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Family Focus 9/30/22
10/06/2022
Kris Sauer
2022-23, September 2022
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"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (Peer Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2022-2023)
September 30, 2022
Dear BA Families:
Welcome October! With the chill in the air, it is no surprise that we are turning the calendar to October and our BA Homecoming Week! Please join us for our 7pm game Friday, Oct. 7 at Bruce Smith Field as we cheer on our Cardinals!
HOMECOMING REMINDERS: Homecoming week is full of traditions and events. Administration has reminded scholars that for all events, we are to be safe and appropriate, following CARDS. Please encourage this at home as well for any unsanctioned events. We want this to be fun week for all. Please Note: We discourage middle school students from doing any out-of-school activities. They are invited to dress up and join us for all of the events at school this week as well as the game on Friday.
NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE
UPCOMING EVENTS: Additional events are online.
- Oct 3-7: Homecoming Week - "Flatten the Falcons"! See below for more information.
- Oct 7: Early release at 2pm following the Homecoming Parade
- Oct 5: Close Up meeting, 7pm, Mr. Wollin's room, DC rep will be here. See high school section for more information.
- Oct 12: Student of the Month, 7:30am, cafeteria
- Oct 15: Spooktacular Fun Run; Sign up HERE; more info in middle school section below below
- Oct 16: International Club Outing to Fireside Orchard, see info below in HS section
- Oct. 16 & 17: Senior Class Retreat
- Oct 18: Early Release @ 1pm, P/T Conferences 1:30-6:30pm
- Oct 19-21: MEA - NO SCHOOL
- Oct 31: Trunk or Treat Dress Down, $1 or bag candy to wear costumes (modest, and no scary masks or plastic weapons, please) proceeds go to Trunk or Treat event
- Oct 31: BA/DMCS Trunk or Treat event, 4-6pm; Register your trunk HERE (parent volunteer hours!), more info below
- Volunteers needed! Sign up here: volleyball games, football games. Find our new Volunteer Connection page HERE.
- Homework Club: Homework Club with Mrs. Kohl is offered Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 3-4pm in Room 204. All students welcome!
- Attendance: If your scholar is sick or has an appointment, please email attendance@bacards.org by 8am if possible. Thank you!
Join me in prayers for peace and the mental and physical health of scholars as well as our new staff and students.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
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"Flatten the Falcons!" Homecoming Week (Oct 3-7) Info: Planned by the Senior Class, each day of Homecoming Week features a different dress down theme along with related fun activities. A pep fest is held Friday noon in Van Orsow Auditorium followed by coronation at 1pm. All are invited to attend (reserved seating for Court family members). (Note that by longstanding tradition, BA crowns a Homecoming King but not a Homecoming Queen. Instead, seniors elect a SnoBall Queen at the winter SnoBall.) The Homecoming parade begins around 1:30pm Friday following the noon pep fest. Note that students are dismissed after the parade concludes, usually around 2pm. Faribault buses run on a normal dismissal schedule. The parade will run through downtown as it did prior to COVID. The Homecoming dance follows the Homecoming football game and is a mixer (not an “ask” dance) open to high school students, grades 9-12 only. Non-BA students may attend the Homecoming mixer if registered in the main office prior to the event.
- Mon 10/3: Color Day. Gr 6: white; Gr 7: purple; Gr 8: yellow; Gr 9: red; Gr 10: orange; Gr 11: green; Gr 12: blue; Faculty/staff: pink
- Tues 10/4: Twin Day (pair with peers to wear identical costumes)
- Wed 10/5: Mass Attire; 8:30am joint BA-DMCS Mass & Buddy Day
- Thurs 10/6: College Day / Youth Volleyball Night @ home VB game
- Fri 10/7: Show Your CARDINAL Spirit; noon pep fest, 1pm coronation, 1:30pm parade (Click HERE for a parade map.)
- Fri 10/7: Homecoming football game, 7pm; Future Cardinal/Youth Night @ game; Homecoming Dance to follow the game in the BA gym until midnight, cost: $5 or pack of socks
BA/DMCS Trunk or Treat Oct 31 - Our biggest community event of the year is held Mon Oct 31 from 4-6pm in the BA parking lots. Free hot dogs and trick or treating for the entire Faribault community. Close to 1000 kids (and their family members!) have traditionally joined us to trick or treat from decorated car/truck trunks. Pulling off an event of this size truly takes our whole BA/DMCS community! Candy donations (1000 kids!) are welcome at any time in the BA Front Office. Sign up to be a trunk in this great event HERE. (This event earns parent volunteer hours.)
Positivity Project: Forgiveness (6-8) Grades (9-12): To review the trait of Forgiveness (you forgive those who have done wrong and you accept that people make mistakes) with your scholar, please click on the highlighted grades above (password: P2), where together you can watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.BA Positions available - We are currently looking to fill the following positions. Contact President/Principal Mindy Reeder if interested:
- BOD Finance Committee: Volunteer position advises the BA Board of Directors on financial policies and the annual budget. Meets monthly; BA family service hours awarded.
- BOD Advancement Committee: Volunteer position advises the BA Board of Directors on fundraising efforts. Meets monthly; BA family service hours awarded.
- BA 2nd Van Driver: Morning and afternoon scholar transportation while school is in session. Paid position, anticipated late winter start date. Class III drivers training provided.
- BA Fair Booth 2nd Family: Seeking a 2nd family to assist with operating the BA Cardinal Cafe during the Rice County Fair the 3rd week of July. Tuition stipend provided.
Class of 2023 Seniors & Parents:
- Senior Parents/Info Night Presentation: Thank you to those of you who attended the Senior Parent Informational Night. Your time was appreciated! Here is a link to the slides and the information and links contained within: Senior Parent Night Slides. If you missed the presentation, here is a link to the recorded presentation: Senior Parent Night Presentation.
- College Application Fee Waiver: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities are are waiving their application fee for the ENTIRE MONTH of October. For more information, please check out the following: https://www.minnstate.edu/MinnStateWk/
SAT Testing: Find SAT college test dates and registration deadlines (Oct 7 for the Nov 5 test) HERE.
International Club Field Trip Oct 16: Join us! The International Club works to connect our international exchange students with our BA host country students. Our first event of the year is at Fireside Orchard in Northfield. On Sun, Oct 16 we will meet in the BA parking lot at 11:30am. Students will carpool and return by 2:30pm. Admission is free, but students will need to bring their own money for lunch or other treats. We will receive a guided tour of the facilities, do an apple tasting, play yard games, have lunch, and have fun! Permission slips (click HERE) are due by Friday, Oct 7.
