Happy Friday!

Thanks to all who participated in Penny Wars! It was such a fun week! My letter next week will detail all winners, when teachers will get pied, and the total amount raised.

Have a great weekend,
Gerit McAllister

7th Grade Ancestry Fair

Congrats to the 7th grade on the Ancestry Fair! It was so wonderful to get to learn about the ancestry of all of our 7th graders. Great job!

Staffing Changes

Ms. Porter Hewett, one of our 5 day full day preschool teachers will not be returning next year. We are sad to see her go, but wish her the best. 

We are excited to welcome Ms. Hannah Ludwig to the preschool team for next year. Hannah is actually an AACA alum! Please see below for some more information about Hannah.

Hello! My name is Hannah Ludwig and I'm excited to be joining AACA as a new preschool teacher in room 106! I recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee in December. I am also a 2014 AACA graduate, so I am very interested and excited to come back and see AACA from a whole new perspective. I can't wait to meet everyone and rejoin a great community. Once a Rocket, always a Rocket! 

In addition, after a month of interviewing some incredible candidates, we have hired to replace the wonderful Mary Bodlak. 

Ms. Molly DaPisa will be our new Director of Marketing and Communication and Ms. Madeleine Durkin will be moving into the Director of Admissions positions. Congrats and welcome!

Molly DaPisa is thrilled to join AACA as Director of Marketing and Communications. In this role, Molly will connect with and celebrate current students while attracting and engaging prospective families and challenging the community to increase its support of AACA. 

Molly joins AACA in continuance of her personal mission to further educational access. Her career spans nonprofit consultancy practice at Mission + Impact Solutions, leadership fundraising at the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, and operational strategy among influential Chicago nonprofits including Cristo Rey and Horizons for Youth. 

Her commitment to service work began at the University of Notre Dame where she earned both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Education. Molly and her husband Jason are proud parents of two Alphonsus Rockets as well as another Rocket-in-Waiting at home. 

As we continue to fill any open positions we may have before next school year, I will update you.

Rocket Raffle

The Rocket Raffle is upon us and the raffle tickets were sent home today with your youngest or only child.  Please make sure to check their backpacks.  This is the second and last opportunity to meet your familles fundraising requirement of $500. 

The ticket return deadline is Wednesday, May 31st and the drawing will be held Friday, June 2nd.  If you have any questions about your fundraising please contact Kim Wallett at 773-892-1397 or email kwallett@alphonsusacademy.org.

Spirit Week

Arts Events

Musical
On April 26th at the Athenaeum, journey down the yellow brick road for our spring musical "The Wizard of Oz!" Admission is free and the show begins at 6:30pm! After the show, join us at our cast party in Festival Hall for snacks, games, and pictures in Oz! We will be taking entry donations to support next year's show and have an online platform for donations here. There's truly no place like home here at AACA!
 

Arts Together: AACA’s Community Celebration of all things creative!
Wednesday, May 24, 2023, 6:30 PM
AACA’s Campus

AACA will celebrate all things art at this annual community event! See student music and drama performances, do a scavenger hunt through displays of student artwork, and get a sweet treat at the bake sale. You can also see our teachers’ creativity in action through hallway displays that share documentation of their arts integrated lessons. More information about this event will be shared soon through Mrs. McAllister’s newsletter. 

AACA’s Variety Show
Friday, June 9, 2023, 10AM
The Athenaeum Center for Arts and Culture

Calling all performers to end the year on a high note with our student variety show! Students in grades 3 and up are invited to share their talents with our school. We welcome performing arts of all kinds- so if your child dances, plays music, or would like to share a dramatic skit or joke, they’re welcome to participate! We will also need students in grades 5th and up to help run the program backstage.

Wanted:  Families with Rocket Spirit!

We are looking for volunteers to welcome new families into our school community.  Let's make sure they all get a true Rocket Welcome and feel at home in our community. We're asking mentor families to contact their family a little earlier this year, as soon as they are assigned this spring.

As a mentor we ask that, at a minimum, you make the following contacts with your assigned family:

• Three contacts before school starts - one right away to introduce yourself, one over the summer, and one close to the start of school.

• Two touch points during the first half of the school year to see how things are going.

The time you spend mentoring counts toward your required 20 hours of family service for the year. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Bodlak (Director of Admissions & Marketing).
 

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A MENTOR FAMILY

Totus Tuus

Totus Tuus is coming back to St. Alphonsus this summer, July 23 - 28. Students grades 1st - 12th are all welcome!

Our session is limited to only 50 participants. All safety protocols will be followed to ensure the health & safety of all participants and volunteers. For more information, please visit vocations.archchicago.org/events/totus-tuus/what-is-totus-tuus

The price is only $75 per child for an entire week! Register on our parish GiveCentral page at www.givecentral.org/location/39/event/32872

Any parent or parishioner interested in volunteering with Totus Tuus should contact Erica Cook at ecook@stalphonsuschicago.church

Important Dates

April 21 - UMS Dance
April 26 - Musical
April 28 - 8th Grade Pizza Lunch
May 3 to May 5 - 8th Grade DC Trip
May 7 - First Communion
May 8 to May 12 - Teacher Appreciation Week
May 11 and May 12 - Ducky Derby
May 16 - Hot Dog Day
May 19 - Grandparent's Day & 8th Grade Pizza Lunch
May 24 - Arts Together
May 26 - No School - Professional Development
May 29 - No School - Memorial Day
May 30 - 8th Grade Graduation Tailgate
May 31 - Pin Day Mass
June 1 - 8th Grade Graduation
June 9 - Last Day of School 11:45 am dismissal - Variety Show

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