1/31 CSW Outdoor Mass 12:30pm IHM Parking Lot
2/1 Comfy Day
2/2 Decade Day
2/3 Crazy Socks & Hat Day (Mass Uniforms)
Day of Giving
Virtual Parent Education Film Screenagers 7:00pm
2/4 Sports/Jersey Day
2/5 Disney Character Day
From Our Principal - Dr. Bonita Jungels
Happy January!
On the eve of Catholic Schools Week, it is a great time to thank our Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Gabriel’s parishes for their continued financial and spiritual support of our school. We are so grateful that we can offer a Catholic education in which we nurture and celebrate the whole child ~ mind, body and spirit. Our partnership with families allows students to learn and grow in so many ways especially during this unique time in which we are creatively addressing a multitude of new challenges and opportunities.
Next week we will have special dress up days including comfy day (pajamas are acceptable if appropriate) and Disney character day (no weapons or other distracting accessories should be brought to school). We will have a staff Who am I wall with baby pictures and fun details so students can guess who is who. We will also be serving our friends at Risen Savior Catholic School who have experienced many challenges due to the unrest last summer. You will find more details about our coin collection below. Servicing others is a tremendous honor; we are grateful for the chance to help our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Additionally we will host our annual Catholic Schools Week Day of Giving. We are very grateful for all of the kitchen items we were able to purchase with your donations last year. This year we are asking for your support in purchasing more chromebooks. Our chromebooks are starting to age, and we will need to create a replacement cycle. Obviously with our crazy current environment, we want students to have optimal devices in their hands.
Another opportunity that NDA will offer during CSW is an evening viewing of the movie Screenagers. Raising children in this digital age has become a unique challenge. My own children are now all in their 20s and the difference between what I encountered (I didn’t allow my children to watch PG movies so they would call me from a friends’ house to ask permission) to what our families are navigating now is a completely different journey. Hopefully this movie can offer some guidance to help your family understand and create safe boundaries for your children.
I have had many questions regarding Spring Break. We have decided, given that many families will be traveling, that NDA will provide complete distance learning for our K-8 students from April 6-9. This will allow families who travel to have appropriate time to quarantine before we return to school in person. Watch for more details this spring. The preschool will remain open.
I am excited to share that we have been super blessed to be part of the prioritization of educators to receive the COVID vaccine. Most of our NDA staff was able to schedule appointments to receive their first dose of the vaccine this weekend. Hopefully the few remaining staff on the waitlist will get scheduled next week. Praise God!!
Thank you again for all you are doing to support NDA; I am honored and blessed to be a part of this awesome community. I hope to see you at the 12:30pm parking lot Mass at IHM this Sunday to kick off our CSW celebration!
Dr. Bonita Jungels
A good school provides a rounded education for the whole person. And a good Cahtolic school, over and above this, should help all its students to become saints.
Pope Benedict XVI
Catholic Schools Week Service Project
We Can Help Create Change
Small things add up! For our CSW service project this year, NDA is holding a coin drive to help Risen Christ School families, who have been deeply impacted by all the events that have occurred over the past year.
In order to reach out to people within our own community and help families in need, students are encouraged to bring in any loose or spare change. From the penny found in a pocket to the quarter found between couch cushions, all will help! This will also be a way to help us grow closer to God. It will be a lot of fun! The coins can be earned by doing chores at home. Each day the students of NDA will be encouraged to bring in loose change/coins.
TWIST - Any dollar bills in the jars will count against the coin total in the jar. Bills can’t be added to the jars until the second week. At the end of the eight days, the jars of money will be counted and the incentives/prizes include:
If we raise $2,000: Treat day and non-uniform day for the school!
PreK-2nd who raises the most money: Bring in a lovey and free choice period!
2/3-5th who raises the most money: Snack and comfy day!
6th-8th who raises the most money: Snack, games, no homework day!
Pre K-8th that raises the most money: Root beer floats!
Need some ideas of ways that students can earn change? Look at some of the ideas below!
Students could:
Wash, dry dishes or load the dishwasher
Vacuum/help clean floors
Match socks, fold clothes, help with laundry
Shovel
Read to a sibling
Change sheets, make their beds
Make dinner
Clean their room, organize bookshelves
Take out trash
Dust dressers
Vacuum out the car
Help unload groceries
Disinfect all the hard surfaces
Dust or vacuum under the beds
Take the dog for a walk
Take care of the plants
Organize the junk drawer
Catholic Schools Week Day of Giving
Catholic Schools Week is an amazing way to celebrate NDA and our community! Two years ago we started participating in the National Day of Giving for Catholic Schools, and it’s become a tradition for our current parents to lead the way for NDA in this annual campaign. We’ve raised funds for new risers, new kitchen equipment, and more importantly, come together in gratitude on behalf of every student, every day at Notre Dame Academy by generously sharing our financial gifts totaling nearly $30,000!
NDA’s Day of Giving goal is to raise $10,000 in 24 hours for school-wide classroom devices. Daily our students use Chromebooks, iPads, Smartboards, and other forms of technology to enhance the education provided by our amazing faculty. It is an ongoing challenge to maintain the various forms of technology used by our students, faculty and staff while also providing the most current and up to date devices. Every dollar raised on Wednesday, February 3 will support this important and critical need at NDA.
