Friday, Deccember 5, 2014
A Note from Susan
Dear Parents and Guardians,
The pace of the holiday season seems to be picking up. I want to be sure you are aware of some events so that you can put them on your calendar. This Sunday, December 7th, the parish is hosting an Advent Open House in the rectory from 3:00-6:00. Please stop in for some delicious food and beverages in between shopping, decorating your Christmas tree, putting up outdoor lights, or whatever holiday tasks you have to do. Everyone deserves a little break, so please come celebrate with your parish community.
There is a Christmas Caroling party on December 11th, hosted by the teachers, which was offered at the Auction. The time is 6:00-8:00 pm. Parents drop off their children in the Commons and then can shop, dine, sleep, or whatever while we take the children out into the neighborhood. We still have a few openings and the cost is $20. Click here to sign-up now!
Our Kindergarten through 5th grade students, under the direction of Ms. Cynthia Bjore, will be presenting a Christmas Program on December 18th at 7:00 in the Church. The program will focus on the Nativity with each class representing a piece of the story. The program will also include our fabulous school choir and our amazing string players. Students are invited to wear either nice 'Dress Up' clothes, or their school uniform. Please no sleeveless tops or shorts. It should be a very fun night!
Finally, a reminder about the parish Advent Reconciliation service. We will not be taking the school children to the sacrament of Reconciliation during the school day this year. Rather Fr. Mike would like to see all the children and their parents come to the parish Reconciliation service on December 17th at 7:00 as a family. There will be eight priests at the service with the opportunity for individual confession. This is a wonderful way to prepare as a family for the great feast of Christmas as well as to model for our children, the loving and forgiving nature of this sacrament. Even if you haven’t been to confession for a few years, please consider joining the Madeleine community for this event. Fr. Mike says the church will be packed!
Have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
Susan
Five for Friday
The news you need really, really fast!
- Present Pass on 12/15: Click here
- Post-Auction News: Click here
- Middle School Youth Ministry: Click here
- Spaghetti Dinner Chair Needed: Click here
- Ski Bus Sign-ups: Click here
2nd Annual Present Pass
Monday, December 15th
Merry Christmas from Student Government to the Madeleine community! To pass on the holiday cheer, we are hosting our 2nd annual present pass for our students.
On December 15th every student needs to come to school with one $3-$5 gift. This gift should be both gender neutral and age neutral. Some gifts that have worked well in the past include yo-yos, chocolate bars, small Christmas ornaments, silly putty, etc.
On December 15th the students will gather in their Friendship Families, and will exchange their presents randomly and listen to a Christmas story read by their 8th grade leaders! Have fun!
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Calling All 6th, 7th & 8th Graders!
Sunday, December 7th @ 7pm
The Old Church will now be transformed on Sunday, December 7th into the new "teen room" for middle school and high school teens as part of the Madeleine Youth Ministry Program.
Come to the Parish Hall at 7pm and we will have a work party to remove all the items in the old church to make way for new or donated furniture to serve the youth. A writer from The Catholic Sentinel will be on hand to take pictures of the Middle School and UP students and to find out more about our new youth ministry program.
We will have a pizza party and white elephant exchange immediately following the move and picture-taking. Please bring a wrapped gift that can be shared and enjoyed in this fun tradition!
If anyone wishes to donate a gently used item to the new youth room, please contact Juliana at jweis@themadeleine.edu. We could also use extra space heaters!
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Combine Food, Fun & Volunteer Hours!
Spaghetti Dinner Co-Chairs Needed
Parents Club is looking for two friends who want to co-chair the ever-popular Spaghetti Dinner, which is scheduled for Saturday, February 7th. Duties include marketing the event and coordinating a great group of people, who have already volunteered, to help set-up, clean-up and cook. Contact Alyssa Pace at alyssapace@yahoo.com to express your interest or ask your questions.
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Post-Auction News
Item Pick-up
If you still need to pick up an item, gift certificate or free dress pass you won at the auction, please go to the front office. All items must be paid for before they will be released for pick-up. Please print your receipt and bring it with you. If you have questions, please contact Lenny Supnet at lennysupnet@gmail.com
Kids Kreations
The cards have been printed and are being packaged this weekend. Orders will be ready for pick-up next week.
If you would like to help assemble the packages of cards and and get two super-easy volunteer hours, come by the Fireside Room on Saturday at 1pm.
You Can Still Sign-Up for Easel Items
There are still spots available for many of the fun-filled easel item events. Think of all the great Christmas presents you could buy with just one click! Following is a list of just some of the great items to choose from.
