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Sponsorships for all levels and opportunities are still available!
Platinum ($15,000)
Gold ($10,000)
Silver ($7,500)
Bronze ($5,000)
Green ($2,500)
Become an Angel Sponsor
Your gift will help offset Gala expenses. You’ll be recognized in signage at the Gala in addition to the benefits listed above.
$15,000
The Arts Alliance at Holy Spirit Prep began in 2019 with the vision of a core group of parents, faculty, and administrators who believe that a robust arts program is an essential component of a child’s education. From that belief, the Arts Alliance was founded to support and supplement the pursuit of fine and performing arts within the Holy Spirit Prep community.
Students of families who join the Arts Alliance at any level before December 10 will receive an out-of-uniform day! Out-of-uniform days will be December 11, 2019, for Upper School students and December 13, 2019, for Lower School students. Join now at www.holyspiritprep.org/alliance.
Why are the arts so important? A growing body of research presents compelling evidence connecting student learning in the arts to a wide array of academic and social benefits. Exposure to art education promotes self-directed learning, improves school attendance, and sharpens critical and creative skills. The Brookings Institution, a non-profit public policy organization based in Washington, DC, recently published the results of a broad-based, comprehensive study on the impact of expanded arts opportunities in Houston, Texas public schools. Key findings include:
“We find that a substantial increase in arts educational experiences has remarkable impacts on students’ academic, social, and emotional outcomes. Relative to students assigned to the control group, treatment school students experienced a 3.6 percentage point reduction in disciplinary infractions, an improvement of 13 percent of a standard deviation in standardized writing scores, and an increase of 8 percent of a standard deviation in their compassion for others. In terms of our measure of compassion for others, students who received more arts education experiences are more interested in how other people feel and more likely to want to help people who are treated badly.”
“When we restrict our analysis to elementary schools, which comprised 86 percent of the sample and were the primary target of the program, we also find that increases in arts learning positively and significantly affects students’ school engagement, college aspirations, and their inclinations to draw upon works of art as a means for empathizing with others. In terms of school engagement, students in the treatment group were more likely to agree that schoolwork is enjoyable, makes them think about things in new ways, and that their school offers programs, classes, and activities that keep them interested in school.”
The Arts Alliance exists under the umbrella of Holy Spirit Preparatory School, Inc., a Georgia non-profit corporation. The Arts Alliance supports the work of students and educators at Holy Spirit Prep with funds raised through private individuals and corporate sponsors. The Arts Alliance awards these funds directly to the school’s arts departments through its directed giving and awards programs. Though we are still in our nascent stages as an organization, the Arts Alliance has already awarded grants and directed giving dollars exceeding $12,000 to Holy Spirit Prep programs and initiatives. These charitable dollars translate into direct benefits for all students and faculty as we work to expand opportunities and enhance experiences with the.
So far this school year, the Arts Alliance has funded the following projects:
Additionally, the Arts Alliance, in collaboration with the PVA and faculty, has launched the following programs and initiatives:
We invite you to become a member of, and get involved with, this exciting new initiative at Holy Spirit Prep. To support the arts, visit www.holyspiritprep.org/alliance. You can also reach the Arts Alliance Council via email at artsalliance@holyspiritprep.org.
On behalf of the Arts Alliance Council, we offer our sincere appreciation to our contributors and supporters who are our founding members. Our success is rooted in a strong and growing network of donors, volunteers and an enthusiastic constituency among the faculty and administration, who ultimately implement the vital programming we support. We are pleased to provide you with this update on the good work being done by your donations to the Arts Alliance. We are blessed to have such resounding support among the Holy Spirit Prep community.
Gratefully yours,
The Arts Alliance Council Serena Young, Amy Hillman, Peggy Sayers, Megan Plachy, Clara Olguin, Brian Didier, Patty Turpin
Advent season begins December 2nd! The PVA has secured another season of the beautiful Vermont Advent table wreaths (including candles) and Christmas wreaths for our community. All items can be individually delivered, and our PVA receives a portion of all the sales.
