Family Focus 3/05/2021
03/26/2021
Ed Friesen
2020-21, March 2021
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Dear BA Families:
Blessed March and Lent! During this week of Lent with students back in school for 5 days, we reflected on prayer, service, and fasting. My challenge to our students was to speak positively as much as possible, leaving swear words out of their vocabulary. Theology students placed large banners of Saints representing all backgrounds around the school. We gathered for the Rosary and Mass this morning and our staff continues to reflect on "A Lenten Journey with Jesus Christ and St. Thomas Aquinas" during this season of Lent.
CELEBRATING VOCATIONS: Join me next week in honoring our sisters as part of National Catholic Sisters Week as well as our Priests. On Tuesday, March 9, we invite you to send a message, share a gift card, or just thank those that serve us at BA through their vocation.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR CONFERENCES! We love connecting with our parents to celebrate the progress and areas for growth of each BA scholar. Thank you for partnering with us along this educational journey.
BABS - DENIM & DIAMONDS, April 10, 2021: We are presently looking for amazing donations and sponsors for our Silent and Live Auction - please fill out the online form here to donate. Event tickets will be limited this year and Silent & Live Auction bidding will be both in person and online! We need your help to add to some of our baskets and auction items, please consider donating:
- Gas outdoor fireplace
- Wine, beer and/or your favorite mixers
- Gift Cards
- Vacation homes/destinations
- Sports or golfing outings
- Experiences...
Schedule for the upcoming three weeks:
- March 8-12: Full in-person (no WIN Wednesday)
- Homework Club: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 3-4 p.m.
- March 9: Celebrate our Sisters and our Priests with thanks!
- March 10: Prom Dress Down Day ($1; $2 for hats or leggings)
- March 11: Student of the Month, 7:30am
- March 12: Final course selection due in PowerSchool
- March 12: HS Mass / MS WIN - LAST DAY OF THE QUARTER
- March 12: Last day of Toiletry Drive; 6th grade spring football sign up and Senior Open Campus forms deadline (see below for more info)
- March 15-19: NO SCHOOL / SPRING BREAK
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- 2021-2022 Enrollment-WIN a $200 Gift Card! Re-enroll and register for classes by April 1 to be eligible for a $200 Amazon Gift Card drawing! Please email Kris Sauer with questions.
- Class Registration: BA is expanding course offerings! Students need to register by MARCH 12 to ensure class options for next year. Some classes have size limits.
- 2021-22 TADS Financial Aid applications still open. We are still accepting applications for tuition assistance. Be sure to take advantage of our needs-based scholarship program and apply via TADS ASAP using this link: financial aid app.
FUNDRAISER UPDATES:
- BA Annual Fund: Our goal is to raise $250,000 by June 30, 2021. As of March 4th we are at $231,478 - 92% of our goal. WE CHALLENGE ALL DONORS TO SHARE THEIR ANNUAL FUND GIFT - WE LOVE BA!
COVID UPDATES: At this time, we have no additional positive cases of school students and/or staff although some sports teams have had exposure. Any exposed school members are quarantined. All interested staff have received the vaccine and Rice County numbers are very low. We will continue to follow safety protocols including spacing, mask wearing, ventilation and cleaning. Plans for BA moving forward:
- Online Learners: You will be able to come to school prior or after school for support as well as WIN time on Friday mornings. We would love to have you come back to in-person learning as this last week of the quarter is critical. Please notify the office (507-334-3948) if you are able to join us in person.
- Spring Break Plans: If you are traveling over spring break, please be aware there is no quarantine requirement at this time for travel within the United States (If traveling internationally, see the CDC guidelines.) If upon return your student or anyone in your family is experiencing symptoms, we would ask that you quarantine. As a precaution, you may choose to distance learn for the first three days following spring break to ensure that you do not have symptoms. Please email me with any travel-related distance learning requests.
- Family vaccine connector: If you or anyone in your family is interested in receiving a vaccine, please sign up at the State of MN's Vaccine Connector, a tool that helps Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Fill out the form to sign up: https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/connector/
Mindy Reeder, President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL-BA UPDATES
Campus Ministry is leading the rosary every Friday during Lent. Please meet in Ms. Shimota's classroom Friday mornings at 7:40am. Rosaries and prayer sheets will be provided. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to attend!
