GLVN News
Information for Parents ~ October 2016
Dear Parents,
Thank you for your continued support and prayers for the GLVN program. On Sunday, 10/9, there was such a wonderful turnout for the first Parent Committee meeting of the year. We are excited to see such interest and active engagement from parents, and we look forward to working more closely with you on the faith formation of your children in this upcoming year.
Many parents asked us to clarify the role of the Parent Committee and how they work with GLVN. This is a great question! In the article below, I am providing a description of both so that all parents know.
We are excited about this partnership with the Parent Committee, and know that their support (with the active involvement of all parents) will help us immensely as we continue to enhance our GLVN program so that our youth love, encounter and serve God in more beautiful and meaningful ways.
Thank you for your constant prayers for the GLVN program!
In Christ,
Chi Pham
Principal
Descriptions of the Parent Committee and GLVN
The Giáo Lý Việt Ngữ Program (GLVN) consists of lay volunteers whom our pastors have commissioned to evangelize to the youth in our parish. Under the guidance of our pastors, the GLVN program supports parishioners in the faith formation of their youth, helping them to know and love God, and preparing them to receive First Reconciliation & Communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Vietnamese language part of the GLVN program is integrated into the parish to help our youth maintain their Vietnamese language and culture. Chị Chi Phạm is the principal of the GLVN program.
The Parent Committee is a group of lay leaders who have been chosen by our pastors to represent all the parents in our parish. They listen and gather parent ideas and feedback to present to the parish and GLVN leadership to improve and enhance programs for their children and for families. They also encourage and organize parent involvement in parish and GLVN programs and events. Chị Thảo Vy Hồ is the Parent Committee President.
How We Work Together
Both the Parent Committee and GLVN Program are independent from each other, but work collaboratively under the guidance of our pastors. From a GLVN perspective, we look to the Parent Committee to connect with parents in the following areas of support for GLVN:
- Communicate GLVN news, information, concerns, etc., to parents
- Bring parent input, ideas, concerns and feedback to the GLVN administrative team
- Provide parent volunteers to support the GLVN program events and other needs
All Saints Day Celebration (Sunday, Oct. 30)
Thank you to all who sponsored a classroom as part of our GLVN Adopt-A-Room campaign. Through the generous donations of many people, we have raised enough money to purchase a Saint image for each classroom! In addition, there are enough donations for our teachers to purchase additional educational and spiritual resources to help each class continue to learning about their class Saint throughout the year. Thank you, and God bless you for your love and commitment to helping our youth grow in holiness.
Classroom Blessings: On Sunday, October 30, in celebration of All Saints Day, we will have a blessing rite at each classroom. Cha will bless the Saint image, crucifix and all the students in that class. The blessings will take place between 10:00-11:15 am, beginning at the VL1 class (room 109) at 10 a.m. Each blessing rite will take approximately 3 minutes in each class, and then will move to the next class. We cordially invite our sponsors and all parishioners to come and pray with each class. If you will be attending the blessing, please wait in the school hallways outside the class that you would like to attend. All visitors in attendance will enter the classroom together with Cha.
All Saints Program: The parish is giving the GLVN program a wonderful gift of a program presented by a Catholic comedian/musician on October 30 at Noon. Together as a school, we will laugh and learn about the Saints and our call to be holy like the Saints. We hope that all students will be in attendance at school that day! Parents are invited to join us to watch this program in the school gym from 12-1 p.m.
Advent Retreat (Saturday, Dec. 3) for Lớp 3-10
On Saturday, December 3 from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the church basement, GLVN will have an Advent Retreat for students in grades 3-10. This retreat will prepare students spiritually to celebrate the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ at Christmastime. The students will have a workshop, Confession, Eucharistic Adoration and lunch together.
We are excited to share that Frère Phong will be our guest speaker for both the student and the catechist retreat. Frère Phong is a Brother of the De La Salle Christian Brothers. He is a passionate, humble servant of God who has touched the hearts of many youth and adults alike through his talks. Funny, energetic, and down to earth, Frère Phong will surely make our students laugh, learn, think and pray as he takes them on a road where spirituality intersects with true life experiences.
Please note: For the safety of the students attending, we ask that all parents come inside the church basement to check-in and check-out their child(ren) when dropping off and picking up.
Safety of Our Students
For your information, the parish recently filed a police report regarding a woman who has been loitering at the front steps of our church. Whenever she is approached by someone, she has responded in inappropriate language.
Therefore, we have made efforts by our Administrative Team and teachers to watch the youth and remind them of safety, but we need parent help as well.
- Bring your child into the school and pick up your child inside the church to avoid students wandering around without adult supervision.
- Remind your child to always stay inside the school or church during GLVN hours.
- Students are NOT allowed to go to CVS during the lunch time. Please ensure your child(ren) have their lunch ready prior to coming to school, or that they have money to purchase food in the cafeteria during the lunch time.
