First Communion is one of those days you never forget. The weather is gorgeous, and the children are beaming. May God bless them in a very special way today!

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day! I see every day of the year what a meaningful impact mothers have on their children. You and your faith are so important to your children’s continued happiness and success. We are blessed at St. Ambrose with a community that values the family and continues to work with and for our children.

God bless you!
Barbara Dalmut

Monday afternoon the track team will have their end-of-year party from 3-4:15 in the Parish Activities Building. Congratulations on a very successful season!

Monday night, please join us for OUTBACK KNIGHT at the Burke Outback Steakhouse. The restaurant generously provides dinner for our annual Gala and auction, so we want to show our appreciation for their support. It’s always nice to share an evening at Outback!

God bless,
Barbara Dalmut

Afterward, you may visit their classrooms if time allows. We will dismiss at 11:30 so the teachers can have a Professional Development Day.

I hope you will be able to join us!
God bless,
Barbara Dalmut

Tomorrow is National Nurses Day! We are so pleased to have Mrs. Eleuterio in the Clinic each afternoon as our Clinic Health Aide! If you would like to send her an email or a note, I know she would appreciate it. She spends many hours comforting and encouraging our children, and we certainly keep her busy!

Please remind your children that the OPERATION MEDITATION Club is meeting each Wednesday for the remainder of the school year, from 3:00-4:30. They will work behind the school on the gardens, and should bring comfy work clothes and garden gloves.

CROCHET USA: The last meeting of the year is Thursday, May 10. Please bring any squares you have completed. We will have a little party to celebrate!

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE: Our Technology Committee is meeting regularly to finalize plans for the summer improvements. We have already received two new projectors that will replace the projectors in rooms 6 and 8 and will be installed right away. We will be going wireless throughout the school. We have received one laptop cart, and will be ordering new laptops so that they can be used throughout the school. We will be up and running in September.

MATH AND SCIENCE: I have been interviewing teachers for the middle school math/science teaching position. I have spoken to so many qualified teachers! One of the priorities is our science program and hands-on science. The lab will be reorganized to provide opportunities for all classes to use the facility for regular labs. We will also be ordering new textbooks this summer.

Our 5th grade has been invited to participate in the Navy’s Starbase-Atlantis program. We are so fortunate to have been selected for this exciting program! They will travel each day for five days to the Navy Yard and take part in engineering and computer science projects that encourage our youth to become scientists. Their culminating project is the launching of rockets they have put together themselves. It will be a memorable five days for them!

In order to provide continuity in our math and science programs, we will have Mrs. Park teach math and science to both 4th and 5th grades. Mrs. Kiernan will teach 6th grade math and science, as well as 7th grade Math and 8th grade Pre-Algebra. The math classes in 6th – 8th grades will be taught at two levels, allowing students to learn according to their ability level. Each year the students will be placed according to their performance on a placement test, their grades in the prior year, and teacher recommendation.

It is a strange ritual, but we begin getting excited about the following year, when we haven’t yet finished the current one! This year is a once-in-a-lifetime — and we look forward to having a “normal” start to the next year!

I look forward to sharing more ideas with you. I will keep you posted on our plans, and welcome your comments and suggestions. God continues to smile on St. Ambrose. When I walk through the hallways, or visit the students in the cafeteria, I am always impressed with the character of our students. After nine years in our school, our students stand out as superlative human beings. There is no other way to say this, but the Spirit of St. Ambrose is alive and well, and lives on in our graduates.

One parting thought — at the track meet this weekend (which I missed due to family obligations — sorry!) I understand that a couple of our parents were approached by parents of students from other schools. They made the unsolicited comment that our students stood out. Their comaraderie, team spirit, and good sportsmanship were so obvious. They could tell that our students really cared for each other, and that they were respectful of one another. These comments were about our middle school students, but it is not unusual for us to get similar comments on field trips. We usually get unsolicited positive comments about our students behavior! Our students are the product of the community and the school environment. We work together to help them grow and mature, and we and see that our work is producing good fruit.

