Come to Curriculum Night!

Do you hear the teachers, your children, or other parents talking about things like Guided Reading, Writers' Workshop, AIMSweb, and mobi boards and want to know more?  Are you curious about the professional development our teachers have been participating in?  Do you want to know more about our instructional philosophy and approaches?  Come to Curriculum Night on Wednesday, October 12th!

It will be a chance for parents to go back to school and listen to presentations given by our teachers on current curricular initiatives at St. Matthias.  The following sessions will be offered:

Balanced Literacy: Teaching Reading and Writing Across Grade Levels - Learn how our teachers combine direct instruction with authentic opportunities to read and write.  Gain a better sense for what phonics, Guided Reading, and Writers' Workshop look like from preschool through 8th grade and how to support your children with these approaches at home.

Inclusion:  Supporting All Students - No two children are alike, in learning preferences, communication styles, and aptitudes.  This session will familiarize you with our philosophy on meeting all students' needs within the classroom context and the supports that we have in place to meet that goal.  You will learn how we use data to inform our decisions on instructional support and enrichment and about the team of teachers that we have in place to collaborate with teachers and parents to be sure all students are successful.

Inquiry Based Learning and Technology Integration - Our kindergarten through 8th grade teachers have been piloting Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) in Social Studies and Science this school year.  What does it look like when students direct their own learning through IBL units?  How do we incorporate cooperative learning and critical thinking skills?  You'll also learn about the technological tools that your children have access to (mobi boards, laptops, ipads) and how they are seamlessly integrated into the curriculum, teaching the skills necessary in the world today.

Our Family Life Program - This year we are introducing the Family Life curriculum in grades 4 - 8.  This program was chosen to help teach our children about healthy self-image, relationships, and human sexuality in the context of Catholic moral principles.  You will learn about the issues that will be addressed through this curriculum and discuss how to continue healthy dialogue at home with your children.

Each 25 minute session will be presented three times, at 7:00 PM, 7:30 PM, and 8:00 PM.  Parents can choose topics of interest and "change classes" to hear more than one session.  Our doors will open at 6:45 PM and we will begin Session #1 promptly at 7:00 PM.   Please contact me with questions.  I hope you can make it!

Welcome Back to School!

After a summer of planning and preparation, it has been wonderful to have our hallways buzzing with children again.  There has been an incredible spirit amongst our faculty and students and I am so excited for the year ahead.  Let me give a quick update of recent progress and plans for the school year:

·      Facility Improvements

o   Harwood Floors - This summer we refinished four classroom hardwood floors and tiled one floor.  The rooms are bright and clean and we look forward to finishing the rest of our floors next summer.

o   Electric Project – We are in the midst of an electric project sponsored by the Archdiocese.  The wiring in our school is being completely replaced and updated and our fire alarm system will be replaced.  Our electricians have been flexible about working around the needs of our students and causing very minimal disruptions.

o   Bathrooms – We began much needed improvements to our bathrooms by replacing three sinks in the first floor bathrooms.  We have more plans for our bathrooms and water fountains.  Stay tuned for the Friends of the Grape Paddle Raise!  Improvements to our bathrooms will be the special fundraising initiative for the school.

o   New Library – Our library has moved to the third floor and since the shelves were recently installed, Mrs. Wiederkehr and volunteers have been busy setting it up.  We expect it to be ready within the next two weeks. Though smaller than our old library, we will be able to fit the majority of our collection and classes will still visit to check out books.  Additionally, I have arranged a partnership with Sulzer so that we have reserved time for our classes to visit the public library as well.

o   Masonry – In mid-October, we expect to begin replacing the cornices on our school façade.  The work will commence after Friends of the Grape.

