2-21-2014 Parent Newsletter*

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School

Newsletter February 21, 2014 www.stcharlesschoolfw.org [email protected] 260-484-3392

Last Day of School K-7: Wednesday, June 4th [tentative] 8th Grade Graduation: Thursday, May 29th, 7:00 p.m. in Church [tentative]

SAINT CHARLES SCHOOL CALENDAR 2014-2015 Kindergarten Meet the Teacher Day (8-11:30a.m. & 12:30-3:30p.m.) August 6 KDG & Grade 1 Parent Orientation (K 6-6:45p.m. & 1st 7-7:45p.m.) August 11 First Day of School Grades K-8: August 13 School Ends Grades K-8: May 27 Labor Day (No School): September 1 ICF Day (No School - FW Area Catholic Teacher In-service): September 22 Thanksgiving Vacation: November 27 & 28 Christmas Vacation: December 22 – January 2 MLKing, Jr. Day (We will have school on this day): January 19 President’s Day (We will have school on this day): February 16 Spring Vacation: March 27 - April 3 (Fri., March 27 will be a day off) Good Friday (No School): April 3 Easter Sunday: April 5 Grade 8 Graduation: May 21 tentative (7:00 p.m.) CALENDAR UPDATE FEBRUARY 23 Science Fair open for visitors after Sunday morning Masses 8:00 am – 12:30 pm Complimentary coffee and donuts 24 2-hour delay, school begins at 10:00 am; teacher meeting before school 26 Pueri Cantores rehearsal at BDHS in the afternoon 27 Learn Not To Burn program (rescheduled from Feb. 5) 28 4-14 visits Turnstone Center MARCH 3 Grade 2 celebrates Dr. Seuss’ Day 4 6-19 and half of 6-18 visit Synagogue 5 Ash Wednesday 6 ISTEP test session 1 for grades 3-8 7 ISTEP test session 2 for grades 3-8 6-20 and half of 6-18 visit Synagogue 9 Eucharistic Adoration 12:00-7:00 pm; Benediction at 7:00 pm 10 Reconciliation grades 3 and 4 and 2-23 11 ISTEP test session 3 for grades 3-8 (grades 3 & 8 now finished) Market Day 12 ISTEP test session 4 for grades 4-7 (grades 4-7 now finished) St. Charles Young Authors from grades 1 & 2 share their books 14 Spring Musical Rumplestiltskin performed at 7:00 pm in gym 15 Spring Trivia Night 6:00 pm in cafeteria 15-16 FAME Festival at Grand Wayne Center

1 Dear Parents and Students,

Thank you for your patience and support with all of our weather delays, near delays, and closings. With all of the closings across the State, the Indiana Department of Education has given schools options to help make up lost days. I am looking at the options, as are neighboring schools, and I will communicate changes (if any) with an individual note home with each student. At this time, I am still studying possibilities. However, we do have weeks to go before our colder weather goes away for good.

Due to necessary changes, as a school, we may have to ask all families who do not qualify for the Indiana Choice Scholarship (voucher) to submit 2013 year-end financial information for next year. This would allow us to continue to provide assistance to all families outside of the voucher. As most of our families are familiar with FACTS Grant & Aid from the SGO applications, or large family fund applications, or from having an older child at Bishop Dwenger High School, we are leaning towards using FACTS, but we are studying other options. Before objections are raised to the idea of having to provide financials each year, please stop and read the next paragraph concerning next year’s tuition increases. Any steps we take are in the best interests of you, our families, and of our school overall. As more definite decisions are reached next week, all parents will be clearly notified of new steps for next year. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Reminder: We are currently computing the budget for next year. With preliminary budget numbers we are realizing projected 4-5% increases in tuition for 2014-2015. For “active and contributing” parishioners who do not qualify for SGO or School Choice Scholarships (voucher) this equates to an increase of roughly $10 more per child per month for children one through three. The amount of increase per child lessens for the fourth child on up.

Great article later in this newsletter! Where are the men (and women) of character? In case you have not followed the story, a player on the Miami Dolphin’s NFL team named Jonathon Martin left the team a few months ago because he felt powerless to stand up to continued teasing and harassment from some of his teammates. The story has focused on the harassing teammates and whether or not Martin handled the situation properly himself. An investigative report entitled the “Well’s Report” explains everything in 144 pages. I would encourage parents to read the report. Caution- the contents are foul. More importantly, read the article from ESPN that I have included in this newsletter Don’t lose parts of the ‘Code’. I found it to be one of the more powerful and spiritual pieces I have ever read. I recommend sharing it with your children.

