October 1, 2020 Weekly Parent Newsletter

Weekly Parent Newsletter

All Saints Academy, St. Cloud Campus

October 1, 2020

Virtual Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences in October

Conferences for the first trimester of school will be held Thursday, Oct. 8 th and Monday, Oct. 12 th from 3:45 pm – 7:00 pm both nights . Each conference is a 15 minute, scheduled appointment to meet with your child/ren's homeroom teacher. All conferences will be virtual. Teachers will send out a link the morning of your conference. Parent(s) is/are required to be in attendance at both fall & winter conferences. We are using School Speak to sign up and organize our fall conferences. If you do not know your username/password, please contact Marissa Bristow and she will assist you. On School Speak:

1. Find your child’s homeroom page on the left side of the screen

2. Click on “Fall Conferences”

3. Choose your conference time & sign up.

Our specialist teachers will also be available for conferences on both nights. You may sign up to have a conference with those teachers as well. Music, Art & Spanish conference sign up is located in the School Group, at the bottom on the left side of the screen.

Workathon 2020 with Captain Windy!

The Workathon kicked off this this week with breaking news from Captain Windy (aka Fr. Tom Skaja.) Captain Windy talked about how we can help the people in our community who need help raking. He also talked about how our students can be part of the fund raising for our school. Information was sent home last week in Thursday folders. The students have begun letter writing. If you haven’t provided the 10 addresses to your homeroom teacher, it’s not too late. Students are also asked to reach out to additional friends, relatives and neighbors for support.

Our school goal is $40,000. There will be prizes for children as well as homerooms as they attain their goals. We hope you will help your child reach their goals during the Workathon that will help ASA reach our school goal!

Please read the entire packet in the folder of your youngest child. This will explain the Workathon and the letter writing campaign. Ask your child on Monday about the kick-off!

School Bus Safety Booklet

ASA and our parents are required by District 742 to train our students with age appropriate bus safety training. ASA asks parents to read through the booklet with their child. Students will be taking an evaluation for their grade level. This is the link for the booklet. School Bus Safety Booklet Link Students will be taking the evaluation before MEA weekend.

COVID Resource on School Speak

ASA has fielded a lot of questions on whether they should send their child to school if they have certain symptoms. A resource has been posted on School Speak that will clarify your decision making. There is a “Parent Morning Checklist” that parents can use when assessing how your child feels.

To maintain your child’s health while at school, please remind them of the following”

· Bring a water bottle everyday

· Bring hand sanitizer

· Wear a mask

· Bring spare masks

· Wash and sanitize hands frequently

· Keep physical distance with peers (6 feet+) when possible

Place of Hope

The Place of Hope & Homeless Helping Homeless urgently needs our help. The Place of Hope has been hit hard by COVID-19 and can no longer prepare hot meals for 105 people living in hotels. Harry Fleegel, working with Homeless Helping Homeless, wants to fill this need until Place of Hope is up and running again. Approved kitchens and cooks need to be found or meals will need to be catered from local businesses. In order to facilitate this effort, funds are desperately needed. If you are able to contribute to this cause please send checks to the office made out to Homeless Helping Homeless.

Dismissal Reminders

Students in grades PreK-6 should report directly to their classroom when they arrive between 7:30 – 7:45 am. Dismissal for the day begins at 3:00 pm.

· Students will not be released before 3:00 pm.

· Please arrive at your specified pick up time.

· If you arrive early, you will be asked to go around the block so ASA staff may get the appropriate students loaded in their respective cars.

· You will not be allowed to pull over and wait for your child if you arrive early.

· A reminder that parents need to stay in their vehicle and their children will be brought to their car.

· Preschool parents may park and get out of their cars at 3:20 pm to meet their children at the door along with siblings. Please do not arrive or walk up to the building early.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING

Dismissal Procedures

3:00 pm Door 4: Last name beginning with G – L

3:05 pm Door 4: Last name beginning with A- F

3:10 pm Bus Riders: Day A – last names beginning with A – K

Day B – last names beginning with L - Z

3:15 pm Door 3: Last name beginning with M – R

Door 4: Last name beginning with S – Z

3:20 pm Door 2 & 3: Preschoolers along with K-6 siblings

Reminder that there is no bussing on Fridays and Grades 3-6 bus on A and B days.

