We are blessed with a safe campus to expand onto when the sun beckons us outside. Today on the side yard, Mrs. Villareal’s seventh-grade Literature class was listening to novel reading, while second grade was engaged in a sharing movement game, and next to them the elementary team was sharing their STEAM ideas of saving water innovations. On the other side of the school, Coach H was playing kickball with Kindergarten while Señor Vidotto and the Eighth grade were preparing the track for the eighteen cross country runners this afternoon. Everyone was safely spaced apart, masks on, and minds engaged in the outdoor experience. Another great day at AS²A!

Dear Parents, As we move into the Triduum of three holy days before Easter Sunday, let us take the time to thank God for our many blessings. On behalf of the Faculty and Staff at All Saints STEAM Academy, we wish you a blessed and holy Easter.

This Sunday marks Palm Sunday, the time when Jesus was welcomed into the city in honor. In our Catholic faith, our old palms are exchanged for fresh ones to be kept in our homes for the whole year until next Lent. As we begin next week’s holy time of the Easter Triduum, the period of three days that begins with Holy Thursday leading up to Easter Sunday, we reflect on the days of Lent and how we have sacrificed. School will be closed on Good Friday to mark the death of Jesus. The Pre-Kindergarten will be filming on Tuesday their annual Passion Play, led by Ms. Dawn. Classes have reflected at the outdoor Stations of the Cross. We are continuing our cereal collection for those suffering from food insecurity, today we have 102 boxes- only 198 to go! Please be generous, thank you!

Throughout the school, our students are sharing acts of kindness with their classmates and their teachers. They are listening attentively, sharing ideas, completing assignments, and cooperating with their class community. Forgiveness is our school’s March value, and the students are quick to put this into action. During Lent, our students will walk down to the outdoor Stations of the Cross next to the Rectory, for prayer and Penance reflection. Each class will participate in our Schoolwide Cereal food collection- dates to follow soon!

On this last school day of February, the excitement over the 100 days of school on a sunny Friday can be heard throughout the classrooms! The warm sun beckons our recess and gym classes outside, and the fresh air and friendships have even our tallest eighth-grade boys skipping rope with their peers! Ah, Childhood!

There is bright color throughout the school today with students adding valentine colors to their uniforms! It is a simple way to join in the fun of wishing others kindness, compassion, and love in the tradition of St. Valentine’s message. In addition to our daily acts of love for our family and others, this Sunday can be a celebration of the message we may be too busy too many times to share. Enjoy every minute of Valentine’s Day and the winter week break that follows with your wonderful family!

Over 160 folks visited our school website last evening to view the History Night at the Museum project- were they not wonderful!! The pride and energy of the students came across the screen loud and clear as we learned from each class how differently the forms of communication can be presented. I have shared our program with Superintendent Ferris and Assistant Superintendent Morrissey, both of whom support our AS²A STEAM showcases! We are unique in embracing new learning- as this first virtual History Night demonstrates.

It’s here!  It’s here!     Catholic Schools Week begins Sunday, January 31, 2021! We thank you for supporting our focus to communicate our good AS²A news on social media, and by sharing your testimonials for our website! We thank you for supporting our plans to show our teachers much-earned appreciation!

As we move ahead with our school days, we look to the saints for their examples of service and love for their community. We are learning about one of the newest beatified saints- fifteen-year-old Carlo Acutis. In his short life, Carlo used technology to create a website documenting Eucharistic miracles from around the world. Because of this, he is known as the patron saint of the Internet. What a great story for our young students at our STEAM school!

As we end this week, I applaud your flexibility and support of our safety plans in providing distance learning to our students. Practicing safe distance, wearing masks, hand washing, and cleaning through the days, has allowed the school to remain in-person to week 17, having specific pods out when there is a presumption of possible close contact.

We are ending the first week of the new year, and week 15 of the school year! Thank you for completing your attestation survey, sending your students to school well rested, well fed and with full water bottles, and when needed- getting Covid-19 tests done to ensure all of our safety. As we move ahead through these colder winter months, it is very important to make safe choices to stay healthy from the annual flus and colds as well as the virus.

This is the first Monday of the first school week of 2021- I welcome you to a new year ahead of creative and collaborative learning for your children! From the time our day began with prayers, the sounds of instruction, discussion, and understanding were heard in each grade- what a wonderful start to the year!

As we end the 2020 year together, let us take a moment to thank God for all of the blessings we have received. Let us extend to our family and friends a loving prayer, phone call, card and message, however far away they may be in person. Celebrate with your wonderful children- throughout the classrooms today children are happy and relaxed anticipating the fun times coming.

Today marks the end of the first trimester of this school year. Next Friday, your student’s report card will be published on SchoolSpeak. Please review these grades with your students and discuss the efforts and attention they gave for each subject. It is helpful to identify their study skills, their organization of time to complete projects, and their daily review of lessons learned so it imprints in their memories for the next day. Contact the Office if you do not have your password for SchoolSpeak!

Our Advent wreath is outside the school chapel with the first candlelit. We will say the second Advent weeks prayers on Monday and light the second candle. As we wait for the birth of our Savior, the manger bed is empty outside in the front lawn stable scene. The students remember that it is not yet Christ-mas, the birthday of Jesus. They have learned that each good deed they do can be like a piece of straw in the manger bed, to make baby Jesus more comfortable as he comes into the world.

As always, we appreciate your cooperation and support of our school program. As a faith community, we pray daily for our families and for all around us.  We live our faith when we are challenged to rearrange our lives to remain safe

We entered November praying the Litany of the Hours, a special series of prayers throughout the day that call our attention to all the blessings we have around us. We walk this life with faith and a belief that the world needs our talents and abilities. That is the daily message for our students, living our mission of wisdom, compassion and leadership, and following the lives of those who did well before us.

Happy Halloween weekend everyone! Thank you for sending in all the food, candy and supplies to make Thursday and Friday a success! This week we enjoyed all things Halloween! I would say two highlights were definitely our pumpkin patch and pumpkin volcano!

Happy Hallowed Eve, Parents! We hope your celebration at October’s end is fun for the family! Please remember to stay safe as you and your costumed ones enjoy this time together! When we return on Monday, we will move through the day with special prayers from the Breviary. We will also be sharing the Saints names from the front lobby display to see the class with the most identifications! Ice cream treat coming up!

Our school community is busy researching the 108 saints on the front lobby display. This beautiful work, divided into three time periods of Early church, Medieval time, and Present Day, took the summer efforts of Ms. Dawn to research, print, and display these faith leaders. Our feast day is Sunday, November 1, the Feast of All Saints. On Monday, November 2, the class with the most accurate and complete list of saints names will win an ice cream party! Sweet success!