Toiletry Drive for St. Vincent de Paul Until March 12
Student Service Club and Student Council are hosting a toiletry drive for St. Vincent de Paul. Items will collected through Spring Break. Students donating items will be eligible for a dress down day pass drawing. Items needed include: shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.
Spring Break SCRIP Note
Scrip orders will NOT be processed the week of March 15 - March 19 due to Spring Break. Please plan your order for next week accordingly. If you have any questions please contact Peggy Johnson at pjohnson@dmcs.cc
Student Summer Work Sign Up By April 5
Our summer student work program is back! High School students (grades 9-12 in 2021-22) who apply and qualify for financial aid will have first priority; other interested students are encouraged to apply. Please call the BA office @ 334-3948 or email Barb Johnson @ bjohnson@bacards.org with the names of your interested students. Students are guaranteed 2 weeks and will work at both BA and DMCS under the direction of Head Custodian Steve Zabel. Hired students may be asked to work additional weeks. The hourly wage is $8.21 per hour. All student earnings will be credited to their tuition account. Requests for summer work must be submitted by Monday, April 5, 2021.
Face masks and BA Car Clings Available for Sale
We are now selling BA face masks and car clings in the BA Front Office! Click here for more information. Send in payment (cash or check made out to BA) with your order to Tammy in the front office or email Tammy with any questions.
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATES
SENIORS: Open Campus
Open campus for seniors in good standing will begin on Fridays starting Friday, March 26 through Friday, April 30. Daily open campus will begin Monday, May 3rd. Seniors may only leave campus during a scheduled lunch or study hall. Parent permission is required and students must sign in and out in the front office. Seniors were given open campus permission forms in homeroom today. A signed parent permission form must be turned in to the BA Front Office by Friday, March 12 in order for seniors to participate.
JUNIORS: April 17 ACT Sign Up Deadline is March 12
A reminder that the deadline to sign up for the April 17 ACT exam is Friday, March 12. Students can register for the test here. Contact Ms. Rogers with any questions.
Cannon River Driving School
Cannon River Driving School will conduct a driver's education class at BA after spring break. This class meets 10 times for 3 hours to meet the 30 hour requirement for classroom instruction. Classes will meet 3pm to 6pm March 22-26 and March 29-April 1 and 8:30am-11:30am on April 2. See attachments below fo registration form.
SENIORS: College Scholarship Opportunities
There are several national and local scholarships available with deadlines in March, including the Schulze Family Foundation Scholarship, Tri-Lakes Sportsman’s Club Scholarship, Faribo 4 Kids Thomas Laughlin Scholarship, Allina Health Orthopedics Sports Medicine Scholarship, and the Steele-Waseca Electric Coop College Scholarship. Have your students check the Scholarships section of Naviance (find video here; find Naviance information on our web page here) or email Ms. Rogers to find out more.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
Spring Football for Grade 6: Sign up by March 12
Spring football is back and a team is being formed for students in grades 4-6. See attached flyer for more information and email Kevin Dokkestul at kevin.dokkestul@gmail.com by Friday, March 12 if interested.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH (DMCC) & SCHOOL (DMCS) UPDATES
SCRIP Note: Scrip orders will NOT be processed the week of March 15 - March 19 due to Spring Break. Please plan your order for next week accordingly. If you have any questions please contact Peggy Johnson at pjohnson@dmcs.cc
DMCC Youth Ministry Events
High School Prolife Apologetics Night March 10, 7:15-8:30pm
Held in the DMCS Gym, high schoolers are invited to join Emily Albrecht from Equal Rights Institute to learn more about Prolife Apologetics.
High School Spring Break Mission Night, March 17, 6-9pm
Since we aren't able to physically go on a mission trip to Guatemala, we are bringing a little bit a Guatemala right here! Movie night, discussion, prayer and guest speakers. We will also talk about plan for future mission trips. Open to anyone in 8th grade on up. No registration required. Held in the Youth Room of the IC Basement.