We are blessed to be in school during a time when many families are struggling to support learning at home. We are grateful for the many social, emotional, and academic benefits our students receive from in-person learning. Help us continue to provide excellence in Catholic education at Notre Dame Academy by supporting our Day of Giving! Watch for the social media posts on Facebook and Instagram inviting you to participate. You can also contact Vivian Pritchard, Development Director, at vpritchard@nda-mn.org or by calling the school office.
Information & Reminders
Recess Sign Up
February recess duty shifts are available in the link below. Thank you to everyone that has helped already! NDA Recess Sign Up Genius
Lion's Lair Open Position
We are looking for someone (or several people) 18 years or older to fill the following hours Monday through Thursday: 7:45-9:00am and 3:45-6:00pm. There is flexibility with the days and times. Please contact Bonnie Jungels at 952-358-3506 or bjungels@nda-mn.org for more information or to apply. Must pass a background check and complete Virtus training.
Screenagers
Families are invited to watch the Screenagers films together (They recommend 5th grade and up for students and parents of all ages!). You can register for a link and watch it later if Wednesday night does not work for you. We have the pleasure of working with Ali Tabb for both of our Q&A sessions. Read her bio below and sign up today!
Ali Tabb is a licensed clinical social worker in Indianapolis, IN. She has been working with kids and families in the field of mental health since 2012 and she is very excited to spend time with the NDA community. Ali has facilitated dozens of Screenagers events since 2017, both in Indianapolis and all across the country virtually. She loves working with families to collaborate and problem solve around issues related to mental health, compulsive video game, social media and pornography use, self-esteem, boundaries and self-regulation. Ali is a firm believer that families operate best when everyone is feeling connected to one another. Her focus on supporting families around screen use and issues of mental health is founded on the assumption that people aren't the problem, the problem is the problem, and everyone involved has something to offer to solve the problem.
NDA Parent Education Film #1
SCREENAGERS: Growing Up in the Digital Age
Are you watching kids scroll through life, with their rapid-fire thumbs and a six-second attention span? Physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston saw that happening with her own kids which started her on a question to delve into how it might affect their development. Through poignant, and unexpectedly funny stories, along with surprising insights from authors, psychologists, and brain scientists, SCREENAGERS reveals how tech time impacts kids’ development and also offers solutions on how adults can empower their kids to best navigate the digital world to find balance. Register in advance for film #1 to receive your personal Zoom invite. Wednesday, February 3 at 7:00pm SCREENAGERS: https://www.screenagersevent.com/screenagers-notre-dame-academy
NDA Parent Education Film #2
Filmmaker and physician Dr. Delaney Ruston takes the conversation around screens and teens to the next level with Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER: Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience—a film that examines the science behind teen’s emotional challenges, the interplay of social media, and most importantly, what can be done in our schools and homes to help them build crucial skills to navigate stress, anxiety, and depression in our digital age. Register in advance for film #2 to receive your personal Zoom invite. Thursday, March 4 at 7:00pm NEXT CHAPTER: https://www.screenagersevent.com/nextchapter-notre-dame-academy
Middle School Play
Every spring, NDA’s Middle School (grades 7 & 8 and occasionally 6th grade) puts on a musical production. This year’s performance will be Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Though our middle schoolers are very excited and blessed to be able to participate in the spring musical, this year’s performance will look a lot different than in past years. Since our actors will not be able to perform in front of a live audience, we will bring the show to our committed fans, virtually. The quality of work that NDA theater supporters expect will continue even with all the changes and strict protocols due to the Covid pandemic. Please check out the play page on our website for more information!
2021-22 School Year Calendar
We have started the process of creating next year's academic calendar. We will certainly share the list of important dates as soon as they are ready!
Running Late
If you happen to run late for the afternoon carpool line, please do not worry. We will send your students to Lion's Lair automatically and you can retrieve them there.
Google Reviews
We appreciate the fantastic reviews recently added to Google by our preschool families! We would love our K-8 parents to share their experience and help us freshen up our reviews for the older grades. Now is the time that many families are looking for a new school for fall. Thank you!
2021-22 School Year Information
Tuition Assistance
Applications for tuition assistance for the next school year are due by the priority deadline of Saturday, February 13. To apply, please complete the financial aid application in TADS and submit all documentation prior to the deadline. Contact Liz Flom with any questions. The Aim Higher Scholarship information has now been added to the parent resource page, documents in both English and Spanish are provided.
2021-22 NDA Kindergarten
If you are a preschool family and would like to know more about NDA Kindergarten, please contact Joann Meyer. Families who register for Kindergarten by January 31, will receive $150 tuition credit next fall, generously donated by the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE).
Community Information
Glen Lake
Many NDA families play baseball through the Glen Lake Mighty Mights so that school friends can play together. Registration is now open, please see this flyer if interested.
Photos
Parent Prayer
God, Bless all Catholic school teachers and help them to nurture the faith of our children. Give them the wisdom to pass on their own knowledge and experience and show our children your love. Amen.
LoyolaPress
Contacts & Links
Attendance
Please email the school office
or call (952) 358-3500 any time your child will be absent, late or leaving early.