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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.
Save the Date for the Men’s Dinner at Eric Gunderson’s home November 11, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM.
We hope to see you at "Paella with Padres"!
http://evite.me/VPU58eDBgG
Our Connections group is going to have a Mom's group to meet once a month and our first meeting is Sunday 11/13 at 6pm in McDonough Hall.
When it comes to parenting in today's environment, do you feel like you are swimming against the current ? Do you want to have a group of like-minded moms to meet with to share ideas, parenting techniques, successes, challenges, etc. ?
If so, the HSP Mom's group is for YOU.
If you want to attend the gathering on 11/13 sign up here.
For additional information, please contact Erin Messer at erinjmesser@gmail.com
High School Parents,
If your student is enrolled in an AP Course for the 2022-2023 Academic Year, please complete the below payment form. Each exam costs $105. Exams are required for all students in the courses.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Andrea Vargas at avargas@holyspiritprep.org.
Keep an eye out for an email from HSP Communications with further details!
FACTS AP Payment Form: https://payit.nelnet.net/form/NvFLOaPT
On Tuesday, November 15, please join us for a Lower School Fireside Chat with Pete Radosta and Michelle Bertany!
We will be convening at 8:00 AM in the LS Library.
Please RSVP: https://forms.gle/KyfVZSu5rrR2sbrc8
On November 16th, the 8th grade will visit the High School and see what they have to look forward to! Parents are invited to join for the morning reception and panel.
More details will be coming from HSP Communications -- Keep an eye out!
November 16th - Preschool Grandparents Day
Grandparents Day at the Preschool will be taking place from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM! There will be several activities throughout the afternoon and we will wrap up with Mass in St. Mary's Chapel at 11:30 AM.
For any questions/concerns, please contact Georgia Tate at gtate@holyspiritprep.org.
November 17th - Lower/Middle School Grandparents Day
Grandparents day at the Lower/Middle School will be from 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM. The Mass will take place in the Lower School Cafetorium and will be begin at 8:00 AM.
The 4th Grade Saints Play will also take place after the Mass!
For any questions/concerns, please contact Pete Radosta at pradosta@holyspiritprep.org.
November 18th - High School Grandparents Day
Grandparents day at the High School will be from 9:50 AM - 11:30 AM. The Mass will take place at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, beginning at 9:50 AM. Following Mass, there will be a reception in McDonough Hall for all visiting grandparents and their grandchildren.
For any questions/concerns, please contact Michelle Bertany at mbertany@holyspiritprep.org.
Regnum Christi is hosting monthly morning retreats for women at Holy Spirit Prep! The next one is on November 19th from 8:30-11:00 AM.
The retreats are on the 3rd Saturday of the month through March. Please see flyer below for more details. Mass is in St. Joseph’s at 8:30 followed by breakfast, meditation and practical talk in the boardroom. All women are invited to attend!
Please reach out to Denise Gunderson (denisegunderson@me.com) with any questions.
On Wednesday, November 30, please join us for Family Advent Night from 5-7 p.m.
Save the date!
More details coming soon.
Please save the date for our Women's Advent Candlelight retreat on December 4th!
The event will take place in Malta Hall from 5:00 - 8:00 PM.
RSVP Link Here
Friday, November 11th
Middle School Swimming - AGS Meet 4:30pm - 7:00pm • Georgia Tech Recreation Center
Varsity Swimming - AGS Meet 4:30pm - 7:00pm • Georgia Tech Recreation Center
Saturday, November 12th
CMLA Basketball Games - Week #2
Co-Ed Varsity Clay Targets - Practice Location: Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds
Monday, November 14th
Girls Middle School Basketball vs. Atlanta Classical Academy 4:00pm - 5:00pm • Home
Boys Middle School Basketball vs. Atlanta Classical Academy 5:00pm - 6:00pm • Home
Tuesday, November 15th
Girls Middle School Basketball vs. Davis Academy 4:00pm - 5:00pm • Home
Boys Middle School Basketball vs. Davis Academy - B-team 5:00pm - 6:00pm • Home
Boys Middle School Basketball vs. Davis Academy - A team 6:00pm - 7:00pm • Home
Thursday, November 17th
Co-Ed Varsity Clay Targets - GISA State Championship Location: Forest City Gun Club
Friday, November 18th
Middle School Swimming - AGS Meet 10:30am - 2:30pm • Georgia Tech Recreation Center
Varsity Swimming - AGS Meet 10:30am - 2:00pm • Georgia Tech Recreation Center
"Small vessels may hold great gifts."
