NEWS AND NOTES
October 26, 2020
A Note from the Principal
We had a great first full week back with everyone!
-Please make note of the reminders below about drop off and pick up procedures. It is incredibly important that we follow these procedures, they are for everyone's safety!
-Mark your calendars for Fall Picture Day on October 29th and a make-up day on November 19th. Students should wear their school uniforms.
-Thank you to everyone who supported Trunk or Treat yesterday! It was a great success.
-The last possible day to turn in physical Box Tops is this Friday, October 30th! They will not ever collect physical Box Tops again. Going forward you’ll have to download the Box Tops app and scan in your grocery receipts. Crissie Gipson will collect them from both offices on Friday after school.
-2019-2020 School Yearbooks are available through the end of October!
-We are excited to announce our students will begin having Computer, Spanish, Library, and Mrs. Zetik's class again. Outside mask breaks will still be incorporated into most specialty times as well, however.
COVID-19 Update:
- Total Confirmed Campus Cases: 5
- Total Active Cases: 0
- Students Actively Quarantined: 1
- Faculty/Staff Actively Quarantined: 0
- Total Recovered and Released: 5
Important Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures
Circle Drive Drop Off (In front of the big school)
Everyone dropping off or picking up in the front of the school must enter and exit from the passenger's side. Traffic should be one lane and no one should pull out and around anyone even if you are just waiting to pull around to the front lot.
Quincy/Front of the Church Drop Off
Everyone dropping off in the lane in front of the church must exit from the passenger's side. Traffic should be one lane in the dropoff line and no one should pull out and around anyone. The crossing guard will signal when it’s time for that lane to proceed. If you are driving in the center of Quincy to access the circle drive, please be mindful of the crossing guard who is directing two lanes of traffic
If a parent needs to assist a child getting out of the car or if the child typically takes a long time to get out of the car, it is best to pull into a parking spot. Please (parents) do NOT get out of the car in the drop off lanes.
To keep traffic flowing during drop off it is really helpful if they kids put on their masks and grab their backpacks as you approach the school so they can hop out quickly upon arrival so as not to back up the traffic lines into the street.
Staying off of your cell phone on the street around the school and in the parking lot is important--the slightest distraction could cost someone their life.
If you have to circle the main lot in the afternoon because your child is not out yet, you have to exit and circle the block. You cannot wait to turn left back into the flow of traffic, because it backs up traffic and no one can leave the parking lot.
When crossing in the street or parking lots, please use the crosswalks.
If you park in the main lot, you must meet your student on the median in the parking lot to cross with them or on the school side of the crosswalk. We will not allow them to cross into the parking lot alone regardless of age. If you park at ECDC you must meet your child by the guard shack.
Do not be offended when our staff corrects you or asks you to follow a rule. They have a huge responsibility and they take it seriously, because they care about your kids. Showing disrespect to them especially in front of the students is never acceptable.
After 7:30 please do not turn left into the parking lot until after drop off and in the afternoon, please do not turn left into the parking lot before 3:15.
Porte-cochere Drop Off
Everyone dropping off or picking up in the back of the school must enter and exit from the driver's side. If your child rides in the front seat, you should NOT use the back entrance. Traffic should be one lane and no one should pull out and around anyone even if you are just passing through to the front.Lunch Orders are due soon!
Empowering God's Children Lesson to be taught the week of November 9th!
As in past years, we will be presenting the Diocese of Tulsa's program Empowering God's Children. We will also continue coordinating the lessons so that all grades present the program the same week. We have examples in the office of the program and the website is listed below. It is important that you "opt-out" by signing the form (attached at the bottom of this newsletter) if you DO NOT want your child participating. Please see below for more details.
Marquette will present a sexual abuse prevention program, the Teaching Safety – Empowering God’s Children program, to our students the week of November 9th-13th. The creators of the Protecting God’s Children® program developed the Teaching Safety – Empowering God’s Children program. This program is provided to us by the Diocese of Tulsa and is a part of our ongoing effort to help create and maintain a safe environment for children and to protect all children from sexual abuse.
The scheduled lesson is being offered to all students at Marquette. As a parent, you have the right to choose whether your student participates. If you have questions about the program or the lesson, please contact your child’s teacher or administrator. If you determine that you DO NOT want your child to participate, please complete the “opt-out” form at the bottom of this page, and return it to your child’s teacher no later than November 2.
For more information on the Teaching Safety – Empowering God’s Children program, visit the VIRTUS Online™ website at www.virtus.org.
Auction News
The annual Marquette auction is right around the corner, and your children will come home with a formal invitation in their folders this week. While there won't be a live event this year, we will still have an online auction and we need your help to make it a success!
Last year’s auction did amazingly well, and some of the proceeds have been set aside to fund the building of a new playground. The goal for this year’s auction is to raise additional funds which will further the initiative to build that playground.
Please consider donating goods, services, gift cards, etc. to help build something that Marquette students will enjoy for years to come. All items donated are tax-deductible and are greatly appreciated!
