June 4, 2008
+ Dear Parents,
As a child the thoughts of summer meant a vacation at the shore, picnics in the park, riding my bike, reading late into the night and staying out late with my sisters and my friends. Summer certainly allows us time to move away from the regular routine and enjoy some time to relax. As we begin this summer vacation, my prayer for you and your family is this: May God bless you and keep you. May His light ever be upon you. May Mary, His Mother bring you grace and peace each and every day. Let us pray for one another!
Just a reminder that all volunteers at school, for CYO, sports, etc. must take the Safe Environment Class. The next scheduled session at St. Agnes is Thursday, June 12 in the cafeteria at 7 p.m. Please call the rectory office to register. Some of the police checks and child abuse clearances need to be renewed every five years. If you are due for renewal, please do so during the summer months.
The school supply list for September will soon be on the St. Agnes School web site. Look under Parent Resources.
Summer reading is an important activity for your child this summer. Please take a few moments, if you haven’t done so, check out the summer reading list on the school website. It is better to complete the summer reading early, rather than to wait until August. Why not read the books with your children? If you wish to purchase any of the books, don’t forget the Barnes and Noble Book Fair next week. We appreciate your support.
The Great Valley Lunch Program will begin at St. Agnes in September. Keep an eye on the school website in early August for the first lunch calendar. The lunch calendar and checks are due by the twentieth of the month before. So, for September lunch orders you will need to send the order to school by August 20. Please be sure the envelope is labeled LUNCH. The lunch order will be due by the 20th of each month.
Please be sure that when you purchase school shoes for September that you purchase sturdy, comfortable shoes. The best are tied oxford type shoes. There are a number of shoe vendors available locally and online. www.zappos.com and www.trimfootco.com offer several selections for boys and girls. Flocco Shoes in Conshohocken offers a great selection and they are highly recommended.
I would be remiss if I did not recognize the good work of our Home and School Association this year. I thank the Board for their tireless work: the Board members worked hard to implement the work of the Association. They also helped to revise the Constitution of the Association, did the background work on the lunch program, and ran the various activities. Tricia Cosgrove, Deb Amoroso, Laurie Parker, Shelley Dinehart and Mary Ann Sheridan did a great job. I look forward to working with the new Board: Laurie Parker, Chris Hayes, Deb Amoroso, Kathy Caliendo and Sharon Chevalier.
There will be some faculty changes at St. Agnes for the next academic year. Please rejoice at the good news and share the bittersweet news with great faith in God’s loving providence. Mr. Jason Istak resigned his position as eighth grade teacher to take a job in industry. Mrs. Carolyn Murray, PK, and Mrs. Diane Pease, Grade 5, will be moving on as a result of constriction of teaching positions. For the next school year we will have only one PK and K class at each session. We are still finalizing the internal adjustments of the faculty.
The Learning Support Room is being prepared for opening in September. We are using the room beside the library as the resource room. A credentialed teacher is hired for the learning support position. Slow, but steady progress is being made as we inaugurate this program.
We will also begin using the Lab Learner Science program in September. (www.lablearner.com) This is exciting news! Students from Kindergarten to grade 8 will learn science hands-on with this wonderful program. The lab will be equipped with five lab tables, seven storage cabinets, thirty-two stools, a teacher demonstration table and materials cart. Teachers will have all of the equipment and materials to present the Core Experience Learning Labs (CELLs). The lab will be housed in the room currently being used for math honors. Sister Nancy will move next door to the CARES room and CARES will move to a first floor room in Kelly Hall.
Be sure to check the school website during the summer months as we will be posting information there periodically. www.saintagnesschoolwc.org. The school office will be open until June 27. We will re-open full-time again August 18. We will check messages and mail weekly. If you have an emergency, please contact the convent and I will get back to you.
God love and bless you and your family during these summer months. We never take a vacation from weekly Mass - see you in Church! Be assured of my prayers for you. Peace!
In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sincerely,
Sister Joan Felicia, IHM
Principal
Let Your Light Shine
The students recognized for unconditional love, the virtue for the month for May are: Greg Kiefer, Caroline Kuchinsky, Katelyn Fay, Matthew Chevalier, Rachel Leppert, Christina Goggin, Nicole Chevalier, Erin Breslin, Connor Logan, Kathryn Kiefer, Jack Dingfelder, Clare O’Rourke, John Paul Meehan, Zoe Kozinski, Kaylee Swope, Jack Brennan, Luke Arizin, Sarah Moffit, John Talley, Catherine Saulino, Amelia Reid, Andrew Raymundo, Joseph Saulino, Alexa Dunleavy, Fiona Pyfer, Mac Kozinski, Luke Wierman, Erin Byrd.
