IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL
321 South Metter Avenue
Columbia, Illinois 62236
Michael L. Kish, Principal
(618) 281-5353
[email protected] www.icscolumbia.orq
Teresa Dorshorst, School Board President
[email protected]
CELEBRATING 161 YEARS OF MISSION • COMMUNITY • SERVICE
The mission of Immaculate Conception School is to provide experiences to inspire, challenge,
and nurture the mind, body, and spirit of our students within the framework of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and the tradition of the Catholic Church.
"We are people of joy"
February 27, 2015
Dear Parent, Guardian, Student, Teacher, Friend,
V. 40 #38
LENT Second Sunday---Readings from Genesis and Mark:
“God put Abraham to the test.” And then Jesus gave the ultimate answer. Why we do what we do is based
upon our resurrection from the dead. His transfiguration showed us that “the best is yet to come” and this
should be our Christian mantra. Human nature and human eyes and ears make this hard to understand but it
is our hope and our salvation. Come and hear the story. Poor Isaac! Poor Peter, James, and John! And yet
how lucky they were to be such a major part of history! We will hear the same readings at the National Shrine
of the Immaculate Conception at the noon Mass. Please say a prayer for manageable weather for us. Thanks
to all our chaperons for going and all who donated!
CASIMIR PULASKI Why does Illinois take this holiday? And WHY NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY?
Well: 1) Chicago is the second largest Polish city in the world. 2) Legend has it that Pulaski saved
General George Washington’s life one time. 3) He is a Catholic cavalry hero killed at the Battle of
Savannah. 4) ICS ’15 goes to Mt. Vernon, home of General Washington, that day. Your pick. We are
having school in Arlington, VA. and Washington, D.C. that day!
WELCOME TO SAM CONSTANTINE AND JOHNNY LEBERT who are here working on their Gibault Senior
Project. They are getting Rave Reviews!! Thanks to Mrs. Murphy for supervising them. Sam and Johnny are
loving the mental work-out, your children, recess, and lunch! Both are NHS members at Gibault and came with
a great attitude of service. They have been a blessing! Thanks Sam and Johnny!
REGISTRATION: Immaculate Conception School of Columbia will hold registration for Pre-School, Pre-K,
Kindergarten and new students in grades 1-8 for the 2015-2016 school year on Sunday, March 15, 2015 from
10:00 am until 12:30 pm in the school cafeteria or by appointment. Parents should bring the child's baptismal
certificate if not baptized at Immaculate Conception Parish, the stamped official birth certificate from the
County (not the hospital) and social security number. (We will copy and return it that morning.) Kindergarten
pre-screening dates are April 22nd and 23rd for sign-up. The joy of the Gospels, small class size, outstanding
parent support, and academic rigor add up to an award winning school and an education for life. Check us out
at www.icscolumbia.org. Questions? Need a personal tour? Can’t make that date? Call ICS at 281-5353 or
Mike Kish at 281-7459. Please spread the word!
SPEECH TEAM MEET The ICS Speech Team traveled to St. John the
Baptist Catholic School in Smithton last Saturday, February 21 to compete
in the second meet of the year. Taking perfect scores were Sophie
Spurgeon-"The Bargin"; Isabella Garcia-"The Old Woman and the
Clock"; Mason Babcock and Eli Garcia-"Camp Improv". Taking First Place
were Lucy Settle-"Thoughts During a Boring Sermon"(missed perfect by 4
seconds short);-Caroline Keefe-"God Remembers"; Allison Curry and
Allison Shuler-"Mouse in the House" (10 seconds short); Katie Grawitch"Thoughts during a Boring Sermon"; Jacob Feldker-"Stupid in School"
The ICS Team is coached by Sam Watters and Lucy Hollman.
Speakers and coaches
VFW POST 6504 AND LADIES AUXILIARY COLORING, ESSAY, AND POSTER CONTEST
Winners: Violet McGuire, Sam Bollone, Lauren Madrid, Avery Melliere, Malia Schaffer, Megan
Janson, Ava Schmidt, Owen Haney, Sadie Metz, Audrey Randle, Brooke Heimburger, James
Thebeau, William Sanker, Blake Powers, Hope Pollmann, Reilly Lundberg, Sophia Holobaugh,
Thomas Schaefer, Brian Stark, Audrey Sullivan, Colin Mueth, Caroline Keefe. The awards ceremony
is tonight.
