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Saint Ambrose School News
Parent Newsletter - October 7th, 2022
![Saint Ambrose School News Parent Newsletter - October 7th, 2022](https://cdn.smore.com/u/35a3/69206fb9767ba145ca5f3cb96d0201ec.jpg)
Parent Newsletter - October 17th, 2023
Dear Saint Ambrose Parents,
Thank you to all who attended conferences. We are grateful for your partnership, and deeply appreciate that you share your children with us. I hope you are able to enjoy some family time during this long weekend (no school W-Th-Fri. We return back to school Monday, October 23). I am off to Iowa tomorrow to visit my parents (hopefully I'll beat my mom in Scrabble). Then, to the Mankato Marathon on Saturday to watch my son (who was supposed to run Twin Cities, but we know how that went...). Here's hoping Iowa can score an offensive touchdown against the Gophers!
Marathon Update
Thank you for all your support in the Marathon. We have reached our goal! Marathon prizes that were communicated will be sent home today.
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!
We are looking forward to our Accreditation Team Visit October 24-26. Six administrators and teachers from other schools will spend 3 days at Saint Ambrose, visiting classrooms, interviewing teachers and staff, and observing what we do. You might get a phone call from a team member asking about your experience at Saint Ambrose. They will submit a report to the MNSAA. The team will make recommendations in the report, and the MNSAA board will determine our accreditation status. I am grateful to teachers for all of their hard work, and to parents who completed the survey. I am proud of our school, and excited for our identified goals for improvement.
Would you like to order a class picture?
The class pictures are uploaded to an online gallery and available for purchase.
Each class photo is $12.00. We ask you to place orders by October 27th.
Here is the link to order:
https://woodburypictureperfect.pixieset.com/sawclass2023/
Thank you to Hilda and Michele at Woodbury Picture Perfect!
Breakfast Sign-up for October 23rd- November 3rd. Please remember you need to fill this out for each student who would like to have breakfast (K-5). Junior High students will fill out the form at school.
Survey about Lunch service from Taher - Click Here
Updates/Reminders:
-I am extending uniform shorts through the month of October. Parents-help your students dress for the weather if/when the temperature drops.
-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.
Artsonia
Hello All,
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
My heart is heavy as I'm sure your is as we hear of the suffering of so many people in the Middle East. Following Pope Francis’ Wednesday Audience appealing for peace in the Middle East and Holy Land, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops asked the Church to join in offering prayers for peace amid the escalating violence. The USCCB reminded Catholics that:
“We call on the faithful and all people of goodwill to not grow weary and to continue to pray for peace in the land Our Lord, the Prince of Peace, called home.”
God bless you,
Betsy Osterhaus Hand
Principal
October is Kindness Month at Saint Ambrose
For the Month of October the 2nd Graders are leading the school in celebrating the virtue of Kindness. The Wellness Committee would like to invite families to participate in discussions focusing on the virtue of kindness. Use these questions anytime to spark discussion. Go out and be kind!
Peace of Mind - Jules Nolan October Parent Session
OCTOBER 24, 2023
Identifying Typical vs. Problematic Stress and Anxiety
REGISTRATION LINK
We are Looking for Help With a Few Things...
Volunteer Requirements
We look forward to welcoming volunteers to our campus this year. If you are new to Saint Ambrose and want to serve as a volunteer, please complete the following:
Essential 3 Requirements outlined on the parish website.
This needs to be updated every three years.
Lunchroom and Recess Help
If you are interested in helping with recess or lunchroom supervision please contact Janet Seidenkranz in our school office. 651-768-3000.
Reading Counts help:
Help check books in and out for students in grades K-2. Training provided.
For more details contact Beth Salmon at bsalmon@saintambroseschool.org. or 651-768-3087.
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
- Art Adventure - Grades 1-5 - It will be held in the spring but training is provided in the winter so it is important to sign up in the fall.
- Jr. Achievement - K-8 and will be held in the spring
If you are interested in volunteering please contact Dianna Helmberger at 651-768-3078 or dhelmberger@saintambroseschool.org
Do you pick up on the South Side?
Our AM drop off plan will remain the same.
We are moving to a new pick up plan starting Tuesday, September 26.
Thank you for your patience as we've assessed the safety needs, supervision needs and efficiency of many different plans.
We will ask parents to park in the parking lot, preferably in the lanes close to the church doors, cross at the cross walk and enter the church gathering space. If you have an EC pickup, you may use the lanes closer to EC and the EC crosswalk. Please bring your name sign with you and form a line.
At 3:45, School staff will begin bringing students to parents from Fellowship Hall. You will then walk with your students (using the crosswalk) and return to your car. Thank you for using caution when backing out of your spots, and for keeping your children next to you as you walk to your car.
If you are a K-2 parent and want to stay in your car for pickup, please switch to the north side for car pickup and email your children's teacher(s) to let them know.
Please Complete the Forms
We access funding from Title Grants from the state each year. Completing these forms allows us access to access funds. Please mark the "I do request...." choice for each of these three title grants.
Home and School Board:
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
Believe and Read - Groves Literacy Partner
Multisensory Strategies
Multisensory techniques build strong connections between letters and sounds as well as help build neural pathways in the brain. We often refer to this as VAKT (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Tactile) learning.
Why: The more we use these simultaneously, the stronger the connection in the brain. This is why we always want the letter or word in front of them when skywriting. You are simultaneously providing a visual, kinesthetic, auditory, and tactile experience.
Two of the multisensory techniques that we use are skywriting and tapping.
Tapping: Use with any phonetically regular word (If it is a multisyllable word, you tap as needed)
Skywriting: Use with sight words and homophones.
We use other multi-sensory techniques, including: hand motions for blends, chopping syllables, desk or carpet writing, spelling aloud, and naming letters as you write.
Has your child mentioned "Magic E?"
Some teachers will call it magic because if the letter e is at the end of the word it makes the first vowel say its name (or the long vowel sound.)
Example: Share - the e is silent but the a says its name!
Here are two wonderful videos that our wonderful 1st-grade teacher, Ms. Hulit recorded. They demonstrate letter sounds and how to tap words.
Other Information
Sycamore will be accessible to families on August 22, 2023.
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)
Handbook
Here is our student handbook for this school year:
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.
Mission and Philosophy
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.
Follow us on Social Media
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.