Tolle Lege Winter 12-13 1a

WINTER
2012‐2013
Tolle Lege
Regina Angelorum Academy
Classical Curriculum—Catholic Formation
Events
January
7
Classes Resume
21
Open House
24
Family Movie
Night
25
March for Life
No School
28
Catholic Schools
Week Begins
February
1
Catholic Schools
Week Concludes
2
Jamie Thietten
Concert
9
Valentine’s
Dinner
11-12 Winter Break
13
Ash Wednesday
15
Butterfly Project
18
Open House
28
Philadelphia
Orchestra
Fieldtrip
Inside This Issue
Answering the Call
to Catholic
Engagement
Catholic
School
Spirit
at
Regina
Angelorum
At
the
end
of
January,
The
academic
highpoint
of
Regina
Angelorum
Academy
week
from
St.
Ignatious
of
Loyola
Elementary
in
the
week
was
the
Third
Celebrated
Catholic
Schools
Week
with
a
host
of
activities
supported
and
organized
by
Regina
parent
Kathy
Ranieri.
The
RAA
community
got
a
head
start
on
Thursday,
the
twenty‐fourth
with
a
Family
Movie
Night.
Snacks
were
Provided
by
the
girls
of
Troop
Kateri
Tekakwitha,
and
The
Sound
of
Music
was
shown
on
a
new,
big
screen
donated
by
the
Troop
with
the
proceeds
from
previous
bake
sales.
The
week
officially
opened
with
a
special
mass
for
the
school
at
St.
Colman’s
Chruch
on
Sunday,
January
27.
A
Hospitality
Hour
followed
in
the
school
auditorium.
Decorations
on
the
doors
of
every
classroom
established
a
festive
tone
as
students
accessorized
their
uniforms
with
crazy
socks
and
hats
on
Monday.
Tuesday
was
a
Day
of
Service,
and
students
brought
in
non‐perishable
food
items
for
St.
Ignatious
food
pantry,
which
distributes
free
food
every
Northwest
Philadelphia.
Students
gathered
in
the
auditorium
to
recite
a
Living
Rosary
around
an
enormous
rosary
fashioned
out
of
balloons
by
the
Peter
and
Kathy
Ranieri
family,
and
everyone
enjoyed
a
special
soft
pretzel
treat
before
heading
home.
Pastries
for
Parents
and
plenty
of
hot
coffee
greeted
parents
in
the
library
during
morning
drop
off
on
Wednesday.
It
was
a
big
“Thank
you”
for
the
sacrifices
our
parents
make
to
provide
a
Catholic
education
for
their
children.
On
Thursday
the
students
were
invited
to
wear
appropriate
play
clothes
to
school,
the
better
to
enjoy
Movie
Day.
Teachers
and
students
gathered
in
the
auditorium
for
popcorn
and
a
special
showing
of
The
Miracle
of
Marcelino.
“I
remember
this
movie
from
my
childhood,”
remarked
Office
Manager
Christine
Simeone,
“and
later
shared
it
with
my
own
children
who
loved
it
as
much
as
I
did.”
Annual
Declamation
Contest
on
Friday,
February
first.
Rebecca
Lorenz,
Jacqueline
Guerra,
Joseph
Hayden
and
Olivia
Guerra
competed
with
fourth
through
eighth
graders
graders
from
Regina
Coeli
Academy
in
Abington
and
Regina
Luminous
Academy
in
Downingtown.
Competition
was
in
the
morning
and
students
from
the
other
Regina
schools
returned
home
after
joining
us
for
lunch.
In
the
afternoon
Mr.
Thomson
led
students
and
teachers
in
a
less
formal
competition
of
“spirit
day”
Activities.
Finding
we
had
too
much
spirit
for
our
school
to
contain
the
celebration
in
a
single
week,
parents
organized
a
special
thank
you
luncheon
for
teachers
the
following
Tuesday.
