Michael Weigel
August 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment
This year, the first Senior Spotlight will shine on Michael Weigel.
Underneath Michael’s calm and quiet demeanor is the speed and quickness that helps power Faustina’s new high school sports teams. This year, Michael is the Captain of the first Faustina Falcon’s football team and a starting running back. In the first two games of this season he has rushed for 526 yards on 27 carries scoring 8 touchdowns. He is also a dangerous return man racking up 268 return yards on 7 returns for an average of 38.2 yards per return. He also plays defense recording 7 tackles and 2 sacks.
Michael has been using his speed not only on the gridiron, but also on the track. In 2007, in the first year of Falcon track, he was the TCAF state champion in the 1600m and the state runner up in the 100m. He was also the district champion in the 1600m and the district runner up in the long jump. He anchored the district runner up 4×100m relay team. He is a letterman not only in track, but in basketball, where he plays guard for the Falcons.
Michael’s athletic participation is not limited to Faustina. He is a member of Premier Track Club in Dallas competing in the 400m, the 800m and the 4×400m. He also uses his speed on the rugby pitch as a winger for the University of Dallas Rugby Club.
While enjoying his athletic accomplishments, Michael also pursues those things at the heart of Faustina Academy: leadership, academic excellence and commitment to his Faith. Michael was an Honor Roll student in the Fall of 2007 and was his class representative to the Student Council his sophomore year. He won the Best in History Award his sophomore and junior years. Since 2003, he has been an altar server at Mater Dei Latin Mass Community and he was the confirmation sponsor for his younger sister Sofia.
Michael’s hobbies outside of team sports are paint ball and snow boarding. He has four brothers and five sisters. His two older brothers are alums of Faustina, both now attending the University of Dallas. His younger siblings all attend Faustina. His favorite food is crunchy peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwiches. He plans on attending the University of Dallas next year, where he hopes to run track and continue playing rugby (and of course study!).
Protected: TEST: PreK Newsletter
August 30, 2008 | Enter your password to view comments
May Virtue of the Month: Diligence
August 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Continuing our tradition of Virtue of the Month, we will focus on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit this school year.
This month’s Virtue is: Diligence
PreK News: 9/2 - 9/5
August 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Welcome to my weekly newsletter!
Thanks.
Rachel
PreK4: An Overview of the Curriculum
August 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Dear Families,
I feel very privileged to be your child’s preschool teacher this year. I am excited about the curriculum that we will be using and would like to share a little information about the programs that we have chosen.
For phonics, reading readiness, and handwriting we will be using a very well respected program called Zoo Phonics. It is time tested and very kid friendly with an emphasis on making the activities age appropriate. What makes this program so successful is that it is multisensory. The children will be speaking, listening, singing, feeling, and moving. The more modes of sensory input, the better. We will start out the year learning letter sounds and how to write lowercase letters. The second half of the year I will introduce capital letters and by the end of the year, those that are ready will be putting together basic three letter words. I look forward to sharing more about this program with you as the year progresses.
For math we will be using Saxon K. At this level, it is auditory and manipulative based. This is a survey course that introduces them to many different math concepts such as sorting, acting out story problems, shapes, money, time, measuring, geoboards, and more. There is also a strong emphasis on calendar activities, which will introduce them the days of the week and months of the year, as well as weather, graphing, patterning, and skip counting.
We will be using the Little Saints- A Catholic Preschool Program as a supplement. Each week has a theme such as “Fun on the Farm” or “Planets and Stars”. Our storytime books will be drawn mostly from this program, as well as crafts and learning games that tie into the theme. The class will listen to classical music recommendations and will enjoy an overview of children’s poetry. This program also incorporates Bible passages and ideas on celebrating the liturgical year.
Science at this age is best learned through a study of the child’s own natural surroundings, so we will focus our atttention on nature study. We will take nature walks, children will be encouraged to bring nature items from home and we will build insect and leaf collections in the classroom. We also have a designated spot behind the school where we will be able to have a garden. We will start right away with planting different types of sugar snap peas. (drawing by Anne Runyon)
Most importantly, we will spend time this year learning about our faith. Faustina Academy’s mission is to work collaboratively with the parents to get all of our children to heaven- to make saints. At this young age, it is important to gently nurture in the children a love for the faith. We will read stories of the lives of the saints, read Scripture, sing songs about the faith, and say prayers throughout the day . We will celebrate the feast days, with the first celebration being a birthday party for the Nativity of the Blessed Mother on September 8th.
I look forward to getting to know you this year as we work together to educate your children. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
Mrs. Skinner
Homework for Sept. 2-5
August 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Sept 5
No Homework
Sept 4
Read Chapter 15
Section 3
Sept 3
Read Chapter 15
Section 2
Complete Section Review
Sept. 2
Read Chapter 15
Section 1
Complete Section Review
Homework for Sept. 2-5
August 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Sept 4
Read Chapters 1-3
Sept 3
Read Chapters 1-3
Sept 2
Read Chapters 1-3
Complete Handout
Homework Sept 2-5
August 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Sept 5
Read Chapter 1
Section 3
Sept 4
Read Chapter 1
Section 2
Complete Section Review
Sept 3
No Homework
Sept 2
Read Chapter 1
Section 1
Complete Section Review
Homework for Sept. 2-5
August 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Sept 5
Read Chapter 1
Section 1
Sept 4
Read Chapter 1
Section 1
Sept 3
No Homework
Sept. 2
Read Chapter 1
Section 1
Complete Handout
Welcome to Musikgarten: Joyful Music with Purpose
August 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Click on the following for a quick video on Musikgarten!
