Chesterton Weekly 11/12/21
“Family is the theatre of the spiritual drama, the place where things happen, especially the things that matter.”
― G.K. Chesterton
In this issue:
The Sophomore Play - Sold Out!
Thanksgiving Food Drive
All Things Gala
Coffee and Conversation
Admissions Application Deadline
Christmas on the Prairie
ILMEA Competition
Office Closed for Thanksgiving Break
Update to the Last Week of School in December
Save the Date
The Sophomore Play - Sold Out!
At this time, we do not have any tickets left for our sophomore class performances of The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood. We are creating a waiting list and putting out a message asking if anyone has a spare ticket. If you have a spare ticket, give us a call. If you need a ticket, give us a call! The show is absolutely hilarious and cleverly endearing. We would love for everyone to see the show!
sophomore parents
We need your help! Please signup to help out at the various performances via our Signup Genius. Just a reminder, signing up to help does not count as a ticket. If you would like to stay and see the show, you must have a ticket. Thank you!!
Thanksgiving Food Drive
We are so excited to announce our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive! Every year we do a food drive with the St. Vincent DePaul food pantry at St. Joseph parish in Downers Grove. Last year was a huge success and we hope to give more every year. Please see the flyer for more details. While this is a house competition, it is firstly a food drive. We are always grateful for any donations and encourage you to give particular consideration to the needs and wants listed on the flyer. We are so appreciative of your generosity!
Need a little more explanation on how the points work? Wondering what a meal or its equivalent is? Essentially, items like a can of soup, which would be a full meal, would equal one item. Items like a box of granola bars, more of a snack and not a meal within itself, would equal one item. Then there are some items, like a can of vegetables, that, while not technically a meal within itself, would count as an item. A box of instant oatmeal would be considered one item rather than considering each packet as an item. Hopefully that all makes sense! If you have any questions about the drive, please talk to the House of Chrysostom prefects, or send Ms. Severance a message.
All Things Gala
RAFFLE
Our first early bird raffle pull is coming up on November 15! All tickets purchased up until 11:59pm on November 14 will be added to the early bird drawing on November 15. You, your family, and friends will not want to miss out on such a great prize! Click on the raffle link below for the early bird prize amounts and all the information you will need.
Raffle Tickets are $100 each. Click here to visit the raffle page. And you can also download and print additional flyers using this PDF file.
Don’t forget that any student who sells four tickets before the first early bird drawing will win a Chick-Fil-A lunch at school to be held at a later date! Check out the raffle incentives for our students and families for a few bonus points and prizes!
Our gala website is live so you can start purchasing tables, sponsorships, and individual event tickets. Find the website here! Today at school, a student from each family received an envelope with raffle flyers, gala information, and more! Please review that information as a family this weekend.
Chesterton is unique in that we do not have fundraising requirements of families. However, we need everyone to play a part in the gala in order for us to hit our goal this year of $360,000. If you love the school, please consider the ways you could pitch in: through selling tickets, donating, finding corporate sponsors, filling or buying a table, or buying an ad in our program book. Thank you!
AUCTION
Mrs. Nawas and the auction committee have launched their efforts and they would love everyone’s help in procuring items for the auction.
Simple, elegant, and successful is always the theme for our auction, and we are aiming for quality over quantity in our baskets! We suggest that families focus their efforts on items that have been successful at raising significant amounts in the past. Here are some examples:
Experiences; e.g., meals with priests or well-known people, tours, weekends away, etc.
Services and memberships
High-end purses and bags
Religious jewelry, prints, and other gifts
Salon gift cards with salon products
High-end spirits or wine
Sporting events tickets
Restaurant gift cards
To see the auction wish list, please visit the new silent auction Signup Genius.
If you would like to procure items, you will need the auction intake form as well as the partner letter to introduce businesses to our event and school. All items turned into the school (they should be turned in at the office, attention “Auction Committee”) must be accompanied by an intake form. For more information on how the committee accepts and organizes items into baskets, please review the intake form.
AD BOOK
Some businesses might also want to buy an ad in our ad book! Please use the ad price form to let them know of the costs. If you’re interested in the back cover or center spread, act fast, because they sell quickly! You can purchase your ad spot here.
Coffee and Conversation
Our last Coffee and Conversation of the semester (boy how time flies) is on December 1 from 8am-9:30am in the Chesterton Room. It will feature one of our founding teachers, the seasoned pros, and you will not want to miss out! Keep your eye out for a RSVP form!
