The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas. From the earliest days of the Church, people have been fascinated by Jesus’ promise to come back. But the scripture readings during Advent tell us not to waste our time with predictions. Advent is not about speculation. Our Advent readings call us to be alert and ready, not weighted down and distracted by the cares of this world (Lk 21:34-36). Like Lent, the liturgical color for Advent is purple since both are seasons that prepare us for great feast days. Advent also includes an element of penance in the sense of preparing, quieting, and disciplining our hearts for the full joy of Christmas."- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Here at BSS, we hope that everyone had a blessed and safe Thanksgiving! The Advent season begins on Sunday that falls between November 27th and December 3rd each year). This year, Advent begins on Sunday, November 28th, and ends on Friday, December 24.

We are excited about our Christmas season and already started to celebrate with our first prayer service in December, which took place on the morning of December 1st and was led by Mrs. Kearney and our 6th grades: "A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols."

"The now traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was first held on Christmas Eve 1918 in the Chapel at King’s College in Cambridge, England, a short fifty miles north of London. ‘The main theme [of the prayer service] is the development of the loving purposes of God ...’ seen ‘through the windows and words of the Bible’. -saintjohnboscochurch.org

Click Here for a video recording of the prayer service. Thank you Mr. James for signing!

On Thursday, December 2nd, Mrs. Kearney's eighth-grade class performed the St. Nick Skits to their parents and our school! CLICK HERE for a video recording of the event! Our students enjoyed their presentations. Afterward, our eighth graders distributed candy canes to all of our students in their shoes!

Friday, December 3 - School Closed - Teacher Workday

Saturday, December 4 - Basketball Games: BSS v OLM - AWAY at 9:30 am

Wednesday, December 8 - Petro's Chilli &b Chips fundraiser

Thursday, December 9 - Basketball BOYS Game: BSS v SHS - AWAY at 4; Basketball GIRLS Game: BSS v SHS - HOME at 4:30

Monday, December 13 - Morning prayers to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe

December 13 - 17 -  **BSS Gives Back - Week of Giving **

Wednesday, December 15 - 5th Grade DARE Graduation @ 9:00 am

Thursday, December 16 - BSS Christmas Concert @ 6:30 at Blessed Sacrament Church (1620 Hanford Rd, Graham, NC); Afterschool closes at 4:30 due to the Christmas Show. 

Friday, December 17 - 8th Grade Nativity @ 10:00

Saturday, December 18 - Basketball Game: BSS v OLG - AWAY at 9:30 am

Sunday, December 19 - Family Advent Experience from 2:30 - 4:30 at the Knight's Castle- 408 W Davis St

Monday, December 20 - Little Knights Christmas Party at 10:30; Class Christmas Parties at 2:00

Tuesday, December 21 - Out-of-Uniform Day: Christmas Attire; Christmas Sing-A-Long for Students at 9:00; Early Dismissal at 11:30 - No Afterschool Available

December 22 - January 2 - Christmas Break 🎄 School Closed

Monday, January 3 - Classes Resume

Saturday, December 15 - Knights of Columbus Free Throw Competition

Click here to see the official BSS calendar: BSS Calendar

Mrs. Gomez and I would like for parents to be able to attend the parties again. It'll most likely be too cold to have them outside, so we will spread out around the building. We will do the party bags again like on Halloween. The kids loved having their own bags filled with treats!

Little Knights: 10:30 Location TBD

K-2: 2:00 in the Cafeteria

3&4th: 2:00 in the Makerspace

Middle School: 2:00 in the MPR

Thank you all for a very successful #GivingTuesday! So far, we have raised $9,550.00! I hope you enjoyed our videos and learned more about our school. I apologize for all of the emails and posts throughout the day! I promise not to do that again (at least until the next GivingTuesday...hahaha!)

This was a special project I wanted to do with our students. I loved reading their essays and working with them to record their videos. I cried and laughed for days as I edited these videos. As a parent and now staff member of the school, these stories just reminded me how very lucky my family is to be part of the BSS community.

Thank you for sharing your children with me!

Sincerely,

Beth Fitzgerald

Director of Advancement

The link to donate online can be found: HERE

Here is a link to all of the videos that were sent out. Feel free to share with anyone you feel would enjoy them!

Each year, our school takes a week in December to give back to our community. We make sure each class has a special project. They are involved in every step of the process. Students make or assemble the gifts and then deliver them to their recipients! I will be turning the Makerspace into Santa’s Workshop for the week! Most students will assemble their gifts in the Workshop with me on 12/14 and 12/15. Below is a list of activities each class will work on. If you are able and would like to contribute to our gifts, please sign-up below! Please send in all items on Monday, 12/13.

