St. Louis Catholic School Newsletter |
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December 3, 2021
Dear St. Louis Families,
Our school is bustling with energy and excitement as we enter Advent and the month of December. We lit the first purple candle on our Advent wreath together as a school community on Tuesday. The first candle symbolizes hope and sometimes is called the “Prophecy Candle” in remembrance of the prophets, like Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ. It represents the expectation felt in anticipation of the coming Messiah. As a school, we shift our focus to preparation and anticipation---joyfully preparing and anxiously waiting the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ in a few short weeks. Within the hallways and our classrooms, the student energy is palpable!
Generosity
Throughout December our students will be working on the virtue of generosity, learning from Jesus’ own example as well as the saints what it means to share the gifts of their talents, time, and treasure. We have a couple of service projects going on which allow our students to see the power of generosity firsthand. Our pajama drive is winding down today, however, we are continuing to collect gently used books---please take a moment to look through your bookshelves for loved books that your children no longer read and consider donating them. Our Student Council is sponsoring the Book Drive through Dec. 10th.
Purple Star
We are pleased to share that the school’s efforts to support and assist our military connected families has earned us Purple Star recognition by the state of Virginia for the 2nd time. We received the official resolution yesterday in the mail along with the official star coin. St. Louis is proud to have such a strong connection with our military families and we look forward to this honor.
Report Cards
Report cards came home today in Friday folders along with the fall assessment score sheets that were previously reviewed during conferences. Please remember to look for them and sign the folder.
Looking ahead to next week, Monday is an early release day for students and no EDC will be offered. Students will attend Mass on Wednesday, December 8th because it is a holy day of obligation---the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Students should wear their regular uniform for Mass days and not wear PE uniforms even if they have PE on this day. There is a change---we will not be attending Mass December 10th due to priest commitments with the diocese. Students in K-5 will be singing for our Lessons and Carols video December 10th and should wear their regular uniform on this day as well.
I always love this time of year---however you are celebrating Advent in your homes, I hope that there is much joy in the traditions. Have a wonderful weekend!
Anne Dyke
Principal
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KIDS HELPING KIDS:
Student Council Sponsoring Gently Used Children's Book Drive
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Giving Tuesday Spark (formerly Giving Tuesday Kids) encourages young people around the world to do good for one another. It is an opportunity for kids to share their own treasures with other kids less fortunate. This year, the St. Louis School Student Council is asking students to practice our mission to love, learn and lead, and take part in a children's book drive to benefit Reading is Fundamental NOVA, an organization that distributes books and the love of reading to children in need throughout the Northern Virginia area.
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DRIVE
ENDS DEC. 10
This Christmas Season, clear up your bookshelves by donating gently used children's (PS-8th Gr.) books. Students are asked to select one of their own books to share with a child in need. The donation should be totally up to the child.
Collection boxes will be in every homeroom.Please see the flyer in Friday Folders for more information.
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LAST CALL! Cookies & Ornaments - Orders Due Dec. 5th
Place your order by December 5th. Cookies and ornaments may be picked up from Santa and his helpers on Saturday, Dec. 11, 6:30-8pm at the school entrance. A sweet ending to your Christmas lights tour!
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Cookie Decorating Kit
$30.00
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Holiday Cookie Assortment
$25.00
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St. Louis 2021-22 Ornament
$12.00
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Have you ever wondered how to motivate your children especially your teens? Please sign up for this FREE webinar with the StudyPro where they'll have two national bestsellers talking about just this subject. The Webinar is being held Friday December 10th at 9am. If you can't attend, you will receive the replay. Here's the link to register for this webinar.
In addition, the StudyPro has their past webinars on their website. There's a great one on anxiety, and there's a parenting panel webinar. The link for those are right here.
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Hawks Soar Project
Through the Hawk Tree House, St. Louis School allows all students in grades 5 through 8* an opportunity to manage, organize, and run a school store for St. Louis School Students. The collaborative team will be given an opportunity to work together, develop student leadership skills, and support one another with varying learning levels in a cross-curricular project - the Hawks Soar Project. For information on how your child can participate in this project, please click here.
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The items available for purchase include:
(cash or check only)
- Pencil Top Erasers $0.25
- Pencils $0.50
- Stress Balls $2.00
- Snack Attack Sharpener/Eraser $2.00
- Beach Ball $2.00
- Pop-Its $2.50
- Frisbee $2.50
- Jump Ropes $3.00
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Hawk Tree House
Student Store
Help us to fulfill the St. Louis School mission to LOVE, LEARN, LEAD!
