Panther Press
NOVEMBER 4, 2021
ICCS Mission Statement:
PRINCIPAL'S CORNER
What a beautiful start to November! Our All Saints Day Mass on Monday was the perfect way to set the tone for the week and this month. It was a pleasure to have Father Joseph Caraway on campus to celebrate Mass and his message to our students about the saints, the holy men and women of the Church, was a touching reminder that we are all saints in the making. As Father Caraway explained when we are met with the question, “What do you want to be one day,” it is natural to say that we want to be teachers or doctors or lawyers or any other typical profession, but what our response should be is that we want to “be a saint one day.” He went on to tell our students that we have the communion of saints cheering us on as we live out the gospel of Jesus in our everyday lives. What a vivid image for our students to have of our Church’s holy men and women as our ultimate fans and cheering us on! This echoes what Pope Francis has said in that “to be saints is not a privilege for a few but a vocation for everyone.” We are grateful for this reminder on All Saints Day that we are all called to be saints.
The day following the celebration of all saints, our middle school students were engaged in an All Souls Day remembrance service during academic homeroom time. Students created paper candles and wrote the names of those who have passed away and of whom they would like to remember on them and placed the candles in the 3rd-floor annex. We would like to thank Mrs. Thibodeaux for the beautifully executed and meaningful All Souls Day activity.
We also want to let you know that over the past weekend Father Rommel as well as some representatives from the Cathedral parish were able to go to St. Gregory’s Catholic School in Houma, which was terribly damaged from Hurricane Ida. Father Rommel presented Dr. Cindy Martin, Principal of St. Gregory’s Catholic School, with the gift cards and a check in the amount of $1,316 of which our ICCS community generously collected during this time of recovery. Just as St. Gregory’s Catholic School supported us last year after Hurricane Laura, we too were able to support them this year thanks to your generosity and kindness. Dr. Martin greatly appreciated our community's thoughtfulness, and we thank Father Rommel and the representatives from the Cathedral parish for making this trip to support the community of Houma.
Pictures from our All Saints Day Mass, All Souls Day middle school remembrance service, and Father Rommel’s trip to Houma are included in this issue of the Panther Press.
Yours in Catholic education,
Blair Tadlock, Interim Principal
Immaculate Conception Cathedral School
NOON DISMISSAL TOMORROW
ICCS BOOK FAIR ENDS TOMORROW
The ICCS Book Fair is coming to a close. Students and families have one more day to purchase books online or in person. All PK, Kindergarten, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, and 8th Grade students are scheduled to visit the Book Fair tomorrow. The last day to purchase books online will be TOMORROW as well. Visit https://efairs.follettbookfairs.com/ to browse the Book Fair or to purchase books. The ICCS online Book Fair code is MYW8W. But HURRY, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
For more details, please contact ICCS Librarian, Kyndel Heffer at kheffer@iccsweb.com.
ICCS GREENERY PAYMENTS DUE NOW
Check the PTO News section of the Panther Press for more information about the Greenery Sale Fundraiser.
CONTINUED PRAYERS FOR ST. GREGORY SCHOOL
St. Gregory School Principal, Dr. Cindy Martin, and several school supporters accepted the gift cards and donations on behalf of her school community. All were very thankful for the support, prayers, and love they have received from ICCS and the Cathedral Parish. We will continue to hold this school community and church parish in our hearts as they work hard to rebuild their campus following Hurricane Ida.
ICCS UNIFORM REMINDERS
Parents and students are asked to carefully review the uniform regulations listed below to ensure the ICCS dress code is being met daily. For a quick reference and complete list of uniform guidelines, please refer to the ICCS handbook.
Southern Drifter is the exclusive provider for all ICCS uniform clothing.
Basic Uniform Reminders:
- Shoes - Tennis shoes must be predominately white, black, or gray with matching white, black, or gray shoelaces. Pre-K – 8th-grade students are required to wear only tennis shoes as specified in the handbook. No “light-up” shoes, boots, or high tops are allowed.
- Socks - White regular crew socks without logos. (6” above the ankle).
