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E-Bulletin
September 10, 2007
In This Issue:
Headmaster’s Notes
All School Information
Attendance Reminder
Drop Off/Pick Up Reminder
Moms In Touch
Providence Academy Golf Classic
School Pictures
Scripture Study: The Gospel of Matthew
Volunteer Opportunity: Welcome Desk
Dennis Prager Speaks at PA
Middle/Upper School News
College Selection for 9th Graders
Course Changes
Math League Kickoff
Middle School Student Council
Senior Portrait Deadline
Lower School News
Lower School String
Program
Mark Teague Visit
Oh, Jonah! Performance
Volunteer Opportunity: Assist Mrs. Woodbury
Providence Academy
Parent Association (PAPA)
Athletics Update
College Counselor's Corner
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Headmaster’s Notes
Todd R. Flanders
We’re back to school!
825 kids strong, PA is a vibrant, wonderfully energetic place this fall. Here’s
an interesting statistic: We have more kids out for 7th-12th
grade athletics this year (around 220) than we had enrolled in the whole
school when we opened six years ago!
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The annual United Way campaign is in full swing in the
Twin Cities. Remember: Providence Academy is an eligible 501(c)3 nonprofit
recipient of employer-matched gifts. Translation: If you and your employer
team up to make tax-deductible contributions to PA, our 2007-2008 Annual
Fund will benefit doubly. And your family gets full credit for the doubled
gift—including membership in our Lion Rampant Society for total gifts of
$2,500 and above.
Our Annual Fund, which will
formally launch next month, provides major support for need-based financial
aid, arts and athletics, faculty development, and more.
* * *
Back-to-School night for parents is next Thursday,
September 20, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. for Lower School, and until
9:00 p.m. for Middle and Upper School. This optional parent event is a very
nice way to get to know your children’s teachers, and the curriculum they
learn at school. We faculty love this event too: we get to see how the
apples have fallen from the trees! More details will be forthcoming.
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Attendance Reminder
Please call to
report your student’s absence, illness, tardy, or early dismissal. You are
welcome to notify your student’s teacher(s) of an absence after notifying
Attendance personnel. Also, remind your student to check in at the attendance
office and obtain an early dismissal pass on the day they are scheduled to leave
early. We also appreciate students returning with the required admittance notes
from an appointment office. Thank you for your help!
As a reminder, the Lower and
Middle School Attendance Line is (763)
258-2507 and the Upper School Attendance Line is (763)
258-5500.
Drop Off/Pick Up Reminder
Parents are reminded that no parking is allowed along the parking lot
curb at any time. Drivers in all carpool lines are asked to remain in their
cars to maintain traffic flow. In the event you decide to enter the school to
drop off or pick up your student, you are asked to park in the lot.
Moms In Touch
If you want to make a connection with God and other moms from school, and
make a difference in the life of your child and of Providence Academy, there’s
no better way than praying with a group of moms. Moms In Touch will be meeting
this year on Thursday mornings from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Come to our informational meeting on Thursday, September 13
at 8:30 a.m. at 16155 49th Place North in Plymouth, in the Nanterre
subdivision, just a few blocks west of school. Call Lisa Stinchfield at (612)
708-5291 or Jeanie Broman at (763) 424-5931 for more information.
Providence Academy Golf Classic
Thank you to the many PA parents and friends who
came out Wednesday to support Lions Athletics at the 4th Annual Golf
Classic! 27 foursomes played in the tournament at Rush Creek Golf Club, which
ended in a three-team playoff for the championship! Top honors were claimed by
Steve Cirks (PA parent), John Painter, Scott Raden and Scott Tacheny. Mark your
calendars for September 3rd, 2008—the Classic is traditionally played
on the Wednesday following Labor Day.
School Pictures
Lifetouch portraits will be taken at school this
Thursday, September 13th. Watch for details and order forms to come
home with students today.
Scripture Study: The Gospel of Matthew
It’s not too late to join this year’s Providence Academy parents Bible
study. We will be studying the Gospel of Matthew with Jeff Cavins on DVD.
Meetings will be held on Wednesday mornings from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Join us this
Wednesday, September 12th. The first hour will be spent in small
group discussion, followed by Jeff’s lecture on DVD in the Upper School Lecture
Hall. This is a 24-week study that concludes in April. The cost of the study
is $40. If you have any questions or would like to register, please contact:
Therese Coons 952-949-4999
therese.coons@comcast.net
Joan Cummins 952-829-5755
bcum11@mchsi.com
Mary Zagzebski 952-449-8818
mjzag@aol.com
Registration forms are also available at school. This
promises to be a rich and rewarding study, so we hope you will consider joining
us. It’s also a great way to get to know other Providence Academy parents and
strengthen our sense of community.
