Archived E-Bulletins
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E-Bulletin
November 30, 2009
In This Issue:
Headmaster’s Notes
All School News
Admissions Applications for Siblings
Advent Morning of Reflection
All-Day Prekindergarten Class for 2010-2011
Annual Open Skate & Toy Drive
On-Line Survey Deadline Extended
Poinsettia Pick-Up
Spirit Store Christmas Shopping
Uniform and Outerwear Donations Needed
Uniform Sale
Yearbook Orders
Middle/Upper School News
Ski and Snowboard Club Registration
Lower School News
Lower School Christmas Concert Dates
Providence
In The News
Providence Academy
Parent Association (PAPA)
Conference Dinners Thank You
Donations Needed
Lower School Family Service Project
Parent Parties
Teacher Christmas Gifts
Treats for Faculty Meetings
Athletics Update
6th Annual Academy Classic
How to Receive Sports Communication
Schedules and Directions to Away Events
Weather-Related Cancellations
Webcast America
Results
College Counselor's Corner
Special Announcement
Class Notes
College Visitors
A blessed Advent to your family! The
season is being celebrated here with special prayers, much
music, solemn anticipation, and joy.
* * *
A reminder about the special
Archdiocesan event that will take place on Wednesday from
7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Providence Academy. As part of
the “Reclaiming the Culture of Marriage and Life”
initiative, the evening is dedicated to “Understanding the
Cultural and Legal Battle.” Fr. Thomas Dufner will
represent Archbishop Nienstedt at PA, and the evening will
feature also Teresa Collett, professor of law at St.
Thomas. Dr. Collett has argued for traditional definitions
of marriage in legislatures around the country, and makes a
compelling case. The event is recommended to adults
interested in what’s at stake in the marriage issue, as well
as to high school juniors and seniors.
* * *
Friday evening will bring a special
opportunity for joy, with PA's annual lighting of the
Christmas tree at 6:30. Then warm up with your friends
and family in the Great Room with cookies and hot cocoa for
all. This year’s activities include a snowman building
contest (weather permitting) and sleigh rides around campus
($5 per rider). Perfect for the whole family! Watch for
the flyer in the December Lions’ Pride newsletter.
* * *
* * *
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All School News
Admissions Applications for Siblings
Calling all Providence siblings! Does your student have a sibling that will be
of school age and is looking to attend the Academy in 2010-2011? If so, we
would love to have his or her application as soon as possible in the Admissions
Office. An early look at enrollment helps us plan for the next year. If you
need an application, please call (763) 258-2502 and we will put one in the
mail. Thank you for your support!
Advent Morning of Reflection
All are invited and encouraged to attend
an Advent Morning of Reflection with Fr.
Cozzens entitled “Prayer, the longing of the heart” this Wednesday, December 2nd.
Attendees are asked to arrive by 8:50 a.m.; the reflection beings at 9:00 a.m.
and is followed by Mass at 9:55. A coffee and cookie reception will follow
outside the Chapel.
All-Day Prekindergarten Class
for 2010-2011
Providence Academy is delighted to be able to offer an all-day prekindergarten
class for the 2010-2011 school year. The tuition has been set for this class at
$11,700 which includes:
8:30 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. Fun, educational
activities that support core
knowledge curriculum topics and time for
cold lunch, brought from home.
12:10 - 3:10 p.m.
Classroom introduction to new academic
concepts.
A morning and afternoon snack is provided by Providence Academy for a required
additional fee of $170 for the school year.
Kidventures after school care
will be an option for prekindergarten students in 2010-2011. Care is available
Monday through Friday on school days until 6:00 p.m. for the additional fee of
$2,660. You may also contract for fewer days of the week, according to your
schedule.
Please contact the Admissions
office at (763) 258-2502 for an application, if you are interested in this
class. Preliminary response to the all-day class has been very favorable.
Annual Open Skate & Toy Drive
A great family event for a great cause, it’s the Annual Varsity Hockey Open
Skate and Toy Drive for Mary’s Place. Come and enjoy free ice skating,
cookies, and hot chocolate on December 11th from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at
Plymouth Ice Center, Rink C. Fun for the whole family! Skate with the
Providence hockey players and get to know these outstanding young men and bring
a toy for donation to the children at Mary's Place. Help us bring lots of
smiles to their faces this Christmas by sharing God's gift of love.
