March | 2012In This Issue:1 From the Headmaster

2 From Fr. Tom

3 Literary Week 4&5 Campus Clips

6 Art at the Park 2012

7 CESPA News

The Good News

From the Headmaster...

Mark Your Calendars!

AATP 2012 will host

“Under the Sea”

April 20 th & 21 st, 2012.See page 6

for more information.

We Are All Teachers

I write this article during the Mardi Gras break, a welcomed respite for all of us after the flurry of activities at CES during the month of February. Literary Week has just concluded, and that

wonderful program again this year provided an impressive variety of interesting and meaningful activities for our students. (See page 2). I view Literary Week as the kind of special activity at CES for which we are well known and do exceptionally well. The emphasis is rightly on the academic and the events are kid-oriented, as we attempt to expose our students to prominent writers and their works. The underlying message is that reading is important and that good writing is attainable with hard work and practice. And both reading and writing should be promoted and celebrated. Literary Week also represents for me a meaningful example of the beneficial collaboration of parents and teachers that exists at CES. Beth Tees and her CESPA helpers worked for months in planning and organizing an exceptional Literary Week experience for our students, and we are grateful to them for their efforts.

Mr. Doug Saylor, CES Christian Ed teacher and Athletic Director, delivered the closing presentation of Literary Week. He gave our students and faculty a perspective on his own childhood, about

the goals he set for himself as he grew up, and the obstacles he had to overcome in the process of reaching his goals. Throughout his life, Mr. Saylor would attest, he encountered many wonderful teachers. He told the story of his special relationship with his junior high school basketball coach, Mr. Mytinger, who, in addition to basketball, taught Mr. Saylor how to learn and how to make a plan to reach his dreams. His story has applications for all of us. To achieve anything in life, Mr. Saylor told us, you sometimes have to give up something in order to gain something, you get better at things in small steps, you have to learn the basics before you try to master the advanced stuff. You have to learn to be self-disciplined, to sacrifice, and to work through obstacles. These were the life lessons Mr. Saylor learned from his mentor, Mr. Mytinger . And those lessons were more important, and meant more to Mr. Saylor, than all the skills he acquired as a basketball player, skills which were considerable enough for him to one day earn a starting varsity position as a freshman basketball player at LSU.

But Mr. Saylor’s larger message to the students and teachers assembled in the gym

that day was that he felt immensely fortunate to have known a teacher like Mr. Mytinger. And because of the profound influence of his former coach, Mr. Saylor decided to make it his life’s work to teach younger players just as Mr. Mytinger had taught him. He reminded us that we are all teachers to someone. And, he said, we are all students. Throughout life, we teach and we learn. We learn and we teach. And we all have the enormous responsibility to reach out and help others, just as we all benefit daily from the Mr. Mytingers in our own lives. Mr. Saylor closed this way: “Regardless of what each and every one of you does in this world, nothing is more important, or more special, or more rewarding than being a teacher to someone.” And, yes, he reminded us, we are all teachers.

John Morvant

2 The Good News, Spring 2012

From Fr. Tom...The Ashes of Ash Wednesday: What Do They Mean? To most of us, ashes are just what we see after a fire has burned itself out—perhaps in a fireplace or at a campout. They are “dirty.” They are something our parents don’t want us to get all over ourselves! It hasn’t always been that way. To the people who lived in Old Testament times, ashes had some very important meanings. Abraham once spoke about God in this way: “See how I dare to talk to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes” (Genesis 18:27). Abraham knew that God has no faults and lives forever but that we humans live and die and are far from perfect. And, in those days, people who wished to show they were sorry for their sins sprinkled ashes on themselves. The ashes symbolized their honest admission that they were sinners in contrast to the greatness of God. The ashes reminded people how they really are creatures and how much they need God.

