Lent 2026: The Vine and the Branches

As we begin the holy season of Lent, we're inviting students to focus on the Gospel of John, Chapter 15, which says  "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit."  This verse will be our guide over the forty days of Lent to help us grow, make sacrifices and connect with Jesus. 

Students will be actively participating in creating a display that brings our theme to life through prayer, personal reflection, acts of kindness and small sacrifices.  The created display will remind students of the three pillars of the Lenten season: 

Prayer:  Prayer is like watering the vine to help us grow closer to Jesus. 

Students in pre-school through 8th grade will spend time in guided, weekly prayer activities and reflections that will help build our visual display. Stations of the Cross and ASA’s Via Dolorosa walk are also part of the prayer experience.

Fasting: Fasting is like pruning away the things in our life that might get in the way of our connection with Jesus.

All students will be encouraged to make small sacrifices throughout Lent to serve as a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for all of us.

Almsgiving: Almsgiving is sharing our spiritual fruit with others.

The entire student body will be involved in a food collection to benefit Kids Food Basket.  The K-8th grade students will use the food items collected to put together Sack Suppers for local children who may go without dinner, if it wasn’t for the help of KFB. 

ASA is also having $1 Jeans Days, with all proceeds going to the Community Food Club of Grand Rapids.

Lent is a special time for us to draw closer to God, and the "Vine and Branches" theme gives us a wonderful visual to help our students understand the Lenten journey. We are so excited to see the beautiful "fruit" that grows in their hearts this season!

The Meaning of St. Valentine's Day: Love, Courage, and Service

February is a special month for celebrating love and friendship, and it’s a wonderful time to learn about the true history and deeper meaning behind Saint Valentine’s Day. St. Valentine was a real historical figure whose life exemplified the values of courage, service, and love for others—qualities we strive to live out every day at our school. 

Saint Valentine reminds us that the greatest form of love often requires courage, commitment, and service to others. This Valentine's Day, let us honor his example by living boldly, loving big, and making a positive impact in our school and community.

Beyond the Candy and Cards 

While exchanging cards, candy, and flowers is a wonderful way to celebrate friendship and affection, the legacy of St. Valentine invites us to reflect on deeper, more challenging forms of love: 

~Courage 

~Service 

~Love 

~ Commitment 

Which is what everyone at ASA strives for everyday! If you see someone showing one of these forms of love~ let them know they are following St. Valentines legacy

Spelling Bee Champions!

 The Big Event: Scripps National Spelling Bee Qualifier

On January 14, 2026, All Saints Academy hosted its annual Spelling Bee competition for students in grades 5-8. This exciting event gives young wordsmiths a chance to showcase their linguistic skills and potentially advance to regional and national competitions.

How the Competition Works

Participants must spell words correctly to remain in the competition. Words increase in difficulty as the competition progresses. The top speller has the opportunity to advance to the regional competition. The runner-up will have a chance to compete should the first place speller be unable to attend.

Why Spelling Bees Matter

Spelling bees help students:

Improve vocabulary

●      Build confidence

●      Develop language skills

●      Prepare for academic challenges

Congratulations to Everyone who Accepted the Challenge!

Looking Back, Moving Forward!

 “Write in your heart that every day is the best day of the year!”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

As we close the chapter of 2025, it’s amazing to look back on how far we have come in Preschool 5. From the very first days of learning routines to now confidently navigating academic and social skills, this crew has made incredible progress! While we’ve checked several important milestones off our list, there's still much to look forward to as we prepare for the exciting transition to kindergarten in the fall of 2026!

At the start of the school year, we touched on goal setting and growth mindset with The Power of YET! After all, learning is a lifelong process! At this halfway point, we’re looking ahead to all the things we want to do and learn this year! We are excited to continue to grow together and can’t wait to see what 2026 has to offer!

“I want to learn to ski down a BIG hill!” -Elsie C.

“I want to learn how to read a whole book.” -Olive K.

“I want to learn how to do the monkey bars.” -Jordan R.

“I want to learn how to climb a tree and catch cute frogs.” -Charlotte R.

“I want to learn how to read words.” -Lyla L.

 “I want to learn to skate on the ice.“ -Lidia Z.

“I want to learn how to tie shoes.” -Luke R.

“I want to be nice to everyone this year.” -Melody S.

“I want to learn how to use gel pens with my sister.” -Dominic S.

“I want to learn how to walk on my hands!” -Gloria T.

“I want to learn how to bake cookies.” -Charlotte W.

“I want to learn how to rollerskate.” -Elise W.

 

Did you know that January is named after Janus, the ancient Roman God of beginnings and transitions? Janus is usually depicted with two faces—one looking back at the past and the other looking forward to the future. This makes January the perfect month to reflect on where we've been and think about the goals and growth still ahead. Just like Janus, we take a moment to look back at all the progress we've made and, with excitement, look forward to what's coming next! HAPPY NEW YEAR, ASA!!! 

Merry Christmas from the Preschool 3 & 4 classroom!

Written by Mrs. Sarah Ludovico

Hello all, this is my first Blog post for ASA and seeing as my birthday is Christmas day- I thought it fitting to do one about Christmas!

