Dear Families of St. Anthony of Padua,
I want to take a few moments in this week’s Messenger to brag on our middle school students. Working in a school, you are often reminded of your own school experience. I loved middle school --- but if given the option to time travel, middle school would not be my destination of choice. Middle school is hard. So many emotions, nerves, confusion, stress… This week, our middle school students pulled off a beautiful Fine Arts Night on Tuesday evening. Under the direction of Mr. Burton and Mr. Scale, the Paduan Singers, Percussion Ensemble and Bands filled the gym with music. On Wednesday, our middle schoolers were challenged by Mr. Cayanan and myself to participate more fully in the Mass. They were reminded of their position as the leaders and role models of our school. I was so proud of their active involvement on Wednesday as we honored Mary at the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Later that same day, middle school members of our Retreat Team led a retreat for our 3rd grade students which focused on the lives of the Saints and their challenge to become saints. Their presentations and testimonies were inspiring. And today, our middle schoolers completed their first day of midterm exams. All of this with some sports thrown in the mix as well. They are amazing! This weekend, please send up an extra prayer for our 6th – 8th grade students as they prepare for their exams on Monday and Tuesday. May they finish the semester strong and may they continue to use their many talents to serve God and those around them.
Only by His Grace,
Veronica Tucker
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As we move forward with our accreditation/self-study and long-range strategic planning, we invite you to respond to a survey. As a school community, we work continuously on strengthening the quality of education and the programs we provide to our students. This survey offers an opportunity for our school families to participate in our effort. Please take the time to carefully answer these questions as they will be a key component of the revisions of our strategic plan, our self-study and our upcoming campus goals. Please complete the survey below by December 17th, 2021.
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SPIRIT SHIRT & JEANS DAY - DEC. 17TH
Friday, Dec. 17th is a scheduled Spirit Shirt & Jeans Day, but students also have the option to wear Christmas Shirts and Jeans as an option! 🎄🎅
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LOST & FOUND
Items not picked up from Lost & Found before break will be disposed of. Please label your items and remind students to check the table this week! Parents are welcome to visit Lost & Found during school hours.
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AFTERNOON CAR LINE CHANGES - Starting Jan. 5th
Beginning Wednesday, January 5th, cars will no longer be allowed to line up in front of the school for afternoon carline before 3:30 PM. Due to concerns about blocking our fire lane, cars will be required to line up in the front parking lot staging area if they arrive before 3:30 PM. Cars will be directed by a staff member to pull out to line up in front of the school once the 3:30 dismissal bell rings. Thank you for helping us to keep safety first!
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"THE WAVE"- WINTER EDITION
The Winter edition of our student newspaper "The Wave" has been published! Read all about it!
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STEWARDSHIP PROJECT - CHRISTMAS GIFT DRIVE
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Christmas gift drive for Catholic Charities. If you forgot to drop off a gift the final drop off is Sunday, December 12th from 8:00am to 7:30pm at the St. Teresa Center. THANK YOU for helping comfort the afflicted this Advent season.
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Order your '21-'22 Yearbooks now! All orders will be placed online using the button link below. Yearbooks are $45 and will be delivered at the start of next school year.
You may also create your own page or ad!
- Full page ad - $150
- 1/2 page ad - $75
- 1/4 page ad - $50
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PHOTO SHARING
Do you have great photos of athletics or school events that you'd like to share for use in our yearbook or in school media? Please upload photos to our school Dropbox at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/request/FempJtk0mApnkMAr3OjV. Photos can be uploaded at anytime before the end of the school year. Thank you for helping us showcase our students! If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Tressel at advancement@staopcs.org.
