Saint Ambrose September News

“In God alone is my soul at rest.”

— Psalm 62:2

Letter from Dr. Weingartz

What a wonderful start to a new school year at Saint Ambrose Catholic School! Our hallways are filled with smiling faces, joyful greetings, busy classrooms, and the unmistakable energy that comes when a Catholic school comes together. There is something truly special about the beginning of a school year. The excitement of new beginnings, the anticipation of new friendships and experiences, and the opportunity to grow together.

From the moment our students walked through the doors on Tuesday, we could feel the enthusiasm throughout the building. Classrooms are coming to life, teachers are building connections with their students, and your children are settling into routines while embracing all that this new year has to offer. The energy and excitement has been contagious!

One of the most meaningful moments of our opening days was gathering together for our first School Mass on Wednesday. What a beautiful way to begin our year! As one faith-filled community, united in prayer and gratitude. It was a wonderful reminder that our school year is about more than academics. We are here to nurture the whole child, to grow in faith, to serve others, and to encourage one another along their journey with Christ.

As we look ahead, I am filled with gratitude and optimism for all that this school year will bring. There will be challenges to navigate, accomplishments to celebrate, lessons to learn, and countless moments of joy along the way. Through it all, our greatest strength is the partnership we share with you, our families.

Thank you for entrusting your children to us and for the many ways you support our Catholic school. When families, teachers, staff, and students work together with a shared purpose, wonderful things happen. Let us continue to communicate, encourage, pray for one another, and celebrate the gifts and talents each person brings to our community.

May this be a year filled with faith, friendship, discovery, laughter, and growth. Let us begin this journey with open hearts, joyful spirits, and confidence in all that we can accomplish together.

Here’s to a bright and blessed school year ahead!

God bless,

Dr. W

General Information

Northside Parent Pick-Up Car Signs

If you signed up for a Northside parent pick-up car sign, you should have now received your last-name car sign. Please be sure to display your sign in your car window every day when you are picking up your child. Having the signs clearly visible will help us quickly identify students during dismissal and keep our Northside pick-up process running smoothly and safely.

Thank you for helping us make dismissal as safe and efficient as possible each day! We really appreciate your partnership.

School Meals Reminder
All students are eligible for one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day. Please note that if a student’s lunch account has a negative balance, they will not be able to purchase a second entrée or any à la carte items. Breakfast is served until 9:20, please arrive before 9:15 if you are planning to have your child receive breakfast. Looking for the breakfast or lunch menu? Click here

Office and Nurse Donations Needed

A huge thank you to everyone who has generously donated items for our school office and nurse’s office! We are so grateful for your kindness and willingness to help support our students.

Because of your generosity, we are able to keep needed supplies on hand and make sure we are ready to care for our students throughout the school year.

Transportation

As we begin the school year, we want to make sure all of our students are prepared to travel safely on the bus. We encourage families to take a few minutes to review the school bus rules and safety expectations with your children. You can also watch the SoWashCo Schools: School Bus Safety & Active Transportation Safety Video:

School Bus Safety & Active Transportation Safety Video

For additional information about transportation, routes, policies, and safety, please visit the SoWashCo Transportation website:

SoWashCo Transportation Website

Spirit Wear: We have opened a special spirit wear site that will be open from now until Sept 10th - These orders will arrive late September to early October. Order Link

Volunteer Requirements

We look forward to welcoming volunteers to our campus this year. If you are new to Saint Ambrose and want to serve as a volunteer, please complete the Essential 3 Requirements outlined on the parish website. Volunteers are required to re-credential every 3 years. You will be alerted by the Archdiocese if you need to re-credential. Thank you for your compliance.

Mark Your Calendars: Parent Information Night is Wednesday, September 9th at 6:30. We hope to have 100% attendance from our families as we kick off a great school year. Need childcare? Register Here

Parent Information Night

Mark Your Calendars: Parent Information Night

Wednesday, September 9 | 6:30–7:50 PM

We are excited to welcome our Saint Ambrose families for Parent Information Night! We hope to have 100% attendance as we kick off a wonderful school year together. This evening is a great opportunity to hear from school leadership and your child’s teachers about the year ahead and we are grateful for your presence and support.

Evening Schedule

6:30–7:00 PM | Church Presentation
Father Peter & Dr. W

7:05–7:25 PM

K–5: Classroom Visit #1

Grades 6–8: Large Group Teacher Introduction & Presentation in the Church

7:30–7:50 PM

K–5: Classroom Visit #2

Grade 6: Homeroom Presentation

Grades 7–8: Classroom Visits

Please note that classroom visit times are approximate, so we appreciate your flexibility as we transition between sessions.

Need Childcare? Complimentary childcare will be available for families who need it. Children must be potty trained. Sign Up for Complimentary Childcare

We look forward to seeing everyone on September 9 and starting the year together as a Saint Ambrose community!

Volunteer Sign-Up

Snack Donation Link

TRANSPORTATION

For parents who drive their children:

Drop-Off Procedures

Supervision on both the north and south sides of the building begins at 9:00 a.m.
Students must remain in vehicles until a supervisor is present outside.
Families are expected to remain in their vehicles and utilize the drive-up lanes for drop-off on both sides of the building.
Families who are walking a child to the Early Childhood (EC) program and also accompanying a school-age child may do so. Please park near the EC entrance and use designated sidewalks and crosswalks to ensure safety. Please enter through the Southside Church Entrance.
The EC doors and Extended Day doors are not a school entrance. For safety, use the designated doors.

