Volume VI
Dear Saint Andrew Families,
 
Blessings and peace to you all!
 
Last Thursday, we began our school day with a Faith Family Assembly introducing the virtue and saints of the month for March. Following the assembly, students transitioned into their Faith Family groups. These groups are of mixed age levels and may be with a different teacher from their usual homeroom teacher. During Faith Families, the students completed activities focused on learning the virtue and about life of one of our saints of the month. In this way, our students continue to grow in faith together, learning about the lives of the saints and the virtues of our faith.
 
During the month of March we will be focusing on the virtue of Respect. This virtue is based on one of the very first truths we learn about in the Scriptures: we are created in God’s image and likeness, we are imago Dei. Our value and dignity are not based on what clothes we wear, the talents we have, or the way we look. Rather, our value and dignity are founded upon being created in God’s image and being His beloved children. Respect is that virtue which helps us to recognize and honor the inherent dignity of all people, and to do all we can to protect those who are most in danger of their dignity being violated.
 
We also discussed the lives of three saints who were great advocates and practitioners of the virtue of Respect. Saint Jeanne Jugan, Saint Damien of Moloka’i, and Saint John Paul II all strove to show proper respect to all people, especially those most in need and most vulnerable. Further information about these three saints can be found in further down in this Wildcat Way!
 
We also hosted our second parent coffee and information session on the Virtues in Practice program. Thank you to those parents who have attended! Please see the information our next session in the Wildcat Way below. Throughout this month, our students, teachers, and families will all continue to practice and learn about the virtue of Respect. It is our hope that by intentionally teaching and speaking about the virtues we can become ever more perfect in our holiness. Please find ways this month to celebrate, discuss, and practice the virtue of Respect in your homes as we continue to grow in this virtue together as a community of faith!
 
May God continue to bless you and your families!
 
Paul Vanasse
Campus Ministries
All people are created in God’s image and likeness (imago Dei). Our value is not based on how good we look or what our talents are, but rather on being created images of God. We are invaluable because we are beloved children of God. 
 
Re-spect (look again) with esteem/admiration/favor.
 
We often see only the way others appear and then make judgments about them. Respect reminds us to look deeper and to recognize we are all children loved by God. 
 
We are called to have respect for all, even those who look different, are different ages, cultures, ideas, or backgrounds and abilities.
God wants us all to become saints in heaven. When the Catholic Church tells us we can be sure a certain person is in heaven, that person is a canonized saint. These saints loved God very much and led lives tilled with virtue. They give us good examples of how to get to heaven and we can ask them to help us with their prayers.

Talk with your students about the lives of the saints, the virtues they exemplified, and the virtues the saints struggled with in their lives. With your help, your children will continue to grow deeper in their Catholic faith and will be encouraged and formed to live virtuous lives, leading them to someday join all of the saints in heaven.
Saint Jeanne Jugan
(1792-1879, France)
Feast: August 30

Saint Jeanne Jugan was born to a poor family in France in 1792. She worked in the kitchen of a wealthy woman and helped her to care for the poor. In 1837, Jeanne and two other women decided to live together and devote their lives to God and to helping care fort the poor. Jeanne even gave up her own bed so that a sick elderly woman could sleep there!

Jeanne’s work and inspiration led to the foundation of the Little Sisters of the Poor, who care for poor elderly people around the world.

Dear Saint Jeanne Jugan, help us to see all people as children of God. Help us to always respect each person's dignity. Help us to show special respect to the elderly, the poor, and the sick. Amen. Saint Jeanne Jugan, pray for us.
Saint Damien of Molokai
(1840-1889, Belgium & Hawaii)
Feast: May 10

Saint Damien was born in Belgium in 1840. When he joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, he was sent to Hawai’i to minister to the people there. At that time, the Hawaiian government was exiling anyone with the disease leprosy to a small peninsula on the island Moloka’i. Saint Damien volunteered to go to minister to the people with leprosy who had been abandoned there. Damien helped build houses for them as well as an orphanage and a church.

He treated everyone with dignity and respect. He started a band and a choir for children and helped many people find faith in God. After caring for the people for 16 years, he himself became sick with leprosy and died at the age of 49.
 
Saint Damien, be with us and remind us to respect every person, especially those who are sick Help us to be brave like you and reach out to them to show them God's love. Amen. Saint Damien of Molokai, pray for us.
Saint John Paul II
(1920-2005, Poland & Rome)
Feast: October 22

Saint John Paul II was born in Poland in 1920 and had a very difficult childhood. By the time he was 20, he had lost his mother, father, and only brother.  It was also around the time his father passed away that Nazi Germany had invaded Poland. Saint John Paul II trained in secret to be a priest and was ordained in 1946.

