Villa Duchesne Nuts and Bolts | April 25, 2019
We are excited to announce that work has begun on our Innovation Space. Because of your generosity to the Children's Challenge at our Bonne Chance Auction, we have the opportunity to extend and enhance our programs in the areas of STEAM—Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math—to benefit the students at Villa Duchesne as well as Oak Hill. Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, the Innovation Space, in the Katherine Danis Science Center, will give students the opportunity to experience programming, construction, and creative design while performing investigations into solving current and future problems. The space will be available to all faculty in order for them to create cross-curricular projects and products. Specifically, the technology, constructing tools, and presentation materials will allow students to continue their investigation into problem solving and innovation. Ms. Bridget Collins
SCHOOL ABSENCES/LATE ARRIVALS/EARLY DISMISSALS Parents, if your daughter will be absent, arriving late, or leaving early from school, please notify the School at attendance-villa@vdoh.org. Emailing is preferred over using the attendance phone. Parents should not email, phone, or text Mrs. Richardson's individual email or phone numbers with attendance information. Girls arriving at school late or leaving early must sign in or out in Dean of Students Office near the West Door on the ground floor.
SPECIAL EVENT PARKING Tomorrow, April 26, is the Reunion Mass and Luncheon. We have our largest response in decades with more than 450 people attending. To accommodate our guests, ALL students, faculty, and staff are to park on the lower campus. The maintenance team will be available to shuttle groups up the hill in the van and bus. Thanks in advance to everyone for your consideration of our guests and your cooperation!
VILLA SHOW CHOIRS' SPRING SPECTACULAR Villa Duchesne's show choirs—Madrijazz, Villa Vocé, Concert Choir, and Pizzazz—will rock audiences with their Spring Spectacular, Totally 80s, featuring songs that will make you want to 'get footloose'! Come dressed in your funkiest 80s look and take part in a costume contest during intermission. Performances begin at 7 pm tonight, April 25, and Friday, April 26, and at 5 pm on Sunday, April 28. Tickets are available at the door prior to each performance or online below. All ticket sales are general admission seating. Adults $12, Students $5, Children 6 and under are free. No actual tickets will be issued. A list of all online purchases will be at the box office the nights of the show.
#GiveSTLDay | MAY 1 #GiveSTLday is less than one week away. On Wednesday, May 1, Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School will join in this day of philanthropy across St. Louis. Please give from the heart to help us reach our #GiveSTLday of goal of $50,000 and 100 gifts.
UNIFORM EXCHANGE & FITTING DAYS There will be an informal uniform exchange for both the upper and lower schools in the Duchesne Building Conference Room from 7:30-9:30 am as well as 2:30-3:30 pm Monday, April 29, and Monday, May 13. If you have any current uniform items to donate, please drop them off at the Oak Hill Office. Feel free to drop in to the exchange and pick out items as needed. Please remember that students are to be in complete uniform through the last day of school. Just Me Apparel, our exclusive uniform provider, will hold a Uniform Fitting Day between 2:30 and 6 pm Tuesday, May 14, in the Small Dining Room of the 1929 Main Building. All uniform items, as well as PE t-shirts for grades 7-12, will be available for order. Just Me Apparel will deliver your order to campus on Saints Start-Up Sunday, August 18, unless you prefer to pick up items at their store. View Uniforms under Resource Center in the Parent Portal for Just Me Apparel 2019 price sheets.
SENIORS AND FRIENDS ART SHOW The Seniors and Friends Art Show opened earlier today and runs during school hours through Thursday, May 2, in the Global Education Center. Members of our community who wish to view the works of our talented students are asked to enter through the Portry and sign in at the receptionist desk when visiting.
FIELD DAY 2019 | MAY 3 Field Day 2019 is scheduled for Friday, May 3. We will observe our usual school start times for all grades JK3-12. Oak Hill students should report to their homerooms, middle school to Room 201, and high school to the Auditorium. Students should arrive in their Field Day t-shirts. Field Day events will begin with Opening Ceremonies and Parade of Athletes at 8:25 am in Kenefick Gym followed by Goûter on the Front Lawn. Activities for students JK3, JK4, and Kindergarten end at 11:30 am. Students in grades JK3-K will have an optional dismissal at 11:30 am or parents may choose to have these students remain at school until regular 3:15 pm dismissal. There will be no Acorn Club following Field Day activities. Learn about the days' schedule, dress code for the day, parking, and more: With most Field Day events scheduled for outside, parents are asked to remind their children to take any needed allergy medicines prior to arriving at school. Over-the-counter allergy medicines are not available in the Nurses' Office. Additionally, please remember sunscreen as it is a long day outside.
