Family Focus, 1/12/24
01/18/2024
Kris Sauer
January 2024, 2023-24
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"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:6 (Campus Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2023-2024)
January 12, 2024
Dear BA Families:
It was bittersweet to celebrate our final school Mass at Immaculate Conception Church this morning, but the reason is a blessing: a new PreK-5 campus for DMCS for next school year. A reminder that all future BA school Masses will be held in our gym, following our regular Friday 10:30am Mass schedule.
Please enjoy your long weekend - there is NO SCHOOL on Monday, Jan 15 as the nation celebrates Martin Luther King Day. A reminder as well that if there is severe weather, we follow Faribault Public Schools for late starts and school cancelations. We do confirm this via email, text, on our website and on our Facebook page.
So many great things happening are in the next few weeks: SnoBall week begins Jan 22 with a week of dress down days, a 1pm prayer service and SnoBall Court assembly Friday, Jan 26 (No 10:30am Mass this day), and the SnoBall Dance Saturday Jan 27 from 8pm (Grand March) to 11pm. Catholic Schools Week quickly follows, including a service/field trip day January 30 and a BA/DMCS Mass celebrated by Archbishop Hebda January 31. Find full details below.
Preparations for the 2024-2025 school year are in full swing! We have been working diligently over the past few months to transition to PowerSchool for our enrollment and tuition management. We will be going away from FACTS for the 2024-2025 school year. In a few weeks you will receive links to register your student(s) for the 2024-2025 school year. We look forward to inviting new students and families to check out our school on February 4th from 11am-1pm. If you know someone interested in attending, please help spread the word.
A reminder that the TADS tuition assistance applications are open; early submissions (by Feb 23) are eligible for the most scholarships. Find the TADS application at www.mytads.com; click HERE for more information on all our scholarship and assistance programs. Reach out to Kris Sauer with questions or if you need assistance with this process.
Financial Update: Save the date and plan to join us April 13th for BABS 2024, the 40th Anniversary Ruby Gala! Contact Teresa Lebens if interested in donating, sponsoring, or volunteering for our #1 fundraising event of the year! Our Annual Fund goal is to raise $255,000 for operating expenses not covered by tuition; $175,649 has been donated so far. Consider a gift and help us fund operating and faculty salary expenses not covered by tuition HERE.
Here is a look at our schedule for next week:
UPCOMING EVENTS: Click HERE for a copy of the 2023-2024 BA School Calendar.
- Jan. 19: Family Youth Night @ girls basketball game, invite prospective students and families to sign up HERE
- Jan. 22-26: SnoBall Week: see dress down day flyer below
- Jan. 24: Post-Prom Dining Night Out at Godfather's
- Jan 26: Family Youth Night @ boys basketball game; family and youth sign up HERE.
- Jan. 27: SnoBall Dance, grades 9-12, 8-11pm, Van Orsow Auditorium, more information in high school section below
- Jan 27: SnoBash parent event, 9-11pm, $20, Faribault Golf Club, all parents are welcome! See flyer below
- Jan. 28-Feb 3: Catholic Schools Week, see flyer below
- Feb. 4: 11am-1pm Admissions Open House & Tours. Invite a prospective student/family to pre-register HERE.
Welcome! We are excited to welcome April Schuman to the kitchen staff. She has background and experience in both food and customer service. We are excited to have her join the Cardinal family starting Tuesday, January 16! A welcome as well to Mike Reuvers, who has joined the staff as on of our BA van drivers.
Kudos: to BA's Knowledge Bowl Teams, finishing 8th and 14th among 41 teams, most of whom were bigger, Class AA schools.
Prayers for our students, our families and those that are sick and/or struggling.
Blessings, The BA Leadership Team
John Wollersheim, Ed Friesen, Brent Zabel, Kris Sauer, Stephen Uphus
Click on individual names to contact a member of the Leadership Team or email the entire team at leadership@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
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Catholic Schools Week Field Trips Jan 30: Catholic Schools Week service and field trip forms were distributed to students during homeroom today. Forms and payment are due by Jan 23. Click here to find the forms and more information on Catholic Schools Week.
Rome Pilgrimage June 7-18, 2024: 10 participants needed or trip will cancel! More high school students or adults are needed for our 2024 Pilgrimage to Rome! Highlights of the trip will include St. Peter’s Basilica mass and tour, Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Church of St. Francis, and Michelangelo’s David. Cost for trip is $3,995 which includes airfare, accommodations, transportation in Rome and to Assisi and Florence, as well as most meals. Please contact Ms. Caryn Coller (ccoller@bacards.org) for more details or student permission slip. Find the link to our travel company with more info here: Ciaoromatravel.com.
