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Family Focus 5/8/2020
05/16/2020
Ed Friesen
May 2020
Leave a comment
May 8, 2020
Note from Dr. Briscoe…
I continue to applaud the efforts of BA students and staff to help make distance learning work successfully. None of us chose this but in life we learn that many times you have to make the best of the cards that you are dealt. As noted, the school year will end for all students on Friday, May 22. We will send out a finals schedule next week. We will also send out a plan to collect all school materials and laptops May 26-28.
We continue to prepare for a graduation program on Friday, May 29. We have had to adjust our plans to meet the guidelines released today by the MN Department of Education. Our discussions involve incorporating a celebratory parade that ends in a parking lot with the viewing of a virtual video program similar to what we did for BABS. The virtual program will conclude with a drive-up diploma presentation that follows state guidelines. More details to follow, but know that we will do the very best we can to honor the BA Class of 2020.
Dr. Chuck Briscoe
UPDATES
New BA President/Principal
The BA Board of Directors this week announced the hiring of Melinda “Mindy” Reeder as BA’s new President/Principal. Dr. Briscoe is retiring after 43 years in education, the last four at Bethlehem Academy. Ms. Reeder begins her tenure at BA July 1, 2020. Click here for a copy of the Board’s press release and Ms. Reeder’s introduction letter.
Hoban Scholarship
Students entering grades 9-12 for the 2020-2021 school year are invited to apply for the John E. Hoban and Lucille M. Hoban Merit Based Scholarship. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be in good standing with the BA Leadership Team. Interested students must prepare and submit a 2-part essay to Sr. Mary Margaret by Thursday, May 14. Click here for more information, including the essay prompt.
Front Office Staffing
We are pleased to announce that Barb Johnson will be staffing the BA front office from 9am to 3pm, Monday-Friday.
PSAT Exam Signup for Class of 2022
Current sophomores: the PSAT exam is scheduled for October 28, 2020. Students interested in taking the exam need to email Mr. Schuman at jschuman@bacards.org by Friday, May 29 to meet the registration deadline.
Calendar Updates
- May 13: AP English Lit & AP European History (online) Exam
- May 15: Last day of regular classes
- May 18-22: Finals/make up week
- May 20: AP English Language (online) Exam, 1pm
- May 20: Mary Ceremony, 7pm video premiere presentation
- May 22: AP Statistics (online) Exam, 1pm
- May 22: Last Day of School
- May 26-28: Laptop and Textbook turn-in (times to be scheduled)
- May 28: Awards Ceremony, virtual presentation
- May 29: Commencement
Needed: Used Summer Reading/IRP Novels
A note from our English Departments: If you have any old summer reading novels, or IRP (Independent Reading Novels), sitting around at home that you would not mind donating we would love them!!! We will have a table available in the gym on the day students return laptops and textbooks for these book donations. Thank you for your consideration.
2020-2021 Financial Aid & Tuition Agreements
We encourage families with financial aid applications to be responsive to any emails from TADS requesting additional information. Financial aid allocations and Archdiocesen scholarships are in progress and any applications listed as POOR or FAIR in TADS are not eligible until this information is provided. Your help is appreciated, as our goal is to have tuition agreements out in May. Please contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with questions on this process.
Class Registration and Pending Enrollment
We are reaching out by phone and email to students whose TADS enrollment is pending and/or who have not submitted their 2020-2021 class registration in PowerSchool. Your assistance with this process is appreciated, as it helps us plan for classes and for next year’s budget. Please note that we cannot place students in classes until their enrollment is finalized. Contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with any questions. Thank you!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Box Tops
Keep turning in your Box Tops or to scan them digitally for credit! You can also turn in your receipts to school right after you shop and Mrs. Smisek will do scan them digitally if you don’t have the app. And, through May 10, earn double Box Tops when you buy any Box Tops participating products. This program helps support our middle school science program. Thank you!
Juniors: Mock ACT Exam
The ACT Prep Class final packets for Juniors in Mrs. Guth’s ACT prep class are available for pickup by the gym door at DMCS. Packets can be picked at DMCS Monday-Friday between 10-11:30am and 5-6 pm. Juniors not in the prep class interested in taking the mock test in preparation for the June 13 exam should contact Mrs. Guth at cathy_guth@yahoo.com. She will score the exams and be available to help students with corrections.
Grade 9-10 Students: Be a Big!
Big Brothers Big Sister of Southern Minnesota is recruiting interested 9th and 10th grade students for next school year. Check out this message from BA junior Kennedy Tutak: https://youtu.be/U50V_lOq_ZM. Interested students need to have a valid driver’s license by December 2020; commit to at least 2 years; want to be a kid’s new friend! Click here to take the first step in becoming a Big. Contact Megan Horton, Community Outreach Director at megan@bbbsofsouthernmn.org for more information.
Yearbook Orders
Still want to buy a 2019-2020 yearbook? It’s not too late! The BA Multimedia class has worked hard to create a memorable yearbook highlighting this historic year. Purchase yours for just $60 + tax online at http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A04015000.
Tuition Payments
We are aware these are uncertain times for many of our families and finances may be tight. We have asked TADS to turn off all late payment fees. Please reach out to Sr Mary Margaret if you have concerns or need to alter your current payment plans or due dates as we are very willing to work with you. We appreciate the continual payments you are able to make as they help BA maintain a cash flow for salaries.
Building our Cardinal Community: Seniors & Community Stories
As we continue distance/online learning, building our community through (virtual) social connections is more important than ever! We continue to honor the Class of 2020 on our social media accounts. We also encourage you to send us YOUR funny, interesting, and creative photos/videos e-learning stories to ksauer@bacards.org. And if you haven't already, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter today! We also encourage you to share your own photos/videos on social media using the hashtag: #WEAREBA #TogetherWeFly. Thank you!
Senior Scholarships/Transcripts
Seniors please email Mr. Schuman at jschuman@bacards.org with any questions on scholarships or if a transcript is needed for a particular scholarship. Students still applying to colleges should use Naviance to submit their transcript requests. Parents and students are encouraged to email at any time with questions/concerns.
BA VOLUNTEER/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Summer Lawn Mowing Jobs
The Olmsted County-based Neighbors Helping Neighbors program, a chore-based service to help seniors and those with disabilities with lawn mowing, is expanding in the Faribault area. They currently have two elderly women in our area looking for lawn mowing assistance. This summer the volunteers will not have contact with the homeowner, but will work in the yard on their own, or with their family. Contact Jackie at jglynn@familyservicerochester.org or 507-287-2010 if interested.
Nursing Home Outreach
We encourage you to join Ms. Heselton’s classes in sending letters, poems, or artwork to isolated nursing home residents. Please send your message to: Milestone Senior Living (2500 14th St NW, Faribault, MN 55021) or contact Anne Pleskonko @ lifeenrichmentfb@milestoneseniorliving.com to be a resident penpal; and/or Pleasant Manor Senior Community (41 Brand Ave, Faribault, MN 55021). Residents are lonely without the option for visitors and would love your notes of encouragement!
MSAB Captions Project
Caption podcasts for the MN State Academy for the Blind. Write subtitles for podcasts created by MSAB students. Please contact Jennifer Pelletier at jennifer.pelletier@msa.state.mn.us if you would like to help.
Seeking New Members for BA Board of Directors
It is time to think about joining the Bethlehem Academy Board of Directors. If you are committed to the mission of BA and want to help shape the future, consider applying for an open position on the Board. It meets monthly, works in-between on committees and is a vital part of BA. Applications are available here. Term begins August 2020 for three years. Questions? Contact Kathy Nass at 507-323-5365.
SAVE THE DATE FOR SUMMER 2020 EVENTS!
Summer event dates below – please add these to your calendar! More information coming soon.
- Cardinal Café @ the Rice County Fair: July 22-26
- Cardinal Golf Classic: Friday, August 7
- S.M.A.R.T. Challenge Ride: Thursday, August 6-Saturday, August 8 (1-day ride options available!)
- Heritage Days Parade: Saturday, August 8, 2pm.
Attached Files |
Family Focus 5/1/2020
05/01/2020
Ed Friesen
May 2020
Leave a comment
May 1, 2020
Note from Dr. Briscoe…
Happy May Day! I want to thank all if you for your outstanding support of BABS 2020 last weekend. This was our first virtual BABS and we had a record Fund-a-Need raising nearly $73,000. By topping $70,000, we were able to get a $25,000 match from a very prominent Minnesotan with no previous connection to BA. All of the match will go to scholarships to help us get additional students that we really need for the 2020-21 school year.
