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14611 S. Keeler Ave.
Midlothian, IL 60445 (directions) Phone: 708.385.8776 Fax: 708.385.8102 Email: info@stchrisschool.org Rev. Mark Walter, Pastor Mr. Mike Johnson, Principal 
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News and Events
2011-12 School Year February 2012 Preschool and their 6th grade buddies have game day Posted: Feb 6, 2012 During Catholic schools week, the preschoolers met with their 6th grade buddies for a game day. The 6th graders helped teach the preschoolers how to play board games and then played them with their buddies. Our school has a "buddy" program where our junior high students work with our preschool, kindergarten and first grade students. The younger students benefit from the extra help provided by the junior high students, while the junior high students learn the true meaning of Christian service and helping others.(view photos) Kindergarten celebrates the 100th day of school Posted: Feb 4, 2012 Since the beginning of school, our kindergarten students have been counting how many days they have been at school. Each day they have been putting up a new segment on their "counting caterpillar" which hangs on their wall. The class finally reached 100 days of school, which they celebrated with a counting party. Each student brought in 100 of a given item. Student brought in 100 coins, 100 cheerios, 100 raisins and 100 pieces of candy. The students then practiced counting their items and grouping them into piles of 10.(view photos) School presented with flag by soldiers returning from Afghanistan Posted: Feb 2, 2012 St. Christopher School has been supporting our troops by sending letters and care packages to soldiers in the 822nd MP Company (based out of Arlington Heights), which was deployed to Afghanistan in January 2011. The students collected clothing items, toiletries, and the soldiers' favorite food items, including peanut butter, granola bars, and barbecue sauce, and mailed these in packages to the soldiers in Afghanistan. The unit returned home at the end of 2011. On January 31, Specialist Dan Noonan and Specialist Liz Fleury from the 822nd Company visited St. Christopher School to meet with the students and to thank them for their support. The soldiers visited the classrooms and shared their experiences in Afghanistan with the students. As an expression of their gratitude and on behalf of the entire company, Specialists Noonan and Fleury presented the school with a flag that was flown over their army base while they were on deployment and with a plaque thanking the school for their support.(view photos)
Grandparents Day Festivities Posted: Feb 1, 2012 As part of Catholic Schools Week festivities, our school recently celebrated Grandparents/Special Person Day, with nearly 250 grandparents and special guests attend this event. Grandparents Day began with our weekly all-school Mass, where grandparents were invitied to sit with their grandchildren and celebrate Mass together. After Mass, our 8th grade students gave out the Blessing of the Throats for St. Blaise Day. After Mass, everyone was invited to attend a reception in the gym for coffee and light refreshment, courtesy of our Mothers' Club, and to visit the classrooms of their grandchildren. (view photos of Mass) (view photos of reception) January 2012 6th grade studies fossils Posted: Jan 31, 2012 Our sixth grade class has been studying fossils in the science lab, under the guidance of Ms. Barry, our junior high science teacher. In the lab, our sixth grade geologists studies a variety rock samples for fossil evidence. Students then presented their findings to the class.(view photos) Tolerance Week at our school Posted: Jan 27, 2012 Recently our school celebrated Tolerance Week. The purpose of Tolerance Week is to help students to learn how to be more accepting of all of God's children, and to tolerate and accept the differences between us. The 7th and 8th students watched Dr. Seuss' "Sneeches" video. After the video, the classes broke into small groups to discuss what they saw in the video, as well as how the message of this film can be seen in their daily lives. This activity was part of St. Christopher's Tolerance Week which was designed by the community of St. Christopher School to help the students of the school become more aware of some of the inequities that occur within our society. Students also make posters highlighting some of the themes of Tolerance Week. (view photos of small group discussions (view photos of Tolerance Week poster making) Junior Cougar sports program up and running Posted: Jan 21, 2012 St. Christopher School's new "Junior Cougars" sports program is off to a very successful start. The Junior Cougars program is an introductory sports program available to all students in grades Pre-K through 3rd grade at our school or in Religious Education. The program is designed to expose students to all of our sports programs through four 5-week “minicamps” during the school year, starting with Basketball, Volleyball, and Cheerleading . The program takes place in the gym on most Saturdays from 4 to 5:15 PM. The students and their families are then invited to end each session with 5:30 Mass, which students attend as a group. We have been averaging over 30 students per Junior Cougar session. Thanks to our Athletic Association and to our parent volunteers for making this activity available to our primary grade students! (view photos) 8th grade studies physics with balloon race cars Posted: Jan 17, 2012 Ms. Barry's 8th grade science class at St. Christopher School, as a culminating project focusing on Newton's Laws of Motion, designed and raced "Balloon Race Cars." Each team had to design a car which was to be powered by no more than 2balloons and was to travel a distance of 4 meters. Mrs. Nowak's 4th grade class came to watch the races and served as the impartial judges to determine the best design. The 8th graders did a fantastic job constructing these cars and explaining Newton and his laws to the 4th graders.(view photos) St. Xavier Univ. provides speech and language assessment for our students Posted: Jan 9, 2012 Last month, several professors and graduate students from the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at St. Xavier University came to our school to provide free speech and language screenings for students in preschool, kindergarten and first grade. The professors and graduate students evaluated our primary grade students to help identify which students could benefit from further speech-language
evalutions or treatment. We are grateful to St. Xavier University for making this service available to our primary grade students free of charge. December 2011 4th grade visits the Notebart Museum Posted: Dec 19, 2011 Recently our fourth grade students visited the Notebart Nature Museum in Chicago. At the museum, the students experienced nature and science up-close and hands-on through creative art projects, storytelling and animal feedings. The students also enjoyed their visit to the butterfly haven. Thanks to Mrs. Nowak and for our parent chaparones for making this education trip possible. (view photos) Family Movie Night Posted: Dec 17, 2011 Mothers' Club sponsored a Family Movie Night on Friday, December 16. Over 100 students and their families watched "The Polar Express" movie on the big screen in the gym. Students wore pajamas and relaxed on the floor on their favorite blankets. Mothers' Club served popcorn and hot chocolate and gave each child a sleigh bell. The evening featured a special visit from Santa Claus! (view photos) Book Fair Update Posted: Dec 16, 2011 In conjunction with our Catholic Schools Week celebration, We are hosting a Scholastic Book Fair during our Open House on Sunday, January 29th following the 9:30 a.m. Mass. The Fair also will be open during the school day on Monday, January 30th, with each class scheduled to attend, and again on Tuesday, January 31st, until noon. This fund raiser will help provide books, materials, and Accelerated Reader quizzes for our school library. More information about the Book Fair will be sent home during the second week in January. If you are interested in helping at the fair, please contact Mrs. Monahan at 708-385-8776 or pmonahan@stchrisschool.org. Students make Christmas tree decorations in art classes Posted: Dec 16, 2011 Students in our school have been busy creating beautiful ornaments and decorations for our school Christmas tree. Students in grades one through four have been busy working on their decorations with Mrs. Dudek in their art classes, while students in grades five through eight have been working with Mrs. Cerrito. The students' creations can be seen on the school Christmas tree in the vestibule by the main entrance of the school. Thanks to all of our students and to Mrs. Dudek and Cerrito for such a beautiful school Christmas tree!(view photos) 8th grade probes states of matter in the lab Posted: Dec 12, 2011 Our 8th grade class has been taking a close look at the states of matter. Students explored the changes in states of matter as they made a substance known as "Oobleck." Oobleck behaves as a non-Newtownian fluid, and this wacky substance tested their skills of determining if it was a solid, liquid, or gas. (view photo) Extended Day drop-in rates Posted: Dec 9, 2011 The St. Chris Extended Day Program provides a loving and caring environment for your child, while providing supervision, recreation, and various activities, and time to do homework. Our weekly hours are 6:30am-7:50am and 3:00pm - 4:30pm. We are offering the option to "drop in" for $5.00 an hour if you need to do some shopping or in the case of an emergency. (No registration is necessary for "drop ins.) If you are interested in registering for our Extended Day Program, information is available through the school office or in Extended Day.(view pictures from extended day) 8th grade class learns about density of matter Posted: Dec 5, 2011 Our 8th graders have been studying density of matter in the science lab. Our students recently examined the differences in the densities of objects during a laboratory exploration. Students were given a number of items and were asked to predict and experiment to determine their densities in comparison to water.(view photo) November 2011 Kindergarten visits a farm Posted: Nov 28, 2011 The kindergartners in Mrs. Craven's class recently completed an extensive social studies unit on Farms. The students learned about how farm plants are grown, what happens to the products after they leave the farm, what type of machinery is found on a farm, and the difference between living and non-living things on a farm. They also learned all about the animals on a farm, where they live, what they eat, the sounds they make, and the letter the animals name begins with. A highlight of the unit was their field trip to the Palos Children's Farm where they were able to see firsthand the animal's homes and were able to hold and pet many of the farm animals. Each student contributed a page to the classroom "Farm Animals" book and they shared their "product" with the preschool class. The kindergarten authors each read their page about their favorite farm animal and what it eats to their preschool friends.
