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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.
Family Folk Dance Night
On Friday night, October 14th at 6:00pm we will be having our HSP Family Folk Dance night at the Lower School Gym. This may strike fear in your heart, but don’t worry, you will have fun! We are doing this so that our 1st - 3rd grade students can show you things they are learning in music, but an even bigger reason is that it brings us together as a HSP Family.
You do NOT need to know how to dance, and you don’t need to have learned the dances ahead of time. The kids have been doing these dances and are very excited to help me “co-teach” you that night.
The dance lasts only 1 hour, and then there will be a small potluck from 7-8pm, including snacks, desserts, and drinks. There will not be a dinner entree and we encourage you to have a small meal before the dance. Dress should be comfortable (especially your shoes!) – it may get a little warm.
The phrase of the night is, “Come When You Can, Leave When You Must!”. If you would like to bring a child younger than 6, please be prepared to accompany them at all times. Babysitting will not be provided on campus. If you know you are coming, it would be super-helpful if you would let us know and give us an approximate count. Please fill out the RSVP form by Wednesday, October 12th.
RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmY1HV7kWwP6DDgofW3b0KLIAeQ3jZygn5amp6TTi7nZf6AA/viewform?usp=sf_link
Volunteer for Potluck or Setup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090a48afa622abf85-family ???????
Dear Holy Spirit Preparatory Families,
You are cordially invited to our 3rd Annual Music Under the Stars. HSP's premier Fine Arts fundraiser!
Year three is destined to be better than ever and our theme is "Around the World" where each table is encouraged to choose a country and decorate your table, pair your food and dress to complement your country. Don't be shy, go all out if you so desire! Again, this year, we will be handing out prizes for the most impressive tables.
Music Under the Stars is a Chastain style outdoor concert where guests pack their own picnics, decorate their tables, and enjoy wonderful live music. Performing this year is R&B Inc., our HSP Jazz Band, composed of our High School and Middle School students, an Art Show from our visual art students, and a surprise interactive piece of art that will be raffled off at the end of the evening.
As always, Music Under the Stars promises a fun and memorable evening of fellowship while supporting our talented students.
We hope you are looking forward to it as much as we are.
If you have any questions, please contact Len Insalaca at linsalaca@holyspiritprep.org.
Dear High School Families, On Monday, October 17th, Jason Evert will be coming to the High School campus to give a talk to our students. We will have an adjusted schedule for the week. Please see below for details:
Jason Evert has traveled to six continents to bring the message of purity to millions of people for more than 20 years, including World Youth Days in Australia, Spain, Poland, and Panama. He has lectured at dozens of universities, including Harvard, Princeton, and the United States Naval and Air Force Academies. Jason earned a master’s degree in Theology, and undergraduate degrees in Counseling and Theology, with a minor in Philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is a best-selling author of more than 15 books, including Saint John Paul the Great, How to Find Your Soulmate without Losing Your Soul, and the curriculum YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body. He and his wife Crystalina are frequent guests on radio programs throughout the country, and their television appearances include MSNBC, Fox News, the BBC, and EWTN. Together, they run Chastity Project and its website, chastity.com, the podcast “Lust is Boring”, and lead an international alliance of young people who promote purity in more than 40 countries.
Jason Evert and wife Crystalina Evert
We look forward to having him!
Holy Spirit Preparatory School • 4449 Northside Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30327 • 678.904.2811
We are excited to announce the start of the 2022-2023 swim season. We will host a zoom meeting for all interested participants on Monday October 17, 2022 at 7:00 pm. At this meeting we will distribute the team handbook, competition schedule, and go over how our team works (including breakfast sign up and meet snacks sign up).
Due to some conflicts with my personal schedule, the first day of practice will be Friday October 21, 2022. We practice at Chastain Park Pool (235 Chastain Park Ave) starting at 6am (please arrive 5-10 minutes early).
