Monday Morning Memo

Results are in from our very successful Book Fair!  Many thanks to Susan Bell, Courtney Goddard-Hawkinson, Jessica Marien, and Vanessa Thorsten for their dedication, selection of volunteers to help and make goodies for the students, and hard work to set up and manage this special project for three days!  And thanks, too, to Mr. Nerstheimer, our Librarian, who also worked hard in helping these ladies and identifying the needs for the library.  There will be approximately $3,000 in money and books donated to the library, thanks to this great fundraiser. And a whole lot of happy children also got, or will get at Christmas, a wonderful new book to read.  Thanks to all!

Our first ever Lunch and Learn that took place this past Saturday.  Cristi Williams, Kevin Christensen, and Kathleen Wiedeman all helped provide this opportunity for our students and their families.  There was a delicious Thanksgiving meal, games, crafts, and even a Thanksgiving themed photo opp.  The next Lunch and Learns will be Tuesday, January 28 and Monday, March 3.  They will focus on love languages and tech free talking in the car, respectively.  Thanks to our leaders and participants!

We will offer Extended Day Care on the following days during Christmas Break:

December 23, 26, 27, 30, January 2, 3, and 6.   A minimum number of children is required in order to offer care each day so please register by December 10^th.  If you have questions or need to register, please contact Karen McDonald at 816.268.6536 or Kmcdonald@speds.org.

Please note that there is no Extended Day Care during the Thanksgiving Break (November 27, 28, 29).

Our Thanksgiving Ingathering has already surpassed its first goal!  Over 10,000 items have already been donated to the pantry and much of it hauled over there by our industrious, strong and committed students!  What a delightful contribution we are able to make because of your generosity.  We will continue the drive through this Friday and sincerely appreciate your continued support.  One need highlighted by the pantry is personal hygiene items where even hotel sized shampoo and soap are greatly appreciated.  Here are the foci for this week but any contribution is welcome on any day:

Monday, Nov. 18:  Double points for personal hygiene items

Tuesday, Nov. 19:  Double points for dry bean, rice, pasta, crackers, Mac & Cheese, and dry meals such as Hamburger Helper

Wednesday, Nov. 20:  20 points for each multi-load bottle or box of laundry detergent

Thursday, Nov. 21:  Double points for disposable diapers sizes 3, 4, 5, and 6, and adult Depends  (we will count each diaper in the package)

Friday, Nov. 22:  Double points for cereal, beverages (coffee, tea, etc), and canned meals (beef stew, chili, spaghetti-os, etc.)

Friday is Spirit Day so show your school pride by wearing your St. Paul’s t-shirts and sweatshirts! 

If you are planning to apply for tuition assistance for the 2014-2015 school year, the school is now accepting applications online, via FACTS Grant and Assessment (the company that processes our applications). There are some key differences in this year’s application process, so please read on for this important information:  New Deadline: Current families must complete an online application and submit all necessary supporting documentation to FACTS by December 31, 2013. This is approximately two weeks earlier than previous years, so please plan accordingly. Note that an application is not considered complete until all supporting documentation (2012 tax return and W-2) has been received by FACTS.  New website/login: FACTS has updated their site, including a new website address, so if you applied for assistance last year, you will need to create a new User ID and password in order to access the system this year. You will also have to enter your information (name, address, etc.) again—the updated platform, unfortunately, did not retain this from last year’s application. More information, including the amount of assistance you could receive, is available here. To begin the tuition assistance process click here.  

Remember that your application must be completed by December 31, 2013.

Have you read Michelle Johnson’s latest blog?  Our Diversity Coordinator has published a blog that has resonated with many who have read it.  Check it out at:  http://spedsdiversitydialogue.blogspot.com/2013/11/when-i-was-kid-there-was-very-popular.html

MMM 11/12/12

MONDAY MORNING MEMO

November 12, 2012

Attention Pre-Kindergarten Families:  We would like to invite you to come preview Kindergarten on *Tuesday, November 13^th from 8:30-9:30am.  We will meet in the North MPR for a short presentation by Mrs. Abio and then visit the kindergarten classrooms.  *The master school calendar indicated that this event would take place on Nov. 6^th. 

The sixth grade students will participate in the culminating unit of study known as the King Arthur Feast this Friday, Nov. 16 at 12:15 p.m. in the MS Commons.  The Lords and Ladies of the sixth grade will enjoy a knighting ceremony (yes, the ladies, too!) and a feast, and will perform a song and dance for their visitors.  Come enter another era and enjoy!

Many, many thanks to Joanna Posten and Janet Greaves and the wonderful volunteers from whom they garnered support in making our Book Fair such a success!  The gym was a lively center of reading and shopping from its opening on Wednesday through Friday and it appeared that a good time was being had by all!  Thanks, too, to our Librarian, Mr. Nerstheimer, for his hard work, sage advice, and lively reading to each group of students.  We are proud to be a school where reading is still such an enjoyable, shared activity.

Thirty-three seventh and eighth grade students met this weekend at Shawnee Mission South for our first 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, along with the leadership of our eighth graders, Lilly L, Monty L, Claire Mc, Meg B, Ashley B, A’starr M, Elyse C, Meghan L, Cora M, Drake R, Lilly H, Clayton F, Taylor N and Danny T were fun and fabulous to spend the day with. The student’s behavior, willingness to work hard, individual responsibility and determination were all outstanding. Individual winners were: Drake R 6th in Forestry , Drake R and Roy W 5th in Road Scholar, Ashley B and Monty L 3rd in Heredity, Meghan L 1st in Crime Busters, 2nd in Water Quality and 2nd in Dynamic Planet, Monty L 3rd in Meteorology, Connor T 5th in Reach for the Stars, Connor T and Zach T 3rd in Experimental Design, Elyse C 1st in Food Science, Claire Mc 5th in Keep the Heat, Lilly L 3rd Shock Value, Carol Ann G and Caroline R 1st in Sound of Music, A'starr M 4th in Boomilever, Mission Possible medal awarded to Layne S and Sydney H. 

