year, as seventh graders, we
worked very hard to set up this exciting event. The carnival has
a long process of preparations, which includes making posters,
bringing in prizes, transforming an area of the gym to match the
sports theme for our game, and much more. This experience
taught us many things about our classmates and ourselves. We
all worked very hard to create a fun day for the students and
teachers, but also support our causes.
The first step of this successful day was our mission awareness
presentations. These presentations include a PowerPoint with
videos, pictures, and information teaching the rest of the school
about the organizations we will be donating to. These
presentations encourage the students and teachers to buy
carnival tickets. While working on these presentations we
realized how fortunate we are compared to struggling families
across the world. After voting, the organizations we chose to
support were Food for the Poor, Mustard Seed Communities,
and Umavida.
Next it was time to focus on the exciting carnival. The class
divided into groups and each group decided on a game. Parents
also volunteered for duties, like bringing in pretzels, lemonade
and candy. But most of the work like setting up, selling tickets,
picking out fun songs to play and cleaning up afterwards, were
done by our seventh grade class.
Finally it was the day of the carnival. Kids ran in with bags and
tickets ready for the event! Everyone seemed amazed how the
gym had changed into an exciting sports carnival. The students
had opportunities to purchase food, play games, and enter for
raffle prizes. At the end of the day we were all exhausted and
proud of the $2,500 we raised. Hopefully, everyone had a great
time and we wish the sixth graders good luck for next year! We
look forward to coming to their event. Mission Carnival is
always a fantastic day.
5
1
2
3
St. Peter Catholic School 2015
Spreading Their Wings!
Our 8th graders are ready to soar! Congratulations to the St. Peter Class of
2015! 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.
Nerinx Hall
Madalyn Allgeyer
Sophia Council
Chaminade
Emily McDoniel
Rhys Prosser
Katie McGrail
Sofia Melkun
Kirkwood High School Molly Schrock
Thomas Birmingham
Claire Teng
Austin Cronin
St. Louis University High
Francie Huisinga
Frank Barbieri
Harry Loida
Grant Bolten
Brady Luetkemeyer
Alex Ehrlich
Elizabeth Miller
Patrick Finlay
Annie O’Brien
Sam Guillemette
Maggie Peak
Timothy Heinlein
Jack Rintoul
Carter Kane
James Walker
Joe Manion
Grace Wojciechowski
Sean McLaughlin
Eli Saadi
Lindbergh
Dean Starrs
Maddy Stoecklein
Sammy Stoecklein
CBC
Trevor Jones
Alumni Honor Roll
Congratuations to the following St. Peter
Alumni who earned academic honors at
their respective high schools and colleges.
We are proud of your hard work and
determination!
Cor Jesu – Kathleen Anderson, Molly
Greenley, Olivia Moran
DeSmet - Matthew Young
Kirkwood - Devin Barnett, Caroline
Black, Tyler Deck, Grace Fitzgerald,
Sarah Hennessey, Anna Huisinga, Kellie
Koob, Garrett Koob, Emilly Manion,
Sarah Morgan, Helen Morse, Natalie
Mulligan, Molly O'Brien, Kieran
O'Connell, Molly O’Brien, Maggie
O’Brien, Mary Claire Rintoul, Kyle
Rolfes
Nerinx – Carolyn Backus, Sophia
Mulwa, Nina Monafo, Erin Schrock
St. John Vianney
Sean Carey
Hank Sauer
St. Joseph’s
Academy
Kate Doehring
Abigale James
Ursuline Academy
Alphine Bangura
Jennifer Hessel
Hattie Kennedy
Emma Swingle
Villa Duchesne
Mary Jane Tierney
Webster Groves
Max Heiges
St. Joseph’s Academy – Sophia
Andreatta, Maggie Hennessey, Molly
Huggins, Emmie Morrison, Morgan
Kane, Ashley Powers
SLUH – Jack Heller, Sean Hennessey,
Griffin Lester, James Leahy, Sam
Lockwood, Steve Lockwood, Ian
Modde, Nicholas Patritti, Joseph Patritti,
Charlie Scheibelhut, Matthew Thomas,
Alex Sembrot
Vianney –Tony Cadice, Alec Dickison,
Brady Dickison, Jack Eisenbarger, Will
Hebrank, Matthew Hingle, Paulie
Morrison, Tyler Passig, Thomas Sauer,
Jack Springer
Ursuline – Nora Brooks, Grace
Eisenbarger, Maggie Schlink, Isabelle
Trokey
Gold K award is given to Kirkwood
High School seniors who have received a
3.5 GPA or above every semester over 4
years - Devin Barnett, Caroline Black,
Tyler Deck, Helen Morse, Natalie
Mulligan, Molly O'Brien, Kieran
O'Connell, Mary Claire Rintoul
Dean’s List
Avila University - Catherine Hennessey
University of Missouri - Claire Henleben
University of Alabama - Cara Greenley
Alums - Let Us Know
What You are Doing!
We know there are more of you out
there earning honors and making our
school proud! Let us know what you
are doing by emailing
[email protected].
6
2
1
3
St. Peter Catholic School 2015
Class of 2008
Lauren Young, class of 2008, was selected
for the Liberty League Winter AllAcademic Team for basketball and was
accepted into the Master of Science in
Tech Commercialization Entrepreneur
program at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute.
