LOOKING FOR GAME SCHEDULES?

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1 Crusader Bulletin THE ATONEMENT ACADEMY September 20, 2012 Atonement Once Again Earns Selection in National Top 50 The Atonement Academy College Preparatory has been named to the Top 50 Catholic Schools Honor Roll a distinction held by only five other schools in Texas and the ONLY school in San Antonio to earn the prestigious award this year! The award specifically recognizes The Atonement Academy s achievements in academics, civic education and Catholic identity. The award was announced in Washington D.C. this morning, September 20, in a press release distributed by The Cardinal Newman Society. (See more in Deacon s letter, p. 2) Nota Bene / Note Well BINGO Family Fun this Saturday! Join us for an evening of fun and fellowship. See last page for details! Parent-Student Handbook is online at (Go to Forms and Documents) Changes are made each year, so if you have not reviewed the handbook lately, be sure to do so. When you register you affirm that you have read our policies and procedures! (See p. 3) Lost and Found: Look in the white chest just outside the gym doors for misplaced items. Questions or Concerns? info@atonementonline.com Upcoming... Sept. 22: Family Bingo Night sponsored by PTC, 6:30 pm Sept. 23: Featured Sunday Choir: Middle School Treble Boys, 9 am Sept. 25: PTC Meeting: We ask that one parent attend this special PTC meeting featuring family life education. No children, please. 7 pm Sept. 28 : LS student birthday observances, PreK-5th gr.only, 2:30 pm Sept. 28: US Fall Dance, 7-10 pm Oct. 7-9: Accreditation Visit Oct. 11: Parent-Teacher Conference Day (no classes) Oct. 12: Teacher In-Service (no classes) Oct. 17: PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Gr Oct. 19: Last Day of First Quarter Term Oct. 19: LS student birthday observances, PreK 5th gr. only, 2:30 pm Oct : Fall Break. School Closed LOOKING FOR GAME SCHEDULES? We have LOTS of them at Apps for your smartphone, too!

2 FROM THE ADMINISTRATION Dear Parents: It gives us great joy to announce that The Atonement Academy College Preparatory our Upper School has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence by The Cardinal Newman Society, naming our academy to the Honor Roll. We are among the Top 50 Catholic high schools in the country one of only six schools in Texas and the only one in San Antonio! The award specifically recognizes us for academics, civic education and Catholic identity, and was announced in a press release on September 20 th in Washington, D.C. The National Collegiate Advisory Board, who are the trustees of this national award, include Sr. Mary Sarah Galbraith, OP, President of Aquinas College, John Garvey, President of The Catholic University of America, Rev. Terrence Henry, President of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Thomas Keefe, President of the University of Dallas, and the Presidents of Benedictine College, DeSales University and Christendom College. The National Policy Advisory Board, which oversees the standards, also includes a list of distinguished educators from several national organizations dedicated to authentic Catholic education, including the Catholic Education Foundation, directed by Fr. Peter Stravinskas, the Covington Latin School, and the executive director of the National Association of Private, Catholic and Independent Schools, among others. We are so pleased, in giving us this award, that these distinguished people have recognized our accomplishments that we have achieved through God s grace, and through the intercession of Our Lady of the Atonement. We are grateful to you, parents, and the students of the academy, for achieving this nationally recognized award, and we pledge to you our continued efforts in maintaining this high national standard. This year, The Atonement Academy had 575 students on the first day of classes, but we have added two more students, bringing our total number to 577 a record. Among our students are forty students from foreign counties; Mexico, boasting the largest contingency, but also Italy, the Philippines, Peru and two students from the Republic of Korea. All harmoniously integrate into our student body and participate in all activities, events and devotional life. The teachers of the academy are to be commended for their tremendous giving and sacrifice in support of this great educational institution and for their dedication to our mission. They have been meeting regularly and some have been writing the narrative of the academy, which will be presented before an accreditation team, who will meet with us and examine our academy in early October. The Lower and Middle School (PK-8) have their accreditation, and the Upper School (9-12) have theirs, separated by several years. We decided last year to combine the two certifications into one, (PK-12), so that we could align the two. This joint certification will extend our accreditation through The accreditation team is comprised of other Catholic educators from around the State of Texas, and they report to the TCCED, under the auspices of the Texas Education Agency the State Board. We look forward to hosting them; we ve very proud of our accomplishments achieved by our students! I look forward to seeing many of you at one of the events upcoming: Family Bingo Night, Sept. 22 nd, at the Sept. 25 th PTC meeting, where Fr. John Mefrige will speak on strengthening the family, and the Parent-Teacher Conferences on Oct. 11 th. May God bless each of you and your family. Deacon James Orr Academy Administrator After the Honor Roll announcement is made to the upper school faculty and students this morning after Mass, Father Phillips displays our commendation certificate while Deacon Orr looks on.

