CJ)c.-

Principal's Corner...welcofYMI backl Our yor together 'I .Imoll r..d~ to be91n. Hopefully, you ....

IS ....dy for the Illclttmlnt ,00 .d....ntu... II _ 1...1

II is my wlstlltlat this Sommer has brought relaxation, WClI'IdertullTlltlTlClries end happy

llmfllof each 01 you. FOf me. Stmmer weekends mean packing !he car and heading north

lor 1tle IlIml!)' cabin. AI;. cniId, ltllIl meant filtlng COI1le,lS. camp1'ire. and fast boat rklel. M

., «!un, ft m-. good food, I8te movie. Il"ICllamity togethemeu.~ ... .,. long walks

in the woods. the deer that cross Ihe road at sunset, !he .....aves genlIy lapping the beach. my

puppies swimmll'lD in !he whitecaps and the solituQe oIlhe IXMXItry. The VI4IW to the _.t Is

!he great expanse 01 an , l·mile wide lake WId 10 Ihe east, a lann WIth !he trMl,tion81 fed barn.rustlc farmhoose 8M Cllde IIf8Vng In the fleld. And, for alOUCh 01 the mOdern, what would

my life be without 8 full-size shopping mall twenty m~es KlUth? Here, In the ~.lIel. tranqullfly

of a life lar /rom ringing pha_. faxes, ..malls, billl, budgets and clay-to-day bustle, !here Is

lime lor reflectIOn Whit do _ wlnt for our MU,.? How cln _ contlnul 10 build .tld

grow? Wh.... would _"". Sf. Loul. de Itfonrfort School to N five ¥Mrs from now?TWI ,...,.., TlWflty? Dreams, hopes and prayer. lor the full.ote Brel8l&'lChed.

Mindful 01 OUt plan tor progress, tMX hatulty wiN conllrl.HllO tocul on the GeoesiJ

Plan, which IKUres. viable future and "A Ntw BrgJanlna foe C,lhollc School'" through.

locus Qfl Catholle klenhly. academic excellence and 5Chool vitality The rhults 01 embracing

ItlIS plan ar. obvious In the ilemS reaMed In !his ..-sletter... .incr.ased student ~gies.dasSl"OOfTl compuIers. our Study Budclies program. a new Ubrary program, weekly Science

lAbIal III gr'8de levell, a Smart Board on the way, ..- extraet.meuIer aebYl!llS•• ..­

Geography progrwn, O!.' preschool '.lpanllOl'l. the hI goes 01\ In the words at Eleanor

Roosevelt. "Th. future belongs to tho•• who belleVl fn the bMuty of their d,..m•. "

WI begin every year in the same way ...with dreams, pmgress eDd hope. Sut, most

impcM1anlly, we begin with gllltilude We .re lhInktul thai you sh_ your children with us

ead'l day. We reeogolze your Maffice and yOU" commitment to c.lhollc educaIJon. w.appreciate the~ and tleIp of ead'llnd evert person in OU' community It is Iogether

Inat we grow and IUpPOrt one anodler. And. together, we thri God every Qay lor the

bluSll1Qs H. hal granled aU" St.louiS de MontIor1 Fam~y

Please know thaI it is my honor to begin thil fihtl yelW as your Prinap81 .nd 10 work

together with you, our students. Fr. Mar\, Fr Naga,' tremendous IllClJlty and. greal .IalT!As we begin this year, we remembef" the words of the Bishop KicaIlllS 8t last ylNlfs anO\.lal

Arc:hdioces., LUder5tllp Oay. Tooelher end WIth God's b1eSling,let UI

"Uve with panlon .veIY cUy of your life.

Be happy. Dream locUy.

Toger"." _ build. me.n/ngful fulure tor our Catholic SChools."althop KIe_ An:hd#ou.. ofChlc~LNdenllllp o.y•

.'3Mt-(1, hw

PRESENTING...Our New Technololl]l

Director•••

A Partnership for Progress...

One of the best ways to prepare students for thect1allenges a higher learning is by coIlaboratingwilhprofessionals out in the field to leam lheways thai aprogram can best S&l"V8 the needs of Its students, With thai goal In mInd, Y<1l are proud 10annouce 0lX new partnership with a led'lnology lrn;lructor 'rom Moraine Valley CommU'lll)'COllege to offer high.ted1 computer dasses al 51. LouIS de Montfort.

Miss Angela Spyropoulos is eXClled 10 establish a collaborative partnership thaiallows herlo m8.Jlimlze her knowleoge at the computer lI"Idustry and the strides that must takeplace 11'1 computer education 81 IheearheSI levels. Angela is certified in GraphIC Arts, WebDeSign and 3-0 AnimaIJon and regularly continues OOlXsework in graphic design hough theArt Institute of Chicago. Miss Syropolous has spenl15 years in CCll'Tll'JIer education, leachingnightly rompuler dasses at the college level, serving as a tedY'lOlogy oonsultanl for DiamondInternational, teaching a variety of childrens' classes and holding software specialization in herfield. You may recall thaI Anoela initiated our seventh and elghlhgrade Web Page Designclasses Just last yelY.

In hercapacily as Director of TectY1oIogy at St.louis de Montfort, Miss Spyropoulos willleach OU'" computer classes at every grade levellwice per week. She will integrate digitalphotography, webpage design, child<:entered software,lnternel integralion, keyboarding. useof e-mail, mastery 0( basiccommaf'lds and productilnty applications like Miaosoft Excel, Wordandp~ Point. Angela will advise on software selection, technICal support needs, thedirection lhat our program should lake and ways to prepare our students lor the demands of alechnological world She will SeI'Ve as a resource al the sdlool and parish level for staffmembers in guiding their successful integration of led1no1ogy.

