The Eagle Eye

Parent Newsletter
Volumn 6, Issue 2 - Spring 2009

The Halls Are Alive with the Sound of Music!: Mr. Glenn

St. Viator;s PreK-3 and PreK-4's keep on learning their ABC's in style. They have begun to learn meter and rhythm using wood blocks, cymbals, and triangles. They are also learning ensemble performance and counting of rests, by alternating playing and resting-with counting of their beats-and having the triangle "section" alternate with the "cymbal" section. We keep adding to, and perfecting our vocal repertoire.

Kindergarten and first grade keep on singing and playing, and along with third and fourth grade, have started Marching To The Beat, singing, playing and marching with their new marching song.

Fourth grade, along with select fifth, seventh, and eighth graders continue to fill the church with offerings of St. Viator School's joyous Choir.

Since Spring break they have led the school and Parishioners in song for the School's Easter celebration, and the eighth grade's Ribbon Ceremony. Father Eck congratulated our graduating class on their singing achievements!

Thank you students, parents, teachers, administration, staff, and Parish for helping keep St. Viator's music program vital and growing.

All Talk about Spanish: Dr. Mark D. Johnston

All grades at St. Viator completed a year of Spanish in 2008-9, and learned a lot. We are very proud of how much every grade achieved: they know hundreds of words and phrases-ask them to show you! Students in grades 4-8 completed the first five to seven chapters of Realidades, the most widely used textbook in the nation for middle school Spanish instruction. We did special activities to celebrate "El Día de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead, November 1-2), La Navidad (Christmas), and "Cinco de Mayo" (May 5th).

Grades 1-3 completed the Hola textbooks (from the the Spanish Academy, a private language school in Chicago) and additional materials.

Our team of Spanish instructors consisted of myself and seven student teachers in Spanish from DePaul University: Shannon Devine, Katie Distler, Lea DeLuca, Sarah Landor, Kristina Metropulous, Colleen Webb, and Jennifer Wimmer. I thank them all for their hard work and commitment to our program at St. Viator this year. We have probably learned more than our students!

Also, we thank Principal Kowalski, all teachers at St. Viator, and our students' parents for their support of our Spanish language instruction program this year! If you want suggestions about how your students can practice Spanish during the summer, please contact me via email at mjohnst4@depaul.edu.

¡Esperamos que todos Uds. pasen un verano muy feliz! (We hope you all have a very happy summer.)

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