Chesterton Weekly 01/07/2022
“The wise man will follow a star, low and large and fierce in the heavens, but the nearer he comes to it the smaller and smaller it will grow, till he finds it the humble lantern over some little inn or stable.”
- G.K. Chesterton
In this Issue:
Thank you—from our faculty and staff!
Welcome Back - a note from our Headmaster
Introducing our newest team member - Ms. Bethany Purpura!
Gala Updates
The Chicago March for Life
Parent Supper Club - Date changed from the 15th to the 29th
Wyoming Catholic College Visit - this Tuesday
Mass Intentions
Pop-up Shop Items
Save the Dates
Thank you from the faculty & staff!
Thank you, Chesterton families, for joining our founders and board members in providing for very generous faculty and staff appreciation gifts at Christmas. We are honored that you have chosen Chesterton for your students, and we are so grateful for your consideration of our teachers and staff this holiday season. We also thank families who brought us various treats in December; we greatly enjoyed them, and they sustained us through that busy time.
We wish you a very happy new year!
Welcome Back - a note from our Headmaster
Dear All and Sundry,
Happy New Year and welcome back to Chesterton in 2022! We are excited to see what adventures God has in store for us this new year, and I am encouraged to know that we will be doing His work together with you all.
As we begin again, it's an appropriate time to look at the family handbook for uniform policies, as halfway through the year we find that our students have not only grown in wisdom but in stature as well. Torn coats, sleeves that somehow don't reach down as far as they used to, and worn out shoes may need attention. A selection of new and used uniform pieces are available through the school office. It is best to make an appointment by emailing info@cathf.com if you would like to purchase items.
Over the break, the students cleaned out their lockers, and may be in need of new locker shelves if they were damaged. Each locker should make use of shelves as they tend to allow the books to last a little longer, and help weather the wear and tear of daily use.
I would also like to remind everyone that, though many have received gifts that were very welcome over the holiday, some may have received that gift that keeps on giving, the one that no one wants (and no, I'm not talking about regifting the obnoxiously loud toy grandma got your youngest). If you are feeling sick or are symptomatic, please take all due caution as explained in the Covid policy email sent out earlier. We want as many students present for in-person learning as possible, which depends upon our vigilance.
With the March for Life Chicago coming up this Saturday, January 8, we strongly encourage all students to attend, and to wear their pro-life Chesterton hoodies. This week only, we are selling Chesterton scarves for $10 (a special price just for students) as well. Please click here for all the information you'll need regarding the Chicago March for Life with Chesterton.
I look forward to seeing you, marching with you, and speaking with you all in the new year.
In Christ,
Dan Janeiro
Introducing our newest team member - Ms. Bethany Purpura!
We are so excited to introduce our newest member to the Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family team - welcome, Bethany Purpura! Ms. Purpura will be working in the front office as our Special Projects Coordinator. You may also catch her answering the phones and helping out at the front desk. She’s already been the perfect addition to the team and we are so grateful to have her. Read her introduction below to get to know her a bit more.
Hi I’m Bethany Purpura, and I am so excited to join the Chesterton team! I grew up in the western suburbs and I have two sisters, one of whom is a junior at CATHF. Also, I am blessed to be an aunt of an awesome niece and nephew. My background is in Psychology (Aquinas College ’11) and Communication Science and Disorders (Saint Xavier University ’12 and College of DuPage ’16). I have been in education for 10 years in various roles and during that time I had the opportunity to successfully incorporate the Classical Education principals into therapy sessions as well as assist in the research and preparation of Classical Education documents for curriculum and professional development that were uniquely rooted in our Catholic Faith. Recently, I have completed certification as a Certified Foundations 3 Pietra Fitness Instructor, becoming the fourth instructor in Illinois. My faith, work experience and education have played an integral role in my formation and desire to “become fire and ignite others” to seek the true, good, and beautiful—assisting them to become the best version of themselves by living out the mission God has for them. I have a deep love for my Catholic faith including a strong devotion to St. Therese, St. Bernadette, St. Faustina, and St. John Paul II. As far as sports go, I am a lifelong fan of the Cubs, Blackhawks, and Packers. During my leisure time I love spending time with my family, exploring the outdoors, in addition to enjoying some Scholé with a good book, a cup of coffee and authentic conversation.
Gala Updates
The gala is coming up soon and we appreciate all of your efforts to help the school at our flagship fundraiser!
