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September 17, 2015
Dear Parents,
Guess who? I am describing a person you may know. The person is humble, open, charismatic, challenging, a change agent, and non judgmental. Give up? The person I am describing is Pope Francis. As you may know he is coming to the United States next week. It will be interesting how Pope Francis "sizes up" the Catholic Church in the United States. I would encourage you to watch some of the events on television as he visits New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. next week. This is one of those times that you are able to watch television with your child(ren) and have great discussions.
A group of teachers met on Tuesday to discuss the activities already done in the Learning Commons (new Middle School Media Center) and the Elementary Library. Some of the activities include Reading Buddies, creating digital stories with the middle school, Battle of the Books in grades four and five, and a fifth grade book club. This list is a very limited one as there have been more activities the teachers have and will do. The final segment of the first part of the Overdue/Overhaul Project will be purchase books for preschool, kindergarten and first grade. The second part of the Overdue/Overhaul Project will be to complete the library in the elementary school this upcoming summer. The teachers are very committed in working in both libraries during this school year.
My weekly paragraph for hot lunch pertains to consistent and timely payment of hot lunch fees. We already have some parents who have negative fees in Power Lunch. I am asking that all fees be paid for hot lunch. At the current time Konop is providing ten extra lunches in the event parents forget. Rest assured that the ten extra lunches will not be something that will take place the rest of the year.
In a school curriculum three things "drive the train" when it comes to curriculum and scheduling. These three items are recess, specialist classes and Math. Some of the teachers and I are working to determine the best placement for Math, especially at the Middle School. There has been a lack of balance, section wise, in eighth grade Math. This is a result of placement and recommendations in Algebra I. We are also working with teachers in two grades at the Elementary School to process enrichment and other learning methods for some students. Curriculum and scheduling alterations take time and effort. Many of the changes in scheduling and curriculum as it pertains to Math will be completed after MAP testing if not sooner. The recess schedule has changed at the Elementary School to schedule more minutes in classes such as Spanish, Art, and Music. Art has been increased by thirty minutes at both schools, and pre school has more time in the schedule for "special" classes. Change is challenging, but once everything is processed the beneficiary is your child and his/her education.
Two weeks ago I asked that people remain by their cars if they wish to pick their child up in the loading area by the Elementary School. I ask that those who park at the Middle School not do so during the school day as Mrs. Pagel is conducting her Physical Education classes in the parking lot. Thank you for your cooperation.
We need more parents to assist us in supervision. It would be great if we could have parents volunteer to serve as lunch supervisors and middle school. playground supervisors. We have a reduction of one person supervising in the lunchroom, I usually do almost all of the supervision there. Although I do enjoy the opportunity to interact with the students, I am called away for meetings I must attend. Volunteering to do supervision not only will provide you with service hours but will help greatly in insuring the safety of all students.
We have made some strides in our Safety and Security Plan. Ms. Freeman and I have looked at a template from another private school in Wisconsin, and we are "tailoring" it to meet our needs. Once the plan is completed, I would like to have the De Pere Police Department review it and provide suggestions for us to improve it. Parts of the plan include what a school does in the event of an intruder, bomb threat. tornado and fire drills, chemical spill etc. Once the plan is completed and reviewed, I would like to put it in a flip chart fashion for each staff member. It is my goal to run through this plan in the spring of 2016. One thing we will be asking you to do is to give the office your car keys when you are in either campus for any length of time. This does not include SCRIP purchase or picking up students at the end of the day. We will also be having one fire drill per month in accordance with the expectations set by the De Pere Fire Department.
Our annual Notre Dame Golf Outing is this Saturday, September 19. One of the unique aspects is the "evening golf." There will be plenty of entertainment, fellowship and food at this outing. A huge thank you goes to Mark Danen, who has done a great deal of work for the golf outing this year. Hopefully a lot of golfers will not have to yell "fore" a great deal.
Mrs. Kim Connelly and Mrs. Debbie Ruggles are working away for the Key Event on November 6 at the Swan Club. If you are asked to participate, please be generous in helping out. The event is the biggest fundraiser Notre Dame has during the school year. I attended the Key Event for the first time last year. I found the fellowship and socializing as much fun as seeing the items up for bid and the dinner. The Key Event is much more than a fundraising event.
