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2022 - 2023 Key Dates Calendar
HSP's Online Calendar
Event dates are subject to change. Please always refer to HSP's online calendar for the most up-to-date calendar of school events.
Dear Parents of the 10th Grade, All are invited for an information session on the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday, September 20th. We will be meeting in Malta Hall from 6:30-8:00 PM. Please fill out this form in advance so we can understand a bit more about your intentions: Confirmation Parent Interest 22-23. We invite you to join us to learn more about the options of getting confirmed at HSP, your parish, the retreat date, necessary forms, due dates, and Sacramental Records. If your child is in 11th or 12th grade and has not been confirmed in the Catholic Church but is interested, please fill out the form and Campus Ministry will be in touch with you. In Christ, Marie Athaide mathaide@holyspiritprep.org Father Juan Pablo Duran jpd@holyspiritprep.org
Buckhead Speech Specialists is screening students at Holy Spirit Preschool on 9/21 for possible speech and/or language weaknesses for the 2022-2023 school year.
Please see the full details in the PDF attached!
22-23 Speech Screenings Fall.pdf
Fr. Juan Pablo Duran will be blessing all of the HSP vehicles in the Upper School parking lot on Wednesday, September 20th, and Thursday, September 21st at 3:30 pm right after school.
If you are interested in having your vehicle blessed, please be in or next to your vehicle.
Calling all Cougar Fans:
Join us at the Varsity Football Homecoming game next Friday!
When: Friday, September 23rd Tailgate: 5:30pm Kickoff: 7:30pm Where: North Springs High School (7447 Roswell Road NE, Atlanta, 30328*) *Enter off of Dalrymple Road as the Roswell Road entrance will be closed. Theme: DISCO
We encourage grade levels to get together and coordinate your tailgate! This is a family-friendly event for all members of our community: students, parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends!
Admission is $9 for adults, and $5 for non-HSP students. All HSP faculty, staff, students and Silver Level and above Athletic Booster Club Members are free! Concessions, t-shirts, magnets, and bags will be available for purchase! We accept both Cash and Credit Cards. No AMEX!
Come show your c-pride for our Cougars! We look forward to seeing you there!
At the Homecoming Tailgate next Friday, the 4th and 5th grade Girl Scouts will have a table of fun activities and crafts for Lower School and Preschool families.
Please support our girls and cheer on our Cougars! See you there at 5:30!
Questions? Contact Meghan Pietrantonio 404.694.9292
Saturday, September 17th
Co-Ed Varsity Clay Targets Match 8:00am • Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds
Varsity Cross-Country - Wire to Wire Meet 8:00am • Cartersville High School
Monday, September 19th
Middle School Volleyball vs. Atlanta International School 4:00pm - 5:00pm • Home Lower School Gym
Varsity Volleyball vs. Atlanta International School 5:00pm - 6:00pm • Home Upper School Gym
Tuesday, September 20th
Middle School Volleyball vs. Fulton Science Academy 4:30pm - 5:30pm • Fulton Science Academy
Middle School Football vs. Lanier Christian Academy 5:00pm - 7:30pm • Lanier Christian Academy
Junior Varsity Volleyball vs. Fulton Science Academy 5:30pm - 6:30pm • Fulton Science Academy
Varsity Volleyball vs. Fulton Science Academy 6:30pm - 7:30pm • Fulton Science Academy
Wednesday, September 21st
Middle School Volleyball vs. St. Martin's Episcopal 4:15pm - 5:15pm • Home Upper School
Friday, September 23rd
Varsity Football - Homecoming vs. Stewart County 7:30pm - 10:00pm • North Springs High School
This Friday, September 16th, we had our first All-School Mass of the year. What a true blessing it was to come together as a community for this sacrament.
Keep an eye out for more pictures to come soon!
For now, please enjoy a few snapshots of our wonderful students below.
Friday was filled with joyous ceremony, competition, and confraternity among the Middle School students.
The morning began with the first All School Mass of the year at Holy Spirit Catholic Church followed by the highly anticipated Tying Ceremony hosted on the Upper School Campus.