Thank you to all of you who work so hard to make this community what it is. There are unsung heroes all around — those who work at school, those who volunteer, and those who support us in prayer. It is the team that makes us work. And I am most grateful.

God bless,

Thank you to all those who prepared the delicious food for our Teacher Appreciation evening! It was a lovely event, and a great opportunity to get to know some of you better. We spend so much time working together, we often forget to just socialize. Thank you for spending your evening with us! As always, I am most grateful to our talented and dedicated faculty and staff. We are blessed in so many ways by their presence and their willingness to share their gifts with us.

This is Hunger Awareness Week, and we will start the day with a dress-down day. There is no better way to get children’s attention than to dress down! Kindergarten and 1st grade have PE, so they should wear something they can wear for PE. Each grade will be dressing in the color of a specific continent:

Kindergarten and 8th grade: GREEN for Africa 1st and 7th grades: YELLOW for Asia 2nd and 3rd grades: RED for the Americas 4th and 6th grades: WHITE for Europe 5th grade: BLUE for Oceania

The 8th graders prepared a visual aid for us – 25,000 beads hanging in the front hallway that represent the number of people who die each day from hunger. Isn’t it shocking to think that all over the world people are fighting to survive? 25,000 every day! Let us pray for those who hunger and thirst.

The Parent Seminar on Summer Learning at Home was very well received. There are copies of the handouts on the table outside the office. Please help yourself. She gave tips for doing things at home that will keep your child’s mind active over the summer. There are so many things that children can do that are fun for the parents too!

At the Open Forum, I talked about some of the things that we are planning for next year. I spend so much time thinking about these ideas and planning with the faculty that I forget that you might be interested in knowing our thoughts. I will be sending out a series of emails this week that will keep you informed. If I put it all in one email, I am afraid you will be overwhelmed. So here’s a start…

READING: Next year we will be working with grades K-3 with leveled readers. We currently do this in the individual classrooms, but we are taking it a step further next year. As you know, there are children with all different levels of ability in each classroom. They each grow and develop at their own rate. We try to challenge each child, encouraging and teaching patiently. We do not expect Kindergarten students to be reading before they begin school. For the few children who are already reading, they will be included in the groups in grades 1-3. We have several volunteers who are former teachers, or who have been trained to be reading assistants. In addition, our Teaching Assistants will be trained to lead reading groups as well. Students will all have Reading at the same time of day, so that we can place the students according to their current reading level. They will be frequently regrouped as they mature. As always, learning needs to be challenging in a positive way – so that the children are always trying to improve, but are not feeling left behind.

I would like to tell you all that I see in the classrooms, but I would not want to violate the students’ privacy. God gives us all some challenge in life. For some, it is obvious, and for others it is very well hidden. It is a teacher’s role to teach acceptance of our own failings and tolerance for the shortcomings of others. What a challenge in a classroom with 20-30 students! I can tell you this. We do not turn away students who have challenges academically if we can help them learn. Why? Because it is the right thing to do, and it is what Catholic schools should be doing! One young quick-to-learn student was helping his classmate with a skill. The teacher thanked him for being so patient and considerate. The student said to his teacher that he had learned much more by helping than his friend had learned from him. Amazing insight for a very young student!

I have another announcement to make regarding our Faculty for next year. Mrs. Colas has been a wonderful third grade teacher for her three years at St. Ambrose. She is a woman of many talents, and has been asked to preside over a charitable foundation. Mrs. Colas has accepted this honor in light of her love for and dedication to philanthropy. We will miss her, but she has promised to continue her connection with St. Ambrose by volunteering in our school and serving as a substitute teacher. Congratulations, Mrs. Colas!

Since I know that you will be worried about our new third grade teacher, I have asked her to introduce herself:

“My name is Kate Sasso and I will be the new third grade teacher here at St. Ambrose.  I am very excited and fortunate to be teaching at such a wonderful school.  I am finally settling down in Virginia after dating my fiance long distance for the past four years. We are getting married in Washington DC in June, so I will actually be Mrs. Bennett by the time I start teaching at St. Ambrose in August!

