News Notes: March 27, 2020

A Letter from the Principal: 

A second week of off-site learning now in the books! I continue to be amazed with our teachers, students, admin team and parents for pulling together as a community to make the most of a very challenging situation. While there is wonderful content being delivered through our off-site learning plans, we understand this is a diverse group of learners, and the challenges for each family vary. The two biggest priorities right now should be safety and sanity. We’ll figure out a plan for grading at a later date, so please just try and do what you can, when you can. 

Just a reminder to complete PLEASE complete registration over the weekend, since we rely on these numbers to determine staffing and class sizes for next year. 

Carondelet teachers are doing an incredible job staying connected with their students and maintaining a sense of routine during our off-site learning days. Thank you to Mrs. Faber’s second graders for sharing your virtual Morning Meeting with KSTP News this week! You can view the segment here. 

Take care of yourselves over the break and remember that getting outdoors, music, art, reading, singing, laughing and hope are NOT CANCELLED!  Let’s embrace what we have.

God bless you and your families-

Mary Yamoah, Principal

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Communication with Teachers: Our teachers will be on Spring Break next week and not checking email, as we honor their break with their families. Any urgent matters can be directed to the Administrative team. 

Tech Support:  If you experience any technology glitches during this extended off-site learning time, please work with your child’s teacher to try and fix the problem.  In the event that you cannot resolve the issue, please submit a support ticket to our Technology Helpdesk.

Online Registration - Please complete by April 1: Registration for all returning families was due March 15. To avoid any late payment fees, please complete registration by next Wednesday, April 1. If you have questions or concerns regarding enrollment for next year, please contact Megan Hower or Julie Stoeger. 

Sycamore 2020-2021 Registration Instructions:  As you complete or update the data, you can check your progress on the Enrollment Road Map by clicking on the Home button in the top, left corner. Once you have completed all required items, the items under Family and your students will be checked and appear green. A “Click Here To Submit Application” button will appear above the items only after all information has been supplied. After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email. Please be sure to complete registration now. Please email Mr. Blanda with questions regarding online registration. 

Change to April Lunch Orders: Carondelet has decided to cancel all April lunches through AgraCulture and Papa John’s. If you’d still like your school lunches (or a portion of the fees) donated to Waite House, please DONATE YOUR APRIL LUNCHES here. All other orders will be canceled. 

Report Cards: Students have successfully completed Trimester 2 of the 2019-2020 school year.  Please log in to your Sycamore account to view your child’s report card which can be viewed in your child’s account in “Documents”.  If you have any questions or need assistance accessing your account, please contact Mr. Blanda.

Penny War for Waite House Goes Viral! The Penny War for Waite House was short-changed this month, so we’ve decided to take our efforts online! Families can use our school Venmo account to make donations of any size, designating a homeroom for each donation. All donations will be forwarded to Waite House with a portion matched for Minnesota FoodShare Month! We know the kids love a good competition, especially when it’s benefiting those in need. Search for ‘Carondelet Catholic Mpls’ using the Venmo app. Homeroom teachers will keep students posted on their rankings and include an update in next week’s News Notes!

Waite House Support (Volunteers & Donations Needed):  We are staying in contact with Waite House (part of Pillsbury United Communities) in regards to ways we can continue to support the hundreds of families relying on their services and food shelf. 

Here are a few ways families can help the Waite House community:

• Waite House can use 3-5 adult volunteers (18+ and healthy) on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays to help package food bags for families. Click here to volunteer and/or for more information.
• Cash donations is what is most needed right now. For every $1 donated, Waite House is able to purchase $7 of food. You can through our school “Penny Wars” Venmo account or donate to Waite House directly here. 

We know there will be many other ways to support those most in need in the days and weeks to come. Please continue to pray for the poor, the sick and the hungry. 

All school-related clubs, activities and athletics have been postponed until further notice. This includes play practices and spring sports. Please see below for summer camps, which are still scheduled until further notice. 

Spring sports update:  The SSYO, which is our sports league has just announced that the spring sports season has been officially cancelled.  With the order from Governor Walz for schools to remain closed until at least May 4, 2020 there will not be enough time to complete a league schedule.  Thank you to all who signed up to play. Carondelet had enough registrations to have three baseball teams and one softball team. Hopefully we can maintain that interest for next spring.  

Fall sports update:   Fall sports registration will take place after May 4th.  Please watch for registration in the News Notes at that time.  Carondelet will need to declare how many volleyball and soccer teams will be participating in the SSYO by late May or early June so please register your child promptly if wishing to participate.  

Basketball Uniforms:  Families that have not yet been able to return basketball uniforms will need to do so once we return to school.  A more concrete return due date will be set once a return to a regular school day has been announced. Thank you to everyone who has already been able to return uniforms.  Please do not return basketball uniforms to school at this time when school is closed.  

Junior Basketball Camp: A fun introductory basketball camp for boys and girls K-3. Camp focus will be on fundamental development with games and contests.  Jodi Nilsen, Carondelet phy. ed. teacher and husband Matt, former Edina head basketball coach, will conduct the camp June 15-17 from 12:30-2:00 pm at the Lower Campus. For more information and to register, click here.

“Under the Sea” Summer Camp:  Current and incoming kindergartners are invited to welcome in summer with kindergarten teacher Mary Lee Martin and Phy. Ed. teacher Jodi Nilsen for a fun-filled week of exploring under the sea! Join us for 4 days of arts and crafts, cooking, science, fun, and games! June 15-18 from 9 am-noon. Register here.

Summer Theater Camp – The Quilt Maker’s Gift:  Join us for the beautiful telling of the award winning book, The Quilt Maker’s Gift. Uplifting music, comedic dialogue, and fanciful dance follows the story of a greedy young king as he transforms into a loving, generous king. This two week camp (Monday - Thursday) will culminate with a 45-minute musical production on Thursday, August 13th with performances at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Carondelet students and non-Carondelet students are welcome - grades K-12. Alumni are welcome to be part of the teaching and production team.
Summer Theater General Information        Parent Information and Participation Form 

‘Pastries with a Pal’: The April 17th ‘Pastries with a Pal’ Home & School event has been postponed for a future date, to be determined.

While temporarily on hold, Volunteer Opportunities is your one-stop shop to support the school with your time and talents. For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle.

A Message from STA Staff Members can be viewed here.

Mass Suspension:  The Archdiocese has suspended all public celebrations of Mass until further notice. Arrangements are being made for an online video Mass from St. Thomas the Apostle and Christ the King. 

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website.

                    

News Notes: March 6, 2020

The Week Ahead:

Sunday, March 8:	Rock the Cradle MIA Family Event, 11:00 am-4:30 pm Daylight Savings Time begins, Spring Ahead!
Monday, March 9:
Tuesday, March 10:	UC Spring Sewing Club begins, 7:45 am 3rd Grade Field Trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 10 am School Board mtg, 6:30 pm, STA Parish
Wednesday, Mar. 11:	LC Spring Sewing Club begins, 8:00 am UC Stations of the Cross, 9:15 am 2nd Grade Field Trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 10 am
Thursday, March 12:	LC Prayer Service, 9:30 am 8th Grade Field Trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 10 am Technology Parent Speaker Night, 6:30-8:30 pm, LC Cafeteria
Friday, March 13:	4th Grade Field Trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 10 am 6th Grade Parent Lunch, Noon-1 pm, Social Hall
Saturday, March 14:	Pi Day

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• April Lunch menu  (pink)
• The Shadow Side of Technology flyer  (yellow)
• Mom & Son ‘Take Me out to the Ballgame’ Save-the-Date flyer  (blue)
• Lower Campus Spring Chess flyer  (ivory)
• Upper Campus Spring Chess flyer  (salmon)
• Lower Campus Sewing flyer  (purple)
• Upper Campus Sewing flyer  (green)

From the Desk of Mr. Blanda:  What a wonderful evening last Saturday was as we gathered to celebrate our unique Saints and the Carondelet community! So much energy, enthusiasm and support filled the Calhoun Beach Club. There are so many people to thank: the many, many attendees who packed the venue and gave their financial support; the sponsors and all the donors for their fantastic donations and support; and the co-chairs for all their organization, time, and hard work. Thank you all for helping make the GoGo the huge success that it was! Check out the GoGo Update below for ways you can still contribute to this year’s Fund-a-Need, bid on some items or make some purchases to help support Carondelet and its mission. The basketball season is winding down and spring sports are ready to begin.  Congratulations to all our Saint basketball players for your hard work, determination and sportsmanship as you represented Carondelet on the court. Thanks to all the coaches for your time and dedication helping the kids to be successful and learn skills they will use on and off the court. Today marks the end of the 2nd trimester.  It is hard to believe that we are ready to begin the 3rd trimester of the school year. Look for report cards celebrating your child’s successes and growth on Wednesday, March 18. Enjoy the weekend filled with sunshine and 60 degree temperatures

Peace and all good.
Mr. Blanda

2020-2021 Online Registration: An email (Carondelet 2020-2021 Online Registration) with the link to online registration in Sycamore was sent to all families. As you complete or update the data, you can check your progress on the Enrollment Road Map by clicking on the Home button in the top, left corner. Once you have completed all required items, the items under Family and your students will be checked and appear green. A “Click Here To Submit Application” button will appear above the items only after all information has been supplied. After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email. Please be sure to complete registration by Sunday, March 15. Please email Mr. Blanda with questions regarding online registration.

April Lunch Orders:  Lunch orders for the month of April are due by 10:00 am  Monday, March 16. Late orders cannot be accepted. Complete your orders here.

Middle School Newsletter:  To read the latest edition of the Saints Tribune, the student written and published Middle School newsletter, please click here.

GoGo Update: Thank you to everyone who was able to join us at the Calhoun Beach Club this past Saturday for the GoGo!  The event was an overwhelming success thanks to you and your generous donations! This year’s Fund-a-Need will go towards additional security enhancements and improvements such as new lighting, paint and furniture at both campuses. 

Unable to join us on Saturday or too busy catching up with friends while you were there?  No worries! There is still time to get in on the GoGo fun!  

Go to https://one.bidpal.net/gogo20 and:

• Donate to the Fund-a-Need for campus improvements
• Sign up for Book-it-Now parties
• Bid on a few remaining silent auction packages including BRACES from Edina Orthodontic Associates 
• Purchase out-of-uniform vouchers

AND, don’t miss out on the memories of your child in their 2020 school year!

• Purchase a keepsake snowflake ornament with your child’s photo (all K-8 students have their own special ornament!)
• Purchase your child’s adorable Kindergarten and/or Kindergarten/8th grade buddy photo taken by the talented Mrs. Martin (K/8 buddy photos make GREAT 8th grade graduation gifts from your kinder!)

Hurry while the link is still open!  It will close at Midnight on Saturday, March 7th.

**GoGo auction item winners may pick up gift certificates and baskets from Jeanne or Holly at the campus their oldest child attends**

Thanks again to everyone for a spectacular evening and for the overwhelming support for our school!  Go Saints!

Rachel, Susan, Debbie and Mary Beth - 2020 GoGo Co-Chairs

History Day:  Congratulations to Maya Aylward, Hayden Braje, Michael Loeffler, and Ireland Person who move on to the History Day regional competition at Augsburg College on March 19th. Way to go!

Basketball season is coming to a close as most CCS teams have finished their end of the season tournaments.  The Boys Cub Bronze (4th grade) tournament is next week. Our Junior Cub teams finish up their season on Saturday at St. Peter's with their final games of the year. There have been many exciting moments to this point, and perhaps none as exciting as the Girls Cub Bronze team  (4th grade) who won their opening tournament game in double overtime over Nativity of Mary. The girls then reached the semifinals, falling on a last second shot to undefeated Chapel Hill and coming within an eyelash of a great upset. The "Cardiac Kids" coached by Mr. Harry Certain had a great season, as did many of our CCS teams.  Congratulations to all teams!

A special thank you to all of our coaches who gave their time and talents to help guide our student athletes in both the game of basketball and life.  Without the contributions of the coaches our program would not be the success that it is. Thank you to all Junior Cub, Cub, and Varsity level coaches!!!

Basketball uniforms (both shorts and jersey top) need to be returned to school promptly.  Please send your child's uniform to the school office. Uniforms must be laundered and placed in a plastic bag with the player's name on it.  There are many duplicate numbers on different teams so having your child's name on the bag is important in keeping track of who has returned their uniform.  

Spring sports season is right around the corner.  Currently, it appears we will have three baseball teams and a girls softball team. (This, of course, is contingent on other schools having teams so there will be enough participation to form a league.)  Coaches are still needed, so please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director, if you are interested and able to help out.  

MIA Family Event:  Join Carondelet for "Rock the Cradle," a free family event at the Minneapolis Institute of Art this Sunday, March 8th! Our Pre-K Director Nicolle Thies will be helping lead an activity for guests. Perfect for families and kids ages 0-8! Presented by The Current and Children's Minnesota.  Visit thecurrent.org for more details. 

“Under the Sea” Summer Camp:  Current and incoming kindergartners are invited to welcome in summer with kindergarten teacher Mary Lee Martin and Phy. Ed. teacher Jodi Nilsen for a fun-filled week of exploring under the sea! Join us for 4 days of arts and crafts, cooking, science, fun, and games! June 15-18 from 9 am-noon. Register here.

Spring Musical Anything Goes: Visit the Theater webpage for the rehearsal schedule. 

Summer Theater Camp – The Quilt Maker’s Gift:  Join us for the beautiful telling of the award winning book, The Quilt Maker’s Gift. Uplifting music, comedic dialogue, and fanciful dance follows the story of a greedy young king as he transforms into a loving, generous king. This two week camp (Monday - Thursday) will culminate with a 45-minute musical production on Thursday, August 13th with performances at 2 pm and 7 pm. Carondelet students and non-Carondelet students are welcome - grades K-12. Alumni are welcome to be part of the teaching and production team.
Summer Theater General Information        Parent Information and Participation Form

“The Dark Side of Technology” Parent Night:  Keeping our Kids Safe Online, March 12th, 6:30-8:30 pm, LC cafeteria.  View flyer with additional information here.

Save the Date for these Home & School Events:
Parent Night: Carondelet’s Approach to Literacy: Tues, April 14, 7 pm LC Cafeteria
Pastries with a Pal: Friday, April 17, 8:30 - 9:00 am, UC Social Hall
Pops & Lollies: Friday, May 15, 6:00 - 9:00 pm, LC Gym
Mom & Son Saints Baseball Game: Sunday, June 7

And as always, Volunteer Opportunities is your one-stop shop to support the school with your time and talents. For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle.

STA Lenten Events and Calendar can be viewed here.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website.

                    

News Notes: February 28, 2020

The Week Ahead:

Saturday, Feb. 29:	Leap Year Day! GoGo Gala, 6:00 pm, Calhoun Beach Club
Monday, March 2:	Dr. Seuss’ birthday!
Tuesday, March 3:	Election Primaries, both campuses being used Gr. 7 Parent mtg for Washington, DC June 2021 trip, 6:00 pm
Wednesday, March 4:	UC Mass, 9:15 am Kinder Field Trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 10:30 am Gr. 1 Field Trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 10:30 am
Thursday, March 5:	Gr. 5 Field Trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 10:30 am
Friday, March 6:	End of Trimester 2 Gr. 7 Field Trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 10:30 am Gr. 3 Parent Lunch, 11:53 am, Social Hall
Sunday, March 8:	Daylight Saving Time begins. Spring forward!

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• March calendar  (green)

It was fun and meaningful “I Love to Read Month” with guest mystery readers, 
a Battle of the Books, and today’s “read in your pajamas” day! 

From the Desk of Mr. Blanda: Thanks to Fr. Bill and the 7th graders for leading us in prayer on Ash Wednesday and helping us to prayerfully and thoughtfully enter into this holy season of Lent. A special thanks to Luke for his supporting role during Father’s homily. Fr. Bill reminded us that Lent was the “springtime for the soul” and a time that the Church provides us with for taking care of ourselves, body and soul as we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery; Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. Kudos to all our 6th, 7th and 8th grade scholars for their Science Fair, MN Zooms STEM and History Day projects. While each involved lots of hard work and energy,  I am sure the end product and the knowledge gained made it all worthwhile. The kids certainly looked comfortable and relaxed today in their pajamas and comfy clothes. Lots of reading was happening. When I asked a kindergarten class after lunch and recess if they should take a nap in their pajamas, their answer was a resounding, “No, we don’t take naps!” Thanks to everyone for the wonderful support of this year’s GoGo. Tomorrow night looks to be a wonderful time as we support our great school and celebrate our Carondelet community and all our Carondelet Saints. Enjoy the warmer weather and have a great weekend!

Peace and all good.
Mr. Blanda

 

2020-2021 Online Registration: An email with the link to online registration in Sycamore was sent to all families. As you complete required information you can check your progress on the Enrollment Road Map by clicking on the Home button in the top, left corner. Once you have completed all required items, the items under Family and your students will be checked and appear green. A “Click Here To Submit Application” button will appear above the items only after all information has been supplied. After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email. Please be sure to complete registration by Sunday, March 15. Please email Mr. Blanda with questions regarding online registration. 

February’s Saint’s Way:  This past month, our Saints learned that each and every one of them is smart! We all have our strengths and weaknesses. It is important to remember that even though we don’t understand something now it doesn’t mean that we will never get it. There is power in the word “yet”!  A fourth grader reflected on this past lesson, saying, “We are not stupid, we are all smart in our own way!”   

School Calendar: The calendar for the 2020-2021 school year has gone home, including beginning and ending dates, as well as breaks, parent/teacher conference dates and teacher inservices.  If you need another copy, please find it here. 

GoGo Gala!  Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets to the GoGo Gala on February 29th. We will have a packed house and are looking forward to a great evening to celebrate our unique saints and community together!

This year you can check out all the Live Auction items and Book-It-Now Parties in a printable format via this link BIN parties and Live Auction.

We are looking for a few more volunteers to help with the event that day/evening. We especially need help with set-up from 1-3pm. Sign up here.

Note that underground parking is available at the Calhoun Beach Club and parking vouchers will be available at check-out. We encourage you to consider using an Uber/Lyft.

We are looking forward to a great night!

The GoGo Chairs,
Rachel Horejsi, Susan Krook, Debbie McDowell, Mary Beth Puder 

Tuition Raffle: One lucky winner will win 2020-2021 tuition, a $5920 value. Tickets are $125 and only 100 tickets will be sold.  The winner will be drawn at the GoGo on February 29. Winner need not be present to win. Tickets can be still be purchased with by cash or check only at the GoGo event. View Tuition Raffle flyer here.

Yearbook Orders: The price to order a 2019-2020 Carondelet Yearbook increased after Friday, January 31, 2020.  The price now is $27.00  Order your Yearbook HERE. 

