Community Service

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One key aspect of the middle school curriculum, is the community service projects our middle school students complete in their religion coursework with Mrs. Urban.

Eighth grade oversees mass projections, assists with prayer services, serves at the senior luncheons hosted by St. Mary of Lake, makes quilts for local nursing homes, and brings to life new projects that can be shared in the community to inspire faith and love. For instance, there is currently an art project on display on our playground fences that our eighth-grade students designed.

In seventh grade, the students assist with various sewing projects (like the creation of the quilts) and also train for mass projections.

In sixth grade, in addition to the sewing projects, they too look for new ways to share our Catholic faith in the community, and this year designed one of the displays for our fences.

In February, all of the middle school students work on a partner project with the White Bear Historical Society, creating valentines for residents at nearby senior housing facilities. In April, they help with the Almsgiving baskets in the classrooms, and in May, they make pillowcases and share those fresh pillows with other senior housing facilities and long-term care homes.

This year, in particular, the students have taken to the sewing projects and have enjoyed learning how to sew using sewing machines!

The students and their families have donated fabric and new pillows, and then the students got to work pinning, threading, and sewing!

It is amazing to see the way these students connect with their work, knowing the way it will impact others’ lives!

Reconciliation

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On Wednesday, two groups of students made their way over to St. Mary of the Lake for Reconciliation.

While the cold winds made for a brisk walk, the bright sun blessed the church and shined bright throughout the space.

The first group at mass was our fifth through eighth-grade students, followed by our second, third, and fourth-grade students.

With both groups, Father Talbot led the students through an evaluation of conscience. Father reviewed each of the Ten Commandments and gave the students time to pause and reflect in silence on areas where they could improve.

In the discussion, Father encouraged the students to reflect on their habits. How do we show love? How do we honor God? How do we show gratitude and respect?

After the time spent in reflection and prayers, Father Talbot took time to review the significance of Holy Week and why things look different in the church. The group also discussed the Holy Triduum and the many traditions that surround Easter.

It was wonderful to hear the thoughtful questions that were asked and to see the students pause for the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Learning to pause and reflect on the ways we show up to serve, is a skill that we hope these students will carry with them throughout their lives.

Catholic Schools Week 2021

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Founded by the National Catholic Education Association in 1974, Catholic Schools Week has been a long-standing tradition that reaches every corner of the United States.

Launching every year on the last Sunday in January, Catholic communities gather for special masses, open houses, and various other activities that are for students, families, parishioners, and community members. We gather to celebrate the significant value Catholic education provides to young people and its many contributions to our church, communities, and our nation.

These celebrations, now more than ever before, unify us in times when ‘togetherness’ looks very different. At Frassati in particular, Catholic Schools Week 2021 was a lively and refreshing celebration that showcased the strength of our Falcon family.

We kicked off Catholic Schools Week on Sunday, January 31 with mass at St. Mary of the Lake, and moved into our school week with specially themed days. There was mismatch day on Monday, hat and crazy socks day on Tuesday, favorite movie character day on Wednesday, red, white, and blue day on Thursday, and spirit wear day on Friday.

In addition to the wacky attire, there was a medallion hunt hosted for preschool through fourth-grade students, fifth through eighth-grade students participated in the first-ever (and surely not the last!) broomball tournament, and the week ended with a Penny Carnival that was hosted by the eighth-grade students for preschool through fourth-grade students.

While the theme days and special activities were a highlight, the discussions taking place in the classrooms were the most important aspects of the week. What does it mean to attend a Catholic school? How is this experience different? What do we celebrate as Frassati students? How do we share our Catholic faith in our school, in our home, and in our communities?

The conversations that took place around these questions were incredible and brought to light how lucky we are to call ourselves a Falcon family!

We would like to extend a special thanks to all who helped make Catholic Schools Week 2021 a success!

Also, we would like to congratulate the winners of the various activities and competitions: 

 

Broomball Tournament: Eighth Grade

Door Decorating Contest, Middle School: Mrs. Schmidtbauer’s 8th grade

Door Decorating Contest, Grades 3-4: Mrs. Benedetto’s 4th grade

Door Decorating Contest, Grades 1-2 – Mrs. Urness’ 2nd grade

Door Decorating Contest, Preschool – K – Mrs. Barry’s preschool class

The winners of the food donation drive will be announced on Friday, February 12; and the medallion is yet to be found, but we hope to announce a winner of that challenge soon.

 

** Please note that preschool students are not required to wear masks while in the classroom, and students are not required to wear masks when outdoors. 

First Eucharist & First Reconciliation

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The time for Frassati students to gather and prepare for their First Eucharist and First Reconciliation is quickly approaching!

Open to students in second, third, and fourth grade, our Director of Sacraments and Worship at St. Mary of the Lake, Mary Beth Jambor, will guide your family and student through this exciting, holy celebration.

The registration period will soon be closing, as the first meeting will take place on Monday, January 25. While the first session is for parents only, all other sessions will be hosted for the parents and children to attend together, and serve as a great opportunity to grow in faith as a family.

For the full schedule and to sign up, please email [email protected].

We look forward to celebrating this exciting event with your student and family!

Give to the Max Day 2020

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Give to the Max Day was created in 2009 to launch GiveMN, a collaborative venture led by Minnesota Community Foundation and many other organizations committed to helping make our state a better place.

That initial spark touched off an outpouring of generosity, raising $14 million in 24 hours. Give to the Max Day has since become Minnesota’s annual giving holiday, raising nearly $200 million in its first 11 years. Every year, thousands of organizations and individuals generate donations and excitement for causes that are working to improve the quality of life for all Minnesotans.

Frassati Catholic Academy certainly improves the quality of life for its students and families. Therefore, on Thursday, November 19, we are asking our community to join together on Give to the Max Day and make a gift to Frassati Catholic Academy. Your investment will be directed to the Frassati Annual Fund, which supports student scholarships and teacher development. Gifts of every size truly make a difference, allowing us to keep tuition steady and make Catholic education accessible to all. 

Please join us on this state-wide day of giving and visit bit.ly/GiveMNFCA to make your gift to Frassati Catholic Academy in support of Catholic education.

Thanks to supporters like you, we are able to fulfill our school mission: Frassati Catholic Academy is dedicated to educating students in a nurturing and encouraging environment grounded in the Catholic Tradition, inspiring a love of learning, and empowering students to grow in faith, while sharing their gifts for the common good.

Prayer Service at St. Mary’s Parish

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Adaptation has been the central theme of this academic year. From the way the students walk the halls, to seating arrangements in the cafeteria, every Falcon has done a remarkable job navigating and adapting to the ‘new normal’. One key area of the Frassati experience that has been evolving as the school year unfolds is the way in which we gather to worship. Prior to the pandemic, students would walk with their classes to St. Mary of the Lake Parish on Friday mornings for an all-school mass.

Last week, our middle school students had the chance to gather for a prayer service at the church. The classes took the familiar walk, followed the new seating arrangements, and students led a short prayer service.

It was a great pleasure to see the students excitedly walking down Bald Eagle Avenue to the prayer service last Wednesday, and is a sight we look forward to seeing more of in the weeks to come!