Shown here is a picture of the kindergarten class at the Children's Farm and also their visit to preschool to share their book. (view photos) Kindergarten Thanksgiving feast Posted: Nov 28, 2011 Kindergarten recently had a celebration for Thanksgiving. The children were dressed as pilgrims and the class enjoyed corn bread, cranberries, corn, sweet potatoes, popcorn, pumpkin pie, cookies, and juice. The Thanksgiving feast was extra special, because it was held on Mrs. Craven's birthday! (view photo) Mothers Club Holiday Craft Show Posted: Nov 21, 2011 The annual Mothers' Club Holiday Craft Show was held on Saturday November 20 and Sunday November 21. The gym and Franciscan Room was packed with over 70 crafters and vendors. Our Mothers' Club prepared a large range of delicious food entries in the cafeteria, including their perennial specialties of fresh baked bread, chili, and soup in a bread-bowl. Congratulations to our raffle winners and thanks to Mothers' Club for making this event possible! October 2011 Alumni visits with 8th grade class Posted: Oct 31, 2011 One of our alumni, Joe Johnson ('08) returned to visit our school. Joe is a senior at Portage H.S, in Portage, Indiana and is in Jr ROTC at the school. He will graduate in June, then report to a US Marine Boot Camp on June 11th. Joe is planning to receive training that will allow him to work on various aircrafts in the Marine Corp. Joe has a brother in our school, Kevin,who in 6th grade. Joe talked to our 8th grade students about the great education he received here at St Christopher School and how it allowed him to excel in advanced classes in high school. He stressed the importance of listening to their teachers, being respectful, and having good time-management skills. Joe also emphasized the importance of having a plan for your life, both in the near-term and in the long-term (5-10 years). Our eight grade class was very impressed by Joe's visit, especially since he is only four years removed from where they are today. Thanks Joe for returning to our school and sharing your experiences with us!(view photos) School halloween parties Posted: Oct 31, 2011 The school halloween parties for grades kindergarten through eighth grade were held on Monday, October 31. The students dressed in their costumes and enjoyed the Halloween treats. After their class parties, all students went to the gym for the halloween costume contests. Thanks to all of our room mothers for making the afternoon so special! (view photos) 8th graders attend Chemistry Career Conference Posted: Oct 28, 2011 The St. Christopher School 8th grade class was invited to participate in the 37th Annual Chemistry Career Conference held at the Museum of Science & Industry. During the Conference, our 8th graders participated in a chemistry "Jeopardy" game, interviewed men and women currently in chemistry careers and experienced a "weird science" demonstration. Our students had a blast learning about different kinds of chemical reactions, chemistry and other science-related jobs and how chemistry impacts their daily lives!(view photos) Student council officers and representative elected Posted: Oct 18, 2011 Our school recently had our student council elections. The following students were elected as officers: Additionally, students were elected as home room representative. The job of a home room representative is to insure that issues and concerns from each home room are communicated to teachers and to the student council officers. The home room representatives are as follows: Congratulations to all of our student council members! Seventh grade class models the cells in science lab Posted: Oct 18, 2011 Our seventh grade class is continuing to study cellular life in science class. As part of their recent study of the cell, seventh grade students created a model of the cell containing all of the important organelles, including the nucleus, cell wall, mitochondria and vacuoles. Students used found materials from their homes (beads, candy, pipe cleaners, etc) to represent each of the organelles in their model.(view photo) Seminarian Andama to work with students in religion class Posted: Oct 16, 2011 St. Christopher Parish and School is blessed with the presence of Seminarian Geoffrey Andama. He is currently in his final year at the seminary before ordination and he will be ministering at St. Christopher for the 2011-12 school year. Seminiarian Andama is working all grades of our school (kindergarten through eighth) in their religion classes. He is working with the students to complete a special age-appropriate religion-themed project with each class in the school, in an effort to positively impact the religious formation of our students. We thank Seminarian Andama for his ministry to our student body! Seven grade examines microscopic life in the science lab. Posted: Oct 7, 2011 Our seventh graders have been studying microscopic life in the science lab, under the direction of Ms. Barry. Recently the class created their own wet mount microscope slides for a variety of cellular entities, including newspapers and onions. The students were trained on how to use a microscope. Each student then examined their wet-mount slide under a microscopes.(view photo)
Junior high students win 1st prize in Academic Bowl Posted: Oct 5, 2011 On Saturday, October 1st, ten of our 7th and 8th graders participated in an Academic Bowl at Providence Catholic High School. Our students competed against 16 other schools in the areas of Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Geography, and Math. Two of our 8th graders received awards. Philip Powers received 1st place in Geography and Erin Ludwig received first place in Language Arts. Congratulations to 7th graders Mariana Vazquez, Nicko Banda, Angel Aguilera, Patrick Maloney, Elias Snyder and 8th graders Philip Powers, Katie Tieri, Stephanie Kohn, Bridget McDermott, and Erin Ludwig for all your hard work!(view photos) 1st Annual St. Chris 5K Walk-Run Posted: Oct 2, 2011 The 1st Annual St. Chris 5K Walk/Run was held on Saturday, October 1 at 8:30am. Over 300 walkers and runners packed the St. Chris grounds for the event. After a prayer let by Fr. Mark, Mayor Stephens fired the starter's gun and the race began. Our 1st place male winner was Pablo Herrejen of Midlothian, who won in a blazing time of 16:18. Our 1st place female winner was Rachel Dulay of Arlington Heights who won in a time of 19:37. Thanks to our volunteers, sponsors, and school staff and teachers who worked so hard to make this event possible! (view photos) September 2011 School incorporates new technology into classrooms Posted: Sep 25, 2011 Our school is continually looking to increase the use of new technology into all of our classrooms in an effort to augment and improve the educational experiences of our students. This past summer, we add two new "smart boards" to our school, bringing the total to five. This state-of-the-art technology enables students to learn using interactive content and helps teachers to create high-impact teaching lessons for the students. We are continually acquiring a variety of educational software expressly designed for use with Smart Boards. (view photo) 6th graders create topographical maps Posted: Sep 24, 2011 The sixth grade class has been studying topographical maps in science under the guidance of Ms. Barry. As part of these studies, the sixth graders recently models and created topographic maps in the science lab. In these lab studies, the students performed a simulation in which they created their own topographic land model with changes in elevation and then created a corresponding map to depict this topography.(view photos)
