Lumen News – September 12, 2019

Important Upcoming Dates:

• TODAY! September 12th – Junior High Soccer Game vs Anchora Lutheran @ Kincaid, 4:30p
• September 13th – High School Soccer Game vs Tri-Valley @ Kincaid, 4p
• September 13th – “The Lion King” Junior High Movie Night, 7-9p
• September 14th – Homecoming Dance, High School Only, 8p-11p
• September 16th – Academic Awards Assembly (Recognizing Spring 2019 Academics) 2p
• September 19-20th – High School Retreat @ St. Therese’s Camp
• September 19-20th – Junior High Retreat (here at school, see below for details)
• September 24th – Principal/Parent Forum, 6:30p (social), 7p (forum begins)
• September 26th – New Bus Unveiling, 2:30pm

Principal’s Update:  

What a great week it has been!  I hope you all saw my email notification and update about our new buses.  They are a true blessing! I hope you can make it to their official unveiling on September 26th!

I also want to provide you a quick status report on our gym floor.  In short, while we thought we removed all of the water under the floor following the earthquake, as it turns out, we still have moisture.  This has caused and is causing expansion and buckling in certain areas. The bad news is that the entire gym floor will need to be replaced.  The good news is that we have been coordinating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the floor replacement will be covered by disaster relief funds!  Therefore, we want to move forward quickly on this in order to limit impact on sports and youth ministry events. So after the Homecoming Dance on Saturday, the gym will be closed to all activities at least through mid to late October.   We are working with local companies to remove the old floor, determine and fix any other damage, and replace the floor with a Sportwood Ultra Star floor. All the lines will be repainted and the bleachers put back into place. An added benefit over the old floor, the new floor will have an expansion gap on the perimeter, which should prevent buckling and swelling should we have any further moisture issues.

Obviously this news does have an impact on our girls volleyball season and my expectation and desire to get a rifle program going this fall.  We are still determining when and where volleyball practices will take place–there is a team meeting next Wednesday, Sept 18th to discuss (Coach Warren will send out an email).  We are still deciding whether we will be able to host the Spiketacular Tournament in late Oct and hope to have a final decision soon. Finally, based on the gym’s closure, I have decided to postpone our rifle season to January 2020, when we can participate in a national “new shooter” league through April (more details to follow via email to those who expressed interest in riflery).

We are taking the actions on the gym now so that the new floor will be ready well in advance of our girls and boys basketball season which starts in early Dec.  I will continue to keep you updated as more information comes in. This is an unfortunate turn of events for our school, but please know that we are taking all actions to ensure we limit the overall impact on our parish and school community.

Campus Ministry:

The Campus Ministry Office is located in the school library, students and parents are always welcome to stop by!

• Please consider sending your high school student to the Glory Bound Winter Retreat.

• Our High School retreat is Thursday and Friday, September 19th and 20th.

• Calling all musicians and students who love to sing!!!  Come join our School choir! Please see Mrs. Loeffler in her Library office.

• All eligible students are invited to be trained as altar servers for our school Masses. Interested students please see Mrs. Loeffler.

• We invite all confirmed Catholic students to serve as Extraordinary Ministers. See Mrs. Loeffler for more information.

• If you know of a worthy cause in need of volunteers let us know so we can get the word out!

Prayer Spot:

Please remember the following in your prayers this week:

• Peace

•  Victims of wildfire

• First responders to the fires

• Victims of violent crimes

• Our national and world leaders

• For the sick and infirmed

Any prayer requests that families would like listed here in Lumen News and also in the Lumen Prayer Book of Intentions may be sent directly to Mrs. Loeffler.

All are invited to join us for Mass at 7:15 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays Fridays in our School Chapel.

Pray for Peace. Act in Peace.

Archangel Sports Update:

#Lumenproud

Last week saw our High School team travel to Healy and play in the Tri-Valley Tournament. They emerged with 2 victories out of 3 games – way to go Archangels! 10th grader Sabrina Warren & 9th grader Emily Ross were both selected to the All Tournament Team; 12th grader Sophia Dupras was named to the Academic All Tournament Team in recognition of her 4.0 GPA from last spring. Our hats (Archangel halos?!) are off to you! Thanks for representing our school so well.

The rest of the Soccer Season has been finalized, so mark your calendars now:

• TODAY! Thursday, September 12th – Junior High vs. Anchor Lutheran, 4:30p at Kincaid Stadium/turf
• Friday, September 13 – High School vs. Tri-Valley – 4p at Kincaid Stadium/turf
• Monday, September 16 – Birchwood – Jr. High 4p, High School 6p at Kincaid Stadium/turf
• Tuesday, September 17 – AT Wasilla Lake – Jr. High 4p, High School 6p at Palmer ice rink fields
• Saturday, September 21 – Su-Valley – Jr. High 12p at Kincaid Stadium/grass; High School 1p at Kincaid Stadium/turf
• Monday, September 23 – ***Senior Night*** Holy Rosary Academy – Jr. High 4p, High School 6p at Kincaid Stadium/turf
• Friday, September 27 – at Su-Valley – High School 2p
• Saturday, September 28 – at CIA – High School 2p
• October 2-5 – Region II/ State Soccer Tournament – AT Palmer, Game times TBD

Several important notes:

Senior Night is on Monday, September 23 against Holy Rosary Academy.  Please come out to cheer on our Archangels and especially our seniors at their final home game.  Bring all the friends and family you can and let’s make it a loud crowd for the game!

Drivers are needed for the game next week against Wasilla Lake so please let Coach Warren know if you are able to help drive players to the game. You can contact him at:  athletics@lumenchristiak.org  Drivers are also needed for games against Su-Valley and Cook Inlet Academy so let him know if you’re able to assist with either or both of those games as well. There is no overnight travel involved.

