St. Ambrose School, 2007-2008
Weekly News Files
September 20, 2007

NewsCalendarEvents and ActivitiesIn the Classroom and the CommunityVolunteer OpportunitiesMiscellaneousReference

Please plan to attend the Ravioli Dinner in the St. Ambrose cafeteria this Sunday from noon to six.  
This is the annual fund raiser for the Sick and Elderly Program, which for 36 years
has supplied all hospital supplies and equipment to any Hill resident free of charge.
Come support this wonderful program while enjoying a delicious dinner and live band music in the gym.



NewsTop

Our Thanks To
The new chairs were purchased with funds from Target's Take Charge of Education program. Apply for a Target REDcard or Visa and 1% of your purchases are returned to your designated school.
New tables are on order, purchased with proceeds from the Quilt Social.


Notes to Parents
Right Start Program
Eighth grade students, as well as their parents and teachers, know they will be faced with many life impacting decisions during high school and beyond. Will they have the right information when it comes to choices about chastity and abortion? The Right S.T.A.R.T. (Students Tackling Abortion Realities Today) program delivers five fascinating lessons on fetal development, abortion, chastity, end-of-life issues, and the sanctity of each life created by God. Students and teachers receive brochures and handouts that reinforce and expand on each day's topic. An important part of this program is the parent meeting. Sharing this information with the parents is vital as they need to be able to talk with their children about these issues.

Catholic High School Information
Access the schedule for all High School Nights scheduled this Fall, as well as information on each school's program, fees, etc. on the archdiocesan web site. Go to archstl.org and look under Secondary Schools.

Counseling Services
We are blessed again this semester with graduate student counselors from SLU who will be doing their practicum here working with students on social, personal and motivational issues. Please contact Terry Kellar or Lisa Horner if you feel your child would benefit from this counseling service. We will send you a permission slip to sign and return to school. Counselors will begin the week of September 24th.


Link to Lunches
The PTO would like to make it easier for you to track the Taste of the Hill lunches you've purchased. We can link from Fast Direct to a spreadsheet listing which families have purchased which lunches, but want to ask for your feedback first. Would you find this information helpful? Do you have any concerns? Please let us know.

In the Office
Please stop by to purchase Entertainment Books for $25 each. If you're not sure you've completed all the back-to-school paperwork (
emergency forms, signed media notices, and handbook/internet usage forms), you can check while you're there. Don't forget to pick up some Together We're Better cards while you're there.

Homeroom Parents
Thank you for all who have volunteered to be homeroom parents.
Kdg: Captain - Janet Thompson, Ellie Lankford, Rachel Rickert, Jennifer Mayberry
Gr. 1: Captain - Karen Sinak, Carolyn Mitchell, Teresa Bozikis, Teresa Weitz, Jill Springer, Nickie Collora

Gr. 2: Captain - Bernadette Mense, Toni Paulus, Jill Springer, Tammi Miles

Gr. 3: Captain - Julie Passanise, Stacey Byrne, Carolyn Mitchell, Cami Johanningmeier
Gr. 4: Captain - Angie Kaestner, Kathy Ward, Joanie Stark, Teresa Severino
Gr. 5: Captain - Ann Konzen, Karen Sinak, JoAnn Cronin, Janice Summers, Jennifer Byers
Gr. 6: Co-Captains - Diana Smith & Margie Meyers, Toni Paulus, Pam Vollmer, Angie Kaestner
Gr. 7: Captain - Bernadette Mense, Anna Stremlau, Robyn O'Leary, Jeanne Bergfeld
Gr. 8: Captain - Michelle Calcaterra, Donna Nappier, Stacey Byrne, Lynn Berra, Vicky Crump, Elaine Hall
Please remember to send in your item ($5 or over) or cash donation, for the LaFesta basket.
If you have any questions regarding your LaFesta basket or any other issues, please contact one of your room parents.