RECAP of IMPORTANT DATES:
Monday 10/17/22 @ 7:00 pm - ZOOM MEETING (Info Below)
Friday 10/21/22 @ 6:00 am - FIRST PRACTICE
Topic: SWIM TEAM Time: Oct 17, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75726383502?pwd=XnZs0Dmtlb7D6vCLKTj17CR5KTXgc9.1 Meeting ID: 757 2638 3502 Passcode: Pv64b9
Returning parents, please let me know if you can serve as our breakfast coordinator this year. I will reach out to you separately to go over what we need and how we have functioned in the past.
Lastly, it's not too late to recruit your friends to swim! The more the better on the swim team.
Coach Star and Coach Foutch
Dear 9th Grade Families, The new dates for the annual 9th grade retreat have been finalized! The class will head to the Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Tennessee for retreat, renewal, and fun on October 20th and 21st. In the coming weeks, you will receive a waiver to complete through a FACTS form. Please be on the lookout. Retreat details below:
The retreat is mandatory for all students and will be overnight at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center (250 Locke Ln, Benton, TN 37307) from Thursday, October 20th, 2022 (8:30 AM) - Friday, October 21st, 2022 (2:30 PM).
Students should bring: toiletries, sheets, and blankets or sleeping bag, pillow, towel, comfortable clothing—including shoes that can get wet as well as a light jacket—(shorts of appropriate length and athletic pants are permitted; no leggings or sleeveless clothing), rosary, journal, Bible, water bottle, a few warm sweatshirts sunscreen/bug spray (optional).
HSP Faculty and Staff leading the retreat: Fr. Juan Pablo Duran, Fr. Andrew Gronotte, Marie Athaide, Alex Johnson, Katherine Tanko, Thomas Gaines
Estimated Time of Departure: 10/20/22, 8:30 am
Estimated Time of Return: 10/21/22, 2:30 pm The Dress Code for this event is: Casual Clothing (refer to the student handbook for guidelines) Please reach out to Marie Athaide with any questions at mathaide@holyspiritprep.org. In Christ, The Retreat Team
The 6th graders will be having their annual retreat at the Upper School on Friday, October 21st.
More details will be shared via HSP Communications soon!
Boys Camp Retreat
The Boy's Camp Retreat is a weekend tailored for your 5th-6th grade boys, and will be help from Oct 21-23! It will be up at the picturesque Hidden Lake Center in Dahlonega and include formation talks and dynamics on the theme of Love for Christ, gym sports, outdoor sports, capture the flag, scavenger hunts, all culminating in our ECYD Holy Hour and our ECYD Pledge of Friendship with Christ on Sunday morning.
Note that we have divided our normal 5th-8th grade retreat into two different events (5th-6th grade / 7th-8th grade) to create a better and more personalized experience for your boys.
Fr Andrew Gronotte, Fr Terrance Allen, Br Joseph Geiger, the RC missionaries and I are looking forward to the weekend!
REGISTRATION LINK: https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=FeGTDT
Dear Lower School and Middle School Parents, For the 2022-2023 school year, Lower School and Middle School Parent -Teacher Conferences will be in-person on Monday, October 24th from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm in the teachers’ classrooms. Please sign up for your Parent-Teacher conference using the links below: Parents of JCRC students: Please make a note in the comments if you would like the JCRC teacher to be present if scheduling a conference with the classroom/subject area teacher. K - 5th Grade Conferences: Kindergarten - Ms. Kendall 1st Grade - Mrs. Gustainis 2nd Grade - Ms. Wallace 3rd Grade - Ms. Fowler 4th Grade- Ms. Braski 5th Grade- Ms. Hudgens Middle School Conferences: Due to limited slots available, we ask that you sign up for a maximum of three conferences with your child’s subject teachers. Middle School Math - Mrs. Turmel Middle School Theology - Mr. Pham Middle School Latin - Mr. Verlander Middle School English - Mr. Bogan Middle School History - Mr. Hoyer Middle School Science - Mrs. Sacco Faith Formation Discussions for parents of the Lower and Middle School: Faith Formation - Fr. Andrew Gronotte Should you have any questions, please contact Pete Radosta (pradosta@holyspiritprep.org ) or Maria Insalaca (minsalaca@holyspiritprep.org). In Christ, Pete Radosta & John Angelle
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 on October 26th from 6:00-7:30 PM. More details will be sent in the coming weeks.
