Saint Ambrose School News

What a wonderful week! It was heartening to see our students in uniform at last weekend's Masses. Our readers, greeters, gift bearers and singers did an excellent job representing our school. Thank you to our School Advisory Committee for the "Decorate Your Donut" celebration on Sunday. What a great gathering!

Also, thank you to our Catholic Schools Week Committee and all of the parent volunteers who helped us with field trips and junior high trivia.

Some highlights: Pep Fest on Monday-the band rocked, the skit was entertaining and Mr. Schmitz and Juan have bragging rights for winning "Hungry Hippo"

All school Rosary on Tuesday-this was a beautiful way to offer prayer as a whole school.

School Mass on Wednesday-we had an overflow of singers in the choir who helped us lift our hearts and praise God.

With field trips, dress up days, games and treats-it was a super week to celebrate our school.

Our students have enjoyed the week, and I think our balanced approach highlights our faith, our community and some fun! It takes a lot of planning and coordination, and I'm grateful for all of the work.

No Bus Day -Monday, January 30

Monday, January 30 is a NO BUS day.

Arrival-

Families who typically drop off/pick up will drop-off regularly.

Families who typically use the bus will drop off in the bus area beginning at 9:00.

Dismissal-

We will have a staggered dismissal. Families who are usually car pickup are asked to keep your usual pickup spot, but come 15 minutes early. We will begin dismissal at 3:25.

Students who regularly ride the bus will be dismissed at 3:50. We will encourage students to find their siblings.

Families will pickup as follows:

A-L North Side (will stay in the car)

M-S Bus Area (will stay in the car)

T-Z South Side (will park and meet students by adoration chapel entrance).

We ask bus families to arrive no earlier than 3:45 on that day for pickup.

Thank you for your support as we prioritize safety.

Need a break?

8th graders are excited to offer childcare on Friday, February 10, 2023 from 6:30 - 9:30 pm in the extended day area of St. Ambrose School. Your child will have opportunities for games, gym time, art, and other activities.

Open to children ages 5 and up who are toilet trained. (25 slots total)

$25 per child, with each additional child $10. Snacks will be provided.

Sign up here - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040F44A4AF2DAAF94-childcare

If you have allergen concerns or dietary restrictions please feel free to contact me cmorgenroth@saintambroseschool.org

ALL PROCEEDS GO THE 8TH GRADE TRIP TO CHICAGO!

O God, who taught the whole world
through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Paul,
draw us, we pray, nearer to you
through the example of him
whose conversion we celebrate this week,
and so make us witnesses to your truth in the world.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

Betsy Osterhaus Hand

Principal

Congratulations to the 22-23 Yearbook cover art winners: Amelia Richardson and Maya Remer!

Many great illustrations of the Saint Ambrose Way were submitted, and these will also be featured on the inside of the yearbook.

Conferences will be Feb 2nd and 7th from 4:20 - 8:10.

K-5 will be held in person

6-8 will be held virtually

Conferences are optional and are by either parent or teacher request.

If you need an interpreter for conferences, contact Beth Salmon for scheduling: bsalmon@saintambroseschool.org

You can book your own conference with your classroom teacher on Sycamore beginning next Friday, January 20.

Click here to learn how to schedule your conference online

Extreme Faith Camp is back again this summer! Bri St. Amour visited the 6th-8th grade religion classes this week to share about camp with the middle schoolers, and wanted to get information to you as well!

EFC is an opportunity for middle school teens to encounter Jesus, deepen their relationship with Him, and grow in fellowship with their friends and have a ton of fun! Camp is well-attended and well received every year, and we hope your son or daughter can come with us this summer! Registration is first come, first serve, and we consistently have a waitlist each year, so if you are interested please return your form and deposit as soon as possible!

Extreme Faith Camp 2023
Who: Any student currently in grades 6-8
Where: Camp Victory, Zumbro Falls, MN
When: June 26th-30th (depart Saint Ambrose by bus Monday morning, return by bus Friday mid-afternoon)
How Much: $475 per camper, $100 non-refundable deposit to hold your spot, final payments due at a later date

Please contact Bri St. Amour at bstamour@saintambrosecatholic.org with any questions!

We offer a summer enrichment program for students entering kindergarten through grade six. There are a variety of classes in a wide range of topics including STEM, computer programming/coding, mathematics, science, reading, cooking, art, lego, computer games and much more. This is considered an enrichment experience and students find it fun and exciting to explore topics and subjects that may not be a part of a typical curriculum.

Courses will be offered Monday through Friday from July 17-21st. Students may take from one to three courses. All courses will be 1.5 hours in length. Lunch will be provided.

If you are interested in having your child participate in the opportunity please save the dates of July 17-21st.

More information about registration and specific classes will be sent out in mid-February.

Links -

Spring Fiesta Sign Up:https://forms.gle/vNJUKQwC1cr3iR5e6

Students will preview Thursday, Feb 2nd and Feb 3rd with their classes.

New this year - Shopping will be available during February Conferences, look for a signup to come!

Classes will shop the week of Feb 6th, teachers will let you know specifics for your child's class.

More information will come home in January!

If you are interested in volunteering click here - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0445A9AC28ABFE3-stambrose3

Conference Book Fair Sign Up - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0445a9ac28abfe3-bookfair#/

Book Fair Website and E-Wallet Info -https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/content/fairs/ewallet.html

We will be checking uniforms, thank you for your support and partnership in keep students uniforms in code. Please refer to our school guidelines

Here is a visual if you need to reference uniform expectations.