Even though he experienced such a difficult childhood, Saint John Paul II loved everyone and believed strongly in the dignity and goodness of people. In 1978 he was elected Pope. His respect for all people as pope helped to change the world. He visited over 100 different countries, met with many different people of different backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures, and did everything he could to recognize and promote the dignity of all people around the world. 
 
Saint John Paul II, pray for us, that we might see the eternal worth of each person we inter­ act with throughout the day. Give us your love for all people, and help us to ""be not afraid!"" Amen. Saint John Paul II, pray for us.
In our most recent Faith Family Assembly, one student per homeroom (Kindergarten - 8th) was recognized with a certificate for exemplifying the November/December virtues of Courtesy and Purity and the January virtue of Fortitude.

Congratulations to the following Wildcats and to all of our Wildcats who are living their faith everyday!

Courtesy/Purity

Baron Torres
Harper Knell
Nolan Anderson
Colin Steger 
Leo Gallegos
Jacob Rainer
Sam Stacy
Sam Nicoletti
Bishop Torres
Felicity Davis
Isabel Grahm
Eva Granados
Lori Garcia
Hadleigh Baker
Emmett Boehmler
Elita Daley
Rosa Puentes
Joaquin Rice
Jude Hamrick
Michael Collard
Mia Uranga 
Omar Jimenez
Juliette Knight 
Ella Taylor 
Sean Riney
Ava Swaim
Cloe Charron Sancen
Jane Garvett
Fortitude

Juliet Zoll
Kaidence Escalante 
Curran Klaus
Htoira Lashi 
Parker Ratterree
Emma. McGary
Silas Steffes
Lawson Albers
Camille Mora
Mason Haddad
Brenli Grisoli
Ricky Guirola
Canon Dent
David Garcia-Ramirez
Anabella Flores
Sarah Hernandez
Maeve Dealaman
Ian Miles
Elena Rios
Emmanuel Garcia-Ramirez
Adam Gracia
Andrew Soyer 
Antonio Razzouk 
Ezra Alaniz
Evan Boehmler 
Reagan Bauchman-Lopez
Ava Krivanek
Ann Bradshaw
Thursday morning (March 2) 3rd - 5th grade parents joined our students for our March Faith Families Assembly in the Gym, followed by coffee and discussion in the cafeteria. Parents had a great time getting to know each a little better and sharing ideas on fostering virtuous behavior in their children.
Save the Date
Kindergarten - 2nd Grade Parents
Virtues in Practice is structured so that an entire elementary school community studies the same virtue each month during the course of a regular school year of September through May. The curriculum spirals, and every three years the same virtues are repeated with greater depth, and new saints are introduced as models of those virtues.

The program includes a cycle of a Year of Faith (Year I), Year of Hope (Year II), and Year of Charity (Year III). The following chart may be helpful in providing a visual overview. Put it on your refrigerator as a reminder of the virtues the students have been studying throughout the years.
From the Catholic Catechism, we are taught the Golden Rule:

"Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them."56

Naturally, we all want to be respected, but sadly, we fall to temptations that may not be on the path of respect. In the world of discipline and discipleship to our Lord, we have all intentions of being respectful. Above all, we certainly want to model this to our children.

How does Saint Andrew Catholic School instill RESPECT?
In speaking with children about their poor choices and behaviors, we ask, “Would you have liked that done to you?” And almost always, the response is a resounding- No! The conversation continues, if you do not want that done to you, why would you think it is okay to do it to someone else? This process of engaging in higher order thinking enables students to start envisioning themselves in someone else’s shoes, thus experiencing the feeling of empathy. This process of coming to empathy is the foundation to understanding respect.

How can we do this as a family?
This small moment to examine one’s conscience brings light to what we should be doing continually: asking ourselves - are our behaviors revealing the best version of ourselves? What a wonderful time to begin this process during our liturgical season of Lent.

The Dynamic Prayer Process is a great way to bring this type of examination into our daily lives as we reflect upon respect of ourselves and of others. Try this at home when praying with your children:
In Christ,
Alison Daley, M.A., M.Ed.
Saint Andrew Catholic School
Assistant Principal
Respect is a very important element that contributes to both personal identity and interpersonal relationships. Feeling respected is a basic human right. It is the ability to value, honor, and recognize the dignity of another person. There are many ways to teach your children to respect themselves and others. 

Do this by modeling respect; setting an example is important. Greeting or speaking to others in kind and respectful ways, giving up your seat in public places, and treating others as you would like them to treat you are ways to model respect. 

Note your child’s preferences and tastes. Rather than making your child do something, suggest, encourage, and advise. When we accept our children’s differences, they feel listened to and respected. 

Accept their decisions and help them to accept them as well. Sometimes regretful or wrong decisions provide an opportunity to grow and learn.  

