Monday Morning Memo

MONDAY MORNING MEMO
January 28, 2013

What a glorious celebration of our first fifty years we enjoyed on Friday!  It was cheerful, colorful, full of surprises, and well-attended by friends and family.  There were so many people who made it this special that I am sure to overlook someone in this list but I have to be sure to thank: 

1.  Jill Watt, Chair of the Fiftieth Anniversary Celebrations for – 

• All the sporting mascots and Chiefs cheerleaders 
• The mounted patrol
•  The noisemakers for each child 
• The Mardi Gras beads for everyone 
• The volunteer pool of parents, students and graduates 
• And a hundred different ideas to make it such fun! 

2.  Jane Pennington, Development Director and another member of the Steering Committee for –

• Designing and creating the large puppets of the five Heads and five Rectors who have led our school and church in the last 50 years 
• The press releases that brought our media friends 
• And work on all of the details of the event 

3.      Pam Bauer Nolan for a fitting chapel service that featured –

• Kindergarten singers 
• Second grade singers 
• Former teachers, Mrs. Hendricks and Mrs. Linn and current teacher, Mr. Kurt, to share their histories at the school 
• And, of course, our chapel leadership team

4.      Mrs. Haskamp for writing lyrics to “Hey Look Me Over” for our 50th anniversary and teaching kindergarten through second graders to sing it

5.      Mrs. Graham for providing the birthday cake that each student, faculty, and staff member enjoyed at lunch

6.      The Tomasics for additional security in such a majestic fashion – horse patrols!

7.      The many middle school students who truly led our parade with the grade level banners and large-scale puppets

8.      Mr. Raney, our bagpiper, and Mr. Ronan, our drum teacher who provided the instruments, and taught and assisted student drummers Reece J, Gibbs M, Luke W, and Andrew B

9.      Our hardworking maintenance crew of Larry Maddox and Terry Hayes, plus Carlos Pantoja who helps with special events

10.  All of the parents who volunteered in so many ways, who came and cheered, and ensured a lively fun experience for all of us.

If you had to miss it, you can see 185 pictures at https://mingle.kansascity.com under “community faces” taken by a professional photographer who joined us for the event.  Thank you, thank you, ALL for a great start to our birthday!

We will dismiss at noon today for professional development.  To continue the excitement we started generating last week, Pat Bassett, Executive Director of the National Association of Independent Schools, will be here to address faculty, trustees and heads of area independent schools and we’re hosting this event!  Extended day is available for families who would like to take advantage of this service by contacting Karen McDonald, Director of Enrichment Programs, at kmcdonald@speds.org or calling 268-6536.

Our sixth grade students will be presenting their showcase to parents and friends this Thursday evening in the south wing multipurpose room at 7:00 p.m.  Mrs. Everly and the students have been and will be working overtime to perform for you so we hope you’ll come enjoy the fruits of their labor!

Forty-two seventh and eighth grade students met this weekend at Kearney for our third preliminary Science Olympiad tournament.  They all worked together as an outstanding team to take second place overall in the tournament.

Seventh graders Ben S., Ella L., Jonah W., Jensen P., Daisy B., Layne S., Roy W., Anna Louise S., Oliver C., Max M., Adam K., Natalie K., Catherine H., Caroline S., Zach T., Grace C., John R., Will P., Caroline R., Sydney H. , Carol Ann G., Faith O., Zach J., Sean W., and Connor T.  along with the leadership of our eighth graders, Lilly L., Monty L., Claire M., Meg B., Ashley B., A’starr M., Elyse C., Meghan L., Cora M., Drake R., Lilly H., Clayton F., Taylor N., Annie S., William L., Sydney W.  and Danny T. were fun and fabulous to spend the day with.

The students' behavior, willingness to work hard, individual responsibility and determination were all outstanding.