We will end the 2019-20 school year on May 22 for all students. We will be sending a schedule to have student drop off laptops and books from May 26-29. We will follow all guidelines from the Governor, the Archbishop and the Department of Health.
We have decided to have Graduation on Friday, May 29. Our goal is to have a commencement where the seniors are present and appropriately spaced in Van Orsow Auditorium. Our second goal is to have the parents appropriately spaced in the bleachers. Our hope is that we may be able to have other family members present as well. We intend to live-stream commencement. We will also record it. If none of that is possible, we will hold a virtual event on May 29. All decisions will be based on guidance given by Governor Walz, the MN Department of Education, MN Department of Health, the CDC and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as well as consult with Dusty Dienst, Faribault’s Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management, and with other schools.
We are committed to creating the best possible graduation experience we can for the Class of 2020. Unfortunately, what we want to do and what we can do may not align. No matter what, we will celebrate the Class of 2020 and the completion of this milestone.
Dr. Chuck Briscoe
UPDATES
Seniors: Graduation Stoles
Seniors: please return your red graduation stole to BA on Monday, May 4. We will be sending those back to our Josten’s representative so that the 2020 year can get printed on the stoles. Drop off can be done in the school office between 9am and 3pm on Monday, May 4. We are expecting a quick turnaround in time for the May 29 ceremony. Extra official announcements will also be available for $1 each.
Rising Seniors, Juniors & Sophomores: Student Council Elections
It is time to elect Student Council Officers for next school year. Students in the Class of 2021, 2022, and 2023 were sent emails with information on how to run for office. Candidate’s video speeches need to be sent to Mr. Friesen by Wednesday, May 6.
Juniors: Mock ACT Exam
The ACT Prep Class final packets for Juniors in Mrs. Guth’s ACT prep class are available for pickup by the gym door at DMCS starting Friday, May 1. Packets can be picked at DMCS Monday-Friday between 10-11:30am and 5-6 pm (evening pickup starting Monday, May 4). Juniors not in the prep class interested in taking the mock test in preparation for the June 13 exam should contact Mrs. Guth at cathy_guth@yahoo.com. Students can email Mrs. Guth their answers. She will sent students an answer key after correcting the exams and will be available to help them with corrections.
Calendar Updates
- May 1: BA in distance learning
- May 2: Prom - Postponed, new date/format TBD
- May 4: BA in distance learning school
- May 6: Spring Concert - Canceled
- May 6: Student Council Candidate Video Deadline
- May 7: Student of the Month, 9:30am ceremomy premieres live on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FaribaultBA/)
- May 15: Last day of regular classes
- May 18-22: finals/make up week
- May 22: Last Day of School
- May 26-28: Laptop and Textbook turn in
- May 29: Commencement
2020-2021 Financial Aid & Tuition Agreements
We encourage families with financial aid applications to be responsive to any emails from TADS requesting additional information. Financial aid allocations and Archdiocesen scholarships are in progress and any applications listed as POOR or FAIR in TADS are not eligible until this information is provided. Your help is appreciated, as our goal is to have tuition agreements out in May. Please contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with questions on this process.
Class Registration and Pending Enrollment
We are reaching out by phone and email to students whose TADS enrollment is pending and/or who have not submitted their 2020-2021 class registration in PowerSchool. Your assistance with this process is appreciated, as it helps us plan for classes and for next year’s budget. Please note that we cannot place students in classes until their enrollment is finalized. Contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with any questions. Thank you!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Grade 9-10 Students: Be a Big!
Big Brothers Big Sister of Southern Minnesota is recruiting interested 9th and 10th grade students for next school year. Check out this message from BA junior Kennedy Tutak: https://youtu.be/U50V_lOq_ZM. Interested students need to have a valid driver’s license by December 2020; commit to at least 2 years; want to be a kid’s new friend!Click here to take the first step in becoming a Big. Contact Megan Horton, Community Outreach Director atmegan@bbbsofsouthernmn.org for more information.
Yearbook Orders
Still want to buy a 2019-2020 yearbook? It’s not too late! The BA Multimedia class has worked hard to create a memorable yearbook highlighting this historic year. Purchase yours for just $60 + tax online athttp://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A04015000.
Tuition Payments
We are aware these are uncertain times for many of our families and finances may be tight. We have asked TADS to turn off all late payment fees. Please reach out to Sr Mary Margaret if you have concerns or need to alter your current payment plans or due dates as we are very willing to work with you. We appreciate the continual payments you are able to make as they help BA maintain a cash flow for salaries.
Building our Cardinal Community: Seniors & Community Stories
As we continue distance/online learning, building our community through (virtual) social connections is more important than ever! We continue to honor the Class of 2020 on our social media accounts. We also encourage you to send us YOUR funny, interesting, and creative photos/videos e-learning stories to ksauer@bacards.org. And if you haven't already, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter today! We also encourage you to share your own photos/videos on social media using the hashtag: #WEAREBA #TogetherWeFly. Thank you!
Senior Scholarships/Transcripts
Seniors please email Mr. Schuman at jschuman@bacards.org with any questions on scholarships or if a transcript is needed for a particular scholarship. Students still applying to colleges should use Naviance to submit their transcript requests. Parents and students are encouraged to email at any time with questions/concerns.
BA VOLUNTEER/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Summer Lawn Mowing Jobs
The Olmsted County-based Neighbors Helping Neighbors program, a chore-based service to help seniors and those with disabilities with lawn mowing, is expanding in the Faribault area. They currently have two elderly women in our area looking for lawn mowing assistance. This summer the volunteers will not have contact with the homeowner, but will work in the yard on their own, or with their family. Contact at jglynn@familyservicerochester.org or 507-287-2010 if interested.
Nursing Home Outreach
We encourage you to join Ms. Heselton’s classes in sending letters, poems, or artwork to isolated nursing home residents. Please send your message to: Milestone Senior Living (2500 14th St NW, Faribault, MN 55021) or contact Anne Pleskonko @ lifeenrichmentfb@milestoneseniorliving.com to be a resident penpal; and/or Pleasant Manor Senior Community (41 Brand Ave, Faribault, MN 55021). Residents are lonely without the option for visitors and would love your notes of encouragement!
MSAB Captions Project
Caption podcasts for the MN State Academy for the Blind. Write subtitles for podcasts created by MSAB students. Please contact Jennifer Pelletier at jennifer.pelletier@msa.state.mn.us if you would like to help.
Seeking New Members for BA Board of Directors
It is time to think about joining the Bethlehem Academy Board of Directors. If you are committed to the mission of BA and want to help shape the future, consider applying for an open position on the Board. It meets monthly, works in-between on committees and is a vital part of BA. Applications are available here. Term begins August 2020 for three years. Questions? Contact Kathy Nass at 507-323-5365.
SAVE THE DATE FOR SUMMER 2020 EVENTS!
Summer event dates below – please add these to your calendar! More information coming soon.
- Cardinal Café @ the Rice County Fair: July 22-26
- Cardinal Golf Classic: Friday, August 7
- S.M.A.R.T. Challenge Ride: Thursday, August 6-Saturday, August 8 (1-day ride options available!)
- Heritage Days Parade: Saturday, August 8, 2pm.
Family Focus 4/25/2020
04/25/2020
Ed Friesen
April 2020
Leave a comment
April 25, 2020
Note from Dr. Briscoe…
I want to thank all of you for your outstanding support of the 2019-20 BA Annual Fund. After not meeting our goal for the past several years, we have been able to exceed our goal of $200,000 by $43,000. We are now at $243,000 and still climbing. You are helping us to fill the gap between what student pay for tuition and what it costs us to cover our costs and keep the lights on at BA. Thank you for your help!
TONIGHT is our first and hopefully our last Virtual BABS. This is the 35th annual BABS and because of Covid-19 we are hosting BABS as a virtual event. We had several people come together to make a 35 minute video on April 15. It will be very strange to deliver a speech on the stage in the BA Auditorium at the podium with the cameraman being the only person in the auditorium. We need you to go on-line and bid on both silent and live auction items. There are several great items that we hope you will find interesting enough to bid on. We will conclude the program with the fund-a-need portion of the program. All dollars generated in the fund-a-need will go to mission and scholarship. Our enrollment is down and we really need to open our doors for more students. The dollars that you donate on Saturday will help open the doors for students. You know the quality of a BA education and how it changes the lives of students forever.
The Governor on Thursday extended distance learning for the rest of the school year. We are tentatively planning on having the school year end on May 22 for everyone. We will have a decision on Graduation by next Friday.
We value all of you for trusting your students’ education with a great faculty.
Dr. Chuck Briscoe
UPDATES
BABS 2020 TONIGHT!