ASA Parent Activity Committee (PAC) Corner

Welcome to the 2020-21 school year new and returning ASA families! We encourage all interested parents to join PAC – especially if you are new to the community. It’s a GREAT way to meet other ASA families and get connected, and it’s a lot of fun, too!

PAC meets on the first Wednesday of every month, virtually this year (for now) through Zoom from 7 – 8 p.m.

NEXT MEETING: October 7, 2020 from 7-8 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/77613289234?pwd=L1phaDE3emRFbDlUVmFYbnQxL3Zodz09

Meeting ID: 776 1328 9234

Passcode: ZRzNT7

CALLS TO ACTION:

· October 8 & 12: PAC is facilitating a potluck dinner for our amazing teachers and staff during Parent/Teacher conferences. Sign up to bring food!

· Purchase gift cards from Scrip , and a portion of your purchase will benefit PAC-funded activities! There are gift cards to 699 locations, including Amazon, Kwik Trip, Starbucks, Walmart, Home Depot, Target, Best Buy, Chipotle, and Subway, to name a few. You're bound to find something you can use!

Scrip Login: https://shop.shopwithscrip.com/Login/Enroll

Enrollment Code: F7L1BL477L237

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What is PAC?

PAC is made up of ASA parents, and it is an integral part of the ASA community. Our mission is to facilitate and support the development of a Christ-centered environment through connections between home and school. Our vision is to support the growth and development of our youth through fundraisers, volunteerism, and family activities. We also facilitate staff appreciation efforts, parent development opportunities and activities inside and outside of the classroom for our children.

What does PAC do?

This year, we plan to provide funding for in-school “field” trips, Saint Nick treats, and Catholic Schools Week, to name a few. PAC also typically hosts multiple community building events throughout the year. This year we will be taking extra precautions for the health and safety of our staff and families. We will NOT be hosting the annual ASA Halloween Fest this year. However, we remain hopeful that we will be able to celebrate together later in the school year with our annual outdoor Spring Family Picnic.

Where do PAC funds come from?

We ask families to make an annual suggested donation of $25 to support PAC’s efforts for the benefit of the entire ASA community. Please make checks payable to PAC. We will also be bringing Scrip gift card fundraising back to ASA! See the login info in the CALLS TO ACTION above.

Questions? Email us at pac@allsaintsmn.org .

Marit Ortega, ASA PAC President

Karin Loch, ASA PAC Vice President

Chloe Spann-Ford, ASA PAC Secretary

Mary Larson, ASA PAC Treasurer

What is School Speak?

School Speak is an online school management system. It is a secure portal that allows us to provide more information, communicate with parents and offer useful tools for everyone who is a member of our school community.

If you are new to All Saints Academy or have never logged onto School Speak, you will be receiving an introductory email. The welcome email was sent to new parents earlier in July. Due to security issues, the email will only stay in your inbox for a few days. If you need the email resent, please call the office at 251-5295.

Individuals who have used School Speak in the past will not get an email. The username & password you had last year is still the same.

We would like all parents to log in and update their profile by Sept. 15th.

Student Absences or Late Students

Please call the office to report your child’s absence before 8 am . Also, transportation changes for your child should be made by calling the office before 10 am. It is difficult for us to make changes to the routine after 10 am and teachers do not have time to check email messages to make those changes throughout the day. If your child unexpectedly needs to attend FunZone, please call the office by 10 am.

Free/Reduced Hot Lunch Program

Parents, it is not too late to send in applications for free and/or reduced hot lunches. You can pick up an application at the office. If you have questions regarding this program, please contact Mrs. Bristow at 251-5295 or marissa.bristow@allsaintsmn.org.