See you there!
Father – Son Campout. October 29-30 near Conyers, GA (flier below)
Join Regnum Christi for a weekend spent camping with some activities planned around mass, time of reflection, games, camp fire, etc.
We hope to see you there!
Saturday, October 15th
Co-Ed Varsity Clay Targets - Match Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds
Monday, October 17th
HS - Boys Basketball Practice/Tryouts 4:00pm - 6:00 pm • High School Gym
MS/Varsity Swim Zoom Meeting: 7:00 pm Zoom Link Meeting ID: 757 2638 3502 Passcode: Pv64b9
Tuesday, October 18th
Varsity Cross-Country - Region Championship Meet 4:00pm - 6:30pm • Dominion Christian School
HS - Girls Basketball Practice/Tryouts 4:00pm - 6:00 pm • High School Gym
Wednesday, October 19th
Thursday, October 20th
Middle School Football vs. Westminster Christian Academy 4:30pm - 6:30pm • Home
Friday, October 21st
MS/Varsity Swim - First Practice 6:00am • Chastain Pool
Middle School Cross-Country - MAAC CC Championships 8:00am - 11:00am • Garrard Landing
Fall Festival
This year's Fall Festival will be held on Friday, October 28th, for Kindergarten through 5th grade students. Kids will be allowed to wear Fall accessories (non-Halloween) like socks, headbands, bows, etc. with their regular/PE uniform that Day.
We will need parent volunteers to create and manage the booths. More information will follow from your grade-level representatives! Hours for Fall Festival are 11:45 am-2:45 PM on the field (pending weather). Set up is at 11:00 AM and teardown is complete by 3:00 PM.
In the meantime, the PVA is asking for donations of candy to serve as prizes at the festival. Starting October 11th, and ending October 21st, please consider helping by sending in bags of individually wrapped candy with your child, to be dropped off at the Fall Festival donation box in the Front Office. Please send any questions to the Fall Festival Chair; Sarah Summers, summerssarah13@gmail.com.
The next PVA meeting will be held on Friday, November 4th at 8:15 AM in the LS conference room. All are welcome!
We are excited to continue the family mission trip for a second year. This year, we plan to visit Cusco, Peru for our mission. A visit to Machu Picchu would be at the end of the mission. We will hold informational meetings to discuss what this trip will entail.
Friday, October 21st, 7:40 AM in the LS conference room
If you are interested and would like to attend an information session (in person or zoom), please fill out this form.
https://forms.gle/NYQDsXtkgtQwjNSs7
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 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.
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.
Lower and Middle School 1st Quarter Report Cards:
All 1st Quarter Report Cards were emailed on October 14th. If you did not receive your child's report card, please contact Emily Labbe at elabbe@holyspiritprep.org. For attendance questions and/or corrections, please email attendance@holyspiritprep.org.
We wanted to make you aware of the Green and Gold day schedule, as it will differ from the High School for the next two weeks:
Monday 10/10 - Fall Break
Tuesday 10/11 - Green
Wednesday 10/12 - Gold
Thursday 10/13 - Green
Friday 10/14 - Gold
Monday 10/17 - All Classes
Tuesday 10/18 - Green
Wednesday 10/19 - Gold
Thursday 10/20 - Green
Friday 10/21 - Gold
On Friday night, October 14th at 6:00pm we will be having our HSP Family Folk Dance night at the Lower School Gym. This may strike fear in your heart, but don’t worry, you will have fun! We are doing this so that our 1st - 3rd gade students can show you things they are learning in music, but an even bigger reason is that it brings us together as a HSP Family.
Greeting HSP Parents, We pray that this communication finds you all well. In the spirit of safety and cooperation, we are emailing you in regards to procedures for Lower and Middle school students that remain in our care after the end of the school day at 3:00 pm. As you know, carpool begins at 3:00 pm and usually runs for about 15 minutes. Students remaining after carpool should belong to one of three groups: ESP (Registered or temporary needs), Athletes (for a game or practice), or Cougar Hour/Tutorial. Any student not in one of those three categories should be picked up at carpool by a parent or guardian and have left school grounds. For those remaining, the procedures for supervision of the students in these three groups are as follows:
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.
