Take Home Tuesday

Click here to donate to the Teacher Christmas Bonus Gift Drive (hosted by St. Cecilia Home and School). This is the simplest way to give your child(ren)'s teacher a Christmas gift. Just donate any amount, Home and School divides the total up equally amongst all staff members, and a check is given to each teacher before Christmas Break!

Reading is everywhere in our school community. From the school office (school improvement plan and priority for funding), to the hallways (examples of student writing and reading hanging up), the classrooms (daily reading rotations, new Fountas & Pinnell interactive read alouds and novel sets), and our staff (Title I teacher and the addition of special education teacher, resource teacher, and two para-professionals). We LOVE reading and we value the time and resources we put into the growth and progress of our students.

Our School Improvement Plan (SIP) Goals Include:

• Students will make progress in reading and math as measured by: K-2 (Fountas & Pinnell), K-2 STAR Math, and 3-8 STAR Math and Reading.
• Students will participate in one school-wide service project each year that aligns to one of the Catholic social teachings.

We have used a majority of our COVID-19 relief funding (EANS I, EANS II, GEERS II) on our reading curriculum, resources and supports:

1. Updated Fountas & Pinnell classroom kits and interactive read alouds for Grades K-8.

2. Updated classroom library novel sets for Grades 4-8.

3. Fountas & Pinnell benchmarking in the fall and spring for all students in Grades 6-8 (provides the teacher with their current reading level).

4. IXL online math & english language arts (ELA) drill and practice for Grades K-8.

5. Learning Without Tears writing curriculum for Grades PreK & K.

6. Handwriting books for Grades 3-5.

7. Wordly Wise curriculum for Grades 1-8.

The Book Fair is open until after school on Wednesday, December 14! Perfect time to grab some Christmas gifts, support the school, and encourage a love of reading in your child!

"The Church's teaching mission includes inviting young people to a relationship with Jesus Christ or deepening an existing relationship with Jesus, inserting young people into the life of the Church, and assisting young people to see and understand the role of faith in one's daily life and in the larger society" (National Catholic Education Agency, NCEA). Dr. Timothy Cook, a professor at Creighton University and a leader in Catholic leadership for educators, recognizes that "Catholic identity signifies our essence, our distinctive character, and our raison d' entrè. It is the soul of our schools. Identity does not happen by itself as it seemed to when women and men religious staffed our schools" (Cook, 2008).

Did you know that Catholic Identity is a part of St. Cecilia's school improvement plan? We have dedicated goals, an action plan, and strategic steps to help us continue our learning and love for God.

Yesterday was the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Although you may have missed the day to celebrate, here is an amazing video that explains the miracle behind this special day.

This Fall, our students in Grades 3-8 completed the Fall 2022 Panorama Survey. Panorama is a survey instrument that elevates student voice on school climate, teaching and learning, relationships, and belonging. Panorama was developed in 2014 by researchers at Harvard Graduate School of Education and Panorama Education.

We utilize Panorama to gauge growth and gaps in our SEL program. In the Spring, we'll repeat the student and staff survey while also gathering feedback from our families. Below you'll find an overview of our Fall 2022 results and action steps for growth this school year. Definitions of each category can be found below the graphic.

❤️ Emotional Regulation: How well students regulate their emotions.

❤️ School Engagement: How attentive and invested students are in their classes.

💛 School Climate: Perceptions of the overall social and learning climate of the school.

💛 School Belonging: How much students feel that they are valued members of the school community.

💛 Growth Mindset: Student perceptions of whether they have the potential to change those factors that are central to their performance in school.

💚 Supportive Relationships: How supported students feel through their relationships with friends, family, and adults at school.

💚 Teacher-Student Relationships: How strong the social connection is between teachers and students within and beyond the classroom.