Lumen News – 01/11/2018

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Jan 15th:  No School, MLK Holiday
• Jan 16th:  School Board Meeting, 6pm
• Jan 16th:  Gala Meeting, 7pm
• Jan 18th-26th:  9 Days for Life Novena
• Jan 23rd: Gala Meeting, 7pm
• Jan 28th-Feb 3rd:  Catholic Schools Week
• Jan 29th:  All Catholic Schools Mass at OLG, 10:30am
• Jan 29th:  Academic Awards Assembly, 2pm
• Jan 29th:  2nd Annual State of the School Address, 7pm
• Jan 30th:  Gala Meeting, 7pm
• Feb 3rd:  Archdiocesan Parish Basketball Night, 3-6pm
• Feb 4th:  Lumen Christi/St. Benedict’s Community Mass, 10:30am
• Feb 10th:  Lumen Christi’s Mardi Gras Gala, 5:30pm
• Feb 13th:  Fat Tuesday Pancake Dinner, 6-8pm
• Feb 14th:  Ash Wednesday Mass, 9am
• Feb 15-16th:  Parent Teacher Conferences

From the Principal:

Welcome back from the holidays!  Our school is a beehive of activity with classes starting in full swing, the basketball season underway, and the Gala volunteers in planning mode.  We have a busy January and February, so please pay close attention to the calendar.

If you look at our newsletter banner, you will see two logos.  The first is for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops “9 Days for Life” novena from Jan 18-26.  We will participate in this as a school and we are asking families to join in at home and over the weekend of Jan 20-21.  More information about the “digital novena” can be found at:  http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/january-roe-events/nine-days-of-prayer-penance-and-pilgrimage.cfm.   You can sign up and follow along with the novena via email, text, Facebook, Twitter, etc.  Welcome to 21st century prayer!  We hope you will join us!

The second logo is for Catholic Schools Week (CSW) from Jan 28-Feb 3.  Since 1974, CSW is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. The theme for the National Catholic Schools Week 2018 is “Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.” This year, we will focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to our church, our communities and our nation.  We hope you can participate in the exciting things we have planned (see schedule below).  More information about CSW can be found here:  https://www.ncea.org/csw/

Announcements: 

JH Volleyball:  Practice started on Wednesday, January 10th.  The schedule for the remainder of the season is still being ironed out as we speak and we will update you as soon as we can.  Practices for this week and next week are as follows:

• Wednesday, January 10th:  7-8:15pm

• Friday, January 12th:  6-7:30pm

• Monday, January 15th:  7:15-8:15pm

• Thursday, January 18th:  7:15-8:15pm

Please let our Athletic Director, John Warren, know if your son or daughter plans to play and his email address is:  athletics@lumenchristiak.org.  You may access the required sports paperwork by clicking on the following link or stop by the office to pick up a packet.  http://lumenchristiathletics.bigteams.com/main/filesLinks.  If your son or daughter has played soccer and/or basketball this year already, they do not need to fill out the paperwork again.  Mr. Warren will also need to have a current sports physical on file for your student as well.  If you have any questions, please let us know.  Also, thank you for your patience as we figure out practice times for volleyball with our very busy gym schedule.

BP Teacher of Excellence:  Nominations are open, please visit BPTeachers.com for more information and to nominate your favorite teacher.

Guest Speaker:  We are pleased to host a distinguished guest speaker, counselor, and author Roy Petitfils, on Thursday, January 18, from 10:45-11:30am.  Mr. Petitfils will talk with our 9-12th grade classes about “Why is Happy So Hard”?  In this talk, Roy will share his life’s journey from a childhood of poverty, obesity and crippling anxiety and depression where he considered taking his own life.  He will share how as an older teen he with the help of a supportive group of friends and adults helped him work through and learn to manage anxiety and depression and subsequently overcome poverty and obesity. The main points of Roy’s talk to our students are:

1. There’s more to you than you can see right now.

2. For most of you, your best gifts will not be seen or acknowledged and celebrated while you’re in high school.

3. Anxiety and Depression are real and need to be taken seriously.

4. It’s important to talk about suicidal thoughts and depression with a trusted adult.

5. It’s important to explicitly ask for help when you are struggling.

6. Our faith in God and treasures of our Catholic faith provide powerful tools to help manage and cope with stress, anxiety and depression.

7. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

8. Understand how their brain is affected by anxiety and depression.

9. Reminder of ways to find and rediscover hope.

10. Practical tools for managing anxiety and depression.

A TEDx talk of Mr. Petitfils can be viewed here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC2z69q3L0o&t=258s.  He is also giving several presentations around the Archdiocese on the following dates and locations:

• January 16 | Community Wide Adult Evening with Roy Petitfils, LPC on Suicide and Depression at Sacred Heart, Wasilla, Ak from 7:00PM – 8:30PM.

• January 18 | Community Wide Adult Evening with Roy Petitfils, LPC on Adolescent Culture (How do you talk to teens?) at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral from 6:30PM – 8:00PM in the Lunney Center.

If you would like to know more about this presentation or do not wish to have your son or daughter participate, please let Mr. Ross or Mrs. Estes know.

Class Add/Drop Deadline:  The last day to add or drop any classes is January 19th.  Please contact Mrs. Brewer with any schedule changes and/or questions.

Italian Dinner:   St. Benedict’s Italian Dinner is on January 20th at 6PM. It is a fundraiser for our pilgrims going to world youth day.  The feast will include 7 courses of homemade Italian food including polenta, pasta, gnocchi, desserts, stuffed mushrooms and more.  Kids under 5 are free, children 5-15 are ½ off and everyone else is $30.  Tickets will be on sale after Mass the next two weekends or you can email me with your ticket order at rmcmorrow@stbenedictsak.com.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School Open House:  We are looking for a couple of families to volunteer to man a Lumen Christi informational table at St. Elizabeth’s Open House on Sunday, January 21st from 1-2pm.  We will provide the informational materials and display–we just need parents and students to sing praises of our school!  Please let Mr. Ross or Mrs. Estes know if you are interested.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Spaghetti Dinner:  On January 27th, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School will host their annual Spaghetti Dinner, Dance & Dessert Raffle at 6:30pm in St. Elizabeth’s Miki Center.  Please see the attached flyer for more details.

Catholic Schools Week:

• Sunday, January 28th:  This Sunday is the official start to Catholic Schools Week.  I am soliciting parents and students to serve as “Ambassadors” for our school.  These Ambassadors agree to speak at their parish Masses or Sunday church services or even hold an informational meeting for families from their church or denomination.  The purpose is to have our current families to sing the praises of our school in order to move us from the “Best Kept Secret in Anchorage” to the “Best Known School in Anchorage” and to grow our enrollment.  If interested in this opportunity for Share Hours, please contact Brian Ross directly at 907-273-1503 or bross@lumenchristiak.org.

• All Catholic Schools Mass (Monday, January 29th at 10:30am):  Lumen Christi will join St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Holy Rosary, and Our Lady of the Valley for an All Catholic Schools Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral at 10:30am.  Please join us if your schedule allows.

• Academic Awards Assembly (Monday, January 29th, at 2pm):  We will celebrate the academic accomplishments of our students from semester 1.  Parents are welcome!

• State of the School Parent Meeting (Monday, January 29th at 7pm):  Our 2nd annual “State of the School” meeting for all current parents and prospective families.  Light refreshments will be served and there will be a few raffle prizes.  You can expect a series of short presentations by the Principal, Father Tom, and others highlighting our mission and vision, academics, campus ministry, finance, and athletics. If you want information on what our school has done this year and where it is going in the future, you do not want to miss this event.

• Parish Basketball Night (Saturday, Feb 3rd, from 3-6pm):  All Archdiocesan parish families are offered free admission to our basketball games against Wainwright and will receive a ticket for one free popcorn or candy.  Fun halftime activities and free giveaways!  Our girls game will begin at 3pm, boys at 4:30pm.  Come cheer on Lumen!!!  Go Archangels!!

• Lumen Christi Community Mass at St. Benedict Parish (Sunday, February 4th at 10:30am):  As Catholic Schools Week comes to a close, what a better way to celebrate our school than with the parishioners of St. Benedict’s.  Our students and staff will participate in the liturgy as altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers, gift bearers, and hospitality.  This is not a mandatory event, but I am requesting parents and students to attend whether you are Catholic or not.  As a ministry of St. Benedict, our school benefits greatly from the generosity, support, and hospitality of the parish.  This is our way of showing our deepest appreciation by celebrating the Mass with them.

Missing Jacket:  One of our student’s is missing a black North Face jacket (size x-small or small).  It was last seen in the Student Room on the last day of school before Christmas break.  If anyone has seen it or accidently picked it up, please let the office know.

