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To date, we have 52% parent support for the Annual Fund. Please help us reach 100%! Pledge now and pay by June.
Why is my participation in the Annual Fund important? The first question that most outside constituencies ask before making a gift is, "What do your board, staff and parents contribute?" It is so important that we show support from within before we go to outside sources for contributions. Participation in the Annual Fund demonstrates to others that we, as one of the closest groups to the School, support our mission. What better way to motivate other groups to give?
The Annual Fund is the school’s largest and first fundraising priority, which supports resources and educational initiatives for students and faculty not covered by tuition alone. The Annual Fund allows the school to respond to immediate needs and make improvements that directly benefit our children.
The success of our Annual Fund depends on the participation of every member of the school community – parents, grandparents, trustees, faculty, staff, former parents and grandparents, alumni, friends, foundations and corporations. This school year, we aim to raise $535,000 with 100% commitment from our current parents.
Learn more Make your gift Make a Pledge
The 1996 Level $19,960 and higher The Donoghue Level $10,000-$19,959 The Donnellan Level $5,000 - $9,999 The Dillon Level $2,500 - $4,999 The Paraclete Level $1,500-$2,499 The Gold Level $500-$1,499 The Green Level Up to $499
Publix cards are available at the front office of each campus. Just give the card to your cashier at checkout and HSP will receive $250 for every $37,500 spent.
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Holy Spirit Preparatory School when you shop at AmazonSmile. To enroll, go to smile.amazon.com.
Enroll in the Target Charge of Education Program and Target will donate up to 1% of your REDcard purchases to HSP. To enroll go to www.target.com/tcoe.
Mednikow Jewelers has agreed to make a donation to the 20th Annual Spring Gala based on the sales it makes from HSP shoppers in February. Shop anytime in February and let Mednikow know you are with Holy Spirit Prep. Mednikow is located at:
3384 Peachtree Rd NE #100 Atlanta, GA 30326
Click to register
Click here to volunteer! We need your help.
Click here to register
Meg (Fitzpatrick) Duggan, Class of '06, shared a story with us about her recent mission trip to Madagascar. As Meg wrote to us, "service doesn't stop at HSP!" Reprinted from The University of Tennessee Chattanooga blog.
http://blog.utc.edu/news/2016/02/graduate-student-assists-with-anesthesia-in-madagascar/
Meghan Duggan, a senior graduate student in the UTC School of Nursing’s Nurse Anesthesia Program, spent two-weeks aboard a Mercy Ship at the Toamasina Port in Madagascar this past October. She spent the majority of her time aiding in the administration of anesthesia for various surgeries on the ship for the local Madagascar population.
Mercy Ships is a nonprofit organization that hosts a hospital aboard a ship with the mission to “provide lifesaving surgeries for people where medical care is nearly non-existent.” It is a rare opportunity for any student to be invited or allowed to serve aboard the ship, but Duggan applied to accompany UTC Assistant Clinical Professor for the Nurse Anesthesia Program, Ray Alonge, MSN, CRNA, and was accepted. Alonge has volunteered on Mercy Ships for the past 10 years, cultivating a trusting relationship with the organization.
Duggan raised the money for the medical mission trip through a fundraising site and charity events. Several of her fellow graduate students in the program helped her with a bake sale at Erlanger Hospital. Family, friends, professors, local hospital staff, and alum of the program all donated to make the trip possible. The UTC Graduate Student Association contributed funds as well, because Duggan conducted some research as part of the trip.
“It was definitely a community effort. And, my clinical schedule at the hospitals in Chattanooga had to be adjusted. Everyone was really accommodating. I knew I had to represent Chattanooga and UTC well, because in a way, this mission trip was a group effort,” Duggan said.
Duggan’s daily schedule started at about 7:00 A.M. and ended after a case (an individual surgery) was finished, usually by 6:00 P.M., but sometimes as late as 8:00 at night. She was also on-call a couple of nights a week—some of those nights she had to return to the surgery deck at midnight or later for an emergency procedure.