8th graders to compete in Academic Race Posted: Sep 21, 2011 Five of our 8th grade students will be competing in the upcoming Academic Race Competition, to be held at Providence High School on Saturday, October 1. The students will be competing as a team and will be tested on their knowledge of social studies, science, reading and mathematics. Our academic team has been busy preparing under the expert guidance of Ms. Barry. The team consists of Philip Powers, Katie Tieri, Bridget McDermott, Erin Ludwig and Stephanie John. We wish our students best of luck in this competition! School band begins new year Posted: Sep 20, 2011 The school band program recently began for the 2011-12 school year, starting with tryouts for the entering band members. Our band program is led by Mr. Jim Rallis. The band reherses one a week and is comprised of students from grades 4 through 8. The band has two major performances per year, one at Christmas and one in the spring.(view pictures of band tryouts) 8th grade class creates Wordles art Posted: Sep 18, 2011 Our 8th grade class recently created "Wordles" artwork under the guidance of Ms. Barry. In a Wordles creation, the students create a piece of art that is comprised of a "cloud" of words. These clouds of words are created with a software package called "Wordle", which takes a list of words and compile them into a word cloud. This year, the eighth graders begin the year by reflecting on the gifts and talents that each of them possess. Each student compiled their "I am" lists and put it into the "Wordles" program. The students then were able to customize their word clouds with the colors and fonts of their choice. Additionally, the students and Ms. Barry created a "we are" list, where they wrote a list of the gifts and talents that describe them as a class. (view some Wordles) 4th grade performs scientific inquiries Posted: Sep 15, 2011 Our 4th grade students, under the tutelage of Mrs. Nowak, have been performing inquiry-based scientific studies during their science classes. In these studies, the students make a series of observations about some naturally-occurring object, and record their observations into their science lab journals. For their first scientific inquiry, the students studies five different items: a bird's nest, a kaleidoscope, a wasp nest, a starfish, and a sun flower. The students also draw a picture of the object in their lab journals. Mrs. Nowak plans to have scientific inquiry classes every two weeks throughout the school year.(view photos) School pioneers new Archdiocesan social studies curriculum Posted: Sep 14, 2011 St. Christopher School is pioneering a new innovative social studies curriculum. This curriculum will be used for first through eighth grade classes, and was developed by the social sciences curriculum committee of the Office of Catholic Education at Archdiocese of Chicago. Our junior high social studies teacher, Mr. Greg Laurinaitis, was a key member of this curriculum committee, and spent many long hours at the Archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education with other committee members, conceptualizing and designing this pioneering program. The program is based on inquiry-based learning concepts, where students are expected to take an active role in their learning and develop experimental and analytical skills, rather than simply memorizing information from a book. This curriculum examines five topics per grade level, spending 6-8 weeks per topic. The objective is to obtain a deep, comprehensive understanding of key concepts in the social sciences, rather than attempting to cover many topics at a superficial level. St. Christopher School is among the first schools in the entire archdiocese to begin implementation of this cutting-edge social studies program, thanks to the key role Mr. Laurinaitis has played in helping our school’s education staff transition to the new curriculum. This program will benefit our school children by teaching them critical reasoning skills needed for success in higher education and beyond.(view photo) Fourth grade arostic poetry on display in church Posted: Sep 13, 2011 Our fourth grade class recently examined the role that our Armed Forces play in protecting our freedoms. The studies honored the men and women who are serving overseas by writing acrostics. An acrostics is a poem or other form of writing in which the first letter, syllable or word of each line or paragraph spells out a word or a message. Students wrote acrostics using words such as “freedom”, “courage”, and “bravery.” Their work is on display on the bulletin board in the rear vestibule of the church, so make sure you stop by and visit it the next time you are at Mass. (view photo) August 2011 School experiences growth in enrollment Posted: Aug 25, 2011 Our school has experienced a growth in enrollment this year. Our total student enrollment at the start of this school year is 13 students higher than it was at the start of the last school year. This growth of our school would not be possible without the support and encouragement of all of our school families. School families promotion of our school is our best advertisement. Please continue to spread the word about the many wonderful things happening at St. Christopher School. 2010-11 School Year June 2011 7th grade studies blood types Posted: Jun 15, 2011 As part of our study on the human body systems in our science classes, the 7th graders explored blood types. In this simulation lab, students were asked to mix blood types to determine which blood type could be given safely to patients in blood transfusions. (view photos). 8th grade award winners Posted: Jun 12, 2011 Congratulations to our 8th grade award winners. We are proud of our graduates! The following awards were recently presented to our graduating class: PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: Nicole Ames, Staci Ficht, Edward Gross PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT: Sarah Anderson, Samantha Culver, Joel Godinez, Breanna Graffeo, Gabriele Gurtzius, Haley Henschel, Craig Krygowski, McKenna Martin, Carter Olson, Nicholas Riney, Laura Roethle, Madeline Schaal, Ariel Smith HELEN ERICKSON AWARD: Laura Roethle ACCELERATED READER POINT LEADER: Carter Olson ST. CHRISTOPHER AWARD: Nicole Ames, Sarah Anderson, Samantha Culver, Staci Ficht, Joel Godinez, Breanna Graffeo, Edward Gross, Gabriele Grutzius, Haley Henschel, McKenna Martin, Laura Roethle, Madeline Schaal, Ariel Smith KEYSTONE CAFÉ SCHOLARSHIP: Nicholas Riney, Ariel Smith ERIK BOHNE-PACE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP: Nicole Ames KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS AWARD: Staci Ficht, Edward Gross Toddler play group Posted: Jun 9, 2011 Our new
play group for toddlers is under way. This playgroup is provided for neighborhood parents who have children between the ages of 1-3 years old. There is no charge for participating in this play group. The playgroup is a great place to meet other parents and will allow your child to play and learn in an educational environment. The playgroup will meet twice a month on the first and third Wednesday from 10-11am.(view photos) May 2011 Spring Musical Posted: May 24, 2011 The St. Chris Spring Musical was held on Tuesday, May 24, in the gym. The evening featured Kindergarten through fifth grade. Kindergarten sang "The Banana Boat Song" by Harry Belafonte. First grade performed "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley. Second grade entertained the crowd with a lively rendition of "What'd I Say" by Ray Charles. Third grade sang "Surfin' Safari", complete with the four Beach Boys in a boat. Fourth grade performance "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash, while fifth grade concluded with "Stop In the Name of Love" by Diana Ross and the Supremes. Thanks to Mr. Selle and everyone else who worked hard to make the evening so entertaining! (view photos) Preschool graduation Posted: May 23, 2011 Preschool graduation was held on Wednesday, May 18. Our 4-year-old preschool graduates proudly marched into the church to the strains of "Pomp and Circumstances." After reciting their prayers, the students entertained the audience with a variety of delightful musical renditions, including "Willaby, Wallaby", "God Made the Earth", and Oh, How I Love Jesus." The students then marched up, one by one, to receive their diplomas courtesy of Mr. Johnson. After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed a reception in the Franciscan Room, courtesy of Mothers' Club. Thanks to Mrs. Strelczyk and Mrs. Murphey for a wonderful year in preschool! (view photos) Preschool students tour kindergarten Posted: May 2, 2011 Our 4-year-old preschool students recently toured kindergarten. By spending some time with our current kindergarten students, the preschoolers can make an easier transition to kindergarten next year. The kindergartener and preschooler students played and worked together, enjoying a variety of activities and learning experiences. (view photos) April 2011 Mother duck nesting by school entrance. Posted: Apr 20, 2011 We have a mother duck nesting right next to the main entrance of the school behind the statue of Jesus. This has become a great source of interest to our students as they enter and leave the building via this entrance. The mother duck has already informed Mr. Johnson that she will be registering her ducklings for preschool in August, 2014, and she is looking forward to them becoming proud alumni of St. Christopher as a part of the graduating class of 2026!
