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ewsewsewsewsewsewsewsews Inside this issue:
President’s Letter 2
GRACE Schools Open Houses 3
2015-2016 Tuition/Fees 4
On-line Learning/Educational
Programs
5
Staff Focus - April Padalino 6
IB at Holy Family School 7
Layout Editor - Donna Sommers VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2– December 2014
RACERACERACERACERACERACERACERACE
Early Childhood Education Benefits Children
In a recent article titled,
‘Reimagining Early-Childhood
Education,’ the authors point
out that more than 120
empirical studies have
demonstrated the dramatic
benefits of early childhood
education. “Children who
attend early-childhood-
education programs at ages 3 or
4 are better prepared for
school. They also perform
better academically, are likelier
to complete high school…they have fewer
instances of externalized behavior….they
surpass their peers economically.”
Each of the GRACE schools offers an
early childhood program. By using a
hands-on, play-based approach, children
learn through exploration, social
interaction with their peers, and play. It is
the goal of each EC program to prepare
children for kindergarten by introducing
them to the concepts they will master
during their primary years in school. Each
school determines the scope of options
for half-day and full-day offerings for
children, ages 3 or 4.
Research also demonstrates the benefits of
early childhood education on the social
development of children. These programs
help develop a child’s natural desire and
capacity for emotionally significant bonds
with others as well as the ability to respect
and respond to the thoughts
and feelings of others.
Researchers also speak of
the positive development of
children in early childhood
programs in terms of a
child’s ability to control
impulses, maintain focus
and make flexible plans.
The relationship-building
skills are ties to a child’s
ability to develop habits of mind such as
discipline, synthesis, creativity, respect
and ethics. “An education system in
which highly trained and respected
teachers encourage children to construct
knowledge by building meaningful
relationships, in contrast, produces
collaborative leaders and innovators.”
The GRACE Early Childhood Programs
welcome parents to volunteer in the
classroom. Opportunities for parents to
share their expertise in real
-life situations and
occupations are provided.
The GRACE philosophy
supports parents as integral
partners in their child’s
education. For further
information:
www.gracesystem.org
GRACE Catholic Schools
Holy Cross School
468-0625
Holy Family School
494-1931
Notre Dame School of De Pere
337-1103 or 337-1115
Our Lady of Lourdes School
336-3091
Resurrection School
336-3230
St. Bernard School
468-5026
St. John the Baptist School
434-3822
St. Matthew School
432-5223
St. Thomas More School
432-8242
St. John Paul II Classical School
499-7330
Dear GRACE Friends,
As you read this, we are in the middle of the wonderful season of Advent, a
time of anticipation of the Birth of our Lord. Often this season is so overwhelmed by the media’s
promotional sales, that we forget about these four weeks of spiritual preparation. Tucked away within these
weeks are also two very significant Marian Feast Days . . . The Feast of the Immaculate Conception
(December 8) and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12). What a season of spiritual richness!
When I was a boy growing up in the Cold War era, I remember how often my family went to church
to pray the rosary to end the threat of nuclear war. The church was packed every night as we gathered as a
fearful Catholic community. Leaders began to back away from destruction and moved toward peaceful
disengagement. Fear, faith, intense prayer drew us together and the world was healed. I recall learning how
the power of prayer could not only draw together a community but also about prayer’s power in our lives.
During these final days of Advent, may each of us make time in our busy days to pray and reflect
upon the needs of our world. Maybe it is a prayer for peace, a prayer for healing, a prayer of thanksgiving . . .
we can pray for so many things and in so many ways. Advent is a season of rich opportunity and I ask that we
join together as the GRACE family to bring the power of daily prayer to heal the world’s wounds. In a
special way, Pope Francis asks us to bring our attention to the needs of the poor.
In The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis’ first apostolic exhortation, the pope asks: “How could it be that
it’s not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market
loses two points?” As we reflect more deeply on the meaning of Advent and the coming birth of Jesus, let us
take seriously Pope Francis’ question. May we all draw together, not out of fear but with compassion, to pray
for and offer our generous support to the poor.
