Monday Morning Memo

What a wonderful turnout we had for our 50^th Anniversary Alumni Reunion on Friday night!

We had estimated that about 300 would attend and were thrilled that almost 500 were here!

We had planned it for 6:00 – 8:00 and were delighted that people were here from 5:30 – 9:00!

We had children under two years old through adults over 70 years old.

We had a gentleman from our first graduating class to those who graduated last year – and we had a lot of the parents of these alums that we were so glad to see return.

We heard wonderful stories about the influence that St. Paul’s has had on the lives of these alums and it was very heartwarming and inspirational!

We were proud to show off the entire building to alums who were here before the fire, and those who had not yet seen the latest addition – our early childhood wing.

Our only complaint:  they didn’t eat enough!  It was obvious that the main event was reconnecting with each other and with their former teachers, so the food took second place.

As is always the case, an event of this magnitude takes many hands to plan and execute and we had tremendous committees helping us.  Jill Watt, Chair of all of our 50^th Anniversary Events, did everything from offering ideas to stuffing invitations to handing out nametags.  Tess Magill and Allison Laner Palmer shared the Chairing of this event – with Tess working with our earlier classes to get names and alert people of the event, and then Allison took over with a committee of young alums who did the bulk of the event planning.  Allison enlisted the services of Janda Marvine-Nielsen and her sister, McKenzie Marvine Muehlfelder who donated the invitations and all of the beer for this event!  Lauren Di Capo and her family brought food from their restaurant, Italian Gardens that put the lovely scent of garlic in the air and provided tasty appetizers.  Richard Wiles of Westport Café and Bar donated wine and champagne for the event.  Elizabeth Gude arranged for the band, Gig Salad, to play the event.  Julita Latimer, parent of one alum and one current student, provided the rest of the food for the event.  Other workers/committee members included …  Jane Pennington, Development Director and Katie Gregg, Development Coordinator, provided logistical, physical and creative support throughout the planning and execution of the event – and other events of this 50^th Anniversary Celebration.  Many thanks to all of these hard workers for a delightful, memorable, and very fun event!

Welcome to Megan Helm, who will be substituting for Missy Haskamp during her maternity leave.  Mrs. Helm, who is a trained, experienced elementary music teacher, has been working with Missy for two weeks to learn all about and assist with the  Christmas programs.  Today she takes over and tomorrow those programs begin!

My favorite season has arrived – there will be five Christmas programs during these next two weeks!  What could be more appropriate or appreciated during the Christmas season than the voices of our students, celebrating the meaning and fun of the season.  Our programs will be as follows:

Prekindergarten and kindergarten at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, in the north wing multipurpose room (MPR)

            Toddler and preschool at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4, in the north wing MPR

            First and second graders at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5, in the north wing MPR

            Third through fifth graders at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5, in the church

            Middle school at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12, in the church

I highly recommend all five of these performances to you, your friends and family!

Roland Reschke, our Middle School English teacher, surprised us with the news that he plans to retire from teaching at the end of this semester – on January 10, 2014.  Here is his message to the community: “After eight and-a-half years at St. Paul’s, I have decided to retire at semester.  I have given this decision a lot of thought and nearly decided to retire last year, but I thought I had at least another year of teaching in me.  As it turns out, I was wrong.  I only had another semester in me.  My time at St. Paul’s has been the best part of my lengthy teaching career and I certainly have mixed emotions about leaving, but I know in my heart now is the right time for me to step aside.  I’m not sure what the future holds for me, but I’m ready to look at those opportunities whatever they may be.  When I started here, I told friends that I felt like I had gone from the Omaha Royals (now Storm Chasers) to the New York Yankees, so great was the difference between my former school and St. Paul’s.  To use another sports analogy, I don’t want to be one of those guys who hangs around too long, not realizing he is past his prime.  I will always treasure my years at St. Paul’s and I hope the community will feel the same way about me.”