- If you need to pick up your child(ren) early from GLVN, please come to the GLVN office (room 103) to sign out your child(ren) and get a pink early dismissal form. Please come to the classroom with the slip to pick up your child(ren). This helps us ensure that students are leaving with an approved guardian.
If you are able to volunteer during GLVN hours (10 am to 1 pm) to monitor our school hallways and doorways and church grounds, we would greatly appreciate the help! Please contact Chi Pham in the GLVN office if you are able to assist in any way (even if just for part of the class hours).
Dress Code for GLVN School and Church
We want to reiterate with our students that we should dress to respect whenever coming to church and the GLVN school. It is our way to show our love for Jesus and our dignity as baptized children of God. “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ” (Galatians 3:27)
Please remind students that they should be wearing their GLVN uniform with the shirt tucked in neatly. Pants should not be sagging or torn. No shorts or short skirts; skirts should be at the knee-level or longer. In addition, on days where youth are at church on non-GLVN school days, please remind your child(ren) not to wear tank tops, sleeveless or shirts with plunging necklines.
Food Allergies – No Peanuts in School
We have some students in our program who are allergic to peanuts. We ask that parents be mindful of this and pack a no-peanut lunch for your children.
GLVN is looking for some experts within our parent community. Please contact Chi Pham if you can help out or have any ideas to share.
Tech Experts – with winter weather approaching soon, our administrative team has been thinking of how we can best communicate with parents in case of a school cancellation due to bad weather. In the past, we have used a call tree and had teachers and Ban Phu Huynh help make individual calls to families to inform them. This is very time consuming and often we aren’t able to reach families in a timely manner.
Therefore, we would like to research group texting, group voicemail, or other ways to quickly get a message out to parents for situations like that. If you have this knowledge or are able to research and test out these types of technologies for us, please let us know!
GLVN Communications
Did you miss our September News? Read it here:
- English: https://www.smore.com/h0q4w
- Tiếng Việt: https://www.smore.com/v43wh
News and information about the GLVN program for parents and students will be posted in a few different places.
- Parish website at www.gxannagiusehien.net
- Parish bulletin
- Bulletin boards in the school at the main entries of the church and school and in the GLVN office (room 103)
- This newsletter (GLVN News) will be published monthly online to keep you updated on what’s happening in the program. It will be sent via email (if we have your email address) and on the parish website.
Contacting GLVN
Main GLVN Phone (general questions and student attendance): 612-470-2627
Please include student full name, grade and parent name/phone number when leaving a message.
Click here to meet the Administrative Team & read more about their roles.
Common questions or concerns listed below can be directed to the specific Administrative Team Member. Please call the GLVN office main number to reach these individuals or visit us in the GLVN office on Sundays from 10:00 to 1:00 p.m.
- Overall GLVN program (Principal)
- Absence reporting/early dismissal (GLVN office room 103 or via phone 612-470-2627)
- Spiritual needs of students/teachers, Mass or Confession (Chaplain)
- Student progress, homework and other class topics (Teachers)
- Giáo Lý curriculum or teachers (Religious Education Coordinator)
- Việt Ngữ curriculum or teachers (Vietnamese Language Coordinator)
- Student database (Secretary)
- Purchase uniforms (Treasurer)
- Student Code of Conduct issues (External Relations Coordinator)
- General security on school and church grounds during GLVN (Safety & Security Lead)
- Liturgical and Mass (Liturgical Lead)
- Children’s Choir (Choir Lead)
During the GLVN Open House, many parents asked about resources to help them learn and grow in their own faith. GLVN feels it is so important for parents to also continue to grow in their knowledge and love for God alongside their child(ren), so we have an ongoing connection in all that we do in the GLVN program with our parish Family Ministry program. Here are some upcoming parish activities that might be of interest to parents.
- All parents, teachers, and individuals are invited to attend a seminar on the "Five Love Languages (Nam Ngon Ngu cua Tinh Yeu)" on Nov. 20 from 12:00-1:25 p.m. There will be an English speaking class and a Vietnamese class with the same content delivered. Please meet in Adult Formation Rooms 13 & 14 in the lower (cafeteria) level.
- The parish is honored to have Archbishop Bernard Hebda visit and celebrate Mass at our parish on November 19 at 7 p.m. All families are invited to come to Mass. The parish would love parishioners to come dressed in our traditional ao dai to share our Vietnamese culture with the Archbishop.
Please contact Chị Yen Fasano (yen.sasjhparish@gmail.com) with any questions about Family Ministry events.
About GLVN
1) To support parishioners in the faith formation of their youth, helping them to know and love God, and preparing them to receive First Reconciliation & Communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation.
2) The Vietnamese language program is integrated into the parish to help our youth maintain their Vietnamese language and culture.
Email: chipham.sasjhparish@gmail.com
Website: www.gxannagiusehien.net
Location: 2627 Queen Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN, United States
Phone: 612-470-2627