Car Wash

The car wash on April 20th was sponsored by the Girls on the Run and the Student Council of St. Ambrose.  The proceeds went to Backstoppers to support our police officers and firefighters.  A police helicopter landing, arranged by Officer Ron Danback, added to the excitement of the day.  With the help of Mr. Ray Hummel, there was also a fire truck on hand, and some lucky students got to sit behind the wheel.  Mr. and Mrs. Fuse provided some refreshment with the gelato cart.  A total of $700 was raised, and a lot of happy people drove off in clean cars. 

Mission Carnival

On Friday, April 12, St. Ambrose Student Council held a Mission Carnival for the students of St. Ambrose School. Student Council did much planning and preparation to make the carnival as enjoyable as possible. The carnival included activities such as a giant blow-up obstacle course, many fun games, face painting, and fresh popcorn courtesy of the Athletic Association. The obstacle course was a huge hit. Members of STUCO tracked how long students took to complete the course. Jimmy Lahrman ended up with the winning time of 13 seconds. Overall, the Mission Carnival was a huge success. Over $1,000 was raised to be split between four different Respect Life charities. Student Council did a great job of raising money for charity while having fun and providing an unforgettable time for students.

By: Andrew Grassi

May Crowning

On May 6th, after Communion during the 8:00 a.m. Mass, the second graders led the St. Ambrose community in prayer and song, as they crowned a statue of the Blessed Mother.  Dressed in their First Communion finery, the students processed down the center aisle and placed flowers in vases in front of the sanctuary.

School Picnic 

It was a perfect day for a picnic on May 7th, as the St. Ambrose School Community gathered outdoors to enjoy the rides, games, food and fun on the parish grounds.  A great time was had by all.

House Day Olympics

The four houses gathered for a morning of team building exercises at Berra Park on Thursday, May 9th.  A light on and off rain threatened to spoil the activities, but our crew marched on.  The rest of day was spent in the school gym.  A special thanks to our teachers, Mrs. Debbie Hilderbrand, Mrs. Kate Black, Mrs. Jennifer Ronzio, Mr. Henry Samson, and Mr. Justin Dibb for planning such a special event.

Girls on the Run

The Sacred Heart of Jesus was enthroned at St. Ambrose during the 8:00 a.m. Mass on Friday, April 26.  Our Pastor, Monsignor Vincent Bommarito celebrated the Mass and presided at the Enthronement.  In this multi-media presentation, Sister Katie Press explains this beautiful liturgy.  The piano music is by Gary Scott.  

Let the Alleluia Sound Again!

The Easter season is a time to move forward as the Apostles do in the early Christian community and bring God’s kingdom to all the world. In this year of faith we can renew our hopes and dreams to spread the WORD of God to all those we meet.

 Middle school students dramatize the stations of the cross. 

 Contact me at ckileyascj@gmail.com, or by phone at 314-772-1437, ext 114. 

photos by Judy Bozikis

Monsignor Mark Rivituso, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, confirmed the eighth grade class at St. Ambrose Church on Tuesday, April 9th.

 Abilities Awareness Day

photos by Debbie Hilderbrand

Lemonade Surprise

The School Group of the 8^th grade class treated parents and faculty to a glass of pink lemonade this morning as a random act of kindness.  St. Ambrose students have been concentrating on the virtue of kindness this year and as a continuation of the Confirmation service, the 8^th grade decided that they wanted to “treat” the parents as they were dropping off their children for school.  Everyone enjoyed the “surprise treat”.  Some even made a donation!  Thank you to the 8^th grade for their kind treats to begin the day

.                                

Mrs. Kate Black’s 6th grade class works on a virtue project with Ms. Lynne Lang, author of Virtue Based Restorative Discipline.  See their story in this multi-media presentation narrated by students, Carolyn Sinak and Adam Menker.

BY LIVING VIRTUE WE LIVE LIKE JESUS!

“Return to me with your whole heart, for gracious and merciful is HE.” Joel 2:12

From the beginning of Lent to Easter we’re on a journey of the heart. …In French, the word for “heart” is “coeur, ” the root of our word, “Courage.” It takes COURAGE  to be kind and caring.  A simple Lenten practice would be that whenever we see or hear the word, “heart,” to remind ourselves and others in our family to:

Have courage! Have heart!   We are not alone on this journey alone.  Jesus walks with us.

We have been steeped in VIRTUE and the practice of virtue since we started our Virtue Program in August. When we talk about practices for lent—we have the virtues before us and the banners in our school halls that will visibly remind us of the virtues that we are trying to practice—kindness,  forgiveness,  compassion and patience. As a school community we can intensify our efforts to be virtuous each day.

LENT invites us to ask these questions

What do I need to give up in order to be kind? What do I need to give up in order to RECEIVE kindness ? What do I need to TAKE ON in order to be a kind person of greater love?

