School News & Reminders
Dear NCA Families,
It has come to my attention that administration and teachers need to provide our students and families with a reminder regarding NCA’s Dress Code Policy. We are noticing far too many students not following the guidelines of our school uniform and gym uniform policy. Enrolling your child at NCA implies agreement with and the acceptance of our dress code policy. As a result, we expect students to dress appropriately for school and follow the uniform guidelines. The dress code requirements are established so that students become accustomed to the norm of neatness, self-respect, and modesty. The dress code policy allows our students to experience a sense of belonging to the NCA community. We want our students to take pride in both their appearance and behavior as they represent NCA.
You and your child can review the Dress Code in our 2019-2020 Family Handbook on pages 31 – 33. We appreciate your support and cooperation in assisting us with these guidelines.
Thank you,
Principal Huzenis
Volunteer Opportunities: Every year we put volunteer opportunities on SchoolSpeak for families to bring lunch/dinner treats for Parent-Teacher Conference Day. As you know the teachers will be getting to school early in the AM and have to stay till 8 pm Thursday night. There are still slots available for main dishes and side/salad dishes. If you don't like to cook or don't have time to cook just order something to be delivered by 11:30 am. Thank you and the teachers and staff really appreciate your generosity! Sign up on SchoolSpeak today!!
Guardian Angel Scholarship: Applications are now open. Apply online at FACTS.com. The deadline to apply is May 1st. If you have any questions regarding the process please contact Leigh Holzman at lholzman@ncaweb.org.
Service Hours: Remember that every family must complete 20 hours of service every year! All volunteer opportunities are posted on SchoolSpeak. Look often as new opportunities are added all the time! There are opportunities now listed that do NOT require VIRTUS training! All Service hours must be recorded in SchoolSpeak. Please see the quick link on the left side of the website. There are postings for Primary School recess volunteers on SchoolSpeak.
Queen of Heart: I know what I would do with $24,250, do you??? Yes, it was another rollover!! # 13 revealed the Ace of Diamonds! Come out to the Bubble on Saturday at 6:30 for the drawing. You gotta play to win!!
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Important Dates:
March 12: ½ Day—Trimester 2
Conferences held at the Primary School from 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm
MS Campus 11:10 Dismissal & PS Campus 11:30 Dismissal
No ECP available- Scholastic Book Fair in Primary School Lunchroom
March 13: Professional Development Day--No School
March 17: Lenten Reconciliation Middle School 10:00 AM
St. Margaret Mary Church
March 17: Trinity Irish Dancers- Primary Campus
March 18: School Board Meeting—Primary School lunchroom @ 6:30 PM
March 26: Coffee w/ Principal & Parent Appreciation Breakfast- Colleti Hall 8:30-9:30 AM
March 28: Saturday, 9 am- NCA Green Team spring cleanup around the middle school. Come lend a hand cleaning up our community while earning some service hours!
March 30-April 3: Aspire Testing & April 6-9 Aspire Makeup Testing
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The University of Chicago and 2020 Archdiocese Parent Survey
We now have 19% participation, but need more in order to get a report on the findings. This is a wonderful opportunity for the administration and our board to hear from our school families about NCA's culture, climate, and Catholic identity.
This is a reminder that the UC/2020 Arch Chicago Parent Survey is available for our parents to complete The survey window will close on March 20, 2020, so please plan to complete the parent survey accordingly.
Link for parents to take the survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/archchicago/survey/parent/
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You're invited to NCA Family Dance 2020!
DJ & Dancing
Carnival Games & Prizes
Art & Craft Table
Face Painting
Dance Floor Game
Selfie Station
Toy Raffle
CONCESSIONS WILL BE OPEN!
Please Note: (1) Children must be accompanied by an adult (2) This is a cash-only event (3) Concessions and Toy Raffle are not included in the entry fee.
ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE NCA SOIREE FUND WHICH SUPPORTS NCA STUDENTS AND PROGRAMS.
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DONATIONS NEEDED!!!
Items needed for the raffle at the Carnival &Family Dance on March 27th.
Donations of new toys, games, sports equipment and gift cards
will be accepted in the Main Office through March 26th.
Thank you for your support. We hope to see you there!
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💚Lend a hand cleaning up our community while earning service hours! NCA Green Team spring community cleaning will focus on the surrounding area of the Middle School Campus.
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2020 Wildcat Summer Camp- Around the World
NCA’s Wildcat Camp strives to provide a safe, engaging experience with a variety of recreational, educational, athletic, and fine arts programs at an affordable price. Wildcat Camp is for NCA students, children of parishioners at our NCA sponsoring parishes, and family and friends. Age-specific programs are available for children who are 3 yrs-old by June 1 through 8th grade.
For more information, please click the attachment.
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Our fifth-grade students have finished their class novel, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. They commemorated the event by toasting with Dragon Well Tea (apple juice) and experiencing "a taste not known" to them before, turtle-shaped cakes filled w/ red bean paste (green tea cupcakes filled w/ sweet red bean paste.) Both of these treats were enjoyed by the characters in the book. Cheers to an incredible reading journey!
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Lions and Lambs! Room 4 is reading about spring weather and imagining themselves as either a lion or a lamb!