Volunteer Opportunity: Welcome Desk
Providence is seeking volunteers to work at the welcome desk inside the main
entrance of the building. Responsibilities include greeting and signing in
visitors and assisting the administrative staff and teachers with projects as
they arise. This is a great way to see many parents and students, while keeping
up with the events at school. Shifts are from 8:15 to 11:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
to 3:15 p.m. on school days. We ask that you commit to the same half day each
week. If you find it difficult to commit weekly, perhaps you could find a
friend and job share!
Morning shifts are still available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays; afternoon shifts are available on Mondays, Thursdays and
Fridays. If you would like to sign-up, please contact Lori Determan at
lori.determan@providenceacademy.org
Dennis Prager Speaks at PA
Well-known radio personality, Dennis
Prager, who this August celebrated his twenty-fifth anniversary on the air,
recently spoke before a large and very receptive crowd at Providence
Academy. Mr. Prager entertained his audience with amusing anecdotes drawn
from his long career in broadcasting, and at the same time addressed the
very serious issues of religious pluralism and tolerance as they pertain to
contemporary American life.
At the start of his career, he
conducted a weekly interfaith dialogue on radio with representatives of
virtually every religion in the world. His experienced viewpoint and his
emphasis on clarifying issues versus seeking agreement, is part of Prager’s
audience appeal. His presentation ended with a question-and-answer session
that addressed some of the most controversial topics of the day.
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Middle/Upper School News
College Selection for 9th Graders
9th grade students will
be meeting with Mrs. Semsch this Friday, September 14th , during 5th
period for their first of two lessons on how 9th grade plays a role in the
college selection process. Ask your 9th grader about it next weekend!
Course Changes
All Middle School and Upper School course change
requests were due to Mrs. Semsch last Friday. Students will be notified of the
outcome of their requests by the end of today. The only course changes that will
occur from this point forward are those initiated by the school. Students and
parents did an excellent job of getting the forms in on time and teachers are
excited to have finalized course rosters today!
Math League Kickoff
All are welcome to check out the excitement surrounding Math League this
year. Solving math problems in Math League is fun and it can
help your GPA and college transcript!
Interested students are invited to join us for pizza at the organizational
meetings next week. This year there will be five face-to-face
competitions (all on Mondays) as well as many opportunities to rank nationally
by participating in other contests. You don’t have to be a math whiz to
participate; Math League is open to all Middle School and Upper School students.
Upper School Math League meets on Thursdays after school.
The organizational meeting will be held next Thursday, September 20th.
If you aren’t able to attend the meeting, please speak with Mr. Blackhawk in
W302.
Middle School Math
League meets on Tuesdays after school. The organizational
meeting will be held next Tuesday,
September 18th. If you aren’t able to attend the
meeting, please speak with Mr. Blackhawk or Mrs. DelCotto.
Middle School Student Council
Today is the deadline for MS Student
Council applications. Good luck to all of the candidates during tomorrow’s
speeches and elections!
Senior Portrait Deadline
The color pages of the yearbook must be completed early in the year and the
Publications team is already at work. All senior submissions are due October 1st.
Please refer to the letter to seniors from Michael Offerman, Editor-In-Chief,
detailing the requirements for senior photos and information. Any questions may
be directed to Mr. Rousar at
darren.rousar@providenceacademy.org or (763) 258-2533.
Lower School News
Lower School String Program
Lessons begin this week, but it’s not too late to get involved! The Lower
School String Program is open to all 4th and 5th Grade
students. Registration forms are available in the Administration Office or
contact JoAnn Peterson at
joann.peterson@providenceacademy.org or (763) 258-2574.
Mark Teague Visit
Author Mark Teague will be visiting
with our Pre-K – 2nd Graders on Monday, September, 17th!
He will share his love for writing and illustrating as well as his new book,
How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? Reading fun for Homecoming Week!
Oh, Jonah! Performance
This summer’s Acting/Music Camp participants are preparing for an encore
performance of the musical, Oh, Jonah! An audience of Lower School
students will be treated to the show at 2:15 next Wednesday during Homecoming
Week.
Volunteer Opportunity: Assist Mrs. Woodbury
Mrs. Woodbury has an opportunity for parent volunteers to create French
locker tags for 3rd – 5th Grade students. Please contact
Mrs. Woodbury at
gail.woodbury@providenceacademy.org.
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Providence Academy Parent Association (PAPA)
First PAPA Meeting
The Parent Association will host its first meeting of the 2007-08 school
year on Tuesday, September 18 th at 8:35 a.m. All parents and/or
guardians are invited to join us in the Great Room. We will be voting on a
few issues, including teacher gifts. Plan to attend!
Parent Parties
Our Parent Parties are getting started!
