Excel Challenge Honor Create Serve

St.BenedictElementary School

Issue: April 2, 2008 Happy Easter!

Thursday
4-3-08 / Band and Smiling Strings Classes today
Organization Class after school with Mr. Escott
Knitting Class begins today after school until 4PM
Friday
4-4-08 / MS Homework Club after school with Ms. Kelly
Third Grade Field Trip to the FieldMuseum
Basketball Challenge Games from 5-10PM in GYM
Monday
4-7-08 / Middle School Drama Club until 5PM
Homework Club after school with Ms. Kelly in Room 315
Tuesday
4-8-08 / Band and smiling strings today
Girl Scout Juniors and Brownies today after school
Bingo 7PM in Gym—Please support the ES Scholarship Fund!
2PM Dismissal for teacher professional development
Wednesday
4-9-08 / Wednesday Packets Go Home
MS Homework Club after school with Mrs. McCue
Chess Club after school
Grades 3-5 on Science Field Trip
Thursday
4-10-08 / Kindergarten Field Trip to Lincoln Park Zoo
Band and Smiling Strings Classes today
Organization Class after school with Mr. Escott
Knitting Class today after school until 4PM
Friday
4-11-08 / No School – Teachers’ Professional Development Day

**********************SCHOOL NEWS**************************

ThreeSBESElementary School Students Receive Award at the 2008Chicago Haiku Festival& SBES Receives School of the Year Award! Out of 856 student entries, SBES has 3 in the top 20 poems! Congratulations to these three students who received awards in this poetry contest:

Annalyn Mendoza, 3rd place overall for her poem, “Fireworks.”

Kathryn Skrundz, Honorable Mention for her poem, “Whispers.”

Andrea Santiago, Honorable Mention for her poem, “The Tango.”

Congratulations to all 856 students from across Chicagowho participated in Haiku Festival 2008. ALL students who submitted poems are invited to read during the "Open Microphone" section of our one-hour program. Per the guidelines, each student must read her/his poem to receive an award. Program info is listed below:

Haiku Festival 4th Annual Awards Program

Saturday, April 5, 2008, 11:00 AM sound check, 12:00 program

Carter G. Woodson Regional Library, 9525 South Halsted (312-747-6900)

RSVP: 312-458-9898 (Haiku Festival Office)

*****MESSAGE FROM ROB POTEMPA, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR*****

Sign up for the Bitty T-Ball league is now taking place. Information about T-Ball went home yesterday through your child’s mailbox. The children would play on Saturday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 P.M. at BrandsPark. If you are interested in having your child join in the fun, please return the registration forms with payment to Ms. Barb at the front desk. All registration forms are due by Tuesday, April 8th. No late registrations will be accepted.

The Challenge Games will take place on Friday, April 4th. Each game will consist of 2 ten minute halves. The schedule of teams to play will be as follows:
5:00pm 4th grade girls
5:30pm 4th grade boys
6:00pm 5th grade girls / cheerleaders
6:30pm 5th grade boys
7:00pm 6th grade girls
7:30pm 6th grade boys
8:00pm 7th/8th grade girls
8:30pm 7th grade boys
9:00pm 8th grade boys
We are still in need of food donations for the event. Please contact Rob Potempa if you are able to make a donation.
Please consider becoming an officer with the St. Benedict Elementary Athletic Association. We will be in need of a secretary and vice president (whom would assume the role of president in 2009-2010) for the 2008-2009 school year. If you are interested, please come to our April meeting where this will be discussed. We're looking for any parent who has children participating in athletics from pre-school through 8th grade. Come and share your ideas and input!
The Annual Athletic Banquet is April 26, 2008

The celebration includes an awards ceremony, a dinner buffet and an evening of music and dancing. Please dress for a very special occasion. During this celebration, each child will be receiving their individual plaque and any other trophies their team has won throughout the 2007-08 volleyball, cross-country, basketball, softball and baseball seasons. We are extremely proud of our athletes. They worked hard for all of their team and individual accomplishments. We are asking that only parents and student athletes attend this celebration. Siblings who are not an active member of any 4th-8th grade SBEAA team are not invited to this event.