Caroling with the Teachers: December 11, 2014
An Evening to Remember with Father Mike: February 21, 2015
Poker Night: March 14, 2015
Father Daughter Disco Dance: April 18, 2015
Mad Mad Dash - Part Deux: May 16, 2015
Par 3 Golf Tournament: May 16, 2015
Tour De Madeleine: August 23, 2015
Back to School Yoga & Brunch: September 8, 2015
Do you have a post-auction question? Send an email to auction@themadeleine.edu.
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Advent Communal Penance Service
December 17th @ 7pm
Our parish/school Advent Communal Penance Service is December 17th at 7:00 PM. Please encourage your entire family to attend in order to go to confession in preparation for Christmas. The faculty will refresh your children on the Rite of Confession. Your children will not go to confession as a class during Advent so your entire family can join the parish as one community for the Penance Service.
Advent Blessings,
Father Mike
Help Make Hot Lunch a Success . . .
. . . and earn some volunteer hours
Do you have 1.5 hours available next week to help with the Hot Lunch Program? If so, your job will basically entail helping serve food to the students -- no cooking skills required! If you are available from 11am - 12:30pm any day next week, please send an email to Susan Steele to let her know you are available to help.
Wanted: Wood Burning Tools
The Art Department would like to borrow several Wood Burning tools. Please mark with your name and deliver at your earliest convenience.
Thank you!
Mrs. Galash
Library News
There has been a lot of "book loving"` energy flowing out of the library this week as the Scholastic Book Fair has come to Madeleine. If you didn't get the chance to pop in yet, it will be open after 10 am Mass this Sunday, December 7th.
Thanks to Cheri Krebs, Madeleine Mom to Claire (5th Grade) and Eli (First Grade) as well as the Scholastic Book Fair Rep, we have had another roaring success. Mrs. Krebs will be working in the library during the week to make sure our students have an extensive and up to date collection to choose from when they come to visit the school library. She will also be helping our teachers stay stocked with library and reading group books that will foster the love of reading for all Madeleine students. With all her knowledge of what's available and her own love of reading, we are so happy to have her!
Catholic Identity Survey
A few weeks ago we posted a survey on Survey Monkey to measure two Catholic Identity standards that are a part of our accreditation protocol. The first standard asked us if we had a mission and philosophy statement that was integrated into all aspects of school life. The second standard asked if the school maintains an active partnership with parents on the spiritual and academic education of their children.
Based on the responses, the school staff felt that for those parents who are active in the daily life of the school, the mission and philosophy statements are an integral part of the curriculum and that parents are valued in their role as the primary educators of their children. Those who read our newsletter and handbooks, visit our website, see our mission, philosophy, and SLE documents posted in the school know we are a mission driven school.
After discussing the survey results, the teachers identified the need to improve communication with parents regarding opportunities for faith formation of their children. These strategies are outlined in the Action Plan, which can be read by clicking on the link below.
As part of the Action Plan, a weekly faith sharing article (see the next article) will now be included each week in Friday Footnotes.
Click here to see the complete results and associated report.
Family Faith Sharing
December 7 ~ Second Sunday of Advent ~ Mark 1:1-8
As part of the Action Plan resulting from the results of the recent Catholic Identity survey results, a weekly faith sharing article will now be included each week in Friday Footnotes.
On this 2nd Sunday of Advent, we hear a passage from the beginning of Mark’s Gospel. These verses remind us of Isaiah’s prophecy, which tells about the coming of the Messiah and is found in the Hebrew Testament. This text provides a rich and very colorful description of John the Baptist and his ministry, telling us how he baptized people in the Jordan River and told them about the “Mighty One” who was yet to come! It is a reminder to us of our commitment to our own baptism, that wonderful sacrament through which we were welcomed into our faith community.
Advent is a great time to recommit ourselves and our families to practicing our faith. Remember St. Nicholas Day is just around the corner. Take time to learn what this great saint actually did to earn the place of honor in this season of preparation.
How can we prepare our home (and heart!) so that each of us can be ready for the presence of Jesus in our life?
We encourage parents to reflect on these questions at home each week with their children and family.
St. Michael's Lunches
Making a difference, one lunch at a time
The seventh grade brought in 144 beautifully packed lunches last week; that’s not always easy to do especially during Thanksgiving week. Thank you seventh graders for making sure our friends at St Michael’s continue to be well fed during this busy time of year.
Counselor Corner
by Carolyn Ullman
If your child is struggling with handwriting, it could be more than just laziness or a lack of motivation. It could be a neurologically-based learning issue called dysgraphia.