BABS will be live tonight via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FaribaultBA/ and on our YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/bethlehemacademy. The auction site is live and can be found at https://one.bidpal.net/babs. Our Fund-a-Need this year is for mission and scholarship – donations can be made online or by sending a check to us at BA. We are well on our way to our Fund-a-Need goal of $70,000. If we hit the goal tonight, we will get a matching gift of $95,000. Thank you for your support. Now, more than ever, #WEAREBA!
Distance Learning Update
Governor Tim Walz on Thursday issued an executive order announcing that all schools in Minnesota will remain closed through the end of the academic year. Our teachers and staff have planned for this possibility and are prepared to continue instructing your child via distance learning through the end of the school year.
In light of this announcement, we have made some adjustments to our academic calender: May 1 and May 4 are distance learning days at BA. (The public schools have this day off; we do not.) The last day of regular class instruction, especially at the high school level, will be May 15. The week of May 18 will be for completion of final projects, papers, tests and make up work with the last day of school falling on May 22. Students will turn in laptops and textbooks the week of May 26-28.
The Minnesota State High School League yesterday announced the cancellation of all spring activities. We are making plans to host the Mary and Awards Ceremony virtually, with a decision on Commencement by next week. Senior received their caps and gowns yesterday and had their pictures taken. We continue to honor the Class of 2020 via social media posts and will continue to find ways to celebrate them and share this important milestone with the community while still adhering to stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines.
Thank you for your patience, understanding and flexibility during this unprecedented time. The health and safety of our students remains our top priority as we continue to navigate this national health crisis.
Calendar Updates
- Spring Play, April 24-26: Cancelled
- May 1: BA in distance learning
- Prom, May 2: Postponed, new date/format TBD
- May 4: BA in distance learning
- Spring Concert, May 6: Cancelled
- May 15: Last day of regular classes
- May 18-22: finals/make up week
- May 22: Last Day of School
- May 26-28: Laptop and Textbook turn in
2020-2021 Financial Aid & Tuition Agreements
We encourage families with financial aid applications to be responsive to any emails from TADS requesting additional information. Financial aid allocations and Archdiocesen scholarships are in progress and any applications listed as POOR or FAIR in TADS are not eligible until this information is provided. Your help is appreciated, as our goal is to have tuition agreements out in May. Please contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with questions on this process.
Class Registration and Pending Enrollment
We are reaching out by phone and email to students whose TADS enrollment is pending and/or who have not submitted their 2020-2021 class registration in PowerSchool. Your assistance with this process is appreciated, as it helps us plan for classes and for next year’s budget. Please note that we cannot place students in classes until their enrollment is finalized. Contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with any questions. Thank you!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tuition Payments
We are aware these are uncertain times for many of our families and finances may be tight. We have asked TADS to turn off all late payment fees. Please reach out to Sr Mary Margaret if you have concerns or need to alter your current payment plans or due dates as we are very willing to work with you. We appreciate the continual payments you are able to make as they help BA maintain a cash flow for salaries.
Building our Cardinal Community: Seniors & Community Stories
As we continue distance/online learning, building our community through (virtual) social connections is more important than ever! We continue to honor the Class of 2020 on our social media accounts. We also encourage you to send us YOUR funny, interesting, and creative photos/videos e-learning stories to ksauer@bacards.org. And if you haven't already, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter today! We also encourage you to share your own photos/videos on social media using the hashtag: #WEAREBA #TogetherWeFly. Thank you!
SENIOR ANNOUNCEMENTS
Senior Scholarships/Transcripts
Mr. Schuman will continue to email all seniors any new scholarship offers that come up. See below for a list of current scholarships and deadlines. Students should email Mr. Schuman at jschuman@bacards.org with any questions or if a transcript is needed for a particular scholarship. Students still applying to colleges should use Naviance to submit their transcript requests. Parents and students are encouraged to email at any time with questions/concerns.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Faribault Sertoma Club Scholarship
The Faribault Sertoma Club will offer (2) $1500 scholarships for post-secondary education to high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2020. The recipients of these scholarships will be students who best personify Sertoma’s motto, “Service to Mankind.” Please email Mr. Schuman for an application. Deadline is April 30, 2020.
Rotary STRIVE Program Postponed
Juniors: the Rotary STRIVE program is postponed until further notice. Please e-mail Faribaultrotarystrive@gmail.com if you have any questions.
BA VOLUNTEER/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Summer Lawn Mowing Jobs
The Olmsted County-based Neighbors Helping Neighbors program, a chore-based service to help seniors and those with disabilities with lawn mowing, is expanding in the Faribault area. They currently have two elderly women in our area looking for lawn mowing assistance. This summer the volunteers will not have contact with the homeowner, but will work in the yard on their own, or with their family. Contact at jglynn@familyservicerochester.org or 507-287-2010 if interested.
Nursing Home Outreach
We encourage you to join Ms. Heselton’s classes in sending letters, poems, or artwork to isolated nursing home residents. Please send your message to: Milestone Senior Living (2500 14th St NW, Faribault, MN 55021) or contact Anne Pleskonko @ lifeenrichmentfb@milestoneseniorliving.com to be a resident penpal; and/or Pleasant Manor Senior Community (41 Brand Ave, Faribault, MN 55021). Residents are lonely without the option for visitors and would love your notes of encouragement!
MSAB Captions Project
Caption podcasts for the MN State Academy for the Blind. Write subtitles for podcasts created by MSAB students. Please contact Jennifer Pelletier at jennifer.pelletier@msa.state.mn.us if you would like to help.
Seeking New Members for BA Board of Directors
It is time to think about joining the Bethlehem Academy Board of Directors. If you are committed to the mission of BA and want to help shape the future, consider applying for an open position on the Board. It meets monthly, works in-between on committees and is a vital part of BA. Applications are available here. Term begins August 2020 for three years. Questions? Contact Kathy Nass at 507-323-5365.
SAVE THE DATE FOR SUMMER 2020 EVENTS!
Summer event dates below – please add these to your calendar! More information coming soon.
- Cardinal Café @ the Rice County Fair: July 22-26
- Cardinal Golf Classic: Friday, August 7
- S.M.A.R.T. Challenge Ride: Thursday, August 6-Saturday, August 8 (1-day ride options available!)
Attached Files |
Family Focus 4/17/2020
04/17/2020
Ed Friesen
April 2020
Leave a comment
April 17, 2020
Note from Dr. Briscoe…
We continue to be very proud of our students and teachers at BA. We know this is not easy and we are making adjustments to work load as we move forward. We look forward to honoring the Class of 2020, and continue to discuss options for Senior Week in the event the Governor extends distance learning through the end of the school year. We will all be stronger people for enduring the Covid Challenge of 2020. My prayers are that there will be light at the end of the tunnel and that school, church, and our lives will return to normal sometime in 2020. The “new normal” is very hard for us to do.
April 2020 Faribault Daily News Column
Opportunities to Grow:
As a long-time educator, I have witnessed several students and staff members rise above the challenges that life can throw at them and find a way to adapt and continue to grow and flourish. Sometimes the curve balls in life can be very hard to hit. When the pitch is really inside you will have to hit the ground and dust yourself up and get back in the batting box.
I love baseball. My dad was a very good pitcher and started throwing the ball back and forth with me before I was in kindergarten. I still have his pitching glove which is smaller than the choppers I wear to shovel snow. As I got older all of the lessons paid off as I could throw the ball hard and have fun playing baseball. Until a few years ago I used to say that I could still help the Twins using their model of pitching to contact.
The many years of pitching finally caught up with my right shoulder. An MRI in late 2018 indicated a slight rotator cuff tear. An MRI in early 2020 indicated that the shoulder was now a mess and I would need surgery. The tear was into the bicep and the pain was very challenging. The doctor said that I needed the surgery immediately if I hoped to save the parts of my shoulder. I had hoped to wait until after BABS or in the summer but my decision to have the surgery immediately proved to be a blessing with the virus hitting in mid-March.
On March 9th Donna and I walked into Summit Orthopedics at 5:30 a.m. for surgery. This was the first day of spring break and I hoped that I would minimize the number of days of school I would miss. I had no idea on that day that we would probably not be going back to school until fall. Dr. Warner told me that my job was to show up and relax. He would do the heavy lifting and together we would get through this. After several hours I left with my shoulder in a brace and my new ice machine in the car. The repairs were worse than expected and I now have two screws in my bicep and two holding one of the tendons to the bone. I will not set off any alarms at the airport as the screws are plastic. My favorite Faribault jeweler had promised me that the first few days would be the worst and he was correct. I spent most of my day and night in a recliner for the first few days. t got better with each passing day.