Melissa Powers. Class of 2008, recently
graduated magna cum laude from St. Louis
University's John Cook School of
Business. In August she will attend SLU
Law school as an 1843 Scholar.
Vincent Bottom has been awarded the St.
Vincent DePaul Scholarship
Tyler Passig earned the Eagle Scout rank
in Boy Scouts and was inducted into the
Missouri High School Racquetball
Association as Singles 2nd team in 2015.
Isabelle Trokey has been recognized for
doubling the number of her service hours
and serves on the Student Athletic
Advisory Council.
Maggie Hennessey was named in the Top
15 Finalist 100 Neediest Cases art
competition. She earned the St Louis
University Ignatian Scholarship and Jesuit
Community Award.
James Leahy is Latin Club President and
Secretary of Missouri Junior Classical
Leauge.
Carolyn Backus received the Nerinx
English department award for outstanding
student and will be attending Washington
University in St. Louis.
Catherine Hennessey was chosen to sing
with 20 students at the Vatican for a world
wide musical festival summer of 2016.
Brady Dickison was in the National
Honor Society, Science Honors Society,
Spanish Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta,
Order of the Griffin Award, Vianney Team
Most Valuable Player for Racquetball,
Vianney Gold Circle Award, Martin
Luther King Model of Justice Award.
Brianna Betlejewski was selected to intern
at Disney World through the Disney
College Program.
Ashley Powers graduated from St.
Joseph's Academy and was recognized for
being in the top 10% of her class.
Tyler Opilka has played junior hockey the
past 2 years in Ottawa, Canada and
Rochester, NY. He has been accepted to
the University of Illinois in the fall.
Emmie Morrison was co-salutatorian of
St. Joseph’s Academy and a National
Merit Semi Finalist.
Class of 2009
Claire Henleben earned the excellence
academic scholarship to University of
Missouri.
Class of 2011
Kirkwood High School named Molly
O’Brien the Outstanding Senior Student in
Engineering and Mitchell Mobley the
Outstanding Senior Student in Industrial
Technology.
Luke Opilka moved to Ann Arbor,
Michigan for his Junior and Senior year to
play hockey for Team USA. He is playing
for the U18 USA National Team
Development Program. He has full
athletic scholarship to the University of
Wisconsin-Madison and was drafted by the
St. Louis Blues in the 2015 draft.
Eddie Henleben, Chaminade graduate,
took part in a service project in El Salvador
where he helped to build infrastructure and
mentored children in an orphanage. Eddie
received the Chaminade scholarship for
outstanding grades funded by a St. Louis
engineering firm.
Haley Williams was salutatorian of Cor
Jesu Academy and a National Merit
Scholar.
Class or 2012
Nora Brooks was voted on by the faculty
as the Student-Athlete of the Month in
January 2015. She is a member of the
National Honor Society, Latin Honor
Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Diversity,
Ambassadors and Student Athletic
Advisory Council. She started her business
in spring of 2014, NB3 Personalized gifts.
She competed in St Louis University's
Shark Tank and was a co-winner.
Steve Lockwood and Patrick Pence,
captain and assistant captain of the Varsity
SLUH hockey team, played in the 2015
state championship.
Rachel Belloli was on the Class 2 State
Championship varsity lacrosse team at St.
Joseph’s Academy.
Meghan O’Connell played Varsity field
hockey for Kirkwood High School, is a
photographer for the Pioneer Yearbook,
and is in the Spanish Honor Society.
Edward Bottom has been inducted into
the National Honor Society and National
Spanish Honor Society. He has been
awarded the triple crown of high adventure
in Boy Scouts and has a Varsity letter for
wrestling for the Kirkwood Pioneers.
Jack Eisenbarger, Tony Cadice and
Will Hebrank were inducted into the
Vianney National Honor society.
Katie Prosser earned the Sportsmanship
award in Lacrosse and is an Ambassador
at Nerinx.
Class of 2013
Nina Monafo was a member of the mock
trial team at Nerinx where they made it to
Regionals. She was the Sophomore class
treasurer and studied in China this summer
increasing her knowledge of the Chinese
culture and language studies.
Alec Dickison was voted Most Improved
Player in Racquetball and also came in 1st
in Nationals in the Red Division.
Kyle Rolfes became a Life Scout and will
be starting on his Eagle project this
Spring. He plays saxophone and made
2nd chair for the Symphonic band.
Class of 2014
Matthew Young received Scholar Athlete
Award for soccer and was one of the
captains on his St Louis Scott Gallagher
Premier team this past spring.
Morgan Kane earned the Tennis AllConference Award issued by the High
School Metro Women's Athletic
Association.
Griffin Lester was captain of the
freshmen baseball team at SLUH and a
President's Ambassador.
Sophia Andreatta was on the 1st place
team from her Honors Intro to Chemistry
in the eCYBERMISSION program
sponsored by the US Army.
Connie Schu received Most Valuable
Defense Player award for the Freshman
Volleyball team.
Parker Pence received the Raterman
Award which is given annually in honor of
James Raterman, a great teacher and
beloved colleague, to an exemplary senior
who reads attentively, speaks from the
heart, writes with conviction, and devotes
himself to learning.
7
St. Peter Catholic School 2015
St. Peter Catholic School
215 North Clay
Kirkwood, MO 63122
Visit us online!
www.stpeterkirkwood.org
Nonprofit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
St. Louis, MO
Permit No. 3817