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Villa Duchesne Nuts and Bolts | February 14, 2019

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Students of Villa Duchesne are immersed in the areas of Service Learning and Global Exchange. Currently, students are collecting prom dresses and accessories for the Cinderella Project. The Pro-Life Club is collecting diapers for local outreach programs, and books are being collected to give as awards in an area school.

We also have students who will be heading to Costa Rica for a service trip in the next several weeks. As part of our Global Exchange program, we have a student visiting this month from Sagrado Corazón Sophianum in Peru, one of our 147 Sacred Heart schools around the world. We have students from our schools in San Francisco and Washington, DC, joining our Middle School. And soon, we look forward to receiving visiting students from Fuji Sacred Heart School in Susono, Japan, and Colaiste Ailigh in Letterkenny, Ireland.

We are excited by all of the activities in which your daughters are interested and enthusiastically participate. We see the mission of our school lived out in the daily lives of our students and support their efforts to be ambassadors of Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School.
 
Ms. Bridget Collins
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Paige Slusser, 2019 National Merit Finalist.

GOOD NEWS

 

Congratulations to senior Paige Slusser who has just been named a National Merit Finalist. In addition to scoring in the top one percent on the PSAT, Paige's outstanding academic record and school and community involvement were factors in her receiving this honor.

Congratulations, also, to the 21 Villa Duchesne students who were named 2019 Express the Music competition finalists. This annual competition, orchestrated by the Saint Louis Symphony, invites students throughout the metropolitan areato respond in writing to a specific musical selection. After blind-reading 660 entries, meaning they did not know the identity of the competitor or her school, judges chose 66 finalists. Nearly one-third of those finalists were Villa Duchesne students; attesting to the caliber of both our students and our writing program. Kudos to:
  • 8th Grade – Ava Brouster, Greta Donnelly, Cecelia Kraeger, Rachel Singer, Avery Walbrandt, and Rory Wood
  • 9th Grade – Mattilee Frechmann
  • 10th Grade – Claire Elsesser, Ella Fernandez, Caroline Schneithorst, and Giuli Vacca
  • 11th Grade – Maria Adamitis, Betsy Benzinger, Emma Buell, Mary Therese Capps, and Rachel Ruddy
  • 12th Grade – Ghaya Abubakar, Carrie Bannon, Allie Dodd, Claudia Hasse, and Lauren McGrath

 

The Express the Music finalists are invited to an awards ceremony on March 23 at Powell Symphony Hall, where the top prize winners will be announced.

NO SCHOOL | FEBRUARY 15 & 18

 

Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School will be closed tomorrow, February 15, and Monday, February 18, for the Presidents' Day weekend.

 

GIVE FROM THE HEART

 

Make Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School your valentine and give from the heart today! Please consider making a gift to Cor Unum Annual Giving this Valentine's Day to show your love of Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School.

MAROON PLATOON EVENTS

 

Families are invited to come out and cheer on the Saints at any or all of the following competitions:
  • Friday, February 15 – State swimming competition at the St. Peters Rec-Plex. Swimming events begin at 5 pm and there is an $8 admission.
  • Saturday February 16 – State swimming and diving competition at the St. Peters Rec-Plex. Diving events begin at 9 am with swimming finals beginning at 3 pm. Admission is $8.
  • Tuesday February 19 – Annual "Pink" basketball games in Kenefick Gym. Junior Varsity versus Rosati-Kain at 4:30 pm. Varsity versus Rosati-Kain at 6 pm. Pink t-shirts are being sold in La Boutique for $20 from 11:30 am to 1 pm on school days while supplies last. Free-will donations will be accepted at the door. All proceeds will benefit Pink Ribbon Girls, an organization whose mission is to help ease the minds of individuals and families affected by breast & women's gynecological cancers with direct services and support. 
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MOTHERS' CLUB SPRING SOCIAL

 

BrickTop's | 10342 Clayton Road | Saturday, March 2 at 6:30 pm
Head of School Michael F. Baber and the Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School Mothers' Club invite you to the Mothers' Club Spring Social for a night of friends, food, and fun. Appetizers and soft drinks are courtesy of the Mothers' Club. Please let us know if you are able to attend.

