ICS Newsletter: Thursday August 27, 2015

Introducing the New Incarnation Catholic School Logo!

Our new logo will be the everyday symbol of our school. It will complement the traditional crest, which will be used for formal occasions like diplomas and other such documentation.

More details about this exciting step in branding Incarnation Catholic School will be coming soon!

GO IRISH!


Upcoming Events

August
29 - ICS Family Cookout** (see details below)
31 - Culver's ICS Spirit Night*** (see details below)

September
1 - Picture Day, all students should be in formal school uniform (except 8th graders)
2 - School Mass; Curriculum Night, Grades PreK – 5, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
4 - First Friday Morning Assembly; Irish Incarnation Day (Any ICS shirt, Jeans or PE shorts, sneakers)
7 - NO SCHOOL – Labor Day
8 – 10 - ICSSC Voter Registration
9 - School Mass; Curriculum Night, Grades 6 – 8, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
10 - ICSSC Campaign Speeches, a.m. activity schedule
11 - Priory Pep Rally, p.m. activity schedule; Patriot Day – Red or White shirts with Blue jeans and sneakers; ICSSC Elections
16 - School Mass with ICS Households; Mid-point of Quarter 1
18 - 25 - ICS Fall Book Fair
18 - Spaghetti Dinner
23 - School Mass
24 - Family Supper with ICS Households
25 - ½ Day of School

October
15 - No School
16 - No School
29 - 1/2 Day of School (Conferences)
30 - 1/2 Day of School

November
7 - ICS Auction**** (see below for more details)

For a comprehensive look at all of the many activities we have planned for this school year, please visit our ICS Calendar Page.


Prayers

We continue to pray for our ICS teachers and students as they settle into the routine of this school year. May God bless their time spent together in spiritual and academic formation!

We pray for peace in our hearts, homes and world. 

We pray for the success of the upcoming Back to School Cookout. We hope for a great turnout of families and that it deepens our school's sense of family!

Have a prayer request? Send it to icsmzele@icstampa.org. 





Hope Will Rise

Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5). 

At Incarnation Catholic School, we believe that we can do hard things. This growth mindset enhances learning and development and allows students to learn, grow in their faith and become the people that God created them to be. 

Hope does not disappoint and Hope Will Rise!

ICS Picture Day
ICS Picture Day is this upcoming Tuesday September 1. Order forms have been included in this week's packet. 

Students are to come to school in their school uniform, except the 8th grade. 

No students should wear their PE uniform on Tuesday September 1; Coach Garofolo is aware of this and PE classes that occur prior to a class's scheduled picture time will be inside and light in activity. Any students who are absent that day may have their picture taken on October 8th (retake day.)

If you have any questions, please contact the Front Office. 

Smile!

Personnel Updates
We continue to search for a dynamic individual to take the position of our After School Care Coordinator. We will keep you up to date regarding this search process. If you have any leads, please forward them to Mr. Zelenka. 


ICS Family Cookout
On Saturday August 29, ICS is hosting a Family Cookout. Come to the 4:30 Mass and then over to the Pavilion at 5:30 or just join us any time between 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. for a summer cookout to reconnect with your ICS Family and to celebrate the beginning of an AMAZING school year! 

The menu will include hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and drink. Cost is $5.00 per person. We hope to see you there! To help us plan ahead, please consult the flyer in today's packet and return by tomorrow, Friday August 28! 


ICS Home and School Association

Please prayerfully consider how you can best help our school through our Home and School Association this year. Everyone must play a part! Stay tuned for more details and contact Mr. Zelenka if you have a desire to work in a leadership role in any of the areas of involvement: Home and School. 

Early Childhood at ICS

ICS is still accepting new students into its PreK-3 and PreK-4 (VPK) classes.

Contact the office or Ms. Noto for more details: notor@icstampa.org.


Faith Formation

First Communion and Confirmation Registration

Registration will be held on August 30^th in St. Michael Hall after all the Masses. At the time of registration, you must provide a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate, no form will be accepted without it. 

Also, you may stop by the Faith Formation Office during normal business hours (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register your child. 

The deadline for First Communion registration is September 26^th.

The deadline for Confirmation registration is October 30^th.

All Sacrament preparation is done through the Faith Formation Office not the School. Please direct any questions you may have to Philomena Johnson either by phone, 813-885-7861, or by email, pjohnson@icctampa.org. 