How can we practice forgiveness, patience and compassion?

All loving God, help us to become people of virtue  that you want us to be.

Give us clean hearts, but also open hearts… that we may see all the times we have to bring your kindness to those around us in the simplest of ways.

May we fast from unkindness, impatience and not forgiving. May this Lent be the acceptable time to feast on forgiveness, compassion and patience.  

Contact me at ckileyascj@gmail.com, or by phone at 314-772-1437, ext 114.

As a surprise for the students this morning, March 12, an All School Assembly was held at 9AM in the gym.  Representatives from the St. Louis FBI were present to present Mrs. Debbie Hilderbrand and the 6^th and 7^th grade classes an award.  They participated in the FBI’s “Safe on Surfing” Campaign.  The 6^th and 7^th grade students logged on to the FBI-SOS website and completed several activities in which they learned components of Internet Safety.  At the completion of the activities, they took an online quiz.  Out of all of the schools that participated in the program for the month of January – the St. Ambrose Students scored the highest scores on the test!  Mrs. Hilderbrand was presented with a crystal globe trophy and the media (KSDK and KMOV) were present for the presentation.

Congratulations to the students of St. Ambrose on this wonderful accomplishment!

photos from FBI

More Awards

Art Award- “Picture the Music,” an art contest sponsored by the St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association, is an annual event in which students listen to a selection of      symphonic music and then create their own artistic interpretations through their artwork.   Four of our students were recognized for their outstanding artwork at a special awards ceremony held at Powell Symphony Hall on February 28^th:

            Daniel Evans                 Grade 5            Maestro Award (the highest prize granted, this award is only presented to one student in the category of grades 4-6)

            Allison Ruggeri Grade 3            Blue Ribbon

            Anthony Torretta          Grade 4            Special Recognition

            Liliana Marcallini           Grade 2            Special Recognition

            This year more than 17,430 students from 104 schools participated in the contest. Of  these, more than 600 entries were submitted.

            We congratulate all of our winners and Mrs. JoAnn Dreas

            Bellarmine Speech- We are very proud of our speech team once again. We only had 3 students who were able to attend the meet at Sts. Joachim and Ann on Saturday.    Lily Kanagawa and Gabby Burk earned a Blue ribbon for their performance as a duet.   Hannah Loranger received a Blue ribbon for her Humorous performance.   Thanks to Kathy Mitchell for representing us a judge for the meet.

CATHOLIC SCHOOL WEEK–2013

Catholic schools continue the teaching ministry of Jesus through Christian service, and this is never more evident than during CATHOLIC SCHOOL WEEK.

Archbishop Carlson has said, “Catholic schools are powerful instruments of evangelization—helping members of the Catholic community and others from many diverse faiths, cultures and economic backgrounds grow intellectually, personally and spiritually as members of the one family of God. Catholic schools are also vital to the social ministry of the Church—through the assistance they provide to students and families in need, but also in their commitment to teaching social justice and to providing students with opportunities to serve others.”

We had a wonderful celebration of student talent and school wide enjoyment last week during CATHOLIC  SCHOOL WEEK!

Swing dancers from DuBourg High School danced with our students.

Each day brought many experiences for us to see our school community enjoying each other in countless ways! We are grateful for our Parish, our  Pastor, our School, and the many benefactors who support us in countless ways. “ It is in giving that we receive!” Prayer of St. Francis

Volleyball game with students vs. teachers.

Skating at Steinberg Rink.

Contact me at ckileyascj@gmail.com, or by phone at 314-772-1437, ext 114.

Eli Held, Tommy Canino, and Kaitlyn Kroger narrate a multi-media presentation, showing our eighth graders and Mrs. Debbie Hilderbrand visiting some of the local businesses, and exploring some of the heritage that make the Hill Neighborhood and St. Ambrose School so special.  Come along for the fun.

Dear Families, Friends, and Visitors to our website,

May we ponder some of my favorite quotes of the season!

“Oh, God….

Help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the songs of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of wise men.

May this Christmas season make us happy to be your children

Robert Louis Stevenson.

A New Year’s Prayer

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”         Jeremiah 29

Lord,

As a new year begins, we come to You and ask for Your blessing.   We pray that you will give us joy to fill our days, peace to fill our hearts, and love to fill our lives.   Thank You for the plans You have for us this new year.

May the blessings of our Savior be yours in abundance as we celebrate this beautiful season of GIVING!  I am thanking God for you and praying that your new year is blessed in every way.

You and your family are in my prayers during this beautiful season!

Wise men seek Him still.

Contact me at ckileyascj@gmail.com, or by phone at 314-772-1437, ext 114.

