Happenings on the Hilltop
The Glance - September 11, 2022
SLES FALL FAMILY FLING - OCTOBER 28 SAVE THE DATE
SLES is excited to partner with Parent Council in hosting our inaugural Fall Family Fling on Friday, October 28 from 5-7pm to help celebrate St. Luke’s 75 years of Shining Bright!
Parent Council will work alongside school staff and an army of parent volunteers to bring this fall magic to the Hilltop for our families! We hope you will mark your calendars and join us for a night of carnival games and eats, pumpkin painting, a costume contest, and so much more FUN!
COACH CHANCE MEDINA, LOWER SCHOOL PE COACH
We are so excited to announce that Coach Shotzberger has been asked to join the crew of a feature film starring Matthew McConaughey called The Dallas Sting, about the first unofficial women's national soccer team. Coach Shotz will help bring the action of the sport she loves to life on film as the Assistant Soccer Coordinator, where she will choreograph plays that will be featured in the movie.We wish her well!
While Coach Shotz is away for filming, Coach Chance Medina will step in as our Lower School PE Coach. Coach Medina is a Graduate of UIW, where he was a 3-year baseball player for the Cardinals and currently serves as the Director of Player Development and Camp Coordinator. During his time at UIW he pursued a Bachelor's degree in Sociology, took additional courses in Kinesiology, Special Education, and PK through 12th Grade Physical Education. He also holds an Associate's degree in Teaching and Sports Science. Coach Medina has run numerous summer sports camps throughout the city of San Antonio. We welcome him to the Tiger family!
INTERNATIONAL DOT DAY - LOWER SCHOOL CELEBRATION
On September 15, Lower School students are encouraged to wear an outfit with polka dots or regular uniform for International Dot Day, a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration!
The Dot is the story of a caring teacher who dares a doubting student to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to “make her mark”. What begins with a small dot on a piece of paper becomes a breakthrough in confidence and courage, igniting a journey of self-discovery and sharing, which has gone on to inspire countless children and adults around the globe.
Each class will celebrate by reading The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds, doing activities, and learning curriculum around this theme. They will also have a special snack that is served during their scheduled snack time.
2023-2024 ADMISSIONS APPLICATION IS LIVE!
Do you have a younger student you're looking to enroll at SLES? Or a friend who wants to learn more about St. Luke's Episcopal School? The Office of Admissions is now scheduling tours for families interested in enrolling in the Fall of 2023. The application for admission is available online. Visit the Admissions page on the SLES website to view application information. Contact Ms. Zandra Cook, Director of Enrollment Management and Marketing, at zcook@sles-sa.org or 210.826.0664 with any questions or to schedule a tour.
TAKING A PEEK IN THE CLASSROOM THIS WEEK!
5th Grade Spanish Class Choral Repetition Practice
1st Grade Science Observations
Godly Play with Kindergarten
SINGAPORE MATH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
On Tuesday, September 6, Lower School teachers and the ML math department gathered to continue professional development with Singapore Math curriculum. SLES adopted Singapore math because, rather than teaching through rote memorization strategies, it is proven to instill a deeper understanding of mathematics. With Singapore Math, students learn to think mathematically and rely on the depth of knowledge gained in previous lessons.
In typical math programs, students get a worked example, then solve problems that very closely follow that example, repeating all the same steps with different numbers. In Singapore
Math, students must think through concepts and apply them in new ways from the very start. Since they can’t rely on simple replication, students are pushed to greater engagement and broader thinking. In U.S. math programs, concepts and skills are more compartmentalized within and across grade levels than in Singapore math, where a strong sense of connectivity to past learning is woven throughout.
Our teachers are committed to engaging in continuous learning opportunities in order to prepare our students for academic success in the classroom and beyond! On September 20, 2022 we invite parents to attend EL Singapore Math Night for an opportunity to engage in math activities with teachers and students. More details to come!
ST. LUKE'S LIVE!
Join us for St. Luke's LIVE! A night of entertainment to benefit the ministries of St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Wednesday, September 28, 6:30 p.m. Click on the graphic below to purchase tickets online.
SLEC BLOOD DRIVE
The South Texas Blood and Tissue Bloodmobile will be at St. Luke's Episcopal Church on September 18 from 7:30 - 12:30 p.m. Please click here to sign up and save a life!
STUDY, PRAY, LOVE WITH CHAPLAIN KATES
Parents, join us for Study, Pray, Love with Chaplain Kates!
We will discuss the best-selling book Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo. All parents are invited to join Chaplain Kates for discussion and prayer after Eucharist, 8:40-9:20 a.m., in the Parlor on Wednesdays, Sept 28th, Oct 5th, Oct 12th & Oct 19th. We will discuss Chapters 1-6 at the first meeting. You're always invited even if you have not read. Questions? Contact Chaplain Kates at skates@sles-sa.org.
MEET ILEABETH AYALA, 6-8 GRADE SPANISH TEACHER
Tell us about your family. My husband's name is Steven Fletcher, and we have two beautiful children named, including my six year old son Esteban who attends SLES and my daughter Cecilia who is almost 3!
Where did you graduate from? I graduated from Middlebury College in 2008.
Do you have any favorite hobbies? I love reading fiction. My favorite genre is historical fiction. I love a book that will transport me to another part of the world.
What is your favorite book? Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
What is your favorite thing about working at SLES? I love the supportive and loving community. I also love the positive energy that permeates throughout the campus. Every morning I am filled with joy seeing how happy students are to be back on the Hilltop for another day of learning!
What would you share if you could pass on any wisdom to our students? You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think!
How does daily chapel affect our students? Chapel is a great moment to center ourselves and be reminded of our blessings.
CHAPEL SONGS FOR WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 12-16
-Open the Eyes of My Heart by Michael W. Smith
-10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) by Matt Redman and Steve Angrisano
-I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe
QUESTIONS? PLEASE CONTACT US!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email stlukes@sles-sa.org or call 210.826.0664.