St. Ambrose School Provides Dividends for Life 
St. Ambrose School, 2009-2010
Weekly News Files
April 15, 2010

April is Autism Awareness Month

Did you know that autism affects 1 in 110 children? 1 in 70 boys are diagnosed with autism. The number of children diagnosed with autism is growing at an astounding rate of 10-17 percent per year. One reason for the growth of these statistics is early diagnosis. I attended a very informative meeting this week presented by Autism Speaks. This is a great organization available to our community to help parents learn about the diagnosis and treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. I encourage you to visit www.autismspeaks.org and check out the resources. Please know that if you have concerns with your own child, you can always come speak to Mrs. Horner and myself and we can help lead you to the right professionals.
Michele Grellner
 

Calendar News Events and Activities Volunteer Opportunities In the Classroom and Community Awards and Achievements Miscellaneous Reference

Links to This Week's New Articles
News Section
    Congratulations to our Confirmandi!
    Thank You and Welcome Back
    UNICO and Kohl’s to Help St. Ambrose for Earth Day
    Athletic Uniform Swap
    Another Chance to Support the Marketing Committee
Volunteer Opportunities Section
    Alumni Breakfast
    Calling All Workers, Sponsors, and Bakers
In the Classroom and Community Section
    Red Cross Speaker for Grades K-2
    4th Grade to Jefferson City
    

Calendar

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Thursday, April 15 Faculty Meeting, Noon Dismissal
Saturday, April 17 PTO Mouse Races, 6:30 pm, cafeteria
Walk-ins Welcome!
Tuesday, April 20 4th Grade Jefferson City Field Trip
School Board Meeting, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, April 21 2nd Grade Student and Parent Bread Ceremony, 7:00 pm, church
Thursday, April 22 Earth Day
Saturday, April 24 First Holy Communion, 9:30 am
Bellarmine Speech Meet
Sunday, April 25 Mostaccioli Dinner to benefit St. Ambrose Tuition Assistance Program, noon - 6:00 pm, cafeteria
Wednesday, April 28 2nd Grade Field Trip to Zoo
Uniform Fitting, 3:15 - 6:30 pm, gym
Friday, April 30 Grandparents and Special Friends Day, 8:00 am Mass, followed by reception in cafeteria


News

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Congratulations to our Confirmandi!
The 7th and 8th graders were confirmed by Reverend Monsignor Vernon Gardin on Tuesday evening, April 13. The Mass was beautiful and we congratulate all the confirmandi. Thank you to the 7th and 8th grade religion teachers, Mrs. Scherer and Mrs. Kar, for their instruction in preparing the students for this sacrament. Thank you to the parents who assisted with the gathering of information and service hours, and thank you to the 5th and 6th grade parents for a wonderful reception.

Thank You and Welcome Back
We would like to thank Ms. Judy Varias for being with us during this time that Mrs. Elmore has been on maternity leave. It is time for her to leave and for Mrs. Elmore to return. As we say goodbye to Mrs. Varias, we also wish her the best and welcome her back to substitute anytime.

UNICO and Kohl’s to Help St. Ambrose for Earth Day
UNICO and Kohl’s have joined forces and will work on cleaning our grounds on Saturday, April 17, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. We would like to thank them for your generosity and community support! What a great way to show our students how important service is at all levels and also a great way to prepare for Earth Day on April 22. We would like to thank all the people who have chosen us as their recycling center. To remind you, we collect paper, ink cartridges, and phones. Encourage your friends and neighbors to recycle here too!

Athletic Uniform Swap
The St. Ambrose Athletic Association is having a uniform turn in/pick up day on this Sunday, April 18, in the Gymnasium from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm. Please bring your uniforms to Mass with you and stop by the gym for some donuts and a uniform swap! To expedite your wait time, you can print and fill out a uniform return agreement from the AA website (www.stambrosesports.com) and bring with you. Please note that if you do NOT turn in uniforms from previous sports you will not be given a uniform for the current sport.

