This online fundraiser has been taking place at Seton for the last two school years. For one month during the school year, students have an account and can interact in a secured online reading program for grades PK 3 – 8th. Students have the ability to record their reading time and book titles into the program as frequently as they would like. This great program encompasses the whole school so students are able to respond to each other’s books and comprehension questions. In addition, students are able to ask family members and friends to sponsor their reading achievements either through a one-time pledge or by time frame.

On campus we abbreviate this program title to SSYRA Jr.! This program is sponsored by the Florida Association for Media in Education and Florida Department of Education. Book titles are chosen state-wide for Kindergarten – 2nd grade. Kindergarten students will have all of these titles read to them during their library classes. Students in grades 1st and 2nd will be allowed to check out these titles. Through our Accelerated Reader computerized program, students are able to demonstrate what they know by answering questions based on the stories. If the student passes the AR test, he/she will receive points on their AR account and will earn beads for their SSYRA Jr. bracelet! In April, the Collier County Supervisor of Elections visits Seton with voting machines and students are able to vote for their favorite book.

On campus we abbreviate this program title to SSYRA! This program is sponsored by a Florida Association for Media in Education and Florida Department of Education. Book titles are chosen state-wide for grade 3rd – 8th grade. There are two different lists (3rd – 5th and 6th – 8th). Students have the opportunity to check out these books from our school library. Through our Accelerated Reader computerized program, students are able to demonstrate what they know by answering questions about the book. If the student receives an 80% or higher on the tests, he/she will receive points on their AR account and be eligible to participate in our four level incentive program! In April, the Collier County Supervisor of Elections visits Seton with voting machines and students are able to vote for their favorite book.

Our librarian, Mrs. Tenbarge, promotes Battle of the Book titles for students in 4th through 8th grade. This is a nationwide program which produces a list of books that have been carefully selected by teachers and librarians from across the U.S.A. All Book Battle Titles are located in our Seton Library. Students have until April to read as many titles as they can prior to the Book Battle Competition. In April, students form teams and compete against each other answering comprehension questions from the various books. Students also create posters representing the different titles and are given a food treat based on a book!

Who wants to be the Mathlete of the Week? Kindergarten through 8th grade students have the opportunity to practice their math skills using this online interactive program. Not only do the students earn points, they also have the opportunity to compete with other students from around the world. This program is amazing because our teachers have the ability to differentiate instruction for each student by choosing the perfect individual activities! At Seton we celebrate grade level Mathletes and the Mathletics Class of the Week.

Latin and Greek Roots is a program that we introduced during the 2015-2016 school year. The program is on a three-year cycle, where depending on grade level, students may learn between twenty-five and seventy-five roots during the school year. Seton is currently enrolled in Year 2 of the program! Students are able to look within a word to find its meaning based on the roots learned. New roots are introduced weekly at prayers and after five weeks of roots have been taught, there is a review week. This program is designed to strengthen vocabulary, promote school-wide collaboration and brainstorming while differentiating instruction.

Aim High is our program at Seton designed for students who are doing very well academically, are responsible and independent learners, and who would benefit from more challenge in the classroom. Aim High classes meet once a week to plan and create new projects. There are three Aim High classes (1st – 2nd, 3rd – 5th, and 6th – 8th). Students who are enrolled in the elementary Aim High classes (1st – 5th grade) will miss forty-five minutes each week of their class to attend this enrichment group. Middle School students who are eligible for Aim High will take the class as an elective in the block schedule.

Student Council is one of our leadership programs where students from grades 4th through 8th may serve if voted in by their peers. We have officers and class representatives who work together to help make Seton the best school it can be! Our members were voted in using the Collier County Supervisor of Election machines by PK 3 – 3rd grade students. Our members meet twice a month to bring ideas from their peers as well as their own. Student Council oversees the Friday Pizza Program, helps to advocate for their peers, and take on various leadership roles during the school year.

At Seton we have an organization called National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). This group of students consists of middle school grades. Students are invited to be part of this group based on their grades. Once students are accepted, they must maintain their membership by good grades, amazing character, dedicated service, and demonstration of leadership skills. This group meets weekly with their teacher supervisor, Mrs. Tenbarge. NJHS plans various events throughout the year, holds fundraisers, and attends a leadership conference. Last school year NJHS flew to Chicago for the conference and this school year, they will be traveling to Orlando!