·      New Programs and Initiatives

o   Inclusive Initiatives – In an effort to support all students’ academic, emotional, and spiritual needs, we have instituted a new model for inclusion.  Our teachers will be providing targeted interventions to remediate and challenge students and will have the support of three staff members, Mrs. Garcia, Ms. Baglien, and Mrs. Klich who have experience and training in special education, as a learning specialist, and as a reading specialist, respectively.  We also welcome Julie Raino, counselor, to our staff, who will be with us every Tuesday and has rich experience not only in social work but also in gifted education.

o   Writing Workshop – This August our teachers were trained in Lucy Calkins’ method of teaching writing, called Writing Workshop.  Adopting this curriculum in kindergarten through eighth grade allows us a comprehensive approach to teaching writing with teachers using common language around writing and setting similar high expectations.

o   Technology Improvements – Don’t miss the newly installed projectors in each classroom allowing for easier integration of technology.  All teachers in K-8 will be utilizing mobi boards this year (mobile interactive white boards) and our K-5^th graders will be experiencing learning through iPads.

·      Professional Accomplishments on our Staff

o   I am proud to congratulate Mrs. Sheila Klich, Assistant Principal, on completing her Masters in Administration through the University of Notre Dame this summer.  Sheila completed a research project on the positive effects of small group reading interventions and received the Distinguished Research Award for her work.  She is currently submitting her project for publication, while putting her findings into action by directing reading interventions with our students.

o   I am also excited to share that Mr. Jan Wiezorek, 4^th grade teacher, has recently become a published author.  Awesome Art Projects That Spark Super Writing (New York:  Scholastic, 2011) features lessons designed by Mr. Wiezorek and examples of work from our students and alumni.

o   Ms. Margie Rosmonowski also completed her Master of Education through Loyola University of Chicago this summer.  Ms. Rosmonowski completed the LU-CHOICE program, a service program in which she committed to living in community with other Catholic school educators and teaching in an inner-city school for a small stipend.  We thank Ms. Rosmonowski for her continued commitment to St. Matthias and congratulate her on assuming the role of Athletic Director this school year.

So much news and so much more to come!  I hope that you will stay tuned to the blog for more updates through the year.

A Season for Changes

“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."  - C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

Some of our youngest students have been running into their classrooms this week, eagerly looking for signs of change.  Our preschool 4 and kindergarten students have been watching as their new class pets have been forming chrysalides.  These little pets have been the talk of the teachers’ lounge as well, as the nervous “parents” compare notes about how to carefully make the transfer to the butterfly garden net without any casualties. Our students’ imaginations have been going wild, predicting the colors and designs of the butterflies which will soon hatch.

Change is so exciting for our kids, why is it so scary and challenging for us?  As the 2010-2011 school year ends and we begin preparations for the next year, it is time for change. We have recognized opportunities to improve, and if we stay still, our school won’t continue to progress.  Here are some of the changes ahead:

Name Change – In 2002, St. Matthias and Transfiguration Schools and Parishes were merged to become one, under the leadership of one pastor.  Last July, Cardinal George and Bishop Kane recognized the unique needs of the two Churches and decided to appoint a pastor to each campus once again, thus re-establishing St. Matthias Parish and Transfiguration Parish.  Because we were historically the parish school of St. Matthias, we have become the single parish’s school once again, and will call ourselves St. Matthias School.  You will notice name changes on logos and signage, but nothing else.  We are still a Catholic school serving the Lincoln Square neighborhood and beyond, including children in the parishes of Transfiguration, Our Lady of Mercy, and Our Lady of Lourdes to name a few.  We remain the school and community that you chose and belong to. 

Uniform Change – Because we will begin phasing in a new name on our logo it seemed a natural time to make changes to our uniform.  Several parents, teachers, and even students have expressed an interest in making improvements to our uniform for the past few years.  The suggested improvements include bringing back a plaid skirt/jumper, offering dressier options, improving the quality, changing the colors to be in line with our school colors of blue and gold, and tightening up the implementation of our dress code. A committee of parents have been working hard comparing various vendors and options and will be presenting their recommendations at the May 12^th PILLARS Meeting.  I think this committee did a fine job evaluating the many factors of price, comfort, look, quality, and convenience.  They are looking for your feedback on May 12^th to help make a final decision. There is never a good time to make this change.  There will always be an incoming 8^th grade class with only one year left and families who just invested in several new uniform pieces thinking it would get them through the next year.   To help with this, be assured that whatever final decision is made, our current uniforms may continue to be worn next school year during the “grandfather” year.