This history and these traditions have led many churches to use ashes on Ash Wednesday as the season of Lent begins. Lent is especially that time when we think hard about the difference between God and us. We think about our bad behavior and bad habits, things we need to stop doing. We think about the good behavior and good habits we need to start doing—the things that will make God glad. The ashes we use in worship on Ash Wednesday are blessed—they are made from the palms of the previous year’s Palm Sunday—and smeared on our foreheads in the shape of the cross. The cross reminds us that Jesus died for all our bad habits and our sins. The priest puts the cross-shaped ashes on our heads with the words: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” We pray that these ashes will start us down the road in Lent to changes in our lives that will prepare us for the new life and the pure joy which Christ brings at Easter.

Keeping LentLent is a time to stop and look at how we can more closely follow Jesus. One helpful way to do this is for children to pick out one “negative” thing to stop doing and one “positive” thing to start doing during these seven weeks. A Lenten “no” helps children see that good things come out of sacrifice and a Lenten “yes” helps children focus on how they can act more in the spirit of Jesus each day: the spirit of respect and love for God and each other.

To begin, talk to your child in a general way about the kind of things that could be a Lenten yes or no. This can involve giving up something, but it can also involve doing something extra. Or both! Give some specific examples from your own life. You need to keep Lent too and you are the most important witness to faith in your own child’s life. Encourage them to participate in this conversation with ideas they might have heard or tried in previous years.

Encourage your child to think of a Lenten “no” and Lenten “yes” for themselves this year, one that will help them be faithful to Jesus’ teachings in the gospels. Here are a few examples:

Read the Bible every day

(use Sunday’s lessons)

Pray twice each day

(use the prayer book)

Lead grace at meals

Help parents with specific chores

Have the whole family turn cell phones

off at 6:00 p.m. on weeknights.

Help an elderly or ill neighbor

Share toys with a sibling

Care for family pets

Give up time or energy doing video games

Set some money aside for the needy

Give up a favorite food

Memorize the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23

Memorize bedtime prayers

Check in with your child each week to see how he/she is doing with their Lenten discipline – not as a critic or enforcer but in order to encourage and affirm. Share with your child how you are doing at keeping your own Lent intention. This is something parents and children can and should work on together.

Fr. Tom Blackmon,Rector Christ Church and School

A DAILY LENTEN GRACE OR BEDTIME PRAYER FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN

Lord, it is Lent. Lent is for quiet.May your stillness settle into the deepest part of who we are.

Lent is for looking inside ourselves.May we look honestly on our own lives and seek continuously for ways to let your light and life shine through us to the world around us.

Lent is for coming back.May we remember that no matter where we go, we are never lost from You, only more and more found.

Lent is for healing.May we honestly bring our hurting and broken parts to you. May we ask for your help as we need it and offer it to others in their need.

Lent is for giving.May we offer from the abundant things you have given us, sharing the fruit of our life and labor with our neighbors.

Lent heralds the coming of Easter.May we, like Jesus, make use of our “wilderness” days and walk joyfully into the dawn of Resurrection when those days are done.

May God keep us in perfect peace; May God remind us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, and that in quietness and trust shall be our strength.

Amen.

3The Good News, Spring 2012

Literary Week 2012...Literary Week is not just a week devoted to books; it is a time to develop a culture of reading and writing at Christ Episcopal School. The theme for Literary Week this year was “Hooked on Books,” but in true Christ Episcopal fashion the activities went beyond just reading books. They included storytelling, illustrating, authorship, college essay writing, oratories, journalism, puppetry, self publishing and more!

Our goal was to expose students to a wide range of writing and artistic genres to inspire in them greater creativity and expression. Among those sharing their talent and passion were author and illustrator Mike Artell, author Lynda Deniger, storyteller Granny Gertie (a.k.a. Jill McGuire), author Timothy Weeks, scientist extraordinaire Jennifer Williams, CES teachers Ruth Siporski, Chris Cobb and Dawn Cox, Shakespearean performers, author Jack Saux, Times Picayune Arts & Entertainment Editor Ann Maloney, self publisher Ellen Gonzalez, Delgado College professors Madeleine Fulwiler and Amanda Jacob, adventurer Chris Cannizzaro, author Augusta Scattergood and 5th grade oratory winners.

