St. Cecilia Spotlight - Nov 20

Our students will be given an opportunity to show veneration to the relic of St. Cecilia before they leave Holy Mass on Friday, November 22nd, which is her feast day.

As St. Cecilia is the patroness of our parish, we are extremely honored to possess a relic of her, which is in fact a piece of her bone. This relic is held in a glass case, called a reliquary, which is held in a gold case which is shaped as a cross.

Please read the attached documents for comments on the history of relics in the Church, as well as their public veneration.

With regard to the physical act of veneration. The most historical and customary form is to kiss the glass of the reliquary or the cross that encapsulates it. During public venerations, the spot that was kissed is whipped clean before another person venerates it.

It is also acceptable to simply touch the reliquary or cross. If done, that touched spot will also be cleaned before the next veneration. If physical contact is undesirable, because of one's own illness and/or one's proclivity to illness, then a genuflection (with the left knee) or a bow of the head will suffice.

We will be sending out a test message through our all call system on Monday, November 25th between 10:00 am - 11:00 am. This is the system we use when having to report snow days/delays or an emergency. We also utilize email and social media in order to get the pertinent information out as quickly as possible. The test message will come from (859) 780-5664. Please make sure this phone number is saved in your contacts. If you do not receive this message, contact the school office at school@stcindependence.org.

The end of the first trimester is today. On Tuesday, November 26, we will have an all school Mass at 8:00 AM. Immediately following will be awards in the church. Early dismissal at 11:00 AM to allow time for P/T conferences. Hard copy report cards will not be sent home. Parents may view and print them from the "Documents" section under each student profile in Sycamore.

We will conduct P/T Conferences on Tuesday, November 26 from 1:00 PM - 7:30 PM. We will have an 11:00 AM dismissal this day. There will be no lunch served, aftercare will be closed, and there will be no afternoon bus service.

P/T Conference Sign-ups are now LIVE in Sycamore!

You may need to use a desktop and not a mobile device to reserve your conference spot. Middle School teachers will meet as one conference and need to be reserved under Mrs. Cochran. In the event the middle school schedule gets full, they will open an additional date (TBD).

Sycamore School ID: 3298

• November 26 - Early Dismissal (11 AM) - AFTERCARE CLOSED/NO PM BUS SERVICE
• November 27 - PD#4 - NO SCHOOL
• November 28 - Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL
• November 29 - Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL

This is just a reminder that if you signed your child up for a club and still need to send in your club fee, please do so as soon as possible. Also, there seems to have been some confusion on the clubs and trimesters. Please check which trimester you signed your student up for. We have students attending clubs that were signed up for the 2nd and 3rd trimester.

Our lost and found is overflowing. We will keep it out until November 26th. Parents please remind your children to stop and check if they are missing anything or you may stop in the school lobby after awards or during P/T conferences. The items will be donated over Thanksgiving break.

*Please note: This is a good reminder to write your child's name inside their clothing items.

First of all thank you for the opportunity to teach and share my love of music to your children. It is truly a privilege to be a STC.

During the last half of this trimester all of the classes have been learning Patriotic songs to present during our Veterans Program. Not only did they learn the songs but also what makes it a patriotic song, tempo, time signature and of course using their beautiful singing voices. At the beginning of the trimester the middle school students and 5th grade reviewed the treble clef and the parts of music such as the clef, time signature, key signature, measures etc. They all learned to play "Blest are the Pure in Heart" on the glockenspiels. 3rd and 4th graders also reviewed the treble clef in order to play their recorders. I will brag that this has been my best recorder classes in quite a while. Keep up the good work. Kindergarten thru 2nd grade have been working on using their voices properly. Inside voices vs. outside voices and singing voices vs. speaking voices. They are also learning about tempo, dynamics and meter with 2 or 3 beats.

Now that November is coming to an end we are gearing up for the Christmas Pageant. There will be a slight change in that Kindergarten, 7th and 8th graders are excused from participating this year. This is the downside to a growing school as we have to limit the amount of people in the church due to a fire hazard. If you have a student in any of these grades that are desperate to participate, just have them come to me and I will assign them to a class to sing with. The Christmas Program will be the evening of December 19th so please note that on your calendar.

