News

Lumen News – February 25, 2021

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Mar 5-14:  Spring Break
• Mar 23:  Principal-Parent Forum, 7pm
• April 1: Holy Thursday
• April 2: Good Friday – NO SCHOOL
• April 4: Easter Sunday
• April 5: Easter Monday – NO SCHOOL

Principal’s Update:

Where has this semester gone?  We are already one week away from the start of Spring Break!  Our boys and girls basketball team schedules are finally starting to be put into place with recent competitions against Su-Valley and Birchwood.  The scheduling is fluid, and spectators aren’t allowed here in Anchorage, but we hope you will watch our teams compete via Facebook Live.  We wish both our teams good luck against Grace this Saturday!

We have entered the season of Lent and we encourage you to speak to your son or daughter about prayer, almsgiving and penance.  Our school Masses remain on Fridays (except next Friday Mar 5 which is no school), and we plan to incorporate Stations of the Cross next Thursday, Mar 4 here in our school building starting at 8am.

Until then, we hope you have a wonderful and blessed weekend!

Campus Ministry:

Our virtue this week is TRUST –

The strength to confidently believe in someone regardless of the situation.

“For we live by faith, not by sight,” 2 COR 5:7

• Some of our classes are listening to “The Bible in a Year”  with Fr. Mike Schmitz. We have had some great conversations each day. Each podcast is 15-20 minutes long. I encourage you to listen with your family or friends. When you go to the website click “listen now” and go back to day one. https://ascensionpress.com/pages/biy-registration

• St. Elizabeth Anne Seton has Parish Mission next Monday – Wednesday beginning at 7 p.m.

• Following is a fun article I came across this week…a realistic look at Lent: https://moderncatholicmom.com/lent-begins-and-other-thoughts/

You are all in our prayers this Lent, every day!

Reminder Remix!

• Fr. Tom offers Mass every Monday and Wednesday at 7:15 a.m. in the Archangel Chapel for students.

  • Confessions are offered every Tuesday and Thursday  at 7:15 a.m. in the Archangel Chapel for students.

  • Best Lent Ever Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w67FFFsqguo

• Choir members needed from all grade levels. See Mrs. Loeffler!

Happy Birthday this week to Toby Agosti and Gustavo Azpilcueto!

Prayer Spot:

Please remember the following in your prayers this week:

• Those still facing winter storm damages from Texas to New England

• Those who are struggling with mental and emotional stresses

If you would like special intentions listed in Lumen News and Prayer Book of Intentions you can send them directly to Mrs. Loeffler or to the front office.

LUMENary Drive:

It’s been awhile since you’ve seen a LUMENary Drive update, but yes, it’s still a thing! It’s fun to report on the stories surrounding donations that come in….like the elderly woman who came to the Front Office last week. “I never had the chance to go to Catholic School and want to make sure that if another student wants to, they can.” She then slowly counted out the proceeds from her Stimulus Fund check which she had just cashed (and yes, I got a little teary.) Or the check that came in an “I support Catholic education!” envelope with a student’s name written in the memo line (proof that handwritten notes from students work!).

To date, a grand total of $63,895 has come in – the collective giving in support of Catholic education ensures ongoing Lumen awesomeness! Remember that while we challenge each family to give or raise $500, we remain thankful for every donation, no matter the size.

Archangel Sports:

Both teams were off to Talkeetna last weekend for games against Su-Valley, with the girls being bested by the Rams, but the boys emerging victorious. Tuesday night they took on our archrivals from Birchwood and again while the girls came up short it was so close – a nailbiter at the end for sure. We’re so proud of our Lady Archangels.

Our boys for certain took the wind out of Birchwood sails with a very decisive (40+ point spread) win. The High School season continues with a game this Saturday against Grace Christian;  unfortunately no spectators in the gym (stupid COVID), but you can watch the games as they’re live streamed on our Facebook page (5:30p Girls/7:00p Boys.)

As always, the Junior High team continues to practice and hone their skills. It’s such a bummer that it’s been a struggle to find other schools for them to play against this year (stupid COVID.) If anything, they’re going to be more than ready to go next season, powered and prepped under awesome Coaches Craig Wade and Michelle Hajdukovich.