History Day Projects: After 3 months of hard work the 8th graders presented their projects for History Day. Congratulations to all our 8th graders on their perseverance and hard work.  Last night was great and the 8th graders should be very proud of their accomplishments. This year’s theme is “Breaking Barriers in History” and the students presented their research covering a wide variety of topics using websites, documentaries, exhibits, and a paper. Next week we will announce which students will move on to the regional competition at Augsburg College on March 19th.

MN Zooms STEM Design Challenge: Congratulations to 7th graders Aidan Wenner, Max Wozniak, Jameson Gese and David Birch. These students have been invited to the Minnesota Zoo for the final round of judging for the 2019-2020 Zooms Design Challenge. The 7th grade team completed a fantastic redesign of the Minnesota Zoo's nocturnal hallway. They will be one of 40 student teams from the entire state of Minnesota present at the Zoo on March 18th.  Wish them luck! 

Congratulations are also extended to Hugh Nugent, whose project was also submitted to the Zoo, but will not be attending the final round. Hugh created two very creative and engaging enrichment activities for the visually impaired Monk seals. WAY TO GO to all the Zooms students this year! It was a blast working with such passionate and enthusiastic students. 

6th Grade Science Fair:  Congratulations to the following 6th graders who will be showing their projects at the State Science Fair on March 27 and 28: Indira Ambur, Lauren Blok, Josie Brown, Bryn Burbach, Vivian Carter, Adele Cormier, Charles Gillette, Hugh Nugent, Clara Stevens & Grace Trinacty.  The following students have also been selected to participate in the CSCOE Big Bang STEM Fair on March 21: Adele Cormier, Bryn Burbach & Hugh Nugent. WAY TO GO SAINTS!

Spring Sports Registration: Today, Friday, February 28th is the deadline to register for CCS spring sports.  Sports offered in the spring are baseball for boys in grades 4-8 and softball for girls in grades 5-8. Please fill out the electronic registration form attached here by Friday, February 28th.  Late registrations will only be accepted if there is room on the team for which players are registering. Cost for baseball or softball is $90.00 per player. Practices will begin late March or early April depending on weather. Games typically start in the middle of April and end late May. Please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director with any questions.  

 

Summer Theater – The Quilt Maker’s Gift: When a generous quilt maker finally agrees to make a quilt for a greedy king but only under certain conditions, she causes him to undergo a change of heart. This is a beautiful telling of the award winning book, The Quilt Maker’s Gift. Uplifting music, comedic dialogue, and fanciful dance follows the story of a greedy young king as he  transforms into a loving, generous king. This two week camp (Monday - Thursday) will culminate with a 45-minute musical production on Thursday, August 13th with performances at 2 pm and 7 pm. Carondelet students and non-Carondelet students are welcome - grades K-12. Alumni are welcome to be part of the teaching and production team.
     Summer Theater General Information [Link]
     Parent Information and Participation Form [Link]

Middle School Musical: Visit the Theater webpage for the rehearsal schedule.

March Meeting & Parent Night:  Keeping our Kids Safe Online, March 12, 2020 6:30-8:30 pm, LC cafeteria.  View flyer with additional information here.

Save the Date for these Home & School Events:
Parent Night: Carondelet’s Approach to Literacy: Tues, April 14, 7 pm LC Cafeteria
Pastries with a Pal: Friday, April 17, 8:30 - 9:00 am, UC Social Hall
Pops & Lollies: Friday, May 15, 6:00 - 9:00 pm, LC Gym
Mom & Son Saints Baseball Game: Sunday, June 7

And as always, Volunteer Opportunities is your one-stop shop to support the school with your time and talents. For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins:  For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from  Christ the King and  St. Thomas the Apostle.

STA Lenten Events and Calendar can be viewed here.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website.

                    

News Notes: February 21, 2020

The Week Ahead:

Monday, Feb. 24:
Tuesday, Feb. 25:
Wednesday, Feb. 26:	ALL SCHOOL Ash Wednesday Prayer Service, 9:15 am      K-8 students begin their day at the Upper Campus
Thursday, Feb. 27:	8th Grade History Day judging, 6:00 pm Home Basketball Games, LC Gym:      4:30 pm - 7th Grade Boys      5:45 pm - 7th & 8th Grade Girls
Friday, Feb. 28:	Read in your Pajamas Day, Grades PK-5 Cozy Clothes Reading Day for Middle School Middle School Musical Parent meeting, 6:00 pm, Art Room
Saturday, Feb. 29:	Leap Year Day! GoGo Gala, 6:00 pm, Calhoun Beach Club

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• 2020-2021 School Calendar  (fluorescent green)

Winter Wear:  Just a gentle reminder about cold weather wear!  As we do go outside nearly every day, students should be dressed appropriately, including covering bare legs, wearing coats/snow pants, hats, gloves/mittens and boots.  Although spring is right around the corner, it’s not quite here yet! Thank you for your attention to keeping your kids warm!

From the Desk of Mr. Blanda:  It is hard to believe that we are entering the final week of February and ready to begin the season of Lent. This must mean that Spring and Opening Day are just around the corner. (Who will take the Central Division crown this year? Go Tribe!) Join us for our All School Prayer Service at 9:15 at the Church of Christ the King on Ash Wednesday, if you are able. The students will be signed with ashes as we enter this holy season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The eighth graders are putting the final touches on their History Day projects as they present them for judging on Thursday. On Friday we will conclude “I Love To Read Month” with lots of reading in pajamas or comfy clothes.  Saturday is a special, extra day as we celebrate Leap Year and celebrate all our Carondelet Saints and this great Carondelet community at the GoGo. And the end of trimester two is just 2 weeks away. Jeanne is enjoying the new security and buzzer system at the Upper Campus as she buzzes visitors and parents into the building from the comfort of her desk chair. She misses getting all her “steps” however. Enjoy the warmer weather and have a great weekend!

Peace and all good.

Mr. Blanda

Father Michael was a guest reader for the second graders for "I Love to Read Month." 
He chose to read a book that he has kept for over 50 years that he received as a gift
from his kindergarten teacher for not missing a single day in kindergarten!
Fr. Michael read the book, “The Horse that Lived Upstairs.”

All School Ash Wednesday Service: Lent begins on Wednesday, February 26th. Our Ash Wednesday Prayer Service will include all kindergarten through eighth grade students and will be held at Christ the King at 9:15 am.  All K-8 students will start their day at the Upper Campus. Buses will drop all K-8 students at the Upper Campus and parents should do the same. Club Saint students will be bused from the Lower to Upper Campus.  Pre-K students will not be attending this prayer service and will begin their day as usual at the Lower Campus. K-2 students will be bused back to the Lower Campus after the Prayer Service.

Celebrating the end of I Love to Read Month:  On Friday, February 28th, Carondelet will celebrate I Love to Read Month with an unusual out of uniform day.  Students in grades Pre-K through 5 are invited to wear their pajamas to school while the middle schoolers (grades 6-8) have the choice of wearing their very cozy, comfy clothes.  All clothing must conform to out of uniform guidelines or students will call their parents for a change of clothing. We hope to make this a fun way to end a wondrous month of reading.  Carondelet LOVES to read!

School Calendar: The calendar for the 2020-2021 school year went home this week, including beginning and ending dates, as well as breaks, parent/teacher conference dates and teacher inservices.  If you need another copy, please find it here. 

Lenten Lunch Orders: In observance of the Lenten season, all pizza orders Feb. 28 - March 27 will be cheese (no meat). The pesto chicken pasta on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 26) will be pesto pasta (no meat). Please note, all orders will be updated accordingly.

Box Tops for Education: The next Box Tops submission deadline is March 1st.  Help Carondelet earn cash by sending in your unexpired Box Tops or scanning your receipts with the new Box Tops mobile app.  Please send any unexpired traditional Box Tops to school by Wednesday February 26th. Learn more about the new Box Tops program at: www.btfe.com or by asking Carondelet Moms and Box Tops employees Lilly Moeding or Christine Scott.

GoGo Gala!  Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets to the GoGo Gala on February 29th. We will have a packed house and are looking forward to a great evening to celebrate our unique saints and community together!

This year you can check out all the Live Auction items and Book-It-Now Parties in a printable format via this link BIN parties and Live Auction.

We are looking for a few more volunteers to help with the event that day/evening. We especially need help with set up from 1-3pm. Sign up here.

Tuition raffle tickets are still available.  Only 100 will be sold! You can purchase them from Jeanne or Holly.  Make check payable to Carondelet Catholic School or pay with cash. Each ticket is only $125.  

Note that underground parking is available at the Calhoun Beach Club and parking vouchers will be available at check-out. We encourage you to consider using an UBER/Lyft.

We are looking forward to a great night!

The GoGo Chairs,
Rachel Horejsi, Susan Krook, Debbie McDowell, Mary Beth Puder 

Tuition Raffle: One lucky winner will win 2020-2021 tuition, a $5920 value. Tickets are $125 and only 100 tickets will be sold.  The winner will be drawn at the GoGo on February 29. Winner need not be present to win. Tickets can be purchased with cash or check from either school office. View Tuition Raffle flyer here.

Donate a Bottle of Wine:  The wine pull is back and we are looking for bottles of wine with at least a $15 value.  Wine may be dropped off at either campus with Jeanne or Holly. A sincere ‘thank you’ to everyone who is working hard to make this year’s GoGo a great evening!

Yearbook Orders: The price to order a 2019-2020 Carondelet Yearbook increased after Friday, January 31, 2020.  The price now is $27.00  Order your Yearbook HERE. 

Spring Sports Registration: Registration for CCS spring sports has begun.  Sports offered in the spring are baseball for boys in grades 4-8 and softball for girls in grades 5-8. Please fill out the electronic registration form attached here by Friday, February 28th.  Late registrations will only be accepted if there is room on the team for which players are registering. Cost for baseball or softball is $90.00 per player. Practices will begin late March or early April depending on weather. Games typically start in the middle of April and end late May. Please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director with any questions.  

Middle School Musical: Visit the Theater webpage for the rehearsal schedule.

March Meeting & Parent Night:  Keeping our Kids Safe Online, March 12, 2020 6:30-8:30 pm, LC cafeteria.  View flyer with additional information here.

Save the Date for these Home & School Events:
Parent Night: Carondelet’s Approach to Literacy: Tues, April 14, 7 pm LC Cafeteria
Pastries with a Pal: Friday, April 17, 8:30 - 9:00 am, UC Social Hall 
Pops & Lollies: Friday, May 15, 6:00 - 9:00 pm, LC Gym 
Mom & Son Saints Baseball Game: Sunday, June 7

And as always, Volunteer Opportunities is your one-stop shop to support the school with your time and talents. For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle.

STA Lenten Events and Calendar can be viewed here

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website.

                    

News Notes: February 14, 2020

The Week Ahead:

Monday, Feb. 17:	No School – Presidents’ Day Holiday
Tuesday, Feb. 18:	No School – Parent / Teacher Conferences Middle School Musical Call Backs,  6:00-8:00 pm
Wednesday, Feb. 19:	UC Mass, 9:15 am
Thursday, Feb. 20:	Home Basketball Games, LC Gym:      4:30 pm - 7th & 8th Grade Girls      5:45 pm - 8th Grade Boys      7:00 pm - 7th Grade Boys
Friday, Feb. 21:	Gr. 4 Field Trip to the MN History Center

From the Desk of Mr. Blanda:  Thank you for meeting with your child’s teacher during Parent / Teacher conferences. The teachers have been working hard preparing and appreciate your time and support as we partner together for the success of all our Carondelet Saints. During the LC Prayer Service on Thusday, the Kinders and Fr. Bill did a great job helping us understand all the ways we can show love to the people around us. The hallways and classrooms look so different today with all the pinks, and whites, and reds - quite a change from the usual blues and plaids.  Students have been so excited today as they create, distribute and receive valentines from their classmates. Happy Valentine’s Day. Enjoy the warmer weather and have a great long weekend!

Peace and all good.
Mr. Blanda

Congratulations to Carondelet’s 6th graders on their work
preparing and presenting their research projects at this year’s Science Fair,
held in the Upper Campus Social hall this week. Way to go, Saints!

March Lunch Orders:  Lunch orders for the month of March are due by 10:00 am  Monday, February 17. Late orders cannot be accepted. Complete your orders here.

Lenten Lunch Orders: In observance of the Lenten season, all pizza orders Feb. 28 - March 27 will be cheese (no meat). The pesto chicken pasta on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 26) will be pesto pasta (no meat). Please note, all orders will be updated accordingly.

Middle School Conferences:  Conferences for students in grades 5-8 are Tuesday, February 18 from 8:00 am-12:00 pm and 4:00-7:00 pm. The last 30 minutes of each session will be for walk-ins.  Separate Sign-Up Genius links for the morning and afternoon/evening sessions can be found below. 

AM Session 8:00am - 12:00pm      PM Session 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Last Call for GoGo Tickets!  Today is the LAST day to purchase tickets to the GoGo Gala at the Calhoun Beach Club on February 29th! Thank you to everyone who has purchased their tickets, we are thrilled with the response to date!  The event will be a wonderful moment to celebrate our unique saints and our special community! Click here to purchase tickets and/or view the event details.

For those who are attending, the event is going digital and you can check out all the Live Auction items, some exciting signature Silent Auction items, and the Book-It-Now Parties via a link that will be sent out this evening at 6:00pm! We are still looking for donations for our wine pull (bottles need to be at least $15 in value). You can turn them in to either office or contact Karin Burbach.

If you have silent auction items for donation, please contact  Susan Krook or Debbie McDowell.  Finally, we are looking for a few more volunteers to help with the event that day/evening. Sign up here.

Thank you and we look forward to celebrating together!

Rachel Horejsi, Susan Krook, Debbie McDowell, Mary Beth Puder 
2020 GoGo Chairs

Don’t miss this year’s GoGo! PURCHASE TICKETS HERE!

Yearbook Orders: The price to order a 2019-2020 Carondelet Yearbook increased after Friday, January 31, 2020.  The price now is $27.00  Order your Yearbook HERE.

Spring Sports Registration: Registration for CCS spring sports begins today.  Sports offered in the spring are baseball for boys in grades 4-8 and softball for girls in grades 5-8. Please fill out the electronic registration form attached here by Friday, February 28th.  Late registrations will only be accepted if there is room on the team players are registering for. Cost for baseball or softball is $90.00 per player. Practices will begin late March or early April depending on weather. Games typically start in the middle of April and end late May. Please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director with any questions.  

Spring Musical  - Anything Goes! Contact Heather Dorsey with questions or visit the CCS Theater webpage.

Groves Academy: Groves 2020 Summer Programs are now accepting applications.  Click here for more information or to apply.

March Meeting & Parent Night:  Keeping our Kids Safe Online, March 12, 2020 6:30-8:30 pm, LC cafeteria.  View flyer with additional information here.

Save the Date for these Home & School Events:
Night: Carondelet’s Approach to Literacy: Tues, April 14, 7 pm LC Cafeteria
Pastries with a Pal: Friday, April 17, 8:30 - 9:00 am, UC Social Hall
Pops & Lollies: Friday, May 15, 6:00 - 9:00 pm, LC Gym
Mom & Son Saints Baseball Game: Sunday, June 7

And as always, Volunteer Opportunities is your one-stop shop to support the school with your time and talents. For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle.

STA February Events and Calendar can be viewed here.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website.

                    

News Notes: February 7, 2020

The Week Ahead:

Sunday, Feb. 9:	Middle School Musical Auditions, 1 pm, UC Art Room
Monday, Feb. 10:
Tuesday, Feb. 11:	School Board mtg, 6:30 pm, STA Parish Office
Wednesday, Feb. 12:	UC Prayer Service, 9:15 am Gr. 6 Science Fair, 6 pm, UC Social Hall
Thursday, Feb. 13:	LC Prayer Service, 9:30 am Home Basketball Games, LC Gym:      4:30 pm - 7th & 8th Grade Girls      5:45 pm - 7th Grade Boys      7:00 pm - 8th Grade Boys
Friday, Feb. 14:	Middle School Musical Auditions, 6 pm, UC Art Room
Monday, Feb. 17:	No School – Presidents’ Day Holiday
Tuesday, Feb. 18:	No School – Parent / Teacher Conferences

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• February Lunch menu  (green)
• Gr 6 Science Fair flyer  (green also)

From the Desk of Mr. Blanda:  
After a very busy, energetic, and fun-filled Catholic Schools Week, things have settled down at Carondelet. Thanks to all who helped to make CSW such a success: our parent volunteers, servers, greeters, hospitality ministers, lectors, readers, and event planners. As we move through February, classes and campuses are celebrating “I Love To Read” month in a variety of ways.  Anything Goes workshops and auditions have begun in preparation for a great spring show. Spring Sports registration has begun. See below to register your son or daughter for baseball or softball. We will celebrate Ash Wednesday at the end of the month with an all school prayer service at the Upper Campus.  Lent is less than 3 weeks away. And the days are getting longer and the sun feels stronger. Spring is just around the corner. Have a great weekend!

Peace and all good.
Mr. Blanda

The kindergarteners enjoyed afternoon snowshoeing and other outdoor adventures
during their field trip to the Richardson Nature Center today!

March Lunch Orders:  Lunch orders for the month of March are due by 10:00 am  Monday, February 17. Late orders cannot be accepted. Complete your orders here.

Feb/March Pizza Orders: In observance of the Lenten season, all pizza orders Feb. 28 - March 27 will be cheese (no meat). 

2020-2021 School Year:  We wanted to let you know that next school year’s start date will be Monday, August 31 and Spring Break will be March 29 through April 5, which will include Easter Monday.  A more comprehensive 2020-2021 calendar will come out by the end of the month.

January’s Saints Way (Top 20): Students were busy this past month learning about how to eliminate negativity. What an important and necessary skill for our students and ourselves! Some questions students were asked to reflect on were: “Have you ever worried about something? Did you worry about it so much that your thoughts were negative? Have you ever been angry? So angry that your thinking stops working?” These are all things that could lead to something called a “thought circle.” Our individual thought circles can also lead to negative tornados. When we share our negative thought circles with others and they become involved, we have created a social tornado. When we start to notice our thoughts becoming negative, it is important to say, “not now!” One take-away from a Fifth Grader about negative thoughts was, “if you are faced with a problem, don’t automatically jump to a bad conclusion.” 

Middle School Conferences:  Conferences for students in grades 5-8 are Tuesday, February 18 from 8:00 am-12:00 pm and 4:00-7:00 pm. The last 30 minutes of each session will be for walk-ins.  Separate Sign-Up Genius links for the morning and afternoon/evening sessions can be found below. Mrs. Paine is on medical leave and will not be available for conferences at this time.  Please send her an email to discuss an alternate time to meet upon her return, if desired.

AM Session 8:00am - 12:00pm      PM Session 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Middle School Newsletter:  To read the latest edition of the Saints Tribune, the student written and published Middle School newsletter, please click here.

