Week in Review:
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Kindness week has been an incredible success! The events started last Saturday when a group of about 30 members of our school community went to a family’s home for Rake Up Boise and helped to fill about 70 bags of leaves. I spoke to the owner of the house, who had been there for over 50 years, and he expressed his gratitude for all of our hard work. It was a beautiful day, and St. Mary’s once again came out in force to help those in need.
Although this was a short week at school, our students and teachers packed it with lots of wonderful activities. Our classes worked very hard to make thank you cards and cards of encouragement to many groups in our area. Dozens of cards went to each of the following areas/groups: St. Alphonsus, St. Luke’s, West Valley Hospital, Primary Health, Fire Fighters, Police, and E.M.S. In their own way, our students wanted to show their appreciation and encouragement to all those who help us so much in our community. Our students also finished their Penny Challenge for the week and the results were amazing! Not only did we SMASH our record from last year that allowed us to buy 32 Pumpkin Pies, but we had enough money donated to buy a variety of other items that the Corpus Christi House needs for the people they serve. Needless to say, there has been a lot of Kindness going around this week.
As we move into next week and the smell of tasty Thanksgiving foods fills the air, let us not forget our calling as Christians to be Kind and Loving to everyone each day of the year. I think it is safe to say that the whole world could use more Kindness these days, so let it start with US. Let us pray for and help our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ because it builds the Kingdom of God on earth and it is what we are called to do. I pray that all f you have a wonderful Thanksgiving week that is filled with family, love, and time to recharge. May God bless and keep you all!
Need to Know:
- St. Mary’s Christmas Program is BACK!!!:
The Christmas Program is happening on Tuesday, December 14th at 6:00 pm in the church. This year it will feature students in PreK, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade as well as the Bands and Choir. Masks will be required for this event due to the anticipated number of attendees. If you have any questions or concerns please contact our music teacher, Mr. Peters, at mpeters@bk.org. - Candy Cane Crawl and Fun Run:
We will be hosting our inaugural Candy Cane Fun Run on Saturday, December 4th from 11:00 – 3:00 pm at Lowell Elementary School (across the street from St. Mary’s). Our PTO is looking for volunteers and local business partnerships! Please contact the PTO (straughnjessica@gmail.com) if you or your business is interested in helping us. Click HERE for more information and to register for this event. Please plan to attend this super fun and festive event!
Nice to Know:
- School Lunches:
Blimpie and Pizza Hut are now available for lunch orders for students via online submission (the December forms will come out before Thanksgiving break). These are charged through our FACTS portal. - School Pictures:
Class group & spring individual pictures, Cap & Gown (8th): Wednesday, February 16th (Mass Dress) - Important Volunteer Information/Opportunities:
We are currently looking for volunteers for morning recess, lunch coverage, and lunch recess. In order to volunteer at school, you must have your Safe Environment certification up to date and have a current Diocesan background check. If you are interested in signing up to be a volunteer, please email Mrs. Campanella.
PTO Corner:
- Candy Cane Crawl and Fun Run:
We will be hosting our inaugural Candy Cane Fun Run on Saturday, December 4th from 11:00 – 3:00 pm at Lowell Elementary School (across the street from St. Mary’s). Our PTO is looking for volunteers and local business partnerships! Please contact the PTO (straughnjessica@gmail.com) if you or your business is interested in helping us. More details will be coming home with your students, and you can register for the event at: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/stmarys/601316 Please plan to attend this super fun and festive event! - Next PTO Board Meeting:
Hey all, we are going to have our next PTO meeting on Wednesday, December 1st at 6:30 pm. You can join virtually via Zoom link or conference call: (888) 788-0099, meeting ID 89894203828. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89894203828 Please join us to stay connected to the life of the school! - Grandparents Club:
Mailers went home with students inviting grandparents to participate in this year’s West Side Grounds beautification project. Email (straughnjessica@gmail.com) if you’d like to participate and help buy some much-needed benches and picnic tables. - Dine Out and Support St. Mary’s:
St. Mary’s PTO has teamed up with some local restaurants to raise funds for our school. Our first Fundraiser Night will be on December 7th at Cafe Zupa’s (129 Broadway Ave). Just show up for dinner with your family and mention that you’re there to support St. Mary’s School and a portion of every sale will go to our school!
Important Dates (Right around the Corner):
- November 22-26 Thanksgiving Break (No School)
- December 1 Student Mass (Corpus Christi) They need gloves. Adult sizes (M, L, XL)
Important Dates (On the Horizon):
- December 4 Candy Cane Crawl and Fun Run (See details above)
- December 8 Student Mass (Treasure) Feast of the Immaculate Conception
- December 15 Student Mass (Talent)
- December 22 Student Mass (Food)
- December 22 Last Day of the Semester (Early Release @ Noon and NO AFTER CARE)
The complete School Calendar can be found on the Home Page or the Parents Quick Links Page. To have an event added to our School Calendar, email us at calendar@stmarys-boise.org.
Strategic Plan Updates
Click here to see the most recent updates on the Strategic Plan Projects, including the West Side Grounds Project, The Interior Project, and the Community Directory Project. We are currently looking for volunteers for these and other key initiatives. Whether you’re interested in helping lead a small project, or just have a few hours to help, please complete this quick form and we’ll contact you shortly about whatever you’re most interested in.
Wisdom from Our Young Scholars:
- From one of our Second Graders, “Fr. John is really good at directing traffic!!!” (Kind of a random comment, but I can personally attest to that!)
