St. Louis Catholic School Newsletter | |
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February 8, 2024
Dear St. Louis School Parents,
I hope this message finds you well. As February unfolds, we are blessed with the opportunity to honor and celebrate Black History Month. Our Catholic faith encourages us to recognize the richness and diversity of our community, and this month provides a special time for reflection and appreciation.
Today, I'd like to draw attention to our saint of the day, St. Josephine Bakhita. St. Josephine was a Sudanese-born former slave who became a Canossian nun in Italy. Her life story is a testament to the transformative power of faith and the enduring spirit of resilience. St. Josephine Bakhita teaches us the importance of overcoming adversity with grace and forgiveness, embodying the love and compassion at the core of our Catholic values.
As we celebrate Black History Month, let us be inspired by St. Josephine's example and strive to foster an inclusive and welcoming community within our school.
On a practical note, this time of year often brings growth spurts for our students. We kindly ask parents to check and ensure that uniform pants and skirt lengths adhere to our school's uniform policy. Your cooperation in maintaining a neat and uniform appearance contributes to the overall positive atmosphere of our school.
Additionally, a gentle reminder regarding cell phone usage at school. Students are not permitted to bring cell phones into the building unless a form is on file with the school office. If necessary, phones must be turned over to the homeroom teacher upon entry. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in maintaining a focused and distraction-free learning environment.
I would like to express our gratitude to the PTO Board and the Auction Committee for their tireless efforts in organizing the upcoming school auction. Your dedication and hard work are truly commendable, and we are eagerly looking forward to a fabulous evening. I encourage all parents to join us this Saturday night at the auction for a wonderful time of community building and support for our school.
Thank you for your continued partnership in nurturing the growth and development of our students. May God's blessings be with you and your families.
Peace,
Anne Dyke
Principal
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Yearbook News
Be a part of our 2023-24 school yearbook! To order a yearbook or upload photos for the yearbook, visit buytheyearbook.pictavo.com. Use Google Chrome for best results. For more information about purchasing or contirbuting photos for the yearbook, please see the attached flyer. Questions about the yearbook may be sent to Mrs. Ferguson, cferguson@stlouisschool.org.
Club/Group Photos will be taken on Monday, February 12th. A make-up date will not be offered for students who are absent.
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Vaping Program Parent Zoom (5th-7th Gr.)
We are happy to announce that we will be offering the Catch My Breath Vaping Prevention Program again this year. Students in grades 5-7 will have four weekly lessons with Ms. Lauren Hitz, a prevention specialist from Fairfax County. We are blessed to be among other Catholic Schools in our Diocese to offer this important program for our students. There will be a parent zoom session on Tuesday, February 13 at 6:30pm. It will last about 30 minutes and will include an overview of the lessons followed by a Q and A session. Here’s the zoom link for February 13th:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82353557171?pwd=enRjT2RlbjVhMWtoZ1IybnNBSCtMZz09
Meeting ID: 823 5355 7171
Passcode: 786391
Coffee with the Counselor February 13
Please join us for our FIRST Coffee with the Counselor meeting at the Little Way Café on Tuesday, February 13th from 8-9am. Mrs. Cotnoir will be sharing her top two tips for parenting with confidence for ALL ages. Coffee will be available for purchase. Can’t wait to see you there. Please email jcotnoir@stlouisschool.org with any questions.
StudyPro Webinar February 15, 9am
“What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew”. Information and registration here
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2024-25 Re-Registration Important Dates
February 16, 2024 - Re-registration fee automatically posted to FACTS.
March 1, 2024 - Open spots released to new applicants.
March 13, 2024 - Financial aid applications due through FACTS. (Note, if you have a student enrolled in a diocesan high school, your financial aid deadline was January 5, 2024.)
April 1, 2024 - Last day for military families to notify the school of intent to stay or release spots being held. The non-refundable re-registration fee will be automatically posted to FACTS in April if we do not hear from you.
April 8, 2024 - Annual Parish Acknowledgement Form due from all current school families.
April 8, 2024 - Proof of Active Duty status due from military families wishing to be considered for a Catholic tuition rate.
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PAST DATES:
February 1, 2024 - Re-enrollment Opt-out/Hold Form due from families who will not be returning for the 2024-25 school year, or active duty military families who may be awaiting orders.
February 1, 2024 - Last day to contact Mrs. Fiesel (pfiesel@stlouisschool.org) with special re-registration payment requests.