CLOSE UP TRIP 2023: For students in grades 9-12 interested in the Project Close Up trip, there will be a meeting Oct 5 @ 7pm in Mr. Wollin's room (G9). The Project Close Up rep from Washington, DC, will be at the meeting to answer questions. Details include: Trip will be March 26-April 2, 2023. Trip cost is $2970 and includes travel, food, hotels, tickets to events, and many other extras. The trip includes group studies of current events and government operations, visits to Congress (while in session) and our Congressmen, tour of the Capitol, and the sites of Washington, DC, and New York City including the DC monuments, a Broadway play, trip to the top of Rockefeller Center, 911 memorial & Brooklyn Bridge visit, etc. Contact Dave Wollin with questions or visit the Project Close Up website.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
Oct 15 Spooktacular Middle School Challenge: Middle school scholars are invited to join the October 15 BA/DMCS Halloween-themed Spooktacular Fun Run for Catholic education! Walk, run or participate virtually and get pledges to be eligible for prize drawings! On race day, enjoy candy stops on the route, prizes for best costumes & race winners. All participants get a free t-shirts; participating BA middle school students are eligible for weekly gift card drawings and entry into two prize drawings (have 2 race participants, entered into drawing for a squishmallow! AND if participant fees + pledges = $125, entered into drawing for 4 tickets to the MN Zoo Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular). Click HERE for the information sheet and pledge form. Register to run/walk in the Oct 15 event HERE. Register or turn in pledges by next Wed (Oct 6) for the first weekly drawing!
FREE 6th Grade Gopher Basketball League: Enroll by Sep 30: All 6th graders interested in playing basketball are encouraged to sign up for the free Gopher League. Find more information on BA basketball and gopher league options HERE. New Gopher League registration deadline: Sept 30.
Family Focus 9/23/22
09/29/2022
Kris Sauer
September 2022, 2022-23
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"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (Peer Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2022-2023)
September 23, 2022
Dear BA Families:
Tackle Cancer! Thanks to our BA football team players for hosting the Tackle Cancer dress down today. Tomorrow please join us at our 1pm game where the team will be raising additional dollars for cancer research. Cancer has touched many of our lives and the research and support continues to be needed. THANK YOU! Just as a a reminder, on special themed dress down days, students are to come in the theme attire or wear normal dress code. Please remind your scholars as Homecoming themed days are noted below for the week of October 3.
MASS POLO SHIRTS: The High School Mass polo shirts purchased by BA have arrived. Unfortunately, the middle school shirts are still back-ordered. We will pass out the high school shirts this next week during homeroom. We do hope to have the middle school shirts within the next few weeks.
NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE
UPCOMING EVENTS: Additional events are online.
- Sep 26: Extended New Family Survey deadline, add'l 6th and new 9th grade families input needed. Click HERE to complete. Thank you!
- Sep 26-27: Middle School MAP testing. See middle school section for more information.
- Sept 27: Picture Day! Click HERE for the order form.
- Sep 28: Senior Year Parent/Senior Meeting, 7pm Cafeteria
- Sep 29: WIN Day
- Sep 30: NO AFTERNOON FARIBAULT BUSING. Faribault Public School students are being dismissed at 1pm this day for FHS homecoming.
- Oct 3-7: Homecoming Week! See below for more information.
- Oct 5: Close Up meeting, 7pm, Mr. Wollin's room, DC rep will be here. See high school section for more information.
- Oct 12: Student of the Month, 7:30am
- Oct 15: Spooktacular Fun Run; Sign up HERE; more info to follow
- Oct 18: Early Release @ 1pm, P/T Conferences 1:30-6:30pm
- Oct 19-21: MEA - No School
- Oct 31: BA/DMCS Trunk or Treat event, 4-6pm
- Volunteers needed! Sign up here: volleyball games, football games. Find our new Volunteer Connection page HERE.
- Encourage students to sign up for activities! Robotics registration can be found HERE or in the office. Scholars can still join SADD & Campus Ministry! The Close Up trip meeting is 7pm Oct 5 meeting (see high school section for more info). FFA is also holding sign up meetings, including for a FFA Trap Team, talk with Mr. Johnson to join.
- Homework Club: Homework Club with Mrs. Kohl is offered Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 3-4pm in Room 204. All students welcome!
- Attendance: If your scholar is sick or has an appointment, please email attendance@bacards.org by 8am if possible. Thank you!
Join me in prayers for peace and the mental and physical health of scholars.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Homecoming Week (Oct 3-7) Info: Planned by the Senior Class, each day of Homecoming Week features a different dress down theme along with related fun activities. A pep fest is held Friday noon in Van Orsow Auditorium followed by coronation at 1pm. All are invited to attend (reserved seating for Court family members). [Note that by longstanding tradition, BA crowns a Homecoming King but not a Homecoming Queen. Instead, seniors elect a SnoBall Queen at the winter SnoBall.] The Homecoming parade begins around 1:30pm Friday following the noon pep fest. Note that students are dismissed after the parade concludes, usually around 2pm. Faribault buses run on a normal dismissal schedule. The parade will run through downtown as it did prior to COVID. The Homecoming dance follows the Homecoming football game and is a mixer (not an “ask” dance) open to high school students, grades 9-12 only. Non-BA students may attend the Homecoming mixer if registered in the main office prior to the event.
- Mon 10/3: Color Day. Gr 6: white; Gr 7: purple; Gr 8: yellow; Gr 9: red; Gr 10: orange; Gr 11: green; Gr 12: blue; Faculty/staff: pink
- Tues 10/4: Twin Day (pair with peers to wear identical costumes)
- Wed 10/5: Mass Attire; 8:30am joint BA-DMCS Mass & Buddy Day
- Thurs 10/6: College Day / Youth Volleyball Night @ home VB game
- Fri 10/7: Show Your CARDINAL Spirit; noon pep fest, 1pm coronation, 1:30pm parade (Click HERE for a parade map.)
- Fri 10/7: Homecoming football game, 7pm; Future Cardinal/Youth Night @ game; Homecoming Dance to follow the game in the BA gym
BA Positions available - We are currently looking to fill the following positions. Contact President/Principal Mindy Reeder if interested:
- BOD Finance Committee: Volunteer position advises the BA Board of Directors on financial policies and the annual budget. Meets monthly; BA family service hours awarded.
- BOD Advancement Committee: Volunteer position advises the BA Board of Directors on fundraising efforts. Meets monthly; BA family service hours awarded.
- BA 2nd Van Driver: Morning and afternoon scholar transportation while school is in session. Paid position, anticipated late winter start date. Class III drivers training provided.
- BA Fair Booth 2nd Family: Seeking a 2nd family to assist with operating the BA Cardinal Cafe during the Rice County Fair the 3rd week of July. Tuition stipend provided.
Free BA Library Books! We’ve cleaned out the BA library and have boxes of books available for free! Parents and students are invited to stop in from 7:30-8:00am or 3-3:30pm to take what they want from the boxes located next to the vending machines by the east gym entrance. Please stop by before Friday, September 30; books will be donated to the AAUW book sale after that date.
Positivity Project: Perspective (6-8) Grades (9-12): To practice and encourage the character strength of perspective (you appreciate when people see things in different ways.) with your scholar, please click on the highlighted grades above (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATES
Class of 2023 Seniors & Parents:
1. You are invited to a Senior Parent Meeting on Wednesday, September 28, at 7 p.m. in the BA Cafeteria. This important night will cover what to expect for the last year of high school. We hope to see you there!
