The gift of the flag to the school and parish is the result of a request made by sixth grader Kade Clifton, whose aunt, Peyton Potts, is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army. A United States flag may be requested by anyone with a family member on active duty in the military, a fact Kade became aware of because of his relationship with so many relatives who have served in the military.

Lt. Col Potts is an active duty officer who has completed six tours of duty in the Middle East. Keith Potts, Clifton’s maternal grandfather, is a twenty-year veteran of the Army, and his paternal grandfather, Tom Clifton, served in the Army during the Vietnam War.

Along with the flag, Potts presented a certificate signed by Major General Thomas J. Richardson, U.S. Army, acknowledging that the flag flew over the Al Asad Air Base on October 27, 2011. It also expresses gratitude to the students and parishioners of Christ the King and Cardinal Pacelli for supporting the troops who, “…serve our country when called and who sacrifice for a cause to help the citizens of Iraq enjoy the greatest gift of all—their freedom!”

The flag and its certificate will be on display in the school office so everyone can see it.

Sixth grader Kade Clifton poses with the flag that was presented to Cardinal Pacelli and Christ the King by Clifton’s grandfather, Martin “Keith” Potts on April 18. (Left to right) Kade’s mother, Briggett Fauris, grandmother, Reba Potts, grandfather, Martin “Keith” Potts, Kade Clifton, grandfather, Tom Clifton, and grandmother Taffy Clifton, who is a sixth grade teacher at Cardinal Pacelli.

Vanessa Phelan of DAAP showed how “design” is really solving everyday problems, using art, science, and math. The students learned about different design careers, including architecture, fashion, graphics, horticulture, industrial design, and urban planning. A tour provided a first-hand look at the work of DAAP students.

Pacelli students also saw how art and engineering intersect, in their tour of the CCM’s set design studio and stages. Professor Stirling Shelton demonstrated a confetti cannon, the scaling up of models into final set pieces, the use of light and shadow for 3-D effects, and all sorts of backstage wizardry.

The Fine Arts Committee provides opportunities for students to explore the Arts by sponsoring numerous enrichment programs through out the year. Read more…

Professor Stirling Shelton and his graduate student showed Pacelli students the set they built for a CCM preparatory school musical, "Frog and Toad.”

The mosaic is a loose interpretation of Jean-Marie Pirot’s The Risen Christ, and was created with the help of art teacher Helen Von Holle and several parent volunteers. “It was easy if you followed the lines,” said second grader Kathryn S. The mosaic is on display now in the Cardinal Pacelli school cafeteria.

The Economics Center sponsors the contest each year to encourage young people to develop 21st Century skills in a fun and engaging way. The competition is open to all area schools.

Social Studies teacher Tim Banker likes the project because it teaches students to apply

Jeff McPeek speaks to the eighth graders about investing in the stock market.

skills that reach across the curriculum. From calculating decimals and percentages to learning the basics of financial systems, Banker knows his students like the interactive nature of the competition. A new class set of iPads will be used to check stocks a couple of times a week.

During his presentation McPeek explained how capital markets operate and what constitutes a trade. “I tried to give students the basics and to help them understand the concept of capital.”

The team that makes the greatest gains with its $100,000 investment is the winner. These students are then invited to participate in the Portfolio Challenge at the University of Cincinnati, where they present to a panel of local financial professionals.

The Mass opened with a spectacular procession: students from 84 elementary and high schools carried their school’s banner down the cathedral’s center aisle. The colorful pageant captured the diversity and scope of the region’s Catholic schools.

Caleb, an eighth grader, carried Cardinal Pacelli’s banner, while his classmates Tristan, Delaney, and Madeleine looked on from the pews.

During his homily Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk spoke about the importance of gratitude. Catholic Schools Week, he said, is a time to reflect on the people—parents, teachers, staff, and clergy—who make Catholic schools vibrant, Christ-centered institutions. Many of those individuals were on hand to share in the celebration.

“At Pacelli our commitment is to more fully incorporate art into the students’ daily experience. Doing so is a really fun way to give them a greater appreciation for everything you can learn from art, ” said Mitch Dunn, a parent member of the Fine Arts Committee.

Once a month students enjoy a live musical performance in the cafeteria. In September Jim Kelly played acoustic guitar. In November Hee Jin Yoon mesmerized students with the tranquil sounds of her harp.

