Alumni & Friends Newslet ter

Upcoming Events:

April 17: Ooey Gooey Fun Night

May 3: First Commun-ion

May 7: Fine Arts Night & Open House

June 7: God’s Portion Day Breakfast & Auc-tion

With the help of

God’s grace, we

form the mind,

body, and spirit of

each child within

our school family;

we form children

to be Leaders for

Christ.

Spring 2015 From the Principal’s Desk Although it is now my fifth year as principal, I continue to be amazed at the little things hap-pening that continually reflect the vibrant community we have here at Sts. Peter and Paul School.

Our enrollment continues to grow and is cur-rently at 80 students, preschool-6th grade. Student achievement is positively impacted with character formation. We believe in providing a mission based climate for stu-dents to excel in leadership skills and forming their character to become Leaders for Christ.

We are very proud of our school spirit, posi-tive school culture, and that we can provide a safe and secure environment for students. Our teachers and staff are committed to building positive relationships with our stu-dents and their families.

With the help of grants and private donations,

we have been able to make some new and improved changes to the building and facili-ties, including new stage curtains and sound system, new paint on the walls, tablets, and the installation of Promethean boards (interactive white boards) in four of the class-rooms. We have also been able to increase security by installing new exterior doors, an entry surveillance system, and a new phone communication system with phones in each classroom. This summer we plan to modify the bathrooms to include handicap accessible stalls and baby changing stations.

Whether it is in academics, service activities, or faith formation, it is clear that SPPS con-tinues to be a school with a difference. We are very appreciative of the continued support from our many benefactors, alumni, parents and parishioners—THANK YOU so much!

-Contributed by Mrs. Lisa Gray, SPPS Principal

For literally thousands of years, Catholic Christians have been operating schools that teach not only Religion, but the other “Three R’s” as well. Some might wonder why that is: can’t we leave the secular subjects to public ed-

ucation? While there are many fine public schools, we as Cath-olics place great importance on learning about all that creation is and has to offer, while refer-encing the One who made it all. We believe that the world

doesn’t make sense without God, so, for millennia, we have formed young and old to see how He is active in the world that He created.

At Sts. Peter and Paul School, we are proud to be a part of this educational heritage. For well over 100 years, we have been helping young people to know and love Christ. We have provided an environ-ment in which they can meet Him and see how He is ac-tively involved in the world.

The Value of a Catholic Education

Based on 5 years of standardized test data (Iowa

Test of Basic Skills, 2010-2014), SPPS

students scored 14 points higher than

the national average.

Stay Connected with us!

“Like” our FaceBook page - Sts. Peter & Paul School

AND

Check out the new look & new features on the SPPS

website - www.stspeterpaul.org

During Advent, students begin the day in prayerful reflection

with the Jesse Tree. Living Rosary with SPPS students.

We do this with the expecta-tion that these young people will one day leave the halls of our school and go out into the world where there are people who do not know Him. Our expectation is that these young people will be Leaders for Christ, who will bring to light His love that many people can’t see. We’re happy to have your friend-ship and assistance in our mission of forming Leaders for Christ.

-Contributed by Fr. Thomas Szydlik

How are you making room for God and becoming

more like him during this

Lenten season?

Giving up fighting with my brothers & sister, so that I have more time with God.

Milo Koechle, 6th grade

Being nice to my friends.

Cole Boyles, Pre-K

Not watching my favorite show so that I can pray more.

Adriana Poppe, 3rd grade

Praying the rosary more and doing more good deeds.

Elaine Sullivan, 1st grade

During Lent, 5th & 6th graders present Living Stations.

Acts of Random Kindness In 2011, SPPS implemented the Leader in Me program, based on Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. By using the 7 Habits in the daily curriculum, SPPS students learn the skills to become Leaders for Christ every day. SPPS recogniz-es this character and virtue for-mation with the ARK (Acts of Random Kindness) program.

Students are nominated and recognized with a weekly “ARK” drawing. Those chil-dren are recognized at the first school Mass each month and are awarded an ARK t-shirt.

For more information about the 7 Habits curriculum and how it is used daily at SPPS, visit www.stspeterpaul.org.

What grade do you teach? 5th and 6th grade

How many years have you taught at SPPS? A hundred years (32, I think).

What is your favorite part of the day at SPPS? Prayer with the class in our room and read aloud.

What is your favorite thing(s) at SPPS? I really like that we pray together. I also enjoy the Christmas program and Fine Arts night. I could name so many...CSW (Catholic Schools Week) is the BOMB! Grandparent’s Day is the best! It is wonderful that we can be such a family and have meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas with our extended family.

What 5 words would your students (past & present) use to describe you? Fun. Fair. Prayer-ful. Trustworthy. Kind.

Teacher Focus—5 Questions with Mrs. Lake

February ARK winners with Fr. Szydlik.

Mark your calendars! One of the most popular (and definitely the messiest!) events at SPPS is coming up in April. However, Ooey Gooey Fun Night is more than just fun.

Over 5 years ago, as a pre-school teacher, Elizabeth Scheetz attended a workshop provided by Ooey Goo-ey, Inc. which focused on teaching preschoolers through child-centered, hands-on, play-based activi-ties. She learned how preschoolers can use household items to explore states of matter, chemical reactions, laws of physics, and much more while having fun. She brought that idea back to SPPS, where the first event hosted over 50 families! It has become so successful that space is now limited. If you know a child(ren) be-tween the ages of 3-5, watch out for more news com-ing soon!

Ooey Gooey Night Returns April 17!

SPPS was one of 10 schools to receive a Monarch Rescue Grant from the National Catholic Educa-tional Association. Illinois is one of the states along the migratory path of the Monarchs, who travel from Mexico in the spring and return as summer ends. That migration is in trouble, because the milkweed plants on which the butterflies lay their eggs and the caterpillars feed is in short supply. The grant will enable SPPS to build and maintain a butterfly garden and develop a science learning module to go with it. The 5th and 6th graders have been busy getting the Monarch Rescue Pro-ject up and running! Check out the link below for journal updates, photos and more. http://stspeterpaul.org/monarch-rescue-project

Did You

Know?

LOOK INSIDE. THE FIRST EDITION OF THE

SPPS ALUMNI & FRIENDS

NEWSLETTER IS HERE!

1115 Young Street

PO Box 160

Nauvoo, IL 62354

www.stspeterpaul.org

We are currently planning for our 16th Annual GPD (God’s Portion Day) Auction, to be held Sunday, June 7 at SPPS.

Please plan to support the event by donating, volunteering or attending the event.

16th Annual GPD Auction

Attention SPPS Alumni! We are working hard to update our alumni data-base. If you are an alumnus of SPPS, please con-tact us at development@stspeterpaul.org to veri-fy you are on the alumni contact list and/or to update your contact information.

If you know someone who would like to receive a future edition of SPPS Alumni & Friends Newsletter, please let us know!

the best academic preparation for junior high and high school.

individual attention to our students through our low student-teacher ratio.

character and virtue formation for a student's life-time.

the best opportunity for the teaching of faith, both in school and at home.

SPPS is Proud to Provide:

The SPPS Alumni & Friends Newsletter was compiled by the Sts. Peter & School Strategic Planning Enrollment Management, Mar-keting & Development Sub-Committee.

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