MR. VANCE'S NEWS TO USE THIS WEEK

MAY 28, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we wind down the 2020-2021 school year, I would like to recognize Mrs. Laura Sieve for her many years of service as a teacher and administrator. She has compassionately taught and lead this school for 34 years. She has fulfilled various roles including student, parent, grandparent, teacher, administrator and parishioner. She has attended school here as a student and staff member for 7,770 days! Her commitment to this school and parish has been unwavering. We are a better school because of Mrs. Sieve’s commitment.

Last Thursday night, a retirement party was held with accolades and gifts shared with Mrs. Sieve. I thank all the families who donated reading books for the new reading area in the library named "Mrs. Sieve’s Shelves". Over 300 books were donated from you, our cherished families. This area has bench seats, shelves, and a mural painted by the children of the school. Reading has always been a very important value to Mrs. Sieve.

I would also like to say thank you to the members of the School Commission, Erin Eiser, Michelle Louis, Jim Schurrer, Connie Hubert, Abby Mathews, Peggy Sullivan, Tara Kalkhoff, Theresa Sewell, and Meghan Sullivan who served diligently to promote the school, create and review policy, and offer advice on issues presented by the administration. I truly appreciate their input and guidance this year. A special thank you to Erin, Jim and Michelle who have served their term of three years. We welcome Kate DiCarlo, Adam Lohbeck, and Lisa Lasita who will replace them.

The annual 8^th grade carnival was a huge success last week, even with a few changes. One change that was enjoyed by all was having the event outside, and I'm looking forward to continuing that in the future. This year’s proceeds will go towards replacing doors in the old building and towards a permanent art installation in their honor for the 75^th anniversary of the school. Thank you to Mrs. Jodi Czanik and the many volunteers who assisted with the carnival. We are grateful for our 8^th graders who staffed all the booths and welcomed their fellow students to participate in the fun!

Thank you to our PTO Board Members who have served this year. Your service is much appreciated for the many programs you support to make our school a special place! Due to your commitment, we have been able to implement the new school wide fundraiser, the 365 Raffle! This year brought challenges due to covid, but this energetic and committed group continued to find creative and meaningful ways to support our teachers and staff. Our grateful appreciation goes to Co-Presidents, Chrissy Davis and Stephanie Beck, Co-Vice Presidents, Sarah Mierke and Emily Ruoff, Treasurer, Melissa Linneman, and Secretary, Kathleen Harmon. In addition to these leaders, we also thank the many committee chairs and all volunteers for supporting these activities.

Congratulations to our talented and faithful 8th graders, the Class of 2021. These young men and women graduated last Friday, May 2t, at Mass celebrated here at St. Ignatius. After listening to the Word of the Lord and receiving the Eucharist, they heard from the Valedictorian, Kyle G., and Salutatorian, Ellie V. (Please see below for excerpts of their speeches.) During the ceremony, students were reminded that St. Ignatius is their home now and always, and we invite them to return and visit us at any time. I also challenged them to "Share Christ" through their words and even more importantly, through their actions, to transform the world. He is with you!

Over the summer, we will be transitioning to a unified payment system for all fees. This could include all before and after school care fees, technology fees, field trip fees, and hopefully tuition. More information will be coming.

At the beginning of the year we had no idea how this school year would transpire with Covid 19 protocols and increased illness in the community. In the end, We Did It! The students, staff, and parents diligently followed the protocols and health expectations and this permitted us to be in school for most of the year. What a great accomplishment! Even under Covid precautions, it has been a remarkable year filled with inspired learning, growth, nurturing friendships, and drawing closer to God in prayer and deed. I have felt truly blessed to work with such a talented staff, inspired by our hardworking and caring students, and supported by a remarkable parent community. On behalf of the entire team, we are honored that you have chosen St. Ignatius as the school to nurture your child’s faith and support them in fully utilizing their God-given gifts.