More information and programs on the Divine Mercy Catholic Church High School Youth Ministry page at https://www.divinemercy.cc/high-school
ATTACHMENTS
Cannon River Drivers Ed Classroom Course
Spring Football League for Grades 4-6
Family Focus 2/26/21
03/26/2021
Ed Friesen
2020-21, February 2021
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Dear BA Families:
Happy FFA Week! FFA Members celebrated with donuts for staff, guessing games with prizes and special daily announcements. It's exciting to see this program develop. Congratulations to all club members. We look forward to "Baby Animal Day" in May!
CONCERT TONIGHT! With all safety protocols in place including "instrument masks" BA will gather tonight to hear our young musicians led by our music directors, Scot Gardner and Cassie Kratt. Please join us online to hear our talented musicians - click here for the link to our YouTube channel.
COVID UPDATES: At this time, we have two new positive cases of school students and/or staff. These people, and any exposed school members, are currently quarantined. Most return on Monday. All interested staff have received the vaccine and Rice County numbers are very low. We will continue to follow safety protocols including spacing, mask wearing, ventilation and cleaning. Plans for BA moving forward:
- March 1: BA returns to a full 5 day week
- Students: Please bring cold lunches through Thursday, March 4. Hot lunch resumes Friday, March 5.
- Online Learners: You will be able to come to school prior or after school for support as well as WIN time on Friday mornings. We would love to have you come back to in-person learning for these last two critical weeks of the quarter. Please notify the office if you are able to join us in person.
- Spring Break Plans: If you are traveling over spring break, please be aware there is no quarantine requirement at this time for travel within the United States (If traveling internationally, see the CDC guidelines.) If upon return your student or anyone in your family is experiencing symptoms, we would ask that you quarantine. As a precaution, you may choose to distance learn for the first three days following spring break to ensure that you do not have symptoms. Please email me with any travel-related distance learning requests.
- Family vaccine connector: If you or anyone in your family is interested in receiving a vaccine, please sign up at the State of MN's Vaccine Connector, a tool that helps Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Fill out the form to sign up: https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/connector/
BABS - DENIM & DIAMONDS, April 10, 2021: We are presently looking for amazing donations and sponsors for our Silent and Live Auction - please fill out the online form here to donate. Event tickets will be limited this year and Silent & Live Auction bidding will be both in person and online! We need your help to add to some of our baskets and auction items, please consider donating:
- Gas outdoor fireplace
- Wine, beer and/or your favorite mixers
- Gift Cards
- Vacation homes/destinations
- Sports or golfing outings
- Experiences...
Schedule for the upcoming three weeks:
- Feb 28, 11am-2pm: BA Open House
- March 1-5: Return to full in-person (no WIN Wednesday)
- March 3: HS Class Registration forms due. See attached for more information.
- March 4: Parent/Teacher Conferences. Sign up here. Sign up will close March 3 at 8 p.m. Zoom links will be provided. Mr. Madden's conferences will be held March 9 from 4:30-8:00pm. Sign up to meet with Mr. Madden here.
- March 4: PSEO/AP/CIS Info Night, 6:30pm
- March 5: MS Mass/HS WIN
- March 8-12: Full in-person (no WIN Wednesday)
- March 11: Student of the Month, 7:30am
- March 11: Final course selection due in PowerSchool
- March 12: HS Mass / MS WIN - LAST DAY OF THE QUARTER
- March 15-19: NO SCHOOL / SPRING BREAK
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- 2021-2022 Enrollment-WIN a $200 Gift Card! Re-enroll and register for classes by March 15 to be eligible for a $200 Amazon Gift Card drawing! Please email Kris Sauer with questions.
- Class Registration: BA is expanding course offerings. Students need to register before SPRING BREAK to ensure class options for next year. Some classes have size limits.
- 2021-22 TADS Financial Aid applications still open. Although the deadline to apply for Archdiocesan scholarships has passed, we are still accepting applications for tuition assistance. Be sure to take advantage of our needs-based scholarship program and apply via TADS using this link: financial aid app.
