Falcon Flyer School Newsletter

SCHOOL NEWS

School Office Summer Hours

Beginning June 1^st, the summer hours for the school office will be 8:30am – 12:30pm. The School Office is closed the month of July and will reopen August 2^nd.

Worlds of Fun

Attention all High School Youth and Current 7^th and 8^th grade students! Join your friends for the annual trip to Worlds of Fun on Thursday, June 3^rd. Cost is $55.00 which includes your ticket and bus ride. Register early, spaces on the bus are on a first come basis. This event sells out every year. For more information, contact Kim Rookstool at the Rectory at 553-7500.

Read to Feed

The Read- to-Feed event was a tremendous success! Holy Cross raised over $7,100.00! That money will be used in the students chosen countries to buy heifers, goats, pigs, chickens, rabbits, and much more.   It was wonderful to see the students so excited about reading and about choosing the livestock for their respective countries. Great job students and thank you to all the families and friends that sponsored them.

7^th Grade Physicals

All students entering the 7^th grade in the fall of 2010 must have a physical prior to the first day of school in August. Physical forms were sent home in March with the students. If you need another form, please contact the school office.

Papio Fun Park Night

Papio Fun Park Night is this Thursday, April 29^th from 5 – 10pm. There will be fun, food and entertainment. There is no school the next day Friday, April 30th, so come out and enjoy the great specials for an inexpensive fun night for the family.

Please check the attached flyer to see if your child earned a FREE wristband for FREE play on Go Karts, Putt-Putt Golf, Lazer Runner, Spaceball and JumpShot.

Hot Lunch Coordinator

Meegan O’Shaughnessy has decided to step down as the Hot Lunch Coordinator for the 2010-2011 school year. We thank her for all her hard work, and we will miss her very much. Therefore, Holy Cross School is taking applications for a Hot Lunch Coordinator. Candidate must be able to work from 10:00 – 1:30 on school days. Please contact the school principal, Terri Anderson, at 551-3773 if interested.

Elden F. Curtiss Youth Summer Camps

Elden F. Curtiss Youth Camp and Retreat Center Summer Camps- Every day at camp brings opportunities to participate in a wide variety of recreational activities like swimming, canoeing, hiking, challenge activities, and exploring nature. Campers participate in Catholic Formation activities and each day’s events are sandwiched between youth-friendly worship experiences.

Camps for all ages: June 21-25, June 28-July 2, July 5-9 (5-6^th), July 12-16, 19-23 (7-8^th), July 25-30 (H. S.) For more information or promo video contact: Tom Murray, 402-332-3384 or : www.archomaha.org/youthcamp .

Engineering Exploration Week Camp

Engineering Exploration Week (EEW) is for you, especially if science and math are your passions! Join these fun activities to leave you with a better understanding of the many facets of engineering.

The Jr. High EEW is a one week day camp comprised of mini-workshops for students entering grades 8-9. The workshops run July 12-16, 2010. Register online: www.jrhigheew.unl.edu.

The Sr. High EEW is a one week day camp comprised of mini-workshops for students entering 10-12. The workshops run June 7-11, 2010.   Register online: www.srhigheew.unl.edu.

Lunch is provided at all sessions. For more information contact Amber Retke at (402) 554-2531 or aretke2@unl.edu.

Micro Soccer

Micro-Soccer Continues on May 16th! Micro-soccer continues on Sunday, May 16th, at Holy Cross Field (60th & Center Streets) from 1:00 to 2:15. Bring your 3 to 5-year-old down to the field to learn the fundamentals of soccer! Micro-soccer will also continue on May 23rd, from 1:00 to 2:15; cost is $6.00 per player for the two sessions. Forms will be available down at the field for sign-up. If you have any questions, please contact Mike Downey at 553-6201.

