March is Reading Month: Join us as we read around the stars!

  March is Reading Month: Reading around the stars!

March is here, and so is a special time to celebrate one of the most important habits we can encourage in our students—reading! Across the country, schools and libraries are preparing for "March is Reading Month," a celebration dedicated to fostering a love for books, storytelling, and literacy.

Why Celebrate Reading?

Reading is not only an essential skill for academic success, but it also opens the door to endless adventures, imaginative worlds, and new knowledge. When we read, we enhance our vocabulary, improve our comprehension skills, and boost our creativity. March is Reading Month serves as a reminder of the power of reading and its ability to change lives.

Fun Activities and Events to Celebrate

During March, our school is packed with exciting reading activities and events designed to inspire students to pick up a book and get lost in a story. Here's a look at some of the fun things we’ll be doing:

1. Bookmarks:
Students will make a bookmark that matches this year’s theme: Reading Around the Stars. Students preschool through fourth will be able to color their own bookmark while fifth through eighth grade will attempt an origami bookmark. This is a fun and creative way to celebrate reading and encourage literacy during this special month.

2. Milky Way Snack:
Students will enjoy a snack that ties into our theme, during DEAR or other independent reading time, as a way to make our celebration more engaging and fun! Alongside the milky way, students preschool through second grade will receive a star-burst treat as well. Students in grades three through eight will be receiving a themed sticker.

3. Drawings/Giveaways:
Lower Campus: Students and parents will track reading time and turn in tickets. Each week there will be a drawing for a small prize. At the end of the month, there will be a large drawing to win a bicycle. One boy name and one girl name will be drawn. Many thanks to the Kiwanis Club for donating the bikes. 

Upper Campus: The upper campus will have a similar drawings system but different items in the giveaways. Students and parents will track reading time and turn in tickets. Each week there will be a drawing for a small prize. At the end of the month, there will be a large drawing to win a kindle. Two students will be drawn. 

These drawings/giveaways add a layer of fun, motivation and reward to March is Reading Month, turning it into a celebration of reading that is both educational and enjoyable!

4. BINGO for Books:
ASA Home and School will host BINGO for Books in St. Jude’s Brophy Center from 6:30-7:30 pm on Wednesday, March 4th. This event makes reading a fun, interactive and rewarding activity for students.

5. Principal Reading:
Mrs. Schneider and Mr. Debri will surprise students by reading aloud to them at one point over the course of the month. Our principals’ participation in reading helps set the tone for the whole school, showing that reading is not only fun and valuable but also something that everyone - regardless of age or position - can enjoy and benefit from!

6. Read Around (Lower Campus): 

Students at the Lower Campus will participate in a Read Around in which students have the opportunity to read with other classes. This experience encourages participation, community and excitement around books, while helping students develop a deeper connection to reading through interactive and social activities. 

Non-Uniform Days

Beginning of Reading Month Color Day: March 3rd- wear a shirt with text someone can read.

Comfy Clothes Day: March 10th- wear your comfiest clothes and slippers -  bring your pillow or favorite stuffed animal.

Dress as a Book Character Day: March 24th - Dress as your favorite book character from a beloved book.

How You Can Get Involved

We encourage families to participate, too! Here are a few ways you can help support March is Reading Month at home:

• Read Together: Set aside time each day for family reading. Whether it’s reading aloud to younger children or reading side by side, the act of reading together strengthens family bonds and promotes literacy.

• Create a Reading Goal: Encourage your child to set a personal reading goal for the month. Whether it’s a certain number of pages or books, having a goal will motivate them to keep reading.

• Visit the Library: Take a trip to your local library and check out new books. Many libraries also offer fun activities during March, so be sure to explore what they have to offer.

Let’s Make March Magical!

This month is all about celebrating the joy of reading, and we can’t wait to see our students get excited about all the amazing stories waiting for them. Whether it's reading for fun, learning something new, or discovering a whole new world, March is the perfect time to dive into a good book.

Remember: the more we read, the more we grow!

Happy Reading! 📚✨

2026 Fourth Grade Wax Museum

Fourth graders worked hard on researching their career, creating their tri fold and memorizing their speech about their career.  It was a great opportunity to learn about a career that interests them and grow in their presentation skills.  Here are a few thoughts from our fourth graders:

Lena W: It was like the musical night when I was presenting…without the lights, camera, action.  I learned that it doesn’t matter how much money one job gets, it matters how much you like it.  I was nervous when presenting.

Alice: The Wax Museum is a really fun experience for fourth grade.  I learned so many cool things about lots of different jobs but there are even more cool jobs to learn about.

Thatcher: I learned that a chemist writes reports.  I was nervous when presenting.  It was pretty fun though. 

Justin: I learned that it was hard to memorize our speech.  I was scared because there were a lot of people.  It was fun in the end.

Mae: I learned that an elementary school counselor can do multiple things and that the patron saint is St. Dymphna.  I was so excited and nervous that I would mess up while presenting.  It was so fun to do the Wax Museum.

Liam: I was nervous when the first person came to me but it turned out not to be that bad.  I learned it is not that scary.

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?