Some of the common surgical procedures Duggan assisted with in an anesthesia assistant capacity included removing maxillofacial tumors. Though they are benign, they can fatally obstruct the airway if not removed. Orthopedic surgeries to correct bone deformities such as severe bow-leggedness were also common. Correcting cleft palates was another frequent surgery performed on the ship. These procedures are not otherwise available to the people of Madagascar—so the Mercy Ship stationed at Port Toamasina fills a glaring medical need, and people travel across the country in hopes of getting medical attention from those on board.
Pre-surgery, Duggan worked with medical translators who aided with informed consent for patients and explained how the anesthesia would work. While there, Duggan took notes about how the pre-surgery intake form that includes a patient’s medical history varies depending on the population you are serving as a medical provider.
“You have to ask questions in medical histories in Madagascar that you might not need to here in the States. Knowing the types of questions to include depending on the culture and environment you’re in is a key component to being a good medical care provider. Right now I’m working on comparing how our typical intake form would be modified for the people in Madagascar,” Duggan said.
Duggan highlighted how the medical team on the ship worked with the resources immediately available. She said one of her favorite aspects of her time in Madagascar was seeing how the healthcare providers on the ship often donated their own blood for patients and were even “on-call” for donating. This is known as a “Walking Blood Bank”. She said she saw people carry their own blood immediately after donating straight to the patient in need. She added “You would never see that in the U.S.—it was very moving to witness.”
“I learned so much,” said Duggan. “Every Wednesday morning we would have anesthesia meetings where I was able to hear about interesting cases and anesthesia-related topics from around the world.”
During her downtime, Duggan studied for her UTC Anesthesia coursework in the library or in the Starbucks on the ship. She will be sharing some of her research and more about the trip at the UTC Graduate Research Symposium on April 14, 2016.
Congratulations to our 2nd grade class, who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time this Monday, February 15. The 2nd grade has been preparing for this all school year, in class and at retreats, with the help of our chaplains, campus ministers, their teachers, and families.
The 2nd grade class is also preparing to receive Holy Communion for the first time on Saturday, May 7.
HSP's Class of 2016 raised $6,125 last Tuesday, February 9, when they hosted Roma!, a night of food, entertainment, and auctions to support the annual class trip to Rome.
This class of seniors, the 11th graduating class from Holy Spirit Prep, also marks the eleventh end-of-year trip to Rome since HSP's first graduating class traveled to Rome in 2006. The excursion functions as a capstone to their learning at HSP, an intense seven-day walking tour through Rome to sites that touch on the students' lessons in theology, history, literature, culture, and art. It is also a final bonding experience for the class before they graduate, a chance to experience something remarkable with peers, some of whom have attended HSP together since Preschool.
The annual pilgrimage to the Holy City comes with its share of costs, and over the last several years, Roma! has emerged as a means to defray those costs. For this Tuesday evening, the class of 2016 gathered contributions of student art to be bid on in a silent art auction; they planned a spaghetti dinner; and most significantly, the class of 2016 recruited students from the Lower and Upper Schools - and employed their own talents - for a two-act lineup of singing and dancing to entertain guests while they ate and perused the auctions.
The most anticipated part of Roma! may be the Senior Servant auction, in which the seniors literally sell themselves off to the audience, mostly other students, to be their servant-for-a-day just before they depart for Rome in May. The seniors offer to buy students' meals, help them with their homework, and otherwise be at their disposal for a day. It is one of the most entertaining and lucrative aspects of the fundraiser.
To make a donation to the senior trip to Rome, please contact Mr. Verlander at mverlander@holyspiritprep.org.
HSP's girls basketball team got the win this Monday night against Bethlehem Christian in the first round of the region championships, 38-24, and will advance to the semi-finals against Loganville on Thursday. The win this Monday night also ensures a first round state tournament appearance next week!
Boys varsity basketball, first in the region, received a bye for the first round of region tournament play.
Make plans to travel to Heritage this Thursday to cheer on both your girls and boys teams, who will play back to back in the second round of the region tournament, boys at 5:30pm and girls at 7:00pm.
With wins on Thursday, both teams will be in the championship games on Friday!
