Click here for February’s Partners in Faith
 

We would like to thank everyone who contributed in some way to making our Catholic Schools Week events a success. Although the weather didn’t cooperate, we are thankful so many things could be rescheduled or modified in some way to be celebrated. It is the community excitement, enthusiasm and genuine enjoyment that makes it all worthwhile. Jesus Christ is truly present in our school! Check out the RCS web page for pictures of our Everyday Heroes, Make a Difference and Lourdes Foundation Award winners, as well as pictures from the school events.
 

Good Luck to Elizabeth Wetzel and Lillian VanBuskirk who will represent RCS at the citywide Spelling Bee on Monday, February 11th.
 

The weather had other plans for our conferences this week! Thank you to all who attended Parent-Teacher conferences on Tuesday, and to all who were so flexible when conferences were cancelled for Thursday! We appreciate the opportunity to celebrate your child’s successes and work together to help them continue to grow. We are very grateful for the parents who contribute to feeding the staff on days that are longer than usual. The food is always delicious! Special thanks to Carrie Carroll who coordinates this project.
 

Parents of 8th grade students are welcome to attend an informational meeting at Lourdes High School on Wednesday , February 13th at 6:30 pm. The evening will include a tour led by a group of Student Ambassadors and an opportunity to meet teachers. 

At the Young Authors, Young Artist Conference, Eric Vareberg entered a drawing for a free author visit. His entry was selected and St. Francis of Assisi School will host Mary Bleckwehl on March 21st. Watch for more information about her visit and opportunities to purchase her book(s) and have them personally autographed coming in future Broadcasts.
 

The Knights of Columbus have rescheduled their Free Throw contest for Saturday, February 9th form 1:00 -3:00 pm in the school gymnasium. Registration forms will be available at the event.  This contest is open to boys and girls ages 9 -14.
 

Financial Aid - FAIR is now open!

Rochester Catholic Schools uses FAIR (Financial Aid Independent Review) to allocate funds and determine the amount of aid to be awarded to qualifying students through an objective, impartial, and equitable process. FAIR is a nationally recognized leader in confidential objective financial aid assessments for private and parochial schools. All RCS students/families are eligible to apply to financial aid regardless of grade level or faith tradition.

For current families to be considered for financial aid the deadline for the next school year is mid-March.  A family must submit current federal tax returns with their application.

The following information is needed to apply online: 
• School Code: 150 
• Password: rcs150 
• A valid email address 
• Credit card (Visa or Mastercard) 
• Copy of 2018 Income Tax return

For returning users email and password from previous years are still active. Assistance is available for the processing fee, please contact the RCS Business Manager, June Barnick at jbarnick@rcsmn.org or
(507) 289-1702.

Rochester Catholic Parish Tuition Grant

Your child(ren)'s tuition may be reduced by a parish tuition grant. This grant is only available for students in kindergarten through grade 12 who are registered, active members of one of the parishes listed below.

Upon application and approval by your pastor, the parish grant in the amount of $1,350 per student will be applied to your tuition statement. A Tuition Grant Application must be completed and returned to your parish each school year.

Church of the Resurrection, Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Church of St. Pius X, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Pax Christi Catholic Church, St. Francis of Assisi Church, St. Bernard's Catholic Church, and St Bridget's Catholic Church
 

8th to 9th Grade Loyalty Grant

This grant will be offered to current RCS 8th grade families whose students will be enrolling in 9th grade at Lourdes High School. The Loyalty Grant is awarded as below:

Freshman Year: $1,000 offered off of tuition per student
Sophomore Year: $500 offered off of tuition per student
 

Scrip

Scrip is an easy to use program where you purchase gift cards or e-gift cards to your favorite retailers and restaurants at face value and earn rebates that can be applied towards your tuition.

For additional information, please visit our Scrip pages.

We recently concluded the re-enrollment period for the 2019-2020 school year on January 30, 2019. For the first time this year, we asked all families to return the Family Data Sheet (regardless of if there were changes or not to your information or enrollments).

We are grateful to those families that have already provided this information. If you have not returned this form, there is still time. We recognize with the weather challenges last week and the change in process overall that this may have caused a delay in the return of this form. For these reasons, we are extending your opportunity to submit your information. Please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@rcsmn.org no later than 5:00 p.m. Friday, February 8, 2019 if you have enrollment additions or changes for your child(ren) that you have not submitted.

