Spirit Fall 2019 - sksschool.orgsksschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Spirit... · Varsity Cross Country includes Connor Hayes Ryann McCoy (far left) and Joe Garzio (far right)

Page 1 THE SPIRIT FALL 2019

The SpiritSt. Katharine of Siena

FALL 2019NEWSLETTER FOR THE ST. KATHARINE OF SIENA COMMUNITY

THE SKS JOURNEY BEGINS

A special welcome to our new families! Brenan Family

Brenan-Rothschild Family Busch Family

Cognata Family Davis Family

DiBello Family Dorchery Family Doucet Family Gavin Family

Gorman Family Heigh Family Imbesi Family Katona Family Kemm Family

Langton Family Lee Family

Milner Family Mittman Family

Morrissey Family Muntz Family Prior Family

Reynolds Family Shoup Family Staves Family

Thompson Family Vento Family


SKS YOUTH MINISTRY LED BY MRS. TWOHIG

Stephanie Twohig is the director of our Youth Ministry program. Mrs. Twohig began the program six years ago and now has over seventy teenagers from grades 7 - 12! The mission statement for the Youth Ministry program sums up their engagement:

St. Katharine’s Parish is a community striving to bring its youth closer to Jesus Christ. Youth Ministry offers the teens in 7-8 grades (Junior High) and 9-12 (Senior High) opportunities in the three S’s: Service, Spirituality, and Social development.

Mrs. Twohig shared some feedback on the impact of the Ministry where she has dedicated her time and efforts. “I was a little hesitant about taking on the Youth Ministry position but after meeting with the search committee, Monsignor Brouwers and Mr. Tosti and of course talking it over with the family it was the best decision I (we) ever made. Not only has Youth Ministry changed my life but also my family’s. We were faithful Catholics, attending weekly Mass, but nothing prepared us for what God had in store for us. We have seen God's mercy in so many aspects of the program from working with the teens on service projects, to going on missions, and the 6:00 pm Youth Mass. The Youth Mass is prepared and run entirely by the teens, from the lectors, and ushers to the musicians. The teens who have taken an active role in these Masses have continued in college. Helping the teens grow in their faith is our number one goal. So, along with the help of a strong parish, we hope to empower young people as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today.”

Here are a number of the events Youth Ministries has undertaken:

• Each first Sunday of the month during the school year, the teens sponsor the Youth Mass, acting as the lectors, ushers , cantors, and musicians! (Anyone in the parish is welcome to attend!)

• A fun-filled 6 on 6 dodgeball tournament fundraiser helps an SKS family and St. Martin’s family at Christmas • At Christmas, the teens unload and transport over 400 boxes of food to St. Martin’s Parish, in Philadelphia• MLK Day is another big event that has over 100 students and parents helping to make sandwiches, pack

toiletry bags, and sort clothes for five organizations: New Day Shelter, Norristown Homeless Shelter, Cabrini Food Pantry, Youth Emergency Shelter and Jenna's Blessing Bags.

• Each year, more and more high school members have attended the Catholic Retreat Steubenville, which is held at St. John’s University.

In addition to her time directing Youth Ministry, Mrs. Twohig runs the concert band and teaches the flute, clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, and this year we have our first baritone! She began SKS Got Talent eleven years ago. She serves as the SKS Spring Cultural Arts Coordinator. These selfless commitments help instill Catholic identity throughout our community, and she has become an invaluable part of St. Katharine’s.

We asked Mrs. Twohig if she could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why:

I would want my daughters to meet my nonna, Margaret Yanni. The girls have heard so much about her, so I would want them to receive one of her warm hugs and her "pearls of wisdom.” Mrs. G, as she was lovingly called by so many, was my mom's mom. Growing up, I spent practically every weekend with my nonna and pop pop. My family met every Sunday for a delicious Italian dinner and amazing family time. Even through high school and college, I would sleepover. We would walk up the avenue (Germantown Ave. in Chestnut Hill) and go to the grocery store to pick up what we were having for dinner and then get back for her afternoon "stories" (soap operas). Many weekends we would hit a sale at Gimbels. For you Goldberg fans, yes, Gimbels was a store in Cheltenham that everyone loved! — By JP Boles


READING AT SKS In their new book How to Raise a Reader (Workman 2019), New York Times Book Review writers Pamela Paul and Maria Russo ask “...how can we be sure that [our children] are becoming lifelong readers when the current environment can seem so hostile to the very idea of sitting down quietly with an old-fashioned, turn-the-pages printed book?” In every classroom and around every corner at St. Katharine’s, teachers are responding to this urgent question.

The early foundations of reading and excitement for books take root through weekly K-4 library visits with Librarian Jill D’Agostino. As she explains, “We strive to build lifelong learners and to foster a love of reading and information literacy skills.” Students in the upper grades visit the library independently or with their teacher to browse the collection for their independent reading selections. Fifth grade teacher Jayda Orsatti brings her class on a regular basis; as she explains, “I want my students to learn that a book is a gift you can open again and again!"

First graders experience the magic of reading through the long-running tradition of the Mystery Reader program. Parents, grandparents, and other special people come in regularly to read to the children. As 1st grade teacher Katie Tosti explains, “I am a firm believer that a love of reading starts at a young age, and a big part of that comes from parents reading to and with their children, and showing them that it is an enjoyable pastime.” She goes on to say that the Mystery Reader time “instills a love of reading in our young students because they see and hear the ‘story’ behind each book and why it was chosen and why it is so special to that reader or their classmate.”

