Family Focus 01-24-2025
01/30/2025
Kris Sauer
2024-25, January 2025
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January 24, 2025 - Celebrating our 160th Year!
***Head of School Update from the Board***
The Search Committee has been having ongoing conversations with a top candidate for the Head of School position. We are following a comprehensive process which includes approvals from Dominican Veritas Ministries, our canonical sponsor, as well as Archbishop Hebda. Please pray for all involved as we continue these important discussions. Please reach out to us at employment@bacards.org with any questions. -Beth Dienst, Board Chair and Erin Langenfeld, Head of Search Committee
Dear Parents/Guardians:
Our cold-shortened week was nonetheless spirit-filled as students participated in SnoBall Week themes and activities! Please join us tomorrow night in Van Orsow Auditorium for the 8pm SnoBall Grand March and coronation. Good luck to all our wonderful SnoBall Queen candidates: Brooklyn Becker (Noah Casper), Olivia Glumack (Zander Smith), Taylor Moon (Cole Goodwin), Jocelyn Simones (Peter Schoolmeesters), and Anna Tobin (Declan Chappuis). Guests will be dismissed following the mother-son/father-daughter dance for all SnoBall participants. The dance ends at 11pm. See the flyer below for SnoBash, an adult-only event hosted by junior parents for post-prom.
Looking ahead, we are excited to celebrate our mission and our faith with Catholic Schools' Week activities January 26 through February 2. Click here for the full week's events. Our Mass/field trip/service day for middle and high school students will be held Wednesday, January 29. Field trip permission forms and fees are due Monday, January 27. Click here for a link to information shared in yesterday's parent email. A HUGE thank you for your generous response to our request for donations for our Basilica service project-please bring all donations to the BA front office by Monday, January 27.
Semester 1 report cards were mailed Tuesday, January 21. We are committed to helping all families afford a BA education for their sons and daughters and invite families to fill out a tuition assistance application in TADS found at www.mytads.com to be eligible for needs-based scholarships and aid. Applications must be submitted by February 28 to be eligible for all scholarships, including those sponsored by the Archdiocese. Reminder that families must apply each year for aid; applications do not carry over from year-to-year. Contact Kris Sauer if you have questions or need assistance.
The week ahead:
UPCOMING EVENTS: Click HERE for a copy of the 2024-2025 BA School Calendar
- January 25: SnoBall Dance & Coronation, Grade 9-12, 8pm Grand March in the BA gym
- January 25: SnoBash Post Prom event, 9-11pm, Faribault Golf Club (see flyer below)
- January 26: Bishop Kenney Mass & Reception, 10am DMCC
- January 27-31: Catholic Schools Week (CSW), click HERE for the schedule
- January 27: CSW field trip permission slips & fees due; Basilica service project donations due
- January 29: CSW Mass, field trip, service day Click HERE for info
- February 1: BA-hosted Mass, 4pm, Divine Mercy Catholic Church
- February 2: Admissions Open House, 11am-1pm; click HERE to register for this new student event: help us grow enrollment - encourage interested families to attend!
- February 5: Student of the Month, 7:30am, BA gym
- February 6: Post Prom Dining Night Out, Godfathers
- February 7: NO SCHOOL / Teacher Workday
Continued prayers for those affected by the LA wildfires and for healing, health, and happiness in for our Bethlehem Academy Cardinal family!
With gratitude,
Kris Sauer, Ed Friesen,
Interim Co-Heads of School
.jpg) All are welcome to join us in Van Orsow Auditorium for the 8pm Grand March and SnoBall Queen coronation! |
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Basketball Home Game Volunteers Needed! The basketball season presents many volunteer opportunities. We need volunteers to sell tickets for games and to help with concessions. Visit Volunteer Connection on the school website to learn more about volunteering (now is a good time to check your hours for the year) and how to use the Point app to sign up.
