Oak Hill Nuts and Bolts | November 7, 2019
Congratulations to our second grade students who celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time this past Wednesday evening. At the service, the presider told the children that they are the light of the world; their light makes St. Louis brighter. He said that if they ever questioned this, the children should ask their parents and the other adults in the chapel with them – the answer would be that our lives are better because of them. I would share that message with all Oak Hill students and families. Our school is brighter, and our community better, because you are here. Let us continue to spread the light and love of Christ to others around us.
Dr. Peter M. Schroeder
MASS WITH BISHOP RIVITUSO
Oak Hill welcomed Most Reverend Mark Rivituso, the Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis, to celebrate Mass with us this morning.
DAY OFF WITH OUR THANKS!
Our students sold more than 1,000 Auction raffle tickets, exceeding their goal of 900 tickets! In gratitude for their work, they will receive a day off of school on Monday, December 2; an extended Thanksgiving break.
ALL-SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE
Thanks to everyone who assisted at our Open House this past weekend! We had a greater number of families come by to tour Oak Hill compared to last year (which was greater than the year before)! Your "voice" matters to potential families, so please continue to talk up the event to family and friends and include it in your social media.
IN PREPARATION FOR ERB
Below is a prayer to St. Joseph of Cupertino, patron saint of students and test takers, that Oak Hill Campus Minister Katie Maxwell shared with the faculty and staff this past week. We send it out to families in case you want to pray this with your children prior to or during the upcoming ERB exams.
BONNE CHANCE AUCTION
Mobile Bidding and Express Pay: Bidding on Silent Auction items the night of the Auction will only be done via mobile devices. Avoid the line on Saturday and stop by the Portry in the 1929 Main Building between 7:30 am and 4 pm tomorrow, November 8, to preregister your mobile phone for bidding in real time on Silent items. Even if you are unable to attend the Auction, registering your phone allows you to remote bid on all Silent items in real time. A credit card is required to participate. Thanks to all our generous donors, we have a lot of fun and fabulous items to offer at the Bonne Chance Auction. Absentee Bidding: Absentee bids may be submitted through 3 pm tomorrow, November 8. To submit an absentee bid for any Live or Silent item, complete an Absentee Bid form and drop it off in the Portry in the 1929 Main Building. A downloadable Absentee Bid form is available below, on our website, and a printed copy was included in the Auction catalog sent home with students earlier this week. To bid in real time on Silent items, consider registering your mobile phone for mobile bidding (see above).
FALL MUSICAL | INTO THE WOODS
Join us as the Villa Duchesne Performing Arts Department ventures Into the Woods, for our fall musical, Thursday-Saturday, November 14-16, at 7 pm in the Auditorium. Into the Woods, the modern classic by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, features familiar fairy tales intertwined to create intriguing themes and lessons. The production is appropriate for ages 10 and up. Running time for "Into the Woods" is approximately 2 hours 30 minutes with intermission. Purchasing tickets online in advance at vdoh.org is strongly recommended, as performances may sell out.
The cast features thirteen Villa students and six cast members from Priory, MICDS, Lafayette, and Belleville High Schools. "Into the Woods" is directed by Ms. Zoe Vonder Haar, with musical direction by Mr. Steve Neale. Recognize your favorite thespian with a shout out! (Information available on the ticket sales webpage.)
GRANDPARENTS' DAY
Students in grades JK3 through 6 and their grandparents (or special guest, if their grandparents are unable to attend) are invited to celebrate Grandparents' Day on Tuesday, November 26. The day begins at 9:30 am with the Early Childhood Thanksgiving Program and Mass in the Chapel. Complimentary lunch, photos with grandchildren, and classroom visits will follow. Reservations by Tuesday, November 19, are appreciated and will assist us with planning for the special day.
COAT AND CLOTHING DRIVE
Get ready for the upcoming St. Vincent de Paul Society Coat and Clothing Drive which runs November 18-22. Please bring gently used coats, clothing, and household items to school beginning Monday, November 18. Bins will be available all week at both Villa and Oak Hill. Please review this list of things that St. Vincent de Paul accepts and does not accept. This time of year is a time of great need. Thank you for helping us make the drive a success! If you have any questions, please contact Katherine Johnson at kjohnson2020@vdoh.org or Caroline Johnson at cjohnson2021@vdoh.org.
FRUIT AND FLOWER SALE
We invite you to participate in the annual Fruit and Flower Sale that supports the Villa Duchesne-City House Alumnae Association. To view their selections and order online, tap the online sale link below. To place a bulk order or pay by check, please complete and return a paper order form. Please place your order by Friday, November 22, for pick up between 8 am and 3:30 pm Wednesday, December 4, in the Log Cabin behind the 1929 Main Building. Questions? Contact Katie McLaughlin '98 at kathleenmclaughlin@hotmail.com.
GINGERBREAD HOUSES
Please join us for the 11th Annual Gingerbread Houses with Santa from 9 to 11 am Saturday, December 7, in the 1929 Main Building. Participants can decorate gingerbread houses, enjoy a continental breakfast, meet Mrs. Claus, and have their pictures taken with Santa. Admission is $14 per person and gingerbread house kits, including everything you need to create your design, are available for $15 each. New this year is the VIP table! To learn more and register, tap on the link below.
Current or prospective parents may make their reservations online to pay by credit card or download the paper form below to pay by check. Reservations are required by Monday, December 2, and seating is limited.
CAFÉ CARD | NEW WAY TO PAY
In addition to checks, Food Service now accepts Café Card payments through PayPal. Food Service does not charge for this convenience; however, PayPal charges 2.95% plus $.30 per transaction. These fees are automatically deducted from the amount you submit with the remainder placed in your child's Café Card account. A personal PayPal account is required to use this service. The email address for sending funds to your child's Café Card account is foodservice@vdoh.org. Please include your child's name, child's grade, and the school name in the 'Note' section so the funds are posted to the correct account and select 'services' as your purchase type. Learn more at PayPal Payments.
STUDENT HEALTH COLD AND FLU SEASON
With the coming of the colder weather comes a higher spread of cold and flu viruses. As a reminder, please refer to this Student Handbook policy to ensure that we are keeping a healthy school community: For the comfort of your child and to prevent the spread of illness among students and faculty at school, the School requires that you keep your child at home if he/she has a fever. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a fever in a child is considered to be 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit. However, your child may need to stay at home if a lower temperature is accompanied by other symptoms, such as lethargy, vomiting, or severe headache. Children should be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school.
INCLEMENT WEATHER PLANS In the event of a weather-related late start to school, including snow schedule, campus will open 30 minutes prior to the published start of classes. Classes will start no earlier than the announced late start time, which means that zero hour will be cancelled. For the safety of our students and staff, in the event of an early dismissal from school due to inclement weather, please plan to pick up your students as soon as possible following the dismissal announcement.
During inclement weather, parents who choose for their students to leave before school is officially dismissed must contact the Oak Hill Office. No students may leave without parental consent even if the carpool in which they ride is leaving. All Oak Hill students must sign out in the Oak Hill Office if leaving before school is officially dismissed.
Families are notified of school closings, late starts, and early dismissals via the SchoolMessenger phone messaging system. Announcements are made on KSDK-TV (Channel 5), posted on our website at www.vdoh.org, and placed on our main switchboard line at 314.432.2021.
WEDNESDAY MORNING MASS
Please join us at 7:15 am Wednesday, November 13, for Mass, Abbot Gregory Mohrman, O.S.B. 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.
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 |