Save the Date!

The All Saints Academy Extravaganza will be on January 30, 2021 ! Please mark your calendars for this exciting community event. Deuces Wild is back! Also, if you’d like to join the planning committee, please contact the office.

2020-2021 Playground Supervision Program

Our goal is to have one volunteer parent to act as crossing guard on the playground every day to assist the school staff during the entire recess period. Recess will be 10:30 am – 12:15 pm .

Please contact the office to sign up for Playground Supervision. We need one parent (All-day Preschool - 6) everyday to assist the school staff during the entire recess/lunch period. There is a calendar in the office for your convenience or you can call Mrs. Bristow to sign up

All families need to volunteer for recess supervision 2-3 times this year for the safety of the children. (Parents of half-day preschoolers are not required to volunteer as their children do not participate in lunch recess time.) If you find your schedule doesn’t allow you to volunteer for Recess Duty, you may opt out by paying $50. (Separate charge from Volunteer Requirement. Recess hours are applied to the 15-hours/year of volunteering.) These funds are used to defray the cost of additional paid recess staff. At the end of the school year, families will be charged $50 if your family hasn’t volunteered for recess.

Playground Duty – Week of Oct. 5th – 9th ;

10:30 am – 12:15 pm

10/5 – Czeck

10/6 – Krueger (Fish)

10/7 – Mangold

10/8 – Mangold

19/9 - Mesna

BULLETIN BOARD

St Cloud Youth Hockey registration is open for all children ages 5 and older! All skill levels welcome! We will teach you to skate! Come join the fun on the ice during the MN Winter. Information, Registration and FAQ at stcloudhockey.com

Jaime O'Hara

SCHYA 2nd Vice President 2018-Present

SCYHA JR Mite Co-Coordinator 2011-2018

320-420-3488

ASA would like to invite your child to pay in our Strings Program if they are in grades 3-6 to consider playing a stringed instrument. ASA offers lessons at your child's school during the regular school day. The program is very quickly reaching full capacity for the year so please contact your school secretary or myself for a sign up sheet. asteichen@cathedralcrusaders.org

We encourage parents/guardians to sign up for REMIND - a safe, free and easy way we can communicate with parents instantly through texting. To sign up, text ASA Administrative Assistant Mrs. Marissa Bristow at 612-260-4578 and in the message enter @ef392 . It is that easy. You will be added to the parent list . If you have signed up in the past, it is not necessary to sign up again.

Please remember that we are a Nut-Safe building. All snacks and lunches need to be peanut-free and nut-free. There is a safe-snack list on School Speak under Announcements. NOTE: Since ingredients change this list may be updated from time to time – we ask that parents check this list before purchasing snacks throughout the year. Did you know? Childhood allergic reactions are most likely to happen at school and 50% of reactions were previously unknown to the parents or child. Thank you for helping to keep our school safe for all of our students.

Keep Collecting!

It all adds up! Last year ASA received over $7,000 from labels and related rewards. Continue to save the following labels:

Country Hearth and Village Hearth Products (UPCs)

Pop and can tabs

Old cell phones

Empty ink and toner cartridges

(Campbell Soup has discontinued their program)

Upcoming Dates

Oct. 8: P/S/T Conferences, 3:45 – 7:00 pm

Oct. 12: P/S/T Conferences, 3:45 – 7:00 pm

Oct. 15,16 & 19: Autumn Vacation – no school for students

Oct. 24: Workathon

Oct. 28: Picture Retake Day & Photos of 3-day PreK

Nov. 1: All Saints Day, ASA’s patron saint day!

Nov. 2: All Sous Day

Nov. 3: District 742 not in session, no bussing available all day

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.

Our Vision

All Saints Academy creates and nurtures an environment which supports

students, educators and community in realizing their God given gifts, reaching their full potential and developing their life-long relationship with Christ.

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 Marissa Bristow at marissa.bristow@allsaintsmn.org no later than Monday, 3 PM for that week’s update or drop it off at school.