Our Archangel Rifle Team won its first match ever in the history of Lumen Christi with a big win (833-732)(out of 1200 points) over Loveland Army JROTC out of Loveland, Colorado!  Topping the four person team was 8th grader Sofia Pineda with a personal record (PR) of 221 out of 300!  9th graders Mia Sperbeck, Gustavo Azpilcueta, and Sophia Turner rounded out the other top three spots.  The team went to Mass yesterday (Wednesday) morning before school to pray for their opponents in Round Rock, Texas. They’ll be shooting against them on tomorrow/Friday afternoon.  Can we just say…how awesome is it that they compete against teams across the nation?  Thanks to Mr. Ross for making this opportunity available to our kids!

Front Office News:

Spring Break Travel/COVID Protocols

We know many families will be traveling over Spring Break. Although there have been changes in the State enforcement of travel protocols, Lumen is still following them and we ask that families do too. We want to keep our staff and students healthy and safe after spring break so that we can all finish the year strong.   Therefore, if you travel out of state or the country:

1. You and your student(s) should be tested at your vacation destination within 3 days of returning to Anchorage (and getting a negative test result); OR

2. You should be tested at the airport when you arrive in Anchorage (free for Alaska residents, this test result must be negative); AND

3. You should quarantine at home for 5 days (the day you return is Day 0), watching for any signs/symptoms of illness.  If you and your student(s) have a negative test, have self quarantined for five days, then your students are free to return to school.

There is one exception to this rule:

1. Anyone who has had a confirmed case of COVID within the last 90 days does not have to test, nor quarantine after travel.

There is no travel guidance out yet for people who have completed their vaccine series. Given the number of new variants out there now and out of an abundance of caution, if as an adult you have had both vaccines, it’s recommended you test and quarantine until specific guidance is released by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

GALA – Part ONE

Please help us wrap up this year’s event by taking this 20 Question (5 minutes or less, I promise) survey.  If you complete it by Friday, March 5th, you’ll be entered to win a $100 Gift Card to Kincaid Grill!  Click here to get started: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LumenGala2021

Your feedback is valuable and will let us know what went right this year, and what we can do to improve next year.  Speaking of next year…..

GALA – Part TWO

 I LOVE MY SCHOOL

27th Annual Gala Fundraiser -Saturday, February 12th, 2022

It’s never too early to get these important dates on your calendar.  So pen it in now – Saturday, February 12th, 2022.  So close to Valentine’s Day, it’ll be a night showcasing all of the things we all LOVE about Lumen!

Don’t forget, we’re currently looking for a Gala Team Lead.  We have a team of 6-8 members each responsible for specific areas of the gala: marketing & sponsorship, procurement, tickets & reservations, silent auction, the live event and disbursement; we just need someone to provide overall guidance and management.

Responsibilities for the Team Lead include:

·       Planning and scheduling team meetings;

·       Overseeing team member responsibilities;

·       Communication with school administration and school board;

·       Track expenses and reconcile with finance administration;

Note that the Team Lead is EXEMPT FROM SHARE HOUR REQUIREMENTS & receives PARTIAL TUITION CREDIT

If you are interested, please contact the Gala Team or Mr. Ross to learn more.

Lumen Christi Gala Team

907-273-1530

gala@lumenchristiak.org

Thanks everybody – it’s been another great week with your kids! Can you believe next week starts Spring Break?

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Lumen News – February 18, 2021

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Mar 5-14:  Spring Break
• Mar 23:  Principal-Parent Forum, 7pm
• April 1: Holy Thursday
• April 2: Good Friday – NO SCHOOL
• April 4: Easter Sunday
• April 5: Easter Monday – NO SCHOOL

Principal’s Update:

While our debate participants did not earn any awards at last weekend’s State Tournament, we are proud of all of them.  They each walked away with solid performances and additional experience under their belts!  We are so blessed to have this elective opportunity at Lumen.  A special thank you to Mrs. Kelli Reed for leading our DDF students this year and we hope more students will consider it as an option next year!

Did you know the easiest way to potentially knock $1000 off your tuition bill is to encourage one family to check out Lumen Christi for the fall semester.  If that family enrolls into one of our grade levels for the next school year, your family gets a $1000 credit on your tuition bill!  Yes, that’s right!  The greatest marketing effort we have is satisfied parents and happy students encouraging others to join our family.  I anticipate there being a waiting list for some grades for next year, so if you haven’t re-registered your son or daughter, please do so.  And prayerfully consider asking another new family to join our community.  Not only will you help grow our school, but you may receive a tuition credit to boot!