This parlnership lor progress ensures that OU'" lechnology program will conhnue to leadin imovall()rl by challenging young fT'lloosand pJ"Oducingted1nology..capabie students.Welcome, Miss Spyropoulosl

J b3:@:V:G;;!Jz:;.

%S=~~<§:>il

The First Day...We are trying something new this year! EY'a cl••• will sta" on the ume daY .00the h,lf4.y dlsmlsul tim will be moYed to 11 AM,

On Aug~ 24, we 'sk th.t.1I cl..... meet In the parking lot.t 7:50 AM. Pr.-fNlrk.dspols will be written in ctMlk on the sidewalk so that students know where their cl•••me.ts.

We will temlln outside until approximately 8:15 with all of you. F~ frH to Introdue.you....1f to the teacher or to take as mlny photos as you like.

At 8:15, Grad•• 1-1, will progr••• to their cl...rooms through the main school doo....

At 8:15, our preschool t••che,.. will lead th.irel••••• ln.ld. through the Quinn Halldoors. Bec.us. thIs Is Ihe very fil'$t day of sd,ool for our lItt1esllearners, the te.chen _of the thllHl iIInd four-ye.r-old preschools will nowwelcorne parents Inside to "'sit thecl.sarnom and make cert.ln that your "little oneR is comfortable. AgaIn, picture. arewelcome. At 8:40,~ woutd like our pl'nchoolen to heve the opportunity to mHt withtheir teacher and leacher aides. Therefore, parents should plan 10 depart at 8:40 andreturn at 11:00 AM 'Of dismissal.

The Kindergarten will remain outside for a group pIloto. Parents are wercome toremain unUI Mrs. Manfredi leads her new cr..slnlo the world of Klndergartenl

On AugllSt 25, we will ha...e our first ""I day of school. It Is also the first full-day forpruchooland DtJI'first day of the Kids' Club Extended Cay Program. WE LOOKFORWARD TO A GREAT STARTI

This Year's 'bpeGia\ c:.\asses...

GYM: Monday utd Tuesd,l.YCOMPUTERS: Tuesd,l.Y (Grades K-4)

Thursday (Grades s.8)Friday (K..s)Preschool (4): Begins in Nov.

SPANISH: TBAMUSIC: Wednesd,l.YLIBRARY: TBA

Study Budd~es••Tired c:llhe frustration of homewak time?Irilimefor our new Sludy Buddies' Program1Miss Malloy will be on hand In our newlanguage lab from 2:40 to 3:40 \0 assiststudentl of any grade IeYel wiltl horTIeworithelpon Monday, TuesOoy ood ThLraday of

eachweek. Miss Malloy willasslst her"study buddiesN wiltl their hOIl i8\tior.... Internetresearch, projects, etc. There is II limit of 20students per day. Normel extended dayretes of $3.10 per hour apply. lnformation willbe forthcOI j ling.

ScienceLabLearning...

FREETUTORINGt:§~

Our Ieachers will continue to offer freeliter-school tutoring during the lime periodfrom ~30 10 3:110 PM. Wakh_newsletlels for inbfmation about weeklytutoring sessions. These study groups,reviews and individualized sessions en verybeneficial to our students. We appreciate ourteailers for their efforts in offering this WCll1h-­while service. Just a reminder that a notefrom you is needed for your child klpa1icipate so lhat we know tha pennissioohas been gicllled for your child kl remainafter dismissal.

•• ••• • ••• •• •• • • ••• •• • •• •• • ••• •

••

Read All About It!

beh t••cherwlll••uea WMkJy~Iebronthe

first dIIy of eachw..k. Thlels~

Impo.....vehicle of

home schoolcotnrJajnic.tion aopl.... ,emtRllbertOuk your child for It.

Teacher Newsletters..

Science L.b Le.mlng I, •schoolwlde gOiI at

Sl Louis de Montfort. We arehappy to offer weekly, hlnd.-on

Science labs for all ell.....Kindergarten through Grllde 8.

Our Science Lab Is well-equlppedwith • varlety of m.tertall for our

students.

SpeciaIIharU 10 OU' School Bord.-xi all d!he loyal yollllteers who \IICr1(ed to finish OU'

new fibrary. There 8(8 books end IT'lOI'1l booksin our new facili1y.••all ready end waiti'lg foreagel". young readeBl New this y...will be• aPKlally dnlgned Ubrary Progrllm for811 g..-d........ Our new librlllrianwill help_______________, sludentswith the bookaelection pl'00ftSS.

She will promote read-alouds, leadedl- atio 181 games, explore book videos andopen ne wreading possibilities lorOU'students. Classroom t88d1efs win also usethe library for research, special prciects,cable in the Classroom and morel

August 2006Sun Moo Tuc Wed TI,U Fri Sal

ummer office hours .re 1 , 3 , 5y appoinlmfHIt only.

imply uI170!-599-5781,

lension 10, .nd we will

happy 10 helpl

t 1 8 9 I( 11 r......... r.., I'Ilpo

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St. Louis de Montfort Schoolis Special Because...

We'ro holding a Bacll-to-School Writing ConIes" What makesSI. Louis de MortUan School so special? What is yourchild's

lavor/'o pan of 'he day? Entries should be WriUM on ,his formand submilled to the school office by Sltp/. 27. All grMJe levels

may on,or. (Preschool and Kindorganon paren's may writ. what,hfli,UltIo learner dic'tJlo•.) PlJffmls may choose to join Ihe conlest

too-write /I sped.' nato to lell us why you chose St. Louis doMontfort foryourchifd.