            Mr. Reschke gave us enough notice that we were able to engage Dr. Kimberly Jackson, an experienced elementary and middle school teacher who moved to Kansas City with her husband in late spring and substituted for us before taking a long-term substitute position with St. Peter’s. Dr. Jackson will spend up to two weeks with us, prior to Mr. Reschke’s retirement, getting to know the students, faculty, and curriculum.  Her first day as the lead will be Jan. 13.

Mr. Barry Ward, father of our Middle School Spanish and English teacher, Hunter Ward, won Male Performer of the Year two weeks ago at the Western Music Association Award Show!  Mr. Ward has performed for our students in music classes so we have first-hand knowledge of his talent.  This is a very special honor for him and we all share the excitement that he and his family are enjoying.

Did you see the article in Saturday’s paper entitled “Pack Friday”, about the “30 other people connected to St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School” and Mr. Brett Posten who spent Black Friday packaging food to be shipped to typhoon-ravaged areas of the Phillipines?  We are proud of the service our families offer outside of St. Paul’s, as well as that done within our community.

           

Monday Morning Memo

Our hearts, our thoughts, and our prayers go out to the people of Newtown, CT.  This tragedy elicits the worst fears of parents, teachers and administrators in thinking that innocent children and adults could be the victims of a deranged killer, while feeling safe within their school environment.  We want to assure you that here at St. Paul’s, we take precautions to protect your children:

-          A locked facility

-          Security guards when students are on campus

-          Privacy shades in classrooms to block views into them when they are drawn

-          Annual lockdown drills

-          Teachers and administrators who would do anything to protect your children

-          Assistance from a responsive police force.

But this sanctity can be violated, as we saw at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It is incumbent upon all of us to work to keep our children safe without allowing them or us to become unduly frightened every time they are outside our vision.  Your children’s safety is foremost in our minds and we will review again our safety procedures to ensure that we are doing all we can without creating an environment that is too restrictive for the children, parents and guests.

            Note:  Because of the heightened sensitivity and fears at this time, we will not hold a lockdown drill this week.  Our teachers know the procedures and are prepared, but we’d like to allow the children to enjoy this holiday week, which will include many prayers for the families of Newtown.  Here are some ideas that may help you in talking with your child(ren).

TALKING WITH CHILDREN ABOUT TRAGEDY
Images from school shootings saturate our televisions, radios and conversations, calling to mind other dark days. When this kind of violence happens, it is important to talk with our children, but it is often difficult to know what to say. Here are some suggestions that may help…

• First and foremost, children need to be reassured that they are safe. Children often experience anxiety, fear and a personal sense of risk. Limit television viewing for younger children, especially those of preschool age. It is very difficult for young children to process images and messages in news reports. Let children know that tragic events are not our everyday experience and that the adults who love them will always try to take care of them. (ie – “I know you are scared. I am too. It’s a scary thing that happened, but I love you and I will always do my very best to make sure that you are safe.”)
  
• Just like adults, children will have varied reactions. They may ask lots of questions, cling to parents or exhibit behavior of younger children, have stomachaches or headaches, or may have difficulty sleeping or have nightmares. Older children and adolescents may make inappropriate jokes or glib comments or direct their anger and frustration at other seemingly unconnected situations. All of these are various ways of dealing with tragedy.Expect and give permission for a wide range of reactions. It is important to validate your child’s feelings and not try to explain to them why they should feel another way. Many children will need more physical affection and one‐on‐one time with parents.
  
• The best plan for discussion is to talk honestly, but without a lot of graphic detail. Be gently concrete and truthful when answering questions. Be careful of using euphemisms for death such as the people “passed” or “went to sleep” or “went away”. These may send scary messages to younger children who wonder if they might go to sleep and not wake up or if their parents will go away forever.
  
• Be aware of where your child is developmentally. Preschool children may see death as reversible, temporary or impersonal. Children between ages 5‐9 are beginning to realize that death is permanent but may still think they could escape through their own ingenuity or efforts. From age 9 or 10 through adolescence, children begin comprehending fully that death is irreversible, that all living things die, and that they too will die someday.
  
