| Reaching Higher! |
99% of our graduating seniors are continuing with their education and 70% earned scholarships to colleges & universities totaling $6.35 million! |
Homecoming Week at Gross Catholic
September 22-26
Where the Wild Things Are!
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September 22
Cougars are United Day
Homecoming Mass at 9:00 am
September 23
Be the Jungle Day!
Powderpuff Football Game at 2:15 pm
September 24
Jungle Fever Day!
Softball vs Duchesne at 4:30 pm
September 25
Game Day!
Pep Rally at 2:15 pm
Homecoming Tailgate at 5:00 pm
Chili Cook-Off & Car Decorating Contests Judging at 5:15 pm
Varsity Football vs Columbus at Bellevue West at 7:00 pm
September 26
Homecoming Dance
Dance at 8:30 pm
Coronation at 8:45 pm
Complete List of Homecoming Events
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Cougar Athletics
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Sports and activity photos by the Gross Catholic journalism students are available for purchase at Smug Mug.
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| Support Gross Catholic |
Gross Catholic's Annual Fund is vital to supporting the high-quality programs available to our students. Tuition only covers 80% of our operating costs and we depend on the generosity of our alumni, parents, and friends to sustain the outstanding college-preparatory education benefiting our students.
Please make your tax-deductible gift today! |
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GEO Garden
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There are many plants blooming right now and the grass garden looks great.
Come take a walk through the garden and watch the Fall changes.
Anyone that is thinning out their plants may donate them to school by
dropping them off at the office to the attention of
Mr. Carey.
You may purchase bricks,
trees or benches for the garden. Contact Rich Carey for more information.
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Upcoming Events
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September 2
School Penance Service
Back to School Night
September 3
Late Start
September 7
Labor Day - No School
5K Run/Walk
September 10
Catholic College Fair
September 11
Grandparents Day Mass
September 17
Late Start
Progress Report Day
September 21
No School
September 22 - 26
Homecoming Week
Complete
School Calendar
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| Send This to a Friend! |
| Forward this newsletter to other interested Cougar families and prospective families!
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Express Your Opinion!
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Your
opinion is important to us! As we strive to provide a quality
education for our students, we ask you to please complete a survey
regarding your experience with Gross Catholic. If you have not had a chance to take this survey, please CLICK HERE.
Four lucky respondents will win a $50 AMEX gift card! Results will be
compiled by a independent research firm and completely confidential.
Thank you so much for helping us improve our school.
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Greetings!
Welcome to
the 2009-2010 school year! Our building
is alive again with students - wonderful students who are truly a blessing to
have.
As we
start back to school, I wanted to begin by congratulating our principal, Dr. Dorothy Ostrowski for being chosen as Administrator
of the Year by the Archdiocese of Omaha.
She will be honored at the Archbishop's Dinner for Education on the
evening of Thursday, September 17th.
We all know what an asset Dorothy is to Gross Catholic High School, and we are happy that she has
been honored in this special way.
Last year,
as many of you will remember, we began our Continue the Vision capital campaign in order to raise
money for our endowment, which helps us to provide tuition assistance to
families, as well as several improvements to the building. These included the west entrance, the commons
bathrooms, the technology repair area, and the chapel.
When the
recession hit, we had reached approximately half of our goal in gifts and
pledges. In consultation with the Steier
Group, and other experts in the field of fundraising, we suspended our
campaign. We are now ready to renew our
efforts and we will finish raising the money necessary to make the needed
improvements. We will be in contact with
many of you and we hope that you will be willing to help us.
On another
note, Lynn
Poly,
Director of Development, and I had the good fortune of being able to visit Brother
Joe Barrett in San Antonio this summer.
We visited the Marianist facility where both he and Brother Leo Willett
reside. It was wonderful to see both of
them - and while Brother Leo is able to return to Gross Catholic often, it has
been many years since most of us have seen Brother Joe. I can tell you he is in great spirits, and is
as ornery and kind and loving as ever.
He has many pictures and mementos of this community hanging in his room,
and he talked very fondly of his days at Gross Catholic. Lynn and I both feel very honored to have had
the opportunity to visit him.
With that,
let me say once again how good it is to have the kids come back to school! If any of us can be of service to any of you,
please don't hesitate to call.
Sincerely,
Beckie Cleveland
President
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Provide an Integral, Quality Education
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Back to School Night for Parents
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 Wednesday, September 2
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Gross Catholic Commons
Meet your student's teachers and learn more about the class curriculum. Copies of your student's schedule will be distributed as parents arrive and you will proceed to your child's first period class. Classroom presentations will run approximately seven minutes. The evening will include a special presentation by guest speaker, Susie Dugan, the Project Manager and consultant for PRIDE-Omaha, a national leader in the Parent Drug Prevention Movement. Also, be sure to pick up your copy of our new school calendar with important school events! |
| Cougar Athletics |
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 Cougar Beach Takes Shape!