GRAOELEVEL

"·En'd., will /:Ie ,..tllred In the ~rlsh bulfotln, ",..... ",,,,".lind public relations et1on•. Mutrlple prllO. m.)' /:Ie aw,rrhHJso don't heshar. 10 M,o,1

PRIZES:

fll Plltce:2nd Place:3re1 ",.c.:

515. 111ft urd.$10. gm card.n. "In urd.

WHY IS ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT SCHOOL SPECIAL?

Principal's Corner...WE'RE SACKII The time thClt __ have anticipated is herel

The teachers are ready. The staff is excited. The building looks

beller lhan it ever has. We now offer more than we have ever been able to

offer before. The halls resound with laughter. The c1as$fOOm1 are bright and

welcoming. And the children are here..

It has taken the efforts of many wonderful people to get to this point.

From washing windows to painting chail'li to hanging blinds \0 stocking library

shelves \0 revonvating the preschooLlhe llUmmftr has certainly been busy!

When you come \0 Back to School Night, il will be my pleasure to tell you

more about the great things happening at 51. loois de Montfort. This is an

exciting lime to be a part of lhis school and we ale glad that you are herel

If there is to be progress in any organ~ation. there musllirst be vision.

Deepest gratitude is extended 10 Fr. Mart; and Fr. Noga fO( their strong visioo,

lor bringing new ideas to the forefront and lor supporting every single effort for

progress. We are so fortunale to have parish priests who are dedicated to the

ministry of Calholit edUtation and the importance of fhe parish school.

We also need those special people who lake !he vision of our leaders

and embrace if. making it their own and, yes, making if even better- tt is my

hope thaf you will join me in thanking our fantasfic School Board, FSA,

Athletic Board, all of our tremendous volunteers and our faculty for a greal

sfart! Spe<:ial thanks to Mrs. Granf and Mrs. Swiatek, my loyal counterparts in

the OffICe, and fo Mr, Mike and Mr. John for a fantastic job in making our

campu!i perfectl

Finally and quite significantly, we must sland certain that our faculty is

dedicated 10 Catholic educafion and roofed in e~cellence. As you come to

know OUf staff, you will have no dooblthaf we have taken the cafe and time to

build the top-notch fatuity your children deserve.

Tell everyone-we are 51. Louis de Montfort, a Catholic community that

is "Building Faith, Family and Friendship for Our Futurel" We are happy

10 serve yoo. e~cited to gel this year off the ground and, most importantly, so

very "Proud to Be Small and Strongl"

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Worship With Us..Our Opening School Mass takes place on

Friday, September 1 at 8:30 AM.Join usl

.' .•

Patriot Day:Remember America!

You are welcome to join us for our"Patriot Day: Remember America ll

Mass at 8:30 am on September 11,planned by our Seventh Grade class.

INCREASING LITURGIES...Weekly Mass attendance is fundamental.This is our school goal this year. We willbe attending Mass on special days suchas Patriot Day. During weeks when there

is no special Mass, we will attend the8:30 AM Thursday Mass. My monthly

calendar will list our Mass dates. Join usl

As part of our focus on the liturgy, allteachers and the principal received

Eucharistic Minister training as part ofour August I"services.

OUR NEW CHOIR...

Students in Grades 4-8 are encouraged tojoin our new Children's Choir, under the

direction of Mrs. Darlene Malloy, ourEighth Grade teacher. Encourage your

child to join this important ministry.

Mark your calendar for ourannual "Back to School" Night

on Wednesday, September 13 at7 PM in Church, Meet your

child's teachers and learn aboutthe wonderful year aheadI

cS~...J9in our faculty and staff in the

celebration of our Catechetical SundayFamily Mass on Sunday, September 17 at9:30 AM. Following the Mass, we will hosta short "Open House" for everyone to see

how wonderful our campus looks andeverything that we have to offerl "Coffeeand..... will also take place in Quinn Hall.Let's celebrate our new school year bysharing this special liturgy togetherl

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••~Dan~eDe'i~hts! ~•• Don't forget our Back-to-School Fall: Dance from 6:30 to 9:00 PM on Friday,: September 29. All students, from·Preschool through Grade 8, are welcome: to join us for an evening that features: music, food, raffles and FUNI SEE YOU: THEREI••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

DON'T FORGET YOUR CHILD'S HOTLUNCH ORDER!

HOTLUNCHES BEGIN SEPT. 6.EXPECTABACK-T~SCHOOLHOTDOG

DAY ON SEPTEMBER 5.

Mary CampbellCathy CaseyBlanca Janiszewskirereba Wesclilz

FALL REGISTRATIONWEEK...

Please join us in happily welcomingMs. Evangelina Muniz as the newCoordinator of our weekly Spanishprogram. Evangelina Is as delightedto be here as we ara to welcome herl

Our program wouldn't be completewithout the patience and caring of our talented,new Instruellonal eldes. We arefortunate to benefit from the dedicatedservices of:

A warm welcome Is extended to our newlibrarian, Jamie Martin, who comes to us withideas and excitement for her work in our brandnew libraryl

For many years, Jean Sichelski came toSI. Louis de Montfort every morning. Shequietly attended moming Mass and thenhappily retreated to the school library, whereshe became affectionately known to childrenand adults alike as 'Mrs. Ski.' Jeaniewelcomed our children into the library andspent countless hours stocking our shelveswith the best selection of books in any libraryto be found. She clipped Campbell Souplabels to eam free equipment for the school,hosted the annual Book Fair to get books inthe hands of children and clipped box tops toraise money for SI. Louis de Montfort School.Mrs. Ski wanted no money for her services,asked nothing in return, and did all that shewas ask,ed. In her unassuming presence,Jean taught children what it means to serveothers, to help unconditionally and to support,a love of reading that will last a lifetime.