LUMEN CHRISTI AWARD (Light of Christ) from Pack 622 Congratulations to John Bollone, Owen
Dill, John Henry Schulte, and Elliot Romano of our Parish. Scouting builds leaders!
YOUNG AUTHORS
Here are the stars of the pen and pencil!
Write on!
Gus Schmidt
“The Magic Soccer Ball”
Delaney
Glasscock poem “Sisters”
Aubrey Thomas
“‘Dolly Gets Lost”
Henry
Schulte
“The Three Wishes”
Isabella Foutch
“Volt the Dog”
Anna
Haubrich poem
“Horse Sense”
Cole Huebner
“The Skeleton’s Eye”
Noah Newton, Allison Shuler, Delaney Lundberg, Claire Huebner,
and Lucy Settle will be honored at Awards Night. Thanks to Kim
Janson and all our judges who provide another bragging point for our school! How do you know what
you think unless you right it down and study it?
ILLINOIS MATH LEAGUE RESULTS: Top 5 Places on the toughest test in years:
8th grade: John Adams-27, Thomas Young- 23, Jack Sainz- 22, Mason Babcock-21,
Lucas Herrmann- 20 113 Team
7th grade: Spencer Biske-26, Maggie Schulte-20, Ben Traxler-18, Ben Lambert-18, five way tie at 17
Kaylum Furlow, Rob Guetterman, Ryan Gallagher, Mary Wessel, Nick Prindiville 99 Team
6th grade: Jacob Whitworth (5th gr)-20, Kalia Jerkatis-Rose Sippel-Autumn Ramey(5th gr) - 18, Grant
Mathany(5th gr)- 17 91 TEAM
2015 MONROE-RANDOLPH SPELLING BEE Gr. 5-8 Thursday, April 16, at St. Mark School in
Steelville. Good luck to Isabella Garcia, Jack Burke, James Ramette, and Noah Newton who will be
representing ICS at this contest.
Cor Jesu Math Contest Team for March 7: Hannah Janson, Maggie Schulte, Mary Wessel, Jane
Whelan, Lexi Hennes, Katie Grawitch, Marie Prindiville, Lexie Brooks
Rosati-Kain Math Contest Team for March 21: Hannah Janson, Jane Whelan, Mary Wessel,
Maggie Schulte, Zoe Swip, Katie Grawitch, Abby Mathany, Claire Huebner, Lexi Hennes
Box Tops for Education Collection Contest: The Box Tops are counted, and the class that
collected the most is…..the 4th grade! Congratulations!
A huge thank you to all who collected, clipped, glued/taped and turned in Box Tops. Another big
success with a total of 11,571 collected! That’s $1157 for our school! We will be having another
collection contest with a turn-in deadline of May 1st, so keep clipping & saving those dime squares.
Attached is the collection sheet. Students may turn in to their homeroom teacher any time. Do not
glue or tape bonus Box Tops on the collection sheets (they have to be mailed in separately) and
note expiration dates (expired ones do not count). Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated!
TEXAS HOLD’EM TOURNAMENT--- Thanks to all who participated and organized the Texas
Hold'em event this year. Special thanks to Jason Metz, Kevin Schwartz, Matt Herrmann, Brian Estes,
Steve Ward, Brad Kesler and Jason Donjon for all your help. Thanks to Fr. Carl and IC church for
letting us use the garden level. Also thanks to Khoury Pharmacy (Paul Khoury/Carol Basler) for
handling ticket sales and Sybergs Restaurant for helping with the food. After the event we have
close to $5000 to put towards classroom safety improvements recommended by Columbia Police
Department. More specifics on that after we meet with the Police Department. It was a fun night, if
you missed out email me at [email protected] to be sure you are on our email list for future
updates and events. Thanks to President Devin Dalpoas!
CHESS Our next meet will be at Queen of Peace on Saturday, March 7th. The carpool will meet at
the NEW CHURCH parking lot lower level at 8:00. Let Mrs. Herrmann know if you need a ride.
