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1087 Kellogg Street

Green Bay, WI 54303

www.gracesystem.org NON PROFIT ORG

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GREEN BAY, WI

PERMIT 4

2015-16 GRACE Schools Calendar

October 21 ........ Diocesan Catholic Schools Mass

October 27 ........ Parent/Teacher Conferences (evening)

October 29 ........ Early Dismissal – Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 30 ........ No Classes

November 25 .... Early Dismissal/End of 1st Trimester

November 26 & 27. . . .Thanksgiving – No Classes

December 23 .... Early Dismissal

Last day of Classes before Break

December 24 – January 3 . . . . . .Christmas Break

January 4 ........... Classes Resume

January 22 ......... Early Dismissal – Staff Development Day

January 31 - February 6…...Catholic Schools Week

February 12 ....... No Classes/Staff Development

March 4............. Early Dismissal/End of 2nd Trimester

March 10 .......... Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences (optional)

March 11 .......... Early Dismissal Afternoon P/T Conferences (optional)

March 25 – April 3………..No Classes/Spring Break

April 4 ............... Classes Resume

May 6 ................ Early Dismissal/Staff Development Day

May 30 .............. No Classes/Memorial Day

June 3 ................ Early Dismissal/Last Day of School

June 6 ................ Teacher Work Day

ewsews

Inside this issue:

President’s Letter 2

St. John Paul II Update 4

Resurrection/St. Matt Update 5

New Faces at GRACE 7

EDITOR - Donna Meulemans VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1– October 2015

RACERACE

Holy Cross School Principal - Sharon Gast

468-0625

Holy Family School Principal - Pamela Otto

494-1931

Notre Dame School of DP Principal - Jim Clark

337-1103 or 337-1115

Our Lady of Lourdes School Principal - Jeff Young

336-3091

Resurrection School Principal - Kay Franz

336-3230

St. Bernard School Principal - Crystal Blahnik

468-5026

St. John Paul II Classical School

Headmaster - Brad Norton 499-7330

St. John the Baptist School Principal - Vicki Marotz

434-3822

St. Matthew School Principal - Kay Franz

432-5223

St. Thomas More School Principal - Olgamar Amor

432-8242

GRACE Rolls Out New Blended Learning Spanish Program

instrumental aspect of the Spanish program is the use of classroom aides. GRACE is in the process of creating a partnership with St. Norbert College where college students with Spanish language skills assist students when they are on the computer and facilitate communicative classroom activities. Jackie Crown, GRACE’s new World Language Coordinator, is overseeing the pilot program. Implementation began the first two weeks of school; middle school students at Resurrection and St. Matthew, along with K-5 students at St. John the Baptist, experienced their first look at the new program. Sra. Crown shared, “We staggered the program’s roll-out to ensure a smooth transition, ensuring everything was in place for the full implementation.” Reactions have been very positive; many students are excited by the opportunity to use the online program’s interactive technology.

Exciting initiatives are taking shape across GRACE, including the new Blended Learning Spanish Program that is being piloted in three schools: Resurrection, St. John the Baptist and St. Matthew. While the strong preference is to have teacher-led Spanish classes, last spring GRACE began researching online programs as a way to ensure consistency at some of the smaller schools. Online programs, one of the fastest growing trends in educational technology offer students the opportunity to go through lessons at their own pace, to participate anywhere with online access, to take classes that schools are not able to offer on site, and to receive a level of individualized attention that is difficult to achieve in a regular classroom setting. GRACE has taken the online program one step further by creating a blended learning program. Along with individual online instruction, students will have whole-class lessons filled with communicative activities and games. An

Research on Catholic Schools from the Alliance for Catholic Education:

" Catholic School students learn that God is present and active in their lives and in the world. They learn to recognize the "footprints of God" in their daily experiences,

especially in the midst of life's challenges."