.... ..;.__... We lost Mrs. Ski in mid-August after a longbut courageous battie with illness. And, so,we say: 'Thank you, Mrs. Ski, for impactingour lives in a special way and touching ourhearts forever,"

Invite prospective new families totour our school as we hold Fall

Registration Week from Sept. 5·8.A New Family Open House takesplace on Tuesday, Sept. 5 from

7·8 PM and on Wednesday,Sept. 6, from 9-11 AM.

Mrs. Ski will be honored as parl of ourSepfember 18:30 AM Opening Mass. All areinvited.

SUPPORT ST,LOUiS....

Ifyou can devote some time to ourCampbell Soup program orour

Box Tops for Education initiative, pleasecall Mrs. Swiatek in the school office.We appreciate all ofour volunteersl

Our candy sale begins Sept. 5.Every family will receive one caseof candy to sell. PLEASE,PLEASE SUPPORT OURSCHOOL! We need your help!

Sept. 23,20066:00 pm-midnight

tome join us inSparking Some [ommunity Spirit

at

Saint Louis'

1Free :, I I I I ' 83rd StreetCocktail VFW Hallw/Dinner Don't Miss It! German Menu

(or yoU'll be IIstenlnl! to stones 01 how muth IUn II wasl)

Buy your titkets today!S1. Louis DeMontlort [hurch

8840 S. Ridgeland Ave, Oak Lawn, R(708) 599-5300

Partners in

Helping our children grow in their Catholic faith. September

St. Louis De Montfort SchoolOffice of the Principal

throughconsistency andfrom example.When SundayMass is part oftheir regularroutine, childrenlearn how to

~ maintain the habit\ \ of weekly

attendance. Seeingthe importance

you place on thehabit teaches them

obedience and discipline.Visiting the r('~t of the family.

When in church, our children aresurrounded by the Body of Christ ­people who care about and pray forthem. Mass becomes an oasis in anincreasingly hostile world.

The week starts with a God­centered focus. Attending Mass at thebeginning of the week helps childrenlearn that God comes first on Sundayand every day.

and puril1catiol1.So when we cross ourselves with holy

water entering and leilving the church,we recall that histOly. But we also referto Our Baptism when the priest usedwater to symbolically wash away oursin and protect us from evil.

Why do Catholics blessthemselves when theyenter and leave church?

Sunday Mass:can give your family every week

Old Testanwnt Jewswashed with water beforeentering the Templepredncts. Building all a

ritual familiar to the Jews,John the Baptist used water

to represenl repentance of Sill

A gift you

Why DoCatholics

Do That.

In the hectic pace (-"of a busy family, • ~. .getting to Masson Sund,y can ~- 0 ~be a struggle. .c'~*k, ... :;> )(.~

Between' «;

soccer games andscout meetings,dance lessonsand play dates,going to Mass isone more activitycompeting forprecious time. Yetit is the most importantthing you can do for your family allweek. Why?

Consider some of the ways yourchildren benefit from weekly Mass.

Tradition and security. I-low manythings do you still do today that yuu'vedone since you were a small child? Nomatter what other changes take placein their lives, the Mass is a constant towhich your children can cling.

Children learn by repetition,

ThoughtfulMoments

Traditions Build Family Unity!vleaningful traditions build a sense

of closeness that endures long afterchildren are on their own. A familytradition can be as simple .IS "Pizzaand Movie Night" on Friday orholding hands while saying grace atthe dinner table. The traditions them­selves aren't as important as thememories they (Teate.

"Bless" your children off 10 schoolAny Christian can pelform a blessing

that calls forth God's goodness. Allthat's required is a dose rdationshipwith God and the desire to Ir;1I1sfergoodness. Why 110t selld your childoff ro school in the morning with apat on {he head and a "bless you" or"Cod be with you," and bring graceto him Of her all day.

Easy ways lo build self-esteemMake a list of rhe best things about

your child and mention at least onci~em from that.list. eVC1Y day. Comp- I C r~,

lanent your c~J1d 111 front of friends Cl::{'\or famlly. Say It OLlt loud ,md don't ~let your child brush it away. Leave a I .note on his pillow or send it along \O~;!'<

in her lunch box. Let him hear youthank God for the gift of your childin prayer whenever you can.

© Copyright 2005 Sumss Publishing & Media, LlC

St. Louis de Montfort Schoolis Special Because...

!'

We're holding a Back-to-School Writing Contestl What makesSt. Louis de Montforl School so special? What is your child's

favorite parl of the day? Entries should be written on this formandsubmitted to the school office by Sept 27. All grade levels

may enter. (Preschool and Klndergarlen parents may write whattheir little learnerdictates.) Parents may choose to join the contest

too--wrlte a special note to tell us whyyou chose St. Louis de Montforl foryour child.

PRIZES:

NAME _

GRADE LEVEL: _

***Entries will be featured in the parish bulletin, press releasesand public relations efforts. MUltiple prizes may be awardedso don't hesitate to enter/

$15. gift card.$10. gift card.$5. gift card.

1st Place:2nd Place:3rd Place:

WHY IS ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT SCHOOL SPECIAL?

