Villa Duchesne Nuts and Bolts | October 29, 2020
A MESSAGE FROM MRS. STEENBERGE
This week we've spent extra time talking about the value of Goal 4: the building of community as a Christian value. When young people feel safe and secure, they are able to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. That is why we build in time to work on skills like respectful listening and dialogue. We also acknowledge that this type of work needs to be balanced with opportunities for our girls to just have fun!
To this end, our students have been having fun anticipating Halloween. The maisons have been "boo-ing" one another with surprise treats throughout the month. On Friday, costumed seniors will welcome students onto campus and our Student Council members will create a spooky haunted forest during our rescheduled mission time to help everyone get into the spirit!
Next week, election day will loom large in the consciousness of many of our students. We've been talking this week about the importance of being a single, united community. Although we may not always agree on issues, our membership in the body of Christ binds us together in a way that will help us weather whatever tensions the next week might bring. Lately, I find myself turning often to a reading from this week's lectionary, as Paul urged the Ephesians to remember their unity in Jesus: So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. I believe that the community here at Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School is indeed growing into a temple in the Lord. And that in the upcoming weeks, we will be a prophetic witness to our community of how to love one another despite our differences.
CELEBRATE TENNIS' STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!
This afternoon, Head of School Michael Baber hosted a school-wide Zoom to make a special announcement in honor of Villa's historic 2020 MSHSAA Class 1 State Tennis Championship title! Monday, November 30, will be a day off for ALL Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill students. Last weekend, the Saints tennis team traveled to Springfield for the Final Four of the state competition. Villa defeated Ursuline 5-0 in the semifinals. In the championship match against Bolivar, our dominant doubles teams of Lizzie Barlow '21 and Alex Todorovich '24 won 8-3 at #1; Izzy Cancila '21 and Liza Brown '23 won 8-4 at #2; and Caroline Potter '23 and Sophya Qureshi '23 won 8-1 at #3! Lizzie finished off her outstanding high school career with a 6-0, 6-0 win at #1 singles, and Sophya won the clincher at #6 singles 6-3, 6-0, to give Villa the first state tennis team title in school history! Congratulations to our tennis players and enjoy the extra day of Thanksgiving break!
BRAVISSIMO, VILLA THESPIANS! Congratulations to our Villa thespians on their outstanding performances of Nancy Drew, Girl Detective last weekend. The cast and crew included Alex Tyrell, Alexandrina Weingart, Seraphia Weingart, Kathryn Yazdi, Trish Moore, Abby Schneller, Greta Donnelly, Lilly Rammacher, Lauren Dunn, Bea Bussen, Nadia Pagan, Brooke Engman, Cooper Littlepage, Sara Fimmano, Molly Kaspura, Karie Adamitis, Caroline Solsvig, Chloe Elsesser, Claire Elsesser, Emily Yn, Libby Engman, Grace Gori, Joana Lujan, Jayla Nance, and Audrey Qureshi.
HALLOWEEN AT VILLA
Seniors only are permitted to come to school in costume tomorrow, October 30. All other students in grades 7-11 may celebrate the day by wearing their house shirts with their uniform skirts.
EARLY DISMISSAL | NOVEMBER 3
Both Villa and Oak Hill will have an early dismissal on Tuesday, November 3, and students will be released at 2:05 pm. If you pick up your daughter in car pool, please plan to pick up at 2:05 pm on November 3. This extra time will allow our faculty and staff and any students who are voting to do so after school if they are not able to vote in the early morning hours. The building will remain open and supervised until 5 pm. If you have a student who cannot be picked up by 5 pm that day, please contact Principal Jeannie Steenberge at jsteenberge@vdoh.org.
UPDATES FOR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS
We ask each family to verify their home, work, and mobile phone numbers for emergencies like snow days and weather-related early dismissals. 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.
TRAVEL GUIDANCE
The holiday season is upon us! This is a time of year when many families travel to different destinations. The CDC offers guidance on safe travel during the pandemic. Please check the CDC website for the most current guidance before finalizing your plans. Here are some ideas to keep travel safe for our families over the upcoming breaks:
As a school community, we will continue to monitor everyone for symptoms and follow the practices that have served us well this year. If you have questions about upcoming travel, please reach out to Mrs. Steenberge at jsteenberge@vdoh.org.
VILLA OPEN HOUSE | WAYS TO SERVE
Open House is going to look a little different this year, but we still need help from our entire community to make this event a success. We will be wearing masks, socially distancing, and having more outside stations to showcase our 60+ acre campus. 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 Villa Open House from noon to 3:30 pm on Sunday, November 8, 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.
GIVING OCTOBER IS COMING TO AN END!
Thank you to our parents who have made gifts or pledges in support of our students through Cor Unum Annual Giving during Giving October. Our Parent Honor Roll of Donors (view below) reflects gifts and pledges received July 1, 2020 through October 22, 2020. As of today, we have achieved $193,710 towards our goal of $650,000, and community wide parent participation has grown to 37%. There are two days remaining in Giving October so make your gift or pledge today at www.vdoh.org/give or on Venmo @VillaDuchesne.
FIRST FRIDAY BOOK DRIVE
We are excited to resume the First Friday book drives for St. Louis Catholic Academy in North St. Louis on Friday, November 6. Drives will be held each first Friday throughout the school year. New and gently used books are needed for all grades and reading levels, from children's books to chapter books. Look for bins for your book donations at each house door and at the Duchesne Building. Contact Karie Adamitis '24 at kadamitis2024@vdoh.org if you have any questions.
LUNCH ORDERS
Each week, students who wish to order lunch from school should select lunches for the following week using our Lunch Order Form. Place lunch orders by 9 pm each Tuesday for lunch the following week. Order forms will be updated on Wednesdays.
SPIRITUALITY SERIES
Prayer and reflection is the overarching theme of the 2020-2021 Sacred Heart Spirituality Speakers' Series. The first of three presentations will take place at 10 am Friday, November 6, when members of the HEART Response Team present Prayer and Reflection in the Digital Age via Zoom. The HEART Response Team came together at the invitation of the Provincial Team to create a community that could share resources and experiences with all those whom their digital communications reach. This group worked together virtually to create new ways of discovering our calls to contemplation, courage, and compassion. Save the date now and watch for the Zoom link in next week's issue of Nuts & Bolts.
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
On Friday, November 6, members of our school community will again offer Adoration from 9 am to 3 pm at Carmel of St. Joseph in the Chapel of the Precious Blood at the Carmelite Monastery. A special thanks to Kelly Adamitis for arranging this opportunity while covid precautions restrict us from meeting in our own Chapel. Please contact Kelly at kellyjadamitis@icloud.com to schedule a time or learn more.
ROSARY | EACH WEDNESDAY
"The Rosary has been the cord of strength for many marriages, as well as the lifeline that has been thrown to many lost and sinful souls, bringing them back from the brink of hell itself. It has helped countless people return to the Sacraments, been zealously used as a catechetical tool for defeating heresy, an unbreakable chain beating off temptations against chastity, a weapon that has won – or even prevented – wars, and the instrument through which many men and women have become virtuous and saintly. Only in heaven will we truly know what the rosary has done for the world and souls!" – Excerpt from Rosary Gems by Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC
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 content 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 |