I was born and raised in Illinois in the suburbs of Chicago.  I graduated in 2005 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Go Illini!) and received my B.S. in Elementary Education with a concentration in history and language arts.  I have been teaching for six years now and have loved every minute.  I taught fourth grade for four years at a Catholic school and have been the intermediate reading RTI specialist at a public school the past two years.

I am thrilled to be teaching in a Catholic school again.  My Catholic faith is very important to me and my fiance and we attend St. Mary Mother of God parish in DC.  I enjoy listening to classical music, visiting historical sites, spending time with family and our beagle, and fostering my love of interior design through extensive window shopping.”

 

I apologize for the length of this email. Believe it or not, I still have lots to share with you! I will be in touch tomorrow with more of the good things happening at St. Ambrose!

God bless,

Barbara Dalmut

Please forgive the lateness of this email. I had an emergency this afternoon and was delayed in finishing my email to you about our day tomorrow.

You are invited to our Parent Appreciation Day tomorrow. We would love for you to join us for:

9:00 Mass (the Children’s Choir will be singing one of their Kings Dominion Festival songs)

Coffee and seminar: Summer Learning at  Home with Mrs. Grace Winslow

Open Forum with the Principal

Pizza Lunch with your children (you can purchase delicious Vocelli Pizza)

I am looking forward to seeing you and sharing some of our plans for the upcoming year.

Tomorrow night, the PTO is sponsoring a Teacher Appreciation Evening for parents. Please come to school to celebrate the wonderful teachers and staff who dedicate their days to helping you in the education of your children. Most of the faculty and staff members will be there! Hope you can join us from 7:00-9:00 in the Gym. If you haven’t already signed up to bring an appetizer or dessert, please feel free to bring along your favorite dish!

Mrs. Rhodes has asked me to let you know that the Schoolhouse Grille menu is incorrect on the website. They have listed May 10 as a half-day. Since our half-day is actually the 11th, we will serve your May 11 pizza orders on Thursday, May 10. One of the topics of discussion in our Open Forum will be the service provided by Schoolhouse Grille. Bring your comments — I’d love to hear them!

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

God bless,

Barbara Dalmut

I had to write to you tonight — tomorrow starts the month of May — can you believe it?! We are 6 weeks from summer. I am attaching the updated school calendar. It will be posted on the website soon. Note all the changes in bold print.

We had a wonderful Colonial Day today. As they exited their cars, the students were greeted by colonials playing a fife and drum. A young colonial played the violin at morning prayer. The day just got better and better. Thank you to our room parents and all those parents who helped make this a memorable day. At carpool, I asked several of the safety patrols if they could remember their Colonial Day, and they each responded with a big smile and fond memories. Another great St. Ambrose tradition!

Friday we will have a few events to celebrate St. Ambrose parents and faculty. Parents are invited to join us for the school Mass at 9:00. The Choir will be singing one of the pieces they will be singing at the Festival at Kings Dominion. They are singing in three-part harmony, and it is a very challenging piece. The meditation hymn at last week’s Mass was so moving! Ms. Tozzi and Mr. Patton have taught them some very complicated songs, and they rise to the occasion each time. Their dedication has certainly enhanced our opportunities to worship as a community. Thank you to all our choir members!

After Mass, please join us for refreshments and the third in our series of Parent Seminars sponsored by the PTO. Mrs. Grace Winslow will be speaking about Summer Learning at Home. There is a way to make summer learning fun! She has been a fabulous presenter — very entertaining and enlightening. I will have available copies of her handouts from the first two workshops — Homework Strategies and Positive Discipline.

After the seminar, please join me in the Library for an Open Forum. If you have questions you’d like to ask me, or things you would like me to address, you can email me or just bring your ideas and questions on Friday. Come by to hear plans for next year and some of the good things happening at St. Ambrose!

You may join your child for recess and a pizza lunch. We will have extra slices of pizza for purchase.

