Principal's Corner
September 27, 2024
Hello families,
Our first Mustang Matters took place on Wednesday, and it was a rousing success! To see and hear the joy of the students as they get to spend time with their buddies is truly heartwarming. The 5th graders got the experience of being a big buddy for the first time while the Kindergarteners got the delight of being with one of the “big” kids. Buddy families spent time playing getting to know you games and some time outside having recess with one another. Watch social media for cute pictures of all the students interacting. We get together in our Mustang Matters families 6 times a year with our next one being in just a few short weeks on October 23rd!
As parents, we are always looking for ways to help our students be successful with their academics. New this year, we have purchased a school license for an online program called IXL. This K-8th program for Math and 3rd-8th program for ELA, allows students to work on specific standards related to these subjects. The program is leveled and adaptive, so students are working at their own personalized grade level. Each student has their own login and can utilize this program on and off campus.
Speaking of programs, everyone’s favorite program this year…AR! We are gearing up for our AR store the week of October 7th. While students aren’t able to see the points they earned this summer while taking AR tests, please be assured that their teacher can look up their accurate points for them. Thus, allowing them to spend any or all of the points earned. We anticipate this being an ongoing problem throughout the year as we have been unsuccessful in getting it resolved after Mr. Allen spending MANY hours with tech support and our Diocesan IT individual. Technology is great, when it works!
Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the weather!
Mrs. Patterson
September 20, 2024
In lieu of my regular Principal's Corner, please see the following important message attached from Chris Bloomer on updated policies and procedures for Kapaun football games. Have a great week!
September 13, 2024
Hello Parents,
It seems a little crazy that October is right around the corner. Even more so that we are starting the conversation about Parent Teacher Conferences! We can't wait to welcome our parents to conferences on October 10th. Please watch for the Sign-Up Genius to come out for scheduling purposes in next week's Mustang Weekly. Conferences are required, and we feel this is an important time for conversations and check-ins after the first quarter of the school year. In a day when so much communication is electronic, facetime and the ability to converse in person feels important and critical to our partnership. Each conference is Preschool through 5th grade lasts 15 minutes and will be held in the individual classrooms. Middle School conferences will be held in the cafeteria. Middle School parents will sign up for a 40 minute slot. During this time, you will get the opportunity to visit with any of the Middle School teachers you wish to speak with. All of the specialist teachers (Music, Art, PE, Technology, Library, and Tier) will be available in their individual rooms for you to stop in and have a conversation with them about your student.
If for some reason, you can't physically attend the conference, as opposed to asking for an alternative date, we would be open to a Google Meet or phone conference. We ask that you please coordinate this with your child’s teacher. Thanks in advance for being respectful of the allotted day and teachers' time.
As we begin to prepare for conferences, I ask you to pray for your child(ren)'s teachers? Lord, I pray (teacher’s name) will seek you for wisdom. Help ______ to rely on you for instruction and direction every day. When ________ needs help, he/she will be willing to ask and receive support. Guide ______ to see challenges as opportunities for growth and to see creative ways to bless his/her students and community. I pray ________ will be filled and led by the Holy Spirit. Set _______’s feet on the path that honors you. Open ______’s heart to continue to lead by example, creating an atmosphere where all are welcomed.
God Bless,
Mrs. Patterson
September 6, 2024
Hello Mustangs!
We were so blessed to be able to celebrate Grandparents’ Day on both Thursday and Friday of this week. Seeing our kids interact with their grandparents is such a precious sight. Their laughter and conversation is something that left a smile on all of our faces. Thank you to all of our parents for your help and support in making this such a successful event. Based on the number of RSVP’s we had this year, I’d say it’s our biggest Grandparents Day year since I’ve been at Magdalen.
While the kids and grandparents were at Mass, I was able to highlight our theme this year, “The Year of the Parent.” I love that we are working together to support one another in creating a strong foundation for our students to grow in their Catholic Faith. As I mentioned to the grandparents, we would be remiss to not include the grandparents in thanking THEM for building a strong foundation in their children and thus putting Catholic education as a priority in their lives. I would like to thank you for your commitment because without you then we wouldn’t be able to celebrate this special day.
God Bless,
Mrs. Patterson
August 30, 2024
Hello Magdalen Parents and Grandparents,
I would like to send along a few reminders regarding drop off and pick up on our campus. With the start of the school year well under way, there are several things that have been noticed or reported to our staff. Mr. Allen and I have been out at both drop off and pick up this week. Anytime you are on campus, please be sure to have your parking tag hanging in your rearview mirror. Starting next week, staff will be stopping cars to remind those without a tag.
In the mornings, if you are dropping off in zone 2 (the free moving lane), please pull all the way up to the end of the drop off lane. This lane ends in front of the curved sidewalk and kids are more than welcome to get out there and walk to the front of the school. If you choose to use zone 3 and park to drop off your child, then please be sure to stay to the right-hand side when entering or exiting this parking lot. If you need to help your child get out of the car, their seat belt or get their belongings then you need to use zone 3 as well.
