2510 Middle Road, Glenshaw, PA 15116 • Phone: 412.486.7611 • Fax: 412.487.9509 • btacademy.net UPCOMING EVENTS Wed., Dec. 11 • Santaland Set Up u., Dec. 12 • Santaland • Brixology Aſter School Program Fri., Dec. 13 • Santaland • Mass led by 5th Grade 4th Grade presents Las Posadas Sat., Dec. 14 • Little Bulldogs Mon., Dec. 16 • Pasquale Pizza Night Tue., Dec. 17 • Holiday Band Concert Fri., Dec. 20 • 8:15am – 8:45am Primary Grades Coffee & Conversation with Mrs. E • 9am – 10am Mass led by 3rd Grade 1-3 grade Christmas performance • 1:00pm – 2:30pm Christmas Parties Issue # 43 December 8, 2019 There’s more news on page 2! From the Principal: Every year we quickly flip the switch from celebrating Thanksgiving to entering into the Christmas season. How often do we take a moment to stop and reflect on this transition? One clear marker is the start of Advent. Advent presents an invitation by our faith to take a step back and look at who we are, what we are doing, and where Jesus fits into our lives. The prayer below, from Dynamic Catholic, gives focus for week 2 of Advent–Peace. I encourage you to take time this week and reflect on this prayer with your family. How can we focus on the best version of us as we prepare for the coming of Jesus? How might we share this peace with others, especially in this busy time? Dear Jesus, you entered our world on Christmas as the Prince of Peace. This Advent, as we strive to become the-best-version-of-ourselves, fill us with a deep and abiding peace. Help us share that peace with everyone we encounter, especially those who need it most. Amen. We will begin our Monday morning with an all-school Advent Pray, as we remind students about the importance of Peace. With themselves and how to share it with others. I wish you Peace during this Advent time. Mrs. E
Thu., Dec. 12• Santaland• Brixology After School Program
Fri., Dec. 13• Santaland• Mass led by 5th Grade 4th Grade presents Las Posadas
Sat., Dec. 14• Little Bulldogs
Mon., Dec. 16• Pasquale Pizza Night
Tue., Dec. 17• Holiday Band Concert
Fri., Dec. 20• 8:15am – 8:45am Primary Grades Coffee & Conversation with Mrs. E• 9am – 10am Mass led by 3rd Grade 1-3 grade Christmas performance• 1:00pm – 2:30pm Christmas Parties
Issue #43December 8, 2019
There’s more news on page 2!
From the Principal:
Every year we quickly flip the switch from celebrating Thanksgiving to entering into the Christmas season. How often do we take a moment to stop and reflect on this transition? One clear marker is the start of Advent. Advent presents an invitation by our faith to take a step back and look at who we are, what we are doing, and where Jesus fits into our lives. The prayer below, from Dynamic Catholic, gives focus for week 2 of Advent–Peace. I encourage you to take time this week and reflect on this prayer with your family. How can we focus on the best version of us as we prepare for the coming of Jesus? How might we share this peace with others, especially in this busy time?
Dear Jesus, you entered our world on Christmas as the Prince of Peace. This Advent, as we strive to become the-best-version-of-ourselves, fill us with a deep and abiding peace. Help us share that peace with everyone we encounter, especially those who need it most. Amen.
We will begin our Monday morning with an all-school Advent Pray, as we remind students about the importance of Peace. With themselves and how to share it with others.
I wish you Peace during this Advent time.
Mrs. E
From the Classrooms:BTA GeoChallengeThis year 6th-8th grade students had the opportunity to participate in the National Geographic GeoChallenge. Miss Bucha first offered this opportunity as part of the enrichment program, but the program filled so quickly, she has opened it as an after school program. Students participating in the GeoChallenge are working in teams to “tackle” the plastic pollution problem that has affected our entire world. They can either raise awareness about the plastic problem or actually design a model that could solve the problem. This year she has two groups designing a model, two that are creating videos to raise awareness, and one team is designing a website. This project involves research, collaboration, and creativity to take action on a real world problem. It is an exciting opportunity for our BTA students--this is a national competition and students participated in a video conference with 13 other schools from around the country! Projects are due in January and teams with the best projects will go on to the regional and possibly the national level.
Mon., Dec. 23 - Thu., Jan 1• Christmas Break! Classes resume Thur., January 2nd
There’s more news on page 3!
Honor RollWith so many things happening right after the end of the First Quarter, we did not take a moment to recognize students who made the honor roll. Congratulations to the students listed below for their hard work.
Honor Roll (93%-95.5%)Justin Katz (8th), Emmalyn Blackburn (7th), Madison Bradley (7th), Samuel McGowen (7th), Marco Napolitano (7th), Dante Palmer (7th), Hannah Sahr (7th), Ryan Tatar (7th), Nolan Theil (7th), Shayla Thimons (7th), Calvin Vento (7th), Anthony Zavolta (7th), Jack Britt (6th), Nick Graper (6th), Ben Kandravy (6th), Elena Krummert (6th), Liam Regan (6th), Nico Simakas (6th)
High Honor Roll (95.6%-100%)Mia Flaherty (8th), Isabella McNutt (8th), Heidi Tong (8th), Judy Tong (8th), Maia Hauser (7th), Donald Schubert (7th), Emma Stein (7th), Joseph Waskiewicz (7th), Nora Flaherty (6th), Colin Glass (6th), Timmy Kuzmanko (6th), Emily Miller (6th), Jude Rottmann (6th), Sarah Stevens (6th)
Student News: Thanksgiving Prayer ServiceErin Stein and Gabriella Sciulli On November 26th BTA had a Thanksgiving prayer service. Everyone brought in a few can goods to donate to Little Sisters of the Poor and the St. Mary’s Food Pantry. First, Kindergarten-2nd grade students went up to the altar and sang “Thank You, God” in honor of everything God gives us, including Thanksgiving. Then students from 2nd-8th grade did a reading, each one thanking people for what they do and give others. Finally, everyone in the school brought can goods up to the altar and put them in boxes that spelled out “Thanksgiving”. BTA is very thankful for everything they have, especially the opportunity to go to a Cathlioc school and have all of these fun activities.
Fundraising UpdateOur small and large fundraisers directly affect the immediate and future success of a BTA Catholic education. We are tasked with raising $140,000 for the 19-20 school year, which goes towards our operating budget. Thank you to everyone who participated and congratulations to those who won. This year’s Purse Lotto we raised a total of $8,640! Thank you to Marina Mangerie for spearheading this effort.
