January Events 1/1 – Catholic Education Foundation Scholarship

FACTS Application Opens

1/6 – Classes Resume

1/12 – Sponsor/Candidate Confirmation

Reconciliation – Noon Mass – 2:30 p.m.

1/13 – AIMSweb Winter benchmark begins

1/14 - School Board Meeting 6:30 (LRC)

1/15 – Vision & Hearing Screenings

1/15 – Empower Illinois Applications Open

1/15 – HSA Meeting @ 1:00 (Parish Center)

1/18 – Jr. High Social

1/20 – NO SCHOOL – MLK Jr. Day

1/21 – 8th Grade/Kindergarten Picture Day

1/21 – Primary Math Tutoring Begins

This year, our 7th and 8th graders will offer before school

math tutoring to 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders who are in need

of additional support. Sessions will begin on January 21st

and continue until spring break.

The sessions will run from 7:00-7:30. Classroom teachers

will make the recommendations for tutoring and will

send a separate letter home to parents.

1/23 - Birthday Out of Uniform

All students with birthdays during the month of January

are encouraged and allowed to dress down on this day.

Students’ attire should still comply with the school dress

code for out of uniform days.

1/23 – PS & K Information Night @ 6:30 in

Preschool

1/26 – Catholic Schools Week begins!

(A separate letter/schedule will be sent home)

1/26 – Open House - 9:00 – 12:00

1/26 – Spring Musical Audition Workshop/Parent

Meeting

1/30- Early Dismissal Day

Students will be dismissed at 11:20. We will have bus

service available at the 11:20 dismissal time.

SMG VIKING VOICE January 2020

Our Mission: We, the St. Mary of Gostyn Catholic School Community, are rooted in faith, empowered by knowledge, and inspired to serve. The faculty, staff, and parents form a unique partnership in carrying out this mission of teaching the message of Jesus by celebrating meaningful liturgies, providing opportunities for service within the community, and passing on the beliefs and traditions of our faith.

Welcome to the Principal’s Corner! Each month you will find a special update letter from myself regarding special project updates, best-practices in education, and other topics! Thank you for your

partnership and examination of our school newsletter and this section each month.

Financial Assistance Opportunities! As we hold the value of a Catholic education in the highest regard, we strive to ensure that no family who desires a Catholic education for their children be denied one based solely on issues of finance. In order to provide a clear explanation of and pathway to financial assistance options available to all families, we have put together the following guide for your convenience.

All families have access to three resources/avenues to apply for financial assistance.

1. Empower Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship The Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship should be the first financial assistance application completed. This will be the third year that this program is offered (replace second)

How to Apply: Please see the “Financial Assistance” module of School Speak, and click on the “Empower Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship Information & Guide” link. Qualifying families can receive up to 100% of school tuition and some fees covered through this scholarship.

Deadline to Apply: January 15th, 2020

*Any family who wishes to apply for a Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) Scholarship is required to first apply for the Empower Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship. This is a required step in the process before applying for a CEF scholarship.

2. Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) Tuition Assistance The Catholic Education Foundation has been providing need-based scholarship to families of children attending schools in the Diocese of Joliet for over 20 years. How to Apply: Please see the “Financial Assistance” module of School Speak,

and click on the “FACTS Application – Catholic Education Foundation” link. Qualifying families can receive a variety of different leveled scholarships. https://cefjoliet.org/

Deadline to Apply: March 1st, 2020

3. Tuition Transfer Grant St. Mary of Gostyn School offers a Tuition Transfer Grant up to $1,500 ($1,000 in year one; $500 in year two) for students in grades 1-7 who transfer from any *private, public, charter or home school. *Students transferring from another Catholic school in Illinois are not eligible.

4. Other Financial Assistance In the situation in which a family applies for both the Empower Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship and a Catholic Education Foundation Scholarship and is not awarded any financial assistance, the family can still be considered for financial assistance provided directly from St. Mary of Gostyn. In order to be considered for this direct financial assistance, the family must have applied for a Catholic Education Foundation Scholarship through the FACTS application. Any families in this situation should contact our Principal Mr. Tiritilli or Business Manager Mrs. Bava.

