Saints School News
School News – July 20, 2020
Saint Wenceslaus Catholic School Office Update
From the Office of Principal:
Dear Parents, Grandparents, and Friends of SWS,
Back to School
Our goal is to have the students and the teachers back in the school building. We have been working very hard to come up with the best plan considering the safety of all. Every school will have three different plans for the school year in place.
1. In the building – back to school as normal – kids in classrooms with teachers, safety measures will be put in place according to health standards.
2. At home Distance learning – using technology and at-home tools with teachers.
3. Hybrid Model – this will look different for every school based on population, numbers, resources and more. At our school it will include the students in the building with heightened safety measures while making arrangements for those who might be quarantined.
The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese are planning to have the students return to our school buildings. However, this is NOT going to take place unless each particular school has a plan in place and is following very specific protocols and safety standards. Our plan is being worked on by various groups within our school community. This will be submitted to the Archdiocese before August 1.
In a nutshell, we are fortunate to have a small community at this time. Smaller lends itself to the students being able to cluster into grade level groups and to be a part of a more contained environment where the same students and teachers will be with each other while in school. We certainly will do our best to social distance where possible and apppropriate, keeping kids seated apart and setting up boundaries for students using the hallways, bathrooms, and other common areas. We will institute a stringent cleaning policy and we will require increased hygiene practices for everyone in the building. This will not be easy, but we will work hard and try our best to keep everyone safe and to have everyone educated in the same high standards that we hold always.
We know that we will not be able to meet every person’s desires and expectations. We know that we cannot operate like we have in the past. We will continue to stay true to our mission of teaching our faith to our children through modeling, participation, and instruction while also providing them with a rich academic program.
Summer Challenge Grant
We are 85% of the way to our goal of $20,000!
If we can make this happen, then we will get another $20,000 from the Schulze Family foundation.
All of the funds are intended to keep enrollment stable and growing during these challenging days.
Deadline is August 30th.
Checks can be made to St. Wenceslaus Catholic School.
Donations can also be made online at the following link:
https://saintwenceslaus.ejoinme.org/swschallengegrant2020
Pot-o-Gold Winners
Thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket. We especially thank all of the people who helped sell these tickets. Most of you went way above and beyond in generosity to help the school. Here are our winners!
$20,000 – Stacy Siegle
$1000 – Barb Jirek
$1000 – Fritz Voracek
$1000 – Dean & Joan Blenker
$1000 – Gary Pikal
$500 – John Skluzacek
$500 – Jeremy Tupy
Make a difference for all Catholic Schools
Write a letter.
https://www.votervoice.net/USCCB/campaigns/75795/respond
Staff Changes
Thank you to the following for serving our school:
Ms. Devin Dobesh, one of our preschool teachers, has moved to southern Minnesota where she has accepted a position as a 3rd grade teacher. Devin was an awesome first year teacher in our preschool bringing such joy and energy to her classroom. We are thankful for her time with us and for all those little extra things she did to help our littlest learners. Best of luck as you move forward.
Mrs. Nancy Moulton served as our marketing and communications coordinator during the past school year. She brought excitment and creativity to all of her projects. Nancy had the skill to bring events alive as she advertised and promoted them using her creative touches. We thank Nancy for her time with us in this position.
Kelly Connelly helped as a parent representative in connection with the Catholic School Center of Excellence for the past two years. Kelly’s positive personality and energy was a welcomed addition to our school as she worked tirelesssly to bring in new families and help with all of our promotional events. Although this position no longer exists for our school, we are most appreciative of all the work that Kelly has done and all of the projects that she has helped our school with.
Welcome to our new staff:
Ms. Amber Peterson will be joining our preschool staff as our fulltime preschool teacher. Amber will come to us as Mrs. Amber Heinz as she will be getting married before school starts. Amber and her soon-to-be husband will be living in our area. She comes to us with several years of preschool teaching in programs around the Rochester area. Welcome Amber to our staff.
Ms. Courtney Martin has been hired as an additional kindergarten teacher. With the large number of incoming kindergarten kids registered and in trying to keep the numbers low for our clusters (due to Covid), we have added this program. Courtney recently graduated from Winona State University. She has been working in the New Prague school district since January. Courtney grew up in the LeCenter area and attended TCU before college. She holds a degree in elementary education and early childhood. Ms. Martin will make an amazing addition to our kindergarten program. Welcome Courtney.
To be hired:
Continuous Cleaner/Covid Helper. This person will work during the school hours to wipe down all places traveled by kids and teachers – handrails, light switches, lockers, desks, sinks, handles, equipment and more. The job is offered from 7:00-3:00 each day from September – January. This position can be filled by more than one person filling in hours to cover all time when school is open.
Club House Aide to be determined. The person in this position will work from 2:30-5:30 on days when we have lots of children enrolled. The aide will assist our Club House director. High school students (at least age 16) or adults can apply for this position. A more definite schedule will be determined after Club House registration takes place.
Marketing and Enrollment Director. This position willl be a year long part time position with a focus on three areas; alumni relations, event planning, and marketing design.
Preschool aide to be determined depending on final enrollment numbers and teacher schedules.
Aim Higher Foundation Scholarships are open through July!
The Aim Higher Foundation is pleased to announce the availability of additional $1,000 tuition-assistance scholarships to attend a Catholic school during the 2020-21 school year. Applications open beginning June 1, 2020 and will be awarded on a rolling basis through August 7, 2020.
Click to see more information about applying!
The Schulze Early Learning Scholarship continues to be open for Prekindergarten families – fall 2020 school year! $500 – $3000 grants available.
For all preschool students going into the 4/5-year-old Prekindergarten class – one year away from entering kindergarten.
Your income should be average (not low/not high) to apply!
Click to the application website!
Yard Signs
A message of Faith/Hope/Love from SWS.
We have a few left by the PAC doors until they run out.
Grandparents and friends feel free to take these.
Koozie contest
We are holding a contest that will last all summer. The contest is for everyone to use the can koozies on your summer adventures, and take pictures of yourselves using them.
You can post to your own Facebook or Instagram pages and tag St. Wenceslaus to enter. Or, you can submit your koozie pictures to our email address of youbelonghere@swsaints.org and you are entered to win!!
You can enter as often as you like and winners will receive wonderful gift cards to our local establishments!
Parents and Teachers – Add a picture!
youbelonghere@swsaints.org
Let’s keep it going this summer! Send us your pictures!
Calendar of Events:
Tues., July 21 –
Catholic School Virtual Open House 8:00PM
Click here:
Please call ahead 952-758-3133
kim.doyle@swsaints.org
administrative Assistant:
sherry.hartman@swsaints.org