Principal's Newsletter (August 5th)

[Dan Gargano]

Dear Parents,

 

I hope you all enjoyed the long holiday weekend and are well rested. Students and teachers are in full swing here at St. Thecla and we are off to an excellent start of the year. If you have not done so, please return the completed forms your child(ren) was given on the first day of school.

 

This year St. Thecla is excited to announce Battle of the Books! Battle of the Books is a reading incentive program for students in grades 3rd-8th. Students read books and come together to demonstrate their abilities and test their knowledge of the books they have read. The competitions are similar in style to the TV series Family Feud or Whiz Kids. If your child is interested in joining the St. Thecla’s Battle of the Books team, please contact Miss Herrmann (pher...@saintthecla.org) or Miss Miller (jmi...@saintthecla.org).

 

If you purchased Dress Down Passes from last year’s Taste of Thecla, students may use them throughout the year on non Mass days. Students should make sure to turn in their dress down passes to the front office.

 

Anyone who is interested in volunteering here at St. Thecla must be Virtus trained. St. Thecla is hosting a Virtus training session on September 25 and October 11 in Moriarty Hall at 6:30PM. Please register online at www.archchicago.org and click on the lower left side of the screen where it reads “Protecting children”.

 

UPDATE: Children’s Choir Practice will take place after school on Monday’s from 3:10-4:00PM. Children should meet outside the Church doors after school. Due to St. Thecla’s curriculum focus and emphasis on language arts, Spanish and technology, time during the school day would best be utilized with academic instruction.

 

Please read the Student and Parent Handbook addendum below concerning Appropriate Technology Usage.

 

As always, please remember the importance of weekly Mass attendance with your children.

 

Enjoy the rest of the week!

 

Sincerely,

 

Mr. Dan Gargano

St. Thecla School, Principal

 

St. Thecla School: We Raise the Standards

 

*St. Thecla Student and Parent Handbook Addendum (effective immediately) 

 

TECHNOLOGY

 

TECHNOLOGY-ACCEPTABLE USE PROCEDURES

The goal in providing technology resources is to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation and communication with support and supervision of parents/guardians, teachers and support staff. The use of these resources is a privilege, not a right.

Access to computers provides the potential availability of material that may not be considered of educational value in the context of the school setting. Appropriate behavior, as it relates to the use of computers, iPad, and other forms of technology, is no different from the behavior expectations in all other aspects of the learning and instructional program. All users are expected to use the available technology in a responsible and ethical manner.

 

Use of technology resources that are prohibited include, but are not limited to:

·      Violating student rights to privacy/confidentiality, or unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information

·      Attempting any unauthorized access, including hacking of any computer system

·      Downloading unacceptable materials

·      Re-posting personal communication without the author’s prior consent

·      Violating copyright law

·      Using school technology resources for financial gain, credit card fraud, electronic forgery, other illegal activity and political purposed

·      Downloading, installing or storing software on a school computer without the approval of appropriate school personnel

·      Changing or attempting to alter any configuration, program or password on any computer or system

·      Using a school computer without knowledge or approval of school personnel responsible for the computer

·      Using inappropriate language, pictures and gestures in any form on the   Internet

·      Using the Internet for entertainment or limited self-discovery function

·      Using the Internet for unauthorized purchases

 

Student-owned computers, when used in school, must follow the same procedures as school owned equipment. Student-owned computers and other electronic devices cannot be used on school premises without the expressed consent of the principal.

 

TECHNOLOGY USE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL

Parents/Guardians are primarily responsible for the students’ appropriate and ethical use of technology outside of school. However, the inappropriate use of technology outside of school may subject the student to disciplinary action. Inappropriate use of technology may include, but is not limited to harassment of others, use of the school name, remarks directed to or about teachers and staff, offensive communications including videos/photographs and threats.

 

Unauthorized costs incurred for online purchases charged to the school are the responsibility of the student and her/his family.