"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"
1 John 3:1
Dear St. Rose School Families,
The snow is flying and so are spirits as we continue to celebrate everything that is special about Catholic education and St. Rose School!
Thanks to all who attended the HSA meeting Wednesday night. We had a lot of good news and important information to share. The highlights are 1) THANKS to our dedicated teachers for their tireless efforts during this unprecedented year; 2) GRATITUDE to our parent community for your remarkable support in time, talent and treasure -- we are truly blessed! 3) DELIGHT over our retention for the 2021-2022 school year which is the best I have ever seen at this point in the year. Let's keep our enrollment strong to ensure vitality for many years to come. We appreciate your help spreading the word! We also discussed operational issues such as purchases to ensure that students have optimal access to curriculum materials and an issue with the boiler. There is also information about Iowa exams which will be taken digitally this year. You can find the school presentation slides here.
As you know, closing the tuition GAP and maintaining a balanced budget is an ongoing challenge but we are moving in a positive direction. This year many families have come forward to pay the tuition gap, make significant donations, help with our fundraising outreaches and more. Most recently the Anstett family made a $50,000 donation to the school. We are overwhelmed by their generosity. My heartfelt thanks to all who give of their time, talent and treasure. We cannot do it without you!
We are heading into a 4 day weekend which includes Valentine's Day. I hope you feel loved and appreciated by SRS -- we cherish our community! Please note that when we return to school Wednesday February 17th it is Ash Wednesday. Fr. Bob will distribute ashes in the church starting at 3 p.m. Fr. Tom will distribute ashes to students who take the bus home that day. Sister Thaddeus has prepared a beautiful Lenten calendar that is attached to this email. She will also be running the Lenten Mission so please be sure to read about that in the newsletter and help us support those in need. Lastly, 8th graders please be sure to attend the virtual retreat for Confirmation on February 19th.
I hope your children had fun at the Pig races and found meaning in the various service outreaches during Catholic Schools Week. The snow interrupted us to a degree and Covid prevented us from doing some traditional activities but we still managed to celebrate our beloved St. Rose School.
I greatly appreciate your prayers and support as I mourn my Mother. It is times like these that community takes on an even more special meaning. Please know that I will be in frequent contact with Mrs. B during my absence. I am thankful for her capable leadership and trust that all will continue to go smoothly in our halls and classrooms during this time.
God Bless,
Mr. Gjoka
IMPORTANT DISTANCE LEARNING FYI
We want to clarify policy for making requests for Distance Learning.
Distance Learning was an option given to families who wanted to keep their children home instead of sending them for in person learning. We realized that these concerns have fluctuated in the first half of the year and will continue to change in the upcoming months. Parents can make the request for Distance Learning if they have concerns regarding covid and in person learning. The request has to be for a designated amount of time (minimum of 1 week) and to allow for teacher planning, we need at least 24 hours notice; if requests come in on a school day morning, your child will not be able to join remotely until the next day, if the request is approved.
Distance Learning is not for absences due to illnesses (unless related to covid, quarantine, and covid testing). These are regular absences; will count as an absence; and students will have access to Google Classroom for assignments and will have the usual makeup days=to days absence for catching up on work and assessments.
For parents planning family trips in the upcoming months. Please note that Distance Learning cannot be used while on the trip or during required quarantine upon return from your trip (Nurse Bonnie keeps us updated in the weekly newsletter on quarantine and testing requirements).
NURSE NEWS
Dear Parents,
While some statistics are improving it is still very important that we follow ALL safety guidelines especially as we head off for a long weekend. Please take some time to read this updated travel advisory and contact me with any questions or concerns, nurse@srles.com. Thank you.
The mission of the Bishop’s Scholarship Fund (BSF) is to help families in need afford a Catholic education. In the 2020-2021 academic year, BSF awarded nearly $2,700,000 in aid to families at Diocesan elementary schools in Fairfield County.
Applications opened this week -- the deadline for returning families is March 15, 2021 and April 15, 2021 for new families.