Fa" Fun C.o\oring c.ontest. ..Time for some COLORING CONTEST FUN" Entritls are due by Sept. 16. Prizes will

be awarded to the winnersl

Student's Name Grade __

September 2006Mon Tue Wed TIm Fri

18:30 AM Opening

School Mass and

Induction of NewStudent Council

Officers. Tribute

to Mrs. Ski.

Hot Dog Day. 5 6 8 ()Labor Day;

Candy Sale starts. First Day fOJ- FSP8:30 AM Mass.

New Family Hot LunchNo Classes.

Open House Pmgmm. Food PanlJy

(7 to 8 PM) Dress Down!Illd. Invite friends, New Family Open Day.

REGISTRATIONrelatives and House

~ neighbors to 9-11 AM

consider our schooL

1 11 1 13 1 15 168:30AM

School Pictures.

Patriot Day Mass: FALL COLORING

"Remember CONTEST DUE..Gr. 4-8 Band

America." Prizes to beBilek to School rieotation at 1 PM.

• wwded.Night at 7 PM.

Market DayHigh School

Recruitment for

Gr. 7-8.

17 18 19 2 21 2 239:30AM

Catechetical .FSA

Sunday Mass. General Mtg. Ice Cream Sale at8:30AM Mass Food P~lIltry PARISH

"Coffee and.." to 'PM all lunches.Dress Down FALLFEST...

follow. Open Join us!Day. JOIN US!

House.

24 25 Al,emate2 CElEBRATE2 28 29 3Lunch. AlITUMN:

Fall Colors Food8:30 AM Mass.

Midquarters issued.

Fall Weekend:Principal's Good Pantl)' DJess Down

BehavioJ Trea5l1Je Day. "Back to FSA FallNo Qasses. Ice Cream Sale at

Chest Picks. School Writing Dance

Contest" due.all lunches.

(preschool--GJ.8)

7 PM BlUld Parent Gr. 8 Confirmation 6:30PM

Mtg. Parent Mtg. 7 PM.---------_._-

Teacher Talk•.•All ofour classroom teachers participated in a two-session inservice program presented by theOffice of Catholic Education's Director of Inclusive Education. The presentations were aimed

at recognizing and serving special student needs.

Our teachers will attend this Friday's Archdiocesan inservice on Curriculum Design.

All classroom teachers are participating in ten-hour Theology Classes sponsored byOn-Going Formation in Ministry. These classes enable teachers to eam catechetical

certification.

Student S!U1!rises•••Congratulations to our Christian Leadership Award Winners Nicole Auskalnis and John

Naglich. These students were honored at a special reception hosted by theSouthwest Catholic Conference in September.

Uturgical Life.•.We enjoyed celebrating our October 1 Family Mass with our Eighth Graders, who were

formally enrolled in their preparation for the Sacrament ofConfirmation!

Join us for this Wednesday's 8:30 AM Feast of St. Francis Mass. Our Third Grade is workingdiligently under the direction of Miss Foote to prepare a very special liturgy.

A special commissioning of the Altar Servers is planned for our 8:30 Mass this Thursday.Our entire school family will celebrate the commitment of these servers to our Church.

Special thanks to Fr. Noga for his work in planning the service!

Mark your calendar for our next Family Mass on Sunday, October 15, at 9:30. We will share inour Second Grade Reconciliation Enrollment!

Curriculum Corner•••First Quarter Midquarter Reports were very impressive! Ouryear is off to a good start!

Our teachers are utilizing best practices in education when planning their lessons.As I begin to formally observe classes this month, I look forward to sharing in a variety of

meaningfulleaming experiences with our students.

The Pizza Hut Book-It Prcgram is a great way to encourage reading while earning free pizzarewards. Your child's classroom teacherwill be sending home information.

IT'S THAT SPOOKTACULAR TIME OF YEAR!HERE ARE SPECIAL PLANS FOR OUR DAYI

LET'S FILL OUR COURTYARD WITH HALLOWEEN PUMPKINSr The Principal'sPumpkin Decorating Contest takes place this year. Decorate a pumpkin as creativelyas you can and bring the finished pumpkin to school on Halloween morning. We'll fillthe courtyard with festive pumpkins. Students may enter as many pumpkins as theychoose and all students from preschool through Grade 8 are welcome to participate.

More details will come. Prizes will be awarded to the winners so HAPPYDECORATINGII

The morning of October 31 will be spent with Big Pal/Little Pal activities, scary videos andeducational activities with a Halloween twist!

Our Costume Parade for Preschool through Grade 8 takes place at 11 AM in our parking lot,weather permitting. Come out and join uS..cameras are welcome!

A special Pizza Alternate Lunch will be served at 11 :30.We need volunteers to help serve lunch.

Halloween parties hosted by Room Parents from 12 Noon to1:45. Clean-up begins at 1:45 until the end of the day.

Since your child will be in costume for the school day,limit face make-up which can be uncomforatble.Costumes should be appropriate for school. Costumeweaponry such as toy knives, guns, etc. are notpermitted.

HALLOWEEN IS A NO-HOMEWORK DAY!I

You are welcome to visit our school onHalloween, beginning at 11 :00. Watch our parade,see our pumpkins in the courtyard, serve lunch,help at our parties, assist with the clean-up orjust pop in to say a friendly "hello!" You arealways welcome! WE LOOK FORWARD TOA BOO-TIFUL DAY!!

GOOD LUCK,MRS. EARLSI

Special thanks to Mrs. Mary Earls, our HotLunch Coordinator, who recently left us to

pursue other opportunities! Mary did afantastic job ofspearheading this new

program in its introductory years! We wishMrs. Earls well!

