Academy Newsletter 5/23/08

For the 8^th grade families this is the last Academy newsletter you will receive—your sons graduate Tuesday night and officially become high school students!  A reminder that graduation is at 7:00 p.m. in the main chapel.  The ceremony will last @ one hour and the 7^th grade parents will host a reception afterwards in the Commons.  We ask the boys to meet us in the Academy classroom area at 6:45 p.m. and the dress code for the graduates is shirt and tie, dress pants and shoes, and a sport coat if they have one.  Even though your son may be leaving the Academy and entering high school we do not want to lose touch with them.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of any assistance throughout the high school years.  As an example, last Monday we met with all the “Academy freshmen” during lunch to see how their year went and assess how their Academy experience prepared them for high school.  The results were in line with what we typically hear—they enjoyed the Academy and feel it prepared them well for the high school, they adjusted well to high school, they were ready to be part of a bigger group, and they are involved in a number of activities in the high school.  Next year our first Academy graduates will be graduating from the high school!  Academy graduates continue to distinguish themselves in the high school as the incoming student council president is an Academy graduate as are the students who were named by the faculty as “Outstanding Sophomore” and “Outstanding Freshman.”  I know this year’s Academy graduates will also distinguish themselves in many positive ways in the high school.

 

Attached to this newsletter is an information sheet we are asking all Academy students—even the graduates—to fill out and e-mail back.  This is part of a new initiative—an online “yearbook” that is part of our own Academy website currently under construction—www.sjjatitans.org.  A local web designer, Joni Coci, mother of 8^th grader to be Chase Shugarman and incoming 7^th grader Casey Shugarman, is leading this effort for us along with a group of students who are under her direction.  We hope this site becomes a comprehensive informational interactive site where you will be able to find information about all facets of the Academy.  Please ask your son to take a few minutes to fill out the form and e-mail it back.  We’ll keep you posted on the progress of the site.

 

It was a busy and productive year in the Academy with the addition of and expanded 7^th grade class and sometimes it felt like we ran out of time to accomplish everything we wanted to.   While we add another 20 students to our population next school year the good news is that we also add a full-time administrative assistant who will be hired over the summer and begin working on August 4.  The new staff member will be responsible for many of the day to day tasks such as answering the phone, conveying messages to your sons, letting you know about events and activities, collecting forms and permission slips, etc.  Adding a staff member will free up more of my time to work on curriculum, programming, scheduling, and working with the teachers, students, and you, the parents.  We have some exciting programs planned for next year and I am excited about the potential for the Academy to keep moving ahead in finding and creating innovative, engaging educational opportunities.

 

Our sports program will continue to grow with the addition of football and fall soccer programs.  Nick Butler will continue to serve as the Academy Athletic Director along with some duties in the high school. 

 

Even though school has ended there are still plenty of activities for return and incoming Academy students.  Tomorrow, Saturday, from noon-2:00 p.m. the Admissions office will sponsor a “Punt, Pass, and Kick Fun Day” with food and prizes.  Participants should meet in the Commons at noon.

 

On Sunday, June 8 we will hold our “3^rd Annual Fishing Derby” at the W.W. Knight Nature Preserve in Perrysburg from 5:00-8:00 p.m.   The whole family is invited to join us—no experience required.  Some equipment will be available for use if you don’t have your own.  We will provide hotdogs, hamburgers, and pop and water.  Come on out and meet some of the incoming 7^th grade and have fun catching a fish or two. 

 

On Tuesday, June 10 we will have an “Academy Battleball Night: from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Meet in the Commons and pop and pizza will be provided.

 

We will have a summer Reading assignment for the students to complete by the beginning of school in August.  An e-mail with details of the assignment will be sent out in a couple of weeks.  We want to give the boys a little break before giving them another assignment, but we hope the selection is one they will enjoy.  We will provide copies of the book for you to pick up in the main office around mid-June.

 

I will be in the office on a daily basis through June 14 then I will be in Guatemala with a group of high school students before returning to the office on Monday, June 30.  Feel free to call or send me a note if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.

 

Thanks for all your support and encouragement throughout the year.  Enjoy some time with your son this summer!

Academy newsletter 5/10/08

Coming up is our last full week of the school year.  Monday through Thursday we will have a regular schedule each day as the students wind up their classes and start reviewing for exams.  On Friday while the high school is celebrating Field Day with activities and cookouts all over the campus the Academy will travel to Our Lady of Consolation Shrine and Basilica in Carey, Ohio.  Busing is not available so we’re counting on parents to help us transport 80 students.  So far we only have five drivers and, obviously, we need many more.  A permission slip will be coming home on Monday with your son.  Please indicate if your son will be going and, if so, if you can help with transportation. 

 

Monday, May 10 and Tuesday, May 20 will be the last full days of the school year.  The exam schedule will be as follows:

 

Wednesday, May 21:  8:25-9:55 a.m.  Science

                                 10:15-11:45 a.m. Theology

 

Thursday, May 22:  8:25-9:55 a.m.   English

                             10:15-11:45 a.m.   Social Studies

 

Friday, May 23:  8:25-9:55 a.m.    Math

                         10:15-11:45 a.m.    World Languages

 

Students must stay for the first 60 minutes of each exam even if they are finished, after that they are free to leave.  Students are dismissed for the day after they have finished their last exam.  The SJJ bus will have a regular morning pick up schedule, but will leave to take students home after the last exam each day.  Public school busing will be the same in the morning, but will not come to pick up students after exams. 