Students returned to the Lower School Campus to cheer on their House Masters as faculty flexed their theological-muscles in a faith-edition of Family Feud. At noon, Father Andrew kicked-off the Inaugural House Banquet and teachers began serving the students a hearty three-course meal prepared by the kitchen staff. As students were enjoying the food and fraternity, Mr. Verlander stood up and recited Psalm 23, Mr. Hoyer followed suit with an address to the student body on proper banquet etiquette. The afternoon continued with students raising their 'glasses' to toasts offered to the Holy Father, Holy Spirit Preparatory School, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. During dessert, House Masters stood up, one-by-one, to recognize a student from their house who they found especially worthy of public praise.
As the banquet was coming to a close, Mr. Radosta, expressed eloquent words of gratitude to the student body, the faculty and staff, and the kitchen staff, led by Head Chef Ben Halley. The Salve Regina was intoned and students were dismissed to prepare for House Challenges with the sound of our merciful, loving, and sweet Virgin Mary ringing in their ears.
Photos from the Middle School Tying Ceremony
Photos from the Middle School House Banquet
If you are a parent or student interested in volunteering or being paid to help with the school, we have a need at our Extended School Program (ESP)!
The Extended School Program is hosted at our Lower and Middle School every day from 3:00-6:00 PM. At ESP, volunteers oversee and spend time with the students that need to be picked up later in the day. Hours are flexible and may be catered to your schedule.
The role is open to anyone over the age of 16 and can be counted for service hours or for pay at $12/hr.
Please note that high schoolers must be able to transport themselves over to the Lower School at the end of the school day, and may only volunteer/work for hours after High School dismissal.
If you are interested and able to help, please contact Pete Radosta at pradosta@holyspiritprep.org.
The next PVA meeting will be on Friday morning, September 30, at 8:15 in the LS conference room. All are welcome to attend.
The Used Uniform Store is accepting donated uniform items now.
The Used Uniform Store is based at the Lower School and is open from 3:00 - 4:00 PM.
Information regarding our uniform vendors and Used Uniform Store may be found below or at https://holyspiritprep.org/Other/BackToSchoolForms
Flynn O'Hara 6311 Roswell Road NE Sandy Springs, GA 30328 (404) 260-7584 website
Sue Mills 5932 Roswell Rd., Suite B Sandy Springs, GA 30328 (404) 255-2133 website
HSP Used Uniform Store (K-12th Grade) 4820 Long Island Drive Atlanta, GA 30342 (404) 255-0900 Store hours are 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM.
Please see Maria Insalaca at the front desk for access and exact cash or check are the only forms of payment. The store is run by volunteers and we ask that clothes are hung or folded back up to keep the store presentable.
We are always accepting donations – please have them laundered or dry cleaned prior to donating them. If they are not in good condition, we will also take them and donate them to the uniform project or have them recycled. We will take anything with the HSP logo or name on it and find appropriate locations for the items.
If you are interested in volunteering, please visit the PVA website and sign up to volunteer there or contact Heidi Harrington at heidiharrington@bellsouth.net.
Make your 2023 GOAL Pledge today in support of Holy Spirit Preparatory School!
Applications are still open, and credits are being consumed at a higher rate this year! Secure your credits before they are gone! Apply HERE.
Contact Brittney Bailey at bbailey@holyspiritprep.org or call 678.904.2811 should you have any questions.
Please see the following letter from Michelle Bertany that was sent to the HSP Community today, regarding the 2022-2023 Annual Fund Kick-off!
Dear Holy Spirit Prep Family, It is hard to believe we are already one month into the new academic year. During the challenging circumstances of the pandemic that we continue to face, our Holy Spirit Prep community has continued to thrive, remaining faithful to the original mission of Holy Spirit Preparatory School - developing a communion of joyful souls dedicated to Catholic discipleship in holistic, classically-inspired education. As of today, Holy Spirit Prep’s 2022-2023 Annual Fund campaign is officially underway! The Annual Fund is our primary annual fundraising effort. If you have not already done so, please watch this beautiful message from Amanda and Rick Kuhlman, our 2022 - 2023 Annual Fund Chairs. Help us continue to improve, grow, and thrive. The Catholic Church has historically emphasized the critical role of parents, and the family in the process of educating the faithful. HSP strives to provide financial aid opportunities to qualified Catholic students who do not have the means to attend. This need-based approach is an effort to provide the highest quality Catholic education to entire families and to recognize the Church’s twin missions of teaching and evangelization. The economic realities relating to the cost of providing this type of education mandate a robust fundraising program and a commitment to proper stewardship of all the resources of the school. Without a community commitment to fundraising, it would be difficult for Holy Spirit Prep to survive as an institution supporting the family. Contributions to the Annual Fund demonstrate the community’s commitment to the proper formation of our children—and allow Holy Spirit Prep to maintain the highest quality Catholic education. We respectfully request every HSP family to participate in the 2022-23 Annual Fund to the best of their ability. Jesus taught us how. “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” Proverbs 11:2 Over the next few weeks, you will receive regular updates and reminders about the Annual Fund. We encourage you to read these messages and reach out to our Director of Advancement, Edward Festa efesta@holyspiritprep.org with any questions. Many employers sponsor matching gift programs for charitable contributions made by their employees. Check if your company has a matching gift policy. The impact of your gift to Holy Spirit Prep could be doubled. Please support the 2022-23 Annual Fund at any one of the following Giving Levels by October 7, 2022. We are all called to make our best gift.