(view photo) Fourth grade studies rocks. Posted: Apr 15, 2011 Recently, our fourth grader students became geologists, observing and identifying rocks during their course of study in Science. The students learned how rocks were formed, as well as investigate some important industrial uses of rocks. For fun, the students learned how to sing the "Rock Song". Our principal,Mr. Johnson, joined in the learning and made his own observations in the science lab. Science Fair Competition and Open House Posted: Apr 8, 2011 The St. Christopher Science Fair Competition and Open House was held on Thursday, April 7. The science fair competition was held in the morning. (view photos) In the competition, our junior high students presented their work to a team of outside judges. The students explained the problem they were investigating using the scientific method, and the results of their studies. The evening featured the Science Fair Open House.
(view photos) In addition to the junior high projects, the open house featured the "Hall of Living Scientists", where our fourth and fifth graders dressed as a particular scientist and explained the scientist's work. Our primary grade students also showcased some of their recent work in science class. Thanks to Ms. Barry and all of the teachers for their hard work in making this wonderful event possible. Grandparents Day Presentation to 4th grade class Posted: Apr 6, 2011 At St. Christopher's Grandparent's Day, held on March 16th, Paul Mandra, grandfather of fourth grade student Ryan Nagel, gave a presentation on salt to his grandson’s class. The class had been studying minerals, of which salt is one of the most abundant. Mr. Mandra told them about the various types of salt and showed samples of each of them, including their origins and how they are produced. Having retired from the parent company of Morton Salt, where he was employed for 26 years including 10 years with the Salt Group, he is well-versed on the attributes of salt. Morton Salt, the largest manufacturer and distribute of salt, had its beginning in Chicago in 1848. They now manufacture and sell all types of salt including table and food grades made through an evaporation process, rock salt, mined similar to mining coal, and the solar or sea salt, harvested from the oceans. Sea salt, a high quality salt harvested from the Mediterranean Sea on Spain’s Costa Blanca, is one of the newest products being marketed for food use as being lower in sodium content. (view photos)
Midlothian Mayor visits first grade Posted: Apr 4, 2011 The first grade class recently invited the Mayor of Midlothian, Terry Stephens, to come for a visit and talk with the class. Mrs. Craven's first graders have been studying about community helpers. The children learned what a mayor does and how he helps a community. The students also learned that Mr. Stephens is another type of community helper, a teacher. The students enjoyed the visit, especially Mayor Stephens' granddaughter, Kathryn, who is a student in the class. Our first graders would like to thanks Mayor Stephens for taking the time to visit us! (view photo) March 2011 First grade studies weather Posted: Mar 19, 2011 Mrs. Craven's first grade class is learning about weather. They are charting how many days are "Lion" days and how many are "Lamb" days during the month of March. March may have come in as a lion, but hopefully we will have a lot of "lamb" days and it will go out like a lamb. The class is studying the weather in preparation for the upcoming science fair. (view photos) Grandparents Day Festivities Posted: Mar 16, 2011 Grandparents' Day was held on Thursday, March 16, in conjunction with Spirit Week. The festivities began with the grandparents and friends of the school attending the weekly all-school Mass, where our students sat with their grandparents and other special people in their lives. After Mass, everyone was invited to a reception in our school gym, courtesy of our Mothers' Club. Our visitors then had the opportunity to tour the school, see the students' classrooms and meet our teachers. We thank all of our guests for taking the time to visit with us and see the great things happening in our school. (view photos) Spirit Week Bingo Day Posted: Mar 15, 2011 As part of the St. Christopher School Spirit Week celebration, the school recently had Bingo Day. The entire school played Bingo together as a group. Our junior high students partnered with their counterparts in the primary grades, helping them out as they played Bingo together. The junior high students also helped with distributing the game cards and organizing the activity. The dress theme for the day is Mismatch Day, where students were allowed to wear jeans and mismatched clothing to school. (view photos) Spirit Week starts on March 14 Posted: Mar 11, 2011 School Spirit Week will be held on the week of March 14. The week features an array of fun activities and events to help us celebrate our school and its wonderful students and teachers. Monday will be Movie Day, with students being able to select one of eight movies to watch during school. Tuesday is Bingo Day, where our junior high students will partner with our primary students to play Bingo. On Wednesday, we honor our grandparents and special guests during Grandparents Day. Thursday is our PBIS reward, where students get to participate in a Games Day. Finally, Friday is Game Show Day, featuring a variety of game shows created by our 8th grade class. We are proud of our students and teachers, and are happy to have this week of celebration of our school! (more info) Blessing of Thoats at the school Mass Posted: Mar 11, 2011 Four of our St. Christopher 8th grade students recent bestowed the St. Blaise throat blessing upon the Congregation at the weekly all-school Mass. Nick Riney, Gaby Grutzius, Maddy Schaal, and Samantha Culver administered the blessings to our school children and to others attending Mass.
(view photos) February 2011 7th grade academic team wins 3rd place at competition Posted: Feb 20, 2011 Four of our seventh grade students, Bridget McDermott, Philip Powers, Katie Tieri and Erin Ludwig, recently competed as an academic team in the 2011 Amazing Academic Race competition, held at Marian Catholic High School on Tuesday, February 15th. Our seventh grade team won third place, out of a field of 19 schools. Congratuations to our students and to our seventh grade teacher, Mrs. Katie McGowan, for their hard work and outstanding achievement! (view photos)
7th grade class adopts endangered species Posted: Feb 14, 2011 Each year, the 7th graders at St. Christopher School
research and vote to adopt endangered species. This
year, the Class of 2012 adopted an incredible 19
animals! Animals included the Black-Footed Ferret,
Darwin Fox, Emerald Hummingbird, Sea Horse,
Pygmy Elephant, White-Cheeked Crested Gibbon,
Okapi, Zebra, Snow Leopard, Black Jaguar, Great
White Shark, Red Panda, Giant Panda, African Wild
Dog, Brown Pelican, Giant Tortoise, Speckled Bear,
Sea Lion, and the Sea Turtle. Congratulations to all
of you for your outstanding work!(view photo) Seventh graders study the Apostles Posted: Feb 5, 2011 Our seventh grade class has been studying the Apostles, under the guidance of Mrs. McGowan. Each student was given an apostle to study. The students researched and wrote a brief fact sheet about their apostle, and drew a picture of the symbol for that apostle. The students studied the original 12 apostles, plus Matthias, the 13th apostle, who was selected to replace Judas. You can see the students' essays and drawings on display on the bulletin board in the rear vestibule of the church. December 2010 3rd and 4th grade boys basketball team comes in 4th place Posted: Dec 31, 2010 The 3rd and 4th grade boys basketball team came in 4th place at the Christ the King Winter Classic. Congratulations to the team, and thanks to the Athletic Association and our wonderful coaches for making this activity available to our students! (view photo) St. Chris Scholastic Book Fair Posted: Dec 23, 2010 In conjunction with our Catholic Schools Week celebration, St. Christopher School is hosting a Scholastic Book Fair during our Open House on Sunday, January 30th, following the 9:30am Mass. The Fair also will be open on Monday, January 31st, during the school day, and again on Tuesday, February 1st, until noon. This fund raiser will help provide books, materials, and Accelerated Reader quizzes for our school library. More information about the Book Fair will be sent home during the second week of February. If you are interested in helping at the fair, please contact Mrs. Monahan at 708-385-8776 or pmonahan@stchrisschool.org. Preschool Christmas program Posted: Dec 21, 2010 The preschool Christmas program was held on Tuesday, December 21, in the school gym. The students entertained the audience with a selection of Christmas songs, including "Jingle Bells", "Go Tell it on the Mountain" and "Light a Candle for the Children of the World." Their sixth grade buddies attended the program and helped out with setting things up and organizing the students. We would like to especially thanks Mrs. Strelczyk, Mrs. Murphy, Mr. Selle, and sixth grade helpers Mariana Vazquez and Alison Kozicki for making this event possible. (view photos) A Shepherd's Story Posted: Dec 19, 2010 The parish Advent program, “A Shepherd’s Story”, was performed on Sunday, December 19th
in the church. This production involved all of the children of St. Christopher Parish, including the school as well as our religious education program. Students from all grades sang multiple religious songs in the performance, musically telling the story of our savior Jesus Christ's birth. Our school and religious education students practiced for the show for the past two months. The church was full, and the audience enjoyed seeing the true meaning of Christmas brought to life.