Use a calm tone with your children and others to demonstrate respect. Do not use insults, negative or derogatory labels. Speaking to our children in this manner is very harmful to their self-esteem and encourages them to have a disrespectful attitude with others. 

Focus on your child’s actions rather than judging them. Allow their actions to be teaching moments rather than defining them as good or bad. 
Remind your children that if they do not respect others, they will not be respected by others, and if they do not respect themselves, they will not be respected by others either. Prayer can go a long way in these situations. 

Do unto others whatever you would have them do to you. Matthew 7:12 
Angela Klütz and Cassandra Kneblik 
Counselors 
817-924-8917 x2010
Parent Participation -- NEW

We invite our families to join us in noticing virtue! Any time you see virtue in a staff member, another parent, friend of your child’s, or even your own child, please share it with the community by completing the link below. We will place these virtuous behaviors on the community tree for all to see!

One of the fastest ways to change poor habits is to notice when we do well and act the way Christ intended us to act. Virtue is like a muscle; we need to practice using it and noticing when people use it or we will lose it.

Here are some examples:
  • "John showed friendship when he encouraged his friend when he lost the game”.
  • Sally showed fortitude when she told someone they were being unkind to a friend and asked them to stop”.
  • “Max was courteous when he held the door for the adult”.
 
Click HERE when you notice virtuous behavior in a member of our Wildcat community.
This week your child will be bringing home a box of offertory envelopes.

We wish for the students to gain an understanding of Catholic Stewardship, which is the outcome of being a committed Disciple of Jesus Christ. Stewardship is not just for adults. It is important that young people also learn that they are greatly blessed by God and that God, in turn, expects them to share their blessings. The envelopes will be collected at the School Mass your child attends on either Tuesday or Wednesday mornings.

As you look at the envelope, you see three lines for your child to express what they have done as a steward of the gifts and blessings God has given to them. Your child can complete any or all of the lines.

The envelopes are pre-printed with an envelope number, the area for Time, Talent, and Treasure, and the child’s name. We will not be tracking envelope use, by number or child’s name. Rather we hope to inform children of how Catholics demonstrate and share the gifts and blessings we have been given by God. In Parish correspondence, you will see the words: Prayer – Service – Generosity used in lieu of Time, Talent, and Treasure.

  • Time – Was there an amount of time when the child was devoted to a particular activity to give glory and honor to God?  Prayer would fall into this category as would doing chores or tasks around the home that required little parental guidance or doing something without being told, rather because they could be of help.
  • Talent – How did the child use a skill or talent to help out another or better someone’s situation? Reading to a sibling, helping a friend play a sport better, singing in a choir.
  • Treasure – Adults understand the need for money to pay bills. Understanding Stewardship is NOT just about the money. Yes, the Church and School have lots of bills to pay! Salaries, benefits, utilities, repairs, etc. We don’t want the child to raid their piggy bank or ask you for money for the envelope (you are already participating!) but rather – if they get some birthday money, or when the tooth fairy leaves behind some money, this is the opportunity to share their gift. It is more important that a child puts in change from his or her own allowance and feels proud of that contribution.

In the early weeks of the program having your child just complete any one line is completely acceptable. We want to build the habit of stewardship in their life as they learn and grow in their faith. One of the primary purposes of this effort is to teach children that it does indeed feel good to give. It is good for our self-esteem to know that we have something to offer back to the world.

Deacon Kevin Bagley
Saint Andrew Parish & School
Executive Director of Evangelization & Ministries
The SAS Student Council is hosting an all-school service project this month called the Heifer Project. Please read the information below to find out more about Heifer International. You can also click here to watch a short video.
Thank you to all students, teachers, and parishioners who helped contribute to the annual SAS diaper drive. With your generous donations, we went above and beyond our goal of 13,500 diapers.

A grand total of 16,500 diapers were collected!!!!

A big thank you to everyone who sent cash. With that money 3 diaper bags, 400 diapers, 70 packs of wipes and ten $50 gift cards were purchased.

Every student will receive a popsicle because of your generous donations.

Thank you Ella Taylor, Madeleine Schroder, and Mia Coffey for organizing this very important service project.
O my God, I love You above all things,
with my whole heart and soul,
because You are all good and worthy of all love.
I love my neighbor as myself for the love of You.
I forgive all who have injured me,
and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen.

"The Catholic school’s task is fundamentally a synthesis of culture and faith, and a synthesis of faith and life: the first is reached by integrating all the different aspects of human knowledge through the subjects taught, in the light of the Gospel; the second is the growth of the virtues characteristic of the Christian.” 
(Congregation for Catholic Education, The Catholic School 37)

Saint Andrew Catholic School | 817.924.8917 | 3304 Dryden Road
www.standrewsch.org