 Due to the fact that “Ordinary Time” refers to the period of the Catholic Church’s liturgical year that is not the major seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter; and, because of the meanings of the word “ordinary” to we English speaking people, many people think Ordinary Time refers to the times in the Church year that are insignificant. Nothing could be further from the truth!

 Ordinary Time is called “ordinary” because the weeks are numbered. The English word “order” stems from the Latin word ordo. So, Ordinary Time is the ordered life of the Church. Ordinary Time is the period of the Church year where we live our lives neither in feasting (as during the Christmas and Easter seasons) nor in anticipation (as during Advent and Lent). Ordinary Time is a period of watchfulness and expectation of the Second Coming of Christ.

Registration is Upon Us:

REGISTRATION FOR NEW FAMILIES:  New families have been registering since  Open House. We need to have registration completed by Feb. 22^nd

RE-REGISTRATION FOR FAMILIES IN ST. AMBROSE SCHOOL:  Application packets were sent home on Jan. 22^nd and we are asking that they be returned by Feb 22^nd.  This timeline will be crucial for ensuring a place in the class.

THE ALIVE IN CHRIST GRANTS are still being accepted  at the Diocese . These grants are distributed on a first come first served basis. We have made every effort to distribute the forms for Alive in Christ. If you still need one, please contact the office.

 Respect Life Initiative:  Fr. Mike Esswein Visits St. Ambrose School

 As an ongoing part of St. Ambrose School’s “Respect Life Initiative,” last week, Fr. Mike Esswein, a priest with disabilities who is assigned to St. Peter’s Parish in Kirkwood, MO, spoke to the faculty and students.  Fr. Mike spoke to students in groups: K-2nd grades, 3rd-5th grades, and 6th-8th grades.

 Fr. Mike initiated his conversation by explaining the differences between a person who is paraplegic and a person who is quadriplegic.  He explained that 20 years ago he was in a car accident and broke his neck. He went on to explain how his life changed with the accident. Father showed the students some of the tools that he uses to help him eat, carry things on his lap, and hold the Eucharistic host at Mass.

 Fr. Mike explained how the accident and his disability has changed him and how it has effected his faith. He told the students that at first he was angry and could not believe that this could happen to him, but then Father realized that the accident and broken neck has brought him closer to Jesus.  Fr. Mike realized that Jesus really did not want to suffer and die, but Jesus did to save us all. Father encouraged all that we should believe especially during difficult times, because God always brings good out of every tragedy and crisis.

Virtue-Based Restorative Discipline: “Kindness Starts in a Loving Heart”

Teachers are working hard to facilitate activities and events that encourage and form virtue. Last week, Mrs. Emily Elmore (3rd grade teacher), Mrs. Kate Black (Alphonsa House), Mrs. Michele Grellner (Learning Consultant), and Mrs. Lisa Horner (Learning Consultant) attended a workshop on Virtue-Based Restorative Discipline (VBRD) offered by the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Parents are beginning to be educated in VBRD program which forms a virtuous life to fight the culture of disrespect. Bullying is an adult problem because children live in the world we have created. Adults hold the solution—and that solution can be found in the virtuous life that Christ teaches in scripture. “Bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.” (Colossians 3:13).

Girls on The Run: Coming to St. Ambrose School this Spring!

Girls on the Run is an after school program for girls in 3rd – 5th grade that uses the power of running to help prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. The girls will meet on Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:45pm. Practices will begin Wednesday, February 20th and end on Wednesday, May 8th. They will complete in  5K (3.1 mile) event with all of the other Girls on the Run participants from across the St. Louis region.

The fee for the 10-week, 20-lesson program is $150.00. Payment plans and generous scholarships are available; no girl has ever been turned away! Please contact Mrs. Jen Ronzio at jronzio@stambroseonthehill.com or 314-772-1437, ext. 114 if you have any questions regarding the program or to register.

  Out on The Town: Field Trips

The 5th grade students traveled to “JA BIZTOWN” this week and before Noon on the 17th the students figured business costs, opened a checking account, voted, and paid their employees. Not bad for 11-year olds! This all is possible because Mrs. Kathy McIver, 5th grade teacher, taught numerous lessons which provided hands-on active participation in a simulated community designed to support differentiated learning styles. Due to the hard work of the students and Mrs. McIver, the students were responsible for a number of key businesses, such as Bank of America, Monsanto, KPLR Channel 11 TV, and Peabody/Ameren UE.

The Kindergarten through 2nd grade students, in March, will be heading to Florissant Civic Center Theatre to see “The Jungle Book” offered by St. Louis Family Theatre. We wait to hear our students’ reviews of the show.

