MR. VANCE'S NEWS TO USE THIS WEEK
DECEMBER 4, 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I have quite a few items to share with you today so I am going to jump right in and get started.
1. After careful consideration we have decided to remain with face to face instruction for the week of December 7-11. For the week following, the entire school (preschool through grade 8) will transition to remote learning from December 14-18. The reason for going remote that week is to give families and our staff the best chance of being able to have Christmas without being quarantined due to an exposure at school. The last day our students would be together in person will be Friday, December 11, and with Christmas on December 25, that gives them a good quarantine period before Christmas. I know this may be difficult for some of our families because of their working schedule and childcare, so my intention is to inform you well enough in advance to set up necessary childcare arrangements.
1. After careful consideration we have decided to remain with face to face instruction for the week of December 7-11. For the week following, the entire school (preschool through grade 8) will transition to remote learning from December 14-18. The reason for going remote that week is to give families and our staff the best chance of being able to have Christmas without being quarantined due to an exposure at school. The last day our students would be together in person will be Friday, December 11, and with Christmas on December 25, that gives them a good quarantine period before Christmas. I know this may be difficult for some of our families because of their working schedule and childcare, so my intention is to inform you well enough in advance to set up necessary childcare arrangements.
2. Middle school activities and sports will restart on Sunday, December 6. Fr. Fernandes and I have spoken and he agreed that junior high extra-curricular activities may resume this Sunday and that these activities may continue during the week of remote learning, December 14-18, provided that our numbers of positive cases and those in quarantine stay low.
3. The CDC has released new guidance on quarantine times. Some of you have asked if we are able to implement that guidance and the answer as of right now is no. Our legal authority for these decisions is Hamilton County Health Department, and its authority comes from the Ohio Department of Health. We are waiting for the new guidance to be adopted or rejected by these entities. If and when it changes, we will inform you.
4. We welcome Ms. Alex Lippert to our staff. Ms. Lippert is our new school counselor who primarily works with students in grades 3-4-5. She will also work with students in other grades and on school wide initiatives like our Sources of Strength team.
5. Quarter 2 interim reports were emailed on yesterday for grades 2-8. These reports are also available in your Alma account under each child’s report card tab. If you did not receive one of these reports in an email, please let the office know and we will resend it.
6. 365 Raffle winners will be announced on the St. Ignatius PTO facebook page and the school website on a daily basis. A complete list will be published in the in the Wire and and the bulletin at the end of the month. Checks will be mailed to the winners!
7. Giving Tuesday donations have reached over $12,000! Thanks to all those individuals and organizations who donated to enhance safety and security in our school. New security cameras will be installed in the new preschool space along with public address systems. New fortified doors will be installed in the classrooms in the original school building. Your generous contributions are greatly appreciated!
8. The virtue of the month is Purity, which means "keeping our souls free from sin". Students and staff will take time to better understand how we can live to this virtue. They will also be introduced to some remarkable heroes that have lived this virtue, including St. Dominic Savio, St. Agnes, and St. Maria Goretti.
Finally, we are entering the second week of Advent this Sunday, and we will light the second candle referred to as the peace candle. During Advent, we take time to focus on repentance and when we practice repentance we bring about peace in our relationships, families, and communities. Peace begins with us in our homes and spreads out to the world. I hope this week will be a time of repentance and peace for yourself and your families.
These are unprecedented times, but we are resilient.
These are challenging times, but we are hopeful.
These are stressful times, but we place our trust in Christ to carry us through.
Please continue to keep all St. Ignatius students, staff,
Please continue to keep all St. Ignatius students, staff,
and families in your thoughts and prayers.
In Christ's Peace,
Kevin Vance
Principal
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GENTLE REMINDERS
COVID 19 CASES IN YOUR FAMILY?
If Covid 19 affects your family, we ask that you contact our school nurse, Mrs. Kathy Reder. Please let her know if someone in your family has tested positive or that they have been quarantined due to an exposure to the virus. This information will help us track how prevalent it is in our community and plan for the future of your child's education. You can contact her by email at kreder@saintischool.org.
SPIRIT DAY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE
Because we will be in remote learning, our December Spirit Day will be Friday, December 11. Students may wear St. Ignatius spirit wear or red and green if they donate $1.00 and/or a prayer for the Ronald McDonald House.
THE CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION
The Catholic Education Foundation for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati is currently accepting applications for the 2021-2022 elementary school (K-8) tuition assistance grants. All grants are needs-based, and can be used at any Catholic elementary school within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Typically, awards have ranged from $250 to $1,200 per qualified student. Please go to www.catholicbestchoice.org by February 8 to apply.
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH IS
PURITY:
"Keeping our souls free from sin"
CONGRATS 7TH GRADE ARTIST ADY K.
Ady K. was voted Artsonia's 7th-9th grade Artist of the Week last week for her Zentangle artwork! Ady will be awarded a $50 art supply gift card, and the school will receive $100 in art supplies. Thanks to everyone who voted, and a big congratulations to Ady!