Our students LEAD a supply store on Friday afternoons!
Your student can LEARN to count money by purchasing and paying for items from the store during lunch period.
St. Louis LOVES like Christ, and all profits from the store will be used to support the Poor Clare Monastery!
So, get your Christmas shopping done early! We look forward to seeing you at the Hawk Tree House!
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Share with us how your family prepares for Christmas! We'll feature your photos in our "Let Every Hawk Prepare Him Room" social media campaign throughout December.
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The season of Advent is truly a joyful and wondrous time for our preschool family! Our little ones are busy working on special projects, celebrating St. Nicholas Day and learning about the greatest gift that God the Father gave to us.
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Hawk Happenings - Week of December 6, 2021 |
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Saturday, December 4
- Yay Lunch! order before midnight!
Sunday, December 5
Monday, December 6
- 11:30 Dismissal; No PM EDC
Wednesday, December 8
- Mass - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (All regular uniform)
- Spirit Dinner @ &pizza, 11am-midnight
Friday, December 10
- Taping of Lessons & Carols (All K-5 students in regular uniform)
Saturday, December 11
- Christmas Lights Tour, 6:30-8pm
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CALENDAR UPDATE:
Please note, Friday, December 17 is an 11:30 dismissal day. Afternoon EDC will not be available.
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Did you know you can subscribe to our school calendar for real-time updates, convenient links to SUGs and flyers, and more? Subscribe to auto-populate your iCal, Outlook 2007+ or Google calendar
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If you were there, you know that our first In-Person Trivia Night was a blast! Thank you, Meghan Roberts and Laura Cheney for a fantastic evening!
A visit from Santa was the perfect way to start the holiday season. Thank you, Lisa Costello and Katye North for a magical morning!
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&pizza Spirit Lunch and Dinner - December 8
Help raise some serious dough for the St. Louis PTO by ordering from &pizza at 5926 Kingstowne Towne Center from 11 AM until midnight on Wednesday, December 8. Place an order in shop (with flyer) or online (with code SLPTO) and 50% will be donated back to St. Louis PTO.
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AmazonSmile
If you’re shopping online for the holidays, be sure to sign up for AmazonSmile and designate St. Louis Catholic School as the charitable organization of your choice. With every purchase of an eligible product, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the organization you select. This is an easy way to support our school! More information can be found here.
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Box Tops for Education
Keep scanning those receipts and invite friends and family to help our school! Download the Box Tops for Education app and when you share your referral code with friends, they’ll get 20 Box Tops for scanning their first receipt, and so will you! Here is a list of participating products.
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VOLUNTEER
COORDINATORS
Jannette Amedome
Juliette Theroux
Don't forget to log your volunteer hours!
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
VIRTUS REQUIRED:
Cafeteria Helpers - December
Parent volunteers are needed to assist with receiving, sorting and distributing Yay Lunches AND selling ice cream. This is a 2-hour a week commitment from 11am-1pm. Sign up HERE.
Recess Monitors - January & February
We are in need of recess monitors during outdoor recess in January & February. It includes supervising all grades from K-8 between 11:30am and 1:40pm daily. Fill out and send in the interest form.
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A reflection for the first week of Advent... |
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St. Louis School Parents Rosary Group
Are you interested in joining other parents to pray the rosary for our kids, teachers, staff and priests at St. Louis? Complete this survey, and starting in 2022, we’ll gather once a week after morning drop-off to pray together!
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West Potomac High School Youth Night - Dec. 10
The West Potomac Girls Basketball Staff and players are hosting a "Youth Night" event next Friday, December 10th at West Potomac High School. All 3 levels (Freshman, JV, and Varsity) will compete against our crosstown rival Mount Vernon, with games being held at 4:30, 5:45, and 7:30. There will be lots of free give aways, chances to win prizes, and an opportunity to meet the Varsity team after the game.
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Troop 680 Christmas Wreath Sale
Boy Scout Troop 680 is selling fresh Christmas wreaths, sprays, table top trees & centerpieces after morning masses on Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and 12. Come by the teachers’ parking lot after 8:45, 10:30 and 12:30 masses to purchase a wreath and support the scouts. Items can be purchased online as well at: https://giftitforward.com/ and use our code TR680VA001. Thank you for your support.
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ProLife Christmas Caroling
Saturday, December 18, 2021 9:30 am to 11:00 am (pray@9)
Alexandria Womens Health Clinic 5999 Stevenson Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia
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