“Another Great Week” Newsletter from Principal Ferguson

Dear Lancer Families,

This week and next are short weeks here at SMPS. However, they have, and will, be filled with much hard work and excitement. Students continue to show their academic growth and leadership each and every day. Our 6th Graders wrapped up their Food Drive for the PRC and through your help donated some much needed food and supplies to one of our local agencies. On Wednesday, many of our students were rewarded for their fundraising efforts with Donuts with Fr. Dan after the All School Mass! Fourth Grade students also went to Feed My Starving Children on Wednesday and packed 67 boxes of food. This equates to 14,472 meals which feeds 40 kids a daily meal for a whole year…WOW!!! And Mrs. Keogh’s room celebrated Construction Day in Kindergarten and did many fun-filled construction activities today. Great job Lancers!

Soon, families with a 3rd-8th grader will be receiving the results of the IOWA and CogAT assessments taken in mid-September. These assessments help guide our instruction and show student growth from year to year. Teachers will be meeting tomorrow for the In-service to dive deeper into this data and look at our school and grade level data to determine areas of strength as well as areas where we can continue to grow as a school/grade. We will then be developing school improvement goals to guide us through the rest of the school year.

As we look toward conferences last week, we realize that some were not able to sign up for a Jr. High conference because all the slots filled up quickly. If you would still like to meet with a particular teacher, please email them directly to set a time.

Many have received emails from the Main Office and/or Nurses Office regarding missing documentation needed to complete your child's Permanent Record Files. If you received one of these emails, please make this a priority and help us get the needed information to complete these files.

Adam Ferguson

Principal, St. Michael Parish School

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Friday Night Spikes is taking another break for this weekend… additionally there are no home volleyball games.
We will be back at it next week!
Please join us for a very special Mass & Dedication Ceremony:
ST. MICHAEL PARISH CELEBRATES THE COMPLETION OF THE LAVIN FAMILY LEARNING CENTER
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12 – 6:00PM
BISHOP RONALD HICKS, CELEBRANT
The 2023 Book Fair will take place October 16-October 20 in the school library.
Class Preview Days: Monday or Tuesday. Class Shop Days: Wednesday-Friday.
Teacher Wishlists will be posted if you’d like to donate!
-Our book fair offers a cash-free payment option called eWallet. It is a convenient digital account that your child can use for shopping at our fair. Grandparents, friends, and others can contribute too! Many parents have funds leftover from last year that have been turned into an ecard that you should be getting monthly reminders about.
-If you can't make it to the fair, then shop online at our school's Virtual Book Fair. All orders ship directly to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Your online orders will also benefit the school. The online book fair will close on 10/29.
Visit our Book Fair Homepage to learn more, get started with eWallet, and shop.
Interested in volunteering for the fair?
We need your help to run a smooth and successful fair! Please click to sign up on SignUpGenius to volunteer!
We're excited to celebrate our love of books together at the book fair. We look forward to seeing you and your child there!
Any questions, please contact Jorie Fanter at joriefanter@yahoo.com or Erika O'Malley at Bre1108@hotmail.com
All boys Kindergarten-5th Grade are welcome to join Cub Scout Pack 134, we have an awesome year planned! We have 4 Kindergarteners signed up, and would love for more to join in the fun! We encourage all those of any age to inquire who are interested in starting to build friendships and skills that last a lifetime!
All prospective scouts who are considering joining are encouraged to attend our upcoming fall campfire "kickoff" on Friday, October 20th at Camp Blackwell from 4PM-7PM for skits, s'mores, pizza and our year-opening ceremony! For more information on the campfire event, and to get your son involved in having fun and developing into a future community leader, call or text:
Joe Veverka, Cubmaster | josephfveverka@gmail.com | 708-307-0379
Know of a family interested in Preschool or Kindergarten at St. Michael? Info Tours will be held at the end of the month! Feel free to share this flyer!
Hello St. Mikes Families!!
It's that spooky time of year again and SMPO is once again hosting a Trunk or Treat on Saturday, October 28th from 6:00-8:00 pm in the parking lot across the street from the school on the corner of West Street and Illinois Street.
Check your email for all the ghoulish details!
Click Here for the sign up genius.
Check out the flyer below!
Congrats to all of our Cross Country Runners! League Championships were this weekend. We had some great performances. Finishing in the top 10 is very hard to do. Lancer Top 10 finishers include…
5th Grade Girls - Kate Henkel - 2nd place
6th Grade Girls - Quinn Foley - 8th place
7th Grade Girls - Lily Yoder - 4th Place
8th Grade Girls - Juliana Hernandez - 8th Place
8th Grade Boys - Nathan Carroll - 1st Place
Additionally, we are so happy to announce that Nathan Carroll has been awarded the Morello Medal and inducted to the Suburban Parochial League Cross Country Hall of Fame. A league that dates back longer than 50 years. Nathan becomes just the 5th member from St. Michael’s school to receive that honor.
Great job Nathan!
Go Lancers!
Congratulations to the following prize winners from the Lancer Dash!
6 Students that will go to Chik-Fil-A on 10/11:
Griffin, Cecilia
Griffin, Lucy
Di Iorio, Gianna
Klima, Annabelle
Tworek, Kadence
Dougherty, Patrick
Top 20 Students that get to slime or pie Mr. Ferguson at 10/27 Pep Rally:
Griffin, Cecilia
Griffin, Lucy
Di Iorio, Gianna
Klima, Annabelle
Tworek, Kadence
Dougherty, Patrick
Wells, Caroline
Weinberg, Madelyn
Dominski, Joey
Lavin, Lydia
Lavin, Quinn
Colucci, Lucia
Dvorak, Luke
DaRosa, Amelia
Virgil, Lillian
Virgil, Lucas
Jusk, Elliana
Jusk, Jaxon “JJ”
Lewis, Graham
Lewis,Teddy
Class that won the movie night in the gym on 11/3: Mrs.Shannon's Class
CONGRATS! And…THANK YOU! to all! Woohooooooo!!!!
Check your email for more details about ALL the other prizes earned!
Did you know that plastic bread tags cannot be recycled traditionally in our recycling bins? The 7th grade class will again be partnering with SCARCE for this recycling project. SCARCE works with an organization out of Indiana called Danielle Cares for Chairs (click for full .pdf) that recycles bread tags to raise funds for providing wheelchairs and other forms of mobility equipment for those in need. Starting now, please save your bread tags and send them to school with your child. Each homeroom has a collection container in their room. This collection will run through the end of the school year and continue into next school year. Thank you for supporting this awesome cause!
The 7th grade Students and Mrs. Zaremba

