Weekly Parent Newsletter, March 12, 2015

                   All Saints Academy, St. Cloud Campus

Weekly Parent Newsletter

March 12, 2015

Every Thursday school is in session you will be receiving a link to the “Weekly Parent Newsletter”. Please read carefully. This will contain All Saints Academy, St. Cloud news for you and your family.

1. Fish Fry – Last week all families received their red Fish Fry packets along with the letters.  We hope many of you have been able to sell tickets.  The family goal is $75 of sales/family.  If you need additional tickets, they are available in the office. All ticket sales will be applied to the individual fundraising goals of $350/child.  Please turn in the money to the office in an envelope.  On the envelope indicate your family name, money enclosed and number of adult & child tickets sold.  Many volunteers are needed to help make the Fish Fry happen.  Please use Volunteer Spot http://vols.pt/wFZo92 to sign up by Thursday March 19th.  An explanation of each job is listed. All families are expected to volunteer their time to this fundraiser.  (For those of you who have not fulfilled the 15-hour requirement, this would be a wonderful way to get some hours. We are asking that all 5^th & 6^th grade students volunteer during the Fish fry too.  These hours will be applied to the 15-hour requirement for your family!)  Those of you who have worked in the past know what fun it is!   We hope you will all join us!

Incentives

·        Students receive a treat when they turn in their money and unsold tickets.

·        If the family goal of $75.00 worth of tickets is sold, each child in that family will receive an Incentive Pass.

·        Any class that turns in all its money and unsold tickets by March 25 will get additional recess.

·        Classroom party for the class that has the highest family volunteer participation at the Fish Fry.

2. 2015-2016 School Year Planning – We need your registration forms completed as soon as possible so we can make staffing decisions for next year.  We need to retain our excellent staff, which is the cornerstone of the high quality Catholic education your child receives. We would like K – 6^th grade registration forms by March 31^st.  This will help us with planning for the 2015-16 school year.  

    Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

   The tuition assistance application process is different this year.  All Saints Academy will be using "FAIR" (Financial Aid Independent Review.Inc.)  FAIR is a nationally recognized leader in financial aid assessments for private and parochial schools.  The online application is easy to complete.  There is a $30/family processing fee.  Contact the office if you would like the directions to apply for tuition assistance.

    Thank you for being a part of All Saints Academy. It works because we all care and work together.

3. Please Complete Your Surveys – By now you should have received a survey by email asking questions about how well All Saints Academy is serving you and your family. Your feedback is VERY IMPORTANT as we continue to work towards ever-greater heights of excellence in education. If you have not already completed the survey please do so at your earliest convenience. If you have not received a survey, please contact anna.barzeyrobinson@allsaintsmn.org.

4. Almsgiving Opportunity at the Friday, March 20^th Mass – next Friday students in grades K-6 can bring a food donation into their classroom (in bags preferably). These donations will be brought to the altar for almsgiving.

5. Classroom Baskets for the Extravaganza Silent Auction - Each year the classrooms put together “themed baskets” for the silent auction tables at Extravaganza. We ask and rely upon parents to assist in providing items to help fill the baskets. We also have a need for large baskets.

We will begin collecting items for the baskets starting March 9th through April 10th. Please feel free to drop off items at the classrooms.

Below is the list of themes by classroom to help you get a better idea of what to look for. As always, we will also be accepting cash donations to fill the baskets that are lacking.

Preschool - Disney
Kindergarten - Baby and Pet
1st - Barbie and Nerf
2nd - Gardening and Rainy Day
3rd - Legos
4th - Fishing and Cooking

5th - MN Basket and Tee Time
6th - Man Cave and 50's
Any questions contact Extravaganza Committee Member: Kelly Wahlin 

6. Thank you to PAC - for all the delicious food provided to the teachers during parent/teacher conferences in February.  We have several dishes/crock pots/utensils that belong to those of you who brought dinner.  Please stop at school and you can pick up these items.  Thank you!

7. Lunch Accounts – Please take a moment to look at your child/ren’s lunch accounts online.  You may add money to your child/ren’s account anytime by sending a check or cash to the office and indicate which child’s account the money should be credited.  Currently, we have several accounts that have a negative balance.  If your child has more than one month of unpaid lunches (-$48.00,) the school will be unable to provide a full hot lunch to the student.  (The student may receive a sandwich and milk from school.) Please contact the office if you need to make payment arrangements as soon as possible if you have a negative balance.  Once payment arrangements are in place, the school will be able to offer hot lunch.

8. All Saints Academy's 3rd grade will be celebrating mass at St. Michael’s Church - On Wednesday, March 25th at 9:00 am everyone is invited to join the 3rd graders and the St. Michael community. Students will be bussed to St. Michael’s.  We hope many of you choose to join our 3rd grade. We will also be having our regular school mass at St. Paul’s Church.

9. Lost & Found - Are you missing any sweatshirts or jackets? How about a pair of mittens or a hat? Please come visit our Lost & Found bin and table in the basement hallway at the bottom of the stairs. We have a lot of things that are unclaimed by our students which have been gathered in our lunchroom, playground, gym and hallway. Please take a minute and look through the items we have.

10. Lunch Schedule – Recess is after lunch now. Please note that the times for Kindergarten and 2nd grade have switched. The times below are correct. The lunch schedule is as follows:

•      11:00 – 5^th grade

•      11:05 – 6^th grade

•      11:10 – 4^TH grade

•      11:20 – 1^st grade

•      11:25 – 2^nd grade

•      11:30 – Kindergarten

•      11:35  - 3^rd grade

*Please note that parents volunteering for recess should check-in at the office and then meet with Mary O’Hara in the lunchroom at 11:15am. Recess ends at 12:15pm.