Fall Soccer Sign Ups

Fall Soccer Sign-Ups NOW through May 31^st! Fall soccer sign-ups are now being held through May 31^st! Sign-ups will be held on Wed., May 12^th in the School Cafeteria from 6:30 to 8:00. Forms can also be turned in to the School Office through May 26^th or they can be mailed to Jim Esola (address is on the website). Cost is $45.00 per player (Micro sign-ups will take place at Holy Cross Field at a later date in the Fall). Forms and details are available at our website www.hcsoccerclub.com. No forms will be accepted after May 31^st (except Micro soccer). If you have any questions, please contact Jim Esola at 210-2503 or Mike Downey at 553-6201.

Tuition Waiver Forms

Tuition waiver forms for the 2010-11 school year are available in the Rectory Office. Parents must apply for the Children's Scholarship Fund before applying for a Holy Cross Waiver. Deadline is May 30th. No exceptions will be made.

Campbell’s Labels for Education

A big thank you to all who have sent UPCs from Campbell's, Pepperidge Farm, V-8, Swanson, and Spaghetti-Os products. We've sent in enough to qualify for a 2000 label bonus! New this year is Labels for America. We'll receive 500 points for each project our students participate in (up to 4 projects) which benefit the needy in our country. They've certainly met that goal!

To date your labels have been exchanged for 2 DVDs to help teach Spanish, 6 Ball-Hops (a loop around an ankle, then hop over the ball), and 16 playground balls. These will help keep our children active & learning!

Still on the wish list are: more playground equipment, a butterfly garden, a digital video camera, a shredder, an overhead projector, a projector which hooks up to a computer, and educational videos. Please keep saving & turning in those UPCs (note - the front labels are not valid - ONLY UPCS/BAR CODES) - they are being exchanged for vital school equipment, allowing those funds to be spent on other needed items. I will be collecting over the summer, just drop them in the new collection bin in the HOPE room. And thank you again!

Holy Cross Stage

Children/Students are not allowed on the stage in the gym during practices or at any other time during the day.   Thank you for your cooperation with this matter.

Home & School

The Home & School Association would like to thank all who helped make the 2009-2010 school year such a success. We would also like to thank all those who volunteered throughout the year in our various school projects/fundraisers. Have a wonderful summer and we look forward to seeing everyone in the fall!

Art Competition

Holy Cross students had their artwork on display through April 16^th, at the Sixteenth Annual Duchesne Academy Art Competition.

Eighth grader, Becca Eske, received a Tres Bien Award for her “Me Collage” in the Sixteenth Annual Duchesne Academy Art Competition.   This contest is open to all 5^th thru 8^th graders in the metro area. She was honored at a reception and ceremony at the school on Friday, April 16.

At the ceremony, Becca received an additional honor. Her artwork was deemed "Best in Show". Congratulations, Becca!

The following students from Holy Cross had artwork entered into the competition:

6^th Grade – Joseph Allen, Shelby Bonnemier, Katie Buckley

7^th Grade – Megan McLain, Colleen Nosbsich

8^th Grade – Anna Engelbert, Becca Eske, Kelsey Kerzman and

                    Anne Wilken

Holy Cross Recognition Plaque

The recognition plaque is a means for families to honor special people. Plaques measure 2” X 5” ($25.00) allowing three lines with 25 letters per line (spaces count) or 4” X 5” ($40.00) with 6 lines. The plaques are brass with a glossy black finish and gold lettering. They are placed in the main hall of Holy Cross School on a large oak frame for all to see.

Order forms can be found in the school office or online at: www.homeandschoolatholycross.com. Your support goes directly back to the school. If you have any questions please contact Mary Lou Parr at 556-8183.

Expand Your Family – Expand the Fun!

Many families host for the educational value the experience brings to their own children. For young children, their new brother or sister may be their first exposure to another language, different customs, and different ways of thinking. These early experiences teach tolerance and can spark a lasting interest in world history, geography, and language.