WELCOME FROM THE TEACHER
My name is Linda Neal and I am new at Faustina Academy this 2008-09 school year. I will be teaching Musikgarten. If your child is in Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, or First Grade at Faustina Academy, he or she will be in one of my classes!
ABOUT ME
I’ve loved music for as long as I can remember! I always enjoyed singing, and I’ve provided special music at many church services, weddings, funerals, and special occasions through the years. I received my formal music training at DCCCD and SMU in the mid and late 90s as a music major. While at SMU I won a prized place in the chorus of the Dallas Opera, where I sang three years. At the same time I gained experience as a professional section leader at a large North Dallas church. My musical energies took a new direction in 2005 when I trained with Musikgarten to teach their curricula. I began teaching it to a Catholic homeschool group in Irving the following spring; I worked with them for three semesters. Also in the spring of 2006, I started teaching Musikgarten part time for the Arts Academy at Brookhaven College, where I remain today.
ABOUT MUSIKGARTEN
So what is Musikgarten? Great question! Musikgarten (German for “music garden”) is an early childhood music and movement program that has been shaped by world renowned scholars and education experts. The classes are not private, they are offered in a group setting. There is a purpose behind every single activity we do! Written by Dr. Lorna Heyge and Audrey Sillick, it began in 1993 and has gained momentum each year due to its substance and success both here in the states and internationally.
Many Musikgarten classes take place in a setting with parent or other caregiver in attendance with the child, while other Musikgarten classes include only the teacher and students, such as what we will be offering here at Faustina Academy. This latter arrangement is typically found in learning institutions and daycare centers.
MUSIKGARTEN IS BUILT UPON THE MONTESSORI METHOD
Something that is not commonly known is that Musikgarten is Montessori based! It truly is a solid, carefully crafted program offering sequential, purposeful age appropriate activities. I often refer to it as a school of music.
MUSIKGARTEN IS A JOYFUL EXPERIENCE, AND SO MUCH MORE!
One of Musikgarten’s slogans is Come for the fun. Stay for the education. My students and I will have the greatest time together. Musikgarten is fun! Fun for the children, and fun for their teacher! I always tell my families, I don’t know who has a better time in class — me, or the children!
What is so compelling about Musikgarten, though, is that while we are having a great time, some no-less-than-amazing things are taking place in the children’s development. Decades of research have proven without question that early childhood music and movement stimulates quantifiable growth in the young child in some important areas:
- social
- emotional
- musical
- cognitive
- physical
I never cease to be amazed about that!
MUSIKGARTEN CLASSES I’LL BE TEACHING AT FAUSTINA ACADEMY
Musikgarten actually offers a wide array of age-specific classes for babies through early grade school. I am trained in all curricula available except keyboard. Here at Faustina Academy, I will be teaching the following classes:
(1) “Cycle of Seasons” — Pre-K (4 year olds) and Kindergarten (5 year olds) [each of these grades meet with me separately]
Students in this class will celebrate their love of nature and growing independence through activities which focus on the seasons of the year.
Musical Play Activities:
Features:
(2) “Music Makers at Home” — First Grade (6 year olds)
In Music Makers, we do something Chef Emeril Lagasse loves to do – we “kick it up a notch!” Wow, things really start to happen here.
Music Makers “ingredients” are many:
Features:
INSTRUMENTS THE CHILDREN WILL PLAY
All children will have ample opportunities throughout the school year to develop their musicianship through rhythm sticks, jingles, large wooden hoops, hand drums, colorful scarves, rattles and resonator bells. A selection of instruments and/or manipulatives is included in every lesson.
When parents ask, “Will my child learn to play a specific instrument [such as a recorder] in Musikgarten?” I respond by saying No, the emphasis in Musikgarten is upon first developing the body to be the main instrument. Do you want your child to eventually take private lessons? Piano? Violin? Guitar, perhaps? In Musikgarten, your child will first learn how to feel the music’s beat and melody in his or her body, and how to respond in an expressive, unconscientious way to that music. This prepares him or her to then communicate that expression through an instrument in the future, or any area of the arts requiring movement, such as dance and drama. In Musikgarten, we are about tapping into, and joyfully eliciting, that passion and emotion about music – greatly enjoyable now, and greatly rewarding in the future when channeled into private lessons, or other avenues.
PRIVATE LESSONS ALONG WITH MUSIKGARTEN
Note: If your child is already in private music lessons, Musikgarten will only enhance that training!
GRADING SYSTEM FOR MUSIKGARTEN
Grades are not awarded for Musikgarten. It is a non-performance based set of curricula. I like to tell my parents, “This is one of the few classes your child will ever make an ‘A’ in just by showing up!” The prevailing notion in the Musikgarten class is a sense of celebration of the child, music, and life. The Musikgarten teacher maintains an atmosphere of encouragement, praise and nurture of every child present.
MORE TO COME
I will continue to post more information here in the future, so please come back and visit if you have a special interest in the Musikgarten program at Faustina Academy.
For more information about the Musikgarten program, including its founders and history, and the benefits of early childhood music and movement, visit their official website:
“Long after the toys of childhood are gone, the gift of music remains.”