Order Advent and Christmas Wreaths
Ordering is easy. Type in the code word “spirit" and press “enter” twice.
Deadline to Order Christmas Wreaths - December 10
Please support the PVA Christmas Wreath Sale! This is the biggest fundraiser for the PVA, and we cannot be successful without your help.
Your generosity provides scholarships for deserving students who seek an authentically Catholic education. You can direct a portion of your Georgia State tax dollars for a 100% tax credit by applying here. If you would like more information, please email Emily Lyles at elyles@holyspiritprep.org or call at 678-904-2811 x233.
There are so many ways to celebrate the Advent season with Holy Spirit Prep!
Advent Lessons and Carols Thursday, December 5, 6:30pm | Lower School A concert of Christmas hymns interspersed with readings from Scripture chronicling the redemption story from the fall of man to the birth of Christ. Christmas Concert, Pre-K4-4th Grade Wednesday, December 11, 6:30pm | Lower School A concert of Christmas hymns by students in Pre-K4 through 4th grade, including performances by band students. Preschool Christmas Concert Friday, December 20, 9:30am | St. Mary's Chapel On the last day of the semester, the Preschool will perform several holiday songs for parents and guests in St. Mary's Chapel.
Family Advent Night Saturday, December 7, 4:30pm | Lower School A revival of a traditional celebration at HSP, including Mass, dinner, Advent calendar making, and a bonfire for roasting marshmallows. Free. Hosted at the Lower School for all HSP families. rsvp | volunteer
Connections Advent Retreats Tuesday, December 10 | McDonough Hall Connections hosts a women's retreat at two times, once in the morning and again in the evening. The retreat includes testimonies, reflections, rosaries, Mass, and confession. rsvp
Performing Arts Presents A Charlie Brown Christmas December 12- December 14 | Upper School Gym The Upper School hosts three performances of the stage production, A Charlie Brown Christmas! tickets Christmas Eve Mass Tuesday, December 24, 3:00pm | McDonough Hall Monsignor Dillon will celebrate a special Christmas Eve Mass just for HSP families and friends. This early Mass will take place ahead of the church's general Christmas Eve Masses. altar serve
When Thursday, December 5 • 6:30pm-7:30pm Where Lower School Dining Hall
Please join us for Advent Lessons and Carols, a concert of Scripture and song performed by your 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students. Our students have been busy making this event a special gift to you.
Information for Performers On Thursday, December 5, all 5th-7th grade students should arrive to school wearing their concert attire. Students will assemble in the IB building at 5:45pm until the time of the performance. Family and friends are invited to attend the performance, which will be from 6:30pm-7:30pm in the Lower School dining hall. Students will need to be picked up from the dining hall after the performance.
Concert Attire All Participants: Wear dress uniform (girls may wear red hair accessories)
When Saturday, December 7 • 4:30pm-8:30pm Where Lower School
Family Advent Night is a free event hosted at the Lower School for all Holy Spirit Prep families. The traditional celebration will include:
4:30pm Advent Wreath Craft 5:30pm Vigil Mass 6:30pm Posada 7:00pm Dinner 7:30pm Games and Piñata
RSVP for Family Advent Night
RSVP
When Wednesday, December 11, 6:30pm Where Lower School Dining Hall
Information for Performers Students should arrive by 6:00pm and report to their homerooms.
Concert Attire All Participants: Wear Sunday best or nice Christmas clothes.
Please email Ms. Lagomasino at alagomasino@holyspiritprep.org with any questions regarding this event. We look forward to seeing you at the Christmas concert!
Upper School Performing Arts Presents
3 Nights at 7:00pm Thursday, December 12 Friday, December 13 Saturday, December 14
Tickets are now on sale for the Upper School Christmas play. The price is $10 per ticket before the play, and $12 at the door. Students are free!