After Care/After School Activities Improvements –We are also investigating improvements to our After Care structure.  After Care is a valuable service to our working parents and also an opportunity for enrichment for our students.  We have some wonderful things happening in this program that we want to build off of as we plan for improvements.  The after care staff, teachers and I have shared ideas about how we can incorporate clubs and after school activities into the after care structure so that all students can participate, and utilize different age groupings and schedules.  Don’t worry – there will be no changes to the hours, and though the price structure may change, the cost per child will not be greatly affected.  We are still actively developing these ideas so share your thoughts through the surveys that were given out to after care parents and stay tuned for details the week following Global Fest.

Town Hall Meeting, May 25^th – Please mark your calendars.  During this conversation you will be updated on planning for our future, including expansions and improvements to our facility and programs.  Every one’s input and involvement is important.

 Let us put aside the fear, and face the changes with anticipation and hope like our young ones, anticipating the hatching of the butterflies.  Together, let us imagine what we can become.

The Catholic School Difference

Every once in a while, I have the chance to substitute in one of our classrooms.  This usually happens when early morning phone calls find all of the subs on our list tied up, and though I’ll need to alter my “to do” list for the day in order to step into the classroom, I always end up loving getting back to my roots as a teacher. 

This Monday, I subbed in 4^th grade and during religion class, we took a walk through the Gospels, reminding ourselves of the main events of Holy Week.  The story of the last days of Jesus’ life was familiar to the students, but they engaged more deeply, asking questions like, “If the people in Jerusalem were waving palm branches and honoring Jesus on Palm Sunday, why were they asking Pilate to crucify him just days later?”  and “What was Jesus praying about in the Garden on Holy Thursday?”  I was able to remember what a privilege it is to have these conversations with our young ones and to experience Holy Week together, believers of all ages.

This week, we planned opportunities for our young ones to contemplate the mysteries of the Passion and our own place in the world.  One of the most meaningful events of the week was a Hunger Banquet, an experience of poverty and inequality in the world for our 4^th – 8^th grade students.  In this experience, our students were randomly placed into 3 groups- low income (50%), middle income (35%), or high income (15%) and received corresponding meals.  A small group of students ate sub sandwiches, chips, and brownies, while the middle income students ate rice and beans, and the largest group of students waited in a long line for a small serving of rice and water.  We placed the experience in the context of Catholic Social Teachings and Human Rights and our students expressed their feelings of frustration with the injustice and what they could do to change the situation. 

As Fr. John put it, “for a complicated problem, there is a complicated answer,” but I have no doubt that our graduates will be a part of the answer. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, recently wrote about the effects of the strong Catholic school in America Magazine.  Here is an excerpt:

Much of the research on Catholic education conducted over the last five decades—from the Rev. Andrew Greeley to the University of Notre Dame; from the National Opinion Research Center to the work of independent, often non-Catholic scholars—has answered with a unanimous voice that without a doubt Catholic schools are an unquestioned success in every way: spiritually, academically and communally. More to the point, the graduates they produce emerge as lifelong practitioners of their faith. These Catholic graduates have been, are and will be our leaders in church and society.

Catholic school graduates make good citizens, deeply committed to social justice, the care of the poor and the planet, proud volunteers in the church and in community. The widespread institution of service program requirements in Catholic schools over the last two decades has helped to create an entire generation of generous, socially minded alumni ready to help, no matter the need.

Dolan, Timothy M., Archbishop.  “The Catholic Schools We Need.”  America Magazine. (September 13): 11-14.

America Magazine Article

Thank you for making the choice and the sacrifice for your children to be a part of our Catholic school. I know their contribution to our world will be profound.

