Dear Parents,
As we approach the last days of the first quarter, our students have had a busy week. On Monday we had another practice fire drill in anticipation of a timed drill by our local fire department in the next few weeks. Also, that day I hosted my first principal for the day this year from the Children’s Raffle. Nick Broeker, a third grader, was an excellent principal! He visited classrooms, made announcements, and even helped with the fire drill. Our future at BSS is in good hands with students like Nick!
Yesterday student representatives from second through eighth grade attended the Mission Mass at Little Flower Church. Our school was represented by Noah Bright, Laurelynn Weihmeir, Gabe Bonansinga, Jane Reardon, Evan Huffstedtler, Kendra Ward, Connor Rutherford, Abby Pohlman, Daniel Gardner, Anna Benoit, Graham Cross, Taylor Pohlman, Sammy Sgro, and Kaysay Johnson. Monsignor Kemme and several diocesan priests concelebrated the Mass, and we were very proud of our students as excellent representatives of our school at this gathering.
We were also extremely proud of our entire student body’s efforts to support the missions. For the seventh year in a row, our school placed in the top five schools in the diocese for the amount of money per student donated to the Holy Childhood Association. We received the third place award this year. Most importantly, we’re proud of our student body for praying each day for missionaries and those they serve and for the many times throughout the year that they follow the examples and words of Jesus by using their time and talent to help the less fortunate. Thanks to Mrs. Steinkamp, our mission moderator, and all of you who help us with our mission efforts!
This week our students are enjoying their first Art Outreach presentations of the year. (Students in grades K-2 will start next month.) Thanks to Chrissie Moran for being our school coordinator and to all the parents who volunteer as docents and make this program possible for our students!
Tomorrow our seventh and eighth graders will hear from a Holocaust survivor, Aaron Elster. He spoke at the Illinois Reading Conference last year, and several of our teachers were so moved by this speech that they requested that our students hear him. Special thanks to PSA for providing the funds to bring Mr. Elster to our school.
We will not be in school on Monday in observance of Columbus Day. Looking ahead, we have an all-school Mass next Thursday, Oct. 15, on the Feast of St. Teresa of Avila. The following Wednesday, Oct. 21, is the end of the third quarter. Report cards will be sent home on Friday, Oct. 30, and parent-teacher conferences will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Don’t forget that orders for the Spirit Day t-shirts and sweatshirts are due tomorrow! Enjoy the long weekend with your children!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Kathy Wear
We welcomed a new preschooler to Mrs. Klenke’s class this week. We are excited to have Luke Moody as part of our student body. Luke’s parents are Matt and Tonya Moody. Their address is 2012 Burgess, Springfield, IL 62711, and their phone number is 433-1090. Their email address is tnauton@hotmail.com. Please add their information to your school directory.
Fifth grade had fun this week celebrating the magical month of Halloween by viewing illusion artwork during art class, seeing the seasonal books in the library, and even viewing a special magic presentation by 8th grader Sean Wesp. Special thanks to him for sharing his time and fun talent!
Handbook agreement forms were due back in the office last Friday. We are still missing forms from several families. If you have not done so yet, please remember to return your signed handbook agreement forms by tomorrow!
Mrs. Rearden has been contacting parents of students in preschool, kindergarten, and sixth grade who have not turned in a current physical to the school office. If physicals are not received by Oct. 15, we are required not to allow students to attend school until the physicals are completed. We appreciate your help in making sure your child is in compliance by next Thursday, Oct. 15.
Good luck to our cooperative St. Agnes/Blessed Sacrament cross country team as they compete in their sectional this Saturday, Oct. 10, at Lincoln Park. We wish them the best in their efforts to qualify for the state meet held next weekend in Bloomington.
Congratulations to the newly-elected officers of Builders Club! They include Kaysay Johnson as president, Allyson Padget as vice-president, Abigail Perrero as secretary, Sean Wesp as treasurer, and Hayley Reed as publicity chairperson. The classroom representatives include Charlie Delano, Erin Monroe and Isabella Sgro.