Source: Rev. Ronald J. Nuzzi, 2015

Greetings GRACE Friends, I am honored to serve as the new President of GRACE! My early days have been filled with warm welcomes and daily rewards as I work to greet all of the new faces that represent the stakeholders of GRACE. There is great energy right now in Catholic education and since stepping into this role in July, I have been honored to be a part of it. There is certainly much to reflect upon regarding our rich history as I come to a fuller appreciation of the processes that lead to our success. I am blessed to serve a faith-filled dedicated community, talented teachers, visionary principals hard at work as well as students who truly enjoy the special places they call school. My goals for GRACE through this year are poised to take us to the next level and continue the momentum of this strong system. These goals were outlined for the entire GRACE staff at the opening in-service in August. Goals: 1) Enrollment Growth as a means to strengthen our system 2) Teacher Compensation review and explore options for recruiting and retaining top talent 3) Catholic Identity to help us stay true to our mission as Catholic schools, not just private schools. 4) School and Parish Partnerships because they are vital to our work and the foundation of our history. I invite you to assist us in our efforts to meet these goals. As families and community members, as clergy and as neighbors, I encourage you to become more familiar with our offerings and to visit our schools so that you can help us share our message. You are invited to join us at a weekly school mass (mass times published on page 3 of this newsletter) and also step into our school buildings to meet the principal and teachers. These goals are lofty and will take an entire community to mount, I am asking your assistance to help us grow and mature as an organization to reach new heights. As I work daily in leading us toward these goals, I would be remiss if I did not recognize the good work and efforts of my predecessor, Fr. Dane Radecki, President of GRACE from 2012 to 2015. Fr. Dane was instrumental in his leadership to position GRACE in terms of our budget, our foundation of unification as a system and the efforts to mount the Catholic Link formal partnership between GRACE, Notre Dame Academy and St. Norbert College. Daily, the work I review and conduct has Fr. Dane’s fingerprints on it and I feel his presence in our schools on a regular basis. We all should be thankful for his leadership and I ask you to keep him in your prayers as he deserves blessings and praise for his work and accomplishments in GRACE. He is currently on sabbatical in Illinois and we wish him only our best. Lastly, In light of the Pope’s recent visit to the United States in September, the media shared a quote about Catholic education that resonated with me: “Catholic Schools are Back, and There’s Hope for Their Future!” This points to the fact that there is increased optimism about the future of Catholic education and I ask you to join me in our work together to elevate Catholic education in Green Bay to the next level. Our work is critical and important to the future. Please continue to introduce yourself to me as the new face in Catholic education as I wish to get to know our community, our leaders, and our schools so that I may serve GRACE representing each and every one of you as we look forward to our bright future. Blessings in Christ, Kimberly A. Desotell President - GRACE Catholic Schools

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2015-2016 Principal Appointments Announced

“Building academic excellence and life skills while growing in our Catholic faith”

Holy Cross School Principal Sharon Gast

I am a 2015 Golden Apple

Teacher of Distinction recipient and have taught at Resurrection Catholic School since 1995. I completed my Master of Science in Educational Leadership at Cardinal Stritch

University in Milwaukee. My husband Randy and I have 3 adult children and are active members at Resurrection Parish. Speaking about my vision for Holy Cross, "I look forward to building many professional relationships with the faculty, staff, parents, students and parish community at Holy Cross. Holy Cross is a special and unique place!"

LET US HELP YOU! - Call (920) 499-7330

Business Services ............. Heidi Janowski ext. 307

Financial Aid ................... Donna Meulemans ext. 303

Student Registration ........ Donna Meulemans ext. 303

Tuition & Fees ................ Sue King ext. 310

Human Resources ........... Jami Hintz ext. 309

Student Services .............. James Cullen ext. 308

Annual Appeal Gifts.......... President’s Office ext. 303

St. Thomas More School Principal

Olgamar Amor

I believe leaders develop through

a never-ending process of life experiences and education. A good leader must be passionate, honest, empathetic, reliable, organized, respectful, and fair. A good leader

