Charger Check-In
August 19, 2023
A Note from Ms. Owens
Thank you to all the school and parish families who supported Saturday's 12th Annual Charge On 5K as runners, walkers, sponsors and volunteers. What a gorgeous morning we had and how fun it was to cheer on SCA families and friends as they progressed the route! Thank you to Mrs. Jordan and the entire 5K Crew for the huge amount of work that went into making this event such a success.
And, as is our SCA tradition, our Men's Club hosted the annual Parish Picnic later Saturday afternoon and evening. The nice weather continued and the event was filled with friends, families, good food, and laughter. And the parish was able to celebrate Eucharist together at the picnic!
We had a fabulous Packet Pick Up last week. The gym was filled with excited parents and excited students! That event is a clear signal that the school year is about to start. If your family has not yet dropped off the required paperwork and picked up your family's packet, please contact Mary Omiecinski or Mary Nelson via email to arrange a time on Monday afternoon. (Our Faculty & Staff Retreat is Monday morning.)
Here is a quick look at the first week of school! There is more information on entry and dismissal as well as Before/Extended Care further down in this Check-In.
- Tuesday: PK - 10AM dismissal // K-8 - 11AM dismissal
- Wednesday: Half Day PK3/PK4 - 11AM dismissal; everyone else --1PM dismissal; first day of lunch
- Thursday & Friday: Half Day PK3/PK4 - 11AM dismissal; everyone else --2:45PM dismissal; All-School Mass at 8:30AM on Friday
It looks like Mother Nature is going to flex on us as the school year starts. Temperatures for the first three days of school are expected to be hot. Please be sure to send your child to school with a water bottle so they can stay hydrated. All K-8 students are welcome to wear their gym uniforms (warm weather) to school for the next few weeks. The school will message out when students need to begin wearing their regular school uniforms.
FSA's Eat & Earn is Monday, August 28 at Lou Malnati's (5621 W. 95th Street, Oak Lawn). Our FSA sponsors Eat & Earns about once per month during the school year. I encourage you to share the Eat & Earn information with family and friends and to support these events when they occur. Last year, Eat & Earns brought in over $1,880 to help FSA support our teachers and students.
Here is a quick note regarding uniform polos for girls in 5th-8th grades. Girls have the option of wearing either ribbed or non-ribbed polos shirts from Schoolbelles. Families will see that ribbed polos have a higher price than non-ribbed polo shirts; however, please note that non-ribbed polo shirts need to be tucked into uniform skirts. I encourage you to consider purchasing the ribbed polos which will eliminate the concern of untucked polos shirts for girls in 5th-8th grades.
Students in 6th, 7th and 8th grades have summer reading assignments. In case your student didn't share that information, the assignments are available below.
A Bit More News...
- Our Athletic Board is working to publicize schedules for our sports teams. Stay tuned!
- Here are the classroom supply lists for K-8th grades and for Preschool for the 2023-24 school year.
- This link will take you to a PDF of the Schoolbelles Uniform Buying Guide for 2023-24. This link will take you the online ordering page for Schoolbelles. St. Catherine's school code is s0775ta
- PE uniforms and regular school uniforms can be purchased at Schools Are Us [3146 West 111th Street, Chicago (773) 779-0172]. They do not offer online sales.
- If you know of an SCA family who owns a small business that we can publicize here to help support them, please reach out to me via email. Scroll down to see local businesses we can support.
Entry and Dismissal Procedures for Students & Morning Care/Extended Care
As we kick off the school on Tuesday morning, we have slight changes to our entry procedures (for students in 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8). Dismissal procedures will remain the same as last year.
Entry (arrive no earlier than 7:50AM/doors open at 8/doors close at 8:10)
- PK students (and their parent/guardian) will line up south of the gym. Teachers will greet the students at the door next to the playground and students will proceed to the gym to meet their classmates and their instructional aide.