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NURSE'S NOTES
HOLIDAY TRAVEL RECOMMENDATIONS
The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston refers to CDC for guidelines regarding testing and quarantine after travel, whether international or domestic. International flights may require COVID testing prior to flying to and from your destination, but not all domestic flights will require COVID testing prior to flying with proof of COVID immunization. If you plan to travel or plan to gather with large groups over the holiday break, we recommend testing 2-3 days after return from your destination/gathering and closely monitoring for any symptoms. We will not require COVID testing on return, but encourage it. We would like to ask that if you do travel or gather in large groups over the break that your child mask for 7-10 days after return, while you monitor symptoms. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Pavlock or Mrs. Tucker.
We will continue to work closely with our local health department officials and the Catholic Schools Office to ensure the safety of our students and staff should the school experience a positive case of COVID-19. Please see the attached document regarding screening of your students and on-campus requirements should someone test positive for COVID-19.
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Parents, please call or e-mail attendance@staopcs.org and Mrs. Pavlock (lpavlock@staopcs.org) if a child is out for illness.
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REMINDER: Students must stay home if a household member is being tested for COVID and must remain out until results have returned.
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PADUAN PARENT COLLECTION
Dear STAOPCS Families,
To thank our faculty and staff for their endless energy, caring ways, and amazing creativity, Paduan Parents is coordinating a one-time collection to provide Christmas and End-of-the-year gifts for the 2021-2022 school year. Because our children have different teachers on a regular basis at STAOPCS, the Paduan Parents Collection offers an optional opportunity for you to contribute towards a school-level gift to thank all faculty & staff who support your children. To participate, please send in your contribution in an envelope (one was sent home this week) to the front desk of the school by December 13. Cash or checks (made payable to STAOPCS) are accepted. Thank you for your support of our faculty & staff!
Sincerely in Christ,
Ileana Amparan, Middle School Parent Coordinator
Andrea Aertker, Elementary Parent Coordinator
Allie Landry, Early Childhood Parent Coordinator
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CAR LINE VOLUNTEERS - Morning & Afternoon
We need volunteers who are willing to help with car line in the mornings or afternoons! If you can volunteer starting in January, please contact Mrs. Bierbaum at cbierbaum@staopcs.org. Thank you for offering to help!
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GIFT CARD DRIVE - Dec. 6 – 17
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We are collecting gift cards to create auction items for the Run for the Roses Gala. Gift cards for restaurants, family activities, spa/salons and retail shops are popular. Send Gift Cards in to the school’s front desk, Attn: Gala Committee. Please include your family's name with your donations/gift cards so that we can provide proper donation acknowledgment. Gala committee members will also be available to take your donations curbside Dec. 6 – 17.
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AUCTION BASKETS & REGISTRY
This year's Class Baskets have been re-imagined as themes with your choice of basket to participate in instead of being grade-level specific. Please see the flyer for more details on each basket theme.
To make shopping even easier, our gala committee has put together an Amazon Gift Registry (https://www.amazon.com/wedding/share/runfortheroses) featuring many of the items we would like to include in our auction baskets/themes. Items may be shipped directly to the school or dropped off at the front desk anytime during school hours. To ensure proper recognition at the auction and on our Gala website (apschool.givesmart.com), please submit your donations no later than March 11, 2022. Please include your family's name with your donations/gift cards so that we can provide proper donation acknowledgment.
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GADELA WINERY would like to extend a special offer to our St. Anthony families! If you purchase a GADELA gift card or wine valued at $30 or more for the gala auction, Deacon Franco Knoepffler, the winemaker, will offer a free wine tasting to the purchaser! Gadela is locally owned by school and parish family, the Knoepfflers, and they donate 10% of profits to St. Anthony of Padua. Thank you for supporting this local business - and supporting our school!
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GALA TICKET PRE-SALE - FINAL WEEK!
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS: $175 Available for $150 Dec. 6th - 17th!
PADUAN PATRONS: $600 Available for $500 Dec. 6th - 17th!
Paduan Patrons receive:
- Two reserved seats at the Gala
- Two after-party tickets
- Recognition on Gala website and sponsor page of the auction catalog.
- Recognition in the Gratitude Report.
