Panther Press
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
ICCS Mission Statement:
CURRICULUM CORNER
ICCS Vice Principal of Curriculum
At ICCS we are always striving to improve our practices and the support that we are able to provide our students with excellence always in mind as it pertains to strengthening their spirits, minds, and bodies through the teachings of Jesus Christ. We want our students to be successful, feel successful, and grow in success as they journey from grade level to grade level at ICCS. The success that we want students to feel and grow into involves the expansion of faith, social-emotional maturation, academic growth, and personal progress in discipline and responsibility.
Last school year, we began the Disciple of Christ virtue program and very quickly began to see the fruits of virtue-based learning and language in all content areas. Because of this, our middle school teaching team began to work on a framework for our middle school students where Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) could be offered in various ways driven by data collected and analyzed. One of the results of this work last year has come to fruition in the PBIS Fridays program where students who practice personal discipline and responsibility participate in teacher-led activities with the goal of building strong relationships and positive social-emotional culture among middle school students.
On Friday, September 24th, ICCS middle school teachers hosted our first-ever PBIS Friday program and it was a great success. Special thanks to Ms. Lyndsey LeBlanc and Mrs. Milissa Thibodeaux both of whom had a large hand getting this program successfully off the ground as a meaningful addition to our middle school community, and tremendous thanks to the other members of our middle school team--Mr. Michael Higgins, Mrs. Brittany Ebersole, Mrs. Elisabeth Baron, and Mrs. Aimee Romano--for embracing the program and having a beautiful inaugural PBIS Friday. Also, a huge thank you to our ever-supportive enrichment teachers who assisted with the program last Friday-- Mrs. Kyndel Heffer, Mrs. Virginia-Kate Jessen, Coach Heather Breaux, and Coach Austin Pickle. We are looking forward to all of the fruit this new program will bear for our students.
The photos below were taken at the first-ever ICCS PBIS Friday activity on September 24 in Lock Park.
SCHOOL MASS TOMORROW
Father Rommel Tolentino will celebrate the October Birthday Mass tomorrow morning in the Gym. Due to COVID restrictions, and in an effort to safely accommodate all students, two separate Masses will be held.
1st-4th Grade classes will attend Mass from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m
The Gym will be reset and sanitized from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m
5th-8th Grade classes will attend Mass from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
All 1st-8th Grade students must wear Mass appropriate uniforms tomorrow. Boys are required to wear pants and girls must wear jumpers or skirts.
DRIVE THRU PET BLESSING MONDAY
The 2021 ICCS Pet Blessing will be a drive-thru event. Pets will be blessed by Father Rommel or Father Bond on Monday, October 4th between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. in the Park Avenue Parking lot.
In order to make this special drive-thru event a safe success, several important details and instructions are provided below. For more information, please call (337) 433-3497.
- The ICCS drive-thru Pet Blessing will take place in the Park Avenue parking lot.
- The "curbside" blessings will begin promptly at 7:30 a.m. and end at 8:00 a.m. (or until the last animal is blessed).
- Participants are asked to turn right or left onto Park Avenue from Shell Beach Drive ONLY (do not turn onto Park Avenue from Ryan Street). The Pet Blessing traffic line will be formed heading South on Park Avenue (turning right into the ICCS Park Avenue parking lot) and following the normal student drop off and pick up path/route.
- Please do not block driveways on Park Avenue at any time.
- Parents, pets, and students must remain in the vehicle at all times. Once your pet has been blessed "curbside," students must exit the vehicle, enter the building and report directly to their classroom. Duty teachers will be on-hand to safely supervise the student arrival process during the Pet Blessing event.
- Parents must exit the Park Avenue parking lot by turning RIGHT on Ryan Street.
- IMPORTANT: if your family will NOT BE BRINGING A PET TO SCHOOL ON OCTOBER 4, please drop your student off on the Wilson Street side of the building between 7:30 a.m. and 7:50 a.m. **The Park Avenue drop-off area will be utilized for Pet Blessings ONLY on the morning of October 4.
If your family is unable to bring your beloved pet to school on October 4 to receive a blessing, please feel free to send a photograph of the pet(s) to kmorgan@iccsweb.com by Sunday, October 3 so the photograph can be included in a special video that will be shared with our school community the week of October 4-8.
SPIRIT RIBBONS SALE NEXT WEEK
Don't forget to wear your spirit ribbons to the ICCS vs. OLS/LCA football game Wednesday night, October 6, at 5:30 p.m at SLC. GO Panthers!
"GOLD BOOKS" SENT HOME TODAY
Attention Parents! A copy of Prayers, Beliefs, and Practices of our Catholic Faith (often referred to as “The Gold Book") was sent home with your child today. Please review the book and keep it in an easy-to-access location so you and your student can refer to it if needed throughout the school year.
“This valuable educational resource is given to you in the hope that it will offer a quick and speedy summary of what it is we, as Catholics, should know about our precious faith," said Bishop Glen John Provost.
For more information, please contact ICCS Director of Religious Education, Mrs. Rose Viau at rviau@iccsweb.com.
HURRICANE RELIEF FUND REACHES OVER $4,800
"Keep doing good works and sharing your resources, for these are the kinds of sacrifice that please God." Hebrews 13:16
NO SCHOOL MONDAY, OCTOBER 11
THE VIRTUE OF RESPONSIBILITY
Throughout September, our PK-8th Grade students have been concentrating on the virtue of Responsibility. As we wrap up the month, we encourage parents to recite the prayer below with their children and engage them in positive conversations about how they can be more responsible at home and at school.