utilizes collaboration to achieve common goals and it is a leader’s role to help motivate and develop tomorrow’s effective leaders. Being bilingual and bicultural, my path of becoming an educator was very unusual. As a trained dentist and then an entrepreneur owning a business, my passion for education grew tremendously in my work to better understand the educational experiences of my own children (now 20 and 22 years old). I was deeply interested in knowing more about the educational process and began serving in a volunteer role in my children's school. I quickly realized it was necessary to go on to school and secure a degree as well as a teaching license and embarked upon a plan to complete both a B.S. and MS. degree. I have worked in the fields of Early Childhood, as well as the ESL program and held several teaching positions of leadership both in Green Bay as well as Madison. As I reflect on my years of teaching, I realize how much I have learned and now know the need to always be a learner myself using the experiences I have had in the area of education. I’m passionate about education and am very pleased to lead St. Thomas More School to the next level.

St. John Paul II Classical School Headmaster Brad Norton

Anno Domine: 1972, the year of my

birth and Baptism into the Roman Catholic Church! As a cradle Catholic, born into the Faith, I am aware that conversion is a lifelong process and like you, I experience days when I know that I am soaring high on the wings of

the Holy Spirit, but also those when I fall well short of the glory of God. Still, God meets us in all things, and experience has shown me that it is precisely in our weaknesses that we see more clearly the strength of God. It is then that I am most grateful for the Universal Church: the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the healing power of Reconciliation, the glory made manifest in the Eucharist, the transcendent joy of Adoration… Jesus is indeed alive and well in our Church! A family man at heart, the birth of my eldest daughter, Madeleine Sera further enlivened my faith life as I recognized the need for a power and patience well beyond my own. As my wife Nancy and I were additionally blessed with Samuel Elias, Emma Elizabeth and our eternal saint in heaven, Jack Becket, we could not help but become enkindled in the fire of faith. A consuming passion for the arts and the imaginative joy of literature set me on my path as a teacher from a very young age and I am even more grateful now for the opportunity to share my love of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful with those of future generations. Truly I am humbled by the opportunity to serve and work with so many fine individuals here in the GRACE System!

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Contact the individual school for more information about an event.

The 25th Annual Notre Dame/Our Lady of Lourdes Key Event: Friday, November 6th @ the Swan Club in De Pere. 4:30 Buffet Dinner 5:00 - 11:00 pm for raffle http://notredameofdepere.com/fundraising/2015-key-event/

St. Matthew Auction for Education “The Roaring Twenties” Saturday, Nov. 14th, 5:30 pm @ St. Matthew MPC

Breath of Christmas - Saturday, November 21st 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Tickets available at Holy Family School

3rd Annual St. Bernard Holiday Shopping Extravaganza December 6, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm. Free admission

Upcoming Events at Notre Dame Academy

Musical Performance "Cinderella" November 12 -14, 7:30 pm.

NDA Open House: Tuesday, November 17th 6:00 - 8:00 pm

NDA Middle School Dances for 7th & 8th graders October 9, November 6, December 11 6:30 - 9:00 pm at NDA

Overhaul Project Library at Notre Dame School elementary teachers will be able to have a more attractive center for literacy activities. Teachers in grades three through eight will receive funds to purchase books and resources for the classrooms and the Learning Commons at the Middle School. Funds for the Overdue/Overhaul Project were solicited from donations by individuals and school organizations. The commitment of the donors provides Notre Dame School with attractive areas where students will develop further skills in the areas of Technology and Literacy in each grade.

resources. Students at the middle school will be able to work together in small or large groups as they share presentations and ideas while engaged in a co-learning, creative environment. The Middle School Learning Commons will also be the setting for meetings such as Site Advisory Council and Notre Dame Staff Meetings. Adult Faith Formation classes will take place in the Learning Commons as well. The second part of the Overdue/Overhaul Project will be completed in the summer of 2016. The elementary library will be converted into an age appropriate Literacy Center where the

Notre Dame School undertook the Overdue/Overhaul Project in the spring of 2015. The objective of the project was to improve the Literacy Program at the school; both structurally and academically. Ultimately, the plan focused on restructuring the libraries at both campuses. The Overdue/Overhaul Project was divided into two parts. The first part renovated the Middle School Library to make it a Learning Commons. This room provides students the chance to do more research based projects in a Twenty First Century Learning Environment complete with age appropriate furniture and more choices of books in all subject areas. Funds collected from the Overdue/Overhaul Project made it possible to purchase an interactive board that allows students and staff to access and share digital learning

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GRACE Schools Weekly Mass Schedule

GRACE Receives Mednikow Grant

The GRACE Schools are the recipient of a $167,000 grant from the Isadore Mednikow Trust for the 2015-2016 school year. The grant application was made for the purpose of supporting families through need-based scholarships. All nine GRACE schools benefit from these scholarships.

The Isadore Mednikow Trust was established by the Estate of Isadore Mednikow to provide funds for private education for children less than 18 years of age who reside in Brown County. Over 100 students receive scholarship support annually. The GRACE Office submits a grant application each year.

Annual Appeal Update

The 2014-2015 Annual Appeal supported families in all 9 GRACE schools with nearly $156,000 in financial assistance. The GRACE financial assistance program annually awards $260,000 to students who qualify. This year GRACE aided over 230 students with tuition assistance. Each fall the GRACE schools ask parishioners for their support on behalf of these families.

The 2015-2016 GRACE Annual Appeal kicks off the weekend of October 24th - 25th in all 23 area parishes. Materials will be available at the parishes. All gifts to the Annual Appeal go directly to support a student in Catholic education. Gifts can be made to:

GRACE Annual Appeal

1087 Kellogg St., Green Bay, WI 54303.

Scholarships Available

There is a maximum of one award per household annually and applications need to be made each year. Additional information is available at www.catholicfinanciallife.org. The local representative is Kristin O’Connell at (920) 432-8824, or kristin.oconnell@catholicfinanciallife.org.

Members who are the primary insured on a Catholic Financial Life product or insured under a spousal rider are eligible for Catholic school scholarships. A student must be a member of Catholic Financial Life to apply. Scholarships are awarded at $200 for Catholic grade school, $500 for Catholic high school and $500/$1,000 for college scholarships.

St. Bernard School

Friday 8:45 am

St. John the Baptist School

Wednesday 8:30 am

Grades 5 - 8, Thursday 8:30 am

St. Matthew School

Thursday 8:15 am

St. Thomas More School

Wednesday 8:30 am

Holy Cross School

Friday 8:00 am

Holy Family School

Thursday 8:45 am

Notre Dame School of De Pere

Wednesday 8:35 am

Our Lady of Lourdes School

Wednesday 8:45 am

Resurrection School

Thursday 8:05 am

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St. John Paul II Classical School Update

GRACE Schools Receive Vouchers

Within GRACE, we have Choice students at each and every GRACE school experiencing the values and opportunities that Catholic education affords.

The Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP) began about 25 years ago in Milwaukee, and has been in place in the Green Bay area for the past two years. This year 186 students attend GRACE schools as School Choice students. The idea of Choice, or vouchers as they are commonly referred to, is to give parents the opportunity to choose the best individual education, including Catholic education, for their child. Families must meet certain income requirements and apply to the state each year to receive Choice status. Research is favorable regarding the outcomes for Choice students including improved student outcomes, improved civic values and practices and high degrees of parental satisfaction about the value of the program.

It is an exciting time to be in Catholic education! GRACE abounds in the midst of challenges and many are now searching for the light of faith. Green Bay has a long tradition of Catholic vibrancy and hope for the future remains strong. As the newest school in GRACE, St. John Paul II Classical School is opening its doors in the Autumn of 2016 for students in grades Pre - K to Four. We will grow the school by adding a grade each successive year and plan to offer a before & after school care program for the convenience of parents. Strategic teams of dedicated individuals are now faithfully developing a marketing plan, addressing facility needs and establishing a classical curriculum and assessment model that is true to the unique mission. St. John Paul II Classical School is located on the west side of Green Bay at the St. Joseph School site on 12th Avenue and Ninth Street. We have a wonderfully traditional Catholic school building for our initial classes and as we grow in the immediate future. We are blessed to have a chapel within the school for adoration and daily prayers, and are committed to creating a school where the inculcation of the Faith is so evidently central to its mission. Working with Bishop Ricken to solidify plans for the liturgical and sacramental life of St. John Paul II Classical School, we are now making these aspirations a reality.