On-Line Survey Deadline Extended
In an effort to better address the needs of all families, Providence Academy
is employing online surveys to gather information regarding the homework, study,
and extra-curricular experiences of our students from a parent's
perspective. Your participation in this survey will provide valuable feedback
as we continue to develop ways to serve your students better. The survey
deadline has been extended and links will remain open through Friday, December 4th.
Conveniently short and simple (you should be able to
complete it in 5 minutes!), the surveys can be accessed through the links
below. Please fill out the survey one time for each student enrolled. This
will ensure the most accurate representation of our student body. The identity
of each respondent will not be collected in this survey. Your candid responses
will be greatly appreciated as together we advance our goals of strong
academics balanced in a culture of deep faith and virtue.
Upper School survey link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=6xvv0H0UwpW8SmNua6UvSA_3d_3d
Middle School survey link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=624AhmtiveulcYBbRebwDA_3d_3d
Lower School survey link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Jtqwb4n9WcU0XquU6XB6UA_3d_3d
Poinsettia Pick-Up
A reminder to all those who supported the USSC Poinsettia Sale to pick up
their order on Tuesday, December 8th. Thanks again for supporting the Student
Council.
Spirit Store Christmas Shopping
We are stocked and ready for Christmas shopping! New sweatshirts, t-shirts,
hats, mittens, choppers, soft blankets and sweats. Order a sport bag right away
for delivery for Christmas with your child’s name embroidered on it. Great new
items just in time for Christmas! Stocking stuffers, water bottles, pre-wrap,
and ID holders. Get your Christmas shopping done in one spot.
Extended Shopping Hours: From December 7th
through the 18th, the Spirit Store will be open every school day from
2:45 to 3:45 p.m.
Volunteers are needed too! If you are interested in
working in the Spirit Store during regular hours, extended hours, or during
Christmas concerts, please contact Mrs. Rebecca Keener at
rlkeener@mac.com. Volunteers receive a 20% discount on purchases made
during their shift.
Uniform and Outerwear Donations Needed
Has your Upper School son grown 6 inches and his pants are too short? Are your
Lower School kids’ snow pants from last year too small? Are you looking for a
place to donate extra Upper School sweaters? The Health Office has a small
supply of clothing for kids who are out of uniform or forgot winter wear. They
are in need of a few used items from Upper and Lower School families. To
streamline this effort, we are using a signup page that identifies the Health
Office’s needs. If you have an item to donate, please indicate your donation on
“My
Signup” and send in your donations. Thank you!
Uniform Sale
Educational Outfitters is offering a 15% discount on all in-stock school
uniforms and accessories from December 1st to 31st. And, as always, 3% of your
purchase goes back to Providence Academy! Educational Outfitters is located at
5710 West 36th Street in St. Louis Park. (952) 927-6778.
Yearbook Orders
Beginning on December 1st the cost of the yearbook will increase to $100.
The cost of the book will be $100 through January. After that, we cannot
guarantee that you will be able to buy a book. Please fill out order forms
completely and the student lunch account will be charged accordingly. Thank
you.
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Middle/Upper School News
Ski and Snowboard Club
Registration
Come
join the Providence Academy Ski and Snowboard Club on the hills this winter!
The club is open to Middle and Upper School students. Students are advised to
return completed forms promptly, as the club quickly reaches its limit of 70
students. Registration forms can be found on Madame Woodbury's
web page. See you on the slopes!
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Lower School News
Lower School Christmas Concert Dates
Kindergarten/1st Grade
Happy Birthday Jesus. Wednesday, December 2nd at 2:15 p.m. in
the Great Room.
2nd/3rd Grade
Tuesday, December 1st at 7:00 p.m. in the Great Room.
4th/5th Grade
The Drowsy Shepherd. Thursday, December 3rd at 7:00 p.m.
in the Great Room.
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Providence In The News
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Providence Academy Parent Association (PAPA)Conference
Dinners Thank You
Thank you to Cindy Athmann and her crew for preparing and serving the
teacher conference dinners! Donations Needed
Do you have any of those travel size toiletries that we all take from hotels
when we travel? We need your donations of travel size toiletry items for
the next Lower School Family Service Project. These will be used in
personal care bags for the Benedictine Nursing Home residents. Please help
us to help them. We are also looking for any gently used or new blankets or
donations of fleece (1-1/2 yard pieces) for us to make blankets for the
homeless at Sharing and Caring Hands. There will be a box in the
Administration Office for the items that you are willing to donate. Bless
you for your generosity!