3 FAITH & FAMILY: A GODLY CHALLENGE The Officers of the PTC invite you to join with us on Tuesday, September 25th at 7:00 p.m. for an informative talk given by Fr. John Mefrige, entitled Faith and Family: A Godly Challenge. A brief PTC meeting will open the evening in Blessed John Paul II Library. Wine and cheese will be offered beginning at 6:30 p.m. Baby-sitting for small children will be available. No other children please; this is an evening for adult formation and spiritual growth. A synopsis of the presentation follows. Faith and Family: A Godly Challenge. The traditional family structure is under attack in today s increasingly hostile culture. The foundations for a stable society are crumbling as allegiance to the church and a biblical worldview declines dramatically. Many committed Christian parents are striving to serve two conflicting masters: society and God. They refuse to believe that they cannot satisfy both. This produces enormous stress for numerous Christian parents who don t want to disappoint either God or their children, but whose ultimate choices will disappoint both God and themselves, while providing gifts that are not in the best interests of their children. Despite these pressures and temptations, a healthy, thriving family can be built. Tools to foster good communication, respect, and trust can be learned and developed. When the desire to raise well-adjusted, Christ-centered kids is combined with the intentional practice of good parenting skills, parents can enjoy growing family relationships with children who meaningfully contribute to the world around them. It is the goal of this presentation to communicate that children are a gift from God and a blessing from His hand. Parents are therefore accountable to Him for raising, shaping, and preparing them for a life of service to His Kingdom and to humanity. The goal of this 60 minute talk is to encourage families and provide them with the help and direction they need to raise kids in ever-challenging situations. Parents will discover how to use family fun, everyday conversations, and meaningful milestone markers to launch your child s relationship with God. Foundational parenting topics covered include introducing your child to faith, creating a faith plan for your family, and assessing the spiritual needs of your children. Parents will explore ways to help kids stand firm in a world that seems to be crumbling. Attendees will tackle some of the most difficult parenting questions: How do I discern the difference between sheltering and equipping? Why should I be concerned about my child s worldview? How do I approach body image and self-worth with my adolescent? Parents will be more confident as they and their child move into the adolescent years with the tools provided.

4 $106,000 in Academy Scholarships Accepted After Mass on September 20th the 8th grade class assembled with 7th grader as well as the high school students for the announcement of our Top 50 Catholic Schools Honor Roll, and the 8th graders remained in the courtyard with the senior class for a short awards ceremony and reception. All 8th graders received Class of 2017 t-shirts and twenty-five scholarships were offered to students who have distinguished themselves at our school. Scholarships amounts varied and were based on each child s academic record and standardized test scores as well as demonstrated self-discipline, and citizenship. The Class of 2017 Parents Gather to Pray the Rosary Everyone is invited to come and pray the rosary at 7:30 every school day morning. Last year parents began gathering to pray for Mr. Johnston s intention and now they gather to pray for the repose of his soul as well as for the intentions of the faculty, administration, parents and students of The Atonement Academy. They gather in the Sacred Heart Chapel at 7:30 every morning except for Friday, when all are still welcome to come to the chapel for silent Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. SPORTS WEBSITE and SMARTPHONE APP Keep up to date with all those teams, schedules, game results and recaps and more by going to the brand new athletic website You can sign up to receive alerts from all your favorite sports on your or text or download the app to your smart phone so you never miss an update regarding our ROCKIN Varsity Volleyball Team (record 10 in a row wins!), our FIGHTING Varsity Crusader Football Team, and all of our LS and MS Volleyball, Football, and Soccer Teams! CATHOLIC BOOKS & RELIGIOUS ARTICLES SALE Recently, the Pelican Shop a Catholic book and religious articles retail store closed its doors, but they have donated their entire store inventory to The Atonement Academy. It s their way of supporting Catholic education, and we thank them for their generosity. Please come to the sale, to be held Monday through Friday, (Sept. 17th- 22nd), in the Church narthex, from 2:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. and again on Sunday, September 23rd after all the Masses. Because of the large amount of merchandise, new items will be added daily to the sale, so stop by and have a look. Please use the church doors to enter the narthex and park in the north parking lot. Thank you for supporting The Atonement Academy!