- Sweatshirts/Cardigans/Jackets - Uniform ICCS sweatshirts, cardigan sweaters, and jackets are the only outerwear allowed to be worn indoors. Outerwear may not be worn around the waist. In extremely cold weather, any jacket or coat is allowed outside the building. Hoodies are not allowed
- Watches - Smartwatches or watches with wifi and/or Bluetooth capabilities are not allowed. Watches that beep or cause disruption will be taken away.
GIRL SPECIFICS
Blouses must be tucked in at all times. Jumper/Skirt or Shorts in regulation plaid should be slightly above the knee, not to exceed 3” from the floor on all sides when measured from a kneeling position. Modest Black shorts must always be worn under a jumper or skirt.
Tights - White or black opaque tights (footed or ankle-length footless) with socks may be worn under jumper/skirt/shorts in cold weather.
Hair - Must be neat, clean, combed, and the student’s natural hair color without color enhancement, extensions, or hair designs. Hair accessories should not distract from the learning environment.
Accessories - Small chains (18” or shorter) with an appropriate religious medal (smaller than 1½”); One pair of small post earrings only (one in each earlobe). No hoop or dangle earrings; One ring; One watch. No bracelets, including ponytail bands; Make-up and nail polish are not allowed.
BOY SPECIFICS
Shirts - Regulation red long or short-sleeved shirts with ICCS monogram must be tucked in at all times.
Pants/Shorts - Khaki slacks or shorts must be sized appropriately and worn at the waist. The pant length should reach the shoe top. Shorts must be at or slightly above the knee, not to exceed 3” from the floor from a kneeling position. No carpenter or cargo pants/shorts are allowed.
Belts - Black, brown, or khaki with a plain buckle must be worn at all times. (No adornment on the belt)
Hair - Must be neat, clean, combed, and the student’s natural hair color without color enhancement, extensions, or hair design that distract from the learning environment. Length will be above the top of the shirt collar, bangs will be above the eyebrows, and sideburns will be above the earlobes with no hair overhanging the upper ear.
Accessories - Boys are never allowed to wear earrings. Small chains (18” or shorter) with an appropriate religious medal (Smaller than 1½”) are acceptable. One ring, one watch, no bracelets.
NEW AND GENTLY USED COAT DONATIONS STILL NEEDED
ICCS "GRANPANTHERS" ARE SPECIAL
Parents, we need your help! Please complete the Grandparent Information form that was sent home with every student this week and return it to school NO LATER THAN TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30. If you have multiple students at ICCS, please complete one form for each child. For more information, please contact Kay Morgan at kmorgan@iccsweb.com.
2022-2023 SIBLING FORM NOW AVAILABLE
If you plan to enroll a PK-8th Grade sibling at ICCS next school year, please click on the link below and complete the information NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10. The information will help confirm your child's spot and will also help our enrollment team to plan and prepare for New Family Registration in early February.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfuoOxZ65kR0-JWIWJ7qEoz-6_n1BcJeoH7Vf7vq3yjd5L_hw/viewform
For more information, please contact Kay Morgan at kmorgan@iccsweb.com.
PHOTO RETAKE DAY REMINDER
REMINDER: VOTE FOR ICCS
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH: SINCERITY
During the month of November, all PK-8th Grade students are learning about the virtue of Sincerity. This virtue is also known as genuineness. The definition of Sincerity is trustfulness in words and actions; honesty and enthusiasm towards others.
Sincerity looks like: Talking to others and letting them get to know you. Sincerity sounds like: “Let me be honest with you and tell you what I like”
When you live the virtue of sincerity you can be who God created you to be and not have to follow the crowd and act or say things that are not genuine to who you are.
PTO FUNDRAISER NEWS
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
The 2021 ICCS PTO Greenery Sale is officially over. The numbers are IN! Nearly $20,000 was raised through the PTO Greenery Sale! This important PTO fundraiser was an overwhelming success because of our school community's support and generosity.
There is still more work to do! With increased sales this year, additional volunteers are needed the weekend of November 27-28. PTO points will be awarded to all helpers. Please review the volunteer requests below and contact PTO Greenery Sale co-chairs, Doris Mhire and Jessica Steech for more details or to sign up to help.
- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO UNLOAD GREENERY TRUCK AND ORGANIZE ORDERS: ICCS parents are needed to help unload the Greenery truck and sort and organize local orders on Saturday, November 27, starting around 8:00 a.m. in the Park Avenue parking lot and ICCS Gym. Please contact Doris Mhire and Jessica Steech at iccsgreenery@gmail.com for more information or to sign up to volunteer.
- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO ASSIST CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY PICK UP ORDERS: ICCS parents are needed to help greet, assist and distribute local orders when customers arrive on Saturday, November 27, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on Sunday, November 28, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. All local orders will be picked up in the ICCS Gym on both days. Flexible volunteer schedules are available on November 27 and November 28. Please contact Doris Mhire and Jessica Steech at iccsgreenery@gmail.com for more information or to volunteer.
- VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO DELIVER GREENERY ORDERS AROUND THE AREA: ICCS parents are needed to deliver bulk business gift orders between Saturday, November 27 and Monday, November 29. Delivery drivers earn double PTO points. Flexible delivery shifts are available. Deliveries will need to be made throughout the Lake Charles, Moss Bluff, Sulphur, Carlyss, Westlake, and Iowa areas. If you live in any of these areas and want to earn double PTO points, please contact Doris Mhire and Jessica Steech at iccsgreenery@gmail.com for more details.
2021 ICCS PTO PANTHER RUN SPONSORSHIPS NEEDED
SPONSORS ARE STILL NEEDED: PTO points will be awarded for sponsorship solicitations and in-kind donations. If you know of a local business or individual who is interested in supporting the Panther Run, please access the attached sponsorship form for more details.
In order to guarantee business logos and personal names are printed on the official race t-shirts, all sponsors MUST be confirmed by January 14. Contact the 2022 ICCS PTO Panther Run Chairman, Kelly Henderson at kellybhenderson@gmail.com if you have any questions.
2022 PTO DINNER AUCTION UPDATES
The annual ICCS PTO Dinner Auction is scheduled for Friday, March 25, 2022, in the ICCS Gym. Please review the information below and consider getting involved!
2022 Auction Chairpersons, Katie Devall and Kelly Serrano are happy to welcome assistant co-chairs, Leila Arredondo and Kami Cholley to the team!
The Sponsorship Committee is looking for ICCS parents to help contact local businesses and school supporters to secure event sponsors and in-kind donors. For more information, contact Katie Devall and Kelly Serrano at iccsptoauction@gmail.com for more details.
If you would like to donate an item for the silent auction or help secure unique artwork, restaurant and retail store gift cards, practical items. etc., please contact the Silent Auction Committee Chairperson, Lauren Middleton at lauren.cisneros@gmail.com.
Clean-Up Committee Chairpersons, Becky Abel, and Sadie Quinn are searching for volunteers to assist with event clean-up efforts on Saturday, March 26, beginning at 8:30 a.m. To sign up to help, please contact Becky Abel at beckyaw@gmail.com or Sadie Quinn at sadiequinn@yahoo.com.
CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL NEWS
ALL SAINTS DAY AND NOVEMBER BIRTHDAY MASS
We would like to wish a very special "Happy Birthday" to all students, parents, Grandpanthers, and faculty members celebrating a Birthday in the month of November.
REMEMBERING OUR LOVED ONES ON ALL SOULS DAY
Our Middle School students started All Souls Day off by praying for and remembering special loved ones who have passed away. Mrs. Milissa Thibodeaux led a heartfelt activity that encouraged 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade students to write down the names of family and friends who are missed and prayed for often. Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. May they Rest In Peace. Amen.
ICCS ROSARY CLUB
On Wednesday, November 10, all 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Rosary Club members are invited to meet in the Gym at 7:30 a.m. to pray the Rosary.
For more information, please reach out to Mrs. Rose Viau, Director of Religious Education and ICCS Rosary Club sponsor, at rviau@iccsweb.com.
A GREAT DEBATE
"RESPECT LIFE" PANTHER WALK FUN!
LEARNING ABOUT ENERGY CONVERSIONS
COMMUNITY NEWS
DIOCES OF LAKE CHARLES EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS NOVEMBER 12-21
“If Angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.” — St. Maximilian Kolbe
The Diocese of Lake Charles will hold the first Eucharistic Congress in its 41-year history November 12-21 to bring about spiritual renewal and a deeper understanding of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
The gathering of clergy, religious, and laity will include the celebration of Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, processions, engaging speakers, and other devotions throughout the 10-day event. A special day will be set aside focused on the youth in each church parish.
