Panther Press
February 24, 2022
ICCS Mission Statement:
PRINCIPAL'S CORNER
Dear ICCS Parents,
It was a wonderful conference day at ICCS today. I would like to thank the faculty, staff, and our parents who made today such a success. While the conferences were brief check-ins, the thought and planning on the part of our faculty and staff and the time and effort on the part of you, our parents, the overall rewards were great in tangible and intangible ways. What occurred today helps to fulfill a great part of our mission as a Catholic school and resoundingly echos the following that can be found in USCCB’s To Teach as Jesus Did:
"Catholics individually and collectively should join wherever possible with all persons of good will in the effort to . . . consistently reflect Gospel values. Education is one of the most important ways by which the Church fulfills its commitment to the dignity of the person and the building of community. Community is central to educational ministry. . .[and] educational efforts . . .must therefore be directed to forming persons-in-community" (4).
I think the spirit of community present today is best described in our theme for this year -- “We love because He first loved us” 1 John 4.19– and was felt beyond measure throughout the day. The trust and faith we have in each other on this journey of educating students in accordance with standards of excellence in Catholic education permeated through ICCS. I am honored to be a part of and serve this ICCS community of Catholic excellence where trust, love, and faith are so beautifully displayed. Thank you, all of you–faculty, staff, and parents–for your efforts today and always.
Yours in Catholic education,
Blair Moses Tadlock
ICCS Principal
THANK YOU
The administration, faculty and staff would like to thank all of the parents who took time out of their busy schedules to participate in the Parent/Teacher conferences today. Whether you met with your student's teachers in-person or virtually, your presence and time were greatly appreciated.
HAPPY MARDI GRAS
We wish all of our students, parents and faculty members a safe and Happy Mardi Gras! ICCS will be closed tomorrow, Friday, February 25, through Tuesday, March 1. School will resume on Wednesday, March 2.
ASH WEDNESDAY MASS
REMINDER: NOON DISMISSAL ON MARCH 4
All PK-8th Grade students will be dismissed at 12 noon on Friday, March 4, so teachers and staff members can prepare for the upcoming Cognia Accreditation process and site visit. After care services will not be available on March 4. All students must be picked up by 12:30 p.m.
WATER BOTTLE CHARGES
Due to COVID restrictions, all water fountains on campus have been disabled. Just a friendly reminder for parents, please send a reusable plastic water container or bottle of water to school with your student every day. Water refilling stations are located throughout the building and are accessible to students as needed.
If a student forgets his or her reusable water container or bottle of water at home, the front office staff will provide a bottle of water when requested by the student. The fee is $1 per bottle of water. Parents will be billed for the bottles of water at the end of every month via FACTS.
STATE BETA CONVENTION
ICCS 7th & 8th grade Beta students attended the State Beta Convention last week in Lafayette. We are proud to announce that Camille Z., Caroline H., and Rylee K. placed 4th in the Book Battle competition, and Sophia L., Max M., Max N., Douglass M., and Gabi B. placed 5th in the Engineering competition. Both teams are eligible to attend the Beta National Convention this summer in Nashville. We are so proud of these Panthers!
We extend a very special thank you to Mrs. Heffer and Mrs. Poncho for working together to help coordinate this important event for our students. We would also like to thank our chaperones for taking time to do this and without their help this would not have been possible for our students to experience. A big thank you to Mrs. Austin, Mrs. Barrios, Mrs. Stout, Mr. Nixon, Mrs. Elliott, Mrs. Katoch, Mr. Monceaux, and Mrs. Champeaux.
BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR! An ICCS Community performance will take place on Wednesday, March 9, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Gym. All ICCS students, families, and friends are invited to view the back- to-back performances of the 7th Grade and 8th Grade productions.
THE VIRTUE OF MAGNANIMITY
Magnanimity is the virtue that helps us seek to do great things in God. It sounds like, “I want to give my whole life to God!” Do I think more about what I want to do with my life, or what God wants me to do? Or, do I reject God’s plan for me because I want to do something else?