Picture yourself introducing your exchange son or daughter to American culture by going to a baseball or football game, visiting a museum, attending a concert, window-shopping at the mall, or barbecuing in your own backyard. Whatever your favorite activities, sharing them with an exchange student will make lasting memories for you and your new family member to share forever.

We invite you and your family to join this memorable and rewarding cultural experience. Please call the KoAm Education Alliance area coordinator Mison Cowell at 402-991-4616 or 402-301-5257 for more information. You can also learn more about KoAm at their website: www.koameduall.org.

All Volunteers

Please remember, if you volunteer at Holy Cross School, or volunteer with children in the name of Holy Cross, including coaching, you are required by the Omaha Archdiocese to be currently certified in Safe Environment Training and should have your identification card with you at all times. Please check your card’s expiration date.

We can offer recertification classes here at Holy Cross. If you have never taken the original training and currently volunteer in the above capacity, please access: www.archomaha.com for training dates. If these classes are full, continue to check this website for new classes. If there are no classes available please contact Theresa at 553-7500 or 208-5249.

Archdiocesan Math Contest

Congratulations to all the Holy Cross Math Team students at the Archdiocesan Contest! Thanks for representing Holy Cross. The results by grade are as follows:

                        Individual                               Team

4^th grade: 1^st Lauren Klingemann           2^nd

                    11^th Thien Nguyen

5^th grade: 2^rd Jack Burcaw                      4^th

                     6^th James Krist

6^th grade: 6^th Elizabeth Kopetzky            4^th

                    7^th Vivian Parr

7^th grade:  11^th Colin Krist                         7^th

                    13^th Shannon Jerram

8^th grade:   1^st Genevieve Jesse               2^nd

                     6^th Rachel Callahan

Algebra: 6^th Ben Scheibeler                     4^th

                  10^th Becca Eske

Team Leaders are Ms. Vesely, Ms. Kaschmitter, Mrs. Justice and Mr. Fisher.

CLASSROOM NEWS

Preschool

I would like to thank all of the Preschool families for sharing your child with me this year. I have truly grown to love each and every one of them. I hope you have a fun filled summer vacation. Please continue to work on the sounds of the letters and letter formation. Stay safe and enjoy the extra family time together.

Mrs. Bonnemier

Kindergarten

The last two months of kindergarten are filled with lots of activities. In April we started writing sentences to get us ready for first grade and are reading our phonics books. In science, we will be studying about our earth and how to take care of it. We had fun with our unit about magnets. In May, we will be studying about planets, the weather, and we will be raising butterflies! We are practicing hard for our program and are excited about performing for everyone. Hope you can be there to watch your child. We will also be going on a field trip to the Rose Theatre in May. I just wanted to thank you for a great year. This has been a wonderful group of children.

Mrs. Sobczyk

First Grade

With only a few weeks left of school, the first graders are working hard to prepare for second grade and the move up to the "big building". We will wrap up the fourth quarter with more two-point expository and letter writing, reading skills, measuring, adding/ subtracting two-digit numbers, earth and life science topics, and how we can honor Mary, Jesus' mother and ours. Congratulations to all of the first graders for learning and reciting a poem this month for the Poetry Contest. The finals of the contest will be held on Thursday, April 29. We are also getting ready for the Kindergarten and First Grade Spring Program which is on Tuesday, May 4.   Our part of the show is called "P.J. Funny Bunny". We want to thank Mrs. Hall, in advance, for all of her hard work and extra time practicing with us. We also would like to thank the first grade parents for helping us to make this year a success. We are very appreciative of the wonderful community that is Holy Cross School.

Mrs. Engelbert and Mrs. Bassett

Second Grade

April has found the second graders hard at work on their "Circle of Life" science assessments. They each had to pick a habitat, name some animals and plants that live in that habitat, and list the things that these living things need to survive. Each student then had to do a project to show that information and present their project to the class. We sure learned a lot more about how to use the Encyclopedias during this project!