FUNDRAISER UPDATES:
- BA Annual Fund: Our goal is to raise $250,000 by June 30, 2021. As of February 18 we are at $228,993 - 92% of our goal. WE CHALLENGE ALL DONORS TO SHARE THEIR ANNUAL FUND GIFT BY FEB. 28 - WE LOVE BA! We need only an additional $23,857 to reach our goal.
Mindy Reeder, President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL-BA UPDATES
Limited Attendance Open House Feb 28, 11am-2pm
Does your student have a friend interested in BA? Invite them to join us for an Open House Sunday, February 28! Pre-registration required as attendance is limited. Invite families to sign up here to find out what a difference a Cardinal education can make!
Friday Morning Student-led Rosary
Campus Ministry is leading the rosary every Friday during Lent. Please meet in Ms. Shimota's classroom Friday mornings at 7:40am. Rosaries and prayer sheets will be provided. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to attend!
Toiletry Drive for St. Vincent de Paul
Student Service Club and Student Council are hosting a toiletry drive for St. Vincent de Paul. Items will collected through Spring Break. Students donating items will be eligible for a dress down day pass drawing. Items needed include: shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.
Parent/Teacher Conferences March 4
Middle School & High School Conferences will be held virtually on Thursday, March 4, from 4:00-8:00 pm via Zoom. Conferences will be 5 minutes long. Please sign up for a time to meet with your child's teacher and discuss their progress. The following teachers will have conferences from 4:00-6:00pm: Mr. Gary Busse, Mr. Ed Friesen, Mrs. Kris Kohl & Mr. Dave Wollin. The Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Tori Rogers will be available from 4:30-6:30pm. Sign up to discuss your student's progress with teachers at this link. Individual teacher Zoom links will be emailed to parents in time for conferences. NOTE: Mr. Madden's conferences will be held March 9 from 4:30-8:00pm. Sign up to meet with Mr. Madden here.
Face masks and BA Car Clings Available for Sale
We are now selling BA face masks and car clings in the BA Front Office! Click here for more information. Send in payment (cash or check made out to BA) with your order to Tammy in the front office or email Tammy with any questions.
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATES
Cannon River Driving School
Cannon River Driving School will conduct a driver's education class at BA after spring break. This class meets 10 times for 3 hours to meet the 30 hour requirement for classroom instruction. Classes will meet 3pm to 6pm March 22-26 and March 29-April 1 and 8:30am-11:30am on April 2. See attachments below fo registration form.
PSEO/CIS/AP Virtual Info Session March 4, 6:30pm
Guidance Counselor Tori Rogers is hosting a virtual PSEO, CIS, and AP information session for parents of current 10th and 11th grade students from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. This event is intended to address questions about PSEO, CIS, and AP courses, and next steps as your students enter their final two years of high school. General information on each of these programs can be found here on the Counselor's Corner page on the BA website. See attached flyer for info. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Rogers.
SENIORS: Open Campus
Open campus for seniors in good standing will begin following spring break with Fridays only. Full open campus will begin in May. Seniors may only leave campus during a scheduled lunch or study hall. Parent permission is required and students must sign in and out in the front office. Students will be given open campus permission forms in homeroom Friday, March 5.
College Scholarship Opportunities
There are several national and local scholarships available with deadlines in March, including the Schulze Family Foundation Scholarship, Tri-Lakes Sportsman’s Club Scholarship, Faribo 4 Kids Thomas Laughlin Scholarship, Allina Health Orthopedics Sports Medicine Scholarship, and the Steele-Waseca Electric Coop College Scholarship. Have your students check the Scholarships section of Naviance (find video here; find Naviance information on our web page here) or email Ms. Rogers to find out more.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH (DMCC) & SCHOOL (DMCS) UPDATES
DMCS Annual Catholic United Financial Raffle to Feb 28
Divine Mercy Catholic School students are selling $5 raffle tickets through Feb 28. Order tickets on their website or contact the school at 507-334-7706 if interested. Thank you for your support of our Catholic schools!
DMCC Youth Ministry Events
Acquire the Fire! Saturday, Feb 27, 3:30-8:30pm
Join us for 4pm Mass with the parish followed by dinner, keynote speaker Joe Roueche, praise and worship, and Adoration. All high school and young adults welcome. Register to attend here.
