Friday, October 19, 2012
A Note From Susan
Dear Parents and Guardians,
It has been a little over a year since our Accreditation visit from the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA). As I reported last year, the visit went well and the team of six teachers and principals were very impressed with our self-study and the evidence that we presented. In June we received official word from WCEA that we received the highest ranking of a 6-year term. That means they won’t be back until 2017!
One of the topics that we must revisit each year, as part of the accreditation process, has to do with our school’s Catholic identity. There are eight standards to be reviewed over the six year period until our next visit. Each year we are asked to survey our shareholders, both school parents and non-school parishioners, to get feedback on how effective The Madeleine School is in relation to one or two standards. This year we need to assess Standard 4, teachers as catechists, and Standard 8, evangelization.
WCEA provided a survey, which we put on Survey Monkey, to gather information for our report, so please take a minute to go online and take the survey before Nov. 1.
I read the statements to be rated and I think some will be easy to do and others you may not feel you have enough information to answer. (Not to worry-there is a “Don’t know”) We will use the information as a part of our WCEA report and will share the findings with our community. We will also use the data to design an action plan for the coming year(s) in order to strengthen our catechist formation program and evangelization efforts.
Sincerely,
Susan
Two Weeks Left For Raffle Ticket Sales
It's not too late to sell the winning ticket to your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors. Students can also sign up to sell raffle tickets at QFC and after Mass. The sign-up sheets are on the bulletin board by the girls bathroom. Every class that reaches the goal of 25 tickets per student will win an ice cream party. Questions? Call Christina Codino at 503-314-2130.
Book Fair Is Now Open Online
If you want to pre-shop for books or send a wishlist to someone, please visit our online Scholastic Book Fair. These books will be delivered free-of-charge to the school in mid-November.
The Book Fair will be set up in the library next week during conferences. You will receive a raffle ticket at your conference that you can enter to win $25 in free books at our spring fair. The classroom with the most entries will also receive $25 in books.
Need fundraising volunteer hours? We need volunteers to work the fair on Wednesday 2p-8p.Feel free to bring your kids to your shift. Contact Lydia Emer emer17@comcast.net to sign up.
Pre-order You Kids’ Kreations Cards
The kids are busy preparing their Alice in Wonderland artwork and they look fabulous. If you can’t make it to the auction or just don’t want to forget, you can pre-order the cards by emailing the name/grade of your child and the number of boxes you would like to Nathalie@roloffconstruction.com. The cost per box is $25 and you can turn in your check to the office (addressed with Kids Kreations please).
Greetings from the Art Room!
FREE ART MUSEUM DAYS: Students 17 and under are always free at the Portland Art Museum, but did you know that PAM also has regular free evenings for everyone? The fourth Friday of each month brings free general admission to the Museum from 5-8 pm. October's free evening is the 26th. Don't miss this great opportunity!
Mrs. Galash
Library and Media News From Mrs. Chambers
For safe Internet research, I recommend using Searchy Pants, a customizable children’s search site powered by Google. Bookmark it on your home computer today!
Are you interested in volunteering in the school Library? Find out how you can help.
Mrs. Chambers, Library/Media Specialist
Counselor's Column
Look for Mrs. Ullman's weekly articles on topics that will help The Madeleine community support each other as we work together for the growth and development of our students. This week's topic: "What About Rewards: Part 3?"
Fall Teacher’s Wish List Program a Great Success!
Thank you to all of the “Angels Among Us” who made generous donations! The teachers are truly grateful for your gifts which will enhance the classroom experience for all our children.
The Berman Family
The Briscoe Family
The Crawley Family
The Newman Family
The Norris/Bliss Family
The North/Chandler Family
The Walker Family
If you are looking for classroom gift ideas for the holidays, the teachers would all appreciate an Apple TV to use with their iPads. Apple TV is a $99 device that allows you to wirelessly stream content from the iPad to classroom projectors for presentations and lessons. How about 2 or 3 families surprising their teacher with an early Christmas gift?
Third Graders Deliver 149 St. Michael's Lunches
The third grade brought in 149 lunches this week! St Michael’s guests had meat, PB&J and egg salad to choose from. We also delivered six boxes of sweets from Schwartz Bros. and at least one box was full of pumpkin scones, a perfect seasonal treat. Please remember that as the weather changes hats and warm socks are greatly appreciated too. Thank you again for the great labeling, even the 8th graders notice how easy sorting is when lunches and grocery bags are labeled.
Mr. Smirl Says "Thank You!"
Mr. Smirl is grateful to all the volunteers who helped spread bark chips on the playground this week. Thanks to all of you the kids now have a soft new layer of bark chips for running, jumping (and occasionally falling!) on the playground.
A Few Reminders
- Sign up for teacher conferences next week, if you haven't already. Call the school office to schedule a conference appointment, or sign up on the sheets in the hall outside the office.
