Saint Ambrose September News

“My vocation is love!”

-Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Greetings from the Principal’s office!

What a wonderful week it has been! It was such a joy to welcome everyone back after the MEA break and see our Catholic school community come alive again with energy, enthusiasm, and smiles. There is something special about coming back together, reconnecting with friends and teachers, and jumping back into all the exciting opportunities that make our Catholic school such a great place to learn and grow.

Our 7th grade retreat was a true highlight of the week! It was wonderful to see our students spending time together, building connections, strengthening friendships, and growing in their relationship with Jesus. Experiences like these provide meaningful opportunities for students to step outside their everyday routines, learn more about themselves and one another, and create memories that will last well beyond the school year. I am so proud of our 7th graders and grateful to everyone who helped make this experience so meaningful and memorable!

What an exciting time to be cheering on our fall athletes! It has been fantastic to see so many of our teams competing in playoff games this past week. The energy, determination, teamwork, and school spirit on display have been inspiring. These moments remind us that athletics are about so much more than the final score or result. They are about perseverance, commitment, supporting one another, and representing our Catholic school with pride. Congratulations to all of our student-athletes and coaches for the hard work and dedication they have shown throughout the fall season. We are cheering you on every step of the way!

Thank you to our dedicated faculty and staff for the care and energy you bring each day, to our families for your continued partnership and support, and to our students for the joy, curiosity, and spirit you contribute to our Catholic School. It takes all of us working together to create a place where students feel supported, challenged, celebrated, and inspired to be their very best.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

God bless,

Dr. W

Fall weather is upon us! Thank you for helping students dress for the weather.

Next Friday, October 30th students can be out of uniform if they bring a donation of at least a dollar to help the 2nd graders support the parish food drive (details above). Students can wear orange or black.

Picture Retake - October 27th - TUESDAY! Students may be out-of-uniform if they are having retakes. You will get information emailed to you about purchasing.

Spirit Wear Update: We continue to have spirit wear orders coming in. At this time, we have stopped placing any future orders with our current vendor and are waiting for all outstanding orders to be completed. Once those orders are fulfilled, we will be moving to a new vendor.

Important Dates to Remember

• October 27th - Picture retakes a volunteer will come to your classroom
• October 30th - Halloween - Bring a dollar and wear Orange/Black - Money will go to the Food Drive efforts!
• November 1st - All Saint's Day
• November 3rd - Staff Retreat - No School for Students
• November 4-5th - Lumen Accrediation Visit
• November 6th - Swarm Shirt Day
• November 19th - Gingerbread Event
• November 24th - End of 1st Trimester

We are extending shorts for students until Nov 1st.

New spiritwear site to come in the future, please stay tuned.

Reminder: Please remember that students should not bring caffeinated beverages for snack or lunch. Water, milk, and juice are the best choices to keep students hydrated and ready to learn throughout the day. Thank you for your support!

Donalds will deliver online uniform sales to our school! Use code - AmbroseSTS

School pictures are ready! - Retakes are next Tuesday!

Your child’s school pictures are now available! To view them online, please log in to your account at mylifetouch.com. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one using your email address. You’ll need your student’s ID number or their portrait id and access code to locate their photos.

At Saint Ambrose, Halloween is a fun opportunity for our students to celebrate together, and it also leads us into the beautiful Catholic tradition of celebrating All Saints’ Day. On Friday, October 30, students can wear orange and black by bringing in a $1 donation to support our school’s Food Drive efforts. It is a simple way to enjoy the day while caring for others in our community.

On Monday, November 2, we will celebrate All Saints’ Day, remembering the holy men and women who lived their lives following Jesus and are now with God in heaven. Saints remind us that holiness is not just for a few special people. We are all called to live like Jesus through our kindness, compassion, service, and love for others.

As we celebrate, we encourage families to talk with their children about their favorite saints and the ways we can all become saints by living out our faith each day. What a wonderful reminder that even the smallest acts of love can help us grow closer to Christ!

On Wednesday, November 4, and Thursday, November 5, Saint Ambrose will welcome eight visitors from the Archdiocese and other local Catholic schools for our Lumen Accreditation visit. This is an opportunity to celebrate the many things that make Saint Ambrose special, including our academics, faith, and strong school community, while also identifying areas where we can continue to grow.

Although Saint Ambrose is already accredited through MNSAA, this additional process gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we live out our mission and support each child's journey with Christ. Our visitors may be in classrooms, hallways, or attending Mass during their time with us.

We are excited to welcome them and share what makes Saint Ambrose such a wonderful place for our students to learn, grow in faith, and become the best version of themselves!

Registration opens Monday 10/26 at 10am! **please confirm all the Tech & Performance dates before registering**

Plan to register right away if your 3rd-8th grader wants to participate in this fun on-stage production!! There are only 65 spots and they will fill quickly!!

email Parent Coordinator Rosanna Bamsey with questions (RgraceRN@gmail.com)

Our School Theme: Serenity

This month, our school is working on the virtue of Kindness and how to be welcoming from our St. Ambrose Way. In October, the students and staff will be asked to show kindness and be welcoming to others by greeting each other with a smile. We can also hold the door for someone or help others if needed. We will show care for others, and we will be thoughtful of others’ needs.

We look at the life of St. Francis of Assisi, who embodied kindness through a profound compassion for all of God’s creation. St. Francis of Assisi was the son of a wealthy merchant who gave up his fortune to live a life of poverty, founded the Franciscan Order, and is known for his deep connection to nature and animals.

We will also look at the life of St. Carlos Acutis as another guide of kindness and being welcoming. He was known for standing up for kids at school who got bullied, especially kids with disabilities. When a friend’s parents were getting a divorce, Carlo made a special effort to include his friend in the Acutis’ family life.

At home, you can support your child by creating and completing Random Acts of Kindness.

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.

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.

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.

We would like to offer you a link to the Have a Plant website. September is National Fruit and Veggies Month! They have lots of meal and snack ideas, which include healthy plants, for busy families. Happy back to school!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bjm4jZQ_cGmdRUUOb2GTNZN_gUbibdGK/view?usp=sharing

Sycamore will be accessible to families on August 25, 2026.

Sycamore Communication Portal/App - click below to go to Sycamore Website

https://app.sycamoreschool.com/index.php

Sycamore Help Guide

Sycamore Parent Checklist

Please login to Sycamore to access the school calendar, lunch menu, and schedules/grades (JH only)

August 7th August 14th August 21st August 28th

Sept 3rd Sept 11th Sept 18th Sept 25th

Oct 2nd Oct 9th