Bishop Leibold School Extracurriculars
Afterschool Spanish
Afterschool Spanish is an enrichment program for student in Grades K-3, designed to promote proficiency in a foreign language. Students who participate in the program experience the language through a variety of activities: games, songs, small group interaction, in-class handouts and take-home worksheets all reinforcing the concepts offered. Cultural views of Spanish-speakers as well as religious beliefs are presented through the incorporation of prayers and various hands-on activities. Each 10-week course culminates in a fiesta celebration. The Afterschool Spanish program meets once a week for ten sessions.
Athletics
The Bishop Leibold Athletic Association offers variety of sports throughout the school year and participation fees are kept reasonable through support from school fundraising . This is a great way to play and compete with friends from school against other area Catholic schools. BLS fields about 800 roster spots annually; 80% of BLS students participate in at least one sport. Fall Sports: Intramural Soccer (Kindergarten) ▪ SAY Soccer (1st - 4th) CYO Soccer (5th -8th) ▪ CYO Golf (6th -8th) ▪ Feeder Football (3rd - 8th. Alter, CJ, & Fenwick High School Feeder program)
Winter Sports: Intramural Basketball (K -1st Gr.) ▪ Kingdom Basketball (2nd -3rd) CYO Basketball (4th -8th) ▪ CYO Cheerleading (5th- 8th) ▪ CYO Volleyball (4th - 8th)
Spring Sports: CYO Baseball (4th - 8th) ▪ CYO Track (1st - 8th)
Cub Scout Pack 248 - Boy Scouts of America
Pack 248 welcomes all boys in 1st to 5th Grades. We currently serve boys from Bishop Leibold School and others from the surrounding area. The vision of Pack 248 is to develop character and values-based leadership that will be used through an individual's lifetime. This is accomplished by: Offering the boy's safe, fun and challenging adventure; training scouts in the meaning of citizenship, service to community and mentoring leadership qualities; and preparing the boys to enter the Boy Scouting program to further their lifetime personal qualities. Cub Scouts Pack 248 is chartered by Our Lady of Good Hope Church, and belongs to the Wright Brothers District in the Miami Valley Council of the Central Region. There is a monthly meeting for all the 248 Cub Scouts, and monthly meetings for the scouts of each age group (dens). Our boys attend Summer Day Camp, compete in the Pinewood Derby and The Amazing Race, and enjoy each other’s company at the Annual Cookout and Corn Maze Trip.
Boy Scout Troop 248 - Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouting works toward three aims: Moral strength and character, participating citizenship, and development of physical, mental, and emotional fitness. Scouts learn to live the Scout Law, and engage in activities and trips to build skills of self-sufficiency, teamwork and leadership. They develop an appreciation of the outdoors and engage a range of skill and character building activities in as they progress through scout rank and maturity. Troop 248 is chartered by St. Henry Parish and welcomes young men 6th Grade and older from the parishes, school and community.
Girls Scouts of America
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scouting Program serves girls seven years and up, and the troops at our school build character, encourage discovery and promote friendship in trips, activities, and projects. Our Girl Scout service projects include park clean-ups and nursing home visits. They explore and build self-sufficiency through BLS Girl Scout Summer Camp, celebrate together in the annual Bridging Ceremony, and celebrate their faith together in the Religious Badge Program and Scout Sunday. They meet about twice a month, and encouragement membership each year in the Fall Roundup.
QUEST Math & Science Enrichment Program
Students in Grades 4-8 will have the opportunity to participate in the QUEST Math and Science Enrichment Program at Bishop Leibold. QUEST is designed to take the students "one step further" beyond what is available in a normal classroom setting. Hands-on learning, experimentation, critical thinking, the application of mathematics, and teamwork focusing on the scientific method are important components of every session. This once a month, after-school program was established in 1998 to provide our students who display a strong interest in Math and Science with activities that will enrich their experiences in these areas. For grades 4 through 6, the sessions are held in the fully-equipped Science Center at the East Campus. Due to the rotating curriculum, a student in QUEST for 5 years will never have the same session twice. Junior High students take a variety of off-site tours through their two final years, including all day sessions at Miami University exploring biology, geology and other natural science study fields, and hands-on invention at the Dayton Engineers Club. Wright State Medical School, The University of Dayton Research Institute, Motoman, Kodak, and a flight check and flight through the Young Eagles Program are favorite trips.
National Geographic Bee and Scripps National Spelling Bee
Our school competes in these national competitions, and generally 4th through 8th Grade students participate. The contests are designed to encourage teachers to encourage these skills tests in their classrooms and spark student interest in the subjects through friendly contests. Bishop Leibold School has even had a student progress through all levels of competition to the National Spelling Bee!
