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   February 3, 2016
Loving God,

especially during this Catholic Schools Week, we thank You for creating us in love. We thank You for Your presence with us throughout all time. Free us from all that keeps us from You. Awaken us to the sacred. Strengthen our relationships. Unite our families. Fill us with joy to celebrate the fullness of life. Be with us as we continue to minister to and with one another, teaching, proclaiming and breaking open the word, sharing the bread of life and the cup of salvation, bringing Your light, love and mercy to all our brothers and sisters. Make us a community of love growing ever more in Your likeness by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.
All School News
A Message From Dr. Gyolai
How blessed are we to be part of a school community where we can live the Gospel message, put our faith into action, and leverage it as a learning tool! Catholic Schools Week is a time to celebrate all that BSM is and all that it can be. 
 
Catholic Schools Week and Black History Month typically overlap. You will read elsewhere in the Knightly News about the many activities we have planned for Black History Month, as well as Catholic Schools Week activities. We value diversity, equity and inclusion at BSM. We are working hard to create the plans and culture that will allow us to more fully celebrate the wonderful variety of students, both current and prospective, in our community.
 
During this special time of the school year, please know that we value you and your ongoing commitment to Catholic education. Your family and mine are part of an American Catholic schools network that this year will educate nearly 2 million students. Together, we are strong, vibrant and building the Kingdom of God.

Black History Month
Black History Month is a time dedicated to remembering the moments of courage and honoring the many contributions of African Americans to United States history. Here at Benilde-St. Margaret's School we are celebrating this month by recognizing the achievements of 21 African American/African (including Caribbean, Creole, Cuban) persons throughout the 21 days of school in February. There are also many Black History Month activities woven into the student experience this month. We have multiple presentations from influential African Americans with BSM or Minnesota ties, such as Teron Buford, Kevin Warren, and Alan Page.
 
Catholic Schools Week is Here! 
National Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. As we continue to follow Pope Francis’ call to mercy, we especially remember the joy and love that abounds in our Catholic school community of BSM. To celebrate the week, we have a number of events planned.
  • Thursday, February 4: All School Assembly – special Catholic Schools Week speaker Alex Sheen.
  • Friday, February 5: No School. Faculty and staff will be on retreat this day. Keep them in your prayers!
Annual Fund
We are always thankful to partner with our BSM students and the RKVC program to lead Annual Fund student calling sessions throughout the year. Special thanks to all of our student volunteers for being great advocates for the Red Knight community!

Featured Red Knight Caller: Morgan Williams
Morgan is a sophomore student at BSM. Not only is she a Red Knight swimmer and softball player, she is also part of Red Knight Volunteer Corps (RKVC), Student Ambassadors, and Medical Club. This past fall, Morgan participated in the section swim meet in the 100 backstroke and 50 freestyle. Morgan says that the best thing about being a Red Knight is "being able to participate in plenty of sports and activities while being able to get a quality education and sharing my faith with others around me." Thanks, Morgan!
 
Tuition Contracts
We are pleased to announce that we are enrolling students electronically for the 2016-2017 school year. Instructions on how to complete your electronic enrollment contract were recently sent to you via email. Completed contracts are due Monday, February 15, 2016. Please note that this process is available for current students only. It is not available for students with split billing households and international students.
 
As a reminder, it is our school’s policy that tuition accounts be current. Students with past due tuition will not be offered course selection materials for the upcoming school year until their balances have been cleared with the finance department. Course selection materials will be distributed to students with a completed tuition contract on file.
 
Please review your most recent tuition account activity in PowerSchool to ensure your account is current. If you have questions about your tuition account or the electronic enrollment process please contact Shané Sisco at 952-767-3121.

Tuition Assistance Applications for Current Families
Tuition assistance applications for the 2015-2016 school year are due Monday, February 15. Tuition Aid Data Service (TADS) applications can be completed online. Please note that all current families receiving assistance must reapply each year. Financial award letters will be sent the first week in March. 

If you have general questions about the BSM tuition assistance program, please contact Shané Sisco, student tuition and financial aid specialist, at 952-767-3121. If you need assistance with respect to completing the TADS application or checking the status of your TADS submission, you may contact TADS directly at 612-548-3320. 
 
Upcoming Events
  • February 4 - Block Day
  • February 5 - No School (Faculty/Staff Retreat)
  • February 10 - Ash Wednesday Mass 
  • February 15 - Presidents' Day (No School)
  • February 17 - Block Day (Late Start Seniors Only)
  • February 18 - Block Day

Click here to view the BSM 2016-2017 Preliminary Academic Calendar

Click here to view the BSM Master Calendar

Click here to view the Lunch Menu
 
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Senior High
Graduation Fees
Graduation fees have recently been added to your tuition accounts. Please remit payment at your earliest convenience. As a reminder, it is our school’s policy to require all unpaid tuition and fees for graduating seniors be paid in full before graduation. Please review your tuition account activity on a monthly basis to ensure your account remains current. If you have any questions about your tuition account, please contact Shané Sisco at 952-767-3121.