Lower School Fireside Chat with Pete and Michelle - November 15 at 8 a.m. in the LS Library. Please RSVP:
https://forms.gle/WjwEE3FrbaaRsv2X8
Lower School/Middle School Grandparents Day - November 17 - We need parent and MS student volunteers to help make Grandparents Day successful. We need volunteers to help with parking, name tags, guiding through the school, and the photo booth. Please sign up below.
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/8050e45abaf28a3f85-2022
Family Advent Night on Wednesday, November 30, 5:30-7:30 in the LS cafeteria. Please join us as we celebrate the start of the advent season. Come have dinner as a community, hear Father Andrew speak about Advent and do a service project. Please register below by Monday, November 28.
https://payit.nelnet.net/form/vyDYqPp7
Middle School Fireside Chat with Pete and Michelle - December 6 at 8 a.m. in the LS Library. Please RSVP:
https://forms.gle/w4dbU3Y1TaNvwcreA
On All Saints Day, events were held on each campus!
See below for some highlights of the wonderful day of celebration.
All the saints in heaven, pray for us!
November Give Thanks Sale!
Throughout November, all uniform items will be 50% off. Come shop for winter uniforms which will begin after Thanksgiving.
Please contact Heidi Harrington at heidiharrington@bellsouth.net with any questions.
To support the annual fund, we are having a house competition to see which house has the best participation! Points will be awarded based on percent participation, so please help support your house as well as our wonderful school! No donation is too small, and the donation amount does NOT affect the house point competition. The current standings are as follows:
4th place Chalcedon with 46%
3rd place Nicaea with 48%
2nd place Trent with 52%
1st place Lyons with 66%
This competition will end after school on Friday 11/18!
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
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.
Last Friday, the Preschool celebrated St. Cecilia with some of our Upper School musicians! Students spent the morning learning and listening to different instruments up close and personal.
On All Saints Day, our preschoolers dressed up and paraded around the Upper School quad! Please enjoy some highlights of this lovely event.
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.
On December 6th, please join us for a Middle School Fireside Chat with Pete Radosta and Michelle Bertany!
Please RSVP: https://forms.gle/w4dbU3Y1TaNvwcreA
On December 10th, there will be a "Middle School Boy’s Advent Bash" hosted at the Bertany's house!
The event will be held from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. We hope you can join!
Please RSVP here: http://evite.me/aazrzP4pjJ
The Middle School had its first House Patron Saint Feast Day celebration on Friday. The House of Lyon celebrated St. Jude. There were some spiritually uplifting and fun activities planned. The House of Lyons also had their House lunch and served for the Middle School Mass this week.
The newly elected Middle School House Leadership held their first meeting. Some of the items covered were: what does it mean to be in leadership and how these leaders might be called upon to serve this school this year. They will also be choosing House Apostolates and planning for All Saints Day activities.
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:
Holy Spirit Preparatory School • 4449 Northside Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30327 • 678.904.2811
Please congratulate the 13 new members who were inducted to the Fra Angelico, National Art Honor Society on Wed. Nov. 9th in the Upper Library in the Liberal Arts Building. The Fra Angelico National Art Honor Society is for those students who demonstrate artistic excellence in the field of art and service and who want to create art, experience art, and raise awareness of the arts through services to the school and the community.
President, Kira Taylor, and Vice President. Bernadette Grantham, introduced the NAHS inductees and invited them to light a white candles from one of the primary colors Red, Yellow, and Blue, from which many new colors can be created. Light is one of the most universal and fundamental symbols; it is spiritual and a symbol of the artists’ call to participate in Christ’s divine life. The artistic achievements of the NAHS Students were also announced and celebrated. The students were then invite to make the following pledge:
“With God’s grace, I will in my life, through my artistic talents, reveal God’s beauty in all of creation and help create a more beautiful world, in order to glorify God and serve others.”
