October 9, 2008
Dear Parents/Guardians:
Please accept my apology for the lack of a
letter last week. You get double the fun this week instead. That being said, two
weeks ago during our professional development day, Sarah Schepman of our
language arts textbook company
provided the teachers professional development in the use of the program.
I must say, while we were overwhelmed with the
depth of this tool, we were all in agreement that it is a valuable, powerful
program that we will master over time. It is one of the best elementary textbook
programs I have seen. Among other things, the company has made it simple for
teachers to differentiate their instruction for students at every level, while
maintaining the integrity of the whole group instruction. Be assured we have a
program second-to-none.
In addition, we looked at how we integrate the
Holy See’s five essential marks of a Catholic school (similar to the marks of
the Church proclaimed in the Creed—one, holy, catholic, and apostolic). Look for
more information regarding these benchmarks:
Inspired by supernatural vision
Founded on Christian anthropology
Animated by communion and community
Imbued with a Catholic worldview throughout its
curriculum
Sustained by gospel witness
The Colorado Council of International Reading
Association has once again designated the month of October as
Read Aloud Month in the state. The
goal of the project is to encourage parents and adults in a child’s life to
participate in their children’s literacy development by reading aloud.
For the month of October, we are asking for
volunteers to come into our
classrooms and read aloud to the students. By joining us in this endeavor, you
will be taking an active role in encouraging reading growth in our children. If
you are interested in volunteering to read, please contact Carole Quint or Jill
Dreher at 522-7567.
For
potpourri, please save your Wal-Mart plastic bags and bring them to the
school for the Bazaar carry-out dinners. We appreciate your help! Mrs. Carol
Quint has announced she will be holding another Safe Environment Training on
October 26 at 6:00 pm in Hagus Hall. Recall, if you are going to work with our
students in a school setting, i.e. volunteering or field trips, you must have
this certification. Last, Virginia Baseggio needs assistance cooking turkeys for
the Heritage Center Thanksgiving dinners. If you have the time and talent,
please call the school.
We would like to wish the
7th and 8th grade
boys who are playing football at Sterling Middle School—lots of luck this
weekend as they play their championship games in Brush!
Thank you
to Rhonda Conner for the stickers in the Title I reading room, Barbara Waldmann
for the popcorn and the microwave cart she donated to the school, and to
Trinidad Bean for the donation of popcorn for the concessions. Last, we would
like to thank the group of ladies who cook special dinners for the
I want to ensure everyone that we will hold the
Halloween carnival and nursing home visit as in the past. However,
we will also incorporate the celebration of All Souls and All Saints. Thus, Mrs.
Sallie Wilson is preparing for the annual Halloween carnival and is asking for
the following donations: cookie decorating supplies, desserts for the cake walk,
pumpkin decorating paint and/or markers, small prizes, etc. If you have any
questions please contact Sallie at 571-1566.
Regarding
costumes, please be sure students refrain from costumes that are
disrespectful of life, are frightening, or do not follow the dress code.
The Sterling Police Department has informed me
that the city will be painting the curb and the street to designate more clearly
the handicap parking zone. Also, they would like to remind everyone that you
cannot park your car in the yellow zone in front of the school. They will issue
tickets for this parking violation. Avoid all this and, PLEASE, for the safety
of your children, drop students off on
As the
weather changes, we are asking you to be mindful of the temperature, so the
students are prepared to be outside. Unless the wind chill dictates otherwise
and the temperature is below 20 degrees, we hold recess outside. Children need
fresh air every day. If it snows, please be sure your children are dressed
appropriately for that as well. If you choose, they can change into street shoes
once they enter the building.
In PTSO news, Kathy Timmerman resigned as the
president of PTSO, and Becky Japp was elected as the
new president. In the meeting, among
other things, we decided we would bring back the golf tournament, so look for
opportunities to help with that next spring or summer. Remember, meetings are
held on the first Monday of every month, so the next meeting is November 3.
Please attend and get involved. Great things are happening, and we want you to
be part of them!
If you drink Coca-Cola products, we ask that you
save the caps or the boxes with the codes, bring them in, and we can earn points
for them toward educational materials. Also, you can create your own account at
mycokerewards.com/schools, and donate you points to the school. If you have
questions, contact Becky Japp, and she will be glad to help.
We have been working this week with the students
on table/cafeteria manners. Students are to use inside voices, they are
to keep their hands to themselves, they are to stay seated on their bottoms in
the chairs, they are to finish eating the food in their mouths before they
speak, and they are to say, “Please,” “Thank you,” “Your welcome,” and “May I be
excused, please.” As an ongoing partnership in their education, we ask that you
reinforce these things at home as well, and we appreciate your cooperation.
Lastly, October is the month in which Mary, Most Holy
Queen of the Holy Rosary, is venerated. Please consider making time to
pray the rosary with your family. For your younger children, you might wish to
pray one decade at a time, i.e., before or after breakfast, after school, before
supper, after supper, before bed time.
Whew! Until next week…
Pax et lux,
Joseph Skerjanec