Yearbook Orders: Multimedia student have been working hard on the 2023-2024 yearbook. If you order by Jan. 26, the price is $69 + tax. Click HERE to order online. Please contact Mrs. Kallie Battles at with questions.
ATHLETICS UPDATESParent Volunteers needed for home basketball games:
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATES
| SnoBall Dance: The January 27 SnoBall is a girl-ask-boy (Sadie Hawkins) semi-formal dance for students in grades 9-12. Typically, the girls purchase a tie for their date that matches their dress. The girls arrange for a bouquet and boutonniere with a local florist that the boy picks up and pays for the day of the dance. Boys wear a dress shirt (most choose black), tie and nice pants; girls wear a modest semi-formal dress. Couples usually go out to dinner with a group of friends before the dance. Parents and guests gather in the gym at 8:00pm for the Grand March, where participating couples are introduced and the SnoBall Queen is crowned. Usually, the Mother-Son/Father-Daughter dance follows coronation, then parents and guests depart and the dance begins. The dance ends at 11pm. Tickets are $20/person or $40/couple and are being sold during high school lunches through Jan 24. Non-BA student guests are required to turn in a permission slip to attend; find the form HERE or in the BA front office. |  |
Drivers Training @ BA: Cannon River Driving School is hosting driver's training for interested students the weeks of March 11 and March 18, 2024. Classes will run Monday-Friday from 3:15-6:30pm at BA. Cost $125/student. Registration closes March 8; at least 10 student must enroll to run the course at BA. Register for class and behind the wheel at this link; register for class only here. Contact Denise at deniseruegercmt@yahoo.com with questions.
Senior Parents: FAFSA Now Open! The 2024-2025 FAFSA, the form required for receiving college financial aid, finally opened January 1st with several changes. Mr. Uphus sent your senior a detailed email with information on this process Friday, January 5. You can find this same information on our website HERE. Colleges need this form to put together a needs-based financial aid package, so it’s best to apply as soon as possible. Click HERE to go directly to the FAFSA information and application page. Mr. Uphus is available to help and can be reached at suphus@bacards.org.
Seniors: College Scholarship Info: Go to our scholarship page HERE for updated local and national college scholarship offerings. |
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DIVINE MERCY CHURCH & SCHOOL UPDATES
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Register for the Eucharistic Congress here: https://giving.parishsoft.com/App/Form/4cb0329e-b079-490f-a808-16c9d3c1d5b6
Online BA School Calendar:
https://gopherconference.org/public/genie/7/school/7/
Online Faribault Falcons Calendar:
https://big9conference.org/public/genie/4/school/7/
Family Focus 1/5/24
01/10/2024
Kris Sauer
January 2024, 2023-24
Leave a comment
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:6 (Campus Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2023-2024)
January 5, 2024
Dear BA Families:
Happy New Year! It's been a great start to the second semester. Our basketball teams and co-op athletes are kicking their seasons into high gear; next week both our Knowledge Bowl and our Robotics teams have meets; SnoBall (more information below in the HS section) and Catholic Schools Week are on the horizon. It is an exciting time to be a Cardinal!
As January begins, we are looking to next year. Budgets and planning for 2024-2025 have been at the forefront of many conversations over the past few weeks. As we’ve shared, the Board is expected to launch the new leadership search by February. Student enrollment is also a large part of our planning. We are in the process of changing our enrollment system to fully integrate with PowerSchool, providing a more seamless system for enrollment, payments, and academics for our families. Look for re-enrollment and other information around Catholic Schools’ Week. This registration process is important, as it influences our staffing decisions for the next school year. Solid numbers help in our planning. If you are interested in being considered for tuition assistance, get an early start by filling out the TADS application now. Applications submitted by February 23, 2024, qualify for the most scholarship aid. Last year’s tax documents work for this process, 2023 W-2s and current paystubs are also required. Find the TADS application at www.mytads.com; click HERE for more information on all our scholarship and assistance programs. Reach out to Kris Sauer with questions or if you need assistance with this process.
Financial Update: Save the date and plan to join us April 13th for BABS 2024, the 40th Anniversary Ruby Gala! Contact Teresa Lebens if interested in donating, sponsoring, or volunteering for our #1 fundraising event of the year! Our Annual Fund goal is to raise $255,000 for operating expenses not covered by tuition; $175,510 has been donated so far. Consider a gift and help us fund operating and faculty salary expenses not covered by tuition HERE.Here is a look at our schedule for next week:
UPCOMING EVENTS: Click HERE for a copy of the 2023-2024 BA School Calendar.