Finally, we deeply appreciate all the families who volunteer to work the Archangel Attic on Fridays and Saturdays.  As mentioned in the State of the School in January, this little building on the corner of 82nd and Jewel Lake earns the school over $100,000 each year, greatly reducing the amount of our tuition.  Please sign up and volunteer to take a shift, or two, or three…

Check your REMIND messages!  We need volunteers for tomorrow (Friday) afternoon!

 To ease any concern you have about working at the Attic, we have made a short “training” video for our families to walk you through your duties.  You can find it on Lumen Tube here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI4_Crdz_P0

I’ve never had an acting lesson so I certainly know I’m not an Oscar contender.  Thank goodness my co-stars Tracy, Emily, and Tate carry the film for me…ENJOY!

Campus Ministry:

Virtue of the Week: Altruism

The strength to attend to the needs of others.

“do good; be rich in good works; be generous and ready to share.”  1 Timothy 6:18

• Need some ideas for Lenten growth?

  • This week all students received a prayer book, Five Minutes with the Word. This Is a great guide for family prayer! Five minutes before school, in the car or in the evenings starts a wonderful habit.

  • Fr. Tom offers Mass every Monday and Wednesday at 7:15 a.m. in the Archangel Chapel for students.

  • Confessions are offered every Tuesday and Thursday  at 7:15 a.m. in the Archangel Chapel for students.

  • Best Lent Ever Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w67FFFsqguo

• Rice bowls were also given to students to collect change during Lent for Catholic Relief Services.

• Stations of the Cross begin next week.

• Choir members needed from all grade levels. See Mrs. Loeffler!

• Interested in a parent Lenten prayer group?  Please contact Mrs. Loeffler at eloeffler@lumenchristiak.org

Prayer Spot

Please remember the following in your prayers this week:

• Those facing the winter storm from Texas to New England

• Those who are struggling with mental and emotional stresses

If you would like special intentions listed in Lumen News and Prayer Book of Intentions you can send them directly to Mrs. Loeffler or to the front office.

Archangel Sports:

Both the Boys & Girls Teams are on the road this weekend, taking on the Su-Valley Rams up in Talkeetna! Good luck to the teams this afternoon, stay tuned for updates next week.

The Junior High teams continue running plays and getting strong. Still no games on the horizon, the challenge is finding other middle school teams in our division who are able to play.  It’s great to see all of the kids coming together tho in true Archangel teamwork fashion.

Both the Blue (High School) & Silver (Junior High) Rifle teams had virtual matches against Bob Jones Air Force JROTC out of Madison Alabama last week. Archangel scores continue to climb with each match – congrats to 9th graders Mia Sperbeck, Gustavo Azpilcueta and Sophia Turner, and 8th grader Sofia Pineda for being high scorers at this latest match.  Way to go to these four and all of our other sharp shooters!  This week we shoot against Loveland Army JROTC out of Loveland, Colorado.

! GALA ! 

26th Annual Mardi Gras Gala & Auction Fundraiser

Thank you to all those that volunteered, donated and participated in this year’s gala.  It was a great success!  THANK YOU!!!   However, WE NEED YOU to help make next year’s gala a success, too!  To that end….

27th Annual Gala & Auction Fundraiser

We are currently looking for a Gala Team Lead.  We have a team of 5-6 members that are each responsible for specific areas of the gala: marketing & sponsorship, procurement, tickets & reservations, silent auction, and the live event, but we need someone to provide overall guidance and management.

Responsibilities for the Team Lead include:

·       Planning and scheduling team meetings;

·       Overseeing team member responsibilities;

·       Communication with school administration and school board;

·       Track expenses and reconcile with finance administration;

Note that the Team Lead is EXEMPT FROM SHARE HOUR REQUIREMENTS & receives PARTIAL TUITION CREDIT

If you are interested, please contact the Gala Team or Mr. Ross to learn more.

Lumen Christi Gala Team

907-273-1530

gala@lumenchristiak.org

 

Thanks everyone! TGIF (tomorrow) – have a great weekend!