Get Tickets to A Charlie Brown Christmas
We are now accepting applications for financial assistance for the 2020-21 school year. Please follow the link below for instructions on how to apply for financial assistance. Families who received need-based financial assistance or the GOAL scholarship must complete the financial aid process every year. Instructions for Applying for Financial Aid Deadlines The deadline to complete the Parent’s Financial Statement (PFS) and submit your documentation, including your 2018 tax return, is January 10, 2020. If you do not complete the financial aid process by January 10, 2020, you will forfeit your eligibility for financial aid for the 2020-21 school year. Multi-Household Families Please note that when the parents of a financial aid applicant are divorced, separated, or never married, HSP requires both parents to complete the financial aid process by January 10, 2020. Each parent must use his/her current total household income and assets, including those of a current spouse, if applicable. Should you have any questions or are unable to open the link, please contact Kelly Sickafoose at ksickafoose@holyspiritprep.org.
After all they've come through, it was inspiring to see Olivia Tucker and Kemia Ward sign their letters of intent to play basketball at the college level. Olivia will attend Young Harris College in the fall, and Kemia will be playing for Austin Peay State University.
The signing ceremony was an emotional one. Both players had suffered injuries resulting in surgeries, but the two held strong through it all. "After two knee surgeries, [basketball] was a struggle for [Kemia]," explained Coach Paul Belcher. "She had to learn a different kind of basketball." And, she did. "This girl is a workhorse," continued Coach Paul. "She helped me mold the team to win their first state championship."
When Coach Paul spoke about Olivia, he had to hold back tears. After recovering from a major surgery last year, she came back to the team to work harder than ever. "Her work ethic is why she's signing today," said Coach Paul. "She has a passion for the game, and you won't grow without passion."
Listen to Annual Fund Grandparent Chair Kathleen Magnusson discuss her relationship with her grandson Bradley and why she thinks Holy Spirit Prep is the best school for him.
As a significant piece of the St. Joseph’s Cohort outreach to Appalachian Kentucky, Appalachian Christmas Child helps bring gifts, good cheer, and smiles to the kids of Whitley City in southern Kentucky.
Please help us make Christmas a joyous occasion for this very special group of kids. This year, we are sponsoring 45 children. Please stop by Mr. Radosta’s classroom to pick up a gift form. Each form has a different child and all the information necessary to make Christmas morning a true blessing for them.
Please return the gifts to Mr. Radosta’s room by the end of this week, Friday, December 6. Thank you for helping make Christmas a reality for kids in Kentucky!
The House of Nicaea is once again supporting the Frontline Faith Project, which puts “spiritual strength and support” in the hands of the men and women serving in our armed forces. Your donation gives a deployed service member a much needed boost of inspiration, support, and guidance in the form of an easy-to-carry MP3 player loaded with inspirational Catholic content.
These Frontline Faith MP3 players provide nearly seven hours of spiritual content, especially as it pertains to military service. Catholic content includes a Mass, a “Warrior Rosary,” and prayers written and recited by children. Other programming on the players includes “Centurions of Rome” and presentations made by the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. It also includes two-and-a-half hours of stories about faith in military life, told by troops in their own words, including “The Grunt Padre,” about a priest who ministered to infantry soldiers, and a tale of a soldier who carried the Eucharist into battle.
Because of the severe shortage of chaplains serving our military, troops can go weeks and even months without seeing a Catholic chaplain or receiving the Sacraments. There are over 300,000 Catholic service men and women and less than 300 Catholic chaplains.
How You Can Help These MP3 players cost $24 each. The House of Nicaea students are asking each family to prayerfully consider donating as much as they are able (cash or check payable to Holy Spirit Prep) by this Friday, December 6 so that we can purchase as many MP3 players for our troops as possible. Donations may be handed to your child’s classroom teacher or online.
Make an Online Donation
We thank you for considering supporting such a worthy cause.