- Please remind your child to bring a rosary on Monday mornings. During October, students focus on the rosary and the Mysteries during Monday morning prayer services.
- We now have McMenamins scrip available at school It comes in $25 gift cards, and can be used at all McMenamins restaurants, brew pubs, hotels, theatres and spas.
Upcoming Catholic High School Open Houses
Portland area Catholic high schools are opening their doors this fall to welcome prospective students and their families. Each high school will host an Open House from 1:00 – 4:00pm on the following dates:
October 21: La Salle Catholic College Prep
October 28: Jesuit High School
November 4: Central Catholic High School
Start Planning Now: Gift Wrap and Gift Sale
No, we haven’t even seen Halloween or Thanksgiving, but in the grand retail tradition, we’re starting our holiday Gift Wrap and Gift Sale early this year to get a head start on the shopping season.
The Innisbrook Catalog is going home in your child’s Friday folder this week, with the sale officially starting on Monday, October 22. The sale runs until November 16, with delivery of all orders taking place during the first week in December. This fundraiser is a great way to get a good deal on wrapping paper – and quite a few nice gifts as well – while raising money for the Madeleine.
Stop by the Gift Wrap and Gift Sale display inside the School’s front doors to preview just a handful of the items available this year. Please note that some of the documents show the dates of 10/26, but we have changed the sale to start on 10/22. If you have any questions about the sale, please contact Sara Allen at 503-282-6745 or seamagoo@hotmail.com
FAITH FORMATION CORNER
Youth and adult Confirmation sign-ups are now open. Forms are available at www.themadeleine.edu/faithformation. Confirmation will be on May 8, and classes will begin in January, but we need a good count as to how many people will be in the class. So, please sign up as soon as you can. Cost is $90, but no money is due at this time. To receive the sacrament, you must be at least 14 years old AND a freshman in high school.
First Reconciliation & First Eucharist Classes now underway!
Any child, second grade or older is welcome, including older children who have not received these two important sacraments. Classes are held Sundays after 9:00 am Mass.
Sacramental Prep for students 4th grade and up
This year, we’re holding special First Reconciliation and First Eucharist classes targeted at the needs (and attention spans!) of kids 4th Grade and older. If your “older” child did not receive these important sacraments during their second grade year, this is the perfect opportunity. Classes will be held after 9 am Mass on Sundays in the 5th grade classroom. For more details and to register, visit www.themadeleine.edu/faithformation
Contact Tina Hanselman, Director of Faith Formation, with any questions. thanselman@themadeleine.edu; 503-281-5777 ext. 27
“Day of the Electronic Dead” E-Waste Recycling
Bring all of your old laptops, cell phones, printer cartridges, iPods, DVDs, florescent light bulbs and Styrofoam to the “e-waste graveyard” collection site in the Parish Center after Mass during coffee and donuts on October 28th. We’ll take care of the old skeletons in your closet and apply any recovery dollars to future parish sustainability projects. The e-waste graveyard will also be available 10/24 - 26 for drop off. Just leave your items in the graveyard in the marked bins. Questions, John, 503-281-5342, jrobinson@huronconsultinggroup.com.
Fall Leadership Night date has been changed!
Monday, October 29 • Parish Hall
NOTE: We have rescheduled Leadership Night to avoid a conflict with the final Presidential Debate. All committee, council, commission and ministry leads, chairpersons, and any interested parishioners are invited to Parish Leadership Night on October 29. In addition to our usual agenda of updating each other with the goings-on in the parish, Sister Cecilia Ranger, will talk on the subject of the 50th anniversary of Vatican II. Please join us! See Sister Cecilia's Reflections on Vatican II here.
"Kids’ Night In" for children K – 5th Grade
Saturday November 10 • 6:15 pm
Calling all Madeleine kids kindergarten through fifth grade. You are invited to an awesome night at The Madeleine. It’s fun, it’s new...and parents, don’t tell the kids, but they might even learn something! And, parents, you can even enjoy, gasp, an evening out. Details at www.themadeleine.edu/faithformation
In this week's parish bulletin
Download your copy at www.themadeleine.edu/bulletin
• Madeleine In Memorial: we remember Jeanne McNassar
• World Mission Sunday is October 21
• Find out about Peace and Justice issues in JustPeace, a publication of the Archdiocese of Portland
• "Here I am Lord....You’re Sending Me?" An Evening of Reflection and Conversation Regarding Call and Confidence, is Tues., Nov. 13
• In the pews starting this weekend, you’ll find envelopes for remembering people dear to you who have passed away.
• Find out about the 12-Day Italy Pilgrimage with Father Mike
If you have information to contribute to the Friday Footnotes, please email the copy exactly as you would like it to appear in a Word document to: fridayfootnotes@themadeleine.edu. Deadline is Wednesday evenings, or Tuesday evening if there is no school on Friday.