• Reinforce your family’s values. This is a good time to talk about your family beliefs regarding the sanctity of life or helping others. Reiterate your position as a person of faith and don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know why this happened” or “I just don’t know how to answer that.” Also be aware that some religious explanations that may comfort adults may unsettle a child. For example, saying “It must have been God’s will” or “Those people are with God now” might be frightening to a child who may worry that God could decide to come get them. Assure them that God loves us and is present as we struggle to understand.
  
• If they don’t want to talk, give them other options. If your child doesn’t want to talk much about the incidents and you suspect they may be worrying about things they can’t articulate, you might ask them to draw pictures or talk about what feelings they think other people might be having. This gives the child an opportunity to gain some distance to what they themselves are feeling. If your child doesn’t want to talk about the events at all, they may not need to talk and you might just take a walk with them or read them a book or give them a hug to let them know you care about them and how they are feeling.
  
• Remind children of safety procedures. Talk about measures that are already in place, such as police, fireman, authorities and policies at school for dealing with danger, etc. Talk with them about safety plans that might make them feel more comfortable. Keep talking with them even after the media coverage subsides.
  
• Keep your schedule normal. In as much as it is possible, try to continue with family routines such as dinnertime or bedtime rituals. Children (and adults) can often find some comfort by connecting with some sense of normalcy, even in the midst of chaos and fear.
  
• Find a way to participate in rebuilding or reconciliation. Times of tragedy bring out both the worst in people and the best in people. Help your children by making a conscious choice to take part in caring for others and helping where you can. Get involved in a neighborhood watch or a community campaign. Doing something concrete helps us feel like we are part of the solution and it a definitive statement of hope and rebirth. 

When we respond to tragedy, our feelings may be intense and varied. Give your children and yourself some time to adjust. There are no magic words, no “right answer” – just be with your children and talk with them. Remember there are people available to help you – your school counselors, as well as community agencies and professional counselors who are specially trained to deal with situations like this; and there are many resource people in the church who can be of tremendous help and comfort in a time of tragedy. [Tracy Herger, Leader Resources]

Our Christmas programs last week were beautiful, entertaining, upbeat, and delightful showcases for the talents of our students and teachers!  The children sang with pride and enthusiasm, led by Mrs. Everly, Mrs. Rousey and Mrs. Haskamp.  What wonderful gifts to all of us these programs are!  Each year we exceed the previous year’s attendance records – a happy problem with which to have to deal.

Our final program of the season will be this week and it will be outstanding because of the first and second grade performers.  Mrs. Haskamp will lead the students in this final tribute to the Christmas season in the north wing multipurpose room at 9:00 a.m. on Wed., Dec. 19.  Come join the fun!

Without a doubt, you, the families of St. Paul's, are our best ambassadors in the community.  As you visit with neighbors, co-workers, friends, and clients this holiday season, please remind them that applications are now being accepted for new students for the 2013-14 school year.  Your referrals are vital to our school community.  If you know of a family that is interested in inquiring about St. Paul's for their child(ren), please refer them to Jill McGee in Admissions:  816-268-6542 or Admissions@speds.org

If you are planning on applying for tuition assistance for the 2013-2014 school year:

·        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.

Spirit Day is this Friday so take the opportunity to show your St. Paul’s Spirit!  Students will be participating in parties on and off campus and we’re proud to let everyone know about our school and the students of whom we are so proud.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a beautiful start to the New Year!  We’ll be hugging our children more tightly, appreciating the light they bring to our lives, and praying for those who grieve this holiday season.

Monday Morning Memo

MONDAY MORNING MEMO

December 10, 2012

Two wonderful Christmas programs began our season last week!  The third through fifth graders put on a beautiful show to an overflow crowd in the church under the direction of Mrs. Tamara Everly on Thursday night.  The students performed like pros and the partisan crowd was ecstatic.  Then our very youngest performers – our toddlers and preschoolers – put on a much different but thoroughly enjoyable program for their families and friends on Friday morning under the direction of Mrs. Missy Haskamp.  These charming angels and gentle animal types touched our hearts in very different but magical ways.

Two more of these programs will happen this week: 

Our middle school students (all sixth graders and our drama/performing arts electives 7^th and 8^th grade students) will perform in the church on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. under the direction of Mrs. Everly and Mrs. Rousey.