May this summer be filled with much laughter, relaxation,

and many happy family memories!

In Christ's Peace,

Kevin Vance

Principal

Here are a few words of wisdom from our Valedictorian, Kyle G.:

"In looking back at pictures and videos twenty years from now, many people will only see a bunch of kids wearing masks, but what they may miss, and what we will forever carry in our hearts, are the stories behind the masks.

As we returned back to school after being confined to our houses for months, we greeted our friends with a smile as our voices trembled with nervous excitement. We sat back down at our desks for the first time in what felt like forever and took a deep breath, exhaling with uncertainty and anticipation into our masks as we prepared ourselves for a year that we couldn't quite picture in full. As our teachers stood up in front of the classroom, they welcomed us back with the same love and support that we had been blessed to feel for the eight years before. Even though we might not have been able to see their smiles, we felt them in our hearts, and in that moment we knew that no matter what this year threw our way, we would get through this together. While we might have been limited to the same space for the next six and a half hours, there was no other place we'd rather be....Thank you, Class of 2021, for teaching me what it means to be resilient, for showing me that no matter what life throws our way, there's nothing we can't do without a little bit of faith, and that no matter where we go in life, we'll always have 110 best friends to fall back on when we need it most. As we go and set the world on fire just as we have learned over these past several years, may we always remember the people who first showed us what those words truly meant. Go Wildcats!"

And our Salutatorian, Ellie V.:

"Although we will be attending different high schools next year, I know we will look back on our grade school years and realize that we had a class unlike any other. All of us have our own special talents that we have shared over these years. Some of you are amazing at extracurricular activities such as sports and art while others are incredible at academics. Others are able to walk into a room and make everyone smile. I hope you all continue to share your special talents with people in your future while you continue to grow and develop new talents....Congratulations Class of 2021 and good luck in high school!"

4 Facts to Know About Summer Reading:

1. All it Takes is Four. By reading four or more books over the summer, kids can avoid the infamous "summer slide" or what we know as the gap in academic skills when returning to school in the fall.

2. Let Them Choose. The research indicates that young people are 91% more likely to finish books they choose themselves. Sometimes, the latest Newberry award winner may move them, or they may be more interested in the classics from a generation or two ago.

3. Top of the Tests. Kids who read a million words a year score in the top 2% on standardized tests. A million words may sound like an overwhelming amount, but it's only about 25 average-length novels.

4. Big Vocabularies. Kids learn 4,000-12,000 new words every year by reading books. One can conclude that 3 months without books can make a huge difference in test scores and vocabularies.

5. Accelerated Reader Quiz. Take the Accelerated Reader Quiz over the books read at our school AR website. This provides the staff with information that can be used in the fall. https://hosted304.renlearn.com/113046/ (Source: Instructor Magazine, Scholastic)

CONGRATS TO BILL GRIMME AWARD RECIPIENTS, MARIA D. AND JOSHUA H.
Mr. Bill Grimme was a parishioner of St. Ignatius and taught Confirmation Preparation from 1989-2007, and was also very involved in many other ministries of our parish. He attended daily Mass, loved to pray the rosary, and was passionate about his Catholic faith. In loving memory of his devotion to God and spirit of teaching students about becoming closer to Christ, this award was established. There were several students who stood out, and St. Ignatius School student, Maria D. and our Parish School of Religion student, Joshua H., were chosen to receive this award. Maria and Joshua go above and beyond in service to others, and strive to live a life of virtue and grow in their relationship with Christ. They also embraced the Confirmation preparation and clearly demonstrated not only the knowledge of Catholic Church teachings but a desire to live out their Catholic faith as Disciples of Christ. We congratulate these Confirmation candidates for reflecting the example of Mr. Bill Grimme. Congratulations on receiving this wonderful award!

