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Set of weekly School Newsletters

St. Henry School Newsletter

May 23, 2008

“The cup of blessing that we bless,

is it not a participation in the blood of Christ.”

I Corinthians 10: 16a

Have a wonderful Memorial Weekend. What a debt we owe to so many for the many special freedoms and opportunities we enjoy here in America. A perfect country? No. But how many blessings we do have, thanks to God and countless people who have sacrificed mightily over the last two plus centuries – and continue to do so. May our lives as good citizens, good people, help America become even better.

At this time of the year, we have to bombard you with paperwork. Sorry about that! With this envelope we have included these things:

1) the official contract for next year. Please read over, sign on both sides of the second sheet, and return next week. We will make a copy for you and send it back.

2) a “bill” for the required assignment book for grades 3-8 that we have collected for in past years on the first day of school. When you read through that paper, you’ll see why we changed the time due on that.

3) a letter from Mr. Messmann looking for some volunteers and his field trip form for grades 1-8.

Just a couple of calendar items.

Hopefully, all of you who intended to apply for tuition assistance got all your paperwork in by today. I would be able accept a late application if it is in Tuesday morning, the 27^th. But then they will need to be processed.

If next year’s volleyball or basketball season is your first experience in St. Henry’s after-school athletic programs, please remember, parents, that one of you must attend the meeting this coming Wednesday night, May 28^th, in the Parish Center at 6:30. Should be about a half hour, but it is mandatory.

We know a few of you struggle with getting service hours because your schedules prevent you from being able to attend evening functions or help chaperone. Do we have a deal for you! We have some cleaning chores at the end of the year that are best done by adults. We might be able to work around a number of different schedules so some folks could come in during the next few weekends, or on a weeknight, or even during or after the school day. Please just call the office at 261-2586 on Tuesday and we will work something out. You will get a good head start on the 08-09 service hours and we get some needed help. By the way, remember that working at the parish picnic also “counts.”

A special thank you to St. Henry Home and School Association for the gift of paying for the First Communion and Graduation pictures for the families of our second and eighth graders. They will be arriving during the summer. Please make it a point to check the bulletins regularly to find out when they are ready. HASA wanted to do something special for these students at these memorable times of their lives. Pretty thoughtful, eh?

Flash: new pictures on the website! Check them out in the school section of sainthenryparish.org.

We have some somewhat sad news for us, but good news for one of our beloved faculty members. Mrs. Zache, our third grade teacher, will not be with us next year. Now that her children will all be out of high school, she feels that this is a good time to make a move to the Twin Cities area to be much closer to her immediate and extended family. Told you it was sad news for us! We can only thank her sincerely for her eight and a half years of loving service to us here at St. Henry and ask God’s choicest blessings on her future. I think we should also make her promise to keep in touch and visit us on a regular basis! We wish you the very best, Mrs. Zache.

EXCITEMENT IS IN THE AIR

Last Friday, the eighth graders traveled to the Wisconsin Dells for the annual Safety Patrol Trip. I would like to thank the Home and School Association for their monetary donation that allowed the students to participate in many awesome activities throughout the day. We truly appreciated the generosity. We would not have been able to travel to the Dells without the help of these wonderful chaperones and drivers: Connie Gudenkauf, Terri and Jim Heese, Shannon O’Gorman, Ralph Peirick, Jeff Ready, and Jose and Carmen Valadez. Thank you so much, parents! We hope you enjoyed your day as much as we did.

The eighth grade graduation is less than three weeks away and the excitement is escalating as each day passes. The students have been working diligently on an autobiography project, and their binders are filled with many memories and wishes for the future. These binders are great representations of the events that have taken place so far in their lives and it also allows a glimpse into their “projected futures.”

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

Mrs. Harms

ENTER THE WORLD OF DINOSAURS

First grade has been living in prehistoric times – specifically the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the Cretaceous Periods. We have learned that dinosaurs were either herbivores or carnivores and you can tell which a dinosaur was by looking at their legs and teeth. The children were interested to learn how bones turn into fossils. Our fifth grade buddies helped us research a dinosaur. We also used Model Magic to make a dinosaur. You can view our “dinosaur museum” next week in the cafeteria.

Next week, first and second grade will be starting our plant unit. We will be learning how a seed changes, what plants need to grow and live, and about different kinds of plats. A field trip to Ebert’s Greenhouse Market will be the culmination of our plant unit. We will even try growing some seeds.

In June we will be traveling to the Watertown Public Library for a preview of their summer reading program and a tour of the children’s library. I highly recommend their summer program – it motivates the children to keep reading over the summer. I have challenged the first graders to see if they can ready every day this summer! Research has shown that children who read over the summer retain more of what they learned and will start the next grade with greater ease. Keep reading. I look forward to seeing St. Henry children at the library this summer. I’m there often.

God bless you on this patriotic weekend,

Mrs. Fortlage

Dates to Mark on Your Calendar

MAY

Friday 23 APPLICATIONS for TUITION ASSISTANCE due into school office today.

Sunday 25 Feast of Corpus Christi, Mass at St. Bernard’s at 10:15 followed by

procession to St. Henry, Benediction, and lunch.

Monday 26 NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day, 8:15 Mass at cemetery, weather permitting

Tuesday 27 Preschool goes to library for field trip

Wednesday 28 Grade Seven fills liturgical roles at 8:15 Mass

Mandatory meeting for NEW Athletic Association families. — those who will be

participating for the first time during school year 2008-2009, PC 6:30 pm

Thursday 29 Grade Four on field day to Old World Wisconsin

Friday 30 Preschool goes again to library for field trip (different group)

JUNE

Monday 02 Grade Six on field trip to Cave of the Mounds

Grades One and Two on field trip to Madison and the Zoo.

Wednesday 04 Grade Five fills liturgical roles at 8:15 Mass

Athletic Association meeting, 6:30 pm, computer lab

Thursday 05 Grades One and Two go to public library in the afternoon

Friday 06 All AR points for the fourth quarter due today.

Monday 09 Joint “Olympic” field day in the afternoon at Lincoln Park with St. Bernard School, grades 1-8

Tuesday 10 6:30 pm Graduation Mass & Reception – Children’s Cantor Choir leads congregation

Wednesday 11 Grade Three fills liturgical roles at 8:15 Mass

11: 30 Dismissal, last day of school for 2007-2008!

Wednesday 26 Summer School begins.

JULY

Saturday 12 Two day parish picnic begins today.

Sunday 13 Actual feast day of St. Henry, our patron saint.

Saturday 19 St. Henry Youth Group works the Brathaus at Glenn’s.

Monday 21 Christian Sports Life Camp for grades 1-5 (08-09) begins here at St. Henry.

Memory verse for week of May 27-30

“The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?”

I Corinthians 10: 16b