Baptism

If you wish to have your child baptized at Incarnation Catholic Church, please contact Carmen Cayon either by phone, 813-885-7861, or by email, ccayon@icctampa.org. 

May God bless our partners in Catholic education on the other side of our Incarnation campus!


Band at ICS
As a way to enhance the curricular offerings at Incarnation Catholic School, we partner with Paul Effman Studios (a third party contractor) to deliver instruction with a musical instrument. This program extends the general music course offered to all students as a part of our liberal arts curriculum taught by Ms. Maniscalco. There is an additional fee associated with students' participation in our ICS Band. Lessons take place once per week and occur during the school day. Instruments are available to rent through Paul Effman Studios.

For additional information, please see the form sent with students in grades 1 - 8. 

Students in grades 1 - 2 have a chance to participate in violin instruction. 

Students in grades 3 - 8 can play any of the following instruments: flute, clarinet, drums / percussion, trumpet, trombone (size requirements) and saxophone (size requirements). 

The form to sign up to participate is due back to the office by Wednesday September 2. 


Curriculum Nights
ICS believes that parents and families are the primary educators of their children. As such we take our partnership with students and families seriously and consider it a privilege to minister to you. One  opportunity to build connections between our school and your home is during our upcoming Curriculum Nights:

*Wednesday September 2 at 7:00 p.m. for PreK - Grade 5

*Wednesday September 9 at 7:00 p.m. for Grades 6 - 8

Both evenings will begin in St. Michael Hall at 7:00 p.m. with a general session. We will do our best to give you detailed information while still finishing by 8:30.

Childcare for ICS students will be available. 

We hope to see you there!


Culver's Spirit Night 

This year we will be partnering with our new neighbor, Culver's, for various Spirit Nights throughout the 2015-2016 school year! Our first Culver's Spirit Night of the school year will be this coming Monday August 31st from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Feel free to stop by as you exit car line for a quick snack or come back later in the night for dinner! Please let the cashier know you are with ICS and show them the flyer (pictured below) sent home in the Thursday packet, as a portion of the profits from the night will be donated back to ICS! We look forward to seeing you there! 

ICS Auction

The school relies on fundraising support to accomplish its mission of inspiring disciples of Christ, challenge each individual to be a life-long learner and striving to live our Catholic faith through service. The biggest fundraiser for our school is our ICS Auction.

Auction this year will be Saturday November 7 - please save the date!

Our theme this year, "An Evening of Southern Elegance", offers a chance for attendees to display their southern charm in dress, decor and demeanor!

Opportunities to get involved abound. They include:

*Sponsorships

*Donations

*Volunteer help

*Attendance

Please click here to visit our ICS Auction page for forms and more details!


Drop-Off and Pick-Up
Please continue to use the same drop-off and pick-up procedures until further notice. The front parking lot is slated to be completed soon. Please do not use it, though; continue to drive to the ICS Pavilion lot and drop students off / pick them up from there.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we work with this construction on our campus. 

IN KEEPING WITH OUR TRADITION, WE AT INCARNATION CATHOLIC SCHOOL:

Inspire disciples of Christ,

Challenge each individual to be a life-long learner, and

Strive to live our Catholic faith through service to each other and the community.

Letter from the Office of Schools and Centers

Dear ICS Families:

Please note the following letter issued by the Office of Schools and Centers within the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

May God bless all of our Catholic schools and our students this year and always!

ICS Newsletter: Thursday August 20, 2015

Upcoming Events

August
21 - Morning Assembly, 8:30 a.m., St. Michael Hall
24 - 1st Day of School, PreK-4 and PreK-3
26 - School Mass, 8:30 a.m., Incarnation Church; Band Assembly, Grades 3 - 8
29 - ICS Family Cookout** (see details below)

September
1 - Picture Day
2 - School Mass; Curriculum Night, Grades PreK – 5, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
4 - First Friday Morning Assembly; Irish Incarnation Day (Any ICS shirt, Jeans or PE shorts, sneakers)
7 - NO SCHOOL – Labor Day
8 – 10 - ICSSC Voter Registration
9 - School Mass; Curriculum Night, Grades 6 – 8, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
10 - ICSSC Campaign Speeches, a.m. activity schedule
11 - Priory Pep Rally, p.m. activity schedule; Patriot Day – Red or White shirts with Blue jeans and sneakers; ICSSC Elections
14 – 18 - ICS Fall Book Fair
16 - School Mass with ICS Households; Mid-point of Quarter 1
18 - Spaghetti Dinner
23 - School Mass
24 - Family Supper with ICS Households
25 - ½ Day of School

October
15 - No School
16 - No School
29 - 1/2 Day of School (Conferences)
30 - 1/2 Day of School

November
7 - ICS Auction

For a comprehensive look at all of the many activities we have planned for this school year, please visit our ICS Calendar Page.