Father/Daughter Dinner Dance
Senior high female students and their dads/guardians are invited to attend the Father Daughter Dinner Dance, Saturday, February 20, 6-11 p.m. at the Earle Brown Heritage Center. This year’s theme is "MidKnight Rodeo.” Get ready to put on your boots and bling and spend a wonderful evening with your daughters. Formal invitations have been mailed. You won’t want to miss this truly memorable BSM tradition. Once online registrations are confirmed, girls may sign up for table spots in the Spirit Shop, registration ends Tuesday, February 16. Click here to register! If you have any old cowboy hats or boots you would like to donate for the event’s decorating committee, please drop them off at the front office. For any questions about the event, please contact Karen Dorn or Maureen Segner.

Senior girls, and senior dads/guardians, be sure not to miss the upcoming skit practices in the commons. Schedule details can be found here. 

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Junior High

Wolf Ridge Field Trip - Next Week!

The Wolf Ridge trip for the eighth grade class will take place February 15-19.  There are mandatory parent meetings tonight, Wednesday, February 3, and Thursday, February 4,  7 p.m., in the theater. Parents should choose one of those meetings to attend, and the students should attend with their parents. Meetings for parent chaperones will take place immediately following the general parent meetings. Contact Dave Platt with any questions.


Junior High Ski Day - Next Week!

The junior high will be going to Afton Alps during the school day Tuesday, February 9.  Students will have the choice to ski or snowboard and may bring their own equipment or rent from Afton. Students who rent equipment will participate in a group lesson. Experienced students pass through the lesson and ski independently.
 

Junior High Valentine Cupcakes

The junior high activities committee and the junior high student council will be sponsoring the serving of Valentine’s Day cupcakes during the junior high lunch hour. Cupcakes are for all junior high students and staff. They will be served Friday, February 12. In order to make this a success, we are in need of cupcake donations and volunteers to help serve the cupcakes. To sign up for this event click here!

Junior High Activities Committee 
All junior high parents are invited to attend the next junior high activities committee meeting, Wednesday, February 10. The meeting will be held in the BSM Library Conference Room. The purpose of this committee is to support the social activities for the junior high students throughout the year. This meeting will cover the Valentine’s Day cupcakes, St. Patrick’s Day bagels and the ice cream social. We will also be discussing opportunities to participate in Parent Association events. This is a fun way to meet other parents and to get involved.  Please contact Stephanie Matz or Heather Scherer with any questions.

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Athletics & Activities

BSM Knightette Dance Team Headed to State! 

The Knightettes dance teams squad for jazz and high kick each took second place at the Section 2AA competition held on Saturday, January 30, at Chisago Lakes High School. Both teams will now compete at the MSHSL state tournament, Friday, February 12 (jazz) and Saturday, February 13 (high kick). Congratulations and good luck to the Knightettes!
 
Girls' Hockey Honors Seniors and Heads to Section Tournament
Congratulations to the senior girls' hockey players, Sydney Simone, Julia Stelljes, Madeleine Etienne and Anna DeGiulio on a great regular season! Good luck to all of you and your teammates, as you head to the Section 6AA tournament Saturday, February 6, versus Hopkins Park, at the Parade Ice Garden. Game time is at noon. Good luck ladies and go Red Knights!

Welcome!
The athletic office would like to announce and welcome our new athletic trainer, Percy Botchway! Percy can be reached at 952-915-4346, ext. 2406 or by email. 
 
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Parent Association
Treasure Hunt Garage Sale Small Item Drop-Off 
Treasure Hunt is the largest Parent Association event fundraiser of the school year. This huge resale event, scheduled for April 28-30, is successful due to the extraordinary generosity of the BSM community. Bring in your new and gently-used items, including holiday decorations, clothing, books, sports equipment, toys, games, electronics and household items. The next opportunity for donation drop-off is Friday, February 12, 2 − 5 p.m., and Saturday, February 13, 9 a.m. − Noon at Door 15, at the NE corner of BSM off Parkwoods Road. Large items, such as bikes and furniture, cannot be accepted until late April. Learn more here. 

Prayer and Share
Prayer and Share is an informal gathering of parents in the chapel to provide spiritual support to the BSM community. We begin with a scripture reading and take time to pray about, reflect on, and discuss both specific and universal issues in our children's lives and community. Prayer and Share will meet this month, Wednesday, February 17 and 24, 9 – 10 a.m. in the Chapel. All are welcome.