2. An important note about October - Minnesota State Colleges and Universities are are waiving their application fee for the ENTIRE MONTH of October. For more information, please check out the following: https://www.minnstate.edu/MinnStateWk/
CLOSE UP TRIP 2023: For students in grades 9-12 interested in the Project Close Up trip, there will be a meeting Oct 5 @ 7pm in Mr. Wollin's room (G9). The Project Close Up rep from Washington, DC, will be at the meeting to answer questions. Details include: Trip will be March 26-April 2, 2023. Trip cost is $2970 and includes travel, food, hotels, tickets to events, and many other extras. The trip includes group studies of current events and government operations, visits to Congress (while in session) and our Congressmen, tour of the Capitol, and the sites of Washington, DC, and New York City including the DC monuments, a Broadway play, trip to the top of Rockefeller Center, 911 memorial & Brooklyn Bridge visit, etc. Contact Dave Wollin with questions or visit the Project Close Up website.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
MAP Growth Testing – For students currently in grades 6, 7 and 8 : By dynamically adjusting to each student’s test responses, MAP Growth Exams create a personalized assessment experience that accurately measures individual student performance in the areas of English, Math, Language and science (grade 6 science in the fall and grade 8 science in the spring). Middle School students are automatically registered for these tests which are paid for by the school. Testing dates for students, which typically take a couple hours each scheduled day, are: Thurs Sep 22, Fri Sep 23, Mon Sep 26, and Tues Sep 27 (6th Science only).
All 6th graders interested in playing basketball are encouraged to sign up for the free Gopher League. Find more information on BA basketball and gopher league options HERE. New Gopher League registration deadline: Sept 30.
Family Focus 9/16/22
09/23/2022
Ed Friesen
2022-23, September 2022
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"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (Peer Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2022-2023)
September 16, 2022
Dear BA Families:
It's Divine Mercy Catholic Church Spirit Fest and the groundbreaking for the new education center tomorrow! I hope you can join me at Divine Mercy Church on Saturday evening as we raise funds for the parish and break ground for the Divine Mercy Catholic School-expanding all we offer as the Catholic Schools of Faribault! It's a full evening of entertainment, food, and fellowship. The BA Band will play a few numbers around 5:15pm and the Groundbreaking is at 5:45pm. Did you know that each year the parish supports BA with a substantional monthly gift? In addition, the parish priests visit with our scholars, talk to classes and assist with Masses. What a joy to celebrate together and support one another - and don't forget the fireworks at dusk. See you there!
NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE
UPCOMING EVENTS: Additional events are online.
- Sept 17: Spirit Fest at Divine Mercy Catholic Church; Volunteers Needed! Sign up HERE
- Sept 17: DMCS new school groundbreaking @ SpiritFest, 5:45pm at Divine Mercy Catholic Church
- Sept 18: Tackle Cancer Gear order deadline. Order HERE.
- Sept 21: Middle School New Family Night (6
:30pm), BA Library - Sept 23: Tackle Cancer Dress Down Day ($1, sweatpants ok; $2 to wear leggings, hats)
- Sept 23: Opening Student Art Reception at the Paradise Center for the Arts, 5-7pm. Exhibit runs in the Corey Lyn Creger Memorial Gallery until Nov 12.
- Sep 22-23 and 26-27: Middle School MAP testing. See MS Section for more information.
- Sept 24: Tackle Cancer events at the home football game, 1pm
- Sept 27: Picture Day! More details to follow
- Sep 29: WIN Day
- Oct 5: Close Up meeting, 7pm, Mr. Wollin's room, DC rep will be here
- Oct 7: Homecoming-see below for the week's dress down themes
- Oct 12: Student of the Month, 7:30am
- Oct 18: Early Release @ 1pm, P/T Conferences 1:30-6:30pm.
- Oct 19-21: MEA - No School
- Home & School: Please send in your Home & School Dues to the office! ($30) you can also Venmo using the QR code to the left.
- Volunteers needed at games! Sign up here: volleyball games, football games.
- Encourage students to sign up for activities! Robotics registration can be found HERE or picked up in the office. SADD & Campus Ministry held their first meeting, but there is still time to join! Scholars can also travel to New York and D.C. through Close Up, plan to attend the 7pm Oct 5 meeting if interested. Contact Mr. Wollin with questions. FFA is also holding sign up meetings, talk with Mr. Johnson to join.
- Homework Club: Homework Club with Mrs. Kohl is offered Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 3-4pm in Room 204. All students welcome!
- Attendance: If your scholar is sick or has an appointment, please email attendance@bacards.org by 8am if possible. Thank you!
Please continue to pray for our scholars and our staff as we begin this new year together.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Homecoming Week Dress Down Themes:
- Mon 10/3: Color Day. Gr 6: white; Gr 7: purple; Gr 8: yellow; Gr 9: red; Gr 10: orange; Gr 11: green; Gr 12: blue; Faculty/staff: pink
- Tues 10/4: Twin Day (pair with peers to wear identical costumes)
- Wed 10/5: Mass Attire
- Thurs 10/6: College Day
- Fri 10/7: Show Your CARDINAL Spirit
- BOD Finance Committee: Volunteer position advises the BA Board of Directors on financial policies and the annual budget. Meets monthly; BA family service hours awarded.
- BOD Advancement Committee: Volunteer position advises the BA Board of Directors on fundraising efforts. Meets monthly; BA family service hours awarded.
- BA 2nd Van Driver: Morning and afternoon scholar transportation while school is in session. Paid position, anticipated late winter start date. Class III drivers training provided.
- BA Fair Booth 2nd Family: Seeking a 2nd family to assist with operating the BA Cardinal Cafe during the Rice County Fair the 3rd week of July. Tuition stipend provided.
2021-2022 Yearbooks have arrived! Extra yearbooks are available for purchase. Cost is $70; write checks out to Bethlehem Academy, with "2021-22 yearbook" in the notes. Contact Mr. Brent Zabel with questions.
Free BA Library Books! We’ve cleaned out the BA library and have boxes of books available for free! Parents and students are invited to stop in from 7:30-8:00am or 3-3:30pm to take what they want from the boxes located next to the vending machines by the east gym entrance. Please stop by before September 30; books will be donated to the AAUW book sale after that date.
PowerSchool and Schoology: Following PowerSchool's purchase of Schoology, we transitioned from PowerSchool Classroom Learning to Schoology for a learning management system last school year. The PowerSchool Classroom website is in the process of being decommissioned and will go offline in a couple of months. We are in the process of updating how parent data is stored in PowerSchool. That process will be completed soon. When completed we will be providing you with information about parent accounts for both the PowerSchool web portal and the Schoology website. Mobile apps are also available for PowerSchool and Schoology. PowerSchool will be the primary site to see grades and attendance information. Schoology will be the site to view what is currently happening in the classroom (assignments, lesson plans, notes, instructional videos, etc.)
Positivity Project: Being Present and Other People Matter – Mindset (6-8) Grades (9-12): To practice and encourage the character strength of mindset (being present/other people matter) with your scholar, please click on the highlighted grades above (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
MAP Growth Testing – For students currently in grades 6, 7 and 8 : By dynamically adjusting to each student’s test responses, MAP Growth Exams create a personalized assessment experience that accurately measures individual student performance in the areas of English, Math, Language and science (grade 6 science in the fall and grade 8 science in the spring). Middle School students are automatically registered for these tests which are paid for by the school. Testing dates for students, which typically take a couple hours each scheduled day, are: Thurs Sep 22, Fri Sep 23, Mon Sep 26, and Tues Sep 27 (6th Science only).