On Friday evening, the PTO is sponsoring a Teacher Appreciation Night. Please join us from 7-9:00 for the social event. I hope you received the Signup Genius invitation and the letter from Patrick Rozmajzl. We are looking forward to it. We have much to celebrate after a very challenging year. I look forward to seeing you there!

God bless,
Barbara Dalmut

Track practice will be indoors today. They will be working on handoffs and other procedures in preparation for the track meet that is right around the corner!

MOVIE NIGHT! This Friday, April 27. If you have not yet signed up,and would like to have a meal (pizza), please send in your order form tomorrow morning. Mrs. Caffi is placing the pizza order first thing tomorrow. If you want to come to the movie, you may still come, and bring money for snacks and other treats. The 8th graders will include a bake sale. These are industrious young men and women and they will guarantee that your children have a fun evening!

Calendar: I have updated the Calendar on the website. All the new items and changes are in bold. There was a lot to change, so please look carefully! Thank you to the parent who reminded me to update the calendar!

SUPER DAY! The 3rd and 5th graders won a “Super Day!” at the Gala. We will celebrate their special day on Friday,May 18. It is a Friday, so their dress down clothes need to be appropriate for Mass. If they want to change into shorts after Mass, they may — as long as they are modest and appropriate for the classroom. Please check out their choices so that we don’t have to put a damper on their fun by policing their clothing!

They will have a super day with donuts and juice, pizza lunch, extra recess, board games party, an extra music jam session with Ms. Tozzi and Ms. Briceno, movie and popcorn, and no homework the night before!

YEARBOOKS: Please send in your orders now!

God bless,

Barbara Dalmut

NO TRACK PRACTICE today — thanks to our much needed rain!

OPERATION MEDITATION SERVICE CLUB ————-OMS Club for Middle School will meet after school on Wednesday, 4/25 from 3:00pm – 4:30pm.  Please meet at the benches behind the school.  Please bring garden gloves and a change of clothes.

Reminder: YEARBOOKS can be ordered for $22 each. The book is a hardback, and beautiful! Please send in your orders so we know exactly how many to order.

MOVIE NIGHT Friday — this fundraiser sponsored by our 8th grade class will be fun! It will be a good time for all students to socialize and relax. Come for the movie and/or pizza and/or fun!

Mrs. Smith and Ms. O’Rourke should not read this:

This is Administrative Professionals Week and Wednesday is Administrative Professionals Day. Anyone who has ever visited our office knows that these two ladies make our school a very warm and inviting place to visit. They handle hundreds of questions, phone calls, and forms each day — and always with a smile and a kind word. If you would like to send in a note to let them know how much they are appreciated, this is your chance! I don’t want to flood the phone lines, so please don’t call in your well wishes!

There are so many things for which to be grateful — but Mrs. Smith and Ms. O’Rourke are right there up at the top of the list!

God bless,

Barbara Dalmut

Dear Parents,

Please note that this is the week that we will be administering the Terra Nova tests to students in grades 2-7. Testing will start promptly at the beginning of the day. Your child will not be admitted to the classroom if testing has already started.

You can help your child do his/her best by:

1. Emphasizing that testing is not something to be feared, but an opportunity to show their abilities. We want everyone to do their best.

2. Ensuring that your child gets a good night’s sleep. (Translation: Not staying up to see the end of a ballgame or finish a TV program!)

3. Making sure your child has a good, healthy breakfast, and send in a healthy snack for mid-morning. Your child may bring in a bottle of water to put on the desk so they don’t have to get up for a drink of water.

4. Limiting after-school appointments and activities so they can get some rest.

Students will not have as much homework this week. However, we have found that having NO homework is counter-productive, resulting in their brains going to sleep by the end of the week. So they will have some work to do!

On a different note, tomorrow (April 23) is Father Fisher’s birthday! We will have a little treat in the afternoon and present him with birthday cards. If your family would like to send in a card, please send it with your child in the morning. We are very blessed to have Fr. Fisher as our pastor. He is 100% supportive of the school, and always goes the extra mile for our students. I am sure he would love to know that your family is remembering him in your prayers.

God bless,

Barbara Dalmut