JANUARY 

5 - Classes Resume

5 - Golf Meeting, 3:20 PM, SSA Gym 

6 - Adoration

7 - Application Day

10 - SIPS - Students, faculty and staff report at 10:30 AM due to BCS game. 

10 - Mini-Schedule,  

        7 PM

11 - Seniors dismissed at Lunch

11-13 - Sr. Retreat

15-18 - Holocaust

         Trip

16-17 - Softball Tryouts, 3:45-5:30 PM, SSA Fields 

16 - Martin Luther    King, Jr. Day -

 No School

17 - MASS - BD
 23 - SIPS Session

23 - Annual Giving

        Breakfast

23 - March for Life

25 - Blood Drive

29 - Mother-Daughter

30 - Recognition Assembly

FEBRUARY

3 - Adoration

4 - Detention

6 - Induction practice for 8th and 12th grades

9 - 8th Grade Retreat

10 - SSA Feast Day

10 - Career Day for Juniors and Seniors

11 - Alumnae Mardi Gras party - Krewe of Olympia Parade

13 - SIPS

16 - Sudden Impact

17 - Uniform Variation Day - Mardi Gras

20-24 - Mardi Gras Holidays  

27- Lenten Prayer Service, Gym; Homeroom folllowed by exec speech

28 - Pep Rally for God 

 ***The weekly Edline newsletter will give more details on each calendar event and list the sports schedules. 

I welcome you back to the new school term.  I am hoping that your holidays were filled with celebrations, laughter, family, sharing of stories, wonderful liturgies, and certainly fun.  Mine were overwhelmingly so, but it was all good. 

We start this new year with such hope.  This is a wonderful time of the year, because we get to start all over.  We, as adults, have the opportunity to make new resolves that could result in changes we might like to make in our lives.  The girls also have the opportunity to begin anew.  Because of our 4 x 4 schedule, they will take four new courses with accompanying teachers in January as well as perhaps have some different students in their classes.  This is definitely an experience that helps prepare them for college.

An important strategy for the students at this time of the year is to take advantage of what was learned about studying last term and apply it to this term.   It could be to form a study group with like-minded students, or to attend help sessions for extra clarity in any given week.  It could be to review notes, making flash cards daily.  It could be to set up a session with a teacher for a study analysis.  It could be a conversation with her counselor to learn better time management skills.  It could also be simply setting up a more consistent study schedule.  How wonderful to have all these learning opportunities available to just simply take advantage.

As parents, you also have the opportunity to work with any of the teachers and your daughter's counselor to help create a learning plan that will work the best for your daughter to learn.  It is important to keep up with Edline and keep in current, consistent communication with the teachers and counselors through emails, phone calls, and conferences.

I look forward to the girls' performances this term both academically and extracurricularly.  They are amazingly involved in so many things, and there are a plethora of activities and events coming up for them to experience. We at SSA appreciate the opportunity to provide your daughters, in partnership with you, a mostoutstanding educational experience - the best in the Gulf South. 

Mary Kathryn Villere 

President's Message

Happy New Year!!  As I reflect on the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, I am inspired by the fact that we can always start over again. Whether it is the beginning of a new school year, the beginning of a new calendar year, the beginning of a new term or the beginning of a new day, life affords us numerous opportunities to begin anew.  How fortunate we are that God has blessed us in this way.  A mistake need never be the last word.  When we do not do our best or fall short of our goal, we can resolve to do better.  A new beginning allows us to bring a new spirit to our work.  A fresh new start brings a new optimism to our attitude, a new determination to our efforts. 

All of us:  administration, faculty, staff, students, and parents would be wise to examine ourselves at this time of the year to see where we need to begin anew.  It may be in how we perform our job, prepare for our classes, put effort into our studies, relate to one another, support one another, forgive each other, praise each other, serve those in need, give gratitude to God, pray with more devotion. 

We are trying to keep you informed of all that is going on at SSA through our newsletters, Edline, information phone line, emails, announcements, and special mailings.  We ask you to do your part to be involved in your daughter's education by keeping up with these communication strategies as well as by participating in the various events, activities, and assemblies that are scheduled.  These are opportunities to build support for one another, to see first hand the great things that our students and teachers are accomplishing.  Mini-Schedule for the 2nd semester will be held on Tuesday, January 10, beginning at 7:00.  How wonderful it would be if a representative for each family would attend.  Think how supported your daughters would feel as well as the teachers!  This is an excellent opportunity for you to get to know your daughter's teachers and the expectations that are held for each class.  So much is going on in our classes that we are eager to share with you.  Please come and join us!

We are grateful for the many ways in which you support our events.  I hear from so many of you of the high level of enjoyment and pride you feel in sharing the various activities with your daughter. With this in mind, please check out our calendar of events and join us in our upcoming activities! 

We here at SSA pledge to you that our "New Year's Resolution" is to serve you to the best of our ability and to be partners with you in the growth and development of your daughters.  Let us know how we can better serve you and your daughters.   May God bless you and may He hold you in the palm of His hand.