You may notice we added a new giving level, St. Joseph Calasanz. St. Joseph Calasanz dedicated his life to the education of poor and neglected children, including numerous schools where poor children could attend for free. I offer you my sincerest thanks for your support. God bless you and your wonderful families!
In Christ, Michelle Bertany
The Poor Widow’s Contribution. He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” Mark 12: 41-44
As of this week, 100% of the Holy Spirit Prep faculty and staff have pledged or donated to the 22-23 Annual Fund! We are so happy to kick off this campaign with all of our faculty and staff on board.
For more information on how to donate, please see our website:
https://holyspiritprep.org/Giving/AnnualFund/
Please note that the doors of the Preschool are locked between 7:30 am-4:00 pm.
Please ring the doorbell for entry and be sure to sign your child in and/or out if coming into the school.
The Preschool is meeting with a Sandy Springs police officer at the end of September to assess our security and ensure best practices.
Happy Birthday, Mary!
On Thursday, the Preschool celebrated the feast of the Nativity of Our Blessed Mother! Please enjoy some pictures below.
We enjoyed seeing many of you at Parent Night!
Please enjoy the below newsletter.
22-09-02 Preschool Newsletter.pdf
Preschool hours are 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. If you wish to sign up for our early morning and/or after school programs, please sign up on the following registration form.
If you have any questions, please contact Georgia Tate at gtate@holyspiritprep.org.
Father Andrew, assisted by a group of Middle School students, processed through the LS and MS buildings, blessing each of the classrooms and the buildings. This special blessing is a wonderful way to start our school year!
Lower and Middle School boys are invited to join the Boys Club every Tuesday from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm, starting on August 16.
The Boys Club is a program run by Father Andrew with the help of missionary volunteers who are taking a gap year before college to help minister to our youth.
Students in the Boys Club will play sports, learn about a saint and a virtue as well as have a snack. The Middle School students help the Lower School students prepare a presentation about what they learned. This provides a great opportunity for students to learn about healthy leadership and virtues while having fun.
Students who register to join the Boys Club will be picked up from their classrooms at dismissal time. Unless there is inclement weather, students may be picked up from the soccer field at 4:30pm.
Registration is required on the form below (even if you have emailed Father Andrew about participation)
Please use the following link if you would like to contribute a snack for the boys to enjoy.
BOYS CLUB SNACK SIGN-UP
Below is a link with the Cougar Hour activities available to Lower and Middle School students for the first semester for this school year. Registration will close on August 26th.
Should you wish to register your child for any Cougar Hour activity today, please click on the link below and scroll down to the Cougar Hour Registration Information for the ones that are presently available, where you will find the registration links. Registration is required to attend these clubs. Please note that registration for most of these offerings is with the vendor and not through HSP.
Our Extended School Program (ESP) is still available, as per usual, during this time as well. Our ESP program runs from 3:00pm - 6:00pm. Please note that ESP is not included in tuition.
Should you have any questions about ESP, please contact Mrs. Maria Insalaca at minsalaca@holyspiritprep.org.
Should you have any questions about any Cougar Hour activities, please contact Mr.Angelle at jangelle@holyspiritprep.org.
The Lower and Middle School's Early Morning Care (EMC) Program is available daily to students from 7:20am to 7:40am for a fee.
During this time, students will be supervised by faculty in the gym. Students registered for Early Morning Care may be dropped off at the staircase between the gym and Middle School Building beginning at 7:20am. All students will be dismissed to their Homeroom at 7:40am.
All students participating in Early Morning Care must be registered with the program using the registration form below.
Elle Overholt hosted a very interactive and dynamic Resume Building Workshop for our 11th and 12th Grade students.