NO CHESS PRACTICE on March 3rd because of the 8th Grade D.C. Trip. Practice for Grades 1-3
will be the following Tues., March 10th. Diocesan Tourney---Sat., March 14 at Blessed Sacrament.
CHESS STORY: To get students' minds in check, more schools are trying
CHESS:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/to-get-students-minds-in-check-moreschools-are-trying/article_2cd631ed-8418-5f6b-b992-a2ba71226218.html
PARENTS & FRIENDS EVENTS March meeting date has been changed to March 16, at 7pm.
Bounce U, March 2 2-3pm - Reservations are full, but we've started a "waitlist" and if we get just a
few more we can book a second room! Let me know ASAP if you've got interested jumpers!
Reminder for all those coming: arrive a little early and wear your socks!
[email protected] or 618.444.6525
ICS Trivia Night - Friday, March 20 at 7pm in the ICS gym, join us for our "Candyland" Trivia
Night! 10 people per table, $12/person in advance or $15/person at the door. Raffles, silent auction,
mulligans, head or tails, table decorating contest, and prizes! It'll be a fun night so reserve your table
before space runs out by contacting Mandy McGuire at [email protected] or 618.558.1350.
See the attached flier for more details.
THANKS TO (Dr.) DAVE BOSER for transplanting our PA board from the cafeteria to the gym! Way
back in 1987, we put a system in the gym and the cafeteria for Bingo overflow. Bingo was already
slowing down and we never held one here indoor except in the class rooms as part of student
Catholic upbringing. Dave brings the stars of the music world to life, providing sound all over the
country. He does the same here!
Dr. Ken Kloess presented dental health to Kindergarten. I think this is his 16th year! PAFARP!
(PARENTS AND FRIENDS AS RESOURCE PEOPLE)
GRANDPA Bill Riley’s grandkids:
Roman: When Dad gets home, I'm telling on you
Logan: When I go to church, I'm telling Jesus on you
Roman: Jesus is dead
Logan: No, he lives in your heart.
(Roman is 7 years old, Logan is 5 years old)
CHASE MOORE has been selected to attend AFJROTC Cadet Leadership Course at Scott Air Force
base in June. It is based on grades and leadership skills we are proud of our ICS grad!!
THE ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE raised $115,000,000 from 15,000,000 people. 30,000 people in
America have ALS with 300 in the St. Louis area. Stephen Hawking has had a form of it for over 50
years. Miracles sometimes take time but always take support!
Gibault Math Contest Thursday, March 12, 2014
The test will consist of 35 multiple-choice questions.
Each correct answer will be worth 1 point---no penalty for guessing.
no calculators---predetermined questions as tiebreakers.
bring at least two #2 pencils and snack money if needed during break.
Awards---top six in each grade level---two divisions of schools (based on enrollment)
attendance prizes---Certificates to all participants.
3:45 Registration 4:15 test 5:30 awards Sign up with Mrs. Weiler.
Please park and enter the building through the front doors on Columbia Avenue.
Sincerely, Carrie Laur, Gibault Math Team Sponsor
COMMUNITY NEWS… On March 11th Riefschneiders will donate a portion of the proceeds to
support the upcoming Art On The Bluff Art Walk set for Sept. 19, 2015.
The Hero911™ Network is a national non-profit organization
comprised of over 18,000 federal, state and local law enforcement
officers that was created to help reduce the police response time to
active shooter incidents in schools and save lives! To help fund
schools that have a hard time funding it, there is a great opportunity to
catch a St. Louis Blues game on Tuesday night, March 10. You will
save $5/ticket if you use the link below to purchase tickets and in return
the non-profit Hero911 Network receives $5 from the St. Louis Blues
for each ticket sold. They must use the promo code HEROES to receive their discount. Go Blues!!!
http://blues.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=101688
AT & T Empoyee Giving Campaign $14.00 Thanks for thinking of us!
FIRST GRADE THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Kaila Jerkatis told me today that tonight she was going to
brush her teeth before she said her prayers because she wanted to have fresh breath when she
talked to God. We have been talking about dental hygiene and the importance of prayer during Lent.
She combined the two topics. Too cute not to share! Thanks Mrs. Neff!
RESEARCH SAYS…One of our grads Brittany Kleinschmidt needs your help. Could you give her a
few minutes please? Research helps us make better decisions. This is one way to thank the
Kleinschmidt Family for the annual daffodil display on Main by our fence!
Dear ICS FAMILY,
My name is Brittany Kleinschmidt, and I am a 2006 graduate of ICS. I'm currently working toward
getting a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics at Saint Louis University. To do this, I need to complete a
research project, and I am hoping to learn more about the dynamics of meal planning and family
meals. I have created a survey that asks questions on basic demographics, meal planning behaviors,
and the structure of family meals. This survey is to be completed by parents of school aged children. I
would really appreciate if you could take a few minutes to answer the questions! Attached is a
document outlining your rights as a participant. Here is the link to the
survey: https://slu.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0uIMSttQN6cYdMh
Thank you for your support! Brittany Kleinschmidt
.
18 of the 55 members of the National Honor Society at Gibault
hail from ICS
New members inducted: Joe Hippisley, Abbie Meyer, Jake Rueter,
Amanda Schmidt, Lauren Schmidt, Monica Shuler, Samantha Vogt.
Already members: Ronnie Becherer, Emma Burns, Olivia Clements,
Kelly Fletcher, Julianna Hollman, Megan Huether, Lizzy Kuerz,
Rachel Kuerz, Claire Mueth, Millie Wolz, Mark Young.
Congratulations and thanks for the hard work!
COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART CABARET Enjoy a
variety of Italian fare and delectable desserts and beverages while being entertained by the CHS
Treble and Mixed Choirs as well as individual acts. Friday & Sat, March 13 & 14 at 7pm (dinner
performances) $25 per ticket, and Sunday March 15th at 2pm (dessert matinee) $12 per ticket.
Performances are at Columbia Middle School. For tickets, please
email [email protected], or Mrs. Sara McGinthy at 618/281-5001, ext 2051.
COSMIC BINGO Sponsored by the Gibault Catholic High School Men’s Club
Proceeds to Support School Improvements
FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015 Gibault Catholic High School Gym
Doors Open at 6:00 PM / Bingo Starts at 7:30 PM
$20.00 Per Person in Advance / $25.00 At The Door
Includes 6 Bingo Cards - Glow Dauber - Glow Hat $5.00 per Additional 6 Cards
For Tickets Contact: Kermit Constantine (618) 939-4681 or Rick Schmidt (618) 939-8514
Gibault High School (618) 939-3883 OVER $1,000 IN CASH PRIZES!
50/50 Raffle - Wheel Barrel of Booze Drawing THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S BINGO!
Drinks Available to Purchase / Bring Your Own Snacks Must Be 18 Years of Age To Attend
Gibault Catholic Welcome Wednesday series continues March 4th, 9 – 11 am. Meet Principal Russ
Hart for coffee and conversation about Gibault Catholic – an area leader in academics, technology,
fine arts and athletics. Tour the campus “live” when classes are in session. RSVP: Pat Herzing
[email protected] or 618.939.3883.
GIBAULT CATHOLIC High School Registration for incoming freshman will take place March 9 and
March 11 from 5 - 8 pm. Please contact Becky Ramlose at 618-939-3883 or
[email protected] to schedule your appointment. Congratulations to our future Hawks!
Grade 2 Biography Parades This week Grade 2 trekked to
Columbia Rehab and Nursing to present their biography
characters and sing a few tunes. We all need heroes. Start
with Jesus Christ and then find some around you or people you
have studied---spouse, Dad and Mom, brothers and sisters,
Zac Epplin, Dr. Millett my favorite college prof, my first grade
teacher Sr. Irmine, my fifth grade teacher- Virginia Healy,
Lincoln, TR, MLK, Jr., Mandela, Pope Francis, Pope John XXIII,
Fr. Ed---Fr. Carl---Fr. Steve Humphrey---Fr. Steve Gira---Fr.
Jansen, YOU!!! I have a ton of them. Heroes teach us how to live…
THE INTERNAL BATTLE FOR OUR SOULS Fr. Ron rolheiser OMI
Two contraries cannot co-exist inside the same subject. Aristotle wrote that and it seems to say the obvious,
something can’t be light and dark at the same time.