Save the Date - Town Hall Meeting

All school parents, parishioners, and interested community members, please save the date:

St. Matthias Town Hall Meeting

Wednesday, May 25th, 6:00 PM

St. Matthias Church

The Town Hall Meeting will be a focused conversation to discuss the future of the school including the academic vision, capital expansion and improvements.  Free babysitting will be offered in the school and a community gathering will be held after the meeting in the rectory garden.

A Steering Committee of parents and parishioners have been researching and planning for the next steps of our school and will be presenting their work thus far and facilitating the conversation. In the next week, you will receive a short survey through email so that we can get more feedback from you to plan for this meeting.  Please come on May 25th so that we can continue the conversation.

Members of our Steering Committee:  Gerry and Ana Winters, Truls and Michelle Henriksen, Emily Higgins, Mary McMahon, Mike Oneal, Mark and Sarah Huber, Mrs. Sheila Klich, Brad Pausha, Tom Suminski, Sue Locke, Dan Rappel, Terry Tuohy, Sandria Morten, and Fr. John Sanaghan

You don't need to wait until May 25th to learn more.  Please set up a time to meet with me or any of the steering committee members so that you can hear more about what we've been working on and share your ideas.

Grand Slam Raffle - A Smashing Success!

Thank you so very much for rallying behind the Grand Slam Raffle!  We met both goals of this fundraiser:  1. to raise significant funds for our school  2.  to have a fundraiser heavy on the fun, light on the work

So how well did we do?
We sold 2668 tickets, to bring $26,680 in!
After our $11,100 pay outs, we net $15,580 for our school!
And, we've already had one winner donate the $50 back to the school, making our profit $15,630!
This is fantastic for a first time raffle - imagine what we can do next year.

Without your faith and support of this raffle, it would not have been a success.

Special thanks to our Team Captains:  Anthony Santone, John Tuttle, Ken Hancock, Katie and Mark Peon, Christi Debrauwere, Michael McGovern, John May, and Terry Tuohy.

Also, many thanks to the families who went above and beyond in sales:

21-30 Tickets:  Davis, Hancock, Klich, McKenna, O’Conor, Regalado-Seeling, Sharp, Winters and Walsh

31-40 Tickets:  McGovern, Santone and Spina

41-50 Tickets: Augustin/Ortiz, Tuttle and Vilic/Tuohy

51-60 Tickets: May and Merecki

61-70 Tickets: DeBrauwere

More than 100 Tickets:  McSheridan (141), Peon (115),  Rosen (130), and the Moran Family (100+)

** We did our best to catch and count all the tickets coming in, but if we missed your family on this list, please email me so that I can update it.  Thanks!

Now check our website, www.values4life.com for winners! It has been fun watching many of our lucky families drawn for a prize.

St. Matthias Awarded a $12,000 Leadership Incentive Grant

The Big Shoulders Fund and Polk Brothers Foundation have awarded St. Matthias with a $12,000 grant in recognition of "leadership which keeps St. Matthias Transfiguration moving forward and constantly developing to meet the shifting demands of the school community, families, and students."  Our school is considered a leader for inner-city Catholic schools, and we are honored to receive this award for the second year in a row.

We will be investing this grant money in a set of 30 iPads to be utilized by kindergarten through 5th graders.  I am excited about the educational possibilities that the iPads will offer our students.  Next year, St. Matthias will be the early adopters of an inquiry-based curriculum for Science and Social Studies (Ms. Gallagher, Ms. Hansen, and Ms. Baglien have been busy working on the teams which are writing units for the Archdiocese).  These units put students in the driver seat, allowing them to direct their own learning, asking questions and investigating to find the answers.  Inquiry-based units will bring the Project-based Learning approach down to the kindergarten level - a very exciting development.  The iPads will be an incredible tool for research, collaboration, and reflection.

Isn't it amazing to consider how education is changing!  There are a multitude of educational apps that will benefit our students.  Do you have any favorites that your children are using at home?  Post below.