December 2025 

Preschool - Mrs. Malone, Ms. Onkka

By the time December arrives we will have discussed personal safety & our Circle of Grace; families & homes; Thanksgiving; transportation & community helpers.

During November, our 5-day students had another opportunity to meet with their 8th grade buddies.

As we reflect on this Thanksgiving season, we are thankful for our preschool families and all that they do to support learning in the preschool classrooms.

We can’t wait to experience Advent and the excitement of Christmas through the eyes of our 3-5 year olds!

Kindergarten - Mrs. Guinan, Mrs. Millar, Mrs. Vaughan

In math, we’ve been busy laying the groundwork for fractions. The students have learned a lot about symmetry, equal parts, and halves. They have learned some geometry through identifying cones, cubes, spheres, and cylinders.

When reading and writing, we have focused on nouns as naming words and the difference between asking and telling sentences.

After discussing Thanksgiving traditions, our kindergartners enjoyed their own “feast" with their fourth grade buddies and gave thanks for their many blessings.

The students enjoyed sharing their musical talents at the Fall Concert with first graders this month.

We wish you a blessed and safe Thanksgiving!

First Grade - Mrs. Kleffman, Mrs. Caito, Mrs. Wynegar

We are so excited to share the holy season of Advent with your first grade student. To prepare our hearts for Baby Jesus, 1st graders will be working to focus on giving instead of receiving. We will also be working to incorporate acts of kindness into our daily lives as we work to "Be More Kind and Giving" during this season.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we feel so blessed to be a part of your child's daily life. We will be keeping each of our students and their families in our prayers of thanksgiving. Enjoy this special time with your family and friends!

Second Grade - Ms. Hargens, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Truscott

November is a time to be reminded of how thankful we are. Enjoy your family time, and thank God for the many blessings He has given. 

2nd graders have been working on double digit subtraction with regrouping. Please keep practicing this very important skill as well as working on single-digit math facts. We want students to excel on Rocket Math! 

Scientists have been learning about matter. They're learning how heating and cooling can change matter, and sometimes it is for the better.  

Be sure to check the weather forecast before school each day to determine whether or not your child will need a jacket. Our first recess still tends to be rather chilly! Please make sure items are labeled. This helps with making sure items aren’t as easily lost. Students will not be allowed to stay indoors for lack of appropriate apparel. 

Third Grade - Ms. Ruelas, Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Schofield

Students are excited about learning multiplication facts and applying that knowledge to division. They continue to develop accurate recall of multiplication and division facts 0-10 here at school using the online program Xtramath. Please know this program can be accessed from home.  

We have been working on a terrific service project! As part of an English-Language Arts writing assignment in our Archdiocesan Standards, the children wrote Christmas letters to senior citizens. These letters will be delivered to the residents of Immanuel Communities Newport House, retired priests in our area, and homebound parishioners of Sts. Peter and Paul and St. Mary’s Churches in South Omaha. Living out the Corporal Works of Mercy through our letters was a beautiful way to spend the month of November.

We hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving break! Our “List of Things We Are Thankful For” starts with you! Thank you for everything you are doing to support the learning happening here at school. We are truly blessed!

Fourth - Grade Mrs. Madison, Mrs. Thede, Mrs. Schroen

The fourth graders enjoyed our annual courthouse and state capital field trip. They enjoyed seeing Judge Keim’s courtroom, as well as the city council chambers. Seeing our government in action was amazing!

Thank you to Mr. Wurth and Mrs.Forker for helping with the tours! 

Thank you to all the parents who helped in planning such fun Halloween parties!


In science class, students heard different sounds using rubber bands, rulers, and tuning forks. We also explored how energy traveled with slinkies and iPads.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!  We are thankful for the gift of your children.