Thanks again for allowing me to teach your children.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Rahschulte

Book Fair is going on this week. Be sure to check out our online link. Parents are welcome to come and shop at their convenience between 7AM and 2PM. Check in at the reception desk. See you soon, November 18 - 22.

Practice Dates:

• November 7, 14, 21
• December 5, 12, 19
• January 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
• February 6, 13, 20, 27
• March 6, 13, 20

Dress Rehearsals/Showtime:

• March 15 (9AM - Noon) Simon Kenton Dress Rehearsal
• March 17 (2PM - 5PM) Simon Kenton Dress Rehearsal
• March 21 (7PM) Production at Simon Kenton
• March 22 (2PM) Production at Simon Kenton

We really need help in our cafeteria on a daily basis. Great way to earn Parent Partnership hours. Kitchen Help will assist the cafeteria with serving food. Cafe Monitor will assist students with opening items and cleaning tables.

You must be VIRTUS compliant. Parent hours need to be logged in to Sycamore for approval!

St. Cecilia announces Homecoming Weekend, November 23-24, 2024

With an eye toward continuing to build the St. Cecilia community, we are excited to announce a wonderful new event on the weekend of the Feast of St. Cecilia: the Homecoming Weekend! If you are reading this – YOU ARE INVITED!

This is an ALL AGES and ALL STAGES of life invitation!

Festivities begin the night of Saturday, November 23rd, with the St. Cecilia Homecoming Family Dance, from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm. Join us for a fun-filled evening with the entire St. Cecilia community family. It will be a night filled with music, dancing, photo booths and of course, food and drinks! The evening will conclude with the presentation of this year’s Cecilian Award. To help defer the cost of the event, we will request donations of $5 per person or $20 per family. Ticket sales will also help us anticipate the expected attendance. Tickets will be sold after each weekend Mass, and in the church office between the hours of 8:30-4:30. Contact the church office with questions: church@stcindependence.org

Our Homecoming weekend continues on Sunday, November 24th from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm as we come together for an afternoon of food, fellowship, and fun. There will be plenty of games & activities for kids of all ages including face-painting, and contests with prizes. For adults attending Homecoming there will be fun too-beer, wine, split-the-pot, bingo, football on the big screen to name a few. Everyone attending must check in at the Welcome Table to receive a map for the event. Make your Homecoming journey around the undercroft and get your map stamped at every station to be entered into a prize raffle at 4 pm.

Know anyone interested in learning more about the Catholic faith? OCIA is a program designed to help non-baptized, non-Catholics and non-practicing Catholics learn more about Catholicism through a series of classes, discussions, prayer times and ceremonies. This program helps people grow in faith and knowledge of God as they consider becoming Catholic.

OCIA Classes will be held on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM in the Middle School of St. Cecilia School.

Thank you to everyone who bought and sold Texas Roadhouse Gift Cards! We will distribute the gift cards when they come in!

Our next Dine to Donate will be at Donatos in Independence on Tuesday, December 3 from 4 to 8pm. A flyer will be sent home this week as we will be off next Wednesday.

Our next PTO meeting will be on Tuesday, JANUARY 14 at 6:30 in the undercroft.

Our next Stagette meeting will be held Wednesday, December 4, 6pm at LaRosas in Independence!

Our Penguin Patch Holiday Sale will be the week of December 2-6. Info will be sent home today. Please be on the lookout for info from your child's teacher(s) to find out when your child(ren) will be shopping. You can send cash or check (made out to SCPTO) in the Penguin Patch envelope back to school with your child/ren.

We need Volunteers to help students shop for their families! If you can help with the Penguin Patch Holiday Shop, please sign up here (we still need volunteers on Thursday, December 5):

We are excited to host a Pancake Breakfast at Applebees in Crestview Hills on Sunday, December 15 from 8-10am. Tickets will be $10 per person and will include pancakes, sausage or bacon, and a drink (coffee, milk/juice). Information will be sent home after Thanksgiving Break. We will also need volunteers for this event (sign up genius link coming soon!). Please email the PTO for more information.

Save the Date for our annual Stagette, Saturday, March 15 at Receptions in Erlanger. We are beginning to plan this event and are looking for items to raffle off! Please email the PTO if you can help!

We have extra t-shirts for sale ($8 each)! Please email the PTO with your size requests/any questions!