All ages are invited to join Unite Ministries at Ironwood Springs for snow tubing on February 17th from 3-5pm. Tubes, snacks and cocoa as well as a warming house are all provided. Just bring your winter gear and a friend! The cost is $10 per person for 2 hours of fun. Students 5th grade and under should plan to attend with an adult. Space is limited so please register ahead atwww.uniterochestermn.org/events. Please plan to arrive about 10 minutes early for instructions. Questions? Contact Katie Stinson atkstinson@piusx.org or your parish youth minister.

Unite Ministries is a partnership of youth ministries at Catholic parishes in the Rochester and surrounding areas. Find out more about upcoming joint events, Masses, and summer trips at www.uniterochestermn.org
 

In February and March, the Diocesan Safe Environment Office will launch Keeping Our Promise Alive 3.0, a VIRTUS® online re-certification training for anyone who completed the “VIRTUS live training” in 2014 or earlier. Employees, coaches and volunteers of DOW-R (Diocese of Winona-Rochester) parishes or schools that are due for re-certification will receive an email from VIRTUS Online with credentials to login and complete the training, which takes 30-40 minutes and can be done at any time of the day. 

Thinking about becoming a Lourdes High School Eagle? Or maybe you know a family that you would like to extend the invitation to? Students have the opportunity to try it out with a shadow day! Each prospective student will be partnered with a Lourdes Eagle for a tour and first hand experience at LHS. Register now for February 15 or March 1!

Shadow days begin at 7:30 a.m. and will end at 2:40 p.m. Learn more at rcsmn.org/lhsshadow

All are invited to attend the Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast to raise funds for The Graham and Meredith Rooke Memorial Scholarship. The breakfast will be held on Sunday, February 17th at the Church of the Resurrection after all Mass times (8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11:30 a.m.)

The Graham and Meredith Rooke Scholarship supports Rochester Catholic Schools families in grades K-8 who demonstrate a financial need because of an unexpected change in a family's life circumstances. The scholarship was established in 1998 following the tragic car accident that claimed the lives of two students. Despite their short lives, their impact on those who knew them was remarkable.

This past week your students were informed about the Red Lake Food Drive.  We are looking donations such as non perishable foods, essential household items and hygiene products. The donations are going to a local food shelf on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Northern Minnesota.  The reservation struggles with poverty, health problems and other social issues.

Please send any donation to school by Wednesday 02/06/2019.

All are invited to the 14th Annual Gary Vanselow Memorial Fish Fry hosted by Rochester Catholic Schools on the first Friday of Lent, March 8, 2019, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the International Event Center.

Bring your family and friends to this community-wide event featuring a delicious cod dinner, exciting raffles, live music, and children's activities. All proceeds go to the Vanselow Scholarships established through Lourdes Foundation to help students in financial need receive a faith-based education at RCS. 

To register now, visit rcsmn.org/fishfry.

If you plan to volunteer or work in any capacity for Rochester Catholic Schools you are required to attend a VIRTUS training. The VIRTUS Protecting  God’s Children awareness program is a two hour session for all adults to help our churches and schools provide a child-safe environment. 

The next VIRTUS Trainings will be held on Thursday, February 28, 2019 at St. Francis of Assisi Church at 7 pm

Please pre-register online at www.virtusonline.org

Lourdes High School is hosting an 8th Grade Parent Night on February 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the LHS Auditorium.

Registration is open for Summer Fastpitch Softball.  Click title for more information; click here to register.  

Spring sports Registration will open on Monday, February 11.

Boys/Girls Track - Grades 7-12
Boys Tennis - Grades 7-12
Baseball - Grades 7-12
Softball - Grades 7-12
Boys/Girls Golf - Grades 7-12

Click here to register.

Registration is no open for Lourdes Eagles Clay Target Club Spring League.  Information meeting will be held Tuesday, February 19 at 7 pm in the LHS Forum.  This Club is open to all students in grades 7-12.  Spring League runs from April to May.

Attend the meeting for more information or contact DeLane Morris at dmorr@charter.net.

Spring is just around the corner.....Boys and Girls Golf Information meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 19 at 5:00 pm in Room PE 104.  Golf is open to all students in grades 7-12.

Come and meet new girls coaches - Coach Coughlin and Coach Conzemius!

Matt Birk - Faith & Football

Come hear Super Bowl Champion and former MN Viking player speak on Tuesday, March 19 at 7:00 pm in the LHS Auditorium.  Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here for $25; or $30 cash or check only at the door.  Click title for full details.

All proceeds benefit the Athletic Department.

There will be no practice for Grades 4-8 In-House and Traveling basketball teams on Monday, February 18.  Please see website for updated schedules.