WELCOME, MRS. FUKSI

We are delighted to welcome Mrs. Dianef"uks as our new Hot Lunch Coordinator.

Diane is already doing a fine job incoordinating this mostvital program!

CANDY SALESUCCESS...

A great big thank you to everyone who hasmade our World's Finest Sale a huge

success! If you have any unopened cases ofcandy that you can not sell, please return

them to school this Wednesday, October 4.Candy money may be sent in any day. Thefinal day of the drive is October 11, whichmeans all monies must be returned by Oct. 11to qualify for student prizes! We look forwardto celebrating thesuccess of our drivewith our schoolwideHalloween Raffle,prizes to our topthree sellers and anice cream social forall children in our topten-selling families!Thank you forrecognizing the needand helping somuch!

··Protecting God·sChildren••••• .

All volunteers are required toattend one "Protecting God's

Children" Session and to completea criminal background check.

This includes Room Moms,coaches, chaperons, board

members and volunteers in anycapacity. If you have not alreadydone so, please call the office forregistration materials. We have

information about session offeredthroughout the Archdiocese. Mostconvenient will be the 2 sessions

offered here, in our very ownQuinn Hall. You may wish toselect one of the following:

Friday, Oct. 6 6:30 PMSaturday, Oct. 7 8:30 AM

Please call the office to register orreturn the form sent home last

Wednesday.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Kids' Club Extended Day Notes...

We need your helpl If your child is attendingour Extended Day program, the sheet that

schedules care for the week must be returned.We need to know who is coming so that we

plan adequate staffing and so that we understandwho we are responsible for. It is also important

for parents to ask their children for Extended Daybills on Monday of each week. Payment is due byThursday. We are experiencing difficulties withsome students forgetting to bring schedules andbills home to parents, which creates a financialand safety hardship for us. Please help so that

we can continue to offer high quality, reasonableservices. THANKSII

October 2006Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu

1 3 8:30 AM Feast of 5St. Francis Mass.

11:30 AM8:30 AM Mass: No Qasses:

Confirmation3:30 PM Pet Commissioning Teacher (nservice.

Protecting God's

Enrollment.Blessing. of Altar Servers.

Children

"Coffee and.....Protecting God's

8:30AM

in Quinn Hall.Please send back Food Pantry Children

any unopened cases Dress Down 6:30PM

f candy that you Day.

8 1 11 1 13 14Ice Cream Sale

Columbus Day: Hot Dog Day.at all lunches.

No Classes.8:30 AM Ma~s. Food Pantry FSARummage

World's Finest Sale Dress Down SaleGr.3and4

end~; please Reconciliation Day. 9AM-3PM.Market Day. Field Trip.

send any money to Parent Mtg.

school that is 7PM

due. Thanks!

15 1 1 18 8:30AM 1 2 21Mass.

Halloween

9:30AMColoring FSA Burger King

ReconciliationContest due. Ice Cream Sale Night.

Enrollmentat aU lunches.

Candy Sale Candy Sale IceHalloween Raffle. Cream Social for

children in top 10

2 23 2 25 2 2 288:30AM

Principal's FreeFood Pantry

Mass.End of the

Halloween

Raffle.Dress Down Day.

FSAGeneralFirst Quarter.

Mtg.7PM

2 3 31HAM

Costume Parade,

Alternate Lunch,

Qassroom Parties.

Principal's Corner...The First Quarter is OVel'. Hov.r lime fliesl

It has been a productive start to our new school year. I recenUy enjoyed my

time substitituing in our Junior High. Beyond Itle fun of ghost stories and Spelling

Baord Races, I found caring young lacliM and gentlemen who are leaders in our

se/'lOOI. They are anticipating a furl day al the Field Museum's King Tut Exhibit. I

have enjoyed working with our Student Council officers during last week'lI Red

Ribbon Week activities. The new Chess Club IS certainty a big success! The

Kioclergal1en welcomed me in fof their first Scieoce Lab. Preschool is a daily round

of little smiles and happy faces. The four-year-olds hllve been touring the Church

with their lead'\ef$ and Fr. Mark. The three-year-olds are painting pumpkins and

becoming acquainted with the new, little world of Sl LouiS de Montfort School. My

vis~s 10 the First Grade are a definite pleasure. Their teachers tell me that the Thirdand Fourth Graders enjoyed their vis~ to Purdue University's Challenger Learning

Center. The Second Gr.tde is OOsy preparing to receive !he Sacrament of First

Reconciliation this month. The Fifth Grade will enjoy a vis~ to our Police

Department in conjunction with our DARE program. Our student liturgies are

clefinHely the highlighl of the week-we're learning new Music and the children are

laking an active role in this school celebration. And, we have already begun to

wor1I on Mr. Selle's new holiday musical: "ChristmBs Arourx1lhe World· How

much Fr, Mark, Fr. Noga al'ld I have enjoyed being a part of this Fl~1 Quarterl We

look toward 10 many good things to come In the Second Quarterl

On anolher nole, one of our Eighth Gr<tde~, Joe Suiro, came up with

al'lOlh&r new marketing slogan: '"Your great kid I. welcome at our great

schooliM How wonderful 10 see II studenl acknowledge that we do have II greal

schooIl And, we all know that our kids are greal! Therefore, the key word here

becomes MwelcomelM We are 50 privileged to welcome your children each day.

We are tIonclfed to welcome you here. And, the priesls, faculty and I are 50

gralefullo be welcome in the hearts and lives of our students. Thank. for 8

GREAT fiBt quarterl

:J-:Ju..

