SKS 1ST ANNUAL FUND PARTY
2.29.20 | 7 – 11 PM | SKS GYM

Join us for the kick off event for our first ever annual fund

Guest of Honor: Logan Schweiter

A portion of ticket sales will benefit the

Logan Schweiter Scholarship Fund

Visit SKSSCHOOL.ORG/TAKEALEAP to purchase tickets or make a donation

Tickets are $75/each and include beer, wine, dinner and dancing.

Take a look inside this issue for more details about this event!

What do you do when you have an extra day in the New Year?

You throw a party, of course!!

The Take a Leap for SKS Party will be on Leap Day, February 29 at 7 p.m. in the Parish Center. This is going to be a huge party for anyone and everyone that has a love for our school. It’s for current SKS parents, past SKS parents, SKS alumni, SKS grandparents, and all SKS friends. I am encouraging you to save this date, and I really hope to see all of you at this event.

Besides having some fun that night, we are announcing our first SKS Annual Fund Campaign – the first in the school’s 103 years!

This development effort directly supports our mission to continue the legacy of Catholic elementary education in our area, which includes serving seven parishes that do not have a school.

As a part of our community, you know that a St. Katharine of Siena School education offers learning beyond academics. In fulfilling our school mission, our teachers and staff are dedicated to academic excellence that seeks to develop the whole child. In keeping with that mission, our community fosters the growth of moral character and social awareness of each student. In the tradition of the IHM sisters, we joyfully give students the opportunity to build a life-long relationship with God.

As with most private educational institutions, the operating costs exceed the tuition income that is brought in. Our newly formed SKS Development Committee has been working at finding ways to help bridge the gap between the cost of tuition and the actual cost of education.

We hope you will help us establish our Annual Fund at a donor level you are comfortable in supporting. Please know that every dollar raised will go directly to St. Katharine of Siena School and make an impact on the lives of our students, teachers, and families.

Each day we build community and strive to make a difference in the lives of our students and their families. Each day we teach the values that will give our students the life skills that they will need for their next journey, all deeply rooted in our faith. We will honor our sponsors and celebrate our school at our Annual Fund Kick-Off Event, “Take a Leap for SKS,” on Saturday, February 29, 2020. I hope you will join us and help spread the word; I’d love to see you there!

With a grateful heart,
Bud Tosti, Principal

CHRISTMAS TABLEAU

As the school bell rings in early September to signal the start of a new school year, the hallways fill with energized and renewed students. The excitement for the new school year is electric among all. Most particularly, the incoming eighth grade class is ready to take the reigns of being leaders of the school, and even in September, they anticipate their role in the Christmas Tableau. This annual eighth grade tradition is a prayerful presentation of the “Christmas Story” through word, song, dance, and quiet reflection. From the opening hymn that sets the theme of the prayerful production through Scriptural narration, to Gabrielle’s proclamation of the coming Jesus’ birth and journey to Bethlehem, we witness this story come to life before our eyes.

Led by dancing angels and singing shepherds, we follow the star to the birthplace of Jesus. The beautiful accompaniment of music allows the prayerful evening to be uplifting and reflective. The students in grades five through seven join the eighth grade with hymns of praise and glory announcing the joy of the Advent season. The Tableau affords everyone in attendance a moment to feel less anxious about the hustle and bustle of Christmas and reminds us of the real reason for the season. Just as we look to the baby Jesus for the true meaning of Christmas, we look to our own children as the greatest reminder of what Christmas is all about. Our graduates carry the spirit of the Tableau in their hearts and memories long after their days at SKS.

– Bill DiClemente

HOLIDAY CHEER, FROM HERE TO THERE!

During the Holiday Season, SKS students celebrate through service projects that build ties to the SKS parish and the wider community.

Bundles of Joy:  Continuing a long-standing tradition, the entire school came together to bring Christmas cheer to homebound parishioners. Students in all grades created Christmas cards, and then eighth graders made visits to parishioner homes to personally deliver a bundle of cards and a poinsettia plant.

Gifts and Goodies:  The Youth Group coordinated a parishwide program that matches SKS families with families of St. Martin de Porres, our sister parish in Philadelphia. Families shopped for gifts and groceries and then Youth Group members collected and loaded the boxes onto trucks to deliver in time for Christmas.

Kid-to Kid Connections:  Each year seventh grade elves help host a Christmas party at St. Edmond’s Home, a local residential facility for children with intense physical needs. SKS students helped the children greet Santa, open gifts, and celebrate with music and snacks.

Honoring Martin Luther King:  SKS continued the annual Day of Service tradition — students and families in all grades turned the “day off” into a “day on,” assembling toiletry bags for local shelters, packaging backpacks for Jenna’s Blessing Bags, preparing sandwiches for local shelters, and making cards for our service men and women.

– Lisa Lopez-Carickhoff

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: CHRIS & ALEXANDRA AMBROGI

Alumni Alexandra (‘08) and Chris (‘05) Ambrogi credit their SKS education with the foundation of deeply felt compassion and empathy that has influenced everything they’ve done.

From his SKS days, Chris recalls friendships made while playing sports and the art classes that started his lifelong passion for design and creating. After SKS, Chris went on to The Haverford School and then to Franklin and Marshall College, where he studied Economics and explored his passion for design and building. Today, Chris works in the real estate industry in Philadelphia and is a committed volunteer for the Out of the Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention. Chris’ time at SKS taught him to do everything with commitment and passion, and that is evident in his life to this day.

During her time at SKS, Alexandra (Alex) developed a love for healthy competition and a passion for community engagement. After SKS, she went on to attend the Academy of Notre Dame and then to Franklin and Marshall, where she studied psychology and kept busy with roles in campus hellenic organizations, the freshman peer mentor program, and the school spirit club. Today, Alex works as an underwriter for General Reinsurance in Philadelphia and is a committed volunteer for the Philadelphia Chapter of the Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

For both Alex and Chris Ambrogi, adult success is built on the foundation they set in place at St. Katharine’s. They will always be proud Wildcats!

– Lisa Lopez-Carickhoff

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: JAYDA ORSATTI

Jayda Orsatti joined the SKS Faculty in 1997. Today, she is a sixth grade homeroom teacher and a fifth grade English and Language Arts teacher.

From:  Philadelphia, Port Richmond neighborhood

High School: Nazareth Academy

College: Cabrini College – Bachelor of Science in Education

Who is someone you admire and why? My parents – They are the most beautiful, selfless, loving people I have ever met and fit the definition of hero perfectly. They have always given to others without wanting anything in return, truly exemplify true love, and live as truly faith-filled people. I am so glad my children, nieces and nephews have real-life superheroes to emulate.

What are some talents/skills you have and no one knows about? I was a pretty good basketball player in my day (point guard). I also play tennis and could never live without music.

What are you happiest doing when you’re not working? Hanging out with my family.

Who would you want to swap places with for one day? Kelly Ripa – I would love to host a talk show and ask celebrities questions like these.

What is your favorite movie? That’s a tough one! My top 3 are: You’ve Got Mail, Sabrina, and The Philadelphia Story.

What was the last good book you read? Fish In a Tree.

What is your fondest memory at SKS? Every first day of school. I love new beginnings and getting to know the students. And every last day of school. I love seeing and celebrating.

– J.P. Boles

SKS BASKETBALL

Click the images to view larger

WE HOPE OUR SKS COMMUNITY CAN SUPPORT OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS!

INTERESTED IN BEING A SPONSOR FOR THE SPIRIT?
PLEASE CONTACT J.P. BOLES: JDIGGADYP@AOL.COM