Sign up for the spring season of Little Cougar soccer! Holy Spirit Prep Lower School Field (4820 Long Island Dr.) Pre-K3s and 4s ~ Boys and Girls Saturday mornings 8:45-9:45 starting March 12th:
Register online
March 12 March 19 April 2 April 9 April 16 April 23 Cost: $105.00 (includes the cost of the jersey) Hurry! Registration ends February 22nd.
SAVE THE DATE! 2016 HSP PRESCHOOL BOOK FAIR MARCH 16-18
Mark your calendars! The HSP Preschool Book Fair is coming up March 16-18. Don't miss this opportunity to support the HSP Preschool, add to your child's home library, and stock-up on birthday gifts/Easter basket treats. For more information and a fair schedule, visit:
http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/holyspiritpreppreschool
Congratulations to the contenders in last week's Monsignor Dillon Trivia Bowl, especially champions Joseph Reger and Audrey Kleine! They answered questions on the Sacraments, Scripture, and Theology to win the annual contest.
The annual event challenges students on their theological knowledge, first at the classroom level, where students compete for a place in the trvia bowl. Winners at the classroom level then face off against champions from each grade in a contest overseen by Monsignor Dillon.
The Lower School Science Fair will be held this Thursday, February 18. 5th and 6th grade students will display their projects in the cafeteria from 8:30am-10:00am. Awards will be announced at approximately 9:45am. Be sure to arrive early to ensure you make the awards ceremony!
This Friday, the 3rd grade presents their annual performance of the Famous Americans' Wax Museum! The class will take the cafeteria floor at 8:30am, dressing up as famous Americans, including politicians, athletes, celebrities, and saints. Their performance includes this living wax museum, followed by a stage performance.
During Lent in this Year of Mercy, the Upper School is taking part in a special work of mercy: Catholic Relief Services' Operation Rice Bowl. In doing so, we are tasked with raising awareness of the needs of the world around us through the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting and giving alms.
This week we have kicked off part one: each Upper School family will receive a "rice bowl" to keep in a prominent place in your home this Lent. When you want to buy that Starbucks or fast food you gave up for Lent (fasting!), instead put the money into the rice bowl (almsgiving) and say a quick prayer for the person your gift will benefit. During the last days of school before Easter Break, we will collect the rice bowls and donate the money to Catholic Relief Services.
Click here for more information about Catholic Relief Services and Operation Rice Bowl, including the countries and ways your support can reach many around the world.
Stay tuned next week, for more information on part two of this Lenten Year of Mercy campaign!
Below is a reprint of an email sent to 6th-11th grade families on Monday, February 16.
* * *
Dear Holy Spirit Prep family,
Upper School course registration is now active for the 2016-17 school year. You can complete your registration online in the PlusPortals. It is the school’s goal to have students know their schedule for the 2016-217 school year prior to the last day of school in May.
View instructions on how to access your student’s course registration request form (.pdf)
Help with course registration The school understands that the course registration process can be confusing. If you would like to meet with an administrator to help complete the course registration form, please contact the following administrators to set up a meeting between February 16–February 26.
If a student and/or parent/guardian chooses to meet with an administrator to review course options, please plan on completing the online course registration request form together in the meeting.
Recommendations As in prior years, our Department Chairs have reviewed your student’s transcripts, standardized testing to date, and current grades in their 2015-2016 courses. Department Chairs meet with members of their departments to have an in-depth discussion to decide on the most appropriate placement for each student. Please know these decisions are made with great care and thought from Department Chairs and teachers to set the stage for a successful academic year.
Seeking Accelerated and AP Recommendations If a student requests placement into an Accelerated or AP course for which he/she has not been recommended, the student will be required to meet with the Department Chair (not the teacher of the specific course he/she would like to take). This meeting must occur prior to the student submitting his/her course registration request form online. The Department Chair will make a final decision of approval/denial and provide the student with a recommendation form that the student must in turn provide to the Registrar. If a student does not submit a recommendation form to the Registrar, but still submits their course registration request form online with an Accelerated or AP course for which he/she was not recommended, the student will be denied enrollment into the Accelerated or AP course.
Considering Diploma Options Please be reminded of the two diplomas offered at Holy Spirit Prep– College Prep and Classical. Every high school student will be required to designate which diploma he/she is seeking during the 2016-2017 course registration process.