GoGo Gala:  Tickets are going fast for this year’s GoGo Gala, A Night to Celebrate Our Unique Saints. This year’s event will be held at the Calhoun Beach Club on Saturday, February 29th. Tickets must be purchased by February 14th. We hope to see you all there! Click here to purchase tickets and/or view the event details. 

There are many ways to be involved!

     -We are looking for donations of wine for our wine pull. Bottles must be valued at $15 or greater. You can bring your donations to either campus office or contact Karin Burbach. 

     -Sign up to volunteer the evening of here.

     -If you have silent auction items for donation, please contact Susan Krook or Debbie McDowell.  

We look forward to celebrating this special evening with all of you!

Rachel Horejsi, Susan Krook, Debbie McDowell, Mary Beth Puder 
2020 GoGo Chairs 

PURCHASE GOGO TICKETS HERE!

Yearbook Orders: The price to order a 2019-2020 Carondelet Yearbook increased after Friday, January 31, 2020.  The price now is $27.00  Order your Yearbook HERE. 

Lower Campus Parent Pick-Up Procedure: During these cold months, we are noticing parents staying in their cars at Parent Pick Up at the Lower Campus. We understand why – It is cold and windy!  There is a problem though as children are walking on the wall and climbing over the wall, and walking between cars, when parents are parked adjacent to the wall, and drivers are backing up while children are alone and moving through this part of the parking lot.  

Please, come and meet your children. Please make sure you are supervising your children through this busy time in the parking lot.  We want to make sure that all children are safe during Parent Pick Up Dismissal. And the area, directly North of “the wall” will be a “No Parking” area from now on. There will be “No Parking” cones in place for the next couple of weeks.  Thank you very much. 

Spring Sports Registration: Registration for CCS spring sports begins today.  Sports offered in the spring are baseball for boys in grades 4-8 and softball for girls in grades 5-8. Please fill out the electronic registration form attached here by Friday, February 28th.  Late registrations will only be accepted if there is room on the team players are registering for. Cost for baseball or softball is $90.00 per player. Practices will begin late March or early April depending on weather. Games typically start in the middle of April and end late May. Please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director with any questions.  

Spring Musical Auditions - All Aboard! Auditions are coming up for the CCS Middle School Production of the award winning American musical, Anything Goes!  Packets went home already with all middle school students, extras available online or in the UC school office. Required Pre-audition workshop is Tuesday, February 4 OR Friday, February 7 from 6:00-8:00pm (choose one). No need to sign up - just come with your friends. Contact Heather Dorsey with questions or visit the CCS Theater webpage.

Groves Academy: Groves 2020 Summer Programs are now accepting applications.  Click here for more information or to apply.

March Meeting & Parent Night:  Keeping our Kids Safe Online, March 12, 2020 6:30-8:30 pm, LC cafeteria.  View flyer with additional information here.

Save the Date for these Home & School Events:
Parent Night: Carondelet’s Approach to Literacy: Tues, April 14, 7 pm LC Cafeteria
Pastries with a Pal: Friday, April 17, 8:30 - 9:00 am, UC Social Hall
Pops & Lollies: Friday, May 15, 6:00 - 9:00 pm, LC Gym
Mom & Son Saints Baseball Game: Sunday, June 7

And as always, Volunteer Opportunities is your one-stop shop to support the school with your time and talents. For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle.

STA February Events and Calendar can be viewed here.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website.

                    

News Notes: January 31, 2020

The Week Ahead:

Sunday, Feb. 2:	Catholic Schools Week ends CSW Mass – Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, 11:00 am Groundhog Day Superbowl Sunday
Monday, Feb. 3:	PreK Field Trip to Orchestra Hall, 9:00 am
Tuesday, Feb. 4:	Middle School Musical Audition Workshop, 4:15 pm
Wednesday, Feb. 5:	UC Mass, 9:15 am
Thursday, Feb. 6:
Friday, Feb. 7:	Kinder Field Trip to Richardson Nature Center, noon Middle School Musical Audition Workshop, 6:00 pm
Sunday, Feb. 9:	Middle School Musical Auditions, 1:00 pm

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• February calendar  (pink)
• Go Go Tuition Raffle flyer  (goldenrod)
• CSW National Junior Honor Society Sock Drive flyer  (purple & green)

From the Desk of Mr. Blanda:  

We conclude Catholic Schools Week this Sunday with the 11:00 Mass at the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle.  Help us pack the pews with Carondelet parents and students. This has truly been a fantastic week filled with fun events and activities: movies, bingo, dressing like a teacher (I certainly enjoyed seeing all the ties and moustaches,) bowling, prayer services, sock drive, dancing, teacher luncheon, and a pep-fest. School spirit and energy filled the halls and classrooms every day. Thank you for letting us team with you in educating your children.  And thank you for your support of the parishes of Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle, which make this all possible. Have a great weekend and enjoy the warm weather.

Peace and all good.
Mr. Blanda

We ended the school week with “Bring On Spring” themed activities!
Lower Campus students enjoyed a tropical-themed afternoon dance party,
and Upper Campus students enjoyed bowling at the Park Tavern.
Thank you for sharing your children with us! 

Catholic Schools Week Finale: Don’t forget to head over to the Lower Campus tonight (Friday) for Family Bingo Night!  The doors open at 6:00 pm, play begins at 6:30 pm. Catholic Schools Week concludes on Sunday, February 2nd with Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle’s at 11:00 am.  Please join us!

“I Love to Read” Month: February is “I Love to Read Month” and we have a lot of fun activities planned to engage readers of all ages.  Watch for more information to be broadcast home!

Teachers Make Carondelet Great Raffle:  We are happy to announce that the teacher winning a well-deserved day off is Mary Lee Martin.  Congratulations Mrs. Martin! Relax and enjoy your time away. Thanks to all who purchased raffle tickets.

Middle School Conferences:  Conferences for students in grades 5-8 will only be held on Tuesday, February 18 from  8:00 am-12:00 pm and 4:00-700 pm. The last 30 minutes of each session will be for walk-ins.  Separate SignUp Genious links for the morning and afternoon/evening sessions can be found below. Mrs. Paine is on medical leave and will not be available for conferences at this time.  Please send her an email to discuss an alternate time to meet upon her return, if desired.

Morning Session 8:00am - 12:00pm                Afternoon/Evening Session 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Yearbook Deadline: The price to order a 2019-2020 Carondelet Yearbook increases after Friday, January 31, 2020.  The price now is $25.00  Order your Yearbook HERE. Your last chance to personalize that magnificent yearbook is now. Order by Friday, January 31, 2020 to add a name, and up to four icons to the cover. Get started with personalization here. 

Lower Campus Parent Pick-Up Procedure: During these cold months, we are noticing parents staying in their cars at Parent Pick Up at the Lower Campus. We understand why – It is cold and windy!  There is a problem though as children are walking on the wall and climbing over the wall, and walking between cars, when parents are parked adjacent to the wall, and drivers are backing up while children are alone and moving through this part of the parking lot.  

Please, come and meet your children. Please make sure you are supervising your children through this busy time in the parking lot.  We want to make sure that all children are safe during Parent Pick Up Dismissal. And the area, directly North of “the wall” will be a “No Parking” area from now on. There will be “No Parking” cones in place for the next couple of weeks.  Thank you very much. 

GoGo Gala:  Registration is now open for year’s GoGo Gala, A Night to Celebrate Our Unique Saints. The event will be held at the Calhoun Beach Club on Saturday, February 29th. Tickets must be purchased by February 14th. We hope to see you all there! Click here to RSVP and/or view the event details. 

There will be many opportunities to volunteer for the GoGo event and a sign-up genius will be sent out in the near future. In the meantime, if you have donations for silent auction items, please contact Susan Krook at or Debbie McDowell.  We are also accepting donations of bottles of wine for our wine pull.  You can bring your donations to either campus office or contact Karin Burbach. Please make sure the value is $15+.

Reporting Influenza:  The MN Health Department has issued influenza alerts to school nurses.  If you call your student in as sick, please also give the following information:  evidence of fever (over 99.9 degrees) AND a sore throat or cough. Carondelet is again required to keep a log of flu-like illnesses during the winter season.

Spring Musical Auditions - All Aboard! Auditions are coming up for the CCS Middle School Production of the award winning American musical, Anything Goes!  Packets went home with all middle school students this week, extras available online or in the UC school office.

The S.S. American passenger cruise ship is sailing from New York to England with a comical, colorful cast of characters! CCS Middle Schoolers may take part in this hilarious theater classic. This is a big show with lots of parts to fill; Mobsters, Sailors, Dancing Evangelicals just to name a few. Required Pre-audition workshops are Tuesday, February 4 from 4:15-6:00pm OR Friday, February 7 from 6:00-8:00pm (choose one). No need to sign up - just come with your friends. Contact Heather Dorsey with questions.

Show Synopsis     Parent Letter     Participation Form    Theater Program Link

Groves Academy: Groves 2020 Summer Programs are now accepting applications.  Click here for more information or to apply.

Catholic Schools Week Events: Thank you to all those who helped make this week a special week of celebration for our students, teachers and families! We hosted several events including the Parent Information Night on Learning Differences, a staff luncheon and Bingo Night!

Save the Date for the Home & School Events:

Pastries with a Pal: Friday, April 17, 8:30 - 9 am, UC Social Hall
Pops & Lollies: (New Date!) Friday, May 15, 6 - 9 pm, LC Gym
Mom & Son Saints Baseball Game: Sunday, June 7

And as always, Volunteer Opportunities is your one-stop shop to support the school with your time and talents. For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle.

STA February Events and Calendar can be viewed here.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website. 

                    

News Notes: January 17, 2020

The Week Ahead:

Monday, Jan. 20:	No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
Tuesday, Jan. 21:	LC ALICE Drill, 9:45 am  - rescheduled
Wednesday, Jan. 22:	UC Mass, 9:15 am PreK Field Trip to Stages Theater, 9:15 am
Thursday, Jan. 23:	UC ALICE Drill, 2:10 pm
Friday, Jan. 24:	PreK & K Open House (for Prospective Families) 10:00 am
Sunday, Jan. 26:	Catholic Schools Week CSW Mass - Church of Christ the King, 9:30 am Scout-sponsored Pancake Breakfast, 8:00 am, UC Gym

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• February Lunch menu  (cherry)

• Advanced Coding Club for Grades 5 & 6  (green)

• Catholic Schools Week BINGO flyer  (yellow)

• CSCOE Winter Magazine

From the Desk of Mr. Blanda: Catholic Schools Week will be celebrated soon and the staff here at Carondelet has been working hard planning events and daily themes for all the students. Be sure to check out the schedule of events listed here.  This year’s theme for CSW is Learn, Serve, Lead, Succeed. We are still looking for families to help out as greeters, hospitality ministers or gift bearers at both masses. Please email me if you are able to help. Thanks. The 7th graders returned to school this afternoon after a very enjoyable and educational time at Camp Widjiwagan. Enjoy the snow and have a great long weekend. 

Peace and all good.
Mr. Blanda

Catholic Schools Week Masses - Volunteers Needed: We will celebrate Catholic Schools Week Sunday, January 27- Sunday, February 3. Click here for the schedule of activities. We will begin and end our week with a Mass at each of our sponsoring parishes: January 26th at 9:30 at Christ the King and February 2nd at St. Thomas at 11:00 am.  What a wonderful way to celebrate our great school and to show our appreciation to both parishes for their support. We are still looking for Carondelet families/students to serve as greeters, hospitality ministers or gift bearers for these masses. If you can help out, please email Mr. Blanda. Please plan on joining us at one or both Masses. 

Carondelet's seventh grade Saints were in Ely, Minnesota this week experiencing the great outdoors, environmental science, and team-building at Camp Widjiwagan. The week's activities included learning about native cultures, snow crystal study, glacial geology, surviving in the wilderness, cross country skiing, animal tracking, eco hikes and more. Thank you to the teachers and parent volunteers who chaperoned the trip. They had a great week and we look forward to hearing about their adventures upon their return this afternoon!

 

February Lunch Orders:  Lunch orders for the month of February are due by 10:00 am this Sunday, January 19. Late orders cannot be accepted. Complete your orders here.

GoGo Gala:  Registration is now open for year’s GoGo Gala, A Night to Celebrate Our Unique Saints. The event will be held at the Calhoun Beach Club on Saturday, February 29th. Tickets need to be purchased by February 14th. We hope to see you all there! Click here to RSVP and/or view the event details. 

There will be many opportunities to volunteer for the GoGo event and a sign-up genius will be sent out in the near future. In the meantime, if you have donations for silent auction items, please contact Susan Krook at or Debbie McDowell.  We are also accepting donations of bottles of wine for our wine pull.  You can bring your donations to either campus office or contact Karin Burbach. Please make sure the value is $15+.

Annual Scout Pancake Breakfast: Please join us on Sunday, January 26 in the Christ the King Gym before or after Mass to kick off Catholic Schools Week!  Breakfast is served 8 am to noon. All the preparation and serving is done by the devoted scouts. They will be serving delicious pancakes, blueberry sauce, maple syrup, sausage, orange juice, milk and fresh hot coffee.  Enjoy a great breakfast while supporting Boy Scout Troop 89 and Cub Scout Pack 73.
Adults $7 / Children $5 (17 and under)  / Seniors $6 (65 and older) / Family $25 (all ages in household)

Waite House - January’s Share the Warmth: We want to extend a very warm and heartfelt thank you to all of the families who donated to our "Share the Warmth" clothing drive for Waite House! We had over 30 bags of winter gear donated to keep our neighbors warm. Thank you for your generosity!

Upper Campus Drop-Off Reminder:  Please pull into the lot from the Zenith Ave. side of the building using the driveway farthest from the building and nearest 50th St. Form a one-way line that loops through the horseshoe near the church doors and pull up along the backside of the playground (facing Zenith). Drop students off when you are the front car near the playground. If you need to come in the building, pull into a legal parking spot and walk in with your child. Out of respect for our neighbors, and to keep all our children safe by avoiding the icy roads, do not drop off between 8:45-9:20 am on either side of York Ave. in front of the school, in the middle of the street or on the corner of 51st & York, where the buses drop off.

Annual Fund: Thank you to all those who have donated to this year’s Annual Fund. The annual fund is one of Carondelet’s three major fundraisers that helps balance this year’s operating budget. Gifts of all sizes allow us to offer the highest level of academic excellence with small class sizes and many enrichments, and attract and retain the best teachers and staff. Thank you for considering a gift to this year’s annual fund. 

View the 2019 Annual Report          Make a Gift to the Annual Fund

Parent Info Night: Carondelet teachers will present on “Learning Differences: Meeting the Needs of the Unique Saint” Tuesday, January 28, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm, LC Cafeteria

Catholic Schools Week Events:
Staff Appreciation Lunch: Wednesday, January 29 (Volunteer here)
Family Bingo Night: Friday, January 31, 6 - 8 pm, LC Cafeteria.
     Volunteers needed: 4:30 - 6 pm: set up / 6 - 7 pm: sell bingo cards / 6 - 8 pm: sell concessions / 8 - 9 pm: clean up. Please email Gretchen Baker to volunteer.  

Save the Date for the Home & School Events:
Pastries with a Pal: Friday, April 17, 8:30 - 9 am, UC Social Hall
Pops & Lollies: (New Date!) Friday, May 15, 6 - 9 pm, LC Gym
Mom & Son Saints Baseball Game: Sunday, June 7

And as always, Volunteer Opportunities is your one-stop shop to support the school with your time and talents. For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle.

STA Facilities Improvements: Click here for an update from Saint Thomas the Apostle regarding facilities improvements completed and yet to come.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

                    

News Notes: December 6, 2019

The Week Ahead: 

Saturday, Dec. 7	Morning with St. Nick, 9:00-11:00 am, LC cafeteria Men’s Club Tree Lot open, 10 am-6:30 pm, STA front lawn
Sunday, Dec. 8	Second Sunday of Advent Men’s Club Tree Lot open, 10:00 am-6:30 pm, STA front lawn
Monday, Dec. 9:	Math Meet, 4:15 pm, Southwest High School
Tuesday, Dec. 10:	UC Birthday Lunch w/Mrs. Yamoah Band Concert at Mall of America, 6:00 pm School Board mtg, 7:00 pm, STA Parish
Wednesday, Dec. 11:	UC Mass, 9:15 am UC Advent Cookie Day (pre-ordered)
Thursday, Dec. 12:	Band Concert at LC, 10:45 am, gym Concert Band Concert at MN Veterans Home, 2:00 pm
Friday, Dec. 13:	Kinder & 8th Gr. Buddies Gingerbread House activity, LC, 2:00 pm Report Cards for Trimester 1 available after 5:00 pm in Sycamore
Saturday, Dec. 14:	Men’s Club Tree Lot open, 10:00 am-6:30 pm, STA front lawn

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• Saints Men’s Club Christmas Tree Lot & Morning w/St. Nick flyer  (green)
• January Lunch menu (blue)

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:
Happy Advent!  The Lower and Upper Campuses have had a beautiful week celebrating Advent and getting their hearts ready for Jesus’ birthday.  Please be sure to ask your child(ren) about the symbols we have been placing on the Jesse Tree.

We have many special events taking place over the next two weeks.  Please be sure to check the calendar on our school websites for prayer services, Masses, programs, concerts, and other special events!

God Bless, 
Mary Yamoah, Principal 

Trimester 1 Report Cards: Students have successfully completed Trimester 1 of the 2019-2020 school year.  Report cards are available after 5:00 today online via Sycamore. Please log in to your Sycamore account to view your child’s report card.  If you have any questions or need assistance accessing your account, please contact Mr. Blanda.

Morning with St. Nick: Kids of all ages are invited to join us this Saturday, December 7th to shop for their family members at this year’s St. Nick Holiday Shoppe. The event will include a kids-only holiday shoppe, cookies, refreshments, and more. The event will be held from 9:00-11:00 am in the Lower Campus cafeteria. We need adult volunteers to help that morning. Sign-up to volunteer here. 

Volunteer to help at the Morning with St. Nick!

Men’s Club Tree Lot Open! The Saints Men's Club annual Christmas Tree lot at the Lower Campus is open this Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 6:30 pm and next weekend through December 15th. This year, $20 of the proceeds from each tree will go directly to teacher wish lists for a classroom you designate.

January Lunch Orders:  Lunch orders for the month of January are due by 10:00 am Monday, December 16th. Late orders cannot be accepted. Complete your orders here.

Thank you from Waite House for Thanksgiving Baskets:  “I want to thank each one of you for all of your amazing work on the Thanksgiving baskets last week for our families. There is no word in my native language (Mazahua) to translate this word - (pokii rhja punku eh diosi ran buscuji) into Spanish or English in a single word. Thank you very much and God bless you. I am sending you the best blessing to each home to protect your families. And lastly, the sun and moon protect you wherever you go.”  -Jovita, Waite House Community Organizer for Pillsbury United Communities

Saints Tribune: To read the latest issue of the Saints Tribune, the newsletter published by middle school students, click here.