HoneyBaked Ham Gift Card Fundraiser 
Purchasing HoneyBaked Ham gift cards is a great way to help BSM, with 20% of all sales going to support our school today until March 11. With Easter around the corner, it’s never too soon to start planning. Use HoneyBaked gift cards to shop online, order from the catalog, or go to any location nationwide. Choose from their signature hams, tender turkeys, delicious desserts or Heat & Serve sides.To buy your gift cards click here and please allow one to two weeks for delivery by mail. Spread the word and encourage your friends and relatives to participate as well! If you have any questions, please contact Parent Association representative Leslie Wille, and thank you for your support!

Just for Parents
Save the date for the Just for Parents discussion, A Kahnversation - Insightful Parenting: Making Moments Count, Tuesday, February 9, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Learn about school psychologist Dr. Steve Kahn’s core messages: Protect the connection, forgive instantly, discipline with reassurance, honor sovereignty, celebrate mistakes and disappointments and present our lives as models.

Attention Parents of Holiday Ball Attendees 
Please double check suit jackets taken home from this year’s Holiday Ball. Several suit jackets got mixed up at Holiday Ball, and seems as though multiple students went home with the wrong jacket. If your student has the wrong jacket, please bring it to the front office. Many thanks, Parent Association. 

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Guidance

Registration Deadlines for Upcoming SAT and ACT Tests 

SAT on Saturday, March 5: registration deadline is Friday, February 5
ACT on Saturday, April 9: registration deadline is Friday, March 4.
Click the hyperlinks for a complete list of SAT and ACT deadlines for the 2015-2016 school year, respectively. Use BSM’s school code 242-202, when registering for these exams.
 

Parents of Juniors 

  • All BSM juniors are required to attend the Building Your Future workshop about college and career planning, Thursday, February 11. As a reminder, juniors should plan to arrive at school no later than 8:30 a.m. and will need to drop off their jackets and backpacks in their lockers, then go to the main lobby with their laptops. Juniors need to be checked in and seated in the theater by 8:45 a.m. and will be released at 2:40 p.m.
  • Mark your calendar for the College Planning Meeting for parents of juniors, in the Hamburge Theater, Wednesday, February 17. Parents can attend either the 10 a.m. meeting or the 7 p.m. meeting, both of which will be the same presentation. Refer to the letter mailed home in early January for more details concerning what will be presented at the meeting.

Local and National Scholarships

BSM receives scholarship information from many local, regional and national companies and organizations. To locate this scholarship information, log in to your Naviance account, click on the "College" tab, and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Scholarship List and National Scholarship Search are located here. The National Scholarship Search sponsored by Sallie Mae, helps create a profile that will identify scholarships for you. For other free scholarship sites, click the following hyperlinks: Fast Web, Big Future and Scholarships.
 

Summer Pre-College Programs for High School Students 

Students who are currently in grades 9-11 are eligible to participate in summer learning experiences at various colleges and universities. These programs range from one week to seven weeks, with varying costs and curriculum. Benefits of participating in a pre-college summer program are the opportunities to live on a college campus, take courses and meet students from around the U.S. In the past few years, BSM students have been involved in pre-college summer programs at several colleges, including University of Notre Dame, Iowa State University, New York University, Carleton College, Harvard University and Washington University in St. Louis. Information and/or applications are available on the sponsoring college’s website. In addition, general information and web links for numerous colleges offering summer opportunities can be found on the “Summer Opportunities” page. 
 
 

Applying for Extended Time on the PSAT, ACT, SAT and AP Exams

If your son or daughter meets all of the following three criteria, he or she may qualify for extended time on standardized tests:
  1. Your son or daughter has documentation from a complete assessment of his/her disability (including academic and intelligence tests) done by a licensed professional in the past three years, OR an update of a previous assessment
  2. Your son or daughter has an accommodation plan on file at BSM that states the need for extended time on tests
  3. Your son or daughter is currently using extended time in at least one class at BSM.
Be sure to start applications for extended time at least one month before the test’s registration deadline. For example, the registration deadline for the April 9 ACT is March 4, so you should begin the process with Dave Herbst, BSM’s learning specialist, by February 4. For specifics, click here, then click on the link “Applying for Extended Time.” Contact Dave Herbst if you have any questions or to begin the process – 952/915-4358, ext. 2491.


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Spirit Shop
Valentine's Day Balloons and Gifts
The Spirit Shop will not be selling specific Valentine balloon bouquets this year, but you can still order a red and white balloon bouquet for your student by calling the Spirit Shop at 952-767-3123, or stop in and pick out a Valentine gift from the many red and white items we offer! We will be selling a special St Patrick's Day balloon bouquet in March.
 
The Spirit Shop is open 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on school days.
 
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Our mailing address:
2501 Highway 100 South, St. Louis Park, MN  55416

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