We are excited to offer weekly, live virtual tours with Mrs. Coppola for Kindergarten through 8th grade prospective families. These will take place at 11:00-12:00 noon Tuesdays. Registration required using this link. If you are interested in touring the Preschool or have other questions email admissions@srles.com. Please share the word!
6th and 7th graders assembled Valentine craft kits for the C.H. Booth Library to distribute to 3 & 4 year olds in the community. First graders collected packaged cookies and candies for a Valentine's lunch at Dorothy Day House
Transitional Kindergarten students make Valentine's cards for nursing home residents.
The traditional pig races took place in the gathering hall today -- 2 classes at a time! Every class put "pork" a great effort with creative pig names and decor. The winner of the Transitional K - 3rd grade heat was Third Grade's New Pork Piggers (NPP); Fifth Grade's "Just Jeff" took first place in the 4-8th heat. NPP was the overall winner, crossing the finish line just ahead of Jeff in the final heat of the day. WELL DONE everyone!
STUDENT LIFE UPDATE
by Mrs. B
The spirit of St. Rose School is alive at all times! Snow and Covid couldn't keep us from celebrating Catholic Schools Week. We extended the time frame and changed some activities to be sure everything was safe then it was all systems GO for a memorable time of games, service outreaches and the ever so popular pig races! We've started a photo folder to capture our CSW activities and will be adding to it over the next few days.
Stay tuned for a separate Student Life email with important updates.
Enjoy your extended weekend and thank you, as always, for being a part of our beloved St. Rose School community.
Thank you to the many parents who joined us for the virtual HSA Meeting/School update meeting this week! We hope that you were able to get many questions answered! We extend our thanks to Mr. G, the administration and staff for their continued efforts in keeping school open and the kids engaged (whether in school or during remote learning)! We’d also like to extend a HUGE thank you to Fr. Bob for his offer to fund the two touchless water bottle filling stations in the school.These will allow the kids and staff to refill reusable water bottles without contact and will be a great addition to the school.
For those who were unable to attend the meeting, a recording of the meeting can be found here: Meeting 2.10.21 recording as well as the HSA Slides can be found here. Finally as well as a link to the meeting minutes can be found here: Meeting Minutes. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach us at hsa@srles.com.
We would like to remind all to mark your calendar for the next St. Rose HSA Golf Outing on May 24th at Redding Country Club (Spring is only 36 days away!). Please help spread the words and consider volunteering or supporting this event which is a great way to get outside and have some fun (while socially distanced) while supporting the school. Stay tuned for more details!
Have a wonderful long weekend and Happy Valentine's Day!
Your HSA Board
Ta Da! Let's hear it for our 8th Graders who were given special recognition this morning during the Spirit Stroll when each student's name was called over the loudspeaker as they strolled down the hallway while younger students and faculty waved red and white pom poms in their honor.
LENT and the MISSION DRIVE BEGIN
Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17, consists of a forty-day period before Easter. It is a special time of prayer, reflection and sacrifice; it’s all about doing something extra in preparation for the Lord’s Resurrection.
On Ash Wednesday, we begin our annual Lenten Mission Drive to aid those in need. We ask the question, “What can I do to help others?” How many children in the third world countries have no shoes to wear, do not eat healthy meals, do not have pencils and books? This Lent should be a special time to be a missionary for Jesus by prayer, sacrifice, and offering money to those who do not have the comforts that we enjoy each day. Our Grade PK-8 donations this year will aid the children in Ghana and we will also contribute to our local community places in Newtown that serve those in need.
Raffle tickets will be available every week for $1 per ticket. The weekly drawing for winners will be announced at dismissal each Friday. Winners will receive a stuffed animal in grades PK through 3 and a $5 Dunkin Donuts gift card for students in grades 4-8. At the end of the Lenten Season, the class with the most donations for each mission drive will win a special treat.
The Acts of Kindness calendar is attached below. Let us all work together this Lent to bring the peace and serving heart of Jesus to others.
