PRINCIPAL’S NOTE
Kindness is a virtue, but “joaning” is not. I encourage you to talk with your students about treating other students with respect. We want a safe school for all, and “joaning” and negative comments about others makes it emotionally and socially unsafe for students. Help us make our school one that Sister Thea Bowman would love to visit.
IL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OUR STUDENTS
We have the possibility to give full tuition to the first 20 families at Sister Thea Bowman who apply. Did you???
BENEFIT DINNER, SATURDAY, MARCH 10
This is it !!! We hope to see you on Saturday Night!
CAMP ONDESSONK
For more information on scholarships please go to Ondessonk.com/giving/scholarships.
ST ALBAN ROE, WILDWOOD, MO VIOLIN AND PRAISE DANCE SAT, MAR 24
We will leave the school at 3PM. Transportation and meal after the mass are provided!!! Return permission slips.
SR THEA BOWMAN OPEN HOUSE AND REGISTRATION
We will host an Open House on Mar 15, and Registration begins in March. More details to follow.
SR THEA BOWMAN FISH FRY, FRIDAY, MAR 16
Help us celebrate LENT with another Fish Fry on Mar16, starting at 3:30 PM and ending at 6:30 PM. This is a great social time and fundraiser. We sold out last time! Invite 5 friends!!!
PLAN AHEAD
3rd Quarter Report Card Conferences are Thursday, 22 Mar all day. Start to consider times you want to attend. Also, from Mar 26 – Mar 28, we will not have bus service, but we need your students. Please arrange rides early.
SUMMER SESSION
Never too early to plan ahead. We plan to offer Summer Session for K – 8 students this summer from May 30 – Jun 19. K-5 and 7, 8 will run from 8:30 – 12:15 with lunch. 6th grade Summer Session will run 8:30 – 3 PM. Summer Session will be based on academic level, not grade level, and will be offered based on student sign-up.
Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School will become a St Louis ACCESS Academy Partner School
a) Our school joins three other St Louis Schools: Most Holy Trinity School and Academy, St Cecilia School and Academy, and St Louis Catholic Academy
b) The partnership is a stepping stone to St Louis and Illinois Catholic High Schools for college-prep high school education
Sister Thea Bowman Academy will start with the 6th grade class of 2018-2019
a) Each year, as this class moves up, an additional class is added
b) This class will be the first class through the entire program
c) There is not an option to be in the Academy; all 6th graders will be Academy students
Sister Thea Bowman Academy (Grade 6 -8) will include the following mandatory components:
a) Longer school day: 8 AM – 5 PM daily. There is no Extended Day, as this is the school day
—All of the 6th – 8th grade will move to a 8 AM – 5 PM schedule next school year
—Bus Service for 5 PM pick-up has been requested from District 189
—K -5 school day will remain 8 AM – 3:30 PM
b) Longer school year
—Academy students attend a 3-week Summer Session
—Mandatory academic session focused on core areas
—About 1 hour of each day is used for Enrichment Activity
c) Graduate Support Director
—Meets with students to prepare them for college-prep high school
—Guides family and student through high school application process
—Sets up enrichment sessions
—Shadows students through high school
Additional components of longer school day
a) Middle School goes to 60 minute classes (currently 45 minutes)
b) Students have Academic Lab 3 PM – 4 PM daily
—Some days are a guided class (math, LA, science, etc.)
—Some time may be dedicated to focused study hall
c) Students have Enrichment from 4 PM – 5 PM daily
—Enrichment involves life skills, study skills, personal development, etc
—Examples: personal finance, fitness, robotics, coding, theater, etc.
Registration will begin Mar 15, 2018
a) Registration includes school year (2018-2019) and summer session (2018)
b) Summer Session is scheduled for May 30 – Jun 19 (M-F from 8:30 AM – 3 PM)
St Louis ACCESS ACADEMY DATA:
a) 2017-18 School Year Data:
—180 middle school students are enrolled in an ACCESS Academy
Over 210 high school students are receiving tuition scholarships
a) 99% are first generation, college-bound learners
—Over 50 ACCESS graduates are taking advantage of our Work Study Program
b) Inception Data:
—98% of Academy graduates accepted to private, college-prep high schools
—99% of Academy graduates graduate high school on time.
—96% of Academy graduates accepted to college or other post-secondary institution
