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PCHS Senior .

Thanks to , our middle school received the Sprout Level recognition from Green & Healthy Schools of Wisconsin for reducing environmental impact, increasing sustainable literacy, and improving wellness.

PCHS students, staff, and community members participated in the to help save lives.

PCMS was the home to who spent 2 weeks with the seventh grade class.

, constructing a beanstalk strong enough to hold the golden egg.

to teach them all about the importance of dental health.

Congratulations to 6th grader Winston Hill, 7th grader Mateo Koch, and 8th grader Grace Wiskerchen for being named the !

is nearing��the end of the formal solicitation phase, inching closer to our $3 million goal and our building realignment.

, recently won a statewide fire safety poster contest sponsored by the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Thanks to the ongoing efforts of Pacelli’s Big Red Club, our athletic booster club, a, part of ongoing health and wellness initiatives in the school system.

Students at St. Bron’s were delighted to a weather presentation by , while PCMS students got to see a .

during their annual Catholic Schools Week talent show at the end of January, as did our .

, creating something from 100 blocks, cubes, poker chips, or wikki stix.

Congratulations to for receiving awards from the Portage County Alliance for Youth.

One of our favorite Catholic Schools Week traditions, and, this year, took part in some fun activities afterwards.

Students took part in the .

, a reward to St. Steve’s students for hitting their reading goals.

and the significance of it being celebrated 40 days after Christmas Eve.

See Pacelli in the news?��Send it to pacelli@pacellicatholicschools.com for inclusion on our website, social media sites, or e-newsletters.

Mrs. Kimberly LaBelle,��Kindergarten, Pacelli Catholic Elementary School-St. Stanislaus

Name: Mrs. Kimberly LaBelle

Grade & School You Teach: Kindergarten at St. Stanislaus School

Where did you grow up and go to high school and college?

I grew up in Stevens Point, I went to SPASH. I went to UWSP for college.

Where was your first teaching job?

I taught for 4years for WRACS at Sacred Heart in Nekoosa. I taught all grades 2nd-6th. ��

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for 16 years.

How long have you been teaching at ����ֱ��?

I have been teaching Kindergarten for 12 years at St. Stan’s.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at ����ֱ��?

I enjoy being able to share my faith and knowledge of my religion with my students everyday through prayer, bible stories, and celebration of the liturgical seasons.

What is unique about the education experience offered at PCS that you can’t find anywhere else?

I really enjoy the lower class sizes which allow me the opportunity to get know each child and family better.

Have you received any teaching-related awards?

2011-2012: Golden Apple-Teacher of Distinction Award & 2013: Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Outstanding Teacher Award

What was your favorite class when you were a student?

I enjoyed history and art classes.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I have always wanted to be a teacher.

Who is your biggest inspiration/role model?

I would have to say Helen Keller. She overcame many obstacles and struggles in her life to make a difference for others.

What are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to travel, read, listen to music, and spend time with my family. I also love to bake.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

I would love to be super fast. ��

What’s something that most people or your students don’t know about you?

I was held back in first grade for speech difficulties.

What is the most important piece of advice you can give to a student?

Always be yourself, don’t try to be someone you are not. ��Be true to yourself.

Is there anything else you want to share about yourself?

I love sharing my gift of teaching. I love to teach children’s liturgy at mass on Sunday mornings at Holy Spirit church throughout the year. I also enjoy baking and cooking. I like to share those talents by baking for parties and donating for church or school events.

Wisconsin Parental Choice Program Enables Parents to Choose Best Educational Opportunities for Their Child

By: Hannah Henderson, Director of Advancement, ����ֱ��

Are small class sizes, individual attention to students, high test scores, and innovative technology programs important to you? Have you thought of sending your child through a private school system but been held back by financial constraints? There is an opportunity for you to get the education you’ve always wanted for your child even if your means are limited thanks to the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program.

We have a rich history of promoting school choice in this state. In fact, Wisconsin is the home to our nation’s oldest and largest school choice program. It began with open enrollment amongst public school students for the 1998-1999 school year and has evolved to also enable families to select a private school learning environment if they feel it best suits the unique needs of their child.