Fifth Grade - Mrs. Dotzler, Mrs. Jones, Ms. Salerno

In English class, students finished writing, revising, editing, and typing the first paragraph of their state research report. They learned a lot about the process for writing an expository essay. We are also in the middle of a unit about pronouns. 5th grade historians are currently learning about the events that led to tensions with Britain and the American Revolution. We are also studying for a 50 states geography test that we will take BEFORE Christmas break. In science, we are diving deeper into biology. After just finishing up with plants, now we are exploring how the animal kingdom uses matter and energy they obtain from their environment. We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Sixth Grade - Mrs. Wane, Mrs. Bernt, Mrs. Guinotte

English - Students are exploring verbs. We're advancing beyond simple past and present tenses to explore progressive and perfect aspects, as well as active and passive voices, the various moods (including indicative, emphatic, imperative, and subjunctive), and the use of modal auxiliaries. This unit is comprised of 16 lessons and is the most substantial unit we will tackle this year. 

Literature - Students are continuing to travel with Billy Colman and his two red hounds in the novel Where the Red Fern Grows. This is usually a favorite of students when asked about books they remember reading while at SVdP.

Social Studies - We are wrapping up the Ancient Egypt unit with a hands-on creative project that brings history to life. After exploring pharaohs, hieroglyphics, and the mysteries of the Nile, students conclude their study by designing and building their own pyramids or large-scale mummies. This culminating activity combines art, history, and imagination, allowing students to apply what they’ve learned about Egyptian culture, architecture, and burial traditions in a fun and memorable way.

Math - Students are computing fractions whick helps students understand how parts make up a whole. By learning to add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions, students develop number sense and problem-solving skills. They practice finding common denominators, simplifying results, and applying fractions to real-world situations like measuring or dividing items equally. Mastering these skills builds a strong foundation for more advanced math concepts.

Religion - In religion, students finished the “Circle of Grace” curriculum where they learned how to make safe decisions in their lives was both in person and online. We will be learning how to bring prayer into Advent and Christmas this month. May the joy of the season shine down on your families.

Science - In science, students have completed labs to learn about the scientific method. We will also start learning about the minerals and rocks of the Earth. Thank you for everyone who came to Invention Convention. Students constructed amazing inventions that make everyday life easier. 

JUNIOR HIGH

English - Mr Leever

English 7 - Students have been working on identifying different types of pronouns. Our focus is on using the correct pronouns for formal communications. In December, students will write a persuasive letter to Santa stating why they should be taken off the “bad” list and placed back on the “good” list.

English 8 - Eight grade students are also reviewing pronoun usage. After Thanksgiving, students will research a vacation destination and write a short paper about their chosen destination using MLA citations and works cited.

Science - Ms. Kolberg

7th grade - Seventh graders have been busy learning about cell processes such as photosynthesis, cellular respiration and diffusion. We have been using the microscope to see plant cell"s' chloroplasts and other organelles. One of the most interesting labs was one using potatoes and learning about why it is NOT a good idea to drink salt water if you are stranded on a deserted island!

8th grade - Eighth graders have been studying the concept of density. We have been using graduated cylinders and triple beam balance scales to determine the density of oddly shaped items. One of the challenges was determining if the copper bought at a local store was really copper! The most fun lab for this unit was trying to make a “flicker”, which is a made up word for something that doesn’t sink or float in water. It just hovers in the middle of the graduated cylinder.

Math - Mr. Polacek

As we finish up a fantastic first semester in 7th and 8th grade math, pre-algebra will be working on a geometry chapter. This will include shapes and a good deal of vocabulary that they will need to remember. The students at this level have done an excellent job early this year of exploring some algebra-heavy topics and should be more than prepared for more algebra chapters in 2026.

The 7th grade math group is finishing up solving problems by using proportions. They will continue to review some arithmetic skills while being exposed to new pre-algebra topics in the next semester.

In algebra, we are finishing a chapter on systems of equations. We solved them by graphing, substitution, elimination, and linear combinations. Next up, polynomials and quadratics! This is always a very challenging course, and with new concepts being shown daily, the amount of knowledge gained has been tremendous. I am so appreciative of the effort and focus all my students bring to my room each and every day!

Literature - Mrs. Fosbender

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving holiday. The seventh grade students are starting Summer of My German Soldier. Throughout the novel the students will plan, create, and present a review game over the reading assignment to their classmates. The eighth grade students are starting Freak the Mighty. Throughout the novel, the students will answer questions in their journal writing that goes along with the reading assignments, create a Family Shield, and complete other small projects. The projects range from reflective writing to researching to creating a scene from the novel. There are always some interesting creations!

