NAZARETH ACADEMY NEWSLETTER DECEMBER, 2017

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1 Founded In 1867 By Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament NAZARETH ACADEMY NEWSLETTER DECEMBER, 2017 To Teach (the Gospel), to Build (a loving Community) and to Serve (those in need) in the Spirit of Christ. Jets for Jesus 150 years of Service DATES TO REMEMBER Dec. 1 Faculty Meeting Dismissal at 2:00 pm; KNO Grs. 2-8; 6-9 pm Dec. 2 Dec. 7 Dec. 8 Dec. 12 Dec. 14 Dec. 15 Dec. 18 Dec. 19 Dec. 25 Dec Christmas Parade; NA participating Band, Drill Team, Cheerleaders Jr. High Choir sings at Twin Pines, 6 pm 8:10 am Mass at St. Mary s Church Choir of Angels Prosperity Bank at 10:30 am Junior High Choir sings at 1:30 pm Band & Choir Christmas Concert at 6:30 pm in gym Mass St. Mary s 8:10 am Christmas Luncheon (schedule attached) PK3 Christmas Program, 2:30 pm In Convent Auditorium Christmas Programs- PK4 & Grs. 1 5, 2:00 pm in Gym Gr. 8 & K 6:00 pm in Gym Christmas Parties; Dismissal at 12:30 pm End of 2 nd Nine Weeks A Grace-filled and Merry Christmas Christmas Holidays UPCOMING EVENTS Jan. 1 A Blessed and Happy New Year! Jan. 3 Jan. 5 Classes resume 150 th Birthday Celebration Mass at OLS at 8:15 am Faculty Meeting, 2:00 pm dismissal Jan. 28-Feb. 3 Catholic Schools Week Theme: Catholic Schools: Learn, Serve, Lead, Succeed Jan. 30 Re-Enrollment of Current Students Dear Parents/Guardians, Christmas is right around the corner. However, before we get to that point, we celebrate the season of Advent, a time of reflection on the real reason for the Season the birth of our Savior! Last year I discovered an Advent reflection on Nazareth that I thought interesting since our school is named for Jesus family home at Nazareth. I liked it so well that I am repeating it here. The following is paraphrased from an article written by Rev. Robert J. Hater, PhD. Pope Paul VI offers the life of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as a model to imitate when he says, Nazareth is a kind of school where we may begin to discover what Christ s life was like and even to understand his Gospel. Here we can observe and ponder the simple appeal of the way God s Son came to be known, profound yet full of hidden meaning. (Pope Paul VI, Address for Feast of the Holy Family, January 5, 1964) Topic: Nazareth as a School of Learning We begin our Advent reflection by looking to the Holy Family as our model, not only for Christian families, but for our school family. In the address quoted above, Pope Paul VI offers three helpful ideas: First, we learn from the Holy Family s silence. In silence, we get in tune with God s wisdom. Amid today s cacophony of sounds and activities, the example of the Holy Family challenges us in our families and in our school to find times and places to pray, worship, and be silent. In the quiet of our hearts, we learn the depth of the Father s love and our true gift of self. Second, the Holy Family teaches us what family life and our school family life can be. Like them, we strive for patience, respect and unconditional love amid our daily challenges. Third, Joseph, Jesus, and Mary teach us the value of work and family support. Living each day being the best student, parent, child, employee/employer is an excellent preparation for Christmas and being a family model. We learn from the Pope s words that our true dignity is enhanced when we cooperate with God s grace, helping us to better appreciate ourselves, family, friends, and work. As we celebrate the Christmas season, when Jesus came down to earth to show us the face of our Heavenly Father, who is unconditional Love, may we strive to have our families model the family at Nazareth. Blessings, Sister Evelyn Korenek, Principal