Going from two hands to one presented many challenges. It was my first time at bat in my youth. I had to keep swinging and to remember to run to first, not third base when I hit the ball. Eventually the swing got easier and someday I hope to hit a homerun again. I am always hopeful and there were days I could hear one of my mother’s favorite comments, “things could be worse.” After two weeks I got permission to drive one-handed which got easier with practice. There now is no coffee on my morning drive with only one hand. We are on a long break from dancing and we pray that we can resume dancing on the kitchen floor and riding a bike in May. The fine art of shaving is a real challenge with one hand and so is brushing your teeth.
This has been a reminder for me to appreciate the simple things in life, like the ability to tie your shoes and open a door. We take many things for granted, but between the virus and my surgery I am smelling the flowers, drinking good coffee and practicing social distancing. Like most of you, I am not wired to shelter in place. I pray that someday we can meet for coffee, get on a dance floor and hug each other again. Stay safe, stay home and keep washing your hands.
Dr. Chuck Briscoe
UPDATES
BABS 2020
Please check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FaribaultBA/ and please help us spread the word by sharing posts on our upcoming BABS event. See links to the auction site and event web page below. Mark your calendars and plan to join us online for our virtual BABS event!
- Monday, April 20, 10:00am: BABS online auction opens: https://one.bidpal.net/babs
- Saturday, April 25, 7:00pm: BABS online event, more information here: https://babsnight.weebly.com/
Please like and share all week long our BABS posts!!!
Calendar Updates
- Spring Play, April 24-26: Cancelled
- Prom, May 2: Postponed, new date/format TBD
- Spring Concert, May 6: Cancelled
2020-2021 Financial Aid & Tuition Agreements
We encourage families with financial aid applications to be responsive to any emails from TADS requesting additional information. Financial aid allocations and Archdiocesen scholarships are in progress and any applications listed as POOR or FAIR in TADS are not eligible until this information is provided. Your help is appreciated, as our goal is to have tuition agreements out in May. Please contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.orgwith questions on this process.
Class Registration and Pending Enrollment
We are reaching out by phone and email to students whose TADS enrollment is pending and/or who have not submitted their 2020-2021 class registration in PowerSchool. Your assistance with this process is appreciated, as it helps us plan for classes and for next year’s budget. Please note that we cannot place students in classes until their enrollment is finalized. Contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with any questions. Thank you!
Tips for Successful Distance Learning
Mr. Schuman, our Guidance Counselor, sent all BA students a video this week with words of encouragement and tips to staying on track with distance learning. Find the video here: https://youtu.be/M_RC9m4aFlw
Faribault Public Library Online Resources
The Faribault Public Library is offering an electronic library card and numerous online resources. Check out the attached flyer for more information.
SCRIP Update
Good news! Barring any unforeseen circumstances, DMCS will resume placing Scrip orders on Tuesday, April 21. All orders must be received by 8:30 am that morning. You will be able to pick-up your orders every Thursday from 4-6pm starting April 23rd. Pick up will be at DMCS Door # 3 (the side gym door). Just pull up and honk your horn! Peggy will meet you with your order. PLEASE NOTE: orders must be paid by check. (The online payment option will not be available until further notice.) All standing SCRIP orders will be resumed as well. ACH orders will be processed as usual. If you do not wish to receive your standing order at this time, please notify Peggy Johnson at pjohnson@dmcs.cc. You may still purchase gift cards for Hy-Vee, Fareway, Kwik Trip, Walmart and Communinty Scrip at 1st United Bank in Faribault. Please contact Peggy if you have any questions about the program.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Top PSAT Score Congratulations!
Please join us in applauding BA junior Verity Wray-Raabolle for her outstanding achievement on the 2019-2020 SAT/National Merit Scholarship Test. She is among the top 1% of the more than 1.5 million high school juniors across the United States who took the exam, and is one of the 50,000 highest scoring students who will be recognized as either a Semifinalist or Commended student next fall. We are very proud of Verity at BA. She is an outstanding student, and a kind, caring person who reflects the values that BA students proudly display as students and as leaders in their schools and communities after graduation.
Tuition Payments
We are aware these are uncertain times for many of our families and finances may be tight. We have asked TADS to turn off all late payment fees. Please reach out to Sr Mary Margaret if you have concerns or need to alter your current payment plans or due dates as we are very willing to work with you. We appreciate the continual payments you are able to make as they help BA maintain a cash flow for salaries.
Building our Cardinal Community: Seniors & Community Stories
As we continue distance/online learning, building our community through (virtual) social connections is more important than ever! In the coming weeks, we will continue honoring the Class of 2020 on our social media accounts. We also encourage you to send us YOUR funny, interesting, and creative photos/videos e-learning stories to ksauer@bacards.org. And if you haven't already, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twittertoday! We also encourage you to share your own photos/videos on social media using the hashtag: #WEAREBA #TogetherWeFly. Thank you!
SENIOR ANNOUNCEMENTS
Senior Scholarships/Transcripts
Mr. Schuman will continue to email all seniors any new scholarship offers that come up. See below for a list of current scholarships and deadlines. Students should email Mr. Schuman at jschuman@bacards.org with any questions or if a transcript is needed for a particular scholarship. Students still applying to colleges should use Naviance to submit their transcript requests. Parents and students are encouraged to email at any time with questions/concerns.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Faribault Sertoma Club Scholarship
The Faribault Sertoma Club will offer (2) $1500 scholarships for post-secondary education to high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2020. The recipients of these scholarships will be students who best personify Sertoma’s motto, “Service to Mankind.” Please email Mr. Schuman for an application. Deadline is April 30, 2020.
Rotary STRIVE Program Postponed
Juniors: the Rotary STRIVE program is postponed until further notice. Please e-mail Faribaultrotarystrive@gmail.com if you have any questions.
BA VOLUNTEER/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Summer Lawn Mowing Jobs
The Olmsted County-based Neighbors Helping Neighbors program, a chore-based service to help seniors and those with disabilities with lawn mowing, is expanding in the Faribault area. They currently have two elderly women in our area looking for lawn mowing assistance. This summer the volunteers will not have contact with the homeowner, but will work in the yard on their own, or with their family. Contact at jglynn@familyservicerochester.org or 507-287-2010 if interested.
Nursing Home Outreach
We encourage you to join Ms. Heselton’s classes in sending letters, poems, or artwork to isolated nursing home residents. Please send your message to: Milestone Senior Living (2500 14th St NW, Faribault, MN 55021) or contact Anne Pleskonko @lifeenrichmentfb@milestoneseniorliving.com to be a resident penpal; and/or Pleasant Manor Senior Community (41 Brand Ave, Faribault, MN 55021). Residents are lonely without the option for visitors and would love your notes of encouragement!