High School 1st Quarter Grades
As a reminder, high school students will receive their 1st Semester Report Card in December. Please be sure to check your student's academic progress in FACTS Family Portal. For attendance questions and/or corrections, please email attendance@holyspiritprep.org.
In support of the Annual Fund, we are having a house competition at the high school!
The house that has the highest family participation in the Annual Fund will earn 75 points, second place will earn 50 points, and third place will earn 25 points. Any donation will be considered full participation for the purposes of this competition and no donation is too small!
Points will be awarded based on the percentage of families that participate for each house, so please help us to support our school, as well as your houses, as we push ever closer to our goal.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Amanda Foutch or Michelle Bertany.
Last week at the high school, we hosted our annual club fair. We had many old clubs return, such as our Pro-Life club, St. Joseph’s Cohort, Spanish Club, and many others. We also had some new clubs on display, such as the HSP Spirit Club and the new Prayer Apostolate. Students were able to walk around, speak to club leaders, and sign up for the different clubs.
For those who were not able to make it and/or would like to review the materials, linked below is the deck that was discussed. We are looking forward to walking with you and your student in holiness this year.
Parent Info Confirmation Night 2022.pdf
Below are also some important due dates and reminders.
Friday February 24th, 2023 | 8:30am - 12:30pm — Confirmation Retreat at Holy Spirit Catholic Church
Tuesday March 21st, 2023 | 3:30 - 4:00pm Confirmation Rehearsal at HSCC
Wednesday March 22nd, 2023 at 10am — Confirmation Mass and Ceremony at HSCC
Confession Times/Day before March 22nd – Fr. JP and I are still working on this and will publicize as soon as possible
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Marie Athaide (mathaide@holyspiritprep.org) with questions.
We wanted to make you aware of the Green and Gold day schedule, as it will differ from the Middle School for the next two weeks:
Tuesday 10/11 - All Classes
Wednesday 10/12 - PSAT - Dismissing at noon - No School for Seniors
Monday 10/17 - Green (Special Speaker on Campus)
Tuesday 10/18 - All Classes
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
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
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.
Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” - by Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Born July 7, 1860 Kalischt, Bohemia (Austrian Empire)
Died May 18, 1911 Vienna, Austria
Gustav Mahler was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and the modernism of the early 20th century. While in his lifetime his status as a conductor was established beyond question, his own music gained wide popularity only after periods of relative neglect, which included a ban on its performance in much of Europe during the Nazi era. After 1945 his compositions were rediscovered by a new generation of listeners; Mahler then became one of the most frequently performed and recorded of all composers, a position he has sustained into the 21st century. A 2016 BBC Music Magazine survey of 151 conductors ranked three of his symphonies in the top ten symphonies of all time.
Born in Bohemia (then part of the Austrian Empire) to Jewish parents of humble origins, the German-speaking Mahler displayed his musical gifts at an early age. After graduating from the Vienna Conservatory in 1878, he held a succession of conducting posts of rising importance in the opera houses of Europe, culminating in his appointment in 1897 as director of the Vienna Court Opera (Hofoper). During his ten years in Vienna, Mahler—who had converted to Catholicism to secure the post—experienced regular opposition and hostility from the anti-Semitic press. Nevertheless, his innovative productions and insistence on the highest performance standards ensured his reputation as one of the greatest of opera conductors, particularly as an interpreter of the stage works of Wagner, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky. Late in his life he was briefly director of New York's Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic.
Mahler's repertoire is relatively limited; for much of his life composing was necessarily a part-time activity while he earned his living as a conductor. Aside from early works such as a movement from a piano quartet composed when he was a student in Vienna, Mahler's works are generally designed for large orchestral forces, symphonic choruses and operatic soloists. These works were frequently controversial when first performed, and several were slow to receive critical and popular approval; exceptions included his Second Symphony, and the triumphant premiere of his Eighth Symphony in 1910. For those who find the symphonies less appealing, his songs (lieder) are easily approachable and beautiful in tone.