Changes to how Catholic schools do business regarding tuition, subsidy, and assistance. How will this affect you? If you have friends at the neighboring parishes you have probably heard that they are changing the way they have traditionally viewed tuition and subsidy. The Choice Scholarship (voucher) has been a part of this change, but more importantly the traditional tuition and subsidy model used here in our Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese has become inefficient in terms of parish fiscal responsibility. As the high schools have traditionally done, tuition is now represented as the actual cost per student. St. Charles has done this for a number of years now and will continue to do so from here on out. Additionally, parishes are eliminating the use of the word “subsidy” in terms of tuition. The word “subsidy” when relating to school tuition has always been a bit misleading. A parish has multiple ministries (youth, music, adult education, etc.) and all of these ministries have always been “subsidized” as they do not pay for themselves through fees, but through the good will of the parishioners. The school ministry, however, because of the larger cost to parishes, has always been talked about in terms of subsidy. The better terms of “assistance” or “scholarship” will be used from now on regarding any financial help families receive with the overall cost of tuition. Parishes used to charge no tuition for students to attend the Parish school. In the late 70s and early 80s, with the increase of lay teachers, parishes had to begin charging tuition. This was a big change for families. Some left Catholic education and never returned. The parishes worked hard to keep the tuition minimal, offsetting true costs to run the school with assistance from the parish collections. As school costs have continued to grow and tuition has continued to increase, the assistance from the collection parish has also had to increase. In this Diocese, however, I believe this model has reached its tipping point in the last decade. For parish schools to be sustainable, parishes have been slowly, but surely moving to parents paying full, or at least a fuller cost of full tuition based on income. The key is to do this in stages, over time, and to still offer assistance to all, or most, of your school families. If not done slowly, and with thought for all, then there is the risk of alienating families and decreasing access to parish schools. Limiting access is not the mission of a parish school. Let’s look at going to fuller cost of tuition based on income. Regarding, changes, parishes can help with total tuition costs, but the money for assistance has never been endless and some families have more income than others. But we have to think the situation through, not just look at our neighbor and say, “He has a lot of money. He can afford to pay.” If a parent – let’s call him Lex - makes half a million dollars each year, he could reasonably pay $1,000 more to his children’s overall tuition. Most people would say Lex could pay even more. However, we must keep in mind that Lex is a good guy, and he is usually called upon to be a big donor for parish and Diocesan projects every year. Lex’s charitable giving is vital to the health of the parish and the Diocese, and the charitable giving is tax deductible. The parish decides to charge Lex’s family, based on income, full cost for the five children at $5,000 each. Lex’s newly charged $25,000 of non-assistance tuition for his five children in elementary school is not tax deductible. Now we know Lex is a good guy, but at some point even he has to pull back. If he cannot pull back from tuition, then he will most likely pull back from his other charitable endeavors within the parish and/or the Diocese. So what good is done in this scenario? Yes, the parish school side of the ledger looks healthier, but the general parish side of the budget suffers. Peter 2 was robbed to pay Paul, but both school and parish share the same wallet, so no one really gained. So in the end, we must change, but because of the unique “parish school” model, we must be prudent in our steps going forward. Equal is not always fair, and fair is not always equal, but working together, in love and appreciation of one another, we will make the right choices in 2015-16 and in future years. Thank you. -Rob S.

ALTAR SERVERS Feb. 22, 5:00pm: Bradley Black, Charlie Howe, Matt Kochanski, Reagan Stauffer Feb. 23, 7:30am: Maddie Bopp, Michael Sundahl, Cameron Tippmann Feb. 23, 9:00am: Ashlynn Armstrong, Kate Baarrow, Lucas Fisher, Victoria Fisher Feb. 23, 11:00am: Logan Chappell, Luke Elsasser, Amanda Harter, Eddie Morris Feb. 23, 5:00pm: Justin Bierbaum, Kaylee Bobay, Collin Cahill, John Copeland

CAFETERIA SCHEDULE February 24: Kathy Vande-Zande, Jen Eisaman, Marlene McKinney, Elizabeth Hull, Becca Williams February 25: Kathy Haines, Kathy Kappelmann, Jennifer Knothe, Cheryl Morello, Dave Worrel February 26: Jenny Steigmeyer, Paul Oberhausen, Christy Jacob, Theresa Cornewell, Kari Samons February 27: Mary Cahill, Elaine Jackson, Suzanne Tippmann, Nancy Hartig, Marlene McKinney February 28: Stephanie Schubert, Jason Linn, Elizabeth Hull, Chris Pieper, Kathy Vande-Zande

NEWSLETTER STAPLING SCHEDULE February 28: Elizabeth Hull, Susan Gulachek, Deborah Beck

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK Congratulations to our students of the week: Louie Ciocca, Cecelia Hughes, Grace Hughes, Mason Schneider, Owen Tippmann, Lauren Galbraith, Aidan Tio, Chloe Tippmann, Logan Vinson, Isaac Oberhausen, AJ Ley, Riley Shane, Onika Davis, Ailani Larkey, Alice Talarico, Julie Stefanek, Kennedy Heinze, Caleb Harrigan, Johnny Ley, TJ Tippmann, Tyson Crismore, Joe Eddy, Isabela Ogg, Faith Sordelet, Nick Bayes, Faith Wiechart, Erica Robinson, Anna Steigmeyer, Leah McKenna, Drew Aguirre, Sara Hull.