During the fall students in grades six through eight focused on visual art when Cincinnati-based professional photographer Tony Arrasmith met with them to discuss the fundamentals of digital photography. His visit culminated in a student photography contest featuring four categories, including one for Mt. Lookout/Hyde Park landmarks. Students’ entries were displayed in an exhibit on this website.

“The students who participated did a great job,” said Arrasmith. “I could tell they really listened to my tips about originality and composition. There were wonderful motion, nature and landmark photos that answered the challenges of the contest.“ Arrasmith was also one of the judges for the contest.

The new year brings a slate of new activities. Four Chinese acrobats from the Bureau of Lectures will perform in April, and Music teacher Anne Shoup will produce a choral concert later in the month.

The photos from the Student Photography Contest will be on display at Cardinal Pacelli during the January 29 Catholic Schools Week Open House from 11:00 am-1:30 pm. The images can also be viewed here.

Hee Jin Yoon plays the harp during lunch at Cardinal Pacelli School. Yoon's performance was sponsored by the school's Fine Arts Committee.

Since the project began in 2006, students have held bake sales and raffles, donated food, knitted clothing, and done just about anything an industrious kid could to make his donation have the greatest impact.

The challenge began as a religion class project for Natalie Palmenter’s fifth graders.  Palmenter saw an Oprah Winfrey show where audience members received $1,000 to perform random acts of kindness, along with a camcorder to document the good deeds.  The show was so inspiring that Palmenter, with the help of sixth-grade teacher Taffy Clifton, gave each student $10 and the following instructions: Use the money to perform a good deed for another person.  Even though Palmenter is no longer teaching at the school, Mrs. Clifton continues to carry on the experiment.

Christmas Kindness has been so successful that it now includes the sixth graders, thanks to an anonymous donor from the parish.  Students have also become very resourceful at finding ways to “grow” their dollars.

This year four boys from the fifth grade teamed up for a bake sale.  Jack S., Brendan P., Peter H., and Gregory F. earned $177.02 dollars selling brownies, cookies, rice krispie treats, banana bread, and gingerbread men. They decided to contribute the money to the church’s Christmas Adopt-a-Family program.

(Left to right) Gregory, Jack, Peter, and Brendan present Mrs. Gruesser with a $177.02 contribution to Christ the King's Christmas Adopt-a-Family program.

The boys with their bake sale items.

On Thursday, November 10, 2011, Rigg came one step closer to reaching that goal when he visited Cardinal Pacelli. With eleven schools remaining, he is optimistic that he’ll soon reach his objective.

Accompanied by Principal Kim Roy, Rigg spent the afternoon visiting classrooms, speaking with teachers and students, and learning about the educational program.

In the hallway he met St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Gregory VII. The school’s fifth graders were dressed up like Saints as part of a special project. In Tim Banker’s social studies class he quizzed seventh graders about the Declaration of Independence. The former teacher and principal clearly relished his interactions with students.

Visiting schools is one of Rigg’s favorite parts of the job. “Each school has its own personality,” he said. “I was very impressed with Cardinal Pacelli School. Not only do the students seem very engaged in their learning, but there is an identifiable sense of warmth and hospitality surrounding the school. It was an absolute pleasure to spend the afternoon visiting with the community.”

Since taking the helm of the nation’s eighth largest Catholic school system, Rigg has been busy. He initiated a strategic planning and visioning effort called “Lighting the Way.” The first part of the report was released last October and contains details about demographics, enrollment, and finance. The process is expected to be complete by the fall of 2012. For more information visit the Archdiocese’s website.

Pairs of fifth and eighth graders teamed up for experiments ranging from how to build a lava lamp to creating an electromagnet out of a few everyday objects. According to eighth grader Jennifer L., the goal was to run a successful experiment while teaching the students how to use lab equipment properly. Science teacher Dan Steffen said, “It’s ideal for the younger students to see the older students using things like goggles, gloves, and smocks to keep themselves safe.”

The school’s science room is new, the result of a renovation that took place in 2008. All students use the room as part of the science curriculum, although labs in grades 5 – 8 are more intensive than those in the primary grades. “We want students to have correct lab procedures modeled for them early on during their 5th grade year before they begin doing such labs themselves,” said Steffen.

Eighth graders Jack H. and Owen M. observe the effects of carbon dioxide on raisins while fifth grader Will P. watches to see if the raisins will "dance."