Prayers

We lift up our entire school community in prayer - students, teachers, parents and families - as we begin the 2015 - 16 school year at Incarnation Catholic School. May the Spirit of the Lord be with ICS this year and always!

We pray for all members of our ICS community who have children beginning either high school or college for the first time. May God watch over these former students, lead them, and protect them in these next steps of their lives.

Have a prayer request? Send it to icsmzele@icstampa.org. 





Hope Will Rise

Today's Hope Will Rise quote comes to us from Paul's letter to the Hebrews 6:18-19. Hold fast to HOPE and be mindful of the stories that you listen to and tell yourself! Listening to and/or repeating the wrong stories can steal your hope. Hopelessness leads to destruction. Hope leads to life!

Hope Will Rise!

Personnel Updates
Please join us in welcoming the following member to our ICS faculty:

*Mrs. White, ICS Art Teacher
Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Rese White as our new ICS Art Teacher. Mrs. White holds a Masters in Education from Bellarmine University and in addition to teaching middle school mathematics and social studies, Mrs. White was the Founder of the Louisville Youth Theatre in Louisville, KY that offered music, dance, acting, photography and stage management sessions. This strong artistic background will allow her to add to our strong creative and performing arts program at ICS. Welcome, Mrs. White! We are proud to have you as a part of our dynamic group of ICS faculty and staff!

We are still searching for a dynamic individual to take the position of our After School Care Coordinator. We will keep you up to date regarding this search process.


ICS Family Cookout
On Saturday August 29, ICS is hosting a Family Cookout. Come to the 4:30 Mass and then over to the Pavilion at 5:30 or just join us any time between 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. for a summer cookout to reconnect with your ICS Family and to celebrate the beginning of an AMAZING school year! 

The menu will include hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and drink. Cost is $5.00 per person. We hope to see you there! To help us plan ahead, please consult the flyer in today's packet and return by next Friday August 28! 


ICS Home and School Association

Please prayerfully consider how you can best help our school through our Home and School Association this year. Everyone must play a part! Stay tuned for more details and contact Mr. Zelenka if you have a desire to work in a leadership role in any of the areas of involvement: Home and School. 

Early Childhood at ICS

ICS is still accepting new students into its PreK-3 and PreK-4 (VPK) classes.

Contact the office or Ms. Noto for more details: notor@icstampa.org.

Our first day of classes for our Early Learning Program (PreK-3 and PreK-4) is August 24!





ICS Student-Family Handbook
Please visit this link to access the 2015 - 16 ICS Student-Family Handbook. 

Handbook acknowledge forms are due back to the school office by tomorrow, Friday August 21.

Please take time with your child, if you already haven’t, to review the handbook in its entirety. Points of emphasis are listed below for you and your child to review:

*Appropriate clothing options for uniform, non-uniform and cold weather (p.69)
*Tardies in regards to Honor Roll and Time on Task Free Dress Day eligibility (p. 52 and 57)

*PBIS system-distribution of strikes and their translation into conduct grades (p. 42)

*GRIT/Character Training under Student Conduct as well as in the PBIS Manual in the Appendix (p. 38 and 82)

If you have any questions about policies found in our School Handbook, please do not hesitate to contact any ICS faculty or staff member. 

Sycamore

We will use Sycamore Education as our student management system to begin our school year. To align with the Diocese of St. Petersburg Office of Schools and Centers, we will transition to Rediker at some point throughout the year. 

For returning families, please continue to use Sycamore as you have always done. Please just be sure that your contact information is up to date. If you need help accessing your account please contact the Front Office. 

For new families, you should have received login information earlier this week. If you did not receive  or if you experience problems accessing your account, please contact the Front Office. 

Our ICS School ID Number is: 1480. 