However, in terms of what’s happening inside our souls it seems that contraries can indeed co-exist inside the
same subject. At any given moment, inside us, we are a mixture of light and darkness, sincerity and hypocrisy,
selflessness and selfishness, virtue and vice, grace and sin, saint and sinner. As Henri Nouwen used to say:
We want to be great saints, but we also don’t want to miss out on all the sensations that sinners experience.
And so our lives aren’t simple.
We live with both light and darkness side us and for long periods of time, it seems, contraries do co-exist
inside us. Our souls are a battleground where selflessness and selfishness, virtue and sin, vie for dominance.
But eventually one or the other will begin to dominate and work at weeding out the other. That’s why John of
the Cross picks up this philosophical axiom and uses it to teach a key lesson about coming to purity of heart
and purity of intention in our lives. Because contraries cannot co-exist inside us, there’s something vital we
need to do. What?
We need to pray regularly. Contraries cannot co-exist in us so if we sustain genuine prayer in our lives
eventually sincerity will weed out insincerity, selflessness will weed out selfishness, and grace will weed out sin.
If we sustain genuine prayer we will never, long-term, fall into moral rationalization. If we sustain genuine
prayer in our lives we will never grow so blind to our own sin that we will begin to have morally exempt areas in
our lives. Being faithful to prayer will ensure that we will never, long-range, live double lives because what
prayer brings into our lives, a genuine presence of God, will not peacefully co-exist with selfishness, sin,
rationalization, self-delusion, and hypocrisy. Simply put, at some point in our lives, we will either stop praying
or stop our bad behavior. We won’t be able to live with both. Our biggest danger then is to stop praying.
And this advice is eminently practical: We cannot always control how we feel about things. We cannot
always control how we will be tempted. And none of us has the strength to never fall into sin. Our incapacity to
fully actualize ourselves morally leaves us always short of full sanctity. There are things beyond us.
But there is something that we can control, something beyond the wild horses of emotion and temptation.
We are beset by many things, but we can willfully, deliberately, with discipline and resolve, show up regularly to
pray. We can make private prayer a regular discipline in our lives. We can commit ourselves to the habit of
private prayer. And, if we do that, irrespective of the fact that we will have to work through long periods of
dryness and boredom, eventually what that prayer brings into our lives will weed out our bad habits,
rationalization, and sins. Two contraries cannot co-exist inside the same subject. Eventually we will either stop
praying or we will give up our sin and rationalization. Nobody can be praying genuinely on a regular basis and
be blind to his or her own sinfulness.
Our task then is to sustain private prayer as a habit in our lives, even if we have neither the insight nor the
courage to see and address all the double-standards and moral blind-spots in our lives. What comes into our
lives through prayer, often more imperceptible than visible, will eventually weed out (“cauterize”, in John of the
Cross’ words) both our sin and our rationalizations about it.
This is akin to what Ronald Knox once taught about the Eucharist. For him, the Eucharist is the
singular, vital, sustaining ritual within Christian life. Why? Because Knox believed that, as Christians,
we have never really lived up to what Christ asked of us. We have never really loved our enemies,
turned the other cheek, blessed those who cursed us, lived fully just lives, or forgiven those who hurt
us. But we have been, he submits, faithful to Christ in one major way: We have been faithful in
celebrating the Eucharist, to that one command.
Just before he left us, Jesus gave us the Eucharist and asked us to continue celebrating it until he
returned. For two thousand years, awaiting that return, we’ve been faithful in doing that, no matter how
unfaithful we have been in other ways. We have continued to celebrate the Eucharist and, in the end,
more than anything else, that has been the one thing that has called us back, again and again, to
fidelity.
The habit of private prayer will do the same thing for us. Since two contraries cannot co-exist inside the
same subject, eventually either we will stop praying or we will stop sinning and rationalizing. The greatest moral
danger in our lives is that we stop praying!