CALENDAR

COMMUNITY POSTS

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR STUDENTS & PARENTS (PDF attached) – Registration opens September 1, 2023
SHADOW at SFHS – 7th & 8th grade students see classes with a student host, have lunch, and experience college prep with a Franciscan spirit.
Select days, Monday-Friday
CAMPUS TOURS (Talk & Tour) – Visit for a tour during school hours.
Select days, Monday-Friday
INFORMATION SESSIONS for Prospective Parents
November 14; 6:30 p.m.
MIDDLE SCHOOL NIGHTS
Volleyball, 10/3
Fall Play, 10/12
OPEN HOUSE – Our most comprehensive visit event!
Thursday, October 19 (evening)
Sunday, November 5 (afternoon)
Class of 2028 ENTRANCE EXAM – Must be present for scholarship eligibility and priority admission consideration.
Saturday, December 2; 8:00 a.m.
Register for events here. https://www.sfhscollegeprep.org/admissions/visit-st-francis-high-school
St. Francis High School is a college-preparatory, co-educational Catholic high school located in Wheaton, Illinois and is celebrating more than 65 years of promoting spiritual, academic, physical and social development in students.
MARMION SOCCER Free Clinic for 6th-8th grade boys (Click to View Flyer)
OPEN HOUSE events on 10/18 and 11/5 (Click to View Flyer)
MAKE IT MARMION DAY JUST FOR 8TH GRADE BOYS (Click to View Flyer)
Monday, October 9, 2023 - 9AM to NOON!
8th grade boys are invited to experience Marmion Academy like never before. Explore the campus through a scavenger hunt, compete in trivia, interact with student leaders who will share their Marmion experiences, and discover that Marmion just may be the school you’re looking for. RSVP by Friday, October 6.
*A light breakfast will be served at 8:30AM. The program will end by noon so you can collect your MA swag and enjoy the rest of your day!
Royals on the Rise -8th grade shadow day, Monday, October 9 from 8-11am (view flyer)
Taste of Cross - 1 Mile Fun Run open to students 8th grade and under (view flyer)
Trick or Treat - Saturday, October 28 from 12:30-2:30, open for grades 5th and younger (view flyer)
Come Visit Us - Wednesday, October 25 grades 5th - 8th grade, 5:30-7:30pm (view flyer)
HSPT Practice Test at Rosary Hight School (view flyer)
Dates: Sunday, October 1, 11 am -1:30 pm And/or Saturday, October 28, 8:30 - 11am
Where: ROSARY HIGH SCHOOL
901 N Edgelawn, Aurora, IL 60506
FEE: $25 per TEST
Register: www.rosaryhs.com/practicetest
*Click to view Flyer for Upcoming Events @ Rosary
*Click to view Flyer for Shadow Day registration @ Rosary
Click for info: Future Friar Shadow Days
You are invited! Click to view: Glenbard Parent Series