At the end of January, we love to celebrate Catholic Schools Week. This week is designed to celebrate our Catholic faith through a variety of activities including: sporting events, Mass with Bishop Dwayne, Buddy Reading/Craft, Religion Bee, cooperative educational games, charity collection, and Family Lunch Day. Students, teachers, and families all enjoy the festivities planned for this week!

Upon our return each school year, we celebrate Panther Pride Week. The start of the school year provides our families, students, and teachers with a new beginning. The students and teachers gather together to show their Seton pride through: dress down days, organized activities across the grade levels, and campus beautification.

At Seton our families really enjoy trimming and collecting Box Tops. Each Box Top is worth 10 cents, but eleven grade levels collecting sure does add up! Students are asked to bring their Box Tops in monthly to their teacher and then as a class those are brought to morning prayers. Our school submits the collected Box Tops in October and February. All monies collected through this program directly go back to funding Seton programs!

At Seton we demonstrate how to be Christ like through philanthropy. Students from age three years old to thirteen along with their families collect can tabs. These aluminum tabs come from a variety of cans including: soda, pet food, and canned fruits/vegetables. On a given day each month, students are encouraged to bring all the can tabs collected within their grade level. Twice a year, a staff member from school delivers all the can tabs to the Ronald McDonald House of Southwest Florida.

Mrs. Tenbarge, our school librarian, hosts two Scholastic Book Fairs every school year. Students have the opportunity to preview the Book Fair, record a wish list, and return on their assigned day to purchase new books. Each Book Fair has a theme and volunteers help to decorate the library for all the students to enjoy. In addition to daytime purchases, the Book Fair is open one night after school so parents have the opportunity to make purchases along with their child. A percentage of the total profit from the week is given to Seton so Mrs. Tenbarge can buy new library books and materials for all the students to use!

During the 2015-2016 school year, Seton hosted their first Barnes and Noble Book Fair. It was a great success for our library because a percentage of the profits made at Barnes and Noble that day was given to St. Elizabeth Seton School so new books could be purchased. In addition to new books, this Book Fair allowed us to get out into the community on a Saturday to meet new faces!

In early December every school year, St. Elizabeth Seton School hosts a beautiful Christmas Concert. The concert takes place in the St. Elizabeth Seton Church and all the students who attend the school perform. The music, decorations, and theme are all dedicated to celebrating Christ. The concert is about one hour in length, followed by a delicious holiday bake sale!

Our students are philanthropists at St. Elizabeth Seton School. Throughout the school year Seton connects with various charities in Collier County including: Catholic Charities, St. Matthew’s House, Guadalupe Center, and St. Vincent DePaul. The collections we host usually run from a Monday through Friday. A certain type of food or product is assigned to each grade level and families have the choice to donate if they wish. Collections range from non-perishable foods to hygiene products. We have helped the homeless, migrant families, and students without food through weekend feeding programs.

At Seton we teach our students about the election process and how their voice can be heard. During the 2016-2017 school year, we held two elections where the Collier County Supervisor of Elections came to Seton with voting machines. Students from grades PK 3 – 8th grade were eligible to cast their vote with their completed Voter Registration Card in hand. We held a mock presidential debate and election in the Fall. Our candidates for the presidential race were: Rosa Parks, George Washington, Harriet Tubman, and Abraham Lincoln. All classes researched a section of the voting process and created a bulletin board at school. The boards served as teaching tools for all grade levels to walk around and learn about the voting process. The Collier County Supervisor of Elections came to Seton a second time so our students could cast their vote for Student Council Officers and Class Representatives.

Everyone at Seton loves attending the Math Bees located in our school gym. The entire school body as well as families are welcome to attend the math bees. Students from 1st through 8th grade compete with white boards, erasers, and markers to show their math knowledge! Students cheer their peers on as they compete and the event is a lot of fun for all. The winners from each competition receive a gold medal and certificate as well as their picture taken!

Every December during the school day, our entire student body takes a voyage around the world to learn about a variety of cultures through Christmas traditions. Students travel with their classes to visit different classrooms and learn about Christmas traditions and cultures from volunteer parents. Some centers have stories and food while other volunteers have a craft for the students to complete. The students are able to document their visits by getting their passport stamped in every country. This is a great day of organized events and new information from our Seton family volunteers!