In the summer of 1907 Mahler suffered a horrible tragedy. Both of his daughters fell ill with scarlet fever and diphtheria. Anna, the younger daughter, recovered, but after a fortnight's struggle Maria died on July 12th at the age of 4. Immediately following this devastating loss, Mahler learned that his heart was defective, a diagnosis subsequently confirmed by a Vienna specialist, who ordered a curtailment of all forms of vigorous exercise. Even after this diagnosis and doctor’s order, he continued an aggressive schedule of conducting engagements in New York and around Europe. This schedule proved to be too taxing and he died on May 18, 1911 leaving his 10th Symphony incomplete, having only completed the Adagio Movement.
The Symphony No. 2 in C minor by Gustav Mahler, known as the Resurrection Symphony, was written between 1888 and 1894, and first performed in 1895. This symphony was one of Mahler's most popular and successful works during his lifetime. It was his first major work that established his lifelong view of the beauty of afterlife and resurrection. In this large work, the composer further developed the creativity of "sound of the distance" and creating a "world of its own", aspects already seen in his First Symphony. The work has a duration of 80 to 90 minutes, and is conventionally labeled as being in the key of C minor. It was voted the fifth-greatest symphony of all time in a survey of conductors carried out by the BBC Music Magazine.
Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection”
I. Allegro maestoso
II. Andante Moderato
III. In ruhig fließender Bewegung (With quietly flowing movement)
IV. Urlicht
V. Im Tempo des Scherzos (In the tempo of the scherzo)
Recommended Recording: Mahler: Symphony No. 2 - New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein (Deutsche Grammophon)
Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify
Further Listening: Mahler: Das Knaben Wunderhorn - Anne Sofie von Otter, Thomas Quasthoff, Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado (Deutsche Grammophon)
This past weekend we had three students participate in the Double Reed Day over at Georgia State University!
Mariella Haller, Agnes Lindholm and Rafael Pelaez were able to attend Master Classes, the Guest Artist recitals along with participating in the HUGE Double Reed Ensemble.
The list of influential teachers/performers that they got to hear and learn from are amazing. Dr. Alyssa Morris (Oboe) and Dr. Susan Maxwell (Bassoon) from Kansas State, as well as Dr. Lara Dahl (Oboe) and John Grove (Bassoon) from Georgia State.
All had a wonderful time and we hope to have even more students attend in the future!
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.
Dear Families,
During the first few months of school, we are working through the Theological Virtues, Faith, Hope, and Love. We receive these virtues at our baptism. They are given to us as a free gift from God. The virtue of Faith perfects our intellect, while the virtues of Hope and Love perfect our will. I wanted to write a little about Hope since this is our virtue of the month for October.
Today, we can have anything we want at any moment of the day. The quickness with which we live and the urgency that grows around us only increases day by day. It also seems as things become more efficient, the amount we have going on only increases. This all impacts our will, our desires are met instantaneously and we don’t take time to make good choices. When we don’t use our will our desires are out of order, the ability to endure suffering diminishes, and our self-confidence crumbles. Hope perfects our will, placing correct order in our decisions, enduring suffering, and giving us confidence in the happiness we will enjoy in the world to come.
Without Hope, we don’t take the time to reflect on what is important to us, rather we focus on the immediate pleasure or get caught up in the urgent response that doesn’t bring true satisfaction. Since we are not attending to our truest needs, we begin to think that we are not worthy to be taken care of. And because we flee from suffering and don’t endure something for the sake of a true good that is waiting for us, the only answer we give ourselves is dissatisfaction and despair.
We are all in need of true renewal of Hope in our lives. Hope comes from taking time to see the good, choose the good, and endure till we attain it. Learning to hope for something that is not present and cannot be present to us right now is essential to perfecting our natures. We can develop that by teaching our wills to hope for smaller hopes of the day. It is ok to wait to eat that chocolate chip cookie after I have eaten my veggies, it is ok to not answer the text message or email right now, and it's ok to take some time to pray. These choices can perfect our will, fulfilling the small hopes of life, and help us recognize the gift of the Hope that was given to us at Baptism, desiring above all to arrive in heaven.