5 Meet Our Teachers Each issue of the bulletin will feature two or three of our remarkable Atonement Academy teachers. Mrs. Susan Gonzales Mrs. Susan G. Gonzales is a returning teacher beginning her third year at The Atonement Academy teaching fifth grade girls and Language Arts to the fifth grade boys, too. With twenty-five years experience in Catholic schools, Susan has taught lower school and spent years as an administrator, too, including positions as principal. Her undergraduate work began at the University of the Incarnate Word with a bachelor s in Interdisciplinary Studies and continued to graduate school at St. Mary s University for Catholic School Administration and Our Lady of the Lake University for Organizational Leadership. Susan is married to Ray, and she enjoys spending time with their four adult children and thirteen grandchildren. She adds, my other gifts from God include my hobbies: cooking, sewing, and gardening It has been a true blessing working in an environment at The Atonement Academy where God is first and foremost. Mrs. Lisa Otten Mrs. Otten is one of our middle school teachers. She teaches U.S. History, Religion 6, and Math 7/6. She has a History degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She began teaching at The Atonement Academy in Mrs. Otten previous taught first grade and third grade at school, but she is especially pleased to be teaching her one true love, history. In fact reading history books, particularly on Roman Britain, is her favorite hobby. She has three boys in our school, two in seventh grade and a sophomore. Mrs. Otten hopes to be at The Atonement Academy for many more years to come.

6 Access Accelerated Reader from Home Once again this year you can follow your child s progress online through Home Connect. The user name will be your child s first and last name (i.e., Jane Doe) and the password is acr. You may even sign up for notifications that will alert you when your child takes a quiz. We have access to over 100,000 online quizzes. This means that quizzes on books that you may have at home or borrow from the public library are available at the discretion of yourself and your child s teacher. Available quizzes including many more titles than our library can possibly contain, may be viewed at This is a terrific opportunity for you to become more involved with what your child is reading and to provide guidance about how to view different kinds of books and situations with an eye towards our Catholic principles. We hope that you and your child enjoy all the benefits of the latest version of Accelerated Reader. Home Connect can be accessed at Nota Bene: 1st Qtr AR Deadline: 10/17/2012 Deadline Extended! Student and teacher original Medieval-inspired black and white drawings, poetry, and tales are wanted for the 1st Crusader Literary Publication to be sold at King s Fair Please submit your work with your name, grade, and contact information (phone/ ) to the library by September 24 th. All submissions subject to approval. ON FACEBOOK? Atonement Academy Families: The Parent Teacher Club now maintains the "Atonement Academy Exchange" Facebook group. The purpose is to provide a service for families who need to buy or sell used uniforms and text books. Free listings for these items is acceptable as well. Clean out your closets and hand those gently used items to families who could put them to use. King s Fair T-Shirt Contest Congratulations and thank you to everyone who entered in the King s Fair t- shirt logo contest. We had entries that were all very unique. The winning entry was from freshman Connor Fitzgerald JOUST DO IT! and will be centered on the back of the t-shirt. King s Fair is Nov. 17 Mark your calendar and plan that costume at the post-halloween sales! Two other entries from sophomores Shelby Hilliard and Gabriel Reiber will be used in other King s fair promotions such as posters or flyers. Connor will receive $20 worth of fair tokens and Shelby and Gabriel each will receive $10 worth of fair tokens. Congratulations!