September 26-27 there will be a Junior High tournament, location and game times are still being set by the coaches.  Watch for an update from Coach Warren next week sometime.

School Announcements:

Have you Liked us on Facebook yet? 

New pictures and stories are added almost every day – to follow the school and get a feel for what’s happening in real time with your students, make sure you’ve given us the thumbs up at:  https://www.facebook.com/lumenchristiak/

Spanish Heritage Month

Monday, September 15th through Tuesday October 15th marks Spanish Heritage Month. Mrs. Alvarez’s Spanish I & II classes have been busy working on projects to celebrate the contributions made and recognize the important presence of Hispanic and Latino Americans in Alaska and the United States. Pop into the school next week to check out some of their amazing work!

Boys Basketball Fundraiser

Show your #Lumenpride and support the Boys Basketball Team by dining out Texas Roadhouse on Monday, September 30th from 4p-8p. Coupons are available in the office, just present it (or mention to your server) that you’re there to support LCHS and 10% of your total food purchase will come back to the team!  All funds raised will go towards new travel gear for the team and to help with the cost of traveling to Skagway, Bethel and Soldotna.

Gala

Our 25th Anniversary Gala will be on February 8th, 2020. Not sure how you can help?  There are many volunteer positions to fill and we can help you find something perfect for you!

• Sign up to volunteer – https://signup.com/go/BfFnxAD

• Live Auction Items- Do you have any ideas or connections for live auction items?  Travel and local experiences sell well. Let us know your ideas and who you might know that could donate? Time shares? Vacation Rentals? Airline miles?

Procurement Callers- EARN DOUBLE SHARE HOURS!!  Call Businesses that have donated before and may need a reminder call or assistance making their donations.  We need a lot of help with job so that we can keep the number of calls per person low. If you work, you could consider making call on your lunch break.  Procurement calls are made in December and January. We are looking for a few more callers, sign up online today!

If you have questions, contact us in the Gala Office- 273-1530/gala@lumenchristiak.org

Photos * Pictures * Photos * Pictures 

Calling Proud Parent Photographers!

Does your student participate in any outside sports or physical activities? Please send a photo of them participating in that sport to Mrs. Spillers (mspillers@lumenchristiak.org)

Senior Portraits:

Mrs. Spillers reports she’s received ONE Senior Portrait! Want to see this request disappear from Lumen News?! Then get those pictures in to Mrs. Spillers (mspillers@lumenchristiak.org) ASAP, by October 31st at the absolute latest.

Upcoming Junior High Retreat – Last Notice – we promise!

Junior High will have an in-school retreat on September 19th & 20th. Lumen will charge your SmartTuition account $25 to cover costs associated with the two day retreat including lunch & snacks, bowling, Anchorage Museum entrance fee and rental vehicles.  We also ask that students bring in 2-3 no longer used t-shirts for a service art project.

Thursday, September 19th

Students will attend mass and participate in service and art projects.  Students should arrive at school in their uniforms, or Friday polos to attend mass; they can change into Lumen wear (sweatshirts or t-shirts) after mass if they want. Students will participate in a variety of service and art projects for the remainder of the morning.  Lunch and snacks will be provided. After lunch, we will walk to Jewel Lake Bowl and go bowling as a group. Pick up is 2:30 pm.

Friday September 20th

Students will be off campus for Friday, but we will meet at school at 7:45.  They are able to wear Lumen wear and layers are encouraged. Friday morning the students will work at the Anchorage cemetery doing routine lawn maintenance/clean up.  After a hot chocolate and snack break, the students will walk to the museum for the afternoon. Please provide a packed lunch (no microwaveables please) for your child.  Pick up is 2pm.

Chaperones are needed for our Friday activities. We are also looking for extra rakes and carpet cutters for our time at the cemetery.  If any parents are interested in volunteering or have questions, please email Mrs. Craig: acraig@lumenchristiak.org.

St. Benedicts & Other Community Events:

St. Benedict’s Youth Nights

*Corndogs and St.’s Cornelius & Cyprian!* Join the St. Benedict’s High School Youth night next Wednesday, Sept. 18th from 7-9p in the Upper Room for some faith, food & fun. All Lumen HS students are welcome, regardless of parish affiliation or faith background. The next Junior High Youth Night will be on Thursday the 19th from 6p-8p, also in the Upper Room.

Community Service Opportunities

Lake Hood Elementary is looking for help in setting up their Fall Festival/Halloween Carnival on Saturday, October 18th from 10a – 1p. Contact mcmullen_trudy@asdk12.org for more info or if you want to help. Community Service Opportunities are a great way for students to start fulfilling annual Lumen Share Hour obligations!

Salvation Army is looking for volunteers to help set up for their 20th annual Teddy Bear Tea. Two shifts of volunteers are needed on October 6th to help set up at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel. Morning Shift is 7 a.m. – 11 a.m and afternoon shift 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Contact Anna Woods at 907-345-7010 for more information or to sign up.

‘Thinking Through the Ethics of the Transgender Question’

The Anchorage chapter of Catholics United for the Faith invites the public to a special presentation with renowned bioethicist, Father Tad Pacholczyk.  With his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Yale University, Father Pacholczyk, Director of the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia, will offer a dynamic presentation titled, “Thinking Through the Ethics of the Transgender Question.”  The Sept. 26th presentation will take place in the upper room/banquet hall at Gallo’s Mexican Restaurant near Dimond & Old Seward (8615 Old Seward Hwy.). The talk begins at 7p with doors opening at 6:30p for those who wish to order food and drinks. The evening will include a 45-minute presentation, followed by a question and answer session until 8:30p. For more information, visit the Catholics United for the Faith (Anchorage) Facebook page.