•.. .-In"

:Jdl

PARENT-TEACHERCONFERENCES•••

Mark your calendar for Friday,November 10. Your child will bringhome a scheduled conference timethis Friday with their First QuarterReport Card. Just a reminder thatclasses are dismissed at 11AM on

November 10. Extended Dayservices will be available from

11AM to 6 PM in our Kids' Club.

All families are welcome to join us onMonday, November 6, at 1 PM in

Church for our First Quarter AwardsAssembly. We look forward to

celebrating our accomplishments withyou!

Our Veteran's Day Mass takes place onFriday, Nov. 10, at 8:30 AM. Enjoy this

patriotic liturgy with us!

Our special Thanksgiving Mass takesplace on November 21 at 8:30 AM. We

hope to see you there!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

It will be our privilege to spendthe evening of November 17 with you!

Your child's teachers, instructional aides,office staff, Principal and parish priests

will be on hand to run the activities and toshare in all the fun! Please mark your

calendar. This is a fund-raiser to help uscombat Winter's high heating andelectrical costs. Most importantly,

however, it is a "FUN-RAISER" for us allto build community and enjoy family

activities and good food!

We congratulate our SecondGrade Class, who will receive

the Sacrament of FirstReconciliation this month. We

applaud their teacher,Mrs. Dobrocky, for hercommendable efforts in

preparing the children for thismeaningful celebration.

SCHOOL IS SPECIAL...

In August, we asked your childrento tell us Why St. Louis de Montfort School is

special. We will feature a few responsesevery newsletter.

liSt. Louis de Montfort School is specialbecause it has good teachers, friendlystudents, cool rooms and I learn about

God."---Zachary Kaeding, Gr. 2

"I think our school is special because we learnso many new things and our teachers make

learning fun! Our school has so manyactivities going on and the staff really gets

involved."---Danielle Hamzik, Gr. 6

liSt. Louis de Montfort School is special to mebecause I learn so much there and it's fun. I am

in Second Grade. I can't wait to make myFirst Holy Communion this year. We haveReligion every day and learn so much. My

teachers try to make all lessons fun. I was insoccer for both Kindergarten and First Gradeand I will be again this year, I love soccer! I

went to the Summer Camp and took aComputer and an Art class. It was fun.

School is great!"---Rob Beebe, Gr. 2

"I like my school because it has 2 preschoolrooms. My school is cool. We get stickers

when we follow the rules. The dinosaurs in Mrs.Joyce's room are the best. In Mrs. Joyce's roomis where I exercise with my friends. My teachers

are beautiful and so is my school. I love myschool and that's the end!"--Emily Marie

McAulliffe Preschool (4)

t's that time ofyear again. Thu're invited to a parent-teacher conference. Butlon't panic! Plan ahead, and you'll find that this conference can be atnt step toward cooperation between you and your youngster's teadle1: The!appy }"esult? A more successful year for your child!

Parent-TeacherConferences:4 Checklist'OrStlccess

forParents

lefore the conferencet Keep a folder about your child with:ems like vV'ork samples, notes fromonversations Vv1th teachers, and stan­.ardized test results. Look over youroungster's recent work to review hisrades and see where he loses points.

{ Ask your child about schooL Whatre his favOIite subjects? What is heaving trouhle vl'ith? How does he getlong vvith his teacher and the kids inis class?

(List your child's strengths andreaknesses.

( ] ot down things about your childlat will help his teacher know himetter, such as his hobbies or anythingmsing him stress.

( Make a list of the questions you'ant to ask. Note: For ideas. see~uestions to ask" to the right.

At the conference@' Make a positive impression. Walk inwith a smile, and be on time. Tip: It'sbest not to take younger children along.

@' Listen carefully to what' the teachertells you. If you don't understandsomething, ask her to eA"plain.

@' Ask questions about your child'sacademic progress, social relationships,and beha"ior.

@' Work with the teacher to developan action plan to help your youngster'succeed. List things you and your childcan do at home to help him do his bestin schooL

@' Plan for follow-up Vv1th the teacher.\Vould she prefer that you Wlite notes,call, or send e-mails?

After the conference@'Write theteacher anote oran e-mailthanhing herfor the informationand her suggestions.

@' Discuss the conference with yourchild. Tell him what the teacher said,and outline the action plan you and histeacher came up with. .

@' Put the plan into motion. Monitoryour youngster's class work, home­work, behavior, and mood. Stay intouch with the teacher.

Questions to askWondering what questions to ask

your child's teacher? TIT these for astart:

• What are my child's su-engths andweaknesses in your class?

• Is my youngster performing at gradelevel? Is he working to the best of hisability?

• Does my child need special help inany subjects? Does he need help withhis learning or test-taking skills?

• Are you concerned about any learn­ing problems?

• ]s my child completing class workand homework on time? Does he takeparr in class discussions?

• How does he get along with theother kids? What activities does hepartiCipate in dllling recess? Who doeshe play with most often?

• What can I do at home to help myyoungster succeed?

Notc: \lve chose to use a boy in this report,but the examples apply to both boys and girls.

Home & School CONNECTIONResources for Educators, a division of Aspen Publishers, Inc. _ 3035 Valley Avenue, Suite 103 • 'Winchester, \/:-\ 22601 _ 540-723-0322

{g) 2004 Resources iDl Educalors, aDiVision 01 Aspen Pub!isher~, Inc.

HSiJ490E(Pj

mehool marety IlUllpciate...On Friday, October 20, Fr. Mark and I attended a meeting at the Oak Lawn Police

Department. It was informative and critical to our schools. We are happy to reportthat the Oak Lawn Police Department is working diligently in support of school safety.

