Dear Families,
We are getting ready to start the season of Advent on Sunday. Keeping this in mind, our Advent theme for this year is“A Season of Joyful Anticipation.” It is important that we remember we are celebrating the season of Advent before we begin celebrating the season of Christmas. Advent is the season of the Liturgical Year when we joyfully anticipate the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World. We will focus the next few weeks on Advent. We will meet every Monday morning during Advent in three separate levels starting on Monday, December 4th. Each Monday, with the help of students, I hold an Advent prayer service and we light one new candle in the Advent wreath.
Using our Diocesan theme, “Let Us Build the Kingdom of God,” we are encouraging students and their families to paint stones at home to bring in and add to those already in our lobby. These stones can be painted with symbols of joy for Advent and Christmas, such as angels, bells, stars, etc. or they can be painted pink or purple, the colors of our Advent candles.
During the month of December, we will continue to start our day with the same Beatitude from November – “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.” This goes with the shared November/December value of humility.
Sacrament of Confirmation is tomorrow, December 2ndAll are welcome to join us in church at 10 am as our Eighth Graders receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Thank you to Mr. Limmina for preparing them for this very special day. Please pray for a beautiful day for our students as they receive this Sacrament and that they may be abundantly filled with the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord (now referred to as Wonder and Awe). The Most Reverend W. Francis Malooly, D.D., Bishop Emeritus of Wilmington, will celebrate this Mass with Father Wrightson and Father Sleeva.
Renaissance Testing
This week began our second testing window for Renaissance Tests. Students will again be assessed in the areas of Reading and Math. This will show us what areas have seen improvement and what skills teachers may need to put more emphasis on. Please be sure your child arrives on time for these testing weeks. Many classes are now testing in their classrooms on Chromebooks or iPads, so it is important that classes not be disrupted while testing.
Santa Shop
We are once again excited to have our Santa Shop next week. Santa Shop will be open Monday, December 4th to Wednesday, December 6th, with each class having a designated shopping time on one of those three days. This exciting annual event allows children to independently shop for affordable gifts for their families and friends. This event is brought to us by the Home and School Board with the hope that it will take some things off your busy and full to-do lists by letting children do their holiday shopping in school instead of taking them to crowded stores. Our elves will be on hand to help your children with shopping and budgeting. All proceeds benefit the school. Look for the information that was sent home this week.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
We will be having our Friday Mass at 8 am this upcoming Friday, December 8th. This is a Holy Day of Obligation, one of six special days throughout the Liturgical Year when Catholics are to attend Mass. If you are able, we invite you to attend!
Our parish community is always welcome at these Masses and it is a joyful experience with the Antonians and our students singing their praise to God and Jesus.
Bishop Koenig Visit
Most Reverend William E. Koenig, D.D., Bishop of Wilmington, will come to school on Wednesday, December 13th to celebrate Mass with our students and staff at 10:00 am.
Cold Weather Reminders
Students will go outside for recess every day unless the temperature is too low or there is rain/snow. Many children have come to school underdressed for the weather. All students will go outside with their class, regardless of their outerwear. We do not have the staff to watch children who do not wear appropriate outerwear for recess.
NO AFTER CARE on Wednesday, December 6th and Friday, December 22nd
On December 6th, we will be having our School Staff Christmas Party at 3:15 pm. December 22nd is a noon dismissal and marks the beginning of Christmas Break. Please arrive promptly at 3:15 on December 6th so our staff may enjoy the Christmas party all together and noon on December 22nd so that our staff may join their friends and family and begin their Christmas break.
Thank You to Our Home and School Association and Parent Volunteers!
The students were able to enjoy a delicious sundae bar the day before Thanksgiving break thanks to our Home and School Association and the parents who volunteered to come in to serve/make the sundaes. The students (and staff) enjoyed this delicious treat during lunch! Thank you so much for your generosity and time!