Click. Pick. Give:  When you choose Pick.Click.Give to benefit Lumen Christi High School, your money supports the education programs that have prepared our students for college and life. Your generous donation ensures that our students continue to be equipped with academic excellence and faith.  Thank you for prayerfully considering Lumen Christi on the list of your Pick.Click.Give. donations.  Your link to Pick.Click.Give.

Parent and Student Drivers:  This week we received a phone call from a concerned neighbor who said on more than one occasion she has either had cars almost hit her by either sliding while exiting the parking lot or by someone who doesn’t stop before exiting the parking lot.  Please exercise caution and follow the speed limit when entering and exiting the school.  Thank you so much.

Calling All Photographers!: Do you have any great pictures of your students playing sports or participating in extra-curricular activities? Although our Yearbook team tries to be at as many events as possible, we can’t be everywhere. Please send any pictures you have to Mrs. Spillers, so that we can try to include them in the yearbook. E-mail: mspillers@lumenchristiak.org

PVO News:

Happy New Year! This is a very busy time for our school and we need every parent to help with the Gala as well as supporting Attic Fridays, Catholic School Week activities, and many sporting activities over the next few months.

This is the time to get your Share Hours!

GALA: LESS THAN 5 WEEKS AWAY!  There is something for everyone to do and we need many hands to make this year a success.  Please visit the online sign up http://signup.com/go/oZVcYYb, call or stop by the Gala office to see how you can help. Tickets are on sale now- purchase individual tickets or see if your company may be interested in a corporate table. The next Gala meeting is on January 16th at 7pm.  Your ideas are needed!

ATTIC FRIDAYS: We need to fill many spots on January 19th and 26th.  Please visit this  http://signup.com/go/cVMeBzw and sign up today!

HELP NEEDED: Please consider taking a leadership role in one of the following roles-

• Gala Co-Chair for 2018-2019:  With the O’Connell family moving later this year we will need help in the year to come. Learning this year is a great way to start!

• Fur Rondy Float Lead:  We are looking for someone to help get the Lumen Christi float ready for the parade on February 24th!

• Concessions Coordinator: Coordinate volunteers and concession stand food needs for athletic events.  Help is needed for the regular season and the Basketball Tournament 2/29-3/3.

• Concession Stand/Gate Volunteers Needed:  Please click on the following link to volunteer to work the concession stand or the Gate (admissions).  If you have never worked either one, let us know and we will be happy to train you and team you up with someone who know how to work it.  http://signup.com/go/kbSOjLi

If you have any questions or can help with any of these roles please contact Danielle- pvo@lumenchristiak.org or 227-7080

Campus Ministry:

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

Peace on Earth to Men of Goodwill!

• Next Friday, January 19 we will resume our service at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School.  Each Friday 4 students are needed to help in classrooms from 12:30-2:30.  Students please sign up in the main hallway.

• Campus Ministry and St. Benedict Youth Group will be holding our second annual Fat Tuesday pancake dinner on Tuesday, February 13.  Proceeds will go to a local charity, the St. Benedict Youth Group and the Lumen Christi Campus Ministry Program. We will appreciate help or donations for the evening.  And of course, please come enjoy a pancake dinner and support our cause! Details to follow.

• In today’s secular culture there is too often a disdain for the precious gift of life.  It shows in our media, entertainment, legislation and relationships. The good news is we have the power of prayer to overcome evil. Lumen Christi will be joining Faith communities across the country in praying a Novena for Life.  We will meet together each morning at 7:45 in the main hallway for prayer from January 18 – January 26. Please join us one or more of these days, and we encourage you to continue the Novena with your family on Saturday and Sunday of the week.

• Calling all musicians!!!  We are looking for a piano player to play for our school Masses!  You may choose the hymns with which you are most comfortable. Please see Mrs. Loeffler.

• Sign up sheets for Friday service hours at The Archangel Attic can be found on the bulletin board across from the school office. Students please sign up!!

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

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

Prayer Corner:

(prayer requests can be sent to Liz Loeffler – eloeffler@lumenchristiak.org)

Pray for

• Repose of the souls of Fr. Steven Moore and M.J. Marteeny, and comfort to their family and friends

• Those who are lacking adequate food and shelter, especially during this winter season

• Respect for all life

• Our local, state, national, world, and Church leaders