The Panther Press

Strengthening Spirits...Minds...Bodies Through the teachings of Jesus Christ.

September 6, 2018

Volume 25, Issue 6 www.iccschool.org 433-3497

CALENDAR

As I was watching our Panther football team celebrate their second win of last night’s CCAL football jamboree, I couldn’t help but reflect on the GOLD standard theme of their pre-season football retreat. During that retreat, 26 of our middle school leaders spent time focusing on the virtues of Gratitude, Ownership, Loyalty and Discipline.

A spirit of Gratitude requires us to develop humility, realizing all is a gift. The habit of incorporating simple expres-sions of gratitude in our everyday lives can keep us from falling prey to egotism and entitlement.

As we take Ownership of our decisions, accepting the consequences of our words and actions, intentional and unintentional, we grow in responsibility and our ability to choose wisely.

The virtue of Loyalty allows us to uphold our commitments, even and especially in difficult times.

The virtue of Discipline provides tool for prioritization and persistence in accomplishing tasks. It is a lifelong skill for success in all endeavors, from academics, to jobs, to managing families of their own.

As we know, living out these virtues is not an easy task for middle school aged students – many would argue that today’s middle school culture and the scientific makeup of the adolescent brain make it almost impossible. Incorporating the Beatitudes and GOLD standards into the academic program of ICCS are just two ways we are working to equip our students in spirit, mind and body to achieve true success and true happiness in the years to come. We keep our faith, especially when the challenge seems tough or the work seems long, knowing we will REJOICE in the growth and the victories that God has in store for us. Go Panthers!

Principal’s Corner Christi Jarreau

Parent Informational Sessions (1/2/4/5)

ICCS PTO Meeting 6:00 PM ICCS Gym

8th Gr. Parent Mtg 7PM Cafeteria

Thu, Sept 6

Sept Birthday & 8th Gr. Commissioning Mass (8A) 8:30 AM Cathedral

6th Grade Retreat following Mass

Fri, Sept 7

1st Quarter Progress Reports

Thu, Sept 13

8th Grade Diocesan Rally @ SLCHS 8:15AM-2PM

Tue, Sept 18

ICCS School Board Meeting 5:30 PM

Wed, Sept 19

ICCS Greenery Sale!

Thu, Sept 20 — Thu, Oct 25

Sectional Mass (6A) 6th-8th Grades 8:30 AM Gym Student Council Induction following Mass

Pep Rally 2:00 PM Gym

Fri, Sept 21

5th Grade Diocesan Respect Life Rally

Tue Sept 25

Free/Reduced Lunch Applications Due

Thu, Sept 27

ICCS Spirit T-shirt Day (can be purchased online)

Skate Night 6:00-8:00 PM Skate City

Mon, Oct 1

Animal Blessing 7:50 AM Playground

Thu, Oct 4

Oct. Birthday Mass (8B) 8:30 AM Cathedral

8th Grade Penance

4th Grade Retreat (following Mass)

Fri, Oct 5

NO SCHOOL Diocesan In-service

Mon, Oct 8

Yearbook Picture Retakes Wed, Oct 10

Deadline for August/September Box Tops submissions is Monday, September 10. Please return all completed collection sheets to school with your child on Monday. For more info about the Box Tops Program, please contact Kelly Berryhill at kberryhill@signsnowlc.com.

PTO MEETING TONIGHT !

The first PTO Meeting of the new school year will take place TONIGHT, Thursday, September 6, beginning at 6 p.m. in the ICCS Gym. Upcoming PTO fundraisers and volunteer opportunities will be discussed. One lucky attendee will win one month FREE tuition for one child! MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN! For more info, call (337) 433-3497. Please make plans to attend this important PTO meeting!

Child care will be offered during the PTO Meeting for currently enrolled ICCS students.

Don’t forget the following parent informational sessions that will take place before tonight’s meeting:

1st grade: Thursday, September 6th 5:30 p.m.

2nd grade: Thursday, September 6th 5:00 p.m.

4th & 5th grade: Thursday, September 6th 5:00 p.m.

Middle School classrooms will also be available for parents to visit

and meet the teachers beginning at 5:00 p.m. before the PTO meeting.

ATTENTION 8TH GRADE PARENTS! Please plan to attend

the important 8th Grade Parent Meeting tonight. It will begin immediately

following the PTO Meeting in the cafeteria. Those unable to attend

should contact Cathi Slade at

zolabird@aol.com for volunteer assignments.

NEW THIS YEAR! Parent Conference Day Friday, October 19 there will be NO SCHOOL. Parents will have the opportunity to meet with their student’s homeroom teacher regarding their first quarter report card. Links for scheduling conferences will be distributed in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Kindergarten Aide, Mrs. Janet Knowles' Birthday was

inadvertently left off the September 2018 ICCS Calen-dar. Mrs. Janet's Birthday is

Thursday, September 27.

Curriculum Corner Blair Tadlock Mercy Matters

Rose Viau

Our school theme for this year is “Rejoice and Be Glad.” It is based on Pope Francis’ book Rejoice and Be Glad and the beati-tudes (Matthew 5:1-12). During September we will reflect on the beatitude – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the king-dom of heaven.” Jesus calls us to look into the depths of our hearts. Who are the poor in spirit that Jesus is calling us to minister to? It is those who are poor in hope, love and forgiveness as well as those lacking the necessary means to live.

ICCS Spirit t-shirts can be purchased

online at: https://

shopswla.com/collections/local-

schools/iccs. Orders can be picked up at Killer Dye located at 1214 Common Street.

Next Generation Science at ICCS

We are excited to announce that ICCS has adopted NEW Science Curriculums for K-8th grade. Kindergarten through 5th grade students are experiencing immersed scientific learning in AMPLIFY Science while our middle school students are immersed in FOSS (Full Option Science System). Both AMPLIFY and FOSS were developed at the Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley, are built for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and have Project Base Learning teaching methods imbedded. Learners are engaged in authentic scientific inquiry of natural phenomena within our world. The goal of our new science curriculums is to empower and create scientific innovators and citizens who are curious and evidence-based thinkers. Instruction in both curriculums employs a multimodal approach where students do, talk, read, write, and visualize while actively engaging in scientific discovery. Our ICCS students are scientists engaging in building models to construct understanding, using simulations to collect evidence, and sharing new ideas with their classmates and teachers. Let the scientific investigation fun begin!

Cheri Hubbard is our new Calcasieu Parish School Board Speech-Language Pathologist. Cheri provides language and articulation therapy services to students at ICCS, as well as St. Louis Catholic High School.

Cheri was born and raised in Lake Charles. She is a 1995 Graduate of St. Louis Catholic High School. Cheri earned a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Communication Disorders from LSU. She has worked for CPSB for 16 years. Cheri has also been an ICCS parent for the past 12 years.

WATCHING THE TROPICS The Office of Catholic School and the Calcasieu Parish School Board monitor the tropics

throughout the hurricane season. The schools of the Diocese of Lake Charles follow the

directive of the Calcasieu Parish School Board in regards to possible school closures. Updates

will be posted on the ICCS Facebook page and text/email alerts will be sent out to all families

should a school closure occur. It is important that all families opt-in to the text message system

by texting “Y” to 67587.

ICCS PANTHER RUN Saturday, October 27

The 2018 ICCS Panther Run is scheduled for Saturday, October 27 at ICCS. Sponsorships are

needed to help defray expenses. For more details, or to sign up as a sponsor, please contact Race Co-

ordinator, Julie Standing at standing.1@netzero.net.

Panther Run registration is now open. To register for the 5K, 10K or 1-mile Color Run log

on to www.active.com and click on the ICCS Panther Run link. Long sleeve dri fit

shirts are included with registration. Panther Run proceeds benefit the PTO.

PTO Greenery Fundraiser Starts Sept. 20

The annual ICCS PTO Greenery Fundraiser starts September 20 and ends

October 25. A Greenery fundraiser summary and on-line ordering process

flier was sent home earlier this week. For more information, please

contact Chairpersons, Debra Wilder at erroldebra@suddenlink.net or

Megan Gregory at megangregory1119@yahoo.com. With every family's

participation, we can make this year's Greenery Fundraiser a huge success!

1st Quarter Progress Reports are Thursday, September 13. Parents can view student

progress through OnCourse Connect. Those having trouble logging in should email

Melissa Mathew at mbmathew@iccschool.org.

NEW THIS YEAR: Parents will be sent an online form to acknowledge that they have

viewed their student’s Progress Report.