If you have any questions about the financial aid process, please contact Mrs. LaVonne Czech, (Director of Marketing & Enrollment) at lczech@stmarygostyn.org, or Mr. Chris Tiritilli (Principal) at ctiritilli@stmarygostyn.org.

May God Bless You All, Mr. Tiritilli

SPECIAL PARENT WORKSHOP: Hands-On

Workshop for Instagram & Snapchat

On Monday, February 3rd, we are excited to offer a

special hands-on parent workshop on Instagram &

Snapchat. The workshop is free and open to all SMG

parents & RE parents and will begin at 6:30pm in the

Activity Center. The workshop will be offered by Mrs.

Liz Repking of Cyber Safety Consulting. The outcomes

for the evening are shared below. Please come out

and join us for this informative and relevant topic!

You Will Learn:

How to navigate the apps

How to make accounts private

How to hide location from the public

How to limit time on the device and apps

http://www.cybersafetyconsulting.com/

Cold Weather/Recess/Emergency Procedures

Winter is unofficially here! Ordinarily all students go

outside for recess unless the “feels like” temperature

is below 20 degrees.

Please remind your child to dress appropriately,

including gloves and hats. Only children with a note

from the doctor will be allowed to stay inside. If the

weather dictates a temporary close of the school for

the day, please examine the following procedure &

resources for confirmation of an emergency closing.

You will also receive an email blast from

School Speak.

You will receive a phone call from our automated

One Call Now System.

You can go to the emergency closing center website

at www.emergencyclosingcenter.com and search for

St. Mary of Gostyn School, Downers Grove.

You may call 1-847-238-1234 from a touchtone

phone and enter the main phone number of the

St. Mary’s (630-968- 6155).

Listen to WGN radio (720-AM), WBBM radio

(780-AM), or watch CBS (ch.2), NBC (ch. 5), ABC (ch.7),

FOX (ch. 32), WGN-TC (ch.9), or CLTV cable for

broadcast crawls.

Advent Prayer

In light of Advent, our students had a Prayer

Service in the hallways after Thanksgiving break.

Second Grade Service Project

The second graders sent books for Christmas to

St. Anthony School for their service project.

Eighth Grade Service Project

A big thank you to our 8th grade students who

packed a truck with children's Christmas gifts on

Thursday, Dec. 12. For many years we have been

fortunate to participate in this service project our

parish provides through St. Mary's Appalachia

Ministry. We are honored to be part of helping so

many children at this special time of the year. The

gifts were given at a Christmas party sponsored by

the ministry. Providing service to people in a less

fortunate area of the United States is just one

experience our children are given. As we prepared

our hearts for Advent, we were excited to know we

helped make Christmas happier for some of our

Appalachian children.

Kindergarten Boys Donate Birthday Gift Money

There was a six way joint birthday party and instead

of presents, the boys decided to ask for money and

they donated it to the kindergarten teachers to

use in the classroom. Kids who donated to the

Kindergarten teachers: Dekker E., Kellen D., Charlie

N., Adam R., Spencer R., Bennett R.

Helping Families in Need for Christmas

Students For Life club collected toys and sent them

to Sharing Connections, a charity in Downers Grove

that works year round to supply furniture,

household goods, and clothing to struggling

families. At Christmastime, the organization

transforms its storage area into a toy store and

invites community members to come and select

appropriate gifts for their children of all ages.

Thank you to all that participated in this wonderful

program – we collected two large boxes of toys!

Happy St. Nick's Day!

St. Nick and his Elves stopped in our classrooms

to spread a little cheer and deliver treats!

Preschool Gets Creative with Cookies!

The four year old preschoolers along with their

fourth grade buddies, rolled out, cut out and

decorated over 1000 cookies for the St. Mary's

PADS program. The preschool parents generously

donated all supplies needed for the busy day.

It was a great day for everyone involved!

Sixth Grade Visits Drury Lane

All dressed up and ready for the show, SMG Sixth

Grade students attended Drury Lane's performance

of, “A Christmas Carol,” on Monday, December

9th. In keeping with SMG tradition and curricular

challenge, students recently read the Charles

Dickens classic novel and integrated their theatrical

experience with their textual reading over the

course of January.

