Catholic schools plan special events to celebrate

January 22, 2004

Bishop Garrigan Schools, Algona

Seton Grade School and Bishop Garrigan High School will have community appreciation day on Jan. 26. There will be a mayoral visit preceding the all school Mass in St. Cecelia's Church. On Jan. 27 students will celebrate Student Appreciation Day and each student will receive a gift. Students will have National Appreciation Day on Jan. 28 and will participate in old fashion school days for the day's activities. On Jan. 29, the students will have Staff Appreciation Day. The week will end on Jan. 30 with School Tradition Day. There will be a birthday day party at Seton and students will bring a gift for their school

Spalding Catholic Schools, Alton, Granville and Hospers

Jan. 26, Spalding Catholic schools will have a Community Service Day. The kindergarten through fourth graders will be making cards to be mailed out to area preschoolers. The high school will have doughnuts, rolls, coffee and juice after 8 a.m. Mass for community volunteers. Jan. 27 is Faculty Appreciation Day. There will be a special lunch for all teachers. The seventh through 12th graders will have a lip sync contest. Jan. 29 is student appreciation day there will be no homework for kindergarten through eighth graders. Also, the kindergarten through second graders will have BINGO. The ninth through 12th graders will go to Sioux City for bowling, skating and lunch at Coyote Canyon. To end off the week, Friday will be Spirit Day and students will wear black and gold. There will be a blood drive and a pep rally for the ninth through 12th graders.

St. John the Baptist School, Bancroft

On. Jan. 27, students at St. John the Baptist can dress as their favorite person. Students will be celebrating Patriotic Day on Jan. 28 and can dress in red, white and blue. Grandparents can attend Mass and eat lunch with students on Jan. 29 to celebrate Grandparents Day. The week will end with a bowling and pizza party on Jan. 30. Students are able to wear jeans and hats to school on Friday.

Sacred Heart School, Boone

Jan. 26 there will be a kickoff assembly with the Mayor of Boone and students in the upper grader levels will be able to participate in a question and answer session with the Mayor. Students will also participate in a Service Project Day where each class will pick a service project for the week. Former Governor Terry Bandstad will be reading to the student on Jan. 28 and there will be a Veteran Mass held. Students will collect items to make care packages to send over to the troops. The week will end with Staff Recognition Day. There will be a carnival for the families and the service project will be spread throughout the community and world.

Kuemper Catholic School, Carroll

St. Angela Feast Day is on Jan. 27. All alumnae from St. Angela school will be invited for donuts, coffee and tours of the St. Angela building. On Jan. 28 an all school Mass will be held. After Mass, there will be an all school assembly in the high school gym. The pep assembly will take place to cheer on Kuemper Catholic School. On Jan. 29, Kuemper is having a Community Appreciation Luncheon. There will be 150 invitations sent out to community leaders, Scrip businesses and board members. The students will serve the food and do all the entertaining for the dinner.

Danbury Catholic School, Danbury

Jan. 26 is "Hat's Off to Catholic School's Week." Students, staff and teachers may wear their favorite hat to school. Students will take a field trip to the State Capitol in Des Moines on Jan. 27 where they will sing in the lobby of the Capitol building to honor CatholicSchool's Week. On Jan. 29, students will be going bowling in Ida Grove for the afternoon.

St. Rose of Lima School, Denison

Students at St. Rose of Lima school will be having a faith-filled family day on Jan. 26. There will be family picnic with pizza and a grandparents slide show.

On Jan. 27, students will be caroling at the Care Center. On Jan. 28, there will be an all school Mass with a reception following for community volunteers.

On Jan. 29, students will play games and activities with Zion Lutheran School to celebrate a faith-filled future with friends. Students will end the week with a movie at Cinema IV to celebrate a faith-filled fun finale.

Emmetsburg Catholic School, Emmetsburg

On Jan. 19 students will be designing a name badge. Jan. 23 the eighth graders decorate the school to start Catholic Schools week. On Jan. 26, students will celebrate pajama day and on Jan. 29 the school will have a Career Day, where students will share their hopes and dreams for the future. Students will dress according to the career of their choice. On Jan. 30 students will wear their Emmetsburg Catholic School Shirt for a retreat day at SS. Peter & Paul School.