Drama Club took a trip to Harrisburg on May 7 to perform at the PA Arts in Education Day. They did a great job! The Stag Players were the only troupe from a Catholic school to perform this year. Congratulations to Ms. Laura Lynn Cottrell for her leadership in this club. The Stag Players will perform The Wizard of Oz for the school on Thursday, June 5 at 1 p.m. and on Saturday, June 7 at 7 p.m., in TPH for the parish community.
So many students entered the annual art show this year with the ever popular theme of sports. Congratulations to each and every one! Great job! Thank you to Mrs. Marianne Korchynsky for all of her work. The following were judged as the winning entries:
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First Place |
Second Place |
Third Place |
Honorable Mention |
Kindergarten |
Erin Hatley |
Gianna Charney |
|
|
Grades 1 & 2 |
Mary Byerley |
Luke Ercole |
Will Dolan |
|
Grades 3 & 4 |
James Hennessey |
Patrick Norton |
Will Horstmann |
Isabella Cruciano |
Grades 5 & 6 |
Jack Wierman |
Madison Cusack |
Emily Gurtizen |
|
Grades 7 & 8 |
Alissa Salvitti |
Megan Desiderio |
Elaine Byerley |
Peter Marion |
Best of Show |
Cole Smith |
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|
|
Some of our seventh and eighth grade students recently took the IHM Math Contest along with several thousand other students. Ten of the students advanced to the final round. Congratulations to those who placed in the top ten: Second Place – Anna Shumard; Third Place – Thomas Pitt, IV; Seventh Place - Jack Sheridan; Ninth Place – Daniel Byerley. Receiving Honorable Mention: Stephanie Lytle and Jacob Richard. Congratulations to the students and Sister Nancy!
Congratulations to our piano students who recently performed for the Guild. All of the students were ranked and rated. We are very proud of your efforts. Congratulations to the piano teachers: Mrs. LeeAnne Hosking, Debbie Rodgers, Allyn Gharbi, and Yi-Chih Lien.
Kudos to our Cadette Girl Scout Troop for the successful drive to provide needs for the students at St. Joseph Indian School. The girls organized and ran the drive under the leadership of Mrs. Lorraine Clauhs.
Congratulations to our Seventh Graders authors and illustrators who recently wrote and illustrated their own books. Students formed two companies, Small but Mighty, Inc. and Pens-n-Inc and wrote and illustrated fabulous books.
Kudos to the fifth grade students and teachers for the fine work prepared for South American Day. Students learned about the various cultures, activities, business and life and then prepared wonderful activities to share with the students in grades K through 4. Great job, boys and girls! Thanks to Mrs. Pease, Mrs. Vrabel, Mrs. Egger, Mrs. Sheppard, Mrs. Korchynsky, Mrs. Kennett, and Mrs. Hosking.
Three cheers to Student Council and the eighth grade for all of the hard work in preparing for and for making Mission Fair a huge success. We had many wonderful volunteers help out with the day. The money will be sent to our IHM Missions in Peru and Chile. This year’s total is $2740. Gracias!
We thank the Student Council for their work this year under the leadership of Mr. Jason Istak. Our officers were: Jake Richard, Kellie O’Rourke, Alissa Salvitti, Maddie McTigue and Meghan Creighton.
We bid farewell to the sixty members of St. Agnes Class of 2008! You will be missed. Always know that St. Agnes is here for you. God bless you all!
Carolyn Glasser, Room 15, recently received a trophy from the Junior Federation of Musicians. This award is in recognition for an original composition Carolyn submitted.
Andy Pancoast was named to the U13 Penn Star Lacrosse Team that will represent the state of Pennsylvania at the US Youth Lacrosse Festival in Kings Island, Ohio in June!
Box Tops – Thanks to Dottie Losito for clipping, organizing and sending off all of the Box Tops. We are so grateful. The top placing classrooms last month are: Room 12, Room 17 and Room 14. Keep on clipping! Save them up over the summer! We’ll offer an ice cream treat to the students of the highest class in the fall.
Art recycles: Please save any of the following items and drop them off at the art room in September: clean frosting containers with lids, clean Styrofoam trays, and old shirts.
ACME receipts – Save all of the receipts over the summer and bring them back in September. This rebate really helps us out!
