September 2015 Newsletter - St. Paul Lutheran School

SEPTEMBER 2015
St. Paul Lutheran
School
700 Ardenlee Parkway
Peachtree City, GA 30269
Phone:
770.486.3545
Principal:
Mr. Jim Richards
jrichards@stpaulptc.org
Website:
www.stpaulptc.org
Principal’s Corner
Dear Parents,
By now you have received the most important news about the start of the new
school year at St. Paul Lutheran School via the informal conversations you have
had with your son or daughter. Our entire staff is confident the reports have been
positive and uplifting. We pray you feel encouraged that the school year is off to a
great start!
It seems to me there’s a definite high level of enthusiasm and excitement this
school year. Our enrollment is up significantly, as we have gone from 138 students
enrolled at the start of last school year, to our current enrollment of 175 students.
God has certainly blessed us with returning families and a wonderful group of new
families. Classes are going smoothly and hopefully the first
few weeks are indicative of what we are going to
experience this entire year. I encourage all of you to praise
your son or daughter for their efforts in making this one of
the best starts to a new school year at St. Paul Lutheran
School!
One of our many goals is to continue to build our
relationships with each other. As our students feel more
comfortable that this is their school home, we hope and
pray that all of our parents and guardians feel that St. Paul Lutheran School is like
home too. In order to accomplish our goals, we must resolve to practice honest
and open communication. We are in this together and we value our educational
and developmental partnership immensely. We welcome your input and the
prospect of getting to know you better.
Becoming involved is an effective way to get connected and to build
partnerships. It is also a way to model and carry out our school theme: “Shaped 4
Service”. Please consider volunteering and/or serving in partnership on our Parent
-Teacher League (PTL). Mr. Gary Conlon is serving as our PTL President and he
welcomes everyone to participate.
I am grateful for the many blessings God has showered upon our St. Paul Lutheran
Church and School ministry. In addition, I’m sincerely thankful for all of you. I look
forward to the rest of this school year and the opportunity to partner with you in
the development of your child.
In His Service,
James K. Richards
Principal
“Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart
from it.” Proverbs 22:6
SEPTEMBER 2015
St. Paul Lutheran School Newsletter
Page 2
Welcome!!!
We would like to welcome all of our new St. Paul students to the St. Paul Family.
Please make sure to introduce yourself to these new families!
Help Support St. Paul!
If you own a business
please sponsor this
newsletter.
Contact Tara Moulds at
404-844-9583 for
advertising rates.
Leonard Alexis
Mason Banks
Elizabeth Barnett
Elizabeth Regan
Joshua Baxter
Kebbron Berhanu
Aldina Berhanu
Beckett Biden
Kailee Black
Bella Bowen
DJ Bradley
Zenella Brehm
Michael Brown
Marcus Bryant
Kendall Buckingham
Noah Burnette
Marybeth Chapman
Braden Cobb
Aiden Commons
Bryce Conde
Reid Cooper
Zachary Davis
Cristan Dawson
Addisyn Decker
Renette Deetlefs
Seth Dietrich
Oluseyi Dokun
Molly Egsieker
Zachary Estes
Noah Estes
Joseph Fenin
Luke Fletcher
Erin Gambrel
Lauryn Gordon
John Gossett
Lilla Gossett
Cooper Graff
Olivia Graff
Asa Gray
Vera Gray
Madison Hammond
Kyle Hammond
6th
PK3
4th
6th
PK2
7th
3rd
PK2
1st
2nd
6th
6th
PK3
1st
PK3
6th
6th
PK3
K
1st
1st
PK2
6th
PK4
K
PK3
K
PK4
PK3
MMO
1st
1st
PK4
PK2
6th
4th
PK4
4th
PK3
MMO
K
PK3
Maddox Haque
Emerson Harper
Kyle Heil
Hannah Hong
Krystin Isom
Kellyn Isom
Nathan Kline
Cadence McAfee
Lyric McAfee
Zania Meier
Jasper Merritt
Jonathan Miller
Landon Nguyen
Sophia Nguyen
Marie Ozburn
Joey Pfister
Elin Pfister
Teddy Pollitzer
Liam Rietschier
Morgan Rodela
Katlynn Scheibe
Peyton Shaver
Sophia Shaver
Conner Smith
Hailee Sparks
Kayla Sparks
Andre Tchaykov
Ripley Templeman
Brody Thrasher
Peyton Utecht
Miranda VanWagner
Alexa Walker
Derick Walker
Jackson Warren
Jacob Warren
Chase Watson
Bella Wilson
Sophie Yang
Ryder Yokes
PK3
PK4
3rd
PK4
K
PK4
K
PK4
PK4
PK3
PK2
PK2
PK4
PK3
2nd
1st
PK3
PK2
7th
PK3
2nd
PK3
PK2
2nd
2nd
2nd
4th
K
1st
PK3
1st
MMO
8th
MMO
MMO
MMO
5th
MMO
MMO
SEPTEMBER 2015
St. Paul Lutheran School Newsletter
Page 3
Locker Decoration
Our upper school students have done a great job personalizing their lockers!