BA's middle school (MS) teachers are hosting an informational middle school new family meeting on Sept. 21 at 6:30pm. While the target audience is new families, the meeting is open to all and will share how MS partners with MS teachers and families and create a home and school connection.
FREE 6th Grade Gopher Basketball League
All 6th graders interested in playing basketball are encouraged to sign up for the free Gopher League. Find more information on BA basketball and gopher league options HERE. New Gopher League registration deadline: Sept 30.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Click Here to volunteer for Spirit Fest Sept 17
Family Focus, 9/9/22
09/13/2022
Kris Sauer
September 2022, 2022-23
Leave a comment
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (Peer Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2022-2023)
September 9, 2022
Dear BA Families:
The Cardinals gathered by classes today to serve the Faribault Community through various service projects! Each year we encourage our scholars to follow CARDS - Character, Accountability, Respect, Decision-Making and Service. What a joy to see all of the scholars supporting our community today.
A special thank you to all of our families as you partner with your scholar these first two weeks of the school year. I know adjusting back to the school year schedule can have challenges and I thank you for reaching out with questions. For our new families, please mark your calendars as Middle School will be inviting new families in on Sept. 21st to meet teachers and learn more about Middle School at BA.
HOT LUNCH: Contact Julie Trnka for a WordWare keycode to set up your online account. Find the MN Free/Reduced Lunch Program annual form HERE; Fill out this FORM if you have a scholar with special dietary needs.
NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE
- Sept 13: PSAT (Gr 11) test registration deadline, see below
- Sept 17: Spirit Fest at Divine Mercy Catholic Church; Volunteers Needed! Sign up HERE
- Sept 18: Tackle Cancer Gear order deadline. Order HERE.
- Sept 21: Middle School New Family Night (6:30pm)
- Sept 23: Tackle Cancer Dress Down Day ($1, sweatpants ok; $2 to wear leggings, hats)
- Sept 23: Opening Student Art Reception at the Paradise Center for the Arts, 5-7pm. Exhibit runs in the Corey Lyn Creger Memorial Gallery until Nov. 12.
- Sept 24: Tackle Cancer events at the home football game, 1pm
- Sept 27: Picture Day! More details to follow
- Oct 7: Homecoming
- Oct 18: Early Release, Conferences 1-6 p.m.
- Oct 19 & 20: MEA - No School
- Home & School: Please send in your Home & School Dues to the office! ($30) you can also Venmo this at:
- Volunteers needed at games! Sign up here: volleyball games, football games.
- Encourage students to sign up for activities! Robotics registration can be found HERE or picked up in the office. SADD & Campus Ministry held their first meeting, but there is still time to join! Scholars can also travel to New York and D.C. through Close Up, contact Mr. Wollin if interested. FFA is also holding sign up meetings, talk with Mr. Johnson to join.
- Attendance: If your scholar is sick or has an appointment, please email attendance@bacards.org by 8am if possible. Thank you!
I hope you can join our mother's prayer group, information below, to begin prayers for your scholar and our teachers this school year. Please share any special prayer requests with this group as they meet weekly.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Positivity Project: Open-Mindedness: This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Open-Mindedness. Open-mindedness means you like to consider new ideas and try new things. You examine things from all sides and don’t jump to conclusions. To practice and encourage the character strength of open-mindedness with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
Grade 11: PSAT Registration due Sept 13: BA is offering the PSAT test for 11th grade students only on Oct 12. To take the exam-the ONLY qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program-sign up in the front office by Tuesday, September 13. Cost is $18. Contact Ms. Roessler with questions.
Homework Club: Homework Club with Mrs. Kohl is offered Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 3-4pm in Room 204. All students welcome!
2021-2022 Yearbooks - have arrived! Extra yearbooks are available for purchase. Cost is $70, write checks out to Bethlehem Academy, with "2021-22 yearbook" in the notes. Contact Mr. Brent Zabel with questions.
Free BA Library Books! We’ve cleaned out the BA library and have boxes of books available for free! Parents and students are invited to stop in from 7:30-8:00am or 3-3:30pm to take what they want from the boxes located next to the vending machines by the east gym entrance.
PowerSchool and Schoology: Following PowerSchool's purchase of Schoology, we transitioned from PowerSchool Classroom Learning to Schoology for a learning management system last school year. The PowerSchool Classroom website is in the process of being decommissioned and will go offline in a couple of months. We are in the process of updating how parent data is stored in PowerSchool. That process will be completed soon. When completed we will be providing you with information about parent accounts for both the PowerSchool web portal and the Schoology website. Mobile apps are also available for PowerSchool and Schoology. PowerSchool will be the primary site to see grades and attendance information. Schoology will be the site to view what is currently happening in the classroom (assignments, lesson plans, notes, instructional videos, etc.)
Game Tickets Now Available Online: BA athletic event tickets are now available for purchase online! Click HERE to order season passes or individual game tickets or download the Hometown Fan app. Cash sales at the door still available.
HS Close Up DC/NY Trip: Any student in grades 9-12 who is interested in Project Close Up, please see Mr Wollin or email him. Close Up is a program that allows students to travel to Washington, DC, and take part in tours and discussions that teach young people about our American governmental system. Our trip this year will also include a weekend in New York sightseeing.The trip will be over spring break 2023.
Moms in Prayer - As we live in a world filled with uncertainty, isn’t it comforting to know that God created you for such a time as this? Now is our time to RISE UP BOLD, rebuild, & reconnect like never before! To stand in the gap for our children & their schools through prayer. Please join us Tuesdays at 8am in the Adoration Chapel. Email Lori Bittenbender with questions.
Gently Used Football Gear Needed: The Bethlehem Academy youth football program for grades 4/5/6 are in need of gently used football equipment. If you have gear sitting around that your kids have outgrown consider donating it to the program! Equipment needed in youth and adult sizes: white football helmets, shoulder pads, black football pants, pads and cleats. Please drop off any donations at Bethlehem Academy or text Angel at 507-210-4691 for pick up.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
Middle School Newsletter: Please click HERE for the September 2022 Middle School Newsletter.
FREE 6th Grade Gopher Basketball League
All 6th graders interested in playing basketball are encouraged to sign up for the free Gopher League. Find more information on BA basketball and gopher league options HERE. New Gopher League registration deadline: Sept 30.
Middle School New Family Info Meeting Sept 21
BA's middle school (MS) teachers are hosting an informational middle school new family meeting on Sept. 21 at 6:30pm. While the target audience is new families, the meeting is open to all and will share how MS partners with MS teachers and families and create a home and school connection. More information to follow.
Youth Adoration Hour, 3-4pm Mondays. Register HERE.
Click Here to volunteer for Spirit Fest Sept 17
Family Focus 9/2/22
09/06/2022
Kris Sauer
2022-23
Leave a comment
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (Peer Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2022-2023)
September 2, 2022
Dear BA Families:
What a wonderful first week of school! From orientation day, to classroom mixers, introductions, Mass and our first House event, our scholars and staff connected for a great start to the new year. We also understand that transitioning back to school for some of our scholars can be difficult. Please reach out if your scholar needs any extra support during this first month of school! I invite all families to pray for teachers, students and staff as our school year begins.
