IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL 321 South Metter Avenue

Columbia, Illinois 62236 Michael L. Kish, Principal

(618) 281-5353 mkish@icsmail.org www.icscolumbia.orq Bob Wachtel, School Board President

The mission of Immaculate Conception School is to provide experiences to inspire, challenge, and nurture the mind,

body, and spirit of our students within the framework of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the tradition of the Catholic Church. Merciful God, you are the Divine Builder, who calls us to build your Church. Guide us in building our new Catholic Education & Activity Center, so that we can build the Church of the future by passing on the treasure of our faith to future generations. Bless the work of our hands, and keep us strong in faith, hope and love, so that all we do might bring glory and honor to you, forever and ever. AMEN

February 2, 2018 Bienvenido el parochia! V. 43 #29

Dear Parent, Guardian, Student, Teacher, Friend,

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK continues today as we Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed. Right now we are at Mathcounts at SIUE, the St. Louis U High Math Contest, and the Mater Dei Scholastic Bowl. And the next moment-to-moment thrill is BOOK FAIR AND the DADDY-DAUGHTER DANCE tonight! Parents make it happen by helping teachers and students achieve more! BOOK FAIR 2018! Thanks to TERESA DORSHORST (314-303-5352 for leading the way! Saturday, Feb. 3rd. 11 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4th 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. CLIFFORD, THE BIG RED DOG, will be making a return appearance on Sunday! CSW and LOGAN EICHENSEER

The Girl Scout Troop Bake Sale tickled many a palette! The First Grade Girl Scout Troop would like to thank everyone who supported the bake sale yesterday. With all your love and support we were able to raise $841.60 for Logan Eichenseer. Special thanks to all our bakers, volunteers, Builder’s Club, and especially Mr. Hake being so accommodating and letting us invade his area. A DAY FOR LOGAN Dress Down Day brought in $1483.70 to help with Logan’s therapy! Thanks for your generosity. He is an amazing little boy who has crawled his way into our hearts! Logan Eichenseer and his family want to give a huge thank you to everyone

for their donations. Also a special thank you to those that gave up their time to help organize and plan for Logan's bake sale and dress down day. We feel so blessed to be a part of the ICS family. Thank you! This will help with Logan’s therapy so much and I can't even put into words how much we appreciate it!!! Lauren Eichenseer So Catholic Schools Week started with…SCIENCE FAIR BEST OF FAIR! Congratulations to Kyra Newton --- Best of Fair for our Science Fair “Science can be fun and serious at the same time” said Kyra. Hypothesis: The marshmallow would only get bigger. Conclusion. It did as the air pressure decreased. In other projects we saw Evaporation-KNO3-vicosity-mass-temperature-presure-polarity-buoyancy-flow-absorption-slope-ramp absorption-luminosity-dissolve-thrust-elevation and Mr. D’s Perfectly Preposterous Pulley-solutions-spectrum! Big words from mighty minds!

Thanks to our judges Marilyn Frasure, Nancy Kassebaum, Laura Whelan, Dan Kassebaum, Lynetta Nnewton, and Desiree Frasure. Grades K-4 each did a class project, Grade 5 did a common-individual project, and Grades 6 and 7 submitted. Few schools take on this effort. Yes parents get involved and yes there is growth from working together too. Process!