7 STUDENT TUTORS There are several upper scholars who are interested in tutoring. Most students work oneon-one with your child after school in the library and their rates vary ($5 to $15 per 45 minute session, typically) depending on the complexity of the schoolwork. The best way to contact the tutors is via . The Atonement Academy passes along these names as a convenience to families requesting help with assignments and homework. Any arrangements and agreements are between the tutor and the family seeking assistance. Name: Shelby Hilliard Grade Level: 10 th Preferences: I am comfortable tutoring any subject up to the 5 th grade level. For middle school, I am best able to help with history, math (including geometry), science, and religion. I will assist boys and girls from lower to middle school, and I am looking for determination and dedication towards improvement. Place and Days: I can tutor in the school library from 3:30-4:15 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Cell #: shelby.hilliard@atonementonline.com or whittakerhilliard@hotmail.com Charge: $5 - $6 per hour (upon grade level and subject) John Patrick McHugh Age: 14 (10th Grade) Contact: or mcmchugh@hotmail.com/ jprmchugh@gmail.com Subjects: Lower school math, MS Algebra 1/2 or Algebra 1 Days: Mon- Thur Matthew Wiessing Sophomore Math 7/6 Tutor swiessing@atonementonline.com Sarah Henriquez Age: 14, Grade 9th Home number: (210) sarah.henriquez@atonementonline.com (2): mhenriquez4@satx.rr.com Days available: Mondays and most Fridays. Age range: K, 1st, 2nd Subjects: Math, reading, spelling, etc. Joseph Pecha (Junior) and Thomas Pecha (Freshman) Consistently Honor Roll Students Joseph: Any subject and grade, any day except for Tues. afternoon. $ / session Thomas: Any subject and grade, any day except for Tues. afternoon. $ / session. Contact Info: mpecha@earthlink.net or Name: Samuel Koch Age: 14 alibtiron,sk@gmail.com Phone#-Cell: (210) Home: (210) Days: Thursdays after school 3:30-4:15 Subjects: Any, Grades K-6 Charge: $10/session Name: AmyGrace Weems Year: Freshman Age: 14 Years Old amygraceweems@gmail.com Phone Number: Available: Mon. to Thurs. after 3:30 Open To Tutoring: K-6 th Subject: All Charge: Around $10/ Hour

8 Choral Scholars Announced Featured Sunday Choir: Middle School Boys 9:00 Mass Sunday, September 23 The 9:00 Mass this Sunday, September 23, will feature a choir composed of the Middle School Boys Treble Voices. This will be a wonderful opportunity for those families who do not regularly worship here at Our Lady of the Atonement to come and experience the beautiful liturgy and hear the angelic voices of most of our middle school boys (grades 6, 7, & 8). It is also an opportunity for our students to give something in return to the parish. The Atonement Academy would not exist without the support and prayers of the parishioners of Our Lady of the Atonement Parish. There is a strong bond between our church and school, a bond which is visible in the physical structure of our facility. We hope that by providing these monthly opportunities for our students and their families, we may strengthen that bond. Please report to the music room by 8:30. Dress is Sunday best: No t-shirts, jeans, sneakers, or inappropriate clothing. Participating families are encouraged to bring donuts, baked items or other snacks to share in the courtyard following Mass. We are pleased to announce the inauguration of four Choral Scholars positions for the academic year. The purpose of the Choral Scholars is to augment the parish adult choir by singing for the 11 o clock Mass on Sundays as well as all liturgies and performances throughout the year which the adult choir is present. In exchange, each Choral Scholar will receive a stipend of one thousand dollars. This is a tremendous opportunity for our most talented Upper School students to grow in their musicianship and to enhance the sacred music which is such an integral part of our worship. Choral Scholars for the year are: Annie Kennedy, soprano Mary Campbell, alto Christian Cruz, tenor Alejandro Oliveros, bass Congratulations! Monthly School Choirs SUNDAY 9:00 AM Mass FALL 2012 September 23 rd MS Treble Boys October 14 th Grade 3 November 18 th MS Girls SPRING 2013 January 27 th Upper School Honor Choir (Catholic Schools Week) February 10 th Grade 4/5 Boys March 10 th MS Ch. Voice Boys US Chorale Men April 14 th Grade 4/5 Girls May 12 th Grade 2