CalendarTop

Sunday, September 23Sick and Elderly Ravioli Dinner
Friday, September 288th Grade YMCA Trout Lodge
September 30, noon - 8 pmLa Festa
Monday, October 1LaFesta Clean-up Day
No School
Tuesday, October 2, 7 pmGrade 6 Parent Meeting in cafeteria
Thursday, October 4Picture Day
Dress UP and Smile!
Sunday, October 7Columbus Day Parade
Monday, October 8In-Service Day for Teachers
No School ***
Monday, October 15Taste of the Hill Lunch: Imo's
October 16 and 17Health Screening
Wednesday, October 17, 7 pmJoint School Board, PTO Meeting
Thursday, October 25Second Quarter Begins
Sunday, October 28Trunk or Treat

*** Please note that, due to the In-Service Day on October 8, the Faculty Meeting and Noon Dismissal on Thursday, October 11 are canceled.  This will be a full day of school.


Events and ActivitiesTop

La Festa Silent Auction Baskets
The annual La Festa celebration is Sunday, September 30. While there is not a big dinner auction at school this year, there will be a Silent Auction at La Festa and each grade/class is asked to contribute a themed basket to be auctioned.
If you do not wish to purchase an item for the class basket, you may send in a cash donation between $5-$10 in an envelope marked “La Festa Class Basket.” The homeroom parents will then use the donations to purchase items to complete the basket.
We ask that all items/monetary donations be turned in to the homeroom teacher NO LATER THAN September 18th. This will allow the homeroom parents time to complete the baskets and provide a description to the auction committee for inclusion in the auction catalog.
We are also now accepting regular donations for the silent auction. Items can be brought to the school office or church rectory and we ask that you complete the donor form that will be available. If you are interested in helping with the silent auction, please contact Michelle Patke at 314-865-1898, or via Fast Direct. Thank you for your continued support of our parish and school!


Class/grade basket themes and SUGGESTED items; however, please—BE CREATIVE
Note: We would also like to make a few other baskets and are looking for donations to fill them. If you would like to contribute to the following baskets, please send in the items with a note to your homeroom.
Don't forget to send in bottled items for the LaFesta Bottle Blast Booth by September 22. We're looking for new and unopened bottles of shampoo, lotion, dish soap, food products, etc. (no alcohol, please).

Walk to Cure Diabetes
Join Team Barbaglia/Valencia as a walker or sponsor in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Walk to Cure Diabetes in Forest Park on September 30, at 10 am.  Contact Cece or Andrew Barbaglia at cecechuck@sbcglobal.net or 647-0059.



In the Classroom and the CommunityTop

Eckert's Field Trip
Grades K-2 enjoyed the annual opportunity to pick apples and participate in other seasonal activities at Eckert's Orchards on Tuesday, September 18.

YMCA Trout Lodge
Eighth grade students will participate in a leadership program at Trout Lodge on Friday, September 28.


Volunteer OpportunitiesTop

Please remember that you must attend the
Protecting God's Children Workshop
and complete the paperwork in order to volunteer with the students.
The workshops are listed on the Archdiocesan website
or you may call Linda in the school office (772-1437).


Bernadette Mense is in charge of lunch room parents and looking for more volunteers. If you would like to help with lunch duty, please contact Bernadette.

La Festa Cafeteria Workers Needed
Anyone wishing to help with La Festa in the cafeteria, please call Margie Meyers at 503-1354 or 776-7236. It's a great way to get parent participation points and service hours and we have air conditioning. La Festa is Sunday, September 30th.


New Server Training
New server training will be on the last Sunday of the month at 10:00 am in the church. You must be going into the 5th grade and/or at least 11 years old. Adults are welcomed!!! This is an opportunity for a family to serve Mass together. All servers must complete the server sign-up sheet and return it to Deacon John to be placed on the schedule. Families members are scheduled together as a group. The training dates through December are:
September 30, 2007 at 10:00 am in church
October 28, 2007 at 10:00 am in church
November 25, 2007 at 10:00 am in church
December 30, 2007 at 10:00 am in church



MiscellaneousTop

Hot Lunch Program
Click the Cafeteria Menu link in the right column of the Fast Direct home page to see what's being served next week.
You may purchase a seven-lunch card for $23.00. Please make checks payable to Chris' Pancakes. If your child forgets to bring lunch, the alternative this year is a cheese sandwich. The price for a single day's lunch is $3.50.