2 DID YOU KNOW? Five Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament Sisters arrived in Victoria on December 21, Seventeen days later, on January 7, 1867, Nazareth Academy was opened. It was known as the Convent School. Nazareth is the 4 th oldest Catholic School in the state of Texas and the longest running educational institution in Victoria County! Nazareth has withstood the test of time years - and has established an enduring tradition! WAITING FOR JESUS ADVENT The word advent is from Latin and means the coming. Advent is a time of spiritual reflection, as well as a time of eager anticipation. Advent is a Christian tradition that invites us on a four-week journey which culminates with the birth of Jesus at Christmas. Advent is a time for renewal, a time for families to gather and reacquaint themselves with one another and their faith community. It is a time for us to look deep within and give new meaning to our everyday lives. May this Advent find you ready and waiting for the Christ, and in so doing, may you also bring to those you know a rich understanding of this time of waiting. May you have a blessed Advent! FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION The Feast of the Immaculate Conception commemorates the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which means that Mary was born without original sin. This feast is celebrated on Dec. 8 th. Pope Pius X formally defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, It is a holy day of obligation on which all Catholics are to attend Mass. Bishop Brendan Cahill will celebrate the school liturgy at 8:15 am at St. Mary s and will visit the classrooms after Mass. You are welcome to attend Mass. OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE DEC. 12 In 1531 a Lady from Heaven appeared to a humble Native American, Juan Diego, at Tepeyac, a hill outside Mexico City. She identified herself as the ever virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God. She made a request for a church to be built on the site. When the Bishop hesitated and requested a sign, the Mother of God sent Juan Diego to the top of the hill in mid-december to gather an assortment of roses for the Bishop. Our Lady also left an image of herself imprinted miraculously on the Juan s tilma, poor quality cactuscloth, which should have deteriorated in 20 years but shows no sign of decay 480 years later and defies all scientific explanations of its origin. Our Lady s message is one of love and compassion and a universal promise of help and protection to all people. AFTER SCHOOL CARE DURING THE HOLIDAYS There is no Extended Care during the Christmas Holidays. MAKE-UP DAYS DUE TO HURRICANE HARVEY The Diocesan Catholic School Office informed us that two of the six days missed due to Hurricane Harvey must be made up. The make-up days are the bad weather days built into the yearly calendar. Therefore, our calendar has been adjusted to reflect that classes will be held on Easter Monday, April 2 and on May 22 nd. The teacher work day (no school) will be on May 23 rd. Class on the 24 th will include awards assemblies and parties. The last day of the school year will be May 25 th. VICTORIA CHRISTIAN ASSISTANCE MINISTRY THANK YOU A sincere thank you is extended to Nazareth Academy for the generous food donations of about 600 pounds given to VCAM and St. Vincent de Paul s Society at St. Mary s. Your gift is providing meals for those who are in need. A heavenly blessing is also granted to you blessing you in your needs. SOUP AND SOCKS ENDS ON DEC. 6 Nazareth Academy is participating in a SOUP & SOCKS collection for seniors in our local area. Donate 2 cans of condensed soup, 1 can of chunky soup or a pair of wool socks to help keep our seniors warm during the cold months. Collection baskets are in each classroom. There will be an ice cream treat for the class that has the largest donation. Donations will be picked up every week.

3 150 th CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS AND COOKBOOKS Looking for some great gift idea? During the month of December cookbooks and ornaments will be for sale at the school. Cookbooks are $15 and ornaments are $10. Get them before they are gone! YOU RE INVITED The month of December is filled with excitement. Parents, grandparents, and Nazareth Academy families are invited to join us in the month s activities. Christmas Luncheon: Plan to eat lunch with your child(ren) on Dec.14 th as our cafeteria hosts a Christmas Lunch. Lunch tickets may be purchased in advance using the form on the invitation (located at the end of this newsletter and on the website) or purchase them in the school office. Please purchase your lunch ticket in advance to assist us in the food preparation. Limited tickets might be available on the day of the meal depending if there is food available. Band and Choir Christmas Program: Join us for the annual Christmas program on Tuesday, December 12 th at 6:30pm in the gym. Come listen to the glorious sounds of the holiday and enjoy the progress of the students development of their musical abilities. Christmas Programs: PK3 Christmas Program is on Friday, Dec. 15 at 2:30 pm in the Convent Auditorium. Grades PK4 & Grs.1-5 Christmas Program- December 18 at 2:00 pm in the gym. Gr. 8 and Kindergarten Christmas Program- December 18 at 6:00 pm in the gym. HELP NEEDED IN CAFETERIA The cafeteria staff is delighted to host the Christmas lunch on December 14 th for parents and guests. This requires a great amount of extra work, more than the staff can manage alone. Would you be able to help? The day is busy and noisy, but full of fun and fellowship a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. Please call the office if you would be interested in helping. Your help is appreciated! THE CHRISTMAS CARDINAL Christened the Christmas bird for its spectacular red color, the cardinal has become a symbol of the beauty and warmth of the Christmas Season. A glimpse of this brilliant bird brings cheer, hope and inspiration on a gray, wintry day. As nature s reminder for us to focus on our faith, the cardinal s scarlet plumage represents the blood of Christ shed for our redemption. PSIA PRIVATE SCHOOLS INTERSCHOLASTIC ASSOCIATION The District Meet is at Our Lady of Victory School on Saturday, Feb. 17, Nazareth Academy still has openings for some events. We want a full roster. Contact Sr. Bernarda for additional information. Statement of Purpose The Private Schools Interscholastic Association believes: that most students enjoy the pursuit of excellence and seek opportunities to test themselves against their own accomplishments and those of others; that such opportunities are best provided through properly conducted and equitably administered competitive activities; that the classroom is enriched by the flow of student energy into the more intensified arena of competition and back into the classroom.