Review the requirements for the two diplomas
If students/parents or guardians have any questions about the upcoming registration season, please contact the school’s Registrar, Miss Rachel Little, at rlittle@holyspiritprep.org.
We look forward to kicking off the registration process for 2016-2017 this week!
The 9th-12th grade Spring Dance, originally scheduled for Saturday, March 12, has been rescheduled to Saturday, April 9, 7pm-10pm, at the Upper School.
Reminder: all AP order forms are due to Miss Little no later than Friday, February 26. Any order forms submitted after this date will incur a $55 late process fee.
AP order forms were distributed to seniors during January. If you have any questions about AP exams, please contact Miss Little at rlittle@holyspiritprep.org.
The Atlanta Chapter, Georgia Right to Life will hold their Eighth Annual Pro-life Oratory Contest for junior and senior high school students at 6:00 PM on Thursday, February 18th in the Lower Library. The speech is to be on the topic of right to life issues, such as abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, or embryonic stem cell research. It must be 5-7 minutes in length. The winner will receive a $100.00 Prize and will compete in the Georgia Right to Life State Pro-life Oratory contest on Saturday, February 20th, 2016. The second place winner will receive $100.00. Please contact Beth Van de Voorde to sign up.
The following is a reprint of an email sent by Mrs. Sotomayor on Wednesday, 1/27.
The deadline has been shifted from February 19 to February 26 to make sure everyone has time to return the form.
Dear 7th grade families, This spring, the 7th grade class is invited to attend the Skidaway Island/UGA Marine Extension Research Facility along the coast of Georgia. The Skidaway Island 7th grade field trip brings the Life Science class to life as both focus on how organisms interact with one another (ecology), how they came to be (evolution), and the diversity seen amongst species (taxonomy). This field trip is an experiential learning opportunity for students to put into place all of the knowledge gathered in past science classes. Highlights of the trip include a salt marsh study, aquarium exploration with touch tank tour, and a day-long boat excursion to Wassaw Island, a Georgia barrier island. In addition to research (lab and field) based activities, the students will take a trip into historic Savannah on Tuesday night for dinner at Tubby’s Tankhouse and ice cream at Leopold’s (yum!). Leopold’s gets two thumbs up and a big smile from the trip leader, Mr. Radosta.
Submit a permission slip to guarantee your student's spot Once we have a list of students attending, we will send out the trip itinerary and the packing list. All students are encouraged to attend and we hope they will. With this in mind, if you need financial assistance or if you would like to sponsor one of the students (both will be held in confidence), please contact Mr. Radosta (pradosta@holyspiritprep.org) or myself (jsotomayor@holyspiritprep.org).
Highlights of the field trip: Dates: March 20-23, 2016. Bus will depart Upper School at 2:00pm on Sunday, March 20 and return to the Upper School at 3:00pm on Tuesday, March 23 Estimated Cost: $350.00/student (subject to change based on number of students attending) Deadlines: Permission slip (attached) returned to Mrs. Browning by February 26 (this is an update from the original 2/19 deadline). This will guarantee a spot on the trip. Payment is due no later than March 11. Yours in service, Mrs. Sotomayor
Journey of Hope is a special 17-week program for women addressing the unique concerns of divorced Catholics. It offers support and discussion of important issues that arise as the result of a divorce. The strong emphasis on prayer, scripture, the Sacraments and Church teachings leads to healing and a better relationship with Christ.
Meetings will begin on Thursday, February 18th from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. in Meeting Room 1 of the McDonough Hall building. Topics for discussion include: How do I deal with my anger? What does the Church say about divorce? Can I receive the Sacraments? How do I deal with my children? Do I need to let go? Do I have to forgive? Why does God allow divorce to happen? What is an annulment? Am I still a lovable person? Should I date? Does suffering have meaning? And many other important issues. For more information or to register, please contact Paige Mitts at 404-353-7627.