Taizé Lenten Prayer Service March 3, 6-7 pm, DMCC
Taizé Prayer is a quiet, simple way of prayer designed for people of all Christian traditions. This meditative candlelit service will include simple chants sung repeatedly, rich silence and prayers of praise and intercession. It's the perfect way to uplift your concerns and calm your soul during the Lent season.
High School Prolife Apologetics Night March 10, 7:15-8:30pm
Held in the DMCS Gym, high schoolers are invited to join Emily Albrecht from Equal Rights Institute to learn more about Prolife Apologetics.
High School Spring Break Mission Night, March 17, 6-9pm
Since we aren't able to physically go on a mission trip to Guatemala, we are bringing a little bit a Guatemala right here! Movie night, discussion, prayer and guest speakers. We will also talk about plan for future mission trips. Open to anyone in 8th grade on up. No registration required. Held in the Youth Room of the IC Basement.
More information and programs on the Divine Mercy Catholic Church High School Youth Ministry page at https://www.divinemercy.cc/high-school
ATTACHMENTS
Class Registration 2021-2022 Information
Cannon River Drivers Ed Classroom Course
Family Focus 2/19/21
03/26/2021
Ed Friesen
2020-21, February 2021
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Dear BA Families:
Our Season of Lent began with a beautiful Ash Wednesday Mass here at BA. Throughout the Lenten Journey, we will be giving students and staff opportunities for prayer, fasting and giving, through service or gifts of support. To kick this off we began today with an out-of-dress-code Friday to help raise funds for personal care items for St. Vincent de Paul. Our Peer Ministry will host the Rosary every Thursday morning beginning at 7:45 a.m. In addition, we will be spending more time in Adoration and prayer and taking time for Stations of the Cross. Our staff will be in a Lenten Book Study and Reconciliation will be hosted after Spring Break for all students.
COVID UPDATES: At this time, we anticipate returning to school for full, five day weeks beginning March 1. Most of our staff have received the vaccine and numbers in our school and in Rice County have dropped. We will continue to follow safety protocols including spacing, mask wearing, ventilation and cleaning. We have not had any additional COVID cases or any need to quarantine students in the last few weeks and will continue to keep you informed.
BABS - DENIM & DIAMONDS, April 10, 2021: SAVE THE DATE! We are presently looking for amazing donations to our Silent and Live Auction - please fill out the online form here to donate. Event tickets will be limited this year and Silent & Live Auction bidding will be both in person and online! THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS & STAFF - WE NEED EVERYONE TO MAKE THIS A HUGE SUCCESS!
CAR SAFETY: We have experience car theft and potential break-ins of cars parked along the street. Please have students be extra careful and be sure to lock up. As part of our BABS Fund-A-Need we will be seeking to add additional outdoor cameras to our campus.
Schedule for the upcoming three weeks:
- Feb 20: FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION DUE BY MIDNIGHT
- Feb 21: Pancake Breakfast / postponed to 2022
- Feb 22: High school class registration begins
- Feb 24: WIN DAY - No regular classes. Students should come in for support or time to work on projects.
- Easter flower order deadline
- ACT Science Test Prep Class, 8am-12pm (Gr 11)
- BA Day @ Taco Johns, 4-8pm
- Feb. 22-26: FFA Week
- Feb. 26: Winter concert. Limited attendance, parents only. Choir & Band teachers shared details.
- Feb 28, 11am-2pm: BA Open House
- March 1-5: Return to full in-person (no WIN Wednesday)
- March 4: Parent/Teacher Conferences. Sign up here.
- March 8-12: Full in-person (no WIN Wednesday)
- March 11: Student of the Month, 7:30am
- March 15-19: NO SCHOOL / SPRING BREAK
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- 2021-2022 Enrollment: Enrollment is open! You should have received an email from FACTS with instructions on how to set up your account and re-enroll your students for next year. FYI that we have found the reset password email sometimes takes longer to arrive than one would expect. Be patient and/or check your junk folder when first setting up your account. If you have questions about registration, please email Kris Sauer.
