St. Mary's Visitation Parish School's Mission Statement
St. Mary's Visitation Catholic Parish School exists to direct children toward God and toward Christian Service to society through Catholic religious formation, academic challenge, and continuous improvement.
Principal Notes

Dear Families,

Next week is Ash Wednesday and it begins the forty days of Lent that leads to Easter. On Ash Wednesday, we come together to remind ourselves that we don’t always follow God’s ways and need to ask God for His mercy and forgiveness. Like God’s people in the time of the prophets, we wear ashes to show that we want to turn away from whatever keeps us from God, and to have a change of heart, so that we can live in right relationship with God and each other. 

For Catholics, Ash Wednesday is also a day of fasting and abstaining from meat. Fasting reminds us that food alone cannot make us happy. We must also be fed with prayer, with God’s Word and by meeting Jesus in the Sacraments, especially Reconciliation and Eucharist. The small sacrifices we make during Lent make room in our hearts to welcome the risen Jesus at Easter. Please take some time to talk with your children about the meaning of Lent and discuss together what could be a meaningful sacrifice for this time. Join us for Mass at 8:00 on Wednesday morning to begin our Lenten journey. (K3, K4 and K5 will not be attending mass, instead Fr. Behling will be coming to their classroom to distribute ashes.)

Just a reminder, there is no mass on Tuesday.

Our Lenten theme is,” Lent Lights the Way to Jesus.” Click here for the electronic copy of our Lenten Overview. On Friday your student will be bringing home a hard copy of our lenten overview.

We will be participating in Catholic Relief Services Operation Rice Bowl. Your donations of loose change will help the needs of our global community. Bowls will be going home tomorrow.

Also, we are asking you to help the clients of Milwaukee’s House of Peace by filling a special brown bag with personal hygiene products for them. Clients of this agency are the homeless, unemployed and underemployed of the inner city of Milwaukee. Through this collection, we join in solidarity with them so as to be one in Christ with “the least of these.” Bags will be going home tomorrow. 

“We are called to experience the encounter with Christ, so that, enlightened by his light, we might take it and make it shine everywhere. Igniting little lights in people’s hearts; being little lamps of the Gospel that bear a bit of love and hope: this is the mission of a Christian.” Pope Francis

Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki
Mrs. Tretow, the Principal is reading to the K4 students on Pajama Day.
Office Notes
Have you seen SMV's Facebook page? If not, please click here to discover it. We sometimes show different photos than what is in our VB.

GoRiteway Phone number
414-249-5048
Save the Date
February 25
End of Second Trimester
Sunset Playhouse
March 1
IOWA Testing Begins
March 2
Ash Wednesday
Do you want to ride to school in a fire truck? The Flint family was the Fire Truck auction winner. The boys and Mr. Flint got a ride to school last week.
SMV Christian Women Announcements
Sunday, February 27 DONUT SUNDAY
Come enjoy a donut ahead of Fat Tuesday after all Sunday masses. There will also be a simple Mardi Gras craft for kids

Wednesday, March 2 MORNING OF REFLECTION
Please see the attached flyer for additional details and register online at  givecentral.org/CW_ashwednesday .

Tuesday, March 29 SALAD SUPPER
It's back! Mark your calendar for this well-loved SMV tradition. Additional details to come.

Thursday, May 5 MAY CROWNING
All families are invited to attend this evening event with participation from all parish First Communicates and our school's 8th graders. Additional details to come.
COVID Reminders
  • Notify the office immediately when you find out if your child is a close contact or tests positive for COVID.
  • If your child is in quarantine/isolation, Nicole Klein will contact you.
  • Contact Nicole Klein, nklein@stmaryeg.org, with any questions. 
These K3 boys are proud of putting the dinosaur puzzle together.
The 5th grade boys after their win over St. Mary's Menomonee Falls. Ms. Scanlan came to watch.
We are glad to offer prayers for your special intentions and consider it a privilege to pray for you and your needs. Please contact Mary Sue Protz via email with your requests, msprotz@stmaryeg.org. Confidentiality is always respected.
Here are the 4th graders with their recorders.
Congratulations to Joe Walters on recently being named a National Merit Finalist. He will be graduating from Brookfield East in 2022 and is a SMV 2018 graduate.
Home and School Updates

Parent volunteers are the backbone of our H&S events & fundraising. You help give SMV the reputation for being such a fun school with fantastic families (even during the past 2 years)! In common, you have a love for SMV and a desire to help make it a wonderful place to be! Thank you to everyone who has given an hour, a day, a month or more.
These special parents are at it all year long!

Thank you to:
Maren Kleinmann for managing SMV's SCRIP program. SCRIP helps you fundraise at your favorite places to eat & shop, earning you rebates for tuition as well!

Amy Scheidt and Anne Mueller for planning our Shop & Dine fundraisers! They partner with restaurants/stores who will give a certain percentage of purchases back to SMV on a given day.

Katie Schultz for managing our Spirit Wear program, ensuring that your family will be dressed in the finest, and most comfortable Gladiator gear (while supporting SMV)!

Katie Bosbous & Nikki Simon (& their fantastic team of parents) who provide treats and lunches for our teachers throughout the year!

Mary Sue Larsen (K4 aide) for keeping us appraised of Land's End deals & Updates, along with managing our Box Top program!

SMV's H&S Board: Andrea Stollenwerk & Katy Edwards (VPs), Annie Bolger (Treasurer), Jill Nordstrom (Volunteer Coordinator) & Alicia Braatz (Secretary).
AUCTION TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! TICKETS.If you are purchasing individual tickets (instead of a table for 10) you may indicate special requests (i.e. sit with this person or with families from a certain grade) at the time of purchase. If you do not have a special request, you will be seated at a table with new friends! 

DON'T DELAY, GET YOUR GOLDEN TICKETS IN TODAY!
The Golden Ticket is a magical ticket. You pay $100 & select a live auction item of your choice. If your ticket is drawn, you win, the selected live item!! Hawaii? Dinner for 10? Milwaukee Night Away? So many amazing choices for only the cost of your ticket!!! Only 75 tickets will be sold, increasing your odds! You may purchase more than one ticket, just contact us at auction@stmaryeg.org! We must sell at least 50 or your money will be refunded. You do not need to be present to win!! Preview live auction items HERE to help you chose! Return your stub, along with a $100 check (Preferred) or cash to the school office.

SMV Auction News
Donations and Sponsorships for the auction can be made online HERE  or you may drop off your check or item at the school office! Thank you for your generosity!
Danielle Mathai and Michelle Akel auction co-chairs