The
extended
week
was
energizing
reminder
of
how
blessed
we
all
are
to
be
part
of
such
a
vibrant
Catholic
community.
Below:
Second
Graders
display
their
“crazies”
Page
2
Tolle
Lege
“A
Good
Day”
with
Jamie
Thietten
On
January
26
Regina
included
Ms.
Thietten’s
sponsored
an
essay
contest
Angelorum
Academy
was
number
two
radio
hit,
a
in
which
students
were
delighted
to
welcome
slightly
adapted
version
of
asked
to
consider
the
Catholic
Christian
singer
and
Celene
Dion’s
“Because
You
question:
“How
has
music
songwriter
Jamie
Thietten
Loved
Me,”
which
celebrates
influenced
my
Faith?”
for
an
intimate
concert
made
Jamie’s
message
that
“God’s
Winning
essays
by
Olivia
possible
through
the
love
never
fails
us
and
Guerra,
Elena
Coffey
and
generosity
of
Regina
because
of
that
there
is
Elise
Fitzgibbons
were
read
Angelorum
supporters
Mr.
hope.”
during
intermission,
and
the
and
Mrs.
Larry
Meigs.
Ms.
Thietten
also
shared
students
received
free
family
Interspersed
with
stories
of
the
story
behind
the
song
tickets
to
the
performance
the
faith
and
professional
and
music
video
for
“My
and
an
autographed
gift
journeys
that
have
shaped
Chance,”
a
powerful
ballad
package
from
the
star.
Ms.
Thietten’s
career
and
her
that
has
inspired
the
pro‐Life
“The
night
was
a
wonderful
music,
Jamie
performed
the
community
around
the
world
success,”
enthused
concert
highly
personal
songs,
and
made
Ms.
Thietten
an
organizer
Nicole
Campuzano.
“Yesterday’s
News”
and
“I
international
star.
“The
Holy
Spirit
was
certainly
Would
Die
For
That,”
a
song
Concert
organizers
Jason
present.”
that
considers
the
pain
of
and
Nicole
Campuzano
and
Ms.
Thietten
concluded
the
infertility.
The
concert
Jim
and
Felicia
Coffey
concert
with
two
pieces
Jamie
Thietten
poses
with
essay
contest
winners
(from
left)
Olivia
Guerra,
Elise
Fitzgibbons
and
Elena
Coffey.
from
her
newest
CD.
a
selection
of
Catholic
hymns.
Having
learned
that
Jamie
traveled
to
us
on
her
birthday,
Felicia
Coffey
prepared
a
birthday
cake,
and
the
evening
closed
with
a
chorus
of
“Happy
Birthday”
and
Jamie’s
birthday
wish
for
the
coming
year.
Annual
Valentine’s
Dinner
Saturday,
February
9
saw
our
auditorium
transformed
for
Regina
Angelorum’s
annual
Valentine’s
Dinner.
Parents,
teachers
and
friends
of
the
school
came
together
for
an
evening
of
fine
food
and
fellowship
organized
by
Regina
parents
Dan
and
Jennifer
Lorenz.
The
event
included
raffles
for
tickets
to
Philadelphia
Flyers,
Sixers,
Phillies
and
Eagles
games
courtesy
of
Hayden
Real
Estate.
There
was
also
a
raffle
at
the
door
for
a
weekend
stay
at
a
bed
and
breakfast
in
Cape
May.
“While
you
can
always
find
rest
in
the
Lord,
you
can
also
find
it
at
the
beautiful
Peter
Shields
Inn.
May
the
most
tired
couple
win!”
encouraged
Mrs.
Lorenz.
“So
many
parents
contributed
to
make
this
night
special,”
she
added.
“We
never
could
have
done
it
alone!”
The
featured
speaker
of
the
evening
was
Father
Shaun
Mahoney,
acclaimed
retreat
master
and
Director
of
the
Neuman
Center
at
Temple
University.
Fr.