Follow this link to login: Sycamore. 

Chapter Books

If you have any gently used chapter books targeted for Upper Elementary aged students (around grades 3 - 5) and would be willing to donate them to the school, please contact Mrs. Sarah Graves: gravess@icstampa.org. Thank you in advance!

Faith Formation

First Communion and Confirmation Registration

Registration will be held on August 23^rd and August 30^th in St. Michael Hall after all the Masses. At the time of registration, you must provide a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate, no form will be accepted without it.

Also, you may stop by the Faith Formation Office during normal business hours (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register your child. 

The deadline for First Communion registration is September 26^th.

The deadline for Confirmation registration is October 30^th.

All Sacrament preparation is done through the Faith Formation Office not the School. Please direct any questions you may have to Philomena Johnson either by phone, 813-885-7861, or by email, pjohnson@icctampa.org.

Baptism

If you wish to have your child baptized at Incarnation Catholic Church, please contact Carmen Cayon either by phone, 813-885-7861, or by email, ccayon@icctampa.org.

May God bless our partners in Catholic education on the other side of our Incarnation campus!

Beginning of the Year Reminders

*Handbook Acknowledgement Forms

Please submit your Handbook Acknowledgement forms back to the school office by Friday 8/21/15.

*Media Release Form

Please also submit your Media Release form, and Emergency Card by Friday 8/21/15.

*Medications / Allergies

Please notify the Front Office if your child(ren) has any allergies or if any medications need to be taken throughout the school day. All medication must be kept in the Main Office. 

*Background Screening / Safe Environment Training

In order for you to access our students during the day in the classroom setting (i.e. class parties, class projects, etc.) and/or come to school to eat lunch / go to recess with your son or daughter you must have a Level II background check completed through the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Visit this link for details and more information: Background Check. 

*If you would like to be able to supervise students (be a chaperone for a field trip, volunteer coach, etc.) you will need both a Level II background check and completion of the Safe Environment Training Program. Details about this training can be found here: Safe Environment Training. 

*If you plan to join our school community during events such as Mass and/or Assembly (like tomorrow), you do not need screening or training.

*Drop-Off

Please note that for Drop-Off in the morning, please to use the same traffic route that is used for Afternoon Pick-Up. This includes students dropped off between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m. (during Morning Care). We will have ICS staff available in the Pavilion lot to help assist students into St. Michael Hall. 

*For the safety of all drivers please use the full traffic route, especially for turning around. 

*Also, please refrain from using cellphones - keep our children safe! 

*Academic Programs
In case you missed it, please follow this link for information about the new structure being used in 1st through 5th grade this year: ICS Grades 1 - 5. 

-If you have any questions about this academic structure, please do not hesitate to ask. Thank you for your support with this new initiative!

*Newsletter
Our ICS Newsletter is a way to communicate timely and important information to ICS families. Please be sure that you have your email address up to date in Sycamore as the weekly update will be sent every Thursday via email. You can also bookmark the ICS Newsletter webpage and check every Thursday for updates. Either way, please let us know if you are not receiving this important information and we will help ensure that it gets to you.

Thank You
On behalf of Fr. Michael Suszynski and the rest of the Incarnation Faculty and Staff, I want to thank you for partnering with us at ICS to educate your children. We consider it a great blessing to minister to you and your children at our Catholic school. We look forward to partnering with you this year and beyond. Thanks for being a part of the ICS Family.

Welcome home. 

IN KEEPING WITH OUR TRADITION, WE AT INCARNATION CATHOLIC SCHOOL:

Inspire disciples of Christ,

Challenge each individual to be a life-long learner, and

Strive to live our Catholic faith through service to each other and the community.

ICS Updates - August 18, 2015

Dear ICS Families,

Please note the following updates as we finish our second day of the 2015 - 16 school year:

1. Thank You
Thank you to all teachers, students, parents and families for their support and hard work in getting our 2015 - 16 campaign off to such a great start. Students and teachers have been hard at work establishing quality procedures, routines and classroom culture so as to promote and enhance a strong educational atmosphere across the entire school.

2. Mrs. White, ICS Art Teacher
Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Rese White as our new ICS Art Teacher. Mrs. White holds a Masters in Education from Bellarmine University and in addition to teaching middle school mathematics and social studies, Mrs. White was the Founder of the Louisville Youth Theatre in Louisville, KY that offered music, dance, acting, photography and stage management sessions. This strong artistic background will allow her to add to our strong creative and performing arts program at ICS. Welcome, Mrs. White! We are proud to have you as a part of our dynamic group of ICS faculty and staff!