Admissions Application Deadline
This year, our admissions application deadline is earlier than usual and falls on December 31. If you have an eighth grader, please open a new application for your student as soon as possible. And please tell your family and friends to do the same! We have had two very successful and well-attended open houses, and we are expecting to have a waitlist.
The required HSPT (high school placement test) takes place on December 4. In order to sign up for the High School Placement Test, open an application, fill out the parent & student survey, and submit the application fee!
If you have any admissions questions, please visit the admissions page!
Christmas on the Prairie
At Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church in Homer Glen, IL the celebration of the Feast of St. Nicholas, which occurs on December 6th each year, is a venerable tradition. Annunciation parish also has a special reverence for the natural prairie lands of Illinois. Each year, our students have gone and caroled for the celebration, and it’s been a favorite Chesterton tradition. All our students are invited to come to enjoy the event and even do some singing. If you have any questions about joining in the singing, please talk with Mrs. P. Please read below for more information on the day or click this link to go to their website.
In the spirit of the season of gift and joy, Annunciation parish would like to share the gifts of our St. Nicholas tradition and our prairie in our 6th Annual “Christmas on the Prairie” event. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about the true story of the original St. Nicholas and what Christmas on the prairie might have been like for the early settlers.
This indoor/outdoor family event will take place on the Annunciation’s rolling ten acres of restored prairie on Saturday, December 4th from 2pm to 6pm.
Discover the real story of St. Nicholas on the prairie paths
Frontier era Christmas crafts for children
Experience the mystical beauty of a Byzantine Church
Homemade Christmas bake sale items
Visit with St. Nicholas and get a ride on his horse drawn carriage
ILMEA Competition
We are so proud to announce that Mary ‘22, Cassie ‘23, and Maria ‘25 will all be performing in the ILMEA concert this weekend. Mary and Cassie will be singing and Maria will be playing the violin. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they represent our school. Congratulations, ladies! Your hard work has payed off!
Office Closed for Thanksgiving Break
Thanksgiving break is just a week away!! We are excited for a week off to spend time with family and friends. All of our faculty and staff will be off for the week, so please take that into consideration. If there is anything you need to send or request from the faculty or staff please do that this week and give them the proper time to respond. Our school and office will be closed over the break.
Advent Lessons and Carols
Our Advent Lessons and Carols are in about a month! It’s one of our favorite and most beautiful nights of the year. We hope you have ordered your formal wear for your students. If your student needs any alterations, one of our best seamstresses will be on campus in the late afternoon on Wednesday, November 17, to take measurements. A Signup Genius will be created so you can reserve a time. Appointments only take about 5-10 minutes with 3 students at a time with Mrs. Wrobel. Her work is reasonably priced: between $15 and $20 for most alterations. This is just for your choir/gala attire only. Keep your eye on the calendar for the sign-up link!
Update to the Last Week of School in December
As you know by now, Advent Lessons and Carols will be on the night of December 16, 2021. This is a change from our tradition of having it in the first week of December, but we know it will be a festive and joyous way to end the academic semester.
Given this departure from our usual December schedule, the school administration saw fit to reconsider our agenda for the week before Christmas break, and the new schedule is outlined below. Since our Lessons and Carols service will be later in the month, that will allow for time to wrap up other classes earlier, and it will mean that we can dismiss students for the break a day earlier. Please take a few moments to review the schedule and update your own calendars.
These changes are now reflected on the school calendar.
Wednesday, December 15, 2021 - Normal School Schedule
This will be the last full day of classes, and the last day for assessments for first semester.
All-houses will be deep cleaning all of campus from 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Some students may need to leave early for a basketball game after school; we will make arrangements for them to help out with the cleaning during the day on Thursday, Dec. 16.
Thursday, December 16, 2021 – Last Day of School for Students
7:45 a.m. Building Open
8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Convocation at 8:00 a.m. as usual
Christmas Breakfast for students; gift exchange and Christkindl celebration
Lessons and Carols Practice
11:30 am Mass
12:30 p.m. Dismissal of students for Christmas Break
Friday, December 17, 2021
In-Service for Faculty and Staff
Save the Date
11/11-13: Sophomore Play
11/15: First Early Bird Raffle Pull
11/16: University of Dallas Visit
11/22-26: Thanksgiving Break
12/01: Coffee and Conversation
12/10: CV Night - Christmas Movie and Pizza
12/13-16: Christkindl Week
12/16: Advent Lessons and Carols