Mahoney
spoke
about
the
importance
of
sacramental
marriage
as
both
a
source
of
strength
and
a
living
example
in
today’s
world.
Tolle
Lege
Page
3
Headmaster’s
Corner
‐‐‐
Answering
the
Call
to
Engagement
Dear
Friends
of
RAA,
As
I
reflect
on
the
events
of
the
past
months
here
at
Regina
Angelorum
Academy,
I
am
reminded
of
Archbishop
Chaput’s
call
to
renew
the
Chruch
and
her
Mission
in
this
Year
of
Faith:
“[O]ur
purpose
and
task
as
Christian
disciples
is...to
bring
Jesus
Christ
to
the
whole
world,
and
the
whole
world
to
Jesus
Christ.”
This
call
to
engagement
has
been
sounded
repeatedly
here
at
RAA,
beginning
with
Bill
McGurn’s
talk
on
“The
Catholic
Gift
to
America.”
From
his
years
of
experience
reporting
world
events
as
a
journalist,
and
then
shaping
them
as
a
speechwriter
for
President
George
W.
Bush,
Mr.
McGurn
has
discerned
a
unique
role
for
Catholics
in
American
society.
The
unshakable
Truth
encapsulated
in
the
Magisterium
makes
Catholicism
a
clear,
constant
voice
amid
the
chaos
of
popular
discourse.
We
have
only
to
speak
as
Catholics
to
make
this
voice
heard.
In
a
very
different
context,
Father
Shaun
Mahoney
addressed
the
powerful
example
of
sacramental
“… behind the truths
Grandma tried to hand
down was wisdom that we
ought not to have tossed
out so easily, a wisdom
that might help explain
why it is that men and
women living a culture
given over to the 24/7
pursuit of happiness seem
to enjoy less and less of it
these days.”
Bill
McGurn
with
Regina
Schools
co‐Founder
Mrs.
Barbara
Henkles
.
marriage
as
a
real
alternative
to
the
disorder
surrounding
this
venerable
institution
today.
As
an
independent
Catholic
school,
we
have
the
ability
to
bring
this
message
of
social
engagement
home
to
our
students
in
many
ways.
By
closing
the
school
for
The
March
for
Life,
we
send
a
clear
message
about
what
we,
as
Catholics,
think
is
important,
and
provide
a
Excerpted from Bill McGurn’s
Great Defender of Life
2010 Acceptance Speech
model
for
students
to
order
their
lives
according
to
their
Faith.
The
Declamation
Contest
we
hosted
during
Catholic
Schools
Week
showcased
one
of
the
ways
a
Catholic
Classical
Education
trains
students
to
address
the
errors
they
encounter
in
the
larger
society.
Finally,
the
performance
of
The
Butterfly
Project
served
as
a
compelling
reminder
to
students
of
what
can
happen
when
Faithful
people
fail
to
resist
the
tide
of
evil
in
the
world.
We
are
humbled
to
be
entrusted
with
the
task
of
helping
to
form
young
Catholics,
and
ask
for
your
prayers
for
the
students,
teachers
and
families
of
RAA
as
we
continue
our
mission.
God
Bless,
Robert
A.
Touey
The
Central
Place
of
Declamation
Within
a
Classical
Curriculum
The
Declamation
Contest
that
capped
Catholic
Schools
Week
at
Regina
Angelorum
points
to
the
central
role
of
this
exercise
within
a
Classical
Curriculum.
Young
children
are
naturally
inclined
to
memorization
and
recitation;
a
classical
education
capitalizes
on
this
inherent
strength.
At
Regina
Angelorum
Academy
this
work
begins
in
pre‐K
as
students
learn
simple,
classic
songs
and
poetry
and
practice
reciting
together
with
their
teacher,
who
models
proper
form.
In
Kindergarten
they
begin
to
practice
as
individuals.
Through
this
early,
grammatical
stage
of
development,
students
are
accumulating
building
blocks
for
their
own
compositions.