Individual winners were:
Drake R. and Roy W. 4th in Road Scholar, Drake R. and Lily L. 5th in Shock Value, Zach J. and Roy W.  2nd in  Dynamic  Planet,  Caroline R. 2nd in Heredity, Carol Ann Gibbs and Caroline Rooney 3rd in Sound of Music , Caroline R. and Natalie K. 4th in Write it Do it, Natalie K. and Caroline S. 2nd in metric Mastery, A’Starr M. and Sydney W. 1st in Anatomy, Meghan Long 2nd in Crime Busters, 3rd in Water Quality ,  and 2rd in Disease Detectives, Claire M. 5th  in Meteorology and 5th in Keep the Heat,  Ella L. and Catherine H. 2nd in Reach for the Stars, Connor T. and Zach T. 2nd  in Experimental Design, Elyse C. 1st in Food Science, Layne S.  and Sydney H. 3rd in Mission Possible.

Congratulations to all of these students and to the St. Paul’s community for their excellent representation! As always, thanks to our Science Olympiad sponsors, Lee Gruss and Ken Stewart, for all the work they do getting the students prepared and cheering them on.

Coffees will be held next week, beginning with the ECC Coffee on Monday, Feb. 4.  Each will be held in the Garden Room of the church, beginning at 8:30 a.m.  Please remember that the coffees are not the place to discuss personnel concerns and that, because there are many grade levels represented, issues that pertain to one class or grade should, as always, be taken to the teachers at that grade level and then the Division Head.  Teachers, Division Heads, and I are always willing to meet with you about your concerns and we sincerely appreciate those of you who come in to share with us your insight in this way.  I cannot overemphasize how much our teachers and we want you to talk first to the teachers about your specific views on their class or grade level.
           Lower School Coffee – Tuesday, Feb. 5
           Middle School Coffee – Wednesday, Feb. 6.

February Service Club Activities:  Calling ALL interested k-8th grade students/parents for two Service Club Opportunities that are in honor of St. Paul’s 50th Birthday!  The purpose of these activities is to distribute St. Paul’s cups loaded with 50 kisses to 50 area businesses.
Activity one:  Cup Assembly:  3:30 – 4:30 pm, Tuesday, February 5:  Kindergarten through 8th grade students will gather in the  North MPR, aka: the lunchroom.  There we will put the kisses into the 50 ST. Paul’s cups and attach a note to each one. Kindergarten through 5th graders are required to have a parent or adult with them.  Middle Schoolers may enroll without an adult.
Activity two: Cup Delivery: We need ten drivers at 3:30 pm  on Tuesday, February 12 to deliver five cups each.  Volunteer drivers will  go to five area business to deliver a cup of kisses. This would be a great (and fun) activity for a parent and children.

To enroll, please e-mail Pam at pbauer@speds.org.  Indicate whether you are enrolling for “cup assembly” or “cup delivery” or BOTH!  Thanks so much.

Monday Morning Memo

Let the Festivities Begin – and they have!  Yesterday the celebration of our Fiftieth Anniversary began with a church service in our multipurpose room that brought together church and school families from the past and present.  Many thanks to Jill Watt, Chair of the 50^th Anniversary Celebrations and Amy Graham, our church/school liaison, and the recruits they mustered for making it a joyful time and to Fr. Stan for putting it all in context for us.  Now

here is the scoop on the upcoming events.

January 25th:

All School Chapel at 8:30 with a parade immediately following the service.

We would love to have everyone join us after the chapel for a “50th Anniversary All

School Parade”. Weather permitting, we will process from the church to the flag

pole along Walnut Street and through the playgrounds. At the flag pole, we will

raise the official 50th Anniversary flag which will remain flying high for the entire

celebration year. This is sure to be a fun event in which to participate and there may

even be a few surprises!

Please note: Our seating in the church is limited and we must make sure students and

faculty can sit where they normally do during the service. There will be some

additional seating at the back of the church for parents and guests, or you may just

want to join us for the parade where EVERYONE will have room!  We’d love for parents to cheer the parade participants, take pictures, make noise, and participate in other celebratory ways!  Students, faculty, and parents are encouraged to dress in Spirit Wear and are welcome to wear colorful hats for the parade.

Week of Feb 11-14:

Part of our outreach for this special year is to the businesses along Main Street and

in our immediate neighborhood that have supported the school during these years.

We will select 50 businesses to which we will deliver a commemorative drinking

glass filled with 50 kisses and a thank you note written by one of our students.