Writing descriptive and narrative paragraphs have also challenged the second graders' creative writing skills this month. And they have switched over to cursive writing for much of their work. We were also very proud of our two contest winners - Kaleb Holm won the Boys' Division in the Cosgrave's First Communion coloring contest; and Abby O'Connor won first place in the Kindergarten through third grade division of the KVSS coloring contest!
We look forward to all of the fun activities that May will bring and are sad that our second grade year is nearly at an end. It has been a GREAT year!

Mrs. Adams

Third Grade

The third graders are looking forward to their field trip May 19^th, to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. This will be an exciting day.

In class, they are busy in math with multiplication, division, and fractions. Please keep working nightly on math facts. The Simple Solutions Math book has helped the students this year; remember to work on your Summer Solutions Math Book . With your help they will be able to tackle fourth grade math when they return to school in August.

In Science the students are learning about “The Body’s System.” What parts make up your body? How do bones and muscles work? What are some other body systems? They should be able to answer these questions when we are done with this unit.

We have had a great year! Remember to read and have a wonderful summer.

Mrs. Crown

Fourth Grade

The 4^th graders have been busy learning about Nebraska History and are anticipating their trip to Lincoln in May. We are excited to visit the Capitol, Governor’s Mansion, Nebraska Historical Society, Morril Hall and Memorial Stadium. Who knows, maybe we will see Bo.

There will be a limited number of seats open for parents of fourth graders who wish to join us on this very busy day.   Look for a note coming home soon about this along with more information on this exciting trip.

April is National Poetry Month. The 4^th graders have been writing, and will be writing many different poems including haiku, cinquain, couplet and narrative. They’ve also written persuasive paragraphs.

They are also working hard on fractions this month. In May they will read the novel Because of Winn-Dixie.

Mrs. Coolon and Mrs. Kaschmitter

Fifth Grade

We would like to thank everyone for participating in Read to Feed. The students really seemed to love reading to raise money for families in Uganda. The 5^th grade class raised $2199.22. The money we raised will help 22 families! We were able to purchase 2 heifers, 2 pigs, 2 goats, 2 sheep, 2 tree seedlings, 3 flocks of geese and ducks, 4 flocks of chicks, 6 rabbits, and 9 beehives. Not only were the students helping others, but they were also becoming stronger readers! We are impressed with how much and how well the 5^th graders are reading. We hope that they continue to read throughout the summer months. With a few great books and encouragement from parents, they have the opportunity to become even stronger readers before entering 6^th grade! And speaking of great books, the entire 5^th grade class read four or more books nominated for the Golden Sower Award. Because of this, they were all able to vote for their favorite. They each wrote an expository paragraph listing their three favorites. Please enjoy the one below written by Will Donlan.

I have read many of the Golden Sower Award nominees. In my opinion, the best are The Lemonade War, The Homework Machine, and Deep and Dark and Dangerous. First, I loved

The Lemonade War. It was good! I loved how it involved rivalry between siblings. Second, I thought Homework Machine was great. It was told from a kid’s point-of-view! Last, but not least, Deep and Dark and Dangerous was phenomenal! I love it 110%! Usually I don’t read, but after I finished these, I read a lot.

Mrs. Neville and Ms. Vesely

Sixth Grade

Please be sure your child continues working hard each day. The last day of school is May 27th.

Students should be studying and completing homework every day. The sixth grade will complete Ancient China and study Ancient Greece and Rome.

The students will finish The Devil's Arithmetic and then read Shakespeare's Secret. They will then complete a unit on poetry. All sixth grade students will be required to read two novels this summer. More information will come home at a later date. Remember, Outdoor Education is May 10th. Please pray for nice weather.

Mrs. Justice and Mrs. Henkel

Seventh Grade

Hello again from the 7th grade. It's hard to believe that this is our last Falcon Flyer of the year. This year has gone by so fast. Mr. Fisher and I would like to thank all of you for your dedication and help throughout this past year. We wouldn't have been able to do what we do without your help. We also look forward to teaching all your children next year when they are 8th graders. Summer Reading information will be coming home later in May. The students will read two books again this summer. The 7th grade will be dissecting frogs in Science in May. Look for your child's class book that they are writing in English, they have come up with some very creative themes for their books.