Band Program
5th Grade Beginning Band ▪ 6th - 8th Grades Advanced Bands The elementary band program at Bishop Leibold is led by The Director of Bands at Archbishop Alter High School. (Anyone who is a 5th grader is encouraged to join as a beginner. There is no experience necessary!) While in the band program at Bishop Leibold students will learn many skills, including problem solving, critical thinking and how to work with their peers to achieve a common goal. Each student will learn how to play and read music. It has been researched and documented that students who learn to play a musical instrument have been proven over the years to achieve higher test scores, have better focus, and be more goal-oriented. And playing a musical instrument has been linked to improving reading and math skills. The band experience at Bishop Leibold also encourages well-rounded students and develops an appreciation for the arts. Band participants will be exposed to the latest in music technology, and will have the opportunity to play alongside and be mentored by award-winning Alter High School music students.
Leibold Leaders
The Leibold Leaders is a volunteer student organization for student in the 5th- 8th grades, dedicated to creating lifelong learners and service-orientated citizens. The mission of Leibold Leaders is to promote service within our school and community. A major part of our organization is dedicated to our sister school, Our Lady of Nazareth, a Marianist school located in Nairobi, Kenya. The students write pen pal letters and create video DVD’s and send pictures back and forth. Leibold Leaders organizes fund raisers to send money to support the school. Fundraisers include a school cookbook, “A Taste of Leibold” Spirit Days, Kindergarten-produced stationery, Bake Sales, our annual Mission Day and many more. On the local Community level, the Leibold Leaders organize The St. Vincent de Paul Thanksgiving Food Drive, The Giving Tree, and Toy Drive for the children of Afghanistan.
Choir
The Bishop Leibold School Choir meets weekly for rehearsals, and its members share their talents at weekly School Masses and at various parish Masses throughout the year, such as Christmas Eve Mass and The Baptism of Our Lord. School Choir members work on reinforcing the basics of vocal music theory and practicing reverent worship habits. The students learn how to take musical direction and work as an ensemble group, to cantor, and to serve their worship community by providing musical leadership. One important objective is encouraging student discovery and development of meaningful ways to actively participate in The Liturgy, with the hope this will foster a lifetime love of contributing to their faith community, and of worshipping God.
Rosary Club
Rosary Club is open to fifth through eighth graders, and generally meets once a month. The Bishop Leibold Rosary Club will continue its work of making rosaries to send to the missions, the military, and to provide for the needs of the Bishop Leibold community. Rosary Club members buy a rosary-making kit to use at home to make rosaries on their own and then bring the finished rosaries to our meetings. Thanks to the PTO, each kit is only $5 and is enough to make 50 rosaries. Some students have even made rosary making a family affair and have their parents making rosaries! Meetings are not mandatory. We are happy to have you attend whenever you can. In addition, many Rosary Club members participate in helping lead our monthly rosary said after Wednesday morning Mass. Rosary Club members also help with our Living Rosary ceremony in the fall at the East Campus and the May Crowning ceremony at the West Campus in May.
MATHCOUNTS
Mathcounts is a national enrichment, club, and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement in every U.S. state and territory. At Bishop Leibold, practice for interested students in 6th- 8th takes place weekly in the months of November through February. The MATHCOUNTS Competition Program provides the extra incentive and the perfect atmosphere for students to push themselves to achieve more in mathematics. Consisting of fun and creative problems that promote critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, the MATHCOUNTS competitions have written and oral rounds, as well as individual and team components.
JOLT Junior High Youth Ministry at Our Lady of Good Hope Parish
"JOLT" Junior High Youth Ministry is open to all Junior High parish youth and friends from both Catholic and public schools. St. Henry Junior High youth are also welcome to attend. JOLT Youth Ministry activities tap into the creative energy and imagination of the junior high adolescent with a Catholic Christian perspective as we focus on issues for their time with an emphasis on faith learning, community, prayer and service. Meetings and events are held through the year, such as World Youth Day, Walk for the Poor, Life Chain, Lenten Soup Dinner for St. Vincent DePaul, retreat, bonfire, caroling for nursing home residents and parish shut-ins, and other service and outreach opportunities.
Yearbook
The Yearbook Committee is offered to junior high students, and meets about once a month. The students help select the cover art, determine font, border, and layout designs; and take photos of our students and events in and around the school. The Yearbook Committee members are integral in the smooth operation of Group Photo Day, where their contribution of organizing students and recording names is invaluable. With the help of adult moderators who assist in editing and layout, and the administration of faculty and family communications and ordering, these students learn about the fundamentals of the publishing process from concept to finished school memento.
