Villa Duchesne Nuts and Bolts | October 17, 2019
Though a shorter week due to the fall break, a lot has happened on the upper school campus. Tuesday morning, Sr. Barbara Dawson, the Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart, and the Central Team visited our school. They were very complimentary of our students and the entire Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School community. We are honored that they chose our school as one of the few stops during their trip to the United States.
On Wednesday, Dr. Jack Eisenbeis and his team spoke to our students in grades 7-12 about vaping and its medical implications as well as the implications in terms of addiction, and FOX2 News was here to cover it. View the entire news segment.
Later on Wednesday, we honored our juniors and seniors who are new and returning members of the National Honor Society. The ceremony welcomed parents and visitors as well as the entire student body.
The week will end with our celebration of Mater. This image is one of Mary as a young woman with a book, a spindle and a flower nearby. The lily symbolizes her purity, the spindle her diligence, and the book her love of the Holy Scriptures. This representation is one shared by all of the Sacred Heart Schools throughout the United States and the world.
Ms. Bridget Collins
VILLA INK ACCOLADES
Last Friday morning in our upper school assembly, the staff of Villa's literary-art magazine, Villa Ink, presented Mr. Baber with two national awards for the 2019 issue, "Uncharted Territory"! Our students received A First Class with One Mark of Distinction from the National Scholastic Press Association, and the Most Outstanding High School Literary-Art Magazine for 2019 from the American Scholastic Press Association. We are proud of our talented students for using their voices!
STATE OF THE SCHOOL
Please join Head of School Michael F. Baber and Board Chair Spencer Finney from 6 to 7 pm tonight, October 17, to learn more about Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School's strengths and goals for the future. The meeting will be held in the Lenke Global Education Center and will be followed by a wine and cheese reception. To join us, please register below. If you are unable to attend, the event will be live-streamed through our Facebook page.
GLOBAL EXCHANGES
Exchanges with Sacred Heart schools around the world are a unique and enriching part of the experience of Sacred Heart education at Villa. Our connection to an international network of schools, all working toward a common mission, sets Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School apart. This fall, students from our sister schools Mount Anville Secondary School in Dublin, Ireland, and La Perverie Sacre Coeur in Nantes, France, lived with Villa Duchesne families and experienced Sacred Heart education in the USA. We will say goodbye to our Irish students tomorrow. We will miss you, Siobhan, Roby, Ava, and Aine! Charlotte will be with us for two more weeks before she returns to France. We are so fortunate to have these opportunities to connect with our Irish and French sisters! If you are interested in pursuing an exchange, just reach out to Principal Bridget Collins or Global Ed Coordinator Chris Livingston.
ANTICIPATED FEAST OF MATER ADMIRABILIS | OCTOBER 18
Tomorrow, October 18, we will celebrate the feast day of Mater Admirabilis with an anticipated feast day Mass. Girls should be in dress cardigans for this Mass. As in the past, we encourage our students to wear pink accessories with their school uniforms in honor of Mater Admirabilis. All in our community are invited to join the Villa students for this beautiful Mass at 9:55 am tomorrow in the Chapel.
PICTURE MAKE-UP DAY | OCTOBER 22
Picture make-up day is scheduled for Tuesday morning, October 22. Make-up day is for all students who did not have their photos taken in August. All students should be in complete uniform when having their photo taken.
BONNE CHANCE AUCTION
VIP WINE AND WHISKEY RAFFLE TICKETS The $10,000 prize could be yours, but only if you purchase a ticket. The drawing will take place on Saturday, November 9, but you need not be present to win. Raffle tickets are $50 each and are available online.
ALL-SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE | WAYS TO SERVE
In addition to parents, students, and staff being present in all areas of the building to guide attendees, there are other ways for you to help ensure our All-School Open House from 12-4 pm on Sunday, November 3, is a success.
If you are interested in volunteering or have questions about the event, please contact Assistant Director of Enrollment Management Katie Martin at kmartin@vdoh.org or 314.810.3496.
PNCHS PRESENTATION | LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN
Join the Parent Network of Catholic High Schools at 7 pm Tuesday, November 7, at Visitation Academy for Looking from the Outside In. In this talk, Sarah Swafford will offer parents, teachers, and coaches an understanding of Emotional Virtue, a map for navigating relationships, and a closer look at how to build up interior confidence in young women and men transitioning through stages of life. No registration is required and the event is complimentary through the Parent Association of Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School.
SCHOOL PHYSICALS OFFERED ONSITE
Villa has arranged for Dr. Connie Hayes, a certified chiropractic sports physician, to offer sports and annual physicals from 10 am to noon Saturday, October 19, in Kenefick Gym. Dr. Hayes and her associates will be conducting these examinations for a discounted rate of $20 per child.
Physicals performed on this date will be valid for two years. For students in grades 8-12, these physicals will accepted by MSHSAA for the remainder of this school year as well as all of the 2020-2021 school year. If you want to take advantage of this opportunity, please register and print the MSHSAA Physical Evaluation form below. This same form will be used whether the physical is being performed for MSHSAA or school requirements. Complete the Medical History and Patient Health Questionnaire and bring all pages to the exams on October 19. A doctor will complete the remainder of the form.
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. The College Corner webpage is updated weekly by our College Counseling Office, so bookmark it and visit often.
WEDNESDAY MORNING MASS
Please join us at 7:15 am Wednesday, October 23, for Mass, Father Donald Henke presiding. 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.
2019-2020 SPIRITUALITY SERIES
The first lecture in our 2019-2020 Sacred Heart Spirituality Speakers Series: The Mission Continues is entitled "Friendship and the Holy Life " and will be presented by Kathleen Hughes, RSCJ from 9:30 to 11 am Friday, November 1. The conversation will begin by reflecting on the friendship between Sophie and Philippine, especially some characteristics of their friendship that are true of all good relationships. Then we will consider the possibilities of friendship in nurturing a holy life and in transforming our relationship with God, our dearest friend. Please join us.
FIRST FRIDAY MASS & EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
On Friday, November 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.
ROSARY
All are welcome at 8 am each Wednesday 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 |