March 2024
News From Siena
“What I can do, you cannot. What you can do, I cannot. But together we can do something beautiful for God.” St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Dear families and friends of Siena,
During this season of Lent, I have been inspired by the many acts of service I witness when visiting our schools. Some are rooted in a project, such as fundraising for those needing food or shelter, but others are less obvious, such as a student tutoring a classmate, being kind and helpful when they see someone in need. I also see this when a parent models service to others by leading a Girl/Boy Scout troops, coaching a team, or giving an understanding hug.
Your acts of service are the foundation of our mission of serving God’s creation to love, care, educate, show kindness, and give of one’s self for the betterment of others. I've been humbled by the selflessness shown by our students, staff, families, and volunteers alike. I am blessed to see the gift of time, attention, a hug, and a smile. When I see all of these actions and so much more, I know that we are truly witnessing what God has called us to do during this Holy Season of Lent.
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” –Matthew 5:16
Blessings for a beautiful Holy Week and wonderful Easter Sunday.
God bless,
Dr. Sue Savaglio-Jarvis
President, Siena Catholic Schools
P.S. As always, follow Siena on Facebook and get an inside view of our schools through "Dr. Sue's View." Videos are frequently uploaded that illustrate the best our schools have to offer.
Mission: Possible!
This month I ask you to ponder this as a parent/guardian, and/or educator:
How do you encorporate service in your daily life? What further steps are you being called to take?
Dr. Sue
Accreditation Visits Continue
Siena is in the process of being accredited by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. This process serves to verify that Siena and all of its schools are meeting various benchmarks in Catholic identity, mission and governance, academic excellence, and operational vitality. Pulling all of the evidence together and preparing for accreditation has been a years-long process. John Paul II Academy, St. Rita, St. Catherine, and St. Joseph have completed their accreditation visits. Next week, Our Lady of Grace, St. Lucy, St. Sebastian, and Siena will have their interviews and visits. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in this process to make our Siena schools stronger and more rigorous! We are so proud of Siena's planning and preparation time to make us shine!
Serving Others
SCHS Art Donation to Empty Bowls of Racine
St. Catherine's art students donated 56 hand-thrown and glazed bowls to benefit "Empty Bowls of Racine" on March 4. This event raises funds that benefit the HALO (Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization) and the Racine County Food Bank and Hospitality Center.
Heartfulness Club Stays Busy
St. Rita students in the Heartfulness Club were busy these last few weeks! They first designed Rosary keys to help learn the prayers, prayed the rosary, and received a handmade, blessed rosary (from St. Sebastian staff member Colleen Benner). Second, they learned about restorative justice peace circles to help work out disagreements. Finally, they participated in the Heartful Hike and Hunt to celebrate raising almost $6000 for the American Heart Association and for parish/school clean up!
Altar Servers Honored by Parish
In January, at St. Joseph Parish, Miguel S., Nikos B., and Caden F. were presented blessed medals from Fr. Steve Varghese in recognition of their altar serving dedication and talent from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. In December, these students also attended the St. Tarcisius Server Institute at St. Francis de Sales Seminary.
Multiplying Greatness - Math News
Math Night at St. Cat's
Our recent 6-8 Math Competition at St. Catherine's brought together over 75 students from each of our schools, igniting a passion for mathematics within Siena. From solving equations to unraveling intricate problems, students showcased their skills and knowledge with enthusiasm.
Special thanks to all of our teachers, families, volunteers, and to Diane Putra for coordinating the event. We are so proud of all of our students!
Congratulations to the following students and teams:
Grade 6: Leila G. (St. Joe - 1st), Maddie Y. (St. Rita - 2nd), Fatima T. (OLOGA - 3rd)
Grade 7: Carmine C. (St. Rita - 1st), Nakia G. (OLOGA - 2nd), Layla V. (OLOGA - 3rd)
Grade 8: Emmaleigh M. (St. Lucy - 1st), Elias F. (St. Rita - 2nd), Eli L. (St. Rita - 3rd)
St. Rita's Math Hoops Regional Champions Crowned
7th graders, Carmine and Karter of St. Rita were awarded first place at the Math Hoops Regional Competition at Fiserv Forum this past week!