I wanted to end with a paragraph from Pope Benedict XVI who wrote a wonderful encyclical on Hope. In paragraph 30 he writes something that I think summarizes what I was trying to explain:
Day by day, man experiences many greater or lesser hopes, different in kind according to the different periods of his life. Sometimes one of these hopes may appear to be totally satisfying without any need for other hopes. Young people can have the hope of a great and fully satisfying love; the hope of a certain position in their profession, or some success that will prove decisive for the rest of their lives. When these hopes are fulfilled, however, it becomes clear that they were not, in reality, the whole. It becomes evident that man has need of a hope that goes further. It becomes clear that only something infinite will suffice for him, something that will always be more than he can ever attain. In this regard, our contemporary age has developed the hope of creating a perfect world that, thanks to scientific knowledge and scientifically based politics, seemed to be achievable. Thus Biblical hope in the Kingdom of God has been displaced by hope in the kingdom of man, the hope of a better world which would be the real “Kingdom of God”. This seemed at last to be the great and realistic hope that man needs. … over time, however, it has become clear that this hope is constantly receding. Above all it has become apparent that this may be a hope for a future generation, but not for me.
God bless! Fr Andrew, LC
Video of the virtue of the month made by the students on Hope
https://youtu.be/bqX5fDTEzAs
Please save the date for our Women's Advent Candlelight retreat on December 11th!
The event will take place in McDonnough Hall from 5:00 - 8:00 PM.
The High School will be having adoration in St. Joseph’s chapel from 8:15 AM - 12:30 PM every Wednesday.
All students are welcome to drop by for a quick or longer time of prayer throughout the morning.
This Week at Holy Spirit
Weekly Bulletin
Basketball - JV/V Boys: practice/tryouts will begin next week:
Basketball - Varsity Girls: practice will begin next week:
Swim: - MS/Varsity
If you would like to contact the coach directly, please contact the following coaches:
Please register here for MS Basketball, MS Swim, MS Cheer, V/JV Basketball, V Swim, and V Cheer.
For our little cougar basketball players in 2nd - 5th grade boys and girls and 6th grade boys, please register here.
We plan to host winter cheer tryouts on Tuesday, November 1 in the Lower School cafeteria from 4:30-6:30pm. Instead of a formal tryout, we are going to have an open practice for anyone interested in joining cheer for basketball season. We will not be making cuts, so all participants will be divided into middle school, JV, and varsity teams.
Please contact Coach Morgan morgan.gallagher@holyspiritprep.org or Coach Brittney bbailey@holyspiritprep.org for more information!
Please review the rosters below and register here. Thank you to those of you that have already registered.
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: 9 total (Coaches - Summers/Richmond) Hannah Summers Cora Pietrantonio Quinn Richmond Catherine Meder Paular Millsap Rebecca Pelaez Avery Garza Veronica Wingate Emma Wulz
5th grade girls: 7 total (Coaches - Cusimano/Behunin) Gabby Cusimano Ansley Behunin Livi Wilhelm Lucy Mulcare Rose Taylor Violetta Garzon Ivana Catellanos
5th grade boys: 7 total (Coaches Ashley & Whitney Wolf) Jack Wolf David Tate Arthur Labbe Dominic Alverson Kolbe Nuar Abel Mathieu Xavier Twomey
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!
Please register HERE for MS Boys and Girls Basketball. If you're not on the list, it's OK. Just let me know and register today! :) Practices will start around Oct. 17.
MS Girls Game Schedule (as of today):
6th - 8th grade Middle School Girls: Payton Palmer Logan Baker Myriam De Santolo MJ Twomey Catherine Slinkard Maia Slinkard Avery Lanier Bella Cusimano Elle Cobb Rachel Meder Thersa Meder Gianna Mulcare
MS Boys Schedule (as of today):
7th & 8th Grade Middle School Boys:
Aaron Summers Luke Sacco Isaac Twomey Evan Craig Ryan Prieto Lewie Chapman Feranmi Browne Rafael Pelaez Evan Sipos Nolan Mathieu Logan Lanier Felipe Duran Rafa Firmin Lucas Kichler JJ Kichler Matias Castellanos Mario Munoz Michael Martinez
Please let me know if you have any questions!
