GRACE is proud to present our school system educators who have been nominated for the Greater Green Bay Chamber’s 2023 Golden Apple Awards. GRACE is blessed with amazing teachers, and these nominees represent the excellence in faith-based education that occurs daily in our schools. Nominees include educators from all our GRACE schools this year, including Father Allouez Catholic School, Holy Cross Catholic School, Holy Family Catholic School, Notre Dame of De Pere, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, St. Bernard Catholic School, St. John Paul II Classical School, St. John the Baptist Catholic School, and St. Thomas More Catholic School. The 2023 Golden Apple Awards program is scheduled to be held April 19, 2023. Here are the GRACE nominees, listed in alphabetical order according to last name:

Father Allouez Catholic School: Amy Benzshawel, James Block, Allyson Ellis, Jeanne Ihlenfeldt, Sarah Johanski, Patricia Nennig, April Neuville, Tina Sabin, Samantha Skifton, Annie Stewart, Brenda Touchinski, Ashley VandenBush, Caity Zedler

Holy Cross Catholic School: Michelle Anderson, Jessica DeGroot, Tim Kozlovsky, Jamie Sheehy, Jodi Sullivan, Tara Wildenberg

Holy Family Catholic School: Traci Belongia, Lynn Francois, Amy Glantz, Sister Elena Gonzales, Shawna Halbach, Lisa Krcma, Bailey Schultz, Jordan Thill, Courtney Wedan

Notre Dame of De Pere: Jacky Cramer, Carrie Korinek, Elise Stone

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School: Hannah Aschenbrenner, Julie Basten, Beth Christensen, Ashley Cwiklewski, Lourain Eggart, Caitlin Enright, Lynn Fink, Sarah Sharkey, Sally Thompson

St. Bernard Catholic School: Amanda Boeke, Molly Bongel, Julie Lamm, Terri Larson

St. John Paul II Classical School: Emily Baumann, Jennifer Budde, Brenda Devroy, Gary Guevara, Brianna McGann, Tyler Storey

St. John the Baptist School: Kristin Barnhart, Alex Geise, Julie Schmitz, Lisa Turbett, Abbie Withbroe

During this past advent season, the countdown to Christmas at Holy Family Catholic School has become a giving event. The students from grades pre-K through eighth grade, their families, and school staff have been working together on a reverse advent calendar project to stock the shelves at Green Bay’s Hope Center Pantry. Each day, from November 28 through December 16, rather than getting a little something, participants donated an item based on a giving list. Pantry items on the list include cereal, soup, pasta, crackers and more.

Principal Jere Kubuske has reported that students have been excited to add food supplies to the tables each day. He said, “I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by how much we have. The whole table is completely filled, stacked up four feet tall [with] some overflow on each side.”

This effort, headed by teachers Courtney Wedan and Lynn Francois, is just one of Holy Family’s many service projects. Each project is a part of the educational experience and school culture at the school.

Mr. Kubuske adds, “Throughout the year, we have [many] things going on. We are very service-minded and experience driven.”

Happy children cared for by loving caregivers have settled into the GRACE Little Saints Childcare Program hosted at Holy Family Catholic School.

This program opened in August 2021 and now welcomes children of GRACE teachers, staff and our Catholic community from ages six weeks to three years old. The program consists of three classrooms featuring a faith-based early childhood curriculum full of music, books, playtime, snacks, and devoted, attentive teachers.

Developed under GRACE President Kimberly Desotell’s vision to recruit and maintain top talent within GRACE by providing an affordable, loving, and trustworthy childcare option for the families of GRACE staff, the program has grown well into its second year.

Currently there are three rooms – an infant room, toddler room, and childcare classroom. The program offers a developmentally-appropriate curriculum that strives to enhance social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and faith growth in young children. Parents and guardians are welcome to take a tour and meet with the Little Saints Childcare manager, Tami VanGruensven.

Ms. VanGruensven shares, “I look forward to getting to know the children and their families at Little Saints. It is so rewarding to watch them learn and grow. Please feel free to contact me about anything. I can be reached through email at tvangruensven@gracesystem.org or by phone at (920) 272-3123.”
Current families will have a future-intent sign up, with some babies already booked into next fall. Children are accepted at any time during the year if there is available room.

“We want their experiences at Little Saints to be remembered and cherished,” concludes Ms. VanGruensven.

Learn more about the Little Saints program here.

Catch up on all of the latest GRACE news by checking out the Spring 2023 Newsletter. Read about Holy Family Catholic School’s pantry drive, celebrate GRACE’s Golden Apple award recipients, learn how Our Lady of Lourdes achieved their enrollment goal, and more!

This week, GRACE is highlighting Harper from Holy Family

Harper is a great student and a leader amongst her peers here at Holy Family. In addition to being involved in sports and other extracurricular activities, she and her classmates have started a “service club” to do charitable work to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation!

Thank you for being a wonderful example for other students, Harper!

GRACE: Gold Early Registration is only open today, February 27, through Sunday, March 5! Sign up early and we will waive your registration fee and your child will receive a FREE 2023 camp t-shirt. Why wait? Click the below button to register or to view the camp schedule, pricing, and catalog.

Fredrick already has all the qualities of a future leader in the first grade! He and his classmates are very supportive of one another and it makes for an amazing classroom culture! He is kind, empathetic, and an exceptional student academically.

Thank you, Frederick, for being such a great example for others!

The Day of GRACE is officially one week away! It takes people, prayers, and your participation to build the GRACE community where every student has the opportunity to learn, lead and succeed. Celebrate with us, make a donation in support of our students, spread the word, and follow along with us on social media for a Day of GRACE! Early donations are now being accepted at givingday.gracesystem.org

Help GRACE grow! Refer new families and earn an incentive for yours. We at GRACE value the support and loyalty of our school families, and are excited to announce our New Family Referral Program, which rewards our existing families with a tuition incentive for referring new families that enroll in our system. Share the word about GRACE education with your friends and family, and be a part of building our strong, faith-based community.