website  watertownhistory.org

    ebook  History of Watertown, Wisconsin

     Set of weekly School Newsletters

 

 

 

 

 

St. Henry School Newsletter

 

December 7, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 “Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shone.”

                   Isaiah 9: 1

 

Pearl Harbor Day!  My parents, a young married couple then, definitely remembered being glued to the radio when they came back from Mass that morning.  It certainly changed their lives for the next four years.  I was privileged a couple of years ago to get to Hawaii to see my niece who lives there.  Being on the base and seeing all the bullet holes still left in the buildings makes quite an impression as does the wonderful Arizona monument.  What a tragedy war is!  The father of our wonderful Japanese teacher was a pilot during this conflict and did survive.  Misako knew him as a wonderful father.  How God must hate it when we HUMAN beings end up in such terrible conflicts with each other.  Come, Lord Jesus.  Change our hearts!

 

Last week we inadvertently missed four eighth grade girls who earned a spot on the honor roll list for the first quarter.  We did catch it in time to get it right for the Daily Times and the school website but still offer our apologies to the students.  And these wonderful workers are Kasey Caine, Elizabeth Christian, Alicia Strupp, and Isabel Vazquez.  Three cheers for you!  Now I was just informed today that Sarah Bradow in grade 4 actually earned a spot on the HIGH honor roll. Congratulations, Sarah.

 

Please see some of the directions about the Christmas play in the calendar on the back.  This involves all the students in preschool through grade five and those upper grades who participate in the volunteer choir.  This should be a FINE evening.

 

Teachers have started to notice a number of DRESS CODE violations.  I’ll send home a copy of the code with this newsletter.  You do realize it would be impossible to arrive at a dress code that everyone would be totally happy with.  Not possible in this world. But this is OURS.  The Education Commission wants us to enforce it. 

 

If you have strong opinions about a change, please address that to an Education Commission member.  But in the meantime, PLEASE see that your child dresses according to it because that’s the way it is now.  We HATE  1) to have to take curriculum time to police this; 2) to possibly embarrass a child although we try very hard to be very kind if and when we do have to pull them aside to talk to them about it; or 3)  to have some children targets of resentment because they are violating the code and “getting away with it.”  That’s possible, by the way, because we aren’t consciously looking for violators since there are so many other priorities on our minds.  Full cooperation on everyone’s part makes for a happier environment, so God bless all of you who are conscientious about that.  Those of you who aren’t, please become so! 

 

NEW plan for our winter before school mornings. (A first in my decades here.) The faculty agreed that we have ALL  K-8 children come into school through the Parish Center doors between 7:40/45 until the bell rings. Children in grades 1-8 either go into the Parish Center or the cafeteria. The kindergarteners go into the cafeteria.  NO one should be wandering the halls or going to their lockers. This will prevent kids from getting wet and cold before the day even begins.  Children who want to play outside at recesses should still be sure to bring appropriate clothing.  Hope this helps!

 

P.E. REPORT

 

For the last three weeks bumping, setting, and serving have been the main focus of our PE classes.  We have seen some major improvements in our volleyball skills with the younger grades, while in the upper grades the boys have done a nice job holding their own against the always good girl volleyball players.  We are now going to shift our attention to dribbling, passing, and shooting.  Our basketball unit will run for the next few weeks.  In that time the younger students will be fine-tuning their basketball skills and upper grades will be working toward playing some competitive basketball games.  Enjoy the Holidays!

 

Mr. Messmann

 

SNOWY GREETINGS!

 

We have been focusing our hearts on getting ready for the coming of Jesus.  Our daily prayer sessions have given us glimpses into the promises found in the Bible.  We have been focusing on the meaning of the candles and found the four meanings.  The purple candles mean hope, peace, and love.  The pink candle means joy.  We have also talked about why we have a different color candle for the third week of Advent, which symbolizes light overcoming darkness.

 

Math has sent us soaring as we expand our multiplication skills.  We are now working on how to multiply a multi digit number by a single digit and carrying.  Keep working on multiplication facts.

 

Science really has us excited.  We are now venturing into the water and learning about the geography of the ocean floor.  We are also learning about different devices used to see under the water.

 

Social studies has taken us for a walk across the U.S. and soon we will be testing for all fifty states and their capitals.  While we are learning about the states, we have also been looking at reasons Wisconsin is special. We have been looking at what resources our state has, studying directions, learning terms for landforms, and much more. 

Keep up the hard work!

 

God’s Blessing to you and your family this holiday season. 

 

Mrs. Anderson   

 

Dates to Mark on Your Calendar

 

DECEMBER

Wednesday   12    Grade SIX fills liturgical roles during 8:15 Mass;

Our Lady of Guadalupe Feastday

Thursday    13    Dress up in honor of St. Henry Day

MUSIC program, 6:30 pm, Parish Center.  Children should wear

“Sunday or Christmas” clothes; come to classrooms at 6:20 pm. 

For gathering following the evening program,

odd-numbered grades bring ˝ to 1 dozen cookies or bars before

noon to Kindergarten  room. Please have any containers you want

back clearly marked. 

Friday      14    Student Council Stuffed Animal and/or PJ’s and/or Slipper Day!

                  Gingerbread Houses being made by Grade Seven and

One study-buddies.

                  Mid-quarter reports go home.

                  Kringle and Kraemer Cheese Pick Up in PC

Saturday    15    Grade TWO participates in the Sacrament of Reconciliation

for the first time!  7:00 pm.

Sunday      16    School Children’s Cantor Choir leads congregation singing

at 10:30 am Mass

Tuesday     18    Grade SEVEN goes to “The Christmas Carol” in Madison’s

Overture Center

Wednesday   19    Grade EIGHT fills liturgical roles during 8:15 Mass

                  Seventh grade presents the Jesse Tree in Church at 1:00 pm

Friday      21    11:30 dismissal – Christmas vacation begins!

 

JANUARY

Thursday    03    School resumes.

Friday      04    National Geography Bee for grades 1-5 in PC, 1:00 pm; 

visitors welcome.

                  PARENTS’ Night for St. Henry Basketball Teams

Tuesday     08    Education Commission mtg., 6:30 pm, rectory hall

Wednesday   09    Play Group 9:30 – 11:00 am, PC

                  Meeting for FIRST COMMUNION parents, 7:00 pm

                  Athletic Association meeting, 6:00 pm, computer lab

Friday      11    Grades 1-8 attend  9:00 am “Once Upon a Mattress”

performance in Watertown.

 

 Memory verse for week of December 10--14  

      “For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests.” 

           Isaiah 9: 5(A)