Click here to read the complete article.
Madeleine Career Day Set
Friday, January 23rd @ 8:30am
We would love to hear from you if you have a career experience that you would like to share with our students. We are planning a four-to-five round rotation of multi-age groupings (grades 3-8). Parents will be asked to plan a 15-20 minute, hands-on presentation about their career. We will categorize careers by one of the multiple intelligences groupings (linguistic, mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, naturalist, interpersonal, intrapersonal and musical), although your career does not need to fit neatly into one of these categories, as most don't.
If you would like to volunteer or have questions, please contact Carolyn Ullman or Alison Anderson at cullman@themadeleine.edu or aanderson@themadeleine.edu.
Christmas is Coming: Help Madeleine earn free money while you shop!
Register your Fred Meyer Rewards card today!
- Sign up for the Community Rewards program by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to The Madeleine School at www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards.
- You can search for us by our name or by our non-profit number: 86447 Then, every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping The Madeleine School earn a donation!
- You still earn your Rewards Points, Fuel Points, and Rebates
Madeleine Peace & Justice Committee Warm Clothing Drive
The Peace & Justice Committee at The Madeleine, in an effort to help our migrant brothers and sisters, is holding a collection of warm clothing the first weekend of December.
With so much time spent working, and so little extra money, these workers often go without many of the things we take for granted. With cold and wet weather upon us, doing without can be deadly or dangerous.
If you have a few moments, please search your home for any of the items below:
• Coats and jackets
• Sweaters and sweatshirts
• Raincoats, rain pants, waterproof outer layers
• Insulating base layers, long johns, long underwear
• Warm and/or waterproof hats
Please bring your donations to the church foyer the weekend of December 6–7, where the items will be collected after each Mass.
Ski Bus Comes to Madeleine
4 week program, advance registration required
There is now a ski bus that will be leaving from Madeleine during the month of January. Please note that this is not a Madeleine or Archdiocese sponsored event. You may contact Karoline and Wick Ashley with questions at 503-830-5167 or wickashleypdx@gmail.com.
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Keep up on the latest Madeleine News by Following @MadeleineOffice
Be one of the first to know what's going on around Madeleine! Just text ‘follow MadeleineOffice’ to 40404 to receive the tweets as text messages on your phone.
Central Catholic Rams Programs Now Accepting Applicants
Do you know a student who is 14 - 18 years old and has a cognitive disability? If that student has an academic proficiency of 2nd - 5th grade equivalent and an interest in being part of a faith-based community, s/he might be a candidate for this new program. For more information, contact Dean Heuberger, Cental Catholic Student Services Coordinator at 503.235.3138 ext. 245 or dheuberger@centralcatholichigh.org.
You may also click here for more information.
This Week’s Checklist
Click here for a quick, fridge-friendly summary
of Madeleine School events coming up this week!
In This Week's Parish Bulletin
Download yours at www.themadeleine.edu/bulletin
Advent Open House is Sunday!
Sunday, December 7
Join us for our annual Advent Open House in the rectory, Sunday, December 7, 3:00–6:00 pm. Enjoy food, drink and fellowship with fellow parishioners, and school and parish faculty and staff in our Parish Rectory.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Monday, December 8, Church
7:30 am & 2:00 pm—The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary falls on Monday this week. It is the patronal feast of the United States, and is always celebrated as a holy day of obligation in the United States. We will celebrate this solemnity on Monday, December 8 at 7:30 am and 2:00 pm in the church.
The Madeleine Gift Tree
Bring gift by December 17
Grab a tag from our gift trees in the back of the church. Place your wrapped item back under the trees by Wednesday, December 17th. Gifts will be delivered to those in need via JOIN, a local organization that transitions families into permanent housing.
Advent Communal Penance Service
Wednesday, December 17, Church
7:00 pm – Additional priests will be present to hear individual confessions. All parish and school families are welcome to participate in this important sacrament.
All-Parish Christmas Caroling!
Saturday, December 20, Fireside Room
6:00 to 7:30 pm – All are welcome to be part of the first annual Madeleine Neighborhood Christmas Caroling. Join the fun and share the music of the season with the broader community! Families are encouraged to join in the fun.
Congratulations for making it all the way to the end of Friday Footnotes!
Contributing to the Footnotes
If you have information to contribute to the Friday Footnotes, please e-mail the copy exactly as you would like it to appear in a Word document to: fridayfootnotes@themadeleine.edu. Deadline is Wednesday at 5pm, or Tuesday at 5pm if there is no school on Friday.