Panther Press
Thursday, October 3, 2019
ICCS Mission Statement:
PRINCIPAL'S CORNER by Christi Jarreau
As we move into the Fall season, the “honeymoon phase” of the new school year begins to wear away. Our after school schedules begin to get hectic, school work becomes more challenging, and we begin to grow weary and look forward to the upcoming holidays. It is during this time that it is most important to remember that things that are worth doing are often challenging.
Activities that produce the growth and maturity necessary for success and true, long-term happiness are not always pleasurable or easy, but we know they are valuable and worthy of our time - especially for elementary and middle school aged children who are building their foundation of virtue and mindset. I have heard someone quote Father Champagne, a priest from the Diocese of Lafayette, with the expression, “Virtue is born with temptation and failure, not with a nunu (Cajun for “pacifier”).”
When I reflect on this, I am struck by the enormity of this analogy. There are so many pacifiers for everyone, from infants to adults, used to soothe the aches of discomfort, hard work, failure, self reflection, and growth. And while pacifiers have been around for years, today we often use them in advance. Instead of using them to quell or cope with feelings of discomfort or disappointment, they are used to avoid those feelings all together, robbing the individual of the opportunity to grow in perseverance, problem solving, endurance (even when we do not get what is desired), patience, and faith.
We are blessed with resources that tempt us to pacify our children in advance and we live in a world that seems to value short term happiness with the absence of hard work, challenge, discomfort, and failure. It is important, therefore, that we do not lose sight of the difference between keeping them safe and keeping them from discomfort. As the primary educators of our children, we as parents are tasked with providing opportunities for our children to grow in skill and in virtue from age-appropriate productive struggle. These life long lessons must include physical tasks such as opening their own juicebox without a meltdown, mental tasks such as completing homework and prioritizing responsibilities with a positive mindset, and emotional tasks such as settling disagreements with others and apologizing with sincerity.
Navigating and overcoming productive struggle in the safety of our homes will provide our students the coping skills and the confidence to joyfully and successfully navigate challenges in the larger, school day setting even after the “honeymoon phase” is over. Our schedules are so busy and we are often reminded that the most important gift we can give our children is the gift of time. In our effort to keep that time free from stress and discomfort, let us not lose sight of our goal to equip our children for long term happiness and success.
As we continue our mission of strengthening spirits, minds, and bodies through the teachings of Jesus Christ, we hope to empower all students to know the true happiness of becoming the best person God created them to be. Thank you for partnering with the Cathedral School!
CURRICULUM CORNER by Blair Tadlock
“Learning is a Consequence of Thinking”
Improving education and creating a culture devoted to quality education first begins with tremendous reflection on where we are and then where we want to be. With reflection comes insight and from insight comes focus and with focus the culture of learning changes. Our parents do not have the luxury of seeing first hand the reflective practice of our teachers. While we certainly are blessed with teaching experts on our faculty, the truly inspiring thing to watch and partake in is the tremendous critical analysis and reflection that our highly qualified faculty participate in on a regular basis.
As we strive for consistent and continual improvement, reflection on what we envision for the future of the learners that you all entrust to us is critical to the development of a culture of thinking at ICCS. Deep, meaningful, and transformative thinking is the work our students are tasked with alongside their teachers who are ever evolving in their learning. Our teachers strongly desire to send out into the world learners who are active in pursuite of deep learning, engaged in their personal journey of learning, capable of listening so that they may learning through exposure to diverse perspectives, comfortable with conscious reflective practice, live out kindness in their discipleship, have real-world awareness of problems while choosing to be problem-solvers, and take responsiblity for their choices in an effort toward growth. This is aligned with what Dr. Ron Ritchhart, Harvard University education researcher, points to when he says, “What we see as most important to develop is not a discrete collection of knowledge but rather a set of broad characteristics that motivate learning and lead to the generation of useable knowledge” (2015, p. 19). Ritchhart goes on to explain that “learning is a consequence of thinking, not something extra that we tack on but something in which we must actively engage to promote our own and others’ learning” (p. 31).
