BECKMAN
NEWS
1325 9TH St. SE
Dyersville, IA 52040
VOL. XLVI, Issue 6
(563) 875-7188 phone
(563) 875-7242-fax
Beckman Website Address:
www.beckman.pvt.k12.ia.us
January 2015
“Love of God. Love of Others” (Mt 22:37, 39) UPCOMING EVENTS
January 20 – March for Life leaves for Washington D.C. January 26 – Course Registration Meeting 6:00 January 25– 31 – Catholic Schools Week January 30 – Academic Awards Assembly FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Happy New Year
May 2015 be a blessed year for you and yours. Here’s hoping for a healthy and faith filled 2015 for all. First semester report cards will be mailed late in the week of January 5 after all grades have been calibrated. School Reach We will continue to use School Reach as a communication tool for our students and families. We hope you have found this beneficial as well. STO The Archdiocese STO goal hopefully will be met. Many have taken advantage of this great tax credit. With the pot being larger this coming year hopefully more Beckman supporters will give to it to increase the amount we can receive. 2015-‐‑2016 Tuition Assistance 1
With the growth of this by the state we anticipate our share growing so, please note this; Tuition assistance for the 2015-‐‑2016 school year will again be available ONLY to those parents who complete an application for the Our Faith, Our Children, Our Future School Tuition Organization. We have other assistance available but if you do not apply for our biggest pot, which is the STO, it gets hard to explain that to the finance committee that decides where this money should go. Applications from families whose students attend Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Dubuque will be processed by an independent company. Families interested in applying for tuition assistance will be able to obtain applications from us here at Beckman beginning late January. I know that several of you hesitate to ask for tuition assistance, but as was the case last year, many members of our community have been incredibly generous in designating Beckman as the recipient of their STO contributions. In short, if the requests from Beckman families do not use up all of the funds designated for Beckman, those funds will be directed to eligible families in other schools throughout the Archdiocese. If your family income falls within these guidelines, I strongly encourage you to apply. If you submitted an application for assistance last year and did not receive as much assistance as you had hoped, please keep in mind that the amount of assistance available is almost doubled this year. Also, if you know of any families who would like to send their children to Beckman Catholic but have not been able to afford it, please let me know and I will get STO information to them. As more information on the application process becomes available, I will forward it to you. Catholic Schools Week Catholic Schools Week is scheduled for January 26-‐‑February 1. This year’s theme is “Catholic Schools a Community of Faith, Knowledge, and Service.” I believe that sums up nicely what Beckman Catholic tries to instill in our students. I appreciate the sacrifices you make to allow your children the opportunity to attend Beckman Catholic and hope to continue my service to you. Please note any activities on our calendar for this week. Host Family Search Once again we are looking for families to host foreign exchange students. There have been many students wanting to come to Beckman if we can find hosts. We do have a local contact; Heidi Wall can place foreign exchange students here next year at Beckman. These foreign exchange students are English speaking, have medical and liability insurance, and have pocket money. Our Board of Ed has agreed to a tuition break for any host families of $500 to make it more attractive to be a host. Please contact me or Heidi if you are interested in this opportunity. 2
Tuition Tax Credit Please remember to take the Iowa Tuition Tax Credit when filing your 2014 Iowa tax return. This tax credit is equal to 25 percent of the first $1,000 of tuition charged at the school for each dependent claimed on the return. Also, we have received a more specific list of what is eligible for state tax credit under the Tuition and Textbook Credit: The cost of the following items is eligible for the credit: o Books: books and other instructional materials used in teaching subjects legally and commonly taught in Iowa’s public elementary and secondary schools, including those needed for extracurricular activities; o Clothing: “non-‐‑street” costumes for a play or special clothing for a concert not suitable for everyday wear; o Driver’s Education: only if paid to the school; o Dues, Fees, and Admissions: includes those paid for extracurricular activities such as activity fees, booster club dues, fees for track and cross-‐‑