Thanks also to our parent and student volunteers who made our Open House such a success on Saturday morning!  Our student ambassadors wowed the parent visitors with their knowledge of and enthusiasm for our school.  Parents were so helpful in stepping in where needed – to register families, lead tours, talk to parents, and man the refreshment table.  We sincerely appreciate your help and the work of our teachers who were also here to answer questions and represent our program.  It was a great morning!

If you are planning on applying for tuition assistance for the 2013-2014 school year, the deadline is tomorrow!

·       -  Applications will be accepted November 1 – January 15. Priority will be given to applications that are completed (including supporting documentation) by January 15.

·       -  The application process begins online, at www.factstuitionaid.com.

·        - After completing the online portion of the application, you will need to mail or fax in all required supporting documentation.

St. Paul’s will try to answer questions regarding the online application process, but, since this is not our program, may be unable to do so. If you need assistance with the online application, help is available from FACTS via telephone (866-315-9262) or email (info@factstuitionaid.com) Monday – Thursday, 10:00 – 7:00; and Friday, 10:00 – 5:00.

Sex Education Classes -- it’s that time of year.  We are pleased to offer two different classes to the families of 4th, 5th and 6th graders.  These classes can be taken more than once because students will get something different from it every time.  This is an ongoing conversation with our children not a 'one time' class or 'talk'.  Note enrollment is limited to 15 per class.  The classes are:

“Bodies and Boundaries” for 4th and 5th graders - This co-ed, two-week class covers puberty and the changes that boys and girls experience.  Classes will meet on Sundays -- 2/10 and 2/17 from 3:30-5:30.  A mandatory parent only session will be held on 2/3 from 1-3.  All classes meet in the Garden Room at the church.  The cost is $50.

“Plain Talk” for 5th and 6th graders - This three week co-ed class covers puberty, reproduction and many other issues.  It will meet on Sundays -- 2/10 from 1-3, 2/17 from 1-4 and 2/24 from 1-3. The mandatory parent only session will be held on 2/3 from 1-3.  The cost is $60.

TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE...  https://stpeds.ejoinme.org/?tabid=416523

Each year at this time, I ask faculty to let me know if they are planning to make a change for next year.  This year I was quite surprised by some of the people who let me know their plans:

            Pam Bauer Nolan, our Chaplain, plans to retire (please see letter at bottom of this message)

Lauren Hruby, one of our preschool associates, plans to devote all of her time to her other job – real estate

Patty Ives, one of our toddler associates, plans to spend more time traveling with her husband

Olivia Sambursky, our part-time French teacher, plans to spend a year in France working to improve her language skills.

We will miss these ladies very much, enjoy their skills through the remainder of this year, and wish them well in their new ventures.  We will also begin the work of finding the people to fill these positions and those of the other teachers who will be retiring.

A parent contacted us about a concern that we have shared with you often:  parents or guardians talking on their cell phones in the carpool line.  The parent was very concerned, as are we, that this is so unsafe for the children to be picked up, those waiting, and all involved in the carpool process.  Please, please help us keep your children safe and be available to them in person when they get in your car by staying off of your cell phones when carpool is in process.  Thank you.

There will be no classes next Monday, Jan. 21, as we celebrate Martin Luther King Day.

Dear St. Paul’s Friends,

This fall I have been prayerfully listening to my life and have discerned, with the support of family and dear friends, that this would be a good year for me to retire from St. Paul’s.  In many ways, this is a poignant moment because I have so loved working here and can’t imagine leaving. 

I want to thank each of you for honoring me with this opportunity to serve with you as chaplain.  I depart having been shaped in new ways by the pieces of God’s abundant grace that I have experienced over and over again through the students, teachers, parents and administrators.

You have been the reason my heart has been happy at St. Paul’s.

For students who have been “lifers” at St. Paul’s, it takes 12 years from toddler through 8^th grade to ready oneself for graduation.  It has taken me 13.  And while I leave with pockets stuffed full of memories that make me smile, I predict that my favorites will involve the faces of our students during chapels, for there I have seen over and over again, the indelible love mark of our creator.

I will eagerly look forward to bumping into you, my St. Paul’s family, out in the Kansas City world. 

Grace,

Pam Bauer Nolan