- Jan. 15: No School, Martin Luther King Day
- Jan. 18: Spelling Bee, Gr 3-8, 8:30am, Van Orsow Auditorium
- Jan. 19: Family Youth Night @ girls basketball game, invite prospective students and families to sign up HERE
- Jan. 22-26: SnoBall Week
- Jan. 24: Post-Prom Dining Night Out at Godfather's
- Jan 26: Family Youth Night @ boys basketball game; family and youth sign up HERE.
- Jan. 27: SnoBall Dance, grades 9-12, 8-11pm, Van Orsow Auditorium, more information in high school section below
- Jan 27: SnoBash parent event, 9-11pm, $20, Faribault Golf Club, see flyer below
- Jan. 28-Feb 3: Catholic Schools Week
- Feb. 4: 11am-1pm Admissions Open House & Tours. Invite a prospective student/family to pre-register HERE.
We are still looking for a kitchen assistant and a host family for a 6th grade boy for next school year. Contact Kris Sauer for more information.
Blessings, The BA Leadership Team
John Wollersheim, Ed Friesen, Brent Zabel, Kris Sauer, Stephen Uphus
Click on individual names to contact a member of the Leadership Team or email the entire team at leadership@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATES
Update from the Nurse's Office: We have added information on current COVID-19 protocols recommended by the MN Department of Health on our website. Click HERE for the latest information.
Rome Pilgrimage June 7-18, 2024: 10 participants needed or trip will cancel! More high school students or adults are needed for our 2024 Pilgrimage to Rome! Highlights of the trip will include St. Peter’s Basilica mass and tour, Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Church of St. Francis, and Michelangelo’s David. Cost for trip is $3,995 which includes airfare, accommodations, transportation in Rome and to Assisi and Florence, as well as most meals. Please contact Ms. Caryn Coller (ccoller@bacards.org) for more details or student permission slip. Find the link to our travel company with more info here: Ciaoromatravel.com.
Yearbook Orders: Multimedia student have been working hard on the 2023-2024 yearbook. If you order by Jan. 26, the price is $69 + tax. Click HERE to order online. Please contact Mrs. Kallie Battles at with questions.
ATHLETICS UPDATESParent Volunteers needed for home basketball games:
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATES
| Post-Prom Planning Meeting: Wednesday, January 10, 5:30pm in the BA Cafeteria. All junior class parents encouraged to attend! | |
SnoBall Dance: The January 27 SnoBall is a girl-ask-boy (Sadie Hawkins) semi-formal dance for students in grades 9-12. Typically, the girls purchase a tie for their date that matches their dress. The girls arrange for a bouquet and boutonniere with a local florist that the boy picks up and pays for the day of the dance. Boys wear a dress shirt (most choose black), tie and nice pants; girls wear a modest semi-formal dress. Couples usually go out to dinner with a group of friends before the dance. Parents and guests gather in the gym at 8:00pm for the Grand March, where participating couples are introduced and the SnoBall Queen is crowned. Usually, the Mother-Son/Father-Daughter dance follows coronation, then parents and guests depart and the dance begins. The dance ends at 11pm. Ticket and non-BA student guest permission slip information will be provided in the next few weeks.
Drivers Training @ BA: Cannon River Driving School is hosting driver's training for interested students the weeks of March 11 and March 18, 2024. Classes will run Monday-Friday from 3:15-6:30pm at BA. Cost $125/student. Registration closes March 8; at least 10 student must enroll to run the course at BA. Register for class and behind the wheel at this link; register for class only here. Contact Denise at deniseruegercmt@yahoo.com with questions.
Senior Parents: FAFSA Now Open! The 2024-2025 FAFSA, the form required for receiving college financial aid, finally opened January 1st with several changes. Mr. Uphus sent your senior a detailed email with information on this process Friday, January 5. You can find this same information on our website HERE. Colleges need this form to put together a needs-based financial aid package, so it’s best to apply as soon as possible. Click HERE to go directly to the FAFSA information and application page. Mr. Uphus is available to help and can be reached at suphus@bacards.org.
