Weekly Parent Newsletter, May 7, 2015

                   All Saints Academy, St. Cloud Campus

Weekly Parent Newsletter

May 7, 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.

Please note: newly added information for this week will be highlighted for the ease of reading and accessing information.

1. All Saints Academy presents…Shrek the Musical Jr.! -  TOMORROW, May 8 AND SATURDAy, May 9 at 7:00pm. At the St. Joseph Waite Park School Building, 108 6^th Ave N, Waite Park. Tickets available at the door.  Adults $8.00, Students $5.00, Preschool and under are free.

2. Extravaganza May 16^th:  The All Saints Academy EXTRAVAGANZA, May 16, 2015, is quickly approaching! -  Remember when Rock was young? The Fabulous Armadillos do! And they’ll be rockin’ the house again for this year’s Extravaganza - The Fabulous 50’s - so dust off those patent leather shoes – roll-up the cuffs on those tight blue jeans – find your poodle dress (or your mother’s) and get ready to Rock ‘N’ Roll.  You can still purchase tickets on the website.  Click on the Extravaganza link in the right-hand corner and then on “Get Tickets” in the left-hand corner.  All purchased tickets can be applied to your fundraising quota.

3. Library Books Due - all student library books will be due in the library by Friday, May 15th.

4. Family Picnic – Your entire family is invited to the 2015 Family Picnic on Thursday, May 21 from 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm. The cost is $10 per family. This includes a meal, inflatables, games and activities. Please RSVP to this event by TOMORROW, May 8^th. Additional information and the sign-up slip are attached to the email with the blog link.

PAC is in need of volunteers to help with the picnic.  If you are willing to donate an hour of your time during the picnic, it would be very helpful.  Please contact Jen B. at jenbucke@hotmail.com or 249-0983.

5. Memory Books - Order forms for 2014-2015 ASA Memory Books came home with your youngest child. This photographic collection includes individual photos of students and staff along with collages of various events and grade level activities. The cost is $15 per book. Orders are being taken through TOMORROW, May 8th. If you do not receive an order form, more are available in the office. The memory books will be distributed during the last days of school.

6. Attention 4^th, 5^th and 6^th Grade Parents – Track and Field forms are due TOMORROW, May 8^th.

7. Tutoring Available This Summer - Lisa Poganski, title 1 teacher for ASA will be tutoring students this summer at the SC campus.  She will tutor math and reading classes or a combination of both.   Cost will be $20/week in June.  The days tutoring will occur will depend on the students’ summer schedules.  If you are interested, please give her a call at 320-247-2145.

8. CAP Day Thanks – We would like to thank the students, staff and families of ASA for the love and support shown to Patrick McMullen and our family. The CAP days in Patrick’s honor were so appreciated.

It was nice for him to be able to pick Make A Wish as his charity of choice for the second CAP Day. He wanted everyone to know he picked that organization because he will be a recipient soon.

Patrick was in second grade when he was first diagnosed with cancer. He is now in sixth and will be moving on to Cathedral next year. We cannot thank you enough for the prayers, love, support and friendship as we have traveled on this path.

ASA is truly a wonderful place and our children are all blessed to be students here. Parents, be proud of your kids as you should know how kind and compassionate your kids are to Patrick and others.

Blessings to you all and thank you, again.

Sincerely,

Mike, Lisa, Katie and Patrick McMullen

9. 2015-2016 School Year Planning – Thank you to those of you who have already turned in your registration materials.  If you have lost yours, please contact the office.  We are still waiting on a few registrations.  If you could complete the forms and return them to the office as soon as possible, that will help us with planning for the 2015-16 school year.

   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.

10. 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.

As the year draws to a close, please work on having a zero balance in your family’s lunch account by the last day of school. Thank you!

11. 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.

12. Attention All Catholic School Parents - The House Omnibus Tax bill that is expected to be heard on the House floor next week includes language that would expand tax credits and deductions for non-public school families.

To encourage legislators to include provisions similar to these in the final Omnibus Tax bill—and keep them in the House tax omnibus—we are encouraging our Network members to contact their legislators and encourage their support of the provisions.

It is important to have as many people contact their legislators as possible, especially non-public school parents who can speak to how these expanded credits and deductions may help their family’s financial bottom line. Below is some sample text providing background about the legislative provisions, and a link to the MCC action campaign from which people can contact their legislators.

The words "tuition and" have made it into the current version of House Omnibus Tax bill, HF 848 (originally proposed in bill HF 798/SF 1224). The House Omnibus Tax bill under consideration also increases the overall dollar amounts that can be taken as an education tax deduction or credit for your family.

Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC), the public policy voice of the Catholic Church, has a fast, easy-to-use action campaign for contacting your state legislators on these important tax omnibus provisions. Click on the link below and follow the prompts to contact your state legislators and encourage them to support expanding education tax deduction and credits in the Omnibus Tax bill. https://www.votervoice.net/MNCC/campaigns/40320/respond.

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

•    FunZone Summer Care staff will be sending home packets in TODAY’S Thursday Folders for those families who have sent in their registration form. If you have not done so already, please register at your earliest convenience to guarantee a spot for your child(ren). Please note: If you paid the FunZone registration fee any time during this school year you do not need to pay it again until fall registration. If you did not receive a packet and want one or 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/.

•    ASA Saint Cloud Campus recently received a check for $907 from General Mills BoxTops. Keep saving, it pays off!

•    The College of Saint Benedict is hosting a basketball clinic for grades 6-8 starting June 14. If interested please stop by the office for a flyer or register online at www.blazersportscamps.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.

•    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.

•    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. Please contact the office to let us know when you will be available. Three parents are needed each day.

          Monday, 5/11: Kaeter, we need two parents here

Tuesday, 5/12: Nessler, we need two parents here

Wednesday, 5/13: Baldwin, Kaeter, we need one parent here

Thursday, 5/14: Twedt, Baldwin, we need one parent here

Friday, 5/15: we need three 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 all of our dedicated and hard working teachers for being the primary reason for All Saints Academy’s success.

…to PAC for providing snacks, lunch and dinner during Teacher Appreciation Week.

…to Texas Roadhouse for the wonderful bread and butter for Teacher Appreciation Week.

….to Trustone Financial for the teacher gifts during Teacher Appreciation Week.

…to all the families that brought in snacks and gifts for the teachers.  Our families truly are the best!

Calendar Dates 

May  8: Volunteer Appreciation Mass & Breakfast

May 14: Kindergarten Spring Program, 6:30 pm

May 21: Family Spring Picnic

May 25: Memorial Day, No School

May 27: 6th Grade Graduation Liturgy at 8:15 am

May 29: Last Day of School for Students

June 2: Last Day of School for Licensed Staff

             Progress Reports Mailed

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.