God, through our compassion, faith and intense prayer,
draw us together so that the world may be healed.
God bless you and your loved ones in this Advent Season and in joyful anticipation of Christmas.
In Christ & St. Norbert,
Rev. Dane Radecki, O. Praem.
President – GRACE Catholic Schools
Page 2
Page 3
Open House Programs Scheduled at GRACE Catholic Schools
The celebration of Catholic Schools Week
includes a variety of events at each GRACE
school. As part of the week, each GRACE
school holds an OPEN HOUSE welcoming
parents to meet staff, view the school, view
student learning projects and receive
information about the 2015 - 2016 school
year. While parents can register their students
for the next school year online, those who
would like assistance in this process can
inquire during the Open House. Further
information is available on the GRACE web
site at www.gracesystem.org
Holy Cross January 27 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Holy Family January 26 4:00 - 7:00 pm Chili Dinner
Notre Dame - Elementary
Notre Dame - Middle
January 25 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Mass, Breakfast,
Open House
Our Lady of Lourdes January 25 After 10:15 am Mass
Resurrection January 28 9:00 - Noon
St. Bernard January 25 9:00 am - Noon
St. John the Baptist January 25 After 8:00 am & 10:00 am Mass
St. Matthew January 29 9:00 am - Noon
St. Thomas More Call School for date and time
Information Regarding
8th Grade Policies
∗ 8th grade students whose accounts are
not up-to-date will not be eligible to
participate in 8th grade trips, parties
and graduation events. The only
exception will be the 8th grade retreat
as long as the retreat fee (if required)
is paid. GRACE Board of Trustees Policy
∗ The organization, fundraising,
financial arrangements, chaperoning
and liability for 8th Grade Class Trips
are the responsibility of the parents.
The 8th Grade Class Trips cannot be
scheduled on days when school is in
session and should take place after the
8th grade graduation. GRACE staff
are not responsible for the planning,
fundraising and chaperoning of these
trips.
∗ It is the policy of the Diocese of
Green Bay to have a non-alcohol
environment during student
activities and/or events.
2014 - 2015 Audit Report
The auditing firm, Schenck, SC completed its annual audit
of the 2013-2014 GRACE financial books. The audit
revealed a solid financial result with a slight surplus. The
GRACE Board has created a small Reserve Fund to
strengthen the financial viability of GRACE operations.
$111,781
$105,719
$116,370
GRACE Annual Appeal2014 - Present 2013-2014 2012-2013
GRACE Annual Appeal gifts are recorded with the fiscal
year, July 1 - June 30. the Appeal directly supports students
in financial need.
The GRACE principals met
together to assess individual
school and system-wide student
test scores as part of
curriculum planning.
Page 4
In November, the GRACE Campaign received
two gifts to help the Campaign exceed its goal
of $2.1 million. The gifts support the
Campaign priorities which included support
for technology as well as establishment of a
GRACE Scholarship Endowment.
The Mulva Family Foundation, a private
foundation founded by Jim & Miriam Mulva,
made a gift of $250,000. The Norbertines
made a gift of $25,000 to the Scholarship
Endowment. The Scholarship Endowment
also received a $10,000 bequest from the estate
Gifts Push GRACE Campaign Over Goal
GRACE Board Approves 2015-2016 Budget Tuition & Fees Announced
The GRACE Board of Directors, following the
recommendation of the Board of Trustees,
approved the 2015-2016 budget for the 10
GRACE schools. The budget is balanced. In
approving the budget, the Boards endorsed a new
plan to boost teacher salaries. The plan drops the
traditional salary scale and instead includes raises
according to years of experience. The GRACE
administration emphasized the need to address
the base salary over the next few years.