MARKET DAY New this month from Market Day: our Spaghetti Pie - real cheese & a tasty meat sauce, this dinner bakes up in an ovenproof plate for a fast, delicious meal. Also, try our new Fish Sticks - panko breaded, all natural fish sticks from mild Alaskan pollock filets. Finish it all off with our Strawberry Patch Cake - yellow cake layered with strawberry filling & a glazed topping and buttercreme sides; this item has received great reviews! ORDER YOUR DESSERT - with eleven choices including pies, cakes and cheesecake, you can make any celebration an easy one with these delicious choices! Place your Market Day order through March 6, 2014.

SCRIP Carson’s Community Passes – SCRIP is selling Carson’s Community Days passes. The coupon booklet costs $5 and is loaded with over $500 worth of savings, including one for $10 off any item, during the Bonus days, Feb. 28 – Mar. 1 AND you earn $2.50 in SCRIP credit. Be sure to have Carson’s gift cards too. This promises to be a great shopping event! Tis the Luck of the Irish – How’s your luck? In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, SCRIP is having a “Pots of Gold” giveaway. That’s right, we will give away 6 pots of gold ranging in value from $25-$100! All you have to do is place an order of $100 or more March 14 – 17. After sales on March 17, six names will be chosen from those who placed qualifying orders and each will get a chance to pick a “pot of gold.” Don’t miss out on your chance to enjoy a bit of Irish Luck! Delivery Options – One of the most important pieces of information on the order form is choosing your delivery option. For cash sales customers this is important in the event that you have a back order. It is most critical for school orders. We encourage parents to communicate your choice with your children, especially if you choose to send the order in with one student and home with another. We always send the order home with the student listed in the delivery option. Be sure you mark your choice carefully so we can accurately get your filled order to you. Merchant News - Great Lakes announced this week that Marriott gift cards are no longer available in the $50 denomination. They will still be available in $100 and $500 cards. We carry the $100 gift cards in stock and $500 gift cards can be special ordered. Peerless on Maplecrest has closed. The locations in Georgetown and Dupont are still open and gift certificates can be used to pay your bill for their home delivery service. Another option for your dry cleaning needs is Master Cleaners, located in the Maplewood Plaza, with $10 gift cards at a 10% profit. VOLUNTEERS: Feb. 24 – Classroom Delivery – Julie Ostermeyer Feb. 28 – Mary Jo Amorini, Tom Neuhaus, Dorla Rice, Amy Copeland Feb. 28 – Classroom Delivery – Donna Kaiser Mar. 1 – Amy Lin, Brian McLaughlin, Audrey Stauffer Mar. 2 – Deb Beck, Dawn O’Connor, Kori O’Rourke Mar. 3 – CLASSROOM DELIVERY – Denette Pearson Mar. 7 – Ruth Marburger, Sue Rohling, Jennifer Perkins, Judy Smith Mar. 7 – CLASSROOM DELIVERY – Kristina Ledo Mar. 8 – Jennifer Perkins, Cheryl Haines, Tricia Lilly Mar. 9 – Arianne Davis, Nancy Hartig, Lisa York

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK STAFF LUNCHEON – THANK YOU! THANK YOU! The luncheon during Catholic Schools Week was held on January 31st for all school and parish staff. A special thank you to Jimmy & Amanda Sullivan of Laycoff's for their donation. Through the generosity of the following parents, this event was a success and we thank them: Louise Elsasser, Natalie Tippmann, Katie Steigmeyer, Michelle Meyer, Karen Bougher, Cindy Miltner, Monica Sordelet, Melissa Thompson, Emily Walden, Danielle Meyer, Tina McCoy, Lisa Groves, Amy Cochran, Suzanne Stratton, Jenifer Lothamer, Lisa White, Angie Logan, Kristina Ledo, Jenny Perkins, Julie Tippmann, Judy Smith, Jen Eisaman, Kara Straessle, Amy Copeland, Lindsay Worrel, Sarah Pearson, Shannon Pierson, Susan Parker, Angela Bauer, Theresa Roberts, Camille Smith, Kari Smith, Camy Rodenbeck, Erin Bulanda, Christy Jacob, Amy Conn, Becky Trimbur, Debra Sundahl, Beth Schneider, Jenny Steigmeyer, Jill Harkless, Kelly Tippmann, Sarah Robinson, Krisi Cavacini, Tina Schneider, Sara Fischer, Deb Beck, and Audrey Stauffer.

NEWS FROM OUR LIBRARY Parents: just a friendly reminder to please help keep your children “on track”, as far as Accelerated Reading (AR) points go! With all of the snow days we’ve had, the end of the 3rd quarter is quickly creeping up on us faster than many of us expect - myself included! In some cases students took great advantage of days at home and read awesome numbers of library books! But…in many instances, students “relaxed” a bit at home and did not read many books. We only have three weeks left in this 3rd quarter, in which to accumulate AR points! So please encourage your children to read and acquire the number of AR points required in their grade level before March 14th, as this will affect their grade! Also, you are always able to go to our HOME CONNECT website to check your child’s number of present AR points. If you’ve misplaced the info as to how to access that site, please contact me and I will assist you! Thank you from me, but most of all a BIGGER THANK YOU from your children, for helping them to be successful readers! Barb Fisher ☺ Librarian