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(view more photos) Inaugural Junior High Drama Festival Posted: Dec 18, 2010 The inaugural St. Christopher School Drama Festival was held on Tuesday, Nov. 30th, in the school gym. Throughout the first semester, our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders have been working hard and practicing for this event. Each grade prepared and presented their own mini-play during the Festival. The plays were written as entertainment for the primary and middle school grades. Our junior high students did a wonderful job, and we are proud of their accomplishments!
(view photos) Ice cream party for 4th grade Box Tops winners Posted: Dec 5, 2010 Our fourth-grade class recently enjoyed an ice cream party for winning the Box Tops for Education contests. Their classroom brought in the most Box Tops per student this past fall, and for their accomplishment, they enjoyed an ice cream party complete with vanilla ice cream and a variety of delicious toppings. Congratulations to our 4th graders! (view photos) Student Council honors our veterans Posted: Dec 3, 2010 A Veteran's Day Mass was celebrated at St. Christopher Church, honoring the veterans of the Midlothian community. After the Mass, the student council members invited the veterans to join them for a continental breakfast in the Franciscan Room. The veterans answered questions and recounted many experiences which they shared with the representatives of the St. Chris student council. All who attended the breakfast enjoyed a memorable experience. (view photos) November 2010 4th grade studies chemical changes in science class Posted: Nov 28, 2010 During 4th grade Science classes, our students have been learning about chemical and physical changes. Using salt, ammonia, water and food coloring, these students made salt crystals grow. Some of the chemical changes took place
quickly while others took overnight for changes to appear. Pictured in the photo linked below(l-r) are 4th graders Kalah Stewart,Mackenzie Clifton, Ryan Nagel, Abby Powers and Javeigh Young White. (view photo) Mothers Club Holiday Craft Show Posted: Nov 21, 2010 The Mothers' Club annual Holiday Craft Show was held on November 20 and 21. The gym and Franciscan Room were filled with a huge assortment of crafters and vendors. Holiday shoppers and crafters enjoyed delicious food from the kitchen and sweets from the bakery table. Thanks to our coordinator, Gail Zubko, and all of our volunteers who helped make this event such a success! (view photos) Fourth Grade grows crystals in the science lab Posted: Nov 18, 2010 Mrs. Nowak's fourth grade class is learning about chemical and physical changes in their sciences classes. They recently did a laborary experiment where they made salt crystals grow in class from supersaturated aqueous solutions. Preschool studies the primary colors Posted: Nov 4, 2010 Our preschool class has been busy studying the fine arts primary colors, red, blue and yellow. Our preschoolers recently did a project using paint where they mixed the primary colors to see what colors they could make. They then used both the primary colors and the mixed colors to create some beautiful art work.(view photos) October 2010 Preschool studies the color yellow Posted: Oct 30, 2010 This past week, our preschoolers have been studying the color yellow. They have been identifying and learning about common household items that are yellow in color. The highlight of the week was when they njoyed a tasty treat of crackers and butter with lemonade, using homemade lemonade and butter that they made in the classroom. (view photos) 6th grade and preschool make bird feeders Posted: Oct 28, 2010 On October 21, our preschool class, along with their 6th grade "buddies", made bird feeders. The feeders were made by spreading peanut butter over large pine cones. These bird feeders were then hung on trees throughout our parish campus. So you may notice more birds around the parish grounds as they stop by to enjoy a tasty treat! (view photos) Environmental Science experiment in 4th grade Posted: Oct 19, 2010 Our fourth grade class has been performing some laboratories studies of the biodegradability of common household items in our environment. The students made a model landfill in the classroom, and then attempted to measure the decomposition rate of various common materials. The decomposition of these materials was monitored for two weeks, and the observed decomposition was compared to what the students had initially predicted. The students found that objects manufactured from plant products tended to decompose rapidly, while other objects manufactured from aluminum and plastic decomposed at a much slower rate. The students then discussed what this means to our environment and how they can be more environmentally-friendly in their daily lives. (view photos) 4th grade travels the world Posted: Oct 15, 2010 The fourth grade class is taking a tour of the United States without leaving the classroom. This year each student has sent out requests for travelogs from their family or friends who either live out of state or are traveling. So far we have heard from 9 states and 2 countries. We hope to hear from all 50 states! There is much excitement in our classroom whenever we receive a postcard from a new state. Whenever we receive a new postcard, we locate the location of the state or country on our classroom maps, and we discuss some important facts about this region. If you are planning to travel, please send us a postcard! We would love to hear from you and the places you have visited. Please address the postcard to - St. Christopher School - 4th Grade, 14611 S. Keeler Ave., Midlothian, IL 60445. (view photos)
St. Chris Athletics Parents Night Out Posted: Oct 5, 2010 The St. Christopher Athletics will be hosting a Parents Night Out (formerly known as the Smoker) on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010, starting at 7:00 in the school gym. The cost is $30 and includes food, spirits, and games such as cards, LCR, and more. For the latest information about St. Chris athletics, visit the Athletics web site. School Track-a-thon 2010 Posted: Oct 1, 2010 The school Track-a-thon 2010 was held on Friday, October 1, 2010. The weather was beautiful and helped make the event a great success. The track-a-thon is an important fundraiser for our school. Thanks to all of the volunteers who worked so hard to make things go smoothly and made this fundraiser possible. Thanks also to everyone who sponsored one of our students.
(view photos) September 2010 Students ride to school in a fire truck Posted: Sep 30, 2010 Some of our lucky primary grade students won a ride to school in a fire truck this past Tuesday, courtesy of the Crestwood Fire Department. Students and teachers gathered around as the fire truck pulled into the parking lot and sounded its horn and siren. The ride was a prize available in the Silent Auction in the Spring Fling 2010 this past May. Thanks to the Crestwood Fire Department for once again making this wonderful experience possible for our students. (view photos) Fifth grade studies native American culture Posted: Sep 19, 2010 Our fifth grade class has been studying Native American culture in social studies, under the guidance of Mrs. Nowak. The students recently did a project where they had to research a specific Native American group. As part of this research, students investigated how the group organized their culture and in what type of dwellings they lived. As the culmination of this investigation, students created three-dimensional models of these dwellings and reported how the dwellings benefited the culture of the group. (view photo). School acquired new Smart Boards for use in classrooms Posted: Sep 17, 2010 Our school recently acquired several "Smart Boards" for use in the classrooms. A "Smart Board" is an interactive whiteboard that
uses "touch detection" to accept user input. This state-of-the-art technology enables students to learn using interactive
content and helps teachers to create high-impact teaching lessons for the students. We are in the process of acquiring
a variety of educational software expressly designed for use with Smart Boards. Here are
some photos
of our junior high students studying addition and subtraction of negative
numbers using the
SMART Notebook
software application, under the direction of Mrs. McGowan. Students probe the natural world in our science laboratories Posted: Sep 17, 2010 Our junior high students have been busy probing the world around them in our science laboratories, under the expert guidance
of our junior high science teacher, Ms. Barry. The sixth grade
class is studying Earth Science. In a recent science lab investigation, the students explored the topography of the Earth by
creating a bench-top simulation of a land mass in the ocean. Our seventh grade students are learning about the life sciences.