Another Chance to Support the Marketing Committee
While picking up your uniform for the spring and summer sport season, don't forget to add a St. Ambrose water bottle to keep your athlete well hydrated. Contribute to the budget for marketing St. Ambrose to new families by purchasing school-logo water bottles. The cost of the bottles is $3.00.

Summer Solutions
In case you were not able to preview the Summer Solutions workbooks during the Book Fair last week, they are still available. The sample copies are on a table outside the main office. Summer workbooks can be ordered for all grades in Math, Reading Comprehension, and Grammar. If you would like the descriptions and an order form sent home, send an e-mail to Lisa Horner. You can still place an order after Easter. Send your order form, with payment, in an envelope marked Summer Solutions. Any questions? Call Lisa Horner at ext.119.

Convent to Classrooms Pre-Auction Raffle
Raffle chairs Mimi Lordo and Cindy Patton have organized a great pre-auction fundraiser. Raffle tickets have been sent home and the raffle drawing to be held on May 27, 2010.
Grand Prize: $5000.00
2nd Prize: $300 Pasta House Company Gift Certificate
3rd Prize: $200 Pasta House Company Gift Certificate
Tickets are $100 each; buy two and get the third free!
As an incentive to ticket sellers, prizes will be awarded to the seller of tickets drawn on Friday, April 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14, and 21. Sell the most tickets and win a room at the downtown Hilton and dinner for two at Kemoll's.

Special Intentions

Please continue to keep the Lankford family in your prayers.  The baby was born healthy and they thank everyone for the prayers and well wishes.  Please add Mrs. Kar's brother-in-law and his family to your prayer list.
Contact Debbie Hilderbrand if you wish to include any prayer intention in the newsletter. We are a prayerful community and wish to provide this avenue of support for any special needs.


Events and Activities

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Saturday, April 17
 Sunday, April 25-Mostaccioli Dinner
Msgr. Bommarito and the Finance Committee Members are sponsoring a Mostaccioli Dinner on Sunday, April 25. The proceeds are to benefit the St. Ambrose School Tuition Assistance Program. Adult tickets are $7 in advance and $8 at the door; Children are $4 in advance and $5 at the door.

In order to make this a big success, we need approximately 500 pre-sold tickets. Our success will depend on everyone participating, so please purchase a few tickets. Invite family members to come and enjoy a good meal. Tickets can be purchased in the school and rectory office or after the weekend masses.

We have all been affected in some way by these hard economic times, so lets do our best to join in this effort to raise funds to help the struggling families, while enjoying a delicious dinner with family and friends.

Thank you in advance for your ongoing support of Catholic education.
Msgr. Bommarito

Volunteer Opportunities

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Alumni Breakfast
Eighth grade parents are asked to help in serving the Alumni Breakfast on Sunday, May 16.  The announcements for the breakfast have been mailed, along with an invitation to the Class of 2010.

Calling All Workers, Sponsors, and Bakers
 If you have not completed your Parent Participation Points for the year, now is a great time to volunteer! Contact Lisa DiPaolo for more information.

In the Classroom and the Community

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Red Cross Speaker for Grades K-2
On Monday April 19, grades K-2 will gather in the cafeteria for a presentation from the American Red Cross. The topic will be Tornado Safety. They will be talking about the formation of tornadoes, how to prepare a supply kit for a tornado, where to be safe during a tornado, and how to practice drills at home and at school. It should be very informative and fun. Thanks goes to Mrs. Maria Foster, Ms. Beth Brickey, and the Safety Team for coordinating our preparedness and our drills that we practice with the students. We practice Fire, Tornado, Earthquake, and Intruder Drills.

4th Grade to Jefferson City
The 4th graders and chaperones will travel to Jefferson City on Tuesday April 20. They will leave school around 8:00 am and return sometime in the evening. This is an annual trip for the 4th grade. They learn about Missouri history in Social Studies and then culminate their studies with a trip to the state capital. It is a great experience for them, one that they talk about for years. Thank you to the 4th grade teachers, Mrs. Henning and Sr. Margaret Mary Stoverink, for their instruction, planning, and execution of the field trip each year. We wish you all a safe journey and happy history learning!


