Newsletter - October 3, 2016

Dear St. Francis School Families,

AUTUMN PSALM OF FEARLESSNESS
- Father Edward Hays

I am surrounded by a peaceful ebbing
as creation bows to the mystery of life;
all that grows and lives must give up life,
yet it does not really die.
As plants surrender their life,
bending, brown and wrinkled,
and yellow leaves of trees
float to my lawn like parachute troops,
they do so in a sea of serenity.
I hear no fearful cries from creation,
no screams of terror,
as death daily devours
once-green and growing life.
Peaceful and calm is autumn=s swan song,
for she understands
that hidden in winter=s death-grip
is springs openhanded,
full-brimmed breath of life.
It is not a death rattle that sounds
over fields and backyard fences;
rather I hear a lullaby
softly swaying upon the autumn wind.
Sleep in peace, all that lives;
slumber secure, all that is dying,
for in every fall there is the rise
whose sisters name is spring.


Virtue Awards:  This year we are working on monthly virtues awards which we started last year. During September we worked on being Attentive and in October we will focus on Diligence. We will work in one virtue per month, please ask your child what they mean.

Virtue Awards for Being Attentive:
Attentive – Listening with the Ears, Eyes and Heart.
My child, pay attention to what I say.  Listen carefully to my words.   Proverbs 4:20

4YK: 
Tate Francis
Ben Johnson                            

Kindergarten:  
Taelyn Hines
Gretta Rewolinski

1st Grade:  
Amelia Dopp
Lucy Feuerhelm
Evie Peterson 

2nd Grade: 
Sienna Lansing    
Reese Matzek

3rd Grade: 
Connor Flanigan
Maggie Pechacek

4th Grade:  
Karli Gutting
Sam Hines

5th Grade:  
Bayla Langer 
Gabby McChane

FIELD TRIPS: If you plan to chaperone a field trip, be sure that proper Safe Environment forms are on file in the school office and your background check is current.  Also, our parish requires everyone who volunteers to fill out and sign the Volunteer Workers Hold Harmless Agreement.  If your paperwork is not up to date, the required forms are included in your weekly envelope.  Remember, forms were due by September 21st.  

WATKINS FUNDRAISER: The sale will run through Oct. 10.  No late orders will be accepted. Catalogs and order forms were included in last week’s packet. Contact the school office if you need more forms.

SCHOOL COLORS DAY/CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF ST. FRANCIS/PET BLESSING - OCT. 4:
The feast day of our school and parish patron saint, St. Francis of Assisi, is Tuesday October 4. This day is always one of great celebration for our entire parish!  We will attend the 8:30 a.m. Mass on Tuesday, and students are encouraged to show their school spirit by dressing in school colors, blue and white.  We do not permit face paint or hair color on any school color days. We will have a special blessing of animals, following the Mass, on the grassy area east of our church. Our 4YK students will also attend the pet blessing that day. The blessing will be moved to the parish hall if it is raining.

FOURTH GRADE WILL RECEIVE THEIR BIBLES – TUESDAY OCTOBER 4: The Knights of Columbus will be presenting our fourth grade class with their bibles on Tuesday, October 4 during Mass.  

FIFTH GRADE MEMORY BOOK QUESTIONNAIRE: If you have not returned your Fifth Grade Questionnaire please do so this week.  Remember to include a Kindergarten photo of your child!

HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION MEETING: We hope you can join us this Thursday, Oct. 6th at 6 PM for our first meeting. It is for all parents, guardians and parish members. It will take place in the parish hall. In the weekly white envelope you’ll find the agenda. Attending will be a great way to be a participant in our school and will allow you to stay informed about what goes on behind the scenes. 
 
Kentucky Derby style hats will be auctioned off during the meeting or you could choose to decorate a hat of your own after the meeting with the help of the Wine and Wishes decorating committee. These hats are perfect for the Run for Roses Wine and Wishes event that is coming up on Nov. 5th. 
 
Child care will be provided in a classroom, snacks will be served after the meeting and by attending you’re eligible for a door prize. The class with the biggest percentage of parents in attendance will also receive a learning activity prize (please see attachment). 

GRADE 5 - FIELD TRIP TO THE MN ZOO – MON., OCT. 10:  Fifth grade students will take a field trip to the MN Zoo on Mon., Oct. 10.  Please return the permission slip and fee by Wed. Oct. 5th.

NO SCHOOL: There will be no school on Friday, October 14th. This is an in-service day for teachers 

4H AWARDS: Ann Webb from the Pierce County 4H office will be at St. Francis School on Wednesday, October 12th from 12:00 to 12:45 to distribute and cash checks for prizes students received at the Pierce County Fair.
                        
PICTURE RE-TAKES - OCT. 28: Our picture re-take day is scheduled for Fri., Oct. 28.  If you wish to have your child’s photo re-taken, please return the complete original package to the office by Wed., Oct. 12.

ALL-SCHOOL ASSEMBLY - OCT. 27: The Windy City Players will perform at St. Francis on Thursday, October 27th.

SPECIAL HALLOWEEN BREAKFAST - OCT. 28: We have a tradition of celebrating Halloween with a special breakfast for students, complete with pumpkins carved by our fifth grade class.  More information will be sent as the date nears!

NEW JMC INFORMATION:  Please see attachment for all the details.

REMINDER FOR ABSENCES, APPOINTMENTS, LATE ARRIVALS, ETC: If your child will be absent due to illness or arriving late due ¬to an early dentist appointment, etc., please call the school office by 8:00 a.m. on the morning of the absence.  Because the answering machine is on 24 hours a day, you may call at any time before 8:00.  You are also required to send a dated, written note explaining the reason for the absence with your child on the day he/she returns.  According to diocesan directives, we must have a written excuse, indicating the date, reason, and parent signature, from the parent/guardian kept on file for each absence or tardy.
If your child needs to leave school early for an appointment or funeral, please send a note with him/her stating the date, time he/she needs to leave, and who will pick him/her up.  You do not need to call unless he/she will not be in school for the 7:45 a.m. attendance roll.  This note should be given to your child’s teacher who will send it to the office.  Parents are required to come into the office to sign out their son/daughter each time the student leaves school before the end of the school day at 2:50 p.m. If your child is late (after 7:45 a.m.), you, as parent or guardian, need to come into the office with your child to sign your child in, and provide a written excuse, before the child goes to the classroom.

Have an awesome week!  Please call or e-mail if you have questions: 715-273-4391

Mary Gardas                        Jim Streifel
Head Teacher                      Administrator