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Dear NCA Families & Friends,
Our first three days of reopening NCA have gone quite smoothly. I appreciate all our families reading the various communications sent during the summer and now back to school. These communication pieces are so the entire NCA community can be aware of the new protocols we have put into place. We are still tweaking a few minor items at arrival, bus, and dismissal. However, the students are doing very well, adjusting to being back in the classroom, and learning all the new expectations. I am very proud of the students, and we love seeing their eagerness and excitement to be back with us again. Don’t forget to thank our NCA teachers and staff who have been “rock stars” getting us ready for this unusual back-to-school.
NCA will continue to monitor and enforce all our health & safety procedures while the students, faculty, and staff are in our buildings. One of the most critical pieces in moving forward and maintaining a healthy school environment is for our families to continue to practice safety not only when going to school, but also while in their community. Keeping our school community safe will take a team effort—wearing masks when out in public, limiting exposure to large gatherings, maintaining physical distancing, and constant handwashing and sanitizing. If we all work together and take responsibility for our actions, we can minimize our risk of exposure to the virus and prevent bringing the virus to NCA.
Thank you for your continued patience as we continue to roll out NCA’s 2020-2021 school year. It may be different than years past, but it still has that supportive and proud NCA Wildcat spirit!
With sincere gratitude,
Christine Huzenis
Principal
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School News & Reminders
Paperwork Due: Please remember to turn in all Medical Forms required for grades PreK, K, 2, and 6. Families should be receiving all other forms these next few days. Please return them ASAP.
Service Hours: All virtual volunteer opportunities will be posted on SchoolSpeak. Look out as various virtual service opportunities will be added throughout the year! Service opportunities will be different this year due to the guidelines. The full 20-hour commitment will not be required, BUT we still hope parents will sign-up and participate.
Virtus Training: If you have a Virtus account but have not yet completed the Virtus course please contact Jen Reyes at jreyes@ncaschools.com. If you need to complete the steps to volunteer please go to Schoolspeak Prepare to Volunteer tab.
Drop Off Procedure Reminder: Please review the drop off procedures for both campuses in the Family Handbook. Our procedures are in place to ensure the safety of all our students. Please remember the following:
- Slow down when driving near both campuses.
- Do not park and get out of your vehicle in the drop off lane.
- We are not allowed to help students get out of the car, so if you are using the drop-off lane the child must be able to get out the car on their own.
- Do not double park in any of the alleys or streets. At the Primary School Campus, do not double park on Glenwood.
- Cross the street at designated crosswalks only.
- For the PC parking lot, enter on Glenwood and exit on the alley side.
- Do not park down the center of the PC parking lot until all the spots are filled.
Powerschool Parent Portal: Now open for the 2020-2021 school year. This is a portal where you can check your child's grade and progress throughout the school year. Parents in 3rd grade and any new families in grades 4-8 please check your family envelope for login information.
NCA's Extended Care Program kicks off another great school year! The ECP is available only at the Primary School. It's offered in the mornings and after school. If you plan on using the ECP this school year you must register on SchoolSpeak. Please review the attached 2020-21 ECP Handbook before registering. For all participating families, please make sure you sign and return the Handbook Acknowledgement Form before attending your first day.
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Important Dates:
September 2: Early Release Professional Development: MS at 1:50 pm and PC at 2:10 pm
September 4: NCAPO Virtual Meeting 8:15 am
September 7: NO SCHOOL - LABOR DAY
September 10:
5th & 6th— Virtual Back to School Night— time TBD & 7th & 8th— Virtual Back to School Night— time TBD
September 16: School Photos & Virtual BSJ Meeting 6:30 pm
September 17:
Pre-School - Kindergarten— Virtual Back to School Night- time TBD & 1st-4th— Virtual Back to School- time TBD
September 22: 8th Grade Parent Meeting - Class of 2020 Events - Virtual
September 25: NO SCHOOL - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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WILDCAT STOMP SPONSORSHIP!!
Last year we ran. This year we Dance!! Soon, NCA will host the Boosterthon Virtual Dancefit, a fun character, and fitness-focused fundraiser. Each student receives a customized Boosterthon t-shirt with our school logo on the front. To provide all students with the customized school spirit shirts at no cost to their families, we are partnering with local businesses for sponsorship.
