rigan Schools will be offering almost $100,000 in new tuition assistance grants for the 2008-09 school year to students in Kindergarten Prep through Grade 12.  This program is part of the Educational Opportunity Act from the State of Iowa, and the Msgr. Lafferty Tuition Foundation, both of which were introduced last year.  Many who have never qualified before for formal assistance may very well qualify under these guidelines.  There will be twice the money available this year as last year.  Those who did not receive funding last year have an opportunity to apply for it this year.  There will be more information on how to qualify for funds coming soon.  Watch for more information about the Msgr. Lafferty Tuition Foundation and the FAIR application.

 

KINDERGARTEN PREP NEWS

The Kindergarten Prep students made gifts for their families at Christmas time with the help of Mr. Brosnan and many of the BGHS art students.  They made several trips to Garrigan, learned about clay and how to create magnificent ornaments.  They learned about the firing procedure and finishes of glaze and metallic rubbing.  The students were very excited about their finished products.  A BIG thank you to Mr. Brosnan and the Garrigan art students for their help and sharing their knowledge.                                                         Mrs. Wendi Meister

 

READERS ARE LEADERS IN TITLE 1

Congratulations to all the Title 1 readers in First, Second and Third grade.  The students have been taking books home every night since the beginning of the school year.  They have really been reading.  Wow! !   They have read at least 1,720 books so far.  A BIG thank you to parents, siblings, babysitters, etc. who listen to these readers.  Readers Are Leaders! !

 

8 Ways to Become a Great Reader

Read every day

Read out loud with someone else

Read about things that you like

Take a book with you wherever you go

Read everything you can, like maps, menus, signs,   newspapers and magazines

Talk about what you’ve read

Keep a log of what you’ve read

Be proud of your reading accomplishments

Mrs. Donna Kitzinger

 

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

The Annual Progress Report gives an indication of student progress in the academic areas of reading, math and science.  Included with this newsletter are copies of the pages dealing with math achievement in the 2006-07 school year.

 

Page 11 shows proficiency rates, continuing progress on the ITBS/ITEDS, and goals.  Page 15 outlines student performance on the multiple assessment.  Continuing improvement in

both standardized and alternative assessments indicates that we are on the right track in this area.

 

CUBBIES DEN

The Cubbies Den has been very busy all year.  Our days are filled with learning how to play with your friends, creating wonderful art projects, reviewing all that we are learning in preschool and prep, and going on many field trips.  During

 

our Pizza Theme, we visited Premier Pizza.  Paul and

Theresa gave us a tour of the kitchen and showed us the process of making their delicious pizzas.  The children helped make several pizzas, which we taste tested.  It was unanimous that they were scrumptious!  A big THANK YOU to Paul and Theresa DeLange for their kindness and generosity.  Mrs. Wendi Meister

 

COUNSELOR’S CORNER

Senior Citizen’s Fun Night

Giving back to others without asking for anything in return.   That was the leading thought for the conception of Seton’s

Senior Citizen’s Fun Night.  Our Fun Night helps instill in

our young people that one of the best things anyone can do for someone else is to share time with and care for others.  This is something that we hope our students will continue to do throughout their lives.  It is a wonderful way to serve God, by serving others.

 

The fourth annual Senior Citizen’s Fun Night is being presented by 7th and 8th grade Seton students for grandparents, senior citizens and retirees on Thursday, February 21, 2008, from 6:00 pm—7:30 pm in the Seton Rochleau Center.  The Seton students will start off the night by serving hors d’oeuvres while listening to the soothing sounds of piano music.  Your choice of Euchre, 500 or Bingo will follow.   There is no charge, however, reservations are required due to limited space.  Please call the Seton office (515-295-3509) by Tuesday, February 19, 2008, to reserve your place or that of a Senior friend.

 

7 SECRETS OF “SUCCESSFUL” CHILDREN

Our Sunday Visitor

“Family Faith On the Go”

(There will be a section of this article each month in the upcoming parent letters)

 

“Ask parents about their hopes and dreams for the children and you’re likely to get a variety of responses, including academic achievement, occupational success, fulfilling relationships and so on.  Investing in children’s future success is a major task of parenthood, and we do many different things to accomplish it.

 

Some parents seem to push so hard that we call them “stage parents,” and we worry about the stress they may be placing on their children and the highly competitive environment they help cultivate.  At the same time, children rarely rise to their potential without some encouragement, and we recognize that it often takes a measure of pressure to foster self-discipline.

 

So where is the line between “push over” and “pushy”?  How do we know how much to drive our children without driving them (and us) crazy?  How do we define ‘success’?  In a purely secular sense, being successful often means beating out the competition, or rising to the top.  Our Catholic faith defines success differently, for Jesus said, ‘The greatest among you must be your servant’ (Mt 23:11).  As Jesus gave completely of himself, we are called to give of ourselves to others.  Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, ‘God didn’t call us to be successful; he called us to be faithful.’”

 

 

Seeking help for tuition assistance? 

Consider purchasing SCRIP.

 

 

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