Introduction to our New Chef Tara Dodson
How long have you been catering?
I have been catering for 16 years. My interest for catering and party planning
developed after I had my son. Planning birthday
parties and play dates for my little one grew into a
business. After accepting the calling, I realized how
much joy it brought me and decided to return to
school and pursue a degree in Culinary Arts.
What would you like our students to know about
you?
I have 2 wonderful kids. My son is a freshman at
West Georgia college and helps me in the kitchen
when his schedule allows. I also have a daughter, who is a freshman at Sandy
Creek High School.
What do you have planned for St. Paul’s lunch program?
During the month of October I plan to meet with a focus group of students to
discuss the menus. I want to hear what they liked and disliked. I am very
passionate about offering quality healthy lunches that the kids love! After
gathering this feedback I will invite the parents in so they can hear what the
students thought. I hope this collaboration will help make our lunch program
the best that it can be!
SEPTEMBER 2015
St. Paul Lutheran School Newsletter
Page 4
The Sock Hop
A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who made our Sock Hop a huge success! It was
great to see so many families enjoying time together and meeting other St. Paul
Families! The dancing continued throughout the evening thanks to Shane Oliver,
with Under the Table Entertainment.
Summer Renovations
St. Paul had a lot of activity throughout the summer with updates and upgrades
to our school. Below are only a few of the projects that were completed over the
break.
For the 2015-2016 school we have added a half and full day MMO and PreK-2
class. PreK-2 has moved to a renovated classroom with a bathroom.
SEPTEMBER 2015
St. Paul Lutheran School Newsletter
Page 5
Even More Summer Renovations
Addition of a Projection Screen in the
Cafeteria
New Conference Room and Admin.
Work Area
Installation of a New Filter System at our Water Fountain.
Now, students can fill up their water bottles with filtered water.
ADVERTISE HERE!
Contact Tara Moulds to reserve this space!
404-844-9583
Tara@SchoolCommunicationsAgency.com
SEPTEMBER 2015
St. Paul Lutheran School Newsletter
Page 6
Separation Anxiety
By: Linda Stark, St. Paul PreK3 Teacher
Nothing tears at a parent’s heart more
than a child crying when dropped off
at school. We begin to question
whether we are doing the right thing
for our child. Are we causing them
unnecessary trauma that will scar
them for life? Actually, we are doing
just the opposite. Young children
begin to learn that they are a separate
being from Mommy and Daddy after
being a few months old. Then each
time we leave them with safe and
loving caregivers, they learn that they
will be just fine and may actually have
fun at school! We are building their
“sense of self,” a very important
beginning to positive self-image.
So, what is a parent to do? First,
establish a familiar good-bye routine.
By encouraging your child to help with
unpacking of their backpack, putting
their snack in the right bin and so on,
you are empowering them to be in
charge of this procedure. Then, go
through your “I Love You” motions.
For some, it is the Kissing Hand, or a
special hand shake, or a hug and a kiss
then “one last kiss.” Find something
that is meaningful for your child and
repeat, repeat, repeat.
Secondly, keep it positive and quick!
Like animals, children can sense our
emotions. Be sure to present a happy
face (even if your heart is breaking
inside) and assure your child that they
are going to have fun and enjoy their
friends. Then “rip off the Band-Aid”
and leave. By lingering, you send
mixed messages. “Am I really going to
be ok if Mommy is standing there
making sure I’m ok?” or “I thought we
had our last hug already?”
Finally, our classrooms have familiar
objects to help your child when they
feel homesick. We have pictures of
the families that children can look at
and hold to reassure themselves. By
seeing a book full of our friends’
families, we can see how other
children are facing their fears and
doing well being apart from their
loved ones for a short time too.
In time, the child learns that our loved
ones always come to pick us up and
begin to see school as the fun place of
learning that it is.
SEPTEMBER 2015
St. Paul Lutheran School Newsletter
Page 7
WELCOME BACK to SCHOOL FROM YOUR PTL
The PTL is ramping up for the 2015-16 school year
and making plans for the Fall Festival and Chili Cook
-Off, Frostbite 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run, Annual
Spring Auction, and other great activities. We really
need the support of parent volunteers so each of
these events will be successful. You can join the
PTL Board and Committee Chairs to help plan the
events, and / or you can volunteer to help on the
day of the event.
Mark Your Calendars
Fall Carnival and Chili CookOff: Saturday, October 17th
from 1:00 to 4:00. Free
admission and open to the
public, so bring your
neighbors and friends. The
popular DUNK TANK will be returning this year, and
we’ll also have inflatables, games, food, and don’t
forget the Chili Cook-Off. Registration for the Chili
Cook-Off will begin in September.