Another aspect of the reading work at SKS is the integration of student voice and choice. Literature Circles, used in multiple grades, are a key place where students are encouraged to explore and express this freedom. As Mrs. D’Agostino explains, “Students read literature they have selected, which means they are interested and motivated to read. They discuss the literature thoroughly with their peers, share their ideas, and have active involvement with the literature.” Mrs. Orsatti, too, points to the value of student choice in the Literature Circle format, “Students take ownership for the reading and discussion. I am always amazed and delighted when I hear them asking to read more!”

Reading becomes a competitive sport through the SKS Reading Olympics team! Students in grades 4 and 5 can choose to join the year-long program, led by Mrs. D’Agostino and 6th grade teacher Alexa Stefan. This statewide annual competition is designed to promote teamwork and self-confidence, and as Mrs. Stefan explains, ”all while developing a habit of daily reading for pleasure.”

In the middle school years, it can be difficult to sustain the passion for pleasure reading, amidst the barrage of digital media sources competing for kids’ attention. Jen Loftus embraces this challenge head-on. During weekly Reader’s Workshop sessions, 7th graders stop, drop, and read! Any Friday afternoon, you can find Mrs. Loftus’ students sprawled across cushions and carpets, engrossed in the pages of a book. As she explains, “It’s all about putting the right book in their hands.”

Alongside all of these classroom and library reading opportunities, the One Book program delivers a reading experience that unites the entire school. In only its second year, the program has already shown the potential to unite the community in

multiple ways. Over the summer, students, faculty, and staff all read a book with a common theme. When they come back to school in September, this shared reading becomes the foundation for student-led discussions and buddy activities that explore the themes and stories.

Paul and Russo’s urgent question about supporting and sustaining a love of reading is on the minds of every teacher at SKS. In the words of Mrs. Loftus, “At SKS, we’re committed to creating an opportunity for kids to just shut down and read. Everywhere you look in our school kids are carrying a pleasure reading book. It’s so great to see.” — By Lisa Lopez-Carickhoff


Varsity 7th & 8th grade Softball Team

3rd Grade Flag Football celebrates a big win over St. Pats!

1st & 2nd Grade Girls Field Hockey

SKS FALL SPORTS

Runners take their mark at their Cross Country meet

3rd grader, Evan Martin, runs hard at Cross Country

1st grade boys flag football enjoying a big win over St. Denis

Jr. Cross Country runners Hannah & Ryann McCoyVarsity Cross Country includes Connor Hayes

(far left) and Joe Garzio (far right)


Our varsity field hockey team accomplished quite the resumé this year with a season record of 11-0-1: Candy Apple Tournament champs, Region 32 tournament champs, and the ultimate prize - Archdiocese champs!

A special thank you and congratulations to their coaches: Jane Dwyer, Stacy Marchese and Jim Sharkey

Head coach Jane Dwyer said: “The SKS Field Hockey team is amazing! We have strength at every level of the field — Defense, Mids and Forwards all know how to work together to achieve success. We have many great athletes, but more importantly we have 18 really fantastic girls who treat their teammates well and are happy to play TOGETHER!!”

VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY CHAMPS!


The More the Merrier! SKS Twins (and triplets)

Irene & Sara Coll Annette & Evelyn DeLisiSara & Jacqueline DraganescuEmily & Thomas ElliottJohn & William HintzeLawrence & Leonardo ImbesiMaeve & George Irish

Luke & Dillon JohnsonAlexander & Taylor KendallMatthew & Lila McCormickSadie, Avery & Quinn SchultzAbigail & Grace SharkeyAshley & Lauren SincavageNora & Alexandra Wieser


SPOTLIGHT: MR. CHECCHIAOfficially known as: Mr. Joseph Daniel Checchia

Education• Father Judge Class of ‘94 GO CRUSADERS! • Bloomsburg University, B.A. in Art Studio ‘98• University of the Arts, Associates in Art History • 98’ Art Institute of Philadelphia, B.A. Photography /

Graphic Design (Won Best Portfolio & 4.0 GPA)

18 years at SKS!

Married to his wife Tara and has three daughters: Nadine, Johanna, and Norah

One of Mr. Checchia’s passions is photography where he has earned awards for his work. Here are two of his impressive works below. A quote from one of his photography mentors rings in his ears when he is working the camera, “Anyone can take a picture, but only a few can take a photograph.”

Playground 2018 Untitled 2001

Mr. Checchia’s chosen superpower would be time travel. He’d love to go back and see the Beatles cross Abbey Road, be on stage to hear Janis Joplin at Woodstock, see the first show at the Grand Ole Opry, and of course, be back in time to see an on-lot making of the original Star Wars.

An interesting fact about Mr. Checchia is his commitment to learning how to swim as an adult. Growing up in the city of Philadelphia, he did not go to any of the public pools, and never learned how to swim. He had a lot of fun growing up in the City, but it was more basketball, tag, and stick ball, with not much of a desire to swim. So he set a goal, took lessons, and learned to swim, or as he puts it, ungracefully get to the other side of the pool!

If Mr. Checchia could spend one day with someone, it would be his grandmom, Virginia. He misses her homemade sauce on the stove after mass on Sundays, and the tall glasses of sweet tea she served him with a bowl of peanuts. HUG YOUR GRANDPARENTS he wisely advises!

The one special thing he loves about SKS is the sense of FAMILY. “This is my second family, and like any family there will be tough times and good times. But family works through them all, building that bond.”


We hope our SKS community can

support our generous sponsors!

Interested in being a sponsor for the

Spirit? Please contact J.P. Boles: [email protected]

Documents

Spirit Fall 2019 - sksschool.orgsksschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Spirit... · Varsity Cross Country includes Connor Hayes Ryann McCoy (far left) and Joe Garzio (far right)