A much anticipated part of Literary Week is the Book Exchange. Students were able to trade in old books for “new” ones, with the chance to win prizes. The annual Bookfair at Barnes and Noble was a huge success once again with a few new twists. Students were given the opportunity to participate in a scavenger hunt and create door hangers with the words “Do not disturb, I’m reading.” We were honored to have local authors Alice Couvillon, Elizabeth Moore and Luz-Maria Lopez on hand to sign their books, and a portion of all sales made that night will be donated back to CES.

Literary Week festivities came to a close with an all-school assembly, which kicked-off with Glyn Bailey, accomplished composer, lyricist, performer, bookwriter and father of CES Broadcast News Anchor Gordon Bailey. He recited the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling and discussed the importance of living by a moral code. Following Mr. Bailey, we were privileged to present to the students two published authors “in-residence” right here at Christ Episcopal—Nancy Roniger and Coach Doug Saylor. Mrs. Roniger introduced her book The Duchesses of Paducah and took questions from students regarding her experiences in writing. Coach Saylor delivered an inspiring speech about how he became a successful basketball player by following a dream and using the same process

to write his book, HoopLife. (Both books are still available for purchase through the office.) Before the day ended Read-a-Thon winners were rewarded and participation prizes were given for the Book Exchange, “Literary Games” and the Barnes & Noble Scavenger Hunt.

Each day of Literary Week 2012 lured our students in for new adventures in reading and writing and the arts, setting the anchor for a successful future at Christ Episcopal School.

4The Good News, Spring 2012

Campus Clips.....

Since Grandparents Day 4th grade was hard at work with their popcorn company well into the new year.

Part of service learning in January was aiding in putting a fresh coat of paint on the school barn as well as raising money for the barn’s upkeep.

Mid-December CES was proud to have our first ever school wide Wildcat Spirit Rally. Our entire cheer squad was on hand to lead the event.

December meant that half of the year had come. Box Top winners in Mrs. Dufour’s class were treated to play in a video game trailer from Rolling Video Games of NOLA sponsored by Brown Family Orthodontics.

Science is always fun in Mrs. Vicknair’s class. Here her 5th graders cheer on their monster truck during a very serious experiment.

5 The Good News, Spring 2012

ANNUAL FUND

THANK YOUfor Standing Together

to Celebrate Each Student!

Every gift makes a difference, large or small.

Visit www.christepiscopalschool.

org to see a list of our generous donors to the 2011-2012

Annual Fund, or to make your own gift online.

Donations to the 2011-2012 Annual Fund may be mailed

to the Development Offce, 80 Christwood Blvd., Covington,

LA 70433.

Young 4’s is all about new experiences. The January visit to Insta-Gator Ranch is one of those many experiences. Some enjoyed it more than others.

Service learning this January took place in various forms. Our 6th graders spent the day doing art and reading with little ones from Caritas. They ended the day with a second line into the gym complete with Mardi Gras music and throwing beads.

It is hard to deny the sweetest of 1st grade’s C h r i s t m a s events is the English Tea. S t u d e n t s sit together for a proper tea and are served by volunteers. A big thank you to all our vo l u n t e e r s this year.

Tennis the first week of February would be nuts in other parts of the states. Here in Covington, LA, weather was perfect for Mrs. Dessauer’s high school students to learn tennis. Students got to spend time with tennis pros on a professional court, thanks to Stone Creek.

A King, the fair maidens and noble protectors of the kingdom were just a few in attendance for the Kindergarten Fairytale Follies. The children sang and danced to fairytale songs but being right before Mardi Gras, it was a perfect time for a mambo.

The 100th Day of School was c e l e b r a t e d , January 26th, in many ways, with different projects and activities in every classroom. Maxwell Briggs displayed 100 Lego Minifigures (Lego People) for his 100th Day project. Quite a collection.

6The Good News, Spring 2012

Art at the Park - 2012Exploring Under the Sea, April 20th & 21stDon’t miss a splash of this fun filled weekend with our children! Friday the 20th will kick off with our famous Fun Run, followed by our Box Parade and newly added student Talent Show. Our students always love having their parents take part in this day of exciting and high-energy activities, so come and enjoy all the festivities and a fabulous barbeque lunch provided by the Berrigan family.