INDIVIDUAL AFTER-PARTY TICKETS: $100
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Steps for Students is an annual event benefiting the 56 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston- Houston. Over the last 16 years, this exciting day of family fun has brought together our Catholic community for a sunrise Mass, sanctioned 5K race and a post-race party in the Catholic School Village. We are very excited to return to gathering in person safely in 2022!
St. Anthony of Padua's Steps for Students team will be raising funds to fund a technology iPad cart to facilitate our new NWEA testing program. This is critical in allowing our testing to be conducted more efficiently among all grade levels. Thank you for supporting this effort!
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5K TIMED: Compete against other runners and your best 5K time on this route! Price: $20.00 Race Fee
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5K UNTIMED: Like the Timed 5K.... but not timed. Price: $18.00 Race Fee
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FAMILY FUN RUN: Under a mile route. Price: $17.00 Race Fee
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HIT THE SNOOZE FOR STUDENTS: Support Catholic schools without running the race! Register to Hit the Snooze and you will still receive the official race t-shirt shirt, but will not receive a bib or race medal. This is the option for those who would like to participate virtually. Price: $18.00 Race Fee
More fun for our Steps for Students team members will be announced in January!
IMPORTANT DATES:
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December 27, 2021: Deadline to guarantee your Archdiocesan race t-shirt size AND the last day to order Dri-Fit shirts.
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January 26, 2021: Deadline to guarantee a "St. Anthony Race Shirt" sponsored by Doucet Safety Analysis.
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January 31, 2021: All race fees increase by $10.00.
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AROUND OUR COMMUNITY & PARISH |
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“1 BIKE = 1 SMILE”
Hello neighbors. I frequently observe the posts where you offer for free, the bicycles that your children's no longer use. I love the generosity of all of you, so I invite you to be part of the project "1 Bike = 1 Smile". Together with the Saludos Connection Foundation (https://saludosconnection.org/) this Christmas we will give the children of low-income families the bicycles that you donate. I will be receiving all the bicycles at my house to put them in tune and then take them to the collection center where they will be distributed. We deliver the corresponding donation certificate to each of those who require it. Let's make this Christmas a moment of special enjoyment for these children who need it so much. For more information, please send an e-mail to STAOPCS parent Alberto Montero at Alberto.Montero@tccglobal.com.
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PRIEST MEALS
A Meal Train has been created to help feed our priests at the rectory weekly beginning in December. If you would like to sign-up to provide a meal, please click the link, review the instructions and pick a date to sign-up! https://mealtrain.com/e17zoe
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MONDAYS - Chess Club, 3:35PM, Library
TUESDAYS - Parent Rosary Group (English) ,8:15AM, PLB Room 204
TUESDAYS - Awakening! Bible Study (Middle School), 7:15AM, Paduan Center
WEDNESDAYS - Art Club, 4:00PM, Rm 213 (Art Room)
WEDNESDAYS - Running Club, 4:00PM, Sports fields
WEDNESDAYS - Student Rosary Group, 7:15AM, Sheltz Hall
THURSDAYS - Parent Rosary Group (Spanish) 8:15AM, PLB Room 204
Please check the calendar and/or communications from club advisors regarding cancellations or changes.
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12/13/21: Middle School Exams
12/13/21: Mass Choir Performance | The Auberge | 10:15 AM
12/14/21: Middle School Exams
12/16/21: Paduan Singers Performance | The Conservatory | 5:30 PM
12/17/21 Spirit Shirt & Jeans Day or Christmas Shirt & Jeans Day
12/17/21: Classroom Celebrations, 11:00 AM, in classrooms
12/17/21: NOON DISMISSAL (Christmas Break) – Beyond the Bell closes at noon
12/17/21: Follow Severe Weather Dismissal Procedures | No Carline
12/17:21: End Quarter 2
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(281) 296-0300
7901 Bay Branch Dr.
The Woodlands, TX 77382
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