Grandparents Tea: Grandparents and special friends of Carondelet Catholic School are invited to join us for our Holiday Tea and matinee Christmas program on Thursday, December 19. Please note, the students will be preparing for the Christmas program performance, so they will not be in attendance during the tea. Students are welcome to greet their guests as they arrive to school and classrooms will also be open for tours following the performance. RSVP here by December 13. 

Carondelet Christmas Program: Carondelet’s annual Christmas Program is Thursday, December 19th with performances in Church of Christ the King at 9:30 am (with a Grandparents & Special Friends Tea at 8:45 am prior to the morning performance) and 7:00 pm. The program includes all students in grades PreK through Grade 8. Students should be in uniform for the morning performance/rehearsal and in church attire for the evening performance. Please see the rehearsal schedule below. Please be sure to follow Carondelet’s Upper Campus drop-off and pick-up procedures found here.

Tuesday, Dec.ember 17 (morning rehearsal)	ALL Lower Campus students need to be dropped at Upper Campus for morning rehearsal. All Club Saint students will be bused to the Upper Campus. Students will be bused back to the LC following rehearsal.
Thursday, December 19 (morning performance)	ALL Lower Campus students dropped at Upper Campus for morning dress rehearsal and will be bused back to LC following the program. All Club Saint students will be bused to the Upper Campus.
Thursday, December 19 (evening performance)	All students need to be at the Upper Campus at 6:30 pm for the evening performance.

Lost and Found Table:  There will be a Lost and Found table set up on the 1st floor of the Upper Campus for the next two weeks.  Please take a moment to look through the items or have your children look for missing/lost items. All items left on December 20th will be donated to charity.

Book-It-Now Parties: Planning is in full swing for Carondelet’s GoGo Gala and the Book-It-Now (BIN) parties.  Book-It-Now parties are a fun way to get involved, and contribute significantly to GoGo’s financial success.  Revenue from these parties make up 1/3 of the total funds raised at this event. Here is what you need to know:

Book-it-Now parties, hosted by families and teachers, are community-building events that raise money for the school.  You can host one on your own or with another family(families). You come up with the party idea, plan the event, and cover the party costs.  Parents then have an opportunity to sign up for these parties at the GoGo Gala. The cost to attend the party goes directly to the school! There are a variety of parties: kids only, grade specific, families, parents only, and special events with teachers. 

If you would like to host a party or would like more information, please email one of the contacts below.  Parties can take place all year, through January, 2021!

     Parent BIN Party:     Kelly Nakashima (kellymshaw78@gmail.com)
     Teacher Hosted BIN Party:    Betsy Kinkead (betsy_utter@hotmail.com)
     Sleep Under BIN Party:   Sarah Lockner (salockner@gmail.com)
     Kid/Family BIN:   Shelly Phillips (sphillipsmpls@mail.com)

Volunteer Opportunities Link: Volunteers are needed for several of our upcoming events including the Grandparents Tea and Morning with St. Nick. To make the volunteer process a little easier, you can now find many of the school's volunteer opportunities all in one place. Just go to the Volunteer Opportunities page on the school's website to sign up for lunch, library, and upcoming events. We are ever grateful for the volunteers that keep the school humming! 

We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will include updates from leadership as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. View the full schedule here. 

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Carondelet Basketball:  The CCS basketball season got underway last night with the  Boys Varsity Bronze team defeating BSM in the season opener 37-13.  Shalin Patel led all scorers with 17 points, and the Saints played a swarming defense to hold the Red Knights offense in check.  A great start to the season for Coaches Loeffler and Patel, and the boys.  

The cub basketball season opens tomorrow Saturday, December 7th.  Many of the cub teams will be playing at the LC. The remaining varsity teams tip off for the first time next week!

Basketball jerseys may be worn to school on game days (or Fridays for teams playing on Saturdays) to promote school spirit and excitement for our athletic program.  Players may wear jersey tops with a shirt/t-shirt underneath but must wear school uniform bottoms.  

Junior Cub basketball practices begin next Friday, Dec. 13th at the LC.  Practices will be only on Fridays.  Coaches will be reaching out to players or parents soon if they have not already done so about specific times.  Also, players that have practice at 4:00 p.m. at the LC MAY NOT RIDE THE BUS TO PRACTICE. Please arrange rides for your player or set up a carpool if needed.  No game schedule is out yet from the JC league, however, games are tentatively expected to start Saturday, January, 11th.  

Go Saints!

Parish Bulletins:  For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event and calendar link for December.

STA Facilities Improvements: Click here for an update from Saint Thomas the Apostle regarding facilities improvements completed and yet to come.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

                    

 

News Notes: November 29, 2019

The Week Ahead: 

Saturday, Nov. 30	Saints Men’s Club Tree Lot open, 10 am-6:30 pm, STA front lawn
Sunday, Dec. 1	First Sunday of Advent Saints Men’s Club Tree Lot open, 10 am-6:30 pm, STA front lawn
Monday, Dec. 2:
Tuesday, Dec. 3:
Wednesday, Dec. 4:	UC Prayer Service, 9:15 am Gr. 3 & 5 Field Trip to Stages Theater, noon
Thursday, Dec. 5:
Friday, Dec. 6:	St. Nicholas Day
Saturday, Dec. 7:	Morning w/St. Nick, 9:00-11:00 am, LC cafeteria Saints Men’s Club Tree Lot open, 10 am-6:30 pm, STA front lawn

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• Advent Kindness Calendar  (green)

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:
On behalf of the Carondelet Catholic School faculty and staff, we wish you a blessed Thanksgiving.  Please know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers.

Loving God,
We turn our hearts to you on this day for giving thanks, mindful of Your many gifts.
For each one, we are grateful.  For each one, we are blessed.
For each one, we are opened to the abundance of your love.
May this Thanksgiving Day offer a reminder to be generous with others,
as you are with us.
We praise you.  We rejoice you. We give you thanks.  Amen.

God Bless, 
Mary Yamoah, Principal

The second graders took the lead on this month’s service project with Waite House.
Saints shopped, sorted, blessed and delivered 50 Thanksgiving dinner baskets to families in need. 
We are grateful for all those who helped in this special tradition. Thanks for Giving!

Advent at Carondelet:  It is hard to believe that when we return from our Thanksgiving break on Monday, we will have entered the season of Advent.  This year, our school will be using the Jesse Tree to help prepare our hearts for Christmas. The Jesse Tree helps us connect the custom of decorating Christmas trees to the events leading to Jesus’ birth. The ornaments of the Jesse Tree tell the story of God in the Old Testament, connecting the Advent season with the faithfulness of God across four thousand years of history.  As you visit the school, please be sure to look for the Jesse Tree and the beautiful story the ornaments tell.

In addition to the Jesse Tree, both campuses will meet regularly for prayer services.  We also encourage students to do something special this Advent season to help them grow closer to God:  sit with someone new at lunch, pick trash up off the floor, or set the table at home. Wishing you all a blessed Advent season.

Morning with St. Nick: Kids of all ages are invited to join us next Saturday, December 7th to shop for their family members at this year’s St. Nick Holiday Shoppe. The event will include a kids-only holiday shoppe, cookies, refreshments, and more. The event will be held from 9:00-11:00 am in the Lower Campus cafeteria. We need adult volunteers to help that morning. Sign-up to volunteer here. 

Volunteer to help at the Morning with St. Nick!

Men’s Club Tree Lot Opens This Weekend! The Saints Men's Club opens their annual Christmas Tree lot at the Lower Campus this Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 6:30 pm and every weekend through December 15th. This year, $20 of the proceeds from each tree will go directly to teacher wish lists for a classroom you designate.

Saints Tribune: To read the latest issue of the Saints Tribune, the newsletter published by middle school students, click here.

Grandparents Tea: Grandparents and special friends of Carondelet Catholic School are invited to join us for our Holiday Tea and matinee Christmas program on Thursday, December 19. Please note, the students will be preparing for the Christmas program performance, so they will not be in attendance during the tea. Students are welcome to greet their guests as they arrive to school and classrooms will also be open for tours following the performance. RSVP here by December 13. 

Book Fair – Thank you: Thanks so much to everyone who came out to shop at the Barnes and Noble Book Fair last weekend or shopped online. Thanks also to the tremendous volunteers who helped out with wish lists, gift wrapping, and more. We appreciate the support!

Winter Dress Code Policy:  The winter weather is upon us and so we’d like to remind families of a few dress code policies.  Boots worn to and from school must be changed to regular school shoes upon arrival. This includes all boots, such as fashion boots or UGGs.  Socks need to be worn every day with every type of shoe. Tights/leggings are either solid white, blue or black and must be full length, straight leg and under the skirt or dress. We do go outside every day, so please remember warm coats, boots, hats and mittens/gloves.

Volunteer Opportunities Link: Volunteers are needed for several of our upcoming events including the Grandparents Tea and Morning with St. Nick. To make the volunteer process a little easier, you can now find many of the school's volunteer opportunities all in one place. Just go to the Volunteer Opportunities page on the school's website to sign up for lunch, library, and upcoming events. We are ever grateful for the volunteers that keep the school humming! 

We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will include updates from leadership as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. View the full schedule here. 

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Junior Cub Basketball:  Practices will begin on Friday, December 13th.  All practices will take place on Fridays at the Lower Campus gym after school/early evening.  Games are played on Saturday’s and are expected to begin on January 11th. Coaches will be contacting parents and players in the next week or so to let them know specific practice times on Fridays. 

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

                    

News Notes: November 22, 2019

The Week Ahead: 

Saturday, Nov. 23:	Barnes & Noble Book Fair, 10 am - 4 pm, Galleria Edina
Sunday, Nov. 24:	Feast of Christ the King Archbishop Hebda installing Fr. Murtaugh as Pastor of CTK Barnes & Noble Book Fair, 11 am - 4 pm, Galleria Edina
Monday, Nov. 25:	Lunch orders due online no later than 10:00 am
Tuesday, Nov. 26:	End of 1st Trimester Waite House Thanksgiving Basket donations due to Lower      Campus by 10:00 am Thanksgiving Mass, 9:30 am, Lower Campus      ALL students begin their day at the Lower Campus LC Birthday Lunch w/Mrs. Yamoah 2nd Gr. assemble Thanksgiving Baskets, pm
Wednesday, Nov 27:	No School - Thanksgiving Break
Thursday, Nov. 28:	Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday, Nov. 29:	No School - Thanksgiving Break
Sunday, Dec. 1:	First Sunday of Advent

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• December calendar  (cherry)
• December Lunch menu  (pink)
• Waite House Thanksgiving Basket donation list  (golden)
• Page Turners Book Club flyer, Gr. 3-5  (purple)

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:
This Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King and the celebration of Fr. Bill’s installation as pastor of Christ the King parish! We invite you to celebrate with Archbishop Hebda and the parish of Christ the King this Sunday, November 24 at the 9:30 am Mass. 

It was wonderful to see many parents at our Home and School meeting on Tuesday evening. The information on Anxiety and Adolescent Mental Health was extremely helpful.  We will continue to bring more information to parents on this very important topic. Please mark your calendars for our next Home and School meeting scheduled for January 28th at 7:00pm. The topic is Learning Differences:  Meeting the Needs of the Unique Saint.

God Bless, 
Mary Yamoah, Principal

Strategic Plan Updates:  We have made great progress on the objectives and strategies noted on our strategic plan.  To date, we have accomplished the following:

Objective 1 (Learner Needs)

• NWEA MAP data review and report to stakeholders.
• Curriculum, Assessment, Special Services, and Technology PLC paperwork submitted and approved by Minneapolis Public School District.
• PreK Licensing process initiated.

Objective 2 (Safe, Healthy Environment)

• “Top 20” PLC paperwork submitted and approved by Minneapolis Public School District.
• Development committee established (School Board).
• Infrastructure/Technology work underway (phone system, security)

Objective 3 (Vitality and Viability)

• Infrastructure/Technology work underway (phone system, security).
• Communication Plan work underway (external and internal).
• Press release, signage, and recruiting events underway.

Thank you for your support of our strategic plan initiatives.  We will continue to update you as progress is made.

All-School Thanksgiving Mass: Please join us for an all-school Thanksgiving Mass on Tuesday, November 26 at 9:30 am at the Church of St.Thomas the Apostle. Upper Campus students will start their day at the Lower Campus and then be bussed back to the Upper Campus following Mass. Please join us!

December Lunch Orders: Lunch orders for the month of December are due by 10:00 am, Monday, November 25th. (See calendar attached). Late orders cannot be accepted. Complete your orders here.

Waite House Thanksgiving Baskets:  Each year, Carondelet assembles and delivers Thanksgiving baskets for the families of Waite House. This year, Carondelet students are hoping to organize and deliver 50 food baskets for families who would otherwise go without a Thanksgiving meal this year. Click here for a list of donations requested by grade level. Thanks for Giving!

Barnes & Noble Book Fair: Our annual Barnes & Noble Book Fair is this Saturday and Sunday November 23rd and 24th at the Edina Galleria Barnes & Noble. Any Carondelet-designated purchase made at Barnes & Noble that weekend earns us money to purchase new library books. You must mention Carondelet for your purchase to count toward our earnings. A blue flyer came home on Wednesday with a schedule of guest readers and our special code!  If you'd like to volunteer at this year's book fair, please click here to sign up.

Men’s Club Tree Lot Opens Next Weekend! The Saints Men's Club will be opening their annual Christmas Tree lot at the Lower Campus on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am - 6:30 pm, November 30th - December 15th. This year, $20 of the proceeds from each tree will go directly to teacher wish lists for a classroom you designate. 

Morning with St. Nick: Kids of all ages are invited to join us on Saturday, December 7th to shop for their family members at this year’s St. Nick Holiday Shoppe. The event will include a kids-only holiday shoppe, cookies, refreshments, and more. The event will be held from 9:00-11:00 am in the Lower Campus cafeteria. Mark your calendars!

Morning with St. Nick Volunteers Needed-Sign Up Here!

Grandparents Tea: Grandparents and special friends of Carondelet Catholic School are invited to join us for our Holiday Tea and Christmas program matinee on Thursday, December 19. Please note, the students will be preparing for the Christmas program performance, so they will not be in attendance during the tea. Students are welcome to greet their guests as they arrive to school and classrooms will also be open for tours following the performance. RSVP here by December 13. 

Empower Leadership Academy for Girls:  On Saturday, November 16th, 26 of our middle school girls attended a leadership workshop designed to inspire, develop, and empower the next generation of leaders. The Academy was founded by Pam Borton, former head coach of the Women’s Gopher Basketball Team. Some comments from the participants:

“I learned a lot, we played games and learned how to handle stress.”
“We learned how to be resilient and ways to tell when
we’re stressed and how to handle that.”
“We learned many life lessons.  I especially liked the yoga that we did
to calm our minds and the resilience games. I recommend this
program and would definitely do it again.”

Winter Dress Code Policy:  The winter weather is upon us, so we’d like to remind families of a few dress code policies.  Boots worn to and from school must be changed to regular school shoes upon arrival. This includes all boots, such as fashion boots or UGGs.  Socks need to be worn every day with every type of shoe. Tights/leggings are either solid white, blue or black and must be full length, straight leg and under the skirt or dress. We do go outside every day, so please remember warm coats, boots, hats and mittens/gloves.

NWEA MAP Data:  We were proud of the NWEA MAP scores this fall. The charts below feature Carondelet mean RIT scores in comparison to the National mean RIT scores for both math and reading.  Carondelet is above the national average at every grade level in both subject areas!  Way to go Saints!

  

Volunteer Opportunities Link: Volunteers are needed for several of our upcoming events including the Grandparents Tea and Morning with St. Nick. To make the volunteer process a little easier, you can now find many of the school's volunteer opportunities all in one place. Just go to the Volunteer Opportunities page on the school's website to sign up for lunch, library, and upcoming events. We are ever grateful for the volunteers that keep the school humming! 

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Uniform Return:  The deadline to return fall sports jerseys has passed!  Please return your child's soccer or volleyball uniform on Monday if you have not already done so.  Any uniforms not returned by Monday, November 25th will be charged a $50 replacement fee and billed to your school account.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event and calendar link for November.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

                    

 

News Notes: November 15, 2019

The Week Ahead: 

Saturday, Nov. 16:	Girls’ Empower Leadership Academy, 9:00 am, UC CTK’s 80th Anniversary Dinner/Gala
Monday, Nov. 18:	Math Team Math Meet, 4:15 pm, OLG
Tuesday, Nov. 19:	Home & School Parent Night, 6:30 pm, LC Cafeteria Speaker on Anxiety & Depression
Wednesday, Nov. 20:	UC Prayer Service, 9:15 am UC ALICE Drill, after prayer service
Thursday, Nov. 21:	LC Prayer Service, rescheduled from Nov. 14 LC ALICE Drill, after prayer service Art Adventure Volunteer mtg, 7:00 pm, LC Cafeteria
Friday, Nov. 22:	Gr 8 Field Trip to the Wilson Library, 10:15 am
Saturday, Nov. 23:	Barnes & Noble Book Fair, 10 am - 4 pm, Galleria Edina
Sunday, Nov. 24:	Feast of Christ the King Archbishop Hebda installing Fr. Murtaugh as Pastor of CTK Barnes & Noble Book Fair, 11 am - 4 pm, Galleria Edina

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• Advent Cookie order form for UC students only  (tan)
• Book Fair flyer & guest reader list  (blue)

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:

There was great energy at Tuesday night’s Admissions Open House! Thank you to our faculty, students ambassadors, first grade singers, and generous volunteers who provided hospitality, tours, and childcare. A big thank you to our admissions director, Megan Hower, who makes this a great experience for our visitors. We’re looking forward to seeing many of these prospective families as future Saints!

We are working on our Annual Report that will share news of all that has been accomplished in the last year in addition to our financial information.  We look forward to the opportunities and challenges in the upcoming year.

God Bless, 
Mary Yamoah, Principal

Winter Gear:  The weather is finally turning seasonal on us and so we’d like to remind families of a few dress code policies.  Boots which are worn to and from school must be changed to regular school shoes upon arrival.  This includes all boots, such as fashion boots or UGGs. Socks need to be worn every day with every type of shoe.  Tights/leggings are either solid white, blue or black and must be full length, straight leg and under the skirt or dress.  Also, we do go outside every day, so please remember those warm coats, boots, hats and mittens/gloves.

NWEA MAP Data:  We were proud of the NWEA MAP scores this fall. The charts below feature Carondelet mean RIT scores in comparison to the National mean RIT scores for both math and reading.  Carondelet is above the national average at every grade level in both subject areas!  Way to go Saints!

  

LC Marathon Pancake Breakfast: We had so much fun hosting the Lower Campus Pancake Breakfast on Monday morning for students who raised $300 or more for our marathon.  A special thank you to all students, families, teachers, and special friends of Carondelet Catholic School for your support of our school marathon!