ACTIVITIES: Many BA activities are also beginning, from athletics to school organizations. I encourage your scholar to join an activity. Sign up information is at school, or will be sent home over the next month including: Knowledge Bowl, Robotics, Close Up Trip to DC/New York, SADD, Peer Ministry, FFA and Theater Club. Getting involved helps connect our scholars to others and develops their interests and gifts. We also look forward to seeing you at upcoming school athletic events or at coop sport competitions - Go Cardinals!
HOME & SCHOOL/VOLUNTEERING: Congratulations to Debbie Kangas for winning the Home & School drawing at the Back-to-School Picnic. All BA Families are a part of Home & School. Your dues help to support student and staff appreciation events throughout the year. Please send your check into the office to pay your dues. In addition, all families are asked to volunteer at BA events. Please sign up to take tickets or work concessions at BA athletic events this fall: click here for volleyball games, here for football games. If you plan to go on field trips and events at school, we also need you to complete your Virtus training at Virtus.org. Thanks for your support!
HOT LUNCH: Hot lunch is optional for students. As the COVID-funded free lunch program has ended, please be sure you have money in your family's lunch account. Contact Julie Trnka for a WordWare keycode to set up your online account. Find the MN Free/Reduced Lunch Program annual form HERE; Fill out this FORM if you have a scholar with special dietary needs.
DRESS CODE: Scholars showcased their BA spirit at Mass this week, thank you! We still have some BA polos for sale in the front office ($10 each) and expect our new shirts, which were back-ordered, to be here before the end of the month for all scholars. Just a reminder, scholars may also wear a plain red, black, or white polo or a white button-down shirt for Mass days. Click HERE for the updated dress code.
PARKING: A reminder that all parking spots in our main lot have been allocated to staff, seniors and juniors. Please use the visitor spots when visiting during the school day.
SERVICE DAY SEPT 9: As we have for the past few years, students will be doing grade-based community service projects during Cardinal hours next Friday, Sept 9. Most of our grades will be doing outdoor yard work. On Wednesday, students will be asked in homeroom if they want a BA bag lunch or will bring their own. Dress code: BA Cardinal t-shirts along with pants and shoes suitable to their project. More details to follow early next week.
NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE
| Mon, Sept 5 | Tues, Sept 6 - RED | Wed, Sept 7 - WHITE | Thurs, Sept 8 - RED | Fri, Sept 9 - WHITE |
| LABOR DAY - NO SCHOOL | NORMAL SCHEDULE | 10:25 MASS Schedule *40 min |
NORMAL SCHEDULE | Service Day! Classes will do service during Cardinal Hours (10:40-1:30) *BA or own bag lunches to take with them. |
UPCOMING EVENTS: Additional events are online.
- Sept 17: Spirit Fest at Divine Mercy Catholic Church; Volunteer HERE
- Sept 21: Middle School New Family Night (6:30pm)
- September 23: Opening Student Art Reception at the Paradise Center for the Arts, 5-7pm. Exhibit runs in the Corey Lyn Creger Memorial Gallery until Nov. 12.
- Oct 7: Homecoming
I hope you can join our mother's prayer group, information below, to begin prayers for your scholar and our teachers this school year. Please share any special prayer requests with this group as they meet weekly.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Arrived: 2021-2022 Yearbooks - Returning scholars who ordered yearbooks will receive them soon in homeroom. Extra yearbooks are available for purchase. Contact Mr. Brent Zabel with questions or to purchase; he will be reaching out to Class of 2022 parents and others to arrange pickup at BA as needed.
Free BA Library Books! We’ve cleaned out the BA library and have boxes of books available for free! Parents and students are invited to stop in from 7:30-8:00am or 3-3:30pm to take what they want from the boxes located next to the vending machines by the east gym entrance.
PowerSchool and Schoology: Following PowerSchool's purchase of Schoology, we transitioned from PowerSchool Classroom Learning to Schoology for a learning management system last school year. The PowerSchool Classroom website is in the process of being decommissioned and will go offline in a couple of months. We are in the process of updating how parent data is stored in PowerSchool. That process will be completed soon. When completed we will be providing you with information about parent accounts for both the PowerSchool web portal and the Schoology website. Mobile apps are also available for PowerSchool and Schoology. PowerSchool will be the primary site to see grades and attendance information. Schoology will be the site to view what is currently happening in the classroom (assignments, lesson plans, notes, instrucitonal videos, etc.)
Game Tickets Now Available Online: BA athletic event tickets are now available for purchase online! Click HERE to order season passes or individual game tickets or download the Hometown Fan app. Cash sales at the door still available.
HS Close Up DC/NY Trip: Any student in grades 9-12 who is interested in Project Close Up, please see Mr Wollin or email him. Close Up is a program that allows students to travel to Washington, DC, and take part in tours and discussions that teach young people about our American governmental system. Our trip this year will also include a weekend in New York sightseeing.The trip will be over spring break 2023.
Moms in Prayer - As we live in a world filled with uncertainty, isn’t it comforting to know that God created you for such a time as this? Now is our time to RISE UP BOLD, rebuild, & reconnect like never before! To stand in the gap for our children & their schools through prayer. Please join us Tuesdays at 8am in the Adoration Chapel. Email Lori Bittenbender with questions.
Gently Used Football Gear Needed: The Bethlehem Academy youth football program for grades 4/5/6 are in need of gently used football equipment. If you have gear sitting around that your kids have outgrown consider donating it to the program! Equipment needed in youth and adult sizes: white football helmets, shoulder pads, black football pants, pads and cleats. Please drop off any donations at Bethlehem Academy or text Angel at 507-210-4691 for pick up.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
FREE 6th Grade Gopher Basketball League
All 6th graders interested in playing basketball are encouraged to sign up for the free Gopher League. Find more information on BA basketball and gopher league options HERE. New Gopher League registration deadline: Sept 30.
Middle School New Family Info Meeting
BA's middle school (MS) teachers are hosting an informational middle school new family meeting on Sept. 28 at 6:30pm. While the target audience is new families, the meeting is open to all and will share how MS partners with MS teachers and families and create a home and school connection. More information to follow.
We are in desperate need of one more middle school volleyball coach. Be different. Take a chance. Say yes. If you or someone you know has an interest, please contact Ed Friesen (efriesen@bacards.org) or Head Volleyball Coach Chris Bothun.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Youth Adoration Hour, 3-4pm Mondays. Register HERE.
Click Here to volunteer for Spirit Fest Sept 17
Family Focus 8/26/22
08/30/2022
Kris Sauer
August 2022, 2022-23
Leave a comment
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (Peer Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2022-2023)
August 26, 2022
Dear BA Families:
It's back-to-school time! Our new staff joined all of your favorite teachers this week for our Workshop Week preparations. Teachers eagerly wait to connect with your scholars on Monday during orientation. Please click HERE for all of our back-to-school information including school shopping supply lists and revised dress code.
