Saint Ambrose School News
Parent Newsletter - October 7th, 2022
Parent Newsletter - October 7th, 2022
Dear Parents
It was wonderful to have in-person conferences last night! Thank you for your partnership. We are grateful to share this important work with your family. Thank you to our Home & School for organizing a delicious luncheon for us yesterday. Wow! We are well loved.
With October comes an end to our uniform shorts option. If shorts have been part of the rotation at your house, please make sure your student wears uniform pants beginning Monday.
The Marathon fundraiser is still going! We have exceeded our original goal of $35,000. Our last collection day is next Friday, October 14. Prizes will be distributed after our last collection date. Thank you for your generous support, and thank you to our wonderful volunteers who helped make this fundraiser a success: Rachel Anderson, Teresa Chmielewski, Tara Malley, and Rachel Sperrazza. We appreciate 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.
NWEA MAP Testing
Fall MAP testing for grades 3-8 has concluded. Test scores will be mailed to parents in late-October.
International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Fatima
On Monday, Oct 24 Saint Ambrose will host an International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Fatima that has been traveling worldwide since 1947; the statue will be in place in the main sanctuary at 7 am. Following 8AM Mass there will be a 15-20 minute talk about the statue. The statue will be in the church until the end of the school day. You are welcome to come!
Thank You Lord for the many graces and blessings you have placed in my life. I offer You my heart-felt gratitude for Your countless gifts to me each day.
In turn, dear Lord, help me to be aware of the needs of my least sisters and brothers, and to respond to those those who are poor and less fortunate with generous expressions of charity, kindness and caring.
On that day Lord, when I finally stand before You to give an account of my life, I pray I will hear you say, “Come O good and faithful servant to share your Father’s joy, for when you saw me hungry, thirsty, naked, homeless, ill and imprisoned, you offered your gifts in charity and you lovingly did it for me”.
Amen.
https://lordcalls.com/prayers-for-different-people/prayer-for-charity
Betsy Osterhaus Hand
Principal
Conference Scheduling
Thank you for joining us for conferences on Thursday evening. We have conferences next Tuesday 10/11 as well, our teachers look forward to visiting with you. If you have trouble scheduling please email your child's teacher.
If your family needs an interpreter for conferences, please email Beth Salmon at bsalmon@saintambroseschool.org
K-5 & Specialists Conferences will be in-person both days. Schedule directly with teachers after Thursday, October 6th.
6-8 Parents
Tuesday, October 11-virtual conferences.
Spirit Wear
Game One is very excited to open a new online spirit wear store for Saint Ambrose. These clothing options are not part of our uniform, but are very fun to own. Orders will be shipped to your home within 7-10 days (shipping is extra).
Class Photo Day - Thursday October 13
Hilda Berdie, from Picture Perfect, will be here to take class photos on Thursday, October 13. All students should be in uniform this day. Watch for ordering details to come.
October Dr. Jules Nolan Session
PARENT SESSION
"Psychological Wellness Begins at Home" — October 11, 7:00 p.m.
Our children are more stressed and anxious than any time in modern history. How we parent and manage emotions at home can protect our children and bolster their emotional resilience, or it can hinder development and make things worse. This session will focus on parenting strategies that promote healthy psychological development. The influences of technology, pressures of modern life, and common parenting mistakes will be discussed. Parents will leave with concrete strategies to help their children thrive.
Saint Ambrose Parish Children’s Choir
Rehearsals Wednesday evenings 5:15-6:15 pm in the church.
First rehearsal is Wednesday, October 5.
Children in 3rd -8th grades are welcome.
No registration necessary, just attend the first rehearsal October 5.
Contact Bob & Jackie Harvey, Directors of Music and Liturgy
jharvey@saintambrosecatholic.org office phone) 651-638-3007
As the weather begins to change
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.
Home and School News
Fall Family Event - Pizza and Bingo NIght - October 29
COVID-19 UPDATE
If you were exposed to COVID-19:
-Students/staff no longer need to quarantine. If symptoms develop, stay home and get tested.
- Exposure Recommendation: if you were exposed to COVID-19, the CDC recommends you wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5.
If you test positive for COVID-19:
-Students/staff stay home for 5 days.
- If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home. You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days. Wear a high-quality mask when you must be around others at home and in public.
- If after 5 days you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5.
- Regardless of when you end isolation, avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 until at least day 11.
- You should wear a high-quality mask through day 10.
Other Information
Please complete the forms below as we rely on the Title Grants from the state to purchase textbooks, pay for our school counselor, and procure excellent professional development for our teachers. Completing these forms allows us access to access funds. Please mark the "I do request...." choice for each of these three title grants
Extended Day 2022-2023 School Year: If you are interested in the Extended Day Program and have not already signed up, please complete this online form.
Our Home and School is looking for parent volunteers! Complete this form to get involved.
Volunteer Requirements
We look forward to welcoming volunteers to our campus again this year. If you are new to Saint Ambrose and want to volunteer, please complete the Essential 3 Requirements outlined on the parish website. Volunteers are required to re-credential every 3 years. You will be alerted by the Archdiocese if you need to re-credential. Thank you for your compliance.
Calendar for the 2022-2023 School Year
Enrichment Volunteers Needed - Art Adventure, Jr. Great Books, Jr Achievement
We are looking for volunteers for several programs this year.
Training is provided.
Find information about each below.
If you are interested in volunteering please contact Dianna Helmberger at 651-768-3078 or dhelmberger@saintambroseschool.org
Believe and Read - Groves Literacy Partner
Some "Groves Language" or literacy words you might hear from your child:
Vowels - a, e, i , o, u and sometimes y
Consonant - All other letters
Tapping - We use tapping as a form of sounding out words. Students use fingers to represent each sound.
Diagraphs - 2 letters that come together to create a new sound - wh, sh, th, ch, ck, oo
There are both consonant and vowel diagraphs.
Trigraphs - 3 letter that come together to create a new sound - dge, tch
Blends - 2 or 3 letters that blend together - cl - close, spr - spring
Sight word - Sight words are words your child should be able to read and spell without sounding out.
We tap decodable words (words that can be sounded out). We skywrite (not tap) sight words. Ask your child to show you how to skywrite. It is a great multi-sensory teaching technique we use to teach literacy.
Since we don't tap sight words if they come to a sight word that they're trying to read or spell, they should try to desk write it. If they've done the skywriting and deskwriting in class to put it into their brain, then skywriting or deskwriting will most likely help them retrieve it from their brain, too.
Mom's In Prayer
Attention, Moms! Do you worry about your children? Come experience how you can replace your anxiety and fear with peace and hope by praying with other women. Moms in Prayer gathers women together to pray specifically and scripturally for our children and their schools. Won’t you join with us in prayer for this next generation? Please contact Elin Perri at elinmperri@gmail.com for information about our local group that will be meeting at Saint Ambrose of Woodbury on Tuesdays at 2:15 for an hour of prayer in the Pingatore room starting September 27. For more information about Moms in Prayer, visit MomsInPrayer.org
Other Information
Sycamore Communication Portal/App - click below to go to Sycamore Website
https://app.sycamoreschool.com/index.php
Please login to Sycamore to access the school calendar, lunch menu, and schedules/grades (JH only)