Dear Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory Families,

Earlier in my career, I taught Theology and Philosophy at Saint Ignatius College Prep, a Jesuit high school in Chicago. It was run by Jesuits, yes, but one of the things I appreciated most about the school was its commitment to the spiritual formation of its faculty.

In their third year, teachers could receive a reduced teaching load to complete the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola through what is known as the 19th Annotation. The 19th Annotation allows participants to undertake the Spiritual Exercises amid the responsibilities of daily life without taking time off to complete the usual 30-day silent retreat. Teachers who participated in the program committed to an hour of silent prayer in the chapel each day and an hour each week with a Jesuit retreat director. It remains one of the most meaningful experiences of prayer that I've ever had.

Early in the Spiritual Exercises, the retreatant encounters the Ignatian Presupposition: an invitation to interpret another person's words charitably and, when their meaning is unclear, to seek understanding before passing judgment.

That was a pretty hard pill for me to swallow at that point in my life. Sometimes, it still is.

How many of us have received emails with a tone that we find off-putting? How many of us have had a child come home upset about something that happened in class? How many of us have been surprised or disappointed by a decision made by somebody else? In those moments, it is easy to supply our own explanation for someone else's motives.

The Ignatian Presupposition asks us to pause and to extend the benefit of the doubt to those with whom we might disagree. We can take concerns seriously while remaining open to the possibility that we have only part of the story. Often, a sincere question opens a conversation that an accusation would have closed.

As we enter the time of the year when conversations about grades, homework and disciplinary infractions inevitably begin to occur more earnestly, my hope is that this habit will shape how we relate to one another at OLV: parents, teachers, administrators, and students alike. There will be disagreements, and we will all make mistakes. Drawing on the wisdom of Saint Ignatius, we ought to cultivate in ourselves a listening ear, the humility to reconsider, and the courage to speak the truth, yes, but always in charity.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us! Our Lady of Victory, pray for us!

Peace in Christ,
Randy

I’m delighted to share two staffing updates:

Mr. Lance Johnson has accepted a full-time position as our Director of Facilities Operations. In addition to overseeing the care and upkeep of our campus, he will continue teaching Physics for the remainder of the school year. We’re grateful that he will remain part of our faculty and staff!

Dr. Maureen Wentling will officially return from maternity leave on Monday, October 12, following the birth of her son, Russell, over the summer. She and Mr. Johnson will work together for one week to support a smooth transition as she takes over Chemistry, Algebra II/Trig, and Statistics. We look forward to welcoming her back to campus!

Please join me in praying for Lance and Maureen as they transition into new roles.

Peace in Christ,
Randy

If you have any concerns about your student’s performance in a particular class, please reach out directly to his or her teacher as your first point of contact.

Our teachers are the ones who see what’s happening in the classroom every single day and they can often provide context for student performance that might not be reflected in the gradebook.

We are blessed with an excellent and responsive faculty who are happy to listen, work with students, and make accommodations when necessary.

Several teachers have noticed an increase in students playing games on their calculators during the school day, especially on newer TI-84 Evos that have color screens and games like Pokemon and Mario on them. As such, graphing calculators are to be used only during Math and Science classes, as well as when Math and Science homework is being completed. If a teacher notices a student using a calculator outside of these situations or playing games, the calculator will be confiscated for a day and the student will receive a demerit.

Our athletics program is in need of 1-2 more basketball coaches at this time. Please email Delaney Nalen if you know anyone who might be interested in a good fit!

athletics@ourladyofvictorydenver.com

Thanks to a generous offer by John Paul the Great, any OLV sophomore or junior who is interested in taking the PSAT/NMQST this year can register to take the test on Saturday, October 17th from 8:30am to noon. All registrations must be submitted no later than this Saturday, October 10th. In order to register, please fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/f5cvcTBx7PLkhUFz8. You will need your student ID, which is available on JupiterEd. 

On the 17th, students should arrive promptly at 8:30am and bring an ID and a check made out to JPG for $18. Please note: Unfortunately, it is too late to request new accommodations through the College Board—only students who already have accommodations registered may use them for this PSAT test. Please direct any questions to Bri Johnson at collegeandcareer@jpgdenver.org.

The talented and impressive Capella Choir from UMary will be joining us for noon Mass on October 16th!

Mass will be celebrated by their university president, Msgr. Shea! Families are welcome to attend Mass as always, but especially due to the size of their choir, please be prepared for standing-room only. Interested students will have the opportunity to meet members of the choir during lunch.

Reminder: Mass on Friday is at 12:00pm. It is not in the morning.

All students who are interesting in joining the OLV Chess Club are invited to an informational meeting after school on Thursday, 10/15 in Ave Maria 102 to learn about the team, practices, and tournament opportunities. All skill levels are welcome!

We hope to hold practices on Thursdays after school for about 60 to 90 minutes and begin participating in monthly PALS Chess tournaments in November. Students compete individually, with the school’s top five players contributing to the team score.

We’re also looking for one or two additional parent volunteers to help coach. If your student is interested—or you’d like to lend your chess skills—please contact Alexandra Harden.

alzharden@comcast.net

Come make your next move with the OLV Chess Team!