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Wildcat Athletics News
If you have any questions about our NCA Wildcat Athletics, please contact either our AD Dave Scholtes (dscholtes@ncaweb.org) or Assistant AD Seamus McGowan (smcgowan@ncaweb.org)
NCA Wildcat Knockout Tourney, Team Picture Day, and March Madness Viewing Party
Here are the details:
-March 22nd Sunday
-Middle School Gym
-3:30 approx start time following Team Photos
-$10 advance registration on SchoolSpeak
-$15 at the door
-All 4th graders – adults welcome (even younger if they want to play and can compete are welcome, but 3rd grade is usually the youngest)
-Everyone is guaranteed three rounds of Knockout plus the Free Throw Competition
-Pizza will be available and concessions will be open
-NCAA games will be streaming live (Elite 8 games)
-All are welcome, this is not exclusive to NCA families (we usually get some friends/neighbors who join in too)
Wildcat Spirit Wear Hoodie Spring Sale!
Ditch those winter coats and embrace sweatshirt weather with a new NCA hoodie. Adult and youth sizes are available. Please see attached flyer for ordering info. The sale ends in two weeks. Order before it is too LATE.
Wildcat Nation Superfans
Keep an eye open for our NCA boys volleyball schedules and NCA girls' lacrosse schedules. More info to come next couple weeks.
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Lifeline Theatre is registering students for their summer drama camps, and offering a 15% early bird discount to NCA families who register before March 31st. (After that, NCA students can receive a 10% discount!) Half and full-day camps are available for children ages 5-14. Campers hone their natural performing abilities and build confidence while gaining sound theatre training in a fun-filled atmosphere! Call 773-761-4477 x703 to register and claim a discount. For more information, contact Education Director Julie Ganey: julie@lifelinetheatre.com.
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On Friday, March 13th, the 48th Ward and Chicago Park District are hosting a Teen Takeover at the Broadway Armory, 5917 N Broadway, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
This free event is an opportunity for youth in our local schools to come together in a safe, fun, and positive way. Activities will include rollerskating, basketball, volleyball, games, and trapeze. You must fill out the attached waiver to participate in the activities.
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Beginning this year, the Chicago Fire soccer team will be playing their games at Soldier Field. They are very excited to be in the city (they were playing in a suburb), and they're partnering with the 48th Ward to offer reduced rate tickets to their home opener on Saturday, March 21.
Please click the link (https://groupmatics.events/event/48thward) for tickets starting at $10.
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IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM ST. IGNATIUS PARISH
Due to the recent guidelines set forth by the Center for Disease Control and the number of new coronavirus cases in the Chicagoland area, we feel that it is in the best interest of the Parish, our Parishioners and guests that we cancel this year's St. Ignatius St. Patrick's Day Party. We came to this decision with an abundance of caution and look forward to bringing the tradition back next year. If you have already purchased tickets for the party, please return your tickets to Kathy Morris at the St. Ignatius rectory for a refund. Thank you.
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St. Gertrude Religious Ed Teacher Needed
Have you been thinking of a way to give back or make connections at St. Gertrude? Consider becoming a catechist! Catechists teach Religious Education classes, which at St. Gertrude are offered to children in grades 1-8. Classes are taught on
Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:15 am. Other catechists teach brief lessons of faith based on the Sunday readings in our Kids Word program. This takes place during the 10:30 am Masses in Church and is for children in grades K-4.
The goal of catechists is to share their faith and the lessons of God and Jesus by creating age-appropriate lessons, teach the traditions of the church, and build community with the families of their students. Catechists are usually not professional teachers, just willing parents and parishioners who enjoy kids and want to help them grow in a personal relationship with God, participate in the sacraments, and develop a mature conscience and integrate faith in all areas of their lives.
Candidates must either be Virtus-certified or willing to take training that educates participants on the signs of child sexual abuse, the methods, and means by which offenders commit abuse, how to prevent it, and submit to a background check.
Interested in Being Catholic?
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process by which adults learn more about the Catholic Church. This free program begins on Sunday, September 8 after the 10:30 am Mass in the Ministry Center and meets until Pentecost.
Many people who begin RCIA are non-Catholics seeking to become Catholic or at least to explore whether Catholicism might be a good home. Those who complete the process and decide to become Catholic are initiated into the Church at the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday. Others who take RCIA are already Catholic but want a deeper understanding of their faith foundation.
The RCIA process does not ask those who have been baptized in another faith to give up their denominational experiences. Rather, the RCIA process seeks to add new colors and designs to their existing faith life tapestry. In addition to attending Mass, the RCIA process includes weekly gatherings of breaking open the Word of God, sharing our stories, and learning about our faith traditions.
For information about the RCIA process at St. Gertrude or to register for the program, contact Kevin Chears at kchears@stgertrudechicago.org or call the Rectory at 773.764.3621.
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Volunteer Sign Up Directions
1. Go onto SchoolSpeak.com
2. Click on the Quick Link that says Volunteer
3. There you will see NCA’s volunteer opportunities. All volunteer opportunities require Virtus Training unless otherwise noted.
4. Click on the sign up you want. Find a spot to sign up!
5. Remember every Family needs 20 service hours!
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Volunteer Requirements
1. Completion of form 7703
2. Completion of Online background screening (eApps database)
3. Completion of CANTS form (DCFS background screening – paper only – must be submitted annually)
4. Submission of a signed Code of Conduct form
5. Completion of the Virtus training (must pre-register online)
All forms and other information regarding these requirements can be found on the NCA website under Volunteer. Thank you for working with us to ensure the safety of all children!
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