Religion - Mrs. Nigrin

Happy Advent! During the month of December, we will be focusing on the season of Advent and preparing for the celebration of Christmas. We will be spending time learning about the symbols of the Jesse Tree and how The Old Testament is made new through Jesus. We will also be looking at how God shares his life with us through the celebration of the Mass. Please share with your child the traditions your family shares both during the Advent/Christmas season and also the Catholic Traditions you practice. May the love and peace of the infant Jesus fill your heart and home during this time!

Social Studies - Mrs. Sullivan

The 8th graders finished up their studies of the Jefferson and Jackson eras as well as Manifest Destiny in November. December will find us learning about the Civil War. After Christmas break, we will start work on our History Hall of Fame projects and learn about Reconstruction. The students will be doing a variety of individual and small group activities to enhance their studies of these historical events. 

The 7th graders completed studies on Ancient Latin American Civilizations and Mexico in November. In December, we will explore Central America and the Caribbean, as well as many of the countries of South America. Our studies will include individual and small group projects from making maps to creating slide shows of the countries we study.  

Blessing and peace to everyone this holiday season. 

SPECIALS

Art - Mr. Pflaum

Here is a brief summary of the various projects being created in the art room:

In kindergarten, the students learned about expressionist painter Wasily Kandinsky and are creating concentric circle tree paintings.

The first graders have just completed sculpting their clay finger puppets.

The second grade students are learning about the elements in art with a pencil drawing.

The third graders are beginning to sculpt their clay pinch pot creatures while the fourth-graders have started clay coil pottery.

In fifth grade, the students are working on an abstract doodle drawing while the sixth graders are continuing work on their clay tiki sculptures. 

In seventh grade, the students are doing an observational drawing of their hands while in eighth grade, the classes are working on a color scheme landmark drawing and a grid doodle drawing.

Samples of students work can be viewed on the private SVdP Instagram art gallery at this link: https://www.instagram.com/svdpmrpflaumart/

Computer - Mrs. Kuhr

Kindergarten Technology News

This month in technology, kindergarten students explored several exciting digital skills! We started with Typetastic!, where students practiced learning letter placement on the keyboard through fun, interactive games.

Next, we learned about Pixel Art. Students discovered that digital images are made of tiny colored squares called pixels, and they created pictures by filling in squares on a grid. Students then used KidPix to design their own Pixel Art Stamps. We wrapped up the unit by exploring Keynote, where students created festive Christmas Digital Pixel Art as their introduction to digital presentations.

1st Grade Technology News

First graders continued developing their presentation skills using Keynote. Students practiced filling shapes, choosing colors, and arranging objects on a slide. They also typed a complete sentence, strengthening both their creativity and early keyboarding skills.

2nd Grade Technology News

Second graders focused on Powerful Passwords and online safety. Students learned strategies for creating and protecting secure passwords. Using a step-by-step method, students created strong passwords by:

Combining two words into an 8–12 letter phrase

Adding or substituting two numbers

Adding or substituting one or two symbols

Capitalizing at least one letter

Students then tested their password strength using How Secure Is My Password? to see how long it would take to crack their password—always a favorite activity!

3rd Grade Technology News

Third graders worked with our Edison Robots and learned to code using the block-based platform EdBlocks.
By the end of the lesson, students were able to:

Navigate and use EdBlocks

Download a program to the Edison robot

Create a program that made the Edison Bot move

Students loved watching their code come to life through robot movement.

4th Grade Technology News

Fourth graders combined poetry, creativity, and robotics using our Sphero robots. Students wrote an acrostic poem and programmed Sphero to move in ways that matched the theme of their poem.

Students experimented with:

Roll blocks to control direction and speed

Light, sound, and movement blocks to choreograph a Sphero “dance”

If-Then logic blocks to add random or conditional actions

This project encouraged both creative expression and computational thinking.

5th Grade Technology News

Fifth graders began the month with keyboarding review, but quickly transitioned into an exciting unit using the micro:bit, a handheld programmable microcomputer.