Our Lady of Good Counsel, Fonda

Students will have an all school prayer to start the week of on Jan. 25. Students will also be going bowling in Storm Lake that day. On Jan. 27, students will participate in Favorite Team Day and have relay games. On Jan. 28, faculty and teachers will be appreciated with lunch at the Fonda Inn. The week will end with Parent Appreciation Day on Jan. 30. Students can attend Mass with their parents and after Mass parents and students can eat lunch together.

St. Edmond Catholic School, Fort Dodge

St. Edmond students will be honoring the student council on Jan. 26. The student council members will be going to breakfast at Village Inn. High school Student Appreciation Day will be on Jan. 27. Students will have an afternoon of various activities. Jan. 28 middle school students will spend the afternoon watching a movie with popcorn and the lunch that day will also be catered in honor of Teacher Appreciation Day. On Jan. 29, student council will take the staff out for lunch to honor staff appreciation day. On Jan. 30, there will be a Mass in the gymnasium at St. Edmond and school will dismiss early. St. Edmond's has rented a billboard for the month of January, using the national campaign theme.

St. Mary's, Humboldt

On Jan. 25, students at St. Mary's will focus on community service. Each child or class will make cards for Meals on Wheels. Students will have their own Student Appreciation Day on Jan. 26 where they will play BINGO with their buddies in the afternoon. On Jan. 29, students will take part in a morning Mass and have donuts and juice afterwards.

Gehlen Catholic School, Le Mars

At each of the Masses on Jan. 24 and Jan. 25, students extend their personal thanks to the members of their parishes. At some parishes, students are given between 5-7 minutes to speak as part of the liturgy.

Jan. 29, there will be an all school and family picnic and entertainment. Families are invited to bring their sack lunch and enjoy a family picnic in our gymnasium. The sack lunch will be followed by entertainment from 12:45-1 p.m.

Kindergarten through sixth graders will have a reptile show on Jan 30. Also on Jan. 30, David Nieves from Kansas City will speak on his writings, travels and research of reptiles and amphibians.

Pocahontas Catholic

Students at Pocahontas Catholic have made posters and placemats for businesses and eating places that will be used during Catholic Schools Week. Pocahontas Catholic is also comprising a list of 100 reasons why they like Pocahontas Catholic school for the 100th day of school. Students will visit the Star Lab on Jan. 26 and 27. On Jan. 27, volunteers will come in on to be with the students while teachers and all staff eat at Pizza Ranch. On Jan. 28, students will go skating at Storm Lake. There will be a special Mass held on Jan. 30 followed by a Yummy Sale and games.

St. Mary's School, Remsen

Jan. 26 is Academic Day and students will be recognized that have obtained honor roll status. On Jan. 27, families will be honored that will have their last child graduate from the school system during Mass. The 6th annual school picnic will be held on Jan. 28. Parents of high school students can bring their children's favorite meal to share at lunchtime. Students in St. Mary's grade school will also be making Valentine Cards for the senior citizens in the community, that will be sent out in February. The third through eighth graders will be bowling. The week will end with Staff Appreciation Day on Jan. 30. The Christian Leadership Team is preparing a special day for staff members at the high school.

Catholic Schools of Sioux City

Holy Cross School, Sioux City

On Jan. 27, students at St. Michael's will be able to wear jeans and their Holy Cross/St. Michael's sweatshirts and a pray service will be held. Fax Gilbert will put on an assembly entitled "Mime, Masks and Magic," which will teach students about body language and inspires students to develop their artistic abilities, reading and communication skills. On Jan. 23 students may dress in loungewear -sweatpants and sweatshirts and tennis shoes. At the Blessed Sacrament Center, students will be having Parent Day on Jan. 26. Parents will be observing the class room in the morning and may stay with the students for lunch. On Jan. 28, students will be going to the Air National Guard to celebrate National Day. The week will be ending with Student Day. Students will be able to play BINGO and eat popcorn on Jan. 30.

Holy Family, Sioux City

On Jan. 26, students will participate in Rainbow Jean Day. Each class room will have a different color assigned and students can wear that color with jeans. There will also be a picnic lunch where family members can come and eat with the students. Students will be able to wear hats and crazy socks on Jan. 27 to celebrate Catholic Schools Week. They will be writing special thank you notes to the schools parents and volunteers. Each class room will have the words Thank You in a different language. On Jan. 28, students will have Mass and play BINGO. Jan. 30 will be Dress Up Day and Teacher Appreciation Day with a noon dismissal.

