Articles From October

UPCOMING EVENTS

The month of October brings fun and excitement; haunted houses, Halloween, and cool weather. SHCA has several activities planned this month. The Haunted House is taking place on Sunday October 12th, 12PM-4PM. All grades are welcome, and admission is $2 per person. This event is associated with 7th grade.

The Haunted House will be located outside of St. Helen during the HBLC Columbus Day Festival. On the same day, the Fall Market will also be held. You will be able to pick up your order starting at 11AM. This will also be outside of SHCA during the Columbus Day Festival. Forms were distributed to students in school and can be found online. A variety of desserts and fresh produce will be available for purchase. Cash only.

CHARACTER OF THE MONTH

This year, instead of Student of the Month, we will be celebrating Character of the Month, highlighting the values that shape our school community.

An assembly was held on September 30th to honor those who follow the example of Jesus. At SHCA, we are taught to care for others and support our classmates. For September, the trait was Respect and Kindness.

Faculty Honoree: Mr. Lauto, middle school religion and music teacher.

Congratulations to all the students who won!

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT

Mr. Sauro, our dedicated math teacher, has been part of St. Helen for 11 years.

“I love working at SHCA because I have the most wonderful students to teach each day. They make it a pleasure for me to come to work.” He has a passion for both Math and ELA; Mr. Sauro used to teach literature. “Even though I am also an English teacher, I really do enjoy teaching math and watching my students learn new concepts each day. My favorite topic to teach is Algebra.”

Along with his evident intellect, he is fervent about other things. “I love watching sports and I am a devoted, long-suffering Jets and Mets fan.” He says his favorite authors are Robert Frost and Mitch Albom. Mr. Sauro is a devoted Catholic who brings God’s love to school daily. “As a teacher, that means to serve as a good role model for my students, and to treat others with kindness.”

He prepares all of his students for higher grades, even high school. “Mr. Devanny and I teach the TACHS course for 8th graders, and 8th-grade students are taught new topics in Algebra and Geometry to prepare them for high school.” All in all, Mr. Sauro is a perspicacious teacher who takes knowledge to the next level.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT

Mr. Devanny, our beloved middle school ELA teacher, has been at St. Helen for two years.

“I feel like I’ve been teaching here for ten years because I’ve been so welcomed into this lovely community.” His passion that he shares with his students derives from his love for literature: reading, writing, and conversations.

Mr. Devanny chose this school for our Catholic community, and you would never expect the story behind the reason he is here. “Ironically, way back when I applied, I think I accidentally withdrew my application and realized this about a day later. I emailed the school back apologizing and thought, ‘Yeah, I’ll probably never hear from them now.’ "His favorite sport is hockey–he says it never gets boring. His favorite book is The Secret History by Donna Tartt, an amazing psychological thriller.

Mr. Devanny is not only a heartfelt teacher, but a sagacious one; he builds high-school entrance exam skills into his curriculum. “The way I build these skills in an everyday curriculum is by just assessing what I feel my 8th grade has done well and how I can push them to the next level.” Mr. Devanny’s passion for teaching and his welcoming spirit make him a valued part of the SHCA community.

ALL SAINTS DAY

All Saints Day is an important celebration in the Catholic community. It was first recognized in the 4th century, they performed it by remembering martyrs.

All Saints Day used to be celebrated on May 13th, though Pope Gregory III changed it to November 1st.

On that day, we honor all Catholic saints in remembrance. Following All Saints Day comes All Souls Day, where we celebrate the dead and pray for the deceased.

ELECTIONS

Student Council elections are underway at SHCA! Students in grades 4–8 may run for Class Representative. While 8th graders have the chance to run for President, 7th and 8th graders may also run for Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer.

Speeches are due on October 10th, posters can be displayed starting October 14th, and candidates will present their speeches at the assembly on October 16th. Voting will take place on October 17th, and results will be announced on the same day.

