Lumen News – September 17, 2020
Important Upcoming Dates:
- Sept 18: School Mass, 9am (10th grade leads)
- Sept 21-24: Spirit Week (see details below)
- Sept 23: Principal/Parent Virtual Meeting, 7-8p
- Sept 25: High School Retreat – see details below in Campus Ministry
- Oct 14: High School PSAT (all 9th, 10th & 11th graders)
- Oct 15-17: Girls Volleyball “Spiketacular” Tournament at Lumen (Tentative)
- Oct 17: End of First Quarter
- Oct 21-22: Parent Teacher Conferences, 1-3pm and 4-7pm
- Oct 23: INSERVICE (No School)
Principal’s Update:
Our days and weeks seem to be flying by! It is hard to believe that our high school retreat is upon us and we are turning our calendar towards October already.
I want to thank our Campus Minister, Mrs. Loeffler, for organizing and coordinating what promises to be an amazing high school retreat next Friday, September 25th from 8am-2pm at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center. Our Class of 2021 seniors have been working hard to be group leaders for our freshmen, sophomores and juniors. We will start the retreat with an all high school Mass at 8am in the Resurrection Chapel, followed by the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Our students will hear different presentations during the morning from Mrs. Theresa Austin, Mr. Bob McMorrow, and Mr. Mike Sylvester. All groups will have an opportunity for Adoration in the Chapel as well. Following the repose of the Blessed Sacrament and closing comments from Mr. Rudy Poglitsch, our students will gather around grade level “bonfires” (fire pits) to eat a pizza lunch and reflect on the day. Given the challenges we face with COVID, we feel this is the best way to combine two time-honored, September traditions at Lumen: our high school retreat and the Homecoming bonfire. As you can imagine, we are simply unable to offer a third Lumen tradition–the Homecoming dance–this year, but will do our best to continue planning for one later in the year.
Our retreat will incorporate all of the health and safety protocols we have in place daily at Lumen, including the mask requirement, social distancing, and frequent sanitization. Further, students will remain with their grade throughout the day, with the exception of the all high school Mass at 8am and the closing ceremony. During these two times, students will be individually separated by at least one chair space and grades will be physically separated by seating section. We are looking forward to this opportunity to gather our high school students together in our faith.
So what do the junior high students do on Friday, Mr. Ross? Good question! Instead of sitting in academic classes, our 7th and 8th grade students will attend Mass here in the school (in Advisory classrooms) and do a mixture of fun, spirit, and service activities until dismissal at 12:30pm.
A special shout out to Class of 2022 Junior Brenden Gregory who is the starting quarterback for the varsity Dimond football team. Because of our unique co-op sports agreement with ASD signed last spring, our high school students can play public school sports if we do not offer them. Since we have yet to build an astroturf stadium behind our gym, Brenden is representing Lumen football as a Dimond Lynx this year. Attendance at his games is very limited, but I hope you will keep him in your thoughts and prayers. In future Updates, I plan to highlight our other student athletes who attend Lumen during the day and play for ASD in the afternoon, so stay tuned!
Finally, I hope everyone will join me for my next Principal-Parent Forum on Wednesday, Sept 23 from 7-8pm, where I plan to share some thoughts about our fall sports program, Parent-Teacher Conferences, and our October and November schedules. Please have a blessed and safe weekend!
Campus Ministry:
The Campus Ministry Office is located in the school library, students and parents are always welcome to stop by!
Virtue of the Week: Leadership
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 1Peter 1:22-23
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Today at 2:00 p.m. The Most Reverend Andrew E. Bellisario CM will be installed, and the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau will be inaugurated. You can log in at www.Archdioceseofanchorage.org or Https:/vimeo.com452676808 if you would like to be present via technology for the events. This is a great opportunity to experience this beautiful history-making service with your families. In addition, students in several grade levels are able to earn extra credit in Theology by viewing the event and submitting a 250 word reflection on the events of the service.