“Young
students
absorb
these
examples
so
readily,”
says
4th and
5th
grade
teacher
Kim
McBryan,
“this
great
literature
really
becomes
a
part
of
them.”
Year
by
year,
the
literary
selections
become
longer
and
more
complex,
until
by
fourth
or
fifth
grade
students
are
ready
for
public
competition.
By
seventh
grade,
students
enter
the
logical
or
dialectical
stage
of
the
Classical
Curriculum.
They
begin
to
question
and
to
understand
causative
relationships,
and
their
feel
for
the
pieces
they
declaim
becomes
correspondingly
more
sophisticated.
All
of
this
is
invaluable
groundwork
for
the
final,
rhetorical,
stage
of
learning.
When
our
students
begin
in
their
high
school
years
to
fashion
their
own
arguments,
they
do
so
with
a
tremendous
cultural
well‐
spring
from
which
to
draw.
In
this
way,
a
Catholic
Classical
Education
gives
students
the
tools
they
need
to
recognize
the
Truth
and
to
defend
it
effectively.
REGINAANGELORUMACADEMY.COM
Regina Angelorum Academy
105 Argyle Road
Ardmore, PA 19003
Phone: 610-649-1730
Fax: 610-649-1739
Email: [email protected]
The
Butterfly
Project
Visits
Regina
Angelorum
Academy
On
Friday,
February
15,
Mr.
Keefe’s
sixth,
seventh
and
eighth
graders,
and
select
others
with
parental
permission,
were
treated
to
a
performance
of
I
Never
Saw
Another
Butterfly,
written
by
former
nun
Celeste
Raspanti.
After
the
show,
audience
members
were
able
to
speak
with
the
Wolf
Performing
Arts
Center’s
director
and
the
young
performers
about
the
history
of
this
extraordinary
play
and
their
experience
working
on
it.
This
haunting
show,
based
on
a
book
of
the
same
title,
is
built
from
the
words
of
real
children
from
the
Theresienstadt
Concentration
Camp
in
what
is
now
the
Czech
Republic.
Constructed
within
the
walls
of
the
medieval
fortress
town
of
Terezin,
this
camp
was
used
by
the
Nazis
to
showcase
their
treatment
of
Jewish
detainees
during
the
War.
This
deception
notwithstanding,
conditions
at
Terezin
were
miserable.
Fifteen
thousand
children
under
the
age
of
15
passed
through
the
camp.
Fewer
than
100
survived
the
War.
One
of
these
survivors
was
a
girl
named
Raja
Englanderova.
Her
story
provides
the
center
point
for
the
heartbreaking
account
of
the
children’s
experience
in
Terezin.
Regina
Angelorum
Academy
alumna
Monica
Altomare
gave
a
sensitive
performance
as
Young
Raja,
balanced
in
the
show
by
the
character
of
Older
Raja,
skillfully
played
by
Dana
Handelman,
looking
back
on
the
events
of
her
childhood.
Although
the
children’s
letters
and
diary
entries
attest
to
the
inhumanity
of
daily
life
at
Terezin,
the
enduring
message
of
the
play
is
one
of
hope
and
the
triumph
of
the
human
spirit.
Thanks
to
the
efforts
of
intrepid
teachers
like
Irena,
engagingly
represented
by
Brandi
Burgess,
the
children
of
Terezin
were
able
to
subvert
Nazi
prohibitions
against
their
studying
academic
subjects
or
creating
visual
art.
The
butterfly
became
a
symbol
for
the
children
of
their
defiance
of
Nazi
authority
even
as
they
awaited
deportation
to
Auchwitz.
“It
is
always
controversial
to
present
material
like
this
to
students,”
concedes
Regina
Angelorum
Headmaster
Bob
Touey,
“but
when
it
can
be
accomplished
with
sensitivity
appropriate
to
the
subject
matter,
it
is
too
important
for
us
not
to
make
it
available.”