ISTEP+ (testing dates revised) The Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus (ISTEP+) measures what students know and are able to do at each grade level. Based on Indiana’s Academic Standards, ISTEP+ provides a learning check-up to make sure students are on track and signal whether they need extra help. The test is divided into two sessions: one in March and one at the end of April, beginning of May. All students in grades 3-8 will be testing. PLEASE DO NOT SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS FOR STUDENTS ON THESE DAYS. All students in the state of Indiana in attendance at accredited schools must participate in these assessments. March 6-7-11-12, students in grades 3-8 will take the ISTEP+ Applied Skills progress assessment. Students who are absent for tests will be pulled from classes as time permits for making up tests by March 21. April 28 – May 9, students in grades 3-8 will take the ISTEP+ Multiple-Choice progress assessment. (Several additional days are allowed for making up tests as time permits.) During both of these testing times, grade 3 students will take Math and Language Arts tests. Grade 4 students will take Math, Language Arts, and Science tests. Grade 5 students will take Math, Language Arts, and Social Studies tests. Grade 6 students will take Math, Language Arts, and Science tests. Grade 7 students will take Math, Language Arts, and Social Studies tests. Grade 8 students will take Math and Language Arts tests. At some grade levels the some assessments will be taken online with computers, otherwise, the assessments are of the paper and pencil format. Additionally, on March 17-18-19, all grade 3 students will take the IREAD-3 and on May 14-15 (or later if possible), all students who are currently taking Algebra I (in grade 8 or 7) will also take an End-of-Course Assessment (ECA) required for high school graduation. Please make every effort to have students present in school and on time during these testing sessions. Doctor appointments should be avoided during test windows if at all possible. Making up tests is very difficult and students tend to not perform as well as usual. We try to test only in the mornings, however, make-up tests and online assessments may also be in the afternoons. At some grade levels, only two days will be needed for testing, at other grades three or four days are needed. If the Indiana State Board of Education, the Indiana Department of Education, or the State Superintendent’s Office adjust these testing dates due to the number of lost days of instruction because of winter weather, St. Charles School will follow the adjusted dates.

SOCCER COACH NEEDED - 5TH GRADE BOYS Please consider helping in this rewarding program. Please contact Matt Bobay at 615-7171 or Dan Sordelet at 437-9250 ASAP if interested. Thank you!

BISHOP DWENGER SPOTLIGHT Lady Saints Basketball Program – TRYOUT DATES RESCHEDULED To organize teams to play in the upcoming Spiece Fieldhouse League for grades 4-8. Tryouts are Saturday, February 22, 10:00- 1:00pm, in the BD main gym for grades 4-6, and February 23, 12:00-3:00pm, in the BD main gym for grades 7-8. *Please plan to attend tryouts dressed and ready to participate. A parents’ meeting is scheduled for February 22 and 23 immediately after each session. Parents will be given schedules with dates and times for approximately 30 games, cost for the league along with team and coaches contact information. If interested please send your name along with your daughter’s name, grade, and school to [email protected]. BISHOP DWENGER WRESTLING CAMP Feb. 24-March 13 At Bishop Dwenger Wrestling Room Cost: $25 Time: Pre K-4 5:30-6:30 5-8 Grades 6:30-8:00 Registration forms are in the St. Charles school office and on the BD Website. No pre-registration is necessary, can sign up 1st night! Contact Info: John Tone, Head Wrestling Coach At Bishop Dwenger Email: [email protected] 496-4713 4 SAINTS WRESTLING CLUB Also the Saints Wrestling Club is in full swing at Dwenger. All 5-8 Grade boys welcomed. We need especially the upper weight classes filled. No experience is necessary. Contact me as well if interested. Gary Weilbaker is the Saints Wrestling Club Coordinator/Coach. Great program to get you started in a possible wrestling career! Thanks, John Tone Email: [email protected] BISHOP DWENGER SAINTS ALIVE Saints Alive! 2014 is only two weeks away! We’ll be celebrating Bishop Dwenger’s 50th year by “Dancing Through the Decades” during Preview Night, March 6 from 7-9:30pm and the Dinner and Auction March 8 beginning at 6pm. For more information or to reserve your seat, visit www.bishopdwenger.com or call 496-4801. We look forward to having you join us! BISHOP DWENGER HOLDING AUDITIONS FOR THEIR SPRING MUSICAL ATTENTION: ST. CHARLES JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS Bishop Dwenger High School will be holding auditions for their spring musical, OVER THE MOON. The musical is a comedy where all of your favorite fairytales intertwine and end with a surprising twist! Auditions will be held on Tuesday, February 25th and Thursday, February 27th at 4:30 pm in the Bishop Dwenger choir room (Students need attend only one day). Please prepare a verse and a chorus of your favorite Disney or musical theatre song. We hope to see you there!

St. Charles Cardinals Tennis Club Sign up is now closed Due to the overwhelming response, registration is now closed. If you have already signed up, you will receive a confirmation email within the next week. Please refer to the online calendar at CardinalsTennis.com because most matches and all practices are already scheduled. The parent meeting will be on Wednesday, March 26th at 5:30 pm at the Hession Center. Call Natasha Nuerge at 437- 9936 if you have any questions.