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I (Mrs. Loeffler) am available in the Campus Ministry office (located in the library) for student and parent support. Email or drop by any time. If I am in class, leave a note and I will get back to you within 24 hours.
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Our High School retreat is Friday, September 25th and the theme is “Spiritual Warfare.” We’ll be at the Holy Spirit Center Center located at 10980 Hillside Drive, off of O’Malley. Students should be dropped off at the Holy Spirit Center by 7:50 a.m. and picked up at 2 p.m. Please contact me at eloeffler@lumenchristiak.org or let the Office know if you need help getting your student to the Holy Spirit Center. The retreat is designed to meet all COVID health and safety protocols.
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We will be holding an altar server training/refresher session soon. Those interested in serving this year please email or see Mrs. Loeffler.
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We are working to plan service opportunities here in our gym for students and families. If you know of a need we can meet, please email me at eloeffler@lumenchristiak.org
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Birthday blessings this week to Lane Crosby, Liv Crosby, Nicholas Boring, and Tate Hart!
Prayer Spot
Please remember the following in your prayers this week:
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The intentions of our Lumen families
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That our country will unite in peace and justice
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For healing of all infected with COVID – 19
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An end to the pandemic
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All first responders
If you would like special intentions listed in Lumen News and Prayer Book of Intentions send them directly to Mrs. Loeffler.
Don’t forget there’s soccer skill building all next week at Kincaid Park on the turf field from 1:30-3p. Monday & Wednesday = High School; Tuesday & Thursday = Jr. High. Give a shout to Coach Warren athletics@lumenchristiak.org if you have any questions.
Front Office News:
Spirit Week Sept 21-24
To build school spirit for our high schoolers before they go on retreat next Friday the 25th, our Student Leadership Board (SLB) is announcing a dress down/dress up Spirit Week. Daily themes are:
Monday: Black/White or Multi-Color – bust out your best monochrome or your wildest colors
Tuesday: Disney Day (dress up as your favorite Disney character- includes Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Star Wars)
Wednesday: Celebrity Day (dress up as your favorite celebrity–can include sports)
Thursday: Lumen Pride Day (Lumen Spirit Wear! All those new hoodies you ordered from TNT can finally be worn all day long with your most comfy jeans or khakis (no rips or holes in the jeans, no sweats or leggings…gotta save those for a true dress down day.)
Friday: High schoolers will be off campus on retreat, Jr. High can wear their Spirit Wear again for a second day.
Call for Pics
Our 2020-21 Yearbook is now under construction and we’d love to include candid shots of your students taken anytime in between spring break of last year (when we all went into ‘hunker down mode’) and now. Spring, summer, early fall – distance learning, summer fun, early fall activities or non-Lumen sports that your students are involved with – please forward those on to yearbook@lumenchristiak.org. It’s always fun to see what kids are up to when they’re not at school, so scroll back through all of your phone pics and send some on.
Senior Photos
Senior parents – deadline for turning in your senior’s pictures for the yearbook is Friday, October 30th. If you haven’t already scheduled those to be taken, time’s’a’wastin. Please be sure and send those digitally to yearbook@lumenchristiak.org
Mask ICK Factor
For those of you whose kids are wearing re-usable/washable masks: Please make sure they’re dropping those things in the washing machine routinely. Some of them are getting a little…..funky… and…smelly. If the Covid doesn’t get’em, their own germs will. Thanks for the help.
Drama Production
I know it’s only September, but now is when the spring play is selected by our drama coach, Mrs. Stacy Robertson. The Drama Club is open to high school students only (sorry Jr. High), please have your 9th – 12th grade students pop into the Office and sign up if they want to be a cast or crew member this year.
Merch for Sale
We have merch for sale in the Office – pink & grey headbands and 3 styles of stickers. Headbands are $15 each (just a few pink ones left); big stickers are $3 each or a set of both for $5; small stickers are $2. Perfect for laptops & hydroflasks! (The stickers anyway. Headbands, not so much. Those are much better on your noggin.)