This afternoon in their Science Olympiad Elective and on Thursday morning at 7:15 they will be back to work preparing for the next preliminary tournament on December 8th at Pembroke Hill. Congratulations to all of these students and to the St. Paul’s community for their excellent representation!

Pantry Drive Update:  As of Friday, we have received a stunning total of 6754 items and are looking forward to amazing contributions this week.  Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this effort, including our generous donors, wonderful STUCO workers, our teacher promoters, and our pantry item haulers!  For this week, please remember that double points are given for bulk items every day. The daily featured items are listed below but please know that all non-perishable items are welcome on any of these days. 

St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School’s

Annual Food Drive

To support St. Paul’s Church’s food pantry

When:  November 7-16

Where:  Main entrance/hallway of both buildings

Double points will be given for BULK ITEMS every day except Wednesday, November 7

Wednesday, November 7:  Triple points for bulk items (except           

                                            diapers)

Thursday, November 8:     Double points for peanut butter or

                                            canned fish or meats

Friday, November 9:          Double points for toilet paper

Monday, November 12:     Double points for personal hygiene

                                            items

Tuesday, November 13:      Double points for dry beans, rice,

                                             crackers and Mac and Cheese

Wednesday, November 14:  Laundry detergent (20 points for     

                                              multiple-load bottle or box     

                                              detergent)

Thursday, November 15:    Double points for disposable diapers

                                             sizes 3, 4, 5 and 6 as well as Adult

                                             Depends. (We will count each

                                             Diaper in the package)

Friday, November 16:         To be announced

The pencil donation project for South Sudanese students concluded with TERRIFIC results.  The total number of pencils donated as of Thursday, Nov. 8, was 12,652!  This was a huge step toward second grade student Atem Akuei’s big goal of taking 20,000 pencils to students in South Sudan.  We are so proud of the boys and girls who reached out with their hearts and grateful to the parents who, through their generosity, accomplished so much.  Thank you to everyone for your support of this special project. 

Reminder:  Parents’ Guild Book Club will be held on Thursday, November 15th at 8:15am in the Garden Room.  The book to be discussed is American Dervish by Ayad Akhtar.  Refreshments will be served.  RSVP to Joanne Reardon at reardonjoanne@att.net.

The 2011-12 Annual Report is now available on line at http://www.speds.org/support/annual-report/.   Thanks to everyone for all the support of the various fundraising efforts -- Annual Fund, Buddy Run, Auction, and of course, the Endowment Campaign.  You enhance our program offerings, provide the future for our school through the endowment campaign, engage our parents and students – all while keeping our tuition level well below the national average.  Every effort has been made to ensure that the information presented is accurate and complete.  Please let Jane Pennington, our Director of Development, know if we have erred on any of the information presented in this report.

DID YOU KNOW?  2012-2013 Annual Fund Call Week is now until November 14^th!  We are calling on all parents for 100% participation.  Make your gift today and direct it toward Academic Programs, Financial Aid, Faculty Support or Daily Needs.  Thank you for your support! 

Donate Now (http://www.diamondmindinc.com/spedsog.html)

Pledge Now (http://go.speds.org/pledgenow)

Looking for some good exercise and a good cause to support on Thanksgiving Day?  The  Thanksgiving Day 5K Stroll and Kids Fun Run will be held on the Sprint campus.  The Kids Fun Run will be in honor of Tom Murphy, and proceeds from that run will provide a scholarship at Rockhurst High School.

We have noticed a couple of empty-looking cars driving through our parking lot.  If you need a new St. Paul’s car decal, pick one up at the front desk anytime.  We love seeing the stickers all around Kansas City!

Journey U, one of our sixth graders, has a very important role in “Nuncrackers:  The Nunsense Christmas Musical” at American Heartland Theater!  She appears in an article about the production in the November/December edition of KC Studio.  There are two sets of student actors for the production and Journey appears in the following ones:

Nov. 10^th - Sat. 2pm & 8pm; Nov. 13^th - Tues. 7:30; Nov. 15^th - Thurs. 7:30; Nov. 20^th - Tues. 7:30; Nov. 21^st -  Wed. 7:30; Nov. 24^th - Sat. 4pm & 8 pm; Nov. 27^th - Tues. 7:30; Nov. 28^th - Wed.  1pm & 7:30; Nov. 29^th - Thurs. 7:30; Dec. 4^th - Tues. 7:30pm; Dec. 5^th -  Wed. 1pm & 7:30pm; Dec. 8^th - Sat. 4pm & 8pm; Dec. 11^th - Tues. 7:30pm; Dec. 12^th - Wed. 7:30pm.; Dec. 13^th - Thursday 7:30pm; Dec. 14^th - Friday 8pm; Dec. 18^th - Tues. 7:30pm; Dec. 19^th - Wed. 7:30pm; and Dec. 22nd Sat. 4pm & 8pm.  Congratulations, Journey!

As you are reading this, I will be part of an accrediting team at Notre Dame Preparatory and Marist Academy in Detroit, MI.  Those of you who were here for our visit in 2009 will remember the team of teachers and administrators from other ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States – our accrediting agency) schools visiting our campus to determine if the self-study we wrote over the course of a year accurately reflected our school.  These visits are great opportunities to learn more about how other schools function and, at the same time, to contribute to the work of our accrediting agency.  From this visit, I will go to Baltimore to attend the National Association of Episcopal Schools Biennial Conference through Saturday morning.  I will be checking in periodically but am confident that the people here can handle any needs/concerns you might have in my absence.