IPFW 2014 YOUTH LEAGUE DISCOUNT – Grades K-6 only Come to an IPFW men’s or women’s basketball game for FREE! Wear your team jersey and bring IPFW’s flyer to the IPFW ticket office for your Free Ticket. (IPFW flyer available in our school office.) Accompaying adults will receive a discounted ticket for $7.00. (Lower seating women’s games and upper seating men’s games.) This offer is valid for students in grades K-6 only due to NCAA regulations.

IN THEATERS FEBRUARY 28 – SON OF GOD Twentieth Century Fox announced it will release SON OF GOD in theaters nationwide February 28, 2014. This major motion picture event -- an experience created to be shared among families and communities across the U.S. -- brings the story of Jesus’ life to audiences through compelling cinematic storytelling that is both powerful and inspirational. The film was created by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. It has been reviewed very favorably and Bishop Rhoades has encouraged everyone to watch. Please help pack the theatres and spread the word. Watch the official trailer at: sharesonofgod.com

OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT OUR YOUTH Newman Catholic Fellowship Girl Scouts of St. Charles The Newman Catholic Fellowship, a Catholic student-run organization at IPFW will be holding a Bake Sale after the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Masses in the cafeteria during Coffee & Donuts on Sunday, February 23. The Newman Catholic Fellowship is asking for help to raise funds for the evangelization of the Faith on the campus of IPFW. Stop by for the freshly baked goods or make a financial donation to the Newman Catholic Fellowship! Daisy Girl Scouts will be selling Girl Scout Cookies at Coffee and Donuts to help support their troop and Girl Scouts of America. Buy a box of cookies and help support St. Charles’ Girl Scouts.

TRIVIA NIGHT – SAVE THE DATE FEELIN’ GREEN TRIVIA NIGHT Saturday, March 15, from 6-9:30pm in the school cafeteria! Mark your calendar now and kick off the feast of St. Patrick with fellow parishioners in celebration with some trivia to streatch the brain! Start forming your table of 8 smart people who will lead you to victory! Registration forms will be available next weekend. Must be 18 or older to attend!

CPR/AED CERTIFICATION CLASS CPR/AED Training Class will be held at St. Charles on Thursday, March 6, 6:00 p.m. in the Art Room. Enter Hession Center through door #3. The cost of the class is $20.00, compared to $65 for CPR/AED training at other locations. If you are interested in signing up for the class, registrations will be accepted at the Parish Office, 482-2186, through Fri., Feb. 28 during regular business hours, or e-mail [email protected]. At the time of payment, you will receive your training book which should to be reviewed before your class and returned the night of the class. Any questions, please call Mike Spillner, 485-4096.

5 Congratulations to our 2014 Science Fair participants! First Grade 2nd Place Greta Skeens Second Grade 1st Place Isaac Clauser Third Grade 1st Place Cassandra Smith REGIONAL Alternate Cassandra Smith Fourth Grade Physics/Engineering 3rd Place Amya Cato, Amira Orth, Kain Starkey, Todd Tippmann 2nd Place Grace Ade, Joe Bulanda, Gavin Groves, William Hogan, Nicholas Krouse, Kyle Morello 1st Place Evan Smith REGIONAL Evan Smith Fourth Grade Physics Participant Isabela Ogg 3rd Place Dakotah Krohn, George Strimmenos, Troy Tippmann 2nd Place Kristin Bobay, Dominic Cruz, Avery Ellinger, Griffin Engelhardt, Katie Feipel, Morgan Farmer, Alex Gulachek, Elizabeth Kaufman, Grace Morris, Nathan Pillie, Isaac Rorick, Joe Smith 1st Place JoJo Cavacini Fourth Grade Earth Science 3rd Place Liz Onion 1st Place Andrew Parker Fourth Grade Botany 2nd Place Julia Beck, Erin Breitenwischer, Victoria Carney, Rocco Ciocca, Olivia McGillicuddy 1st Place Isabel Follrod

