Villa Duchesne Nuts and Bolts | November 5, 2020
A MESSAGE FROM MRS. STEENBERGE
Are you as thrilled as I am that we offer in-person education for all of our students, every day? Are your daughters experiencing the deep joy of learning in a place where students are known and cared for? Are you as much in awe as I am about the creativity and tenacity of our co-curricular programs that are determined to persevere despite the challenges of a pandemic?
If so, please consider sharing the good news of Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School with your friends, neighbors, and relatives. We've had to be extra creative this year in finding ways to help prospective families learn about our school, and we'd love your help in spreading the word.
Please invite everyone you know to our in-person Open House this Sunday, November 8, from noon to 3:30 pm. The event will be primarily outside and social distancing guidelines will be followed. Prospective families will be able to tour our beautiful building on a self-guided tour, but rest assured that the building will be thoroughly cleaned following the event. Anyone who is interested in learning more about a life-changing Sacred Heart education at Villa Duchesne can register on our website or just come on Sunday! Your voice matters and our word of mouth referrals are so valuable in our recruiting efforts. We can't thank you enough for the help!
Here's our registration link if you wish to share it:
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Although our High School Athletics newsletter is on hiatus for the next several weeks, we didn't want to miss the opportunity to recognize senior Suzy Keefer on being named Athlete of the Week by STLtoday.com. Congratulations, Suzy!
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONTEST
Today, November 5, at approximately 5 pm, we will conduct a test of our school broadcast system. A recorded message will be sent to your home, work, and/or mobile phone numbers as listed in your family records in My BackPack. We will be using this system to call you with important information throughout the school year. This includes early dismissal, late start, or school cancellation due to inclement weather.
DISMISSAL CARPOOL REMINDER
If you arrive early for pick up, please proceed to the East Door to start the carpool line. All cars should pull forward and form a line against the right-hand curb. Your daughter will exit the building and find you. Please do not stop at the West Door and wait. It is imperative that we keep the left lane free at all times for safety. Mrs. Steenberge will be outside tomorrow to monitor the dismissal process.
VILLA OPEN HOUSE | WAYS TO SERVE
In addition to the spreading the word about our Villa Open House from noon to 3:30 pm on Sunday, November 8, student and parent volunteers are needed. All students in grades 7-12 are asked to participate. Students will greet visitors, help in classrooms, and share what they love about our school. Parents are also needed to greet visitors, help along the tour route, and answer questions as visitors depart. Two shifts are available, and we are flexible with schedules.
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.
TOWER TALK | VILLA NEWSMAGAZINE
The Tower Talk staff has produced their first issue of the newsmagazine for the 2020-21 school year. Read about the creative project Kate Decker '22 undertook during the pandemic, how COVID-19 is impacting college admissions, and how local bakery La Patisserie Chouquette is pivoting to be safe and profitable during a challenging time. Way to go, student journalists!
REMINDERS ABOUT VIRTUAL LEARNING Our teachers are working incredibly hard to provide a quality in-person experience for our students, so we'd like as many students as possible to be on campus live and in person! Students who are required to quarantine always have my permission to Zoom. However, if your daughter is ill for just a day or two, the preferred route is for her to rest and get healthy so she can get back on campus quickly. If your daughter's absence is just for a day or two, she should email her teachers by 7:30 that morning and ask if Zooming is possible for the day. Thanks for your cooperation with this protocol.
UNIFORM CLARIFICATION
Students are allowed to wear gray or white Villa sweatshirts that have been issued by Villa sports organizations and clubs or purchased in La Boutique. Sweatshirts purchased elsewhere and then embroidered with the Villa name or logo are not allowed.
MISSION STL TOY DRIVE
Villa's Outreach Club is hosting a toy drive to benefit clients of Mission STL. Collection bins will be available by each house door through Friday, December 4. To help you in selecting items to donate, Mission STL has established the following Wish Lists.
FIRST FRIDAY BOOK DRIVE
The First Friday book drive for the St. Louis Catholic Academy in North St. Louis is set for tomorrow, November 6, with drives 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.
MERCI BEAUCOUP!
Thank you to our parents who participated in Giving October and helped to make this month of giving a huge success. We have raised more than $235,000 towards our goal of $650,000, and we are truly grateful for your support! Our current parent participation numbers are below. Even though Giving October has ended, gifts and pledges can continue to be made online at www.vdoh.org/give or on Venmo - @VillaDuchesne. Give from the heart today and help your class be the first to achieve 100% parent participation!
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 tomorrow, 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. Please join us on Zoom.
JOIN US IN PRAYER
"I, too, wonder if there has been a saint since the 13th century who has not prayed the rosary?"– Excerpt from Rosary Gems by Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC
Join us each Wednesday at 8:00 am in the Front Bowl to pray the Rosary together for our VDOH community. If you have any questions about this or other opportunities to get involved with the Mission Committee, please contact Molly Pollnow Kraeger '92 or Ellen Reis Weis '97 at vdohmission@vdoh.org.
"Reflect before the tabernacle, calm yourself, empty yourself face-to-face with fullness…renew yourself in the wounds of Jesus Christ, especially in the wound of his side; it is ours…and then live anew joyously." -Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat
The Mission Committee also welcomes you to stop by the Carmelite Chapel this First Friday, November 6, as Villa and Oak Hill parents pray, during the day, for our community. Please contact Kelly at kellyjadamitis@icloud.com to schedule a time or learn more.
Come. Let us adore Him.
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.
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 |