As a sign of their creative hands being used in the service of God for His Glory and the service of others, the new inductees were invited to ink their hand to leave your indelible handprint on this canvas.
The NAHS change given to the new members by President Kira, summed up their calling as artists in the National Arts Honor Society.
“Take care of the world, its colors and forms, its lines and textures, its balances and movements and spaces; combine all of these onto the masterpiece which God has already created. Give back the world the same elements and talents which have been bestowed upon you by God, so you may come to know and realize that your vocation is to reveal God to the world through the beauty of your virtuous lives and transform society.”
The celebration continued with a meal of pasta, meatballs, tomato sauce, salad and sweet ahd savory treats brought in by the members!
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.
The standings as of November 11th are as follows:
If you have any questions, please reach out to Amanda Foutch or Michelle Bertany.
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
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.
Several existing service opportunities may be seen in the attached spreadsheet, but students are welcome to talk to Ms. Athaide about any other service work they do or would like to do. Please open the link below with a valid "HSP" email address.
HSP Service Opportunities - 22-23
Medea’s Dance of Vengeance - by Samuel Barber
Samuel Barber
Born March 9, 1910 West Chester Pennsylvania, USA
Died January 23, 1981 New York, NY, USA
Samuel Barber was an American composer, pianist, conductor, baritone, and music educator, and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century. Barber's music usually eschewed the experimental trends of musical modernism in favor of traditional 19th-century harmonic language and formal structure embracing lyricism and emotional expression. However, he adopted elements of modernism after 1940 in some of his compositions, such as an increased use of dissonance and chromaticism and the use of tonal ambiguity and a narrow use of serialism.
Barber was adept at both instrumental and vocal music. His works became successful on the international stage and many of his compositions enjoyed rapid adoption into the classical performance canon. In particular, his Adagio for Strings (1936) has earned a permanent place in the orchestral concert repertory, as has that work's adaptation for chorus, Agnus Dei (1967). He received the Pulitzer Prize for Music twice: for his opera Vanessa (1956–57), and for the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1962). Also widely performed is his Knoxville: Summer of 1915 (1947), a setting for soprano and orchestra of a prose text by James Agee. At the time of Barber's death, nearly all of his compositions had been recorded.
Medea's Dance of Vengeance is a composition (1955, Op. 23a) was derived from his earlier ballet suite Medea and loosely based on the play Medea by Euripides. Barber first created a seven-movement concert suite from this ballet (Medea, Op. 23), and five years later reduced this concert suite down to a single-movement concert piece using what he felt to be the strongest portions of the work. He originally titled it Medea's Meditation and Dance of Vengeance, but shortly before his death, he changed the title to simply Medea's Dance of Vengeance.
Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the actions of Medea, a former princess of the kingdom of Colchis, and the wife of Jason; she finds her position in the Greek world threatened as Jason leaves her for a Greek princess of Corinth. Medea takes vengeance on Jason by murdering his new wife as well as her own two sons, after which she escapes to Athens to start a new life.
(program notes excerpted from classical.net, Britannica, and wikipedia)
Recommended Recording: Music of Samuel Barber - St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin (Angel) Medea’s Dance of Vengeance (Track 6)
Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify
Further Listening: The School for Scandal Overture for Orchestra (Track 1), and Adagio for Strings (Track 2) on the same album
Concert
This past Thursday evening the High School Wind Symphony performed their program Music of Cinema, including selections from Batman by Danny Elfman, Rudy by Jerry Goldsmith, and Avengers: Endgame by Alan Silvestri. They will be performing these and other great film scores this March at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. You can hear it live at our spring concert titled Music for Cinema II: Electric Boogaloo, this April.
The audience was also entertained by our Artist in Residence, The Atlanta Trombone Ensemble who gave their first performance in two and a half years. HSP student musicians John Michael Insalaca played trombone with the group, and Charlie Sturgeon supplied the tenor drum on one of the pieces.
The following evening was our lower/middle school concert and art show. Guests were treated to performances Beginning Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Symphonic Winds, Jazz Band and Choir.
It was really an incredible evening. The future of the Arts at HSP is going to be amazing!