First Place at the Chess Meet! We placed first at the St. Teresa meet January 27! It proved that every point counts. Mrs. Herrmann was most proud of our team for being great ambassadors for ICS by being good sports and having lots of fun. The win was a very nice bonus! Great job Team ICS!! Thanks so much to all the parents who helped get our players to and from the match. The ICS Chess team placed first out of eight teams in Belleville. 39 ICS students were in attendance with 162 players in total. Second grader Isabel Roche and third grader Will Schmoll led the team with a perfect 4-0 record. Sean Fredrick, Tyler Wahle, Aiden Howard-Maul, and Michael Wessel went 3-1. Team scores were as follows: 1st -(tie breaker)ICS 14 pts, 2nd -Blessed Sacrament 14 pts. 3rd- St. Clare 13.5 pts. 4th- Queen of Peace 13 pts. 5th-St. Teresa 12 pts. 6th - St. Agatha 10.5 pts. 7th -St. Joseph 8.5 pts. 8th - St. John 4.5 pts. CHESS PRACTICES FOR WINTER 3:00-4:00 IN THE ICS CAFETERIA: Grades 2 and 3 - TUESDAYS - 2/6, 2/20, 3/6, 3/20 Grades 4 through 8 - TUESDAYS 2/13, 2/27, 3/13, 3/27 Chess Meets: January 27- St. Teresa School, Belleville February 17- ICS March 10 - St. Clare, O’Fallon March (date TBD) Diocesan Meet OPEN HOUSE Thanks to our School Board, Faculty, and BC Ambassadors! 13 new families!

Opening Prayer for CEAC

Thanks for coming! You brought your greatest gift.

George Will: Biologically, adults produce children. Spiritually, children produce adults. Most of us do not grow up until we have helped children do so. Thus the generations form a braided cord.

Today’s Gospels—He taught with authority----why have schools? To feed our spirits

Bragging points: the Gospels-academic freedom-parents-students-faculty-school board-parish-benefactors-community-full stewardship-opportunities-curriculum innovation-field trips-academic rigor and owning your education-second chances

Ministers of Hospitality: Matthew Epplin, Andrew Epplin, Adrian DeClue, Sadie Metz, Kate Adams, Avery Herrmann Call to Worship: Elliot Unwin Cantor: Maria Biske Servers: Aiden Sullivan, Noah Newton, Kyra Newton Petitions: Drew Hagedorn and Mary Ann Imhoff Gifts: Andrew Donjon, Cam Donjon

YOUNG AUTHORS Great turn-in! Thanks to Robin Nadziejko for chairing and all our judges! GRADE LEVEL SERVICE PROJECTS: We sent out thank yous to all support staff and volunteers. Please know you are loved! CSW Trivia Pursuit Contest Winners: Lower Grades: 1st Place: Team 12: Lilly Kolweier, Addie Hoymeyer, Dante Gianino, Hogan Story, Rina Baker, Will Schmoll, Lucas Sheehan, Connor Thoma, Avery Hermann 2nd Place: tie Team: 8: Emmett Gilbreth, Ian Klingert, Maya Dill, Xavier Voegele, Will Dalpoas, Ryan Kroenig, Avery Melliere, Cailynn Mueth, Paul Ott Team: 9: Nathan Gregozeksi, Megan Hornacek, Drew Endraske, Nick Wahle, Kennedy Cooper, Eleanor McGuire, Carolyn Randle, Genevieve Nadziejko, Logan LoPorto 3rd Place: Team 10: Dylan Harrington, Luke Homeyer, Noah Ettling, Jo Jo Wynn, Lily Braun, Garrett Patton, Steven Schaefer, Caroline Roche, Max Keeven Upper Grades: 1st place: Henry Schulte, Audrey Randle, Gavin Kesler, Cade Kostelac, Charles Matthews, Tyler Wahle, Collin Schmidt, Noah Newton 2nd Place: Sadie Metz, Mariska Lyle, Ty Griffin, Andrew Donjon, Audrey Sullivan, Michael Costner, Autumn Ramey, Jordan Smugala 3rd Place: Grant Monheiser, Jeremiah Martin, Ava Hake, Zack Harrington, Ben Haney, Stephen Johns, Brianne Massie, Kaleb Hugger VALENTINES FOR THE VA HOSPITAL: Everyone should visit John Cochran or JB just once VOCATION CARDS, THE CURIOUS SAVAGE, READ ALOUD NIGHT RELIGION CLASS TAUGHT BY THE 8TH GRADERS Volleyball game between the teachers and the 8th graders at 1:30 Powell Symphony Hall-7:00 to hear the internationally acclaimed St. Louis Symphony with Mr. Hake