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Hawk Happenings: Feb. 9 - 16, 2024 | |
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Friday, February 9
Saturday, February 10
Sunday, February 11
Monday, February 12
- Lunch: Teriyaki Chicken
- All School Mass
Tuesday, February 13
- NO FFS HOT LUNCH
- Shrove Tuesday Pancake Lunch (pre-orders only)
- NO Ice cream
- Counselor's Coffee, 8am
- Vaping Program Parent Zoom, 7pm
Wednesday, February 14
- NO FFS HOT LUNCH
- Ash Wednesday All School Mass
Thursday, February 15
- Lunch: Pancakes
- Ice cream available
- $2 Heart Health Tag Day
Friday, February 16
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FULL SCHOOL CALENDAR
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
*Hot lunch must be ordered monthly in advance.
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Order hot lunch HERE.
March lunch orders due
February 28, 9pm.
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Tickets may be pre-purchased to redeem for ice cream on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Order ice cream tickets HERE.
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Extracurricular Activities | |
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Girls on the Run and Heart & Sole
Hello St. Louis families. We are happy to announce Girls on the Run (4th & 5th grade) will be back this year along with the middle school program which is called Heart & Soul. These programs are a 10-week positive youth development program. Participants will have fun, make friends, increase their physical activity, and learn important lessons to last a lifetime! There is a celebratory 5K event to end the season - open to friends and family! Practices will be after school on Tuesday's and Thursday's until 5pm. Practices will start March 5th. You can register online at www.gotrnova.org. Registration ends February 27th. Hope to see your girls there!
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Spirit Dinner @ Olympians - February 20 & 21
Keep that spirit high! Our January Spirit Dinner was a tremendous success, and we have a great location lined up for February! Dine in or carry out ALL DAY on Tuesday, February 20th and February 21st at Olympians Family Restaurant! See the flier for more details - you can also order online, just be sure to note the St. Louis Spirit Dinner for credit. All proceeds benefit the St. Louis PTO. Questions? Contact kgodburn@gmail.com.
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Bidding closes at 11:59pm on Sunday, February 11th!
Don’t miss out, bid HERE.
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Online Auction is LIVE!!!!
Bid on fabulous St. Louis exclusive items–
- Teacher experiences,
- Prime seats to Kindergarten Moving Up and 8th Grade Graduation,
- EDC priority access
- Class comfy clothes day
- Early Bird entry to the Summer Used Uniform Sale
- And more!
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Still want to come to the Auction?!
Limited tickets available here. Don’t miss out on live music from the Darby Brothers, fabulous food and drinks by Krystle Island, the raffle for a Superbowl Party Packed Yeti cooler, and fabulous silent auction items like class pottery projects, sign-on parties, class baskets, and much more!
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Current Opportunities in Connect 1
Lunch Room Monitors
Library Volunteers
Supplies for Nurse's Clinic
PTO Auction Volunteer
1st Grade Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day Parties
2nd Grade Valentine's Day Party
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Feb. 11: 2nd Sunday School Families Mass and Pancakes!
St. Louis School families are invited to worship together at 8:45am Mass on February 11 at Saint Louis. Join together in fellowship afterward at the Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast in the cafeteria.
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From Inclusion to Belonging Conference - February 17th
The Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, invites all school personnel and parents to a full-day conference that seeks to bring together individuals involved in all aspects of parish life and equip them with the tools necessary to make inclusive communities that are accessible to all. The conference also seeks to bring together mental health professionals and persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to discuss ways that professionals can better serve these individuals and their families.
The conference will be held at St. John Paul the Great High School on February 17th. Register here.
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Saint Louis Parish CYO Hawks Take the Court!
All Hawks play in locations around the diocese this week due to a private event (the auction!) in McClunn Hall. Good luck and Go Hawks!
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Let's Go CYO Hawks Cheerleaders!
Please join our amazing Saint Louis Parish CYO Hawks Cheerleaders this weekend at the 2024 Bishop Ireton HS Cardinal Winter Blast Cheerleading Competition. Saturday, February 10th from 2:00 - 4:30 (doors open at 1:30), $5 pp (under age 5 is free) at Bishop Ireton HS. Our cheerleaders and coaches have worked tirelessly for months, and now it's time for us to cheer THEM on! Don’t miss out on the fun!
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Hawks on Stage
Mount Vernon Community Children's Theatre presents The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood. You may think you know the story of Robin Hood, but you’ve never seen one quite like this! Join MVCCT on an unforgettable journey through Sherwood Forest!
Showtimes:
7pm: February 17, 23, 24
3pm: February 18, 25
Tickets available here: www.mvcct.org/tickets
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Fort Hunt Softball Registration
Register your daughter (ages 6 to 18) for Fort Hunt Softball now! Join St. Louis friends for the spring season, running from late March to early June. Beginners are welcome.
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