Recycle Your Ink Jet Cartridges, Paper, and Aluminum Cans
This free program generates money for St. Ambrose and helps protect the environment. Simply drop the cartridges off in the cafeteria and the paper and cans in the bins on Hereford.

New Instructions Regarding Campbell's Labels
Please send in the entire label, as the instructions for submitting labels have changed. We will have homeroom parents help with the cutting that is required. 
Pass the word to grandparents and neighbors who may save them too. And, don't forget to keep clipping boxtops and labels and saving them for upcoming contests!

Save More Labels
Please save labels from Nestle Pure Life Purified Water. The school gains points for every label saved and we can earn equipment at the end of the year. Please turn these labels in separately from the Campbell labels.


ReferenceTop

PTO "Taste of the Hill" Lunch Schedule (served from 11:00 - 1:00)
October 15 (Grade 7) - Imo's Pizza
November 12 (Grade 6) - Rigazzi's
December 10 (Grade 5) - Favazza's
January 14 (Grade 4) - Pasta House
February 4 (Grade 3) - LoRusso's - dinner
February 25 (Grade 2) - Anthonino's
March - None
April 21 (K & Grade 1) - BBQ


Class Celebration/Activity Schedule
This list identifies the classes responsible for hospitality at each event, as organized by the room parent:
2007-2008 Student Council Members
Officers
President: Rachel Pearson
Vice President: Gwen Calcaterra
Secretary: Alyssa Hilderbrand
Treasurer: Sam Herbig
Class Representatives
5th:  Marissa Sinak and Julie Dempsey
6th:  Addyson Collora and Julia Stark
7th:  Michaela Mense and Nicci Amato
8th:  Samantha Been and Zach Bandera

Uniform Price List
Maestro Printing
Jerzee Knit Polo, Youth and Adult - $14
Gray Gym Shirt, Youth and Adult - $4
Red Gym Shorts, Youth - $10, Adult - $11
Green and Red Sweatshirt, Youth and Adult - $8
Green Sweatpants - Youth and Adult - $9
Black or Navy Wind Pants - Adult Only - $19
Quinn Uniforms
Skirt - $35-$37
Skort - $27-30

Check Out These Websites
What if my favorite charity had a penny for every time I searched the Internet? Now it can! Search the web with www.goodsearch.com and money from their advertisers will go to your favorite charity without you spending a dime!
Also check out the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Website at www.ascjus.org.

Archdiocesan Mandate
All parents who wish to participate in any event (lunch duty, field trips, class parties, Breakfast with Santa, etc.) at school involving children MUST attend the Protecting God's Children Workshop. For information on times and locations of the workshops, please visit the archdiocesan website www.archstl.org and follow the link or consult the recent message to parents on Fast Direct.


Our Fabulous Faculty
GradeTeacherHomeroomVoice Mail
KMaria Foster107134
Michelle Patke108134
1Mary Lynne Harris205138
Jennifer O'Toole202125
2Jennifer Smith204137
Margaret Rotter203136
3Emily Elmore103123
Ann Grandstaff105130
4Anne Henning106133
Sr. Margaret Mary Stoverink104129
5Judy King307145
Debbie Hilderbrand (homeroom)
308146
6Eugene Marella303141
Leanne Durham304142
7Cathy Griner305143
Dwight Elmore302140
8Shanna Kar306144
Mary Scherer301139
ArtJoAnn Dreas201117
ComputerDebbie HilderbrandComputer Lab126
Learning Consultant, 5-8Lisa HornerPenthouse119
Learning Consultant, K-4Terry KellarPenthouse120
Physical EducationBeth BrickeyGym263
Italian, K-3Sr. Ruth Aubrey
Italian, 4-8Annunciata Buzzai
Teacher AideSr. Sandra Krupp
PrincipalSr. Carol SansoneOffice114
Office Hilma MosesOffice115
OfficeLinda GambaroOffice116
Extended CareSusan NelsonCafeteria314-922-9475