country, activity ticket or admission for high school athletic events, fees for a physical education event such as roller skating; o Materials: includes materials for extracurricular activities, such as sporting events, speech activities, musical or dramatic events, awards banquets, homecoming, prom, and other school-‐‑related social events; o Music: rental of musical instruments for school or band, music/instrument lessons at a school, sheet music used in a school, valve oil, cork grease, music books and reeds used in school bands or orchestras; o Shop class and mechanics class: cost of required basic materials; o Shoes: football, soccer and golf shoes; cleats for football shoes; track spike shoes; o Travel: non-‐‑travel fees for field trips if the trip is during school hours; o Uniforms: band, hockey and football uniforms. The cost of the following items is NOT eligible for the credit: o Books: yearbooks; o Clothing: clothes that can be used for street wear, such as T-‐‑shirts for extracurricular events such as track and science; clothing for a play or concert that is suitable for everyday wear; prom dresses and tuxedos; o Dues, Fees, and Admissions: sports-‐‑related socials; special testing such as SAT, PSAT and Iowa talent search tests; o Music: purchase of musical instruments; cost of music lessons outside of school; sheet music for private use; o Shoes: basketball shoes and other shoes suitable for everyday wear; o Travel: travel expenses for trips. If you have any questions about this list, please contact your tax professional. 3
School Closing Due to Weather As you are well aware at this point, Beckman Catholic High School will operate on the Western Dubuque Community School District schedule when winter weather arrives. The decision to close will be made by the Western Dubuque administration prior to 10 p.m. the evening before, if possible, or as early in the morning as a determination can be made so that radio stations can be notified. Please do not call Beckman. At this time we are not planning on using School Reach as a way of communicating weather related changes in our schedule. Watch or listen to any of the following stations: FM 99.3 KDST; AM 1490 or FM 107.5 WDBQ; FM 105.3 KLYV; FM 103.3 WJOD; FM 97.3 KCRG; 92.9 KAT-‐‑FM; 1370 KDTH; AM 1600 KCRG-‐‑TV 9; KWWL-‐‑TV 7;AM 600 or FM 96.5 WMT; FM 108 KFMW; AM 950 OR FM 92.3 KOEL-‐‑FM; FM 95 KMAQ; AM 1400 or FM 100.1; KADR/KCTN; FM 94.7 KMCH. Also, access the websites of any of the above stations for information on school closings. Submitted by Pat Meade, Principal CURRICULUM NEWS
The Office for the Protection of Children Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s), Attached to this newsletter is the fourth of a five part series of parent information publications from the Office for the Protection of Children from the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The purpose of these publications is to help all of us be more informed of the issues and topics related to the abuse of children. It is our sincere hope that by partnering together we can continually provide the safest possible environment for all our young people to grow into healthy, Christ-‐‑filled adults. Additional resources can be found at the Virtues website at www.virtus.org. Driver’s Education class The spring session is open for registration. Go to www.beckman.pvt.k12.ia.us to find the registration form under “School Information”. “Course Guide”. 2015-‐‑2016 Course Guide The course guide will be completed by the end of January. We are working to increase flexibility and greater access to electives. Digital Citizenship We continue to work on digital citizenship with our students. Celebrate My Drive Thank you to all who participated in the Celebrate My Drive sponsored by State Farm Insurance. Beckman received $25,000 by placing in the top 50. This is the second year we have earned this money. The funds will be used for: safe driving 4
through the addition of security cameras in the Beckman parking lot; student services including the addition of water bottle filling stations at two of our water fountains. These are already installed, and the student response to this has been very positive. We are grateful to our stakeholders who continue to rise to the challenge and support the efforts of your Catholic high school. Student Government Students are working on the following: planning for the Celebrate My Drive celebration and upcoming service projects. Submitted by Patricia Lehmann, assistant principal DANGERS OF TEXTING AND DRIVING
