Blue and Yellow Day

 

Happy Sunday everyone.  The School will be having a Blue and Yellow non-uniform day in support of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine on Friday, April 1.  We are asking that each student pay $1 to have free dress and wear the colors blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.  Students should give the $1 to their teacher Friday morning.  Please send the money down with the runners.  (Karen, please put an envelope in each HR teacher's mailbox labeled "Ukraine" before Friday.)  The funds will be sent to Catholic Relief Services to help with the work they are doing to support refugees.  This is optional, but we hope that everyone, including teachers and staff, will stand together in solidarity for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.  I have sent an email home to the families, and I am also asking that each HR teacher talk it up this week with your class.  Also, keep reminding students to continue to add to their rice bowls. We are also having our final canned food drive this week for SVDP and I know they appreciate all you do to promote this in your class.  

This week I will work on the Triduum Retreat and get that information out to everyone.  We will continue with Confession on Wednesday this week and next.  

During the month of April (and maybe this week too), I will be conducting the second formal classroom observation.  I will be coming in as my schedule allows.  Please be sure your lesson plans are up-to-date so I can choose a day when you are not testing.  If something different than I am expecting is happening when I arrive, I may decide to come back another time which is perfectly fine.  

Thank you for all you continue to do this year for our students.  

Spring has Sprung!

 Happy Spring!  If you had a chance to be outside today, it truly was a beautiful spring day.  

Spring pictures take place on Tuesday.  Teachers received a schedule from Karen last week.  Please be sure students know it is free dress in a school-appropriate outfit.  Students in grades 5 and 6 should bring their PE uniforms to change into right after pictures.  Coach Green has requested that 1st and 2nd graders either wear or bring sneakers to change into.  Flo will send an email home to all parents Monday morning and a text alert Monday afternoon reminding them what students should wear. 

Please be sure you continue to encourage students to put their money in their rice bowls which will be collected the week before Easter Break.  

Grades 5, 6, and 8 will have confession after Mass on Wednesday.  Teachers, take some time during religion class on Tuesday to prepare them.  

Please pray for our 7th graders who we are sending off into the woods this week to Nature's Classroom in Palm Harbor.  Please pray twice as hard for the chaperones staying with them!  

Have a wonderful week!

Happy St. Patrick's Day... almost

 May the luck of the Irish be with you all!  I hope you all enjoyed this long weekend.  It's important that everyone checks the calendar on a regular basis as there are many events happening this month.

Here is a quick look at some of the events:

• On Wednesday, teachers please remind students what they should be wearing for Jeans and Green day on March 17.  
• Spring pictures are the following week and Karen B. will be sending out a schedule.
• 7th graders will be missed from March 23 to March 25 when they will be attending Nature's Classroom in Palm Harbor.  
• Lent confessions begin on March 23.  Check the calendar or refer to my email.  
• Our final canned food drive begins the week of March 28.  Please tie this into your discussions about Lent in religion class.

You may have seen the update from the Office of Evangelization in the Weekly Update last week where they talk about Ukraine.  They wrote, "CRS and Ukraine Relief:  Please consider the possibility of holding additional fundraisers, such as a Dress Down Day, in solidarity for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. This would be a way to raise additional monies for the work that CRS is doing to support refugees."  

We did talk about how we could promote helping those in Ukraine prior to this and I gave parents information in Tidbits that was posted on the Diocese website.  When a few of us saw this idea Thursday in the Weekly Update, we felt this was something simple we can do and this money will be added to the Rice Bowl money we send to CRS.  The Dress Down Blue and Yellow Day will be April 1.  Please help students understand what we are doing.  Rice bowls, a dress-down day, and canned food are all excellent ways we can help those in need during Lent. 

Have a great week and teachers I hope you enjoy your various professional developments tomorrow (Tuesday).  

Entering into Lent

 This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of our Lenten journey toward Easter.  If you are looking for something to challenge your prayer life during lent, check out the Hallow app (there is a free version) and join the Lent Challenge which focuses on the seven last words of Jesus.  You will find more information here - https://hallow.com/pray40/    A good resource for your class is Joe Paprocki's 40 Ideas for 40 Days at https://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/resources/40-ideas-for-40-days/ 

This week we continue with Terra Nova testing on Monday and Tuesday with make-ups beginning on Wednesday after Mass.  Thank you all for your patience and flexibility.  The fire inspector will be here on Monday but he will not make noise and should only be here for an hour.  Please tell your students to ignore him if he happens to walk through your classroom during testing.  Unfortunately, our deadline for this inspection is Monday.  

