February 20 - February 24, 2023 - Academy of St. Louis

Academy of St. Louis 2023 Annual Auction
It’s that time of year again. AUCTION SEASON!

We are so excited about the upcoming auction in April, which is right around the corner.
It is NOW TIME TO TURN IN ALL OF YOUR PREVIOUS MONTH’s auction Family Contributions. Unlike other schools, we do count on EVERY family, that did not take the “buyout”, to turn in 100% of their Family Contributions.
ADS and Auction Basket/Extraordinary Items must be turned in by the end of this month so the program book can get to the printer on time and the Silent Auction Committee can get working on baskets.
Please turn in Gift Cards, Raffle tickets, and Ads to the office marked Auction and all Liquor, Silent Auction Basket items, and ExtraOrdinary Items to Ann Dunn’s house.
Also, don’t forget to buy your auction tickets soon. Click on the auction website link to register for individual tickets and tables of 10(we can do 12).

2023 Academy of St. Louis Auction Website

Would you like to attend a life-changing event for you and your child (ages 13+)?
Then join me on Sunday, March 12, 2023, for an event with guest speaker Jason Everett. My husband and our children attended one of his talks 13 years ago. I can attest to what an incredible impact his message made in all of our lives. Jason Everett is a dynamic speaker who holds the attention of teens by presenting his talks in an upbeat, positive manner.
Children with learning disabilities have more of a propensity to be vulnerable. Therefore the need for your child to understand what real love is and how not to be taken advantage of or manipulated is essential. Additionally, for teens and young adults with learning disabilities, it is critical to them that they feel included and “normal.” They unknowingly can place themselves in situations where others can exploit them. Jason’s talks will help them recognize what is appropriate in relationships and how to see themselves as a gift that shouldn’t just be given away as a means to feel accepted and loved by others. If you can’t attend the entire event, I highly suggest attending Jason’s first talk. I hope to see you there.

3:30-5:00 Jason’s first talk

5:00-6:00 Mass

6:00-7:00 Dinner Break

7:00-8:00 Jason’s second talk

Principal’s Corner – Mrs. Morales
STANDARDIZED TESTING

Almost all of our kids will participate in standardized testing. Most will take the IOWA, which uses test booklets and answer sheets. Students who are over two grade levels below will take a computer-based test called the DORA- reading test and the ADAM- math test.
We give our students accommodations to ensure that the best measure of what the student knows in a standard format.
Our students will be given a heads-up about testing next week, however, we try to make it as relaxed as possible for our children, with as little change as possible. No need to focus on it at home! Their schedule will remain the same, aside from when more time is needed or if a student needs more breaks or separate testing settings. Please try to ensure they get their sleep and eat the usual breakfasts, and communicate to us if they are having any anxiety.
It was such a great way to start our week with our amazing families at the pancake breakfast. All of the high schoolers did such a good job making the pancakes and sausage and helping with clean up. It’s always a challenge to get enough food out in a short time, so hopefully, everyone was able to eat enough!
Each morning in the Atrium, when we do our school-wide prayers, we have time for a few announcements or short lessons. This week we talked about Lent. We had a good discussion about what kids might do differently or might sacrifice during the next forty days. Allie had given the idea of praying more which started some good dialogue, if your child hasn’t chosen a Lenten resolution, this might be a great one! We also hope everyone received the rosary packs at the pancake breakfast. This would be the perfect family resolution for Lent!