 

Eighth grade graduation will be on Tuesday, May 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel.  It is a prayer service that lasts @ one hour and is followed by a reception in the commons. If you know you will not be attending please let me know as soon as possible and we will plan on mailing your son’s diploma home and not worry about saving a place for him in the procession. 

 

Two upcoming events for 7^th graders:  Matt Fought is having a “Pool Bash” at his house on Friday, May 23 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.  Matt lives at 330 Riverside in Rossford.  Please let Matt know if your son is coming by e-mailing him at www.matt@cardinalstaffing.com

 

Our “3rd Annual Academy Fishing Derby” will be held on Sunday, June 8 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at the W.W. Knight Preserve in Perrysburg.  The whole family is invited and the incoming 7^th grade class will also be invited to join us.  Hotdogs, hamburgers, chips, pop and water will be provided.  Bring your own gear or use the park’s equipment—no experience necessary!  We moved the time back at the park’s suggestion to improve everyone’s chance of catching some fish.

 

I will be out of the building on Tuesday as the school has been asked to meet with a group of school administrators who are interested in learning about the Academy program and exploring starting a similar program in the Dayton area.

 

Coming soon:  our own unique, innovative, interactive website, which is under construction as I write.  More to come!

 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend

Academy newsletter 5/4/08

I just got off the phone with Mr. Butler to check on the 8^th grade trip and they are @ 20 minutes outside of Gettysburg, Pa., the first stop of the journey as they make their way to Washington, D.C. tonight.  The trip is packed with activities including a tour of the Georgetown University campus with SJJ alums who are currently students there, a meeting with US Rep. Marcy Kaptur and a tour of the Capitol, and a meeting with Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, a cousin of Paul Courtois, father of 8^th grade student Brendan.  The students return home late Wednesday evening and we give them Thursday off to recover before they return to school on Friday.

 

So, while the 8^th grade is gone the 7^th grade will receive our full attention! On Tuesday and Wednesday they will build rockets with their high school Big Brothers.  We need empty two-liter pop bottles to build the rockets—please send in any that you can spare. 

 

Next Saturday, May 10 we will hold a “Fun Night” for 6^th and 7^th graders.  We are expecting another big crowd and we can use several parent chaperones.  Let me know if you can help and, if you will be here, please report at 6:30 p.m. for pizza and a short planning session.

 

Our “2^nd Annual 7^th Grade Catholic Youth Leadership Conference” was a big success.  This is a program developed and organized by the Academy and Brad Bonham and Rita Hayes in the Admissions office and is intended to create an awareness of the call we all receive to be leaders in our own way using the abilities and gifts we have  and a sense of how leadership manifests itself.  The inspiration for the conference is the book “Heroic Leadership” by Chris Lowney, which chronicles the principles of leadership as displayed by the members of the Society of Jesus through history.  Over 450 7^th grade students from Catholic schools near and far joined with our students for a day of discussion and activities and, hopefully, self-discovery.     

 

Twelve students will be going to Beaver Creek Preserve on Thursday, May 8 to lend a hand with trail clean-up and other outdoor tasks.

 

Moms—mark your calendars for Sunday, May 18 for “Sundaes with Mom” from 2:00-5:00 p.m. here at school.  Colleen Courtois is heading up this activity that will include an ice cream bar, games, and a scavenger hunt.    Contact Colleen at 419-885-0190 if you would like to help.

 

Our all Academy pilgrimage to Our Lady of Consolation Shrine and Basilica in Carey, Ohio is Friday, May 16.  Thanks to those who have already offered to drive.  A permission slip will be coming home this week and we are still in need of additional drivers—if you can help please indicate it on the permission slip.

 

The end of the year is fast approaching!  Exams will be held on Wednesday, May 21, Thursday, May 22, and Friday, May 23.  Students are free to leave each day as soon as their last exam is completed.  8th grade graduation is Tuesday, May 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the main chapel here at school.   

 

For those going on to high school, we will be sending your records to your high school of choice as soon as report cards are completed.  For those returning for 8^th grade we will have a variety of summer time activities that we hope you will be a part of to help us welcome in our next class of 7^th graders.  Our first activity will be our “Annual Fishing Derby”—the date will be set in a few days, but it looks like either June 1 or 8 at the WW Knight Preserve in Perrysburg.  More details to come!

 

 I will once again be accompanying a group of sixteen SJJ seniors-to-be on a service trip to Guatemala this summer and will be gone from June 15-27.  Also, eight 7^th-going into-8^th grade students will be traveling with us to Milwaukee on July 6 to participate in a service program, “Catholic Heart Workcamp,” that will run through July 12.  The boys will be part of a group of @ 400 students from across the country that will go out on service projects through the greater Milwaukee area during the day then return to home base—a local Catholic high school—in the evening for activities, prayer services, and social time.