Thanks to some dedicated parents & alumni, Cougar athletes have a new place to train. Tom Kiscoan '75,
Tim Zimmerer and Jim McWilliams '83 helped design and build an outdoor venue
dubbed the "Cougar Beach." Tom DeGeorge '88 donated the sand to fill the
pits and Bob & Jane Carnazzo Stutzman '78 assisted us in obtaining the turf.
Cougar athletes train
for speed using sand pits and a 30-yard sprint runway. They train for agility on the turf surface,
and for strength and stability using state-of-the art suspension
training. This new training
space is unlike any other at the high school level. Tom Kiscoan also welded dumbbell racks for
our weight room that are better than anything we could have purchased.
We are fortunate to have such generous and willing
parents to help us advance our programs for our athletes. THANK YOU to all who helped with this
project!
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Media Center News
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 Gross Catholic Student Book Club
First Meeting
Wednesday, September 9
9:20 am in the Media Center
Interested students are encouraged to attend the organizational meeting for the student book club. Book clubs offer good books, inspiring discussions, exposure to new ideas and differing viewpoints, and the opportunity to socialize with other book lovers. For more information on the book club or any media center programs or services, please contact Mrs. Julia Reddel, Media Specialist.
Encourage Your Teen to Read
You know that reading is important, and you obviously want to make sure that your teenager grows into adulthood with all the skills he or she needs to be succeed. Reading is Fundamental has supplied a list of tips to help you encourage your teen to read. Click here for some good ideas! |
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Educate for Formation in Faith |
Grandparents Day Mass
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 Friday, September 11
9:00 am - Main Gym
Reception Following
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College & Career Planning
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Guidance Counselors
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 Guidance Staff
Welcome back to the halls of Gross Catholic! Be sure to stop in and meet your counselor. Mr. Dempsey (ext. 104) works with all freshmen, as well as serving as our Athletic & Activities Director. If your incoming student needs assistance transitioning from middle school to high school, suggest a visit with Mr. Dempsey. Mr. Hargis, Guidance Center Director (ext. 113), works will all sophomores & juniors. He also serves as Gross Catholic's military contact and is coordinates special programs & standardized testing. Ms. Schow (ext. 112) works with seniors and is the College Counselor, assisting with the application process, obtaining financial aid and scholarship information, and scheduling college representative visits to Gross Catholic. She also teaches two English classes. Mr. McClure (ext. 114) works in college planning and is here on Mondays only Mrs. Hazuka (ext. 115) acts as the Guidance Center's secretary on Mondays and Tuesdays, assisting primarily with college planning. Guidance annoucements are posted on the Guidance page on Edline. |
Plan for College
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 Register for the ACT and SAT Tests
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Catholic College Fair
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 Thursday, September 10
11:00 am - Noon in the Main Gym
Visit with representatives from 27 Catholic colleges. Parents are welcome to attend, also. |
Get Ready for College!
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 Information for Seniors
Ms. Schow will be visiting senior religion classes soon with information pertinent to the college planning process.
Education Quest
11031 Elm Street in Rockbrook
Seniors and their parents are encouraged to visit EducationQuest for free help with college searches, financial aid and scholarship searches. Call 391-4033 to set up an appointment.
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Senior Yearbooks & Graduation Ads
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 Order by October 2 for Special Savings
For
the first time ever, the yearbook staff is offering senior parents an
opportunity to save money by ordering a 2010 yearbook and a senior ad together.
To qualify, the ad and yearbook order must be paid in full, complete with all
photos and message. The deadline for this offer is October 2nd. To
see the combined prices, refer to the mailing that you will receive soon.
Questions? Please e-mail yearbook adviser Mr. Dale Schwalm.
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Yellow Ribbon Anti-Suicide Presentation
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 Wednesday, September 16
8:30 - 9:15 am
Auditorium
Freshmen students will be attending the annual Yellow Ribbon anti-suicide presentation. More information on this program will be mailed home.
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Youth Leadership Omaha
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 Leadership Program for Sophomores
Sophomores are encouraged to apply for this year's Youth Leadership Omaha at Creighton University. This program is designed to provide high school sophomores with the opportunity to develop their leadership skills. Applications are available online. The deadline for all forms is September 15th.
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Drivers Education
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 October 7 - November 2
Mondays & Wednesdays
3:05 - 5:35 pm
Drivers Education Classes at Gross Catholic on Mondays & Wednesdays for four weeks.
Behind the Wheel instruction will be arranged during the student's free
periods or after school. The cost is
$265.00 for Gross Catholic students. A
deposit of $50.00 is required to hold a spot in this class. Registration forms are available in the school office or on Edline. |
School Directory
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 Cougar Caller
In a few weeks, we will publish our "Cougar
Caller" which is a listing of all our families, addresses, and phone
numbers, much like a telephone book. IF
YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR FAMILY'S PHONE NUMBER OR ADDRESS PUBLISHED,
please call the school office at 734-2000 or email Mrs. Sandy Antoniak and let us know.