Individual invitations will be mailed, but please save the following dates:
5th Grade: Friday,
September 14th
8th Grade: Friday, September 28th
7th
Grade: Friday, October 5th
Pre-Kindergarten: Friday, October 12th
10th Grade: Saturday, October 13th
2nd
Grade: Friday, November 2nd
We are still in need of party hosts for 9th,
11th and 12th grades. Contact Sandy Mazza at
gcmazza@comcast.net if you are
interested in hosting a grade parent party.
Student Store Information
Get Ready for Homecoming! Stock up
on the newest PA Spirit Wear! There will be special store hours on Wednesday
from 2:15 to 3:30 outside the main entrance, weather permitting. In case of
inclement weather, we will be in the school lobby. Take advantage of this
special opportunity to get all decked out for Homecoming next week.
Regular store hours are 11:00
a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the school
year. All proceeds benefit the
Providence Academy Parent Association and the wonderful work that they do on
behalf of our children.
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Homecoming 2007
Mark your calendar now for Homecoming Week from
September 17th through the 21st. The week will be
culminated by the Homecoming football game against Randolph on Friday at 7:00
p.m.
Fall Sports Posters
Fall Sports posters have arrived! The
full-color posters include photographs of PA Lions in action, as well as the
Fall Sports schedule. Stop by the Administration Office, Student Services or
the Upper School office to pick up one for your family.
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.
Daily Sports News, containing results from the previous
night’s action, is also available via email. This feature will be up and
running soon. Please contact Mrs. Gregory at
amanda.gregory@providenceacademy.org or (763) 258-2500 to be added to the
distribution list.
Schedules & 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
your sport from the View Schedules list on the right side of the page.
Weather Related Cancellations
In the event fall 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.
College Counselor's Corner
Welcome back to a new school year! Parents of all Upper School students will be
receiving a letter from college counseling about important college-related items
for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Also, please welcome Ms. Donna
Kelly, who joins Providence this fall as Mrs. Hogan’s two-month maternity leave
substitute. To ensure a smooth transition, Ms. Kelly will be in the college
counseling office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, moving to full-time when Mrs. Hogan
is on leave.
Seniors
Seniors are already submitting their college applications. Mrs. Hogan (and
Ms. Kelly) will be meeting with seniors in the coming weeks to go over each
student’s College List, review the Providence Academy college application
process, and answer any questions the student may have about essays, resumes,
scholarships, financial aid, interviews, college entrance testing (to make sure
they have taken all appropriate exams for their college choices) and other
college-related topics. As always, parents are invited to attend; please check
with your student to see when his or her appointment is scheduled.
Juniors
On Wednesday, October 17th, all Providence Academy juniors will take
the PSAT exam. This exam is the pre-test for the SAT college entrance exam
(which students should take in winter or spring of junior year). All juniors’
scores are automatically entered into the National Merit Scholarship
Competition. Those students who score in the top 1% nationally have the
opportunity to compete for college scholarships. Students interested in test
preparation options are encouraged to stop by the college counseling office for
more information and referrals.
Sophomores
Sophomores will also take the PSAT on October 17th. This exam is
considered a practice exam for tenth grade students. The 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.
Sophomores will also have the option to take the PLAN (pre-ACT) exam on
Saturday, November 17th at Providence. Students interested in test
preparation options are encouraged to stop by the college counseling office for
more information and referrals.
Freshmen
All freshmen will take the PLAN exam on Thursday, December 20th.
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.
Students interested in test preparation options are encouraged to stop by the
college counseling office for more information and referrals.
Upcoming Events
College Night - Freshmen & Sophomore Parents: Wednesday, September 26th
at 7:00 p.m. in the Upper School Lecture Hall.
College Night - Junior Parents/Students: Thursday, October
4th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Upper School Lecture Hall
College Visits
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/fc/signin.php?hsid=providenceacad
In September, make plans to visit with representatives from
these colleges:
University of Minnesota: Tuesday, September 11th
(5th period in US Conference Room)
Vanderbilt University: Thursday, September 13th
(5th period in US Conference Room)
MIT: Saturday, September 15th (2:15-3:45 at
Sabathani Community Center in Minneapolis)
MCAD: Monday, September 17th (8th
period in US Conference Room)
St. John’s/St. Ben’s: Thursday, September 20th
(end-of-day visit in US Lecture Hall)
University of St. Thomas: Wednesday, September 26th
(end-of-day visit in US Lecture Hall)
As of today, October College Visits include: Boston
College, University of Notre Dame, Benedictine College, Sarah Lawrence College,
College of the Holy Cross, Michigan Tech, Emory University, Indiana University,
Purdue University, Hillsdale College, Bradley University, Northern Michigan
University, Loras College, Drake University, University of Denver, College of
Visual Arts, Winona State, St. Norbert College, Creighton University, Davidson
College, Regis University, St. Mary’s College (IN), Cornell College, Providence
College, Salve Regina University, Lynn University (FL), University of Oregon,
Wake Forest University, Middlebury College and DePauw University.
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