The annual Pet Blessing begins at 1:40 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. The students will start coming out at 1:30 p.m. All pets are welcome, but please make sure they are leashed or contained. There is a possibility of rain. We will cancel if there are thunderstorms. If the rain is light we will proceed with the blessing. The rite will take place on Morrison by the white house. Parking will be available on the Manning lot and the regular car line. Mr. Winterbottom will be guiding the Johnson Street parking so that people can leave after the blessing.
The end of the first quarter will be Friday, October 14th. We are planning to have report cards available on Wednesday, October 19th on Fast Direct. If you want a hard copy, you must call and request one from the office.
Parent –Teacher conferences will be scheduled for October 26th, 27th, and 28th, but you may contact your student’s teachers before then with any questions or schedule a conference on a different day. Conference request forms will be in next week’s Friday folder (10/14). The deadline to be scheduled is Wednesday, October 19th. There is regular school schedule on Wednesday, October 26th and Thursday, October 27th, and no school on Friday, October 28th to accommodate conferences.
We will be collecting donations of pet food and items for ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation) during the month of October. Students will receive a dress down day coupon for their donation. One donation will get the coupon for all students in the same family.
Please keep in mind that students who play sports cannot have an F and be eligible. That grade is cumulative and computed every Thursday. If you have any questions, you can contact me.
You will receive a letter and menu from Food Service Consultants in the Friday folder. Service starts on October 17th. Check your cafeteria balance on Fast Direct. We will start using washable trays and silverware at lunch. Plastic spoons, etc. will no longer be available.
Kudos to: Our volunteer basketball coaches.
Our junior high youth who participated in Cardboard City last weekend
Auction
Don’t forget to place your auction reservations!! Also we are still accepting donations.
Sex Offender Registration
You have public access to the list of registered sex offenders on the Illinois State Police website. It is my duty as principal to inform you of this availability.
School Messenger
All new parents have been added to the School Messenger phone alert system. You may add up to 5 separate lines. Send a Fast Direct message to LouAnne with any additional numbers and she will add them. If anyone has changed numbers, please message her as well with the new numbers.
Soccer
Our soccer season concluded last night. I want to give you a preview of what we are doing next season. Mrs. Bergman will be assuming the Athletic Director’s position next school year. (She is currently helping with this year’s transition.) We have two parents who have graciously stepped forward to take on the soccer coordinator’s duties. They will be meeting with Mrs. Bergman to outline tasks. This should make our season run more smoothly and with fewer problems.
Athletics
I will be sending messages out during basketball and volleyball about our seasons. We belong to the Southern Springfield Catholic Athletic Conference (SSCAC). There are 10 member schools:
St. Mary’s, and St. Boniface in Edwardsville, Holy Family and St. Elizabeth in Granite City, St. John Neumann, St. Paul in Highland, St. Mary’s in Alton, Queen of Peace in Bethalto, and St. Ambrose in Godfrey. The SSCAC has set game limits and by-laws for conference play. I serve as the liaison between the Athletic Directors (ADs) and the principals and receive all reports of incidents. The SSCAC has placed a strong emphasis on player, coach, and fan sportsmanship. Bad behavior will not be tolerated. ADs and coaches will be instructed to remove fans from the gym when they do not follow the basic rules of sportsmanship. A paid admission does not give you the right to yell at referees, opposing players, and/or coaches.
Major Fundraisers
I am sending out a plea for interested parents who would accept the task of chairing three of our major fundraisers. The events in need of chairs are: Glo Bingo, Trivia, and Golf. There are currently school board members who would assist you. Please consider accepting this important position. Our big fundraisers are crucial to keeping our tuition low. If you currently receive tuition assistance, this is a chance to give of your time and talent to compensate for the absence of treasure. Please send a Fast Direct to me or Renee Crowder, school board president. Thanks.
On Line Safety Speaker
Today we were pleased to host Christine Feller from the Illinois Attorney General’s office for a presentation for our 3rd-8th graders. She engaged the students on being a good digital citizen. I would encourage you to ask your student about the presentation. I was surprised at how many of our students say they are using apps that are restricted to older students.