As a reminder:

We will enforce the uniform policy, which states that girl's skirts will be within 2 inches of the knee and that boy's hair must be conservatively styled, well-groomed, and neat. Boys’ hair must be above the collar, the ear, and the eyebrows. Hair may not be able to touch eyebrows whether styled or not. No unconventional coloring or haircuts are allowed. Hair accessories must be solid black, solid white, solid navy, or uniform plaid.

Additional Requirements:

Shoes: Must have non-scuff soles and must be close-toed. No sandals, clogs, moccasins or platforms. Tops of shoes must be ankle-height or lower. Heels must be no higher than 1½ inches. Shoes must be solid black, solid white, or black and white. No other colors are permitted. Shoelaces must be the same color as shoes. Shoe style must be conservative.

Shirts: Must be worn under sweatshirts or sweaters. Shirts must be tucked in at all times. Only the top button may be left unbuttoned. All cuffs must be buttoned.

Hair: Must be conservatively styled, well-groomed, and neat. Boys’ hair must be above the collar, above the ear, and above the eyebrows. Hair may not be able to touch eyebrows whether styled or not. No unconventional coloring or haircuts are allowed Hair accessories must be solid black, solid white, solid navy, or uniform plaid.

Jewelry: Must be simple and conservative if worn. No unconventional jewelry is allowed. No dangling earrings for girls and no earrings for boys.

Hello All,

Artsonia is the world's largest collection of student art, published by teachers and students from around the world. Parents and family can view the art online, leave comments and order keepsakes featuring the artwork. Below is the link and the code for parents to connect so that they can have access to not only digital copies of their child's work, but also to the personalized art gift shop that helps raise funds for art materials.

Code

TWKCXF27

Link

https://www.artsonia.com/connect/TWKCXF27

During the cold winter months, we ask that parents make a special effort to see that their children are dressed appropriately (i.e. hats, mittens, boots, etc.).

The children go outside for recess daily in the lower grades unless the air or wind chill temperature exceeds –10 degrees. During winter months, we sometimes receive requests to keep children inside during recess. Such requests are difficult to honor because classrooms are not under supervision during that time. Generally if a child is well enough to attend school they should be well enough to participate in recess.

We have found that a short period of outdoor activity is extremely important in order to refresh each child. The children then arrive back in their classrooms better prepared to resume their studies.

School Emergency Closing Notifications -

This school year we will continue to use our Sycamore System for text and email notifications for school closures and delays due to inclement weather. You may also check Kare 11 and WCCO for notification that District 833 is closed - if they are closed we will be closed.

Make sure to update Sycamore with your current phone numbers and emails as soon as possible.

Volunteer Requirements

We look forward to welcoming volunteers to our campus again this year. If you are new to Saint Ambrose and want to volunteer, please complete the Essential 3 Requirements outlined on the parish website. Volunteers are required to re-credential every 3 years. You will be alerted by the Archdiocese if you need to re-credential. Thank you for your compliance.

Please reference the school calendar .

Jan 30- No Bus Day

Feb 2nd - Evening Conferences

Feb 7th - Evening Conferences

Feb 17th - 20th - No School for Students

Dictation

One of the things your child does each day in Groves Method is they listen for their

teacher to say a sound, word, or sentence and they practice writing what was told them.

This is an excellent activity for helping glue this information in long-term memory, especially

because we better remember what we write.

We also know that we’re helping students build working

memory, the number of “bits” of information they can hold in their brain and manipulate, which is key for more complex learning.

You can practice this at home by saying a word or sound and

asking your child to write down what you said.

Winter Aimswebplus Assessments

Students in grades (K-3) will be taking the winter Aimswebplus Assessments in January. The results will not be sent home but will be used as a measurement for teachers to look for growth and challenge areas. This will help them best meet each child's learning needs. This is just a snapshot of your child's progress and one piece of formative information teachers use to modify lessons so everyone is getting the lessons they need.

In the spring, we will do one more assessment. You will then get information sent home with a look at your child's progress over the course of the year.

Please feel free to reach out to Dianna Helmberger regarding the assessments if you have any questions.

Sycamore Communication Portal/App - click below to go to Sycamore Website

https://app.sycamoreschool.com/index.php

Sycamore Help Guide

Sycamore Parent Checklist

Please login to Sycamore to access the school calendar, lunch menu, and schedules/grades (JH only)

Did you know that we have a Saint Ambrose Facebook Page and Instagram Page? Please follow us for school updates and photos. Click the links at the bottom of this email for quick access to our social media pages.

January Lunch Menu

School Calendar 2022-2023

School Supply List for 2022-2023

School Website

School Facebook Page

Mission (what we offer)

We at Saint Ambrose School are part of a vibrant Catholic community supporting and nurturing

each child on their journey with Christ.

Through exceptional academics, embracing each child’s unique strengths and needs, and

joyfully engaging in prayer and service, we take a holistic, virtue-based approach to student

education and experiences. This is the Saint Ambrose Way.

Vision (what we aspire to)

As a thriving Catholic school, we create meaningful impact though each family we support and

student we send into the world.

By helping form the whole child, students are not only prepared well for the next level of

education, but life as Christian adults living the Saint Ambrose Way.

PHILOSOPHY

The Saint Ambrose community recognizes the partnership between parents, students, staff,

administration and parishioners in providing for the development of its members as people of

faith who worship, learn and grow together. As a community we have a responsibility to

support families- as the primary educators of their children- while providing enriching

experiences that promote a sense of belonging and responsibility to a community.