May e-Newsletter: In the News & Community Happenings

The following are news snippets from the May e-Newsletter highlighting the Pacelli Catholic School system, individual students, alumni, staff, and members of the PCS community who have recently been highlighted for their accomplishments.

Pacelli Catholic Schools director of education and principal of St. Stan’s/St. Steve’s principal Gregg Hansel was selected as a Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Leadership Award recipient.

Pacelli’s softball is on a roll after knocking out No. 1 Horicon in a 3-0 win. The team, ninth overall, advances to play on June 1 vs. No. 6 Cochrane Fountain City for a berth in the Division 4 state tournament.

Know of kids or teens looking for FREE summer breakfast and lunch? Check out this flyer for more details and send them to Pacelli Catholic High School this summer.

High school track 4×400 teams, both boys and girls, have broken the school records this season.

The 7th Annual Pacelli Catholic Schools Shredding Party, hosted by Schulfer & Associates, LLC Financial Professionals, was a huge success earning more than $3,500 for the new Pacelli Catholic Early Childhood Center to purchase playground equipment. Thanks to the PCHS band for playing, Kohl’s employees for volunteering, and Express Recycling Solutions, Inc. for providing the secure and confidential shredding services.

Students from both St. Bron’s and St. Stan’s celebrated their First Communion, embracing their faith and growing their relationship with the church.

Congrats to PCMS April Students of the Month: Gabriel Hoerter (6th grade), Zoe Sell (7th grade), and Logan Vayder (8th grade).

On May 10, we held a formal grand opening ceremony for the new Berard/Klasinski Clinic Fitness Center in memory of Coach Bob Raczek at Pacelli High School. Special thanks to Dr. Corey Huck, Prof. Nisha Fernando, and other members of UWSP for the ongoing partnership in the center and for these additional photos from the event. Plus, check out this cool 360 degree view of the space.

Many PCHS juniors were inducted into National Honor Society while senior members were decorated, celebrating their first step towards graduation.

Max Firminhac ’16 was recently chosen for the 2017 KIDS from Wisconsin show troupe, which includes a show in Stevens Point on July 20.

Mrs. Okray’s second graders at St. Stan’s had fun celebrating Cinco de Mayo.

3-year-old preschoolers from Pacelli Catholic Early Childhood Center took a walking field trip to the steam engine and stopped to play one one a little more their size.

Pacelli’s Joyce Krusa (below) was recently named Chemistry Teacher of the Year by the American Chemical Society-Central Wisconsin Section.

Pacelli put on a great showing of West Side Story. Special thanks to Mrs. Elaine Jakusz and Wendie Cliver, WCM Photography & Creations for the great snapshots of the performances.

PCHS freshmen and sophomore spanish students worked together with Dr. Olsen’s UWSP spanish students to enhance their learning and understanding of the language.

An annual tradition for PCHS students, they helped throw Senior Citizen Prom at Brookdale Senior Living Solutions, evening crowning a prom king and queen.

Many members of the PCHS track team are headed to state this weekend in La Crosse. Good luck to those athletes!

We were blessed to honor Pacelli alumnus James (Ness) Niespodziani ’59 as this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. A brunch was held for Jim where he was honored surrounded by family and friends and he later gave a keynote address at the PCHS graduation ceremony.

PCHS DI team Alpha Omega competed at Global Finals in Nashville, TN last week. They received their results on Saturday, just in time for graduation, and placed 12th out of over 80 teams in the Improv Challenge. Congrats!

Happy retirement to both Mrs. Bonnie Charles and Mrs. Patti Henning from St. Steve’s who were recently recognized at a school mass. Also retiring this year is Mrs. Mary Okray from St. Stan’s.

Our littlest students enjoyed learning about law enforcement, getting a sneak peek at the back of a police car and talking with local officers.

Congratulations to our newest alumni, the class of 2017! Click on the mini albums below to see their senior photos and future plans. Album 1. Album 2.  Album 3. Album 4. Album 5. Album 6.

4th graders at St. Bron’s read a book, completed a display board on the book, and dressed up as the main character to present to the rest of the school.

Thanks to Mrs. Michele Tippel for sharing photos from the spring PCMS band and choir concerts.

Congratulations to the PCMS softball team for their undefeated season of 14-0!

St. Stan’s kindergarten graduates shared some wonderful thoughts and memories from their year.

St. Steve’s 4th and 5th graders were recognized at their last school mass as they’re on to new things at PCMS next fall.

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

Community Happenings

Pacelli high school students have been part of the internship growth in the community, and Stevens Point was recently named one of the top 100 best places for a summer internship.

If you are a local or planning to come back for a reunion before Panacea, check out some of what the fun things happening in the area.

Sustainability is an important part of our community, and UWSP was recently named a US Green Ribbon School for their efforts including something as simple as promoting wellness and student health and the use of water bottle refilling stations, two new initiatives also happening at Pacelli Catholic Schools with the launch of the new fitness center and the installation of new bottle filling stations happening over the summer.

UWSP also unveiled a new video overview of the progress on their new science building, neighbor to St. Stan’s, one year after the groundbreaking. We’ve had our own fun watching our students grow with the building this year.

The Orange Barrel Art tour, brought to you by the Stevens Point Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and CREATE Portage County, is back for yet another year.

The 8th Annual Z Tourney, a memorial fishing tournament, raffle, and family day, will be held on Saturday, July 15 at Lakeside Bar in Stevens Point. The money raised from the event will fund a scholarship of up to $2,000 annually awarded to a graduating Portage County high school senior(s) in honor of Dan Zurawski ’07, a UWSP sophomore who drowned in 2009.

Spot community updates or events? Share it with pacelli@pacellicatholicschools.com to include in the new Community Happenings section of our e-newsletter and website.