Barnes & Noble Book Fair: Mark your calendars for our annual Barnes and Noble Book Fair, Saturday and Sunday November 23rd and 24th at the Edina Galleria Barnes and Noble. Any Carondelet-designated purchase made at Barnes and Noble that weekend earns us money to purchase new library books. You must mention Carondelet for your purchase to count toward our earnings. A blue flyer came home on Wednesday with a schedule of guest readers and our special code!  If you'd like to volunteer at this year's book fair, please click here to sign up.

Morning with St. Nick: Kids of all ages are invited to join us Saturday, December 7th to shop for their family members at this year’s St. Nick Holiday Shoppe. The event will include a kids-only holiday shoppe, cookies, refreshments, and more. The event will be held from 9:00-11:00 am in the Lower Campus cafeteria. Mark your calendars!

Annual Christmas Tree Fundraiser:  The Saints Men's Club will be opening their annual Christmas Tree lot at the Lower Campus from 10:00 am - 6:30 pm  November 30 – December 15th. This year, $20 of the proceeds from each tree will go directly to teacher wish lists for a classroom you designate. 

Halloween Candy Donations:  Still have leftover candy from Halloween?  Need a place to send it so it’s not tempting?  If your children have received an abundance of candy this Halloween, please feel free to donate any portion to the boxes in either Campus office. Donations will be given to Waite House to make birthday bags.

November Parent Meeting/Speaker Series: Join us for our next Home & School meeting on November 19 at 7:00 pm at our Lower Campus. Psychologist Paul Buckley will present on the topic of anxiety and adolescent mental health.

We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will now include updates from leadership as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. View the full schedule here. 
Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Uniform Return:  The deadline to return fall sports jerseys is today!  Please return your child's soccer or volleyball uniform as soon as possible next week if you have not already done so. To date, 32 fall sports jerseys have not been returned.  Please help us in making sure we get all uniforms back as this is critical to the budget and success of our athletic program. Any uniforms not returned will be charged a $50 replacement fee and billed to your school account.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event and calendar link for November.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

                    

 

News Notes: November 8, 2019

The Week Ahead: 

Monday, Nov. 11:	Veterans Day LC Marathon Pancake Breakfast, 8:30 am, LC Cafeteria
Tuesday, Nov. 12:	UC Health Screening Day Admissions Open House, 6:30 pm, St. Thomas the Apostle School Board mtg, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, Nov. 13:	UC Mass, 9:15 am 8th Gr. Field Trip to the Bell Museum, 9:45 am
Thursday, Nov. 14:
Friday, Nov. 15:	1st Gr. Field Trip to the MN History Center, 9:30 am 7th Gr. Field Trip to the Guthrie Theater, 9:45 am
Saturday, Nov. 16:	Girls’ Empower Leadership Academy, 9:00 am, UC Social Hall CTK’s 80th Anniversary Dinner/Gala

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• The 2019-2020 Parent Directory  (blue cover)
• November calendar  (gold)

Winter Gear:  The weather is finally turning seasonal on us and so we’d like to remind families of a few dress code policies.  Boots which are worn to and from school must be changed to regular school shoes upon arrival.  This includes all boots, such as fashion boots or UGGs. Socks need to be worn every day with every type of shoe.  Tights/leggings are either solid white, blue or black and must be full length, straight leg and under the skirt or dress.  Also, we do go outside every day, so please remember those warm coats, boots, hats and mittens/gloves.

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:
Veterans Day is a time for us to pay our respect to those who have served. For one day, we stand united in respect for our veterans.  We will celebrate this special day on Monday, November 11th. This past Wednesday, we gathered in prayer to honor the special men and women who have served or who are currently serving.  Our prayer service was led by Mrs. Paine and our 8th grade students. On behalf of the Carondelet Catholic School Community, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all of our veterans for their service.  Please help me in praying for our veterans.

Dear Lord, 
Today we honor our veterans, worthy men and women who gave their best when they were called upon
to serve and protect their country. We pray that you will bless them for their unselfish service
in the continual struggle to preserve our freedoms, our safety, and our country's heritage, for all of us.

God Bless, 
Mary Yamoah, Principal 

UC Marathon Pancake Breakfast:  Mr. Blanda and Mrs. Yamoah had a fabulous time hosting the Upper Campus Marathon Pancake Breakfast on Friday for the 80+ students who brought in $300 for our Marathon.  The pancakes, sausage, and conversation were a huge hit!

LC Marathon Pancake Breakfast: Lower Campus students who brought in pledges of $300 or more are invited to a pancake breakfast with Mrs. Yamoah and Mr. Blanda on Monday, November 11th at 8:30 am in the Lower Campus Cafeteria.   

Spread the Word! Carondelet’s Admissions Open House is Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30 pm at the Lower Campus. If you know a family who might be interested in learning more about Carondelet, share the event page from Facebook or drop us an email and we’ll send them a personal invitation to tour our school!  If you or your middle school student would like to be a greeter for this event, please contact Megan Hower.

Pre-K and Kindergarten 2020: Do you have a pre-k or a kindergarten-eligible child for 2020? If so, please email Megan Hower so we can plan accordingly. We offer a 4 and 5-day pre-kindergarten option for students who turn 4 before September 1, 2020.

Barnes & Noble Book Fair: Mark your calendars for our annual Barnes and Noble Book Fair, Saturday and Sunday November 23rd and 24th at the Edina Galleria Barnes and Noble. Any Carondelet-designated purchase made at Barnes and Noble that weekend earns us money to purchase new library books. You must mention Carondelet for your purchase to count toward our earnings. Be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks, including the schedule of guest readers!  If you'd like to volunteer at this year's book fair, please click here to sign up.

Men’s Shoe Drive: The Carondelet Catholic School National Junior Honor Society is hosting a Fall Shoe Drive for the Hennepin County Medical Center.  We are collecting new or gently used men’s shoes. Collection dates will be every Wednesday until November 13th. Our goal is to bring in 200 pairs of shoes with the top classroom receiving an out of uniform day.  Thank you in advance for your support! View the flyer here.

Halloween Candy Donations:  Still have leftover candy from Halloween?  Need a place to send it so it’s not tempting?  If your children received an abundance of candy this Halloween, please feel free to donate any portion to the boxes in either Campus office. Donations will be given to Waite House to make birthday bags. 

Saints Way “Top 20” Tips for October:  During the month of October, your child learned about “The Line.” This imaginary line helps distinguish the state of our mind as being above the line or below the line. When we are above the line, our thinking is working in our best interest.  We have a positive view on life and how we see it. We are able to communicate more effectively and make better decisions when above the line. When we are below the line, our thinking is not working in our best interest and we have a negative view on life causing us to make poor decisions and choices. Ask your child about his/her trampoline. How do they go from being below to above? Watch out, we have invitations that bring us below the line all the time! For more information on Top 20, please click here.

Upper Campus Morning Drop-off Reminder: Please do not drop your children off on York Avenue (from either direction) in front of the school between the alley and 51st Street. We ask that you not park the wrong way, stop in front of the neighbor’s driveway or even worse, in the middle of the street. It is not safe to have your children in the street at that busy traffic time and it causes traffic jams which upset our neighbors.

Uniform Return:  Please return fall sports jerseys to the UC school office freshly laundered in a bag with the player's name included.  Uniforms must be returned by November 15th or a $50 fee will be charged to your school account.  

Basketball coach needed:  We are still looking for a 5th grade boys basketball coach for the upcoming season.  Please contact  Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director if you are able and interested in helping out.  

Basketball practices:   Basketball practices officially begin the week of November 11th.  Coaches will contact parents and players once the practice schedule is set.  Game schedules are not out yet and will likely not be available until the latter part of November.  Games will likely start near the beginning of December.

We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will now include updates from leadership as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. View the full schedule here. 

November Parent Meeting/Speaker Series: Join us for our next Home & School meeting on November 19 at 7:00 pm at our Lower Campus. Psychologist Paul Buckley will present on the topic of anxiety and adolescent mental health.

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event and calendar link for November.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

                    

 

News Notes: November 1, 2019

The Week Ahead: 

Sunday, Nov. 3:	Daylight Savings Time begins (Fall Back!)
Monday, Nov. 4:	Student vs Staff/Coaches Volleyball Game, 4:00 pm, UC Gym
Tuesday, Nov. 5:	Election Day PreK Curious Minds in-house FT, 10:00 am
Wednesday, Nov. 6:	UC Prayer Service, 9:15 am
Thursday, Nov. 7:	Gr. 7 Parent Lunch, 12:00 pm, Social Hall
Friday, Nov. 8:	UC Marathon Pancake Breakfast, 8:30 am, Social Hall Gr. K Field Trip to the Richardson Nature Center, 12:00 pm Christmas Musical Rehearsals begin, 4:00 pm, Upper Campus

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• Shoe Drive flyer  (goldenrod)

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:

It was wonderful seeing you at Parent/Teacher Conferences.  Thank you for partnering with us to educate your child academically and spiritually.  As we “fall” back this weekend, please take some time to reflect on how much we have accomplished these past couple of months and all we have to look forward in the months ahead!  

Today is All Saints' Day, observed by Catholics in honor of all saints known and unknown. As a Catholic School, we are grateful for the opportunity to learn about and work towards modeling the saints who have gone before us.

God Bless, 
Mary Yamoah, Principal 

With class parties, special guests and a K/8 buddy gathering, 
it was fun seeing our Saints getting into the Halloween spirit!

Saints Way “Top 20” Tips for October:  During the month of October, your child learned about “The Line.” This imaginary line helps distinguish the state of our mind as being above the line or below the line. When we are above the line, our thinking is working in our best interest.  We have a positive view on life and how we see it. We are able to communicate more effectively and make better decisions when above the line. When we are below the line, our thinking is not working in our best interest and we have a negative view on life causing us to make poor decisions and choices. Ask your child about his/her trampoline. How do they go from being below to above? Watch out, we have invitations that bring us below the line all the time! For more information on Top 20, please click here.

Marathon Pancake Breakfast: Students who brought in pledges of $300 or more are invited to a pancake breakfast with Mrs. Yamoah and Mr. Blanda. Save the date for the:

     UC Pancake Breakfast:  Friday, November 8th at 8:30 am in the Social Hall  
     LC Pancake Breakfast:  Monday, November 11th at 8:30 am in the Cafeteria   

Spread the Word! Carondelet’s Admissions Open House is Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30 pm at the Lower Campus. If you know a family who might be interested in learning more about Carondelet, share the event page from Facebook or drop us an email and we’ll send them a personal invitation to tour our school!  If you or your middle school student would like to be a greeter for this event, please contact Megan Hower.

Pre-K and Kindergarten 2020: Do you have a pre-k or a kindergarten-eligible child for 2020? If so, please email Megan Hower so we can plan accordingly. We offer a 4 and 5-day pre-kindergarten option for students who turn 4 before September 1, 2020.

Men’s Shoe Drive: The Carondelet Catholic School National Junior Honor Society is hosting a Fall Shoe Drive for the Hennepin County Medical Center.  We are collecting new or gently used men’s shoes. Collection dates will be every Wednesday until November 13th. Our goal is to bring in 200 pairs of shoes with the top classroom receiving an out of uniform day.  Thank you in advance for your support!  View the flyer here.

Washington DC - Attention 8th Grade Parents: Don't forget to sign up your child for their exciting 8th Grade Washington DC trip.  Registration ends today, Friday, November 1st! The dates of the trip are June 8-12. Contact Mrs. Pilsner if you have any questions or need help registering! 

Middle School Newsletter: Click here for the latest edition of the student produced Middle School newsletter.

Fall sports wrap up:  The fall sports season has come to a close with tournaments concluding last Saturday.  All of our CCS sports teams played hard and are to be congratulated on their efforts.  A special congratulations to our Varsity Boys soccer team who finished second in their tournament.  More congratulations to our two Varsity Bronze volleyball teams who placed first and second in their season ending tournament.  The Purple team edged the Green team for the title but it provided an exciting end to the tournament that took place here at CCS.  Way to go Saints!  Finally, thank you to all of our coaches who did a great job working with our student athletes this fall.  Soccer coaches were: Jeff Mueller, Ms. Jill Zastrow, Doug Cleary, Kate Lovrien, and Jim Lovrien.  Our volleyball coaches were:  Seth Ralston, Mark Stauffer, Mary Cleary, Martha Lowry, Eddie Blok, Ms. Meg Pilsner, Ms. Ali Maeser, and Ms. Jodi Nilsen. 

Uniform Return:  Please return fall sports jerseys to the UC school office freshly laundered in a bag with the player's name included.  Uniforms must be returned by November 15th or a $50 fee will be charged to your school account.  

Basketball coach needed:  We are still looking for a 5th grade boys basketball coach for the upcoming season.  Please contact  Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director if you are able and interested in helping out.  

Basketball practices:   Basketball practices officially begin the week of November 11th.  Coaches will begin contacting parents and players next week once the practice schedule is set.  Game schedules are not out yet and will likely not be available until the latter part of November.  Games will likely start near the beginning of December.  

8th grade vs. Teacher/staff/coaches volleyball game:   On Monday, November 4th an old CCS tradition is renewed as the Varsity Silver (8th grade girls) take on the CCS staff/coaches in a volleyball game at the UC.  First serve will take place around 4:20 p.m.  Come watch our 8th graders in their final volleyball match of their stellar careers as they try to teach the teachers/staff/coaches a lesson.  Some of the staff All Stars rumored to be participating in the match include Ms. Ali Maeser (Formerly of Team USA), Mrs. McSweeney (Marquette University,)  Mr. Rome (Penn State Men's team), Mr. Seth Ralston (Western Kentucky Men's team and 8th grade coach), Ms. D (Nebraska),  Mr. Connolly (UCLA men's team),  Mrs. Pote (University of Minnesota), Mrs. Ralston (Stanford), Senora Bray (La Universidad de Barcelona)...and more.  Parents and students are all welcome to come cheer on their favorite players for an afternoon of fun!

Junior Cub Basketball: Registration for boys and girls junior cub basketball (Grades 2-3) is now open. Click here to register and/or for more details. Registration deadline is today, November 1st. For questions, please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director. 

The Loaned Manger: A Christmas Musical!  Students  in grades K-12 are invited to participate in this winter theater production directed by Heather Dorsey.  The Theatre Academy offers intensive theater training for young actors and musicians. Registration and rehearsal forms went home Tuesday, October 15th.  Extra forms are available in both campus offices. Performances are Saturday, December 14 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Rehearsals begin Friday, November 10 and are held Friday after school, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Click here to view The Loaned Manger poster, Parent Information letter or complete Rehearsal schedule. The Participation Form can be viewed here. The complete schedule is online on the school’s website calendar. 

We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will now include updates from leadership as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. View the full schedule here. 

November Parent Meeting/Speaker Series: Join us for our next Home & School meeting on November 19 at 7:00 pm at our Lower Campus. Psychologist Paul Buckley will present on the topic of anxiety and adolescent mental health.

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event and calendar link for November.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

                    

News Notes: October 25, 2019

The Week Ahead: 

Monday, Oct. 28:	Box Tops for Education deadline
Tuesday, Oct. 29:	LC Health Screening
Wednesday, Oct. 30:	UC Mass, 9:15 am Waite House pick up, noon Gr. 5-8 Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4:30 pm, Social Hall
Thursday, Oct. 31:	Happy Halloween!  (please see below for additional information) NO LC Chess today because of Halloween! Kinders & 8th Gr. Halloween Celebration/Parade, 1:45 pm, UC
Friday, Nov. 1:	No School – Parent / Teacher Conferences

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• November Lunch Menu  (green)
• Waite House flyer  (golden)
• Box Tops for Education flyer  (white)
• Magic, The Gathering Card Club flyer, Gr. 6-8 only  (bright blue)

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:
Thank you to Mr. Subialka, our coaches and volunteers for hosting last night’s Volleyball Jamboree. There was so much energy and excitement on campus with all seven of our volleyball teams competing at the Upper Campus! It was fun to see so many Saints gathered for this special event. 

Our Home & School Association held the first meeting of the year on Tuesday evening.  Thank you to those who were able to attend. We learned about the new format for Home & School meetings, various volunteer opportunities, School Board goals, and updates on the strategic plan.  Please mark your calendar for our next Home & School meeting on Tuesday, November 19.  Our parent information session will focus on Anxiety & Adolescent Mental Health. We hope to see you there!

Just a reminder as the weather is getting colder outside, please be sure to send your student to school with warm winter apparel, since all grades go outside each day. 

God Bless, 
Mary Yamoah, Principal 

New MakerSpace Activities: Our MakerSpace engineers have been studying three dimensional shapes this week, building and testing them to see if they can support weight, and learning why joints are important with the Building Your Imagination Kits. The kits are on loan to us from the C-STEM library, a partnership with the University of St. Thomas School of Engineering. We are looking forward to working with robots next! Our students and teachers are loving the hands-on activities this year's Carondelet MakerSpace is offering.

Grades 5-8 Fall Conferences:  Fall conferences for grades 5-8 will be held the evening of October 30th from 4:30-8:30pm and the morning of November 1st from 8:00am-12:00pm in the Upper Campus/CTK Social Hall.  Please sign up for a 5 minute conference slot with each teacher that you would like to meet with. If you need a longer time period with a particular teacher, please feel free to set up another meeting time.   Please sign up for only one time slot per teacher, per student. There are separate sign up forms for Wednesday, October 30 and Friday, November 1. Sign-ups will close on Sunday, October 27 to allow teachers time to prepare.  Thank you!
          WEDNESDAY CONFERENCE SIGN-UP
          FRIDAY CONFERENCE SIGN-UP

Halloween Out-of-Uniform:  Halloween is an out-of-uniform day, as follows:
   Pre-K: Halloween costumes or shirts allowed
   K & 8: Halloween/Black and/or Orange shirts with uniform bottoms in am, costumes in pm only
   1-4: Halloween/Black and/or Orange with uniform bottoms (costumes during party only)
   5-7: Halloween/Black and/or Orange with uniform bottoms

Admissions Open House: Carondelet’s Admissions Open House is Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30 pm at the Lower Campus. If you know a family who might be interested in learning more about Carondelet, drop us an email and we’ll send them a personal invitation to tour our school!  If you or your middle school student would like to be a greeter for this event, please contact Megan Hower.

Washington DC - Attention 8th Grade Parents: Don't forget to sign up your child for their exciting 8th Grade Washington DC trip.  Registration will end next Friday, November 1st! The dates of the trip are June 8-12. Contact Mrs. Pilsner if you have any questions or need help registering! 

Waite House:  Pick up of donated items for Waite House for October will be at noon on Wednesday, October 30th.  Let your spirit of kindness show this month.  Please remember to double bag your items! Please check out the flyer to find information about Waite House and what items are most needed.

Middle School Newsletter: Click here for the latest edition of the student produced Middle School newsletter.

