Crusader Bulletin - Uber-Werks - Vehicle Restoration · Crusader Bulletin ... John Garvey,...
Transcript of Crusader Bulletin - Uber-Werks - Vehicle Restoration · Crusader Bulletin ... John Garvey,...
THE ATONEMENT ACADEMY September 20, 2012
Sept. 22: Family Bingo Night sponsored
by PTC, 6:30 pm
Sept. 23: Featured Sunday Choir: Middle
School Treble Boys, 9 am
Sept. 25: PTC Meeting: We ask that one
parent attend this special PTC meeting
featuring family life education. No chil-
dren, please. 7 pm
Sept. 28 : LS student birthday obser-
vances, PreK-5th gr.only, 2:30 pm
Sept. 28: US Fall Dance, 7-10 pm
Oct. 7-9: Accreditation Visit
Oct. 11: Parent-Teacher Conference Day
(no classes)
Oct. 12: Teacher In-Service (no classes)
Oct. 17: PSAT/National Merit Scholar-
ship Qualifying Test. Gr. 9-11
Oct. 19: Last Day of First Quarter Term
Oct. 19: LS student birthday observances,
PreK—5th gr. only, 2:30 pm
Oct. 22-26: Fall Break. School Closed
Upcoming...
Nota Bene / Note Well
BINGO Family Fun this Saturday! Join us for
an evening of fun and fellowship. See last page for details!
Parent-Student Handbook is online at www.atonementonline.com. (Go to Forms and Documents) Changes are made each year, so if you have not reviewed the handbook lately, be sure to do so. When you register you affirm that you have read our policies and procedures! (See p. 3)
Lost and Found: Look in the white chest just out-side the gym doors for misplaced items.
Questions or [email protected]
Atonement Once Again Earns Selection in National “Top 50”
The Atonement Academy College Preparatory has been named to the “Top 50 Catholic Schools” Honor Roll — a distinction held by only five other schools in Texas — and the ONLY school in San Antonio to earn the pres-tigious award this year! The award specifically recognizes The Atonement Academy’s achievements in academics, civic education and Catholic identity. The award was announced in Washington D.C. this morning, Septem-ber 20, in a press release distributed by The Cardinal Newman Society. (See more in Deacon’s letter, p. 2)
LOOKING FOR GAME SCHEDULES? We have LOTS of them at www.atonementsports.org!
Apps for your smartphone, too!
Crusader Bulletin
—FROM THE ADMINISTRATION —
Dear Parents:
It gives us great joy to announce that The Atonement
Academy College Preparatory – our Upper School –
has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence by The
Cardinal Newman Society, naming our academy to the
2012-2013 Honor Roll. We are among the Top 50
Catholic high schools in the country – one of only six
schools in Texas and the only one in San Antonio!
The award specifically recognizes us for academics,
civic education and Catholic identity, and was an-
nounced in a press release on September 20th in Wash-
ington, D.C. The National Collegiate Advisory Board,
who are the trustees of this national award, include Sr.
Mary Sarah Galbraith, OP, President of Aquinas Col-
lege, John Garvey, President of The Catholic Univer-
sity of America, Rev. Terrence Henry, President of the
Franciscan University of Steubenville, Thomas Keefe,
President of the University of Dallas, and the Presi-
dents of Benedictine College, DeSales University and
Christendom College.
The National Policy Advisory Board, which oversees
the standards, also includes a list of distinguished edu-
cators from several national organizations dedicated to
authentic Catholic education, including the Catholic
Education Foundation, directed by Fr. Peter Stravin-
skas, the Covington Latin School, and the executive
director of the National Association of Private, Catholic
and Independent Schools, among others. We are so
pleased, in giving us this award, that these distin-
guished people have recognized our accomplishments
that we have achieved through God’s grace, and
through the intercession of Our Lady of the Atone-
ment. We are grateful to you, parents, and the stu-
dents of the academy, for achieving this nationally
recognized award, and we pledge to you our contin-
ued efforts in maintaining this high national standard.
This year, The Atonement Academy had 575 students
on the first day of classes, but we have added two
more students, bringing our total number to 577 – a
record. Among our students are forty students from
foreign counties; Mexico, boasting the largest contin-
gency, but also Italy, the Philippines, Peru and two
students from the Republic of Korea. All harmoni-
ously integrate into our student body and participate
in all activities, events and devotional life.
The teachers of the academy are to be commended
for their tremendous giving and sacrifice in support
of this great educational institution and for their dedi-
cation to our mission. They have been meeting regu-
larly and some have been writing the narrative of the
academy, which will be presented before an accredi-
tation team, who will meet with us and examine our
academy in early October.
The Lower and Middle School (PK-8) have their ac-
creditation, and the Upper School (9-12) have theirs,
separated by several years. We decided last year to
combine the two certifications into one, (PK-12), so
that we could align the two. This joint certification
will extend our accreditation through 2019. The ac-
creditation team is comprised of other Catholic edu-
cators from around the State of Texas, and they re-
port to the TCCED, under the auspices of the Texas
Education Agency – the State Board. We look for-
ward to hosting them; we’ve very proud of our ac-
complishments achieved by our students!
I look forward to seeing many of you at one of the
events upcoming: Family Bingo Night, Sept. 22nd, at
the Sept. 25th PTC meeting, where Fr. John Mefrige
will speak on strengthening the family, and the Par-
ent-Teacher Conferences on Oct. 11th.
May God bless each of you and your family.
Deacon James Orr Academy Administrator
After the Honor Roll announcement is made to the upper school faculty and students this morning after Mass, Father Phillips displays our
commendation certificate while Deacon Orr looks on .
FAITH & FAMILY: A GODLY CHALLENGE
The Officers of the PTC invite you to join with us on Tuesday, September 25th at 7:00 p.m. for an informative talk given by Fr. John Mefrige, entitled “Faith and Family: A Godly Challenge.” A brief PTC meeting will open the evening in Blessed John Paul II Library. Wine and cheese will be offered beginning at 6:30 p.m. Baby-sitting for small children will be available. No other children please; this is an evening for adult formation and spiritual growth. A synopsis of the presentation follows. Faith and Family: A Godly Challenge. The traditional family structure is under attack in today’s increasingly hostile culture. The foundations for a stable society are crumbling as alle-giance to the church and a biblical worldview declines dramatically. Many committed Christian parents are striving to serve two conflicting masters: society and God. They refuse to believe that they cannot satisfy both. This produces enormous stress for numerous Christian parents who don’t want to disappoint either God or their children, but whose ultimate choices will disappoint both God and themselves, while providing gifts that are not in the best interests of their children. Despite these pressures and temptations, a healthy, thriving family can be built. Tools to foster good communication, respect, and trust can be learned and developed. When the desire to raise well-adjusted, Christ-centered kids is combined with the intentional practice of good parenting skills, parents can enjoy growing family relationships with children who meaningfully contribute to the world around them. It is the goal of this presentation to communicate that children are a gift from God and a blessing from His hand. Parents are there-fore accountable to Him for raising, shaping, and preparing them for a life of service to His Kingdom and to humanity. The goal of this 60 minute talk is to encourage families and provide them with the help and direction they need to raise kids in ever-challenging situations. Parents will discover how to use family fun, everyday conversa-tions, and meaningful milestone markers to launch your child’s relationship with God. Foundational parenting topics covered in-clude introducing your child to faith, creating a faith plan for your family, and assessing the spiritual needs of your children. Parents will explore ways to help kids stand firm in a world that seems to be crumbling. Attendees will tackle some of the most difficult par-enting questions: How do I discern the difference between shelter-ing and equipping? Why should I be concerned about my child’s worldview? How do I approach body image and self-worth with my adolescent? Parents will be more confident as they and their child move into the adolescent years with the tools provided.
SPORTS WEBSITE
and SMARTPHONE APP Keep up to date with all those teams, schedules,
game results and recaps and more by going to the
brand new athletic web-
site www.atonementsports.org.
You can sign up to receive alerts from all your fa-
vorite sports on your email or text or download the
app to your smart phone so you never miss an up-
date regarding our ROCKIN’ Varsity Volleyball
Team (record 10 in a row wins!), our FIGHTING
Varsity Crusader Football Team, and all of our LS
and MS Volleyball, Football, and Soccer Teams!
$106,000 in
Academy Scholarships
Accepted
After Mass on September 20th the 8th
grade class assembled with 7th grader
as well as the high school students for
the announcement of our “Top 50
Catholic Schools Honor Roll,” and the
8th graders remained in the courtyard
with the senior class for a short awards
ceremony and reception. All 8th grad-
ers received “Class of 2017” t-shirts
and twenty-five scholarships were of-
fered to students who have distin-
guished themselves at our school.
Scholarships amounts varied and were
based on each child’s academic record
and standardized test scores as well as
demonstrated self-discipline, and citi-
zenship. The Class of 2017
Everyone is invited to come and pray the rosary at 7:30 every school day morning. Last year parents began gathering to pray for Mr. Johnston’s intention and now they gather to pray for the repose of his soul as well as for the intentions of the faculty, administration, parents and students of The Atonement Acad-emy. They gather in the Sacred Heart Chapel at 7:30 every morning except for Friday, when all are still welcome to come to the chapel for silent Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Parents Gather to Pray the Rosary
CATHOLIC BOOKS & RELIGIOUS ARTICLES SALE
Recently, the Pelican Shop – a Catholic book and religious articles
retail store – closed its doors, but they have donated their entire
store inventory to The Atonement Academy. It’s their way of sup-
porting Catholic education, and we thank them for their generosity.
Please come to the sale, to be held Monday through Friday, (Sept.
17th- 22nd), in the Church narthex, from 2:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.
and again on Sunday, September 23rd after all the Masses.
Because of the large amount of merchandise, new items will be
added daily to the sale, so stop by and have a look. Please use the
church doors to enter the narthex and park in the north parking lot.
Thank you for supporting The Atonement Academy!
Mrs. Susan Gonzales
Mrs. Susan G. Gonzales is a returning
teacher beginning her third year at The
Atonement Academy teaching fifth
grade girls — and Language Arts to the
fifth grade boys, too. With twenty-five
years experience in Catholic schools,
Susan has taught lower school and spent
years as an administrator, too, including
positions as principal. Her undergraduate work began at the University of the Incarnate
Word with a bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies and continued to graduate school at
St. Mary’s University for Catholic School Administration and Our Lady of the Lake Uni-
versity for Organizational Leadership. Susan is married to Ray, and she enjoys spending
time with their four adult children and thirteen grandchildren. She adds, “my other gifts
from God include my hobbies: cooking, sewing, and gardening…It has been a true bless-
ing working in an environment at The Atonement Academy where God is first and fore-
most.”
Meet Our Teachers
Each issue of the bulletin will feature two or three of our remarkable Atonement Academy teachers.
Mrs. Lisa Otten
Mrs. Otten is one of our middle school teachers. She
teaches U.S. History, Religion 6, and Math 7/6. She
has a History degree from the University of Texas at
San Antonio. She began teaching at The Atonement
Academy in 1996. Mrs. Otten previous taught first
grade and third grade at school, but she is especially
pleased to be teaching her one true love, history. In
fact reading history books, particularly on Roman
Britain, is her favorite hobby. She has three boys in our school, two
in seventh grade and a sophomore. Mrs. Otten hopes to be at The
Atonement Academy for many more years to come.
1st Qtr AR Deadline:
10/17/2012
Deadline Extended! Student and teacher original
Medieval-inspired black and white drawings, poetry, and tales are wanted for the
1st Crusader Literary Publication to be sold at King’s Fair 2012.
Please submit your work with your name, grade,
and contact information (phone/email) to the library by September 24th.
All submissions subject to approval.
Nota Bene:
Access Accelerated Reader from Home
Once again this year you can follow your child’s progress online
through Home Connect. The user name will be your child’s first and
last name (i.e., Jane Doe) and the password is acr. You may even
sign up for email notifications that will alert you when your child takes
a quiz.
We have access to over 100,000 online quizzes. This means that quiz-
zes on books that you may have at home or borrow from the public
library are available at the discretion of yourself and your child’s
teacher. Available quizzes – including many more titles than our li-
brary can possibly contain, may be viewed at www.ARbookfind.com
This is a terrific opportunity for you to become more involved with
what your child is reading and to provide guidance about how to
view different kinds of books and situations with an eye towards our
Catholic principles.
We hope that you and your child enjoy all the benefits of the latest
version of Accelerated Reader.
Home Connect can be accessed at
https://hosted284.renlearn.com/237570/HomeConnect.
Congratulations and thank you to everyone who entered in the King’s Fair t-shirt logo contest. We had entries that were all very unique. The winning en-try was from freshman Connor Fitzgerald” “JOUST DO IT!” and will be cen-tered on the back of the t-shirt. Two other entries from sophomores Shelby Hilliard and Gabriel Reiber will be used in other King’s fair promotions such as posters or flyers. Connor will receive $20 worth of fair tokens and Shelby and Gabriel each will receive $10 worth of fair tokens. Congratulations!
King’s Fair is Nov. 17 —
Mark your calendar and
plan that costume at the
post-Halloween sales!
ON FACEBOOK? Atonement Academy Families: The Parent Teacher
Club now maintains the "Atonement Academy Ex-
change" Facebook group. The purpose is to provide a
service for families who need to buy or sell used uni-
forms and text books. Free listings for these items is
acceptable as well. Clean out your closets and hand
those gently used items to families who could put them
to use.
King’s Fair T-Shirt Contest
There are several upper scholars who are interested in tutoring. Most students work one-
on-one with your child after school in the library and their rates vary ($5 to $15 per 45 min-
ute session, typically) depending on the complexity of the schoolwork. The best way to
contact the tutors is via e-mail.
The Atonement Academy passes along these names as a convenience to families re-
questing help with assignments and homework. Any arrangements and agreements are
between the tutor and the family seeking assistance.
STUDENT TUTORS
Name: Shelby Hilliard Grade Level: 10th
Preferences: I am comfortable tutoring any subject up to the 5th grade level . For middle school, I am best able to help with history, math (including geometry), science, and religion. I will assist boys and girls from lower to middle school, and I am looking for determi-nation and dedication towards improvement. Place and Days: I can tutor in the school library from 3:30-4:15 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Cell #: 210-505-4548
Charge: $5 - $6 per hour (upon grade level and sub-
ject)
Joseph Pecha (Junior) and Thomas Pecha (Freshman) Consistently Honor Roll Students Joseph: Any subject and grade, any day ex-cept for Tues. afternoon. $12.00-15.00/ session Thomas: Any subject and grade, any day except for Tues. afternoon. $12.00-15.00/ session. Contact Info: [email protected] or 210-698-6106
John Patrick McHugh
Age: 14 (10th Grade)
Contact: 210-695-5727 or
Subjects: Lower school math, MS Algebra 1/2
or Algebra 1
Days: Mon- Thur
Matthew Wiessing
Sophomore
Math 7/6 Tutor
210-454-3267
Name: Samuel Koch Age: 14 Email: alibtiron,[email protected] Phone#-Cell: (210)-633-6878 Home: (210)-697-8731 Days: Thursdays after school 3:30-4:15 Subjects: Any, Grades K-6 Charge: $10/session
Sarah Henriquez Age: 14, Grade 9th
Home number: (210) 543-2830
Email: [email protected]
Email (2): [email protected]
Days available: Mondays and most Fridays.
Age range: K, 1st, 2nd
Subjects: Math, reading, spelling, etc.
Name: AmyGrace Weems
Year: Freshman
Age: 14 Years Old
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: 210-679-6713
Available: Mon. to Thurs. after 3:30
Open To Tutoring: K-6th
Subject: All
Charge: Around $10/ Hour
Monthly School Choirs SUNDAY 9:00 AM Mass
2012-2013 FALL 2012
September 23rd MS Treble Boys October 14th Grade 3 November 18th MS Girls SPRING 2013
January 27th Upper School Honor Choir (Catholic Schools Week) February 10th Grade 4/5 Boys March 10th MS Ch. Voice Boys US Chorale Men April 14th Grade 4/5 Girls May 12th Grade 2
We are pleased to announce the inaugura-tion of four Choral Scholars positions for the 2012-2013 academic year. The purpose of the Choral Scholars is to augment the parish adult choir by singing for the 11 o’clock Mass on Sundays as well as all liturgies and per-formances throughout the year which the adult choir is present. In exchange, each Choral Scholar will receive a stipend of one thousand dollars. This is a tremendous op-portunity for our most talented Upper School students to grow in their musician-ship and to enhance the sacred music which is such an integral part of our worship. Choral Scholars for the 2012-2013 year are: Annie Kennedy, soprano Mary Campbell, alto Christian Cruz, tenor Alejandro Oliveros, bass
Congratulations!
Choral Scholars Announced
The 9:00 Mass this Sunday, September 23,
will feature a choir composed of the Middle
School Boys Treble Voices.
This will be a wonderful opportunity for
those families who do not regularly worship
here at Our Lady of the Atonement to come
and experience the beautiful liturgy and hear
the angelic voices of most of our middle
school boys (grades 6, 7, & 8).
It is also an opportunity for our students to
give something in return to the parish. The
Atonement Academy would not exist without
the support and prayers of the parishioners of
Our Lady of the Atonement Parish.
There is a strong bond between our church
and school, a bond which is visible in the
physical structure of our facility.
We hope that by providing these monthly
opportunities for our students and their fami-
lies, we may strengthen that bond.
Please report to the music room by 8:30.
Dress is “Sunday best:” No t-shirts, jeans,
sneakers, or inappropriate clothing.
Participating families are encouraged to
bring donuts, baked items or other snacks to
share in the courtyard following Mass.
Featured Sunday Choir: Middle School Boys
9:00 Mass Sunday, September 23
In addition to our many Atonement Academy choirs, Our Lady of the Atonement
Catholic Church parish has SIX choirs! They are off to a great start this season but
there are some openings for additional singers in several of these groups. Why not
consider taking part in this important apostolate of Our Lady of the Atonement Parish!
St. Nicholas Children’s Choir
Open to girls in grades 3-5
Sings for the 9:00 AM Mass on Sundays as scheduled
(approximately once per month)
Rehearsals - Thursday afternoons from 3:30- 4:10 PM
St. Cecilia Youth Choir
Open to girls in grades 6 high school;
Sings for the 9:00 AM Mass on Sundays as scheduled
(approximately once per month)
Rehearsals - Thursday afternoons from 4:15-5:00 PM
St. Augustine Boy Choir - Our newest parish choir!
Open to boys in grades 3-8 (unchanged voices)
Sings for the 9:00 AM Mass on Sundays as scheduled
(approximately once per month)
Rehearsals - Thursday afternoons from 3:30-4:20 PM
We currently have a waiting list for the SABC!