Our prekindergarten and kindergarten students will perform on Friday morning at 9:15 a.m. in the north wing multipurpose room under the direction of Mrs. Haskamp.

These programs help put the Christmas back into this busy season by giving us time to pause and enjoy our talented children.

There is a correction to the calendar that was in our newsletter last week – Classes resume after Christmas on Monday, January 7.  This is the date that has always been on our calendar and website but the error appeared in the newsletter.

Three of our teachers who have given many years and much devoted service to our school have announced that they will be retiring at the end of this school year.  We will sorely miss Beverly House (kindergarten), Donna Reynolds (MS Spanish, English and Speech), and Deborah Bottoni (MS French and elective foreign languages) – all of whom have contributed so much to the children of our school over their many years with us.  We will recognize them at a reception on Friday, May 17, after all-school chapel.  In the meantime, we will take advantage of their many gifts and talents!

A Message from the Health Office:  We are making every effort to minimize the number of illnesses at St. Paul’s this winter and we ask that parents help us in our efforts by considering the following guidelines before sending their children to school.

•  Sick children need to be home until they are well for a 24 hour length of time.
•  “Sick” is a fever of greater than 100 degrees (student must be fever free without the aid
   of fever reducing medicine for 24 hours).
• “Sick” is continuing to have a persistent cough even with cough medicine.
• “Sick” is vomiting and/or diarrhea within the past 24 hours.
• “Sick” is a sore throat that doesn't go away with over-the-counter pain medication.

This flu season is already a very active one and we can significantly impact the spreading of germs by frequent hand washing and containing the spread of illness by staying home when not feeling well.  If there are any questions that our nurse, Mrs. Kuhls, can answer, please don’t hesitate to contact her by phone or e-mail.  Thank you for your efforts to keep our community healthy. 

Congratulations to the forty students who gave their Saturday for Science.  These 7^th and 8^th grade students worked together as a team to take second place out of 23 teams at the Pembroke Invitational Science Olympiad Tournament.

Seventh Grade:                                              

Zach J.             Roy W.                 Layne S.

Adam K.          Oliver C.              Grace C.

Ben S.              Jensen P.               John R.

Natalie K.        Caroline S.           Daisy B.

Ella L.              Anna Louise S.    Will P. 

Carol Ann G.   Sydney H.            Caroline R.

Zach T.            Catherine H.         Jonah W.

Connor T.        Max M.

Eighth Grade:

Liily L.          Monty L.

Ashley B.      Meghan L.

Drake R.        Elyse C.

Claire M.       Sydney W.

Lilly H.          Annie S.

Clayton F.      Taylor N.

A’starr M.      William L.

Cora M.         Danny T.

Congratulations to these students who placed in the individual events:

Cora M., second in Anatomy and Heredity; Meghan L., first in Crime Busters and second in Disease Detectives, Dynamic Planet, and Water Quality; Lilly L, second in Disease Detectives; Elyse C., second in Water Quality and fourth in Experimental Design; Claire M., third in Meteorology, fourth in Experimental Design, and fifth in Keep the Heat; Natalie K, Daisy B. and Jensen P., third in Mission Possible; Natalie K, second in Food Science; Taylor N. and William L., third in Mousetrap Vehicle;  Carol Ann G. and Caroline R., first in Sounds of Music; Ella L. and Caroline S., fourth in Write it Do It.  Very special thanks to Mrs. Gruss and Mr. Stewart for their help, kindness and coaching of our Olympian Team.  Well done, ALL!

Monday Morning Memo

What a delightful time of year it is with five Christmas programs to get us all in the mood! Last week our toddlers and preschoolers charmed us with their sometimes shy, sometimes reluctant, and sometimes dramatic participation in their program. They were adorable and Mrs. Haskamp led them through a delightful program for us. Then Mr. Held presented his last Christmas show at St. Paul’s, as he led the lovely voices of the third through fifth graders in another stellar program. One cannot help but walk away from these performances feeling better about the whole world!