As we are approaching the end of the first quarter, we have had increased communication between teachers and parents. We are always appreciative of parents working with the school as partners in their children’s success at school. If you do need to contact a teacher, please call or email the teacher to set up a meeting time or a mutually convenient time for a phone conference. Although it may seem convenient to catch a teacher at arrival or dismissal time or while a parent is in the building as a volunteer, we ask that you please avoid trying to discuss important issues with teachers at such a time. They usually have supervision responsibilities or a limited time in which to complete preparations for their classes. However, do not ever hesitate to contact a teacher to set up a mutually convenient time to talk or meet. Thanks so much for your cooperation and consideration.
The Halloween Carnival Is Back!
This year's Builders Club is busy planning for the Halloween Carnival to be held on the evening of Sunday, October 25. All parish and school families are invited to visit the Haunted House, try their luck at the game tables, and enjoy the treats offered at the Witches' Café. We hope to see all of you there!
Flyers are being sent home today to remind you of a shopping event to be held this Sunday, Oct. 11, from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the SHG West Campus. Many items will be available for purchase, and several of our parents are participating as vendors. You don’t want to miss this shopping opportunity that benefits the SHG basketball teams and poms squad.
New Tuesday/Thursday Hot Lunch Order Form
New order forms for the Tuesday/Thursday hot lunches are being sent home today. We’ve had excellent responses to the food being offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays this year, so if you missed ordering last time, take advantage of the new order form. Order forms are due back with payment on Monday, Oct. 19.
Parent Meeting for Science Fair Projects
The seventh grade science and English teachers will be having an informational meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7:00 p.m. in the rectory basement. (This is a change from the location that will be listed in the church bulletin this weekend.) To make this a successful experience for the students, parental cooperation and assistance are a necessity. We hope you can come! At this time, the teachers will explain the project as well as provide a timeline of the due dates. Mrs. Cornelius will answer questions pertaining to the science projects, and Mrs. Healy will answer those pertaining to the research paper.
Our sixth graders are currently participating in the D.A.R.E. prevention program through the Springfield Police Department at no cost to our school. Over the next two weeks a fundraiser will be held through Pizza Hut to benefit the D.A.R.E. program. Vouchers are being sent home today for families to use during any visit to a Springfield Pizza Hut from Oct. 11 through Oct. 25. By presenting the coupon when you pay, the D.A.R.E. program will receive 20% of your purchase.
Friday, Oct. 9 –
BSS t-shirt/sweatshirt orders due!
Handbook agreement forms due!
Monday, Oct. 12 –
No school in observance of Columbus Day
Thursday, Oct. 15 –
8:20 a.m. all-school Mass
Monday, Oct. 19 –
Tuesday/Thursday hot lunch orders due!
Wednesday, Oct. 21 –
End of 1st Quarter
2nd grade field trip to Illinois State Museum
Thursday, Oct. 22 –
6th grade field trip to Challenger Learning Center
Friday, Oct. 23-
Hearing and vision screening
Sunday, Oct. 25 –
Builders Club Halloween Carnival in the school
Monday, Oct. 26 – Wednesday, Nov. 4 –
Scholastic Book Fair in the school library
Friday, Oct. 30 –
Report Card Day
Halloween parade and parties
Tuesday, Nov. 3 –
8:20 a.m. all-school Mass
11:30 a.m. dismissal; no B.A.S.E.
Parent-teacher conferences
Wednesday, Nov. 4 –
1:30 p.m. dismissal , no B.A.S.E.
Parent-teacher conferences
Friday, Nov. 6 –
PSA Spirit Day
2:00 p.m. benediction & adoration for grades 2-8
Before School Patrols for the Week of Oct. 13 - 16:
Monica Bell Sean Patrick Chapin
Graham Cross Alex DeLeon
After School Patrols for the Week of Oct. 13 - 16:
Taylor Pohlman Cody Prosperini
Luke Reiser Ryleigh Taylor
Mass Servers for Oct. 10 & 11:
(only BSS students listed)
4:30 p.m. Saturday Elizabeth Schmidt
7:00 a.m. Sunday (no current BSS students)
8:30 a.m. Sunday John Drake
Ben Eck
10:30 a.m. Sunday Jeremy French
Kevin & Averi Gamble
Daily Servers for Oct. 12 - 16:
8:00 a.m. M & W Daniel Gardner &
& 8:20 a.m. Tu Megan McCarthy
8:20 a.m. Th, & Mary Delano &
8:00 a.m. Fri. Karla Hernandez