Auction Deadline Coming Up
We are so encouraged to hear of all the parents and students who have been gathering donations of items to the auction over the break! The deadline to turn in items is coming up on Monday, January 10, so be sure to bring them by the office before the end of the day. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Nawas at karen.nawas@gmail.com.
Please consider using this last weekend before the deadline to gather a few more items. At the top of our wishlist are: experiences, like bowling, skating, theaters, pizza and restaurant certificates, salons and nails, outdoor gardening, grilling out, tools, fishing, or sports equipment.
An Exciting Raffle Competition
This year's raffle will account for $80,000 of revenue for the gala, and so it is one of the most important activities that enables us to keep this school going strong and provide scholarships to students. If you need more raffle flyers to help you sell tickets, please download one from here.
The raffle is one way our House competition helps to build up the entire school. It's been a great competition so far, but we still have over 600 tickets to sell for our cash prizes! Here is where the houses stand:
1st Place: Ambrose - 78 tickets sold
2nd Place: Augustine - 52 tickets sold
3rd Place: Athanasius - 31 tickets sold
4th Place: Chrysostom - 30 tickets sold
Ad Book
One of the easiest ways to help us raise money through the gala is selling ads in our program book. Ad buyers will have the opportunity to be seen by 800+ of our gala attendees. When you are at the checkout of your favorite local businesses, it's a great time to ask if they would like to advertise with us. If every family sells even just one or two ads, we have the opportunity to raise a significant amount of funding and help out local businesses! Please note that the center spread and the back cover have already been sold.
Senior parents, there is also a discounted rate for half-page ads honoring your seniors. All the details are on the purchase page!
The Chicago March for Life
Our upcoming Cultura Vitae event is the March for Life Chicago this Saturday, January 8th. We will be meeting downtown Chicago at Federal Plaza at 12:45 pm. Click here for a helpful guide about our Chesterton Academy group at the March for Life and click here to open the invite to RSVP. (Please note: A parent is not required to attend the March for Life with their student as stated earlier this week, but we strongly encourage all families to stand with us as we march, pray, sing, and fight for life!)
You can find some helpful information in the March for Life Chicago Travel Guide here and https://marchforlifechicago.org/ is going to be your best resource for how the day will look and for any and all live updates.
We look forward to marching with you and your family!
Parent Supper Club - Date changed from the 15th to the 29th
In an abundance of caution in keeping our community as healthy as possible coming off of this Christmas break, we have decided to move our Parent Supper Club from January 15 to January 29. The evening will once again take place at Ss. Peter and Paul (36 N Ellsworth St, Naperville, IL 60540) in their social hall in the red brick building next to the church. The evening’s talk will feature Chesterton parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Lisa Beecher, as they walk us through creating a family mission statement and the benefits it will have. Parents, get your new year off to a strong start by grounding your family in a shared mission!
There will be an RSVP and Perfect Potluck signup sent out soon, so parents, please mark your calendar for Saturday, January 29, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Wyoming Catholic College Visit on Tuesday
Wyoming Catholic College will be doing an in-person informational visit with one of our own alumni, Jill Cook (‘19) who is attending Wyoming Catholic. It will be held on campus this Tuesday, January 11, immediately following mass. Juniors and seniors are required to attend, and their parents are also invited to join us so they can learn more about this faithful Catholic college.
Mass Intentions
This semester we have many open Mass dates for intentions. Please let us know if there is any way we can pray for you. You can let us know and donate towards a Mass intention here. Your gifts will not only support the needs of having daily Mass on campus, but also help us secure liturgical supplies, vestments, and provide stipends for the priests who come from all over the Joliet Diocese and Chicago Archdiocese to celebrate Mass with us.
Pop-up Shop Items
Our spirit wear pop-up shop items will be here this Monday! Though you may have received your pro-life hoodies already, the shop will have all other items available for pick-up at the front office on Monday. We are excited to see all the great products!
Save the Dates
1/8: March for Life Chicago
1/11: Wyoming Catholic College Visit
1/12: 6th & 7th Grade Open House
1/17: Martin Luther King Day - no school
1/29: Chesterton Supper Club (MOVED FROM THE 15th)
1/31 - 2/4: Holy Family Days
2/2: Winter Field Day
2/10-12: Junior Play
2/22: Feast of the Chair of St. Peter