Elementary and Middle School parents are invited to walk with their children when we deliver the items. Please meet on the front stairs at the time and date indicated below.

Coffee and Treat Baskets for hospital workers

Sign-up Here:

Placemats for Meals on Wheels

Will deliver on Thursday, December 16th at 12:30

We have all of the materials the students will need.

Pet Treat Bags for Meals on Wheels recipients with pets

Sign-up Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080d45a8a923ab9-1stand1

Will deliver on Thursday, December 16th at 12:30

Cookies for the Fire and Police Departments

Sign-up Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080d45a8a923ab9-3rdgrade6

Will deliver items on 12/16 at 1:00

Ornaments for Hillcrest Ave. and High St. Neighbors

Sign-up Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080d45a8a923ab9-4thgrade9

*Students will make ornaments on 12/10 so items are needed by then*

Will deliver to neighbors on 12/17 at 1:30

Christmas Candy Treat Bags for Library Workers, employees at stores/restaurants around our school!

Sign-up Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080d45a8a923ab9-5th8th

Will walk downtown to deliver candy bags on 12/17 at 1:20

Our Office of Advancement has been working on one more night-out fundraiser! Please stop by Petro's Chilli & Chips in Burlington, NC with one of our flyers next Wednesday, December 8th! Make sure you just show the flyer to the cashier so that they can validate that you are part of the fundraiser and they will donate 30% of your purchase to Blessed Sacrament School. The event will run from 10:30 am to 9 pm so make sure you stop by for either lunch or dinner!

Thank you for supporting BSS!!

¡Nuestra Oficina de Avance ha estado trabajando en una recaudación de fondos más para salir por la noche! ¡Visite Petro's Chilli & Chips en Burlington, NC con uno de nuestros volantes el próximo miércoles 8 de diciembre! Asegúrese de mostrar el volante al cajero para que puedan validar que usted es parte de la recaudación de fondos y donarán el 30% de su compra a Blessed Sacrament School. El evento se llevará a cabo de 10:30 am a 9 pm ¡así que asegúrese de pasar para almorzar o cenar!

¡¡Gracias por apoyar BSS !!

Dear Parents,

The 5th Grade D.A.R.E. graduation will take place on Wednesday, December 15 at 9:00 here at school. Parents and grandparents are welcome to come!

Queridos padres,

La graduación de D.A.R. E. del quinto grado se llevará a cabo el miercoles 15 de diciembre a las 9:00am. Será llevara acabo aqui en la escuela. Los padres de familia y abuelos son bienvenidos!

Congratulations to Kelley Champion (MS Language Arts) as she was nominated for the Monsignor Lewis Excellence in Teaching Award for the Diocese of Raleigh. Prayers as she sends off her application this week.

The Monsignor Gerald Lawrence Lewis Award was initiated in 1992 to honor outstanding educators in the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Raleigh and to recognize, promote and encourage teaching excellence. 

The Excellence in Teaching Award honors superlative classroom teachers, grades K-12, who have illustrated a strong commitment to their students, colleagues, and schools and to their family, church, and civic communities. The Recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award is an exceptionally skillful, dedicated full-time teacher. 

We have had 66 children late for flag-raising on Mondays in the last two weeks. Flag-raising begins at 7:45. Children miss out if they are late with announcements or their name being called. They have to wait outside the multipurpose room (with supervision) until prayers begin. Please try to reduce the tardies. Thank you.

Hemos tenido 66 niños tarde para izar la bandera los lunes en las últimas dos semanas. El izamiento de la bandera comienza a las 7:45. Los niños se pierden si llegan tarde con los anuncios o si se les llama por su nombre. Tienen que esperar fuera del salón de usos múltiples (con supervisión) hasta que comiencen las oraciones. Intente reducir las tardanzas. Gracias.

Last year, BSS adopted an elf, and students were challenged to find it as it moves places every night. According to legend, Snowflake the Scout Elf returns to the North Pole to say whether our students have been naughty or nice. Santa takes that information every night and decides if they’re getting presents or coal this year. She left a note last Monday:

Mrs. Hipps' eighth-grade math students learned about the Fibonacci Sequence!

A mainstay of high-school and undergraduate classes, it's been called 'nature's secret code,' and 'nature's universal rule.'"-livescience.com

Take a look at their work on display just outside their classroom:

Congratulations to our student Henry T. (1) for getting awarded by Mrs. Gomez an Honor Cross this week!!