3. Grades 1 - 5
So as to offer more explicit rationale to our academic program in grades 1 - 5, please note the following:

-Language Arts and Math classes for 1st through 5th grades at ICS have been divided into two sections, offering smaller class sizes and a step toward differentiation in these two core classes.

-Science, Social Studies and Religion classes will be taught in one section for each grade / by homeroom. Instructional aides will assist these classes to help with management and instructional delivery.

-Students have been split into sections for both LA and Math so that there is a mix of students with varying abilities (known as "heterogenous" grouping in the educational world) in each class. In addition to ensuring a mix of abilities within each group, teachers also considered work ethic, peer interactions and gender in determining the division of students.

-Educational research supports that splitting students into groups of mixed abilities is better than grouping by one ability (where all advanced students are in one group and students on-level and/or in need of remediation are in a separate class). For more details about the research, please visit this link for a great summary: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct92/vol50/num02/Synthesis-of-Research-~-Is-Ability-Grouping-Equitable¢.aspx 

-Moving to this structure for our academic program within these grade levels has offered stability not present prior to this switch. Prior to this year, predicting and planning for one or two sections in a particular grade was oftentimes based upon the seasonality of enrollment and nothing more. Now, we have the ability to appropriately plan and prepare for the upcoming year so that we can offer the best possible Catholic education.

-If you have any questions about this academic structure, please do not hesitate to ask.

4. Car Signs
Please note that signs to place in the front windshield of your car have been disseminated to students. Please use them to help aid us in our Pick-Up procedures.

5. 2015 - 2016 ICS Student-Family Handbook
A copy of the 2015 - 16 ICS Student-Family Handbook is on both the ICS website as well as under the documents tab of Sycamore. Handbook acknowledgement forms are due back to the Main Office by Friday August 21. Details about some of the highlights and areas of emphasis will be detailed in our Thursday Newsletter.

6. Opening of the School Year Celebration of the Eucharist
Please feel welcome to join us for our first school Mass tomorrow, Wednesday August 19, at 8:30 a.m. in the Church. Your students can sit with you if you come. They will be brought to the Church at 8:25 and will be free to join you for Mass and then return to their class at its conclusion. May God bless ICS this year and always!

More information will come on Thursday!

Thank you for partnering with us at ICS to carry out our mission to inspire disciples of Christ, challenge all to be life-long learners and to live out our Catholic faith through service to each other and our community!

HOPE WILL RISE!

Peace,

Mr. Zelenka
Principal

ICS Drop-Off and Pick-Up Routes

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Routes
**Note that for the first day of school for K - 8 (Monday August 17), Drop-Off and Pick-Up will be "rainy day" - please park and walk into classrooms to both drop-off and pick-up your child(ren) on the first day of school. 

Please note that due to the construction taking place in the Church Parking lot (off of Hillsborough Ave.), ICS will begin the school year using the following traffic pattern for both Drop-Off and Pick-Up.

Drop-Off will take place between 7:00 a.m. and 7:45. Students will exit while cars are pointed west, along the fence that is closest to the school. Safety Patrols, Ambassadors and ICS Faculty and Staff will be present to help direct the flow of traffic and escort students to classrooms.

Pick-Up will take place in the same manner as last year (and will be the same route for cars that is used for Drop-Off).

Please consult this video to see a dash-cam view of the flow (and remember that even though the title of the video is "Pick-Up Procedures" the same route will be followed by cars in both the morning and afternoon this year). In the video, the Drop-Off location of cars occurs between the 2:00 and 2:11 section of the clip:

If you have any questions, please contact the ICS School Office: 813.884.4502.

Hope Will Rise.