4 YEARBOOK 8 th Graders- We need a kindergarten picture for the yearbook! Please bring a photo into the office to be scanned or simply a jpeg photo to dnaquin@nazarethacademy.org Photos- Have you taken photos during any of our school events? If so, submit them to the yearbook staff and we may use them in the yearbook! Sharing photos is easy. You can download the mobile app - YEARBOOK SNAP! It's available from itunes and Google Play. Our password is NA-TX. If you prefer to upload from your camera, simply go to find Nazareth Academy, and then click on COMMUNITY UPLOAD. Or you can any school photos to dnaquin@nazarethacademy.org For any questions, please contact our Yearbook Advisor, Destiny Naquin, at or via dnaquin@nazareathacademy.org SAFE ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS The Diocese of Victoria adopted the Code of Pastoral Conduct to provide a set of standards for conduct for all church/church-related personnel, including personnel and volunteers in Catholic schools of the Diocese. According to the Code, volunteers must attend a Keeping Kids Safe Workshop, and obtain clearance on a criminal records background check for the State of Texas or any other state where the applicant has resided during the past 5 years, before volunteering. Any volunteer providing service to the students, must have met these obligations before being allowed to volunteer. For more information, including dates for the various trainings, please call the school office or visit the Diocese of Victoria website at Since the Safe Environment program was initiated, a renewal process has been implemented. If you completed the process three years ago, another background check will automatically be performed during the anniversary month of your original background check. You will also be required to complete an online renewal program that covers any new components in our Diocesan Code of Conduct. You will be notified when you are to complete the online renewal. CAFETERIA NEWS Nazareth Academy participates in the Federal Government lunch program. If you believe that you may qualify for this program, please turn in an application to Sister Ann. It helps you and it helps the school. It is kept strictly confidential. Applications were sent out to all families in the August Newsletter. If you need an application, additional copies can be obtained from Sister Ann. Please consider participating. You can apply at any time during the school year BOX TOPS REPORT Thank you to the students/families who contributed during the month of November. PK-3 12 Scott Lesak 12; PK-4 76 Gunner S. 7; Camila Howard 25; Joseph Holt 4; Hayden Hermes 40 K 42 Wyatt Bernhard 42 Gr Lucas Dylan 15; Gr John Tumlinson 68 Gr.5 53 Kaelyn Fairly 53 Gr Dugan Chandler 25; Taylor Trevino IWC 12; 55; Unidentified 162; 52; 68; 67; 34 Total of 783 Box Tops were collected. The redeemed value is $ Thanks for your efforts!

5 SCHOOL RESUMES FROM THE CHRISTMAS BREAK WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018 FLY BY An Academic Workshop for Middle School Students Presented by St. Joseph High School Tuesday, December 5 4:30-6:00 pm Come and Go STJ Library St. Joseph High School invites all 6 th -8 th graders to a monthly FLY BY! FLY BY Parents-sign in your middle schooler and we ve got them from there! FLY BY Students-bring your homework, novels, , questions and curiosity! FLY BY offers: One-on-one homework help facilitated by a motivated STJ student. Introduction and login to Khan Academy practice and instructional videos created by experts with resources for every subject and level. Your student will learn more about Kahn Academy and how to use it to help them with their studies. Supervision by the STJ Guidance Department. Join us afterward for the STJ Band and Choir Concert in the Pozzi Center at 7:30 pm. Space is limited, contact pzapalac@stjvictoria.com with questions or to RSVP now! School Store Our school has teamed up with SchoolStore to help raise money for Nazareth Academy. Please share this information with family and friends to help these contributions grow! The funds raised go towards the tools and resources needed for our school to succeed. SchoolStore.com is an online shopping mall where over 400 nationally-known online merchants have agreed to give a percentage of sales to K-12 schools. This online shopping mall includes Walmart, Best Buy, Sears, Target, Sams Club, JCPenney s, Oriental Trading Co., Office Depot, Toys"R"Us, Family Book Store, and many more. When your family and friends make everyday purchases from their favorite online merchants through SchoolStore.com, Nazareth Academy earns money. Most merchant contributions to our school will average 5%-10% but some go as high as 50% of sales! IF YOU DO ANY ONLINE SHOPPING, DON T FORGET TO SIGN INTO SCHOOLSTORE.COM BEFORE PURCHASING ITEMS FROM YOUR FAVORITE ONLINE MERCHANTS!

6 You are invited to join your child for a traditional holiday meal on Thursday, December 14, The menu for the day is: Turkey with Gravy and Dressing Green Beans Corn Hot Roll Fruit Milk (Tea available for adults) To allow ample time for serving and enjoying the meal, the lunch schedule for this day only is revised as follows: Pre-K4 10:30-11:00 4 th Gr. 11:45-12:15 1 st Gr. 10:45-11:15 5 th Gr. 12:05-12:30 Kinder 10:55-11:25 6 th Gr. 12:20-12:45 2 nd Gr. 11:10-11:40 7 th Gr. 12:30-12:55 3 rd Gr. 11:25-11:50 8 th Gr. 12:40-1:05 Please purchase your Lunch Tickets by Dec. 12 to assist us in the food preparation and be assured of a ticket. Limited tickets might be available on the day of the meal depending on the availability of food. Please use the form when purchasing your ticket(s). Forms are also available in the office. Detach and Return _ Name All Guest Meal Tickets are $5.00 = # of tickets (Amount Enclosed)