We’re on the web - www.gracesystem.org

There is great excitement about the start of Green Bay’s first Catholic classical school and many are looking to discover more about this educational approach. In summary, education, in western civilization, is largely a gift of the Church and classical education was the way all education was done not so very long ago. Based upon the “Trivium,” instruction is tailored through three developmentally appropriate stages of student learning: Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric. It stresses language acquisition and logic by developing skills in phonics, reading fundamentals, mathematics, science and the arts while underlining the unity of faith and reason. Tried and true, the value of this method was proven over the course of more than a thousand years. We draw on rich tradition, and the integration of Catholic values into all subjects results in faith-filled students who are knowledgeable, analytical, and articulate. As Bishop Ricken, has noted, “A group of parents have shown interest in a school that follows a classical curriculum model, which includes in - depth study of the classical works of the western world. The goal is to develop complete thinkers who learn to draw on faith and reason for the purpose of building up the Church.”

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When the doors to St. Matthew and Resurrection Schools open in the fall of 2016, both schools will be greeting students of different ages under the reorganization process that will create one school with two campuses. The goal is to develop a long - term, vibrant model for quality Catholic education in the Allouez area that meets the academic, spiritual and social needs of our current and future students. The proposal was presented to and approved by the GRACE Board of Trustees on June 4, 2015.

The reorganization committee has met weekly to study and discuss how best to deliver quality Catholic

Reorganization of Resurrection - St. Matthew Schools

the EC – 4 site. The committee intends to explore the possibility of expanding childcare options for younger children in the future with the goal of providing complete birth to age 14 services to families.

The reorganization committee will continue to hold information/listening sessions for parents and parish members throughout the year. The weekly minutes of the meetings are posted on the St. Matthew and Resurrection school websites. The Reorganization efforts of these two schools will be the catalyst for creating a new way of working and of reimagining Catholic education for the future in the Allouez area.

education. The goals to achieve in this reorganization are:

To provide a rigorous curriculum

Maintain talented teachers

Provide faith formation, actively

Engage parents

Create a climate of respect and personal responsibility

The group studied seven different models for organizing the grade structure and decided that early childhood through fourth grade would be located at the St. Matthew Campus and grades five through eight at the Resurrection Campus.

Before and after school care will continue to be offered for families at

Jessica Abnet .................. Resurrection SAC/Parent

Mary Burich ................... Resurrection SAC/Parent

Lori Dederich ................ Middle School Teacher/Parent

Lara Feldhausen ............. St. Matthew SAC/Parent

Kay Franz ....................... Principal Res/St. Matthew

Fr. Bob Kabat ................. Priest-St. Matthew Parish

Callie Lacy ...................... St. Matthew SAC/Parent

Ginger Micksch ............. St. Matthew Parish Council

Sherry Moon .................. Resurrection Parish Council

John Reetz ...................... Facilitator - Diocese

Annie Stewart ................ St. Matthew Elementary Teacher

Jodi Sullivan ................... Res. Elementary Teacher Parent

Resurrection/St. Matthew Reorganization Committee Members

GRACE Spotlight on Staff

The Personal Scoop Favorite Pastimes: Reading and hanging out with her family. Favorite Book: Outlander and Expecting Adam Favorite Movie/TV Show: Up In her Words: “I’m thrilled about working with staff to make our Blended Learning Spanish Program hugely successful with students and parents, and I’m very committed to working with the Spanish Team to create a world-class elementary curriculum.”

This month’s spotlight is on Jackie Crown, GRACE’s new World Language Coordinator. This position was created to oversee the Blended Learning Spanish Program that is being piloted in three GRACE schools this year. Sra.

Crown has been teaching Spanish for 18 years, six of which were in GRACE schools - Resurrection and St. Bernard. Along with overseeing the pilot program, Sra. Crown is working with our seven Spanish teachers across the district to create continuity among programs.