Speaking of Mr. Held, his last day at St. Paul’s will be Tuesday, Dec. 13. The long trip to Seattle begins on Wednesday, as his first performance commitment there is on Sunday, Dec. 18! We wish him safe travels and all the very best.

This week we have the last two Christmas shows: prekindergarten and kindergarten on Wednesday and first and second grades on Thursday. Both programs will be at 9:00 a.m. in the north wing multipurpose room and led by Mrs. Haskamp. If you haven’t joined us for a program yet, come get in the spirit with these lovely programs.

Our chapel service this Friday will be a Eucharist service in the church for grades 3 – 8 and a regular chapel service in the ECC Commons for our toddlers through 2^nd graders. Parents are welcome to attend either service, of course, and there will be more room for lots of visitors in the church for those of you who would like to attend the Eucharist with us.

Mrs. Victoria Fatu will be taking the helm of the 3^rd through 6^th grade music classes on January 2^nd. Mrs. Fatu, who teaches piano lessons in our after-school program, was born in Russia and completed a degree in piano performance and teacher certification at Moscow State Conservatory. She is currently working on a Master’s degree at UMKC. Mrs. Fatu will substitute for Mr. Held on Wednesday and is really looking forward to working with our students. Please help us welcome her.

There will be some happy celebrating with class parties next week toward which we look forward. One very important reminder about our students with life threatening allergies: these students must not eat food that is not brought from their homes. We do not want a room parent volunteer to inadvertently offer a child food that he/she cannot eat. Please be sure to check with the classroom teacher to know of children with any life threatening allergies so critical mistakes are not made. Thanks!

Carpool reminder: the driveway to Walnut St. is usually one way coming into the parking lot! The exception to this is at the end of the day when a security guard is on duty so cars can both enter and exit that way. Consequently, if you seek to leave the parking lot via that route at any other time of the day, stay over to the far right, drive slowly, and be aware that especially church members are not used to that being a two-way drive and may turn into it without expecting to see someone exiting. If you choose to take that chance, remember that the onus is on you to be watchful and stay to the right.

If you miss a call from the school, please check your voice mail before calling the office to inquire about the phone call. It is likely that you missed a call from our automated One Call Now system.

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 auction committee is warming up for the 2012 auction - the Parents' Guild's largest annual fundraiser. Here are some important dates to put in your playbooks:

January 28th, 2012: GAME NIGHT - The Auction Kick-off Party.

The 2012 Auction kicks off at Dave and Krista Peterson's home on January 28th. Join the Petersons and their walk-on hosts for an evening of games, good eats, and the entire St. Paul's team, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. By attending this party and donating either cash or an in-kind item, you are providing much-needed funds for our students and staff. You won't want to miss this pre-game party!

March 2nd-3rd, 2012: Randy Kurt's Benefit Games.

Lace up your shoes and get ready to play in the Second Annual Benefit Games. New! Men's and women's dodgeball tournaments will be held on Friday night, March 2nd. Men's and women's basketball tournaments will follow on Saturday, March 3rd. On Saturday evening, participants in the Games will be treated to a post-game party at the home of Mike and Julie McCann. Draft your team now! Contact Amy Graham (beninggraham@gmail.com) or Katie Moreland (katiem@kc.rr.com) for details.

April 14th, 2012: GAME ON! Auction.

Schedule your sideline assistants (babysitters) now and get your GAME ON! at school on April 14th. The Silent Auction will get underway at 6:00, followed by tailgating and a lively Live Auction in the gym.

It will be a sad occasion for me when our post offices close and we no longer receive real mail. This time of year is particularly fun because it brings Christmas cards with great pictures and stories – a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and more distant family. I love to cover the mantle with these cards and am one of those who enjoys those long Christmas letters. At the risk of, once again, showing my age, I welcome this more substantial connection to friends – even those with whom I share the emails and texts regularly.

I hope you’re enjoying as many of the traditions of the season as work for you and your family, while still finding time to rest, reflect and rejoice! Have a wonderful Christmas break with safe travels, good food, rest, reading, and plenty of family time. We look forward to your return in the new year!