Congratulations to our November Students of the Month! These students were recognized by their teachers as being responsible individuals. Congratulations to Vinnie Filingeri (PK3), Ausette DeJarnette (PK4), Denver Bey (K), Graham Smith (1st), Maddison Teasdale (2nd), Jillian Krevchuck (3rd), Liam Teasdale (4th), Sarah Bedhief (5th), Gabby Krevchuck (6th), Rachel Hill (7th), and Nora Farrell (8th). Way to go!
Christmas Program – December 22nd at 10 am in the School Gym Students have been practicing already for our Christmas Program. This is one of our largest attended events during the school year. Due to the size of this event, we will not be dismissing anyone after 9:30 am. If you do not want your child to participate in the Christmas Program or you do not want them to stay until noon for dismissal, they must be picked up prior to 9:30 am. Once students are in the Gym and the program begins, all students will remain in the gymnasium until they are dismissed by their teachers. We will not dismiss any students after their class has performed. We do not have extra staff on hand to bring children out of the gym, to their classrooms to collect belongings, and then to the lobby to meet parents. I appreciate your cooperation on this matter.
For those attending the Christmas Program: Please enter the school using the main entrance. If you arrive late to the program, please wait in the hallway and do not interrupt the performers on stage by entering the Gym. There will be a short break after each class sings for the next class to move to the stage and for anyone to enter or exit the gym.
Salesianum Seniors visit and learn
We will once again be hosting our Salesianum Seniors on site from January 3rd through January 12th. Our students LOVED having these Salesian gentlemen in their classrooms and we are happy to have them back with us. Our teachers will
welcome them into our classrooms and hope they are inspired to pursue careers in Catholic education after their stay with us.
New Opportunity for Helping our Planet
In alignment with one of our core Franciscan values, the Covenant with the Earth, we consistently seek ways to preserve and safeguard the gift of our planet. To further this commitment, we are joining forces with Green Threads, LLC. (operating as Clothes Bin) to establish a Clothing and Shoe Program. A designated Clothes Bin will be placed at the corners of 10th and Scott Streets, conveniently located across from the cafeteria and to the left of the garage. We encourage you and your families to contribute by dropping off any new/gently used clothing and shoes for potential reuse and recycling. Under this initiative, the Recycler will purchase every pound of recycled clothing and shoes that we collect. Upon each servicing of the Clothes Bin, all items will be weighed, and we will receive compensation at a rate of $0.07 per pound for all recycled textiles. This collaboration underscores our ongoing dedication to environmental sustainability and responsible stewardship of our Earth.
Financial Aid Notice
We know this is a busy time of year for many people. Nevertheless, completed Financial Aid applications must be submitted no later than January 31st. Any applications received after January 31st will not be considered for financial aid. All families seeking financial aid, even those who have received it in the past MUST reapply. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Advent is the time we are given to welcome the Lord who comes to encounter us, and also to verify our longing for God, to look forward and prepare ourselves for Christ’s return. ~ Pope Francis
Upcoming Dates
Saturday, December 2
Confirmation – Church – 10:00 A.M.
Monday, December 4 – Wednesday, December 6
Santa Shop – Information was sent home this week
Friday, December 8
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mass – Church – 8:00 am
Wednesday, December 13
Mass with Bishop Koenig – Church – 10:00 am
Friday, December 22 – Noon Dismissal – NO AFTERCARE
Christmas Show – School Gym – 10:00 am
Saturday, December 23 – Tuesday, January 2
Christmas Break
Wednesday, January 3
School reopens
Friday, January 12
Noon Dismissal – NO AFTERCARE
Monday, January 16
No School – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Christmas Break will be from Saturday, December 23rd through Tuesday, January 2nd. I hope we all return on January 3rd rested and ready for a new year. The next issue of Tiger Talk will be in January 2023.
I wish everyone a very joyful and peaceful Advent and Christmas Season!
Advent Blessings,
Mrs. Judith J. White, Principal