GOGO - Save the Date! Be on the lookout for your "save the date" postcard to arrive via mail with details to follow in the coming months. We are excited to announce the new venue this year at the Calhoun Beach Club for our GoGo on February 29th and look forward to gathering as a community to celebrate, honor and support our Saints! If you are interested in getting involved, this is a fun way to connect with others in the community. Please contact Rachel Horejsi. 

Volleyball Showcase: Thank you all for everyone who helped make the CCS volleyball showcase a success last night.  A couple of special thank-you’s to Betsy Kinkead and Stephanie Simpson who spearheaded the concessions for the evening.  Also, thank you to Doug Cleary and the Saints Mens Club for their work in replacing and repairing lights in the UC gym. Thank you too, for all of the students, parents, coaches, and teachers who assisted with scoring, line judging, concessions, and set up.  It was a great night for the CCS community!!!

Season-Ending Tournaments: Season-ending tournaments take place tomorrow (Saturday, October 26th) at various locations for volleyball and varsity soccer.  Please come cheer on our Saints as they wrap up their seasons. Ask your coach or check the SSYO website for brackets.  Go Saints!

Uniform Return: Now that the fall seasons are concluding, please return your jerseys to the school office.  Jerseys should be returned freshly laundered in a plastic bag with the player's name on it. Uniforms not returned by Friday, November 15th, will be charged a $50.00 fee and will be billed to your school account.  

5th Grade Boys Basketball Coach Needed: CCS is currently in need of a 5th grade boys basketball coach and assistant.  Games are typically played on Saturday mornings or early afternoons. Practices are held twice a week.  Practices begin the week of November 11th. Coaches must be VIRTUS trained. Please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director, if you are interested and can help.

Junior Cub Basketball: Registration for boys and girls junior cub basketball (Grades 2-3) is now open. Click here to register and/or for more details. Registration deadline is November 1st. For questions, please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director. 

The Loaned Manger: A Christmas Musical!  Students  in grades K-12 are invited to participate in this winter theater production directed by Heather Dorsey.  The Theatre Academy offers intensive theater training for young actors and musicians. Registration and rehearsal forms went home today, Tuesday, October 15th.  Extra forms are available in both campus offices. Performances are Saturday, December 14 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Rehearsals begin Friday, November 10 and are held Friday after school, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  Click here to view The Loaned Manger poster, Parent Information letter or complete Rehearsal schedule. The Participation Form can be viewed here.  The complete schedule is online on the school’s website calendar.

We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will now include updates from leadership as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. View the full schedule here. 

November Parent Meeting/Speaker Series: Join us for our next Home & School meeting on November 19 at 7:00 pm at our Lower Campus. Psychologist Paul Buckley will present on the topic of anxiety and adolescent mental health.

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event and calendar link for November.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

                    

News Notes: October 15, 2019

The Week Ahead:

Monday, Oct. 21:	Home Volleyball Games, UC Gym,      4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm
Tuesday, Oct. 22:	LC Birthday Lunch w/Mrs. Yamoah Home & School Parent Night Mtg, 6:30 pm, LC Cafeteria
Wednesday, Oct. 23:	UC Prayer Service, 9:15 am Gr. 1 Field Trip to MN Book Arts, 9:30 am
Thursday, Oct. 24:	CCS’ First Annual Volleyball Jamboree, 4:15 pm, UC Gym
Friday, Oct. 25:	Picture Retakes, both campuses, am only

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• The Loaned Manger parent letter, registration and rehearsal flyer  (yellow)

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:

Carondelet’s faculty and staff will be attending this Wednesday’s Catholic Schools Center of Excellence Summit, so the school offices will be closed over the break. We are looking forward to next week’s Home & School Parent Night. We’ll hear from Home & School, the Board of Directors and Administration on this year’s school initiatives.  Have a wonderful MEA break! We will look forward to seeing you all back in school on Monday, October 21.

God Bless
Mary Yamoah, Principal

Today our kindergartners walked to the Fire Station in Linden Hills!

November Lunch Orders: November lunch orders are due by Monday, October 22 at 10:00 am. You may choose one or as many days as you like. You will receive a confirmation email after you order so please remember to keep it for your records! Orders will be billed to your school account. Late orders cannot be accepted. Place your order lunch here. 

Grades 5-8 Fall Conferences:  Fall conferences for grades 5-8 will be held the evening of October 30th from 4:30-8:30pm and the morning of November 1st from 8:00am-12:00pm in the Upper Campus/CTK Social Hall.  Please sign up for a 5 minute conference slot with each teacher that you would like to meet with. If you need a longer time period with a particular teacher, please feel free to set up another meeting time.   Please sign up for only one time slot per teacher, per student. There are separate sign up forms for Wednesday, October 30 and Friday, November 1. Sign-ups will close on Sunday, October 27 to allow teachers time to prepare.  Thank you!

          WEDNESDAY CONFERENCE SIGN-UP
          FRIDAY CONFERENCE SIGN-UP

Sweatshirts in School: We’ve been more lenient recently on uniform apparel as the weather has changed, but we will now be enforcing our school uniform dress code. Solid navy sweaters, fleece pullovers, and crewneck logo’d sweatshirts (or no logo for sweaters or fleece). Grey spirit wear sweatshirts are not part of our uniform and cannot be worn during the school day.  Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Admissions Open House: Carondelet’s Admissions Open House is Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30 pm at the Lower Campus. If you know a family who might be interested in learning more about Carondelet, please invite them to attend. Or, drop us an email and we’ll send them a personal invitation to tour our school! 

Extended Day Survey:  We are partnering with the Cathoilc Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE) to conduct market research to help determine what families want from their before and after school programs. Please take a few moments to give us your input on school extended-day programs by answering the questions in this brief survey.  If you have already completed the survey, thank you!

Incredible Teacher Contest! There is one more week left to submit an entry to the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence #IncredibleTeacher contest! Your favorite Carondelet teacher could win $1,000 for themself AND $1,000 for their classroom. Tag Catholic Schools Center of Excellence in a Facebook or Instagram post telling why your teacher is incredible! Don't forget to use #IncredibleTeacher and follow their page to see who wins! Check out the flyer for more details.

Carondelet Volleyball Showcase:  Join us for a CCS volleyball showcase Thursday, October 24.  All seven of our CCS volleyball teams will be playing in the UC gym on this evening. Come for the fun and cheer on your favorite CCS volleyball players and teams! Concessions will be available for your enjoyment. If you are interested in helping with concessions, please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director. Seven great teams under one roof, all in one night!  

Volleyball Showcase Schedule (Oct. 24):
     4:15 PM: Varsity Silver vs. St. John's Savage
     5:15 PM: Cub Bronze vs St. Hubert's Bronze
     6:00 PM: Cub Silver Purple (Maeser) vs Cub Silver Green (Pilsner)
     6:45 PM: Cub Gold vs. Cub Gold (Intrasquad game)
     7:30 PM: Varsity Bronze Purple (Lowry) vs Varsity Bronze Green (Cleary)

Junior Cub Basketball: Registration for boys and girls junior cub basketball (Grades 2-3) is now open. Click here to register and/or for more details. Registration deadline is November 1st. For questions, please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director. 

The Loaned Manger: A Christmas Musical!  Students  in grades K-12 are invited to participate in this winter theater production directed by Heather Dorsey.  The Theatre Academy offers intensive theater training for young actors and musicians. Registration and rehearsal forms went home today, Tuesday, October 15th.  Extra forms are available in both campus offices. Performances are Saturday, December 14 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Rehearsals begin Friday, November 10 and are held Friday after school, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The complete schedule is online on the school’s website calendar. 

October Home & School Parent Night Meeting: We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will now include updates from our leadership teams including Home & School, the Board of Directors and Principal Yamoah, as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. View the schedule here. Save the date for the next meeting:

The School Year Ahead: Updates from Leadership 
Tuesday, October 22, 7:00-8:30 pm, LC Cafeteria

Art Adventure Volunteers Needed: Volunteer with Carondelet’s Art Adventure program! Our school is one of hundreds of schools across the state that participate in this program created by the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA). Parent volunteers are paired up, and using MIA-created materials, present 2-3 times to student classrooms. Please contact Stephanie Simpson or Betsy Kinkead for details.

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

STA Children’s Choir:  Join the St. Thomas the Apostle Children’s Choir! Rehearsals are on Wednesdays at 5:15 pm in the church. It is open to children in grades 2-8. Participating in this choir not only enhances and supports sung prayer of the community, the children are also formed in the rituals and traditions of our Catholic Faith.  Contact Mary Werner for more details.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event and calendar link.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

 

News Notes: October 11, 2019

The Week Ahead:

Saturday, Oct. 12:	STA’s Great Gathering, 6:30 pm, Edina Country Club
Monday, Oct. 14:	Home Volleyball Games, UC Gym,      4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm
Tuesday, Oct. 15:	Final Marathon Collection Day
Wednesday, Oct. 16:	No School
Thursday, Oct. 17:	No School
Friday, Oct. 18:	No School

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• Picture packages from Lifetouch
• CSCOE Magazine

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:

We had a faith-filled week at Carondelet!  Our Lower Campus celebrated a prayer service on Tuesday with Fr. Michael and our Upper Campus celebrated Mass on Wednesday with Fr. Bill.  Thank you to Mrs. Faber and Mrs. Daugherty-Sexe for helping our students plan and prepare these beautiful liturgies. All are welcome to join us.  Please be sure to check the school calendar for upcoming prayer services and masses.

Students in grades 3-5 also attended a Children’s Rosary Pilgrimage on Monday, October 7, commemorating the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. This event consisted of Eucharistic exposition, a homily by Archbishop Hebda and the recitation of the Holy Rosary with nearly 2,000 Catholic grade school children (K-8th grade) in attendance!  It was an extremely powerful day for the children as they gathered with their peers to honor the Blessed Mother. 

We are happy to announce the expected arrival of three new Saints this year. Baby Adelman (due November 30), Baby Lodermeier (due January 1), and Baby Yamoah (due December 26). We are working on filling the interim teaching positions for Mrs. Lodermeier and Mrs. Adelman. Mr. Blanda will be acting as interim principal during my leave. Please feel free to email me with questions or names of prospective candidates for open interim substitute positions, and watch for updates in the weeks ahead. 

God Bless
Mary Yamoah, Principal

November Lunch Orders: November lunch orders are due by Monday, October 22 at 10:00 am. You may choose one or as many days as you like. You will receive a confirmation email after you order so please remember to keep it for your records! Orders will be billed to your school account. Late orders cannot be accepted.  Place your order lunch here.

Grade 5-8 Fall Conferences: Fall conferences for grades 5-8 will be held the evening of Wednesday, October 30th from 4:30pm-8:30pm and the morning of Friday, November 1st from 8:00am-12:00pm in the Upper Campus/CTK Social Hall.  Please sign up for a 5 minute conference slot with each teacher that you would like to meet. If you need a longer time period with a particular teacher, please feel free to set up another meeting time. Please sign up for only one time slot per teacher, per student. There are separate sign up forms for Wednesday, October 30 and for Friday November 1. Sign-ups will close on Sunday, October 27 to allow teachers time to prepare. Thank you!
          WEDNESDAY CONFERENCE SIGN-UP
          FRIDAY CONFERENCE SIGN-UP

Incredible Teacher Contest! There are two weeks left to submit an entry to the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence #IncredibleTeacher contest! Your favorite Carondelet teacher could win $1,000 for themself AND $1,000 for their classroom. Tag Catholic Schools Center of Excellence in a Facebook or Instagram post telling why your teacher is incredible! Don't forget to use #IncredibleTeacher and follow their page to see who wins!

Marathon Day of Service: Thank you to everyone who volunteered and brought in pledges this week for our Marathon Day of Service! As of today, we have raised just over $82,000 of our $75,000 goal and donated over 1,000 service hours to our broader community. Students are still eligible for prizes through next Tuesday’s collection day. Thank you to all those who pledged our students, offered donations, prayers, and/or time to make this year's Marathon Day of Service such a wonderful success. Way to go, Saints! 

The Family Fun Night was also a great success! It was fun seeing the kids enjoying the DJ, face painting, giant pizzas and paint-your-own-pumpkins! Thank you to all who attended and volunteered for this community-building event and to everyone still working on bringing in the $80,000 in pledge money. OUR GIVING MATTERS!

Pledge Tally Volunteers Needed: We’re still looking for a few volunteers to help tally pledge donations next Tuesday, October 15. Sign-up here!

Sweatshirts in School: We’ve been more lenient the last few days on uniform apparel as the weather has quickly changed, but we will now be enforcing our school uniform dress code. Solid navy sweaters, fleece pullovers, and crewneck logo’d sweatshirts (or no logo for sweaters or fleece). Grey spirit wear sweatshirts are not part of our uniform and cannot be worn during the school day.  Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Extended Day Survey:  We are partnering with the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE) to conduct market research to help determine what families want from their before and after school programs. Please take a few moments to give us your input on school extended-day programs by answering the questions in this brief survey.  If you have already completed the survey, thank you!

Junior Cub Basketball: Registration for boys and girls junior cub basketball (Grades 2-3) is now open. Click here to register and/or for more details. Registration deadline is November 1st. For questions, please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director. 

Carondelet Volleyball Showcase:  Join us for a CCS volleyball showcase Thursday, October 24.  All seven of our CCS volleyball teams will be playing in the UC gym on this evening. Come for the fun and cheer on your favorite CCS volleyball players and teams! Concessions will be available for your enjoyment. If you are interested in helping with concessions, please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director. Seven great teams under one roof, all in one night!  

Volleyball Showcase Schedule (October 24):
     4:15 PM: Varsity Silver vs. St. John's Savage
     5:15 PM: Cub Bronze vs St. Hubert's Bronze
     6:00 PM: Cub Silver Purple (Maeser) vs Cub Silver Green (Pilsner)
     6:45 PM: Cub Gold vs. Cub Gold (Intrasquad game)
     7:30 PM: Varsity Bronze Purple (Lowry) vs Varsity Bronze Green (Cleary)

The Loaned Manger: A Christmas Musical!  Students  in grades K-12 are invited to participate in this winter theater production directed by Heather Dorsey.  The Theatre Academy offers intensive theater training for young actors and musicians. Registration and rehearsal forms come home on Tuesday, October 15th.  Performances are Saturday, December 14 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Rehearsals begin Friday, November 10 and are held Friday after school, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The complete schedule is online on the school’s website calendar. 

October Home & School Parent Night Meeting: We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will now include updates from our leadership teams including Home & School, the Board of Directors and Principal Yamoah, as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. View the schedule here. Save the date for the next meeting:

The School Year Ahead: Updates from Leadership 
   Tuesday, October 22, 7:00-8:30 pm, LC Cafeteria

Art Adventure Volunteers Needed: Volunteer with Carondelet’s Art Adventure program! Our school is one of hundreds of schools across the state that participate in this program created by the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA). Parent volunteers are paired up, and using MIA-created materials, present 2-3 times to student classrooms. Please contact Stephanie Simpson or Betsy Kinkead for details.

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

STA Children’s Choir:  Join the St. Thomas the Apostle Children’s Choir! Rehearsals are on Wednesdays at 5:15 pm in the church. It is open to children in grades 2-8. Participating in this choir not only enhances and supports sung prayer of the community, the children are also formed in the rituals and traditions of our Catholic Faith.  Contact Mary Werner for more details.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event and calendar link.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

           

News Notes: October 4, 2019

The Week Ahead:

Saturday, Oct. 5:	CTK’s Oktoberfest, 5:30 pm, UC Social Hall & Gym
Monday, Oct. 7:	Math Team’s 1st Math Meet, 7:45 am, Ms. D’s room Gr. 3-5 Field Trip to the Cathedral for World Mission Rosary, 9 am
Tuesday, Oct. 8:	Marathon Collection Day UC Birthday Lunch w/Mrs. Yamoah LC Prayer Service, 9:30 am Exploradome is at the LC after the Prayer Service School Board mtg, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, Oct. 9:	UC Mass, 9:15 am
Thursday, Oct. 10:
Friday, Oct. 11
Saturday, Oct.12	STA’s Great Gathering, 6:30 pm, Edina Country Club

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• Marathon flyer  (yellow)
• Literary Pumpkin Patch flyer, LC only  (blue)

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:
Our SAINTS have had a busy week!  We conducted our first ALICE drill, celebrated our first pep fest, held our Marathon Day of Service, and are also wrapping up NWEA Map testing.  

Thank you to everyone who has donated time and/or service this week for our Marathon Day of Service! As of today, students have brought in over $76,000 in pledges and donated over 1,000 hours of service to those in need. To celebrate our Day of Service, Carondelet families and friends are invited to join us at the Lower Campus from 5:30-7:30 pm for a Family Fun Night. We’ll have food, games, a DJ, face painters, a fall craft activity, Game Truck and more! Bring cash or check for food and activities.  A special thank you to Angi Rassi for organizing this year’s Family Fun Night!

Looking ahead, we have many field trips and learning opportunities scheduled.  Please be sure to check the calendar on our school website for updates.  Thank you for your support as we work towards a year of helping everyone succeed!  

God Bless
Mary Yamoah, Principal

Thank you, Saints for this Marathon Day of Service.
Let us pray for all those needing food, shelter, clothing,
hygiene items and a reminder that they are loved. 

Visit the Marathon Day of Service webpage 

Pledges, Prizes and T-Shirts! Pledge envelopes will be collected, tallied and returned to students on Tuesdays through October. Students who collect:
* Pledges of $100+ earn the NEW Day of Service T-shirt (worn on Fridays through Oct.)
* Pledges of $300+ earn a Pancake Breakfast with Mrs. Yamoah
* Pledges of $400+ earn an out-of-uniform pass for all Fridays through December!
* Pledges of $500+ earn a VIP Pass to the Family Fun Night Game Truck and
entry into the prize drawing for 6 Waterpark passes, a droid, sky drone or GoPro Hero!

Pledge Tally - Volunteers Needed: We’re still looking for a few volunteers to help tally pledge donations on Tuesday mornings, 10/8 and 10/15. Sign-up here! 

More information on the Marathon Day of Service

Extended Day Survey: We are conducting market research on behalf of the Catholic School Center of Excellence (CSCOE) to learn about how we can improve/expand the extended day programs in our Catholic schools. I would love a chance to get input from Carondelet parents, whether or not you currently have a child enrolled in Club Saint.

We have heard from parents who are finding district or school extended day programs full, too far from home, or too expensive. Please help us assess need and prioritize programming options for school extended day programs. Your input is important and much appreciated! The survey has only 11 questions, and will take under 10 minutes to complete.  Click here for the link to the survey.

Art Adventure Volunteers Needed: Volunteer with Carondelet’s Art Adventure program! Our school is one of hundreds of schools across the state that participate in this program created by the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA). Parent volunteers are paired up, and using MIA-created materials, present 2-3 times to student classrooms. Please contact Stephanie Simpson or Betsy Kinkead for details.