- Grades K-2 will line up on the center/main lot. Parents/guardians will remain in marked off waiting area. Beginning at 7:50, school staff will meet students in that designated waiting area and escort the students to the place their class is assembling with their teacher.
- Grades 3 and 4 will line up in the center/main lot. Parents/guardians will remain in an area away from where students line up. Beginning at 7:50, teachers will be outside to welcome their students. Beginning Monday, August 28, 3rd and 4th graders may enter the building and report directly to their classrooms starting at 7:50.
- Grades 5 and 6 will line up on the center/main lot in their designated area. Beginning at 7:50, teachers will be outside to welcome their students. Once we have the first few days of school under our belt, our 5th and 6th graders will be able to enter the building and report directly to their classrooms starting at 7:50. Teachers will communicate the start date of this procedure with their students and their families.
- Grades 7 and 8 will line up outside the church doors on Kedvale. Beginning at 7:50, teachers will be outside to great their students. Once we have the first few days of school under our belt, our 7th and 8th graders will be able to enter the building and report directly to their classrooms starting at 7:50. Teachers will communicate the start date of this procedure with their students and their families.
- Students arriving after 8:10AM should come to the church doors on Kedvale. They will need to check in with the main office.
Dismissal (Tuesday PK at 10AM & K-8 at 11AM/Wednesday at 1PM/Thursday & Friday at 2:45PM)
- Aside from the first day of school, half day PK students dismiss out the Alexandria Center doors on Kedvale at 11AM. Teachers will release students when they see an approved "pick up" person for that child.
- Full day PK students dismiss out the back doors of the gym at bit before 2:45PM on regular dismissal days. Teachers will release students when they see an approved "pick up" person for that child.
- Grades K-4 dismiss onto the center lot. Parents/guardians will remain in the designated waiting area and students will come to them. Studetns are directed to let their teacher know they see their "adult" before taking their leave of their class.
- Grades 5 and 6 dismiss from the Alexandria Center. Students can exit onto the parking lot or onto Kedvale.
- Grades 7 and 8 dismiss out the church doors onto Kedvale or they may exit out the kindergarten doors (Door 9) onto the center/main lot.
- Students in Grades K-4 who are going to extended care should exit the school building with their classes and reenter the school via the Alexandria Center Door on the center lot. PK students are escorted to extended care by their teachers and students in 7th or 8th grade can go to extended care rather than going outside.
Morning Care and Extended Care
- Families need to be registerd with the morning/extended care program in order for their child to attend
- Morning care will begin on Wednesday, August 23. Extended care will begin on Thursday, August 24.
- Additional information is availabe in the Morning and Extended Care Program Packet given out at Packet Pick Up. (I will share a link here once I have the document electronically.) If you would like a hard copy of the packet sent home with your child, please contact Mary Omiecinski or Mary Nelson.
Updates and Reminders about Water Bottles, Shoes & Smart Watches
We encourage students in 3rd-8th grade to continue bringing reusable water bottles to school; however, water bottles must be transluscent and made of plastic (no glass bottles).
This policy does not apply to students in PK-2nd grade. We recognize that virtually all water bottles for young children are opaque and usually made of metal.
Regardless of grade level, water is the only liquid permitted in the classroom.
Shoes on Out of Uniform Days - new policy
On days when students are out of uniform, students have two options: gym shoes (no color restrictions) or school/dress shoes. To help ensure student safety at recess, PE class and in stairwells, Crocs, Birkenstocks, slides, flipflops or other backless shoes are not permitted. Similarly, boots (including UGGs) are not permitted. As in past years, on days with inclimate weather, students are welcome to wear boots to school and change into school-appropriate shoes.
Smart Watches - reminder
Last year at SCA, we moved to a policy prohibiting students from wearing Smart watches (or wifi-capable devices) during the school day. We know that some families want their children to wear these devices as they travel to and from school. We ask that students put these devices in their backpacks as part of their arrival routine and leave them packed away until school dismisses.