Seton will be hosting Literacy Night this school year on Dr. Seuss’ birthday! Families will be coming to Seton to engage in a variety of fun academic games which will include: reading, writing, brainstorming, and teamwork. Parents will be able to work with their children on different fun center activities. Students will travel around to the centers collecting passport stamps along the way. Mrs. Tenbarge will also have the Scholastic Book Fair open that night so families will have the opportunity to shop for new literature.

The school-wide reading incentive program at Seton is Renaissance Place Accelerated Reader. This differentiated program assists students by guiding them to books that are on their individual reading level. In the classroom, students take the STAR Reading Test which provides them with their reading level. Students record this number on their Seton Library Card so when they travel to the library, they know their number range and can choose books that are within their reading level. All students have their own monthly goal to achieve. Teachers will track their students’ monthly points throughout the school year. In May, the AR Fair comes to town (to the gym) and students are able to attend if they earned their monthly goals. All students receive a bracelet with the number of months in which they earned. The students are able to spend their points for delicious carnival treats, games, and/or tangible items from the AR Store.

This school-wide event takes place in the Seton Gym. Students from 3rd – 8th grade are recognized for their academic accomplishments. Some of the categories recognized are: Honor Roll, GPA, and Mathletics Gold recipients. Students receive certificates and are recognized in front of the entire school. Families are welcome to attend this event!

HASA stands for Home and School Association. This group of parents helps our school to conduct events/programs throughout the year and fundraisers. These dedicated individuals meet monthly for one hour to review events that occurred and plan future events. Some HASA events include: Trunk or Treat, Christmas Holiday House, Seton Uniform Closet, School Dances, Teacher Appreciation, and Annual Seton Auction. Everyone is welcome to attend these meetings and contribute their ideas.

At Seton we have a resource department where we provide our A.C.E. Program. Students who need that extra academic support may be eligible to work in small groups or independently within our resource program. Resource services could take place for students anywhere between one and four sessions weekly. Our resource department provides additional help both in the classroom and in small group outside of the classroom setting. As a potential new student, the resource department conducts all entrance testing and will help with transitioning the family from their former school to Seton.

Mrs. Winter hosts Readers’ Theater at Seton. This group meets weekly to engage in reading, writing, listening, and speaking activities in the small group setting. Students are able to practice reading aloud in a play script environment while learning how to articulate their words for performing purposes. Student work collaboratively within their group to create a play, which is viewed at the annual Christmas Concert. Readers’ Theater plays practiced after Christmas are performed within school as the groups visit classrooms. Mrs. Winter incorporates props and costumes where applicable. The students enjoy performing while practicing their reading fluency!

Seton has our very own Athletic Director, Coach Tenbarge. Coach coordinates and oversees all daily physical education classes, health classes, and after school Seton sports. His programs are designed to teach and encouraging students to honor God with all that He has given them. Our school is blessed to have an amazing enclosed Gym, which Coach Tenbarge utilizes for teaching. Team Sports are very active on campus including: soccer, volleyball, basketball, track, cross country, and golf. The purpose of the sports program is to promote the development of the participants’ athletic skills through teaching, practicing, and competition. Coach Tenbarge also strives to develop athletes who show good character, leadership abilities, and citizenship.

Students are engaged in science class all year learning everything they need to know about the Scientific Method! In May, Seton opens its Gym doors to host Science Fair Night. Families are encouraged to attend and see the amazing work their children created! PK 3, PK 4, and Kindergarten create a class project and display. 1st – 4th grade create groups projects for display. Fifth and the Middle school grades have complete digital presentations using PowerPoint or Keynote to show their experiment and Scientific Method. These students explain their projects to those who gather at their table to learn more about the scientific process and outcome. Families are given a program listing all the projects along with the times each middle school student will be presenting. This school year we will incorporate STREAM activities too!

Ms. Sowers is the leader of our Lunch Bunch Book Club! Students who enjoy taking part of a literature circle club may complete an application to be considered. Students are given a book to read and throughout the month, they give up a few recess periods to gather and talk about the book. Ms. Sowers rotates the groups throughout the year, so many students are able to become members of this club! The Lunch Bunch is very popular so it is best to complete your application sooner than later.