Specials Spotlight

Third graders took a break from art-making and enjoyed a little art appreciation when we visited the Sunderland gallery last week. The Cathedral Arts Project is always so generous with its invitations to view the artwork there. Students worked in groups on a scavenger hunt, looking for elements of art in the various artworks. They explored the difference between shape and form and were encouraged to look deeper and more thoughtfully at each artwork. We had a great time and then finished the class by wandering around the museum. We are beyond lucky to have the Sunderland on campus to study and enjoy. Thanks again to Judy and Jerry from CAP for granting us special access to this fantastic artist invitational. You can visit the Sunderland Gallery every day from noon-4, and be sure to check out their holiday market for Christmas and holiday gifts.

As a St. Cecilia alumna, former parent, and current teacher, one of my greatest joys is connecting our school family with our broader parish community. This past weekend during Cathedralfest, the St. Cecilia Grade School Class of 1976 gathered to celebrate our 50th reunion! Catching up and touring the building brought back a flood of wonderful memories. Highlights of the tour included walking through the "old" building and current Fine Arts wing (where many of us spent 1st through 4th grade), reminiscing in St. Bernadette’s Hall (our former cold-lunch room), and admiring the newly renovated Library/STEAM Lab. Listening to classmates speak about the profound impact of our former teachers and the lifelong friendships rooted here truly reinforced what makes St. Cecilia so extraordinary. Thank you for trusting us with your children—we hope that in 10, 20, or even 50 years, they will return to share their own cherished memories!

Support Our Library A warm thank you to everyone who continues to donate books to our school library! If you would like to help expand our collection, feel free to browse and purchase items directly from our Amazon Wish List.

Hello everyone! Coming up next week on Tuesday (10/13) we will be having the 7th grade class Mass. This takes place in the Our Lady of Nebraska Chapel and I would love to have all of our 7th grade families attend if you are able. This is a special opportunity for our students and families to gather in an intimate setting and celebrate the Eucharist together.

I would also like to take off my music teacher hat for a moment and congratulate all of the middle school cross country runners. They have had an awesome season which will be wrapping up this weekend. Cross country is such a fantastic sport and our students really represent what makes it so great. I love watching these students strive to beat their own personal best and run competitively. It is also so telling to see these kids cheering each other on and cheering on the other runners. I am looking forward to seeing what we can do this Spring during track!

I hope everyone had a great time at Cathedral Fest this past weekend!

This week in P.E., we will be continuing our football unit with students in 3rd–8th grade. For our Pre-K–2nd grade students, we will continue working on chase and flee games, with lots of fun activities to keep everyone moving! Have a great week!

Go Cardinals!

Mr. Stanesick

Last week, our 1st graders started an engineering challenge. First, they listened to the story If I Built a House by Chris Van Dusen. We had a brief discussion where they shared some great ideas, and I encouraged them to really push their imaginations. Then, they drew models of rooms to illustrate how inventions could solve problems or perform functions—for example, a kitchen equipped with a "Kitchen-o-Mat" machine that cooks meals and cleans (think The Jetsons!).

Next week, we will build the walls!