Saint Ambrose School News

Dear Saint Ambrose Parents,

We had a great kickoff to Catholic Schools Week today. We are blessed with a wonderful band, and a high-energy student population. I look forward to seeing you at Mass this weekend. Students who wear their uniform to Mass get a free dress pass. Thanks to all who signed up to help with important roles at Masses. Also, know that St. Jerome's principal is so appreciative of our donations that truly help their students. Be sure to check out the family calendar for all of the details about next week:

Link to the Family Calendar

Please take my advice-ask your students to plan what they are wearing on Sunday so that each morning is not a scramble. Learn from my mistakes, my friends. Uniform wearing families are not trained for this!

Permission Slip links for Catholic Schools' Week

Link to K Permission Slip

Link to 1st Grade Permission Slip

Link to the 2nd Grade Permission Slip

Link to 3rd Grade Permission Slip

Link to 4th Grade Permission Slip

Link to 5th Grade Permission Slip

Link to 6th Grade Permission Slip

Link to 7th Grade Permission Slip

Link to 8th Grade Permission Slip

Spirit Wear

Please use this link to order Spirit Wear - there is a 20% for Catholic School's Week. Deadline to Order is January 28

Breakfast Sign-up For February

We are excited to offer free breakfast to students this year. In order to successfully manage this and be good stewards of our resources we are asking you to order ahead of time. These option are for February 1- 29th. **Breakfast is served with a fruit, juice, and milk selection each day.

Thank you for filling out your request by January 26th.

You will need to fill out a separate form for each child.

https://forms.gle/rjSCtMnXXhCxwuro6

NO Bus Day - Monday, Jan 29th

We are trying another idea for dismissal for the NO BUS day on Monday, January 29. Our primary goal is student safety. All pick up will require parents to park and walk into the building to meet your child(ren) inside. Please read the information below:

Drop off - If you typically drive your child(ren) to school, you will keep your regular routine for morning drop off. If they typically ride the bus please drop off by car at the doors by the playground.

Pick-up

If your child(ren) typically DO NOT take the bus :

Pick up time is early- 3:30. You must park your car and enter the building.

Regular North Side families: pick up in the gym

Regular South Side families: pick up in the cafeteria

If your child(ren) typically ride the bus:

Students will be dismissed from classrooms at 3:50.

WE WILL NOT HAVE BUS RIDERS TO THESE LOCATIONS EARLY

Please pick up based on last name:

Last names A-N North Side- park your car, enter the building through door #3 and pick up in the gym

Last names O-Z South Side-park your car, enter through the church doors and pick up in the cafeteria

Both north and south pick up will be park and walk in for your child.

Conferences will be Feb 8th and 13th from 4:00 - 7:45.

K-5 will be held in person

6-8 will be held virtually

Conferences are optional and are by either parent or teacher request.

If you need an interpreter for conferences, contact Beth Salmon for scheduling: bsalmon@saintambroseschool.org

You can book your own conference with your classroom teacher on Sycamore.

Click here to learn how to schedule your conference online

Winter Aimswebplus Assessments

Students in grades K-3 will be take the winter Aimswebplus Assessments in January. The results will not be sent home but will be used as a measurement for teachers to look for growth and challenge areas. This will help them best meet each child's learning needs. This is just a snapshot of your child's progress and one piece of formative information teachers use to modify lessons so everyone is getting the lessons they need. In the spring, we will do one more assessment. You will then get information sent home with a look at your child's progress over the course of the year. Please feel free to reach out to Dianna Helmberger regarding the assessments if you have any questions.

O Lord,
give us a mind that is humble, quiet, peaceable,
patient and charitable,
and a taste of your Holy Spirit
in all our thoughts, words and deeds.
O Lord,
give us a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity,
a love of you.
Take from us all lukewarmness in meditation,
and all dullness in prayer.
Give us fervour and delight in thinking of you,
your grace, and your tender compassion toward us.
Give us, good Lord,
the grace to work for
the things we pray for.
Amen.