Beginning next week, we are asking all parents to leave their kids at the doors during drop off. I know it can be a comfort to you to walk them all the way to their classrooms but one of our goals is for them to become independent with this task. We have tons of staff members stationed throughout the hallways that will make sure your child makes it to their classroom. Thank you for your help with this task.
During pick up, just a reminder that zone 3 AND zone 4 are BOTH locked down starting at 3:15 and ending at 3:30. This is for the safety of our children. Please do not argue with our staff members when they are trying to remind you about the parking lot being locked down. They are helping everyone to learn the rules of our zones. Also, if you should arrive after we lock down the parking lot, then you will need to proceed to zone 2 to pick up your children. Once in zone 2, a staff member will be able to help get the children to you from zone 4. ALL PARENTS AND STUDENTS NEED TO BE IN THEIR CAR BY 3:27. This ensures that everyone is safely in their vehicles prior to cars moving.
When you are using zone 2, whether it’s because you are late or this is your normal pick-up spot, please use BOTH sides of the pick-up lanes to park. Many times, we have lots of open spots on the east side pick up lane. Please stay in your vehicle and let the kids come to your car. Kids get in on the sidewalk or grass side. (Never near the middle lane.) Kids keep all their belongings with them when they get in the car. Do not open the trunk or hatch for kids to put backpacks in.
*MIDDLE LANE HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY and needs to stay moving. When there is a break in the traffic flow, the outside lanes can merge to the middle lane. (The car nearest the crosswalk will go first, and then cars behind them will follow.)
Thank you for your help and cooperation as we work together. When we have almost 500 kids dismissing at the same time, our number 1 priority is safety. Please keep this in mind as you are driving on campus by being patient with the process and not being distracted with your cell phones. We also appreciate you sharing this information with any other individual who will be dropping off or picking up.
God Bless,
Mrs. Patterson
August 23, 2024
Hello Parents and Grandparents!
Every year before the office closes down for the summer, Mr. Allen and I spend a considerable amount of time going through the handbook and making any necessary changes and adjustments for the next school year. I thought it would be important to highlight the parts of the handbook we tend to refer to the most and get the most questions about. I would highly encourage you to take the time to familiarize yourself with our handbook if you haven’t gotten a chance to do it. The handbook can always be found on the main page of the school website as well as the student agenda book.
Dress code, everyone’s favorite topic! Girls in K-5 are not allowed to wear make-up of any kind. Middle school girls may wear foundation and powder only. All girls may have only clear nail polish. No fake nails or French manicures. No self-tanner. They may only wear post earrings and no more than 2 earrings per ear. Only 1 religious bracelet may be worn. No necklaces except those with religious medals or crosses. No Kendra Scott necklaces.
Boys in 1st-8th grades must wear a solid color belt in navy, black or dark brown. Their hair may NOT touch the collar of the shirt, eyebrows or top of the ears. This weekend would be a great time to get some fresh haircuts for some of the boys. No extreme or distracting hairstyles or colors. No perms, spiked hair, shaved heads or faux hawks.
Both boys and girls are allowed to wear watches as long as they cannot be connected to the internet. It may only be used to tell time and/or count steps. Shoes must be black, brown, gray, white, red, blue (navy, royal or light blue) in color. They may only have 2 of these colors on a shoe. No patterns.
Thank you for the partnership we have with you. Our students look so sharp when they arrive in dress code. I look forward to having a wonderful year at Magdalen Catholic School!
God Bless,
Mrs. Patterson
August 16, 2024
Hello Parents,
It has brought us so much joy to see and hear the hallways full of children and their voices! We’ve had a great start to the school year thus far and we are looking forward to welcoming our youngest Mustangs, Preschool and 5 day Pre-K next week and our oldest Mustangs with 7th and 8th grade! We are excited to have our 1st all school Mass on Tuesday, August 20th.
Speaking of Mass, I invite all of our parents to join us Tuesday thru Friday for 8AM Mass. Our 1st through 8th graders will be in attendance at each of these Masses with our Kindergarten joining us on Wednesdays and Fridays after Labor Day and our PreK class joining us on Fridays in the near future. It’s such a special sight to see and hear the voices of our kiddos. Mrs. Gimino is already working on special music for several of our Masses so be on a lookout for those dates!
As we start the new school year, I’d like to leave you with a prayer:
Heavenly Father, we give you our hopes, worries and fears as our lovely children start school. We pray that you would fill their hearts with excitement and calm their worries with your love. Please go before them, help them make friends, enjoy the activities and build relationships with their teachers and peers. May we learn to entrust them each day into your care, and as we do may they grow in confidence and independence. Father, may joy abound in their hearts as they enter this new exciting season of their lives. In Jesus name, Amen.
God Bless,
Mrs. Patterson