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 7: Deadline to order Yearbook

June 15-16: Marian Pilgrimage at St. Ignatius

Aug. 12: Parent meetings for new, preschool, and Kindergarten families

Aug. 17 Ice Cream Social for new, preschool and Kindergarten families

Aug. 20-22: St. Ignatius Iggyfest 2021

Aug. 25: First Day of the 2021-2022 school year! Welcome back!!

VIRTUE OF THE MONTH IS

RESPONSIBILITY

"being reliable in your duties and accountable for your actions"

SCHOOL NEWS

THANK YOU SIGN GREETERS!

St. Ignatius School would like to thank Sign Greeters Cincinnati for the Graduation sign displayed at the entrance of school. Two out of the five days were free of charge, and we would like to thank Sign Greeters for being so generous. Please follow them on social media!
Website: https://signgreeters.com/greeter/cincinnati-yard-greetings/
Instagram: @signgreeterscincinnati
Facebook: @signgreeterscincinnati

PTO SUMMER FUN FUNDRAISERS!

GENERAL CUSTER'S "ST. IGNATIUS DAYS" JUNE 8, JULY 13, AND AUG. 10

PUTZ'S JUNE 15, 10:00am-9:00pm

LIL' GOODIE SHOPPE JULY 20, 3:00-6:00pm

St. I's PTO has several summer fundraisers planned, so be sure to check them out to keep raising funds for our school! It's a summer full of fun, friends, and giving back!

General Custer's is having St. Ignatius Days on the second Tuesday of the summer months, June 8, July 13, and August 10, from open to close. Show the attached flyer and get all you can putt putt, one scoop of ice cream, and one topping for only $8.50!! They will donate 20% of the sales back to St. Ignatius.

Putz's Creamy Whip, located at 2673 Putz Place, is having a full day dedicated to St. Ignatius this summer on Tuesday, June 15 between 10:00am-9:00pm. Putz's will donate 20% of sales from that day back to St. Ignatius. No flyer needed!

What would the summer be without a trip to the Lil’ Goodie Shoppe? Be sure to stop by on Tuesday, July, 20 between 3:00-6:00pm. No need for a flyer, and school will receive 10% of their sales during those hours! Stay cool this summer with St. I’s!

BE SURE TO ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK!

DEADLINE JUNE 7

Also, don't miss out on your yearbook! The deadline to order is June 7. There is a flyer attached to this Wire, or go to https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/ORDER
Yearbook ID: 2500421

SCHOOLBELLES MEMORIAL DAY SALE

MAY 30-31

Schoolbelles will be having a Memorial Day sale on Sunday and Monday, May 30-31. There will be 20% off everything, with free shipping on orders over $100. Be sure to catch future sales and promotions by texting the word "Schoolbelles" to 22828. Please go to www.schoolbelles.com or see the flyer attached to this Wire for more information.

SHAHEEN'S UNIFORM SALE

Shaheen's Uniforms Cincinnati (formerly Educational Outfitters) is having our biggest sale of the year! Get 10% off all school uniform purchases from June 1 thru July 3! Shop in-store at 2656 E Sharon Rd, 45241 or online with code SAVE10 at www.shaheens.com.

ENRICHMENT AND HIGH SCHOOL NEWS

SETON

HSPT Prep Course, for all incoming 8th grade girls on Tuesday, July 27 from 9:00am-noon. Space is limited, so register at www.setoncincinnati.org today to help prepare for the High School Placement Test in the fall!

CINCINNATI RECREATION SUMMER CAMPS

THe Cincinnati Recreation Commission is sponsoring various summer camps throughout Cincinnati this summer. Please see the attached flyers for more information and for registration.

3rd/4th GRADE BOYS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS
Congratulations to the 3rd/4th grade boys volleyball team coached by Judy Belanger, Jill Hoffman and Scott Bailey for winning the city tournament. Players include Zander B., Sam B., Jacob S., Cam B., Rhyder B., Aaron S., Henry H., and Jack E!