You can drop off your donations before school on Thursday, October 8th and Friday, October 9th. We will also have donation drop off days the week immediately following fall break on Wednesday, October 21st, Thursday, October 22nd, and Friday, October 23rd. Tables will be set up to accept donations in front of the Church’s main entrance as well as near the ECDC front doors.
If you are able to donate, your Marquette student is allowed to wear spirit dress on that donation drop-off day. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us anytime.
Sincerely,
Paula Dunkel 918-706-0003 paula.dunkel@marquetteschool.org
Caryn Koger 918-633-9936 Caryn.koger@gmail.com
Adopt-a-Student Program
The Parish of Christ the King has been blessed with the opportunity to enrich students’ lives through religion and education via Marquette Catholic School. Every day, I witness God’s work through the eyes of the young people on our campus. While the responsibility we have is great, the fruit is greater as the gift of Catholic education can have a life-long impact.
With the rising cost of Catholic education and the current economic environment, one could argue the need for financial assistance to obtain a Catholic education is more urgent than ever before. For over 20 years now, the Parish of Christ the King has provided tuition assistance funds for students in need through our Adopt-a-Student Program (AAS). One hundred percent of all funds raised from this program support Marquette students. Currently, there are 26 students benefiting from this fund who would not otherwise be able to receive a Catholic education.
With your generosity, more children will receive the gift of an exceptional Catholic education at Marquette. By investing in our youth you are not only providing education in the present, but also preparing the future leaders of our Church and society.
I ask you to consider supporting the AAS program once again this year as we work to offer Catholic education to as many students as possible. Please consider renewing your last gift to help us meet our 2020-2021 tuition assistance goal of $45,000.
Thank you for your prayerful consideration of this appeal. I understand the financial hardship many are facing and believe that through our collective efforts we can help those most in need. Please know of the shared gratitude of all families, as well as my sincere thanks, for your support.
If you are interested in learning about additional ways to support education at our parish, including the Educational Endowment Trust, please contact John Sommer at 918-584-4788 ext. 206.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Elkin J. González
Pastor
Inclement Weather Notice
As we enter the winter months, I think it is appropriate to take some time to discuss my approach to closing school due to extreme weather before it happens.
All families handle weather differently and I strongly encourage families to make their own decisions regarding whether or not it is safe to travel to school. On a bad weather day or a potentially bad weather day, the school will make a decision to hold classes or not no later than 6:15 in the morning. The school will send a text message through RenWeb and post on the Marquette Facebook page. I always prefer to make a decision about school closure as early as possible, however, sometimes the timing of incoming weather can make the decision difficult. Often times a decision is made during overnight hours, so check your phone/email or social media early in the morning or even the night before.
Once I determine to open school, I will not close the school early barring a major catastrophe or loss of power/heat. Although the school will not be closed mid-day, we do encourage families to make their own decision on picking up their children early. Please do not delay picking up your child(ren) early if you have concerns, we will not make judgments on your personal family decision. Any child picked up after 12:00 will not have any penalties apply to their attendance. To keep phone lines open, however, please do not call ahead to check out your child. We ask that you arrive in the school office and we will call your child down with their things.
Late starts are an option the school may choose to use in the case of bad roads or the potential for bad weather hitting around arrival time. Theoretically, a late start allows families and teachers to begin driving after the sun comes up and could better allow individuals to navigate icy or snow packed streets. While we understand a late start can disrupt a parent’s ability to get to work on time, our hope is that a shorter day at work is better than taking an entire personal day to watch children. During a late start, the school will indicate through email communication what time the building will open and when drop off can begin.
While the school will not ever close early once the day has begun (barring a major catastrophe), the school may choose to close Extended Care early. In the event of bad weather or potentially bad weather later in the day, Extended Care may be closed early. In the event that Extended Care closes early, we ask families to make every effort to pick up their children as soon as possible so that our employees can drive home safely. We will do our very best to make an announcement about extended care as early as possible.
If you should have any questions about our winter weather closing, please contact me at jay.luetkemeyer@marquetteschool.org or simply call the school office. The decision to close school is not made easily and I will always try to make a decision that is in the best interest of all of our students, families, and staff. I implore you to never go against your better judgment when making a decision to bring your child(ren) to school. I am making a decision that meets the needs of all our students and families, you must make the decision for your specific family.
Week at a Glance
Monday
-
Tuesday
-8:15 Mass for Kindergarten and 1st grade
Wednesday
-8:15 Mass for 4th and 5th Grade
-Kindergarten Fall Festival
Thursday
-Fall Picture Day
-2nd and 3rd Grade Mass at 8:15
Friday
-Middle School Mass at 8:15
-Kindergarten All Saints Day program at 9:00
-Halloween Parties
Teacher Positions
Middle School Math
Marquette Catholic School is taking applications for a full-time Middle School (6th-8th Grade) Math Teacher. The position is available immediately, however, we are also accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year. Marquette’s Middle School math program offers class sizes that average fifteen students or less and employs two full-time math teachers. Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree with certification for high school algebra. If you or someone you know is interested in joining our team, please submit all information to the principal at jay.luetkemeyer@marquetteschool.org and include a resume.