Our students learned the key points of a resume and started building their own.
If you would like to keep in touch with her and learn more tips, please check out her website!
They depend entirely on donations from the community to fill the Begin Box. These boxes are a concrete example to the families we work with that they are supported and cared for. The impact of the Begin Box extends far beyond burp clothes and bottles; many of our caregivers tell us that receiving the Begin Box made them feel more confident and less alone, they felt connected to a community that really cared about them. The Begin Box amazon wish list is provided below, along with some pictures of the boxes.
Thank you so much for helping and filling a Begin Box with lots of love!
Mariana Munoz
Begin Box
Fr. Juan Pablo Duran will be blessing all of the HSP vehicles in the Upper School parking lot on Wednesday, September 20th, and Thursday, September 21st at 3:30pm right after school.
All Upper School students are welcome to join our Encounter Groups starting the week of 9/19 during lunch.
Previously marketed as Bible Studies, these are a chance for students to Encounter Christ in Scripture, grow in fellowship with other men and women in your grade, and continually come back to your identity and worldview in and with Christ as you move forward this school year.
We will have separate studies for young men and women and varied grades. If students are interested, please fill out this form:
Encounter Interest Form 22-23
Reminder that all high school students are required to serve and log 25 hours by April 21, 2023. The Service Hours Form can be found on the website and is linked here.
Please turn in complete forms in the folder to the left of the Campus Ministry white board outside of Fr. JP’s office.
Ideas of service opportunities will be posted to the website and Green and Gold over the coming weeks, but students are welcome to talk to Ms. Athaide about any other service work they do or would like to do.
Congratulations to our 2022 Homecoming Court!
Ladies
Kaelyn Bannon Merelyn Gonzalez Alexa Padilla Ava Sipos
Gentlemen
Alek Grigorian Carlton Martin Issac Olguin Jacob Wilhelm
Over the past few weeks, we have hosted a handful of colleges on our Upper School campus to give our students the opportunities to network and learn more about what each has to offer. We have over 20 already scheduled, and the list is growing!
Please feel free to contact meet@uga.edu if you have any questions regarding these events or logistics on how the virtual events work. See dates and sign up here: http://www.peachstatetour.org/students.html
With close guidance from Scholar Launch co-founder Joel Butterly and our seasoned instructors, students will work in a small group format to launch a business, organization, or initiative of their own. Students will graduate from the LIL as leaders and entrepreneurs, ready to make an impact on their communities. For more information and to register, please click here: https://www.scholarlaunch.org/leadership-innovation-lab
All 11th-grade parents are invited to an info session on the College Counseling process and expectations for the junior class over the next 2 years.
Please join us in Malta Hall on October 26th from 6:00-7:30 PM. More details will be sent in the coming weeks.
See you there!
The Planets - by Gustav Holst
Gustav Holst
Born September 21, 1874 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Died May 25, 1934 London, England
Gustav Holst was an English composer, arranger, and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite The Planets, he composed many other works across a range of genres, although none achieved comparable success. There were professional musicians in the previous three generations of Holst's family and it was clear from his early years that he would follow the same calling. He hoped to become a pianist but was prevented by neuritis in his right arm. Despite his father's reservations, he pursued a career as a composer, studying at the Royal College of Music. Unable to support himself with his compositions, he played the trombone professionally and later became a teacher—a great one, according to his colleague Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Holst's works were played frequently in the early years of the 20th century, but it was not until the international success of The Planets in the years immediately after the First World War that he became a well-known figure. A shy man, he did not welcome this fame and preferred to be left in peace to compose and teach. Apart from The Planets and a handful of other works, his music was generally neglected until the 1980s, when recordings of much of his output became available.
The Planets, Op. 32, is a seven-movement orchestral suite written between 1914 and 1917. In the last movement, the orchestra is joined by a wordless female chorus. Each movement of the suite is named after a planet of the Solar System and its supposed astrological character.
In an early sketch for the suite, Holst listed Mercury as "no. 1", which suggests the possibility that the composer's first idea was simply to depict the planets in the obvious order, from nearest to the sun to the farthest. However, opening with the more disturbing character of Mars allows a more dramatic and compelling working out of the musical material.
The first movement to be written was Mars in mid-1914, followed by Venus and Jupiter in the latter part of the year, Saturn and Uranus in mid-1915, Neptune later in 1915, and Mercury in early 1916. Holst completed the orchestration in 1917. There have been at least 80 commercial recordings of The Planets.