����ֱ�� is proud to participate in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP), commonly referred to as the school choice or voucher program, because of the opportunities it gives to families and to this community. I firmly believe that strong private schools make for strong public schools, and strong schools create rich educational opportunities which make for a thriving community.

Our state’s private schools educate nearly 123,000 K-12 students and employ more than 6,000 teachers, not including the countless other administrative and educational staff that work tirelessly on behalf of our state’s most valuable resources – our children. According to the Wisconsin Council of Religious & Independent Schools (WCRIS), if there were no private schools, state and local taxes would have to increase by over $1 billion to pay for those students’ education in public schools. Academics aside, think of the economic impact private schools have on our state!

I couldn’t put it better myself than School Choice Wisconsin, a statewide school choice advocacy group, who said simply that the WPCP program exists to, “empower families by advocating for quality educational options so parents can choose the best educational environment for their child.” That’s our vision for ����ֱ��; to be an environment that fosters the unique gifts of each student to grow as disciples of the faith and leaders for the world.

Our children will be just that – leaders in our community, in our state, and in our world. Don’t we want to ensure they have a rock solid foundation in their preschool-12 education which gives them every opportunity to be successful adults?

Our teachers strive to give each student the attention, support, and challenges they need to grow as students and as people of faith and morals. Our students learn computer coding beginning in kindergarten. They’re achieving the highest ACT scores in the area. Last year they completed over 12,000 community service hours. Our schools have won 3 US Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School Awards. We have over 5,300 alumni scattered across the globe leading in every field from law to medicine to social justice to manufacturing.

We might be ����ֱ��, but our doors are open to all, regardless of your income level or faith. Don’t let concerns over how you’re going to fund tuition get in your way. The school choice program allows you to send your child to ����ֱ�� for free, so long as you meet the income requirements of the program. Beyond that, we award tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships and tuition assistance annually, including over $70,000 for this school year alone. Our goal is simple – to empower parents to provide their child with the best education and to empower our students to become leaders in their communities and around the globe.

Come join us at ����ֱ��, currently enrolling for the 2017-2018 school year. For more information on applying for the school choice program, visit . The application period is open until April 20, 2017. Call 715.341.2445 with any enrollment questions, and we’re happy to help make your dreams of a ����ֱ�� education a reality for your child.

��Empowering Parents, Developing Kids

Mrs. Dana LaMotte,��Technology Integrator (Elementary & Middle School) & K-8 Coding Coach

Name: Dana LaMotte

Grade/Subject & School(s) You Work with: Technology Integrator (Elementary & Middle School) & K-8 Coding Coach

Where did you grow up and go to high school and college?
Grew up in Stevens Point. Graduate of SPASH class of 1987!��Associates Degree in Business Management (Mid-State). Associates Degree in Graphic Design/Marketing (Northeast Wisconsin Technical College).

Where was your first job in education?
St. Peter’s – Learning Resource Aide

How long have you been working at ����ֱ��?
Learning Resource Aide 8 years,��Coding Coach 1 year

What do you enjoy most about working at ����ֱ��?
Our students and building a relationship with them in which I can watch them thrive. Nothing is more enjoyable than being able to help a student push through a task, be it a homework assignment or writing code, and succeed. Their excitement is contagious and knowing that you helped them in some way is why I enjoy working within our schools.

What is unique about the education experience offered at PCS that you can’t find anywhere else?
The individual attention that our students receive, from teachers and support staff. It comes from a place of genuine caring and allows us to develop wonderful mentoring relationships.

Have you received any teaching-related awards?
Diocesan Support Staff of the Year 2016

What was your favorite class when you were a student?
History

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Lawyer

Who is your biggest inspiration/role model?
My parents are my role models. Their continuing love and support for each other and our family has taught me that these are the most important things in our lives. I’ve learned from them that being there for those you love can get you through anything and kindness goes a long way.

What are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?
Reading, hanging out with friends and family, upcycling antiques with my husband, and watching my son play sports/perform.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
The power to heal. It is very hard for me to see people in pain.

What’s something that most people or your students don’t know about you?
That even though I’m a huge Iron Man fan, my favorite Marvel movie is Guardians of the Galaxy.

What is the most important piece of advice you can give to a student?
You won’t always be good at things and that’s okay, but believe in yourself enough to try and get better at it and push towards the things you really want to achieve.