Let us pray:
Dear Jesus, please help me today to be a good example to all those I come into contact with. You placed them in my life so that I can help them to become holy, and so they can help me in the same way. Help me to be responsible and encourage them towards being the best version of themselves. Amen.
MANNERS MONDAY
Are you searching for a great resource to help reinforce everyday courtesy and manners for children of all ages? Click on the link below to view newly released "Manners Monday" segments, produced by Open Light Media, the company that provides our Disciple of Christ Education in Virtue program. A different episode and topic are featured each week! https://openlightmedia.com/manners-monday/
WE APPRECIATE MRS. BRINKMAN
We officially welcome Mrs. Higginbotham to the ICCS faculty and 3rd Grade classroom on Monday. Welcome aboard!
IMPORTANT REMINDER FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS
Students may bring a bottle of water or reusable water container to school daily.
Refillable drinking containers must be plastic. Please label your student's name on the container.
Water refilling stations are accessible for all students throughout the day.
WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE
LINK TO BOX TOPS PRODUCT LIST PROVIDED
Did you know there are hundreds of products that offer Box Tops earnings? Simply scan your store receipts within 14 days of purchase and earn free cash for ICCS. Box Tops are worth 10 cents each. It all adds up! Click the link below to view a full list of categorized Box Tops products.
https://www.boxtops4education.com/Participating-Products-Page
For more information about the Box Tops program, please contact our parent coordinator, Colleen Phillips by email at colleen.phillips1969@gmail.com.
PTO FUNDRAISER NEWS
HELP SPREAD THE WORD!
The 2021 ICCS PTO Christmas Greenery Fundraiser is now UNDERWAY!
Purchase a beautiful fresh-cut Christmas wreath, 10-ft. garland, door swag, table centerpiece, or adorable reindeer set SOON! Students and parents are asked to reach out to ICCS Grandpanthers, family members, close friends, neighbors, co-workers, ICCS alumni, and local business owners to let them know about our PTO Greenery Sale. Family members and guests may purchase greenery items under an ICCS student's name (first initial and last name) for PTO credit. All proceeds from this PTO fundraiser will be used to help purchase new technology, classroom equipment, and educational programs that benefit our PK-8th Grade students.
Please click the link below to browse the website or to purchase items!
https://sherwoodfundraiser.com/iccs
For more information, please contact our 2021 ICCS PTO Greenery Fundraiser Chairpersons, Doris Mhire and Jessica Steech at iccsgreenery@gmail.com or call (337) 433-3497 for assistance. The online sale runs through October 28. Local delivery items will arrive on Saturday, November 27, just in time to decorate your home or office for the holiday season!
ON YOUR MARK. GET SET. GO!
CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL NEWS
THEOLOGY THURSDAY
Our 6th-8th Grade students and teachers gathered this morning in the Gym for a Theology Thursday activity. The students learned more about Mary Undoer of Knots. The group had an opportunity to reflect on some of the "knots" in their lives and asked Mary to intercede on their behalf to help "undo" those tangles and worries over which we often have no control.
"RED OUT" PLANNED FOR MONDAY NIGHT
Volleyball
Monday, October 4
ICCS 7th Grade vs. OLQH at 6:00 p.m. in ICCS Gym
ICCS 8th Grade vs. FBCA at 7:00 p.m. in ICCS Gym
**The ICCS 8th Grade Volleyball team will be formally recognized at 7:00 p.m. on October 4th before the game against FBCA. Coach Breaux and the team are asking everyone to "RED OUT" the gym! Wear your favorite red ICCS shirt or red attire and help cheer on the 7th and 8th Grade teams!
8th Grade team members include Grace Adams, Morgan Baron, Margeaux Darbonne, Katherine Devall, Cora Diedrich, Madelyn Elliott, Cate Filo, Cara Henry, Rowan Lejeune, Lilly Liles, Natalie Obluda, Bailee Papadimitriou, Halle Poncho, and Camille Zeringue.
PANTHERS TAKE ON OLS/LCA NEXT WEEK
The ICCS Panther Football Team will take on OLS/LCA next Wednesday, October 6, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at St. Louis Catholic School. Coach Pickle and the players invite all ICCS students and football fans to come out and watch the game!
UPCOMING GAME DATES:
ICCS vs. SMCS/EDS at 7:00 p.m. at SLC
ICCS vs. OLQH at 5:30 p.m. at SLC
BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES ANNOUNCED
6A: Andrew Foret
6B: Brady Hess
7A: Sophia Lanthier
7B: Jane Casanova
8A: Cate Filo
8B: Madelyn Elliott
SHIPS AND SAILORS
CUP STACKING
COMMUNITY NEWS
ROSARY AROUND THE LAKE THIS WEEKEND
The fourth annual Rosary Around the Lake, organized by the Ruth Institute, will take place this Sunday, October 3, beginning at 2 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center. This year, Bishop Glen John Provost is granting a partial indulgence to the faithful who gather for the event to offer prayers for the Church, the nation, and the world. The partial indulgence for participation is in addition to the plenary indulgence granted to the faithful who devoutly recite the Marian rosary publicly.
Participants will meet in the area on the west side of the Civic Center at 1:30 p.m. and organize in groups of 11 to form a "Living Rosary."
The Ruth Institute has sponsored Rosary Around the Lake in Lake Charles since 2018 as a way of praying for salvation and renewal for our world, our culture, our nation, our neighbors, and ourselves. To sign up online and learn more information, visit www.RosaryAroundTheLake.com.
QUICK LINKS
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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