The Valiant Chronicles
Inaugural Issue ~ Spooky October / Thankful November 2015
Celebrate!
By: Editor
Mrs. Diane Wooten celebrates 40 years at St. Francis de Sales School this year. WOW! To honor her, the PTO launched a super-secret campaign to raise funds for a special gift for Mrs. Wooten. At the school-wide Mass on Friday, October 9, the PTO officers presented the surprise gift to Mrs. Wooten: a James Avery charm bracelet with a charm from each class. Mrs. Wooten then gave a heartfelt speech of thanks and shared some beautiful memories. We are so grateful for Mrs. Wooten and her dedication to SFdS School!
Checking in With Our Classes
By: Alan Hoang and Elizabeth York
Here is a peek into Kindergarten. Kinder is reviewing their shapes. They are also reviewing their numbers. They are learning some prayers like Glory Be, Guardian Angel, and Our Father. For Mary's birthday, they decorated cupcakes. They are learning how to catch and throw. Wow! Kindergarten is fun!
1st Grade
By: Alan Hoang and Elizabeth York
Currently, first grade is learning a lot of things. For math, they are learning number lines. They are also learning how to count backward and forward. For reading, they are learning their short vowel sounds. They have prayer leaders each week and they recite the Prayer of the Month. They can also share a prayer from home. For the creative part of their minds, they have Writers Workshop where they write mini-stories. There is a little look into first grade!
2nd Grade
By: Allie Wieland
Our second grade students have been hard at work during this first quarter! I
was able to talk with Mrs. Broussard and she has given me many highlights of the
class. Here's what she has to say: "Second graders have observed the sprouting of
lima bean seeds in Science class. Students were able to take home the sprouted
seeds to plant in their own gardens at home. In Social Studies, we have completed
a "Me on the Map" project where the students found their special places on the
map including their continent, country, state, and city. We are now using our
"passports" to "travel" to all the different continents! Second graders have color
coded sentences by finding nouns and verbs, and continue to practice addition and
subtraction facts. We are also loving reading new books and taking AR tests." It
sounds like 2nd grade is having a blast and learning a lot. Keep it up guys!
Valiants Learning & Growing in Faith
Submitted by: Mr. Hebert
Several 8th graders presented the story of "St. Michael the Archangel and the Battle in Heaven" in the Pre-K through 5th grade classrooms on the morning of September 29th. They also distributed St. Michael coloring pages to the lower-grade students. Pictured below are the presenters: Allie, Marc, Bella, Martin, and Andreas. Bravo!
Submitted by: Mrs. Rush and Mrs. Garison
The PK3 classes have been learning about God's Creation and have made a booklet about the seven days of Creation, as told in Genesis. Below are pictures of these precious ones with a finished book!
In Service to Others
Story by: Editors
Photography by: Lasalette Sumbe
A beautiful tradition that began several years ago at SFdS is Pink Week. During that week in October, we honor those who have fought (and are fighting) breast cancer, including members of our own SFdS family. We learn about how we should care for ourselves by staying healthy in body, mind, and spirit. We also learn how we can help others who are fighting the disease. A highlight of this week is our school's participation in Locks of Love. This is a program in which people can donate their own hair to make wigs for those who have lost their own hair during their cancer treatments. During assembly, our Barber Extraordinaire and breast cancer survivor, also known as Principal Diane Wooten, cuts the hair of those who wish to participate and donate their hair. Some of these people have been growing their hair for years to have enough to donate! A heartfelt THANK YOU to those who donated!
By: Editor
Sparkle Day was held October 10 and organized by Ms. Grace Cheung. Our campus was spruced up inside and out. Thanks to our students and families who came out to work together on this service project!
Caring for Body, Mind, and Spirit
Hugs over Drugs
By: Lasalette Sumbe, Camille Directo, and Nonye Okoye
Photography by: Lasalette Sumbe
Red Ribbon Week is alcohol-, drugs-, and violence awareness week. We usually focus on drugs, but violence and alcohol abuse can do almost as much damage. A fourth grader who decided to remain anonymous told us, “Too much alcohol can make people do crazy stuff and change their attitudes towards different things. Violence can hurt a family and the
kids in that family are affected by growing up with that stuff around them.” If a fourth grader can acknowledge that, then it is shouldn't be difficult for the rest of us. RRW was created in 1985 in honor of an agent that was kidnapped, hurt, and murdered. He was undercover in Guadalajara, Mexico, for a serious narcotics operation. Now today all over the U.S., schools support the RRW campaign. “In the years I have been at St. Francis de Sales School, I've felt like I’m more educated about the dangers of abuse, domestic violence, and overdosing on drugs,” said Lasalette Sumbe. Madelyn Gaiser says that "People shouldn’t use drugs, so they won't be bad.” Even though we got various interviews, they all said the same thing - “Drugs are bad, drugs cause trouble.”