Lower School Family Service Project
The next Lower School Family Service Project will take place on Sunday,
December 6th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Great Room. This is a
wonderful time for families to get together on a Sunday afternoon for a few
hours and do service for others. It is amazing what we can accomplish
together! Participants are asked to sign up in advance at
MySignUp. Have questions? Please contact Mrs. Sandy Hodgkin at
shodgkin@comcast.net or (763) 553-0518.
Parent Parties
The following Parent Parties have been scheduled. If you haven’t
already RSVP’d, please be sure to do so promptly.
8th Grade
Friday, December 4th at Medina Golf and Country Club. Hosted by Pam and
Doug Christensen and Matt and Beth Geurink. Kindly RSVP to Pam at (763)
559-8469 or pamchris@mchsi.com.
11th Grade
Saturday, December 5th at the home of Cheri and Tom Kamp. Kindly RSVP
to Cheri at Shopping802@yahoo.com or (952) 835-8366.
Teacher Christmas Gifts
As we enter into this time of Thanksgiving and the miracle that is Christmas
we wanted to give everyone a chance to show their appreciation and love for
their child/ren’s teacher/s. Providence Academy has a policy in place
regarding Christmas gifts for teachers. We ask that families not purchase
individual gifts for teachers. Instead you may contribute up to $16 per
child to a fund for teachers’ gifts. The money will be pooled together and
Visa gift cards will be purchased for all teaching faculty at Providence
Academy (Pre-K thru 12). This does include all specialists.
Letters have been mailed home which include a return
envelope to mail back to school so that no teacher will have to handle money
for his/her own gift. If you wish to contribute, please put a check made
out to PAPA in the self addressed stamped envelope. Checks
must arrive at school by December 11th. You may
write one check for the whole family. The gift cards will be distributed at
a faculty Christmas Breakfast on the 18th of December. If your child would
like to make a homemade gift for their teacher they are welcome to do so and
may give that to the teacher themselves. If you have any questions, please
feel free to e-mail or call Allison Adducci at
adducci@mac.com or (763) 509-0160.
Treats for Faculty Meetings
Please help me in showing how appreciative we all are of our incredible
faculty here at Providence Academy. I would like to provide a treat at each
faculty meeting throughout the school year. It can be anything really:
fruit, cheese and crackers, a home baked goodie, chips and dip-let your
imagination run wild. E-mail me at adducci@mac.com to get the date of your
choosing and please specify if you would prefer the Upper, Middle or Lower
School meeting. Thank you.
--Allison Adducci
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Athletics Update
6th Annual Academy Classic
Come out and support the Varsity Girls and Boys Basketball teams at the 6th
annual Academy Classic on Friday, December 11th. This year, the games in the
traveling trophy series are at Heritage Christian Academy with girls starting at
6:00 p.m., followed by the boys at 8:00 p.m. As usual, a spaghetti dinner is a
part of the festivities from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. and the cost is $5 for adults and
$3 for children. Come out and support the teams!
How to Receive Sports
Communication
The best way to receive information at home
about upcoming events and driving direction is to utilize the Providence Academy
website. Simply go to
http://www.providenceacademy.org and
click on the rSchoolToday Calendar link. Information can also be obtained by
calling the Sports Hotline at (763) 258-2580. The Hotline is updated daily and
contains all of the day’s information and happenings.
Schedules and Directions to Away Events
Both schedules and directions to away events can be found on the Providence
Academy website at
http://www.providenceacademy.org From
the home page, simply click on the rSchoolToday Calendar link. Then select a
sport from the View Schedules list on the right side of the page.
Weather-Related Cancellations
In the event athletic schedules change, the Sports Hotline is updated by 2:00
daily. Please call the Hotline at (763) 258-2580 for the latest information.
The rSchoolToday Calendar will also be updated as soon as information is
available.
Webcast America
www.webcast50.com is the place to go this
fall for varsity athletics. For ease of access, there is a link on PA’s home
page to the Webcast America site. Note all games and events on the site remain
available to view for a calendar year. Check out all the action you may have
missed on Webcast America.
Results
Looking for results for Providence Athletics teams? Visit the Providence
Academy website and click on the rSchoolToday Calendar link. From there, select
the blue tab labeled “Scores/Standings.”
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College Counselor's Corner
Special Announcement
Ms. Margaret Otten, most recently the Senior Associate Dean of Admissions at
Carleton College, will serve as Mrs. Hogan’s maternity leave substitute for the
month of January into early February. Ms. Otten will join Mrs. Hogan for
another day in early December to meet students, faculty, and staff, to help
prepare for the transition. Please help welcome Ms. Otten to Providence
Academy.
