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BE WHO YOU ARE AND BE THAT WELL!
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Family Newsletter | February 12, 2018
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OUR MISSION
Rooted in the Catholic faith, Padua Academy offers young women a transformational college preparatory education, challenging them to live Christ-centered lives of leadership and service.
"And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
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Dear Parents, Students, and Friends,
So let's get real my friends - What can we really change in a mere 40 days - a couple of pounds around our waistlines gone, a few less TV shows watched, a family dinner around the table for four Sundays?
Or are you ready to take the most incredible journey of your life? Are you ready for your 40 days journey with God?
Let's start with answering this fundamental question - Who are we? We are children of God knitted together by God in our mothers' wombs! Our goal on this planet is to become the person God dreamed us to be when God created us.
Paul says in Cor 5:20, "We are ambassadors for Christ!" Our journey in life is to reflect Christ's presence and so truly become Christ's ambassadors to the world. This reminds me of my son a day before he was confirmed in the fifth grade. One nun we really loved blessed him and told him he was becoming a soldier of God. He fully expected to be given a sword at confirmation and begin to fight the devil on behalf of God!
Well, we are not asked to do that per se, but we are asked to join this exalted vocation as an ambassador for Christ.
So do me a favor, during this Lent, forget about giving up chocolate and other goodies, and instead spend time on our knees in a quiet place looking deeply and evaluate honestly just what obstacles are blocking you from your own sacred identity. I have the perfect place for you to spend those quiet moments. I invite all of you to stop by the school anytime you wish and spend time in our chapel with God - Quietly getting in touch with the Holy Spirit and be guided closer in your journey with your Father. Just sit quietly, close your eyes, and Jesus will find you there.
Jesus suggests we pay special attention to three areas: prayer, fasting, generosity (alms-giving). The most important is prayer. We must be in daily communion with Christ through prayer thus enabling Christ's presence to shine through us and so become his ambassador. I would ask that you make simple adjustments to your daily routine to include quiet prayer. Make sure you are opened to listening as well as talking. Prayer is not a monologue!
The idea of becoming Christ's ambassador is overwhelming - frankly, it scares me!
It's so out of touch with our societal conditioning, but there is good news. God gives us the Holy Spirit to journey with us! We become Christ's ambassadors to the degree we allow the Holy Spirit to transform our lives. Listen to Ps. 51, "A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence and your Holy Spirit take not from me" (Ps 51:12-13).
Lent is a joyful season for us if we open our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit transform our lives. In his Letter to the Galatians Paul reminds us that the fruits of the Spirit include joy -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control!
Will you join me in prayer?
In these 40 days of Lent as we strive to become more fully Christ's ambassadors, we also pray for a renewal of Christian joy in our lives:
Dear Father God,
"Give me back the joy of your salvation and a willing spirit sustain within me" (Ps 51:14). Please Lord, take me on Your Adventure of Life. Help me to be only an eyelash away from you all of my life. I yearn for your love, courage, and strength. I love you, my God.
In Jesus we pray,
Amen
Happy Lent begins this Wednesday with Ash Wednesday!
Peace be with you,
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Padua News
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LENT - A Time of Renewal
Lent begins this week and there are many opportunities during this season of preparation to pray, fast, and give. Each morning before school (7:50 am) there will be a time to share scripture and reflec
t on the Word led by Mrs. Kilmon. The Prayer Communion service also begins at 7:50 am and is held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday each week in the chapel. Eucharistic Adoration is the first Friday of each month during Flex. Students will have the opportunity to participate in Rice Bowl, with all funds donated to Catholic Relief Services. The Lenten Penance service will be on February 27 for all juniors and seniors and Famine, our 24-hour food fast, will be held on Friday, March 2. We invite our students and parents to take advantage of these offerings and make Lent a season of spiritual renewal.