11. Cathedral Cure for Cabin Fever -  The final Cure for Cabin Fever at Cathedral for 2015 is fast approaching!  It is Friday, March 13th from 6 to 9 PM.  We are super excited about this one because we have adopted a reading theme and have planned many great activities around reading.  As part of the Dr. Seuss reading theme, your children are encouraged to come in their PJs and also wear their "foxiest socks."  We will vote on the most clever socks worn that night.  

To register go to the Cathedral website and click on Cabin Fever or: https://cathedralhighschool.publishpath.com/Default.aspx?shortcut=cure-for-cabin-fever-registration&OriginalDomain=www.cathedralcrusaders.org

When you register, it won't be very clear what the activities really are . . . but trust us, they are age appropriate and FUN, FUN, FUN!!!!  Be sure to register early as the classes may fill up. Hope to see you at the final Cure for Cabin Fever at Cathedral on March 13th!

12. Dinner Theater Children's Choir - Calling all singing children!

St. Peter's is putting on a production of Fiddler on the Roof and we would like to include a children's choir to it.  If you are interested (or think you might be) come to an informational meeting this Sunday (March 15th) from 11:45-12:15 at St. Peter's in the choir room.  The performances will be April 17th and 18th and rehearsals will usually be Sundays 11:45-12:45 until the week before the performances.  Contact Meaghan Baynes (meaghan.baynes@gmail.com) if you have any questions.  Stay tuned for when the tickets go on sale!

13. Vacation Bible School - Mark Your Calendars!!!! Vacation Bible School at St. Peter's, St. Paul's and Atonement will be June 15th-June18th.  It is FREE and open to all children ages 3 through grades 6 and if your older children want to help there are a TON of volunteer opportunities!  The theme this year is "EVEREST; conquering challenges with God's mighty power"!  Watch for more info and registration forms as we get closer to the end of the year! 

14. Bulletin Board

•    Registration forms for FunZone Easter Break were sent out in the Thursday Folders today. Please be sure to complete your registration and return it to FunZone or the school office by March 19^th to guarantee a spot for your child(ren).

•    Please note that FunZone Summer Care will take place at both the St. Joseph and St. Cloud Campuses this summer. We will be sending out a parent packet regarding summer care in the Thursday Folders on March 26^th. Please keep us in mind as you begin considering your summer plans. If you have any questions please contact FunZone at sc.funzone@allsaintsmn.org or 320-251-5295 ext. 107 for more information, or check out our webpages at http://www.allsaintsmn.org/family-resources/after-school-and-summer-care/.

•    Play Ball!!  Registration for Waite Park Babe Ruth summer youth (ages 6-16) Baseball and Softball is now open.  Games are played in the evening; most games are at the beautiful Rivers Edge complex in Waite Park.  For more information and to register stop by the school office for a flyer or go to - www.waiteparkbaberuth.com

•    Camp Invention registration is now open for 1^st thru 6^th grade. Please stop by the school office for a flyer or go to www.campinvention.org for more information.

•    Youth Indoor Soccer is being offered by the YMCA starting March 14^th for age 3-3^rd grade. Please stop by the school office for a flyer if interested.

•    All Saints Academy has recently developed a new way to keep all parent/child contact information up-to-date and accessible to all teachers and office personnel. In order to ensure we have proper contact info for you, if you have any changes in address, phone (including home, cell and work), e-mail or names please send these changes to anna.barzeyrobinson@allsaintsmn.org. It would be helpful if you have had any recent changes that you believe were already given to us, to resubmit them to me so I can be sure it is updated.

•    Birthday Treats – If your child will be sharing a birthday treat with his/her class this year, we encourage you to be health conscious and peanut/tree nut safe when sending these treats to school. Some healthy snack ideas include grain products (crackers, pretzels, cereal bars), fruit, vegetables, milk products (cheese, yogurt, pudding) or meat/protein (sunflower seeds and cold cuts). If you have questions regarding allergies of students in your child’s class, please contact the teacher or Mrs. Gjerde.

•    Sign Up for REMIND - The St. Cloud Campus would like to invite parents/guardians to sign up for REMIND.  REMIND is a safe, free and easy way we can connect with parents through texting.  It allows us to communicate with all parents instantly.  Signing up is done through a unique code to Mrs. Bristow.  Please text to 612-260-4578 and in the message enter @ef392.  It is that easy.  You will be added on to the parent list.

15. Recess Volunteers – We are greatly in need of parent volunteers now that winter is here. Please contact the office to let us know when you will be available. Two parents are needed each day.

          Monday, 3/16: Tetrault, we need one parent here

          Tuesday, 3/17: Gebhardt, we need one parent here

Wednesday, 3/18: Layne, Bendinelli

          Thursday, 3/19: Swanson, we need one parent here

          Friday, 3/20: we need two parents here

*Please note that parents volunteering for recess should check-in at the office and then meet with Mary O’Hara in the lunchroom at 11:15am. Recess ends at 12:15pm.

16. Thank You – 

…to Crystal Woods for providing staff with food during conferences.

Calendar Dates 

Mar. 13: Fellowship after school mass in Community Room

Apr. 2-6: Easter break, No School for Students or Staff

April 27: All Saints Academy Band Concert, 7:00 pm at CHS Holy Angels Performing Arts Center

May 14: Kindergarten Spring Program, 6:30 pm

May 21: Family Spring Picnic

Our Mission

… is to deliver an academically excellent, Catholic education that develops the whole person and inspires a Christ-centered life in a global community.

This parent weekly update is published each Thursday school is in session.  Anyone with questions, comments or articles they wish to be considered for inclusion should send an e-mail to Anna Barzey-Robinson at anna.barzeyrobinson@allsaintsmn.org no later than Monday, 3 PM for that week’s update or drop it off at school.