Congratulations to all the Creighton Prep Math Contest participants. The students placed 3rd in the team contest and received medals and Ben Scheibeler received a 5th place individual trophy. Contestants were Becca Eske, Calla Kessler, Geneveive Jesse, Maddy Lenz, Danny Pavlik, and Ben Scheibeler. The Archdiocese Contest is April 24th and contestants who have been practicing the last 3 months are Elizabeth Kopetsky, Vivian Parr, Shannon Jerram, Rachel Callahan, Colin Krist, Becca Eske, Ben Scheibeler, and Genevieive Jesse. Good Luck!

Mr. Fisher and Mrs. Edinger

Eighth Grade

How quickly time goes when you’re having fun! The 8^th graders may not agree that’s what they are doing…there is still much to do before the end of the year. They are in the process of presenting their Archdiocesan History assessments which include an oral part and a written research paper. We are reading the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which they seem to really enjoy. Portfolio projects for English and music will be due before the end of the year. Please ask them about due dates and urge them not to procrastinate.

Thank you for your help and support during the six weeks it took to do the Science Fair projects. In Science we are currently studying the cycle of erosion and deposition. Before the end of the year we will be looking at alternative energy sources and energy conservation.

A huge thanks to the parents who are diligently working on the video, memory book, graduation dinner/dance, and a fun day for the 8^th graders. We thank you for all you have done for us this year and wish you and all the 8^th grade graduates success in the future. We will miss you at Holy Cross as you move on to the exciting adventure of high school!

Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Cunningham

PARISH NEWS

HOPE

HOPE NEWS: Tonight, April 27th, there will be an informational HOPE presentation at 7pm in St. Ed's Hall. Following the presentation there will be a one on one question and answer session, as well as the opportunity to purchase HOPE. Plan to attend! Holy Cross needs this ongoing fundraiser to be successful and it costs you nothing extra!! Please plan to attend if you've been meaning to learn more about HOPE: )

Unfortunately Visa Prepaid Gift Cards are being Discontinued. As soon as Great Lakes Scrip Center's current inventory (as well as HOPE'S) is depleted, we will no longer be offering the Visa Prepaid Gift Card in any denomination. The new federal Credit CARD Act legislation will make offering these cards for scrip fundraising extremely difficult.  Those difficulties will greatly reduce the fundraising for our NPO customers and make it unprofitable for our Visa card issuer. We apologize for the extremely short notice, but we have been working diligently to find a solution and concluded that it is not feasible. However, even though you can no longer "GO" with Visa, you can still "GO" with HOPE : )

***Sunday, May 9th is Mother's Day! Think HOPE gift cards!!!

Gaelic Gala

Thanks to everyone that supported Gaelic Gala 2010! Great auction items and prizes, an elegant dinner, great music…wow!!! Thanks to your generosity and the support of families, friends, neighbors and businesses this year’s Gala was a wonderful success.

We were pleased to honor Leo and Claire Murnan with the Celtic Cross award; Leo and Claire reminded us why we are so blessed to be members of this parish and community.

Attention Alter Servers

In appreciation for your service to Holy Cross Parish, Fr. Salanitro invites you to an afternoon of fun. Sunday, May 16, 12:30pm to approximately 2:30pm at the ICC Bowlatorium, 2701 South 25^th Street (reserved just for you!). The bowling, shoe rental, pizza and a pop will be provided. Please come and have a good time and be appreciated for your time and effort serving at Mass. Please contact J. Krawczyk (kraw-check), 556-3828, krawczyks@cox.net to let us know if you plan to attend so we can order enough pizza, or get any questions answered. The Holy Cross Knights of Columbus Council is sponsoring this event. See you there!