This Week's Monarch

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Jr. High Religion students have been introduced to the Criterion, the Catholic Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Each student will receive their own copy to study, read, and share with their family. This past week we had the opportunity to search for articles that reflect on the life of Jesus during this special time of the church year called Lent. The students were also assigned to share an article with their parents, grandparents, or caregiver and discuss why they were interested in a poem about Lent, how working at a clinic reflects on their own personal life with Jesus, or talking about the Sacrament of Matrimony. The article about the clinic and the volunteers—doctors & lay people—trying to help the needy, poor, and sick was the most discussed.

Ms. Bobbie Lincoln spent time with the middle school students and shared how we can be strong Christians together: by studying, sharing the Word, and praying together. By standing together we will not be divided. Ms. Bobbie will be returning to Africa in late spring to help minister to the infants and children in a small village. The middle school made blankets for the infants and children of this village.

Mr. Brown, a father of one of our students, will be coming and speaking to our middle school students about being a Minister, Husband, Father, Teacher, Coach, and Friend and still knowing the importance of having Jesus in his life. Mr. Brown is a teacher and coach at Perry Meridian High School.

Sr. Demetria and Sr. Loretto from the Missions Office of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis will be with students on 2/28/08 and talk about their journey in the Mission fields of Africa and Liberia and more. Slides and other materials will be shown to the students to help them understand the universal work that is being done in the world today.

All of this is being shown to help the students realize that Jesus is not just here at SJA, but also around the world. We are made in His image and likeness.

In Mrs. Bryant’s class...

Middle school students explored the copper industry in the United States today using the internet. A few students were able to identify their unknown mineral through a series of tests they performed in Monday’s lab. Mineral quizzes and their worksheets are being returned today in their Thursday folder. Your sixth grade student should be able to tell you why a Valentine’s heart is an easy reminder of how to calculate density,

Seventh and eighth grade students are exploring Chemicals, the Environment and You, a lesson plan from NIH. As one experiment, they will be examining how caffeine affects their heart rate. Students will be given a cola to drink in class for this experiment. Please let me know if you would prefer that your son or daughter observe, rather than participate in this experiment.

In Mr. Carlstedt’s class...

Students are continuing to create and answer questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy. Each section will be a different area. For instance: Section 1 would be Knowledge, Section 2 would be Comprehension and up the ladder as they move forward. I have already heard numerous sound and insightful questions from the students and am very encouraged with the results.

In Mrs. Hasbrook’s class...

The Spanish students have been busy preparing for and taking their chapter test, making Valentines, and writing their pen pal letters. 8th graders have already begun the new chapter on school supplies and clothing and the 6th and 7th graders are soon to follow. We will be writing, performing, and videotaping a dialogue this chapter of a scene in a bookstore or a clothing store. One student will be the sales person and the other will be the customer. Overall the students are doing a good job. They need to remember to bring their Spanish prayer and Spanish notebook to class!

In Mr. Heneghan’s class...


• As always, check out my eClassroom for all kinds of student work, book recommendations, tonight’s homework, pictures from school events, and more: sja-eclassroom-msla.blogspot.com.
• We have written a lot about Lent and how we will commit ourselves more deeply to Christ during this season. This is a great conversation starter for families.
• English vocab test over Unit 5 in grades 6-8 will be on Tuesday. Be on the lookout for study materials over the long Presidents’ Day weekend.
• Each student should read for AT LEAST 30 minutes every night. If you don’t see them reading daily, they probably aren’t. Please encourage them to do this every night. From a parent that I’ve quoted before: “For every hour of TV/Computer/Video games at night, there should be an hour of reading.” Great advice!