The tuition for 2015-2016 is approved at $2,500
for students of supporting parishes. The
registration fee schedule is set at $35 for Early
Registration during Catholic Schools Week; $70
from February 2-28; and $100 beginning March 1st. Early
Registration is set for the week of January 25 – February 1.
The rates for the Early Childhood Program are $15 per ½
day and $22 per full day. Each activity fee is determined
by the School Advisory Council (SAC) at the school site.
Likewise, fundraising requirements are determined by the
school. These will be available online for each school at
the time of registration.
The cost to educate a GRACE student in 2015-2016 is
$5,256. The 23 area Catholic parishes contribute $1,630
per student. The remainder is funded through parent
fundraising, the GRACE Annual Appeal, foundation and
grant support.
Families wishing to apply for financial assistance may do so
online at the time of registration or at a later date.
Applications received by April 15, 2015 will receive first
consideration. Those who apply after that date will be
reviewed as financial aid dollars are available. The Boards
approved a financial aid program of $260,000.
For further information on registration, please contact
Donna Sommers at 499-7330, ext. 303.
Upcoming Events at Notre
Dame Academy
♦ January 31st - Freshman Registration:
9:00 am - Noon; NDA
♦ Feb 21st - TritonFest at Lambeau Field.
We’re on the web - www.gracesystem.org
of Fr. Ralph Merkatoris. With these gifts, the GRACE
Campaign stands at $2,223,976.21.
Campaign funds are already having direct impact on the
education of children. During the summer, the GRACE
schools received upgrades in their technology
infrastructure. In September, all GRACE middle school
students received their personal Chromebooks which are
being used throughout the curriculum. The GRACE
Scholarship endowment will begin to generate additional
dollars for financial assistance next year.
The GRACE Campaign was co-chaired by Paul & Carol
Schierl and Hans & Mary Schaupp.
Page 5
GRACE Student On-line Learning & Other Educational Programs
communicate with the instructor and
other students participating in the
class. Schools are advised that
participation in WCATY is to take the
place of the student’s Language Arts
and/or Reading class for the duration
of the course. Activities are designed
to replace 5 hours of class work weekly
and often require homework.
Students receive a grade with
comments from WCATY at the
completion of the course.
Other local opportunities that exist for
students seeking an educational
challenge include
Camp Invention:
http://www.campinvention.org
NWTC Tech Camp: www.nwtc.edu/
academics/youth/
middleandhighschool/Pages/
TechCamp.aspx
The following is a link to an online
database of the University of
Wisconsin System Precollege
Program “Opportunities for
Wisconsin Youth”:
http://precollege.wlearn.com/
they use higher level thinking skills as
they converse and learn with each
other. The courses are relevant and
challenging; and students are
encouraged to consider how they
interact with the world around them
through explorative questioning.
WCATY’s research-based strategies
for online instruction ignite
imagination, evaluation, and creative
thinking.
Eligibility for participation in
WCATY is for GRACE 5th-8th grade
students scoring a 95% or higher
Percentile Ranking in the areas of
Reading and Language Usage (and
Math for those courses with a math
focus) on their most recent MAP
assessment. A student scoring in the
90-94% Percentile Ranking in
Reading and Language Usage (and
Math for those courses with a math
focus) can be eligible based on a
school team decision (two or more
staff members: classroom teacher,
supportive consultant, principal,
WCATY Site Coordinator).
Successful WCATY students are self-
motivated, have good time
management skills, and are able to
Odyssey is an online resource
program for teachers and students
at all grade levels that provides
personalized content to students.
The GRACE schools and parents
can use Odyssey as an online
learning tool for students across
the entire learning spectrum to
help close achievement gaps,
accelerate those who need it, and
match learning to students.
Students can also supplement
their classroom learning by
utilizing Odyssey programs in
math, reading, and language arts
at home. Odyssey content can
also assist teachers as a class
instructional tool in other subject
areas.