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATE
Jan 25 SnoBall Dance: SnoBall, a girl-ask-boy semi-formal dance for students in grades 9-12, will be held January 25. Traditionally, 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 typically wear a black shirt and pants, girls wear modest cocktail-style dresses. Couples usually go out for pictures and to dinner with a group of friends prior to the dance. Parents and guests gather in Van Orsow Auditorium for the 8:00 p.m. Grand March, where participating couples are introduced and the SnoBall Queen is crowned. The Mother-Son/Father-Daughter dance follows coronation for all SnoBall dance participants. The dance ends at 11pm.
Win a Trip to Washington, DC! 10th and 11th grade students who are Steele-Waseca Cooperative members are invited to apply to win a FREE trip to Washington, D.C. this June! Deadline is February 18, 2025. Click HERE for the application and other information.
Class of 2026 Scholarship Opportunity: The MN Association of Townships invite all current juniors to apply for their $2000 scholarship program. Find the application HERE. Essays, supporting materials, and application must be postmarked by June 1, 2025.
Spring Spanish Trip! Don’t miss out on an incredible Spanish immersion opportunity for your student to attend the immersion weekend at El Lago del Bosque in Bemidji through Concordia Language Villages from March 14–16, 2025! This program offers hands-on cultural and language activities in a fully immersive environment, helping students grow in fluency and confidence. Please email rtondryk@bacards.org if interested! April dates are also available.
Seniors: College Scholarship Info: New college scholarship information has been added to the BA website. Click HERE for details.
DIVINE MERCY CHURCH & SCHOOL UPDATE
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Calendars:
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 01-17-2025
01/21/2025
Kris Sauer
2024-25, January 2025
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January 17, 2025 - Celebrating our 160th Year!
Dear Parents/Guardians:
No school Monday as we celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. Rest up, stay warm, and get ready for the next two week of SnoBall and Catholic Schools Week activities!
SnoBall Week starts Tuesday with dress down themes each day - see below or click here for details. We extend congratulations to our 2025 SnoBall Queen Court: Brooklyn Becker (Noah Casper), Olivia Glumack (Zander Smith), Taylor Moon (Cole Goodwin), Jocelyn Simones (Peter Schoolmeesters), and Anna Tobin (Declan Chappuis)! SnoBall Queen coronation (BA by tradition separately crowns a SnoBall Queen and Homecoming King) follows the 8pm SnoBall Dance Grand March Saturday, January 25 in the BA gym. All are welcome! The high school-only dance concludes at 11pm; SnoBash (see flyer below and via the link above), a post-prom event that night, is open to ALL BA parents and supporters.
Looking ahead, we are excited to celebrate our mission with Catholic Schools' Week activities January 26 through February 2. Click here for the full week's events. Our Mass/field trip/service day for middle and high school students will be held Wednesday, January 29. Field trip permission forms were distributed in homeroom today. Please turn the forms and the fee in by Monday, January 27. Click here for a link to information shared in yesterday's parent email. A HUGE thank you for your generous response to our request for donations for our Basilica service project- we've added a gift card option donation option to the list. Find it at the link above.
Semester 1 report cards will be mailed next week. We were delayed by a glitch in the system. Thank you for your patience. This mailing will also include a flyer with directions on how to access FACTS to retrieve your 2024 tax information as well as information on tuition assistance, enrollment, and upcoming new student events. TADS tuition assistance applications for 2025-2026 are open and can be found at www.mytads.com.
Staffing update: We are excited to announce that we've hired a new evening custodian, Lillian Windsperger. Lillian will start with us on Monday, January 20. Sadly, Jim Beckmann shared with his players last week that he is stepping down as BA's head football coach. We thank Coach Beckmann for his many years of service to BA's football program!