MSAB Captions Project
April 9, 2020 Note from Dr. Briscoe… I continue to be very proud of the BA staff and students as we finish week four of online learning. We continue to work to meet the needs of your student and to address any technology issues that get in the way of teaching and learning. I know that we are all learning things that we can use for the rest of this year and for many years to come. We have decided to postpone the May 2nd Prom. Instead, we are working on options for a rescheduled and less formal event, hopefully sometime this summer. We are also looking at the end of the year school activities including the Mary Ceremony, the Awards Ceremony, and Graduation 2020. We will have an answer for you soon on those three very important school events. We are looking at the possibility of having the seniors come back in the fall for a formal graduation ceremony on a weekend. This would allow us to have student speakers and present your students diploma in a formal setting. We will also look at doing something simple at the end of May for graduation. We will have a clear answer in the next few days. I know these are very challenging times as we pray that we can beat this virus through the shelter in place model that has been extended through May 4th. You can reach all of us via e-mail and we can call you back with any questions that you may have. This will be the first Easter that I have not been in church, had an Easter egg hunt or had an Easter basket. I have still not held my new grandson born on March 26, 2020. Stay safe, stay home and remember the value of prayer. Dr. Chuck Briscoe Upcoming Events 2020-2021 BA-DMCS School Calendar: Copy attached for your reference. Still struggling a bit to manage distance/online learning? Faculty offer the following tips for navigating this new environment: Student Cell Phone Numbers During this period of distance/online learning, it may be helpful for teachers to have student cell phone numbers as an additional way to communicate with students. This may include texting announcements and assignments as well as calling students for follow up and feedback on assignments. If you are willing to provide your child's cell phone number, please complete this secure form. Message from the Sinsinawa Mound Please see attached letter of encouragement, gratitude and appreciations from Sr Colleen Settles, OP, D. Min., Corporate Chair for Sponsored Schools Dominicans of Sinsinawa. SCRIP Update Good news! Barring any unforeseen circumstances, DMCS will resume placing Scrip orders on Tuesday, April 21. All orders must be received by 8:30 am that morning. You will be able to pick-up your orders every Thursday from 4-6pm starting April 23rd. Pick up will be at DMCS Door # 3 (the side gym door). Just pull up and honk your horn! Peggy will meet you with your order. PLEASE NOTE: orders must be paid by check. (The online payment option will not be available until further notice.) All standing SCRIP orders will be resumed as well. ACH orders will be processed as usual. If you do not wish to receive your standing order at this time, please notify Peggy Johnson at pjohnson@dmcs.cc. You may still purchase gift cards for Hy-Vee, Fareway, Kwik Trip, Walmart and Communinty Scrip at 1st United Bank in Faribault. Please contact Peggy if you have any questions about the program. April Students of the Month Congratulations to the 6 middle school and 12 high school students of the month for April! We were not able to celebrate their achievements in person, so faculty prepared an awards ceremony video. Check out our Facebook page for more! American Red Cross Blood Drive Thank you to the faculty, staff, alumni and community members from Faribault, Medford, New Prague, Northfield, and Owatonna who participated in the April 8 Red Cross blood drive. Over 50 people successfully donated much-needed blood! Tuition Payments We are aware these are uncertain times for many of our families and finances may be tight. We have asked TADS to turn off all late payment fees. Please reach out to Sr Mary Margaret if you have concerns or need to alter your current payment plans or due dates as we are very willing to work with you. We appreciate the continual payments you are able to make as they help BA maintain a cash flow for salaries. 2020-2021 Class Registration and Enrollment We continue to work on class registrations for next year. Please check in with your student and encourage them to submit their 2020-2021 class registration in PowerSchool when you can. Also, if you have not yet done so, please re-enroll your student for next year as we cannot finalize schedules for students not enrolled. Click here for more information on re-enrolling in TADS. 2020-2021 Financial Aid & Tuition Agreements Under the circumstances, we have delayed our normal tuition assistance evaluation process. We will not begin award allocation discussions until next week and hope to have tuition agreements out by early May. Please know that it is not too late to apply for financial aid! Any family who is concerned about affording full tuition and fees may still apply for tuition assistance through TADS, with whom we partner to fairly assess need. Contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with questions on this process. Building our Cardinal Community: Seniors & Community Stories As we continue distance/online learning, building our community through (virtual) social connections is more important than ever! In the coming weeks, we will be honoring the Class of 2020 on our social media accounts. We also encourage you to send us YOUR funny, interesting, and creative photos/videos e-learning stories to ksauer@bacards.org. And if you haven't already, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twittertoday! We also encourage you to share your own photos/videos on social media using the hashtag: #WEAREBA #TogetherWeFly. Thank you! Senior Pictures / Yearbook Survey Deadline April 10 Please get your senior and baby pictures to Mr. Zabel and respond to the Senior Yearbook Survey by Friday, April 10. These pictures & information from the yearbook survey will be used in the senior slide show as well as in the BA yearbook and BA Star. Pictures can be sent to Mr. Zabel via email (bzabel@bacards.org). Seniors can upload their K-12 photos to the designated Google folder. Thanks for your help and cooperation in honoring the Class of 2020! Senior Scholarships/Transcripts Mr. Schuman will continue to email all seniors any new scholarship offers that come up. See below for a list of current scholarships and deadlines. Students should email Mr. Schuman at jschuman@bacards.org with any questions or if a transcript is needed for a particular scholarship. Students still applying to colleges should use Naviance to submit their transcript requests. Parents and students are encouraged to email at any time with questions/concerns. Faribault Sertoma Club Scholarship The Faribault Sertoma Club will offer (2) $1500 scholarships for post-secondary education to high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2020. The recipients of these scholarships will be students who best personify Sertoma’s motto, “Service to Mankind.” Please email Mr. Schuman for an application. Deadline is April 30, 2020. Rotary STRIVE Program Postponed Juniors: the Rotary STRIVE program is postponed until further notice. Please e-mail Faribaultrotarystrive@gmail.com if you have any questions. Nursing Home Outreach We encourage you to join Ms. Heselton’s classes in sending letters, poems, or artwork to isolated nursing home residents. Please send your message to: Milestone Senior Living (2500 14th St NW, Faribault, MN 55021) or contact Anne Pleskonko @lifeenrichmentfb@milestoneseniorliving.com to be a resident penpal; and/or Pleasant Manor Senior Community (41 Brand Ave, Faribault, MN 55021). Residents are lonely without the option for visitors and would love your notes of encouragement! MSAB Captions Project Caption podcasts for the MN State Academy for the Blind. Write subtitles for podcasts created by MSAB students. Please contact Jennifer Pelletier at jennifer.pelletier@msa.state.mn.us if you would like to help. Seeking New Members for BA Board of Directors It is time to think about joining the Bethlehem Academy Board of Directors. If you are committed to the mission of BA and want to help shape the future, consider applying for an open position on the Board. It meets monthly, works in-between on committees and is a vital part of BA. Applications are available here. Term begins August 2020 for three years. Questions? Contact Kathy Nass at 507-323-5365. Summer event dates below – please add these to your calendar! More information coming soon. Attached Files
April 3, 2020 Note from Dr. Briscoe… We have now completed week one of the Minnesota Shelter in Place order. We all need to continue to follow this through April 10 to help minimize the number of people who get sick. The Governor extended school closings through May 4, 2020. My heart hopes that we can come back this spring but my head tells me that we may not. I know that students are missing school and the BA Staff is really missing all of our students and the chance to be together. My prayers are that we will back together soon. Parents, we continue to value the partnership that we have between you, your student and our great teachers. It is critical that you continue to monitor your student’s progress and make sure that they are staying engaged in online learning. Regular sleep habits and proper nutrition continue to be important. Make sure that your student is taking part in all online lessons. I understand that these are challenging times for all of us. We appreciate the trust and support that you continue to place in Bethlehem Academy. We continue to work on BABS 2020. BABS will take place virtually and you will be able to bid online on many great auction items as well as help us with the Fund-A-Need portion of the program. It is critical that we have a successful BABS on April 25, 2020. Find more details on our website here. We were blessed by your overwhelming support to help us pass our goal of $200,000 for the 2019-20 Annual Fund. Thank you, thank you, and thank you! BA leadership continues to meet each week via Zoom. We will get information out to you as we have it. This week we made the painful decision to cancel the spring play scheduled for late April. There is no chance to get the cast together to rehearse. I am sorry for all of the students who were involved. Spring sports are on hold through May 4. It will be challenging for the sports to take place unless the seasons are extended in to the summer. We have not postponed or cancelled any other events as of today. This continues to be challenging times for all of us. This “new normal” is a difficult as I miss attending Mass, meeting people for coffee, and interacting with friends and family. I have two granddaughters and my first grandson was born in the early morning of March 26. I have only seen pictures and heard him cry on the phone. I hope that someday soon I can hold him. We are not wired to shelter in place but by working together we can minimize the numbers of people who get sick. When we have new information we will share it immediately. Trust that you are in our prayers and in our hearts. Dr. Chuck Briscoe UPDATES Freezer Update & Thank You! The Lunch Ladies got a GREAT response to last week’s call for freezer help. (You will recall that they need to find freezer space for a 1000-lb commodities shipment that can’t be cancelled or diverted.) Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who responded. They’ve got this one figured out! Easter Flower Pickup April 7-8 The Easter Flowers ordered from the BA Activities Association will be available for pick up @ BA Tuesday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 8 from 3-6pm. In an effort to keep everyone safe, we are changing the plant pick-up process. To get your flowers, please enter the BA parking lot from 3rd Ave SW and park along the sidewalk near the main lobby doors. Remain in your car, roll down your window, and give your name to a committee member. They will locate your order and place it in your trunk. We appreciate your understanding and patience during this unusual time of social distancing.Wishing you and your family a safe and happy Easter! - BA Easter Flower Committee. Red Cross Blood Drive April 8, 2020 The American Red Cross has added additional appointment times for the April 8 blood drive at Bethlehem Academy. The blood drive is from 9am to 2pm by appointment only. The blood drive is considered an essential service and the Red Cross has implemented several additional safety measures. Donating blood products is essential to community health and the need for blood is constant. A donation now can help ensure a stable supply for upcoming months. Schedule an appointment at https://www.redcrossblood.org/ Volunteers are needed to assist at registration table and cantina area. All health and distancing guidelines will be followed. Contact Ed Friesen if you can help. Got pics? Build our Cardinal Community & Share your Stories! As we continue distance/online learning, building our community through (virtual) social connections is more important than ever! In the coming weeks, we encourage you to send in funny, interesting, and creative photos/videos related to e-learning to ksauer@bacards.org for the chance to appear on BA’s social media channels! And if you haven't already, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter today! We also encourage you to share your own photos/videos on social media using the hashtag: #WEAREBA #TogetherWeFly. Thank you! ANNOUNCEMENTS Distance/Online Learning We thank you for your patience as we continue distance/online learning to May 4. This is a new paradigm for all of us. Please be patient with faculty and with your students as we continue to adapt and adjust to this new way of learning. Know that EVERY member of our faculty and staff is here to help. Click here to find staff emails and do reach out if you need anything. Tuition Payments We are aware these are uncertain times for many of our families and finances may be tight. We have asked TADS to turn off all late payment fees. Please reach out to Sr Mary Margaret if you have concerns or need to alter your current payment plans or due dates as we are very willing to work with you. We appreciate the continual payments you are able to make as they help BA maintain a cash flow for salaries. COVID-19 Resources on our Website We have created a COVID-19 resources page under the News tab on our website. It includes links to reputable medical information, distance learning resources, online Mass information, local food & business information, etc. Click here to access. 