WELCOME NEW FAMILIES! We were blessed despite the rain, to meet with so many of you and your scholars! For those that couldn't make it, find the Quick Start Guide HERE (useful start of school info & staff email list) and the 2022-2023 New Family Guide (info on major school events & other "everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask" BA information) at this LINK. Please reach out with questions as this new year begins and you become a part of the BA Family.
STUDENT SCHEDULES: Students may log into PowerSchool to view their schedule. A hard copy will be distributed on Monday during student orientation. PLEASE contact BA Counselor Ms. Shane Roessler if your scholar has any missing hours or extra study halls or if you have any questions at sroessler@bacards.org or 507-334-3948, x217.
DRESS CODE: Our planned complimentary BA polos for each student are on order. In the meantime, there are some BA polos for sale in the front office ($10 each). Scholars may also wear a plain red, black, or white polo or a white button-down shirt for Mass days. Click HERE for the updated dress code.
Aug 26-27: BA spirit wear event at Star Sports (421 2nd Ave NW) next to Ace Hardware. Fifteen percent of all spirit wear sales will go back to BA. They have everything you need!- Aug 29 - Gr 6-12 All Student Orientation 9-11:30 am, all students attend; No lunch; Faribault busing operating on a normal school schedule, call 507-334-5121 for routes and information. The BA van will run, with 2 afternoon routes. Bring school supplies for locker setup. *Seniors - come at 8:30 a.m. to pick your parking spot! **New Students (grade 7-12) stay through 1:30pm** new Grade 7-12 students should plan to stay from 11:30am-1:30pm to get laptop and technology training. Pizza provided. (6th graders will get laptops in their tech class.)
- Aug 30 - First day of school! First bell at 8am, second bell at 8:05, dismissal at 2:55pm. Don't forget to put money in your family's hot lunch account!
- Aug 31: Mass @ IC, 10:25am - be sure to be in new Mass Dress Code attire (Black, red or white polos or white button down shirts and khakis/black pants. *Our planned special BA polos are on order.)
- Sept 5: Labor Day - No School
I hope you can join our mother's prayer group, information below, to begin prayers for your scholar and our teachers this school year. Please share any special prayer requests with this group as they meet weekly.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
New Family Resources:
Moms in Prayer - As we live in a world filled with uncertainty, isn’t it comforting to know that God created you for such a time as this? Now is our time to RISE UP BOLD, rebuild, & reconnect like never before! To stand in the gap for our children & their schools through prayer. Please join us Tuesdays at 8am in the Adoration Chapel. Contact Lori Bittenbender lori@lbpublicrelations.com with questions.
Gently Used Football Gear Needed: The Bethlehem Academy youth football program for grades 4/5/6 are in need of gently used football equipment. If you have gear sitting around that your kids have outgrown consider donating it to the program! Equipment needed in youth and adult sizes: white football helmets, shoulder pads, black football pants, pads and cleats. Please drop off any donations at Bethlehem Academy or text Angel at 507-210-4691 for pick up.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
Middle School New Family Info Meeting
BA's middle school (MS) teachers are hosting an informational middle school new family meeting on Sept. 21 from 6:30-7:00pm. While the target audience is new families, the meeting is open to all and will share how MS partners with MS teachers and families and create a home and school connection. More information to follow.
We are in desperate need of one more middle school volleyball coach. Be different. Take a chance. Say yes. If you or someone you know has an interest, please contact Ed Friesen (efriesen@bacards.org) or Head Volleyball Coach Chris Bothun.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Youth Adoration Hour, 3-4pm Mondays. Register HERE.
Click HERE to be a teen leader or sign up for faith formation classes at DMCC by Sept 2!
Click Here to volunteer for Spirit Fest Sept 17
Family Focus 8/19/22
08/26/2022
Ed Friesen
August 2022, 2022-23
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"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (Peer Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2022-2023)
August 19, 2022
Dear BA Families:
It's back-to-school time! BA Staff look forward to welcoming students back next Wednesday, Aug 24, at our picnic from 5-6:30 p.m. Please join us for hotdogs, fellowship and games on the "Back 40" - the lawn area to the south of the school. New families, join us for the picnic and then please stay for a new family orientation beginning at 6:45 p.m. in the BA Cafeteria. It's a great year to be a Cardinal! Please click HERE for all of our back-to-school information including school shopping supply lists and revised dress code.
STUDENT SCHEDULES: All scholars should have received an email with information on how to log into PowerSchool to view their schedule. Hard copies will be distributed at student orientation Aug 29. If you have any questions about your schedule, please contact Shane Roessler, BA Counselor, at sroessler@bacards.org or by 507-334-3948 (ext. 217). PLEASE contact Ms. Roessler if your scholar has any missing hours or extra study halls.
LAPTOPS: An email will be sent soon with sign up information so returning Grade 7-12 students can get their laptops next week. New Grade 7-12 students will get their laptops following the 9-11:30am all student orientation August 29. Grade 6 students will get laptops in their technology class the first week of school.
FALL SPORTS: BA Sports and Coop Teams are back to practicing and preparing for an exciting fall. Please plan to join us for our first home volleyball game on Thursday, August 25 and put our first home football game on your calendars for Sept 2.
- Aug 22: Middle school fall sports being. Click HERE for more information and forms.
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- Aug 24-Back-to-School Picnic (BTS): 5-6:30 pm on the BA Back 40 (south side of BA by greenhouse)
- Aug 24-New Family Orientation: 6:45-7:30 pm, BA cafeteria
- Aug 26-27: BA spirit wear event at Star Sports (421 2nd Ave NW) next to Ace Hardware. A portion of all spirit wear sales goes back to BA - get a certificate at the BTS Picnic or mention the event at purchase.
- Aug 29 - Gr 6-12 All Student Orientation 9-11:30 am, all students attend; no busing or lunch (BA van will run). Bring school supplies for locker setup. *Seniors - come at 8:30 a.m. to pick your parking spot! **New Students (grade 7-12)** new Grade 7-12 students plan to stay from 11:30am-1:30pm to get laptop and technology training. Pizza provided. (6th graders will get laptops in their tech class.)
- Aug 30 - First day of school! First bell at 8am, second bell at 8:05, dismissal at 2:55pm. Don't forget to put money in your scholar's hot lunch account!
- Aug 31: Mass @ IC, 10:35am - be sure to be in new Mass Dress Code attire (polos and khakis/black pants.)
Click HERE for the updated dress code.
KUDOS: To all of our Smart Ride participants and supporters. It was a wonderful ride across Minnesota. Thanks to all who golfed at the BA Golf Classic and supported this special event.Join me in prayers for the new school year! Please reach out with any questions.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Welcome to our High School Theology Teacher!
My name is Mark Nuehring and I am excited to join BA as the new theology teacher. I truly believe God has led me to this opportunity! I have been involved in faith formation in Catholic parishes for years and taught theology at Lourdes High School in Rochester and hold a Master's Degree in Theology from St. Mary's University and a Bachelor's Degree in Theology from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa. My wife and I have 3 children, with our middle child leaving for college this month. We also have two golden doodles who are spoiled rotten. When I am not working, I enjoy cooking, landscaping, and watching the Vikings. I still have pre-season optimism about this season. I look forward to meeting you soon!