Mark your calendars!! Tryouts for boys’ and girls’ basketball are on Nov. 16! Please sign your student-athletes up ASAP so we know who to expect. Deadline to sign up is Oct 15. https://form.typeform.com/to/ackVLOSh‍ ‍

As always, your child needs to complete with CHSAA medical form (on the athletics page on website) in order to compete. Please make sure that is turned into Ms. Nalen.

Our Athletics Director, Miss Nalen, has created a Google calendar of all of the upcoming games for all sports. Add it to your own to stay up to date with OLV Athletics!

Calendar Linked Here

If you ordered hard copies of your student’s school pictures, they are available for pick-up in the front office. Your smiling child is waiting for you! Don’t leave him waiting.

The following priests will be celebrating Mass at Our Lady of Victory the upcoming week, October 9 - October 16. Please pray for our priests!

Fri, Oct 9: No School, No Mass
Mon, Oct 12: Columbus Day, No School, No Mass
Tues, Oct 13: Fr. Jason Wallace
Wed, Oct 14: Fr. Doug Grandon
Thurs, Oct 15: Fr. Adam Bradshaw
Fri, Oct 16: Msgr. James Shea

Upcoming Volleyball Games

Thursday, October 8
Varsity Only — Away vs. Denver Waldorf School
📍 Denver Waldorf School
🕓 Warm-up: 4:30 PM | Start: 5:00 PM

Thursday, October 15
JV & Varsity — Away vs. Mile High Academy
📍 Mile High Academy
1733 Dad Clark Dr., Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

Tuesday, October 20
JV & Varsity — Away vs. Renaissance Secondary
📍 Panther Volleyball Club
🕓 JV: 4:30 PM | Varsity: Rolling start

To help our juniors kick off the college preparation process, we are blessed to be visited by a handful of college admissions counselor who are eager to share information about their schools. These presentations will take place during lunch in Ave Maria 102 and they are required for all juniors. Parents are welcome to attend!

All that Remains:
Thursday, October 29th: Ave Maria University

Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita...
("Midway upon the journey of our life...")

The opening lines of perhaps the most beautiful and awe-inspiring piece of poetry ever created. Dante was not an inspired author, but the Divine Comedy is, perhaps, as close as mere mortals get to touching the Divine. When I was teaching, it was definitely one of my favorite books to teach to high school students.

I hope that you'll join us on October 14th while I share a few thoughts about what makes this poem so special, why we teach it at OLV, and why I think you should read it before you die. Oh, and there will be bourbon and snacks. Costumes not necessary, but encouraged.

Please RSVP here: https://form.jotform.com/261233475610148

Peace in Christ,
Randy

Put on your boots and hats and come to OLV’s Honk-Honky Tonk Tailgate Dance on October 16th! Head to the back parking lot of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, where we will have truck beds down, lights strung around the dance floor, and a beautiful view of the sunset! The dance will be held from 5:30-7:30, with doors opening at 5. We hope to see you all there, decked out in your flannel and denim!

Noon Mass on Friday, October 16 will be celebrated by Monsignor James Shea, president of the University of Mary in North Dakota. Also at Mass will be the impressive Capella chapel choir of the University of Mary, an impressively talented choir currently joined by former OLV graduate Anga Deodatus.

St. Mary Littleton has been committed to hosting an annual Pro-Life Symposium to encourage teens to take the pro-life issue seriously and become personally involved in building a culture of life.

This year, they are especially calling all young men to attend. (Young women still more than welcome and encouraged to attend! Notice the familiar female face on the flyer 😁) The keynote speaker, Sean Corcoran, CEO of Men For Life, is eager to speak directly to young men about the important role they have in standing up for life and supporting women and families. (Good for young women to hear as well.)

The morning will include Mass with Bishop Rodriguez, a free breakfast, pro-life speakers, prizes, and ministry tables.

Saturday, November 7 | 8:15 AM–1:00 PM
St. Mary Littleton Catholic Parish

This is a great opportunity for our young men to hear from inspiring Catholic leaders and consider how they can personally make a difference.

You can register here!

Basketball season is right around the corner! Join Coach Jayce at Grow the Kingdom to build strength, power, resilience, and conditioning for the season.

Saturday Sessions
📍 Location: Grow the Kingdom Gym
Focus: Power output, strength, and resilience

• MBB Returning Varsity: 7:45–8:50 a.m.

• WBB Returners/New: 9:05–10:10 a.m.

• MBB Returning JV: 10:25–11:30 a.m.

• MBB New: 11:45 a.m.–12:50 p.m.

Wednesday Sessions
📍 Location: Outside Park — TBD
Focus: Sport-specific agility and conditioning

• MBB Returners/New: 4:00–5:00 p.m.

• WBB Returners/New: 5:15–6:15 p.m.

Cost: $45 per session, per athlete
(Discounted from the regular $60/session rate for specialized group training.)

Register & Find More Information

Not planning to play basketball but interested in group sessions at Grow the Kingdom? Check out the “What We Offer” tab on their website to learn more.

Everyone belongs at the table! This fall, support the FIRE Foundation Denver and its mission to help students with disabilities thrive in Catholic schools while enjoying a delicious homemade pie.

Choose from Pumpkin, Cherry, Pecan, or Apple pies for just $25 each. Pies are generously donated by Bluepoint Bakery.

📅 Order by November 15
🥧 $25 per pie
❤️ 100% of proceeds support the FIRE Foundation

Scan the QR code on the flyer to place your order and help make sure every student has a place at the table!