2020-2021 Class Registration and Enrollment We continue to work on class registrations for next year. Please check in with your student and encourage them to submit their 2020-2021 class registration in PowerSchool when you can. Also, if you have not yet done so, please re-enroll your student for next year as we cannot finalize schedules for students not enrolled. Click here for more information on re-enrolling in TADS. 2020-2021 Financial Aid & Tuition Agreements Under the circumstances, we have delayed our normal tuition assistance evaluation process. We will not begin award allocation discussions until after Easter and hope to have tuition agreements out by early May. Please know that it is not too late to apply for financial aid! Any family who is concerned about affording full tuition and fees may still apply for tuition assistance through TADS, with whom we partner to fairly assess need. Contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with questions on this process. 2020-2021 School Calendar The current version of the 2020-2021 school calendar is attached to this email. SENIOR ANNOUNCEMENTS Senior Pictures / Yearbook Survey Deadline April 10 Please get your senior and baby pictures to Mr. Zabel and respond to the Senior Yearbook Survey by Friday, April 10. These pictures & information from the yearbook survey will be used in the senior slide show as well as in the BA yearbook and BA Star. Pictures can be sent to Mr. Zabel via email (bzabel@bacards.org). Seniors can upload their K-12 photos to the designated Google folder. Thanks for your help and cooperation in honoring the Class of 2020! Senior Scholarships/Transcripts Mr. Schuman will continue to email all seniors any new scholarship offers that come up. See below for a list of current scholarships and deadlines. Students should email Mr. Schuman at jschuman@bacards.org with any questions or if a transcript is needed for a particular scholarship. Students still applying to colleges should use Naviance to submit their transcript requests. Parents and students are encouraged to email at any time with questions/concerns. SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Rotary STRIVE Program Postponed Juniors: the Rotary STRIVE program is postponed until further notice. Please e-mail Faribaultrotarystrive@gmail.com if you have any questions. Faribault Sertoma Club The Faribault Sertoma Club will offer (2) $1500 scholarships for post-secondary education to high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2020. The recipients of these scholarships will be students who best personify Sertoma’s motto, “Service to Mankind.” Please email Mr. Schuman for an application. Deadline is April 30, 2020. BA VOLUNTEER/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Seeking New Members for BA Board of Directors It is time to think about joining the Bethlehem Academy Board of Directors. If you are committed to the mission of BA and want to help shape the future, consider applying for an open position on the Board. It meets monthly, works in-between on committees and is a vital part of BA. Applications are available here. Term begins August 2020 for three years. Questions? Contact Kathy Nass at 507-323-5365. Summer event dates below – please add these to your calendar! More information coming soon. Attached Files
March 28, 2020 Note from Dr. Briscoe… The Governor has now extended the closing of all schools in Minnesota through May 4, 2020. Bethlehem Academy will continue with online learning through that date. If necessary, we are prepared to go through the end of the 2019-2020 school year online. April and May are typically busy months at BA. We are exploring options to maintain as many of these events as we can. BABS will move to an online auction format and take place April 25; raffle tickets are still being sold (see attached order form). Drawing will be held at approximately 7:30 pm APRIL 25. Spring sports are suspended to May 4. Production of the spring play, The Wizard of Oz, has been cancelled. We anticipate spring concerts will not take place. We are dedicated to honoring the Class of 2020 and are brainstorming ways to hold prom and conduct graduation events while maintaining social distancing rules that may be in effect. These are unprecedented times for everyone. We are used to quick responses and events falling into familiar patterns. There is a lot of gray right now and no one has enough answers and can tell when this will end. It appears that we are in this new normal for many months to come. I wish I knew the answers but like everyone else I pray that a vaccine will be developed and that people across the world can return to life as we knew it prior to March 2020. Access to the building is limited. With the exception of deliveries and the U.S. mail, we don’t anticipate anyone coming into the building during this time period. To minimize contact with others, BA staff will address the needs of students and families online or via phone during normal hours. When we have new information to share, we will provide that as soon as we can. Trust that you are in our prayers and our hearts. Dr. Chuck Briscoe Distance/Online Learning We thank you for your patience as we continue distance/online learning to May 4. This is a new paradigm for all of us. Please be patient with faculty and with your students as we continue to adapt and adjust to this new way of learning. Know that EVERY member of our faculty and staff is here to help. Click here to find staff emails and do reach out if you need anything. Teachers will have designated office hours to focus on responding to correspondence. Outside of their office hours, teachers will be providing virtual instruction using Zoom or Google Hangouts Meet, preparing curriculum and assessing student learning. We encourage students to create a consistent schedule for completing their studies. It is also important for students and teachers to work breaks into their day - get away from their screens and engage in some physical activity. Tuition Payments We are aware these are uncertain times for many of our families and finances may be tight. We have asked TADS to turn off all late payment fees. Please reach out to Sr Mary Margaret if you have concerns or need to alter your current payment plans or due dates as we are very willing to work with you. We appreciate the continual payments you are able to make as they help BA maintain a cash flow for salaries. COVID-19 Resources We have created a COVID-19 resources page on the News section of our website. It includes links to reputable medical information, distance learning resources, online Mass information, local food & business information, etc. Click here to access. Bethlehem Academy Resources In addition to our weekly parent email and website resource page, we invite you to join the Bethlehem Academy Facebook page (for morning announcements, etc.) or follow us on Instagram or Twitter to stay up-to-date on BA happenings. Freezers Needed Do you have a spare freezer? Our Lunch Ladies desperately need to find freezer space for 1000 lbs of frozen food from a commodities shipment (which they are unable to cancel or divert) that should arrive in the next few weeks. A large chest or upright freezer or two that could be moved to BA into the early part of next school year would be ideal. All ideas welcome! Please contact Julie Trnka at jtrnka@bacards.org if you can help. Item Pick-up/Drop-off at School We hope that your student now has everything they need for distance learning. BA will not be open during the two week stay-at-home order from March 27-April 10. If necessary, we can get items to you via DMCS as they are continuing their drop off/pick up system from 10am-11:30am Monday-Friday. All distancing mitigation procedures will be in place for the pickup. Red Cross Blood Drive April 8, 2020 We are answering the call of the Red Cross and will be hosting a Blood Drive in Van Orsow Auditorium on Wednesday, April 8. All health guidelines will be strictly adhered to; adults only will staff this drive. Stay tuned for further information on how to volunteer and/or donate. 2020-2021 Class Registration and Enrollment We continue to work on class registrations for next year. Please check in with your student and encourage them to submit their 2020-2021 class registration in PowerSchool when you can. Also, if you have not yet done so, please re-enroll your student for next year as we cannot finalize schedules for students not enrolled. Click here for more information on re-enrolling in TADS. 2020-2021 Tuition Assistance Although the initial financial aid deadline has passed, please know that it is not too late to apply for financial aid! Any family who is concerned about affording full tuition and fees may still apply for tuition assistance through TADS, with whom we partner to fairly assess need. Contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with questions on this process. Attention Senior Parents Mr. Zabel is still working to collect senior pictures and baby pictures. These pictures will be used in the senior slide show as well as the BA yearbook and BA Star Bulletin. Pictures can be sent to Mr. Zabel via email (bzabel@bacards.org). Please remind your seniors to upload photos of memories from their K-12 years to the designated Google folder. Thanks for your help and cooperation in honoring the Class of 2020! Senior Scholarships/Transcripts Mr. Schuman will continue to email all seniors any new scholarship offers that come up. See below for a list of current scholarships and deadlines. Students should email Mr. Schuman at jschuman@bacards.org with any questions or if a transcript is needed for a particular scholarship. Students still applying to colleges should use Naviance to submit their transcript requests. Parents and students are encouraged to email at any time with questions/concerns. SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Faribault Elks Lodge Faribault Elks Lodge is offering scholarships for post-secondary education to high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2020. Click here for application or visit www.Faribaultelks.org and click on scholarships, then start the application. Deadline is March 31, 2020. P.E.O. Scholarship The P.E.O. Chapter AR of Faribault will be awarding one $1,000 scholarship to a 2020 graduating female pursuing post-secondary education from either FHS or BA. The application requires three short questions and a completed application form. Deadline is April 3, 2020. Please email Mr. Schuman for an application. Faribault Sertoma Club The Faribault Sertoma Club will offer (2) $1500 scholarships for post-secondary education to high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2020. The recipients of these scholarships will be students who best personify Sertoma’s motto, “Service to Mankind.” Please email Mr. Schuman for an application. Deadline is April 30, 2020. Student Summer Work Program We are looking for student workers who will be in grades 9-12 next fall to help clean and prepare the schools for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. Tuition credit provided. Please click here for additional information. Seeking New Members for BA Board of Directors It is time to think about joining the Bethlehem Academy Board of Directors. If you are committed to the mission of BA and want to help shape the future, consider applying for an open position on the Board. It meets monthly, works in-between on committees and is a vital part of BA. Applications are available here. Term begins August 2020 for three years. Questions? Contact Kathy Nass at 507-323-5365. Summer event dates below – please add these to your calendar! More information coming soon.