St Thomas More (1478-1535)

Betsy Osterhaus Hand

Principal

• Parent session: January 23, 2024 | 7:00 pm
  Topic: How to Communicate with School to Make Sure Your Child's Needs Are Met
  Register: Click here

Dear Families,

As we embark on the new year, we are excited to introduce a special focus on the virtue of forgiveness throughout January. We aim to create a positive and compassionate school environment where forgiveness is valued and celebrated. In children, practicing forgiveness translates to actions such as taking responsibility for our actions, learning from mistakes, being truthful, and adopting a humble attitude. It means not bragging when you win and refraining from showing anger when you lose.

Here's how we plan to encourage and acknowledge acts of mercy among our students:

Acts of Mercy Recognition:

1. Teachers will be actively observing and recognizing acts of mercy and forgiveness displayed by our students.

Acknowledgment with a Snowflake:

1. When a teacher witnesses a noteworthy act, the student will be acknowledged and invited to the office to receive a special snowflake with their name on it.

Saint Cards as Reminders:

1. In exchange for their snowflake, students will be presented with a saint card. This card serves as a tangible reminder to continue embodying the virtue of forgiveness in their daily lives.

We believe this initiative will not only foster a culture of forgiveness but also encourage our students to reflect on the exemplary lives of saints who embody this virtue. We encourage you to discuss the significance of forgiveness with your child and how they can actively participate in this meaningful practice.

Let's work together to make January a month filled with compassion, understanding, and the warmth of forgiveness.

Wishing you and your family a joyous start to the year!

Saints we will be recognizing and learning more about:

Elizabeth Ann Seton (Jan 4th)

Epiphany (Jan 6th)

Marianne Cope( Jan 23rd)

St. John Bosco (Jan 31st)

Students will preview Thursday, Feb 8th and Feb 9th with their classes.

Again this year we will offer - Shopping will be available during February Conferences, look for a signup to come!

Classes will shop the week of Feb 12th, teachers will let you know specifics for your child's class.

eWallet

To set up an eWallet for your child, please visit the Book Fair Homepage

eWallet Instructions

eWallet FAQ’s

Classroom Library Donations

If you would like to make a monetary donation to our classroom library, you can donate to our classroom this link will be sent by your classroom teacher.

Family Shopping (during conferences - School Library 2nd floor)

Thursday, February 8th 4:00pm-7:30pm

Tuesday, February 13th 4:00pm-7:30pm

Book Fair Photos with Pricing (link to google photos file)

*** Link will be sent out the week of bookfair***

Tiffani Morelli-President

Ashley Salvato-Vice President

Christine Nelson-Communications Coordinator

Tara Malley-Fundraising Coordinator

Katie Hatteberg-Secretary

Abby Summerfield-Treasurer

Heather Cange-Volunteer Coordinator

Join us on February 27 for the Faith and Family Ticket Pack presented by He Gets Us as the Wild take on the Hurricanes. Ticket pack includes a pregame event with Minnesota Wild Chaplain Bill Butters and former Wild player Nate Prosser.

The game is on Tuesday, February 27th v. Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:00pm, and the exclusively priced ticket pack includes a special pregame event with Minnesota Wild Chaplain Bill Butters and former Wild player Nate Prosser.

Here is the link to purchase the ticket pack: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/wildfaithfamily2324?ref=KL

We offer a summer enrichment program for students entering kindergarten through grade six. There are a variety of classes in a wide range of topics including STEM, computer programming/coding, mathematics, science, reading, cooking, art, lego, computer games and much more. This is considered an enrichment experience and students find it fun and exciting to explore topics and subjects that may not be a part of a typical curriculum.

Courses will be offered Monday through Friday from July 15-19th. Students may take from one to three courses. All courses will be 1.5 hours in length. Lunch will be provided.

If you are interested in having your child participate in the opportunity please save the dates of July 15 - 19th.

More information about registration and specific classes will be sent out in mid-February.

Sight Words

We want students to know these words because they appear often in text AND they

may have sound patterns that they haven’t learned or are not predictable. We teach students to read andspell sight words.

We give students extra practice with the sight words by skywriting them and carpet

writing them, saying the names of the letters as we write the word and then

reading the whole word. If you have sight words you’re working on with your child,

make sure they are spelling them out loud, as well as reading them. Can they

skywrite or carpet write a sight word for you?