The 7th Grade travelled to the St. Louis History Museum to see the George Washington Display

The 8th Grade travelled to the Repertory Theater to see the play “The Foreigner”

Sharing Their Knowledge

The 3rd graders in Mrs. Judy King’s class not too long ago eagerly anticipated the canonization of Kateri Tekakwitha. The “Lily of the Mohawks,” as she is called, is their classroom patron Saint. The students learned about Kateri through stories and videos, and prepared for her canonization by making crosses to give out in imitation of Kateri. The day after Kateri’s canonization by Pope Benedict XVI, Mrs. King’s 3rd graders celebrated by parading through the school singing a song about St. Kateri that they had made up and they gave out a special cross to each homeroom. On their day of celebration the 3rd graders proudly said, “Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, pray for us!”

Sharing Their Talents 

The 6th grade class, last week, put on a play for the Kindergarten through 3rd grade students. The play was a scene from Clark Gesner’s ”You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” and had three set changes. The sets were designed and colored by the 6th graders. Actors were in costume and used props. Among the roles the 6th graders took on were director, actors, stage crew chief, stage crew, set design, marketing, cameraman, and editor. Everyone had an equally important role. This play was a hands-on approach to a literature unit in drama and was a great learning experience for everyone. The class wrapped up the unit with a class meeting on how this experience also turned out to be a great way to practice virtues. Mrs. Kate Black is very proud of her 6th grade literature class.

St. Ambrose Bellarmine Speech League will participate in their second meet of the school year on February 3rd. Humorous Speeches will be present by Chloe Mitchell (6th grade), Hannah Loranger (6th grade), and Alyssa Nowotny (6th grade). A Duet Speech will be performed by Lily Kanagawa (7th grade) and Gabrielle Burk (7th grade). Good luck to the participants.  Thank you to Miss Kathy Mitchell for representing St. Ambrose as a judge.

Dance and Theater

Abby Llewellyn (5th grader) has danced her way around the world. Abby has competed at the World Irish Dance Championships (2011) in Glasgow, Scotland, All Scotland Championships (2012) where she placed 24th (highest placing American in her competition), and Mid-America Oireachtas (2012) where she placed 4th out of 142 dancers. In March, Abby will travel to Boston, MA to compete in the World Irish Dance Championships; and, in July, she will travel to California to compete in the American Irish Dance Championships.

Ken Sanders (3rd grader) made his acting debut last year as a Woodland Animal in Shrewsbury Community Theater’s production of “Snow White: A Musical.”

Natalie Scheers (5th grade) and Victoria Scheers (3rd grade) performed last year in COCA’s production of “Willie Wonka, Jr.”  Natalie was a Candy Girl. Victoria was an Oompa Loompa.

Carolyn Sinak (6th grader) danced in Dance Center of Kirkwood’s production of “Nutcracker.”  She was a child and an angel in this classic Christmastime ballet.

Abby Walsh (3rd grade) made her acting debut last year in the ensemble of Shrewsbury Community Theater’s production of “The Sound of Music.” Later this winter, Abby will be a Lost Child in Shrewsbury’s production of “Peter Pan.”

Dear Parents, Students and Prospective Families,

As we approach the feast of Christmas, we prepare for the birth of Christ with the beautiful season of Advent. We can picture the many signs and symbols of the season that we have known for years: the lighting of an Advent wreath that symbolizes God’s love for us; the Jesse tree that retells the stories of the ancestors of Jesus who awaited the Savior; the practice of placing straw in the manger, which reminds us of the connection between good deeds and the baby born in simplicity; and finally, the beautiful Advent hymns that we sing with all our hearts. One can’t help but take note of the sparkle of excitement in the eyes of our children.

Each year the season of Advent calls us to a sense of waiting and longing.

As a family and as a member of the St. Ambrose Parish community we have been taught to expect great things when our Savior is born. Can we expect more peace of mind, improved communication in our homes, an end to violence in our cities and our world?  As this year of faith unfolds, we may ask for a deeper faith and new insights about ourselves and those dear to us.

As we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ may we resolve to buy less and save more!

Fr. John Kavanaugh, S.J. a St. Louis Jesuit who died several weeks ago, challenged us with his depth and clear thinking for the last 40 years. I read a quote of his this week that really caused me to ponder the Advent messages.   “ To resist a consumerist culture that weaves itself into every fabric of our lives, we must participate with our whole heart, our whole mind, our whole being. Not only will we find ourselves more able to counter the culture’s dogmas, we will also be more ardent Disciples of Christ.”

May we begin to live this message and thus be able to live peacefully, joyfully and filled with faith.

Merry Christmas!

Contact me at ckileyascj@gmail.com, or by phone at 314-772-1437, ext 114.

Click  on start button above to see a slideshow of the Student Council Project to collect items for the Ronald McDonald House.  Narrators: Annalisa Seib, Student Council President, and Emily Rafferty, Fifth grader and Project Leader.  Project Moderator: Mrs. Kate Black.