Seniors
College Financial Aid Night Reminder
December 3 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Lecture Hall; refreshments served.
Seniors (and parents), don’t miss the opportunity for an
in-depth workshop on applying for financial aid, regardless of your family’s
income situation. Given the tough economic times, aid is available, whether
need-based or merit-based (i.e. scholarships). This workshop will be given by
one of the best college financial aid presenters in the country, and
refreshments will be served. Please note that the vast majority of colleges and
universities require students to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for
Federal Student Aid) while some require the CSS PROFILE (through College Board).
Both are accessible online;
www.fafsa.ed.gov
(Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and
https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/index.jsp (CSS PROFILE).
Transcript Request Reminder
Seniors must complete the Transcript Request Form (the ‘blue’ form
distributed to seniors in early September) two weeks before the posted admission
deadlines. It is okay to complete the request form while you are still working
on your online portion of the application. Also, remember to send your ACT
and/or SAT scores directly from the testing companies (www.actstudent.org
or
www.collegeboard.com).
If you have questions about application processes or components, please schedule
a meeting with Mrs. Hogan before/after school, during lunch or study periods or
flex time. As in past years, all seniors should have all their college
application transcript requests submitted to the Upper School Office by the
start of Christmas break!
College Visits
A few more college visitors will come to PA throughout the next few weeks,
including possible visits from returning alumni. If you are applying to a
school, plan to stop by when their representative is at Providence Academy or in
the Twin Cities area. Check Family Connection, listen for the reminder
announcements, and/or check out the posters outside the College Counselor’s
Office.
Juniors
The first follow up session to College Night for Juniors on using the
Naviance/Family Connection web program took place in mid-November, and
individual junior college counseling meetings with Mrs. Hogan began shortly
thereafter. Mrs. Hogan will meet with each junior before Christmas break, with
all subsequent meetings open to parent attendance.
2009 PSAT Results
Mrs. Hogan will distribute the results of PSAT exam to juniors in
mid-December: results should be used to determine areas of academic strength and
the areas in which each student may want to improve. Also, for any juniors that
took the PRA (Princeton Review Assessment), results will be given back to these
students during lunch on December 3.
ACT/SAT Prep Courses
Registrations are due for the annual Providence Academy ACT Exam Prep Course
(which will take place the three Saturdays before the February 6, 2010 ACT Exam)
November 30th. Registration forms are available in the Upper School Office.
Also, juniors were invited to attend an optional after school presentation on
Method Test Prep-SAT, an online test preparation program offered to Providence
students through Naviance/Family Connection. Any juniors unable to attend the
presentation should contact Mrs. Hogan for more information. A letter detailing
the above information was distributed to juniors in October with a follow up
letter in November.
Register Now for the ACT and SAT
It is recommended that all juniors take the ACT and SAT by January/February
of junior year (SAT on January 23 and ACT on February 6 are ideal dates since
you will have first semester exams finished!) in order to have the opportunity
to receives scores in time to re-test by May or June, if needed. Mrs. Hogan
recommends that all juniors take both the SAT and ACT at least once, and re-test
if needed or desired to improve scores. Register online for the ACT:
www.actstudent.org
(Providence is an available test center for the February 6 and June 12, 2010
ACT: we are a very popular test center, so register early!). Register online for
the SAT:
www.collegeboard.com
(Wayzata High School and other nearby locations serve as test centers for the
SAT). Regarding SAT Subject Tests, students should consult with Mrs. Hogan
individually regarding the necessity of these exams, given students’ individual
college aspirations.
Sophomores
Mrs. Hogan will distribute the results of PSAT exam to sophomores in
mid-December: results should be used to determine areas of academic strength and
the areas in which each student may want to improve. Sophomores will take the
PSAT again their junior year, when their scores will be entered into the
National Merit Scholarship competition.
Freshmen
All freshmen who took the PLAN exam in October should receive their score
reports in early December from Mrs. Semsch. The PLAN is a pre-ACT exam
administered to help familiarize students with college entrance test content and
format, to give them a feel for timed testing, as well as to help them identify
areas of academic strength and weakness.
College Visitors
Please note that all college visits may be viewed on the college visit
calendar in Naviance/Family Connection. Members of the Providence community may
access this information by logging in as a guest (password: lions) at:
https://connection.naviance.com/providenceacad.
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