STUDENT HEALTH RECORDS | DUE MAY 3 Parents are reminded that a current physical dated on or after February 1, 2019, is required for the 2019-2020 school year for all students entering grade 7 and grades 9-12 as well as all students new to Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School and those entering junior kindergarten 3, kindergarten, or grade 4. Each student's medical information should be entered or updated in Magnus by Friday, May 3. For a list of all health care requirements, please view Health Care | Magnus Health in the Resource Center of the Parent Portal. You will receive emailed notifications from Magnus about incomplete 2019-2020 health record enrollment until you complete all required items. To get started, log in to Magnus Health using your vdoh.org website username and password. This is the same login information used to view grades, submit permission forms, check your billing status, etc.
BOOK DRIVE | ST. LOUIS CATHOLIC ACADEMY The final First Friday book drive to benefit the St. Louis Catholic Academy in North St. Louis is Friday, May 3. New and gently used books are needed for all grades and reading levels, from children's books to chapter books. 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.
MOTHER-CHILD MASS AND BRUNCH Head of School Michael F. Baber invites all Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School mothers and their children to join us for Mass and Brunch on Sunday, May 5, beginning at 10 am in our Chapel. Please register below if you will be able to join us. Contact Manager of Engagement Dominic A. Key at dkey@vdoh.org or 314.810.3454 if you have any questions about this event.
STUDENTS AND FRIENDS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS, JOIN US ... Boys and girls in grades 5-8 from all schools are invited for a night of Trivia Friday, May 10. Doors open at 6:30 pm; trivia begins at 7 pm. Soda and snacks are provided and there is no charge for this evening of fun. If you have questions, please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@vdoh.org. For more information and to register, visit.
ALLERGY SEASON IS UPON US Students who suffer from seasonal allergies should take medications at home prior to coming to school as no allergy medications are available in the Health Office.
SENIOR EXAMS Senior exams will take place May 13 through May 16. Exams begin each day at 9 am with subjects as follows:
EXAM SCHEDULE FOR GRADES 7-11 Final exams for grades 7-11 will take place May 20 through 23 as follows:
Morning exams for students with extended times may conclude as late as 11:30 am, afternoon exams for extended times may conclude as late as 3:15 pm.
2019-2020 RE-ENROLLMENT CONTRACTS Thank you to those families who have already submitted their 2019-2020 enrollment contracts. We ask that ALL families, even those not returning, submit their intent for the 2019-2020 year. Returning families are also required to send an enrollment deposit of $1,000 to the Business Office to complete the re-enrollment process. In addition, families who seek financial assistance must reapply each year. If you have any questions, please contact Financial Services Coordinator Alice Tuhro at atuhro@vdoh.org or 314.810.3531.
FAMILY RECORDS (CONTACT INFO) New for the 2019-20 school year, our printed school directory will include mobile phone numbers. Up to three unique phone numbers can be published for each family. Numbers will be pulled from the Residential Address Block of your My Backpack Profile. To prevent a phone number from being published, you must check the box to the left of it in your profile. We ask each family to ensure their contact information is complete and up-to-date. Under the Bulletin Board on your Parent Portal, expand the MyBackPack window and tap the 'Update Profile' link to get started. Your user name and password will be required to access your profile. Check for:
If information needs to be updated, select "Edit" in the upper-right corner of the page to make changes. Be sure to select "Save" as you go and "Done" when you have made all the changes! Please note: to prevent an address, email, or phone number listed in the Residential Address Block of your profile from being published, you must check the box to the left of it.
PASSPORT TO SUMMER | ATHLETIC CAMPS All eight weeks of Passport to Summer Day Camps are full! However, seats are still available for athletic camps. For more information, visit our website or contact Dominic A. Key, Manager of Community Engagement, at dkey@vdoh.org.
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.
MAY CROWNING | MAY 1
Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School will celebrate our annual May Crowning, an all-school Mass in honor of Mary, at 9 am Wednesday, May 1, in the Front Bowl. We encourage faculty and guests to wear pale blue in observance of this celebration. Formal uniforms are required for all Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School students. All girls should wear their maroon sweaters. Students may accessorize their uniforms with blue.
WEDNESDAY MORNING MASS
Due to May Crowning, no 7:15 am Mass will be held May 1. Please join us Wednesday, May 8, when we will pray for immigrant workers. 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.
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.
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. 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 |