MT Noggin will be here to entertain us with fun pop hits, as well as line dancing favorites. Our Talent Show will be MC’d by a surprise guest, offering a time you’ll never forget.

Friday night’s Patron Party will take you to a dream world under the stars and beneath the sea as you arrive to the inviting sounds of Calypso! The night has so very many fun details to it; Champagne Glass Jewelry Pull, live & silent Auction, Fat Tuesday Daiquiris, a fine feast prepared by Chef John Besh and tantalizing desserts by Zoe’s are just some of the events happening this night.

Going once, going twice, “GONE” is what our hot auction items will be this year. Included are items such as a Jazz Fest package of (tickets, poster, and private chauffer), Heidi Bowers Photography Package, Beach Condominium Stay, SkinMedica package featuring a dermabrasion and peel, Crawfish Party at the Tap Room, a full line- up of Shopping for a Day on Magazine Street, many fabulous art work pieces, and much, much more!

Saturday the 21st will roll out its own new tradition as we introduce our Class Performances by CES classes of Young 4’s through 4th Grade.

The AATP Under the Sea Saturday menu will meet all of your seafood cravings… boiled crawfish, fried calamari, oysters, shrimp, fried catfish, jambalaya. Of course there will be something for the meat lovers; the always- great pork sandwiches, hamburgers, and hot dogs. If you have a sweet tooth, we’ve got you covered; cotton candy, snowballs, and all kinds of candy! PJ’s Coffee and Smoothie King will have favorite options available all day!

Raffle tickets are still on sale and will be mailed out with your AATP formal invitation. We are thrilled with the results of our Mardi Gras Raffle Ticket Selling Contest, where Mrs. Mancil’s 3rd grade class and Hunter Hall won for the top selling class and individual student! Thank you all for your participation!

This year we have added a 2nd and 3rd prize to our raffle, so there’s even more to win!

1st Prize: $5,000.00 cash or tuition credit! 2nd Prize: iPad! 3rd Prize: $100 of AATP tickets! Contact Pat Thomson at (504) 952-0163 for information on more raffle tickets.

Our fantastic Children’s Tents will include Message in a Bottle, Hair & Makeup, Finger Casts, Tie Dye T-shirts, Sand Art, Shell Necklaces, Shell Picture Frame Art and so much more!

Children will enjoy a whole slate of “Under the Sea”-style activities: Hamster Balls, Laser Tag, and a Seashell Dig to name just a few. We are thrilled to have the Aqua Van from the Audubon Institute visit with lots of Under the Sea critters to help us explore!

Mrs. Mancil 3rd grade Mardi Gras Rafle Ticket Sales winners enjoy chicken in king cake together in their classroom. congratulations

to Mrs. Mancil’s class.

7 The Good News, Spring 2012

Celebrate Each Student!Donate online now at www.christepiscopalschool.org

CESPA News ...

1 0 0 0Name: ___________________

Address: ___________ ___________________

___________________ Phone: _____________

Grade/Homeroom: ___________________

WIN

NER

NEED

NOT

BE

PRES

ENT

TO W

IN

1 0 0 0

AATP 2012 1ST PRIZE: $5,000

(Cash or Tuit ion Credit*)2ND PRIZE: Apple iPad

3RD PRIZE: 100 AATP Tickets (For Saturday)Drawing: Friday, April 20

Ticket Price: $50.00 *Contingent on an accepted enrol lment contract.

Winner is responsible for al l taxes.

CESPA has been very busy this year.Our 1st Annual Mistletoe Market was a huge success. We had over 40 vendors from our local community. The event was held in our gym. Our mission was to bring local shops and artists to one venue. CESPA is looking forward to next year’s event and making this an annual fundraiser.

Literary Week was filled with lots of excitement for the students. My children are still talking about it. The week could not have happened if it wasn’t for the creativity of parent Beth Tees and her committee.

Art at the Park is just around the corner. This year’s theme is “Under the Sea”. It is sure to be a wonderful event for students and parents. Lots of new and exciting things are planned for this year. A big thanks to Beverly McQuaid and Amy May for all their hard work and dedication to AATP.