Throughout the month, students completed several hands-on coding challenges:

Programmed the micro:bit to display a scrolling name badge on the LED screen

Used loops to create a heartbeat animation

Coded different LED images to appear based on button inputs

Turned the micro:bit into a step counter using its built-in accelerometer and variables

All of these skills are building toward their culminating project: programming a Rock, Paper, Scissors game using the micro:bit!

6th Grade Technology News

Sixth graders engaged in an in-depth exploration of Generative AI in the Humanities. Students discussed the ethical considerations and responsible use of AI in writing and research.

Writing Process:
Students analyzed how AI can assist with writing, while reflecting on topics such as originality, intellectual integrity, and balancing human creativity with AI-generated support.

Research Process:
Students evaluated the effectiveness and appropriateness of responses created by large language models in various research situations.

In addition, students are now applying AI concepts in programming by creating a Face Sensing Game in Scratch. Using Scratch’s AI and face sensing blocks, students are gaining hands-on experience with predictive AI while exploring new creative approaches.

8th Grade Technology News

Eighth graders are working with our most advanced robots, the Sphero RVR+. Students are learning about autonomous systems by programming their RVR+ to behave like an autonomous vehicle.

Their projects include:

Programming the RVR+ to navigate a maze autonomously, using sensors and logic

Exploring AI with RVR+ by learning how image recognition works

Describing and discussing the role of training data in AI models

Students are gaining real-world insight into robotics, computer science, and artificial intelligence.

Educational Strategists

Mrs. Heavey Grades K-2

Has your child ever said, “I can’t find anything to read” or “This book is too easy? This book is too hard” So many books to choose from, yet it can still be hard for a young reader to pick a book. Here are some ways to help your child and some important things to think about when choosing a book.

-Focus on a specific genre your child may enjoy. This list may include nonfiction, comic books, fantasy or adventure.

-If your child enjoyed a book by a certain author, check to see if they have any more books.

-Encourage your child to read three pages of the book. If the topic is interesting and they didn’t run into too many unknown words, give the book a try. Don’t be afraid to pick a book that will stretch reading skills.

For more ideas on finding the right book, go to Reading Rockets at readingrockets.org.

 

Mrs. Price Grades 3-5 

We are in the middle of the second quarter already and the math concepts seem to become more challenging as we progress throughout the year. Every math unit builds upon the previous unit, and so it is important for your child to know and master each skill. For example, every student should learn their addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts. In the classrooms, we practice math fluency on a daily basis by using Rocket Math and Xtra math. Please see the links below.

https://home.xtramath.org/

https://www.rocketmath.com/

Here are some other free math websites to help your child practice their math fluency skills. Consistency is the key to success!

https://www.mathgametime.com

https://www.khanacademy.org/

https://www.factmonster.com/

Ms. Bousquet Grades 6-8.

November 30 marks the beginning of Advent, a season of hopeful anticipation and preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas. It is a time to ready our hearts, minds, and daily habits to welcome Jesus more fully, reflecting on His presence in our lives and in the world around us. This year, consider incorporating small daily academic goals to help your child grow in responsibility and develop a deeper understanding of what it means to prepare during Advent. I’ve created a sample Academic Advent Calendar for you and your student to use. Please feel free to adjust it to meet your child’s needs!

Guidance - Mrs. Skudlarek

This month in guidance class, each grade level has been hard at work building important personal and social skills. Kindergarten, first, second, and fifth graders completed their Circle of Grace lessons, focusing on personal boundaries, safety, and respect. Our third graders created “Important” writing pieces that celebrated a classmate by highlighting what makes that student special and valued. Sixth graders have been practicing how to get along with others and listen with care. We will continue exploring friendship skills through our Friendzy curriculum as we wrap up the semester. In seventh and eighth grade, students have been learning how to view their failures as opportunities to grow, reflect, and build resilience.