International Student Host Family Needed ASAP: KoAm, an educational exchange program that brings students to BA from South Korea, is seeking a host family to bring a returning 9th grade girl back to BA for the first semester. Expenses paid with a monthly stipend and tuition credit offered to the host family. Contact Kris Sauer by email or at 507-334-3948 if interested.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Youth Adoration Hour, 3-4pm Mondays. Register HERE.
Click HERE to be a teen leader or sign up for faith formation classes at DMCC by Sept 2!
Click Here to volunteer for Spirit Fest Sept 17
Family Focus 7-29-22
08/15/2022
Kris Sauer
2022-23, July 2022
Leave a comment
July 29, 2022
Dear BA Families:
Welcome August - where did summer go?! BA volunteers gathered at the Rice County Fair in the Cardinal Cafe, serving up great food with a lots of smiles this month. This ongoing tradition connects alumni, staff and students with fair attendees. We are thankful for all of the fair stand volunteers, with a special thank you to the Simones family for coordinating this massive fundraising event. We sent our SMART Riders off this week embraced by a soft, cool breeze. Next Friday, August 5th, we gather for the BA Golf Classic. The sacrifice and dedication of all of our volunteers at each of these events makes a profound statement of how much they care for the mission of BA and the future of our scholars. THANK YOU!
BACK-TO-SCHOOL: With the approach of August many of you are beginning your school shopping and planning for events. The Back-to-School Packet will be mailed out next week and links to our upcoming events and our school supply lists can be found below. Athletes can expect registration information for sports within the week, with fall high school sports beginning Aug 15, middle school Aug 22. We anticipate sending schedules to students by August 5. Students should contact Ms. Roessler with questions. Summer is quickly fading - reach out with questions and take advantage of a few more summer weekends!
BA SUMMER EVENTS-Please join us! Click on the links for more information.
- Summer Band & Music Lessons - Join our band director, Brad Lorence, for summer music lessons (Gr 6-12) and summer band (Gr 8-12). Click HERE for more information or email Mr. Lorence at: brad_lorence@bacards.org.
- Cardinal Golf Classic @ The Legacy, Aug 5, 12 noon: It's not too late to register!
- Fall Sports Begin: Aug 15 for high school, Aug 22 for middle school. Please visit bacardinals.com for more information and forms!
- Back-to-School Picnic: August 24 (5-6:30 p.m.), BA Back 40
- New Family Orientation: August 24, 6:45-7:3pm, BA gymnasium
- Student Only Orientation: August 29 (9-11:30 a.m., no busing or lunch) *Seniors - come at 8:30 a.m. to pick your parking spot! **New Students (grade 7-12)** - You're invited to stay from 11:30am-1:30pm to get your laptop and receive technology training. Pizza provided.
Get ready for 2022-2023 (click link for info)
- Summer Office Hours: Mon-Thursday, 9am-1pm
- Summer Reading Assignments
- 2022-23 BA SCHOOL CALENDAR: (Link)
- School Supply List 2022-2023 *Please note our Mass dress code update to ensure you have Mass attire for the fall.
Mass Dress Code Update: BA Spirit Wear Day!
- Tops: Black polos with or without BA logo; Red polos with or without BA logo and/or band shirts; White button-down shirt with collar or white polo.
- Bottoms: Boys or Girls: Tan or black pants (dockers; khakis; black jeans); Girls may choose to wear black, tan, or plaid skirts in black and red, to the knee.
- Jackets or Sweaters: Students may wear a jacket, sweater, or a BA crew neck sweatshirt, or quarter zip BA athletic jacket over their polo or button-down shirt in colder weather. No hooded sweatshirts on Mass days.
Continue to join us in prayer over the summer for our staff, new teachers, and prayers for Ukraine and the lives of the unborn.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Welcome to our New Staff!
Ag/Shop: Please welcome Maxwell Johnson, BA's new Ag/Shop teacher. Hello Cardinals! My name is Maxwell Johnson (Mr. Johnson) and I am a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota in Agricultural Education. I grew up in Nerstrand where I raised and showed meat goats at the local, state, and national levels. I enjoy the outdoors and hands-on experiences and hope to incorporate that into my classroom. Outside of school, you can find me cheering the local sports team, working with boer goats, or volunteering with local 4-H clubs.
Middle School New Staff: Stephen Uphus - MS Counselor
High School New Teachers: Social Studies -Christian Bjornson; Student Support/Teaching Assistant; Math Department - Dave Gilmore & Josh Maus; Music Department - Choir Director, Emily Cicha & Band Director, Brad Lorence.
International Student Host Family Needed: KoAm, an educational exchange program that brings students to BA from South Korea, is looking at possibly needing a host family for a high school girl this school year. This is a great cultural opportunity and chance for these students to experience life in America! Monthly stipend and tuition credit offered. Contact Kris Sauer by email or at 507-334-3948 if interested.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Faith Formation registration is open for Middle School EDGE (Gr 5-7), Confirmation (Gr 8+), and High School Leadership Team (confirmed students)-assist with middle school & confirmation programs. Click HERE for more information and to register!
Family Focus 07-15-22
07/28/2022
Kris Sauer
2022-23, July 2022
Leave a comment
July 15, 2022
Dear BA Families:
It's Rice County Fair Time! Join me at the fair by helping out in our Cardinal Cafe. We need e
veryone to volunteer to ensure that we have all times covered at BA's Cardinal Cafe @ the Rice County Fair, July 20-24. (Click to sign up.)
Welcome new BA Staff! We are finalizing all open staff/teaching positions and invite you to connect with our new teachers and staff in welcoming them to the BA family. Please see two more new staff introductions below.
Summer Band / Music Lessons - Join our new band director, Brad Lorence, for summer music lessons (gr 6-12) and summer band (gr 8-12) beginning the week of July 25. Click HERE for more information or email Mr. Lorence at: brad_lorence@bacards.org.
BA SEEKS BOARD MEMBERS: Would you like to be a part of our leadership through the BA Board? Please consider supporting our school through Board leadership. The application link is here: (Application for Board)
BA SUMMER EVENTS-Please join us!
(click on the links for more information)
- BA's Cardinal Cafe @ the Rice County Fair, July 20-24: Earn service hours: parent & student volunteers needed!
- BA's SMART Ride for Catholic Education, July 28-30: Ride a single day or camp & ride OR support one of our riders!
- Cardinal Golf Classic @ The Legacy, Aug 5, 12 noon: great sponsorship opportunities and/or register to golf
Get ready for 2022-2023 (click link for info)
- Summer Office Hours: Mon-Thursday, 9am-1pm
- Summer Reading Assignments
- 2022-23 BA SCHOOL CALENDAR (Link)
- School Supply List 2022-2023 *Please note our Mass dress code update to ensure you have Mass attire for the fall.
KUDOS: Thanks to our maintenance team and student workers for their hard work this summer in cleaning and preparing for our fall return! The school shines! Special thanks to all basketball camp organizers for a great experience for younger scholars.
Continue to join us in prayer over the summer for our staff, new teachers, and prayers for Ukraine and the lives of the unborn.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Welcome to our new staff!