Art show
Thank you to all the friends, family, students and faculty who came out to celebrate the Fall Art Show & Concert. The Lower School and Middle school artists created ceramic sculptures inspired by food. These miniature food sculptures were displayed surrounded by a Thanksgiving cornucopia for the exhibition. Each grade created ceramic food in different categories of food.
The High School Artists in Intro to Studio Art and Studio Art II under the guidance of Mr. James Morse exhibited their observational graphite personal still-life drawings inspired by master artists from around the globe. .
Mrs. Stone’s Honors Studio Art III Honors, AP Art and Design Students, and the Ceramics classes made Empty Bowls and ceramic vessels. The High School student’s artwork is now exhibited in the Upper School Commons Rotunda and upper library. Students, Faculty, and Staff were invited to experience the artwork and vote on their favorite masterpieces in the same six categories. Please all congratulate all the students whose artwork is exhibited in this new show. Also, congratulate the following students who were winners in the various categories. All are invited to experience these “New Epiphanies of Beauty” in the Rotunda and Upper Library Gallery.
Fall Art Show People's Choice Winners:
Personal Still-life Intro to Art
People's Choice:
1st: Robin Omolon
2nd: Mady Neff
Personal still-life Studio II
People’s Choice Award:
1st Michelle Sande
2nd Brooke Ngyuen
Empty Bowls - Ceramics:
People's choice Award:
1st place: Liliana Haller
2nd place: Sophia Napier
Empty Bowls - Studio Art III
People's choice:
1st place Mims Hammond & Ava Sipos
Sgraffito Vessel
1st place: Sophia Napier
2nd place: Claire Napier
3rd place: Liliana Haller
Cyanotype:
People’s Choice:
1st place: Mackenzie Manning
2nd Place: Beau Donnor
Digital Imaging:
1st Sarah Pineda
2nd Place Betsy Trenado-Bautista
Empty Bowls: The National Art Honor Society students and the High School Visual Art classes are creating Empty Bowls to raise awareness of those who are hungry and to help alleviate hunger one bowl at a time. All students, parents, faculty, and staff are invited to come to Room C103 and make their own Empty Bowls on Mondays, Wednesday or Fridays from 8:45 AM-3:15 PM in room 103 whenever they have a “free moment.” Just send Mrs. Stone an email at astone@holyspiritprep.org and let her know when you are coming.
It takes about 25-35 minutes to make a bowl depending on the mold and the design you select. You can come back the next week to glaze your bowl or ask a NAHS student to glaze it for you. No artistic experience is needed. We have all the tools to make your bowl a success! You will thoroughly enjoy this experience and you will be glad you took the time to into your God-given artistic potential. The contribution for a bowl ranges from $15 - $40 depending on the size of the bowl. You can donate to keep your own bowl or donate it to the cause so someone else can select your bowl.
Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to alleviate hunger. The basic premise is simple: Potters and other craftspeople, educators, students and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to make a ceramic bowl and invited to either donate the bowls to the cause or reserve the bowl to keep as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world.
The money raised will be donated to St. Francis Table at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for a Thanksgiving and Christmas meal for those who are hungry in Downtown Atlanta.
Regnum Christi is hosting monthly morning retreats for women at Holy Spirit Prep!
The next one is on November 19th from 8:30-11:00 AM.
Save the date for our Marriage Renewal Weekend!
The retreat will be held February 3rd - 4th, 2023 at the Upper School Library.
RSVP coming soon!
Dear Families,
The month of November is quickly approaching, and with it comes the holiday season. 2022 is also coming to a close. We are at the final sprint, and it seems to be a very steep uphill. So much going on and so much to prepare for. Each year it seems like we have more to do. We also have new challenges that we have had to face this past year, which create a little bit of baggage as we have family coming into town or we have to go visit. Maybe we have a lot of mixed feelings towards these coming days, from feeling happy to a sense of feeling overwhelmed with all we have to do. At the Lower School, we will be working on gratitude this next month. This virtue can help us live these coming days in the correct disposition.
John Paul II said we should look at the past with gratitude, the present with enthusiasm, and the future with confidence. As anxiety could creep in looking forward in these months, only when we take a moment to look back on this year and take a moment to say thank you for all we have accomplished, can this give us peace to look forward with confidence?