Fourth Grade Chemistry Participant Salomon Guzman 3rd Place avier Aguirre, Caroline Finley, Hailey Johnson, Jessica Linder, Sophia Luong, Morgan McCoy, Hunter Neiger, Lillian Tellman 2nd Place Danielle Bundy, Brooklyn Christle, Jakey Cubellis, Grace Fischer, Nora Foltz, Jacob Gerard, Jacob Hagerman, Isaac Lehrman, Madelyn Lombardi, Olivia Porter-Bitz, Hayes Rivera, Stephanie Schamberg, Alex Schlatter, Lynsey Straessle, Logan Thompson, Benjie Tippman, Ken Tippmann, Taylor Wolf, 1st Place Elliott Cornewell, Ellen Hartzog, Gabrielle Kien, Hailey Lin, Allie Perkins, Nick Snyder, Brooke Vetter REGIONAL Elliott Cornewell Fourth Grade Health 3rd Place Claudia Crabill, Makayla Sturm 2nd Place S teven Blackwell, Joe Eddy, Lucy Figel, Brennan Hensler, Paige Huston, Henry O/Keefe, C.J. Pieper 1st Place Gianna Caccamo, Adam Lee, Zach Schubert, Reagan Vetter REGIONAL Adam Lee and Zach Schubert Fourth Grade Zoology 2nd Place Isabelle Kirk, Kaylynn Kirk 1st Place Sarah Hull, Leah Zimmerman REGIONAL Leah Zimmerman Seventh Grade Physics/Engineering Participant Charlie Howe, Sean Pierson, Harrison Rivera 3rd Place Drew Aguirre, Michael Fabini, Bryce Lothamer, Blake Scheer, Travis Tippmann 2nd Place Krystka Bugajski, Alec Bunt, Macey Campbell, Vincent Cavacini, Jacob Ford, Michael Garrett, Amanda Harter, Alex Hatton, Matt Kochanski, Cece Kramer, Lydia Ley, Angela Ly, Morgan Quinn, Garett Siebert, Hayden Smithey, Andrew Sordelet, Anthony Starr, T.J. Tippmann, Calvin Wampler , Lyle Yaggy 1st Place Zach Cubellis, Zach Nuerge, Owen Potosky, Sean O’Sullivan, Josh Schipper REGIONAL Alternate Josh Schipper REGIONAL Sean O’Sullivan Seventh Grade Earth Science 2nd Place Jayda Smith, Tristin Krohn Seventh Grade Biochemistry/Microbiology 2nd Place Tyler Birely, Grace Current, Hailie Markiton, Jarrett Straessle 1st Place Kaylee Bobay Seventh Grade Chemistry 6 3rd Place Tori Eifrid, Drew Reiling, Emma Witte 2nd Place Peyton Davis, Joe Taylor Seventh Grade Sports Science 3rd Place Collin Quinlan 2nd Place Bridgette Black, Taylor Russell, Russell Sordelet 1st Place Spencer Cater, Sydney Conn, Dylan Kerns, Sarah McTague REGIONAL Dylan Kerns Seventh Grade Botany 1st Place Ethan Burns Seventh Grade Zoology To Be Graded Ailani Larkey 2nd Place Madison Buckley, Mary Carroll, Cameron Tippmann Seventh Grade Medicine/Health 3rd Place Ashlynn Armstrong, Daniel Escarcega, Makayla McCoy, Gabbie Vetter 2nd Place Adrianne Ceruti, Madesyn Niswonger, Erica Robinson, Joe Tippmann 1st Place Luke Elsasser, Jared Lee, Hope Salzer REGIONAL Jared Lee and Hope Salzer Seventh Grade Behavioral/Social Science 2nd Place Chelsea Ford, Mary Horine, Jeremiah Jauch, Dominic Jones, Natalie Onion, Sierra Shupe, Sophie Talarico 1st Place Eric Blackwell, Sarah Malone, Samantha Stefanek REGIONAL Eric Blackwell Seventh Grade Environmental Science 2nd Place Anna Burkhardt, Mariah McKenna, Sydney Schneider, Olivia Trimbur

Don’t lose crucial parts of ‘the code’ Leaders should set right tone for NFL teams to thrive as men, players I've had a lifelong love affair with football. I was fortunate to be able to live out my childhood dreams. To play a game for a living and now cover the game I love and support my family, it's a dream come true. The game has meant a lot to me. But for such an amazingly popular sport, there are aspects of it that I think many fans don't fully understand, and the Richie Incognito story has shed a negative light on some of those misunderstood parts of playing football and being on a football team. Among the many things that I loved about playing football was sitting around the locker room with teammates and poking fun at each other with sophomoric slams, each one more ridiculous than the next. But let me make this perfectly clear: I despise the stories of bullying that came out of Miami. It breaks my heart that the good-natured ribbing that is a part of every locker room could get to a point that a young man felt his only option was to walk away from the game that he's worked his entire life to play. I have great empathy for Jonathan Martin. I don't know all the inner workings of the Miami Dolphins locker room, but I do know the pain of being different, the sadness that accompanies not fitting in and the hopeless feeling of having no one to turn to, because it's part of my story as well. My parents lovingly passed down the lessons of their lives so that my sister, Jana, and I may also teach our children the foundational principles of a life well lived. There was something else my father passed on, quite unintentionally, I'm sure: learning disabilities. My father is dyslexic, and so am I. It was the first day of seventh grade, and one of my teachers was explaining the course requirements. "Every day I will randomly select a student to stand in front of the class and read a current event from the newspaper," he said. That's when the panic set in. I would have struggled reading Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham." Read from the paper? I had zero shot. Every day walking into that class was more miserable than the next; the anxiety of knowing my name might be next on the docket made it almost impossible to place one foot in front of the other. As I'd pass through the threshold, I would pray, "Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, I beg you, please don't let this be the day my name is called. Amen." For several weeks, my prayers were answered, but then came that fateful day. "Schlereth, it's your turn to read," he said. "No thank you," I replied. "Get up and read, now!," he barked. "Please, please, no," I begged. "Get up now or fail," he stated with conviction. I arose, heart leaping from my shirt, cheeks so flushed they would make a rose wilt with jealousy. I walked to the front of the room. I stood for what seemed like an eternity but in reality was less than a minute and painfully tried to sound out words that were way above my pay grade. With each passing second and every stammered-upon syllable, the snickers from the class grew louder, until my teacher had heard enough. "Sit down! You're stupid!" he proclaimed.