9 Join a Parish Choir! In addition to our many Atonement Academy choirs, Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church parish has SIX choirs! They are off to a great start this season but there are some openings for additional singers in several of these groups. Why not consider taking part in this important apostolate of Our Lady of the Atonement Parish! St. Nicholas Children s Choir Open to girls in grades 3-5 Sings for the 9:00 AM Mass on Sundays as scheduled (approximately once per month) Rehearsals - Thursday afternoons from 3:30-4:10 PM St. Cecilia Youth Choir Open to girls in grades 6 high school; Sings for the 9:00 AM Mass on Sundays as scheduled (approximately once per month) Rehearsals - Thursday afternoons from 4:15-5:00 PM St. Augustine Boy Choir - Our newest parish choir! Open to boys in grades 3-8 (unchanged voices) Sings for the 9:00 AM Mass on Sundays as scheduled (approximately once per month) Rehearsals - Thursday afternoons from 3:30-4:20 PM We currently have a waiting list for the SABC! Our Lady of the Atonement Adult Choir Open to high school age (10 th grade) and older Sings for 11:00 AM Mass on Sundays as well as for Holydays, seasonal Evensong services, and special liturgies scheduled throughout the year. Rehearsals - Thursday evenings from 7:00-9:00 PM Saint Gregory Schola Cantorum Open to men of high school age and older (by audition) Sings for the Sunday 6:00 PM Latin Mass Rehearsals Sunday afternoons at 5:00 PM Our Lady of the Atonement Festival Choir Designed for those who cannot make a year-round commitment to weekly rehearsals, but who have a desire to be involved in the parish music program. With the members of the adult choir as its core, this choir sings for special services throughout the year including Nine Lessons and Carols, the liturgies of Holy Week and seasonal Evensong services. Rehearsals are held on select Thursday evenings during the weeks preceding scheduled events. For more information, please contact Mr. Murray at emurray@atonementonline.com.

10 PTC Collection Programs to Support The Atonement Academy: Box Tops for Education, Labels for Education, and the Drink Pouch Brigade Welcome to the new school year! My name is Denise Burke and I coordinate the Box Tops for Education, Labels for Education, and Drink Pouch Brigade collections at The Atonement Academy. Through these programs, our families can provide much-appreciated support for the school. Our first official collection sheets may be downloaded on the Forms and Documents section of the website Box Tops for Education Our largest collection program is Box Tops for Education. Box Tops can be found on a wide variety of products including those from Betty Crocker, Green Giant, Pillsbury, and Progresso. Once each academic quarter, we will hold a Box Tops collection contest. For each completed collection sheet that you turn in, your child will receive one chance in a gift card raffle. To participate in the first quarter s Box Tops collection contest, please turn your collection sheets into the office or to your child s/children s teacher(s) by October 19 (the last day of the quarter). You are also free to turn in collection sheets into the office or to the teachers at any time. Our goal for the Box Tops for Education program is $ 600. Learn more, download additional collection pages and a complete list of participating products, and track our progress at Labels for Education We also collect Labels for Education which are redeemable for school supplies and other merchandise. Labels for Education are available on a variety of products including those from Campbells, Pepperidge Farm, Glad, and Swanson. We are currently putting together our school s wish list and will let you know shortly what we are aiming for!just as with the Box Tops program, we will hold a Labels for Education collection contest once each academic quarter. To participate in the first quarter s Labels for Education collection contest, please turn your collection sheets into the office or to your child s/children s teacher(s) by October 19 (the last day of the quarter). You are also free to turn in collection sheets into the office or the teachers at any time. Our goal for the Labels for Education program is to collect 3,000 points. Learn more, download additional collection pages and a list of participating products, and track our progress at Drink Pouch Brigade We collect all varieties of Capri Sun and Honest Kids drink pouches and receive cash for each pouch we recycle. (Important: We collect pouches for only these brands. No other foil drink pouches such as Kool-Aid can be redeemed in this program.) All you need to do is remove the straws from the finished pouches and turn them in. No washing or rinsing is required. Our goal is to collect at least 2,500 pouches before the end of the school year. We plan to maintain collection bins in St. Anthony Hall for the children to recycle drink pouches from their lunches and will be asking the Room Mothers to collect any pouches from the lower school parties. Further, at least once a quarter, we will be putting up collection bins near the lost-and-found bin for parents and others to use. You will be notified of the dates for the collection bins. You are also free to turn them into the school office at any time. Learn more at: Thank you in advance for your support for these programs and the Academy. Please let me know if you have any questions. I can be reached at or leahbugsmom@gmail.com. Blessings,

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