All of us enjoy the freedom that driving gives. It provides transportation and makes our lives easier. However, it is extremely important for us to teach our children and young drivers safety while driving – especially how to avoid distracted driving. Texting while driving (TWD) has become a monumental problem. According to federal data, between 2001 and 2007 an estimated 16,000 people in the US died in accidents caused by drivers sending text messages. Especially during these winter months, when snow and poor weather are already distracting enough, it can be fatal for a person to be even more distracted by texting while driving a car. Parents who teach their children why TWD is dangerous can help to save lives. Here are some reasons why talking to your child is so important: • Younger drivers are four times more likely to get in an accident than older drivers. In 2008 there were over 3,400 teens between the ages of 15-‐‑19 who were killed in car crashes in the United States. Because teens are still gaining experience, adding the distraction of texting adds to the risk of getting into a car crash. • Parents Have the Most Influence on their Children. Talking to your child before they ever start driving can help them know your feelings about the issues. You will be able to set rules for family driving behavior and you both will be clear on what is expected. By doing this, you can help to save your child’s life. AS A PARENT: • Set the example! • When you know your teen might be driving, don’t just call to visit. • Before starting the content of a call, ask the teen if she is driving. If she is, tell her to pull over and call her back. • If you need to talk to your teen, make the call short. Don’t have emotional conversations or make critical decisions over the cell phone. Submitted by: Jolene Bagge RN, BSN FFA NEWS
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Trent Westhoff teamed up with MV student Andrew Palmersheim on Friday December 12, 2014 in Ames, Iowa to compete in the Iowa Cattlemens Beef Scholarship Extravaganza. Beef Extravaganza took place on the Iowa State University campus, and 22 teams competed. The scholarship event, which is for students interested in cattle and beef production, involved 70 high school students from around Iowa. They competed for cash scholarship awards for the top four teams that totaled $7,650. Students were challenged at 10 different stations to demonstrate their skills and knowledge. Trent and Andrew of the Maquoketa Valley FFA won third place. The Maquoketa Valley FFA team also won the Seedstock Merchandising division. Scholarship dollars won at the Extravaganza can be used at any university or community college. In addition, if the student will be attending Iowa State University College of Agriculture, Kirkwood Community College, Hawkeye Community College, Muscatine Community College, Des Moines Area Community College or Iowa Lakes Community College, those institutions offer additional matching scholarships to students on the top four teams. Team scores at the 10 different stations were added to determine the winners. Each station tested specific skills and knowledge of the students. Teams scoring the highest number of points at each station were also awarded plaques, which were sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America Submitted by Dawn Mausser, FFA Instructor INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Industrial Tech classes were busy this December getting ready for the Christmas holiday. The senior technology class helped construct a Nativity stable for the Beckman patio. The junior and senior classes had the opportunity to take a field 6
trip to John Deere in Waterloo, where they learned advanced manufacturing processes in Iowa. We are undergoing metal shop renovations to accompany more welders and improved ventilation for the students. Exploratory classes were busy making an array of Christmas gifts. We are excited with the coming of 2015 and the addition of more technology to our shop. We are very thankful for all the material donations we have received, and we can always use more steel for the students to practice their welding on. We appreciate any donations you would have for the up-‐‑coming year. Feel free to contact the Beckman Industrial Technology department if we can help you in any way. [email protected] or 563-‐‑875-‐‑7188 ext. 350. Submitted by Greg Moklestad, Industrial Tech PRESENTATION LANTERN CENTER
On Wednesday December 10th, nine Beckman students and two staff members traveled to the Presentation Lantern Center in Dubuque to tour and visit. Sr. Corine Murray, PBVM shared with the group the purpose and ministry of the center. The following Tuesday, December 16th, five of the nine students from the original visiting group returned to the Lantern Center to serve refreshments, sing carols, and visit with Lantern Center tutors and students. The experience provided attendees with a greater awareness and sensitivity to the struggles those new to our country may face. Submitted by Beth Derr MARCH FOR LIFE
2015 marks our 12th year of having Beckman students representing our school, parishes, and community in Washington, D.C. for the annual March for Life. There have been abortion issues addressed during this government administration that call us more than ever to be a voice for the unborn. We will leave on January 20th and have four buses with students and parental chaperones heading to the March, along with a few other buses with Wahlert, Cedar Rapids Xavier, and Dubuque Mazzuchelli schools joining us. We are blessed with the leadership and shepherding of Fr. Paul Lippstock (with a group from Forest City) and Fr. Ray Atwood as they join us this year.