At ICCS our teachers value thinking where students encounter “complications, questions, [and] connections” all of which “make learning more real” (Ritchhart, 2015, p. 31). In many ways, this is challenging work. Truly, it is a unique and beautiful thing to witness first hand. It is what sets ICCS apart and spurs us everyday to engage in the challenging work of thinking alongside our students.
Ritchhart, R. (2015). Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transfo. John Wiley & Sons.
MERCY MATTERS by Rose Viau
Our school theme for this school year is taken from Micah 6:8 - “You have been told what is good and what the Lord requires of you: To do justice, to love goodness, to walk humbly with God.”
This month we will concentrate on what it means “to do justice.” Often, justice is represented by a scale because things must be fair and equal. Christian justice looks to the example of Jesus and sees with the eyes of the heart and is motivated by love. Christian justice enables us to give to others and to respect the rights and dignity of everyone. Christian justice looks to Jesus on how we are to treat others.
Pope Francis reminds us that “True justice comes about in people’s lives when they themselves are just in their decision; it is expressed in their pursuit of justice for the poor and the weak.”
What are ways God is calling you and your family “to do justice?”
REMINDER! ANIMAL BLESSING TOMORROW AT 7:50 A.M.
The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi will be commemorated tomorrow, Friday, October 4, with a special Animal Blessing led by Deacon Sam Bond. ICCS families wishing to participate may bring their pets to school after 7:30 a.m. to the assigned area around the perimeter of the ICCS playground basketball court. All animals and owners must enter the playground through the Wilson Street gate.
Please take note of these special considerations for this day:
· The Animal Blessing will begin promptly at 7:50 a.m.
· Pets must be secured in a cage or on a leash at all times.
· Please clean up after your pet if accidents occur.
THE EVENT WILL BE CANCELLED IF IT IS RAINING.
OCTOBER BIRTHDAY MASS TOMORROW
REPORT CARD CONFERENCE DAY SIGN UP
Reminder! Due to the Parent/Teacher Conference Day, there will be NO SCHOOL on Friday, October 11.
SECURITY CAMERAS INSTALLED
LUNCH MENU CHANGE
MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR CHORUS AUDITIONS
PICTURE RETAKE DAY & ORDER INFORMATION
HOW TO ORDER PICTURES:
- If you sent in payment with the pre-pay order form on or before the original picture day, Lifetouch will mail your packets to you.
- If you did not send in a payment/pre-pay order form and want to order from the original picture day, you may do so online at lifetouch.com using the ID number printed in your proof packet (sent home last week).
- Those wanting to wait for the proof packet from retake picture day (October 15) may do so, those orders will be placed online at lifetouch.com (once proof packets are received with ID numbers listed).
CBS 17 EYE ON EDUCATION AWARD
STEP UP FOR DOWNS WALK SUCCESS
ICCS AT SLCHS HOMECOMING PARADE
Congratulations to the ICCS Cheerleaders on a great dance performance during the SLC Pep Rally held last night in the Krajicek Gym.
The St. Louis Catholic High School Football Team will take on the Church Point Bears tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at Cougar Stadium. All ICCS students wearing an ICCS t-shirt will get in the game for free!
REGISTER FOR 2019 PANTHER RUN SOON
Log on to https://www.active.com/lake-charles-la/running/distance-running-races/panther-run-2019?int= and register today. Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in the 10K and 5K race. The class with the most participation in the 1-Mile Color Run will have the opportunity to throw tons of color powder on Mrs. Jarreau at the end of the race.
Race sponsors and prizes are still needed. For more information, please contact Panther Run Chairman, Julie Standing at (337) 302-0157, or by email at standing.1@netzero.net.
PTO GREENERY SALE NOW UNDERWAY!
The ICCS PTO Greenery Fundraiser is GOING ON NOW! Greenery sales will continue until Thursday, October 24. Fresh cut evergreen wreaths, garland, door swags and table centerpieces are available. To view the complete list of items, or to place an order, please log on to http://sffsalestrack.com/iccsgreenery. All items will be delivered directly from the Pacific Northwest in late November, just in time to decorate your home or office for the Holiday Season. Local and nation-wide delivery options are available.