The girls varsity basketball team hit the road over Thanksgiving break. They competed in two extremely competitive tournaments - the Insider Exposure Thanksgiving Classic in Jacksonville, Fl, and the BallN Prep Thanksgiving Bash in Huntsville, Al.
With only one substitution available, the girls made the best of their situation and fought until the finish of each game. Their overall record of 1-3 doesn't reflect the amount of passion and effort put in by the team.
When Thursday, December 5 • 1:30pm Where Chastain Park Pool
The varsity and middle school swimming team will be hosting a swim meet for the first time at Chastain Park Pool tomorrow, Thursday, December 5 at 1:30pm. Come out and support our swimmers as they defend their "home turf" tomorrow afternoon!
Both middle school boys and girls basketball teams kicked off their seasons last night, Tuesday, December 3 against the Museum School.
The kickoff continues with two more games at home this week. Come out to support our middle school basketball teams.
Wednesday, December 4 Middle School Basketball vs. The Galloway School Girls, 4:30pm • Boys, 5:30pm Lower School Gym
Thursday, December 5 Middle School Basketball vs. Davis Academy Girls, 4:30pm • Boys, 5:30pm Lower School Gym
On Monday, December 2, the varsity football players and managers gathered for a banquet to celebrate the end of their season. The team and their parents shared stories from the season, and watched a video made by HSP dad David Provost showing photos from almost every game this past season.
Watch the Football Banquet Slideshow
Great job on a great season, and we'll see you boys next fall!
The Cougar Athlete of the Week goes to a student athlete who has stood out to their coach at a game or in practice. Here are the Cougar Athletes of the Week:
Girls Varsity Basketball: Kaela Ward
"Kaela Ward is a special talent on and off the court. Kaela Ward is a humble winner and loser. That’s what makes her special."
Boys Middle School Basketball: Vincent Casal
"He is always encouraging his teammates, and he is a true team player."
Girls Middle School Basketball: Bridget Durham
"Bridget gave her team their first points of the season and played with confidence on offense and defense. She scored 2 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and had 1 assist."
Varsity Cheerleading: Kira Taylor
"From the first football game, Kira has always had a smile on her face on the sideline and when performing routines at pep rallies. She serves as a reminder to the team to enjoy themselves while cheering and smile!"
Middle School Cheerleading: Kate Johnston
"As a 6th grader, Kate has shown maturity at practice - she stays focused and works hard. Because of this, Kate was chosen as the captain for our first basketball game this week!"
Boys Varsity Swim: Andrew Olsen
"This is Andrew's first year as a varsity swimmer, and he is not playing games! Andrew earned himself on the A relay with his 25 second 50 freestyle. Andrew also dropped close to 8 seconds in the 100 backstroke with a final time of 59.11!"
Girls Varsity Swim: Alexa Padilla
"Alexa started her season off with a fast swim. She dropped 3 seconds in the 50 freestyle earning her a final time of 30.04."
Boys Middle School Swim: Alex Klingsoehr
"Alex dropped 5.5 seconds in the 50 free with a final time of 35.33 at the Westminster Invitational. Alex also stuck around until the meet finished to help clean up the team area."
Girls Middle School Swim: Soli Amsalu
"She had a great first meet leading our middle school girls and showing them the ropes on how things work; she embodies all of qualities of a good captain."
Boys 5th Grade Basketball: Tyler Baradel
"Tyler scored 18 out of 21 total points in the last game, including his first 3-pointer of the year."
Boys 4th Grade Basketball: Aaron Summers
"At our last game, Aaron made a number of great passes earning assists and scored his first basket of the season."
Girls 2nd/3rd Grade Basketball: Anna Johnston
"We won our last game 4-2 with a last 10 seconds shot by Anna."
Transform your family into a joyful place where each member experiences life as a gift from God. Catholic husband and wife psychotherapist team, Greg and Lisa Popcak, illustrate how to cultivate holiness in our homes in their book, Discovering God Together.
