Family Focus 9/2/22
09/06/2022
Kris Sauer
2022-23
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"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (Peer Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2022-2023)
September 2, 2022
Dear BA Families:
What a wonderful first week of school! From orientation day, to classroom mixers, introductions, Mass and our first House event, our scholars and staff connected for a great start to the new year. We also understand that transitioning back to school for some of our scholars can be difficult. Please reach out if your scholar needs any extra support during this first month of school! I invite all families to pray for teachers, students and staff as our school year begins.
ACTIVITIES: Many BA activities are also beginning, from athletics to school organizations. I encourage your scholar to join an activity. Sign up information is at school, or will be sent home over the next month including: Knowledge Bowl, Robotics, Close Up Trip to DC/New York, SADD, Peer Ministry, FFA and Theater Club. Getting involved helps connect our scholars to others and develops their interests and gifts. We also look forward to seeing you at upcoming school athletic events or at coop sport competitions - Go Cardinals!
HOME & SCHOOL/VOLUNTEERING: Congratulations to Debbie Kangas for winning the Home & School drawing at the Back-to-School Picnic. All BA Families are a part of Home & School. Your dues help to support student and staff appreciation events throughout the year. Please send your check into the office to pay your dues. In addition, all families are asked to volunteer at BA events. Please sign up to take tickets or work concessions at BA athletic events this fall: click here for volleyball games, here for football games. If you plan to go on field trips and events at school, we also need you to complete your Virtus training at Virtus.org. Thanks for your support!
HOT LUNCH: Hot lunch is optional for students. As the COVID-funded free lunch program has ended, please be sure you have money in your family's lunch account. Contact Julie Trnka for a WordWare keycode to set up your online account. Find the MN Free/Reduced Lunch Program annual form HERE; Fill out this FORM if you have a scholar with special dietary needs.
DRESS CODE: Scholars showcased their BA spirit at Mass this week, thank you! We still have some BA polos for sale in the front office ($10 each) and expect our new shirts, which were back-ordered, to be here before the end of the month for all scholars. Just a reminder, scholars may also wear a plain red, black, or white polo or a white button-down shirt for Mass days. Click HERE for the updated dress code.
PARKING: A reminder that all parking spots in our main lot have been allocated to staff, seniors and juniors. Please use the visitor spots when visiting during the school day.
SERVICE DAY SEPT 9: As we have for the past few years, students will be doing grade-based community service projects during Cardinal hours next Friday, Sept 9. Most of our grades will be doing outdoor yard work. On Wednesday, students will be asked in homeroom if they want a BA bag lunch or will bring their own. Dress code: BA Cardinal t-shirts along with pants and shoes suitable to their project. More details to follow early next week.
NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE
| Mon, Sept 5 | Tues, Sept 6 - RED | Wed, Sept 7 - WHITE | Thurs, Sept 8 - RED | Fri, Sept 9 - WHITE |
| LABOR DAY - NO SCHOOL | NORMAL SCHEDULE | 10:25 MASS Schedule *40 min |
NORMAL SCHEDULE | Service Day! Classes will do service during Cardinal Hours (10:40-1:30) *BA or own bag lunches to take with them. |
UPCOMING EVENTS: Additional events are online.
- Sept 17: Spirit Fest at Divine Mercy Catholic Church; Volunteer HERE
- Sept 21: Middle School New Family Night (6:30pm)
- September 23: Opening Student Art Reception at the Paradise Center for the Arts, 5-7pm. Exhibit runs in the Corey Lyn Creger Memorial Gallery until Nov. 12.
- Oct 7: Homecoming
I hope you can join our mother's prayer group, information below, to begin prayers for your scholar and our teachers this school year. Please share any special prayer requests with this group as they meet weekly.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Arrived: 2021-2022 Yearbooks - Returning scholars who ordered yearbooks will receive them soon in homeroom. Extra yearbooks are available for purchase. Contact Mr. Brent Zabel with questions or to purchase; he will be reaching out to Class of 2022 parents and others to arrange pickup at BA as needed.
Free BA Library Books! We’ve cleaned out the BA library and have boxes of books available for free! Parents and students are invited to stop in from 7:30-8:00am or 3-3:30pm to take what they want from the boxes located next to the vending machines by the east gym entrance.
PowerSchool and Schoology: Following PowerSchool's purchase of Schoology, we transitioned from PowerSchool Classroom Learning to Schoology for a learning management system last school year. The PowerSchool Classroom website is in the process of being decommissioned and will go offline in a couple of months. We are in the process of updating how parent data is stored in PowerSchool. That process will be completed soon. When completed we will be providing you with information about parent accounts for both the PowerSchool web portal and the Schoology website. Mobile apps are also available for PowerSchool and Schoology. PowerSchool will be the primary site to see grades and attendance information. Schoology will be the site to view what is currently happening in the classroom (assignments, lesson plans, notes, instrucitonal videos, etc.)
Game Tickets Now Available Online: BA athletic event tickets are now available for purchase online! Click HERE to order season passes or individual game tickets or download the Hometown Fan app. Cash sales at the door still available.