March 20, 2020 Note from Dr. Briscoe… As you know, Governor Walz last Sunday closed all schools through March 27. All schools are now doing online learning. We trust there will be an update from the Governor next week and will send more information as we receive it. I also hope you had a chance to read the March 16 Faribault Daily News article about area school closures. As I said in that article, rather than looking at the COVID-19 situation as a crisis without a solution, I believe the closure could open the door for new opportunities to students. What’s hard is no longer seeing students in person. We’re counting on staff keeping regular online hours in order to email back and forth. Although there have been no official decisions as of yet, I don’t see any face-to-face contact happening for a long period of time. Please continue to hang together with staff and trust we’ll get it done. Ultimately our mission is student learning, so that’s got to be the key, even though we won't be doing that face to face. Please reach out to faculty and staff with any questions or concerns you have. We will announce the events that will be cancelled or postponed for the school year by the end of next week or by April 1 at the latest. As you know, I am fond of extending a “Nice Bike” to acknowledge, honor, and connect with others. “Nice Bike’ honors other people by knowing what’s important to them, not to ourselves but to them. It is giving a sincere compliment; it is affirming others for a job well done and taking an interest in what others are contributing to the team. A “Nice Bike” to our Bethlehem Academy Cardinal family! Dr. Chuck Briscoe UPDATES Distance/Online Learning We thank you for your patience as we finish the 3rd day of distance/online learning. We will continue with this model through at least March 27, although faculty have prepared for classes to continue in this way for much longer. We will have an official announcement on plans for classes next week, in keeping with the recommendations of the CDC, MN Department of Health and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Please contact any member of our staff with questions. We are here to help. COVID-19 Resources Minnesota Department of Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis National Association of School Psychologists – Parent resource for talking to children Bethlehem Academy Resources In addition to our weekly parent email, we invite you to join the Bethlehem Academy Facebook page or follow us on Instagram or Twitter to stay up-to-date on BA happenings. Please also check our website for additional information and resources. 2020-2021 Class Registration and Enrollment We continue to work on class registrations for next year. Please check in with your student and encourage them to submit their 2020-2021 class registration in PowerSchool. Also, if you have not yet done so, please re-enroll your student for 2020-2021 as we cannot finalize schedules for students not enrolled. Click here for more information on re-enrolling in TADS. Tuition Assistance Update Although the initial financial aid deadline has passed, please know that it is not too late to apply for financial aid! Any family who is concerned about affording full tuition and fees may still apply for tuition assistance through TADS, with whom we partner to fairly assess need. Contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with questions on this process. Accreditation Visit, Mar 23-25 MNSAA has postponed all accreditation visits until later this spring or early fall. We let you know as soon as we have a new date for this visit. Attention Senior Parents Mr. Zabel is still working to collect senior pictures and baby pictures. These pictures will be used in the senior slide show as well as the BA yearbook and BA Star Bulletin. Pictures can be sent to Mr. Zabel via email (bzabel@bacards.org). Please remind your seniors to upload photos of memories from their K-12 years to the designated Google folder. Thanks for your help and cooperation in honoring the Class of 2020! Rotary STRIVE Program Open to Grade 11 Students Juniors interested in the Rotary STRIVE program should know that the March 18 meeting was postponed. More details will follow. If you have any questions, please e-mail Faribaultrotarystrive@gmail.com. Faribault Elks Lodge Faribault Elks Lodge is offering scholarships for post-secondary education to high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2020. Click here for application or visit www.Faribaultelks.org and click on scholarships, then start the application. Deadline is March 31, 2020. P.E.O. Scholarship The P.E.O. Chapter AR of Faribault will be awarding one $1,000 scholarship to a 2020 graduating female pursuing post-secondary education from either FHS or BA. The application requires three short questions and a completed application form. Deadline is April 3, 2020. Please email Mr. Schuman for an application. Faribault Sertoma Club The Faribault Sertoma Club will offer (2) $1500 scholarships for post-secondary education to high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2020. The recipients of these scholarships will be students who best personify Sertoma’s motto, “Service to Mankind.” Please email Mr. Schuman for an application. Deadline is April 30, 2020. Seeking New Members for BA Board of Directors It is time to think about joining the Bethlehem Academy Board of Directors. If you are committed to the mission of BA and want to help shape the future, consider applying for an open position on the Board. It meets monthly, works in-between on committees and is a vital part of BA. Applications are available here. Term begins August 2020 for three years. Questions? Contact Kathy Nass at 507-323-5365. Student Summer Work Program We are looking for student workers who will be in grades 9-12 next fall to help clean and prepare the schools for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. Tuition credit provided. Please click here for additional information. Summer event dates below – please add these to your calendar! More information coming soon.