WCATY (Wisconsin Center for
Academically Talented Youth) is
an online opportunity for higher
achieving students who have met
the participation eligibility criteria
offered four times throughout the
school year for GRACE 5th-8th
grade students. Students
participating in WCATY are part
of an online learning community
led by a certified teacher in which
♦ January 30th, St. Thomas More International Night
5:30 pm
♦ April 18th, 2015 - St. Bernard Auction
“Giving Back to the Future”
Contact the individual school for more information
about an event.
The annual Walk to Mary Pilgrimage will be held on
Saturday, May 2, 2014. Registration begins February
1, 2015. You can visit the website or register online at
www.walktomary.com
reading and spelling for students who need
additional support to achieve their grade level.
“I’m really excited to see the future impact on
children and the results now that our GRACE
schools are near full
implementation of the K-3
program. Personally, I’ve seen the
benefits of this program and just
saw how one of my students in less
than 3 years began as a struggling
reader to scoring 94% on his most
recent reading test. Another of my
students began 1st grade
significantly behind the other
students and by 4th grade is reading
and spelling at grade level.”
Mrs. Padalino believes that her role is to assist
students to progress from a focus on learning how
to read to reading to learn. Watching students
move into the middle school grades ready to read
and spell, she observes that they are able to focus
on higher order thinking as they ready for high
school. Through her compassion for children and
literacy expertise, April is reaching her goal of
bringing every child to read and spell at grade level
by the time they reach middle school.
Page 6
pupil (but not more than $4,000) plus the amount
the parent paid for the period when the student was a
secondary pupil. If the total is more than $10,000,
the parent includes the maximum of $10,000.
This new law applies to all parents incurring tuition
expenses in a GRACE Catholic School. You may
want to consult a tax advisor if you need further
details.
Additional Information
For more information, contact:
Wisconsin Dept. of Revenue
Customer Service Bureau
PO Box 8949
Phone: (608) 266-2486
Email: [email protected]
Wisconsin Tax Deduction for Tuition Expenses
The Governor signed into law new tax legislation
giving Wisconsin taxpayers the opportunity to deduct
private school tuition expenses from their taxable
income beginning on or after January 1, 2014. A
subtraction from income is allowed for tuition
expenses that are paid to any of the GRACE Catholic
schools. For each elementary student, the maximum
amount of tuition expenses which a claimant may
subtract in a taxable year is $4,000. For each secondary
student, the maximum amount of tuition expenses to
be claimed is $10,000.
How is tuition defined for a student attending 8th &
9th grade in a tax year?. For both an elementary pupil
and a secondary pupil (grades 8 & 9), the parent
includes the amount paid for tuition during the taxable
year for the period when the student was an elementary
GRACE Staff Focus
A pril Padalino’s care for the success of children drew
her to a career as a Reading Specialist. She began
her work as a long-term substitute teacher in Michigan
and she grew curious about why some children were
successful in reading while others were not. She began
to research the mechanics of early
childhood reading which led her to
use the Fundations Reading
Program. When April and her
family moved to the Green Bay area,
she taught first grade at St. John the
Baptist School in Howard. Now in
her eighth year, April serves as a full-
time reading interventionist.
April holds a Master’s Degree and
several certifications, including Early
Childhood Education and Reading
Intervention. Along with Pat Shafer at St. Bernard
School, April is completing the final requirements to be
approved as a Fundations Program trainer. She will train
new GRACE teachers in grades K-3 how to use the
Fundations Program and provide ongoing coaching
throughout the school year. Fundations is the reading
and spelling program adopted by all GRACE schools for
grades K-3. The Wilson Program complements
Fundations by serving as an intervention program in
Page 7
International Baccalaureate MYP Program Begins at Holy Family School
“BuildingacademicexcellenceandlifeskillswhilegrowinginourCatholicfaith”
Students are actively engaged in the
planning and assessing of their own
learning through reflection and
classroom dialogue. They grow in
their skills and understanding of the
world and its people and develop a
sense of their place within a global
community. Students also become
more aware of their impact on the
environment. During the culmination
of the three-year program, the students
explore a topic of interest to them,
and with the help of an advisor on
staff, develop a community project,
with a service- based component.
