Disciple Dispatch

September 21, 2025

We Are Family

The family that prays together stays together. Our IHM school family poses for the annual family portrait, right after the All-School Mass last Wednesday.

Please Follow Carline Procedures

For the saftey of all students, please make sure you follow the correct procedures for drop-off and pick-up in carline. You can review by watching the video below. Also, note that ONLY IHM Staff may put up or take down the ropes blocking the entrances to the parking lot. These remain up during the day to keep students safe during recess.

Carline Procedures Video

No Drop-off Before 7:40 am

Please do NOT drop your student(s) off before the doors open at 7:40 am. There is no adult supervision before then and children waiting alone outside the doors is a saftey concern.

Laptime Returns October 2nd

Now that the big kids are back in school let's get together with the littles! Join IHM Preschool teachers Ms. Gawronski, Mrs. Claunch and Mrs. Ansell for story time, songs, developmental play skills, tips on potty training, etc. It's a free and easy way to meet other adults, in a safe place for the kids to run wild and free. Runs 9:30-11:30 am in the Gym.

Infants to 4-year-olds are welcome.

News From IHM Athletics

Registration for Winter I sports is now open and will close on September 30th. CLICK HERE to get signed up. Students may only participate in one sport per season.

We are in need of volunteers for home volleyball games. There are many roles to fill in order for us to host these games. This is what helps us keep our program participation FREE for all athletes.

Volunteer Here

It's Time for Altar Server Training!

Calling all 5th Graders and above who would like to be trained as

NEW Altar Servers!

We will be holding a NEW Altar Server training on Monday, October 6th at 2pm during school. New servers will start serving at School Masses beginning mid-October and will be added to the Sunday Mass rotation starting in Advent. To be eligible to be trained as an Altar Server, you need to:

1.) Pick up an information letter and permission slip from the school office

2.) Look over and agree to the requirements as parents and child

3.) Have the permission signed and returned prior to the training on Oct. 6th.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Christy or Paul Brown at christinabrown77@gmail.com or 616-828-3681.

Are You Interested in Altar Serving at Weddings or Funerals?

We will be offering an Altar Server refresher and training for CURRENT altar servers and new parish members. This includes anyone who is currently or would like to serve weddings and funerals. Please meet the Browns and Deacon Bevins in the church narthex at 9:30 am on Sunday, October 12th.

Also, please sign up today to reserve your spot for our refresher and training using the sign up genius a

Questions? Call or email Paul or Christy Brown at 616-828-3681 or christinabrown77@gmail.com

Altar Server Refresher & Training

Welcome to the World!

The family of Weston Black in PK3's just welcomed their new baby boy, Hugh last week. Prayers for this sweet family as they adjust to being a family of four and Weston's new role as big brother.

"Run With The Nuns"

The 11th Annual Franciscan Rythms 5K Trail Run & Walk will take place on Saturday, October 4th. There will be live music, a kids' fun run, snacks and the Sister's delicious homemade cinnamon rolls. This event supports their music therapy scholarship fund and land restoration efforts. Learn more and register online HERE.

IHM Home & School is Sponsoring Eucharistic Adoration

Holy Hour during the school year!

Tuesdays from 10am to 11am

Wednesdays from 1pm to 2pm

Consider signing up for one or more Holy Hours throughout the school year!

The Chapel of the Holy Eucharist, located on the west side of the parish office building, is open 24 hours a day, on weekdays, throughout the year! Everyone is invited to stop in for a visit with Our Lord. Pope John Paul II reminds us that “the only prayer more powerful than Eucharistic Adoration is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.” Check the IHM Adoration website for more information.

If you are interested in learning more about Eucharistic Adoration including answers to the questions Who, What, Where, When, Why and How, take a look at this video from Blessed is She.

Children are always welcome to join you, and it is understood that children are not always silent or will sit still. Our children learn by example and Eucharistic Adoration is a great opportunity to learn why and how we pray and how to have conversations with God.