The twenty-‐‑four 8th grade students attending are: Sydney Arens, Ellie Bildstein, Heather Boeckenstedt, Haley Burlage, Josie Deutmeyer, Shawn Deutmeyer, Claire English, Danielle Goedken, Owen Grover, Grant Hoeger, Patrick Kelly, Daniel Kluesner, Kael Kruse, Jessica Lueken, Leigha Manternach, Maya Osterhaus, Marcus Schneider, Sophia Schuster, Emma Squiers, Sydney Steffen, Matthew Stelken, Shelby Westhoff, Alexis White, and Kylie Willenbring, plus five LaSalle students: Matthew Maiers, Matthew Pothoff, Nicole Schmitt, Parker Schmitt, and Leah Wille. 7
Our eleven high school students attending are: Shannon Burkle, Luke Chapman, Elizabeth Kelly, Kaylee Knipper, Emily Koetz, Kendra Kutsch, Trae Meyer, Jillian Pohland, Katelyn Schmitt, Matt Schmitt, and Justin Wolfe. We again thank all who have given us an opportunity in the community to raise money to help defray the cost of the trip, especially Dyersville Chamber of Commerce (toy shows), Beckman Booster Club, Beckman Gala Committee and all others who have made a donation.
We who participate in this pilgrimage are very proud to represent our schools, our parishes, our communities, and the state of Iowa. Please keep us in your prayers.
Submitted by Emmy Brehm & Mary Kluesner SPEECH TEAM NEWS
Rehearsals for group speech events are well underway. We are preparing events in Ensemble Acting, Improvisation, Choral Reading, Musical Theater and Reader’s Theater. The Group Speech Performance calendar is as follows:
WaMaC Festival – Monday, January 19 @ DeWitt-‐‑Central
District Contest – Saturday, January 24 @ Cascade
State Contest – Saturday, February 7 @ Decorah
Students participating in individual speech events will begin rehearsals within the next couple of weeks.
Junior High students are also beginning a speech unit in English class; all 7th and 8th grade students are invited to enter our Dubuque Area Junior High Speech Meet, hosted by Beckman on Friday, Feb. 28. Please encourage your child to take this opportunity! Speaking with an audience can be tough for any of us, so we hope many students use this as a chance to build their skills for the future.
Submitted by Emmy Brehm
GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT UPDATE
Parent Registration Meeting Parents of high school students (currently in grades 8-‐‑11) are invited to attend an informational meeting on Monday, January 26, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. Information regarding particular course offerings will be presented by the Associate Principal, Mrs. Pat Lehmann and the Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Marilyn Noel. Requirements for graduation, college admissions, and post-‐‑secondary classes will be discussed. As a parent, you may not feel a need to attend this course registration meeting each year. However, we believe that the information is particularly helpful to parents to hear at least once while their student is in high school. 8
(i)Academic Awards Assembly The Academic Awards ceremony will be held on FRIDAY, January 30th at 8:30 am in the auditorium. Parents of students who have earned an academic letter based on their cumulative grade point will receive an invitation. Academic letters are earned using the following criteria: Class
2015,2016,2017,2018
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10
11
12
Cumulative GPA
4.0
3.85
3.7
3.5
Please mark your calendar and plan to attend if your student qualifies. ACT Preparation Classes ACT Practice Test on Monday, March 2nd. (In-‐‑service Day) Practice ACT Test given 8:00-‐‑11:30. No charge for taking this test. Juniors are encouraged to come to school and take a practice ACT Test under conditions that mimic the actual ACT. This is an actual retired test provided by ACT will serve as a pretest. Mrs. Noel will time the test and correct the test with the students at the end of the session. This can serve as a pretest for the students and let them know which skills they need to work on prior to the April Test. Resources for Independent Review The following two websites are excellent online tutorial that students can use to prepare for the ACT. www.Ihaveaplaniowa.gov and www.actstudent.org IOWA COLLEGE GOAL SATURDAY The ICAN (Iowa College Access Network) will host a free event on Saturday, February 21, 2015. ICAN will provide free help completing the FAFSA at the University of Dubuque from 2:00-‐‑
6:00 pm. No appointment is necessary. More information about what you need to bring can be obtained by calling (877)-‐‑272-‐‑4692 or at www.IowaCGS.org. Unites States JCI Senate Foundation
www.usjcisentate.org
1/9/2015
UNI Business Scholarships
Ronald McDonald House Charities
www.uni.edu/finaid/scholarship.shtml
https://aim.applyists.net/RMHC
1/15/2015
1/20/2015
Dubuque Soil & Water Conservation District
www.cdiowa.org/awards.html
1/30/2015