Good morning, Online chool is in session today! Teachers are posting course materials and assignments in PowerSchool and email. It is important that students log in to PowerSchool and check their school email daily. We recognize with so many schools across the nation going online, there may be times during the day that PowerSchool and other websites used by classes may be slow or experience other technical issues. For this reason, we recommend studens check PowerSchool and their email multiple times during the day. In addition to posting course materials on PowerSchool and email, some teachers may also hold video calls/webinars to provide class instruction and tutoring using tools like Google Meet (Hangout), Zoom, or FaceTime. Teachers will be checking their email regularly and will respond in a timely fashion. We encourage you to help your child(ren) to develop a schedule of their time for each day. For example: Attached to this email are planner sheets for high school and middle school. These sheets may be helpful for students to keep track of their assignments and due dates. We encourage you to set up a parent PowerSchool ID so that you can also keep track of assignments and other course announcements in PowerSchool. There are also additonal communication tools in PowerSchool for you to work with teachers. Please watch for an email with additional information about creating a parent PowerSchool ID. Tomorrow, March 19, is the feast day for St. Joseph, Bethlehem Academy's patron saint. In 1868, on a very cold winter night, the sisters and boarding students at Bethlehem Academy ran out of firewood. They prayed to St. Joseph. Late at night, an unknown man showed up with a delivery of firewood. Legend has it that man was St. Joseph. As we face this new challenge (opportunity), we pray to St. Joseph: Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God. I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls - Pray for me. Attached Files
March 6, 2020 Note from Dr. Briscoe… Bethlehem Academy Community, Happy Spring Break! Be safe and enjoy your time together as a family. A reminder that BA offices will be closed from March 9-13. We look forward to seeing your student(s) refreshed and ready to begin the 4th quarter on Monday, March 16. Just a reminder to be vigilant about hand washing, to cover your mouth with your elbow as you sneeze, and to stay home if sick. Please refer to the March 4 parent email for more information on the COVID-19 outbreak and BA’s response. A reminder that additional resources can be found at the Minnesota Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites. Thank you to families who have already re-enrolled their student(s) for next year! If you have not yet done so, please re-enroll by Tuesday, March 17 to facilitate 2020-2021 class registration for your student. Click here for instructions and more information on re-enrolling. Although the initial financial aid deadline has passed, please know that it is not too late to apply for financial aid! Any family who is concerned about affording full tuition and fees may still apply for tuition assistance through TADS, with whom we partner to fairly assess need. Contact Kris at ksauer@bacards.org with questions on this process. We continue to prepare to welcome several guests on March 23-25 as part of our MNSAA Accreditation. The faculty and staff have been working hard on the various aspects of our report in order to be fully prepared. We are reminding you that parents may be contacted by a team member and we count on your participation. Everyone will be asked to “Dress for Success” all three days which means student dress down passes WILL NOT be honored March 23-25. All BA students are expected to be in the best dress code they can muster! Thank you for your continued support of BA. Together We Fly! Join us for BABS 2020 - Celebrating Mission and Scholarship. Tickets can be purchased in advance by clicking here or at the door. Raffle Tickets are also available for purchase. Please see the attached order form, limited quantities available. Dr. Chuck Briscoe It is hard to believe it is that time of year again. Mr. Zabel and his Multimedia students are collecting senior pictures and baby pictures. These pictures will be used in the senior slide show as well as the BA yearbook and BA Star Bulletin. Mr. Zabel is asking that all senior pictures and baby pictures please be turned in before April. Pictures can be sent to Mr. Zabel via email (bzabel@bacards.org) Seniors have also been instructed of what to do in terms of uploading photos of memories from their K-12 years that will go into the senior slide show that will be played at the Mary Ceremony. There is a Google folder where pictures will be uploaded. Please talk to your son or daughter if you have photos that you would like to use. Thanks again for your help and cooperation. The Spring Sports parent meeting will be on Tuesday, March 17 at 6:30pm in the school cafeteria. All parents of spring sports participants should attend as the school and coaches will share important information for the upcoming spring season. The activity fee is $135 per participant for baseball, fastpitch softball, track & field and golf. The activity fee may be paid online on our athletics website, https://sports.bacards.org. Fees may also be paid by check at the spring sports parent meeting. Participants need to have a valid sports physical on file and must complete once each school year the annual eligiblity statement & health questionnaire. Note: 6th grade students may only participated on middle school/junior high teams; track and golf do not have middle school-only squads. Cannon River Driving School classroom instruction begins March 16-27, from 3-6 pm Mon-Fri. Attention Juniors! Would you like to learn more about how to use your time effectively? What about tips for managing stress? Are you prepared to interview for jobs and manage your own finances? Consider joining the Faribault Rotary Strive program to learn about these skills and more! We meet once a month starting March 18th, 2020 at the South Central College Conference Room in the front of their building. Each session starts at 7:15 am and is done by 7:45 am. The Rotary Club provides breakfast and the speaker, so all you need to do is show up! In addition, if you attend 6 out of the 8 sessions you get $50 and you qualify to apply for a scholarship! Meetings will be held this year on: March 18, April 8, May 13 and next school year on September 9, October 14, November 11, December 9, and January 13. More information will be provided at the first meeting on Wednesday, March 18th. If you have any questions, please e-mail Faribaultrotarystrive@gmail.com. Attention Junior Class parents! The next Post Prom meeting will be Thursday, March 19th at 530pm at BA. Please join us to plan this great event for our students. Many hands make light work! Questions? Contact Alana at lanagourhan@gmail.com. The Peer Ministry club of Bethlehem Academy is teaming up with Pregnancy Options of Faribault to host a showing of the film Unplanned at the Village Family Theater on Friday, March 27 at 7:00 pm and Saturday, March 28 at 1:30 pm. Students and adults are invited to stay after the showing to participate in a discussion to process and unpack the film. Unplanned covers the true story of Abby Johnson, one of Planned Parenthood’s youngest clinic directors and advocates until the day she saw “something that changed everything.” The film is about abortion “but even more so, it’s a movie about the truth of forgiveness, repentance, and redemption” (Johnson). While the film does not contain swearing or nudity, it was given an R rating for the CGI recreation of what Johnson saw on the ultrasound screen as well as a scene involving the aftermath of the abortion pill. Due to the rating, students will need parent/guardian permission, given through this form, to view the film. Parents and other guests are not only welcome but encouraged to attend as well. Know that high school students who attend the viewing and stay for the discussion are eligible for extra credit in their religion classes. An alternative extra credit opportunity will be provided to students who cannot or choose not to view Unplanned. Seeking New Members for BA Board of Directors It is time to think about joining the Bethlehem Academy Board of Directors. If you are committed to the mission of BA and want to help shape the future, consider applying for an open position on the Board. It meets monthly, works in-between on committees and is a vital part of BA. Applications are available here or in the main office. Term begins August 2020 for 3 years. Questions? Contact Kathy Nass at 507-323-5365. Rise Up Twin Cities for MS Students, Mar 21 Divine Mercy Youth Ministry is bringing middle school students to a conference called “Rise Up Twin Cities” on March 2. The conference price is $60. See attached flyer for more information; Link to the middle school page can be found here. A direct link to the registration form can be found here. For more information, contact Ang Hoisington at ang323hoisington@yahoo.com. Faribault Elks Lodge Faribault Elks Lodge is offering scholarships for post-secondary education to high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2020. Click here for application or visit www.Faribaultelks.org and click on scholarships, then start the application. Deadline is March 31, 2020. P.E.O. Scholarship The P.E.O. Chapter AR of Faribault will be awarding one $1,000 scholarship to a 2020 graduating female pursuing post-secondary education from either FHS or BA. The application requires three short questions and a completed application form. Deadline is April 3rd. Applications are available in the counseling office. Faribault Sertoma Club The Faribault Sertoma Club will offer (2) $1500 scholarships for post-secondary education to High School Seniors graduating in the Spring of 2020. The recipients of these scholarships will be students who best personify Sertoma’s motto, “Service to Mankind”. Please see Mr. Schumann for an application. Deadline is April 30, 2020. Student Summer Work Program: We are looking for student workers who will be in grades 9-12 next fall to help clean and prepare the schools for the upcoming 2020-21 school year. Tuition credit provided. Please click here for additional information. Spring Coaches: Assistant & JV Baseball coaches needed for the 2020 spring season. Contact Ed Friesen for more information. Morning BA Van Driver: Needed immediately for 6:15-8:00 am route. Tuition credit available. Contact Kris Sauer at ksauer@bacards.org if interested. Substitute Teachers: Sought ASAP. Contact Sister Mary Margaret if interested. (click on hyperlink for more information) 3/9-3/13 Spring Break – No School 3/17 Field Trip, Grade 6 & 7 3/18 Shadow Day 3/18 Spring Sports Meeting, 6:30-8:00 pm 3/19 Retreat, Grades 10 & 11 3/20 Mass Day 3/20 Middle School Lock-In 3/23-3/25 Accreditation Team Site Visit 3/25/-3/26 Field Trip, Grade 6 3/25 Mock ACT Exam, Juniors 3/27 Mass Day 4/4 Online School Activities Calendar: https://gopherconference.org/public/genie/7/school/7/ Summer event dates below – please add these to your calendar! More information coming soon. Attached Files
Family Focus 4/9/2020
04/17/2020
Ed Friesen
April 2020
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UPDATES
Tips for Successful Distance Learning
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SENIOR ANNOUNCEMENTS
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
BA VOLUNTEER/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
SAVE THE DATE FOR SUMMER 2020 EVENTS!
Family Focus 4/3/2020
04/03/2020
Ed Friesen
April 2020
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SAVE THE DATE FOR SUMMER 2020 EVENTS!
Family Focus 3/28/2020
03/28/2020
Ed Friesen
March 2020
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UPDATES
SENIOR ANNOUNCEMENTS
BA VOLUNTEER/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
SAVE THE DATE FOR SUMMER 2020 EVENTS!
Attachments:
Family Focus 3/20/2020
03/28/2020
Ed Friesen
March 2020
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
BA VOLUNTEER/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
SAVE THE DATE FOR SUMMER 2020 EVENTS!
March 18, 2020 - Online Distance Learning is in Session
03/28/2020
Ed Friesen
March 2020
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Family Focus 3/6/2020
03/28/2020
Ed Friesen
March 2020
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Coronavirus Update
2020-2021 Enrollment Due March 17 for Class Registration
Tuition Assistance Update
Accreditation Visit, Mar 23-25
BABS 2020, April 4
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Attention Senior Parents
Spring Sports Parent Meeting
Cannon River Driving School @ BA, Mar 16-27
Rotary STRIVE Program Starts March 18!
Junior Parent Post Prom Meeting March 19!
Unplanned at the Village Theatre, March 27 & 28
UPCOMING EVENTS/VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
BA EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
DATES TO REMEMBER
SAVE THE DATE FOR SUMMER 2020 EVENTS!