In order for this evening to be a true success, parents are REQUIRED to remain with their children throughout the evening. If parents plan to leave earlier than 9:30PM, their children need to leave with them. Also, for their safety, students need to remain in the gymnasium throughout the event. Students caught outside will be asked to leave.

The cost for each adult is $20.00. Coaches and student athletes are complimentary. Please look for the invitations coming home soon. Reservations need to be sent in with payment by April 18, 2008. Any questions regarding this awards ceremony may be directed to Mr. Potempa at 773-463-6797 ext 237.

***************Just for Preschool Parents***********************

The Week of the Young Child During the week of April13th we will be celebrating The Week of the Young Child! During this week we will have a special prayer service for the children, a family day, and the graduates will be visiting the Kindergarten classrooms, among many other fun planned activities. All family members are welcome to join us for the prayer service on Wednesday, April 16th beginning at 10:00 a.m. All family members are welcome to join us on Thursday, April 17th for a day of family fun! We will have craft projects for all to partake in and special treats for all to enjoy. Don’t forget to save the dates!

******************PARENT INFORMATION*********************

Parent Partnership Hours are Due to Mrs. O’Keefe by April15th for proper May tuition credit.

We Want You!School parent, parishioner, community member - whoever you are, you canmake a difference in the lives of our elementary school students. TheSt. Benedict Elementary School Advisory Board is seeking new members forthe term beginning in August, 2008. No experience is necessary – justthe desire to share your time and your talents in support of the Parishand Schools of St. Benedict.

The Advisory Board meets monthly to develop and define policies thatenable St.BenedictElementary School to reach its goals, promote theimplementation of said policies, and provide counsel and advice to theprincipal of the school. Whatever your area of expertise - finance,technology, marketing, business, law, event planning, sales, building,hospitality, social services, engineering, health care, real estate,insurance, publishing, or yes, even teaching - your contributions andexperience can help guide the Advisory Board and the school.

The mission of St.BenedictElementary School is to excel in educatingthe whole child, challenge students to develop their God-given talents, honor each other’s gifts and diversity, create a Christian community bysharing our gifts, and serve the Lord and each other. If you are readyto share in that mission, please consider applying for the Advisory

Board.

Advisory Board nomination forms are available in the school office andonline and are due by ????. Please visit tofind the form and to learn more about the elementary school.

PARENTS WHO SEW – WE NEED YOUR TALENTS!

The SBES Middle School Drama Club will be performing the musical, “The Sound of Music” in May. The kids have been working hard, gearing up for this special show. Ms. Grabe is in need of parents who can volunteer their time to sew some costumes for the children. These volunteer hours can apply for parent partnership hours! Please contact Ms. Grabe through the school or email at . The materials will be provided…we just need your talent!

*******************UPCOMING EVENTS***********************

Confirmation Practice 7PM in Church on April 10th
Challenge Games for 4th-8th grade BBALL teams and parents on Friday, April 4th
3rd grade field trip to FieldMuseum on Friday, April 4th
3rd-5th grade Science field trip on Wednesday, April 9th
Kindergarten Field Trip to Lincoln Park Zoo on Thursday, April 10th
8th grade Confirmation on Sunday, April 13th
Middle School Net Retreat on April 15th
Ball and Auction at Navy Pier is April 19th
Athletic Banquet is April 26th
Progress Reports for 3rd Trimester goes home on May 1st

Prayer List – Please pray for the following people who recently passed away: Mr. David Lewis, a friend of Ms. Grabe; Mrs. Lillian Janega, the Mr. and Mrs. Janega’s mother, and the grandfather of Luis Colindres, Mr. George Rodas . May they rest in peace.

Peace!

Ms. Rachel Gemo, Principal

773-463-6797