The SPIRIT of SKS
Saint Kateri School's Weekly Newsletter ~ April 20, 2020
TOGETHER BUT APART
We MISS YOU! and it looks like we will miss you for a little longer. Last week we received the latest Executive Order from Governor Cuomo's office that extended the New York Pause through May 15th. While we need to continue to be apart, I am encouraged every day with stories of our school community turning lemons into lemonade.
May 15th will mark two months away from our school building and while the school building will remain closed, our school is open. You, our Saint Kateri School families, have gone above and beyond to support the teachers in providing instruction into your homes. We have seen dogs and cats ~ students leaving a meeting to go to the bathroom, eating breakfast (or lunch) and having conflicts with their siblings. We want you to know ~ It Is OK! We are all figuring out how to manage this new way of learning. You are all doing a great job and your children will be OK. At the end of this pandemic, when we are able to learn together at school, it will be important for our students to be healthy of mind. We support you finding a balance between school time and family time, and your own Work from Home responsibilities. Please reach out to your child's teacher if you need help or specific support in creating that balance.
I have been given the privilege of sharing some really great news for our Saint Kateri School family ~ Mrs. Gasic and her husband are expecting their first child in late September. They are over the moon as you can imagine and we are all equally as thrilled! We also got to see her baby bump last week during our Faculty and Staff Happy Hour ZOOM meeting. Adorable!
We miss you and we love you! Take care of yourself and each other! Thank you for all you are doing to support your children and their school during this time!
God bless ~
Mrs. Terri L. Morgan, Principal
A voicemail messages can be left at (585) 467-8730
3rd Quarter Report Cards for Kindergarten - 5th grade
This Friday, April 24th, you will receive your child's Report Card in an email from your child's teacher. We will not be sending home a paper copy for the 3rd quarter, but all families will receive a final paper copy at the end of the 4th Quarter, as usual.
As in prior years, Encore teachers only input grades and comments for 2nd and 4th quarters, so as such there will not be grades in Encore classes this quarter. Also, preschoolers do not receive Report Cards during the 3rd quarter; only for the 2nd and 4th quarter.
Looking ahead to the 4th quarter, all students Preschool - 5th grade will receive an end of the year paper copy mailed to their home.
Please contact me if you have any questions regarding Report Cards, or if you have not received your child's Report Card by 5:0 pm on Friday.
Thank you!
ZOOM Meetings
We are all learning so much during these crazy times, especially in the area of technology; teacher, students, moms and dads. As online instruction has progressed through the weeks, teachers have learned how to better set "classroom" expectations and students have learned how to rise to them. We will continue to learn and adjust to the tasks put in front of us in the best way that we can.
I want to reassure you that we are doing all that we can to help insure that our students and teachers can work together appropriately and effectively. If you ever have a question regarding our use of ZOOM Meetings, please contact me or your child's teacher.
Were you ready for I-Ready?
Were you ready for I-Ready? Are your children struggling with completing the I-Ready Instructional assignments each week?
Teachers are beginning to hear from parents that their children are struggling to complete the online instructional assignments each week. The novelty of using devices to complete work is beginning to wear off and it is no longer "fun". We get it!
Here are a couple of tips and tricks:
- Students differ in stamina by age but also by individual learning style. If your child is loosing steam ~ break the time up into smaller chunks. (i.e. go outside, play a board game, see how fast they can run around the yard or how many times they can hop in 1 minute, draw or color, have a snack, play with siblings, help you with a project, etc.) Giving them time away will help them with their focus when they return.
- Encourage your child to do their best and only click on the answer when they have given it some thought.
- Let your child know that some questions will be difficult and that they may not know the answer. There may be a few in a row that they will struggle with. It is OK ~ This is done intentionally in order for teachers to gauge in a better way skills students have either mastered or are struggling with. Again, encourage your child to do their best.
- There are times when students will be asked to perform a Growth Monitoring section (and possibly in the future the Diagnostic Assessment), before they can go back into their instructional assignment. It is especially important that your child complete these pieces independently. While they may need support during the instructional piece the Growth Monitoring section (and the Diagnostic Assessment) is done without help to get the best student learning information.
Help us celebrate National Architecture Week!
April 20th-24th is National Architecture Week this year ~
and we want to celebrate it in the way that kids know best-
Blanket Forts!
Build a blanket fort at home, take a picture of your child(ren) inside. Post it on Facebook or send it to your teacher!
What better way to engage your creativity and thinking than to build a cozy fort out of materials you already have at home?! For example, you can utilize blankets, chairs, sheets, boxes, poles, cushions, clothes pins tape and string – and anything else you have on hand to construct the best blanket fort possible! Be creative - and Moms and Dads remember, if a structural problem arises for your child, allow your brilliant young architects and engineers work to find a way to solve the problem!
Happy Building!
Yearbook orders and Yearbook ADs are due TODAY at 3:00pm!
Today is the last day to order a Saint Kateri School Yearbook or to purchase an AD to be included in the Yearbook! Please email sksdcs@dor.org if you would like to receive a Yearbook order form or a Yearbook AD form electronically.
Calling all 5th grade parents! Please send in your child's baby picture and Yearbook message as soon as possible.
Do You Know Families Who Are Interested In Registering For Next Year?
Saint Kateri School and the Diocese of Rochester-Department of Catholic Schools offer a variety of scholarship and financial aid opportunities, click below to find out more.
Ambassador Program
Building a Brighter Future Scholarship
Reddington Scholarship (Deadline was extended from April 30, 2020 to June 1, 2020)
Saint Kateri School continues to receive mail, as well as any voicemails left on our Main Office phone number. Please contact us with any questions you may have regarding Registration or Financial Aid process.
Thank you!
Saint Kateri School
Email: sksdcs@dor.org
Website: www.saintkaterischool.org
Location: 445 Kings Highway South, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: (585) 467-8730
Facebook: facebook.com/St.KateriSchoolIrondequoit
Twitter: @StKateriSchool