Marguerite S. Celestin

Deep  Gratitude and Special  Recognition

Following much prayer and discernment Sister Enedina has reached the decision that it is time for her to close herclassroom teaching door. We give deep gratitude to God  

for her years of service to the youth she has taught in many places, but especially here at SSA.  She has truly fulfilled the motto of the Teresians, "Todo por Jesus" and has given her all in testimony to God's call to preach the Gospel.  Her witness to Christ has been exemplary and we have all learned so much from her. While we selfishly wish this day had not come, we lovingly understand and respect her decision, which was a difficult one for her to reach. Our love and prayers and continued friendship and support will be with her always.

The annual Adopt-A-Family Christmas Assembly was held on December 12 in the gym. Every year the entire student body collects and wraps gifts for many needy families in our community. The gym was full of hundreds of gifts donated by the students. Many of the needy families are referred to SSA by Volunteers of America, Kids in Transition, and Head Start. Representatives from each of these groups were present at the assembly to accept the Christmas gifts and thank the students for their generosity. This year SSA Campus Ministry Director, Colin MacIver estimated that in-kind and cash donations totaled approximately $17,000. The gifts helped 38 families to have a blessed Christmas.

As part of the assembly Student Council Officers and representatives performed a Christmas skit. The skit was entertaining and offered fresh humor to the everyday life of SSA students. After the skit the SSA student ministers assisted the guests in filling their cars, vans and buses with the multitude of gifts for Christmas.

Victoria Charles, Logan Walther, Maddie Toups, Layne Neitzschman, Brittany Bosarge, Alexis Welliver and Emory Lopiccolo load the abundant gift supply into a truck for the needy family recipients.  

SSA is one of 25 schools around the nation piloting the Big History Project LLC (BHP).  The goal of the Big History Project is to ignite student passion for learning history and to encourage interdisciplinary connections between history and the sciences, and population and environmental studies.  Big History seeks to surface common themes and patterns throughout history from the Big Bang to modernity with a heavy emphasis on the use and interpretation of historical and scientific evidence, self-guided exploration and text-based inquiry.  It is sponsored by Bill Gates separately from his work with the Gates Foundation.  Faculty member Bridgette O'Connor, Ph.D. '93 will be working in collaboration with the core team of the Big History Project and fellow pilot instructors to develop and refine the instructional design and assessment strategies of the course.

Science Department Chair, David Arbo, will give a slideshow presentation on his Covington book to the St, Tammany Genealogical Society on January 14 at the SSA Library.  Mr. Arbo will be available to sign your copy of his book. The presentation is open to the public.

 

BASKETBALL

January 6 - Country Day at SSA gym, 6 PM

January 10 - at Slidell High, 6 PM

January 13 - Ponchatoula High at SSA gym, 6 PM

SOCCER

The SSA Varsity Doves defeated the Fontainebleau Bulldogs 2-0 on December 13 at the SSA Athletic Complex. Brittany Bosarge and Rebecca Beatty scored the Doves' goals on assists from Kim Moreau and Abbey Rester. Defenders Maegan Due, Lindsay Achary, Courtney Robicheaux, and Amy Bavido combined with goalkeeper Elena Naccari to hold the Bulldogs scoreless. The Doves move to 8-0-1 (4-0 district) on the season with the win.

The SSA Varsity Soccer Doves defeated the Covington Lions 10-0 on December 16 at the SSA Athletic Complex. Kim Moreau, Rebecca Beatty, and Drew Kinchen each scored two goals. Mary Duet, Courtney Robicheaux, Abbey Rester, and Megan Moser scored one a piece. Kim, Megan, Drew, Abbey Rester, Abby Childress, and Kaitlin Childress all had assists  Natalie Helm and Molly Lynch were the winning goalkeepers. The Doves moved to 9-0-1 (5-0 District) on the season after the win.

The JV Soccer Doves defeated the Fontainebleau Bulldogs 2-1 on December 19 at the SSA Athletic Complex. Mary Duet and Megan Moser scored the Doves' goals on assists from Maggie Otillio. Defenders Sarah Schellang, Kaitlin Childress, Anna Shepherd, Megan Whittemore, and Madison Goff combined with goalkeeper Molly Lynch to hold the Bulldogs to one goal. The JV Doves are 6-0 on the season after the win.

January 5 - Baton Rouge High, 6:30 PM, Varsity

January 7 - at Mount Carmel, 11:00 AM, Varsity

January 7 - at Mandeville JV Tournament, JV

8TH GRADE SOCCER

The 8th grade soccer team defeated Mount Carmel 1-0.  The winning goal was scored by Sidnea Sharp, who was also aided with top offensive play by Sam Vercher and Annie Schwartz.  Stand-out defenders include Morgan Ducorbier, Courtney Meyers, Remie Arena and Madeline Lacroix.  Winning goalkeeper was Alexandra Amadeo.

In a 5-2 win over Dominican, the 8th grade soccer team was led by Sam Vercher scoring four goals, including goals within the first minute of each half.  Adding the fifth goal of the game was Sidnea Sharp. Taylor Lambert and Reese Ingram were also highly involved in the attack along with top defenders Morgan Ducorbier, Savannah Ennis and goalkeeper Alexandra Amadeo.

SSA ROYALETTES AND SPS GOLDEN BLUES

The Royalettes and Golden Blues will do a show-off performance of all competition dances in the gym on Sunday, January 8 at 6:30 p.m.