Awards and Achievements

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Picture the Music Exhibit
The music this year was a selection from composer Richard Wagner. More than 16,500 students from 85 schools participated in this year's contest, which is sponsored by the St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association. Here is a list of dates and locations where the Blue Ribbon artwork of Nina M., grade 6, will be exhibited:

The Magic House
April 7 - 19

Miscellaneous

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The Catholic Education Office Is on the Move!
Members of the Catholic Education Office will be moving from the Cardinal Rigali Center at 20 Archbishop May Drive in Shrewsbury to the Catholic Center at 4445 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis City. This move will take place over the next several months. If you plan to visit a member of the Catholic Education Office, please call first to make sure you know which location to visit. (Office phone numbers and e-mails will remain the same.) Thank you for your patience during this process.
 
NOTE: The School Personnel Office will be closed to move on Wednesday, February 24. The School Personnel Office will re-open on Thursday, February 25, at their new location on 4445 Lindell Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63108.

Together We're Better
These merchants are giving us a larger percentage from TWB certificates temporarily.
Please check out the full list on the TWB link on Fastdirect and send your order to the school office. Thanks!

Save-A-Lot is still giving St. Ambrose 2% of some of their sales. All you need to do is send in your Save-A-Lot receipts to the school office, we submit them, and they send us 2% of the total receipts. Please call the office if you have any questions.
SLU Counseling Service
Again we are very fortunate to have SLU graduate student counselors who will be doing their practicum work here at St. Ambrose. With parent consent, they will be meeting with individual students to counsel them in personal or social issues. We are blessed to be able to offer this service to families for the semester at no charge. Students can be referred by parents and/or teachers. 
Lisa Horner, learning consultant

Yearbook Photos
Mrs. McQuay has set up the website for students, parents, and teachers to submit yearbook photos online directly to Jostens. The Jostens Photo Submission Website is images.jostens.com; the user id is 400005642 and the password is "onthehill."

St. Ambrose Nights at Mr. B's
Eat at Mr. B's on the first and third Thursday of the month and St. Ambrose receives 10% of your purchase. Be sure to mention "St. Ambrose Night" to your server.

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!

You can find St. Ambrose Catholic School (St. Louis, MO) listed in WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR? You can also view how much money has currently been raised.

Here are three keys to substantially increasing the money you earn:

1. Remind everyone to begin their holiday shopping at GoodShop.

2. Ask your local businesses to buy their office supplies on your behalf via GoodShop. All of the top stores including Staples, OfficeDepot and OfficeMax are on-board!

3. Ask all of your supporters to download the new GoodSearch/GoodShop Toolbar to ensure that every search and purchase count!

While you're surfing, be sure to also visit the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Website at www.ascjus.org.

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.

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!
 

Reference

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Extended Care Enrichment Program
Golf (by First Tee), Grade levels 4 - 8
3:20 - 4:15 pm
Tuesday April 13
Thursday April 15
Monday April 19
Thursday April 22
Monday April 26
Thursday April 29

Kids Yoga (by Masterpeace), Grade levels K - 3
3:20 - 4:15 pm
Tuesday April 13
Tuesday April 20
Thursday April 22
Tuesday April 27
Tuesday May 4
Thursday May 6

Abra-Kid-Abra, Grade levels K - 3 
(new tricks/magic will be taught in this class)
3:20 - 4:20 pm
Wednesday April 14
Wednesday April 21
Wednesday April 28
Monday May 3
Thursday May 5
Wednesday May 12

Science Class, Grade levels 4 - 8
3:20 - 4:20 pm
Wednesday, April 21 and 28, May 5 and 12

Click for more information on the Extended Care Enrichment Program.