Frostbite 5K and 1mile Fun Run: Saturday, January
16th at 9:00AM. This event is open to the public
and registration will begin soon. The Frostbite is
one of the largest fundraisers that the PTL
sponsors. If you know of a local or national
company that would like to be a sponsor of the
race, please send the details to Julie Garner at
jgarner30265@gmail.com
PTL BOARD & COMMITTEE MEETINGS: The PTL
meets the first Friday of every month (except on
holiday breaks) from 8:15AM-9:15AM in the front
office lounge area. The meetings are open to
anyone that would like to attend. Please join us as
we’re always looking for new and fresh ideas on
how we can best support our teachers, staff,
students, and all St. Paul families.
Where do PTL funds come from?
PTL is funded by contributions given by St. Paul
families, Fund Raisers, and Special Events, including
events such as the yearly Auction and Frostbite 5K.
You won’t want to miss either of these events.
Year after year parent volunteers have stepped up
and given as much of their time, talents, and
treasures as possible. Please consider how you can
best support St. Paul.
Over the years the PTL has sponsored events and
activities and funded or co-funded projects such as
upgrading the Computer Labs, Security
Enhancements, New Playground Equipment, AED
Life Saving Devices, and the Video projector,
Screen, and Sound System installed in the cafeteria
this past summer.
In lieu of collecting the PTL dues this year, we’re
asking families to make a donation that will directly
impact your child's classroom, and a list of needed
items will be distributed in the very near future.
The PTL tries to fund as many of these needed
items as possible, however we cannot always cover
all of the costs, so any help you can provide will be
greatly appreciated. The amount the PTL
contributes to St. Paul varies from year to year, and
last year the PTL contributed over $25,000. We’d
like to contribute more this year, and with
everyone’s support, we can make that happen.
Please feel free to contact Gary Conlon if you have
any questions regarding PTL
Mobile: 770-318-5900
E-Mail: PTL-Conlon@comcast.net
Calendars and Lunch
The September lunch menu will be emailed out the first week of September. You can always view the
current’s month menu on the St. Paul school website at http://school.stpaulptc.com/lunch-program/
On Page 8 is the St. Paul school and athletic calendar for September We hope you will come out cheer on the
St. Paul Soccer and Volleyball team this month.
SEPTEMBER 2015
Mon
Tue
St. Paul Lutheran School Newsletter
Wed
2
1
7:25am Running Club 3:30pm Faculty
(meet @ lower level Meeting
entrance)
3:30pm SOCCER
practice
~ September 2015 ~
Thu
Fri
4
3
5
7:25am Running Club Spirit Wear Day-wear
meets (Meet @ lower Spirit Wear Top and
Uniform Bottoms
level entrance)
7:25am Running Club
4:15pm Soccer/
Volleyball GAME @ (meet @ lower level
The Bedford School entrance)
(The Bedford School\, 8:15am PTL Board
5665 Milam Road\,
Mtg-Main Office
Fairburn\, GA 30213) Conference Area
(Main Office)
Page 8
Sat
6
7
Labor Day - School
Closed
8
9
7:25am Running Club 3:30pm Department
(meet @ lower level Head Meeting
entrance)
3:30pm Soccer/
Volleyball PRACTICE
10
7:25am Running Club
(meet @ lower level
entrance)
8:30am Safeguarding
Our Children TrainingPlease bring current
driver's license and
AUTO insurance card
(Music Room)
3:30pm Soccer/
Volleyball PRACTICE
11
12
1st Quarter Progress
Reports
7:25am Running Club
meets (meet @ lower
level entrance)
13
14
7:25am Running Club
(meet @ lower level
entrance)
3:30pm SOCCER
Practice
16
15
7:25am Running Club 3:30pm Department
(meet @ lower level Meeting
entrance)
3:30pm Soccer/
Volleyball practice
18
19
7:25am Running Club
(meet @ lower level
entrance)
20
21
7:25am Running Club
(meet @ lower level
entrance)
3:30pm SOCCER
practice
23
22
7:25am Running Club 3:30pm Committees
(meet @ lower level Meeting
entrance)
4:15pm Soccer/
Volleyball game @
Home vs. OLV (St
Paul Lutheran)
17
7:25am Running Club
(meet @ lower level
entrance)
4:30pm Soccer/
Volleyball GAME @
St. John's (Saint
Johns School\,
Hapeville\, GA 30354)
24
7:25am Running Club
meets (lower level
entrance)
4:15pm Soccer/
Volleyball Game @
Home vs Bedford (St
Paul Lutheran)
29
7:25am Running Club 7:25am Running Club
meets (meet @ lower (meet @ lower level
entrance)
level entrance)
4:30pm Soccer/
Volleyball game @
OLV (Our Lady of
Victory Catholic
School\, 211 Kirkley
Road\, Tyrone,)
30
Notes:
4:30pm Soccer/
Volleyball
Tournament @
Bedford (The Bedford
School\, 5665 Milam
Road\, Fairburn\, GA
30213\)
25
7:25am Running Club
(meet @ lower level
entrance)
7:00pm Middle School
Dance
26
27
9:00am Come Cheer
St Paul "Pauliwogs "
at the Dragon Boat
Races (Lake
McIntosh)
Sun
SEPTEMBER 2015
St. Paul Lutheran School Newsletter
Page 9