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Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences
Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences will be held on Thursday, February 15, from 2 pm - 6 pm. The sign-ups are divided into 10-minute time slots, to accommodate as many parents as possible. The directions for signing up are as follows:
Click on Magnifying Glass
Click on the Conference Time (separated by hour) that you wish to schedule conferences
Locate the teacher and time you wish to sign up for
Click Sign Up
Click Submit and Sign Up
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CyberPatriots Earn Fifth Straight State Title
Congratulations to our CyberPatriot teams! They earned their 5th straight state title and also 5th straight 1st & 2nd places. Members of the first place team are
Ava Stratton, Cameron Miles, Sarah Houseal, Angel Sawicki, and
Sarah Jane Mee. Second place team members are
Devashree Vasavada, Carter Vaughn, Tingwei Shi, Laura Stankiewicz, Samantha Divirgilio, and
Madeline Dickerson.
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Traveling Pandas - Come to our Informational Meetings to Learn More about Two Upcoming Travel Opportunities
Padua Students will have two opportunities to travel in 2019. Come to the informational meeting(s)to learn more about each opportunity.
- Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at 6:00 pm in Roberto Hall. Travel to Spain and Italy in the Spring of 2019 to experience the art and culture of the region. All current Sophomores and Juniors are welcome to apply for the trip. Priority will be given to Art History students, as well as to upper level Spanish and Italian students. If you are interested in finding out more, feel free to email Ms. Keefe.
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Thursday, February 15, 2018, at 6:00 pm in Roberto Hall. Travel to
France and Italy in June 2019.
Students who would like to attend the trip must take the "Two Men Named Francis"
class during the 2018-2019 academic year. This course is a semester-long elective. The course and the trip will be open to both the class of 2020 and 2021. If you are interested in any information, you can email
Ms. Wallen
.
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2018-2019 Course Selection Process
It is time to begin student registration and scheduling for the 2018-2019 school year. The complete 2018-19 Curriculum Guide can be found on the Resource page of OnCampus.
The Course Selection Sheet and $150 Registration Fee are due by March 3, 2018 to the Finance Office. This fee is non-refundable. Contact Mrs. Fundakowski, our Academic Dean, if you have any questions.
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AP Test Registration Due Thursday, Feb. 15
It is also time to register for AP exams. All students enrolled in one or more Advanced Placement courses have already received AP Exam information and a registration form. Dates and times of the exams are listed in the Information Bulletin accompanying the registration form. Each student must indicate whether or not she is going to take the exam. All AP students must complete and return the form. The AP Exam Registration Form, accompanied by full payment for the exams, is due to the Finance Office by February 15. Please contact Dr. McClory if you have any questions.
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Padua Theater Presents The Addams Family - February 16 - 18
Save the date and get your tickets for Padua Academy's sixth musical theatre production, THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Tickets will be $10 at the door. Enter from 10th Street.
Show dates and times are:
Friday, February 16 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 17 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 18 at 2:00 pm
To order tickets in advance, please go to
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What Made Maddy Run Book Talk
On Friday, March 2, during Flex, Mrs. Hudson and Mrs. Campbell will be leading a
discussion on the book, What Made Maddy Run, in the Learning Commons. Students
and Faculty are welcome to join, whether you have read the book or just want to
hear more about the book. All attendees will receive a custom made wristband!!
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French Film Fest 2018
Families of students in French III, French IV and AP French will be receiving an invitation to the 2018 French Film Festival. This red carpet event will take place on Thursday, March 1. Arrival and walk down the red carpet will begin at 5:45 pm, a French themed dinner will begin at 6:00 pm and the screening and awards will begin at 6:30 pm. Please turn in RSVP and check to the finance office if you plan to attend the dinner portion of the evening. $7 for students with a film featured, $12 for each additional family member. All members of the Padua community are invited to attend. Please contact
Mme Boyle with any questions.
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Flu Advice from the Nurse
As you aware through the news reports, this flu season has been extra hard. I wanted to provide you with more information that should help you determine if your or your daughter has the flu or a cold.
The CDC has provided a table and some further information on signs and symptoms between the flu and a cold. You can find the information
here. I
f you have any questions or concerns about these or any other health issues, please do not hesitate to contact me at the school at [email protected].