Dubuque Area Labor Management Council Education
completition of educational programs
1/30/2015
Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Monstanto~America Farmer's Grow Ag Leaders
Essay & Recommendation
60 Ag Majors Apply/ FFA.org/scholarships
2/1/2015
2/1/2015
Warren A Morrow Memeorial Scholarship
entering college
2/6/2015
Iowa Newspaper Foundation
www.INAnews.com
2/13/2015
AXA Achievement Scholarships
www.axa-achievement.com
2/15/2015
1st Gateway Credit Union Scholarship
www.1stgateway.org
2/27/2015
DuTrac Academic Scholarship
community college
2/27/2015
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GFWC/Iowa Federations of Women's Club
See Mrs. Noel/several scholarships
3/1/2015
Northeast Iowa District Dietetic Ass Scholar
major in dietetics/food services or Nutrition
3/1/2015
ICAN Outstanding Student Scholarship
www.ICANsucceed.org/scholarships
3/1/2015
ISU Scholarships - President Award
Iowa State FinAidScholar
Iowa Automobile Dealers Foundation
Dubuque County Right to Life, Inc
academic / admissions to ISU
www.financialaid.iastate.edu
automotive related studies
written speech
3/1/2015
3/1/2015
3/2/2015
3/13/2015
American Legion Scholarship
Kirkwood Scholarships
Resides in DBQ or Delaware Counties
reference letters, essay
3/14/2015
3/16/2015
Dale Schroeder Charitable Trust
http://DaleSchroeder.scholarsapply.org
3/20/2015
Hawkeye Community College Schoalrship
Iowa College Access Network
[email protected]
www.ICANsucceed.org/scholarships
4/1/2015
Christian Connector
www.christianconnector.com
University of Iowa Scholarships
AYN Rand Institute
University of Iowa Scholarships
Iowa Credit Union Foundation Scholarship
admissions.uiowa.edu/finances/scholarships
aynrandeducation.org/contests
www.admissions.uiowa.edu/finances/scholarships
www.iowacreditunionfoundation.org
Submitted by Marilyn Noel, Guidance Counselor BAND NEWS
Thanks to the students for a great first semester and I hope we'ʹre all ready for a successful second semester. Pep-‐‑Band season is underway; please make sure to have all the dates on your calendar: Friday, January 9 (Girls vs. Mount Vernon) Friday, January 16 (Boys vs. Solon) Friday, January 30 (Girls vs. West Delaware) Friday, February 6 (Boys vs. Mount Vernon) Friday, February 13 (Boys vs. Benton Community) Playoffs – TBD Congratulations to Jill Pohland who was selected to participate in the Wartburg College Meistersinger Honor Band. Luke Chapman was placed as an Alternate. A concert will be presented on Sunday, February 8th at 3pm in Waverly, IA. 2nd Semester Band Calendar: Saturday, March 14 -‐‑-‐‑ St. Patrick'ʹs Day Parade March 18, 20-‐‑22 -‐‑-‐‑ Guys and Dolls Musical Performances Thursday, March 26 -‐‑-‐‑ Music in Our Schools Month Concert at 7pm Submitted by Kyle Amati, Band Director VOCAL MUSIC DEPARTMENT NEWS
Congratulations to the Beckman vocal students on a spectacular Christmas concert! It was a wonderful way to spread the Joy of Christmas with the 10
Beckman community. As we begin the new year, the high school choirs start preparations for the Fine Arts Night along with State Solo and Ensemble Contests. Many of the vocal students are also members of the spring musical cast which preparation also begins at the start of the second semester.
Students and parents who are planning to go to New York with the music department are reminded that their second payment is due to Mrs. Smith by Friday, January 30th. Upcoming Events:
Fine Arts Night: February 10th
Spring Musical, “Guys & Dolls”: March 20th -‐‑ 22nd Music In Our Schools Month Band & Choir Concert: March 26th State Solo & Ensemble Contest: April 11th
Choral Dessert Concert & Awards: April 27th
Submitted by Krystal Smith, Choir Director FOOD AND NUTRITION DEPARTMENT UPDATE
Did you know that you may apply for free or reduced lunches for your students at anytime during the school year? Keep in mind if you haven’t filled out an Iowa Eligibility Application earlier in the school year you still can. Also if you have experienced a recent decline in income or income projections are below the amount anticipated an application may be submitted to see if your family qualifies. Forms are available on the Beckman website in the Food and Nutrition Department category or you can contact me directly and I will send them to you. All family and financial information is kept confidential. Please see the attached parent letter to view the Federal Income Chart and additional information. The weekly lunch menu can be found on the Beckman home page, under Food and Nutrition Department. Submitted by: Scott Montgomery, Director Food Service
DEVELOPMENT
NCAA March Madness Raffle
March Madness tickets will be available for distribution at the end of next week. Parents needing extra tickets, please contact the Development Office. Remember that tuition credit and valuable prize money can be won through ticket sales.