MIDDLE SCHOOL 1& 3
We are still working diligently on our terrestrial ecosystem research papers. Students used the data they collected for their reports, along with the information obtained from video documentaries related to their assigned ecosystem to create Promotional Posters about Endangered Species and Human Impact on the Environment! They also worked in teams to create a food chain that included the producers, consumers, and decomposers from their written reports. We are learning how to transfer data from various sources into a scientific report with specific roles and responsibilities because scientists usually work in teams to create a compilation of information and facts for public use.
MIDDLE SCHOOL 2
We had a very short week in science this week. Due to the Pancake Breakfast and Ash Wednesday, our usual schedule had some adjustments. However, we reviewed the terms we learned last week in our Ecosystem Unit with a game of Pictionary where students had to guess whether the living organism being drawn was a Producer, Consumer, or Decomposer. Samantha Cox pulled a victory by being the first person to correctly identify three organisms. We also reviewed the terms Prey and Predator with a game of “What Am I?” Students were given an example of two consumers and had to correctly identify the predator and the prey in each scenario. The winner of the Prey versus Predator award goes to Evelyn Johns! The boys weren’t completely out of the loop though. They each created a food chain and correctly identified the producer, three consumers, and a decomposer in a given ecosystem.
HIGH SCHOOL 2
Our class began learning the step-by-step process of constructing a scientific research paper on a specific topic related to the world of Physical Science. We started by asking the question, “Will machines replace humans in the workforce?” Following the process of the Scientific Method, we first observed what we already know about machines in the workforce by creating a bubble map of various machines that currently exist to do jobs that humans used to do themselves. Then we used a Venn Diagram to compare how well computers and humans perform jobs in the workplace. Based on our observations, we developed a hypothesis that states, “Machines will replace humans in the workforce.” We are currently in the Research stage of the process where we are scanning various articles with both opposing viewpoints as well as agreeable viewpoints for data that will either prove or disprove our hypothesis. As we continue working as a class through this initial research topic, we are creating an outline that students will be able to use as a reference tool for future research projects.

PRIMUS INTER PARES
Gary Burkemper

Gary lives in Creve Coeur with his parents and older brother and loves his older sister’s visits. He says his dog is a big ball of energy and love. He likes going to Tallahassee to stay with his grandparents on breaks. He is looking forward to going to the Grand Canyon this summer and has traveled to Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Stockton Lake, Panama City, Washington DC, and Cincinnati. He knows a lot about history, science, and the secret service. On weekends he plays basketball for St. Richard (CYC), and sometimes plays golf with his sister and dad or goes to the driving range. He likes football, volleyball, and chasing his brother. His favorite subject at school is PE. Gary would like to learn to play drums like his dad, brother, and sister’s boyfriend. He is hoping his dad will teach him. He likes rap, jazz, classic rock, heavy metal, and movie soundtracks. He is friendly and kind and goes to a local skills group twice a week. Recently his dad came to school and talked about his job doing building inspections. Gary loves science and is deciding what science job is best for him. He likes building, so maybe structural engineering, or maybe a job related to chemistry.
Interviewed by Owen Shackelford

This week a representative of the University of Missouri met with three of our high school students about their ideas for work after school. She reminded them that they can research online at home with their parents. For some of our students, it is a process that can take years, and not a minute of the exploration is wasted. Every student gains more confidence as they listen to others and help them practice talking about what they like and why. One of our middle schoolers came in with a new idea for a job he came across when researching possible interests on the internet. With that clue, we found a new career field to add to his. Thank you for encouraging your students to keep thinking!
We had a wonderful week! We read a book called White Snow, Bright Snow, and learned what it’s called when the author gives human characteristics to something that’s not real. It was fun searching for examples throughout the story. As we looked at the pictures of the deep snow, Mrs. Lewis told us all about the snow blizzard of 1982. We couldn’t imagine having that much snow! We’re beginning to learn the value of different coins and we continue to count school days. Since February is dedicated to Black History Month, we heard how Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Jackie Robinson showed perseverance, wonderfully changing the world. As we ended the week, we had a pretend snowball fight using rolled-up socks. It’s fun pretending with our friends!

We had a wonderful and hard-working week! The students were all super motivated this week to complete their assignments. Students enjoyed ending the week by visiting Duo Dogs on Friday, for our community outing. They loved seeing how dogs could be used to help people in their lives and their jobs.

Happy weekend!