ICCS families can earn PTO points for all items sold.Please contact our PTO Greenery Sale Co-Chairmen: Debra Wilder at erroldebra@suddenlink.net or Tiffany Bordelon at tiffanymbordelon@yahoo.com if you have any questions.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD!
The ICCS Religion Department will host a "delicious" fundraiser at Pizza Artista, located in the Prien Lake Mall, next Thursday, October 10. Please stop by Pizza Artista for lunch or dinner on Thursday, October 10 and mention ICCS when checking out. Pizza Artista is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Please share this information with your family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers.
The ICCS Religion Department will receive a portion of the restaurant's profits earned on October 10. Funds will be used for class retreats, service projects, Rosary Club, religious resources for all classrooms and much more!
For more information, please contact Director of Religious Education, Rose Viau at (337) 433-3497. The class with the most participation will receive free Pizza Artista vouchers!
ICCS PTO AUCTION NEWS
Just a reminder, two ICCS adult-only Sign Up Parties are right around the corner. If you registered for the "Outdoor Pizza Party" or "Brunchin at the Boudreaux's" Sign Up Parties at the 2019 ICCS PTO Dinner Auction get ready to have some FUN!
Outdoor Pizza Party: Saturday, October 19
Brunchin at the Boudreaux's: Saturday, November 2
Many thanks to the generous families for supporting the PTO Auction by hosting and purchasing these great gatherings. For more information, please call (337) 433-3497.
CLASSROOM NEWS:
COMPUTER CODING
3RD GRADE PBL
1ST GRADE SCIENCE LESSON
2ND GRADE SERVICE PROJECT
Mrs. Brown and Ms. Ebersole's 2nd Grade students started the opinion-writing process this week as part of their mercy bag service project. Students brainstormed reasons why they are making the mercy bags and they also made a list of items they feel would be the most meaningful and beneficial to the people receiving them in our community.
ROSARY CLUB MEETS EVERY WEDNESDAY
DUCK, DUCK, GOOSE!
CATHEDRAL NEWS
"OUR MUSICAL HERITAGE" CONCERT
The concert, entitled “Our Musical Heritage” is part of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish’s 150th anniversary celebration and will feature music that has been sung in the Cathedral parish generation after generation since the parish was established in 1869. The program will feature works by Mozart, Handel, Bach and other master composers as well as spirituals and works by contemporary composers. The concert is free of charge and a reception will follow in Ave Maria Hall. All ICCS Families are invited to attend.
QUICK LINKS
ONCOURSE CONNECT STUDENT/PARENT PORTAL
Keep up with homework, grades, attendance and get quick access to teacher websites via Oncourse Connect. Families having trouble logging in should email mbmathew@iccschool.org.
DON'T FORGET TO LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST ICCS NEWS AND EVENTS!
THEY'VE GOT SPIRIT, YES THEY DO!
You can catch the ICCS Football Team in action next week as they play OLS on Wednesday, October 9, at 6 p.m. at the Sulphur High School Football Stadium. Best of luck to our players and coaches!
PANTHER PRIDE!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Friday, October 4:
Animal Blessing
7:50 a.m., ICCS Playground
October Birthday Mass (8B)
8:30 a.m., ICCS Gym
4th Grade Retreat
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Ave Maria Hall
Thursday, October 10:
Pizza Artista Fundraiser benefiting the ICCS Religion Department
10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Please mention ICCS at check out
Friday, October 11:
1st Quarter Ends
NO SCHOOL, Parent Conference Day
Monday, October 14:
NO SCHOOL, Diocesan In-service
Tuesday, October 15:
Picture Retakes
Wednesday, October 16:
School Advisory Board Meeting
5:30 p.m.
Friday, October 18:
1st Quarter Report Cards
Saturday, October 19:
PTO Panther Run
7:30 a.m. 10K and 5K Race
8:30 a.m. 1-Mile Color Run
Park Avenue Parking Lot
Contact Information
Email: mbmathew@iccschool.org
Website: www.iccschool.org
Location: 1536 Ryan Street, Lake Charles, LA, USA
Phone: 337-433-3497
Facebook: www.facebook.com/iccschool