Our Lady of the Atonement Adult Choir
Open to high school age (10th grade) and older
Sings for 11:00 AM Mass on Sundays
as well as for Holydays, seasonal Evensong services,
and special liturgies scheduled throughout the year.
Rehearsals - Thursday evenings from 7:00-9:00 PM
Saint Gregory Schola Cantorum
Open to men of high school age and older (by audition)
Sings for the Sunday 6:00 PM Latin Mass
Rehearsals – Sunday afternoons at 5:00 PM
Our Lady of the Atonement Festival Choir
Designed for those who cannot make a year-round commitment to weekly rehearsals, but
who have a desire to be involved in the parish music program. With the members of the
adult choir as its core, this choir sings for special services throughout the year including Nine
Lessons and Carols, the liturgies of Holy Week and seasonal Evensong services. Rehearsals
are held on select Thursday evenings during the weeks preceding scheduled events.
For more information, please contact Mr. Murray at [email protected].
Join a Parish Choir!
PTC Collection Programs to Support The Atonement Academy:
Box Tops for Education, Labels for Education, and
the “Drink Pouch Brigade”
Welcome to the new school year! My name is Denise Burke and I coordinate the “Box Tops for Education,”
“Labels for Education,” and “Drink Pouch Brigade” collections at The Atonement Academy. Through these
programs, our families can provide much-appreciated support for the school. Our first official collection
sheets may be downloaded on the “Forms and Documents” section of the website
Box Tops for Education Our largest collection program is Box Tops for Education. Box Tops can be found on a wide variety of products in-
cluding those from Betty Crocker, Green Giant, Pillsbury, and Progresso. Once each academic quarter, we will hold a
Box Tops collection contest. For each completed collection sheet that you turn in, your child will receive one “chance”
in a gift card raffle.
To participate in the first quarter’s Box Tops collection contest, please turn your collection sheets into the office or to
your child’s/children’s teacher(s) by October 19 (the last day of the quarter). You are also free to turn in collection
sheets into the office or to the teachers at any time. Our 2012-2013 goal for the Box Tops for Education program is $
600. Learn more, download additional collection pages and a complete list of participating products, and track our pro-
gress at http://www.boxtops4education.com/.
Labels for Education We also collect Labels for Education which are redeemable for school supplies and other merchandise. Labels for
Education are available on a variety of products including those from Campbells, Pepperidge Farm, Glad, and Swan-
son.
We are currently putting together our school’s “wish list” and will let you know shortly what we are aiming for!Just as
with the Box Tops program, we will hold a Labels for Education collection contest once each academic quarter.
To participate in the first quarter’s Labels for Education collection contest, please turn your collection sheets into the
office or to your child’s/children’s teacher(s) by October 19 (the last day of the quarter). You are also free to turn in
collection sheets into the office or the teachers at any time. Our 2012-2013 goal for the Labels for Education program
is to collect 3,000 points. Learn more, download additional collection pages and a list of participating products, and
track our progress at www.labelsforeducation.com.
“Drink Pouch Brigade” We collect all varieties of Capri Sun and Honest Kids drink pouches and receive cash for each pouch we recycle.
(Important: We collect pouches for only these brands. No other foil drink pouches – such as Kool-Aid – can be re-
deemed in this program.) All you need to do is remove the straws from the finished pouches and turn them in. No
washing or rinsing is required.
Our goal is to collect at least 2,500 pouches before the end of the school year. We plan to maintain collection bins in
St. Anthony Hall for the children to recycle drink pouches from their lunches and will be asking the Room Moth-
ers to collect any pouches from the lower school parties. Further, at least once a quarter, we will be putting
up collection bins near the lost-and-found bin for parents and others to use. You will be notified of the dates
for the collection bins. You are also free to turn them into the school office at any time. Learn more at:
www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/drink-pouch-brigade-r.html
Thank you in advance for your support for these programs and the Academy. Please let me know if you
have any questions. I can be reached at 710-7234 or [email protected].
Blessings,