Seniors: College Scholarship Info: Go to our scholarship page HERE for updated local and national college scholarship offerings.DIVINE MERCY CHURCH & SCHOOL UPDATES
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Register for the Eucharistic Congress here: https://giving.parishsoft.com/App/Form/4cb0329e-b079-490f-a808-16c9d3c1d5b6
COMMUNITY NEWS
Faribault Soccer Summer Programs: Registration is now open for summer soccer leagues and camp opportunities through Shattuck-St. Mary's. Click here for more information in both English and Spanish.
Online BA School Calendar:
https://gopherconference.org/public/genie/7/school/7/
Online Faribault Falcons Calendar:
https://big9conference.org/public/genie/4/school/7/
Family Focus, 12/21/23
01/04/2024
Kris Sauer
December 2023, 2023-24
Leave a comment
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:6 (Campus Ministry-selected Bible verse for 2023-2024)
December 22, 2023
Dear BA Families:
As we finish this first semester of 2023-2024, we are filled with gratitude for the hard work of our staff and our students.
Throughout this semester, and especially in the last few weeks, our students have demonstrated an increased effort to show compassion, kindness, and a commitment to living out the teachings of Jesus. From special prayers to Red Cross Blood Drives to adopting families in need, your students have lived out our four Dominican pillars of prayer, study, community, and service. Thank you.
Financial Update: Thank you to all who purchased a cash raffle ticket! We reached our goal and sold over 400 tickets. Our Annual Fund goal is to raise $255,000 for operating expenses not covered by tuition; $154,749 has been donated so far. Consider a year end gift and donate HERE.
- Dec. 22-Jan. 3: Christmas Break
- Jan 4, 2024: 1st day of Semester 2
- Jan. 10: Post-Prom meeting, 5:30pm, cafeteria
- Jan. 15: No School, Martin Luther King Day
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A host family is still need for a 6th grade student from South Korea. Please contact Kris Sauer if interested. The student's BA start date will likely shift to August 2024; a monthly stipend and tuition credit provided. |
| Interested in a great part-time job? We are hiring a kitchen assistant starting in January. Click HERE for the job description. |  |
May the blessings of Christmas be with you and your family. We look forward to our continued partnership as we strive to empower our students to achieve personal, spiritual, and academic excellence in 2024!
Blessings, The BA Leadership Team
John Wollersheim, Ed Friesen, Brent Zabel, Kris Sauer, Stephen Uphus
Click on individual names to contact a member of the Leadership Team or email the entire team at leadership@bacards.org
ALL BA UPDATE
Office Hours: Please note that the front office will be closed from December 22 to January 2nd so that front office staff can enjoy the holidays with family. The office will be open from 8am to 3pm on Wednesday, January 3rd and resume regular hours with the return of students to campus on January 4th.
Update from the Nurse's Office: We have added information on current COVID-19 protocols recommended by the MN Department of Health on our website. Click HERE for the latest information.
Rome Pilgrimage June 7-18, 2024: 10 participants needed or trip will cancel! More high school students or adults are needed for our 2024 Pilgrimage to Rome! Highlights of the trip will include St. Peter’s Basilica mass and tour, Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Church of St. Francis, and Michelangelo’s David. Cost for trip is $3,995 which includes airfare, accommodations, transportation in Rome and to Assisi and Florence, as well as most meals. Please contact Ms. Caryn Coller (ccoller@bacards.org) for more details or student permission slip. Find the link to our travel company with more info here: Ciaoromatravel.com.
ATHLETICS UPDATES
Parent Volunteers needed for home basketball games:
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATES
Post-Prom Planning Meeting: Wednesday, January 10, 5:30pm in the BA Cafeteria. All junior class parents encouraged to attend!
Drivers Training @ BA: Cannon River Driving School is hosting driver's training for interested students the weeks of March 11 and March 18, 2024. Classes will run Monday-Friday from 3:15-6:30pm at BA. Cost $125/student. Registration closes March 8; at least 10 student must enroll to run the course at BA. Register for class and behind the wheel at this link; register for class only here. Contact Denise at deniseruegercmt@yahoo.com with questions.
Seniors: College Scholarship Info: Go to our scholarship page HERE for updated local and national college scholarship offerings.
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Register for the Eucharistic Congress here: https://giving.parishsoft.com/App/Form/4cb0329e-b079-490f-a808-16c9d3c1d5b6
COMMUNITY NEWS
Faribault Soccer Summer Programs: Registration is now open for summer soccer leagues and camp opportunities through Shattuck-St. Mary's. Click here for more information in both English and Spanish.
Online BA School Calendar:
https://gopherconference.org/public/genie/7/school/7/
Online Faribault Falcons Calendar:
https://big9conference.org/public/genie/4/school/7/