Research shows again and again that when families openly live and share their faith together, their marriages are stronger, children and parents get along better, and children are less likely to succumb to drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, or negative peer pressure. Join us for this casual book study where we can journey together sharing victories and challenges within our community of understanding parents.
Book Study Leaders and RSVP: Heather Kerutis: hkerutis@holyspiritprep.org Xiomara Pastor: xiopastor@hotmail.com
Book Study Get Togethers Book study meetings will be every Wednesday after drop-off from 8:45am-9:45am at the Preschool.
Purchase Discovering God Together on Amazon
The annual Santa's Secret Store will be open from Monday, December 9-Friday, December 13 at the Lower School! This is a fun time for our kids to shop for gifts and Santa's Helpers will wrap things up so they can be a secret until Christmas! Sign up to help make this year's store a HUGE success! We are also looking for help to set up the store the week before the event.
Volunteer for Santa's Secret Store
The lost and found at the Lower School is overflowing! We will be cleaning it out at the end of this quarter and donating all items that are not claimed. Please stop by the Lower School front office to claim any lost items before the Christmas break.
All of us are born with distinct personality traits that color our understanding, guide our choices, and are a foundation of who we are. Unlock the secret of your child’s personality while getting to know yours as well in reading The Temperament God Gave You by Art and Laraine Bennett. Learn how to guide your child to give the world their best and be the saints God created them to be.
Come and create a community of love and support around you and your parenting. It is not easy and it takes a village. With God as our center, we will build a support community surrounded by the moms you already know and love, to be the parents, spouses, and Christians God calls us to be.
Book Study Leader and RSVP Leyla Lewis: matthew.and.leyla@gmail.com
Book Study Get Togethers The book study will meet on two Wednesdays a month after drop-off at the Lower School in the teacher's lounge. Join us anytime: November 6 • November 20 • December 11 • December 18.
Purchase The Temperant God Gave You on Amazon
When Wednesday, December 11 • After Mass Where Lower School
You are invited to a grade-level coffee and conversation with Mr. Pietrantonio following the 8:15am 6th grade Mass on Wednesday, December 11. This is rescheduled from the original coffee on September 25, which had to be cancelled.
RSVP for the 6th grade coffee
This is an opportunity to speak directly with Mr. Pietrantonio about your Lower School experience, and hear from him on his work this year with our Lower School students.
When Friday, December 13 • 2:00pm Where Upper School
All 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students will watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" at the Upper School at 2:00pm on Friday, December 13. Students will be dismissed from the Upper School, and parents will need to pick students up from the Upper School at 3:00pm.
Please send an email to tsequeira@holyspiritprep.org should your child need to be transported by bus back to the Lower School for ESP.
Hold On to Your Kids tackles one of the most disturbing trends of our time. Children today are looking to their peers for direction—their values, identity, and codes of behavior. This book helps empower parents to be what nature intended: a true source of contact, security, and warmth for their children.
Book Study Leader and RSVP Stephanie Donner: stephanie@donner.com
Book Study Get Togethers The book study will meet two Fridays a month at 9:00am in the Bride's Room of Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Join us anytime: November 8 • November 22 • December 13
Purchase Hold On to Your Kids on Amazon
When Tuesday, December 10 • 6:30pm Where St. Mary's Chapel
Please join us to pray the Rosary for our seniors on Tuesday, December 10 with the 6:00pm Connections Advent Retreat #2 in St Mary’s Chapel. The Rosary will start at apporximately 6:30pm.
We will have extra rosaries and “how to pray the Rosary” guides so all you must bring is yourself! We hope to see you there!
If you are not able to attend but have special intentions you would like for us to offer you may send them to Jackie at jbohling@hsccatl.com.