HAL - Mrs. Miller

The HAL classroom has been busy this past month with many new topics being introduced. The 4th grade math class is learning about greatest common factors and least common multiples to use with fraction concepts. Integer operations has been the main focus for the 5th grade group, and using integers with order of operations has been a challenge. The 6th grade math class is learning how to solve one and two-step equations. They are preparing to solve more complicated equations soon. The algebra students are learning all there is to know about the slope of a line and various ways to solve a linear equation. In literature class the 7th graders are reading a mystery, The Westing Game and trying to find out who will be Sam Westing’s sole heir. The students will write a 2-minute mystery as their culminating project. The 8th graders are finishing up The Lie Tree and learning about gender roles in the Victorian Era. The students were surprised by the plot twist at the end of the book. We are always learning new things in HAL!

Media Center - Mrs. Kaiser

Many, many thanks to all of our volunteers and families who supported the Book Fair. We raised funds for our libraries and were also able to send $932.00 in new books to the library at Holy Name School. Many thanks for your generosity!

As we begin December, students in grades K-3 will be looking at the work of various illustrators, including those who won a Caldecott Award. Grade 4 will learn to use the software program Tinkercad to design and 3D print bookmarks. Grade 5 will be working on correctly citing sources for their classroom work. Grade seven will look at online research, how various online platforms work, and how to be safe in the digital world.

Thank you to the following students and their families who donated books to the library: Luke Fassero, Ben Eichele, Harper Cummings, Owen Patterson, Jenna McKee, Jordyn McKee, Maddie Webert, Elias Heimann, Braden Salerno, Rowan Quance, Narolie Nguyen, Elise Monzingo.

Music - Mrs. LeMense

Congratulations to our Kindergarten and first grade students for the lovely thanksgiving concert! 

Here is our Mayflower Crew:                                                                                 

Christopher Schmit, Harper Cummings, Maddie Bendlin, Kaley Compaore, Kellen Lucas, Connor Clifford, William Wigen, Jaimie Kappuzha, Lucy Smith, Maria Fucinaro

It’s not too soon for the 2nd and 3rd grade students to begin preparing for their Feb. 26th program. We’re planning to celebrate our country’s 250th birthday a little early. 

We’re learning the songs that have harmony first, “You’re A Grand Old Flag” and “America The Beautiful” (for starters). 

4th have begun their recorder unit and mastered “Hot Cross Buns” so far!

5th grade recorders are working with scales, beginning with the C Scale. We’ll be able to play a lot of Christmas songs in time for your holiday celebrations!  

We’ve also been enjoying Christian music—artist Phil Wickham released an updated version of “Our God Is An Awesome God” called “What An Awesome God.” 3rd grader Charlie Graham introduced me to the artist Forrest Frank who has even been nominated for a Grammy Award for the song, “Your Way’s Better.”  His songs are fun to sing and dance to. 

Music - Ms. Campbell

Christmas Concert

Students in 6-8th grade are getting ready for their Christmas concert! I am so excited for everyone to see all the hard work that they have put in to make it work! They will be performing some classic popular and sacred songs, along with some pieces that gets one in the winter spirit! 

The concert will take place on December 11th, 2025 at 6:30 P.M. Daytime dress rehearsal is at 2:15! 

Musical Auditions!

Each year, SVdP has a play or musical in the spring. Below is the information for auditions.

Who: Any 6-8th Grader

What: Willy Wonka Jr! 

Where: Music Room

When: Wednesday, December 17th - 3:20P.M. - 6:00 P.M. 

If your student wants to try out please be sure to leave the front door drop off area clear for Religious Formation. 

Thursday, December 18th- 3:20 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. 

Rehearsals will be held after school on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:25-4:30.

Sign-up times will be posted the week we’re back from break.

K-6 PE - Mr. Boone

This was definitely a month to be thankful for. I want to start off by saying how thankful and appreciative that I am for the generosity that was shown by the amount of new pickleball equipment that was donated. The students and myself are over the moon with excitement to use them in class. This equipment should last us awhile, and I can’t thank you all enough. We were also able to donate some of the old paddles to the after school program to use. I also want to thank you all for bringing in your critters and stuffed animals for us to use in class.  

