Dear Parents and Guardians,

Happy New Year!  Though the frigid temps have been a challenge, we are all happy to be back together again.  The month of January is a great time for learning.  Routines have been established, expectations set and the dark evenings make you want to cozy up with a Math book.

Jane Schmidt

Principal

Correction: In the last Hi-lites, I failed to mention all of the HCS students who had participated on stage at the Christmas Catechism Production.  The missed actors are: Georgia Nelson, Caoimhe Woodburn, Erin Roberge, Hannah Tierney, Amelia Richardson and Phoenix Tschida.  Thanks for sharing your talents!

Lumen Christi Catholic Community is hosting Families Moving Forward for the next two weeks.  This is a wonderful ministry and requires many helping hands from over-night hosts, leaders for children's activities, kitchen help, and countless other tasks.  Hopefully, all of this service helps the families in this program feel a measure of love, support and hope.

I clearly remember the year we hosted families in the school building.  It really gave teachers and students pause to move their desks out of the way and set up sleeping cots for the parents and children who would be spending the night in classrooms.  It is a very stark reality.

Here is a way for all of us to help support the work of Families Moving Forward.  Tomorrow and Monday we would invite you to send breakfast or lunch items to school for these homeless families.  Suggested items include:  Cup of Noodles, Easy Mac, Ravioli, spaghettio-s, fruit cups, packaged snacks, Pop Tarts, Breakfast Bars, Granola Bars, etc.  Items will be collected in homerooms.

Thanks for your generosity!

You are Invited!

An open invitation to be part of the LCCC Men's Club is being extended to all dads and guardians.  You can express your interest at HiCMensClub@yahoo.com  They are a lively and fun bunch!

Note from Phyllis Hamill-Little in LCCC Faith Formation:

Beginning January 10^th Children's Liturgy of the Word will dismiss pre-K through 3^rd grade only. Venture Gospel Weeklies will be available in the gathering space for students in grades 4-6."

Thank you.

Looking at High Schools?

St. Bernard's Open House is January 14^th at 6:30 p.m.  Information will be presented regarding

scholarship opportunities ranging from $2,000-$36,000!  Last year, HCS student Andy Broadnax was presented with four years of tuition-free Catholic education.  Nicely done.

Super Scholars

The Academy of Holy Angels recently announced its Trimester I honor roll.   The following HCS alumni received credit for their fine work.  Congratulations!

Scholars of Distinction:           Kara Baumgardner, Will Harens, Katheryn Murphy
4.000 GPA
High Honor Roll:                    Elizabeth Murphy
3.6667 GPA
Honor Roll:                             Jack O'Rourke, Becca Rammer

Winter Carnival Art

We are pleased to have beautiful student creations entered in the Winter Carnival Art Show hosted by AZ Gallery.  The opening reception for the show is Friday, January 8^th, from 6-10 p.m.  Music provided by DJ Sean Thomas, with refreshments, face painting, games and crafts.  AZ Gallery is located in the Northern Warehouse Building at 308 Prince Street, #130, between the Black Dog Café and Tanpopo Noodle Shop.  The show runs from January 8^th-31^st.

Congratulations to artists: Sam Strong, Audrey Parker, Louie Tighe, Seamus Kehoe, Anna Muntifering, Yousha Tighe, Molly Wier, Charlie Brenzel, Parker Reddig, Maeve Gimpl, Eleanor Franklin, Nathan Rowley, Megan Culligan, Rosie Pitera and Ellen Larson.

H1N1 Immunization Clinic

Highland Catholic School

Friday, January 15^th, 7-10 a.m.

By Homeland Health

• Ages 6 months and up
• Cost: $10 cash or accepting Blue Cross, Health Partners, Medica, Medicare and UCARE. Please bring your medical card.
• What: H1N1 injection or mist
• Note: under the age of ten years need two doses at least four weeks apart.  We will give the first or second dose and provide a card with the date and lot number.
• Parents must be present.
• Immunization is recommended for all persons who have not been lab-confirmed with H1N1. Even if you had the symptoms, the shot/mist will not make you sick, and will protect you from the expected "wave 3" of H1N1 this winter.

Please call the school office, 690.2477, to reserve a 15-minute slot for scheduling numbers.  Homeland Health will provide 3-4 nurses, so we are able to schedule 20 people per 15 minutes

Your Child is a Star!

Christmas Program DVDs are now for sale in the school office for only $5!  Students did a great job of capturing our production of a "Dicken's of a Christmas" from four different angles!  Thanks to Mrs. Katie Atlas for coordinating this project.  Proceeds will be directed to our Tuition Hardship Fund.