The week ahead:
UPCOMING EVENTS: Click HERE for a copy of the 2024-2025 BA School Calendar
- January 20: NO SCHOOL, MLK federal holiday
- January 21-24: SnoBall Week
- January 25: SnoBall Dance & Coronation, Grade 9-12, 8pm Grand March in the BA gym
- January 25: SnoBash Post Prom event, 9-11pm, Faribault Golf Club (see flyer below)
- January 26: Bishop Kenney Mass & Reception, 10am DMCC
- January 27-31: Catholic Schools Week (CSW), click HERE for the schedule
- January 27: CSW field trip permission slips & fees due; Basilica service project donations due
- January 29: CSW Mass, field trip, service day Click HERE for info
- February 1: BA-hosted Mass, 4pm, Divine Mercy Catholic Church
- February 2: Admissions Open House, 11am-1pm; click HERE to register for this new student event: help us grow enrollment - encourage interested families to attend!
- February 5: Student of the Month, 7:30am, BA gym
- February 6: Post Prom Dining Night Out, Godfathers
- February 7: NO SCHOOL / Teacher Workday
Prayers those affected by the LA wildfires and for healing, health, and happiness in for our Bethlehem Academy Cardinal family!
With gratitude,
Kris Sauer, Ed Friesen,
Interim Co-Heads of School
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Tickets on sale through Wednesday, January 22 during high school lunches. $15/single, $30/couple. Non-BA guests must have a signed permission slip. Form available in the front office and must be turned in by Jan 24. |
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Basketball Home Game Volunteers Needed! The basketball season presents many volunteer opportunities. We need volunteers to sell tickets for games and to help with concessions. Visit Volunteer Connection on the school website to learn more about volunteering (now is a good time to check your hours for the year) and how to use the Point app to sign up.
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATE
Jan 25 SnoBall Dance/Tickets: SnoBall, a girl-ask-boy semi-formal dance for students in grades 9-12, will be held January 25. Ticket sales end Wednesday, January 22 and are $15 each or $30 per couple. Forms to invite a non-BA student to attend the dance may be picked up in the front office and must be returned by January 24. Traditionally, 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 typically wear a black shirt and pants, girls wear modest cocktail-style dresses. Couples usually go out for pictures and to dinner with a group of friends prior to the dance. Parents and guests gather in Van Orsow Auditorium for the 8:00 p.m. Grand March, where participating couples are introduced and the SnoBall Queen is crowned. The Mother-Son/Father-Daughter dance follows coronation; SnoBall begins for the students immediately following the parent dance and ends at 11pm.
Spring Spanish Trip! Don’t miss out on an incredible Spanish immersion opportunity for your student to attend the immersion weekend at El Lago del Bosque in Bemidji through Concordia Language Villages from March 14–16, 2025! This program offers hands-on cultural and language activities in a fully immersive environment, helping students grow in fluency and confidence. Please email rtondryk@bacards.org if interested! April dates are also available.
Seniors: College Scholarship Info: New college scholarship information has been added to the BA website. Click HERE for details.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATE
Wolf Ridge Trip 2025: Unfortunately, we have made the decision to cancel the 8th grade Wolf Ridge Trip scheduled for February 2025. Parents are encouraged to review the email from Mrs. Smisek announcing this decision, and to reach out to her at jsmisek@bacards.org with any questions.
DIVINE MERCY CHURCH & SCHOOL UPDATE
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Former BA Choir Director Emily Cicha is offering lessons. See info below. |
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 1/10/25
01/17/2025
Kris Sauer
2024-25, January 2025
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January 10, 2025 - Celebrating our 160th Year!
Dear Parents/Guardians:
The first week of the semester is complete. It is wonderful to have your sons and daughters back in the building!
Semester 1 report cards will be mailed next week. Please discuss with your son or daughter what went well, what needs attention in the second semester, and how we can help. The mailing will also include a flyer with directions on how to access FACTS to retrieve your 2024 tax information as well as information on tuition assistance (applications for 2025-2026 are open and found at www.mytads.com), enrollment, and upcoming new student events.