THANKS TO ALL THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WHO COULD MAKE IT TO POWELL HALL FRIDAY NIGHT. IT TRULY WAS A BIG DEAL! WE WERE SO PROUD OF MR. MATT HAKE! Jeans Day on Monday for all who attended! GEO-SENSATIONAL! This year's school Geography Bee came down to a tie-breaking round of the most students competing to be in the school's Geography Bee finals-23 students for a maximum of 10 spots! Our Final Competition was held on Monday, January 29th. The six students who made it to the finals are Thomas Schaefer, Danny Repp, Drew Schmoll, Josie Thomas, Grant Mathany,

and Noah Newton. Other students in the tie-breaking round were Abby Eichenseer, Andrew Feldker, Zach Gibson, Kyle Rose, Emma Tippen, Dominic Voegele, Tyler Wahle, William Sanker, Cade Kostelac, Ava Hake, Olivia Blaskiewicz, Andrew Donjon, Zack Harrington, Brock Murphy, Andrew Epplin, Glenn Powers, and Jordan Smugala. GEOGRAPHY BEE SCHOOL CHAMPION! NOAH NEWTON Noah had some excellent competition from the other five finalists. Drew Schmoll and Thomas Schaefer, second and third place respectively, were especially knowledgeable in geography. Some questions the finalists were asked were the following: What is the smallest and most densely populated country on South America's Pacific coast? (Ecuador) National Geographic is sponsoring an expedition to search Amelia Earhart's crash site on the island of Nikumaroro in Kiribati. In which ocean is Nikumaroro? (Pacific) Noah took the test and it has been sent to the State competition. We hope to add his name to our 16 State Finalists in 28 years! HERE YE! HERE YE! The Dinner Auction is less than a month away! As many of you know, this will be our second ICS Dinner Auction using mobile bidding and that means we get to try all sorts of new things. You can now use the website ( ics2018.gesture.com ) to purchase raffle tickets, put ads in our auction booklet, or sign up for Grandparent Honor Roll. You can also use the website to buy your tickets if you haven't, yet. And if you are registered . . . Monday, February 5 we will have our first item up for bid! How would you like to have your very own chauffeur the night of the Dinner Auction? Buy your tickets now and look for bidding to open on Monday! THANKS! St. Raymond’s Thanks from our sister parish in Guatemala for $142.07! Thanks to Sloan Wilson’s Dad and Mom William for the donation of 4 adjustable K-1 tables and 23 chairs.( Sometimes when the Principal assigns who gets the gift, it avoids bloodshed and tears.) KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ESSAY CONTEST... 2018 K of C Catholic High School Scholarship Essay contest will be held Sunday, March 11@ 1p.m. (after 11a.m. Mass), in the lower level of church in the K of C room. No late entry/or make-up dates. The prize is one $2,000 scholarship-payable over 4 years- paid directly to the Catholic high school where the winner will attend. The participants must be ICC Parish Members who will be entering freshmen for the 2018-2019 school year. Any questions, please call Kevin W. Hutchinson (Not the Mayor), 314-974-7072. FAMILY BOWLING NIGHT... SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH FROM 6:00 - 8:00 PM ~Columbia's West Park Bowl The Knights of Columbus invite you to enjoy a night of bowling, pizza and drink. Reservations are required. Please arrive at 5:45 pm and $40.00 per lane includes shoe rental, a pizza and a pitcher of soda. Single ($10.00) and couples ($20) are welcome. If you have young children and would like bumpers, please indicate when making reservations and will only be available on a first come basis. FYI: No school the next day. Please call, text or e-mail Nick Matrisotto to make your reservations at (314) 609-7092 or stlouisareamaps@aol.com. ICS FATHERS CLUB Texas Hold’em Tournament Get your cards on the table! Friday February 16 2018 Garden Level of the Church 6:30pm doors open 7:30pm cards begin Tickets available at Khoury Pharmacy for pre-sale The Queen of Hearts is always you best bet!