Auditorium Seats
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Anyone interested in having an auditorium seat named in their honor, or interested in purchasing a seat ‘In Memory of …’ a loved one, there are chairs still available at a cost of $250. Please contact the Development Office for further details. GALA
The date for next fall’s gala has been set; October 17, “The Great Gatsby"ʺ. Alumni
The Development Office is compiling a list of alumni email addresses in an effort to disseminate information more efficiently. If you are not currently receiving information electronically, please send your email address to the Development office ([email protected]). Endowment
The Beckman Catholic Endowment Corporation will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday February 11. Three Board positions are up for election: St. Paul'ʹs, St. Joe'ʹs, and one at-‐‑large. If interested, or have questions about the Endowment, please contact the Development Office, or Endowment Board President Brian Kramer.. Heritage Society You are invited to join the ‘Heritage Society’, by setting up a Planned Gift to the Beckman Endowment. This can be done simply by remembering the Beckman Endowment in your will. You may also become a member by designating Beckman as a beneficiary of a portion of your IRA or Life Insurance policy. Tax time is a good time of year to review your estate plan. Submitted by Tim Pins, Development Director
SCRIP NEWS
We would like to give you a short update on the earnings we have received from SCRIP sales last month for Beckman Catholic families: November SCRIP sales-‐‑$142,035.00 -‐‑Beckman Catholic family earnings for tuition credit-‐‑$973.08 SCRIP New Retailers, by special order only: Neumann’s Bar and Grill, Holy Cross, $10 certificates with a 5% rebate Express is now available on ScripNow! with a 10% rebate. There are many retailers offering bonus rebates. Take a look! 12
www.shopwithscrip.com/Shop/Product/Specials Did you know that a requirement of the Scrip program is that be run predominately by volunteers? Right now, we have 14 Scrip volunteers that inventory, order, and process your Scrip orders. We literally could not do this without them! We offer thanks to these individuals for their commitment to the Scrip program: Ellen Tegeler, Dee McCarraher, Mary Jo Friedman, Ted & JoAnn Deacon, Ron Lawrence, Dave Brunkan, Jan Kramer, Joan Weber, Mary Ann Recker, Sherry Loeffelholz, Norma Tauke, and Mary Lou Kurt. We extend a special thanks to volunteer Scrip Coordinator Beth Gallagher for her dedication to leading this team. We are always looking for more Scrip volunteers to assist this program. Please contact Xavier School if you or someone you know is interested. Submitted by Angela English AFTER PROM NEWS
Post Prom will meet Monday, January 12 @ 7:00pm Beckman Catholic HS Library. We encourage all JR/SR parents to attend. We need help planning Beckman Catholic HS Post Prom. Contact Lori Wessels at 563-‐‑590-‐‑0861 or email at [email protected] or Lisa Westhoff at 563-‐‑543-‐‑5541 Submitted by Lori Wessels BOOSTER CLUB
The Booster Club basketball tournament was very successful. We wouldn'ʹt be able to accomplish these fund raisers without the support of the volunteers! Beckman Catholic Booster Club is sponsoring a Chili Supper Saturday January 24th from 3-‐‑7:30 pm in the commons at Beckman Catholic High School. Menu: Chili, Pizza, Hot Dogs & Cinnamon Roll. Supper held during the Beckman Catholic vs. Cascade High School basketball games: Six games starting at 11:00 am. Thanks for supporting our activities during the past year. The Booster Club continues to look for extra board members. Consider, joining the board. Bring new ideas to help raise money for all activities, Submitted by Jeff Driscoll 13
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