Transfiguration "Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain apart by
themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white .. Mk 9:2-3
Jesus takes his favored three (P-J-J) up a mountain to share with them who he truly is, to gift them with a glance of
destiny, his, theirs, ours. They see Jesus as he will be after his resurrection, as he will appear to them in the upper room
with his greeting of Peace. They never really understood his predictions that he will suffer and die and they will forget this
blessed moment when it happens. St. Paul also experienced the risen Lord Jesus and he understood and rejoiced. He
assures us that God is for us and nothing can keep us from his love. The banner of the Risen Lord reads: Love is Stronger
than Death! As we live these days of Lent, God keeps reminding us that we are his Beloved and we, too, will be
transfigured.
PARISH NEWS….KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FISH FRIES March 6
March 20
April 3
FROM DIRECTOR OF FAITH FORMATION RUSS PETERSON:
Hello,
The First Communion Parent Session is this coming Tuesday March 3rd at 7:00pm in the Fellowship Hall on
the Garden Level of the Church. Note that the ICS calendar is incorrect. The primary goal of the session is to
empower parents for teaching the Eucharist to their children. We will also address some of the scheduling and
other topics.
The parent meeting is for parents - no children needed; only one parent needed, but both welcome.
The retreat is the Saturday after Easter. The photos are the second Saturday after Easter. The First
Communion is the Second Sunday after Easter.
April 5th Easter
April 11 Retreat - 9:00-noon at church child and one parent
April 18 Photos and Practice - 9:00am at church
April 19 First Communion 11:00am Mass children need to arrive by 10:40am and go to the Fellowship Hall on
the Garden Level.
There will be a cost of @$25.00 for materials being used at the retreat. The group photo is
mandatory. Professional individual photos are available. There will be opportunities for parents to take photos
throughout the church.
With prayers that Jesus is alive in your life. Russ
CARITAS FAMILY SOLUTIONS, formerly Catholic Social Service, is having their annual breakfast at
the Hecker-dome on Saturday, February 28. Free will offering for a great country breakfast and short
program. RSVP by Feb. 18 to Marge Francois at [email protected] or 618-531-4483.
Programs and services benefit Adoption, Counseling, Foster Care, and Pregnancy Care.
AFRICAN CHILDREN’S CHOIR March 9 7:00 PM
No HW Night for those who attend
PRAYERS: Zac Epplin, Erin McKean, Marian Keim, Dan Whelan, Edward Pelker, George Perry, Pat
Weber, Ed Hengel, Josh Ritter, Vince Webb, George Stein, Desiree Frasure, Special Intention
HOW YOU GONNA KEEP ‘EM, DOWN ON THE FARM, NOW THAT THEY’VE SEEN PAREE?
This WW I “doughboy” song (thank you George M. I think), always reminds me of new experiences.
They change us. Going to Washington, D.C., changes us. The world gets smaller. Myths and urban
legends are debunked. And the tour director gusts up to 600 words per minute he is so excited. Trip
#30 is all set to go. Say a prayer that we have accommodating weather, good health, and wellbehaved chaperons! We’ll be praying for you form the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
on Sunday! Time to be transfigured!
Mike Kish
Principal
PS CONFIRMATION RETREAT RESCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY MARCH 15 2:30-7:30
PS Carve your successes in stone. Write your failures in sand. Just try and think of the ones you've
saved.
Band Schedule Week March 2-6
Monday No School
Tuesday
7:15-7:55 Jazz Band
8:55-9:25 6th-8th Clarinet 2
9:25-9:55 6th-8th Trumpet
9:55-10:35 5th Flute and Clarinet
11:05-11:35 4th Flute
11:35-12:05 4th Trumpet
Wednesday
8:05-9:05 Concert Band Full Band
9:05-9:35 Percussion Ensemble
10:35-11:35 Beginning Band Full Band
1:45-2:45 Intermediate Band Full Band
Thursday
7:15-7:55 Jazz Band
8:55-9:25 6th-8th Low Brass
9:25-9:55 6th-8th Percussion
9:55-10:35 5th Saxophone
11:05-11:35 4th Low Brass
11:35-12:05 4th Percussion
Friday
8:05-8:35 5th Trumpet
8:35-9:05 5th Low Brass
9:05-9:35 5th Percussion
10:35-11:05 Jazz Band Sectionals
11:05-11:35 Smart Music Lab