Archive for the News Category

PRINCIPAL’S NOTE

“What do you want for your child?” This is a question asked at Catholic Baptisms, and the parents respond “Baptism”.
Have you asked yourself this question lately about Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School? What do you want for your student? Is it: Faith Formation, Education, or something else?

More importantly, I think the question is: “What will you do for your student to meet that goal?” We are a team, and neither of us can do it alone. Stay focused on your student’s education and be involved with our school!

IOWA ASSESSMENT TESTS

Students will be testing next week in grades 2-8. These tests are important to help us gauge where students are at in various subjects. It is so IMPORTANT that all students are on-time, present, and well-rested next week for testing! Please be sure they are in bed early Sunday night.

FIRST ANNUAL SISTER THEA BOWMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL FISH FRY

We did well, making about $1,800 in sales. There is talk of doing this again, so stay tuned for how you can help!

PROGRESS REPORTS AND EXTENDED DAY

First Quarter Mid-Term Reports go home tomorrow with students. Be sure to ask for yours! If you do not see progress that meets your expectations, please ask for a conference with the teacher. Also, we highly recommend students participate in our Extended Day Program to receive individual and small group help (Starts Oct 2).

STEM SCOUTS 3rd – 5th GRADE

Our special STEM SCOUTS Program starts Sep 22 from 3:30 – 5:00. We filled up the program, so if you did not receive a letter stating your student is in the program, then they are on a waiting list.

TJ’S PIZZA SALES

All orders must be turned in with money tomorrow, Friday, Sep 22nd. We appreciate your efforts to support the school. Top sellers will be announced next week.

SIUE MATH HOMEWORK HOTLINE

Tutors will be available to provide free math homework help from Sunday through Thursday evenings from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. to our 5th through 8th grade students.  University mathematics students staff the SIUE Hotline.

EGG CARTONS FOR PEACEMAKER DAY ART

We are building an egg carton castle. Actually, we need your empty, clean egg cartons for an art project.

NEW WINDOWS

We have met our goal of about $150,000 for Phase 2 of our Window Replacement Project. We will start to replace windows in more classrooms probably over the Christmas break. More news to come.

PEACEMAKER DAY SEPTEMBER 29

Our next Peacemaker Day will be Friday, September 29th. A Dress Down Pass will be sent home for Peacemakers.

Please plan to join us for Curriculum Night on Thursday, August 24, starting at 7:00 p.m. and finishing by 8:30 p.m. This is a night for Parents/Guardians only, and we ask that children not attend this event. We have made it mandatory this year because it is very important to get teacher information firsthand! We will do our best to start and end on time. Please plan to be present for the entire presentation.

We will begin in our school chapel (located next to the school) and have the second part of the evening in the school building. You will have the opportunity to hear about our school, experience some of the schedule of a “mini-school day”, and receive information from your child’s teachers about the curriculum for this new school year.

In order to help us plan, please complete the Commitment Form and send it to school with your child by August 22. We are looking for 100% participation in this first Parent/Guardian meeting of the new school year. Students who have a parent/guardian to represent them for this meeting will receive a non-uniform pass for Friday, August 25.

Sincerely,
Dan Nickerson
Principal

“BE A SHOOTING STAR FOR GOD”

WELCOME
Thank You God for wonderful students with bright smiles and excited energy for this new school year! Thank You God for wonderful families ready to support their children to get the best education possible! Thank You God for wonderful teachers and staff that will care for your children and will help them grow! Let us strive to be Shooting Stars for God!!!

PRINCIPAL’S NOTE
We want to help our students to be Shooting Stars for God, so they can wow people as they show their Christian Values through actions and words! Help us nourish their spiritual growth and let’s watch them SHINE!

ARRIVAL
Students arriving from 7:15 – 7:35 report to the cafeteria. All other students should be at the front doors by 7:45. We start prayer at 8:00. Please help your child be prepared for the day by arriving at 7:45, so they have time to unpack in their rooms, get settled, and then arrive for prayer with their class.

DISMISSAL
Students are dismissed at 3:30pm. Kindergarten through fourth grade leave from the front of the school while the older students in grades 5-8 will dismiss from the back. Know that students are always supervised by staff members, and they are not allowed to cross the street if you park across from the school. Your child’s safety is top priority for our Sister Thea Bowman family.