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College Advisement & Guidance
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Weekly Guidance Update:
College Bus Tour - Spring 2018 edition!!!
We're heading to
New York City!!
Juniors and Sophomores are invited to sign up for the College Bus Tour as we visit
Fordham University and
Manhattan College on Monday, March 26. Click this link for the
flyer and this one to download the
permission slip.
Sign up early.
Please see your counselor with any questions.
Parents of Freshmen:
- Please schedule a meeting with your daughter's counselor if you would like to review the course selection process in detail, including course mapping for the next 3 years.
Parents of Juniors:
- We strongly encourage you to set up a meeting with your daughter's counselor to review the college process in detail. You can contact your daughter's counselor via email:
All Students:
- The counselors will meet with Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors individually about their course selection for the next school year. This process will happen throughout February, March, and April. You are welcome to stop in or schedule an appointment with your counselor if you have questions about courses for next year.
- What are you doing this summer? Please make plans now to have a fun and productive summer. See your counselor if you need help finding something to do. You can work, volunteer, take a class, attend a camp, etc. Make sure it's something that is fun and interesting.
Seniors:
- COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS - Scholarships are available and time is running out to apply. Please see the attached list of resources to search for college scholarships. This list will also be on OnCampus under the Guidance Resource page.
- The Guidance office would like copies of all college admission decision letters and scholarship offers. Please bring those in to Mrs. Buchanan. She will make copies of the letters so you can keep the originals.
Juniors:
- College 101 meetings continue this week. Please bring your laptop to the meeting.
- The April 14 ACT registration deadline is March 9. Upcoming test dates include April 14, June 9, and July 14. Register online at: www.actstudent.org
- The March SAT late registration deadline is February 28. Upcoming SAT test dates include March 10, May 5, and June 2. Register online at: www.collegeboard.org
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Student News
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Psychology Club Hosts Esteemed Panel
With the help of the Delaware Psychological Association's Chair of Public Education Dr. Malina Spirito Psy.D., we welcomed a panel of 4 psychologists to speak with students enrolled in Padua's Psychology Club. Discussions were centered around each panel member's path to and through his or her profession in the field of psychology. We would like to thank Dr. Rachel Brandenburg, Psy.D., Dr. Stephen DeJulio, Ph.D., Dr. David Mandelbaum, Ph.D., and Dr. Kimberly Canter, Ph.D. for spending their morning with our students!
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Mrs. Vitollo Talks to Genealogy Club
At the meeting on February 9, Art teacher Mrs. Vitollo met with the Genealogy Club to discuss Genealogy art projects.
In "Intro to Art," students use Ancestry for Education and other resources including family member interviews to research their family history. With this information, they create assemblage projects displaying family photos, memorabilia, maps, documents, and even personal items to tell their ancestor's story.
Mrs. V brought many examples of these beautiful projects and showed us some of the family stories they represented. Our own Emma Trunnell '21 shared the incredible story of her grandparents' life and how she compiled the material for her project while taking Mrs. Vitollo's class. Check out Emma's Genealogy shadowbox and many others on display in the 2nd-floor hallway. If you have any questions you can contact the Geneology Club moderators Ms. Schneider and Dr. Hall.
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Dinner is Served by Ronald's Rescue Volunteers
On Monday, February 5, members of Ronald's Rescue went to the Ronald McDonald House of
Delaware to cook and serve dinner for families who are currently staying at the house. Hot roast beef sandwiches, baked macaroni & cheese, vegetables, and
cornbread were served. A huge thank you to
Bridget Fay, Brandy Conte, Audrey Jamieson, Melissa Marazzo, Kayleen Italia, McKenna Rybaltowski, Dani Friedman, Amber Owens,
and
Lily Moon
who all attended this evening of service at the Ronald McDonald House.