- Class Registration: BA is expanding course offerings for 2021-2022, with 12 new classes and two trips offered. These include:
- ACT Prep integration into subjects in 11th grade
- Coding Class, Intro to Engineering
- Intro to Photography
- Creative Writing
- Additional Ag and Shop classes, including Small Gas Engines
- Theology courses and a trip to the Holy Land
- Guatemala mission trip
- High School Student Support Center
- 2021-22 TADS Financial Aid Applications Due Feb 20! Be sure to take advantage of our needs-based scholarship program and apply via TADS using this link: financial aid app. The initial application deadline is February 20, 2021, at midnight. ***Note: if you have trouble uploading documents, please fill out the application by midnight Saturday. We can help you upload documents next week.***
FUNDRAISER UPDATES:
- BA Annual Fund: Our goal is to raise $250,000 by June 30, 2021. As of February 18 we are at $226,143 - 90% of our goal. WE CHALLENGE ALL DONORS TO SHARE THEIR ANNUAL FUND GIFT BY FEB. 28 - WE LOVE BA! We need only an additional $23,857 to reach our goal.
- DO YOU WANT FLOWERS? Orders are due to the BA front office Feb 24. An order form can be found online here. The BA Activities Association, the school's booster club, uses the proceeds to support extracurricular activities at BA. This is their only source of revenue for this school year due to covid restrictions.
Mindy Reeder, President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL-BA UPDATES
Spring Trap Shooting Registration Due Feb 23
If your student is interested in participating in Spring Trap, please email Coach Rost at todd@adventurespecialties.com by Tuesday, February 23. A meeting will be set up for those interested in the near future.
BA Day @ Taco Johns 4-8pm Feb 24
Taco John's is hosting a BA Day on Wednesday, Feb 24, from 4-8pm. 25% of all orders placed at this time will go back to BA to support our athletics and co-curricular programs. Take a break from dinner and support BA!
Art Exhibit at Paradise Center for the Arts: Seventeen BA Art Students will be featured in the Spring Show running from February 19-April 3, 2021. Please visit the Paradise Center for the Arts to see our students amazing art work! Thanks to Mr. Hillesheim for helping students showcase their talents.
Limited Attendance Open House Feb 28, 11am-2pm
Does your student have a friend interested in BA? Invite them to join us for an Open House Sunday, February 28! Pre-registration required as attendance is limited. Invite families to sign up here to find out what a difference a Cardinal education can make!
Parent/Teacher Conferences March 4
Middle School & High School Conferences will be held virtually on Thursday, March 4, from 4:00-8:00 pm via Zoom. Conferences will be 5 minutes long. Please sign up for a time to meet with your child's teacher and discuss their progress. The following teachers will have conferences from 4:00-6:00pm: Mr. Gary Busse, Mr. Ed Friesen, Mrs. Kris Kohl & Mr. Dave Wollin. The Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Tori Rogers will be available from 4:30-6:30pm. Sign up to discuss your student's progress with teachers at this link. Individual teacher Zoom links will be emailed to parents in time for conferences.
Parent Volunteers Needed for the BA Activities Association
The BA Activities Association is looking for parents to join our committee! The BAAA works together to raise funds in support of our extra-curricular programs. Support from this group includes: new varsity athletics uniforms on a rotating basis; Wolf Ridge busing; After Prom donation; and 2 Scholarships annually for rising seniors. Funds raised by this committee have also supported: a batting cage & pitching machine, choir sound shells, band instruments, re-finishing the gym floor & installing a new sound system in the gym, and football goalposts at Teepee Tonka. The group also provides donations to teams/clubs/ organizations that work concessions during the year. If you would like to be a part of the committee, please contact Clarice DeGrood at 507-838-8073 or by email at: degrood@kmwb.net. Thank you!
BABS April 10: Save the Date!! / Parent Volunteers Needed
Bethlehem Academy Backers and Supporters (BABS) is BA’s largest annual fundraiser and a fun adult social event where we celebrate BA and raise funds for our beloved school. BABS 2021 will be held the evening of April 10. This “Denim and Diamonds” themed event will feature casino games, a silent & live auction (virtual and onsite) as well as food and drink. All parents, alumni, and friends over 21 years of age are invited! Attendance will be limited. Volunteers as well as live or silent auction items are needed. Contact Mrs. Reeder if you can help this great event.