2010-2011 School Year
Please mark your calendar with the following dates:
Sunday, August 22 - Meet, Greet, and Sit in Your Seat Open House
Wednesday, August 25 - First day of school, noon dismissal
August 26 and 27 - Noon dismissals
Monday, August 30 - First full day of school, 3:00 dismissal
Friday, May 27 - Last day of school

Tuition Rates for 2010-2011
The Tuition Rates for the 2010-2011 School Year are posted on the front page of FastDirect. We appreciate the Finance Committee and Monsignor Bommarito working together to keep our tuition rate as low as possible.

Convent to Classrooms Auction
Have you attended any great auctions lately? The auction committee welcomes any ideas or suggestions. The next meeting is being rescheduled for after Easter break. Watch Fast Direct for the date.

The auction will take place on November 13, 2010, and Mr. Kim Tucci has once again agreed to be the auctioneer for the evening. The cost for the event is $75.00 per person. Contracts for gift donations are available in the school office and we are looking for underwriters for various expenses for the evening. More information will be forthcoming in the bulletin and school papers. If you have any questions or would like to be on a committee, please contact the school office at (314) 772-1437.
Please note the link to the Sponsorship and Catalog Ad Contract on the front page of Fast Direct

St. Ambrose Leadership
Please reference the following lists to identify individuals participating in the promotion, advisory, and community building of St. Ambrose School. Click the links for more specific descriptions of each group.

Marketing Committee
Katie Brennan
JoAnn Buckley
Tim Curtain
Chris Felt
Sharon Gambaro
Debbie Hilderbrand
Jill Jovanovic
Maggie Nikoli
Sr. Carol Sansone
Karen Sinak

PTO Board
Lisa DiPaolo, President
Marsy Canino
Sarah Chavez
Sharon Gambaro
Tracy Hill
Michele Keller
Bernadette Mense
Ann Oliver
Peggy Pancella
Toni Paulus
Mary Ellen Stephens

School Board
Fr. Vince Bommarito, Pastor
Katie Brennan, Marketing
Joseph Colagiovanni, Vision
Derio Gambaro, Alumni
Rob Liddy, Finance
Mike Mense, President
Sr. Carol Sansone, Principal
Karen Sinak, Vice President
Jim Summers, Parent Liaison
Brian Ward, Technology
Wes Yates, Legal

PTO Special Lunch 
To thank the neighborhood restaurants for their support and to share their wonderful cuisine with our students, PTO invites them to provide lunch to our students. Each month features a different restaurant and selection. The cost is the same as last year, $4 for grades K-4, $5 for grades 5-8 and teachers/staff. Watch for the order form for these lunches at home and return to the office with your payment. Please note that Chris' will not be served on these days.

Hot Lunch Program Procedures
 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
Grade Teacher
K Maria Foster

Jennifer Smith
1 Mary Lynne Harris
2 Jennifer O'Toole
Margaret Rotter
3 Emily Elmore
Ann Grandstaff
4 Anne Henning
Sr. Margaret Mary Stoverink
5 Judy King
Kathy McIver
Brigid 301 Mary Scherer
Catherine 302 Kate Black
David 304 Debbie Hilderbrand
Thomas 303 Jen Ronzio
Vincent 305 Erin Schaeffer
Michael 306 Shanna Kar
Art JoAnn Dreas
Computer Debbie Hilderbrand
Learning Consultant, K-4 Michele Grellner
Learning Consultant, 5-8 Lisa Horner
Physical Education Beth Brickey
Italian, K-8 Annunciata Buzzai
Principal Sr. Carol Sansone
Office Hilma Moses
Office Linda Gambaro
Extended Care Bernadette Mense

Middle School homerooms are made up of our house teams. We think this will help promote relationships within the team and with their team moderator. Houses, moderators, and colors are:
Michael House: Mrs. Kar (red)
Brigid House: Mrs. Scherer (green)
David House: Mrs. Hilderbrand (orange)
Vincent House: Mrs. Schaeffer (yellow)
Catherine House: Mrs. Black (purple)
Thomas House: Mrs. Ronzio (blue)