The new policies will be reflected in the Student-Parent Handbook in the coming days.
August Eat & Earn - Monday, August 28
Our FSA is already looking forward to our first Eat & Earn of the year, being held later this month on August 28, at Lou Malnati's (5261 W. 95th Street, Oak Lawn).
In addition to generously hosting this fundraiser, Lou Malnati's are also bronze sponsors for the Charge On 5K. We're encouraging people to RSVP to the event by clicking on the green 'Commit to Eat' button on the GroupRaise event meal page.
Please be sure to visit the link above to read important information about how to support this delicious event!
A Note from the Nurse
Please be aware that in accordance with Illinois state law, a valid Certificate of Child Health Examination must be submitted to St. Catherine no later than October 15. Again, this is only for those students mentioned in the above paragraph.
FSA's Ice Cream Social - August 22 at 6PM
For those who are new to SCA, welcome! We can’t wait to meet you!
The ice cream social is an informal gathering we like to do on the first day of school to welcome new families and reconnect with those we already know. It’s a great way to kick off the school year! Join us for ice cream, music, and raffles! Hang out with the awesome SCA families and celebrate the beginning of the school year.
We want to thank Matt Herrmann, owner of the Evergreen Park Culver’s, for his continued support of SCA and for donating all of the Frozen Custard for the event!
Please visit Culver's Nutrition and Allergen Guide for additional information. (Scroll down to Fresh Frozen Custard)
- We will also have freeze pops for those who can’t have frozen custard.
Raffle Tickets
- Tickets will be sold at Packet Pick-Up Day and at the Ice Cream Social.
- Tickets will be $1.00 each, 6 for $5.00 or arms length of tickets for $10.00.
3rd Place: $50 Culvers gift card
2nd Place: one free sport registration for one child
1st Place: $250 tuition
We are looking forward to seeing everyone for the 2023- 2024 school year.
️Katie Hutchinson and Katie Schultz - Event Chairs
Spirit Wear for Football & Basketball - closes Monday, August 21
Please note: The open-bottom sweat pants are not acceptable as part of the gym uniform.
Click on the image below to get to the Pop Up Shop.
Bitty Basketball Information (1st - 3rd Grade)
Registration for Bitty Basketball is still open. Bitty Basketball is open to all 1st-3rd grade SCA students. Students play on mixed grade level teams, and they play against other SCA teams.
Bitty Basketball
- 1st through 3rd grade Bitty Basketball Registration
- Please contact Erin or Ivan Passamentt for any questions.
The Sunday Collection
Visit the link below to set up your recurring contribution. Donors can change the amount of the contribution or pause it at any time.
Ways to Support Our Local Small Businesses
If you know of an SCA family who owns a small business that we can publicize here to help support them, please reach out to me via email.
So Many On-going Ways to Support St. Catherine!
Upcoming Events
Monday, August 21
- Supply Drop Off (Preschool, kindergarten and 1st grade) - Sign up emailed to families
Tuesday, August 22
First Day of School
- K-8th 8AM-11AM
- Preschool 8AM-10AM
Wednesday, August 23
- Preschool-8th 8AM-1PM (Half-day PK3 and PK4 dismiss at 11AM)
- First day of lunch
- Morning care starts
Thursday, August 24
- First Full Day of School 8AM-2:45 (Half-day PK3 and PK4 dismiss at 11AM)
- Extended care starts
Friday, August 25
- All-School Liturgy at 8:30AM
Monday, August 28
- FSA Eat & Eat at Lou Malnati's (5621 W. 95th Street, Oak Lawn)
Wednesday, August 30
Back-to-School-Night
- Classroom Presentations at 6:30PM
- All-School Presention in church at 7PM
- Classroom Presentations at 7:30PM
About us
Website: www.scaoaklawn.org
Location: 10621 South Kedvale Avenue, Oak Lawn, IL, USA
Phone: 708-425-5547
Facebook: facebook.com/scaoaklawn/