“The Rosary is my favorite prayer. A marvelous prayer! Marvelous in its simplicity and its depth. In the prayer we repeat many times the words that Virgin Mary heard from the Archangel, and from her kinswoman Elizabeth.” -St John Paul II
When February 7-9, 2020 Where FFA-FCCLA Center, Covington, GA Cost $125
To register complete these 3 simple steps by Friday January 10, 2020. Step 1: Follow this link to an online form indicating your child’s intention to attend the retreat and retreat contract. Step 2: Print out the attached permission form and turn it in to the Campus Ministry office by email or hard copy. See second page for a packing list. Step 3: Follow this link to submit your $125 payment to Holy Spirit Preparatory School.
Feel free to direct any questions to Yvonne Fontaine at yfontaine@holyspiritprep.org.
Kairos is a three day, two night retreat at Georgia FFA-FCCLA Center, 720 FFA FHA Camp Rd, Covington, GA 30014, which is being offered exclusively for Juniors at Holy Spirit Prep.
Kairos, or “God’s time," is a unique and powerful experience that deepens your child’s relationship with their classmates, themselves, and God. The retreat is student-led and features talks given by classmates and staff, large- and small-group discussion, and a variety of prayer experiences. It requires emotional maturity and a desire to grow in faith. Kairos has profoundly impacted both students individually and classes as a whole in other parts of the country. The retreat is fun, memorable, and for many, the highlight of their high school years.
So that you can better understand the impact of Kairos, some of this year’s leaders have submitted the following quotes from their personal experience:
"Kairos was the single most influential trip during all of high school. It gave me the confidence to go out of my comfort zone and slowly change the world." -Jack Bohling
"Kairos was nothing short of life changing. I was able to strengthen my relationship with God and also form some of the closest friendships I have in a matter of days." -William Arnold
"At Kairos, I look forward to getting closer to the juniors and sharing my relationship with Christ through my life experiences. This is going to be a powerful retreat. I hope to see you there!" -Fernanda Banuelos
"Kairos allowed me to strengthen my relationship with Christ and to create long lasting friendships." -Ashley Postell
"Kairos was an unforgettable experience which changed the way I see the world today." -Jesus Anaya
The students who participated in Kairos last year are certain this retreat will have an extraordinary impact on those who attend.
Please take some time with your family to talk and pray about this unique opportunity. The $125 per student cost includes a two-night stay at Georgia FFA-FCCLA Center, seven meals, and the invaluable Kairos experience. (However, we do not want finances to prevent any student from attending. Please indicate on the online form if you would like to work out some payment plan.)
Beloved invites young women to lay a strong foundation for our true identity as beloved daughters of God. God’s love for us is relentless and He calls us to a life of purpose. As we lean into Him, we’ll learn that nothing in our lives is wasted. When we discover who we are in Christ, it makes all the difference in the world!
Beloved is an amazing opportunity for you to gather your tribe and begin the journey to deeper friendships and fruitful truths. Within Beloved you will receive the following: six lessons of Scripture readings, reflections and intentional prayer time, saint stories, space to set personal resolutions and goals, illustrated Bible verses for personal memorization, and space for weekly prayer intentions.
Book Study Leader and RSVP Melissa Olsen: m4olsen@gmail.com
Book Study Get Togethers The book study will meet on Fridays at 9:00am at the Olsen home. The address is 440 Conway Point Drive, Atlanta 30327 (extra parking on East Conway). Join us anytime: November 8 • November 22 • December 5 • December 20 • January 17
Purchase Beloved on Amazon
When Sunday, December 8th, 2019 • 10:00am Where Pinecrest Academy, Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel 955 Peachtree Pkwy, Cumming, GA 30041
This year is the 50th Anniversary of the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi. Join us as we celebrate our Jubilee Celebration on December 8, 2019. We hope many Holy Spirit Prep families are able to come share the joy of our vocation with us. We'll celebrate Mass at 10:00am, followed by a light reception. Hope to see you there!
RSVP for the Jubilee Celebration
Please RSVP by November 20.
If you are unable to attend, or would like to contribute to the celebration, you can support us here.