Hi-lites week of November 12, 2009

Check out the teacher blogs, too!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Yippee!!  HCS will be hosting a Seasonal Flu Shot Clinic, (not H1N1), by Homeland Health Services on Friday, November 20^th, from 7-10:00 a.m.  The clinic is for anyone ages 3 years and up. The cost is $25/shot, or $32/flumist and most insurance cards will be accepted.  Call the school office at 690.2477 to schedule into a 15 minute timeslot.

Please spread the word.  We were so disappointed when our earlier clinic was cancelled.  We want everyone who wants a flu shot to know about this opportunity.  Thanks to Jeanne White, our school wellness coordinator, for pursuing this for us.

Stay well,

Jane Schmidt
Principal

Spend Time with Vincent Shadow

Don't miss the launch party for HCS parent author, Tim Kehoe's book, "The Unusual Mind of Vincent Shadow."  It will be at 2:00PM on November 15th at the Red Balloon Book Store on Grand Avenue. Mr. Kehoe will speak, answer questions and sign books.  Great Christmas present!  You can even enjoy a slice of cake featuring the new book cover. 

Super Seminarian

This week, seminarian student, Peter Akudugu, spent time with our 7^th graders and the topic of transubstantiation. Transubstantiation, in Christian theology, is the dogma that in the Eucharist the bread and wine to be administered become, upon consecration, the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ, even though the external manifestations of the bread and wine - shape, color, flavor, and odor - remain. The students enjoyed getting to know Peter and had many questions for him about growing up in Ghana.

Parents: Something for you! Don't Miss This!

The evening of November 16^th promises to be exciting, as our Home and School Committee has arranged for a wonderful parent speaker, Mrs. Barb Neren.  Mrs. Neren spent time with three groups of students on Monday gathering information about what they appreciate about their parents, things they would like to ask their parents, etc.  She will work their confidential observations into her presentation.  How interesting is that?

Hope to see many of you there.  It begins at 7:00 p.m.  You can learn more about this presentation at http://competentparents.com

New Parent Information Night

We are hosting an information night on Tuesday, the 17^th, for parents interested in learning about Highland Catholic School.  Please pass the word.  Also, thanks to parent, Pam Guarnera, for staffing our school information table on Sundays at LCCC.

Our HCS Garden Club Members spent last Sunday on our school grounds with all sort of projects:

• Bagged up plant material left in the gardens - it's headed to the compost
• Rolled up the hoses
• Removed the wire we used to divide the gardens into square feet (we'll save it to reuse next year)
• Wrapped the trees - 4 on Bohland entrance and the 2 apple trees by the garden
• Planted 2 trees and spring bulbs

I want to thank the Garden Club for replanting the flowering tree and beautiful spring bulbs, which serve as a memorial for Baby May Carruth.  It will be lovely to see those blooms this spring.

New Projectors: Amazing and FREE!

Thanks to the Minnesota Independent School Forum, 3M has generously donated two projector systems for our classrooms! Each projector came with interactive white board software and a wall mount with speakers. Each projection system is valued at approximately $3,500. We are so excited to have this new FREE technology in our classrooms! 

Needed: Knitting/Crocheting Notions 

We have started a small knitting and crocheting group on Thursdays after school for our 4th-8th graders. We would love to have a few little odds and ends here for the students in case they forget items at home. If you have any knitting or crocheting tools that are no longer being used, we would love to take them off your hands. Items can be dropped at the office or in Mrs. Atlas or Mrs. Broadnax's mailbox.

Safety Alert

Please note, this is an excerpt from a letter that went home with our neighboring Nativity students this week.  Please discuss personal safety with your children. This is disturbing.

Monday evening around 5:30pm two of our students were approached by a male adult, on the block of Wellesley and Cretin, who offered them candy canes in an attempt to lure them into his vehicle.  The students handled the situation very well by saying no and running to one of their homes on that same block.  He told them he "was Santa" when they told him "no".  The man was driving a red pick-up truck with tinted windows and was wearing a red sweatsuit when he approached them.  The man was Caucasian and had a white beard.  The students' parents did call the police to report the incident.

Today, we held students in from lunch recess, while police investigated a suspicious individual in the Aspen Clinic parking lot. We are being watchful.

Here's a Deal!

Thanks to Parent, Meg Downes, for getting the word out about this value in the neighborhood.  Meg is manager of the Groveland Tap and they are giving away a free $25 gift card for every $100 spent on gift cards.  Might be a great Christmas present!

Looking for a Weekend Event?

Parent, Mary Lynch, is inviting all to her weekend art show. This Friday, November 13^th from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 14^th, from 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m., her work will be featured as part of the Cache', a benefit for Ampersand Families in support of permanent families for older youth.  The benefit is being held at 681 17^th Ave. N.E., Mpls.  More at www.casketarts.com

Busy Kinders

Yesterday, our kindergartners spent a lovely day with a grandparent or special adult friend, touring the Saint Paul Cathedral and Minnesota History Center.  It was a lovely day and one that we look forward to every year.  Today, kinder, Sammie's father, Lt. Col Craig Tramwell, presented a flag that had flown on a C-130H3 Hercules during his recent tour in Iraq, to the kindergarten class.  We would like to thank him and all veterans for their service to our country.

Delicious Desserts

I am looking forward to this afternoon's Bake-Off, featuring the baking skills of 8^th graders in Room 207.  Judges included:  former kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Cooney, Fr. Paul Feela, Mrs. Peggy Gernes, Parent, Josh Thoma, (the only really qualified judge) and me!  I will feature the winning recipe in next week's Hi-lites!

Uniform Clarification

Students are not to wear "boots" with their uniform.  Students without shoes will be asked to call home.  Sorry, to crush the "cool" factor.  That is why we have a uniform.

Remember, starting November 29^th, Sunday Masses at Lumen Christi Catholic Community will be at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

At-a-Glance

Friday, Nov. 13^th                     No Buses, coming and going!

Monday, Nov. 16^th                  Parent Seminar   7 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 17^th                  Information Night for Perspective HCS Parents   7 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 18^th             All School Mass Noon at LCCC

Thursday, Nov. 19^th                School Committee   7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 20^th                     Seasonal Flu Shot Clinic 7-10 a.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 25^th             No School - Thanksgiving Break begins

                                                Extra Innings is available - contact Ms. Seger

Monday, Nov. 30^th                  School Resumes

Tuesday, Dec. 1^st                     Home and School Committee

Wednesday, Dec. 2^nd               No dismissal buses

Thursday, Dec. 3^rd                  Swing Meeting

Tuesday, Dec. 8^th                    All School Mass/Gift Collection for St. Phillips

Tuesday, Dec.  15^th                 Christmas Program   9 a.m./7 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 16^th             Third Grade Fieldtrip: Lakeshore Players

                                                Eighth grade Fieldtrip:  A Christmas Carol

Thursday, Dec. 17^th                 Choir Outing

Friday, Dec. 18^th                     National Geographic Bee Finals

                                                Christmas break begins at dismissal   

Happy Thanksgiving!  I count this school community when I count my blessings!