Parenting is tough! Whether it’s the sleep deprivation, the demands of busy schedules, financial concerns, or come what may, parents often experience self-doubt and ask, “Am I doing enough for my child?” Grace makes all the difference and it’s yours for the asking as you meet the challenges of parenting. During this presentation on Sunday, February 21st at 10:00 a.m. in Malta Hall, Dr. MaryGrace Elmgren, HSCC parishioner, mother of twins and local pediatrician, will encourage you as parents to trust the instincts God has given you! Discover the difference between parenting and Christian parenting, and discuss ways of boosting your child’s self esteem through the Gospel! We will also equip you with handy, concrete tips to incorporate faith into your busy family life.
The Lenten Parish Penance Service will be held on Wednesday, February 24th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Church. Experience the power of God’s compassion during this extraordinary Year of Mercy by coming before Him in the sacrament of confession. A number of priests from around the Archdiocese will be on hand to hear confessions. The penance service will follow the Wednesday Night Dinner. Bring your family and friends for an evening of fellowship and forgiveness.
Holy Spirit Church will offer an annulment workshop on Wednesday, February 24th at 7:00 p.m. in McDonough Hall. This session is for separated, divorced, and/or remarried Catholics who have questions about the new annulment process. Staff of the Archdiocese of Atlanta Metropolitan Tribunal will be on hand to facilitate the evening’s activities. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation, and support group resources will also be available. Please RSVP if you are able to attend.
RSVP for the workshop An optional dinner is available at 6:30 p.m. in McDonough Hall prior to the session. The cost for dinner is $10 for adults and $5 for children. There is no charge for the workshop. Childcare is available by advance registration ONLY. We warmly welcome any Catholic who has experienced separation or divorce, no matter how long it has been and regardless of whether they are currently a practicing member of the Catholic Church. For more information, please contact Deacon Mark Mitchell.
Engage in the Lenten season with a special evening of reflection for women. The Lenten reflection, titled "A Woman's Sorrow: Mary as the Model of Redemptive Suffering for All Women," will be led by Fr. Baker on Monday, February 29th from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in McDonough Hall and St. Mary's Chapel. Dr. Albert Ahlstrom and the Traditional Choir will provide a music program to augment Fr. Baker’s reflection. All women are invited to attend. The cost of the dinner is $15. Please RSVP in the Narthex or online by Friday, February 26th.
For current sophomore, junior, and senior boys:
Interested in learning about wilderness survival, first aid, navigation, mountaineering, and horsemanship, then putting all that into practice during a 5-day rugged excursion through the Wyoming mountain ranges this summer? Then check out Adventure Mission Corps.
Adventure Mission Corps (AMC) is founded with the vision of guiding men out of the fold, rekindling their leadership, and igniting their souls. We forget the many blessings and temptations that are around us. The noise does not cease. Especially for those who do not even know it is there. We don’t need more, what we need is men.
Apply to Adventure Mission Corps
After completing their training, candidates for AMC will hike the Wyoming mountain ranges, culminating in a peak ascent by foot. They are expected to participate, pray, play, and persevere. Candidates should be between ages 15-21, able to endure the physical rigors of extended outdoor activity and climate changes, and open to discussing and sharing their faith in a Catholic environment of daily Mass and reflection. Upon conclusion of the mission, successful candidates will be awarded a Certificate of Completion and Virtue Badges, with personal references for resumes. Exemplary performance will be honored with an invitation to return on successive missions to pursue roles as Mission Captains. Adventure Mission Corps, Inc. is an independent 501(c)3 entity, located in Atlanta, Ga. This mission is a partnership with Wyoming Catholic College.
For more information contact: Arturo Merriman, arturomerriman@gmail.com www.adventuremissioncorps.com
Conquest Weekend Camp Sponsored by the Legionaries of Christ.
Download the informational flyer (.PDF)
Interested in complementing the great spiritual formation that your son receives at Holy Spirit Prep? Join us for one of our next Conquest Weekend Camps!
5th and 6th graders: March 4-6 at Camp Hidden Lake in Dahlonega, GA Register 7th and 8th graders: March 11-13 at GA FFA Center in Covington, GA Register
This is a great opportunity for boys from the Atlanta area to spend time with each other in a Christ-centered environment. Boys are invited to grow in their faith and leadership skills.
Dads are welcome to join us! By following the registration link you can also download the permission form.
For more information, contact Father David Barton, LC at dbarton@legionaries.org.