Dear St. Mark Families,
What a fabulous start to November! Father Russ gave a poignant homily at First Friday Mass on All Saints Day. As you know, the holy day of All Saints Day is dedicated to the saints of the church, those that have achieved heaven. On this day, we are reminded of the significance the saints play in our lives. They loved God and followed his teachings during their time on Earth, and so we, as devote Catholics, follow their example and look to them as our "heroes", or those we emulate and want to be like.
At the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis reflected on the Solemnity of All Saints, and reminds us that holiness is both a gift and an invitation. Remembering the Saints, “impels us to raise our eyes to Heaven: not to forget the realities of the earth, but to face them with more courage and hope.” Our second grade class embodied that sentiment through their annual All Saints Day extension project. Each student researched and wrote a report on the life of a saint, reflected on how that saint inspires them on a personal level, and presented their project dressed as their chosen saint. This is just one of many examples of how our teachers and students embed our Catholic Faith into daily teaching and learning.
Update on St. Mark School's Maker Space/Innovation Zone
As many families know, the Maker Space/Innovation Zone renovation was completed in January 2019. I'm pleased to report that at this time, additional STEM (Science Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) student-centered and hands on resources have been purchased to support 21st century learning at St. Mark School including LEGO building tables and walls, STEM construction engineering building block sets, and a variety of coding robots to differentiate across all grade levels during the weekly technology special. Additional STEAM resources will be added to the Innovation Zone, as needed, to support this ever changing and expanding specialty content area.
Weather Related Emergency Alert System
In anticipation of the winter season, St. Mark School's emergency alert system (which will call, text and email) will be tested during the school day on Thursday, November 7th. If you do not receive the test alert, or need to make changes to your contact information, please call the school.
Pre-K and kindergarten Open House
St. Mark School Pre-K and Kindergarten Open House is on Sunday, November 10th, 10am-1pm. I hope that you will help spread the word to prospective families, neighbors, fellow parishioners, and friends to come and see what St. Mark School has to offer:
Academic Excellence
Faith
Community
We do have a few Open House lawn signs left, please contact the Main Office to pick one up and show your St. Mark Spirit. Signage is also greatly appreciated if you own or are employed by a local business.
Looking ahead, please make note of these important reminders:
Winter Uniform has begun as of November 1st for grades K-8. Please check the 2019-2020 Parent/Student Handbook for the winter uniform policy.
Tuesday, November 5th, school is closed for Election Day.
Wednesday, November 6th is school picture day for grades K-8. Students should come to school dressed in their winter uniform. Pre-K and photos for any absent students will be taken on Thursday, November 7th.
Thursday, November 7th is an early dismissal day at 11:25am.
The 1st Marking Period for teachers and students ends on Friday, November 8th. Report cards will be distributed approximately two weeks after the marking period closes.
Finally, please visit our school website regularly at www.stmarkschool.org. Important school updates including copies of notices, newsletters, HSA links, and school calendars can all be accessed on the website. You can even see updates from our Facebook Page!
Yours in Christ,
Melissa Warner