UNIFORM
Please review uniform requirements from your handbook. We start to enforce the rules next week, so please do not let your student come to school without checking if they meet the standards. Key items: Belts (Brown or Black, Plain Buckle), Socks (White), Headbands (Girls: Plain, flowers, etc), No Nail Polish or Lip Gloss.

SIGNED FORMS
Thank you for returning the signed Handbook Verification, Concussion and Internet Use forms. They were included in the family packet. If you still need any of these forms, please send a note with your child for the office.

BUSES
Buses started today. For bus riders, you should have received notification of pick-up/drop-off times and locations for your children. If not, please contact the office.

REDUCED/FREE MEAL APPLICATION
Don’t forget to complete the application for free/reduced meals and return it as soon as possible. The deadline for the application is Friday, September 1. Please note that failure to return a completed application form will result in full priced meals.

EXTENDED DAY
The Extended Day program for students in grades K-8 program runs Monday through Friday from 3:30pm-5:00pm. If interested, please return the enclosed registration form and fee by Tuesday, Aug 22. Extended Day begins on August 22nd.

ECLIPSE FIELD TRIP
Please return all field trip forms by Friday. Remember to have students at school between 6:30 AM and 6:45 AM on Monday, so we can feed them and leave by 7:00 AM.

SMART TUITION CHANGE
Several families asked if we could change the SMART TUITION date that money is pulled from accounts to avoid issues when months have 31 days. Starting immediately, all SMART TUITION withdrawals will occur on the first day of the month. So your next withdrawal is September 1, not August 30.

PEACEMAKER ACTIVITY
Our first peacemaker activity for the year is August 31. As a special incentive, students who are Peacemakers during August (no major discipline issues) will attend a Peacemaker Activity on Thursday, August 31, at 2pm. Ice cream might be involved!

MASS
Our first Mass for the year will be Friday, September 8, at 8:30 AM. in the chapel. You are welcome to join us for this Mass, as well as all Masses held throughout the year. Ordinarily, our Masses are every Friday at 8:30a.m. Please check the calendar for any alternative dates.

NO SCHOOL
There will be NO SCHOOL on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4. School will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

POSITION OPENINGS:
We have a few positions open at our school. If you are interested or know a qualified person, please contact the office. All positions require the applicant to complete an application, interview, Child Protection Training, and background check. Pay is hourly.

• Lunch/recess monitor: M – F from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Requirements: Good interaction with kids.
• 4th Grade Religion Teacher: M – Th from 2:15 – 3:00 PM. Requirements: Catholic, PSR teacher experience helpful.
• Extended Day 6-8th Grade: M – F from 3:30 – 5:00 PM. Requirements: College Degree. Preferred experience in 6th – 8th grade teaching or high school.

Student wellness, including good nutrition and physical activity, shall be promoted in the school’s educational program, school activities, and meal programs. This policy shall be interpreted consistently with Section 204 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.
BELIEF STATEMENT

SISTER THEA BOWMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL is committed to providing a learning environment that supports and promotes wellness, good nutrition, and an active lifestyle for students, staff, and families.

INTENT

The intent of this policy is to support the entire school environment in becoming aligned to healthy school goals that positively influence the beliefs and habits of students, staff, and families. Its intent is to promote health and wellness, good nutrition and regular physical activity. This policy also intends to provide staff members and families with the information and tools to instruct and model healthy eating and physical activity as a valuable part of daily life.

RATIONALE

STBCS committed to compliance with the legal requirements of Public Act 094- 0199 which amended the   Illinois School Code, requiring that all districts have a wellness policy.  This is directly related to the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.  This law requires local education agencies participating in a program authorized by the National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to develop a local wellness policy.

It is well-documented that an increasing and substantial number of children are overweight (a triple increase since 1980, according to the National Center for Health Statistics). Students need to exhibit good eating habits and have opportunities for adequate physical activity. The objectives of the wellness policy are to improve the school nutrition environment and promote good health with students, staff, and families.

School communities have the responsibility to help students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to establish and maintain lifelong healthy lifestyles.  Well-planned and well-implemented wellness programs have been shown to positively influence children’s health.

GOALS FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION

Students in kindergarten through grade 8 shall receive nutrition education. The program shall be designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt healthy eating behaviors.