In a recent lab, the students used optical microscopes to probe the microscopic cellular world. The physical sciences are
the focus of our eight grade science classes. This past week, eight grade students investigated the three states of matter
in the science lab, observing how matter can undergo phase transitions from solid to liquid to gas.
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Welcome Mrs. Krahn Posted: Sep 9, 2010 Mrs. Krahn, our new school secretary, was welcomed today with a breakfast with our faculty and staff. Mrs. Krahn comes to us from Brother Rice High School. Fifth grade creates Community Pledge Posted: Sep 8, 2010 The beginning of the school year is a time to create a sense of community. St. Christopher’s fifth grade class did just that last week! After much discussion, the class collaborated and was able to come up with a fifth grade community pledge. This gave each student a chance to see themselves reflected in the classroom and to help build an environment of trust and safety. The pledge included such items as "Listen and follow directions", “Have respect for school and personal property”, and “Have fun and work hard!”. (view photo)
Our school learning environment Posted: Sep 8, 2010 Students at St. Christopher are beginning to experience lessons outside of their desks and chairs. This enhances the learning experience and allows the student more movement and stimulation during the class day. By blending movement with a traditional desk-and-chair environment, we can optimize the educational experience for our school children. (view photo) Mrs. Slovey retires after 32 years of service Posted: Sep 8, 2010 Our long-time school secretary, Mrs. Joanne Slovey, has retired after 32 years of service to our school. Mrs. Slovey began her time at St. Christopher School as an aide and volunteer and then served as school secretary for past 28 years. To show our deep appreciation for all she has done to St. Christopher, each school class made a farewell card which was presented to her by a representative of each class. We will miss her presence in our school. We congratulate her on her retirement and wish her many happy years of retirement! (view photos) August 2010 1st day of preschool Posted: Aug 31, 2010 Our preschool program is back in session! Preschool orientation was held on Tuesday, August 31. Parents/guardians and their preschoolers assembled in the Franciscan Room, where Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Strelczyk and Mrs. Murphy went over the exciting and education things in store for the upcoming year. After the orientation, the preschoolers went up to the preschool classroom with their parents/guardians and had a chance to familiarize themselves with the room. We welcome our preschoolers and look forward to a great year together! (view photos). St. Chris photo featured on front-page of SouthtownStar Posted: Aug 30, 2010 Two pictures of St. Christopher School were featured on the front page of the August 30th edition of the SouthtownStar newspaper. The pictures also appeared in the Chicago SunTimes.
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(picture 2) First day of school Posted: Aug 23, 2010 The first day of school for grades kindergarten through eighth grade was held on Monday, August 23. The school year started with an all-school assembly in the gym, where Fr. Mark and Principal Johnson greeted the students and parents and discussed their exciting plans for the upcoming school year. After the assembly, all parents/guardians enjoyed a continental breakfast and reception in the Franciscan Room, courtesy of our Mother's Club. Our students, faculty and staff are all looking forward to a terrific year together! July 2010 Fiesta 2010 Posted: Jul 2, 2010 Fiesta 2010 is fast arriving. Fiesta will be held from Wednesday, July 14 to Sunday, July 18 on the St. Chris parish grounds. Once again there will be a huge midway with terrific rides for kids of all ages. You can enjoy live entertainment daily in the big tent. So come on out and enjoy games of skill and chance, food, drink, bingo, raffles, and much much more. 2009-10 School Year May 2010 8th grade class field trip Posted: May 20, 2010 Our eighth grade graduating class had their class field trip on Thursday, May 20th. The class left at 7:30am to head downtown for an exciting day of exploring downtown Chicago. The class visited the SkyDeck at Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), and then enjoyed lunch and games at ESPN Zone. After lunch, the class visited the Chicago History Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, and Millenium Park. Dinner was at Buca de Beppo. The students returned to St. Christopher at 10:30pm, tired but happy, with memories that will last a lifetime. Preschool 100th day of school and picnic Posted: May 18, 2010 Our preschool class recently celebrated their 100th day of school. They each brought in 100 of a particular item, such as pennies, cereals, or candy, and used these to practice their counting. The 100th day of school was also the last day of preschool! The preschoolers enjoyed a great end-of-the-year picnic. Thanks to the room mothers and to Mrs. Streczyk and Mrs. Murphy for a great time! (view photos) Spring-Fling 2010 Posted: May 2, 2010 The third-annual St. Christopher Spring-Fling was held on Saturday, May 1. Over 275 parishioners, school families and alumni packed the gym and cafeteria to enjoy dinner, drinks and dancing. After dinner, people enjoyed bidding on a huge variety of items at the live and silent auctions. Congratulations to the raffle winners who won two Southwest Airline tickets and a pair of diamond earrings. Thanks to all who attended for your support and thanks to all who worked so hard to make this event so successful!
(view photos) April 2010 Science fair competition and open house Posted: Apr 29, 2010 The St. Chris Science Fair competition and open house were held on Thursday, April 29. The tension was high in the morning at the science fair competition and judging. Twelve outside judges, including science professionals, educational professionals from other schools, and members of the community listened to presentations from our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students and quizzed them on their understanding of the project and their grasp of the scientific method. (view photos from the judging). In the evening, the school hosted a science fair open house which, in addition to junior high projects, also featured class science fair projects for kindergarten through third grade. Fourth and fifth graders showed their creativity and innovation at an invention fair, where they displayed their projects. Also, the winners from the 6th, 7th and 8th grade competition were awarded their prize medals.(view photos from the open house). Thanks to our teachers and especially Ms. Barry for organizing this wonderful event. Sixth grade mentors preschoolers Posted: Apr 28, 2010 This school year the sixth grade class has been serving as big brothers and sisters to our preschool students. The sixth graders regularly vist the preschool class to help out and learn new things together. Recently both classes have been studying the universe, so afterwards they worked together on an anstronaut art project. Also, the sixth grade class helped to teach the preschoolers about measurement. Just for fun, the classes enjoyed a game day together, where the sixth graders helped to demonstrate the concepts of taking turns, following rules, and fair play.
(view photos) Master gardeners visit 1st and 2nd grade Posted: Apr 23, 2010 Recently some Master Gardeners from the University of Illinois Extension program visited our 1st and 2nd grade students. The Master Gardeners taught the children many interesting facts about trees. Master Gardeners spend eleven weeks in training learning about horticulture, botany, pest control, and related topics and in return serve 60 hours as volunteers, teaching others the basics of horticulture.
(view photos) Kindergarten learns about money Posted: Apr 23, 2010 Our kindergarten students have been learning about money in math class. They have been learning the different values quarters, dimes, nickles and pennies. Recently the class "went shopping". Various items with price tags on them were on display, and if the students could count out the correct coins for the price, they could buy the item. (view photos) Preschool career day Posted: Apr 22, 2010 Preschool recented had a career day. The students talked about what they wanted to be when they grow up. The had a visit from a Speech Therapist, who talked to them about speaking clearly and listening carefully. Thanks to Mrs. Strelczyk and Mrs. Murphy for setting this up.