SCHOOL NEWS
LUNCH MENU
Week of December 7
Hot Lunch-$2.50
Double Entree (grades 4-8) $1.50
Salad Entree-$3.25
Milk/Juice-$0.50
Every meal includes fruit and milk
Salad of the Week - Garden Salad
MONDAY: Walking taco, salad
TUESDAY: Hamburger/cheeseburger, Baked Lays
WEDNESDAY: Mini corn dogs, green beans
THURSDAY: Breakfast rolled taco, hashbrown
FRIDAY: Pepperoni pizza, carrots w/ ranch
VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS CHOIR
Do you love to sing? Are you looking for a new way to make this Advent season a little more special? Our choirs may be on "pause" this year, but we can still make beautiful music in our homes! Please consider joining our Virtual Christmas Choir as we learn and record Light a Candle to share a little joy with our community this Christmas. All rehearsal videos are pre-recorded so they can be completed around your busy schedule. Please complete this Google Form to indicate your interest by Sunday, December 6. All students of all ages are welcome. Email Mrs. Megan Mears for more information at mmears@saintischool.org .
Google Form link: https://forms.gle/v1KGJMdVM6n7EeAd7
Google Form link: https://forms.gle/v1KGJMdVM6n7EeAd7
MONEY FOR THE STAFF AND FACULTY CHRISTMAS GIFT IS DUE MONDAY!
Please remember to send in your donation to school Monday if you plan to contribute to the Faculty/Staff Christmas Gift. If you would like to venmo your donation, I will make sure it is included as well. Please send to my venmo: @Stefanie-Kathman and include your child's names/grade in the memo. Monday is the final day to contribute. Thank you!
Each year, the PTO collects donations from families towards the gifts for ALL of the St. Ignatius staff, which includes teachers, specialists, music, physical education, art, nurse, cafeteria staff, aides, office and administrative staff. All contributions are pooled together and staff are able to select gift cards from the TRP program with the money collected, which is greatly appreciated! Especially this year, the faculty and staff are working tirelessly to ensure our students are in the building, are safe, and are learning! Let's really show them how much we appreciate them and all they do for our children! This is also a great way to give a gift to ALL involved in your child’s education. Participation is voluntary, and if you want to give individual gifts, that is also fine.
Please write your child’s/children’s name(s) on the envelope that was sent home a couple weeks ago along with the grade(s) and send it to school. Checks are welcome and should be made payable to St. Ignatius PTO. The gift cards will be presented to the staff with a box of candy on the last day of school before Christmas break. Thank you in advance for your participation and contribution to help show our faculty and staff our appreciation! Please contact Stefanie Kathman at thekathmans1408@gmail.com or 226-9183 with any questions.
Please write your child’s/children’s name(s) on the envelope that was sent home a couple weeks ago along with the grade(s) and send it to school. Checks are welcome and should be made payable to St. Ignatius PTO. The gift cards will be presented to the staff with a box of candy on the last day of school before Christmas break. Thank you in advance for your participation and contribution to help show our faculty and staff our appreciation! Please contact Stefanie Kathman at thekathmans1408@gmail.com or 226-9183 with any questions.
SAVE THE DATES FOR THE PTO DECEMBER FUNDRAISERS!
BIGGBY'S COFFEE TOMORROW, 6:00am-NOON
FRISCH'S, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 4:00-9:00pm
Warm up with some BIGGBY’s Coffee from 6:00am-noon tomorrow, December 5, and 25% of your order will come back to the school when you show the flyer!
Warm up with some BIGGBY’s Coffee from 6:00am-noon tomorrow, December 5, and 25% of your order will come back to the school when you show the flyer!
(Their new location is on North Bend next to Skyline.)
Then take a break from holiday shopping and scarf down some great food from the North Bend Frisch’s on Tuesday, December 15 from 4:00-9:00pm and 20% comes back to St. I’s when you show the flyer. ️
Then take a break from holiday shopping and scarf down some great food from the North Bend Frisch’s on Tuesday, December 15 from 4:00-9:00pm and 20% comes back to St. I’s when you show the flyer. ️
Flyers are attached to this Wire, and must be presented at the fundraisers.
THANK YOU TO OUR TEACHERS VIDEO PROJECT
Mr. Vance has asked our St. I's families to create a video thanking our teachers. We would have it ready to share via email and Facebook on the day that gift cards will be distributed to staff. The overall message we hope to communicate to teachers is one of gratitude: that they are a GIFT, they are LOVED, and they are APPRECIATED. Thank you to our teachers! You are awesome! What an amazing Wildcat family!
Make a sign, and at the top write “You are A GIFT/LOVED/APPRECIATED because . . .” and then fill in the blank with however you want to show your gratitude! You can certainly do this as a family!
Make a sign, and at the top write “You are A GIFT/LOVED/APPRECIATED because . . .” and then fill in the blank with however you want to show your gratitude! You can certainly do this as a family!