Kindergarten Outdoor Fun

Oh, the weather outside has been frightful, but that

won't stop Kindergarten from going outside to

play and enjoy time with their friends. We bundled

up...boots, hats, mittens, and scarves to enjoy

the outdoors!

"Striking up" Holiday Spirit

The SMG Student Council's First Annual Jingle Bowl

took place on Friday, December 9 at Suburbanite

Bowl. Students in grades six, seven, and eighth

took to the lanes to best each other in bowling

acumen and holiday gear while enjoying some

Christmas tunes and treats.

Gingerbread Houses

5th Graders had the chance to enjoy making

Gingerbread Houses on 12/6. It was a wonderful

time and a great way to start December! Thank

you to all the 5th grade parents that helped make

this possible!

Colonial Times!

Our 7th graders experienced common activities

and skills used during colonial times. Students

learned how to make a cross-stitched design using

needle and thread. They did a terrific job and

displayed their creative talents. Additionally, they

made butter and enjoyed a snack of their fresh

butter on crackers. Through these activities,

appreciation was gained for the colonists and their

diligent work to survive without the modern

conveniences of today.

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

It is with great enthusiasm that we announce

Frozen JR . as the St. Mary of Gostyn 2020

spring musical! We are excited to work with the

students of St. Mary of Gostyn on another

entertaining musical.

A story of true love and acceptance between

sisters, Frozen JR. explores the emotional

relationship and journey between Princesses Anna

and Elsa. When faced with danger, the two discover

their hidden potential and the powerful bond of

sisterhood. With a cast of beloved characters

and loaded with magic, adventure, and plenty

of humor, Frozen JR. is sure to thaw even the

coldest heart!

Audition Workshop & Parent meeting:

Sunday January 26, 2020

Auditions:

Saturday February 15, 2020

Callbacks:

Monday February 17, 2020

Registration information will be available

mid-January

Calling All SMG Dads & Moms

It's 2020! Resolutions come and go like the

wind. Looking for a real fresh start? You're not

alone. We make time to advance our career,

improve our marriage, tend to our children but

where is God on our calendar? It happens. No

worries - because God always invites us to more

joy, and our kids want us to model our faith. The

Men's & Women’s CRHP is designed for you!

WHAT is CRHP?

CRHP (Christ Renews His Parish) is a fun, short

faith-based event held at SMG for REGULAR men

and women to meet other men and women to

kick-start their faith - and it’s FREE! Expect good

food, no-pressure dialogue, audio, video, laughter

– and discover more.

WHO can attend?

You - regular Dads, Grandpas, Uncles, Moms,

Single Men & Ladies, Grandmas. Just about anyone

interested can attend! Better yet, go with a group

of friends!

WHEN/WHERE?

Men’s CHRP - Saturday, January 25 to Sunday,

January 26 at SMG. There's also time to go to the

SMG Open House! Retreat will take place at SMG

Parish (Gathering Place).

Women’s CHRP - Saturday, February 1 to Sunday,

February 2 at SMG. Retreat will take place at SMG

Parish (Gathering Place).

HOW?

Men’s CRHP, reserve your spot today!

Women’s CRHP, reserve your spot today!

WHY?

You will rock the new you! If you're waiting for a

sign, this IS your sign!

Reflections from Fr. Keith Dear School Families: A new calendar year feels like a new beginning. The sentiment of this time is captured best by Robert Burn’s Scottish poem Auld Lang Syne, set to a traditional English folk melody. The song looks back with gratitude and gazes forward with joy. Gratitude is an important virtue that is often forgotten. Our Catholic faith inspires us to see the past accurately, but also gratefully. Every time we acknowledge the good things we have received, we reverence God who is the source of all good things. In much the same way, faith sees the future through the virtue of hope. Joyful hope holds firm in the trust that God will continue to bless our future just as much as He has already blessed our past. Every year on the First of January is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. This feast day commemorates the motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the conferral of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. Mary was uniquely privileged, with the help of Saint Joseph, to give birth to Jesus, care for Him in infancy, raise Him in childhood, form Him into young adulthood, and accompany Him as He died. Jesus received His humanity from the Blessed Mother. She is the superlative example of a disciple of Jesus; her whole life was lived with an interior posture of receptivity to the initiatives of Divine Providence. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said of her “Mary is a sweet and reassuring presence. In her discreet style, she gives everyone peace and hope, both in the happy and sad moments of life. In churches, chapels or on the walls of buildings there is a painting, mosaic or a statue as a reminder of the presence of the Mother, constantly watching over her children.” As we begin the Year of the Lord 2020, let us look to the Holy Family of Nazareth; Mary, Joseph, and Jesus; as an inspiration for family life in the home. They lived in a community of grace participating in Divine Life. Among all your New Year’s resolutions, please remember to include renewed devotion to prayer and the sacraments, especially