Dear Jesus,
You have called us all to become saints. Every vocation is holy. Help me today, Jesus, to spend some quiet time in prayer asking You how I can give my life to You. Am I called to be married? Am I called to be a sister or a nun? Am I called to be a priest? Help me to open my heart to what You want, and pray the same words that Mother Mary prayed: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done unto me according to Your word.” Amen.
PHOTOS NEEDED FOR 8TH GRADE MEMORY BOOK
ATTENTION ALL 8TH GRADE PARENTS! Your help is needed in order to make the 8th Grade Memory Book project special and meaningful for all students and their families. Please send photos of your child's years at ICCS, both past and present, to Courtney Elliott via email at cannelliott@gmail.com. For more information, please contact Courtney by email or by phone at (337) 274-8128.
BISHOP'S SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
ICCS PTO FUNDRAISER NEWS
RESERVE YOUR AUCTION SEATS NOW
Make plans to attend the "groovy" 2022 PTO Dinner Auction on Friday, March 25, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the ICCS Gym. Individual tickets are $50 each. Reserved tables for 8 are available for $500. Individual ticket and table costs include dinner and drink tickets. To purchase tickets or tables, please click the link below, but hurry, they are going fast!
PEACE * LOVE * SPONSORS
The 2022 PTO Dinner Auction Sponsor list continues to GROW! A BIG Panther THANK YOU to the following businesses and supporters who officially signed on as Auction sponsors this week. We appreciate your commitment and generosity!
Hoffoss Devall, LLC
Chrystal Katoch & John Monceaux, Realtors-Exit Realty Southern
Hunter, Hunter & Sonnier, LLC
Knight Media, Inc.
Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson, LLC
Melanie Bradberry, Realtor-Century 21 Bono Realty
Guy Bradberry
First National Bank DeRidder
Lundy Lundy Soileau & South
Ross Byrley Shelter Insurance
If you or your company are interested in supporting our biggest PTO fundraiser of the year, please contact Auction Chairpersons, Katie Devall and Kelly Serrano at iccsptoauction@gmail.com. A link to the 2022 PTO Auction sponsorship form is provided below.
HOW CAN I HELP?
For the first time in two years, the ICCS PTO will host an in-person Dinner Auction on the school campus. Many parents, "Grandpanthers," alumni and school supporters have recently reached out and asked "how can I help with the Auction?" It takes an army of dedicated volunteers and leaders to plan and prepare for all aspects of the auction from start to finish. Here is a run-down of items and volunteers that are needed at this time. PTO points will be awarded to all ICCS families for their help, contributions and solicitations. Stay tuned for more volunteer opportunities in future issues of the Panther Press.
Live Auction Items Still Needed
The Live Auction Committee is still in need of unique items, packages, and experiences that appeal to a variety of interests and age groups. If you are interested in contributing to the Live Auction, please contact Committee Chairman, Megan Gregory, at megangregory1119@yahoo.com or by phone at (337) 802-1432. PTO points will be awarded for all donations.
Join the Clean Up "Krewe"
Helpers are needed to assist with clean up efforts following the big event. The clean up crew will gather in the gym on Saturday, March 26, beginning at 8:30 a.m. to break down tables and chairs, remove decorations and reset the gym to "pre-auction" specifications. Men and women are needed. The clean up process typically takes about 2 hours. Extra PTO points are awarded to members of the clean up crew. For more information, or to sign up to help, please contact the Clean Up Committee Chairpersons, Becky Abel at beckyaw@gmail.com or by phone at (337) 249-3370 or Sadie Quinn at sadiequinn@yahoo.com or by phone at (337) 540-7999.
Finance Room Volunteers Needed
The Auction committee is seeking 2-3 parent volunteers to assist in the Finance/Check Out Room the night of the Auction (March 25). Finance Room volunteers assist with keeping the silent and live auction purchases and payments up-to-date and organized throughout the night of the event. Volunteers also ensure silent and live auction items are confirmed, paid for and picked up by the designated buyer during the check out process on the night of March 25. For more information, or to volunteer, please contact Kay Morgan at kmorgan@iccsweb.com or by phone at (337) 433-3497.