2019-2020 RE-ENROLLMENT CONTRACTS

 

Enrollment and Tuition Contracts for the 2019-2020 school year are due by Friday, February 22. Families are also required to send an enrollment deposit of $1,000 to the Business Office to complete the re-enrollment process. If you have any questions, please contact Financial Services Coordinator Alice Tuhro at atuhro@vdoh.org or 314.810.3531. We welcome the opportunity to partner with you again in the education of your children. 

FATHER-DAUGHTER DINNER DANCE

 

All students in grades 7-12 are invited to attend the Father-Daughter Dinner Dance Saturday, March 2, at The Ritz-Carlton. If a student's father is unable to attend, we encourage her to bring an adult guest to the event. Reservation deadline is Thursday, February 21. Learn more and register …

SEE YOU AT THE RACES

 

The gates open at 6:30 pm Friday, March 1, in Kenefick Gym for A Night at the Races. Spend an evening "betting" and cheering on six horse races that are broadcast "live" on jumbo screens. Come enter a derby hat contest, sip on mint juleps, and purchase raffle tickets for a chance at some fantastic items and experiences. Gather your friends, family, neighbors...all are welcome! Registration deadline is Monday, February 25, and all proceeds benefit the Sr. Mary Gray McNally Alumnae Scholarship. This event is for guests 21 or older. Contact Rachel Drone Gehm '88, Manager of Alumni Relations, at rgehm@vdoh.org or 314.810.3420 if you have any questions. See you at the starting gate!

ACT PREP COURSE

 

In preparation for the April 13 ACT, juniors are offered an opportunity to enroll in an ACT test prep course. Sessions will be held on Sunday afternoons and Tuesday mornings in March and early April. The cost is $325 per student and deadline to register is Thursday, February 28. Learn more and register today by selecting the Enrichment panel in the Reference Center on your Parent Portal.
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LAST CALL FOR FORMALS

 

Junior Molly McLaughlin has extended The Cinderella Project donation deadline until Tuesday, February 19. Take advantage of the long weekend to purge your closets of gently used prom dresses (long, short, bridal, formal, informal), shoes, and accessories. Donations may be dropped off at Mrs. Richardson's office on Tuesday. Help give local girls the prom experience they have always imagined. If you have any questions, please contact Molly McLaughlin at mmclaughlin2020@vdoh.org or 314.703.2577.

BOOK DRIVE | ST. LOUIS CATHOLIC ACADEMY

 

The next First Friday book drive for the St. Louis Catholic Academy in North St. Louis will be Friday, March 1. New and gently used books are needed for all grades and reading levels, from children's books to chapter books. Donated books will fill "treasure chests" in classrooms at St. Louis Catholic and will be awarded to students for good behavior, birthdays, and academic successes. Bins for donations are at the West Door and at the Duchesne Building. Contact Maria Adamitis '20 at madamitis2020@vdoh.org if you have any questions.

PASSPORT TO SUMMER 2019

 

Registration for Passport to Summer 2019 is now open! We are proud to offer day and athletic camps, service opportunities, and academic programs for students in JK3 through Grade 12. For more information, visit our website or contact Dominic A. Key, Manager of Community Engagement, at dkey@vdoh.org.

GLOBAL STUDIES SUMMER SEMINAR | NEW YORK

 

The Global Studies: New York seminar gives students entering their sophomore year the chance to explore the concept of globalization by travelling to New York City to explore the international history, culture, and economics of this great metropolis. Working with Social Studies teacher Rebecca Rubin-Schlansky and Theology teacher Stacy Henning, students will enrich their learning by visiting the financial district, the 9/11 Memorial, Ellis Island, and other sites. They will also learn skills helpful in their sophomore World Civilizations II course. Class dates are May 28-29 and June 3-5, 2019; travel dates are May 30-June 1, 2019.