So support the cause, you guys, and remember - Pizza and Hugs over Drugs.
Take it From Me
By: Anonymous
1. If you ever see someone getting teased, it mightlook like they’re okay, but they might not be. So please
step in for that person. You won’t be considered a loser.
People will think that you’re so brave to do that, that
you’re like fearless or something. STOMP OUT BULLYING.
2. Ladies of all ages, listen up, because here it is, plain and simple:
YOU ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL So let go of the self-consciousness because you are forever GORGEOUS.
3. And ladies, one more thing: No amount of attention from a boy should define who you are or how you or anybody else sees you.
Einstein Valiants
Submitted by: Mrs. Broussard and Mrs. Hyland
Alejandra Ahumada, Ann Chu, Christine Directo, Elizabeth Pennell, and Camila Sutherland have all passed 30 or more AR tests with an average book level that is above grade level! Great work!
Athletic Aces
Valiants Volleyball, Mrs. Ben-David and Mrs. Grant: The SJV team won their home game against St. Thomas More!
SFdS Soccer 4 All, Coaches Trevino and Wong: Our first grade team won their game against Clay Road Baptist Church! The bottom picture shows the 1st grade Soccer 4 All team praying with the opposing team before their game.
Caught Ya Bein' Good!
Mrs. Lim: Kolbe Pham in my class made the sweetest gesture the other day by offering to clean up my lunch tray! It was so thoughtful and very gentlemen-like!
Mrs. Broussard and Mrs. Hyland: Tyler Sisan has been very helpful and kind when classmates are having a bad day or need extra assistance. Way to be a good friend, Tyler!
Mrs. Grant: Max Pham held the door open to the cafeteria for young students. He then had to hurry to catch up to his classmates, so he wouldn't be late.
Happy Birthday! By Alan Hong & Elizabeth York
Jordan Saldua
Afoma Nwosu
Austin Truong
Ploypairin Prakoth
Sean Isidienu
Bryce Louis
Khoi Doan
Medha Kukkalli
Celine To
Isabella Fenn
Sofia Serrano
Lillian Tran
Eden Ting
Aloysius Nwazojie
Minh-Dat Dylan Hoang
Saraiah Rodriguez
Trinity Luong
Katharine Flynn
Sidney Nguyen
Haley Murphy
Grace De Falco
Liam Ahearn
Johnnie Francis
Paul Vo
Christopher Gonzales
Luc Doan
Terezina Ubole
Ryan Khoi Nguyen
Sheridan Simmons
Justin Valdecanas
Jayden Brinkley
Jade Garza
Jacqueline Pedroza
September Faculty & Staff
Ms. Johnson
Mrs. Cheung
Mrs. Rush
Ms. Dunlap
Mrs. Aguilar
Mrs. Lim
October Students
Miranda Tse
Kayla Nicole Garibay
Andy Nguyen
Paulina Le
Maximillian Isidienu
Matthew Gaiser
Taylor Luong
Chris Pratheesh
Elizabeth York
Kathleen Ngo
Teresa Silllah
Ryan Lam
Briana Cardenas
Jonathan Makhoul
SaraGrace Smith
Jaden Won
Allison Wieland
Declan Johnson
Ian Valdecanas
Eleni Kaiser
Nathaniel Ben-David
Helenah Ducay
Aryana Calderon
Dominic-Rain Padilla
Caleigh Wright
Rhiley Madamba
Fallyn Johnson
Laura Sanchez
Baoanh Nguyen
Lasalette Sumbe
Luke Anigbogu
Thomas Eixman
Kevin Dang
Alexandria Chudleigh
Irie Jaehne
Christopher Gaiser
Nathaniel Gonzales
Jessica Le
Peter Le
Jason Agu
Joshua Nguyen
October Faculty & Staff
Mrs. Porterfield
Mr. Garza
Mrs. Gomez
Mr. Martinez
Ms. Lechuga
The Valiant Chronicles is a collaborative effort by a team of 6th-8th grade students of St. Francis de Sales School. Sponsor is Mrs. Eron Grant, Editor is Mrs. Stephanie Pennell.
Email: grante@sfdsschool.org
Website: www.SFdSSchool.org
Location: 8100 Roos Road, Houston, TX, 77036
Phone: 713-774-4447