Math Hoops is a board game introduced to 6th and 7th graders that uses math operations with rolled dice and uses their knowledge of percentages to make “baskets” and earn points. For this team, good math skills and strategy was the key to their success in winning the St. Rita Tournament and the Regional Competition. St. Rita was also represented by 7th graders Josh and Sophia. They earned a place in the championship round and beat out 36 other teams for that position. They were paired against Carmine and Karter and lost by 1 point. It was a fierce game and all of our team players showed fantastic sportsmanship. 6th graders Luke and Gavin were present as alternates for the St. Rita team. Math Hoops is a partnership with the NBA, WNBA, and ATC (atcllc.com).
Other News Around Siena
Black History Month Event
On February 23, SCHS hosted a Black History Month Celebration. This well-attended event featured catering by Taejavu's on Main, popup shops of local black-owned businesses, and entertainment by Zoe Outreach Ministries. Thank you to everyone who came out!
"Zombie Prom" Spring Show
Performers at SCHS were proud to present Zombie Prom on March 7, 8, 9, and 10. This show featured some stellar choreography and acting. Thank you to the directors, students, teachers, and families that made this possible!
Angels Youth Softball
The Angels Youth Softball Association's 12U girls softball team competed in the Wisconsin Wiffleball Championship this past weekend in Kewaskum, WI. The ten girls represented St. Rita School and Parish, St. Joe, and St. Lucy. The girls had a blast, and it was a wonderful time for everyone!
Diggory Doo Goes to Work
St. Joseph School Counselor, Moriah White has been sending her friend, "Diggory Doo" to work with different people around the community, helping elementary students develop career awareness. Diggory Doo has worked as cardiac nurse, firefighter, realtor, high school nurse, care worker at Siena Center, administrative assistant for mental health and addiction, UPS worker, and community service worker with the Racine police department. He has had lots of fun trying out new jobs each week and meeting lots of interesting people!
Resurrection Eggs at JPIIA
At JPIIA, the entire school participated in making resurrection eggs with their buddies as a Lenten activity. Buddies compiled their own egg carton with 12 eggs filled with Bible verses and a symbol for that egg, representing an event that occurred on the way to Jesus' resurrection.
St. Catherine's Gateway Trip
At SCHS, Ms. Johnson and Mr. Tarkowski took 14 Juniors and Seniors to Gateway to explore the programs available at the African American Youth Empowerment Conference. There was a lot of learning about different educational opportunities!
Fun Around St. Lucy
St. Lucy stayed busy this past month! They celebrated Principal Thostenson's birthday by decorating her office having everyone sing happy birthday in the gym. They also celebrated Leap Day with special fanfare. Finally, they hosted community members for a career day on March 5.
Angels Soar
The Black & White Ball is transitioning to an online, silent auction for 2024! Get ready for Angels Soar: An Online Auction for St. Catherine's High School. We will have a variety of items, experiences, baskets, and spirit wear available for purchase––and bidding––from April 15 - 20. Invitations will be mailed and emailed. Please consider supporting this online event! Here is the link to check it out!
March to May Madness
From March 19 until May 16, SCHS alumni are invited to participate in March to May Madness, a fundraising competition to benefit St. Catherine's High School. To learn more or give, visit: saintcats.org/marchmadness. For more information, contact Development at: costrov@sienacatholicschools.org or (262) 753-1597.
News & Notes, Resources
Siena Notes:
Siena is looking for Substitutes: If you or you know someone interested in becoming a substitute, please use this link to apply or contact bschurman@sienacatholicschools.org.
2023-24 Siena Calendar - HERE
NEW! 2024-25 Siena Calendar - HERE
Siena Job Postings - HERE
Siena is accepting applications for 2024-25: Thinking about enrolling at Siena Catholic Schools this fall? Need some information on how to enroll? Complete this short Inquiry Form and a team member from this Admissions Office will contact you.
Additional Resources:
John 23 Outreach Program - J23 Education Center Offers Homework and Enrichment Activities through their afterschool program. Check out this flyer to learn more!
School Nutrition Program
Looking for breakfast and lunch menus? Did you know that you can view the breakfast, lunch, and snack menus online AND via the Taher app? All menus are located here...just click on the correct school on the upper right. You can download the Taher app here (Apple) and here (Android).
In addition to menus, extensive information about Taher and our school nutrition program can be found on the School Nutrition Website
Free and Reduced Meals application: https://sienacatholic.familyportal.cloud/
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
If you have ideas for the Siena community newsletter, have pictures or stories to share, or just want to say hi, you can email me at kgardner@sienacatholicschools.org.