ICS Newsletter: Thursday August 6, 2015

Upcoming Events

August
August 10 - 14 - Used Uniform Sale, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., St. Michael Foyer
August 13 - New Family Orientation and Back to School Blessing* (see below for more details)
August 17 - 1st Day of School
August 24 - 1st Day of School, PreK-4 and PreK-3
August 29 - ICS Family Cookout** (see details below)

September
September 7 - No School, Labor Day
September 30 - 1/2 Day of School

October
October 15 - No School
October 16 - No School
October 29 - 1/2 Day of School (Conferences)
October 30 - 1/2 Day of School

November
November 23 - 27 - No School, Thanksgiving Break

December
December 18 - 1/2 Day of School
December 21 - January 4 - No School, Christmas Break

January
January 18 - No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

February
February 11 - 1/2 Day of School (Conferences)
February 12 - 1/2 Day of School
February 15 - No School, Presidents' Day
February 26 - No School
February 29 - March 11 - Iowa Assessment, Grades 2 - 8

March
March 1 - 11 - Iowa Assessment, Grades 2 - 8
March 24 - 1/2 Day of School
March 25 - April 1 - No School, Easter Break

April
April 15 - 1/2 Day of School
April 18 - No School

May
May 6 - 1/2 Day of School
May 30 - No School, Memorial Day

June
June 3 - 1/2 Day of School, Last Day

Please note that the above dates are subject to change. A more detailed school calendar will be sent soon. 

Prayers

We lift up the family of Elias Matos (Gr. 4) as they mourn the passing into eternal life of his grandmother, who was 99 years old. May the Lord surround the Matos family and offer them His love, strength and guidance during this difficult time.  

We continue to pray for Matt Covington as he continues to recover from the effects of a biking accident at the end of last school year. May God's healing hand lead Matt back to full health!

We pray for the safety of our lives and property during Hurricane Season. May Mother Mary protect us and keep us safe from all evil, harm and illness. 

We pray for all students that they enjoy a successful 2015 - 16 school year! We especially lift up those in our ICS Family who are new to our school and who are moving on to high school. Hope Will Rise!

Have a prayer request? Send it to icsmzele@icstampa.org. 





Hope Will Rise

Want to increase your hope? Turn to prayer. As stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1817 Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Turn to prayer and Hope Will Rise. 

Supply Lists
Please visit the following links to access our supply lists:

Elementary School: ICS Elementary School Supplies 2015 - 16

Middle School: ICS Middle School Supplies 2015 - 16

Also, be sure to take advantage of the sales tax holiday from August 7 - 16. For more details about the types of purchases that qualify, visit this link: http://dor.myflorida.com/Documents/tip15a0105.pdf


Re-registration

If you have questions about registering, please contact the Front Office: 813.884.4502. Please register, if you have not done so, as soon as possible so that we can plan accordingly!

Back to School Blessing and New Family Orientation
We look forward to welcoming our PreK and Kindergarten families on the evening of Thursday August 13th at 6:00 p.m. These families will have an opportunity to meet with their child's teacher and visit the classroom.

We will also welcome any family new to ICS in grades 1-8 to join us for an orientation at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday August 13th as well. Please also stop in the Front Office for directions to the location of this informational session.

Finally, we will welcome all families (returning and new) for a Back to School Blessing from our Pastor, Fr. Michael Suszynski, at 7:00 p.m. in St. Michael Hall! From there you will be able to visit classrooms and reunite with classmates.

If you have any questions, please contact the School Office: 813.884.4502! We look forward to seeing you on the 13th!


Personnel Updates
Please join us in welcoming the following members to our ICS faculty:

-Mrs. Sarah Graves - Mrs. Graves will join ICS as both our new PreK-3 teacher as well as our 5th Grade LA and Math teacher. Mrs. Graves has a Masters of Science degree in Elementary Education from University of Mary Washington and has worked in both Early Childhood and Elementary Education settings.

-Mr. Joshua Paczynski - Mr. Paczynski will serve ICS as our new Middle School Science teacher. Mr. Paczynski has a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from Florida State University and is slated for certification in both Physics and Math for Grades 6 - 12. Mr. Paczyski has experience serving as a catechist within our diocese and has interned at the National Weather Service. Additionally, he has experience with computer programming, which will help advance our STEM initiative here at ICS.

Also, please join us in thanking Mrs. Desiree Bennington and Mrs. Michelle Emery for their service to ICS. Mrs. Bennington has served as our Aftercare Coordinator since 2011 and we thank her for her constant presence in this important role as she transitions to a new professional opportunity. Similarly, Mrs. Michelle Emery has made the decision to leave ICS to pursue a position at Carrollwood Day School. Mrs. Emery joined ICS in 2012 and has worked diligently to enhance our Art Program. We wish Mrs. Emery success in this new educational ministry.

