Dear Christ the King School Families,
First and foremost, on behalf of the CKS faculty, staff, and administration: Happy Thanksgiving!! We hope everyone is able to spend time with family, eat, shop, and rest during our five-day weekend.
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On Tuesday, three 7th graders and four 8th graders participated in the taping of the TV Mass for the Feast of Christ the King, which will air on Sunday, November 26th. The taping itself occurred on Tuesday, the 14th, at the Diocese, and I was informed our students readers, servers, and congregants) were brilliant (our two readers were the absolute best!!) Thank you, Mr. Hughes, for organizing CKS’s participation in this wonderful celebration.
On Wednesday morning, Father offered Holy Mass with the 3rd Grade Class hosting (great job!). Father shared that it was St. Albert’s feast day, the teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas, and he also discussed the importance of being thankful, a timely thought for these two weeks.
A reminder that Holy Mass will be held on Monday, November 20th, hosted by the 5th grade.
On Wednesday afternoon, students in Mrs. Gillis’ 5th grade class launched the rockets they built as part of STARBASE, a STEM learning program provided by the Vermont Air National Guard and the Department of Defense. The launch, witnessed by the entire student body, was a success! Thank you so much, Mrs. Gillis!! And great work, 5th graders!
On Thursday morning, I received a phone call from Ms. Byrne, inviting me to observe the 1st grade performing surgeries! New to the school, I walked to the class with a bit of apprehension. Haha!! Entering the classroom through the hospital “drapes,” I felt as though I was actually in an operating room! Students were gathered in fours, their desks were draped, they each wore gloves, masks, and head coverings, and they were performing surgery on words to form contractions!! Additionally, each student wore a name tag with the title of “Dr.” In the background, a heartbeat could be heard on the SmartBoard. What a wonderful learning experience for the students! Transforming a classroom into such a detailed space reflects the professionalism, dedication, and love that Christ the King teachers and staff unconditionally provide to our students each and every day. Thank you, Mrs. Byrne!!
Another classroom, Ms. Boutin’s 4th graders have been learning about Westward Migration, and on Friday, they celebrated a “Pioneer Day.” Walking into the classroom, one can see a large canopy (such as those used on the covered wagons) settled in the corner. According to Ms. Boutin, “the class participated in a simulated experience, traveling on the Oregon Trail. We left Independence, Missouri and are traveling to Oregon. On Friday, we began our day by making johnny cakes for breakfast. Using food ingredients that pioneers would have had as they traveled, the class prepped our corn chowder to simmer most of the morning. Making butter and biscuits helped round out our midday meal before we continued westward.” Again, I am so impressed with the amount of energy, work, intentionality, and love placed into these lessons for our students! We are truly blessed with our teachers and staff!! Thank you, Mrs. Boutin!!
Christ the King School added a new event this year: “Give Thanks” - sponsored by The Abbey Group. Approximately 90 family members and/or special friends joined their respective students for a Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday! What a wonderful gathering!! A special thank you is included in this newsletter!!
Another event that is going to be here very soon is the annual Rice Memorial High School Stunt Nite! Please see the attached newsletter for more information: Admissions Events - Rice Memorial High School - Burlington, VT (rmhsvt.org). I am looking forward to viewing this awesome event - I am told it is amazing!! We have added a flyer with similar information.
As the weather continues to change with the seasons, CKS asks all students to dress accordingly. Please remember to bring indoor shoes to wear if boots are worn to school, and ski pants are a necessity for outdoor play. Additionally, uniform “checks” will be done regularly to ensure students are dressed accordingly.
Just a reminder that any delays or closings will be sent through email, text blast, and the WCAX news platforms.
Please enjoy the many pictures (thanks to Mr. Hughes), and again, please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or issues.
In Christ,
Kelley Alderman
CKS Principal
