Oak Hill Nuts and Bolts | January 7, 2021
A MESSAGE FROM DR. SCHROEDER
—We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.—
After the events during the protests in Washington yesterday, it is further evident that we exist in a very divided and polarized America at this time. This can feel very unsettling for many of us, I know it did for me. It struck me particularly hard that, as a parent, this is not the national culture that I want for Jonathan. I think to his future, and the future of all our children, with hope that we can continue to do the necessary work that can bring forward the highest ideals of America and the deepest values of building true community with those around us.
As we look to this necessary work, I am buoyed by the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria and the community that we have built here at Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill. I believe that by striving to live out these Goals of faith, intellect, social justice, community, and growth, we can find an effective way to help our society be the place where all our children can thrive.
As we move forward in the days to come, I include this prayer for your use:
God who is beyond politics and nations, Christ who transcends the power of violence, Holy Spirit who animates all people, be with our country in this moment of violence, division, and turmoil. Transform our rage and hate that we might see our brothers and sisters with your eyes.
Jessica Simmons will be heading up Oak Hill's Performing Arts Program for our fourth through sixth graders. Here is what Miss Simmons has to say about her new role, which she is taking on in addition to her duties as Kindergarten Assistant: "Hello, Oak Hill! I am so excited to have started my new role as the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade performing arts teacher! It has been an exciting first few days settling in to this role. I have been involved with theater and choir throughout my education. This year is very different from past years in performing arts, but I still plan on bringing song, dance, and theater in its fullest form to our students. We will learn how to develop complicated characters and plots and use this knowledge to perform skits, monologues, and dialogues. Each class will learn about theater around the world and how different cultures have contributed to the progression of theater. We will explore various forms of the arts through pantomime, puppetry, comedies, tragedies, and more. I am excited to see what the months ahead hold for us, and I am thrilled to be able to teach your children!"
COUNSELING RESOURCES
We want to acknowledge there is a lot going on right now, and we are here to support you. Please know our School Counselor, Becky Pike, is available to students and families. She is happy to provide resources and support. In times like these, we all, especially children and teens, need to be reassured of our safety. Know this is something actionable you can do over and over right now.
How do I support my child right now? This is a question many parents are asking after protests turned to violence in the nation's capital yesterday. The resulting news footage would likely trouble some children as much as it troubled the adults around them. Even students who don't fully understand the events may feel unsafe or a sense of instability as the adults in their lives react to current events. What can you do to foster healthy dialogue and process the wide range of emotions people may be experiencing right now?
If you need additional support or resources, please don't hesitate to reach out to Becky Pike at at bpike@vdoh.org or 314-810-3428.
OAK HILL OPEN HOUSE
Please help us spread the word. Oak Hill is hosting an Open House from 1:00-3:00 pm on Sunday, January 24. Prospective families will have the opportunity to tour the school, meet faculty and current parents, and learn about the amazing experiences our students have every day, both in and out of the classroom! Interested families can register at www.vdoh.org/schedule-a-visit.
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. We will continue to send reminders about order deadlines.
BONNE CHANCE AUCTION | SAINTS DERBY
Our annual Bonne Chance Auction has been moved to Saturday, April 24, 2021. We need volunteers to help solicit donations and sponsorships, set up and staff the event, pick-up and package items, sell raffle tickets, and more! If you are interested in volunteering, please email auction@vdoh.org and get involved!
JOIN US IN PRAYER
"As the only person present at both the Savior of the world's birth as well as his death, Mary offers the world a most unique lens through which to view the Lord and his life. In short, every Marian doctrine and devotion can be summarized by her own words recorded in John's Gospel, 'Do whatever he tells you.'" (Jn 2:5) - Excerpt from 101 Surprising Facts about Mary by Fr. David Vincent Meconi, S.J.
Please 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.
COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS
The Board of Trustees is seeking nominations for Standing Committee members. Standing Committees that support our Board of Trustees include Buildings & Grounds, Finance, Strategic Planning, and Community Engagement. Serving on one of these committees is an important first step in the process of serving as a trustee. Your recommendations can help us identify individuals with the expertise we need to advance our mission. This process upholds the National Association of Independent School Principles of Good Practice for Governance (NAIS) and School by-laws. If you or anyone you know has nominations, please submit an online nomination.
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 |