Searches for candidates to fill these two positions at ICS are already underway. Details will be communicated as these positions are filled.

Finally, many of you will remember that Mrs. Jean Brown, ICS Media Specialist, took a leave of absence at the end of last year for medical reasons. At this time, Mrs. Brown will not be able to begin the school year with ICS. Additional information will be sent as it becomes available. Please continue to pray for Mrs. Brown and her recovery to full health.


ICS Family Cookout
On Saturday August 29, ICS is hosting a Family Cookout. Come to the 4:30 Mass and then over to the Pavilion at 5:30 or just join us any time between 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. for a summer cookout to reconnect with your ICS Family and to celebrate the beginning of an AMAZING school year! 

The menu will include hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and drink. Cost is $5.00 per person. We hope to see you there! More details will be coming soon. 


ICS Home and School Association
Please note the following details about our revamped Home and School Association:

The ICS HSA will be organized into various areas of responsibility. These areas will be headed by committee chairpersons. The chairpersons of the respective areas will form the HSA leadership group.

The Leadership Group will meet monthly.

Area Committees will meet / communicate as needed. 

All families are expected to sign-up for at least one Area Committee. 

Area Committees include:
1. Fellowship
The Fellowship Committee will be responsible for engaging current and prospective families along with students, faculty, staff and community members to build fellowship between and among these various parts of our school. 

A. New Family Outreach - form a "Welcome Wagon" that would indoctrinate new families into the ICS Family

B. Current Family Connections - design strategies to sustain and enhance the relationship that current families have with the school 

C. Membership Coordination - execute and track the membership drive for families to be a part of the HSA 

D. School and Weekend Masses - coordinate activities to capitalize on families' participation in the Celebration of the Eucharist

E. School Assemblies and Student Activities - coordinate activities to capitalize on families' participation in school assemblies and other student activities

F. Invitations for Events - design and distribute invitations to families for various HSA and ICS events

G. Prospective Family Engagement - work closely with administration and staff to coordinate and execute Open Houses for Prospective Families. 

2. Communications
The Communications Committee will help with the various avenues of communication that take place within the school. The Communications Committee will help assist many of the other committees with the specific task of delivering messages about events, news and updates.

A. Internal Communication - Newsletters, flyers, Facebook messages, tweets.

B. External - Marketing - some of the above plus media directly aimed at soliciting new relationships with ICS.

C. Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest.

D. Incarnation Parish Bulletin - creating weekly submissions for the Church Bulletin.

E. Front Office Communications - helping pack envelopes, additional support during busy times (i.e. Carnival, beginning / end of the year).

F. Calls - donations, reminders, invitations, prospective families, outreach to current families.

G. HSA Updates - communications to the community about upcoming events within the Home and School Association.

F. Church Liaison - coordinate with the Church regarding fundraisers, events, sacramental prep and other Church information.

H. Directory of Contacts - school family directory, business directory, alumni directory, donor directory.

3. Fundraising
The Fundraising Committee would work with the other committees, especially those in charge of events, on raising money for the operating budget of the school as well as for capital improvements. 

A. Treasury - the Fundraising Committee would be in charge of collecting and tracking money for all HSA events. Preparing cash boxes for events, working with Event Committees to compile supplies, and submitting money to the Business Office are the key components of this Committee.

B. Business Partnerships / Sponsorships - work with area businesses and individuals to partner with ICS for donations, supplies and services.

C. Membership Requirements - work with the Fellowship Committee regarding Membership Dues and tracking these transactions, track commitment hours as well as fundraising requirements for each family.

D. Spirit Sales - develop, organize and oversee a spirit "store" with shirts, hats, and other ICS gear for purchase. 

4. Events
The Events Committee will help to operationally coordinate and run the various HSA events throughout the school year.

A. Set-Up / Take-Down - this committee will help to set-up and/or take-down the facility needs for the various events.

B. Volunteer Sign-Up - based on the needs of the various events, this portion of the Events Committee will ensure volunteers are recruited and confirmed for the various events.

C. Decorations - from table cloths to other decor needed for various events, this group will work on the aesthetics for each activity.