The pace will only quicken as we move into January! Middle school students will have winter NWEA MAP testing next week, giving us an opportunity to see how much growth has occurred since the fall. Monday, January 20, is a NO SCHOOL day as we mark the Martin Luther King Holiday. SnoBall Week begins January 21 and the grade 9-12 SnoBall Dance and Queen Coronation takes place Saturday, January 25 - see info in the high school section below; the Grand March is at 8:00 p.m. We finish the month celebrating Catholic Schools’ Week January 26-February 2. Be sure to mark your calendar for our 4:00 p.m. BA school Mass at Divine Mercy Catholic Church on Saturday, February 1st. We will close out the week with our Open House Sunday, February 2 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Last but absolutely not least, we extend our congratulations to newlyweds Christian & Elizabeth Bjornson, who got married over Christmas break!
The week ahead:
UPCOMING EVENTS: Click HERE for a copy of the 2024-2025 BA School Calendar
- January 20: NO SCHOOL, MLK Day
- January 21-24: SnoBall Week
- January 25: SnoBall Dance, Grade 9-12, 8pm Grand March
- January 25: SnoBash Post Prom event, 9-11pm, Faribault Golf Club (see flyer below)
- January 26: Bishop Kenney Mass & Reception, 10am DMCC
- January 27-31: Catholic Schools Week, click HERE for the schedule
- February 1: BA-hosted Mass, 4pm, Divine Mercy Catholic Church
- February 2: Admissions Open House, 11am-1pm; click HERE to register for this new student event
Prayers those affected by the LA wildfires and for healing, health, and happiness in the new year!
With gratitude,
Kris Sauer, Ed Friesen,
Interim Co-Heads of School
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Order Your Yearbook! Your Yearbook Staff is putting together an outstanding book that highlights all students and their activities before, during, and after school. You won’t want to miss the chance for your student to relive this year’s memories forever! Click HERE to place your order.
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Spread the word! All prospective students and youth basketball players are invited to join us for FREE family admission at the girls basketball game January 10 and the boys game January 16. Families should sign up at https://forms.gle/fxeMD6Dui5jKnbpXA |
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HIGH SCHOOL UPDATE
2025 Students for Life Rally: The Archdiocese has invited Catholic high schools to the 2025 Students for Life Rally Jan 22 in St. Paul. BA's Campus Ministry invites interested high school students to sign up in the front office by the end of the day Monday, January 13 to participate.
Jan 25 SnoBall Dance/Tickets: SnoBall, a girl-ask-boy semi-formal dance for students in grades 9-12, will be held January 25. Tickets go on sale Monday, Jan 13 and are $15 each or $30 a couple. Forms to invite a non-BA student to attend the dance may be picked up in the front office. Traditionally, 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. Traditionally, boys wear a black shirt and pants, girls wear modest cocktail-type dresses. Couples usually go out to dinner with a group of friends prior to the dance. Parents and guests gather in Van Orsow Auditorium for the 8:00 p.m. Grand March, where participating couples are introduced and the SnoBall Queen is crowned. The Mother-Son/Father-Daughter dance follows coronation; SnoBall begins for the students immediately following the parent dance.
Spring Spanish Trip! Don’t miss out on an incredible Spanish immersion opportunity for your student to attend the immersion weekend at El Lago del Bosque in Bemidji through Concordia Language Villages from March 14–16, 2025! This program offers hands-on cultural and language activities in a fully immersive environment, helping students grow in fluency and confidence. Please email rtondryk@bacards.org if interested! April dates are also available.
Scrub Club Jan 13: Interested in a surgical career? Faribault Medical Center is hosting a hands-on Scrub Club event January 13 from 5:30-7pm. Scan the QR code in the flyer to register for this great opportunity!
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MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATE
Wolf Ridge Trip 2025: Unfortunately, we have made the decision to cancel the 8th grade Wolf Ridge Trip scheduled for February 2025. Parents are encouraged to review the email from Mrs. Smisek announcing this decision, and to reach out to her at jsmisek@bacards.org with any questions.
DIVINE MERCY CHURCH & SCHOOL UPDATE
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COMMUNITY NEWS
| Former BA Choir Director Emily Cicha is offering lessons. See info below. |
Online BA School Calendar:
https://gopherconference.org/public/genie/7/school/7/
Online Faribault Falcons Calendar:
https://big9conference.org/public/genie/4/school/7/