Drop-off Concern:  We have observed a dangerous practice during morning drop-off.  School parents are cautioned not to drive on the wrong side of the road while coming down the Bohland hill.  The drop off line of cars is quite long, especially on these cold mornings, but it would not be good practice to bypass the line and drive in the incoming traffic lane.

Also remember: no cell phone use during drop-off...too distracting.

To speed things up on this bitterly cold mornings, please do not get out of your car.  If you need to assist a younger child, the best plan is to pull into the parking lot and they can take the small sidewalk along the building behind the school sign.

I appreciate your attention to this.

A note of gratitude from our friends at St. Philip's in North Minneapolis

Dear Highland Catholic School,

Thank you so much for the Christmas presents given to St. Philip's Kids, Kids Club and College-Bound's teens.  You will be remembered in our Christmas Mass. 

Fr. Jules Omba

More "Niceness"

Thanks to Brownie Troop 2582, now fourth graders, who gifted the balance of their troop funds to girls' athletics at Highland Catholic School.  This hard-earned cookie-selling money is greatly appreciated.  What a nice idea!

Quiz Bowl Action

On Monday, December 15, Highland Catholic's Eighth Grade Quiz Bowl team competed with 47 other schools at the University of St. Thomas.  The questions for the competition were from the areas of math, science, social studies, religion, language, literature, sports, popular culture, and current events The team of Emma Eliason, Leah Leonidas, Michael Tipping, and Brian Veenstra tied for seventh place.  Congratulations to these students on their impressive finish!

Watch for S.A.L.T.

Today, you should receive your family copy of our fabulous S.A.L.T. (Students and Adults Learning Together) catalog.  The offerings cover a wide range of topics.  Thanks to the many parents who offered to lead a course. You can find a pdf of the catalog on the school website in the same section as Hi-lites, www.highlandcatholic.org Student registration forms for S.A.L.T. should be turned into homeroom teachers as soon as possible.  Thanks to Carol Broadnax and her helpers, Michelle Weber and Linda Mischke, for putting this all together for us.

Interested in the Young Rembrandts

Artistic classes (grades 1-3) or Cartooning (grades 4-6), registration is still open.  Classes are Tuesdays, 3-4 p.m. from 1/19/10-3/9/10. Cost is $90 for the eight weeks.  Contact the school office, 690.2477.

Head's up from the HIVE

In a nutshell, you gotta' pay to play.  A student must have cash in hand or a card in the box in order to get something from the Hive.  The students have been great and polite and trustworthy, but some seem to have the idea that I.O.U.s are okay.  Sorry, they aren't.  The wonderful Hive volunteers will always happily provide a basic lunch to a student who has forgotten one, AKA a peanut butter sandwich, but we will no longer be giving IOU's for misc. purchases.

Out and About

A group of third and fourth grade students are scheduled to go to the Creativity Festival on Tuesday, Jan 12.  They will enjoy a day-filled with new and creative experiences.  Thanks to the Home and School Committee and SCRIP Program for funding our school participation in METRO ECSU, which hosts this great day of learning.  Participants include: Celie Bachman, Maddie Becker, Jack Rowe, Jack Tierney, Owen Keeley, Molly Roberge, Bridget Ahern, Alec Tennis, Mary Murphy, Nick Lucken, Emily Peterson, Anthony Guarnera, Sam Lundquist, Katie Stevermer, Louie McGee and Yousah Tighe.

Selling Sexiness to Children: 

What's Going on and What We Can Do about It?

Parent Seminar by William J. Doherty, Ph.D.

Today there is increasing pressure on young children, especially girls but now boys as well, to look and act sexy.  It's promoted by marketers, accepted by many parents who want their kids to fit in, and bemoaned by other parents who struggle to resist this cultural trend.  When four year olds are wearing "sexy fairy" Halloween costumes, why are we surprised that they are "sexting" at age 13?  Let's talk about what we can do in our homes and communities to take back childhood.

Bill Doherty is a professor and past Director of the Citizen Professional Center at the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota.  He is a practicing marriage and family therapist and gives talks to parents all over the U.S. He has authored the acclaimed book, "Take Back Your Kids," and has helped organize grass roots parent movements to reclaim parental leadership in an out of control world.  His presentations are noted for humor and audience engagement.

Mark your Calendars for March 23^rd at 7 p.m. in the LCCC Community Room

Upcoming Dates to Note:

Monday, Jan. 11^th - Support Group for Parents with Children with Learning Challenges, Guest Jill Weiss from Saint Paul Public Schools

Wednesday, Jan. 13^th   - 6^th Grade Family Mass at Noon

Friday, Jan. 15^th  - H1N1 Immunization Clinic 7-10 a.m