The seminar is limited to 12 students and registrations are due by Friday, March 15, with payment due by Sunday, April 28.

COLLEGE CORNER

 

College Corner, a valuable resource for parents and students, offers the latest information on college rep visits, opportunities to connect with colleges, scholarships, and much more. This webpage is updated weekly by our College Counseling Office, so bookmark it and visit often.

PHYSICS LECTURE | WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

 

Dr. James G. Miller, Washington University in St. Louis Professor, will be discussing physics and its role in diagnostic medicine from 10 to 10:45 am Saturday, February 16, at Crow Hall, Room 20, on the Danforth Campus. This is a free lecture intended for audience members age 10 and up and no knowledge of physics or medicine is required.
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WEDNESDAY MORNING MASS

 

On Wednesday, February 20, we will pray for Black American public servants. Mass begins promptly at 7:15 am in the Chapel and usually concludes no later than 7:35 am. Mass is celebrated most Wednesdays at 7:15 am in our Chapel when school is in session. Everyone in our school community is invited and encouraged to attend. View our 2018-2019 Mass Intentions list to see the specific intentions planned for each week.

FIRST FRIDAY MASS & EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

 

On Friday, March 1, Oak Hill will celebrate First Friday Mass at 8:15 am followed by Benediction and exposition of the Eucharist until 3 pm. All are welcome to join the Oak Hill students for Mass or to visit anytime during the day to spend time in prayer and adoration with Our Lord.

 

While students, faculty, and staff will make visits throughout the day, parent volunteers are needed to ensure that the exposed Blessed Sacrament is never left unattended. For more information about serving, please contact Kelly Adamitis at kellyjadamitis@icloud.com.

SPIRITUALITY SERIES

 

The final lecture in our 2018-19 Philippine Bicentennial Sacred Heart Spirituality Speaker Series is entitled "Philippine Duchesne: Her Legacy and Call to Us Today" and will be presented by Maureen Glavin, RSCJ from 9:30 to 11:15 am Friday, March 1. Sr. Glavin will use Philippine's life and example as a springboard into an exploration of our own lives and calls. She will examine what we have learned from Philippine and how we are invited to be Christ's Heart in our world today. Coffee and goûter will be available in the Parlor Dining Room at 9:30 am. The presentation will be held in the Global Education Center. Please join us!

ROSARY

 

All are welcome at 8 am each Wednesday when school is in session in our Chapel to offer the Rosary to Mater for her motherly protection of our children and for all the faculty, staff, and religious of this community who play such a critical role in nurturing and teaching our children.

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Thursday - February 14, 2019
8:15 AM - 9:15 AM
 
Friday - February 15, 2019
All day
 
Saturday - February 16, 2019
All day
 
Sunday - February 17, 2019
All day
 
Monday - February 18, 2019
All day
Presidents Day
 
Tuesday - February 19, 2019
All day
8:55 am (JK3-6), 8:45 am (7-12)
 
7:55 AM - 8:30 AM
 
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
 
Wednesday - February 20, 2019
All day
 
7:15 AM - 7:35 AM
 
8:00 AM
 
Thursday - February 21, 2019
All day
 
8:15 AM - 9:15 AM
 
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM
 
Friday - February 22, 2019
All day
 
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
 
8:15 PM
 
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Each Thursday, the Nuts & Bolts newsletters will highlight important information including upcoming school events, student achievements in and outside of school, forms to be completed, and program deadlines. Send your information for students and parents to news@vdoh.org to be included in either the Oak Hill newsletter, the Villa Duchesne newsletter, or both.

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Please log in frequently to access personalized announcements and calendar items in your portal. Contact your Principal's Office with questions about your online account. For Villa Duchesne, email Judy Bertucci at jbertucci@vdoh.org. For Oak Hill, email Jaime Bergfeld at jbergfeld@vdoh.org.

Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School

801 S.Spoede Road | St. Louis, MO 63131

314.432.2021 | www.vdoh.org | news@vdoh.org

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