MIDDLE SCHOOL 1
This week we are working on the state’s first attempt to build a national government, the Articles of Confederation, which proved too weak to last.
MIDDLE SCHOOL 2
This week we are starting to learn about how early Americans came to North America and how they lived. We are also learning about early mound builders who lived in or near what is now Missouri.

MIDDLE SCHOOL 3
This week we are starting to learn about the meaning of civil rights, and how it has changed over time. We are also learning about the many groups who have been denied their civil rights at different times in history.

HIGH SCHOOL 2
This week we are learning about the work of famous Renaissance artists Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo. We also talked about the challenges Michelangelo faced as he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

MIDDLE SCHOOL 1 & 3, and HIGH SCHOOL 2
This week students worked on IXL and their binders to develop each student’s math skills. We continued to work on using additional resources to problem solve, including videos, textbooks, and examples. Each student continued to meet with me to provide additional support as needed.

MIDDLE SCHOOL 2
Students continued to work on their independence when reviewing previously taught skills and how to use resources to help themselves. Students continued to meet with me individually to provide additional support and teach new skills.

MIDDLE SCHOOL 1 & 3
Students continue to work hard on their terrestrial ecosystem reports. We are learning a lot about the different land ecosystems and the relationships between organisms in those regions. We began inputting our data into a collectively written report with our designated teams and will work on finalizing our papers next week!

MEDIA CLUB
In media this week John Paul and Devon had the pleasure of working on the yearbook with Mrs. Lagos. Rolan and Mrs.Hartmann interviewed Mrs.Morales and created a spotlight bulletin board to get to know the staff better. Ms.Pattrin led Lily G and Lili L throughout the process of creating the broadcast news show format on the computer.

RUNNING CLUB
It was a beautiful day outside for the running club this week. Mr.Jefferies, Ms.Heying, Ms.Baalmann, and Ms.Curran led the group through drills, and interval runs/walks and then everyone played a game of red light green light. Meanwhile, JJ and Nathan ran 2 miles!
Please do not forget the fun run on March 4 at Holy Infant! A lot of our families attend Mass at this parish and they cannot wait to see ASTL representing them. For those who do not know, Holy Infant’s Knights of Columbus contribute to our school each year. We are happy to return the love by participating!

https://runsignup.com/Race/MO/Ballwin/HIShamrockShuffle

ELEMENTARY

We reviewed Jesus’ parable of the yeast added to leaven the wheat and also reviewed Golden Rule behaviors.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSES and HIGH SCHOOL 2

We reviewed Jesus’ parable of the yeast added to leaven the wheat. We also plan to review the Beatitudes.

STARS

Supporting Teachers and Reaching Students
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School Dance
Saturday, April 1, 2023

MIDDLE SCHOOL 1 & 3
Students are enjoying “The Janitor’s Boy” while they practice vocabulary and comprehension skills. We did a “Kahoot” (ask your child about this!) and it was clear the students had been paying attention to the story! We are moving on to Chapters 7 and 9.

MIDDLE SCHOOL 2
I was so impressed with the student’s performance on comprehension passages this week. The Sea Spider and Guar (a type of cow) were interesting subjects to study as we learned vocabulary and how to find details in a passage.

HIGH SCHOOL 2 – Writing
In writing, we created a concluding statement for our reports and moved on to proofreading and editing. Our goal is to have a publishing party next week when they have finally completed their informational report.

LATE ARRIVALS/EARLY PICK-UPS VISITORS

All students and visitors arriving after 8:30, please enter through Door 15.
Absent/Late – Call 636-534-5099

LUNCH ACCOUNTS

Each day the entree includes fruit, chips, and your choice of chocolate or white milk.
You can select additional items a la carte.
Please be sure to place your order by midnight the night before.
Please call Mrs. Cantareira with any questions at 636-534-5099.

SNACKS

DON’T FORGET SNACKS!

Each day every class has a mid-morning snack. Please remember to send in a snack with your child each day.

MARCH LUNCH MENU

Academy of St. Louis

505 St. Joseph Lane

Manchester, MO 63021

Acadstl.org

636-534-5099

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