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April 28, 2016
Dear Notre Dame Families, Next week schools across the United States celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week. What can we do to recognize our teachers? Here a few things that are free!!!! Yours truly- Recognize the fact that every day I go into a classroom I see teachers making a positive difference with the students they teach. I thank them for that. They also make me look good. I need all the help I can get. Your children- Say thank you to their teacher(s), make a card, hold open a door, tell a joke, have them say how much they learn from their teacher(s), make an offer to help with something in their classroom(s) You as parents- Send a nice e-mail, stop in the room and say hi, ask them how their day was. I know that many of us appreciate kind words more than any monetary or material item one can buy. We could not be the great school we are without the teachers'hard work, preparation, and kindness to our children in both buildings. One other group of people all of us should appreciate are our aides. They perform many duties for the teachers and students. Mrs. Byrne, Mrs. Pisani, Mrs. Shoemaker, and Mrs. Matzke work with all of the students in the grades they assist the teachers. I enjoy their work in helping me in the lunchroom. I can always count on a good laugh or smile from these four dedicated ladies. The Notre Dame Athletic Banquet will be tonight in the Dolski Center. The Booster Club has worked very hard to make this banquet such a special evening. It is my understanding that the last banquet was a number of years ago. and privileged to Mrs.Wolfram informed me that her only concern is that the coaches do not speak too long. Many of our students who may not experience academic success in the classroom do so in our athletic program. I may have written that one of the few jobs that is more stressful than a Principal is an Athletic Director. I hope to see you tonight. Incidentally, if you or your students want a humorous story or two, ask me about my athletic exploits in high school. I think they are priceless! The students are almost finished taking the MAP tests. I want to thank Mrs. Patterson, Mrs. Laehn, and the teachers for proctoring the tests. I will begin to look at the data next week to determine what areas of strength we possess as well as things we need to improve upon. I asked the teachers earlier in the year to write goals their students can improve upon based on the fall MAP scores. I will be interested to see how the teachers attained the goals they set. Standardized tests are prescriptive in nature. This means that all of us can glean the information and make improvements in our school program. The teachers will also be assessing standards and benchmarks in Language Arts and Math at the elementary school and all subject areas at the middle school. Once completed, the teacher at the next grade level will be able to see the progress your child's previous teacher made in teaching the standards. Mrs.Fink, the Technology Coordinator of the GRACE System and Mrs. Laehn spoke at our Site Advisory Council Meeting Tuesday evening. Mrs. Fink spoke on the work the technology coordinators in GRACE have done in making a long range plan that all GRACE schools will work on in the next three years. Some of the information presented included items such as tablets for the lower grades, STEM and Robotic sets, and sharing the technology teachers in GRACE in their areas of expertise. We have already done that with Mr.Nate Walner , the IT coordinator at Resurrection working with students on how to use a 3D printer. I will ask the teachers to make suggestions on software and hardware we can purchase in the future. I have even asked one of our middle school students to write me a proposal regarding a piece of technology that both Mrs. Laehn and I think would benefit the middle school greatly. As Principal of one of the GRACE Schools, I am excited to see that we have a concrete vision and plan to improve all of our technology. Our middle school maintenance supervisor, "Mr. Gil" has retired, but is still helping Mr. Ferron, our new middle school maintenance man showing him "the ropes." There is a party planned for Mr.Gil on May 20. I would ask you to consider donating a small sum of cash, put in an envelope with Mrs. Pagel's name on it as she is the Student Council Advisor. Envelopes can go to either Mrs. Nance or Mrs. Lamers. Mrs. Pagel and I have discussed what the donations will go toward, and like me I am sure you will be excited with what is purchased and made. I have said to teachers, students, parents, and others that Mr. Gil keeps the floors so clean one could eat off of them. Have you seen the new signs on the doors of each building? Mrs. Desotell and the Principals have worked with O"Connor Connective to market the GRACE System through the doors, pamphlets, radio ads, and suggestions on how to use Social Media in each school. I would like to place a challenge to all of our parents to :LIKE our FACEBOOK Page. I would like to see at least 400 people be part of the number of LIKES. I also encourage to follow me on Twitter at @Jim Clark10. I would like to close this letter by sharing with you The Prayer of St.Catherine, who is the Patron Saint of Teachers: St. Catherine, Most blessed and favored patron saint, Thou who sought the truth with perseverance, loved the truth in charity, and defended the truth with courage, pray for us. Obtain for us the grace to persevere in truth, to be a light in the darkness of the times in which we live, and to convey to others, both in our written words and in our actions, the responsibility, wisdom, and knowledge to proclaim the truths of our holy Faith as proclaimed by the Church. O holy virgin and bride of Christ 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 Math Curriculum Review for Notre Dame of De Pere . 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.