BUILDERS CLUB MANY THANKS TO THE Columbia Kiwanis Club AND the Knights of Columbus for each donating $250 to Kids against Hunger! M and M’s ---$354.02 Donations---over $2900 so far! Any help is appreciated! Jacob

and Caitlyn and the committee are on it. We now need Help for KAH next Saturday from 8:00-11:15. We will again produce over 15,000 meals to feed children we will never meet in a world we will never know. The gospel is about going the distance. KAH

reminds us! Adults are welcome. You can come in shifts. BOXTOPS FOR EDUCATION Our next collection ($28,805.45 cash so far) of those precious little coupons will be from now-2/7. Prizes: Turn in 25 get a crazy sock day Turn in 50 and get hat day plus an entry to win 2 movie passes to Waterloo theater. Top class wins a jeans day for them and their family member, and a class pizza party. Thanks to our chairpersons Katie Hart and Deidra Doerr! MAGAZINE DRIVE All Pay-later bills should arrive soon. We get paid when you pay. Thanks again to Andrea Biske, Kim Siegel, Carrie Boser and all helpers---update coming soon! VALENTINE BAGS ICS students have been doing great in bringing in the love for other students at the Griffin Center. We will be filling 500 bags! Thanks Mrs. Diewald for coordinating! GIRLS ON THE RUN---This 10 week program empowers girls in grades 3-8 to be healthy and confident by incorporating life lessons with running. The program ends with 5K in St. Louis in May. We will be starting this program at the end of February 2018. Sign up will be in January. We need your help!! We need coaches especially for Grades 6-8. You do not have to enjoy running to help! Women and men adults are welcome to coach. If you are interested contact Jessica Wachtel- 314-749-1663. THE SPORTING NEWS… UNIFORMS All soccer in by February 1. Basketball uniforms should be laundered and turned in. Volleyball uniforms will be passed out as basketball are turned in. We are going to inventory our stock on February 14 to make plans for next year. GRADS IN THE NEWS: 8 OF THE 11 ACTORS IN THE CURIOUS SAVAGE, Gibault’s winter play, ARE OUR GRADS! Hannah Janson, Isabella Frasure, Andy Loless, Isabella Garcia, Thomas Young, Elena Biske, Mason Babcock and Sophie Spurgeon with Spencer Biske and Katie Grawitch in sound and lighting tonight at 7:00 and tomorrow at 2:00. You will laugh and giggle at this one at 7PM tonight and Feb 4 at 2PM(tomorrow). We are grateful to Gibault for inviting grades 5-8. I am so proud of our students as audience! MaryBeth is the Power of One who grows people in ways she will never really know! THE CURIOUS SAVAGE: A Heartwarming Story This is a feel-good play filled with heart in its contrasts of avarice with

generosity. Ethel Savage, a new widow has been left with a substantial fortune for which her three grown children; a senator, a judge and a gold-digger of a daughter, are intent on keeping her from disposing any way she chooses. So they conspire to have her committed to a private sanatorium known as “The Cloisters”. There Ethel is left to work out how she will deal with her spiteful offspring, while getting to know five colorful characters who are long-term patients in the same facility. As she gets to know the five other

residents on her ward, Ethel discovers through their generosity of spirit her own inner conviction to do what she has to do to fend off her loathsome brood. Each of her fellow Cloister inmates is uniquely drawn and brings to the story special elements of charm andsensitivity. Freeze frame the ending in your mind and figure it out at breakfast the next day!

Congratulations to the Ursuline Academy dance team featuring Brook Schwartz who will travel to Orlando for the third consecutive year to compete in the Universal Dance Association National Dance Team Championship held at Walt Disney World! Congratulations to Gibault Senior Elena Biske who has 2 of her works on display at Cedarhurst Art Center in Mt. Vernon. Both her pieces had wall areas to themselves while the others were all banked together.