Host our Blessed Mother The Spiritual Growth Committee invites you to host our school's statue of Our Lady and patron for a week in your home. Our school children love to have Blessed Mother Mary visit their families and we are delighted to offer this opportunity to all IHM school families for the 2025-2026 school year! Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!

Caring for Mary

The Spiritual Growth Committee invites all IHM school families to help 'Care for Mary.' Each week, we have an opportunity to bring fresh flowers to place at the foot of the Blessed Mother Statue in the hall by the entrance of the school. Use this Sign-Up to reserve your family's week!

Please bring your flowers Monday morning and leave them through week's end. You may bring your own vase or bring your flowers to the office to use a school vase. Thank you for your prayerful consideration of this opportunity to honor Our Lady and patron!

Munch & Mingle

Donuts after Mass will be back once again after Sunday Mass on scheduled dates this Fall. Look for the welcome flag outside the garden door to the Hearts room to see if Donuts are being offered for that Sunday. A lot of work goes into making these donuts available and we would love your help! Click below to sign up to volunterr for a shift.

This event is geared to anyone considering Catholic education for their families from pre-pregnancy and beyond.

The purpose for the event is to:

Give families the tools to prepare financially for the investment of a Catholic education.
Reduce the financial impact on our scholarship and aid funds.
Secure healthy enrollment for not just West Catholic but for all our diocesan schools.

Mathletes

Ms. Novak is still looking for an assistant coach for the new middle school Mathletes program. VIRTUS training is required and practice would be once a week. Anyone interested contact Ms. Novak at mnovak@ihmschoolgr.org

Virtue of the Week

Prudence

Prudence is the virtue that enables one to reason and to act rightly in any given situation - right reason in action. May we look for ways this week to practice this Cardinal Virtue.

Looking Ahead...

9/24: No Mass - Priest Convocation. All School Prayer in Church 9:00 am
9/24: EDGE Middle School Youth Group Kick-Off 7:00 pm
9/25: Wear Prayer Partner T-shirts to school
9/30: NET Retreat for 7th & 8th Grades in DeMazenod 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
10/2: LapTime & Open Gym 9:30-11:30 am
10/2: Blessing of the Pets at 3:00 pm on IHM football fields
10/3: No School - PD Day
10/6:Altar Server Training for 5th grade and new servers 2:00 pm
10/6-7: Hearing & Vision Screening
10/8: School Board Meeting 6:00 pm
10/9: Picture day for PreK 3's and make-ups
10/15: Home & School Meeting - 8:00 am
10/13-17: 5th grade Farm Week
10/23 - Laptime & Open Gym 9:30-11:30 am

View our Calendar for more events

From the Principal's Desk

Hello IHM Families!

The entire faculty, staff and school board have been working diligently during the last year to gather evidence for our upcoming Accreditation. Accreditation is through the Michigan Nonpublic School Accrediting Association (MNSAA) and the Michigan Association of Nonpublic Schools (MANS). There are 76 Benchmarks, under 13 Standards, under the four pillars of Mission and Catholic Identity, Governance and Leadership, Academic Excellence, and Operational Vitality. I think it's safe to say these benchmarks don't miss anything. Every five years we go through accreditation and this year we have NEW benchmarks under the 2nd edition of the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools (NSBECS). For each benchmark we gather evidence and then give ourselves a rating from 1-4 by looking at the provided rubrics and then write a paragraph of why we deserve that score.

We are the first school in the diocese to use the new benchmarks! A team from the diocese and other schools will come here November 19 & 20 to go over all our self-scores and evidence and either agree with the score we gave ourselves, or change it. We went through this right after COVID and it was a difficult process to do much of it virtually. I'm so excited that I have been here long enough to properly show all the wonderful things going on at IHM! I will keep you all updated on the process when we get closer to our visit.

Please pray for the success of the accreditation process and for all of those involved!

Have a great weekend!

Blessings,

Mrs. Holly Lake