Donate a Dessert For The Sweet Shop
Homemade and bakery-bought desserts will be auctioned off to the highest bidders and delivered to the buyer's table the night of the Auction. We need your help! Please consider donating a delicious cake, batch of cookies, pie, dessert, brownies...any and all sweet treats are appreciated. All items will need to be delivered to ICCS the morning of Friday, March 25. Donors are asked to submit the items on a non-returnable serving tray or platter. If you would like to contribute a tasty item for the Sweet Shop, please contact Committee Chairperson, Colleen Phillips by email at colleen.phillips1969@gmail.com, or by phone at (337) 496-5496.
Wine Donations Needed
The "Wine in the Line" donation dates are quickly approaching. Donate a bottle of your favorite white or red wine (or both) to the popular ICCS Wine Cellar package that will be auctioned off during the live auction. Every year over 150 bottles of vino are collected thanks to the generous wine lovers in our school community. Donation details are provided below. Donors receive 30 PTO points per bottle (must be a $20 or more value per bottle).
GET YOUR GOLDEN TICKET SOON
Golden tickets are NOW available for purchase online and they are going FAST! Several convenient payment options are available. Buyers can bill the Golden ticket (s) to their auction bidder number, or pay with a check or cash prior to March 24. Please click the link below for more details or to secure your Golden Ticket before they sell out. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9n5KpeG4RXpNW9pKDRj9oRxemLhZzz3xxFownxprcfFguWA/viewform?usp=sf_link
CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL NEWS
ICCS CELEBRATES PRESIDENT'S DAY IN A UNIQUE WAY
ICCS celebrated President's Day on Monday with an educational and unique activity coordinated by Middle School Social Studies Teacher, Mr. Michael Higgins (AKA Abraham Lincoln), and his patriotic 7th Grader students.
Before starting their school day Monday morning, the 7th Graders took time to recite the Gettysburg Address by memory in every classroom in the building simultaneously. They also led all PK-8th Grade students in the Pledge of Allegiance. Great job, Mr. Higgins and 7th Grade students!
KINDERGARTEN SECOND LINE
Happy Mardi Gras! Miss Sarah House and Mrs. Brittani Stine's Kindergarten students have been learning about Mardi Gras traditions. Thanks to the cloudy and rainy weather we had yesterday, the students had to settle for indoor recess time after lunch. When the kids asked to play “Second Line” during recess the Kindergarten teachers and aides sprang into action and quickly made it happen! Check out the link below to view the spontaneous Kindergarten Second Line.
8TH GRADE TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITY
Our 8th Grade students participated in a small group team building activity yesterday. The students had to work together to build the tallest tower of balloons. The tower had to be free standing and remain standing for 7 seconds. Special thanks to Mrs. Milissa Thibodeaux for coordinating and leading the activity, which promoted team work, communication, decision making and problem solving among the students.
"TWOSDAY" WAS 2/22/22
ICCS celebrated 2/22/22 with a variety of fun activities and number-oriented projects. Visit the ICCS Facebook page to view photos of our students and faculty members having "2" much fun on 2/22/22!
THE "WHOLE" CLASS PARTICIPATED
Mrs. Brittany Higginbotham's 3rd Grade students have been learning about fractions. To help make the subject a little easier to understand, Mrs. Higginbotham planned a few fun and creative activities that the "WHOLE" class enjoyed! This is just a small "fraction" of the smiles that were seen on the faces of the students during the activity.
PIZZA PARTY
Mrs. Jodi Schlang's 5th Grade Homeroom Class was treated to delicious pizza yesterday, complements of Pizza Artista in the Prien Lake Mall. The students earned the reward for having the most participation at the recent ICCS SPIRIT Night Religious Education Department fundraiser at Pizza Artista.
QUICK LINKS
FACTS FAMILY PORTAL
Parent Portal access to student grades and assignments.
www.factsmgt.comDON'T FORGET TO LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST ICCS NEWS AND EVENTS!
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