I am thrilled to share the highlights of our recent 8th-grade trip to Washington, D.C.—a journey filled with unforgettable experiences, hands-on learning, prayer, and moments of reflection. Our students represented SPX with a sincere respect for our veterans, military personnel, and the profound history that our nation’s capital holds. It was truly a privilege to witness their curiosity, reverence, and kindness at each stop along the way.

From touring the iconic memorials and monuments to visiting the impactful Holocaust Museum, our students embraced the chance to explore and learn. Sitting in the historic Ford’s Theatre gave them a feeling of being transported back in time. Additionally, our itinerary included visits to the African American Museum and the Capitol building, where our students engaged thoughtfully and showed great interest.

One of the most meaningful and touching moments was when four of our students, selected through an essay competition, placed a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. It was a moment of solemnity and respect, reminding all of us of the sacrifices made for our country—a memory I know our students will carry with them. Congratulations to our essay winners: Madison Caron, Cooper Hood, Nova Long, and Ryan Wood.

Another unforgettable experience was our morning at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, where we celebrated Mass together. Walking through the beautifully crafted architecture, learning about the significance of each mosaic, and visiting the smaller chapels allowed us to appreciate the deep faith that our Church has expressed through these sacred spaces. We even had the special privilege of visiting the St. Pius X Chapel.

This trip was more than just an educational opportunity; it was a chance for students and teachers to connect on a deeper level and create memories that will last a lifetime. Since we don’t allow phones on the trip, it was wonderful to hear the bus filled with socializing, singing, games, and laughter. They even had a blast playing a lively game of charades while we waited for our buses to arrive. Throughout our time together, I enjoyed bonding with our students in ways that only trips like these make possible—even learning some of their slang!

Lisa Ruth

Friday, November 1 NO SCHOOL - Teacher Professional Development

Friday, November 1 Holy Day of Obligation - All Saints' Day

Friday, November 1 Newsletter Published

Friday, November 1 HSA Online Poinsettia Sale Begins

Tuesday, November 5 All School Mass

Wednesday, November 6 Flu Clinic

Friday, November 8 Trimester 1 Report Cards Sent Home

Monday, November 11 Veteran's Day Program (Gym, 8:30)

Tuesday, November 12 All School Mass

Wednesday, November 13 Meteorologist from WBNS Visit for K & 6th Graders

Wednesday, November 13 Home & School Meeting (Library, 6:30)

Thursday, November 14 Book Fair Begins

Thursday, November 14 Parent-Teacher Conferences (School, 3:10 - 7:30)

Friday, November 15 Trimester 1 All School Assembly

Friday, November 15 Bi-Monthly Newsletter Published

Friday, November 15 HSA Online Poinsettia Sale ENDS

Tuesday, November 19 All School Mass

Thursday, November 21 Pizza With the Pastor (4-212)

Thursday, November 21 Parent-Teacher Conferences (School, 3:10-7:30)

Friday, November 22 Book Fair Ends

Friday, November 22 Dress Down Day

Friday, November 22 5th Grade Friends Across Time

Friday, November 22 2nd & 3rd Grade Balloons Over Broadway (Gym, 11:15)

Saturday, November 23 Drama Club Performance (Gym, 6:00 p.m.)

Monday, November 25 Game Truck for Fall Fundraiser Top Sellers

Tuesday, November 26 All School Mass

Tuesday, November 26 Kindergarten Feast

Tuesday, November 26 Beta Club Induction Ceremony (Gym, 1:15)

Tuesday, November 26 SPX Family Night at PINS Mechanical at Easton

Wednesday, November 27 - Friday, November 29 Thanksgiving Break

SAVE THE DATE: PHOTOS WITH SANTA BEN (and More): Wednesday, December 4th at 6:00

See Below!

According to the City of Reynoldsburg, starting Friday, November 1, at 9:00 a.m., there will be a significant change to the traffic pattern on Waggoner Road. Waggoner Road will return to two-way traffic; however, there will be no entrance from Main Street. Families traveling from south of Main Street can use Lancaster to Rodebaugh or Taylor to Priestley as alternative routes. I will try to send a text reminder on Sunday evening and will update you if the city announces any changes.

Congratulations to our Yearbook Cover Design Winners! Each of the students will receive a free yearbook and their artwork will be featured on the front or back cover.

Our staff members dressed as Olympic athletes for Halloween, and our synchronized swimming team performed a snippet of their routine!

Thanks to all of our amazing room parents who planned such fun Halloween parties!

Our 8th graders did an incredible job during their mock presidential debate! They showcased impressive preparation, maturity, and articulation as they tackled complex topics like the economy, healthcare, inflation, taxes, and education. It was a wonderful learning opportunity for our 4th-8th grade students, who gained insight into these important issues while witnessing their peers respectfully debate differing perspectives. Thanks to Mr. Kehres for his preparation and organization of this event!

Our band students enjoyed a special concert and Q&A session with Dr. Shawn Wallace. It was a privilege to hear his unique story of joining a high school band at the age of nine and playing professionally—opening for Ray Charles by age fourteen! In addition to being the father of 5th grader Moses Wallace, Dr. Wallace is a recording artist who has been featured nationally on CBS, BET, NBC, and NPR.

Thanks to a generous donations to the Gala of Giving from Chief of Police at the Reynoldsburg Police Department and Emilee Crabtree, Chandler and Patrick enjoyed a priceless and FUN experience! They were treated to a special ride in a police car and enjoyed lunch alongside officers before exploring all the fascinating tools and equipment at the station. It was certainly an unforgettable experience!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 22, 2025, for your chance to bid on incredible experiences like this one!

We are preparing for our annual Veterans Day Program which will be held on Monday, November 11th. We are currently collecting photos of family members who are veterans, active military, reservists, or fallen soldiers to include in our slideshow. If you have submitted a photo in the past, we will use it again. If you have new family members you'd like to include, please complete this form:

Trunk or Treat was a huge success! We’d like to extend a very special thank you to Faye Stilwell and Jamie Witschger for their hard work in organizing such a fun community event. Even with their expert planning, this event wouldn’t have been possible without all of our wonderful families who decorated trunks, volunteered, or donated candy. Our amazing families make SPX the special community it is. And we are so lucky to have two priests who were willing to join the fun!

7th Grade Compacted Math students created WORKING clocks last week using their understanding of real/rational numbers!

Please see the links below to volunteer and to load an e-wallet.

Load your child's e-wallet: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/stpiusxschool14

Sign up to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0845AEAA28ABFFC34-52417597-stpius

Beginning on Monday, November 4th, the snack cart will be available for all students 1st - 8th grades.

Did you know that you can order a packed lunch for school field trips? Each lunch contains a PB&J Uncrustable, whole grain Goldfish Crackers, apple slices, low-fat string cheese, baby carrots and ranch dipping sauce, and a whole-grain cookie.

We are planning a special Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, November 21, so we will need many extra volunteers that day!

PLEASE consider volunteering in the kitchen, even if it's once a month! We are still in need of volunteers from 10:30-1:00, especially on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Please the November Lunch menu below.

Please email Jennifer Schorr, School Nutrition Manager, at jschorr@spxelementary.com to volunteer.

We had wonderful feedback from last year’s family night at Pins, so we are hoping to have even more families attend this year! What a fun way to strengthen our SPX community! Please RSVP below.

The School Board Advisory Committee is excited to ensure that your voices are heard this year. Below, you’ll find a list of various subcommittees, along with descriptions of their focus areas, that you can join to actively participate in our ongoing discussions, planning, and actions on these important topics. If you're interested in getting involved, please sign up using the link below. Our committee leaders will be in touch in the coming weeks to provide next steps.

You might be wondering about the time commitment. We ask for one to two hours each month, either in person or via Zoom, until the end of the school year. We truly value your input and want to ensure your voices are included in everything we do for the benefit of our children now and in the future.

Subcommittee Descriptions

1. Parent Engagement:
   We need to increase the visibility of SAB members and find ways to build a stronger sense of community. While the HSA has someone focusing on this area, we want to ensure that a few SAB members are always present and introduced at these events.

2. Alumni:
   Our goal is to create an alumni database and plan at least one alumni event. This will help foster alumni involvement for marketing, donations, enrollment, and overall support.

3. Catholicity:
   We aim to identify any gaps in promoting our Catholic identity and find ways to increase family attendance at weekend Masses.

4. Marketing (SGO):
   We're looking for members willing to speak at weekend Masses once a year and brainstorm additional promotional strategies. Assistance with writing thank-you cards would also be helpful.

5. Planning:
   One of our goals is to add an art room, and this committee could help guide that project. We will also explore other long-term planning initiatives that we should consider.

6. Grant Writing:
   We need volunteers to search for grants and ideally one or two individuals to help write them. If we don't have anyone with this expertise, this committee could focus on finding members within the SPX community who do.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Kat Terry Ujczo at kittyu@me.com.

Get quality greeting cards for only $1.00 per card!

We are excited to announce that the HSA has contracted with a new spirit wear company with several new perks!

**For the 24-25 school year, dry-fit uniform shirts will be acceptable on gym days. The shirts are on sale now.**

• Orders may be placed at any time
• Orders shipped directly to your home
• Faster turnaround times
• More color options

This year's flu shot clinic will be held on November 6. Please complete the paperwork in the link below.

Happy Friday to all from SPX Athletic Association. Please note the below information, and don't forget to take advantage of the savings this weekend at Dick's Sporting Goods at central Ohio locations (attached). Must present flyer for discount.

Green Wave Swim registration is now open. This is NOT an SPX sport, but rather a program diocese-wide for middle school swimmers. There is a registration link on our SPXAA.net page as well.

Attention all 4th grade parents! If you have not already, please register for the self-paced virtual Play Like a Champion class offered by the CCYO. It is a requirement for at least one parent per household, and is a one time only class. Some of you may have noticed the checkbox when registering your child, and this is what that checkbox is for. Once completed, please retain a copy of your certificate for your records and upload to Doodlio under your family account. If you cannot upload at this time, just keep your certificate and upload when you next register your child for a sport. Use this link for more information and to register. https://ccyo.doodlio.com/play-like-a-champion-today/general-information

Below is a message from Coach Tony Phillips, head swim coach for Bishop Hartley. Coach Phillips also head the diocese swim team, Green Wave.

Hope your fall season has been a good one!

Any 6-8 middle-schooler interested in swimming for our Green Wave program this winter, please peruse the attached link. It's very part-time, cheap, and multi-sport athletes are welcome! Practice starts in a couple weeks. Hope to see you in the water again soon!

https://greenwaveswimteam.mystrikingly.com/

Tony, Chuck, Cecelia, and Maddie

7th grade Girl Scout Troop 6378 was the first troop to donate to the Dream Big initiative and STEM center, and this week they participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony!

Follow us on social media for a peek into your child's school day!

Click on these links and follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SPXSchoolReynoldsburg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spxreynoldsburg/?hl=en

Email: stpiusx@cdeducation.org
Website: https://www.spxelementary.com/

Location: 1061 Waggoner Road, Reynoldsburg, OH, USA
Phone: 614-866-6050