As we prepare for Christmas (the buying of presents, the baking, the decorating, and ALL the parties and activities) let us not forget the real reason for the season-the birth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ! 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

What a gift God gave us!!!

Here at All Saints Academy we try to help our students stay focused on the birth of Jesus.  I thought I would take you through our hallways so you can see a glimpse of some of the activities we have done. 

Then, as we move past Christmas help us to always spread the love of Jesus by allowing God to work through us.

When Mary was told of her role to be the mother of Jesus, her response was “behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord may it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38)

May we all be willing servants of the Lord for “much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” (Luke 12:48)

We have been so blessed- help us to see those in need and help. How can you use the gifts and talents God gave you to help the world around you?  How can you spread God's love this season, and always?

2025's Eagle Award Winner

The Eagle Award is presented each year by the Home and School Association to a member of the ASA community in acknowledgement of his or her extraordinary contribution to the success of All Saints Academy.

This award enhances the culture of All Saints Academy by drawing attention to those who are living our Catholic faith and supporting our school mission by holding them up as an example for others to follow.

Recent recipients of this award have included:  Susan Zarzecki, Beckie Patterson, and Darrell Beckwith. During the feasts of All Saints and All Souls, we especially remember those Eagle Award winners who await us in heaven; Mariae Firlit, Linda Kozminski and Jon Fournier. 

Along with a trophy for them to take home, the recipient’s name will be added to a perpetual plaque that is displayed in the halls of both the Lower and Upper  campuses for all to see.

While it is true that no great achievement is accomplished by the work of one person, a significantly great work like the creation, building and operation of All Saints Academy requires talented and committed people. The winners of this award reflect the characteristics we hope for in our students and need in our school family.

We are pleased to announce Mrs. Angela Mitchell as recipient of the 2025 All Saints Academy Eagle Award. 

Here is what was said in Mrs. Mitchell’s nomination: (which is a combination of any nominations over the years) 

• Mrs. Mitchell truly cares about the children and goes above and beyond with everything she does. Angela serves as the upper campus administrative assistant (which in education code language means she runs the school) .

• Angela embodies and lives out ASA's core values of faith, learning, loving and serving in her everyday life and through her daily interactions with our students, parents, and fellow community members. Angela is always giving back in any and every capacity and deserves to be recognized for her amazing efforts.

• Angela and her family… are committed to their Catholic faith. The Mitchell family is active members of St. Alphonsus Parish and have been known to volunteer at fish frys & for the Educational Endowment team.

• She uses her many skills to keep the school organized, with her enthusiasm, kindness and knowledge to our kids everyday. Angela’s loving and helpful personality makes anyone who enters the office feel seen, heard, and puts them at ease. We are truly blessed to have her as the first face people see at ASA’s upper campus.

• Angela gives her love to every student, staff member, parent and community member she meets. She greets everyone with a smile and never has a shortage of kind words. It would be difficult to find a kinder person to be at the helm in our upper campus office as a first stop to any visitor that enters. She purchases fun stickers for fun sticker Friday, and helps children learn to tell a joke for the joke of the day at lunch.

• Angela is a proud parent of one current ASA student and three that have graduated. She is both a staff member and huge supporter of our ASA community. she is good at seeing the gaps, and filling them. Whether, big or small, whatever needs to be done,  just gets done, without reservation. 

• If you are a part of the ASA community you have been impacted by the kind, selfless, generous and delightful Angela Mitchell. I can’t think of a more deserving person to receive this year's Eagle Award. 

I believe I speak for so many of us on staff when I say:

We are not only blessed to call her a colleague, but also a friend. 

Congratulations Mrs. Angela Mitchell!

PREPARING OUR HEARTS FOR THE COMING OF CHRIST

The season of Advent invites us into a sacred time of reflection as we await the joyful celebration of Christ’s birth. While many homes are filled with the familiar bustle of decorating and preparing for Christmas, we at All Saints Academy are also readying our hearts to welcome Jesus with renewed faith and hope.

Across both campuses, Advent wreaths stand as signs of God’s promise and the light that Christ brings into our lives. Each morning, our K–8 students gather in prayer, lifting their voices together in an Advent devotion that centers our community in gratitude and anticipation. Our preschoolers, in their own beautiful way, are creating a paper Advent wreath around the hallway pillars—an artful reminder of the four holy weeks of Advent and the gifts Jesus offers us: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

The Three Gifts of the Magi

The Gift of Giving:
With thoughtful hearts, students are creating meaningful gifts for their families. Our preschoolers have also been busy making festive decorations to bring cheer to the school office and to bless our administrative team.

The Gift of Service:
In the spirit of Christian compassion, our community continues its tradition of supporting local needs. Thanks to the generosity of our families, our Advent cereal drive is flourishing. These donations will be shared with the Community Food Club to support households experiencing food insecurity.

The Gift of Music:
Our K–8 students are preparing a Christmas concert to share the joy of the season with loved ones. Meanwhile, our preschoolers will participate in a Christmas sing-along and extend invitations to the staff members who faithfully support them throughout the year.

MAY THE PEACE AND HOPE OF ADVENT FILL THE HEARTS OF OUR ENTIRE ASA COMMUNITY. BLESSINGS TO ALL!