Cougar Nation Announcements
November 14, 2019
Everyone
Mark Your Calendar
November 14 - Robotics league Meet - 4:30 p.m.
November 14 - Girls Soccer Scrimmage vs. Waco FC - 6:00 p.m.
November 15 - Varsity vs. Bay Area Christian School - League City - 7:00 p.m. kickoff
November 16 - Girls Varsity vs. Bosqueville @ home - 11:00 a.m.
November 16 - Parish Festival - 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
November 18 - Boys Basketball @ Harmony - 5:00 p.m.
November 19 - Girls Varsity Basketball @ Riesel - 6:00 p.m.
Message from Fr. Ryan
Names are incredibly important. They’re more than something we’re called; they are deeply personal gifts that are as much an expression of our parents’ love as they are a representation of who we are to the world and our family history. When we hear that a friend or family member has given birth to a new child one of the first questions we ask is “What’s the name?” This same question is the first thing our infant souls hear entering the church. The celebration of baptism starts not with a sign of the cross but with the priest asking, “What name do you give your child?” This is because names are how we hear the call of the Lord to follow him. Christ doesn’t call us by saying “Hey you, follow me.” He calls us by name. I believe that is why, after we announced the merger of St. Louis Catholic School and Reicher Catholic High School, so many of you asked me what the name of the merged school would be. At the time we came up with the working title of “St. Louis-Reicher,” but this is a bit like if my brother referred to his child as “Baby Higdon.” It works for a time but it’s ultimately not a name that lasts. The working title also had the unfortunate reality of accidentally canonizing Bishop Reicher when spoken aloud. We’re now 10 months into our merger and the school, like a new child, needs a name that fits our past and reflects our future. As the spiritual father, I am asking for your input and consideration for a new school name that honors our rich parish and school family history and magnifies our legacy. Please take a moment to complete the questionnaire located at the link below:
www.surveymonkey.com/r/GCWHNCM
It is my hope that we will be able to announce a new name chosen by the Bishop and myself sometime in the new year. Christ is calling our school by name and it is my prayer that we will hear that name clearly.
Fr. Ryan
Update to First Honors List
All-School Mass
All-School Mass will be on LAST THURSDAYS starting in January (not November) and continue through the rest of the school year.
Our next All-School Mass is December 5 and the next one will be January 30.
Operation Christmas Letter Update
We are really moving along. We have all our letters in from Reicher and St Louis is still sending letters! We feel so blessed to have your support.
We will make the survival bracelets from November 8 through November 15. Please reach out to Mrs. Kelly if you would like to help out with the bracelets.
Reicher’s Advisory groups have each adopted an item to bring, but we are happy to accept any of the following items. Please feel free to donate any of the items below toward the Christmas Boxes being sent to our deployed troops!
- Deodorant: No aerosol
- Bug Spray with Deet: No aerosol
- Baby Wipes
- Chapstick
- Puzzle Books
- Beef Jerky: no pork
- Ground Coffee
Parents
Volunteers Needed for St. Louis Peppermint Village
The Peppermint Village Gift Shop is coming to our elementary school this year with exciting gifts for the entire family. Volunteers are needed to make this event enjoyable for our elementary students. You will receive one volunteer point for every hour worked.
The Peppermint Village gift shop will begin on December 2nd and run through December 6th. It will take place in the library and the schedule is as follows:
Monday, Dec. 2nd: 8 AM - 3:20 PM
Tuesday, Dec. 3rd: 7:30 AM - 3:20 PM
Wednesday, Dec. 4th: 8 AM - 3:20 PM
Thursday, Dec. 5th: 8 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday, Dec. 6th: 8 AM- 1 PM
We're using SignUp.com (the leading online SignUp and reminder tool) to organize our upcoming SignUps. Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:
1) Click this link to see our SignUp on SignUp.com: https://signup.com/go/uaautHA
2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.
3) Sign up! It's Easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com.
Gift Cards for Teachers
You can drop off your donation with Mrs. Besa or Mrs. Michalka.
College Corner
Be sure to let Mrs. Conners know the names of the colleges/universities to which you have been admitted. College admission is an exciting time, and we want to share in your celebration. If you would like to have your picture posted on our social media platforms with your acceptance letter, please send that information to Mrs. Chollett at bchollett@stlouiswaco.org.
Students
Kindness Week
Since the beginning of the year, Advisory Groups have been meeting on a weekly basis. The purpose of these meetings have been to foster positive peer relationships and build community. Our most recent topic has been kindness and specifically how to be kind and respectful in how we communicate.
In support of our activities in Advisory, Student Council is sponsoring Kindness Week next week. Everyday will be themed by a characteristic of kindness and will have a coordinating color. Students will be allowed to wear a shirt, socks, and shoes of that color on those days. It is considered spirit dress, so only jeans or uniform shorts or skirts are allowed. You may wear crocs but no flip flops, slides or sandals. On Thursday, boys can wear ties and girls can wear sweaters and/or scarves that have yellow in them.
Monday- purple for patience
Tuesday- red for love
Wednesday- pink for understanding
Thursday- yellow for generosity
Friday- blue for compassion
There will also be various activities throughout the week to promote kindness. Including Class Thanksgiving Celebration during lunch on Friday, November 22nd. Students have the opportunity to purchase Thanksgiving plates in advance and each class will be bringing desserts for their class to share. Seniors will eat in St. Joseph Hall, Juniors in the foyer by St. Joseph Hall, Sophomores and Freshmen in the cafeteria.
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games, also traditionally known as Food 4 Families, have begun. Every year, Reicher and St. Louis have collected non-perishable items for the Waco community. This year we are joining our efforts to see which class can bring in the most items. The high school class with the most items will be taken to lunch off campus. The 3 students that bring in the most items will also receive a prize. A student will receive credit for 1 service hour for every 15 items they donate.
A special incentive is that if you bring items to the Blackout Pep Rally tonight, you will receive double the credit toward your class goal.
Another special twist, for every case of water (at least 24 count), you can remove 12 items from another class. For example, let’s say the junior class has 50 items. A member of another class can bring 1 case of water and say they want to use it against the junior class so their total will go to 38 items.
Exam Schedule
Below is the Semester 1 Exam Schedule. The school will open and supervision will be present beginning at 7:30 a.m. Teachers will be in their classrooms by 8:00 a.m. and available for tutoring until 8:45 a.m. They will also remain on campus and available for tutoring after exams from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. If students remain on campus after exams, they must be with a teacher or staff member. They will not be allowed to congregate in the foyer by the gym without supervision. All students need to be picked up by 12:30 pm on Friday, December 20th because the teachers will all be in a meeting beginning beginning at that time.
High School Fall Retreat - How He Loves
The retreat will be held November 23- 24 at Messiah's Ranch in Bryan, Texas. There is a bonus night for upperclassmen on November 22, where 11th and 12th graders will be able to invite God into their lives in a particular way as they look ahead to what they'll be doing after high school.
The cost for the retreat is $60.00 if you sign up before October 15 and have either paid the St Louis Youth registration fee or are on a payment plan. After October 15, the cost goes up to the regular registration price, $80.00. Late registration is $100.00 from November 9-15.
Have questions? Reply to this newsletter or email Alycia Frech at afrech@reicher.org.