If you own a business or know someone interested in sponsoring, please email Leigh Holzman at lholzman@ncaweb.org. Students wear their t-shirts year-round as a symbol of pride for their achievement. If you choose to be a sponsor, your business logo will be displayed on the back of 400 t-shirts. This year the Wildcat Stomp will be held on October 23rd. We need your commitment by September 4th in order to have the shirts on time.
We are looking forward to hearing from you.
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NCA SUMMER READING CHALLENGE
At the beginning of summer break, NCA Primary 1st through 4th graders and Middle School students were invited to participate in an NCA Summer Reading Challenge sponsored by the NCA Reading Enrichment Committee. Primary students and Middle school students were given materials created specifically for their grade level. For both challenges, students were asked to complete a grid of fun reading activities and were given the opportunity to earn prizes. Hopefully, this encouraged fun reading throughout the summer!! Check the reading challenge materials for the prizes offered to students for completing a required number of activities.
All NCA students were also invited to read for Fr. Rich Prendergast’s second summer reading challenge. Father Prendergast offered a first-place cash prize of $100.00 and the second prize of $50.00 for two NCA students who read the most books over the summer. For this challenge, students were asked to complete a reading log also distributed at the beginning of summer break.
Students who participated in either of the reading challenges are reminded to turn their reading logs and reading grid materials to their classroom teacher by Friday, August 28, to qualify for the prizes. Parents of students working remotely can drop off the reading log when picking up materials at school on Wednesday. Check to make sure you included your name on the materials.
Reading Enrichment committee members Mary Lidd, NCA Librarian, and Carolyn Backis, the Resource Teacher, will tally up the results. Students who earned prizes will be notified, and the two winners for Fr. Prendergast’s Reading Challenge will be announced. Happy Reading!
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We're starting the school year STRONG with lots of fun and creative social distancing greetings! Our students are doing great with the new protocols and zipping through assignments like real rockstars! We're so proud of our resilient Wildcats!
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We are introducing Kelly O'Connell - NCA's new 8th-grade ELA & Social Studies teacher!
When I was the same age as my students, I wanted to be a veterinarian, and my favorite subject in school was History.
I grew up just outside of Chicago in Des Plaines. I have been teaching for four years. I am a graduate from ISU, and I have a BA in History for Secondary Education and a middle-level endorsement.
I am thankful for this opportunity to engage with students this year, and I can't wait to get started! It has been less than two weeks, and I have felt so incredibly supported and welcomed by the students, staff, and parents.
This year, my goal is to assist students in developing a multitude of skills, including reading, writing, and historical thinking. I enjoy incorporating fun and relevant resources in my lessons to help students draw parallels to their own lives.
Fun Facts About Me
-I have a dog named Apollo
-I'm a sox fan
-I enjoy camping and being outdoor
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Renew My Church: Invitation to Second Parish Conversation This Sunday, August 30
We invite you to join parish leadership for our second Renew My Church parish conversation this Sunday, August 30, following the 10:30 am Mass in church, starting at approximately at 11:30 am. Register here: Parish Session II. The meeting will be held in church and live-streamed on our Facebook page, but in a different video than our 10:30 am Mass. Afterward, it will be uploaded to our YouTube channel.
During this conversation, we will:
- Be introduced through prayer to the possible structural scenarios for our grouping’s parishes
- Receive an update on what the grouping feedback & discernment team has been discussing
- Answer any questions you may have, and
- Ask for your initial feedback on the scenarios being discussed.
All are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Renew My Church Update and Next Steps
At our last parish conversation, we learned about our current situation - the strengths of the parishes in our grouping and specific challenges we all face, and that we have been invited to consider and give feedback on how we can collaborate and combine resources; how we can better structure our parishes for viable ministry.
Your team has been prayerfully considering a set of possibilities that show potential scenarios of how parishes in our grouping could be structured in the future. These initial scenarios are conversation-starters only. No decisions have been made.
As this conversation continues, your grouping feedback and discernment team has also been invited to consider alternative scenarios they discern.
Let us hold each other and the other parish communities in our grouping in prayer as we continue this time of rededication to our faith in Jesus Christ and planning for the future.
As always, for more information, visit RenewMyChurch.org, or ask me
via email at rprendergast@stgertrudechicago.org.
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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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