Following in the tradition set by 2001: A Space Odyssey using known “classical” music for its score, George Lucas originally intended to use Mars as the Main Theme for Star Wars. It was his friend Steven Spielberg who convinced him to call John Williams to compose an original score for the film. You will find similarities between the two iconic works.
The Planets, Op. 32.
Recommended Recording: Holst: The Planets - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, James Levine (Deutsche Grammophon)
Listen on AppleMusic Listen on Spotify
Further Listening: Composer’s Collection: Gustav Holst - North Texas Wind Symphony, Eugene Migliaro Corporon (GIA Windworks)
HSP is happy to continue their association with the Ascension Music Academy to offer music lessons on both our campuses.
Performing music every day has a direct correlation to higher test scores, aptitude, and critical thinking skills. Numerous studies show that students who perform in their school performing ensembles daily score from 200-500 points higher on the SAT, depending on their level of musical advancement. Students at the All-State Level score closer to 500 mark. Almost every All-State student takes private lessons. There is no better way to master your instrument than to receive one on one instruction.
If you are interested in registering for the fall semester, please fill out this form and return it, with payment, to either school’s front desk. Please contact our Fine Arts Director, Len Insalaca (Linsalaca@holyspiritprep.org), if you have any questions or would like more information.
Many people wonder why music is such an important part of a classical education.
It is because music helps us to learn by improving cognitive function, helping our brains work effectively, and helps us solve complex problems, just to name a few of the benefits.
Please click the link below for a short article by Dr. Anita Collins, explaining all of the positive effects of music education on brain development.
Music Education and Brain Development
All 10th-grade parents are invited for an information session on the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday, September 20th from 6:30-8:00 PM.
Please fill out this form in advance so we can understand a bit more about your intentions: Confirmation Parent Interest 22-23. Please join us to learn more about the options of getting confirmed at HSP, your parish, the retreat date, necessary forms, due dates, and Sacramental Records.
If your child is in 11th or 12th grade and has not been confirmed in the Catholic Church but is interested, please fill out the form and Campus Ministry will be in touch with you.
Dear Families,
We are continuing our virtue series at the Lower School this September. Groups of Middle Schoolers have been very helpful in preparing presentations for the lower school students on the virtue of the month. I wanted to share a few reflections about this month’s virtue – Faith.
The common notion of faith in our world today is that if something doesn’t make sense, and we are told it is true, we need to just blindly accept it. This is a false notion of Faith. Faith should go hand in hand with reason. God doesn’t ask us to reject our reason and intellect to reflect on Him. That would be, in a sense, improper to our nature, and God wouldn’t ask us to do something that we were not made to do.
It is proper to reason to trust people’s testimony. We do this all the time. Someone tells me that Antarctica exists, I have never been there, but I believe. Someone tells me that there are other galaxies out there, but there is no way for me to confirm them. I trust them. Someone tells me that the speed of light = mc2. I can’t measure it, but I trust that this is true. We also trust human testimony for historical events that happened. It is very natural for us to trust other people’s testimony, but for some reason, we find it much harder to believe or trust God’s testimony that He would stay with us in the Eucharist or that the morality He asks of us is the best way of life.
Not only is the act of faith rational, but also our Faith as a whole is rational. What we believe makes sense. The Trinity, Christ’s two natures, and the Eucharist are all mysteries that we trust the author of (God), and the internal principles that make them up are coherent and understandable. Our Theology uses philosophical principles to help us understand our faith. And philosophy finds its fulfillment in Theology and faith.
God gives us our intellect to help us believe, and He gives us Faith to help us understand. We use our intellect to discover the Truth, and Faith explains the Truth to us. The greatest Truth leads us to a discovery of the meaning of our lives. Why do we exist? What are we here for? The answers to these questions can never be found just with a scientific, biological, and temporal meaning. If the answer stayed in the temporal and material world, every answer we find would leave us hanging and asking isn’t there something more?
The answers to these fundamental questions can truly only be understood with faith. We find the meaning of our life when we accept the mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Our life can find meaning when we look back over our life hand in hand with Christ from His Tomb, who has conquered sin and opened again the doors of eternal life. His Paschal mystery is the true interpreter of our lives.
Faith helps us complete the whole story. The meaning we try to give will always be incomplete, like a movie that leaves you hanging with many unanswered questions.