Facemasks and BA Car Clings Available for Sale
We are now selling BA facemasks and car clings in the BA Front Office! Click here for more information. Send in payment (cash or check made out to BA) with your order to Tammy in the front office or email Tammy with any questions.
Wanted: Spring Sports Coaches
We have the following spring sports coaching positions open: Head Baseball, Assistant Baseball, Middle School Baseball, Head Track & Field, Assistant Track & Field (# of assistants to be determined). If you or someone you know is interested please contact Athletic Director Ed Friesen at efriesen@bacards.org. March 29 is the planned start date for spring sports.
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATES
Juniors Register TODAY (Feb 19) for FREE ACT Science Prep Class
Mrs. Cathy Guth is offering a FREE ACT science seminar Wed, Feb 24, from 8am-12pm. The session will be held at BA (it's a non-class WIN day). The ACT prep book will be provided. Mrs. Guth will focus on science concepts and skills and test taking and pacing strategies for the ACT test. Students will also take a practice science test. Interested juniors should email Mrs. Rogers by Feb 19 at 3pm if they wish to attend this FREE course.
Current 10th & 11th Grade Students: PSEO for Fall 2021
Students interested in taking PSEO courses at South Central or other colleges and universities must discuss this option with the counselor ASAP as many schools have deadlines as early as the beginning of April. FAQs about PSEO can be found here on the Counselor's Corner page on the BA website. If you have any questions concerning PSEO, please email Ms. Rogers.
SENIORS:
Please update all of your application decisions and information on Naviance as you hear results so that we know your options, plans, and how Ms. Rogers can help assist you with next steps!
College Scholarship Opportunities
There are several national and local scholarships available with deadlines in March, including the Schulze Family Foundation Scholarship, Tri-Lakes Sportsman’s Club Scholarship, Faribo 4 Kids Thomas Laughlin Scholarship, Allina Health Orthopedics Sports Medicine Scholarship, and the Steele-Waseca Electric Coop College Scholarship. Have your students check the Scholarships section of Naviance (find video here; find Naviance information on our web page here) or email Ms. Rogers to find out more.
Cannon River Driving School
Cannon River Driving School will conduct a driver's education class at BA after spring break. This class meets 10 times for 3 hours to meet the 30 hour requirement for classroom instruction. Classes will meet 3pm to 6pm March 22-26 and March 29-April 1 and 8:30am-11:30am on April 2. See attachments below fo registration form.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
AIM Higher K-8 Scholarship
The Aim Higher Scholarship is a $1,000, student-based scholarship awarded to K-8 students from families with demonstrated need. This year's application deadline is February 20, 2021. Application is via the online TADS financial aid form found here. Click here to find more information via the English flyer and the Spanish flyer.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH (DMCC) & SCHOOL (DMCS) UPDATES
DMCS Annual Catholic United Financial Raffle to Feb 28
Divine Mercy Catholic School students are selling $5 raffle tickets through Feb 28. Order tickets on their website or contact the school at 507-334-7706 if interested. Thank you for your support of our Catholic schools!
WOMEN'S LENTEN SMALL GROUP OPPORTUNITY
Set a Fire is our “Blessed is She” reflection book for your Lenten journey this year. We believe every woman can fully live her life when she’s guided by the Holy Spirit. Divine Mercy Catholic Church is offering several in-person and online small group options. It is free to participate in the small groups; purchasing the book is strongly encouraged. There is an option on the form to purchase a book through us to save on shipping. Small groups start the week after Ash Wednesday (Feb 17). See the registration form for information on times and locations. Visit www.divinemercy.cc/setafire for more information.
Middle School Edge/High School Youth Group
Middle School EDGE & High School Youth Group is open to all BA families. This is another great opportunity for your students to gather with others that want to grow in their faith and to enhance what they are learning in the classroom. Registration is required for both. Visit www.divinemercy.cc/faith-formation for more information.
ATTACHMENTS
Cannon River Drivers Ed Classroom Course