Mater Dei School, Sioux City

Students in kindergarten through eighth grade will be able to wear a T-shirt or sweater over their uniform top and pants that has information relating to a Catholic school or college on Jan. 26. Red, White and Jean Day will be Jan. 27 at both centers along with activity day at 10:30 a.m. at the Nativity Center and at 1:45 p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Center. Jan. 28 will be Crazy Sock Day for grades six through eight at Nativity Center. There will be a BINGO party for kindergarten through fifth grade at the IC Center as well that day. On Jan. 29 an all school Mass will be held at 9 a.m. at IC Center. Both Sister Maureen Doyle Scholarship winners awarded after Mass.

Sacred Heart School, Sioux City

Jan. 26 will be F for Family Day for the students at Sacred Heart. Families are invited to come have lunch with the students. Jan. 27 will be A for Awesome Students and students will ice cream sundaes. Jan 28 will be I for Involving Community Day and students can dress in red, white and blue day with jeans.

Community leaders, police, fire fighter, judge, army and navy, will be invited to come and speak to the students. T for Teacher Appreciation Day will be celebrated on Jan. 29. Teachers will swap spots with each other after lunch. Friday will be H for Helpers (volunteer appreciation). There will be rolls for volunteers and each class will be preparing something for those who volunteer.

Heelan High School, Sioux City

Life Core at Heelan planned the activities at Heelan for Catholic Schools Week. A Penny Drive will take place in the CYO every day during lunch. The proceeds will go to the Crittenton Center. The class who donates the most pennies will be given a pizza party. Each day of the week the students will be given the opportunity to dress differently with specific guidelines. Each student is asked to donate at least one item to be given to the local food pantry. A poster will be displayed that has pictures of the faculty and staff when they were children. Students will try to guess who each picture belongs to. On Jan. 29 there will be an all school Mass at the Cathedral. Father Walsh, the new president of CSSC, will celebrate the Mass.

Briar Cliff College, Sioux City

Intentions at daily Masses in Our Lady of Grace Chapel during the week of Catholic Schools Week will be for the intentions of the Diocese of Sioux City. Twenty members of BC's Campus Ministry will be going St. Michael's School, in South Sioux City, to assist with the "Craft Carnival," a project to commemorate Catholic Schools Week. Members of BC's Campus Ministry plan to give talks on their "faith-life" to students at Holy Cross School's St. Michael Center, in Sioux City, about a "Faith-Filled Future."

Sacred Heart School, Spencer

Community Day will held on Jan. 26 at Sacred Heart. Cookie trays will be delivered to all of the Spencer schools and there will be banners advertising Catholic Schools Week on display at various businesses in town. Jan. 27 will be Student Day. Students will spend part of the day bowling. Jan. 29 will Volunteer Day with a picnic lunch with parents in the school gym. Parent volunteers will be recognized with thank you bookmarks. Jan. 30 will be Teacher Day and the school board will serve breakfast to faculty and staff members. There will be BINGO and a school carnival.

St. Mary's School, Storm Lake

Jan. 26 there will be a school Mass to start off the week. During Mass the volunteers will be honored. The entire student body is treated to a family style lunch with alumni speakers as special guests on Jan. 28. The decorated gym will have dinner tables with a mix of high school, middle school and elementary students at each table. Jan. 29 faculty and staff will recognize St. Mary's students with notes of appreciation and treats. Students will be allowed to wear jeans instead of uniforms. Also, homeroom snacks will be provided for K-12 on Jan. 30, the week concludes with a luncheon to honor school staff for their hard work and dedication to Catholic education. The high school student council will set the tables and provide the teachers with a gift of appreciation.

Sts. Peter and Paul School, West Bend

Jan. 26 students will participate in a Hawaiian Day where they can dress up in shorts, grass skirts and flips flops. Teacher Appreciation Day will be held on Jan. 27 so students can let their teacher know how much they appreciate her. Emmetsburg Catholic will be visiting Sts. Peter and Paul on Jan. 30. Students will be having a Mass and making Rosary and quilt squares.