Volunteer Information ~ Important News
VOLUNTEER HOURS are due April 30th. Statements will be sent out at that time and payment is due upon receipt.
Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week
Roll out the red carpet for our amazing teachers/staff at ND! We will be celebrating their time and dedication to ND May 2 - May 6. For more information, click here
Camp Hometown Heroes Donation
As Christians we are called to "be the hands of Christ" and reach out to comfort others ... On Friday, May 6th ~ in an effort to have a special "KIDS HELPING KIDS" DAY and reach out to ~ NOTRE DAME students may WEAR THEIR FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM ATTIRE with any DONATION TOWARD CAMP HOMETOWN HEROES! Camp Hometown Heroes is a charity organization that provides free summer camp for these GOLD STAR children ~ offering a place to "heal hearts and restore hope for our fallen heroes' children"... CHH is in need of items like NEW sleeping bags, and twin-size fitted sheets, and cash donations to help provide transportation/camp for all. PLEASE CLICK here for details about how you can help! THANK YOU!
3rd Annual Nite-Golf Event
Sign up now for the Notre Dame of De Pere 9 hole, Nite-Golf event on Saturday, September 10, 2016! For details, click here
Badger Sports Park Event
Are you looking for something to do on the afternoon of Friday, May 6? Click here for more information.
Overdue Overhaul ~ Phase 2
After spending a week focusing on the wonderful things that our libraries bring us, we are SO EXCITED to kick off Phase 2 of the Overdue Overhaul - a fundraiser focused on transitioning the Notre Dame Libraries into Learning Commons where the students can focus on creative learning!
We accomplished so much last year in Phase 1 - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! We can't wait to finish this project to make the Notre Dame Libraries and Classrooms a place where our students can fuel their passion for reading, research, and creative thinking!
Our main goals for Phase 2 of the Overdue Overhaul are:
- Purchase Technology for the Notre Dame Elementary School Library
- $500 Book Allotment for all Middle School Classrooms
- Update and Increase the book selection at both the Elementary and Middle School Libraries
- Transition the Middle School Library Annex into a Small Group Creative Learning Space
Please consider donating to help us realize our goal of creating a first class learning space for our students! Thank you! Please click here
NDA - Cross Country Informational Meeting
For current 8th grade students. Sunday May 15th at 5:30. For more information please click here
¡Celebremos!
Friday May 6th GRACE Spanish teachers invite you to the first all GRACE celebration. Join us to celebrate the community, diversity and Christian Spirit that is GRACE. For more information please click here
Linc Darner's Boys Basketball Camp
Linc Darner"s Boys Basketball Day Camp at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a great opportunity for young boys aspiring to improve as basketball players. Through drills and competition this camp is designed to give kids a fun and exciting introduction to the fundamentals of basketball that will help maximize and develop their basket ball skills.
For more detailed information please click here.
GRACE Middle School Golf Tournament
This is a new event for middle school students. This event will be on Friday May 13th, starting at 4:30 pm. It will be at The Woods, on the east side of Green Bay.
This is similar to a high school meet. All golfers must know how to golf on their own. It is not a class.
More detail next week! At this time they just need to know if there are golfers in the GRACE schools who are interested. They tentatively have planned for 20 golfers. Information, questions and to sign up please contact Sue Aerts at saerts@gracesystem.org
Please HELP!!!!
We are in DESPERATE need for volunteers for lunch time. We need volunteers for the lunch room to help serve and also we need volunteers to help walk the middle school students over to the elementary school for lunch. Please Help!! We need you!! Please click here to sign up: Lunch Volunteer Help!!
SCRIP News
The SCRIP office is looking for a few more volunteers to help sell SCRIP during the remainder of the year! There are morning and afternoon shifts available as well as opportunities in both the Middle and Elementary buildings... Choose whatever fits best with your schedule.
If you have never sold SCRIP before ~ training will be available!
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