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Hungry Pandas 2nd Annual Cake Decorating Contest
A highlight of Catholic Schools Week was the second annual Cake Decorating
Contest organized by Padua's culinary club, the Hungry Pandas, led by Moderator, Susan
Poppiti, and Sous Chef, Ally Stuebing. On Tuesday, January 30, during Flex in the
café, five teams (each containing two faculty members and three students) toiled away on
their fondant and buttercream masterpieces.
This year's theme, "Pandas at the Beach", inspired a myriad of fondant pandas lounging on beach towels and paddling on boogie boards. A fondant Panda mermaid even appeared on the winning cake created by Bridget Cahir, Rachel Delate, Clare Mazzeo, Mrs. Buchanan, and Mrs. Fenimore.
Read more here. |
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More Student News on Facebook and Twitter
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Sp
orts News
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Congratulations to our nine seniors who signed to their universities on February 7. We are so proud of you. Six signing Division I, one at Division II, and two at Division III. They include:
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Ashlee Brentlinger - Florida Gulf Coast University - Soccer
- Angela Hallinan - La Salle University - Rowing
- Abigail Hamilton - Washington and Lee University - Field Hockey
- Emily Jarome - Towson University - Volleyball
- Madeline Maier - Harvard University - Rowing
- Katelyn McGonigal - Bloomsburg University - Volleyball
- Taylor Mueller - King's College - Volleyball
- Lydia Olivere - Villanova University - Cross Country & Track & Field
- Emma Toy - West Virginia University - Rowing
http://www.delawaresportszone.com/video-two-state-players-of-the-year-top-paduas-large-signing-class
Congratulations to the
Padua Basketball team for their win against St. Marks on Feb. 7 with a score of 40 - 33.
Good Luck to PABB as they host Concord HS tonight. JV at 6:00, Varsity at 7:15!
Well done
Padua Swim Team who took a huge win over DMA on Feb. 7 with a 101 - 64 final.
The Padua Swim Team and their Seniors travel today to the Walnut St. YMCA to take on
Sanford
and celebrate Senior Night at 4:00 pm!
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Service Opportunities
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Students should check in with InnerView regularly if they are interested in getting more involved! Once they are logged in to
my.innerview.org
, they can click on the calendar icon on the bottom bar to see what opportunities are being offered by the student leaders who make up our Students in Action team.
New Items:
- AAUW Used Book Sale at Concord Mall, February 23 - 25.
- Safety Town Volunteers for Spring Break and Summer
Details of these and other volunteer opportunities not found on InnerView can be found HERE.
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The KUMON Center of Hockessin is an after school enrichment program for children of all ages. They are interested in hiring a few high school students who would love to work with preschoolers at the Hockessin center.
The hours at the Hockessin center are Tuesday, 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm; Thursday 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm; and Saturday 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Candidates can choose to work all three days or just two.
Please fill out the
application and call Ms. Pandit for an interview at 302-540-7901.
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Alumnae News
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Congratulations to Alumnae Jordan Jones!
Congratulations to Jordan Jones, Class of 2016, who has been crowned as the 2018 Miss Brandywine.
Her platform is Empowerment through Special Olympics. Jordan will compete in the Miss Delaware Pageant June 15-16
to be held at the Rehoboth Convention Center. If she wins she moves on to compete in the Miss America Pageant.
We wish you all the best Jordan!!
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Advancement Spotlight
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2018 Women's Achievement Honoree
Roma Downey
Tickets are now available
for the Dinner in Honor of Women's Achievement on
May 2, 2018
at the Chase Center on the Waterfront.
Click here to register and purchase tickets.
For more information, contact our Advancement Director, Chad Kifer at
[email protected]
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To Give...Is to be Transformed!
Will you be a part of the incalculable number of moments this year in which the lives of Padua students will be transformed?
Your support of the Padua Academy 2017-2018 Annual Fund campaign will go to work immediately providing funding for educational, athletic, and spiritual initiatives that tuition alone does not cover. Can we count on you to help us kick-off another amazing year at Padua Academy?
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PADUA ACADEMY
905 N. Broom Street
Wilmington, DE 19806
(302) 421-3739
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