The Prophet Isaiah told King Ahaz that, “if your faith is not firm, you will not be firm” (Is 7:9). The Author of the book of Hebrews can help us interpret this line, “Faith is the realization of things hoped for, and the evidence of things unseen” (Heb 11:1). If we look at these two celebrated lines from Scripture together, we find that Faith is a rock. Isaiah tells King Ahaz he will be strong if his faith is strong and the author of the letter to the Hebrews, compares faith to realization and evidence. Both reference solidity. Our faith isn’t about vague abstract concepts that have nothing to do with our lives, rather we believe in a person, someone with whom we can build a relationship, and this gives solidity to our lives. He is our Savior, Redeemer, Merciful Father, and Just Judge. Knowing that there is such a loving Father and good friend we are invited to accept this mercy now and live a life worthy of the name, Christian. “Christian, recognize your dignity and, know that you share in God's own nature, do not return to your former base condition by sinning. Remember who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Never forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of the Kingdom of God.” (St Leo the Great)
In short, our Faith is the foundation of our life, the rock we build it on. Build on solid ground and we will be strong.
God Bless!
Fr Andrew, LC
Video of the virtue of the month made by the students on Faith
https://youtu.be/ncP0f_broWo
This Week at Holy Spirit
Weekly Bulletin
Volleyball:
Our JV & Varsity Volleyball Teams had a successful week this week against Cristo Rey at bout our court and theirs. Good luck next week vs. AIS and Fulton Science Academy.
Our Middle School teams played some tough competition this week but are continuing to improve! They will also be playing AIS and Fulton Science Academy.
Football:
Good luck to our team as they play Westminster of Augusta tonight in Augusta! See you all next week at our Homecoming game! Tailgating begins at 5:30! See you at North Springs High School!
Middle School Football:
Our MS Football team took on Harvester Christian last night in their 3rd game of the season before a huge crowd at the Upper School Football Field. They played hard but did not come away with a victory. They travel to Lanier next Tuesday! GO COUGARS!
Cross Country:
Our Middle School team did great this week at a VERY rough and tough course. Catherine Slinkard came in 10th with a time of 17:50 Evan Craig came in 4th with a time of 14:22 Luke Sacco placement is still TBD with a time of 16:14 Luke had an awesome kick-up hill at the finish to beat out another runner. Lots of grit!
Clay Targets:
Please see article with additional information.
Please review the rosters below and register here.
3rd Grade girls: NONE 3rd grade boys: 7 total (Coaches - Sacco/Carico) Siler Wolf Nico Munoz Nicholas Sacco Porter Milsap Jubal Gatwood Mason Carico Teddy Alverson Porter Millsap
4th grade girls: 8 total (Coaches - Summers/Richmond) Hannah Summers Cora Pietrantonio Quinn Richmond Catherine Meder Isabella Firmin Paular Millsap Rebecca Pelaez Avery Garza
4th grade boys: 3 total as of now (Need coach) Xavier Twomey Oba Browne Karim Santillian PLEASE TALK WITH OTHER BOYS IN YOUR GRADE
5th grade girls: 7 total (Cusimano/Behunin) Gabby Cusimano Ansley Behunin Livi Wilhelm Lucy Mulcare Rose Taylor Violetta Garzon Ivana Catellanos
5th grade boys: 5 total (Need coach) Jack Wolf David Tate Arthur Labbe Dominic Alverson Kolbe Nuar
6th grade boys: 8 total (Need coach) Rafa Firmin Lucas Kichler JJ Kichler Matias Castellanos Mario Munoz Enzo Kuhlman Luciano Kuhlman Michael Martinez
If you are not planning on playing, please let me know.
We are still working out the practice schedule. All of our MS basketball games are on Tuesday so we will not have any practice on Tuesday.
Please reach out to the students that you don't see on this list and encourage them to join the team!
Here's to a great season!