Check out this example from Moeller: https://www.facebook.com/MoellerHighSchool/videos/137439371042717
Creativity is welcome! Maybe you have a special message of your own. Maybe you have a special talent that you share to make your video stand out. Maybe you have a GOOD NEWS CALL TO SCHOOL video to share!
Pro tip: be aware of the lighting when you take your photo/video, natural light works great!
Have someone snap a photo or video clip, or take a selfie and email it to: commmunications@saintischool.org by Monday, December 7.
Thanks for helping with this tribute to our teachers!
Creativity is welcome! Maybe you have a special message of your own. Maybe you have a special talent that you share to make your video stand out. Maybe you have a GOOD NEWS CALL TO SCHOOL video to share!
Pro tip: be aware of the lighting when you take your photo/video, natural light works great!
Have someone snap a photo or video clip, or take a selfie and email it to: commmunications@saintischool.org by Monday, December 7.
Thanks for helping with this tribute to our teachers!
HELP OUR TEACHERS WITH THEIR WISH LISTS!
With a school year unlike any other, the staff at St. Ignatius School needs our support more than ever. This year they have learned to instruct in a whole new way and have risen to the challenge. Throughout these first few months they have found out that there are some items that they could use to make their year more successful, and you can help. To show our appreciation for their everlasting efforts and nonstop devotion to our children, they were asked for ideas that could increase their instruction this year.
Please see the Sign-Up Genius link at https://bit.ly/SaintiTeacherWishList for their “Wish List” items. (If you are opening this on a mobile phone please see the drop down box for the three sign ups: 1st, 2nd, 3rd priority items. If you are opening on a computer you should see these priority tabs at the top.)
Please see the Sign-Up Genius link at https://bit.ly/SaintiTeacherWishList for their “Wish List” items. (If you are opening this on a mobile phone please see the drop down box for the three sign ups: 1st, 2nd, 3rd priority items. If you are opening on a computer you should see these priority tabs at the top.)
Thank you for supporting our teachers!
FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8
School children will be unable to attend Mass on Tuesday, December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which is a Holy Day of Obligation. If you would like to attend with your family, here are the Mass times for the Holy Day:
Monday, December 7: 7:00pm Vigil Mass
Tuesday, December 8: 6:30am
9:15am (no students)
7:00pm
ENRICHMENT NEWS
HOLIDAY FUN AT MONFORT HEIGHTS LIBRARY
On Tuesday, December 15 at 7:00pm, we will host a Holiday Drive In Storytime much like the one we did for Halloween. We will have songs and stories for Christmas and Hanukkah. You may wish to pick up holiday packets on that night if not before. We will also have a cardboard picture of Santa that you and your family are welcome to use for a photo op. We will make sure that we take turns and socially distance for this.
Here is the link to register for the Holiday Drive In. Sign up even on the waitlist!
Remember to reserve only one space per vehicle. Thank you.
So, bundle up and join us for some holiday fun! You can always hang out in your warm car.
ADVENT BLESSINGS
Submitted by Brad Macke
Director of Adult Faith Formation and Outreach
"As we enter the Advent season with all of the difficulties of 2020, it is good to remember the radicality of Advent. It is a time to prepare for the Creator of all things Who came to dwell among us, not just in a theoretical way, but as a baby born in an animal's stall! He continues to dwell among us, in the tabernacle in church but also in our Christian families. He comes right into the concrete, messy details of family life. Let us bring our joys and difficulties to Him, and embrace this Advent as a time to invite Him more closely. One beautiful way the Church provides for us to do this is the blessing of our Advent wreath and the blessing of our Nativity scene. They are attached for your convenience. O come o come Emmanuel!"
MAGNIFIKID MAGAZINES
Are your 6-12 year old children struggling to pray and follow along during Sunday Mass?MagnifiKid magazines may be able to help! Every week, MagnifiKid offers:
**All the readings and the prayers of the Sunday Mass with explanations of the difficult words and the meaning of the rituals;
**A suggested prayer for morning and evening;
**Many suggestions on how to live the entire week with the Lord;
**Various games, a comic, and activities to help children learn about Christian life and culture;
**A page intended for the parents with suggestions for family prayers.
For $14-19* per year, each subscriber will receive a monthly package that contains a booklet of 16 color pages for each Sunday as well as special issues for major feast days. These monthly packages will be reserved for your family in the parish office lobby so that you can pick them up on your way into Mass once a month.
*St. Ignatius Parish is offering a bulk ordering rate, so the price is dependent upon the number of subscriptions received by December 7.
To reserve subscriptions now for 2021, click here by December 7. You'll be contacted about the payment once all reservations are made and the bulk rate is determined. Please call Mrs. Elaine Kroger in the parish office at 661-6565 x2725 with any questions.
UPCOMING VIRTUES DATES AND LOCATIONS
December 10, St. Antoninus at 6:30pm
January 9, St. Teresa at 8:00am
January 11, St. Ignatius at 6:30pm
January 12, St. Antoninus at 11:30am
February 6, St. Teresa at 8:00am
February 9, St. Martin at 6:00pm
FLYERS