Our faculty and staff met on Wedneday, October 25, to update and review crisismanagement procedures. Each and every person is committed to keeping yourchildren safe at school. Here are some IMPORTANT highlights of our meeting:

1. Our secretaries will no longer allow entry to anyone--even parents we know--withoutasking through intercom as to the purpose of the visit. If the person is not a parent,the secretary will go to the door and ask for identification to be displayed through theglass. If the identification and prupose for the visit are in order, the person will be admitted.If the visitor raises any suspicion at all, we will immediately call 911. All visitors must enterand leave from our front office doors. Please sign in at the office and wear a Visitor's Passwhile in the building. Delivery men and visitors are never unescorted in our building.

2. A lock will be installed on the O'Donnell Hall Preschool entrance near the office so that,should an emergency arise, the preschool teachers can safely lock that door to prevententry into the four-year-old preschool.

3. We are increasing campus security. We have asked for police presence to increase.Do not be alarmed if you see a police car in our parking lot. This is at our request andwill continue periodically throughout the year. We have also decided that increasedmale presence is helpful. You have probably already noticed the frequent presence ofour parish priests, which has always been a norm. However, you will now notice thatMr. Mike and Mr. John are at the front entrance to monitor 7:50 arrival time. Mr. Mike isalso on call to assist with 2:30 dismissal.

4. We are scheduling a review of our Emergency Response Plan with local lawenforcement agencies. In keeping with department policies, police officers will also beconducting tactical walk-throughs of our facility to be certain that local law enforcementis familiar with our layout.

5. In keeping with State Board of Education recommendations and the suggestion of ourPolice Department, we will conduct periodic lockdown drills. In the event of a lockdown,students are secured in their classrooms until an all clear annoucement is made. Noone is allowed in or out of the building until law enforcment officials direct thatconditions are safe. Reasons for a lockdown might include an intrUder, suspiciouscircumstances in or outside of the building, etc. The teachers will be discussing proceduresfor a lockdown with the students. Our first lockdown drill is this Wednesday afternoon.

6. In the event of an off-campus evacuation, we will relocate to the Oak Lawn CommunityPresbyterian Church, located at 90th and Ridgeland. The phone number there is708·599-4025. If that facility is unavailable, the secondary site is the First Church ofthe Nazarene at 91st and Ridgeland. That number is 708·599·5559. In the event of anevacuation, parents/guardians will be called by teachers on cell phopnes. At the site,students will be released only to their parent or guardian upon presentation ofphoto identification

SCHOOL SAFETY UPDATE (Continued)~

7. Parents are our greatest support system. If you see anything suspicious, (a suspicious car inthe vicinity, people who do not belong lingering around the campus, etc.), please callthe school office immediately. The police have assured us that they would rather that wecall for assistance in a situation that turns out to unfounded sooner than not call andjeopardize anyone's safety.

8. Do not allow your children to walk home alone. Students should travel in groups and avoidisolated areas. If your child is staying sfter school for tutoring or extracurricular activities,please send a note informing the teacher that your child has permission to remain. Becertain that you have made arrangements to have an adult meet your child when theevent is over.

As always, if you have questions, concerns or suggestions, kindly call the school office. Thesafety of your children continues to be our top priority.

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••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••: Join Us for Our SECOND ANNUAL••••

: FAMILY FUN NIGHT!•

••••••••••

SUPPORT OUR PARISHIMARK YOUR CALENDARDON'T MISS THE FUNI

Friday, Nov. 176:30 to 9:30 PM

Quinn Hall

Name ---------Phone ---------

Complete the ticket below forour FREE Door Prize Raffle...

Deposit this ticket in the basket at the door.

An entertaining DJ and Dancing Fun!TERRIFIC FOODI Games and ActivitiesI

Fabulous Raffles for the AdultslA Kids' Raffle and Money Jar Competition.

Spin the Wheel. Split the Pot. FREE Door Prize Raffle.Prizes and More Prizesl A FREE Homework Pass for Every Studentl •

A TASTY, INEXPENSIVE MENU--Have dinner with usl(Beef sandwiches, hot dogs, pizza, sloppy joes,

nachos, root beer floats and more!)

Sponsored by our Staff, School Board, FSA andAthletic Boards. All children must be accompaniedby an adult. ADMISSION IS $1.00 at the door.•

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

s;November 2006~

Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 3 4Report Cards

8:30AMGr. 5-8

issued. Grade 2 First

All Saints DayField Trip.

Reconciliation

Mass. Food Pantry 11:30 AM

Dress Down Day.

5 8 9 1 11First Quarter Grade 5 DARE 8:30 Veteran's

AwardsIce Cream

Field Trip. Day Mass.

Assembly Food Pantry Dress 11 AM Dismissal.Sale at all

IPM Down Day. 12:30 to 8:30 PMlunches.

Grade 2 First Parent-Teacher

Market Day. Reconciliation Conferences.

7PM Extended Day:

lIAMto6PM.

1 13 14 15 16 17 18I 8:30 AM Mass.

Food Pantry

Ice Cream SaleDress Down Day.

No Qasses. Hot Dog Day. at all Thanksgiving

lunches. Coloring

Contest due.FAMILY FUN

NIGHT:

6:30-9:30 PM

19 2 21 2 23 258:30AM

Thanksgiving Mass.No Cla'iSes: Classes ..

FSAGeneral Food PantryTeacher

Mtg.7PM Dress DownInservice. Thanks iving!

Day.

26 27 28 2

Ice Cream

Alternate Sale at 8:30AM

Lunch. all Mass.

lunches.