7 The class was bursting at the seams with laughter and a heartbroken boy slumped in his chair, tears streaming down his cheeks, puddling in pools of embarrassment on the table beneath him. Have you ever been scared or embarrassed to the point of paralysis? Where do you turn when you feel you have nowhere to turn? In whom do you confide when it seems everyone is against you? What is the "correct" response in those situations? I had nowhere to turn and no fellow students or other teachers to support me or help me. I couldn't even turn to my parents because I felt like I had failed them. I was alone. In a different setting, but one with many similarities, Jonathan Martin walked out. Looking back, I wish I'd had the courage to do the same. Maybe that would have brought the attention that my situation needed for things to be set straight.

The Code I've heard a lot of current and former football players evoke "the code" in regard to Martin's departure from his team. • Handle your business like a man • Don't air the team's dirty laundry to the public • Stand up for yourself • Punch him in the nose • Don't run out on your teammates Many have said Martin has broken "the code" and will never be welcomed back in the locker room. What about "the code" that says we love one another? We play hard for one another? We set aside our differences and bond together as one? What about that fraternity, that code? The code of championship locker rooms, in which men sacrifice for each other, in which they consider others more important than themselves, in which they embrace -- not ostracize -- each other. That's the locker room I grew up in and the code I adhere to, and my football career is filled with examples of reaching out, and looking out, for teammates. I was drafted in the 10th round, the 263rd pick of the 1989 draft by the Washington Redskins. I was a no-name, oft-injured center/guard from the University of Idaho. My college career was a mess, so riddled with injury that the university had retired me as a junior. "That's enough," they said and threw in the white towel on my childhood dream. After months of pleading (whining), they acquiesced and agreed to allow me to play my senior season. I was completely off the NFL radar. Luckily for me, I had a teammate who wasn't. Marvin Washington was a 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive end and was chiseled from granite, and we were brothers. Every few days "Dirty," as he was known to his teammates, would call me to let me know when the next pro team would be at the facility to work him out. My phone rang 15-20 times, and 15-20 times I showed up to Dirty's workouts, introducing myself and asked for an opportunity. Marvin's generosity -- that's how I became a Skin! Joe Gibbs was the head coach, and he set the culture of our locker room from the very first meeting of the year. As a rookie, I had a vision of what my first NFL meeting would be like. I was expecting fire and brimstone, some real Football 101, but what I got was the truth from a quiet, regal man. "Welcome to the 1989 season, men," he said. "Today I'd like to give you some priorities for your life ... 1. Your relationship with God. 2. Your relationship with your family and teammates. 3. Being the best football player you can be. "I guarantee you, if the first two priorities are not in line, you can't be your best on the field," Gibbs said. "Let's make it a great year. Break out with your position coaches." That was it, and the tone was set.

Self-policing Professional sports are filled with unwritten rules of behavior, and that is fine, but there are lines that shouldn't get crossed in following those rules. If they do get crossed, well, there should be enough men with character and integrity to stand up and put an end to it. This is what bothers me the most about the Miami Dolphins. Where were the men of character? Where were the men of integrity who would intercede on behalf of a hurting teammate, a member of the family? As a rookie, money wasn't extorted from me to pay for the veterans' dinner because the veterans knew I wasn't making much. I was asked on occasion to grab donuts or breakfast sandwiches, but, more often than not, one of the vets would slide some cash in my direction to ease the pain. The "Hogs" was the nickname of the legendary offensive line in Washington. The mainstays were Jeff Bostic, Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby and Don Warren. After practice, the Hogs wandered off to a toolshed in the corner of the property to play cards, tell stories and have a few beers. The gathering in the shed was known as "The 5 O'clock Club," and there was always an open invitation for me. But I chose not to attend, not because I was opposed, but because I wanted to go home, play with the kids and have dinner as a family. Even though I didn't attend the 5 O'clock Club, I was still a member of the Hogs. I was a part of the group, never ostracized for not showing up, always loved! Singing your school's fight song at lunch or dinner during training camp is standard operating procedure. Call it hazing, if you wish, but it's more a harmless rite of passage. If your singing stinks, you get booed off center stage. Sing well and you become a rock star replete with a chorus of off-key background vocalists made up of vets from your alma mater. As a rookie, I was told by the Boss Hog himself, Grimm, I wasn't allowed to sing for anyone but him. So when respected 10-year vet and special-teams captain Monte Coleman asked me to sing at dinner and Russ wasn't present, I explained what I had been told. Monte took a cursory glance around the

