Tiger Talk!
November 1, 2019
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. This Holy Day of Obligation is when we recognize the importance of all the saints in the Church and how they achieved a place in heaven. Your children were reverent as we listened to the readings and prayed as a school. Thank you for sending them here.
Yesterday, we celebrated Halloween in the building. I loved seeing all of your children dressed in their Halloween finest. The range of costumes we had was amazing. I know all the children enjoyed the activities that their teachers had planned. Many even had some special treats. We hope you had a great time celebrating at home as well. Be sure to check our Facebook page for pictures of the pumpkins decorated for the contest Student Council held!
Congratulations to our October Students of the Month! The virtue for October was “asking for assistance.” Congratulations to Jacob Rzuchdlo (PK3), Jackson Lawrence (PK4), Edward Harper (K), Sky Livingston (1st), Nah’la Queen (2nd), Marie Smith (3rd), Rocco Priest (4th), Riley Mercante (5th), Aisha Bamidele (6th), Angel Rizzo (7th), and Donyea Cross (8th). Way to go!
Class Notes:
- Pre-K 3 has been playing interactive games on our Smartboard using an iPad thanks to Mr. McMillian! They have also been having fun counting down the days until Halloween!
- Pre-K 4 has been working on letters and letter sounds! They have started to learn some sight words! (I, my, a) They have also been talking a lot about kindness towards themselves and treating others with kindness.
- Kindergarten went to Highland Orchard last week where they picked apples and gourds and enjoyed cider and cider donuts. They took a wagon ride out to the orchard to pick three different kinds of apples. They have been enjoying the digital library and using the iPads. The Wilmington Fire Department visited and discussed fire safety. The children enjoyed sitting in the fire truck and wearing a fire hat.
- 1st Grade learned about fire safety this month, and they enjoyed a visit from our special guest speakers from the Wilmington Fire Department. They have been learning about the parts of a story in Reading and learned a special song about the characters and setting in a story. They have been learning about tens frames in Math and enjoyed playing the game Make a 10 Go Fish.
- 2nd Grade has been working on informative writing, key details, and repeated addition. They are also preparing to receive the sacrament of Penance in November.
- 3rd Grade worked in groups in Science to cooperatively build a structure that would hold up a small ball. They used blocks, string, and craft sticks. Everyone did a great job!
- 4th Grade has been praying a decade of the rosary each day. They have made it through the Joyful and Luminous Mysteries and have started the Sorrowful Mysteries. They are also ready to begin multiplying 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number.
- 5th Grade recently went on a trip to the Franklin Institute. The students had a fantastic time. They experienced the brand-new exhibit “Worst-case Scenario: Survival” where they experienced jumping on top of a moving train, surviving a shark attack, and their favorite, surviving an avalanche (playing in a giant ball pit). The class also enjoyed going through the Giant Heart and climbing the Neural Climb.
- Middle School:
- In Social Studies, 6th Grade just finished their unit on Ancient Civilizations, 7th Grade has finished learning about the early Americas, and 8th Grade is learning about Trade and Development.
- While in Science, 6th Grade has been working on Solids, Liquids and Gases, 7th Grade just finished a unit on Cells, and 8th Grade recently took a chapter test on atoms and the periodic chart.
- In Reading, all of Middle School is moving from Fiction to Nonfiction and is about to start a new novel. 7th Grade and 8th Grade just finished designing and writing a “Self-Portrait on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.”
- In English, Middle School is finishing up their Personal Narratives – first of three major essays for the year.
- Music classes are busy getting ready for the Christmas show. Some new songs are in the mix this year and some favorites continue to be practiced.
- Mrs. Angelo’s Guidance Lessons: This month in the primary and intermediate grades they worked on the listening rules and she introduced empathy! In middle school, they worked on empathy and communication, as well as negotiating and compromising.
Varsity Girls Volleyball Game – Come show your Tiger pride this Friday night at 6:30 in Fournier Gym as our first place girls varsity volleyball team plays in round two of the CYM playoffs. Let’s go TIGERS!
Thank you to our amazing Home and School Board! Our Halloween Party last Friday was a huge success. 8th Grade (with the great support of their parents) did a fantastic job on the Haunted House.
Spirit Wear – Parents have been purchasing Spirit Wear from A Stitch and Time. Our Home and School Board picked out some cute styles. The students may replace the gym uniform t-shirt, long sleeve t-shirt, or sweatshirt with Spirit wear. They may not wear the Spirit Wear hoodies at any time, just to be clear. Hooded sweatshirts are a safety issue and may not be worn in school. Spirit wear on gym days are fine. Spirit wear sweatshirts are allowed any day over the top of the official school uniform, as long as they are not hoodies.
Restaurant Night: Join us at 1000 Degrees Pizza on Tuesday, November 19th, for food, fun, and friends. They have pizza, wings, and salad. Check out their Facebook page for a video of Mrs. White making a pizza at the restaurant. We hope to see you there.
Thanksgiving Food Drive: Student Council will be holding its annual food drive to benefit the St. Patrick’s Center. Information will be coming home soon about the items to be collected. We want to thank you in advance for your continued generosity with this food drive.
Parish News:
- November Parish Monthly Social – The parish social will be held on Sunday, November 3rd, in the Ballad Room of the Grade School, following the 9:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. Masses. Stop by for food, fun, and socializing with fellow parishioners and friends. The social, as always, will feature a variety of great donuts and tomato pie from Serpe’s Bakery, delicious breakfast pizzas from Degnars’ Greenhill Deli, and more! Hope you can join us!
We have many activities coming up in the months leading to Advent and Christmas. Please be sure to check your children’s folder and book bags for information being sent home. Be sure to follow our Facebook page (St. Anthony of Padua Grade School Families, Alumni & Friends) where we post not only pictures of the goings on in school, but also about the events and activities happening.
Please join us for Mass every Friday at 8:00 A.M. Your children are wonderful and reverent, and the Antonians sing beautifully!
Please be sure to follow us on Facebook! If you haven’t followed us yet, look for St. Anthony of Padua Grade School Families, Alumni & Friends. There are regular posts with information, events, and pictures of what your children are doing in school.
Fall Blessings,
Mrs. White
“Far from being timid, morose, acerbic or melancholy, or putting on a dreary face, the saints are joyful and full of good humor. Though completely realistic, they radiate a positive and hopeful spirit.”
~Pope Francis