St. Cecilia hosted its first ever archery tournament on Nov 9th! We had 4 archers place and receive medals!

• Kylie Luckhardt (8th grade) - place 1st in middle school female
• Eli Fry (8th grade) - placed 2nd in middle school male
• Brandy Huff (8th grade) - placed 3rd in middle school female
• Julianne Reed (8th grade) - placed 5th in middle school female

Winter Sports (Basketball & Archery) Pictures will be held in the school gym on December 4th. Pictures will start at 5:30. A schedule will be posted and sent out soon.

Come help make the St. Cecilia Basketball League a success. Last year we were able to make almost $15,000 for our kids. The money raised is split with the school and the sports committee, so all kids benefit from this work. In addition, the sports committee has utilized funds to upgrade equipment for the gym classes and for recess. We can only support our kids when everyone jumps in to help. Please grab a volunteer slot today!

Come out for another epic night on 1/18/25 at 6pm in the Undercroft filled with live music, a coney bar, draft beer, games, and raffles while watching the NFL divisional round! Draft beer and coneys are INCLUDED in your ticket price!

Date: January 18, 2025

Location: St. Cecilia Undercroft

Time: 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm

We are still in search of sponsors and donations including bourbon, alcohol, tickets, and gift cards. For donations, please contact Josh Whisman 859-394-3082 or jwhisman912@yahoo.com.

Want to come out and support your favorite Crusader? Click the link below to find out when they will be playing next...

All school events can be found below, on the Sycamore calendar, or the school website.

*Calendar subject to change.

The Independence Christmas Walk will kick off with the tree lighting ceremony at the Kenton County Courthouse at 5:45 pm followed by the lighted Christmas Parade at 6:00 pm.

• 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Christmas Market
• 5:45 PM - Tree Lighting (Courthouse)
• 6:00 PM - Lighted Parade (Madison Pk)
• End of Parade until 9:00 PM - Christmas Walk/Ice Skating Rink

Parent’s Night Out sponsored by Holy Cross High School cheerleaders and coaches on Saturday, 12/7/24, from 6-9 PM in the Holy Cross gym, 36th & Church Streets, Covington, KY. For ages 4 and up (must be potty trained). The fun includes crafts, snacks, games and the Polar Express Movie. Wear your pajamas, bring a pillow and blanket and join us for an unforgettable experience! The cost is $25 for one child with a family max of $50. Register and prepay at https://forms.gle/Bxz4DPTtkbPewcky7. For questions or more information contact coach karen.bunton@hchscov.com or at 859-431-1335.

Come get a selfie with Santa and The Grinch at the Independence Senior and Community Center on Sunday, December 8 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. We will be collecting brand new, unopened, unwrapped toy donations for the Steinford Toy Foundation (for ages 6 months - 17 years old).

To report a student absent/tardy or if you have a transportation change, please send an email to school@stcindependence.org.

*Submit all transportation changes by 1:30 PM.

St. Cecilia School NPO: 80154

The Kroger cards have been very profitable for the school and individuals. Register your Kroger Plus Card online and designate St. Cecilia School as your preferred rewards recipient. This is at NO COST TO YOU! You shop and St. Cecilia will receive a % toward community rewards.

Do you use your phone number at the register? Call 800-576-4377 and select Option 4.

• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Wednesday, December 4th, 2024, 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Wednesday, December 4th, 2024, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Tuesday, January 14th, 2025, 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Tuesday, January 14th, 2025, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Thursday, January 30th, 2025, 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Thursday, January 30th, 2025, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Thursday, February 13th, 2025, 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Thursday, February 13th, 2025, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Wednesday, February 26th, 2025, 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Wednesday, February 26th, 2025, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Tuesday, March 11th, 2025, 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Tuesday, March 11th, 2025, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Wednesday, March 26th, 2025, 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM.
• Diocesan Curia, Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Wednesday, March 26th, 2025, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

** The monthly reminder of a new bulletin posted will come from system@pub.virtus.org.

Email: school@stcindependence.org
Website: www.stceciliaky.org
Location: 5313 Madison Pike, Independence, KY, USA
Phone: (859) 363-4314

Have any information that you want to include in the newsletter? Please email it to school@stcindependence.org by the end of business Tuesday of each week.