Our Apparel Committee is tirelessly selling. We have been seen in carline many times throughout the year. We have displays in the Lower School and Middle School offices. We also have them on our Facebook page which is www.facebook.com/christepiscopalschool then look for Apparel in our photo albums. It’s so nice to see our students showing their school spirit. It was a wonderful sight to see all the red and white at our first pep rally.

In May, we will be planning for Teacher Appreciation Week. CESPA Sunshine committee will be working very hard on different activities to honor our teachers to show them how much we truly appreciate all that they do. CESPA will also be hosting the last event of the year in May to honor our volunteers. Mark your calendars for May 10, 6-8 pm. This will allow parents and staff to visit one last time before school year ends. More details and invitations will be sent out shortly.

Many thanks to all of you who volunteer your time, make donations, and who are so committed to making CES such a special place for our children. Without you many of these things would be impossible.

Needless to say with so much going on we would love to add you as a volunteer for Friday or Saturday (or both)! You can download a volunteer form by contacting Jennifer Wieseneck, Volunteer Chair at 985-788-9376.

There are still a wide variety of sponsorship opportunities available. If you have a business or would personally like to participate as a sponsor, please contact Beverly Crews McQuaid at bevcrew@aol.com, or go to our website, www.artatthepark.org for a sponsorship brochure.

We will keep you updated on AATP via your children’s’ go home folders, our AATP Wednesday Go Home and the Thursday Go Homes for special announcements! Please visit the new AATP Facebook page and LIKE us!

So, Come One, Come All…STUDENTS, PARENTS, ALUMNI, and FRIENDS.

We treasure you and your support!!

Erin Berrigan

Art at the Park Continued...

Beverly Crews McQuaidAATP 2012 Chair

Amy MayAATP 2012 Co-Chair

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: Email:

CES Graduation Year:

High School & Graduation Year:

College & Graduation Year:

What I’m Doing Now:

We really want to hear from you!!! Please cut this out and send it to Christ Episcopal School, 80 Christwood Blvd., Covington, LA 70433, attn: Alison Greffenius. Information may also be emailed to alumni@christepiscopalschool.org. or submitted online at www.christepiscopalschool.org/alumni. Check out CES on Facebook and “Like” us!

Yes, I’m a CES Alum! Here’s what I’m doing now:

80 Christwood BoulevardCovington, LA 70433

(985) 892-9156 Early Childhood Center (ECC)(985) 871-9902 Christwood Boulevard Campus (CBC)

www.christepiscopalschool.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Upcoming Events:

2011-2012 Board of TrusteesAnne BaileyJeff BellRev’d Tom Blackmon, RectorErika Briggs, SecretaryCharlie CaplingerBill ColombJohn DubreuilBert DuvicSteve Croxton

Jill Giberga, Vice-ChairChandra Gordon, ChairMatthew HolzhalbSue Loustalot, CESPA Rep.Jim Miles, TreasurerJohn Morvant, HeadmasterBilly PreauMatthew Wilson

Admission to Christ Episcopal School is open to all qualified students regardless of race, creed or ethnic background.

2011-2012 Board of Trustees

March 20 ECC Class Photos March 22 CBC Class PhotosMarch 23 MS/HS Dance (Grades 6-11)March 30 Habitat Work DayApril 4 - 5 5th Grade CampoutApril 5 K Butterfly BallApril 6-13 Easter Break - No SchoolApril 16-19 SAT and Explore TestingApril 20 Fun Run/Box Parade/ Talent ShowApril 21 Art at the Park -“Under the Sea”April 22- 25 8th Grade Chicago TripApril 23 - May 4 Map TestingApril 27 K Birdhouse Breakfast May 2 K Cinco de MayoMay 8 ECC Art StrollMay 9 7th Grade Cinco de MayoMay 11 Mothers Day LuncheonMay 13 -17 Camp Carolina Back CountryMay 14 Closing EucharistMay 18 7th Grade GraduationMay 23 K CircusMay 24 8th Grade GraduationMay 25 Last Day of School - Noon Dismissal