Why Holy Family School? There are
many reasons Holy Family was chosen
for this program.
♦ A high percentage of HFS
graduates attend NDA and
participate in the IB program at
the high school level. By having IB
at HFS, this will allow for a
seamless transition into the IB
program at NDA.
♦ An IB education is relevant for all
students regardless of background
or ability.
♦ Students will begin forming a
global perspective and develop
21st century learning skills while
still in their formative years.
♦ The program will create globally-
aware students who are ready to
embark on a journey to better the
future for themselves and the
community.
♦ As the field of education becomes
more competitive, Holy Family
strives for a higher academic
standard in order to remain
current and viable.
Colleges are now beginning to
recognize the abilities of IB- educated
students, granting early acceptances
and even scholarships, which may
include full tuition. High school IB
coordinators and members of the
state organization of coordinators are
working to increase recognition of IB
students in the college community.
If you have any questions about the
Holy Family IB program, contact
Mrs. Cheryl Smet, IB Coordinator, at [email protected].
In the spring of 2014, Holy Family
School was accepted into the
International Baccalaureate MYP
(Middle Years Program) as a
candidate school.
What does this mean for students
and teachers? MYP students have
inquiring minds and become active
learners, taking more responsibility
for their learning, which leads to
becoming lifelong learners. The
program prepares students to
become global citizens who are
international-minded and better
able to function in today’s world.
The program also develops more
social responsibility in students.
All middle school students
participate in the IB Middle Years
Program (MYP). Every student,
regardless of academic ability,
benefits from the IB program. The
program accommodates national
and local curriculum and
encourages students to become
creative, critical and reflective
thinkers through the use of inquiry-
based learning approaches.
Catholic Identity is integral to every
part of the program.
Wisconsin Parental Choice Program Information Night - 6:30 pm
Thursday, January 22, 2015
St. Thomas More School
650 S. Irwin Ave., Green Bay
WEATHER ALERT - School Closing Guidelines
The GRACE Catholic Schools will follow the school closing or delay
information of the local public school districts. Each GRACE School follows
the closing or delay schedule of the public district in which it is located.
LET US HELP YOU! - Call (920) 499-7330
Business Services ............. Heidi Janowski ext. 307
Financial Aid ................... Donna Sommers ext. 303
Student Registration ........ Donna Sommers ext. 303
Verify Tuition & Fees ..... Donna Sommers ext. 303
Human Resources ........... Jami Hintz ext. 309
Student Services .............. James Cullen ext. 308
Page 8
1087 Kellogg Street
Green Bay, WI 54303
www.gracesystem.org
NON PROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE
PAID
GREEN BAY, WI
PERMIT 4
2014-15 GRACE Schools Calendar
January 5 .............. Classes Resume
January 23 ............. Early Dismissal—NDA Academic Forum
January 25 – 31 ..... Catholic Schools Week
February 13 ........... No Classes/Staff Retreat
March 6 ................ Early Dismissal/End of 2ndTrimester
March 12 .............. Optional Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 16 – 20 ...... No Classes/Spring Break
April 3 ................... No Classes/ GOOD FRIDAY
April 5 .................. Easter
May 1 .................... Early Dismissal/Local School Prof. Development
May 25 .................. No Classes/Memorial Day
June 5 ................... Early Dismissal/Last Day of Classes
An Advent Reflection Inspired by Pope Francis
In this Christmas season, I pray that we can rest in the
tenderness of our Lord, and, renewed, find
the strength and energy to actively seek out
with love the hungry in our communities,
and work for justice for them. This means
changing not only our own behavior, but
working to undo the structural injustice
that stands in the way of the kingdom of
God, which first broke into the world on that first Christmas.