Varsity Girls Cross Country: Keira Jessop "Keira has been doing a great job!" - Coach Spino
Varsity Boys Cross Country - Jackson Sacco "Jackson had a tough battle last weekend at the start of the race and recovered very well" - Coach Spino
Varsity Clay Targets - Brady Van Oss "The Athlete of the Week for our Clay Shooting Team is Brady Van Oss. He is not only a very competitive shooter, but has a great sense of humor, which helps the ‘newbies’ relax & enjoy the fun & camaraderie of the Clay Shooting team sport. Brady is a junior this year & we are proud of his abilities to set a good example for are younger members by his willingness to ‘serve & not be served’. Congratulations on this award & thank you for your dedication." Coach Magnusson
Past Cougar Athletes of the Week:
Middle School Cross Country Luke Sacco Evan Craig Catherine Slinkard
Varsity Cross Country - Davis Braun Adam Young Jacob Wilhelm Reagan Neff
Varsity Clay Targets - Dillon Harrington Carlton Martin Keaton Neff Aram Santillian Kaitlyn Hatchew
Middle School Cheer Evelyn Labbe Camila Castellanos
Varsity Cheer Layelin Zamora Michelle Sande Kira Taylor
Middle School Volleyball Ariana Lajara Isla Page Camilla Haller
JV Volleyball Camila Florentino Lauren Wilhelm Mackenzie Manning
Varsity Volleyball Reagan Twomey Ava Sipos Blair Ecker Mary Anna Cumbie
Varsity Football: Jacob Meder
At the Homecoming Tailgate next Friday, the 4th and 5th grade Girl Scouts will have a table of fun activities and crafts for Lower School and Preschool families. Please support our girls and cheer on our Cougars! See you there at 5:30! Questions? Contact Meghan Pietrantonio 404.694.9292
This past Saturday, the Holy Spirit Clays Team ventured to the Ocmulgee Gun Club in Macon to shoot a skeet and sporting clays competition. The competition was completely booked and as everyone scrambled to their assigned locations, what appeared at first as chaos settled into an orderly sequence of events. The forecasted rain never came and the cloud cover made it a very comfortable day.
For the first time, Holy Spirit fielded a middle school team, consisting of two seventh graders – Keaton Neff and Evan Sipos. Both held their own against competitors many of whom were 18 year old seniors with years of experience shooting the clays sports. Keaton and Evan blended right into the group and represented themselves and our school in an exemplary manner. With such talent, the future of the Holy Spirit Clays Team is very bright, as our younger teammates continue to learn and to improve their skills.
Our parents who attended pitched in and provided support so that our athletes could concentrate on what was important which, in the case of clays shooting, is only the next shot. A valuable lesson learned while participating in our sport is to focus on what you can control and how to control emotions internally to such as extent that fine motor skills remain sharp.
We compete again tomorrow at Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds in Atlanta, and will apply lessons learned to a new day of competition.
Thank you to parents, our school and our church for your support, and God Bless America!
Volume 22, Issue 3 | September 13, 2022
The Problem with Specialization
Since 2010, youth sports has grown more than 50% and become a $19 billion industry with approximately 60 million kids participating across the United States. To put that in context, the youth sports industry is larger than either the NFL or NBA, America's two largest professional sports. That's big business. So it should come as no surprise that as the industry has grown, the game has changed for youth and high school parents and children. Looking to capitalize on a booming market, a rising number of clubs, coaches and manufacturers have entered the scene, incentivized to convince parents that starting early and going "all in" is the only way to go. The resulting rise in specialization has had dramatic affects, nearly all of them negative: families are spending more than ever, while each year more athletes drop out of sports due to burnout or significant injury caused by overuse.
What if there's a better way to develop our young athletes? In the video above, Play Like a Champion's Peter Piscitello provides a glimpse into the latest research on athlete development and explains why experts agree that specialization is not the answer. Instead, parents should consider multi-sport participation a key to development, allowing their young athlete to try a variety of sports while emphasizing fun and appropriate physical growth. Parents: consider how many sports your child has played in the past year? This week, ask them what new sport they would like to try and make a commitment to promote variety, playing at least 2-3 different sports over the course of the next year.
For in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ~ Colossians 1:16
Virtual Parent Workshops Return for 2022-2023 Year
Play Like a Champion is excited to continue offering our virtual Parent Like a Champion workshop through the 2022-2023 school year! Based on our popular in-person parent workshop, this one-hour Zoom webinar offers parents of children in grades K-8 the tools they need to provide a fun and enriching youth sports experience. Virtual workshops are offered twice monthly and led by Play Like a Champion's Kristin Sheehan and Peter Piscitello. Parents simply register online and receive a link to join their chosen session and PDF Parent Manual via email. The cost is $15 per family, which can be paid during registration, or Play Like a Champion can create a "coupon code" for partners to allow parents to register at no cost.
