Over the next few weeks, our students will be taking the NWEA assessment. This assessment will be given three times throughout the year. The NWEA test has many purposes for the teacher and the parent. This test measures students’ developmental growth based on generalized norms, so it can generally be used by any school anywhere. This means that there are accepted skill sets that should be mastered throughout the year at each grade level. The benefit of this type of testing is that it can be used by the teacher to gauge how their students are progressing throughout the year and target specific areas of weakness. The first test given gives a baseline, or a snapshot of where the students are academically. The second test creates a point of progress, or how much the students have grown academically. This second test shows the level of progress. We want to see growth with every student. With the second test completed, the testing system can generate areas of improvement, unique to each student. The teacher can generate reports that will assist with meeting the needs with specific recommendations. The third test will show how this student has progressed throughout the year based on their starting point. We hope to really utilize the test this year to help us gauge where specific gaps are from loss of learning over the past year and a half. We have already implemented programs to fill gaps and have hit the ground running with high expectations. We are confident that our students will rise to the occasion.
We are very grateful for the support as we raise our standards. We know our students can achieve any high goals set for them. Thank you for entrusting us to educate your children. Please know, we try our best to give our students the very best.
Nadine Buhrman Principal St. Luke Catholic School THE DOMESTIC CHURCH
"The family is the domestic church" according to the 2nd Vatican Council. It is in the context of the family that we first learn who God is and to prayerfully seek His will for us. Welcome to the St. Luke Catholic School Domestic Church initiative where we hope to provide rituals and resources you can use to help you as a family grow in faith with your children. Keep a look out in the Light every week for information here on ways you can share the faith at home to support the ways your children are learning about the faith in school. May God bless you.
ON OUR ROAD TO EXCELLENCE
Language Skills
Language skills develop early and promote communication and reading preparation. Developing language skills allows children to express their needs. As children develop more sophisticated language, they are also elevating their ability to think and ponder in more advanced ways. Think of it this way, if you have an idea, and no language to express it, the idea is not allowed to flourish. This ties into “book language”, as well. There is a difference between conversational language and book language. Book language is written more thoroughly, with attention to details and beautiful language. Being exposed to book language on a regular basis will elevate understanding and promote sophisticated methods of communication. If you want to give the best gift to your children, read to them daily through 2nd grade. It will give your child an extra ladder to climb as high as the sky. Some ways to work on language skills at home:
Read books to your child
Encourage sentences that include because...explain feelings and actions
Take turns talking and explaining favorite parts with a reason
Remember and describe an activity
Retell a story that was read to them, or talking about their favorite part and why
Put objects into groups and explaining why they belong together
Join us in raising funds to build two Buddy Benches for St. Luke play areas. Buddy Benches create a space for students who are feeling sad or isolated to sit and rest. Once a student is spotted on the Buddy Bench, kind and caring classmates will come lend their friend a helping hand.
By registering for Hope for the Future’s Run with A Mission 5K, you will help make two Buddy Benches possible. Your $15 registration fee ALL comes back to St. Luke to help buy the supplies we need to build the Buddy Benches. Please help us support this wonderful cause and have some fun doing it.
Congratulations to our cross-country team on their success at Monday’s meet! B girls: Analea S –1st place, Ava R – 2nd place; Andrea A – 3rd place; B-boys: Elijah G – 1st place, Noah G – 2nd place, Sergio M – 3rd place; A-boys: John Paul V – 1st place, Josh F – 5th place, Tommy H – 7th place
Congratulations to the Rebels football team on their hard-won victory over St. John Bosco, 20 to 19! Well done to our players of the week Gerard Morales and Tomas Ervin.
Congratulations to the Lady Rebels on their 1st place finish at the Antonian College Prep volleyball tournament this past weekend. We are proud of team members named all-tournament players, Isabella Acosta and Anais Ibarra. The B-team beat Holy Spirit on Monday evening. The A and B teams won their games versus St. Mary’s Fredericksburg at last night games. Go Rebels!
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH September: Self-control
Each month there is a school-wide focus on a specific virtue we would like to see in our students and members of the St. Luke School community. The virtues are based on the Fruits of the Holy Spirit which characterize all who follow Christ by imitating His life and virtues. The students hear about each month’s virtue during our daily morning prayer, in their religion classes and throughout the day. The students who consistently demonstrate this quality are acknowledged by their homeroom teacher and earn special recognition at the end of the month during Mass.
COUNSELOR’S CORNER . . .
Catholic High School Information Padlet
Parents, take advantage of this one-stop source for links to information on San Antonio area Catholic high schools. Find information on admissions procedures, campus tours, admissions events and more on the Catholic high schools' websites.
Fri., Sept. 17 – Noon Dismissal Fri., Sept. 17 – Deadline to order for the PTC Pizza Lunch on Fri., Sept. 24 Fri., Sept. 24 – Civvies Day, please submit your Civvies Day donation online by 8:00 am on Fri., Sept. 24