(view photos) 1st grade and kindergarten family Mass Posted: Apr 18, 2010 On Sunday, April 18, the kindergarten and first grade students from St. Christopher school and religious education celebrated a Family Mass at the 9:30 a.m. Mass. Fr. Laurent gathered the students around him during the homily as he asked them questions about Adam and Eve and the garden of Eden. The students sang several songs during the Mass, complete with gestures, including "I know that Jesus love me" and "I've got that joy, joy, joy down in my heart." Thanks to all who planned and organized the Mass for making it such a special event. First grade and kindergarten celebrate the Last Supper Posted: Apr 4, 2010 On Holy Thursday, our kindergarten and first grade students celebrated a re-creation of the Last Supper. The students gathered around the picnic table in the Kindergarten room while Mrs. Cravens read the story of how Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with this disciples and instituted the Eucharist on Holy Thursday.
The Living Stations Posted: Apr 3, 2010 During Holy Week, our eighth grade St. Christopher School and St. Christopher Religious Education students performed the Living Stations in our church. These students, who are preparing for their confirmation, re-enacted the key events of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At each station, a student gave their perspective of the events from the point of view of a character in the passion, such as Veronica, Simon the Cyrene, Pontus Pilate, or the centurion.
The students wore costumes that were obtained from the Lyric Opera House courtesy of our music teacher, Mr. Selle.
A big thanks goes out to Fr. Mark and to Mrs. Lassandrello for organizing the event and helping to make this possible.
(view photos) March 2010 St. Chris fun fair Posted: Mar 27, 2010
The St. Christopher Fun Fair was held on Friday, March 26th, from 4-9pm. The event was a great time! Students enjoyed jumping on bouncing games, tossing balls to win goldfish, bean-bag toss, pulling suckers for prizes, and more. The students were able to redeem their winning tickets for a variety of fun prizes. Students enjoyed desserts and other food items. Thanks to all of the parents and students who volunteered their time and talents to make the event such a memorable experience! 4th grade learns about Junior Achievement Posted: Mar 24, 2010 Mr. Donald O'Keefe, who is a long-time parishioner, came to visit the fourth grade class over a period of six weeks to teach them
about Junior Achievement. Junior Achievement is a non profit organization that brings the real world to students through hands-on curriculum delivered by a trained classroom volunteer from the community. Mr. O'Keefe discussed regional resources, business ventures, and agricultural products of our state The children
really enjoyed his enthusiasm and involvement in Junior Achievement. Tnks Mr. O'Keefe, hope to see you next year!!
(view photos) 4th and 5th grade field trip to history museum Posted: Mar 23, 2010 Our fourth and fifth grade students recently enjoyed a field trip to downtown Chicago to visit the Chicago History Museum to learn about important events in Chicago history. After visiting the museum, the students had lunch at the famous Rock-and-Roll McDonald. A big thanks to Mrs. Nowak and Mrs. Pretkelis for organizing this wonderful trip. (view photos) Kindergarteners study the sacraments Posted: Mar 20, 2010 Our kindergarten class has been studying the sacraments. Recently they studied baptism and learned how baptism is used to
bring new people into the church. As part of their studies, the class went into the church and saw the baptismal fountain.
The class also went through the various steps of a baptism and learned how a baptism is performed.
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Spirit Week Update Posted: Mar 13, 2010 The St. Chris Student Council recently sponsored "Spirit Week" at our school, with a different activity each day to show our St. Chris pride. Monday, March 8th was Comfy Day, with students wearing sweat pants or pajama pants of their choice. Tuesday March 9th was Twin/Movie Day, with students dressing as a twin with another student. The entire school watched the movie "Sharktale" and enjoying ice cream. Wednesday March 10th was Bingo Day, with the students be playing bingo as a class in our classrooms over the PA. Congratulations to the second grade, first grade and kindergarten winners. Thursday March 11th was Crazy Day, with students wearing mismatched clothes and unique hairstyles. Finally, Friday March 12th was School Spirit Day, with students wearing anything that has to do with our school. You can view the photos of Movie/Twin Day, Bingo/Movie Day, and Crazy Day. School Spirit Week Posted: Mar 8, 2010 The St. Chris student council is sponsoring a "Spirit Week" for the school the week of March 8. Monday is Comfy Day, where the students can wear sweat pants or pajama bottoms. Tuesday is Twin/Movie Day, where students can dress as a twin with another student. Wednesday is Bingo Day, with the entire school playing bingo together. Thursday is Crazy Day, where the students can wear mismatched clothes. Finally, Friday is School Spirit Day. Thanks to the student council for their hard work in planning this fun-filled week. (more info) Students take TerraNova tests Posted: Mar 5, 2010 Our third, fourth, fifth and seventh grade students took their TerraNova tests the week of March 1. TerraNova tests are a series of standardized achievement tests designed to assess student achievement in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, vocabulary, spelling, and other areas. Our school uses the results from these tests to provide feedback on our teaching methods and curriculum and to help us improve our educational programs and methodologies. February 2010 The Big Cheer Posted: Feb 19, 2010 The "Big Cheer" was held on Friday, February 19, 2010. The Big Cheer is tradionally held during the 8th grade boys’ last home basketball game. This is the last time the 8th grade boys will play at home and also the last time the 8th grade girls will cheer for them. For several months, all of the cheer squads (4 – 8 grades) have been practicing a dance and cheer routine for the half time of this game. Many alumni and their parents attended the event to cheer on the team and the girls. Also, we were honored by some special guests, including many teachers and also our pastoral staff, including Fr. Mark, Fr. Laurent, Deacon Smith, and Mrs. Lassandrello. The gym was decorated by the 8th grade parents. The half-time dance and cheer routine was truly spectacular!!! Thanks to all whose dedication and hard work made this wonderful event possible! School Valentine's Day parties Posted: Feb 12, 2010 Our kindergarten through fifth grade students celebrated Valentine's Day parties on Friday, February 12th. Each grade did a variety of games, crafts, and activities. Our kindergarteners made butterflies and Valentines monsters. The first graders played bingo. Second-grade students enjoyed a Bozo bucket game, while the fourth graders made beautiful Valentine's Day picture frames. Thanks to all of our volunteers who planned the activities and worked to make the parties such an enjoyable experience. (view photos) Kindergarteners study their religion Posted: Feb 10, 2010 Our kindergarten students, under the leadership of Sr. Laurinda and Mrs. Windsor, are learning about Jesus’
story book, The Holy Bible, and how we hear the stories of God’s love at Mass. The kindergarten class has also talked about the different parts of the church.
Shown here
is one of the kindergarten students showing a diorama that she made of a Catholic church. School celebrates 100th day of school Posted: Feb 4, 2010 Our school students recently celebrated the 100th day of the 2009-10 school year. Students have been eagerly counting
down the days since the beginning of the school year. The kindergarden students brought in to school 100 of a given item of their choice. Students brought in 100 pennies, 100 cheerios, 100 pieces of candy, 100 bingo chips, and more. Each student also made and decorated a special "100 days of school" crown.
(view photos) January 2010 Pajamas Day for needy children Posted: Jan 30, 2010 On Friday, January 29th, the school had a pajamas day. Students who wore pajamas donated either a pair of new pajamas, a new book, or $2. All items were donated to the pajama program, which benefits needy children who are awaiting adoption. This collection was sponsored by the Girl Scouts. Thanks for all who supported this worthy cause.