• If you are tardy for school (9:20 or after), please come to the North Entrance and check in at the school office. The South Side is locked at 9:20.

• During COVID, we didn't ask parents to sign students out of the office consistently. We have developed some bad habits, and need to get back to a safer sign-out process. If your child(ren) are leaving early, you need to come into the school and sign them out in the office. Thank you!
• School Emergency Closing Notifications -This school year we will continue to use our Sycamore System for text and email notifications for school closures and delays due to inclement weather. You may also check Kare 11 and WCCO for notification that District 833 is closed - if they are closed we will be closed. Make sure to update Sycamore with your current phone numbers and emails as soon as possible.

To receive emergency notifications from our school concerning school cancelations, etc, Saint

Ambrose enrolls each family in receiving SMS and Phone notifications automatically at the

beginning of each year. If you prefer not to receive these notifications, Sycamore has an

opt-in/out option.

To opt in or out.

Login into sycamore.

Click “My School”

Click “Notifications.”

Click person.

Choose to opt in or out of notifications. The check box means opt-in, and uncheck means

opt-out.

Click here for more info

Artsonia

Artsonia is the world's largest collection of student art, published by teachers and students from around the world. Parents and family can view the art online, leave comments and order keepsakes featuring the artwork. Below is the link and the code for parents to connect so that they can have access to not only digital copies of their child's work, but also to the personalized art gift shop that helps raise funds for art materials.

Code

TWKCXF27

Link

https://www.artsonia.com/connect/TWKCXF27

Sycamore Communication Portal/App - click below to go to Sycamore Website

https://app.sycamoreschool.com/index.php

Sycamore Help Guide

Sycamore Parent Checklist

Please login to Sycamore to access the school calendar, lunch menu, and schedules/grades (JH only)

Handbook

Here is our student handbook for this school year:

23-24 Student Handbook

Cold Weather Procedures

During the cold winter months, we ask that parents make a special effort to see that their children are dressed appropriately (i.e. hats, mittens, boots, etc.).

The children go outside for recess daily in the lower grades unless the air or wind chill temperature exceeds –10 degrees. During winter months, we sometimes receive requests to keep children inside during recess. Such requests are difficult to honor because classrooms are not under supervision during that time. Generally if a child is well enough to attend school they should be well enough to participate in recess.

We have found that a short period of outdoor activity is extremely important in order to refresh each child. The children then arrive back in their classrooms better prepared to resume their studies.

Planning Ahead

Jan 20 - 21st - CSW Masses

Jan 25th - JH Info Night at 6pm

Jan 29th - no bus and Mass of Holy Spirit for 6-8th

Feb 8th and Feb 13th - Conferences

Feb 13th - Valentine's Day is Ash Wed.- Celebrate Mardi Gras and VDay on 2/13

Mission (what we offer)

We at Saint Ambrose School are part of a vibrant Catholic community supporting and nurturing

each child on their journey with Christ.

Through exceptional academics, embracing each child’s unique strengths and needs, and

joyfully engaging in prayer and service, we take a holistic, virtue-based approach to student

education and experiences. This is the Saint Ambrose Way.

Vision (what we aspire to)

As a thriving Catholic school, we create meaningful impact though each family we support and

student we send into the world.

By helping form the whole child, students are not only prepared well for the next level of

education, but life as Christian adults living the Saint Ambrose Way.

PHILOSOPHY

The Saint Ambrose community recognizes the partnership between parents, students, staff,

administration and parishioners in providing for the development of its members as people of

faith who worship, learn and grow together. As a community we have a responsibility to

support families- as the primary educators of their children- while providing enriching

experiences that promote a sense of belonging and responsibility to a community.

Hand Connection Newsletter

January Menu

Lunch

Breakfast

School Calendar 2023-2024

School Supply List for 2023-2024

School Website

Did you know that we have a Saint Ambrose Facebook Page and Instagram Page? Please follow us for school updates and photos. Click the links at the bottom of this email for quick access to our social media pages.