HS Close Up DC/NY Trip: Any student in grades 9-12 who is interested in Project Close Up, please see Mr Wollin or email him. Close Up is a program that allows students to travel to Washington, DC, and take part in tours and discussions that teach young people about our American governmental system. Our trip this year will also include a weekend in New York sightseeing.The trip will be over spring break 2023.
Moms in Prayer - As we live in a world filled with uncertainty, isn’t it comforting to know that God created you for such a time as this? Now is our time to RISE UP BOLD, rebuild, & reconnect like never before! To stand in the gap for our children & their schools through prayer. Please join us Tuesdays at 8am in the Adoration Chapel. Email Lori Bittenbender with questions.
Gently Used Football Gear Needed: The Bethlehem Academy youth football program for grades 4/5/6 are in need of gently used football equipment. If you have gear sitting around that your kids have outgrown consider donating it to the program! Equipment needed in youth and adult sizes: white football helmets, shoulder pads, black football pants, pads and cleats. Please drop off any donations at Bethlehem Academy or text Angel at 507-210-4691 for pick up.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
FREE 6th Grade Gopher Basketball League
All 6th graders interested in playing basketball are encouraged to sign up for the free Gopher League. Find more information on BA basketball and gopher league options HERE. New Gopher League registration deadline: Sept 30.
Middle School New Family Info Meeting
BA's middle school (MS) teachers are hosting an informational middle school new family meeting on Sept. 28 at 6:30pm. While the target audience is new families, the meeting is open to all and will share how MS partners with MS teachers and families and create a home and school connection. More information to follow.
We are in desperate need of one more middle school volleyball coach. Be different. Take a chance. Say yes. If you or someone you know has an interest, please contact Ed Friesen (efriesen@bacards.org) or Head Volleyball Coach Chris Bothun.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Youth Adoration Hour, 3-4pm Mondays. Register HERE.
Click Here to volunteer for Spirit Fest Sept 17
Family Focus 8/26/22
08/30/2022
Kris Sauer
2022-23, August 2022
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"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (Peer Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2022-2023)
August 26, 2022
Dear BA Families:
It's back-to-school time! Our new staff joined all of your favorite teachers this week for our Workshop Week preparations. Teachers eagerly wait to connect with your scholars on Monday during orientation. Please click HERE for all of our back-to-school information including school shopping supply lists and revised dress code.
WELCOME NEW FAMILIES! We were blessed despite the rain, to meet with so many of you and your scholars! For those that couldn't make it, find the Quick Start Guide HERE (useful start of school info & staff email list) and the 2022-2023 New Family Guide (info on major school events & other "everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask" BA information) at this LINK. Please reach out with questions as this new year begins and you become a part of the BA Family.
STUDENT SCHEDULES: Students may log into PowerSchool to view their schedule. A hard copy will be distributed on Monday during student orientation. PLEASE contact BA Counselor Ms. Shane Roessler if your scholar has any missing hours or extra study halls or if you have any questions at sroessler@bacards.org or 507-334-3948, x217.
DRESS CODE: Our planned complimentary BA polos for each student are on order. In the meantime, there are some BA polos for sale in the front office ($10 each). Scholars may also wear a plain red, black, or white polo or a white button-down shirt for Mass days. Click HERE for the updated dress code.
Aug 26-27: BA spirit wear event at Star Sports (421 2nd Ave NW) next to Ace Hardware. Fifteen percent of all spirit wear sales will go back to BA. They have everything you need!- Aug 29 - Gr 6-12 All Student Orientation 9-11:30 am, all students attend; No lunch; Faribault busing operating on a normal school schedule, call 507-334-5121 for routes and information. The BA van will run, with 2 afternoon routes. Bring school supplies for locker setup. *Seniors - come at 8:30 a.m. to pick your parking spot! **New Students (grade 7-12) stay through 1:30pm** new Grade 7-12 students should plan to stay from 11:30am-1:30pm to get laptop and technology training. Pizza provided. (6th graders will get laptops in their tech class.)
- Aug 30 - First day of school! First bell at 8am, second bell at 8:05, dismissal at 2:55pm. Don't forget to put money in your family's hot lunch account!
- Aug 31: Mass @ IC, 10:25am - be sure to be in new Mass Dress Code attire (Black, red or white polos or white button down shirts and khakis/black pants. *Our planned special BA polos are on order.)
- Sept 5: Labor Day - No School
I hope you can join our mother's prayer group, information below, to begin prayers for your scholar and our teachers this school year. Please share any special prayer requests with this group as they meet weekly.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
New Family Resources:
Moms in Prayer - As we live in a world filled with uncertainty, isn’t it comforting to know that God created you for such a time as this? Now is our time to RISE UP BOLD, rebuild, & reconnect like never before! To stand in the gap for our children & their schools through prayer. Please join us Tuesdays at 8am in the Adoration Chapel. Contact Lori Bittenbender lori@lbpublicrelations.com with questions.