Elementary students should wear their "Sunday Best" clothing for the performance,

Middle School boys will wear black shoes, black pants, a long-sleeved white shirt, and a royal blue bow tie that I will order on behalf of the students. If your student needs to purchase a new or replacement bow tie, please send $5 to the school office by Friday, Nov 12, 2021

Middle School Girls will wear black shoes/tights, black skirts, white shirts, and an optional royal blue bow (or other hair accessories).

Do not hesitate to email me with any questions or concerns. I am looking forward to another great year in music!!

Kelly Spradlin

Music Teacher

Friendly reminder, we have transitioned into winter uniforms. Please review our winter uniform policy by CLICKING HERE. Parents, now you can purchase a zip-up hoodie jacket for your child from Graham Sporting Goods that has our school logo- this item can be worn as part of the winter school uniform.

Recordatorio amistoso, hemos cambiado al uniformed de invierno. Por favor revise nuestra política de uniformes de invierno HACIENDO CLIC AQUÍ. Padres, ahora pueden comprar una chaqueta con capucha con cremallera para su hijo de Graham Sporting Goods que tiene el logotipo de nuestra escuela; este artículo se puede usar como parte del uniforme escolar de invierno.

We wanted to send out the link to our official PECSAA website. On this website, you can find team rankings, tournament brackets, rules, and also spirit wear!

Here is the link: https://sites.google.com/view/pecsaa/home

Order your BSS spirit wear today!

This is just a reminder that ALL fall sports uniforms should be turned into me. This includes a complete soccer uniform, volleyball jersey, and cross country jersey. If you have a tennis shirt, that is yours to keep. If you have not already turned in your uniform, please do so as soon as possible!

Thanks!

Marcie Letvak

Parents,

We need a lot of help to make home games run smoothly. Basketball players and Cheerleader families are required to volunteer at least 8 hours during the season by helping with admissions, the clock, books, or concessions. Hours can be accumulated by parents, grandparents, and adult siblings.

Pep Squad family members are required to complete 2 volunteer hours this season in one of the following volunteer roles: admissions table, concessions stand, clock, or keeping the book.

Players and cheerleaders who do not have a family member complete their 8 volunteer hours will not be allowed to participate in the PECSAA tournament.

 https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080d45a8a923ab9-home

Thank you!

Marci Letvak

BSS Athletic Director

The winter sports sign-ups are now closed. If your child would still like to participate in a winter sport, you will have to email me to see if there is still room on the roster. The teams we will be having this season are:

**If you were signed up for JV cheer or JV girls basketball, you will join the Varsity girls as one team.

Girls: Monday/Wednesday 3:30-5 - Only one team this year

JVB: Monday/Wednesday 6-7:30

VB: Tuesday/Thursday 3:30-5 (Their first practice will be Thursday, October 28th)

We will also need a copy of your child's current physical and the athletic fee turned in as soon as possible. The athletic fee for basketball and cheer is $65 (if your child played BSS soccer in the fall, then it is $50). The athletic fee for pep squad is $20.

Looking forward to a great winter sports season!!!

CLICK HERE to access the UPDATED DATES for when all of the games will be played & AWAY SCHOOL GAME ADDRESSES.

Marcie Letvak

Athletic Director

Please pray for:

Our world, to slow the spread of COVID-19. Protect all of us from harm and be their comfort in this time of uncertainty.

Danica Kelso (Pre-K Assistant) and her family as they mourn the passing of Danica’s brother, Jeremy Sears.

The Ferrell family, Jacob (8th), Londyn (5th) and Lucas (1st) as they mourn the passing of their grandfather, Ken Ferrell. 

Dear Parents,

Keep us in your prayers as our Cognia STEM Accreditation review is on Monday and Tuesday. 

Mrs. Gomez

Mr. Rico will be available at the office Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays for any questions or concerns related to admissions.

You can reach Mr. Rico at 336-570-0019 ext. 212 or by email at admissions@bssknights.org Hablamos Español!

Here is a link to our admissions page: https://www.bssknights.org/admissions

We’re excited to partner with 1st Place Spiritwear! They are a Catholic family-owned business. Their site is loaded with fun options for youth and adults! They will ship your purchases directly to your home. Each quarter they will send us 10% of their sales! Check back often to see new designs!

Let me Mrs. Fitzgerald know if you have any questions!