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Lumen News – February 11, 2021

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Feb 12: No school – Teacher Inservice
• Feb 13: 12p-3p, Last Chance for Gala Item Pickup!
• Feb 15: No school – Presidents Day
• Feb 17:  Ash Wednesday (Lent Begins)(Friday A Schedule w/School Mass at 8am)
• Mar 5-14:  Spring Break

Principal’s Update:

We are deeply grateful to everyone who participated in, volunteered for, and donated to the Annual Gala last Saturday!  What an awesome, energetic, and exciting event!  Together as a community, we raised over $100,000 for our school, including over $50,000 for our Fund-A-Future!  This is simply amazing, especially since this was our first ever virtual event!  Thanks to all who gave so freely and generously.  While we were successful in the virtual event, we hope and pray that conditions allow us to return to our normal festive celebration in our gym next year!  Thank you, thank you!

The COVID positivity rate has remained low throughout the Municipality of Anchorage, so we have been fortunate to remain in person each week.  This has allowed us to add some extracurricular activities like junior high basketball skills, boys and girls high school basketball, drama, debate, yearbook and even rifle!  We wish Class of 2021 senior Jonah Doniere, Class of 2021 juniors Vaeda Michaelson, Jack Murkowski, and Liam Dupras, and Class of 2023 sophomore Emily Ross good luck as they compete in the Alaska Drama, Debate, and Forensics State Championships this weekend!  Go Archangels!

So many good things are happening at our school!  Thank you everyone for making it happen and for continuing to trust us with your child’s education!  We are so excited that so many families are reregistering for next year, and we are blessed to have so many new families calling us and dropping by each day to bring in applications for the fall.

On behalf of the staff and faculty of the school, have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!  See everyone next Tuesday!

Campus Ministry:

Virtue of the Week: Unity

The strength to be one in mind, heart and soul. For in the end there are but 3 things that remain: Faith, Hope, and Love. And the greatest of these is love. Cor 13:13

• There’s still time to sign up for the St. Benedict’s High School Retreat this Saturday, February 13th. The Lumen bus will leave Lumen for St. Therese Camp at 8:30 a.m. and returns to Lumen that night at 11 p.m.This is a wonderful retreat each year! Contact Elise Martinez ASAP at emartinez@stbenedictsak.com for more information.

• Choir members needed from all grade levels. See Mrs. Loeffler!

• Ash Wednesday is this coming Wednesday, February 17.  We will be praying Stations of the Cross each week here at school throughout the season.

• Interested in a parent Lenten prayer group?  Please contact Mrs. Loeffler at eloeffler@lumenchristiak.org

Prayer Spot

Please remember the following in your prayers this week:

• In thanksgiving for the many blessings we have been given

• For students who are attending school online

If you would like special intentions listed in Lumen News and Prayer Book of Intentions you can send them directly to Mrs. Loeffler or to the front office.

LUMENary Drive Update:

We had an amazing “Five Letters for 5 Days” campaign last week. If students wrote 5 letters to friends or family requesting a donation to the school or wrote 5 letters thanking current donors, they got 5 days of dress down/no-uniforms. Apparently a little bribery goes a long way, especially in the junior high crowd!

Seriously though, letter writing as a means of reaching out for support and/or in gratitude for gifts given is a skill. We hope these nuggets of learning stick with our Archangels as they move forward in life!  As always, thanks to all who have supported the drive this far!

Archangel Sports:

Some wins, some losses but ALL great playing for our High School teams this past weekend at the 22nd Annual Grizzly Classic! Our Boys were 1-3 and our Girls 0-3 but competition was tough and the teams continue to improve, working their plays. We’re bummed that Girl’s Team Co-Captain Jamie Estes is out with an injury but her cool demeanor on the bench lifts her teammates during play. Hang in there Jamie!

Next up on the docket: both teams play Friday, February 19th at Su-Valley in Talkeetna.  Girls tip off at 3p and boys at 4:30.

Congrats to 8th grader Jack Kohlhase, 7th grader Nicholas Boring, and 9th graders Mia Sperbeck and Gustavo Azpilcueta for their top four finishes in their first on-line shooting match last week. While in the end our Archangels were bested by the American Legion Post 290 team out of Stafford, Virginia, all of our shooters, (the four above + 7th grader Liv Crosby, 9th grader Sophia Turner and 8th grader Sofia Pineda) did amazing! They have another match this week, stay tuned for more results.

As always…..GOOOOOOOOOOO ARCHANGELS!!

Front Office News:

2021-22 Registration

Thanks to everyone who’s let me know so far that they’ll be returning next year! So far 80% of families have responded that they’ll be back for 2021-22, and the incoming 7th grade class is officially 50% full.