8 cafeteria, didn't see Russ and said, "OK, sit down." That was it! I wasn't chastised, cussed at or taped to the goalposts. I was just allowed to finish my dinner. In my seventh season, I found myself on a bus in Japan as a member of the Denver Broncos. It was my first season in Denver and our first road trip of the preseason. As we sat in traffic, there was the usual joking and poking fun that accompanies those moments. In the seats behind me sat two defensive players, and they were flipping some grief to a young player, typical stuff. At some point, the good-natured, innocuous ribbing became personal and out of bounds, so I turned and said "Enough," they responded with a few choice words for me and I made it clear in no uncertain terms that they crossed a line and I wasn't putting up with it. They mumbled a few protests under their breaths, but it was over and the bus rolled slowly to its destination, again under the din of good-natured fun that accompanies grown men who play a childhood game for a living. A few minutes later, I glanced back at the young player I had stood up for -- no words were exchanged, just a tacit nod of the head, as if to say, "Thanks. I appreciate the help." I replied in kind, and it's was never brought up again. So there is one story, among many I have, of some self-policing, some enforcing of a code that builds teams rather than tearing them apart. Those guys didn't freak out at my intervention or suggestion that they lay off. I wasn't attacking their manhood. I was reminding them of the line you don't cross. They got a little carried away, but they knew I was right. We moved on with no trouble. Nothing lingered or simmered because it was addressed on the spot. I'm no hero and it probably would have resolved itself, but I was taught to stand up for my team. I was taught "the code" -- the championship code. But, in light of the Incognito/Martin story, people would have you believe that you have to be some raving lunatic to play in the NFL, wound so tightly that the slightest spark will insight an insatiable inferno. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I'm 48 years old now and about the least confrontational person you'll ever meet. My fists have never found purchase on the flesh of another man's face. I've never been in a fight. If someone falls short of their obligation to our family, I have my wife call to rectify the situation because it makes me so uncomfortable. Yet I succeeded for many years in the trenches of the NFL, in which there are several confrontations on every play. It can be done -- through focus, effort and discipline, not through unbridled rage and hair-trigger emotional outbursts. Off the field, I coached my son's baseball teams, my daughter's soccer teams and went to every dance recital. I know these actions are a better representation of the typical NFL journey and life than the stories out of Miami. I'm left with this conclusion about the Dolphins organization from the coaching staff on down: They were either complicit, incompetent or, worse, both.

SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS Anyone interested in becoming a member of the St. Charles Borromeo School Board for the 2014-2015 school year should submit the completed application found below to Mr. Sordelet by March 7. Please consider sharing your time and talent in this position. Thank you. PURPOSE OF A SCHOOL BOARD A school board is a body that is responsible for ensuring the continuity and growth of the school by implementing its mission statement. The school board provides a representative body for identifying and articulating the educational needs and aspirations of the school community. The board’s primary responsibility is to define the policies that govern the operation of the school. All other duties are subsidiary functions ADVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL BOARDS In the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, the local board for an elementary school is advisory to the pastor and the principal; the local high school board is advisory to the high school principal. (P1310) The school board is advisory, that is, it operates in the policy making process by proposing and recommending policy for the pastor’s and principal’s approval. It also recommends other actions such as budget approval, marketing, and development activities for approval by the pastor/principal prior to implementation. The school board member accepts his/her role in the ministry within the parish and acts as such. To call a group “advisory” does not diminish its importance. Rather, it indicates that the body is inserted into the governance structure of the organization in a significant way. Board members assist the school by providing a consensus on major issues facing it. There are, however, boundaries on the board’s responsibilities. A. The school board recognizes that the pastor and principal hold the authority for making final decisions. B. Because the local school is part of a diocesan school system, the advisory responsibility of the local school board is subject to that of the Diocesan Bishop, the Diocesan School Board, and to Diocesan School Board policies and guidelines. C. Recommended policies and other actions must be consistent with the school’s stated mission statement and diocesan policies, the teachings of the Catholic Church, and with Christian formation of students. A school board member has no authority acting as an individual. The responsibility is vested in the school board acting as a board to make recommendations. Now that you have a general overview of the purpose of a school board in our Catholic school, you may be interested in filling out the application below and volunteering to be a possible member. If you would like further information, feel free to talk to the principal or an acting school board member. School board members are listed in the pocket calendar you received in the summer mailing.

9 St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School Nomination Form Name: Address: Home Phone: Work Phone:

Parish: Years in Parish:

Children: Ages: Grade:

Educational Background:

Present Employment:

Professional Background/Skills:

Other Board Experience (School, Parish, Community, Business):

Why would you be a good school board member?

What goals do you think St. Charles should be working towards?

Thank You! Please return your completed form to the school principal!

10 Lunch Payment Form Parents can put money into the student's account through your MealpayPlus online account at www.mealpayplus.com or by calling 866-662-3382 for a small fee. Or, you may send a check with the Lunch Accounting Form below to the school cafeteria. For example, if you have 3 children, send a check for $90 payable to St. Charles Cafeteria and designate $30 to each child's account. Each child who will eat hot lunch needs to have money in their meal account. It is recommended to have a minimum of $10.00 in this account which will pay for five meals. If the student may want additional portions of the main entree, then it is recommended to have a minimum of $6.25 in the general account as well. if you have questions regarding this, you may call the school cafeteria at 969-4028 on school days 8:00-12:30 or the school office at 484-3392.

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Last Name First Name Grade-Room Lunch ID Payment

General-Payments to the General account may be used for Meals, Extra entrée ($1.25), and milk (40¢)