Afternoon Dismissal Procedures

Students will be dismissed from their classrooms at 3:40 p.m.
South side dismissal: Families will park and meet their students in Fellowship Hall.
North side dismissal: Families will remain in vehicles. Students will be escorted to cars in the circle drive in front of the church doors. To improve efficiency, please display a sign with your family’s last name on the vehicle’s windshield.
For safety, all drivers must:
- Drive slowly and remain alert.
- Refrain from using cell phones.
- Pull forward as directed before stopping to load students.

Safety and Security

Safety and security of our students and staff will always be a priority at Saint Ambrose.

Creating a safe school is something we all share responsibility for. It means being aware of our surroundings, following our safety procedures, keeping doors secure, addressing concerns when we see them, and speaking up when something doesn't feel right. These everyday actions help protect our students and one another.

Safety is not meant to create fear. It is about being prepared, being attentive, and taking care of each other. We want our students to feel safe, welcomed, and loved, and we want every staff member to know that we are looking out for them too.

As we begin the school year, please take our safety procedures seriously, ask questions when you are unsure, and communicate concerns with administration.

Thank you for helping make safety a shared priority and for continuing to care for our students and one another in the Saint Ambrose Way.

We also use Chirp360 as an additional way to share safety concerns. Please remember that you can submit a concern at any time, either anonymously or with your name. Every concern is important, and we encourage you to speak up when something doesn’t feel right. LINK TO CHIRP-360

The image below shows the posters and safety protocols we use throughout the school to guide us during drills and emergency events.

Leading with Virtue

Our School Theme: Serenity

Dear Saint Ambrose Community,

This year, our school community will embrace the theme of Serenity. As a Catholic school, serenity is much more than simply feeling calm. It is the deep peace that comes from knowing God is always with us, trusting in His plan, and living each day with faith, hope, and love. Serenity calls us to find peace within ourselves through prayer, to remain steadfast during life's challenges, and to share Christ's peace with everyone we meet. It reminds us that true peace is not found in a world without difficulties, but in hearts that are rooted in God. Throughout this school year, we will strive to live with serenity by trusting God in moments of uncertainty, treating one another with kindness and compassion, resolving conflicts with grace, and creating a school where every person feels welcomed, valued, and loved. As we grow together in faith, may we remember the words of Saint Francis de Sales: "Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." Inspired by Christ and the example of the saints, may we become people who not only seek peace for ourselves but also bring God's peace to our families, our school, and our community.

We are challenging you to practice serenity in your daily life! Here are a few ideas.

Begin each day with one minute of silent prayer.
Speak words that bring peace instead of conflict.
Pray for someone who is struggling.
Show patience when things don't go your way.
Practice listening without interrupting.

May serenity guide our hearts, strengthen our faith, and lead us ever closer to Jesus throughout this school year.

Please Complete the forms

We access funding from Title Grants from the state each year. Completing these forms allows us access to access funds. Please mark the "I do request...." choice for each of these three title grants.

DISTRICT FORM LINK

We are Looking for Help With a Few Things...

Substitute Teachers

If you are interested in being a substitute teacher at Saint Ambrose or know someone that is, please contact Dianna Helmberger at dhelmberger@saintambroseschool.org or 651-768-3078.

Please view the following presentation for more details and information - https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1AWeJsxdO371fNvSmQ9Q2W9CHmPaCI0ZQl4SHMeyFkFY/edit?usp=sharing. We also have a wonderful training that we can send new people to that is through CSCOE.

Volunteer helpers to walk students.

We have several students that receive speech services through the district. These services take place virtually at our school. We have found that when we have consistent help walking students from classrooms to the speech station, everything runs very smoothly. This is a volunteer position and it could be one day or multiple days. For more details contact Beth Salmon at bsalmon@saintambroseschool.org. or 651-768-3087.

Lunchroom and Recess Help

If you are interested in helping with recess or lunchroom supervision please contact Shelby Miller in our school office. 651-768-3000.

Copy Help

Support our teachers by volunteering to make classroom copies! Parent copy volunteers help prepare materials, worksheets, and classroom resources, allowing teachers to spend more time focusing on instruction and students. This flexible volunteer opportunity can be done during the school day and is a wonderful way to make a meaningful impact behind the scenes while supporting the Saint Ambrose community.

Believe & Read at Saint Ambrose

Believe & Read at Saint Ambrose

Believe & Read is a powerful program helping young school students build strong literacy skills. We know that children must first learn to read before they can read to learn, and this program supports that essential foundation. At Saint Ambrose, we are grateful for the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE), whose support made it possible to implement Believe & Read.

About Groves Literacy Partnerships®

Reading is the foundation for both educational success and future opportunities. In the early grades, students learn to read; by third grade, they are expected to read to learn. Yet, research shows that 60% of American students are not reading at grade level by the end of third grade. Groves Literacy Partnerships® is working to change that—one school, one teacher, and one student at a time. By sharing evidence-based literacy instruction with educators in Catholic schools, Groves equips teachers with the tools to help every child become a confident reader, illuminating the path to lifelong learning.