D. Marketing - create in conjunction with the Communications Committee advertisements for HSA events.

E. Finances - partner with the Fundraising Committee to track money out and in for events.

F. Operations - ensure the operations for each event from start to finish.

5. Homeroom Parents
This group will work closely with Homeroom teachers to coordinate classroom activities and parties, help with various school activities, and communicate with families from that grade level. 

6. Dads Club
The purpose of the ICS DADS CLUB is to build community and support for Incarnation Catholic School among fathers and father-figures of our students.  This includes:
*Supporting our children
*Supporting our School and Church
*Supporting each other as Catholic men

*Promoting Catholic values and excellence among the ICS community

A. Golf Tournament - the ICS DADS CLUB is also responsible for the Golf Tournament.

7. Facilities

The Facilities Committee is responsible for working with the administration and Director of Facilities to help advance the school from a structural standpoint.

A. Beautification - help to rake leaves, pressure wash, paint, spread mulch, etc. as needed throughout the year.

B. Signs and Stories - work closely with administration and teachers to work on bulletin boards, walls, and other areas of our school to display the story of excellence at ICS.

C. Building and Construction - assist with the continuous improvement and enhancement of our school from a structural standpoint.

8. Auction

The Auction Committee will oversee the school's largest fundraiser. The Auction Committee will work closely with the other committees to ensure successful execution of this event. 

9. Carnival

Similar to the Auction Committee, the Carnival Committee will work closely with the rest of the HSA Area Committees as well as representatives from the Church to host this community building event. 

10. School and Home

The administration, faculty and staff will function as a integral part of this new structure within the Home and School Association. The School and Home Committee will be comprised of the administration, faculty and staff of ICS. A representative from the school will serve as the chairperson for this committee. 

11. Students Ambassadors

This committee will be composed of the members and officers of the ICS Student Council. Officers will attend HSA Leadership Team meetings. A parent liaison will work closely with the Student Council and the HSA to help provide authentic opportunities for students to engage in these professional environments.  

Please prayerfully consider how you can best help our school through our Home and School Association. - everyone must play a part! Stay tuned for more details and contact Mr. Zelenka if you have a desire to work in a leadership role in any of the areas above. 

Early Childhood at ICS

ICS is starting a program for 3 year old children for the 2015-16 school year! Please help us spread this good news and invite those who may be interested!

Also, our 4 year old program is VPK approved. Contact the office or Ms. Noto for more details: notor@icstampa.org.

Our first day of classes for our Early Learning Program (PreK-3 and PreK-4) is August 24!

Please note our ICS Early Learning Program Vision:

ICS ELP is a place that

*delights in being with children and sharing in their joys;

*nurtures a child's ability to wonder, explore and create;

*believes children learn through hands-on play and through meaningful social interactions with both adults and peers;

*provides a student-centered environment that promotes social, emotional, spiritual and moral growth  and development;

*supports parents in their role as primary educators of their child(ren);

*partners with Incarnation Catholic School to foster a sense of community and family among students and faculty.

Please pray for the success of this new addition to our school!



Summer Work

Please be sure to adhere to our Summer Work program. Details about accessing Khan Academy and myON Reader can be found here: ICS Summer Work 2015

If you haven't started yet, please do so today - and start working!!!!! Contact Mr. Woodward or Mrs. Gonzalez if you have any questions: woodwardb@icstampa.org or icslgess@icstampa.org. 

Summer Schedule

Please adhere to the following schedule for office hours over the next three weeks leading up to the start of the school year: 

August 3 - 7: 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

August 10 - 14: 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

August 17: First day of school!

30 Day Family Prayer Challenge

We are almost one week into our 30 Day Family Prayer Challenge, but it's not too late to start. We invite all ICS families to join in this opportunity to pray for the most important part of our lives.  

Will you join? How will God work miracles in the life of your family by September? 

Try it and be AMAZED by the power of prayer!

Also, check out this prayer calendar for a resource and notice the scripture chosen - "Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, preserver in prayer" (Romans 12:12). This is the scripture for this year's theme - HOPE WILL RISE!

Back to School Letter

Have an AMAZING end of the summer! God bless and GO IRISH!

Be blessed. Be bold. Fight for JOY!

IN KEEPING WITH OUR TRADITION, WE AT INCARNATION CATHOLIC SCHOOL:

Inspire life-long learners,

Challenge each individual to be a disciple of Christ, and

Strive to live our Catholic faith through service to each other and the community.