There's nothing else like BSS yearbook. Get your hands on the limited edition collection of our stories from the year. Share it with your friends today and hang on to it for years to come!

CLICK HERE to place your order

Presione en el enlace de arriba para que ordene El Yearbook Escolar para su niño.

Monday: Chick-Fil-A

Tuesday: Cici’s Pizza

Wednesday: La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant

Thursday: Smithfields Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q

Friday: Tropical Smoothie Cafe

If you have any questions, please give us a call at (888) 894-8295 or email us at info@myhotlunchbox.com. We are looking forward to serving your school!

If you are bringing lunch to your child, please make sure it is labeled with your student's name and grade level and leave it on the table just outside the front door of the school--Do not forget to buzz the office to let us know you dropped by.

Do not forget to review BSS uniform guidelines.

We are aware that Lands’ End is running behind on their orders. We do have a variety of items available in the swap shop. If you need uniforms let us know! If you have items to donate, we definitely need them (especially Middle School polo shirts).

UPDATE: BSS has partnered with Graham Sporting Goods to be co-suppliers for the PE uniforms for the school year. You can still buy the PE uniform through Lands' End for this school year, but next year Graham Sporting Goods will be the only supplier for the PE Uniform supplier. Graham Sporting Goods is still working on the fleece jacket option for us. It looks like they do have the zip-up hoodie jacket ready for purchasing, go check them out!

What are Retail Cards? Retail cards are store certificates (plastic cards) that our school purchases at a discount and sells to you at face value for a school profit. The discount given is different with each vendor. BSS has used the profit money in the past for school technology and the current needs of the school.

The profits from this program make up an important part of our fundraising budget. It is an easy and great way to help BSS earn fundraising dollars and not spend an extra dime. Everyone buys groceries and gas, and may occasionally eat out. Before your next trip to the gas station, grocery store, or restaurant, please consider purchasing Retail Cards with us.

You may purchase the Retail Cards in the school office any day during school hours. CLICK HERE to access the order form.

Please make check payable to BSS HSA Scrip. Returned check fee is $35.

Thank you for participating in our school fundraiser.

Visit https:/www.scripzone.com for all participating vendors.

AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support Blessed Sacrament School every time you shop, at no cost to you. AmazonSmile is available at smile.amazon.com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop at AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to BSS. Just make sure you choose Blessed Sacrament Church/School as the charity organization you select.

Remember, only purchases made at smile.amazon.com, (not www.amazon.com or the mobile app,) generate AmazonSmile donations.

CLICK HERE to find out more about AmazonSmile

No more clipping. No more sending Box Tops to school. All you need is your phone. Download the ALL-NEW Box Tops app, shop as you normally would, then simply scan your store receipts to find participating products. The app will automatically credit Blessed Sacrament School's Box Tops earnings online. Click here for a video of how it works.

Twice a year, your school will receive a check and can use that cash to buy whatever it needs! If you see this label, use the new Box Tops app to scan your receipt. Box Tops are still worth 10¢ each for your school. CLICK HERE

With Cart to Class, Lowes Foods will give up to a quarter of a million dollars to local schools this year. To participate, just enroll Blessed Sacrament School on your Fresh Rewards card, and start earning for our school. Click Here

When you shop Harris Teeter brands, a percentage of your purchase is donated to Blessed Sacrament School if your VIC card is linked.

You link your card online (CLICK HERE), or you can ask your cashier to link your VIC card by providing our TIE code 1704.

Applications for Fall of 2022 are now available! Cristo Rey Research Triangle is a college and career preparatory high school in the Catholic tradition for students with limited economic resources. We are located at the Historic American Tobacco Campus in the heart of downtown Durham, North Carolina. Open to all rising 9th & 10th graders.

Please RSVP to the Admissions Office: kknox@bmhs.us or call (336)564-1011

Early application is encouraged to help avoid being placed on a waitlist.

Applications for grades 9-12 are accepted on a rolling, space-available basis.

Ordinarily, BMCHS does not accept 12th-grade transfer students from local (Piedmont) schools. We will consider seniors who are transferring from out of state or from outside of the Piedmont region.

The following are given priority consideration through February 1: PACS students (students attending Piedmont Area Catholic Schools); siblings of current and former BMCHS students; children of alumni; children of Bishop McGuinness faculty and staff members, and children of PACS faculty and staff members.

9th Grade Placement Testing

Saturday, February 26, 2022 9:00am-12:00pm

Saturday, April 2, 2022 9:00am-12:00pm

New Villain Night