Maybe we hear the word thank you often, but to live this virtue is more than a habit of saying thank you. To be grateful is to have a disposition of heart that when we look back on any object, situation, event, or even person, we can recognize the love that was offered to us in the form of a gift.
Gratitude is considered the most exotic flower in the garden of virtues by Henry Ward Beecher. Seeing our soul as a garden full of flowers helps us envision the beauty of our life. Gratitude as the most exotic, or rare, can help us understand how special it is. When we meet a grateful person, we feel good and recognize something special in that person.
Gratitude requires us to stop and reflect. The flower can only bud when the roots have been grounded in a time of reflection. Rather than just a quick thank you, a person who lives the virtue of gratitude ponders the gift received. The gift given fills them with wonder and awe. Taking time to write a thank you note or saying what we like about the gift can be helpful ways to take more time in our thank you’s.
The flower buds colorfully when the right nutrients are there. Humility is the most important of those nutrients. When our gratitude is nourished with humility, we can acknowledge the good someone else offers to us. When I was a little boy I would go pick clover flowers and bring them to my mom. She was so grateful for those weeds, although I had thought I was offering flowers. She saw in the weed an attempt to show affection. A humble heart recognizes that everything is a gift.
One of the reasons gifts are special is because they reveal the relationship of love that exists between two people. The gift is important because it unites two people in love and when received in wonder and admiration, the beautiful fruit produced is one of gratitude. When we are not grateful we are blind to the love offered.
May the end of this year be a time to remember the love that has been present and may these memories carry us through to 2023.
God bless!
Fr Andrew, LC
Video on Virtue of the Month: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFviY6_C9_M&ab_channel=AndrewGronotte
This Week at Holy Spirit
Weekly Bulletin
Our Varsity Football team lost this past Saturday to Westwood in the first round of the State Tournament by a score of 16-66. Even though their season has come to an end, we are very proud of how hard they have worked and far they have come!
We will miss our 3 seniors, Issac Amsalu, Isaac Olguin and Nick Purvis next year, but we look forward to the 2023-24 football season! It will be here before we know it!
Thank you to all of you that tuned into our first ever Google Meet Athletic Event! We are glad that so many of your were able to watch the game! GO COUGARS!
Thanks to Rick Kulhman and the MS House of Trent for pressure washing and painting the baseball dugouts! We are so appreciative of this community and Holy Spirit.
Congratulations to our MS Girls basketball team who beat The Museum School on Tuesday of this week with a score of 25-7!
We look forward to watching you play at the Lower School on Monday and Tuesday! GOOD LUCK!
Our Middle School Boys teams played at The Museum School this week on Tuesday. Both our A team and our B team lost in a last second basket resulting in a tough loss! Our A team lost 16-18 and our B team lost 12-14.
Coach Darryel and Coach Johnson are exited about the teams and the work they have put in so far! We have 2 home games next week for our A team on Monday and Tuesday and our B team plays Tuesday! Come on out and support our Cougars at the Lower School.
Our Varsity girls swim team made a splash this past Saturday in the West Hall Fall Frenzy! The 4 Freshman girls had a great time and enjoyed this first meet. Great job to Araceli Sanroman, Maddie Van Oss, Robyn Omolon and Lauren Wilhelm!
Our Varsity boys and girls and middle school teams will be swimming tonight at Georgia Tech in the AGS Invitational!
Swim fast!
"This Saturday, November 5th, six Holy Spirit Clays Team shooters practiced two rounds of skeet and two rounds of trap. The weather was a bit overcast, and the wind picked up over the course of the day. It was perfect practice for the State Championships in Savannah later this month.
This week we had a guest shooter, Mr. John Arnold, history teacher at Holy Spirit. Mr. Arnold shot along with the team and saw firsthand how good our shooters perform and work together. The team members, to a person, were very happy to have a faculty member join them and participate in our sport. Clays shooting is not a spectator sport, and it is much more enjoyable to participate than to watch. The good news is that anyone can shoot the clays sports. They are co-ed, everyone shoots the same distances, and the standards are the same for everyone. Clays shooting is 100% meritocratic.
This late in the season, the team members’ performance is quite high. With the basics learned, we now can concentrate on the mental aspect of the game which is 90% of the sport.