HS Social Studies -Christian Bjornson
Hello Cardinals! My name is Christian Bjornson, and I’m the new high school social studies teacher at B.A. I recently completed my M.Ed. in social studies education from the University of Minnesota and am excited to begin my first full year of teaching this fall. Prior to going back to school for teaching, I earned a M.A. from Norwich University and a B.A. from the University of Minnesota—both in history—and worked as a historical interpreter and researcher for the Minnesota Historical Society. Though I’m a recent transplant to Faribault (originally from Minneapolis), I have deep family roots in the area: my great-great grandfather settled here after immigrating from Germany, and my grandmother grew up on Division Street. When I’m not teaching, some of my favorite hobbies include reading, playing music, visiting museums, or enjoying the outdoors. I’m also an avid disc golfer and always looking for course recommendations!
High School Student Support/Teaching Assistant
Hi, my name is Katy Ashley and I am looking forward to working at BA this year in my student support position! I graduated from Winona State University in 2020 with a degree in History and a minor in Art History. For the past two years I have been working in the Metro area for a medical firm as a lab assistant. I love being outdoors, playing sports, and am a voracious reader. As a DMCS and BA alumni, I hope to help the next generation of graduates obtain an excellent education!
Math Department
Hi, I’m Dave Gilmore, a new math teacher at Bethlehem Academy! I live in Nerstrand and have 2 daughters that attend high school in Northfield. I currently work at South Central College in Faribault and have been teaching math there for almost 15 years. I have my M. Ed. degree from U of M, Twin Cities and my B.A. in Math Education from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. Besides math, I also enjoy playing guitar and teach guitar lessons in Northfield with the Northfield Community Ed Program. I’m excited to begin teaching at BA and I am really looking forward to joining the team and meeting all of you!
I’m Josh Maus, a new math teacher at Bethlehem Academy this year. I’ll be teaching Advanced Algebra, Consumer Mathematics, and AP Statistics. I currently work as an analyst for a sports data firm in Bloomington, Minnesota, and I’ve previously worked in finance and education. I’m originally from Northfield, where I attended St. Dominic School, Northfield High School, and St. Olaf College. I hold a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics with a Statistics minor. In my free time, I enjoy playing baseball and fishing. I’m excited to join the BA family!
Choir Director
Hi, my name is Emily Cicha, and I’m so excited to meet everyone! I’ve lived in Mandan, North Dakota, my whole life. I love to sing and play music and was active in the arts. I graduated from University of Mary this last spring. Singing has always been my favorite thing, but I’ve also played oboe and English horn in college and for my local symphony. I look forward to getting to know everyone and to share music and our faith together!
Band Director
Hello BA! My name is Brad Lorence and I will be the band director at BA this fall. I am super excited. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in December of 2021 with my degree in Instrumental Music Education. I enjoy being outdoors, particularly playing golf, going on hikes, and watching various sporting events. I am also a big fan of road trips and beautiful, historic Catholic churches. Mbeannaí Dia thú!Vikings Football Game Aug 20: Discounted tickets are available for the Vikings vs the San Francisco Forty Niners on August 20. Purchase tickets using this link and promo code (CARDINALS) and the Vikings will make a donation to the BA football program.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Family Focus July 1 2022-Summer
07/14/2022
Kris Sauer
July 2022, 2022-23
Leave a comment
July 1, 2022
Dear BA Families:
Happy 4th of July! I hope you are having a blessed summer! At Bethlehem Academy, our summer is in full swing, from summer events and programs, to cleaning and building projects, BA is abuzz with activity. Please be sure to sign up and get involved - we really need everyone to volunteer, especially at BA's Cardinal Cafe @ the Rice County Fair, July 20-24. (Click to sign up.)
Welcome new BA Staff! Please see below a few more introductions from our new BA teachers and staff. Our staff looks forward to connecting with you at our back-to-school events. Band practice and sign up for summer programs will be out after the 4th for all band students - watch for the update!
BA SEEKS BOARD MEMBERS: Would you like to be a part of our leadership through the BA Board? Please consider supporting our school through Board leadership. The application link is here: (Application for Board)
Scrip Credits: If you participated in the ShopWithScrip program, your annual credit has been applied to your account in FACTS. Go to www.factsmgt.com login on the FACTS Family Portal (FCS-MN is the District Code) and choose 2022-2023 on Financial Home to see your credit. For more information on how to earn SCRIP tuition credits, click HERE.
BA SUMMER EVENTS-Please join us!
(click on the links for more information)
- BA Summer Sports & Robotics Camps-boys basketball & robotics!
- BA's Cardinal Cafe @ the Rice County Fair, July 20-24: Earn service hours: parent & student volunteers needed!
- BA's SMART Ride for Catholic Education, July 28-30: Ride a single day or camp & ride OR support one of our riders!
- Cardinal Golf Classic @ The Legacy, Aug 5, 12 noon: great sponsorship opportunities and/or register to golf
Get ready for 2022-2023 (click link for info)
- Summer Office Hours: THE FRONT OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED JULY 5-8 FOR CLEANING. Staff will be monitoring emails.
- Summer Reading Assignments
- 2022-23 BA SCHOOL CALENDAR (Link)
- School Supply List 2022-2023
Continue to join us in prayer over the summer for our staff, new teachers, and prayers for Ukraine and the lives of the unborn.
Blessings, Mindy Reeder - President/Principal
mreeder@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Welcome to our new staff!
Math Department
Hi, I’m Dave Gilmore, a new math teacher at Bethlehem Academy! I live in Nerstrand and have 2 daughters that attend high school in Northfield. I currently work at South Central College in Faribault and have been teaching math there for almost 15 years. I have my M. Ed. degree from U of M, Twin Cities and my B.A. in Math Education from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. Besides math, I also enjoy playing guitar and teach guitar lessons in Northfield with the Northfield Community Ed Program. I’m excited to begin teaching at BA and I am really looking forward to joining the team and meeting all of you!
I’m Josh Maus, a new math teacher at Bethlehem Academy this year. I’ll be teaching Advanced Algebra, Consumer Mathematics, and AP Statistics. I currently work as an analyst for a sports data firm in Bloomington, Minnesota, and I’ve previously worked in finance and education. I’m originally from Northfield, where I attended St. Dominic School, Northfield High School, and St. Olaf College. I hold a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics with a Statistics minor. In my free time, I enjoy playing baseball and fishing. I’m excited to join the BA family!
Choir Director
Hi, my name is Emily Cicha, and I’m so excited to meet everyone! I’ve lived in Mandan, North Dakota, my whole life. I love to sing and play music and was active in the arts. I graduated from University of Mary this last spring. Singing has always been my favorite thing, but I’ve also played oboe and English horn in college and for my local symphony. I look forward to getting to know everyone and to share music and our faith together!
Band Director
Hello BA! My name is Brad Lorence and I will be the band director at BA this fall. I am super excited. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in December of 2021 with my degree in Instrumental Music Education. I enjoy being outdoors, particularly playing golf, going on hikes, and watching various sporting events. I am also a big fan of road trips and beautiful, historic Catholic churches. Mbeannaí Dia thú!Vikings Football Game Aug 20: Discounted tickets are available for the Vikings vs the San Francisco Forty Niners on August 20. Purchase tickets using this link and promo code (CARDINALS) and the Vikings will make a donation to the BA football program.
DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL