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Saint Ambrose School News
Parent Newsletter - October 7th, 2022
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Parent Newsletter - January 13, 2023
Message from Betsy Hand, School Principal:
Hello Saint Ambrose Parents,
This winter certainly has some big Wednesday vibes! Our teachers spent the day without students working with each other, holding grade level and Accreditation team meetings, curriculum and event planning and optimizing the ability to meet without schedule time constraints.
We are extending our uniform sale as there is lots of inventory, and we want to give families more opportunity to shop. 8:45 am-4pm available next week.
Please check your students' uniforms/appearance for compliance with our policy. Thank you for scheduling haircuts before we need to send a note home. We appreciate the support!
Catholic Schools Week
January 21-27
Our Catholic Schools Week Committee has been planning for a great week of celebration.
Students who attend weekend Mass in uniform will get an out-of-uniform pass on January 21 or 22. On Sunday morning, students (and parents) may decorate their own doughnut after Mass. Join us! Would your student like to greet, read or sing at Mass? Check out this signup genius for opportunities:
Here is a peek at our Catholic Schools Week plans. Note dress up days, our service project and permission slips.
No Bus Day Dismissal Plan
Monday, January 30 is a NO BUS day. Our plan is to have a staggered dismissal. Families who are usually car pickup on Mondays are asked to keep your usual pickup spot, but come 15 minutes early. We will begin dismissal at 3:25. If this is not possible for you, please email your teacher and we will keep your students in Extended Day until you are able to get here.
Students who regularly ride the bus on Mondays will be dismissed at 3:50. Families will pickup as follows:
A-L North Side
M-S Bus Area
T-Z South Side
We ask bus families to arrive no earlier than 3:45 on that day for pickup.
Thank you for your support as we prioritize safety.
On Monday, we do not have school for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
With greater enrollment comes a more diverse student body, and at Saint Ambrose we continue to focus on growing in our cultural competence as a faculty and as a community. We are all
children of God, and our call as Catholics is to recognize the dignity of each human person. This is not always easy as we are different, and at times our differences are not easily understood by one another and can result in uncomfortable or even hurtful moments or discussions. The teachers and I have a deep desire to honor the cultural differences in our school while unifying our students as disciples of Christ. We have hope that our students will grow into adults who listen to one another, are willing to learn about how some of our own habits of thinking need to be challenged without fear, and who are open to the experiences of others with curiosity instead of judgment. To love one another. As Dr. King wrote, “Along the way of life, someone must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate. This can only be done by projecting the ethic of love to the center of our lives. It is the love of God operating in the human heart”.
At our Catholic school, we have an opportunity to focus on a Life of virtue. We have highlighted The virtue of charity this school year. We are able to give context to the world around us through the guiding principles of virtue and gifts of the Holy Spirit. “With the fruits of the Holy Spirit, we understand more of what God is calling each of us to. We are not meant for mediocrity or lukewarm attitude towards others. Rather, we are called to perfect love for our neighbor. There is no possibility of racial hatred that can accompany true Christian charity” (Created in Christ : A Catholic Response to the Sin of Racism (2021), Sophia Institute for Teachers, page 142).
Let us pray together as we celebrate the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday:
Ever present God, you called us to be in relationship with one another and promised to dwell wherever two or three are gathered. In our community, we are many different people; we come from many different places, have many different cultures. Open our hearts that we may be bold in finding the riches of inclusion and the treasures of diversity among us. We pray in faith. Amen.
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/justice-prayers
Enjoy your weekend!
Betsy Osterhaus Hand
Principal
Conferences
Conferences will be Feb 2nd and 7th from 4:20 - 8:10.
K-5 will be held in person
6-8 will be held virtually
Conferences are optional and are by either parent or teacher request.
Information on scheduling will be sent home next week in the Family Newsletter.
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 beginning next Friday, January 20.
SAVE THE DATE - Saint Ambrose Summer School Week is July 17 - 21st!
Summer School
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 17-21st. 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 17-21st.
More information about registration and specific classes will be sent out in mid-February.
Dr. Jules Nolan Session
PARENT SESSION
“Parenting Exceptional Children” — January 18, 7 p.m.
Parenting children with educational and behavioral differences can be rewarding AND challenging. Even children who are gifted and talented present special challenges in parenting. In this session we will discuss parenting children who have diverse needs because of educational, behavioral, and mental health challenges, as well as those who may need more enrichment.
Home and School News
Bookfair will be in February!
Students will preview Thursday, Feb 2nd and Feb 3rd with their classes.
New this year - Shopping will be available during February Conferences, look for a signup to come!
Classes will shop the week of Feb 6th, teachers will let you know specifics for your child's class.
More information will come home in January!
If you are interested in volunteering click here - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0445A9AC28ABFE3-stambrose3
Registration Information for 2023-2024 School Year
Uniforms
We will be checking uniforms, thank you for your support and partnership in keep students uniforms in code. Please refer to our school guidelines
Here is a visual if you need to reference uniform expectations.
As a reminder:
We will enforce the uniform policy, which states that girl's skirts will be within 2 inches of the knee and that boy's hair must be conservatively styled, well-groomed, and neat. Boys’ hair must be above the collar, the ear, and the eyebrows. Hair may not be able to touch eyebrows whether styled or not. No unconventional coloring or haircuts are allowed. Hair accessories must be solid black, solid white, solid navy, or uniform plaid.
Additional Requirements:
Shoes: Must have non-scuff soles and must be close-toed. No sandals, clogs, moccasins or platforms. Tops of shoes must be ankle-height or lower. Heels must be no higher than 1½ inches. Shoes must be solid black, solid white, or black and white. No other colors are permitted. Shoelaces must be the same color as shoes. Shoe style must be conservative.
Shirts: Must be worn under sweatshirts or sweaters. Shirts must be tucked in at all times. Only the top button may be left unbuttoned. All cuffs must be buttoned.
Hair: Must be conservatively styled, well-groomed, and neat. Boys’ hair must be above the collar, above the ear, and above the eyebrows. Hair may not be able to touch eyebrows whether styled or not. No unconventional coloring or haircuts are allowed Hair accessories must be solid black, solid white, solid navy, or uniform plaid.
Jewelry: Must be simple and conservative if worn. No unconventional jewelry is allowed. No dangling earrings for girls and no earrings for boys.
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
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.
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
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.
Child Safety Curriculum
In November, classes will begin our child safety curriculum. Grades K-5 will be using the Monique Burr Foundations, Child Safety Matters curriculum and 6-8 will be using Netsmartz curriculum. If you have any questions regarding the specific lessons being taught please contact your child's classroom (Grades 6-8 - Religion) teacher and they would be happy to share more information. This curriculum is required by the Archdioceses for all grade levels.
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
Upcoming Dates to Remember
Jan 16th - No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan 21 & 22 -Catholic Schools Week Kickoff at weekend Masses
Jan 23- 27th - Catholic Schools' Week!
Jan 30- No Bus Day
Feb 2nd - Evening Conferences
Feb 7th - Evening Conferences
Feb 17th - 20th - No School for Students
Believe and Read - Groves Literacy Partner
What do I do if my child is stuck on a word while reading?
It used to be that we coached children to look at the picture or skip the word if they didn’t know what it meant. Strategies that take kids’ attention off words do not help them become better word readers. Instead, if your child struggles, try prompting them in these ways:
● Tap the sounds in this word (for one-syllable words)
● Do you see any prefixes? Suffixes? Let’s solve those first and then look at the root
word or base word that’s left.
● Can this letter make another sound? Why?
● What’s the vowel saying?
Let’s keep kids’ eyes on the words when they don’t know them and empower them to be word solvers!
Winter Aimswebplus Assessments
Students in grades (K-3) will be taking 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.
Other Communication
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)
Follow us on Social Media
Quick Links
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.