K-3 This month the students finished up their throwing and catching unit while playing Monster Ball and Freedom Catch. The emphasis was proper form while doing both skills. This transitioned us into our volleying and striking unit. The students worked on striking with an open hand and hitting the object out of the air. They started using balloons with activities like Keep It Up, Musical Balloon Bop, and Paddle Balloon Pop. Thereafter they transitioned to using balls to do Bull’s Eye, Swat Ball, and Gaga Ball. Shortly after Thanksgiving break, we will start our Drum Fit and Holiday Games unit. That should take us right up to Christmas break.

4-6 The latter half of this month we focused on pickleball skills which lead to our double-elimination tournament. The students were exposed to the rules of the game to prepare them to keep score and officiate each other during the tournament. The tournament should take us into the first part of December where 4th and 5th graders will do Drum Fit and the 6th graders will dance. The last week of the quarter will be designated for holiday games. 

7-8 PE - Mrs. Conry

My hope is  to continue to encourage teamwork and problem solving. Organized sports or even a neighborhood game of tag will help them learn how to work with a team of kids that should exhibit trust, enthusiasm, ambition, as well as motivation. Trust enables each team member to depend on one another. In many games, all the players of a team need to be trusting with each other.

We have started volleyball skills; it’s been fun to watch how many really enjoy it. I am very impressed with how well the classes are doing. I am proud of the encouragement and kindness they are displaying with each other. We have broke into teams and  are playing a double elimination mini tournament. They will be working on many skills and strategies. We will finish the unit with a volleyball quiz.

I will be sending out some information to the 7th & 8th grade parents about volunteering their time with our SNAG unit. This unit will be in Feb. 2026. I encourage anyone with interest to please consider volunteering. Please watch for the email—it’s coming soon!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. We all have so much to be grateful for.

2nd-4th - Spanish Mrs. McDermott

Students in 4th grade Spanish are practicing the months of the year by answering the question “Cuando es tu cumpleaños?” (When is your birthday?) with “Mi cumpleaños es …” (My birthday is…). They are also practicing how to read and write any date in Spanish.

Students in 3rd grade Spanish are learning the names of clothing and accessories. They are also reviewing the colors by drawing clothing on a paper doll and labeling the clothes with the name of the clothing and its color. Did you know that in Spanish, adjectives go after the noun? For example: la blusa azul (blusa=blouse, azul=blue)

Students in 2nd grade Spanish are practicing the names of 11 colors by playing a “hide-and-seek” game called "Caliente o Frio".. They are also learning how to count from 1 to 31.

5th-8th - Spanish Mrs. Singh

¡Hola! ¡Felices Fiestas! Happy Holiday Season! 

I am so thankful to work with students excited to learn Spanish. I am hearing more “Spanglish” (a mixture of correct English and Spanish), and that always makes me happy.

Students in all grade levels will spend time this week and next to write about what they give thanks for.  

The 8th grade students are studying personal pronouns and learning to conjugate the verb SER. The verb SER means “to be” and is used to say your name, describe yourself and others, state your gender or profession, and it is used to tell time.

Students created amazing self portraits, and around the picture they included 10 adjectives to describe themselves. Students also created a Google Slides presentation describing their favorite deportista / athlete using the verb SER.

7th grade students are learning body parts in Spanish and how to talk about a body part that “hurts.” They have created Halloween themed pictures they labeled with 13 body parts. Next they were given a written description of a creature and they had to draw the creature from the written description.

Their culminating activity will be to present a skit with a partner. Each student will complain that a body part is hurting their partner will give them advice on how to feel better. They are practicing the phrase “Sana, sana, colita de rana. Si no sanas hoy, ¡sanarás mañana!” You can ask your  student to translate for you!

6th grade students are completing their unit on Calendar information. We have included reviewing numbers and learning special holidays in Spanish. Students created their own calendar page for their favorite month and included significant holidays. 

Students have learned which season each month is in. They are just starting to learn weather phrases for each season.

5th graders have been practicing using an online dictionary (not a translator!).

Each student looked up words to express their favorite things, including their favorite movie, book, color, animal, fruit and season.

Expect to hear your students singing “Villancillos” in the coming weeks!  All grade levels will learn a few Christmas carols in Spanish!

A friendly reminder to include your students’ homeroom number if you email regarding grades, etc.

¡Gracias!