NewsletterSchool_01_18

ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin

St. Henry School Newsletter

January 18, 2008

“The Lord is my life’s refuge:

of whom should I be afraid?”

Psalm 27: 13

Vocations were a theme this week at St. Henry – and across the diocese and beyond, as well. God’s call to each of us is very real and of great importance for us personally and for the building up of his kingdom. Dedicated single person, spouse, ordained priest, or religious brother or sister -- each of us lives out our baptismal commitments in those essential roles as we labor in our various environments.

This week we shared with the children information relating especially to the ordained and religious callings. Surely in God’s plan some of our children here at St. Henry will find their greatest fulfillment and happiness in these vocations. We hope we are helping to nurture seeds of awareness and appreciation for all our Christian vocations so our children will be able to generously answer God’s call to them like Samuel did in last Wednesday’s Mass reading: “Here I am, Lord.”

A message to share from Lynn Miller, the chair of our HASA pre-Christmas cheese sale:

Thank you to all who ordered and helped with the Kraemer Wisconsin Fundraiser this year. We were able to raise $1,761 dollars!!! Great job. I would also like to thank the Kraemer Family who also donated $200, for a total of $1,961 going to HASA projects.

That is wonderful. Please let me extend our thank you’s as well to Lynn and everyone who participated.

The children in kindergarten through grade six should be bringing home today a permission slip for a Catholic Schools activity we are going to enjoy with their compatriots in the same grade at St. Bernard’s. From the slip you’ll see that the plan is to walk down to Watertown Bowl 18. You’ll notice we are asking parents to write down the size of their children’s shoes to speed up the process of getting the youngsters on the alleys! The $3.00 charge is very minimal for being able to bowl at least one full game and probably part of a second, as well as for using their shoes. The schedule was a little too complicated for the form so it is notated on the slip to check this newsletter. We don’t guarantee the times to the minute but they should be in the ballpark. Feel free to stop by, help if you can, and just enjoy the students having fun with each other. By the way, the St. Bernard and St. Henry children will have interacted with each other the day before since St. Bernard’s children will be coming here on Wednesday for a special joint schools 9:00 Mass celebration of Catholic Schools Week. After Mass they will come back to our classrooms for a little break, snack, and interaction and then gather again as a big group for a presentation by one of the priests involved that week with the joint parish mission. The bowling get-together is for the following day, the Thursday.

Here’s “The PLAN” for the “Bowling with Bernard’s” Day:

Fifth graders at the bowling alley from 8:20 to 9:20.

Kindergarteners from 9:20 to 10:20.

First graders from 10:20 to 11:20.

Third graders from 11:50 to 12:50 (Yes, there will be some adjustment to our lunch time schedule.)

The second graders and our sixth graders from 12:50 to 1:50.

The fourth graders from 1:50 to 2:50.

Sounds like fun, eh? Oh, and don’t worry. The seventh and eighth graders have planned a special activity too! They are having an in-school dance and game activity in the Parish Center that afternoon.

STUDENTS ARE VERY GENEROUS

Before we get too far into the church season of “Ordinary Time” I’d like to let everyone know about something special the sixth graders did for Christmas. Now that they’re getting older, we don’t exchange gifts with one another at Christmas. Instead, the students offered gifts to Jesus since he told us that whatever we do for the least of his brothers we do for him. The sixth graders donated the money they would have otherwise spent for one another to charity. The charity they selected was Food for the Poor, an organization that works to relieve the suffering of some incredibly poor people in the Caribbean and Latin America. Students worked to earn their own money to bring in. On the last day of school before Christmas we went to the Eucharistic chapel, and, praying before the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle, they offered their gifts to Jesus. The total amount donated was $96.50! Amazing! What generous students we have at St Henry School! And of course, it’s not too soon to start saving those pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters for the upcoming Lenten Penny War!

Our studies in science have us examining minerals, and we’ll soon move on to rocks. Learning about these materials will be of great benefit when we visit the Cave of the Mounds in the spring. Students also had the chance to observe some minerals in class and learn more about properties that make different minerals unique, such as their color, streak, and hardness. There is so much to learn about the world around us. How lucky we are to have a Creator who has given us so much!

God Bless!

Miss Boettcher

PRESCHOOL NEWS

We are kicking the New Year off with our new letters G,L, and K. Most of the class has made a G,L,K book to take home and read before bed and index cards to review. The children know if they do this they get a sticker the next day in class! Those children going to kindergarten should be grasping the idea that letters make sounds and sounds and letters make words. The best way to work on this skill is to read of course, but another way is to use the letters of the month index cards and place them in a high traffic area like the kitchen counter. Reviewing the letter, saying the sound, and finding some words that start with each will greatly benefit your child. Another request…when picking up your child after preschool please make sure you say goodbye to me and make eye contact while doing so. This is not because my feelings will be hurt if you don’t, but it is a safety issue for your child and a sanity one for me. Thank you.

Mrs. Kemp

Dates to Mark on Your Calendar

JANUARY

Saturday 19 St. Henry Parish HeritageFest Celebration

Wednesday 23 Grade SEVEN fills liturgical roles during 8:15 Mass

Thursday 24 Grade EIGHT to Marquardt Manor in the morning

Friday 25 NO SCHOOL – In-service Day

Sunday 27 Official start of Catholic Schools Week –

“Catholic Schools Light the Way!”

School children fill some of liturgical roles

at all three weekend Masses.

St. Henry/St. Bernard Joint Mission begins

today and ends Thursday. No evening

activities, scheduled, sports included to

allow adults and older children to attend as

many night sessions as possible. Give this

week to the Lord; He won’t disappoint.

Monday 28 HASA-sponsored assembly—Hispanic musical

family group, “Alborado” at 9:00am in PC

Tuesday 29 Blue and Gold Day – special fun activity

in each classroom in the afternoon.

Wednesday 30 Special Catholic Schools Week Mass with St.

Bernard School at 9:00 am in St. Henry Church;

Grade FIVE fills liturgical roles. Short

visit in classrooms and then back to church for

talk to both schools by Mission Priest.

Thursday 31 Bowling Fun with St. Bernard’s (grades K-6);

afternoon dance for grades 7 and 8

Six Flags Great America “Read to Succeed”

parent-signed form due in school today!

FEBRUARY

Friday 01 Student Council VARIETY SHOW in Parish Center

in afternoon; visitors welcome!

Second Quarter report cards go home.

Saturday 02 Women’s Ecumenical Retreat in the morning.

See St. Henry church bulletin.

Sunday 03 Registrations for NEW children to St. Henry

School for 2008-2009 should be completed.

Wednesday 06 ASH Wednesday! Lent begins.

Thursday 07 Athletic Assn. meeting, 6:00 pm, computer lab.

(Yes, unusual day for this group.)

Friday 08 Early 11:30 Dismissal

Thursday 14 St. Henry/St.Bernard Choir and Band Concert;

here at St. Henry; 6:30 pm

Thursday 28 SET ASIDE NOW! St. Henry HASA PARENTS ONLY

Homemade Chili or Soup Supper with speaker

during the meal! PC 6:00 pm

Topic: Common Sense Approach to Discipline at Both

Home and School

Memory verse for week of January 21-25

“I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord

in the land of the living.” Psalm 27: 13

Reminder: Have you made your reservations for Mt. Olympus (Treasure Island) for St. Henry School Families Dells Weekend of May 16-18? Call 800-800-4997 and ask for Beth at extension 601. See October 5 newsletter. Available in school section of parish website: sainthenryparish.org