The shooters have learned to break the clays in the same spot for each station, eliminating the need to learn many leads for one firing point. What’s more, they’re overcoming the shooting equivalent of the sunk cost fallacy – that is, what’s past cannot be changed, so focus on only the next shot. Whether you’re shooting a box of 25 shells or a tournament of 300, the only shot that matters is the next one. Staying positive, forgetting misses and remembering how the hits were made are all valuable life lessons. This is much easier said than done and is best learned in an environment where the pressure shooters feel is all internally imposed.
Where better to get to know yourself and to seek self-improvement? " Coach Harrington
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.
5th Grade Boys Basketball: Arthur Labbe
"Arthur has an incredible work ethic and attitude on the court. Be it at practice or during our game, Arthur always hustles and doesn’t give up on a play. He sets a great example for others on the team as he plays with intensity but never hostility. " Coach Wolf
MS Boys Basketball: Roman Donner
"Roman lead the team in points, assists and steals in our first game this week. He was the leader on offense and vocal on defense." - Coach Darryel
MS Girls Basketball: Rachel Meder
Rachel Meder was nominated for the MA Basketball Cougar Athlete of the week for her hard work and hustle!" Coach Sasha
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 Maddie Van Oss Ava Sipos Evan Sipos
Luke Craig
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 11 | November 8, 2022
Mental Health: Tips for Parents
Children today face a myriad of pressures related to school, social interactions and sports. As a result, researchers have documented a rise in instances of trauma and mental health issues in children and adolescents, including a dramatic increase in depression and anxiety among teenagers. Though most parents now realize how important it is that we attend to the mental health of our young athlete in the same way we do their physical well-being, that's not always an easy task. Kids can become adept at hiding issues and may not speak to parents about what is going on. While being aware of changes or potential issues is often a great first step, we can all use additional insight from experts to guide us along the way.
Dr. Carrie Hastings is a Licensed Clinical and Sports Psychologist. A long-time Play Like a Champion Trainer, she has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the mental health of athletes of all ages. The short video above is the first of two in which she provides tips to parents and coaches for identifying issues and providing resources. Carrie is also
the sports psychologist for the NFL's Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams. In this video from last year's playoffs, she talks about how the Rams prepare to perform their best . While the two videos discuss athletes at opposite ends of the spectrum, both are worth a watch for sports parents. Her "stress-busting" strategies for athletes used by the Rams offer useful tips for much younger athletes as well.
View the two videos above and consider 1-2 ways that you can help your young athlete to improve their mental health. Does he or she need more sleep or better nutrition? Could seeing a professional help your child work through larger issues they may be experiencing? It's never too early or insignificant to consider these topics. Take time to focus on better mental health and help your child to thrive both on and off the field.
When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the LORD delivers him out of them all. ~ Psalm 34:17, 19
Access Play Like a Champion Resources Online
Play Like a Champion has a number of online resources for parents and coaches of youth and high school athletes. In regards to the mental health and well-being of young athletes, we offer resources on Trauma-Informed Coaching, Bullying & Hazing in Sport, and tools for parents and coaches of athletes with ADHD, Autism and Intellectual Disabilities. We believe that all children deserve to play sports in a positive, developmentally appropriate environment. These resources can help parents and coaches to create that environment in a variety of circumstances.
In addition, our Sports as Ministry page offers a number of resources to help parents and coaches integrate faith into sport. From hundreds of prayers for athletes, coaches, parents and teams to unique material like sports-themed Mysteries of the Rosary, Stations of the Cross or our 5 Minute Game Plan , there's something for everyone. Head to our website and click on the "Resources" tab at the top of the screen, then scroll down to access these pages. Don't find something you need? Email us at information@playlikeachampion.org and we'll be happy to provide additional resources to help you develop your young athlete.
A Prayer for Sports Parents
All praise to You, Lord Jesus, Lover of children: Bless our family, and help us to lead our children to You. May the gift of sport in which our children participate,
Be for our family a source of fun and a way to glorify You. May we support our children in all the efforts, and help make sports a path to grow in holiness. Give us light and strength, and courage when our task as parents is difficult. Let Your Spirit fill us with love and peace, so that we may help our children to love You. All glory and praise are Yours, Lord Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
Adapted from A Prayer for Parents, Catholic Online. www.catholic.org.
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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.