with Mass on Sundays and Holy Days. The Lord desires to share His life and favor with us, will we become hospitable to Him? Together, parish and school, we are SMG,

Fr. Keith

Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week is around the corner! Please

mark your calendars for these important dates:

Preschool/Kindergarten Information Night:

Thursday, January 23, 2020

6:30 – 8:00 PM

All-School Open House:

Sunday, January 26, 2020

9:00 AM – Noon

Lice Prevention (Links below!)

In an effort to be as proactive as we can, we

encourage all of our parents to check your child’s

head for lice on a continual basis.

“Fortunately, research finds that most children

do not catch lice while at school. Lice are

spread by direct and sustained head-to-head

contact (i.e. children rubbing heads together

for a sustained period of time), which is more

common at slumber parties or camping

trips.” (Communicate 58: News From Downers

Grove School District 58. Volume 7, Issue 11 2016)

St. Mary of Gostyn follows the standard lice

procedures for schools recommended by national

health organizations, including the

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), the American Academy

of Pediatrics, the National Association of

School Nurses and many others.

REMINDERS!!!

Office Hours

The SMG school office is open Monday – Friday

from 7:00 – 3:15pm.

Student Arrival

Students who are not in their classrooms by 7:40

am will be considered tardy. All tardy students

should enter through the main entrance near the

school office and see Mrs. Toth and/or Mrs. Czech.

Drop Off Safety

Please use the following directions and share them

with anyone who drives your students to or from

school:

MORNING ARRIVAL

All students (K – 8th grade) should enter

the school through the main entrance on

Prairie Avenue.

Be aware that all of our school buses use

this drop-off area in the morning.

Pre-school drop off is on Prairie Avenue

along the Learning Resource Building.

If you drop your children off on Douglas

Avenue, please pull all the way up to the

northern doors.

Please do NOT park or stop in front of the

Learning Resource Building. Buses cannot

make a turn northward if there are cars

present in the area.

AFTERNOON DISMISSAL

Buses use flashing lights and stop signs

when loading students. Never pass a

stopped school bus from either direction

when this occurs.

Leave the parking lot at the extreme east

end and turn right to avoid the school

buses.

Prairie Avenue is closed for most of the

block to Fairview Avenue when students

are boarding.

Please do not park in the “No Parking

Zone” located on Prairie, just west of

Douglas St. This zone is marked with signs

from the village

Cold Weather/Recess/Emergency Procedures

Winter is unofficially here! Ordinarily all students

go outside for recess unless the “feels like”

temperature is below 20 degrees.

Please remind your child to dress appropriately,

including gloves and hats. Only children with a

note from the doctor will be allowed to stay inside.

If the weather dictates a temporary close of the

school for the day, please examine the following

procedure & resources for confirmation of an

emergency closing.

You will also receive an email blast from

School Speak.

You will receive a phone call from our automated

One Call Now System.

You can go to the emergency closing center

website at www.emergencyclosingcenter.com and

search for St. Mary of Gostyn School, Downers

Grove.

You may call 1-847-238-1234 from a touchtone

phone and enter the main phone number of the

St. Mary’s (630-968- 6155).

Listen to WGN radio (720-AM), WBBM radio

(780-AM), or watch CBS (ch.2), NBC (ch. 5), ABC

(ch.7), FOX (ch. 32), WGN-TC (ch.9), or CLTV cable

for broadcast crawls.