Join more than 3,000 parents who have already been trained through this virtual workshop. Click the image above to view a flyer with upcoming fall workshop dates, or email information@playlikeachampion.org to learn more and ask questions. You can also check-out the registration link below, which includes all dates for the coming year.
A Prayer for Parents
God, I thank you for the wonderful blessing it is to watch my children play sports. Thank you for the smile that it brings to their face and for the ways in which sports help them to grow in virtue and skill. I ask that as they participate you protect them from injury and harm and bless them with the grace to reach their full potential. Bless their coaches that they may embrace their role and have the courage to always do what is right for the children you have entrusted to their care. Grant all sports parents the graces we need to be supportive and to have perspective. May we seek not our own will for our child, but yours, and in doing so be freed to let them enjoy this experience no matter the result. May each of us - child, coach and parent - glorify you through our actions and come to know you better through this experience. I ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Play Like a Champion Today Educational Series
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Thank you to our current Booster Club Members! Click here for more information on how to join.
Gold Members ($1,000+) David & Stephanie Cusimano The De Santolo Family Chris & Megan Durham Nicholas & Tricia Mulcare Ashok & Kim Reddy Harold & Lisa Wyatt
Silver Members ($500+) Chris & Alexandra Burris Mike & Carolyn Ecker Albert & Sallie Forrester Kendall Kerew Scott Kerew Peter & Jennifer Manning Kevin & Ellen Twomey
Green Members ($250+) Anonymous (1) Mark & Rebecca Bernier The Cabrara Family Brooks & Kate Castellaw The Hutchins Family Rick & Amanda Kuhlman Kathleen, Kelly and Bradley Magnusson Chris & Margaret Martin Mike & Kathy Prieto Chris & Christian Riley Whitney & Ashley Wolf
Members ($100+) Anonymous (1) Javier & Alanna Oliver The Slinkard Family Stacey Weiss The Zelaya Family
Calling all Cougar Fans! It's time to the 2022-23 Athletic Booster Club!
Support our student athletes through joining the Holy Spirit Prep Athletic Booster Club!
The Holy Spirit Prep Athletic Booster Club has one goal - to enhance the experience of our student athletes on all three campuses. The HSP Athletic Booster Club funds will enhance our budget, allowing us to provide supplemental equipment, coaching, and programs to improve the athletics experience for all our students. These funds will be obtained through HSP Athletic Booster Club membership, restricted athletics donations, spirit gear sales, and event ticket and concession sales.
The HSP Athletic Booster Club recognizes that participation in school athletics benefits everyone. In addition to financial support, the HSPABC promotes opportunities to build and strengthen relationships among all constituencies through enthusiastic participation of volunteers, students, coaches, parents, school faculty and staff, sponsors, community members, alumni and grandparents.
Depending on the level of membership, personalized admission passes will be issued to you for a select number or all regular season home games!
For additional information on levels, please click here. On behalf of all students, coaches and fans here at HSP, thank you for your support!
Please contact Kristina Wilhelm, Director of Athletics, for additional information, at kwilhelm@holyspiritprep.org.
The Athletic Booster Club is seeking Corporate Sponsorships!
As we prepare for the 2022-2023 school year, we are seeking corporate sponsorships to support the Athletics budget. Please click here for additional information.
Sponsorship Visual Benefits:
Limited 4x6ft vinyl outdoor banner on the baseball fence on the High School campus, the soccer/football field on the High School campus, and the soccer field fence on the Lower School campus.
Additional Benefits for all Corporate Sponsors
All the benefits included for the highest level of Athletic Booster Club Membership
To learn more about the opportunity to become a Corporate Sponsor, please contact Director of Athletics Kristina Wilhelm at kwilhelm@holyspiritprep.org.
Prudence: - "unselfishly giving to others what they need"
Prudence is a cardinal virtue: one of the four pivotal virtues.
Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern (discovering God’s will) our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it; ‘the prudent man looks where he is going.’ Prudence is ‘right reason in action,’ writes Saint Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle. It is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity or dissimulation. It is called the charioteer of the virtues; it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure. It is prudence that immediately guides the judgment of conscience. The prudent man determines and directs his conduct in accordance with this judgment. With the help of this virtue we apply moral principles to particular cases without error and overcome doubts about the good to achieve and the evil to avoid” (CCC 1806).
"Prudence is concerned with the quest of truth, and fills us with the desire of fuller knowledge.” - St. Ambrose ”