Monday Morning Memo

Our fourth grade showcase is this Thursday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. in the north wing multipurpose room. Fourth graders, under the leadership of Mrs. Fatu, have worked hard on this program, while also working on their very successful State Fair. Come enjoy the fruits of their labor!

First through sixth graders will enjoy the experience of hearing children’s authors at the Literature Festival, sponsored by Rockhurst University, this Friday. More information on the authors, their books, and an opportunity to purchase any of them for your children, please see Mr. Nerstheimer’s library blog. Order forms should be returned to Mr. N.

Our school is looking for a replacement piano for the first floor commons area and Enrichment program. The need is for a newer (not older than 1980) console type piano in very good condition, because it is used for chapel services, piano lessons, and programs. For these reasons, the school will need to evaluate the functionality of a potential donation. If you have a piano that you are interested in donating, we would appreciate you sending a photo of the instrument to dpennington@speds.org. A letter for tax deduction purposes will be provided, if accepted. Your assistance in this would be very much appreciated.

Extended Day TGIF Fun! We will have a special guest in extended day this Friday, 3/30 from 4:15-5:00. Edward Fujiki, who has recently started a juggling club at the Kansas City Art Institute, will come to do a demonstration class in the gym during extended day for K to 5th grades. There is no charge for this special activity, and you can just drop in to extended day to join the fun. Please contact Christina Lenon at 816-268-6536 if you have any questions.

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on April 4 and 5 this spring and we need your help: We have scheduled them to back up to our Good Friday break but we really hope you will schedule and attend your conference at this time, rather than taking a long weekend break. This time is allocated so our teachers have time to talk to you without other teaching responsibilities and making up these conferences before or after school or at their breaks during the day adds a big load to their schedule. Let’s have our usual high attendance at these important meetings, please.

Stay up to date on the latest happenings with our school calendar. Bookmark the calendar page on our website and check back often to see what is going on at St. Paul's.

Make your Reservations Now for GAME ON! Send in your reservation cards, or make your reservations online – it’s easy! Reservations are $75 per person. As in the past, you can find a seat at the grade-level tables, which will be marked as you walk in the gym.

Limited Club-Level seating is available! Want to make sure you get to sit with your friends and are in on the action? Reserve a table for eight for $100 - for front-row viewing of the live auction and special service. These tables can be reserved online, too, but remember, the cost of the table is a donation, and is in addition to your reservation.

Click here to make your reservation and to reserve club-level seating online: https://stpeds.ejoinme.org/?tabid=337897

Here is a taste of one of the sign-up parties (available now!) and one of the live auction offerings:

Rock’n Skate Party Sign up with your friends to skate the night away, eat and play! They will have pizza, hot cocoa, party favors and more! Skates will be provided, or bring your own. A fun night for all is guaranteed . . . a little on-ice surprise will help your children get their groove on! Mark your calendars now for Saturday, January 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Only 30 spots are available at $30 per child, for incoming 3^rd to 5^th graders. Thanks to the Albracht, Aliber, Holewinski and Wolfe families, as well as Carriage Club, for hosting this rock’n good time. Click here to register online: https://stpeds.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/GameOn2012Auction/SignupParties/tabid/336181/Default.aspx

European Extravaganza Kings and Queens, this is Europe at its finest! Two people will have a top-notch experience throughout this ten-day trip. Thanks to Jim and Melissa Carnes, you’ll take Virgin Atlantic for your hop across the pond, joining the upper class on board, with a 6’6” flat bed. Then you’ll hit London in style with three nights at the swanky Metropolitan Hotel on Park Lane, just steps away from Hyde Park. After living it up in London, you’ll head to Paris via the chunnel to live like a Parisian with a six-night stay in the heart of the 9^th arrondissement, donated by Donn Hess and Robin Henshaw. The one bedroom apartment offers a convertible living room sofa, to sleep a total of four. Check out these websites for more details:

Metropolitan Hotel: http://www.metropolitan.london.combo.bz/

Paris Apartment: http://www.frenchyrentals.com/fontaine

Raffle Tickets The raffle items are amazing this year – a trip for two to Chicago (Cubs and Bears and Bulls, Oh My!), a catered party by Connie Mendolia (Tailgating in your Own Home), a David Yurman Pave Diamond Infinity Necklace (Sport the Bling), and a fee-free year at St. Paul’s (Score!). Tickets are $25 each, or five for $100, and can be purchased online here, or at either front desk. https://stpeds.ejoinme.org/?tabid=336042

We will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of our school beginning in January of 2013 and going through May of 2014. In preparation of that very special event, we are going to have an aerial photograph of all of our students, standing in the shape of 50, taken from a helicopter next month! In order for the numbers to show well from the air, we are asking that each student and member of the faculty wear a white t-shirt (as free from logos as possible) or other white shirt on April 10 (with a back-up, rain date of April 12). One way to make sure that each child has a white shirt for the event, you might want to send one to school to be in your child’s cubby until the event. As we get closer to the time of the photo, teachers will take inventory and let you know if there is no shirt in your child’s cubby. If you don’t have a white shirt and need help procuring one, we’ll send out the word and ask for volunteers as we do not want anyone to have to buy a shirt for just the picture. The excitement is about to begin for this special event and, of course, more details will be forthcoming!

Congratulations to Ms. Laird who has, once again, had an article about a project she did with our children, published in Arts and Activities. Our students’ work is well-represented and we sincerely appreciate the press – and their good work – provided by Ms. Laird and Mrs. Crumpecker!

Stay up to date on the latest happenings with our school calendar. Bookmark the calendar page on our website and check back often to see what is going on at St. Paul's

Monday Morning Memo

We look forward to welcoming you back tomorrow after what we hope was a great Spring Break vacation. There is much to accomplish in the last two and a half months of school and it is wonderful to have the break to help us gear up for all of it!

We are pleased to announce that we have hired a Middle School Science Teacher and Science Olympiad Coach for next year! Lee Gruss, a colleague of Ms. Twyman in Science Olympiad and Rockhurst summer classes, will join us next fall. She has a Master’s degree in Teaching Math and Science, twenty-two years of teaching experience, and, most importantly, a real passion for working with Middle School students, teaching science and Science Olympiad!

Speaking of Ms. Twyman, the retirement reception for her has been moved to Friday, May 11! The change was made because, if our Science Olympiad students qualify for the national competition when they compete at State on April 14, they will be in Florida competing on our original date of May 18. We sincerely hope we’re not jinxing their chances of making it all the way but, in order to have time to get out the word and make the arrangements, we decided to make the switch. The reception will follow the all-school chapel service on that date.

Ron Morton, a long-time member of our maintenance staff, has been reassigned to another facility by our maintenance contractor, effective immediately. We sincerely appreciate the many events with which Ron helped all of us and will miss his knowledge of our school, students, staff and parents.

The International Festival, a celebration of the studies of our toddler through second grade students, will take place on Wed., Mar. 21 at 8:45 am in the North Wing Multipurpose Room. Students will share songs, dances, and other information they have learned from their study of different countries of our world.

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on April 4 and 5 this spring and we need your help: We have scheduled them to back up to our Good Friday break but we really hope you will schedule and attend your conference at this time, rather than taking a long weekend break. This time is allocated so our teachers have time to talk to you without other teaching responsibilities and making up these conferences before or after school or at their breaks during the day adds a big load to their schedule. Let’s have our usual high attendance at these important meetings, please.

Mark Your Calendar for the 2012 Auction! On April 14th, it will be GAME ON here at school. Look for your invitations this week! We’ll have some great offerings in both a live and silent auction format. Additionally, we’ll have several opportunities to sign up for parties geared toward families, children and parents, alike. Here is a taste of one of the parties and one of the live auction offerings:

Mad for Mad Men Party -- Do you drool for Don Draper? Bow down for Betty? Are you jones-ing for Joan? Welcome to the 1960’s, where a lunch meeting usually means a martini, a manhattan or both. Come spend the evening “Mad Men style” with hosts Melinda & Herb Sih, Courtney & Pat O’Farrell, Tess & Trey Hawes and Amy & Eric Graham. We’ll be open for business on Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 7 pm in the offices of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, located at 1800 Baltimore. Cocktails and canapés will be served, along with plenty of mod tunes. Knowledge of the television series “Mad Men” is not necessary to attend, but an addiction to a good time is a requirement! So, put on that Jackie O shift and don’t forget your Lucky Strikes. $50 per guest, space for only 50 of the coolest cats. It’s sure to be a gas! Click here to register online: https://stpeds.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/GameOn2012Auction/SignupParties/tabid/336181/Default.aspx

The Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt -- Are you ready to race? Ten couples will have the time of their lives as they compete in Kansas City's Amazing Race. Starting at the amazing home of Kama and Rick Moseley, each team will have a car, personal chauffeur, refreshments and a list of assignments to complete. Will you be able to solve the riddle, find the 1952 penny or get your picture taken on a Harley Davidson bike? The clues and tasks will take you all over the Plaza and Midtown. Awesome prizes await the winners, but everyone will enjoy the celebration at the Moseleys’ home afterward, with appetizers provided by Catering By Design, along with dinner and dessert served by the host couples. The clock is ticking. Time is running out, so get your group together and bid on The Amazing Race!

Donate Now -- If you have not done so, and wish to make a financial contribution, click here to donate online. You may also send checks to Katie Gregg at school. Remember, this is the Parents’ Guild’s largest fundraiser to support the school, and we’d love to have the support of our entire team! https://stpeds.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/GameOn2012Auction/AuctionUnderwriting/tabid/337898/Default.aspx

Raffle Tickets -- The raffle items are amazing this year – a trip for two to Chicago (Cubs and Bears and Bulls, Oh My!), a catered party by Connie Mendolia (Tailgating in your Own Home), a David Yurman Pave Diamond Infinity Necklace (Sport the Bling), and a fee-free year at St. Paul’s (Score!). Tickets are $25 each, or five for $100, and can be purchased online here, or at either front desk. https://stpeds.ejoinme.org/?tabid=336042

Congratulations to the Rev. DOCTOR Stan Runnels who just successfully defended his dissertation for a Doctor of Ministry degree! Stan has some edits to do on that dissertation but is considered to officially be eligible for this new title. Well done! And this week he is off to Pittsburgh as a candidate for Bishop in that diocese. We don’t want to lose him but we wish the best for him, whatever that might be.

Let's show our appreciation for our teachers by giving them a little adventure, romance and even some nail biting horror!! From March 6-27, we will be collecting your gently used books to host a book fair for our teachers. The book fair will be held on March 29-30. Look for boxes at the entrances of the ECC and the main building to drop your books. We will also be collecting books at carpool -- those dates to be announced. Now that Spring Break is over, please drop your books off! Thanks to all who have already contributed! Staff Appreciation Committee 

Stay up to date on the latest happenings with our school calendar. Bookmark the calendar page on our website and check back often to see what is going on at St. Paul's

MONDAY MORNING MEMO

Congratulations to our hard-fighting middle school athletes who just completed their tournament play! Each game demonstrated the commitment of every student to play his or her best, give it all he or she has got, and leave it all on the court. The students (and their parents!) were also good sports so we were really proud of them all! Thank you to the Student Council leadership, with Mrs. Willets and Chaplain Nolan at the helm, for providing us two Extreme Spirit Weeks that brought out many cheering fans, provided lots of food for the pantry, and gave us great opportunities to show our school pride. Now on to tennis, lacrosse and soccer…!

Parents’ Guild meets this Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. in the Garden Room. All parents are welcome to come see how your Parents’ Guild works and how you might be able to get involved.

Prekindergarteners will show off their knowledge of Native American cultures this Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. in their classrooms and the ECC commons. Come join them!

Our third and final coffee for this spring will be for our Early Childhood Parents on Thursday, Mar. 8 at 8:30 a.m. in the Garden Room of the Church.