This past Saturday, October 8th, the Holy Spirit Clays Team competed at the Ocmulgee Gun Club. Nine Holy Spirit shooters competed against 74 shooters from eight other schools.
Again, we were blessed with great weather, and everyone had a good time.
Our team has the habit of getting together under the tent after the match and discussing how things went while we clean our shotguns. While shooting is a sport where the shooter really only competes against themself, a team atmosphere is created as the teammates help one another improve performance by discussing lessons learned while shooting against the other teams.
At the same time that the shooters are preparing themselves for the next match through retrospection, they’re preparing their equipment for the next practice and competition. Doing so is a good habit to develop; a match is not the time to find out that your shotgun jams because you forgot to clean it. It is the same attitude as changing smoke alarm batteries when you adjust your clocks, or checking the air in your spare tire when you change the oil.
An ounce of prevention means that the equipment on which you depend is ready when needed. Clays shooting is an environment where our students learn life lessons while having fun and honing skills that prepare them for life’s contingencies."
Clay Targets: Maddie Van Oss "The Clays Team Athlete of the Week is Maddie Van Oss. Maddie is a very intelligent and poised young lady, who has her feet on the ground. Maddie always strives to do her best each week during practice & meets, while maintaining a positive attitude. She is respectful, kind and committed to being a contributing member of the Clay Shooting Team. She has earned the recognition and honor to be chosen as our Athlete of the Week." -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 Keira Jessop Jackson Sacco
Varsity Clay Targets - Dillon Harrington Carlton Martin Keaton Neff Aram Santillian Kaitlyn Hatchew Brady Van Oss Bradley Magnusson Nathalie Anaya-Ruiz
Middle School Cheer Evelyn Labbe Camila Castellanos Audrey Nguyen
Varsity Cheer Layelin Zamora Michelle Sande Kira Taylor Sophia Napier
Middle School Volleyball Ariana Lajara Isla Page Camilla Haller Theresa Meder
JV Volleyball Camila Florentino Lauren Wilhelm Mackenzie Manning Marlyn Pineda
Varsity Volleyball Reagan Twomey Ava Sipos Blair Ecker X2 Mary Anna Cumbie Mel Menay
Varsity Football: Jacob Meder
Volume 22, Issue 7 | October 11, 2022
ADHD in Young Athletes
When we think of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), we commonly think of kids who cannot focus their attention on anything for any length of time, or the child who can’t seem to sit still, keep their hands to themselves, and won’t stop talking (or asking questions). Conversely, some parents will say "My kid can’t have ADHD, they can focus on video games for hours on end.” According to experts in the field, this is an inaccurate characterization of what ADHD is.
The reality is that ADHD is NOT about the inability to focus, it’s about selective focus – kids with ADHD can focus on things they find interesting, intriguing, unusual or different, but their brains struggle with maintaining focus on things they may need to attend to, but which they find boring or (in their perception) useless. It is important to note here that this is not a matter of choice on the child’s part. This is a brain “disorder” that interferes to various degrees with daily functioning and development ( nimh.nih.gov ).
Ryan Wexelblatt, LCSW, an expert in child ADHD studies and treatment has identified ten often-overlooked symptoms of ADHD, particularly seen in boys. Today’s note shares these ten symptoms and looks at how they apply to youth sports settings:
The remaining five overlooked symptoms include: 6) Hyper-focusing on Things That Are Interesting and Difficulty Sustaining Attention on Things That Are Not, 7) Poor Future Thinking Skills, 8) Difficulty Sensing the Passage of Time, 9) Poor Perspective Taking Skills, and 10) Trouble Putting Problem Size in a Relevant Context. These additional symptoms along with the ones above are described in a handout you can access here . [You can also view the original article and video referenced above via additudemag.com by clicking here: ADHD in Boys: 10 Common Signs & Symptoms .]