Gently Used Football Gear Needed: The Bethlehem Academy youth football program for grades 4/5/6 are in need of gently used football equipment. If you have gear sitting around that your kids have outgrown consider donating it to the program! Equipment needed in youth and adult sizes: white football helmets, shoulder pads, black football pants, pads and cleats. Please drop off any donations at Bethlehem Academy or text Angel at 507-210-4691 for pick up.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
Middle School New Family Info Meeting
BA's middle school (MS) teachers are hosting an informational middle school new family meeting on Sept. 21 from 6:30-7:00pm. While the target audience is new families, the meeting is open to all and will share how MS partners with MS teachers and families and create a home and school connection. More information to follow.
We are in desperate need of one more middle school volleyball coach. Be different. Take a chance. Say yes. If you or someone you know has an interest, please contact Ed Friesen (efriesen@bacards.org) or Head Volleyball Coach Chris Bothun.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Youth Adoration Hour, 3-4pm Mondays. Register HERE.
Click HERE to be a teen leader or sign up for faith formation classes at DMCC by Sept 2!
Click Here to volunteer for Spirit Fest Sept 17
Family Focus 8/19/22
08/26/2022
Ed Friesen
2022-23, August 2022
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"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (Peer Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2022-2023)
August 19, 2022
Dear BA Families:
It's back-to-school time! BA Staff look forward to welcoming students back next Wednesday, Aug 24, at our picnic from 5-6:30 p.m. Please join us for hotdogs, fellowship and games on the "Back 40" - the lawn area to the south of the school. New families, join us for the picnic and then please stay for a new family orientation beginning at 6:45 p.m. in the BA Cafeteria. It's a great year to be a Cardinal! Please click HERE for all of our back-to-school information including school shopping supply lists and revised dress code.
STUDENT SCHEDULES: All scholars should have received an email with information on how to log into PowerSchool to view their schedule. Hard copies will be distributed at student orientation Aug 29. If you have any questions about your schedule, please contact Shane Roessler, BA Counselor, at sroessler@bacards.org or by 507-334-3948 (ext. 217). PLEASE contact Ms. Roessler if your scholar has any missing hours or extra study halls.
LAPTOPS: An email will be sent soon with sign up information so returning Grade 7-12 students can get their laptops next week. New Grade 7-12 students will get their laptops following the 9-11:30am all student orientation August 29. Grade 6 students will get laptops in their technology class the first week of school.
FALL SPORTS: BA Sports and Coop Teams are back to practicing and preparing for an exciting fall. Please plan to join us for our first home volleyball game on Thursday, August 25 and put our first home football game on your calendars for Sept 2.
- Aug 22: Middle school fall sports being. Click HERE for more information and forms.
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- Aug 24-Back-to-School Picnic (BTS): 5-6:30 pm on the BA Back 40 (south side of BA by greenhouse)
- Aug 24-New Family Orientation: 6:45-7:30 pm, BA cafeteria
- Aug 26-27: BA spirit wear event at Star Sports (421 2nd Ave NW) next to Ace Hardware. A portion of all spirit wear sales goes back to BA - get a certificate at the BTS Picnic or mention the event at purchase.
- Aug 29 - Gr 6-12 All Student Orientation 9-11:30 am, all students attend; no busing or lunch (BA van will run). Bring school supplies for locker setup. *Seniors - come at 8:30 a.m. to pick your parking spot! **New Students (grade 7-12)** new Grade 7-12 students plan to stay from 11:30am-1:30pm to get laptop and technology training. Pizza provided. (6th graders will get laptops in their tech class.)
- Aug 30 - First day of school! First bell at 8am, second bell at 8:05, dismissal at 2:55pm. Don't forget to put money in your scholar's hot lunch account!
- Aug 31: Mass @ IC, 10:35am - be sure to be in new Mass Dress Code attire (polos and khakis/black pants.)
Click HERE for the updated dress code.
KUDOS: To all of our Smart Ride participants and supporters. It was a wonderful ride across Minnesota. Thanks to all who golfed at the BA Golf Classic and supported this special event.Join me in prayers for the new school year! Please reach out with any questions.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Welcome to our High School Theology Teacher!
My name is Mark Nuehring and I am excited to join BA as the new theology teacher. I truly believe God has led me to this opportunity! I have been involved in faith formation in Catholic parishes for years and taught theology at Lourdes High School in Rochester and hold a Master's Degree in Theology from St. Mary's University and a Bachelor's Degree in Theology from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa. My wife and I have 3 children, with our middle child leaving for college this month. We also have two golden doodles who are spoiled rotten. When I am not working, I enjoy cooking, landscaping, and watching the Vikings. I still have pre-season optimism about this season. I look forward to meeting you soon!
International Student Host Family Needed ASAP: KoAm, an educational exchange program that brings students to BA from South Korea, is seeking a host family to bring a returning 9th grade girl back to BA for the first semester. Expenses paid with a monthly stipend and tuition credit offered to the host family. Contact Kris Sauer by email or at 507-334-3948 if interested.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Youth Adoration Hour, 3-4pm Mondays. Register HERE.
Click HERE to be a teen leader or sign up for faith formation classes at DMCC by Sept 2!
Click Here to volunteer for Spirit Fest Sept 17