The Middle School Musical, “Once Upon a Mattress”, will be performed this Thursday night, Mar. 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the north wing multipurpose room. There will be matinee performances on Wednesday and Thursday at 1:00 p.m. for the students in grades 1 – 8. Any parents who wish to attend these performances will be asked to sit at the back so the students will be able to see. These shows are meant to be dress rehearsals with the premiere show for the adults (and students, if they want to see it again) on Thursday night. Thank you for your cooperation on this.

IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN!! Let's show our appreciation for our teachers by giving them a little adventure, romance and even some nail biting horror!! From March 6 – 27, we will be collecting your gently used books to host a book fair for our teachers. The book fair will be held on March 29 - 30. Look for boxes at the entrances of the ECC and the main building to drop your books. We will also be collecting books at car pool, those dates TBA. So get your books read over Spring break and leave them with us upon your return! Thank you! Staff Appreciation Committee

Spring Break begins at the close of the school day on this Friday and goes through Monday, March 19. Our extended day program is being offered to those who need care for their children during this time but we will need more participation to provide this service during the first week. If you need care on Mar. 12 – 16 and/or Mar. 19, please contact Christina Lenon at clenon@speds.org immediately, as the deadline to register is Wed., Mar. 7.

In other extended day news, the Shakespeare Festival is starting an after-school drama program for 3^rd – 7^th graders on Wednesdays from March 21 to May 2 ($85). And, a friendly reminder to pick up your children from extended day by 6:00. The charge after 6:00 is $1.00 per minute. Please contact Christina Lenon at 816-268-6536 or via email for more information.

Stay up to date on the latest happenings with our school calendar. Bookmark the calendar page on our website and check back often to see what is going on at St. Paul's

The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Conference in Seattle last week was truly inspirational! It was opened by Bill Gates and closed by Amy Chua, Yale University professor of Economics and author of The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom. Sessions and speakers in between included a public school teacher of 35 years who has created a World Peace Game that students from high school down to fourth grade have used with astonishing results; ways to make professional development more meaningful to all; sessions on legal issues, admissions, marketing, and fund-raising; and many ideas on the best uses of technology in the classrooms, including the rewards and challenges each brings. There were performances by local independent school choirs and bands to introduce each major speaker; and the “State of Independent Schools” address was given by the President, Pat Bassett. The theme was “Innovation: Imagine, Invent, Inspire, Dream” and it fulfilled its mission!

GAME ON -- Our auction is just days away. Here's the latest news about it:

Benefit Games

On Saturday, many of our own St. Paul’s parents participated in fun-filled basketball and dodgeball games. The stands were filled with lively cheers from our littlest cheerleaders and players got their GAME ON in some very fast-paced games! A special thanks goes out to Randy Kurt, Amy Graham and Katie Moreland for their time in organizing and executing the tournament, and to Julie Willets, who manned the concession table all day. Congratulations to Reachel Beichley and her team and Kris Bruso and his team, for winning their respective basketball championships, and to Phil Taggart and his team for taking home the dodgeball trophy. And a big thank you to Mike and Julie McCann for opening their beautiful home to all participants and their spouses after the Games on Saturday evening, to enjoy gourmet ballpark concessions and refreshments and to celebrate the great success of the day!

Mark Your Calendar for the 2012 Auction!

On April 14th, it will be GAME ON here at school. Look for your invitations just after spring break. We’ll have some great offerings in both a live and silent auction format. Additionally, we’ll have several opportunities to sign up for parties geared toward families, children and parents, alike. Here is a taste of one of the parties and one of the live auction offerings:

The Men's Cigar Night has been a favorite in the past, and we’ve brought it back! Join hosts Jim Carnes, Mark Fountain, Brian Fries, Sandy Kemper, Ron Lockton and Greg Maday, along with other St. Paul's gentlemen, for an evening spent reveling in premium cigars, fine single malt scotches and delicious hors d'oeuvres at the Cigar Club. Enjoy these fine pleasures of life with other aficionados on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at 7 pm. Make your $100 reservation without further ado, because there are only 20 of these coveted slots available. Click here to register online: https://stpeds.ejoinme.org/?tabid=336181

As you’re packing your bags for Spring Break this week, you can relax knowing that Laurie and Robby Robinson have already planned next year's trip for your family! Enjoy Spring Break 2013 at the beautiful private Villa del Palmar Flamingos Beach Resort & Spa, just ten minutes north of Puerto Vallarta. Sun-kissed beaches, championship golf courses, luxurious accommodations and a Mexican/European spa are only a few of the fabulous amenities. The spacious one-bedroom, two-bath unit sleeps four with a Murphy bed in the living area. Furnished balconies give you an unforgettable view of the turquoise water and white sandy beaches of Banderas Bay. You can view it on-line at: www.villagroupresorts.com/resorts/villa-del-palmar-flamingos

Donate Now – You still have time!