GIBAULT SCHOLARSHIPS - Scholarship application packages and variable tuition instructions for incoming freshmen are being mailed out now to those who have completed applications on file. If you have not received one, please contact Pat Herzing (pherzing@gibaulthawks.com)

THANKS TO grounded greetings 618-410-3644 FOR HELPING US REMEMBER HOW TIME FLIES! The school year happens too fast. Stay healthy and come each day to work and have fun and build an attitude based upon Mission-Community-Service and the Gospels of Jesus Christ who shows us what is really important---each other!

BUILD UP THE KINGDOM OF YOUR LOVE daily shirts Aiden Howard-Maul, Anna McGill, Abby Repp, Megan Janson, Wes Jasper, Turner Haywood, Ella Boyd, Jackson Drury, Jaylyn Brister, Abby Eichenseer, Lucas Sheehan, Vance Ray

TAJCI Our parish is hosting a music event featuring Tajci who has performed here before with great approval in our wonderfully acoustical Church. See the flyer--- Thanks for prayers for Michelle Bender! More needed. My brother Jerry Kish has cancer. He lives in Glen Burnie Maryland and it is one of those times that distance hurts. Prayers appreciated. He should get out of ICU today. Marvin Parker, Mrs. Neff’s Dad, had complications this week but it seems they have the ulcer

repaired. Not good to add to heart recuperation. Thanks for the prayers! PRAYERS: Special Intention Michelle Bender, Jerry Kish, Marvin Parker, Tom Giovanni, Bob Springer, Jordan Jeffires, Angela Roepke, Arlin Stechmesser, Paul Thode, Norman Waterman, Pat Schwartz, George Perry, Pearl Mueller, Donna Kania, Dennis Kish, Kaylee Fogarty, Larry Pelker, Danielle Barnett, Brandon Martin, Susan Adams, Laurie Austin, Donna Barton, Alicia Cohen, Denise Conner, Kenny Hamontree, Susie Kish Settle, Rachel Warden, Bill Kesler, Dan Borisuk, Lauren Foran, Rich Cullen, Jessica Stemler Barcik, Gertrude Scherrer, Carolyn Baker, Scott Schaefer, Katy Basinski, Chrissy Hoeflinger, Barbara Buchheit, Angie Rose, Ken Bolton, Nick Carron, Roy Lansing, Sis Blaes, Marcella Heinrichs, Florence Dorshorst, Bill Pennock, Pat Weber, Vince Webb, George Stein, Desiree Frasure Our Building a Catholic Education and Activity Center Prayer:

Merciful God, you are the Divine Builder, who calls us to build your Church. Guide us in building our new Catholic Education & Activity Center, so that we can build the Church of the future by passing on the treasure of our faith to future generations. Bless the work of our hands,

and keep us strong in faith, hope and love, so that all we do might bring glory and honor to you, forever and ever. AMEN

WHERE IS YOUR DESERT? Where do you find peace? Jesus worked so hard he sometimes had to go where there where no people. Remember we are metaphorically filled with demons. Call them snakes if you want. Addictions of all kinds. Anything we make into gods that we use to try to fill the whole that can only be filled with God. Anything within me, or a social group that is the root cause of dehumanizing behavior. In our culture, “evil spirits” certainly are manifest in greed, lust, arrogance, prejudice, violence, oppression or manipulation of others. Simmering resentments, uncontrollable anger, or refusal to forgive harm done are also very common. Also remember -- discouragement is demonic. Be persistent!! Thanks to Fr. Jim Hogan for some of these ideas! Come hear the story of Job moaning too! God gets him in the end!

Mike Kish Principal PS Full Stewardship: 459 forms in 103 of 170 from school families. Please get yours in. Commit to your God! PS On Feb. 2 we celebrated the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. Ever thought to yourself “this is what I do when I bring my child to the Faith?”