2019-2020 Parent Speaker Night Meetings: We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will now include updates from our leadership teams including Home & School, the Board of Directors and Principal Yamoah, as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. View the schedule here. Save the date for these upcoming events:

Parent Info Night: The School Year Ahead: Updates from Leadership, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 7-8:30 pm, LC Cafeteria

Donuts with Dad: Friday, November 15, 8:30am, UC Social Hall

Parent Info Night: Anxiety & Adolescent Mental Health, Tuesday, November 19, 7:00 - 8:30pm, LC Cafeteria

Lower Campus Lunch Volunteers: Volunteers are needed to help in the lunchroom during Lower Campus lunch. Time commitment is 12:00 pm-1:05 pm. Please note, all volunteers must be VIRTUS trained. Please contact Holly Barborak for more information. Sign-up here.

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

St. Thomas the Apostle Gala: Carondelet Catholic School staff and parents are invited to St. Thomas the Apostle’s Great Gathering on October 12. Click here for details.

STA Children’s Choir:  Join the St. Thomas the Apostle Children’s Choir! Rehearsals are on Wednesdays at 5:15 pm in the church. It is open to children in grades 2-8. Participating in this choir not only enhances and supports sung prayer of the community, the children are also formed in the rituals and traditions of our Catholic Faith.  Contact Mary Werner for more details.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event and calendar link.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

                    

News Notes: September 27, 2019

The Week Ahead:

Monday, September 30:	Standardized Testing, Upper and Lower Campus
Tuesday, October 1:	Final Marathon Pledge Day
Wednesday, October 2:	UC Prayer Service, 9:15 am Gr 7 Field Trip to Bell Museum, 9:45 am
Thursday, October 3:
Friday, October 4:	Marathon Day of Service!     Including Gr 2 Field Trip to MN Veterans Home                    Gr 3 Field Trip to Edenbrook Care Center                    Gr 6-7 Field Trip to Feed My Starving Children                    Gr 8 spends their day at the Lower with their                             Kindergarten buddies Family Fun Night! 5:30-7:30 pm, Lower Campus
Saturday, October 5:	CTK’s Oktoberfest, 5:30 pm

 

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• October calendar  (salmon)

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:
It was wonderful celebrating Mass with students in grades 3-8 at Christ the King on Wednesday.  A special thank you to Mr. Rome’s homeroom for preparing a beautiful liturgy. Please be sure to mark your calendar for our next 3-8 Mass on Wednesday, October 9th at Christ the King (9:15am).  All are welcome!

September has flown by, and next Friday is our Marathon Day of Service & Family Fun Night! We have one more week to gather pledges. When kids tell me about success they’ve had going out to ask their neighbors and family members to pledge them, there is a real sense of pride in giving back to our greater community. The kids definitely feel a part of this, and we are so proud of their work. Angi Rassi and her committee are still looking for volunteers for the Family Fun Night on October 4th, if you’d like to get involved.  Thank you in advance for your support!

God Bless

Mary Yamoah, Principal

 

Our 6th graders spent the last 3 days at Camp St. Croix, an environmental awareness
and team-building retreat in Hudson, WI. Thank you to all who chaperoned
this awesome group of kids and to the teachers for planning the trip!

Visit the Marathon Day of Service webpage

Thank you to everyone who brought in pledges this week for our Marathon Day of Service! Our goal this year is to raise $75,000 in pledges and donate over 1,000 service hours throughout the community for our Day of Service on Friday, October 4. Carondelet families and friends are then invited to join us back at the Lower Campus from 5:30-7:30 pm for a Family Fun Night. We’ll have food, games, a DJ, face painters, craft activities and more! 

Our final pledge tally day is next Tuesday, October 1st! As of today, students have brought in close to $48,000 of our $75,000 goal. Let’s make our final pledge day our best yet! Pledges of all sizes matter! 

Click here for a sample pledge email for students.  

Volunteer for the Family Fun Night here.

Class Service Projects: Each grade level will complete their designated service projects as a class on Friday, October 4. View service projects by grade.

Pledges, Prizes and T-Shirts! Pledge envelopes will be collected, tallied and returned to students on Tuesdays through October. Students who collect:
* Pledges of $100+ earn the NEW Day of Service T-shirt (worn on Fridays through Oct.)
* Pledges of $300+ earn a Pancake Breakfast with Mrs. Yamoah
* Pledges of $400+ earn an out-of-uniform pass for all Fridays through December!
* Pledges of $500+ earn a VIP Pass to the Family Fun Night Game Truck and entry into  the prize drawing for 6 Waterpark passes, a droid, sky drone or GoPro Hero!

More information on the Marathon Day of Service.

New 2019-2020 Parent Directory:  Our Parent Directory is formatted directly from Sycamore, our Student Management System, with data generated from the household information you entered in Sycamore upon registration. Please be sure to access your Sycamore account and verify the information there. We need your demographic information to be current and complete, including email addresses and cell phone numbers and carrier. You can make corrections and additions to your household demographics and Emergency Contacts through September 27th.  Please contact Mr. Blanda with questions or if you need assistance accessing your account. Thank you.

NWEA MAP Testing: Our fall round of standardized testing is underway. We will finish up testing at the UC and at the Lower Campus next week. All students in 1-8 take the Fall reading and math assessments. Grades 3, 5, and 7 students also take the MAP language component and 4, 6, and 8 also take the science test. We will use the Fall data to make some individual instructional decisions and test again in the spring for growth data. While these standardized tests are an important piece of the assessment puzzle, the formal and informal assessments teachers are doing in the classrooms every day give us great feedback as well. Please be sure your child gets a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast on testing days.

2019-2020 Parent Speaker Night Meetings: We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will now include updates from our leadership teams including Home & School, the Board of Directors and Principal Yamoah, as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. View the schedule here. We’re looking forward to a great year!

Lower Campus Lunch Volunteers: Volunteers are needed to help in the lunchroom during Lower Campus lunch. Time commitment is 12:00 pm-1:05 pm. Please note, all volunteers must be VIRTUS trained. Please contact Holly Barborak for more information. Sign-up here.

Art Adventure Volunteers Needed: Do you like art? Do you want to encourage your children to look at art and to think about what it means? Help out with Carondelet’s Art Adventure program! Our school is one of hundreds of schools across the state that participate in this program created by the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA). Parent volunteers are paired up, and using Mia-created materials, present 2-3 times to student classrooms. Please contact Stephanie Simpson or Betsy Kinkead for details.

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Christ the King Youth Ministry:  The 6-12th grade youth ministry kids are headed to Sever’s Corn Maze tomorrow, Saturday, September 28th!  Sign up here.  

St Thomas the Apostle Gala: Carondelet Catholic School staff and parents are invited to St. Thomas the Apostle’s Great Gathering on October 12. Click here for details.

St Thomas the Apostle Children’s Choir:  Join the St. Thomas the Apostle Children’s Choir! Rehearsals are on Wednesdays at 5:15 pm in the church. It is open to children in grades 2-8. Participating in this choir not only enhances and supports sung prayer of the community, the children are also formed in the rituals and traditions of our Catholic Faith.  Contact Mary Werner for more details.

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event and calendar link.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

 

News Notes: September 20, 2019

The Week Ahead:

Saturday, September 21:	VIRTUS Training, 9:00 am-noon, UC Social Hall
Monday, September 23:	Standardized Testing continues at the Upper Campus
Tuesday, September 24:	Marathon Pledge Day LC Birthday Lunch w/Mrs Yamoah Home Volleyball Games, UC Gym,      4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm 8th Gr Washington DC trip meeting for students & parents,      5:30 pm in Mrs. Pilsner’s room
Wednesday, September 25:	6th Gr leaves for Camp St Croix, 9:00 am UC Mass, 9:15 am
Thursday, September 26:
Friday, September 27:	4th Gr Field Trip to Stages Theater, 9:30 am 6th Gr returns from Camp St. Croix, 2:00 pm

The following information went home on Wednesday:

• October Hot Lunch Menu  (salmon)
• Parent Information Nights flyer  (purple)

Gentle Reminder:  Please do not drop off your Upper Campus student in the morning anywhere in the front of the school building along York Avenue.  This includes across the street, especially blocking our neighbors driveways. It is not safe for our students. Please pass the word along to your occasional drivers, such as nannies and grandparents.  We greatly appreciate it.

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:
There was great energy at school this week with Parent Information Nights at both campuses. It’s always nice meeting our parents and giving you a glimpse into how our students spend their day! The kids also seem to be settling into their new school year routines. We are truly blessed to be partnering with you in the education of your children academically, spiritually, and socially.

We are looking forward to the new format for this year’s Home & School Meetings/Parent Information Nights. There is a great line-up of speakers with topics relevant to families with school-aged children. We hope you’ll join us. 

Thank you to everyone who brought in Marathon Day of Service pledges this week. We are one third of the way to reaching our goal of $75,000 in exchange for over 1,500 service hours. Way to go, Saints!

Thank you again for partnering with us in the education of your child. Communication and working together are the keys to Carondelet’s success.  If you have questions or concerns at any time, please do not hesitate to reach out. 

God Bless,
Mary Yamoah, Principal

Thank you to everyone who brought in pledges this week for our Marathon Day of Service. Our goal this year is to raise $75,000 in pledges and donate over 1,500 service hours throughout the community for our Day of Service on Friday, October 4. Carondelet families and friends are then invited to join us back at the Lower Campus for a Family Fun Night. Our next pledge tally and t-shirt distribution day is next Tuesday, Sept. 24. Pledges of all sizes do make a difference!

Please note - we were expecting our Marathon Day of Service t-shirts to have arrived yesterday, but they didn’t come.  We will hand out shirts hopefully on Monday! Pray that they come!

For more information visit the Marathon Day of Service homepage.

Click here for a sample email template/script for students.

Class Service Projects: Each grade level will complete their designated service projects as a class on Friday, October 4. Click here for the list of service projects by grade.

Pledges, Prizes and T-Shirts! Pledge envelopes will be collected, tallied and returned to students on Tuesdays through October. Students who collect:
* Pledges of $100+ earn the NEW Day of Service T-shirt (worn on Fridays through Oct.)
* Pledges of $300+ earn a Pancake Breakfast with Mrs. Yamoah
* Pledges of $400+ earn an out-of-uniform pass for all Fridays through December!
* Pledges of $500+ earn a VIP Pass to the Family Fun Night Game Truck and entry into the prize drawing for 6 Waterpark passes, a droid, sky drone or GoPro Hero!

More information on the Marathon Day of Service.

Camp St. Croix Packing List: Our sixth graders head to Camp St. Croix next Wednesday for a 3-day environmental awareness and team building retreat. Click here for more information and a packing list.

New 2019-2020 Parent Directory:  This year’s Parent Directory is formatted directly from Sycamore, our Student Management System, in the large 8 1/2 X 11 page size.  The data is generated from the Household and Student information you entered in Sycamore when you registered. Please be sure to access your Sycamore account and verify the information there. We need your demographic information to be current and complete, including email addresses and cell phone numbers and carrier. You can make corrections and additions to your household demographics and Emergency Contacts through September 27th.  Please contact Mr. Blanda with questions or if you need assistance accessing your account. Thank you.

NWEA MAP Testing: Our fall round of standardized testing is underway. We will finish at the UC next week and then begin testing at the Lower Campus. All students in 1-8 take the Fall reading and math assessments. Grades 3, 5, and 7 students also take the MAP language component and 4, 6, and 8 also take the science test. We will use the Fall data to make some individual instructional decisions and test again in the spring for growth data. While these standardized tests are an important piece of the assessment puzzle, the formal and informal assessments teachers are doing in the classrooms every day give us great feedback as well. Please be sure your child gets a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast on testing days.

Liturgical Choir: Calling all singers! Carondelet offers a liturgical choir that is open to all Upper Campus students, grades 3-8. The liturgical choir sings at school masses throughout the year, as well as a few other fun performance opportunities. You should have received an email with information about choir tryouts and before school rehearsals. Participation in choir is an excellent way to grow in leadership skills and build community here at Carondelet! For more information and/or to register, please email CCS Music Teacher, Catherine Ratelle. 

Basketball Registration: Boys and girls basketball registration (grades 4-8) is now open. Deadline for registration is September 25th. Late registrations cannot be accepted. For questions, please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director. Click here to register. 

VIRTUS Volunteer Session This Saturday: Carondelet is sponsoring a VIRTUS session for volunteers needing the in-person training on Saturday, September 21st from 9:00 am until noon at the Upper Campus. Please register in advance at www.virtus.org.

Volunteers who have either regular or unsupervised interaction with minors or vulnerable adults, must complete the “Essential 3” requirements as mandated by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The Essential 3 consists of signing a Code of Conduct, completing safe environment training through the VIRTUS program and undergoing a background check. (Information you provide for a background check will be kept confidential by Carondelet Catholic School, as well as by the Archdiocese.) 

If you would like to volunteer at Carondelet, you must complete the VIRTUS Essential 3, by following the directions here. If you have questions about this process, please email Julie Stoeger or call at 612.927.8673 x12.

Annual School Notification regarding asbestos surveillance:  Each year Carondelet is required to send a letter of notification to all families regarding our annual inspections for asbestos.  Each of our school buildings is inspected twice each year in the areas containing asbestos. For further information, please see the attached letter.

2019-2020 Meetings & Format: We are excited to announce our new format for Home & School meetings this year that will now include updates from our leadership teams including Home & School, the Board of Directors and Principal Yamoah, as well as a “Speaker Series” that will cover a range of topics for Carondelet families. We’ll have more information and a calendar of meetings and events at next week’s Parent Information Nights. We’re looking forward to a great year!

Lower Campus Lunch Volunteers: Volunteers are needed to help in the lunchroom during Lower Campus lunch.  Duties include helping wash tables, assisting students with opening milk, dumping lunch trays, etc. Time commitment is 12:00 pm-1:00 pm. Please note, all volunteers must be VIRTUS trained. Please contact Holly Barborak for more information. Sign-up here.

Art Adventure Volunteers Needed: Do you like art? Do you want to encourage your children to look at art and to think about what it means? Help out with Carondelet’s Art Adventure program! Our school is one of hundreds of schools across the state that participate in this program created by the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA). Parent volunteers are paired up, and using Mia-created materials, present 2-3 times to student classrooms. Get ready for some lively discussions and lots of fun. Contact Stephanie Simpson or Betsy Kinkead.

Questions? For more information on Home & School, please contact Kate Hensley, Jadee Kahlert or Mary Schoellman, Home & School Co-Chairs.

Christ the King Youth Ministry:  The 6-12th grade youth ministry kids are headed to Sever’s Corn Maze on Saturday, September 28th!  Sign up here.  

Parish Bulletins: For more news and events, view this week’s bulletins from our sponsoring parishes of Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle or the STA event link.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

                    

News Notes: September 6, 2019

The Week Ahead:

Sunday, September 8	Open House - St. Thomas the Apostle Church Grandparents Day
Monday, September 9:
Tuesday, September 10:	Sewing Club on the Upper Campus begins, 7:45 am Home Volleyball Games, UC Gym,      4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm Cub Scout Carnival in the CTK parking lot, 6 pm School Board mtg, 7:00 pm, STA Parish Office
Wednesday, September 11:	Sewing Club on the Lower Campus begins, 8 am First All School Mass at STA, 9:30 am      ALL students begin their day at the Lower Campus Marathon Day of Service Kick-Off, directly after Mass
Thursday, September 12:	Home Volleyball Games, UC Gym,      4:30 pm, 5:15 pm, 6:30 pm
Friday, September 13:
Saturday, September 14:	CTK’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner event, 5:00 pm

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:

We have successfully completed our first week of school.  It was so refreshing to see the smiles on kids’ faces and the excitement they had when entering the building.  We are going to learn so much this year and accomplish so many things. Thank you for your commitment to Catholic education and to Carondelet Catholic School.  We are going to have a very successful year!  

God Bless,

Mary Yamoah, Principal

Our First All School Mass:  Please join us as we gather for our first All School Mass on Wednesday, September 11th at 9:30 am at the Lower Campus/Church of St. Thomas the Apostle.  All students will begin their day at the Lower Campus. Students who bus will be dropped at the Lower Campus. Walkers and parent carpool students should go directly to the Lower Campus for the K-8 liturgy.  Upper Campus students will walk back after the liturgy.

Parent Information Nights: Please mark your calendars for our Parent Information Nights on Tuesday evening, September 17th for the Upper Campus, and/or Thursday, September 19th for the Lower Campus. Click here for the full schedule. 

New Parent Reception: Parents new to to Carondelet are welcome to join us for a reception hosted by Home & School on Thursday, September 19 from 5:30-6:30 pm in the Lower Campus courtyard. (Lower Campus Parent Night immediately following).

Marathon Day of Service & Family Fun Night: Mark your calendars and save the date! Carondelet’s Marathon Day of Service will be Friday, October 4. An annual tradition at Carondelet, our Marathon Day of Service is one of the school's largest fundraisers and community builders. Students collect pledges for a school-organized Day of Service held during the school day on Friday, October 4. Carondelet faculty, families, and friends are then invited to join us back at the Lower Campus for a Family Fun Night. Details will be announced to students following next week’s All School Mass. Watch for more information in next week’s News Notes!

October Lunch Orders: October lunch orders are due by Friday, September 20 at 10:00 am. You may choose one or as many days as you like. You will receive a confirmation email after you order so please remember to keep it for your records! Orders will be billed to your school account. Late orders cannot be accepted.  Place your order lunch here.

Basketball Registration: Boys and girls basketball registration (grades 4-8) is now open. Deadline for registration is September 25th. Late registrations cannot be accepted. For questions, please contact Tony Subialka, CCS Athletic Director. Click here to register. 

Spring Fundraising Survey Results:  A big thank you to all the families who completed the fundraising survey in the Spring. We had over half of the parent community participate, and truly appreciate the candid feedback.  A summary of the current state findings, parent survey results and preliminary recommendations can be found here. As a result of the feedback, the board has launched a development committee with four new sub-committees:  New Sources, Major Programs, Sponsor Program & Community Nights, and Future State. A description of the development committee and these four sub-committees can be found here.  If you have an interest in leading or volunteering on one of the sub-committees, please contact Shawna Dhariwal.

VIRTUS Volunteer Training: There is a VIRTUS training session scheduled for Saturday, September 21st from 9 am-noon in Carondelet's Upper Campus Social Hall (lower level of Christ the King Church). Reminder, all volunteers must attend a VIRTUS training session, as well as signing a Code of Conduct and completing a background check prior to volunteering in the classroom, chaperoning field trips, etc. Visit VIRTUS to register for the upcoming session at Carondelet or any session at a neighboring church or school.