While the above article tends to focus on boys, these overlooked symptoms of ADHD are not exclusive to boys. Find out more about the challenges of diagnosing ADHD in girls and young women in ADDitudemag.com articles available at these links:
It's also important to realize that positive reinforcement is critical to helping children and young athletes with ADHD learn and grow. Find out what works here: ADHD in Children: Signs, Challenges & Help with Positive Reinforcement .
Take the time to learn about the symptoms listed above and how your child might benefit from a better understanding of these areas in the youth sports setting. Consider how you can use these tips to improve your child's youth sports experience, or share them with your coach to help them better facilitate growth on and off the field of play.
The note above comes courtesy Bill Matthews, a licensed professional counselor and mental health consultant with experience in areas of both ADHD assessments and sports psychology.
You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. ~ 1 Peter 5:6-10
October is ADHD Awareness Month
More than 5.7 million kids ages 6-17 have ADHD. The month of October provides an opportunity to better understand ADHD and correct misconceptions that coaches, parents and other educators might have. The National Institute of Mental Health provides online resources that may be beneficial in educating coaches and helping them to better work with young athletes. Click here to visit a website with resources that you can share with coaches, parents and administrators in your community. By generating awareness, we can help provide a better youth sports experience for a large number of children on our teams.
Vatican Summit Promotes "Sport for All"
Play Like a Champion was thrilled to be in the Vatican September 29-30th for a landmark summit Sport for All: Cohesive, Accessible and Tailored to each Person . The two-day event gathered leaders in sport from around the world to engage in discussion on the importance of sport in society and the ways in which we can make the benefits of sport accessible to all persons. Check out last week's Friday Morning Rally to read more about the event, then look for more in our upcoming Fall Newsletter and on our website, as we focus on the steps we can take to realize this vision.
A Prayer for Parents
Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of sport in our family's life. May we always be grateful for the opportunity our children have to be physically active and have a team experience to learn and grow from. Help me have the Fortitude to guide my child in setting Goals that develop physical skills as well as help my child to be a better person through sport. I pray that I have a deep sense of Justice in supporting the entire team that they may be safe and successful in their play while forming close Relationships with each other. Help me to have the Prudence to support my child as s/he has challenges and failures, allowing my child the Ownership to work through these circumstances independently with my love and your guidance Lord. Finally, help me to have Temperance in keeping sports in the proper perspective by honoring the game and my child's play as praise for our Creator. Amen.
Play Like a Champion Today Educational Series
PO Box 72, Notre Dame, IN 46556 | information@playlikeachampion.org
www.playlikeachampion.org
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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 The Grubbs Family Nicholas & Tricia Mulcare Ashok & Kim Reddy The Slinkard Family Harold & Lisa Wyatt
Silver Members ($500+) Chris & Alexandra Burris Kelly & Collen Craig Mike & Carolyn Ecker Albert & Sallie Forrester Kendall Kerew Scott Kerew Peter & Jennifer Manning Erik & Holly Richmond Kevin & Ellen Twomey Ryan & Kristina Wilhelm
Green Members ($250+) Anonymous (1) Mark & Rebecca Bernier The Cabrara Family Brooks & Kate Castellaw The Hutchins Family Joe & Maria Kichler Rick & Amanda Kuhlman Kathleen, Kelly and Bradley Magnusson Chris & Margaret Martin Juan & Mary Martinez Mike & Kathy Prieto Chris & Christian Riley Whitney & Ashley Wolf
Members ($100+) Anonymous (1) Cesar & Clara Olguin Javier & Alanna Oliver The Santillian 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.
Humility: “giving the credit to God”
A moral virtue: a virtue gained through human effort which builds on the theological and cardinal virtues (Mt 11:29)
Humility is a moral virtue that keeps a person from reaching beyond himself. It is the virtue that restrains the unruly desire for personal greatness and leads people to an orderly love of themselves based on a true appreciation of their position with respect to God and their neighbors. Religious humility recognizes one's total dependence on God; moral humility recognizes one's creaturely equality with others. Yet humility is not only opposed to pride; it is also opposed to immoderate self-abjection, which would fail to recognize God's gifts and use them according to his will.
"If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are." - Mother Teresa