SHORT STORY:

“The English Opening" by Clara Wierzbicki

He rode off into the war, gripping his sword. Whilst he was nervous, his team had the advantage—surprise. Being the first soldier to move, he needed to be furtive. He ran through the empty field, in plain sight. The other team noticed him and surged in his direction.

His friend attempted to save him, though he was too late. A soldier, replete with anger and driven by madness, annihilated him. As he fell to the ground, the brisk zephyr blew against his wound. His horse followed behind him—blocking the soldier from the man’s castle.

His last moments were of his team conquering the others, trapping their ruler.

”Checkmate,” his king said— as he dragged his queen across the board.

CALENDAR

October 6th - Student Rosary Rally

October 8th - Volleyball signup, 7 PM

October 12th - Haunted House and Fall Market

October 13th - Columbus Day, school closed

October 16th - Walkathon at Charles Park, Trimester 1 Progress Report

October 17th - 12:00 PM dismissal, faculty meeting, 4th-8th grade Raven Dance at 7-9 PM

October 18th - 8th grade Confirmation

October 23rd - Walkathon rain date

October 24th - UPK, PK3- Grade 3 Halloween event, Halloween Raffle payment due

October 27th - Children’s Fall Raffle/ Charleston Wrap ends, Spirit Day

October 31st - Halloween, Dress up as your favorite book character, class celebration

November 1st - All Saints Day

November 2nd - All Souls Day

November 3rd - Winter uniform begins

November 4th - PK3, PK4, UPK3/4 Individual and Class photos, K - 8 Class/Club photos

November 7th - First Friday Mass

November 10th - Home Academy meeting 7 PM(virtual)

November 11 - Veterans Day, school closed

November 14th - Adult Card Party

All Tuesdays are Dress Down Days, bring your NUT Cards

Articles From November

FROM THE EDITOR

November calls us to give thanks to our items and the people surrounding us–to recognize the effect they have on us daily. Thanksgiving is a day for us to remember how God blessed us. The word ‘Eucharist’ in Greek means Thanksgiving, meaning that we should always try to thank God for what we have. In 1621, the pilgrims had a feast for their harvest in Plymouth(a settlement in the New England colonies.) Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.

Halloween has passed, and our costumes have been worn. Halloween was significantly impacted by Catholic traditions; the holiday was originally called All Hallows Eve, the night before All Saints Day. The Celts began the tradition of wearing costumes on the day. On Halloween, students dressed up as book characters.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP ELECTION

Student Leadership elections have ended and the results have come out. We would like to congratulate everyone who had the courage to run–especially those who won. The president of the school is Victoria Allen in the 8th grade; the vice-president is Jack DiLeonardo in the 7th grade. Our treasurer is Tommy Gambino in the 7th grade; the secretary is Philip Lavorino in the 7th grade. We would also like to congratulate all of the class representatives from grades 4-8.

CHARACTER OF THE MONTH

The Character of the Month for October was Responsibility–we celebrated those who show the gift of responsibility. People who are responsible do what is right, even when no one is looking. They are hard-working and always try their best no matter what.

Congratulations to those who won!

STUDENT SHORT STORY

The Magic Helmet by Tommy Gambino

Pete lived in a small town in Florida. Although Pete was not the best at baseball, he dreamed of being a baseball star. All of Pete’s family members were big Mets fans,especially his grandmother. Right before she died, Pete’s grandmother gave him a tiny Mets helmet. Just when Pete was on the brink of quitting baseball, the helmet started to glow. He touched the helmet and felt a surge of power. He thought it was a dream, but the next day, he was hitting the ball 500 feet! He eventually was drafted by the Mets, and he always kept the helmet in his pocket. It was Game 7 of the World Series, and the Mets were down by three. Pete got up with the bases loaded. Boom! A walk-off home run! When the announcer asked how he did it, Pete answered, “It was all in the helmet."