(view photos) 3rd, 4th and 5th grade art projects Posted: Jan 23, 2010 Our art teacher, Mrs. Osinski, has been busy doing a variety of projects with our middle grade students. Our third grade students recent colored pictures of a variety of birds, using colored pencils and crayons. The fourth grade class picked their favorite character from the classic book "Where the Wild Things Are", drew them, and then painted the pictures with water colors. Finally, our fifth grader class made masks with paper mache and then decorated themask with horns made of aluminum foil. Congratulations to all of our budding artists at St. Chris school! Spanish program second semester update Posted: Jan 16, 2010 The school Spanish program is off and running again in the second semester. For second semester, students in kindergarten and first, second, third and eighth grade recieve weekly Spanish classes. Our Spanish program is run under the able instruction of Ms. Maricela Carrillo. Buena suerte en tus estudios, estudiantes! December 2009 Audubon Society visits our 4th graders. Posted: Dec 18, 2009 Recently, Mrs. Nowak’s 4th grade class enjoyed a visit from the Illinois Audubon Society. We heard bird calls, viewed a slide show and heard fun facts about Illinois feathered friends. The class is off to a great start in the “Winter Bird Feeder Challenge” contest. The contest will continue until March and our results will be sent to the Audubon Society. To date, we have seen many sparrows, morning doves and even a hawk! (view photo) Students enjoy movie and ice cream treat Posted: Dec 17, 2009 All St. Chris students who turned in their homework in a timely fashion for the past month were rewarded with a movie day on Thursday, December 17. The students watched the hit comedy "Bedtime Stories", featuring Adam Sandler. After the movie the students enjoyed an ice cream treat. Congratuations to all of our hard-working, diligent students who did such a great job with their homework this past month! St. Chris school supports our troops Posted: Dec 5, 2009 This year St. Christopher School adopted a new platoon of soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division. This 2009 "Support Our Troops" drive was a huge success!! Through donations and a jeans day held in October, we have sent out 26 boxes to SSG. Andrew Marckesano and his platoon. He is a friend of our o w n " Uncle Donny. " Thanks to all who wrote messages and helped out in the drive. (view photo) School food drive Posted: Dec 1, 2009 Recognizing that the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry was dangerously low, our Student Council organized a food drive. The food drive featured a contest to see which classroom could collect the largest number of food items. Congratulations to our 8th graders, who brought in 236 food items. The entire school collected 1,220 food items. Thanks to all who demonstrated the Gospel values of feeding the poor and taking care of the needy. (view photo) November 2009 Barnes and Nobel Book Fair Posted: Nov 28, 2009 Thanks to all of the families who supported our school on Novemeber 28 at the Barnes and Nobel book fair. The Mothers Club, School Advisory Board and other volunteers helped out with the gift wrapping table and the craft activities for our students. The highlight of the day was the book reading session with Mr. Johnson! The students crowded around Mr. Johnson, hanging on his every word as he performed some dramatic readings of some classic children books. A special thanks goes to our librarian, Mrs. Monahan, for organizing this wonderful event. (view photos) Kindergarteners enjoy Thanksgiving lunch Posted: Nov 20, 2009 Our Kindergarten class celebrated Thanksgiving with a special Thanksgiving's Day lunch on Friday, November 20. The lunch featured
corn, cranberries, and treats. A highlight of the lunch was special homemade cornbread that the class made in the classroom by mixing eggs, flour and other ingredients. The kindergarten girls dressed up like pilgrims, and the boys dressed as indians. Thanks goes to Mrs. Windsor and Sr. Laurinda for planning and organizing such a wonderful experience for our Kindergarteners.
(view photos) Preschool class makes lemonade and butter Posted: Nov 13, 2009 Yellow is the color of the month for November for our preschool class, and this week Mrs. Strelczyk, Mrs. Murphy and the preschoolers made fresh-squeezed lemonade and home-made butter to celebrate the color yellow. After making the lemonade, the preschoolers enjoyed drinking their tasty beverage. The students also showed their creations to the other primary grade classes. 3rd and 4th grades visits Notebaert Nature Museum Posted: Nov 6, 2009 On October 27 the 3rd and 4th graders went on a field trip to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park. They saw cameras that had been attached to penguins, sharks and turtles so scientists could get a first-hand look at life underwater. They learned about sea creatures, field animals and forest animals as well as reptiles and mammals. The children had fun at the "Stump Steve" booth, where Scientist Steve answered all of their questions. The kids also played "Animal Olympics" at the Museum, where every group represented one sort of animal/bird and had to compete against the others, using their special adaptations. The finishing touch was the butterfly haven, where hundreds of butterflies of all different varieties and colors came to rest on them or on the trees or bowls of cut up fruit, where the children were able to get a very close up look. What a great way to spend a fall day! Thank you to Mrs. Rosen and Mrs. Nowak for making it possible. (view photos). Student pray the rosary during October Posted: Nov 3, 2009 October is the month of the Rosary, and our school celebrated this month by praying a decade of the rosary together at the end of
each school day in October. The school spent a week each on the Glorious, Joyful, Sorrowful, and Luminous mysteries.
Ms. Barry's 6th graders did a project where they made single decade Rosaries. Fr. Laurent then visited the 6th grade class and give a special
blessing, which you can see here. Students raise money for breast cancer research Posted: Nov 1, 2009 In celebration of National Breast Cancer Month, St. Chris School participated in the Lee National Denim Day. A jean day was held for $1.00 and the students were encouraged to wear pink to show their support. The proceeds will benefit the Women's Cancer Programs and research to help find more effective, less toxic treatments, and better methods of early detection. So far we have raised $284. Shown here are students from all grades wearing their pink. October 2009 School food drive for St. Vincent DePaul food pantry Posted: Oct 27, 2009 The school recently had a food drive for the St. Vincent DePaul food pantry. The class that brought in the most food items won a Jeans Day. Congratuations to our 8th graders. Thanks to all of the students and families who showed such generousity to the hungry in our community. (view photo)
Soccer Awards Banquet Posted: Oct 25, 2009 The Soccer Awards Banquet was held on Sunday, October 25. Congratulations to all of our student-athletes - we are proud of you! Special congratulations to the 5th and 6th grade team, who won second prize in their bracket. Thanks to the St. Chris Athletic Association and to all of our coaches for their many hours of hard work which made the soccer season possible. (view pictures) School children support our troops Posted: Oct 13, 2009 St. Christopher School has adopted a new platoon of soldiers from th 82nd Airborne "All-American" Division, which is currently stationed in Afghanistan. The school children are trying to send as many "care packages" as they can by Veteren's Day to show their support these brave men serving our country on the front-lines. The school children are collecting hard candy, chapstick, powdered drink mixes, DVD's, hot chocolate, and more. The school is holding a Jean's Day on October 23 to raise money for this worthy cause. Honeywell Instant Alert System Posted: Oct 7, 2009 We are please to announce that St. Christopher School has implemented the Honeywell system for the 2009-10 school year. The Honeywell System is an automated call system that we will be using to send general reminders home, inform parents concerning days their children are scheduled for academic club and detention as well as alert parents in the need of an emergency or school closings. We feel that this can be an important component in strengthening communication between school and home. All of the phone numbers and emails that you supplied at the beginning of the year are being used as your contact information. To change any of this information, you may create and modify your accounts via the internet at https://instantalert.honeywell.com. Kindergarteners learn about Johnny Appleseed Posted: Oct 4, 2009 Our kindergarten class recently studied Johnny Appleseed, the American pioneer who introduced apple trees to large parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. The class read a number of stories and books about this great American hero. The kindergarteners made their very own Johnny Appleseed hat to wear at school. They also learned about the many things we can do with apples, and they even made applesauce during one of their classes. |
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