New School Hours:  Please note the school hours for the 2019-2020 school year:
Upper Campus: 9:00 am-3:45 pm (doors open at 8:45 am) 
Lower Campus: 9:10 am-3:35 pm (doors open at 8:55 am) 

Dismissal/Bus Information:  Please contact your homeroom teacher and respective campus secretary with any changes to your child’s dismissal plans. Questions regarding transportation may be directed to Chad Loeffler or Stan Blanda. 

Lower Campus Shuttle Bus: Please contact Holly Barborak, LC Office Admin, if your child will be taking the shuttle from the Lower Campus to the Upper Campus for parent pick-up at the end of the day. Shuttle riders will be escorted from the bus, through the Gathering Space and into the parent pick-up line in the horseshoe parking lot on the north side of the building. Upper Campus siblings will wait for Lower Campus siblings in the pick-up line. 

Club Saint Extended Day Program: Carondelet offers before and after school care, with priority given to students in grades K-5. At the Upper Campus we also have a quiet study option open before school. Please visit the Club Saint webpage to register or contact Jodi Nilsen with questions.

Room Reps Needed: We are looking for a few more Room Reps for the 2019-2020 school year. Please contact Mary Schoellman if you are interested.

Lower Campus Lunch Volunteers: Volunteers are needed to help in the lunchroom during Lower Campus lunch.  Duties include helping wash tables, assisting students with opening milk, dumping lunch trays, etc. Time commitment is 12:00 pm-12:45 pm. Please note, all volunteers must be VIRTUS trained. Please contact Holly Barborak for more information. Sign-up here.

STA Parish News: View the St. Thomas the Apostle parish events and calendar for September here.

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

         

News Notes: August 30, 2019

The Week Ahead:

Monday, September 2:	Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, September 3:	First Day of School Grades 1-8
Wednesday, September 4:	iPad Training 7:00 PM, UC Social Hall
Thursday, September 5:	First Day of School Pre-K and K Parent Coffee 9:00 AM, LC Cafeteria
Friday, September 6:	iPad Training 7:00 PM, UC Social Hall

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:
It was wonderful meeting many of our Saints at this Wednesday’s Back to School Open House! A special thank you to all those who worked on helping getting our buildings and classrooms ready for our first week of school, our Board of Directors and National Junior Honor Society for greeting families and treating them to ice cream, and to the parish of Christ the King for hosting lunch for our faculty and staff on Thursday. 

Our theme this year is, “Helping Others Succeed,” and I’ve been so impressed by the number of people who have offered prayers and support as we gear up for another great school year. 

Following are a few reminders as our students in grades 1-8 head back on Tuesday, and pre-k and kindergarteners on Thursday.

Enjoy the holiday weekend!

Mary Yamoah, Principal

New School Hours:  Please note the school hours for the 2019-2020 school year:
Upper Campus: 9:00 am-3:45 pm (doors open at 8:45 am) 
Lower Campus: 9:10 am-3:35 pm (doors open at 8:55 am) 

Parent Coffee: All parents are welcome to join us for coffee with Principal, Mary Yamoah, in the Lower Campus cafeteria following drop-off on Thursday, September 5th.

Bus Information:  Families who requested busing transportation should have received a postcard in the mail this week with your family's bus stop location and times. Questions regarding transportation may be directed to Chad Loeffler or Stan Blanda.

Lower Campus Shuttle Bus: Please contact Holly Barborak, LC Office Admin, if your child will be taking the shuttle from the Lower Campus to the Upper Campus for parent pick-up at the end of the day. 

Student Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures: 
Lower Campus Drop-Off: Pull through the lot to the east doors and drop off or find a parking spot if you’d like to walk your child to the classroom or door. 
Lower Campus Pick-Up: Students are dismissed to their parents from the lower level parking lot doors. Find a parking spot before you pick up your student(s).

Upper Campus Drop-Off: Enter lot on Zenith Ave and drop off next to the playground. Exit lot on York Ave.  (Please do not use York Ave. for drop off in front of the school entrance).
Upper Campus Pick-Up: Enter lot on Zenith Ave and pull through to pick-up line at the church entrance (horseshoe) facing the parking lot. Exit onto York Ave. 

Club Saint Extended Day Program: Carondelet offers before and after school care, with priority given to students in grades K-5. At the Upper Campus we also have a quiet study option open before school. Please visit the Club Saint webpage to register or contact Jodi Nilsen with questions.

Band Sign-Up: Carondelet offers a band program for students in grades 4-8. The cost is $25/child per month (or $225 per student annually) for weekly band lessons given on designated band days when school is in session. Sign-up here.  

Parent Information Nights: In September we will have our Parent Information Nights at each campus. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday evening, September 17th for the Upper Campus, and/or Thursday, September 19th for the Lower Campus. Watch the News Notes for a full schedule in the weeks ahead.

New Parent Reception: Parents new to to Carondelet are welcome to join us for a reception hosted by Home & School on Thursday, September 19 from 5:30-6:30 pm in the Lower Campus courtyard. (Lower Campus Parent Night immediately following).

Parent/Student Handbook: Our Parent/Student Handbook is linked here. Please print the last page, sign it and return it to school to verify receipt.

We encourage you to keep an eye on the Carondelet website for other upcoming news and events. We look forward to seeing you and your family soon!

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website.

          

News Notes: August 23, 2019

Dear Carondelet Families,

We’re looking forward to seeing many new and returning students and families at next Wednesday’s Back-to-School Open House! 

Our faculty, staff and maintenance teams have been hard at work the last couple of weeks moving our teachers back into the classrooms and getting ready for the new school year. We are so excited for everyone to see the improvements at the Lower Campus including beautiful new bathrooms, drinking fountains and an improved ventilation and heating system. We are grateful to the staff and parishioners at St. Thomas the Apostle for making these improvements possible. 

We would like to welcome Maria Teresa Jaramillo - Bray as our new 3-8 Spanish Teacher at the Upper Campus.  We would also like to welcome Amy Garrity as our new PreK Teacher at the Lower Campus. We have a great team in place for this new school year and can’t wait for you to meet them!

Wishing you and your family a great weekend!

-Principal Mary Yamoah

Back-to-School Open House: (Wednesday, August 28)
Families will receive their classroom assignments, meet their teachers, and drop off school supplies at the Wednesday, August 28th Back-to-School Open House, scheduled for 5:00-7:00 pm.  Please allow approximately a half hour to an hour (any time between 5-7 pm*) at your child's/children's respective campus/campuses. All families are invited to join us for an Ice Cream Social at both campuses during the event.
*Transfer Families: Doors will open at 4:30 pm for transfer families new to Carondelet.

Middle School Orientation: (Wednesday, August 28)
6th grade students and their parents should join us immediately after our open house at 7:00 pm in the Church of Christ the King to learn more about Middle School: the teachers, enrichment classes, class schedules, and the iPad 1:1 program. We look forward to seeing each of you there!

Middle School iPad Information Nights
We have scheduled mandatory iPad Training Sessions for new and returning middle school students and their parents. Click here for sign-up link.

New School Hours:  Please note the school hours for the 2019-2020 school year:
Upper Campus: 9:00 am-3:45 pm (doors open at 8:45 am) 
Lower Campus: 9:10 am-3:35 pm (doors open at 8:55 am) 

VIRTUS Volunteer Training: (Tuesday, August 27)
There is a VIRTUS training session scheduled for Tuesday, August 27th from 6:00-9:00 pm in Carondelet's Upper Campus Social Hall (Lower Level of Christ the King Church). Reminder, all volunteers must attend a VIRTUS training session, complete a background check, and sign a Code of Conduct  prior to volunteering in the classroom, chaperoning field trips, etc. Visit VIRTUS to register for an upcoming session at Carondelet or a neighboring church or school.

School Supplies: Students are invited to drop off their school supplies in their classrooms at the Welcome Back Open House. View the school supply list here.

Bus Information:  Families who requested busing transportation should have received a postcard in the mail this week with your family's bus stop location and times. Questions regarding transportation may be directed to Chad Loeffler or Stan Blanda. 

Student Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures: 
Lower Campus Drop-Off: Pull through the lot to the east doors and drop off.  If you want to park and walk in, please use the middle lot to keep the upper lot clear for drop off, and the lower lot clear for morning recess.
Lower Campus Pick-Up: Students are dismissed from the lower level parking lot doors. Find a parking spot in the lower lot or middle level lot  to pick up your student(s).

Upper Campus Drop-Off: Enter lot on Zenith Ave and drop off next to the playground. Exit lot on York Ave.  Please do not use York Ave. for drop off in front of the school entrance.
Upper Campus Pick-Up: Enter lot on Zenith Ave and pull through to pick-up line at the church entrance (horseshoe) facing the parking lot. Exit onto York Ave. 

Annual Milk Cards: An annual milk card will be automatically billed to your family's school account at the rate of $40 per student. The annual card is good for one milk per day. If students would like additional milk, they can purchase a double card for $80. Families may opt out of the annual milk card program by emailing Julie Stoeger.

Uniform Policy:  Carondelet’s uniform policy can be found on the school website. Most of our uniform apparel can be purchased at a store of your choice (Target, Lands' End, Old Navy, Educational Outfitters, etc.) while the CCS plaid skirts and jumpers are available exclusively at Educational Outfitters and Lands' End.

Parent Information Nights: In September we will have our Parent Information Nights at each campus. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday evening, September 17th for the Upper Campus, and/or Thursday, September 19th for the Lower Campus. Watch the News Notes for a full schedule in the weeks ahead.

New Parent Reception: Parents new to to Carondelet are welcome to join us for a reception hosted by Home & School on Thursday, September 19 from 5:30-6:30 pm in the Lower Campus courtyard. (Lower Campus Parent Night immediately following).

Student Medication:  Carondelet Catholic School is not permitted to give students any medication without written permission from the parent and written instructions from the doctor. This includes over the counter medicines.  Doctors prescribing medication to be taken during school hours are to write medication orders for the school that include the time to administer the medication, dosage, and a termination date for administering the medication. If your child must have medication administered during school hours, please obtain a consent form from the office.

School personnel may administer medication (including over-the-counter products) only if the written order of a licensed physician and written authorization of the parent are on file in the school office. All medication is to be sent to school in the original labeled bottle from the pharmacy or store.

Club Saint Extended Day Program: Carondelet offers before and after school care, with priority given to working parents of students in grades K-5. Club Saint, located at the Lower Campus, provides recreational and creative activities in a safe and comfortable environment. At the Upper Campus we also have a quiet study option open before school as well. Please contact Jodi Nilsen or visit the Club Saint webpage.

Band Sign-Up: Carondelet offers a band program for students in grades 4-8. The cost is $25/child per month (or $225 per student annually) for weekly band lessons given on designated band days when school is in session. Band sign-up for students new to band will take place the first week of school this year. Please watch the News Notes for further details. Sign-up here (returning band students).  

Tuition Payments/Schedule: Click here to view the 2019-2020 tuition schedule. Please email Julie Stoeger, Business Manager with questions regarding billing and tuition. 

Parent/Student Handbook: Our Parent/Student Handbook is linked here. Please print the last page, sign it and return it to school to verify receipt.

Day of Service Volunteers Needed: We are looking for volunteers to chair the Day of Service Family Fun Night scheduled for Friday, October 4.  Please contact Mary Yamoah for more information. 

We encourage you to keep an eye on the Carondelet website for other upcoming news and events. We look forward to seeing you and your family soon!

Visit the Carondelet Catholic School website

 

Carondelet News Notes: August 6, 2019

From the Desk of Principal Mary Yamoah:

Dear Carondelet Families,

Happy summer! I hope you have all found some time this summer to enjoy family, friends, and the beauty of the world around you.  Our school theme this year, Help Others Succeed, is truly fitting as we all work to fulfill our Mission of educating the whole child by providing a strong academic program, teaching Christian values, and preparing students for a life of learning and service. We are happy to introduce you to the following new faces at Carondelet Catholic School:  Catherine Ratelle (Lower & Upper Campus Music Teacher), Daniel Connolly (Upper Campus Music/Band Teacher), Nely Duran (Technology Coordinator), and Holly Barborak (LC Secretary).  Fr. Bill Murtaugh, pastor of Christ the King, and I have also arrived! Since our last News Notes, we received news that Brigid Berger has accepted a new position working with educators as a literacy coach with Groves Academy. We wish Brigid all the best as she embarks upon this new and exciting adventure! (see note from Brigid here). Please visit the school website for an updated list of teaching assignments. 

Renovations are underway at the Lower Campus including the installation of new ductwork throughout the school building, an air-handling unit that will circulate air within the building and bring in fresh air from outside, hydronic piping for our new hot water heating system, and the reconstruction of the school restrooms. We want to sincerely thank all of the supporters of the St. Thomas the Apostle Capital Campaign for making this project happen.  We are truly blessed. The project estimated completion date is mid-August.  

We look forward to continuing our implementation of the Top 20 Program.  Top 20 focuses on human development - development of potential in our students, our families, and ourselves.  “Top 20” means we are thinking, learning, and communicating effectively in the best interest of others and ourselves.  You will hear more about 20 Top 20 practices, all of which are intended to achieve human development, as the year progresses.  Thank you for your commitment to make Carondelet Catholic School a place where the human development of students and adults is our passion!

Thank you for reading the information included in this News Notes carefully. It contains important information for the 2019-2020 school year, including dates, policies, procedures and ways you can help support our students. This information can also be found on the school website under ‘Back to School Resources’.

A special thank you goes out to everyone who helped get the school buildings ready for the upcoming school year.  Maintenance, custodial, office, school, and parish staff having been working very hard to make sure that the inside and outside of school are ready for the students arrival.  Also, a special thank you goes out to all supporters of Carondelet Catholic School. We would not be able to successfully run our programs without your generous contributions and prayers.

Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year. Know that I am holding each of you in prayer and am looking forward to seeing you soon!  Go Saints!

Mary Yamoah, Principal

____________________

Mark your calendars for these upcoming Back-to-School events:

Pre-K and Kindergarten Playdate in the Park: (Tuesday, August 13)
Incoming pre-k and kindergarteners are invited to join us for a playdate before school starts. The playdate is scheduled for Tuesday, August 13th from 9:00-10:30 am at Linden Hills Park. Kindergarteners are encouraged to wear their Carondelet t-shirts handed out at the spring Kinder Garden Party.

VIRTUS Volunteer Training: (Tuesday, August 27)
There is a VIRTUS training session scheduled for Tuesday, August 27th from 6:00-9:00 pm in Carondelet's Upper Campus Social Hall (Lower Level of Christ the King Church). Reminder, all volunteers must attend a VIRTUS training session, complete a background check, and sign a Code of Conduct  prior to volunteering in the classroom, chaperoning field trips, etc. Visit VIRTUS to register for an upcoming session at Carondelet or a neighboring church or school.

Back-to-School Open House: (Wednesday, August 28)
Families will receive their classroom assignments, meet their teachers, and drop off school supplies at the Wednesday, August 28th Back-to-School Open House, scheduled for 5:00-7:00 pm.  Please allow approximately a half hour to an hour (any time between 5-7 pm*) at your child's/children's respective campus/campuses. All families are invited to join us for an Ice Cream Social at both campuses during the event.

*Transfer Families: Doors will open at 4:30 pm for transfer families new to Carondelet.

Middle School Orientation: (Wednesday, August 28:
6th grade students and their parents should join us immediately after our open house at 7:00 pm in the Church of Christ the King to learn more about Middle School: the teachers, enrichment classes, class schedules, and the iPad 1:1 program. We look forward to seeing each of you there!

Middle School iPad Information Nights:
We have scheduled mandatory iPad Training Sessions for new middle school students (all 6th graders and any new 7th/8thgraders) and their parents. Click here for sign-up link.

School Supplies: Students are invited to drop off their school supplies in their classrooms at the Welcome Back Open House. View the school supply list here.

Bus Information:  Families who requested busing transportation will receive a postcard in the mail by mid-August with your family's bus stop location and times. If busing was requested, click here to confirm your name is on the list. Additions and questions regarding transportation may be directed to Chad Loeffler. 

Lunch Orders: The lunch menu and order form for September can be found here. Orders are due by Monday, August 19 at 10:00 am. You may choose one or as many days as you like. Please remember to keep a copy of your order for your records! Orders will be billed to your school account. Late orders cannot be accepted.

Annual Milk Cards: An annual milk card will be automatically billed to your family's school account at the rate of $40 per student. The annual card is good for one milk per day. If students would like additional milk, they can purchase a double card for $80. Families may opt out of the annual milk card program by emailing Julie Stoeger.

Uniform Policy: Carondelet’s uniform policy can be found on the school website. Most of our uniform apparel can be purchased at a store of your choice (Target, Lands' End, Old Navy, Educational Outfitters, etc.) while the CCS plaid skirts and jumpers are available exclusively at Educational Outfitters and Lands' End.

New School Hours:  Please note the school hours for the 2019-2020 school year:
Upper Campus: 9:00 am-3:45 pm (doors open at 8:45 am) 
Lower Campus: 9:10 am-3:35 pm (doors open at 8:55 am) 

Parent Information Nights: In September we will have our Parent Information Nights at each campus. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday evening, September 17th for the Upper Campus, and/or Thursday, September 19th for the Lower Campus. Watch the News Notes for a full schedule in the weeks ahead.

New Parent Reception: Parents new to to Carondelet are welcome to join us for a reception hosted by Home & School on Thursday, September 19 from 5:30-6:30 PM in the Lower Campus courtyard. (Lower Campus Parent Night immediately following).

Student Medication:  Carondelet Catholic School is not permitted to give students any medication without written permission from the parent and written instructions from the doctor. This includes over the counter medicines.  Doctors prescribing medication to be taken during school hours are to write medication orders for the school that include the time to administer the medication, dosage, and a termination date for administering the medication. If your child must have medication administered during school hours, please obtain a consent form from the office. School personnel may administer medication (including over-the-counter products) only if the written order of a licensed physician and written authorization of the parent are on file in the school office. All medication is to be sent to school in the original labeled bottle from the pharmacy or store.

Club Saint Extended Day Program: Carondelet offers before and after school care, with priority given to working parents of students in grades K-5. Club Saint, located at the Lower Campus, provides recreational and creative activities in a safe and comfortable environment. At the Upper Campus we also have a quiet study option open before school as well. Please contact Jodi Nilsen or visit the Club Saint webpage.

Band Sign-Up: Carondelet offers a band program for students in grades 4-8. The cost is $25/child per month (or $225 per student annually) for weekly band lessons given on designated band days when school is in session. Band sign-up for students new to band will take place the first week of school this year. Please watch the News Notes for further details. Sign-up here (returning band students).  

Tuition Payments/Schedule: Click here to view the 2019-2020 tuition schedule. Please email Julie Stoeger, Business Manager with questions regarding billing and tuition. 

Parent/Student Handbook: Our Parent/Student Handbook is linked here. Please print the last page, sign it and return it to school to verify receipt.

We encourage you to keep an eye on the Carondelet website for other upcoming news and events. We look forward to seeing you and your family soon!