Although we’re trying to collect all donations in the next few days in order to give recognition in the auction catalog for the generous donations provided by parents, grandparents, teachers and friends, you may still donate to the auction. If you have not done so, and wish to make a financial contribution, click here to donate online. You may also send checks to Katie Gregg at school, or contact Blythe Robertson at scott.blythe@att.net if you would like to donate an item for the silent auction. But please, act fast if you want to be included in the catalog!

https://stpeds.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/GameOn2012Auction/AuctionUnderwriting/tabid/337898/Default.aspx

Family, Student and Faculty Catalog Advertising

You still have a little time to submit an advertisement for the auction catalog – but act fast, as we’re trying to collect all ads by WEDNESDAY. Click here or contact Gina Penner, at ginaandcharlie@aol.com for more details.

http://www.speds.org/current-parents-and-students/parents_guild/auction/catalog-advertising/

Raffle Tickets

The raffle items are amazing this year – a trip for two to Chicago (Cubs and Bears and Bulls, Oh My!), a catered party by Connie Mendolia (Tailgating in your Own Home), a David Yurman Pave Diamond Infinity Necklace (Sport the Bling), and a fee-free year at St. Paul’s (Score!). Tickets are $25 each, or five for $100, and can be purchased online here, or at either front desk.

https://stpeds.ejoinme.org/?tabid=336042

One of our former parents, Kent Mueller, whose son is a senior at Pembroke Hill and continue to participate in Science Olympiad, sent the following results and statistics about our St. Paul’s graduates and their successes in this event. Of course, he attributes Ms. Twyman for a lot of this success since it is where their interest and love of this event began. PHS finished first in the region in the high school division. Our St. Paul’s graduates demonstrated their skills with the following results:

David M placed first in Anatomy and Physiology
Sarah K placed first in Experimental Design
Sarah K placed first in Protein Modeling
Veronica R placed first in Water Quality
Veronica R also placed first in Write It, Do It
Quint U placed second in Astronomy
Sarah K placed second in Disease Detective
Jon C placed second in Dynamic Planet
Veronica R placed second in Forensics
Veronica R placed second in Forestry
Quint U placed second in Helicopter

Sarah K placed second in Microbe Mission
Jon C placed second in Remote Sensing
Quint U placed second in Tower Building
Veronica R placed third in Sound of Music
Spencer C placed fifth in Optics
Spencer C placed fifth in Technical Problem Solving

By the way, St. Paul's grads represented 17 out of the 47 who placed fifth or better. That's 36%!!!

Also, of note, of the 15 members of the team, 6 are SPEDS grads – a whopping 40%!. Kent also goes on to state that “my observation is that Sherry (Ms. Twyman) doesn't "teach to the test" as some Science Olympiad coaches do. Rather, she teaches them how to learn and how to succeed. That approach matches Connie Wells' approach at PHS Upper School. We are all better for that.”

Last weekend Olivia S. performed in a celebrity talent show at The Midland to raise funds for an organization that she believes in called The Variety Club. This organization provides devices such as adaptive bikes, wheel chairs and ramps to disabled children to give them mobility. These families cannot afford this equipment without the money. She performed with many Kansas City celebrities such as Chiefs Players, business leaders, news anchors and Mayor Sly James. She picked the song, "Part of Your World" from Disney's The Little Mermaid because these children want to feel part of our world. Through her own fund raising efforts with letters and meetings she raised over $3,000 to give to the charity. It was a sold out show and truly beautiful. Well done, Olivia!