• Students shall receive nutrition information through existing health and science and physical education curriculum
• Nutrition education should be provided to students each year. Contact hours may include nutrition education provided in health classes, in the cafeteria, at health and career fairs, field trips and assemblies.
• Nutrition education shall be emphasized at the district, school, and classroom levels through a variety of media.
• Examples: Posters, color-coded healthy food choices, and promotional events.
• The nutrition education program shall offer experiential learning opportunities that potentially have a greater impact on student attitudes and actions.
• Examples: Food tastings, family nutrition programs, sugar content studies, etc.
• Staff members and parents will be offered training materials or other resources to assist in providing direction to students in the area of nutrition education.
• Examples: Web resources, newsletter, presentations, etc. GOALS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
• Students in kindergarten through grade 8 shall participate twice weekly in physical education and have other opportunities for daily physical activity.
• The school shall provide a daily supervised recess period to encourage elementary students to be physically active.
• STBCS shall provide information and activities that engage families as partners in providing physical activity beyond the school day.
• Examples include: family nutrition night, health fairs, open gym dates, newsletters with health tips, presentations to parent groups, etc.

GOALS FOR OTHER SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE STUDENT WELLNESS

Healthy Eating

• The food service will make information available about the nutritional content of school meals.
• School meals shall be served in clean, safe and pleasant settings with adequate time provided for students to eat in accordance with state and federal standards and guidelines.
• All food service personnel shall have adequate pre-service training and regularly participate in professional development.
• Food providers shall work with suppliers to obtain foods and beverages that meet the nutrition requirements of school meals and nutrition standards for those sold individually.
• Food providers shall work closely with school instructional staff to reinforce nutrition instruction and foster an environment where students can learn about and practice healthy eating.
• Food providers shall take every measure to ensure that student access to foods and beverages on school campuses meets federal, state and local laws and guidelines.
• Students, parents, school staff and community members bringing foods and beverages to school for parties/celebrations/meetings shall be encouraged to provide healthful options
• Schools will review fundraising sources and how they might be consistent with school nutrition goals.
• Partnerships between schools and food businesses should emphasize compliance with nutrition standards.
• Schools shall promote nutritious food and beverage choices consistent with the current Food Guide Pyramid such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods and whole grain products.

School Activities and Environment – Physical Activity

• Teachers of physical education will be provided training support and material resources to ensure the implementation of quality physical education activities.
• Physical education classes shall have a student to teacher ratio comparable to those in other curricular areas.
• Physical activity facilities and equipment on school grounds shall be regularly inspected for safety.

Food or Physical Activity as a Reward or Punishment

• School personnel shall be encouraged to use nonfood incentives or rewards with students and shall not withhold food from students as punishment.
• School personnel shall avoid withholding participation in physical education class as a punishment, unless the student is determined to be a disruptive influence in that class.

GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL MEALS

School meals served shall be consistent with the recommendations of the Food Guide Pyramid and/or shall meet, at a minimum, the nutrition requirements and regulations for the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program and all applicable state and local laws and regulations.

• The school food service department will be responsible in its planning and       record-keeping procedures for following federal, state and local laws and regulations.
• The PRINCIPAL shall be responsible for ensuring that the school meets the local wellness policy requirements.

LOOKING TOWARDS SUMMER
Our students are still working hard and looking forward to a well-deserved break. You may want to look into Summer Camps, Reading Programs, or other ways to help your students keep their minds active this summer. Need ideas? Ask your teachers.

2017-2018 REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Registration Packets are available. If you know interested families, please bring them by, or contact Ms. Francine.

COMMUNITY GARDEN
We finished 10 garden boxes for the “Community Garden”, and classes are planting. Also, our Monarch Butterfly Memorial garden is almost done. Please come out and see it and join the gardening team.

SUMMER SCHOOL
If you have not turned in the Registration Fee of $25 per family, please do so as soon as possible. Summer School is Monday – Thursday from June 5 to June 29. The session runs from 8:30 – 12:15. Lunch is provided

WHO’S GOT TALENT?
Our Students Do!!!  They can sign up for a talent show on May 27th. See the flyer for details!

GRADUATION
Our ten 8th graders will graduate during our Graduation Mass, Friday, May 19, at 8:30.

SUMMER BREAK
Our staff will be here over the summer after Summer School is done. Please call and leave a message, and we will get back with you as soon as we can.

FIELD DAY
May 26th is our last day of school, and we have a Field Day of sports and activities. We also have a 12:30 dismissal.

NO BUSES
There are no buses on Friday, May 19, due to District 189 celebration of Malcom X Day.

Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School
Invites you to our

Spring Concert

Dress Rehearsal
Friday, May 5, 2017
10:00 a.m.

or

Sunday Event
Sunday, May 7, 2017
3:00 p.m.

In addition – mark your calendar to attend our
Graduation Mass
Friday, May 19, 2017
8:30 a.m.

All events located at 8213 Church Lane Chapel
East St. Louis, IL 62203

To learn more information about our school, please email or call
Email: roberta_trost@yahoo.com
Phone: 618-397-0316

Our students look forward to seeing you soon!

LENTEN GIVING

Lent calls us to give as we prepare for Easter. Since “most” of our students are not rich in money terms, we discussed other ways they could give. We are encouraging our students to give simple gifts like smiles, and we have asked them to also give forgiveness. Jesus told Peter to forgive “not seven, but seventy-seven times”, and so we also ask the students to forgive others in their classrooms, who may have offended them. This is good to also encourage at home.

ANNUAL REVIVAL

Do you need that LENTEN Wake-Up Call, so you are ready for EASTER MORNING? Why not join us for a true Revival with Rev. Maurice Nutt? It runs Mon, Apr 3 to Wed, Apr 5, with each night starting at 7 PM. The Revival takes place at St Augustine of Hippo Church, 400 Rev Joseph Brown Blvd, East St Louis. Have your student write the Revival Priest’s name on a piece of paper and give it to Mr. Nickerson before 8 AM.

BENEFIT DINNER

We had a great Benefit Dinner last Saturday. Many, many thank yous to all who attended and helped make it a success!

2017-2018 EARLY REGISTRATION

Registration Packets are available this week. We are putting them together, and will be sending them home to all the families that signed a Letter of Intent for next year. If you do not receive one today or Friday, please contact the office.

SAFARI DENTAL DAY

Start to mark your calendars! We will offer Dental Cleaning and Exams at school on May 10th. All students can be seen by professional dental staff. Children with a medical card or are on free and reduced lunch are free. All others can participate by using their insurance coverage or cash. This is a great way to keep our students healthy!

CELL PHONES

We are starting to see a lot more cell phones at school. Cell phones are never allowed at school, unless written permission from the principal is given. They are not allowed to be used on buses either. If your child does use a smart phone at home, DO THEM A FAVOR and check it often to see what they have been doing. It will help keep them safe from some darker sides of the Internet and Social Media.

CALENDAR
24   Mar     Mass 5th Grade, 3rd Qtr Awards after Mass
31   Mar     March Madness Peacemaker Day, Mass 4th Grade
3-5 Apr     Annual Revival, St Augustine of Hippo, 7 PM nightly.
3    Apr     Extended Day, Final Session Begins
4    Apr      Lenten Reconciliation Mass 2:30 – 3:00
7    Apr      Grade 3 Mass, 4th Qtr Midterm
10 – 12 Apr  Iowa Spring Testing
10 – 13 Apr  No buses
13    Apr Mass Gr 2
14 – 23 Apr  Easter Break

LENTEN GIVING

Lent calls us to pray as we prepare for Easter. Our students pray each day; in the morning, before lunch, and at the end of the day. Do they pray at home? Do they pray with the family? Will you pray with your student at the house, or ask another family member to help them add prayer at home. It is amazing how God answers even the simplest of prayers.
Matthew 18:20  “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

ANNUAL REVIVAL

Do you need that LENTEN Wake-Up Call, so you are ready for EASTER MORNING? Why not join us for a true Revival with Rev. Maurice Nutt? It runs Mon, Apr 3 to Wed, Apr 5, with each night starting at 7 PM. The Revival takes place at St Augustine of Hippo Church, 400 Rev Joseph Brown Blvd, East St Louis.

BENEFIT DINNER

We had a great Benefit Dinner last Saturday. Many, many thank yous to all who attended and helped make it a success!

2017-2018 EARLY REGISTRATION

Packets will be available the week after Report Card Conference for returning families. Please fill out a Letter of Intent.

SAFARI DENTAL DAY

Start to mark your calendars! We will offer Dental Cleaning and Exams at school on May 10th. All students can be seen by professional dental staff. Children with a medical card or are on free and reduced lunch are free.

CALENDAR

31 Mar     March Madness Peacemaker Day
3-5 Apr    Annual Revival, St Augustine of Hippo, 7 PM nightly.