February 9, 2023

Dear St. Louis Families,

Happy Thursday! In our Mass yesterday, Fr. Thompson reminded students that they are loved and worthy because each one of the students has met God’s standard, and that is what matters most. It is a beautiful reminder for all of us, that we don’t need to measure to anyone’s standard but God’s, because we are lovable as we are, special as we are.

Throughout the month of February, as we celebrate Black History Month, one of the things we will be doing schoolwide is learning about the contributions and impact of important men and women of color. This week we focused on 6 Black Catholics who are on the road to sainthood---you can learn about them too https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/saints/saints-activities/resource-collections/on-the-road-to-sainthood/. I am partial to Sr. Thea Bowman, who was a Servant of God, Educator, Missionary Disciple, and Advocate for Cultural Awareness and Racial harmony. She led a remarkable life and was drawn to Catholicism through witnessing the love and care Catholics expressed in their communities and among those in need.

It is National School Counselors Week, and we are grateful to have a counseling team that supports our students, families, and staff. Mrs. Cotnoir, Mrs. Miller, and Mrs. O’Connor help our students identify their individual strengths and cultivate skills that will last a lifetime, as well as help them feel their feelings and power through big emotions so that they can be successful academically, socially, and personally. We are lucky to have such a resourceful team.

Next week is Kindness Week which is fitting since it also includes Valentine’s Day. Students may wear comfy clothes in red, white, and pink and bring $2 on February 14th. The money raised is supporting Catholic tuition for St. Anne’s School in Cameroon—just $150 covers the cost of a Catholic education for one student. St. Louis 6th graders have been connecting with a 6th grade class at St. Anne’s, and we are thrilled to be able to learn from one another and support the gift of Catholic school. Additionally, throughout the week students will be practicing an attitude of kindness, love, and respect through random acts of kindness.

Please consider joining staff and administration at the 8:45 Mass this Sunday, February 12th. School families are encouraged to attend and join together for pancakes at the Knights of Columbus Pancake breakfast afterwards. We were excited to see so many families last month and hope if you didn’t make it then, you will join us this time around.

Trivia Night is Friday night—hoping to see many there! Thank you to Mrs. Roberts and her committee for making this event a great way to connect with friends and enjoy some comraderie

Blessings and Peace,

Anne Dyke

Principal

A HUGE thank you goes out to the CSW Subcommittee Chairs - Cat Graf (Art Project), Liz Fallon (Teacher Treats), Carly Prow (Community Service Project), Michelle Boling (Teacher Luncheon), Meghan Roberts and Natalie Salisbury (Cultural Arts Assembly), Alison Kennedy (Faith Appreciation), and Monica Simental and Annemarie Silis (Bake Sale). We are grateful to have such committed and talented volunteers, you truly helped make this past week a memorable one. Many thanks again to Mrs. Reeder, Mrs. Dyke and Mrs. Calogero, and the fabulous CSW Teacher Leads who supported various events throughout the week - Mrs. Crooker (Saints Alive), Mrs. Brown (Spelling Bee), Mrs. Long (Faith Friendly Feud), Mrs. Thomas (Ice Cream Treats), Mrs. Blaha (Spirit Day), Mrs. Ledbetter (Teacher Swap), Miss Donahue (Teacher vs. 8thGrade – Minute to Win It), and the 5th grade team, Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Downs (Wax Museum) – we appreciate you all!

Many thanks to the families and students of St. Louis for donating your time, baked goods, and toiletries (1,400 items were donated!). Your support this past week has been appreciated by the school, the teachers, and the families that will benefit from your generous donations.