Upcoming in March we have our Spirit Raffle, final SVDP canned food drive, the 7th grade trip to Nature's Classroom, and our Diocesan-Wide Teacher PD.  Please be sure to check the calendar for dates and details.  

Thank you all for your smiles, patience, and perseverance.  Happy Lent!

Terra Nova Time

 Good afternoon everyone.  I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend and you are ready for Terra Nova.  Teachers, please be sure you have returned your practice tests to Barbara.  Remind the students that all they need to do is their best and that this is their opportunity to show off how much they know.  

This is also report card week.  Teachers should follow the directions that Gina has been sending to make sure the process goes smoothly.  

For those of you returning next school year, here are some dates to keep in mind as you plan your summer and begin thinking about the new school year.  The calendar is not complete, but these dates have been determined and most a non-negotiable:

Teacher Pre-planning - August 1 - 5, 2022

1st Day of School - August 8

No School and All church/school retreat - August 31

Thanksgiving Holiday - Nov. 21-15 (Monday and Tuesday are hurricane make-up days if needed)

Christmas Holiday - Dec. 22 - Jan. 3, 2023

Easter Holiday - April 7 - 14

Last Day of School - May 26

(Flo, please share these dates in Tidbits this week with the exception of teacher pre-planning.)

Finally, I am sharing an amazing photo.  We are making progress!!!  

Have a wonderful week!

Happy Valentine's Day

 Good evening.  I hope everyone had a great weekend.  A big thank you to Nicki and all her volunteers for putting together a wonderful (and profitable!) Gala for the school.  Everyone who attended had a great time.  

Be sure to check the calendar. Keep our 6th graders in your prayers on Wednesday as they participate in Focus 11.  This is an annual event focused on helping students discern their vocation.  On Thursday, Dominic DeMuro in 6th grade will be the principal for the day.  This is something his mom purchased at our Angel's event two years ago and we have not been able to accommodate it until now.  Dominic will spend the morning with me observing classes and doing uniform checks and then he will help with the ice cream event also purchased through Angels.  We will be delivering ice cream to every classroom that day during lunch to celebrate Ben Basilicato's birthday.  

This will be a busy week with many things happening.  A few reminders for the week:

• Tomorrow is Valentine's shirt and jean day and Tuesday is Holy Card free dress.  
• Teachers will meet in Heather's room Monday after carline to grade the Mustang Writes.
• Friday is the last day of the Trimester
• Feb. 15 is the day that all Intent to Return forms are due.    

Have a wonderful week filled with lots of love!

The Angels are Almost Among Us!

 Good afternoon and Happy Sunday!  If you are unsure what the title of this post means, I'm referring to our Gala which is only days away.  Nicki and her band of volunteers have been working for weeks (and months) to make this event happen.  I am grateful for all the hours and work they have put into this event.  It will be a fun time for everyone attending and hopefully, a financial success to fund the vision Gina and I have for the Media Center.  We have been blessed with many baskets and live item donations to help us reach our goal.  

Since school is closed on Friday, teachers please remind students of the following on Thursday:

• Feb. 12-13 is uniform/holy card weekend
• Feb. 14 is jeans and Valentine's shirt day.  Remind students of the rules. (Students may not wear leggings, sweat pants, pajama pants, etc., and the shirt must have a Valentine logo or be predominantly red or pink.  This is not a spirit shirt day but they can wear their PE shirt since it's red.)
• Feb. 15 is holy card free-dress day.  Again, please go over the free dress rules.  Anyone wearing leggings MUST have a tunic-style shirt over them which should reach approximately mid-thigh.  

As Gina has been reminding teachers, the last week of the Trimester is almost here.  Please do not give summatives in every class the week of Feb. 14.  If they are needed at this point in the trimester, they should be spread out over this week and next.  

Reminder to everyone, the Intent to Return form is due Tuesday, February 15.  We have received about half already.  Please be sure to turn it in by that date.  

Thank you all for continuing to be awesome!  Have a great week!