Oak Hill Nuts and Bolts | January 9, 2020
I must confess…I've already taken down my Christmas lights. Sunday was such a beautiful day that I decided to take advantage of the mild weather and remove all my decorations on the outside of the house. Jonathan wasn't so keen with the idea, though. At three different points in time, I had to stop to console a very mournful and weeping little boy – he didn't want the "magic" of the Christmas spirit to be over.
In light of this, I decided to share a short poem written by Howard Thurman with the students at our Monday morning assembly. Mr. Thurman was an African-American author, educator, and civil rights leader. He played a role in many of the social justice movements in America, and his influence helped to shape and guide the civil rights movement. His poem is titled "The Work of Christmas."
When the song of the angels is stilled, -Howard Thurman
Blessings, Dr. Peter M. Schroeder
OUR SINCEREST THANKS! Your generous donations to the Parents Association Christmas Gift Fund made Christmas extra special for our Sacred Heart educators this year. Your kindness is sincerely appreciated. Thank you!
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
We will host our traditional Catholic Schools Week events January 27-31. Catholic Schools Week (CSW) is an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States that usually begins the last Sunday of January. We are excited to celebrate our community of faith and community of learning together! CSW events will include a spelling bee, themed out-of-uniform days, a picnic lunch (registration below), sixth grade talent show, and more. Please know that parents are invited to participate in all CSW events.
OAK HILL CSW PICNIC As part of Catholic Schools Week, all Oak Hill students grades JK3-6 will picnic and recess in Kenefick Gym and on the playgrounds from 11:30 am -12:30 pm Wednesday, January 29. Parents are invited to attend. Picnic lunches may be brought from home or may be preordered from school. If you wish to take advantage of the school's complimentary bag lunch, please complete the order form below. The bag lunch will consist of a hamburger, chips, dessert, and bottled water. Students whose parents are unable to attend should bring a lunch or preorder the complimentary lunch and will sit with classmates and their families. Be sure to bring a blanket or two on which to sit.
SPREAD THE NEWS | OAK HILL OPEN HOUSE
We are hosting a lower school Open House from 1-3 pm Sunday, January 26. Our Oak Hill teachers, students, and parents will be here to talk with potential families about the Oak Hill experience and show off our beautiful campus! And, our admissions team will explain our new Family Individualized Tuition program. Please encourage anyone you know who has girls or boys age 3 through grade 6 to stop by and learn more about the gift of a Sacred Heart education. Forward this link to our registration.
CELL PHONES & SMART DEVICES
As students often get new technology over the Christmas break, we reminder you that we ask all students to drop off their cell phones and any other smart devices at the School Office when they arrive. Students may retrieve their devices at the end of the day.
WINTER 2020 ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
Oak Hill's Winter 2020 enrichment programs include chess, gymnastics, Snapology, and Little Medical School. Enrichment courses are offered from 3:30-4:30 pm on the day noted. All students enrolled (except for those enrolled in Little Medical School) will walk down to Acorn Club at dismissal and the enrichment instructor will pick them up from there. At 4:30 pm, parents can pick their child up from Acorn Club on the Lower Campus or the student can remain until Acorn Club closes at 6 pm. Learn more below and register online through your parent portal. Registration is available in the Enrichment tab in the Reference Center of your portal. The first class begins January 13, so register today!
COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
Please mark your calendars for the upcoming Coffee and Conversations this spring semester: February 5, March 11, and April 29. Each session with begin at 8 am. More details will be announced later.
LA BOUTIQUE = FREE MERCHANDISE
During the month of January, La Boutique's amazing sale will include free merchandise. That's right, FREE! Here's how it works, the 10th customer that buys anything out of the store will get an additional $10 of FREE merchandise. The 25th customer to make a purchase in the store will get an additional $25 of FREE merchandise. The 50th person that makes a purchase will get $50 of FREE merchandise. Lastly, the 100th person that comes in and buys anything in the store will receive an additional $100 of FREE merchandise!
Sales will be tracked and a customer notified if they are the 10th, 25th, 50th, or 100th buyer. This sale includes brand new merchandise and the store is full of it! And, the old sale is still running too with discounts up to 70% off!
MURAL DONATIONS NEEDED
As a part of the U.S. Green Building Council-Missouri Gateway Chapter challenge announced last week, the fifth-grade art classes will be creating a mural made from recycled plastics. Our parents can help by sending in clean plastic lids (more color is better), old toothbrushes (Mr. Thurm will chop off the brush, so we will just use the handles), and bits of plastic toys small enough to fit in a child's hand (like a Lego, a plastic toy car, a tiny plastic doll, etc.). We prefer these be broken/unusable toys to avoid waste. A box marked "Recycled Mural Project" will be available in the Oak Hill entrance for items to be dropped off.
NO SCHOOL JANUARY 20 AND 21
Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School will be closed Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Additionally, all students will have the day off Tuesday, January 21, as awarded to them by Superior General Barbara Dawson.
WEDNESDAY MORNING MASS
Please join us at 7:15 am Wednesday, January 15, for Mass, Father David Meconi, SJ 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.
WINTER BIBLE STUDY
Seeking to live out Goals I & II, all parents are welcome on Tuesdays from 9-10 am for Bible Study. The topic for the winter 6-week study is The Bible and The Sacraments. The winter study runs January 14-February 25. The group will not meet on January 21. Contact Polly Capps at vdohmission@vdoh.org if you plan to attend or would like more information.
SPIRITUALITY SERIES
Please join us for the second in our three-part, 2019-2020 Sacred Heart Spirituality Speakers Series, The Mission Continues. On Friday, February 7, Donna Collins, RSCJ will present "We Speak Their Names." She will share details on the work of the Society's Committee on Slavery, Accountability, and Reconciliation which was formed to better understand and to address structural racism. Sr. Collins will share the Society's diligent and inspiring efforts to research and pray with descendants of those who helped their mission of education succeed. Gather for goûter at 9:30 am in the Parlor Dining Room with the presentation from 9:45-11:15 am in the Lenke Global Education Center.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Madeleine Sophie once said, "Let us be convinced that prayer and humility can triumph over the greatest obstacles and draw down the most profound graces." Do you have a need that you would like lifted up to God in prayer? Please send your request to prayers@vdoh.org. Prayers are confidential if requested.
Each Thursday when school is in session, 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 |