ST. HELEN SPOTLIGHT

Mr. Hoffmann has been a stable part of our community since 1986. He is known for his savory cooking. Mr. Hoffmann formerly owned a food truck named Alessandro’s Sausage and Peppers, and now runs a catering business: Alessandro’s Catering. He has workers who assist both him and our school. Mr. Hoffmann has always enjoyed the events our school hosts; “My favorite events are the ones at St Helen. I feel it’s like cooking for my family.” He doesn’t always come to every school event; however, we can recognize him as part of our community. He says that he will be cooking for the upcoming Grinchmas, Christmas Fair, Rosarian Society Breakfast, and hopefully more events.

His passion for cooking has been evident, even from a young age. “I started cooking at a young age and tried to perfect every dish I made. I worked at Joe’s Pizza on Crossbay Blvd and was taught even more from Joe Decandia Sr. When he passed away, myself and my partner took ownership from 2004-2006.” Mr. Hoffmann’s personal favorite dish is his chicken francese; meanwhile, his most popular dishes are his egg rolls, chicken teriyaki over rice, and his Philly cheesesteak hero.

Thanksgiving is coming up, and it is a season to give thanks to everything you have. “With thanksgiving approaching I am proud to be part of a team with Roe Barrella , Allison Abruzzino, and Rebecca Delucia on Home Academy that is working on a plan to boost the canned good drive.” His favorite sports team is the Mets, but they haven’t won a championship since the year his family lived here. “My family has been living here since 1986 which is the last year my favorite sports team won a championship- the Mets.” Mr. Hoffmann’s ardor for cooking has impacted many lives; he is looking forward to working with us more often.

ST. HELEN SPOTLIGHT

Mr. M began his journey at St. Helen six years ago, and he has positively impacted our daily lives. He teaches music to elementary school students and directs the choir. “At the time, I had been directing our church’s children’s choir for many years, and the academy was happy to have a familiar face as part of the faculty.”

He says that St Helen assisted him in his walk with God–singing helped him understand God’s teachings. “ I know it can be hard for the youth to feel motivated to go to church, especially with all the distractions life throws our way, and that’s why I think joining any ministry is a great idea.” The choir gives kids confidence.

Mr. M showed conspicuous interest in music from a young age: eight. By that age, he was learning how to play chords on the piano. He loves what he does, especially seeing his students grow as musicians. Watching his students throw a huge performance for our annual Christmas Pageant enlightens him.

“ I would say the most rewarding part of working here is the Christmas pageant and the most challenging… well… still the Christmas pageant.” Mr. M’s goal for this year is to teach his students how to sing and to love it. “I have to give props to Mr. Lauto for figuring out how to get our middle school to sing as well as they do.”

His personal favorite song that the choir sings is In Christ Alone. “The meaning behind the words is very strong, and I think the choir does a beautiful job conveying the message through their expressive singing.” “I enjoy working at SHCA because of the sense of community I feel. I feel supported by the parents, students, and the administration alike.” Mr. M has conveyed to us the importance of God’s teaching and love through his passion for music.

SAINT LEONARD

On November 6th, we celebrate the feast day of. Saint Leonard of Noblac, who was the patron saint of prisoners, captives, women in labour, and horses. Leonard loved helping people-he had a kind heart. He taught us that small acts of kindness can have a large impact on others. Leonard was invited to live in a monastery, and spent most of his adolescence there.

As he grew older, he journeyed into the forest to lead a quiet life, preaching the gospel. He established a monastery in the woods with others who recognized his gifts. King Clovis I and the queen were traveling through the forest when she began to give birth. Leonard asked the king to pray with him. The next day, both the mother and the baby were safe. This was only one of the tender acts he performed.

His love for helping people made him always available to others–he had converted many people to Christianity. He also received permission from the king to free prisoners he deemed worthy. Leonard died from natural causes. November 6th is the day we celebrate him and his works.

Write your text here...