Safe Home Project
Also, indicated in our "Cougar Caller" by an asterisk (*)
are the names of families that participate in the SAFE
HOME PROJECT. This is a program that
allows parents to have a list of other parents supportive of the Safe Home
concept. When participating in the project:
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Parents WILL welcome inquiry calls from other
families;
- Parents WILL network with each other to confirm
plans made by their children;
- Parents WILL verify adequate supervision of all
student activities;
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Parents WILL NOT allow parties or gatherings
while they are not at home;
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Parents WILL NOT serve nor allow youth under
the legal drinking age to consume alcohol in their home or on their property;
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Parents WILL NOT
allow the use or presence of any illegal drugs in their homes or on their
property.
If you wish to participate in the Safe Home Project, please click here to complete the agreement form. |
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Labor Day 5K Run/Walk
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 September 7
8:30 am - Kids 1/2 Mile & Cross Country
9:00 am - 5K Run/Walk
Support the Gross Catholic Wrestling, Track, and Strength & Conditioning Programs! T-shirts to all entrants and prizes awarded to top male & female in each age group. BBQ, refreshments, live music, and free cinch sack to first 100 registrants! Register online today!Registration Fee: $25 and $10 for kids' run For more information contact Cheryl Sacco or Chris Gannon.
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Cougar Golf Classic
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 Monday, September 21
11:00 am Registration
11:30 am Shotgun Start
Platteview Country Club
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Junior Cougars Basketball
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For Students from 5th - 8th Grade
Tryouts September 8 & 9 Gross Catholic Gym
The Gross
Catholic Junior Cougars Basketball program seeks to identify players interested
in attending Gross Catholic and enhancing their basketball abilities and playing
against quality competition in the
area. The teams do not replace CYO/PAL
teams, but offers an opportunity to play more basketball. For more information, please email Mr. Tim Powers.
Boys
Tryouts
September
8 at 8:30 - 10:00 pm
September
9 at 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Girls
Tryouts
September
8 at 7:00 - 8:30 pm
September
9 at 8:30 - 10:00 pm
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Cougar Football Frenzy
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 For 6th - 8th Graders
September 11 at 6:00 pm
Game at Bellevue East High School Stadium
The Gross
Catholic Student body invites our junior Cougars to attend the Cougar Varsity Football Home Opener! Wear your orange and blue and join us for some food, fun and Cougar spirit! Tailgate
6:00 pm in Bellevue East's West Parking Lot. Walk over to the stadium at game time.
Cougar Varsity Football
7:00 - 9:00 pm Cheer for the Cougars as they face South Sioux City. Pick up your student after the game. (Game is at Bellevue East High School). Event Fee: $10. Includes dinner, drink, and entrance into the game. Register online today! Contact Mr. Tim Johnk, Director of Student Recruitment, for more information.
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Homecoming Tailgate & Game
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 Friday, September 25
5:00 - 6:30 pm
Gross Catholic West Parking Lot
Wear your
orange and blue and show your cougar spirit when you join us for our annual
Homecoming Tailgate Party! Before you watch the Gross
Catholic Cougars take on the Columbus Discoverers at the Homecoming football
game at 7:00 PM at Bellevue East Stadium, tailgate with the students, alumni, faculty and parents, and join us for the chili cook-off and car decorating contests. Go Cougars!
Homecoming Tailgate - enjoy the famous Cougar chili, hot dogs, and drinks at 5:00 pm.
Sample the chili cook-off entries!
We ask that you bring chips or a dessert to share. Homecoming Tailgate sponsored by the Gross
Catholic Alumni Association.
Car Decorating Contest - Show your Cougar spirit and decorate your car for the
ride over to the stadium. Cash
prizes! Click here for contest rules and more details. Judging begins at 5:15
pm.
Chili Cook-Off Contest - Enter your best chili and win $100! Click here for contest rules and more details. Judging begins at 5:00 pm.
Varsity Football Game - Cheer for the Gross Catholic Cougars as they take on
the Columbus Discovers at 7:00 pm at the Bellevue West High School stadium. See the Homecoming Court as they are introduced at
halftime and enjoy a show by the Gross Catholic Marching Band.
Click here for a complete list of Homecoming events! For more information, contact Mikaela VanMoorleghem, Alumni Programs Director. |
Football Alumni Night
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 Wednesday, October 7
6:00 - 10:00 pm
Buffalo Wild Wings at Shadow Lake Towne Center, Papillion, at Highway 370 and 72nd St. (NEW LOCATION)
The Gross Catholic Football staff invite all Gross Catholic alumni football players and their families to join them for an evening of fun celebrating the tradition of Cougar Football! Evening includes prizes and Coach Johnk and his staff will show highlights of seasons past and fill you in on the current team's successes! 15% of the evening's food proceeds will be donated to the Cougar Football program. For more information, contact Mikaela VanMoorleghem, Alumni Programs Director. |
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