The Congress will kick off at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, at the Lake Charles Civic Center Amphitheatre, followed by the main event, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, at the West Cal Arena and Events Center in Sulphur. The Most Reverend Glen John Provost will be the celebrant for Mass at 6 p.m. on Saturday to close out the all-day event.
For Monsignor Daniel A. Torres, V.G., chairman of the Congress, the expectation is for people in the Diocese to rekindle their faith in Jesus Christ, to return to the Catholic Church and the Sacraments, and to possess a reverence for the Eucharist.
“During this time of the pandemic, recovery from hurricanes, a winter storm, and flooding, as well as personal pain and struggles of life, family, economic hardships, and a numbness to everything, the Eucharistic Congress can offer an opportunity for all to see that God is with us; God has not abandoned us,” Torres said.
The idea for a Eucharistic Congress was presented to Bishop Provost and the Presbyteral Council by the Very Rev. Edward Richard, M.S., V.F., pastor of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church in Sulphur.
Father Richard, who also serves as Dean of the West Deanery, said the intention is to provide an opportunity for Christian formation regarding the mystery of the Eucharist and how lives can be molded in the light of this great gift of God.
“The number one priority of the Eucharistic Congress should be directed to the increase of faith in the Most Holy Eucharist for what it truly is, the Real Presence of Jesus Christ,” said Father Richard.
"The Lord Jesus has given this Holy Sacrament so that we might encounter Him who Is,” Father Richard continued. “My hope is that the entire mystery of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is better integrated into the way parishes worship as well as into the personal faith lives of Christians.”
Opening night at the Civic Center includes outdoor praise and worship music in English and Spanish, a bilingual Rosary, and a candlelight procession with the Blessed Sacrament from the amphitheater to the Cathedral for all-night Adoration until 6 a.m. on Nov. 13.
Highlights of the main event in Sulphur will feature talks from local priests, including Father Ruben Buller, Monsignor Arthur Calkins, Father Ruben Villarreal, and Father Richard, on various aspects of the Eucharist.
On Wednesday, Nov. 17, a Spanish-language Mass will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. at St. Henry Catholic Church in Lake Charles. Adoration and a Eucharistic talk will be presented by Father Randy Courville from the Diocese of Lafayette.
Church parishes throughout the week will offer special hours of adoration, pray novenas and litanies, and offer catechesis on the Eucharist.
When public Masses were suspended in the spring of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Monsignor Torres, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church, said he recognized a concern for those who do not believe in the True Presence. For two months, he carried the Blessed Sacrament throughout the streets of Our Lady Queen of Heaven parish territory with the help of three red Ford trucks.
“The first week, people thought it was a parade; the second week, people continued to act up and did not take it seriously,” Torres said. “By the third week and the weeks that followed, tears were streaming down the faces of the faithful as they knelt in their yards as the Lord Jesus passed them for a few seconds. … All one could do was cry that they were not able to receive the physical Presence of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ Himself in the Eucharist.”
Monsignor Torres said he hopes the Eucharistic Congress will spark a greater awareness, offer catechesis, and help Catholics realize that priests are doing everything possible to bring Jesus to the people of God.
All events are free, and no registration is required. Seating at the West Cal Arena and Events Center is limited to 1,200. A love offering will be accepted during the Mass on Nov. 13 to help with the expenses.
DIGITAL DIRECTORY AVAILABLE IN FACTS
An ICCS digital school directory is available in the FACTS system. To access it, log on to http://www.factsmgt.com/ and follow the steps below.
- Choose Parent Login
- Choose Family Portal
- Enter your login information (District Code: ICCS-LA)
- Once logged in, choose School Home from the menu on the left side
- Then choose Directory
QUICK LINKS
FACTS FAMILY PORTAL
Parent Portal access to student grades and assignments.
www.factsmgt.comDON'T FORGET TO LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST ICCS NEWS AND EVENTS!
Contact Information
Email: kmorgan@iccsweb.com
Website: www.iccschool.org
Location: 1536 Ryan Street, Lake Charles, LA, USA
Phone: 337-433-3497
Facebook: www.facebook.com/iccschool