Our small class sizes and in-person learning means that our students are exactly where they should be academically, if not ahead of their public school peers.  We had waiting lists last year and suspect that even with ASD opening back up, we will have waiting lists again this year. I’ll be reaching out to those of you who haven’t responded yet to ensure your spot is held if you are returning, and open it up to others if you’re not.

Fratelli Tutti (“All Brothers”) – TOMORROW! February 12th

Published by the Vatican on October 4th to coincide with the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis’s third papal encyclical Fratelli tutti has been described as a “keen diagnosis of the ills of our post-modern society, sharply railing against the failures seen in the global response to COVID-19….[a document which] serves as something greater and purposeful to wake up the Church to a greater charity and purpose.” Pope Francis himself wrote “It is my desire that, in this our time, by acknowledging the dignity of each human person, we can contribute to the rebirth of a universal aspiration to fraternity. Fraternity between all men and women.”

Please join us tomorrow night at a very special Zoom meeting hosted by Dr. Kevin Jones from Alaska Pacific as he and other distinguished panelists discuss the universal need to come together in fraternal community.

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Lumen News – February 5, 2021

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Feb 6:  Mardi Gras Gala – TOMORROW!
• Feb 10-11:  Parent Teacher Conferences 1p-3p and 4p-7p each day
• Feb 12: No school – Teacher Inservice
• Feb 15: No school – Presidents Day
• Feb 17:  Ash Wednesday (Lent Begins)
• Mar 5-14:  Spring Break

 

26th Annual Mardi Gras Gala & Auction Fundraiser

Last Minute Instructions!

• Silent auction bidding is underway!  IT’S NOT TOO LATE to  REGISTER! Click here:  https://lchsak2021.ggo.bid

• SUCCESS DEPENDS on having bidders attend our”Live” Virtual Event tomorrow, FEBRUARY 6th at 7p!  We will be live streaming on Facebook and on the school website.  Please SHARE and INVITE your FRIENDS & FAMILY.  PERSONAL INVITATIONS work best!

• Purchase a ticket by 9a tomorrow/Saturday for a chance to win a $250 Credit for any Gala Purchase!

• If you pre-ordered your meal, MEAL PICK-UP is from 3p-5p here at Lumen.  Meals come with detailed instructions on how to re-warm things when you’re ready to eat.

• On behalf of all of us…..THANK YOU!!

Principal’s Update:

GALA!

Campus Ministry:

Virtue of the Week: Charity

For in the end there are but 3 things that remain: Faith, Hope, and Love. And the greatest of these is love. Cor 13:13

• Please note the following change in the St. Benedict Parish Winter Retreat for High School students:

  • The retreat is one day only, Saturday February 13. The bus leaves from Lumen  for St. Therese Camp at 8:30 a.m. and returns to Lumen on Saturday, February 13 at 11 p.m.

  • This is a wonderful retreat each year!

• Choir members needed from all grade levels. See Mrs. Loeffler!

• Ash Wednesday is February 17 – only 2 weeks away!  We will be praying Stations of the Cross each week here at school throughout the season.

• Interested in a parent Lenten prayer group?  Please contact Mrs. Loeffler at eloeffler@lumenchristiak.org

Prayer Spot

Please remember the following in your prayers this week:

• In thanksgiving for the many blessings we have been given

• For students who are attending school online

If you would like special intentions listed in Lumen News and Prayer Book of Intentions you can send them directly to Mrs. Loeffler or to the front office.

LUMENary Drive Update:

GALA!

Archangel Sports:

Our High School Basketball teams competed in their first games of the season against Cook Inlet Academy over the weekend.  We’re happy to report BOTH the Boys and Girls brought home victories against the Cook Inlet Academy (CIA) Eagles. Way to go Archangels! Both teams are competing this weekend in the 22nd Annual Grizzly Classic and are up against teams from CIA, Point Hope and ACS and Grace Christian.  Watch here for an update here next week.

There was so much interest in Riflery that Mr. Ross divided shooters into two teams based on our school colors – Blue (High School/shoots Tuesday) and Silver Teams (Jr. High/shoots Thursday.)  Both teams are competing today against a team in Stafford Virginia! as Stay tuned for details on our shooters.

GO ARCHANGELS!!

Front Office News: 

GALA!

Another week down, it was a hectic but good one. Lots of fun dress up/dress downs for Spirit Week!  Your kids are amazing!

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Lumen News – January 28, 2021

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