The Administrative Assistants and I are more than accommodating in getting as much information to you on the website and in my letters. We do ask though that you provide any information to us by Wednesday at 3 pm. at the very latest. We would like to get all information to you before the end of the day on Thursday.
Ms.Kabat, one of our fifth grade teachers, has been nominated to be in THE SEND A TEACHER to NCEA . The National Catholic Education Association Convention this year will be in San Diego, California the last week in March of 2016. Each nominated teacher is in a competition for votes as a teacher of excellence. The teacher with the most votes will receive an opportunity to attend the NCEA National Convention in San Diego. The link to vote for Ms. Kabat is http://woobox.com/rh/7fio You can also access the contest by going to the NCEA Facebook page and finding the contest on the Apps Tab. Voting is done the same way the NCAA March Madness is held, teachers are faced off vs. one another except you vote year round rather than all at once. You will vote for one teacher in every matchup.
The photos have their name, school, and location on them and we have published the short paragraphs on NCEA Talk so that you know more about the teachers you are voting for before you vote! You will need to LIKE their Facebook page and then vote. Here is the link to vote for Ms. Kabat:
Voting for round one ends this Saturday, so make sure to leverage your school, faculty, friends, and anyone to vote for your teacher! Vote early and vote often.
Please see below for information on the visit of Sister Maria Rosa Leggol to our middle school.
Have a great rest of the week.
God Bless,
James A.( Jim) Clark, Principal
"I CAN DO EVERYTHING THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH."
Philippians 4:13
Parent Education
Mr. Clark has set up a Education Post at the top of our webpage. This week he added the topic of New Research about 8th Grade Math and Algebra...What's the Rush?. This site is updated constantly. There are many valuable tools in which parents can educate themselves in different aspects of their children's education. Very helpful information. Check it out here.
Notre Dame Raider Wear
If you are interested in purchasing Raider Wear to show your school spirit please click here. Nice quality, warm fleece, great looking wear.
NDA Future Triton Basketball Kick Off
Open to boys 3rd-8th Grades For more information please click here
And there is a program for girls as well. Open to girls 3rd-8th Grades. For more information on the girls program click hereThere also will be a skills camp for both boys and girls no need to register, just show up. For more information on the skills camp please click here
Fundraising/Volunteering Opportunities
As the school year begins so do the opportunities to get involved at the school! We have many wonderful activities throughout the year. Some are fund-raisers, some are fun-raisers, some are in support of our Athletics Department, teachers and staff, Home and School, and some to meet our Third Source Funding goal. ALL are to support Notre Dame of De Pere! We would not be such a fantastic school without the volunteer support of our school families! For more information and to sign up please click here
That Man is You Program (TMIY)
Modeled on some of the country's leading men's programs, That Man Is You! combines Scripture, solid secular research and a little fun to address the pressures and temptations facing men in our modern culture. It seeks to form authentic leaders who will be capable of transforming homes and society. For more information click here
Sister María Rosa Leggol
Is a Honduran Franciscan Religious Sister who has been called the "Mother Teresa" of Honduras. In the 1960s, she organized a group of homes to care for the abandoned and deprived children of that nation, which became organized as the Sociedad Amigos de los Niños (SAN). Over the past 55 years she has cared for and educated more than 60,000 Honduran orphans. At Notre Dame we have the privilege of having Sister coming to speak to our middle school students this coming Monday Sept. 21st. She will speak from 12:50 pm - 1:30 pm. All are welcome to attend and hear the story of a remarkable woman who throughout her life exemplifies a great love for God and neighbor and a willingness to follow God's will through much suffering, but with great joy. Hope you can join us for this wonderful opportunity! This assembly will take place in the middle school gym.
SCRIP office IS IN NEED of some additional SELLERS
* We are especially looking for volunteers who could work Wednesday's and Thursday's from 2:30 - 3:30 at the Middle School. Feel free to work once, twice or as often as your schedule allows!
If you are able to help... please click here
* Also, NEW THIS YEAR we will have SCRIP SELLING shifts available at the weekend masses for both St. Mary and St. Francis. It is as easy as selling SCRIP (before & after) 1 mass - 1 weekend a month! This is another GREAT way to earn your fundraising service hours...Please contact Carla Gemignani at 920-864-2785
ions or are interested in helping!
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