SOCCER FUNDAMENTALS CLINIC

Calling all soccer players! Join us for our Soccer Fundamentals Clinic on July 6, 7, and 8. Sign ups are due by June 12. Please contact ignatiuswildcatsoccer@gmail.com or see the attached flyer for more details.

TOTUS TUUS

This summer St. Ignatius will be hosting for the second time Totus Tuus, an interactive catechetical summer camp for students 1st through 12th grade. Young missionaries will be coming in to teach our youth about the faith, and foster in them a new love of Catholicism. This will be a fun-filled week with fellowship, learning, and, above all, a deep reliance on the Sacraments. Our youth will have the opportunity to experience daily Mass along with confession and adoration experiences!

1st-6th Graders:

1st-6th graders: Monday, July 26 to Friday, July 30, 9:00am-2:30pm

7th-12th graders: Sunday, July 25 to Thursday, July 29 7:00-9:00pm in the Youth Room.

You can register online now by going to http://bit.ly/saintitotustuus2021. Please contact Miss Emily Branscum with questions at ebranscum@sainti.org.

BICENTENNIAL MARIAN PILGRIMAGE

RADIATE CHRIST THROUGH MARY

Please join us for some special events on June 15 and 16 when the Marian Pilgrimage arrives at St. Ignatius. The Pilgrimage will end on June 19 when the Archbishop will re-consecrate the Archdiocese to Jesus through Mary during a special Mass commemorating the bicentennial. There will also be a family concert on Fountain Square that day.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY

PLEASE SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK

At St. Ignatius Parish, we want to hear your VOICE! We are seeking to collect information regarding community engagement within the entire St. Ignatius Parish community, yes we mean EVERYONE! This survey is anonymous, so we encourage you to be open and honest in your responses. The survey can be completed via paper or electronic.

The electronic link can be accessed here http://bit.ly/CommunityEngagementSurvey2021
Paper copies are available in the church office, please return the completed paper copies to the church office
We ask that you only fill out the survey once, and share your feedback by June 1, 2021.

Questions? Please contact pastoralcouncil@sainti.org or call Michelle Kroeger at 543-1017. Thank you in advance for your participation!

CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPERD

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR FALL 2021

Registration for the new Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program for fall 2021 is open! We will be offering three different sessions which will take place once a week beginning in September 2021 and will end in May 2022. You can pick from one of the following sessions:

Sunday 8:30-9:30am

Monday 6:30-7:30pm

Thursday 4:30-5:30pm

Our 2021-2022 CGS program will be open to all 3-6 year olds who are not already enrolled in the St. Ignatius preschool program for the 2021-2022 school year. Three year olds who wish to attend must have preschool experience, or be enrolled in pre-school by the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

**Discounted Price offered if registered before May 31!

For more information about this amazing new program and to register, please go to the CGS page on the St. Ignatius website: http://bit.ly/saintignatiuscgs.

For any questions about CGS or to volunteer, please contact Madalyn Hardig at mhardig@sainti.org or 661-6565, ext. 2740

IGGYFEST 2021

IggyFest 2021 is fast approaching and will take place August 20-22, and we need your help to make it a success. Go to http://www.sainti.org/festival for all things festival and to sign up to volunteer or chair a booth. For more information, please email Bob Buchman at festivalchair@sainti.org
IggyFest 2021 Main Award Tickets can be purchased in the parish office during usual business hours or online at http://www.sainti.org/mainaward. There will be 16 cash prizes, and only 2000 tickets will be sold, so buy them today before they are gone!

MEN'S BIBLE STUDY WITH CIGARS AND BOURBON (YOU WISH!)

Men, please come join us for a Bible study group. No Bible knowledge is needed, and we have a Bible for you if you need one.
Choose either the 1st and 3rd Sundays or 2nd and 4th
Mondays of the month. Both go from 7:00-8:30pm and are at the Ignatius Center. Any and all comments are respected and appreciated. Open and lively discussion. Questions? Reach Deacon Tony at Tonygag002@gmail.com.