May Newsletter

4YK Class Prayer

We thank you Lord for our school and friends. We are blessed that you made us special and have given us a family and a home. We are thankful for those who have been kind to us. Lord, please bless our parents and keep all of us safe.
We pray for those who don’t have food and need cheering up. We pray that there will be enough trees and that we take care of the Earth. Lord, thank you for all the blessings you have given us today and always. Amen

PRAYER PARTNERS: Please join us as we lift up Mrs.Karlstad and our 4YK students in prayer during the month of May.  Don’t worry about anything: instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6

VIRTUE AWARDS FOR PERSEVERENT:                                                                           
Perseverant – Being perseverant means you keep trying, even when it’s tough.
 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12
Hailee , Theo, Walker, Brielle
4YK – CAUGHT SHOWING CHARACTER:
Perseverant – Jewel 
FIRST COMMUNION:  Congratulations to the second and third grade students who received their First Holy Communion on Sunday, April 11.  Thank you to Mrs. Koch, Mrs. Foley and their classmates who helped them prepare for their special day!
LAST CHANCE!  2020-2021 YEARBOOK ORDERS:  Yearbook Online Ordering is open!  Visit https://ybpay.lifetouch.com to order. Our ID code is: 1934621.
EAGLES NEST PROGRAM:  Our Before School Eagles Nest will run through Wednesday, June 2nd and the last day for After School Eagles Nest for this year is Thursday, May 27. Monthly statements will be sent home on Friday May 28th. If you plan to utilize the last 2 days of Before School Eagles Nest before summer break, please make sure you have sufficient funds in your account.  Please watch for Eagles Nest registration information for next year in early August.
REGISTRATION FORMS FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR: Just a reminder to please send in your registration forms and tuition payment plans as soon as possible.  We are making plans for next year and would love to know how many of your kiddos will be joining us! There is tuition assistance available to help those in need of financial support. Father Olson has said countless times that those that need help paying tuition, will get help.  We will figure it out!  Please contact Mrs. Swanson for more information about tuition assistance for next year; all inquiries will be kept confidential. 
SPRING PICTURES:  Spring Pictures are here and will be sent home in your monthly envelope today. If you did not place an order you still can.  Ordering information is on your proof sheet.  Please remember that St. Francis School receives 20% of the sales. 
STEM LAB:  We are excited to be enhancing and building up our STEM LAB activities!  We are looking for items such as legos,  magnetic tiles, link & gears, pattern blocks, counting cubes, etc. Please be on the lookout for these items at garage sales, thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace or you may have them at home and be ready to donate them.  Thank you in advance for your help!
4YK - NO SCHOOL - WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, AND MONDAY, MAY 10: Our 4YK students will not have school on Wednesday, May 5 (Child Development Screening) and Monday, May 10.
CARPENTER NATURE CENTER - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28: Carpenter Nature Center will be bringing us an “un” field trip on Wednesday, April 28.  We will learn about Raptors in two assemblies tailored to the participating age groups. Our 2nd - 5th grade students will attend the assembly from 9:00 - 9:45 & our 3K - 1st grade students will attend the assembly from 10:00 - 10:45
WALK FOR VIRTUES - PLEDGE FORMS DUE WEDNESDAY, MAY 5:  Student pledge forms (not the money) are due next week, Wednesday, May 5.  The committee will copy them that evening.  A copy will be sent home with students on May 7, after the Walk, so that they are able to collect their pledges and turn in their money on Monday, May 10. 
SCHOOL COLOR DAY - FRIDAY, MAY 7: Students are encouraged to dress in school colors, blue and white, on Friday, May 7. Show your school pride! 
WALK FOR VIRTUES - FRIDAY, MAY 7: We’re very excited to walk together for this great fundraiser especially since we couldn’t last year!  This year’s goal is $11,000! We will gather at school to begin our walk at 8:30 am. We will walk from school to the Ellsworth High School Track. All students grades 4K-5 will be walking.  If you wish to bring your Preschool student with you on the walk, please talk with Mrs. McHardy.  
We strongly encourage parents of 4K students to walk with us. All parents and siblings are welcome.  Younger siblings need to be under the direct supervision of a parent at all times. While strollers may be used for younger siblings walking to the track, strollers of any kind are not allowed on the High School track. 4K-Grade 2 will walk from 8:30-11:00 and Grades 3-5 will walk from 8:30-11:30. 
SPRING PROGRAM REHEARSAL AND FILMING DATES (K - 5TH GRADE):  Our Students are excited about their program and are eager to share their singing and playing of their instruments!
Monday, May 10 and Tuesday, May 11:  Music classes will rehearse with accompanist Mrs. Lifto.  This will happen during their regular music class time
Wednesday, May 12 and Thursday, May 13: Filming will be done from 1:00 - 3:00 each day in the Parish Hall.
*Please be sure all students are in attendance these days unless they are ill. 
LAST CHANCE - CHRISTMAS/SPRING PROGRAMS AVAILABLE ON DVD:  Our Spring Program will be recorded and placed on a DVD along with our Christmas Program from last December, and the 5th grade Folktale!  If you’d like to purchase a copy of the DVD and haven’t already, please complete the order form, along with payment by Wednesday, April 28.  DVDs will be sent home prior to the end of the school year.   
GR. 5 - DARE GRADUATION, MASS OF COMPLETION, BRUNCH AND TREE PLANTING-THURS., MAY 27:  All of these wonderful 5th grade activities will be held on Thursday, May 27th.  Parents please mark your calendars!
9:00     Brunch in the Parish Hall (including breakfast, and 5th grade memory slideshow)
9:45     DARE Graduation (reading of DARE Essays and presentation of certificates)
10:30     Mass of Completion
11:00     Tree Planting at St. Francis Cemetery
12:00    Return to School for lunch and lessons
MEMORIAL DAY – MONDAY, MAY 31 - NO SCHOOL:  Students do not have classes Monday, May 31, due to our observance of Memorial Day
GRADES K-2 AWARDS MASS - TUESDAY, JUNE 1:  Awards Mass for Grades K - 2 will be held on Tuesday, June 1 at 8:30AM.  All Students will receive their certificates of promotion at this Mass.  Parents are encouraged to attend.
GRADES 3-5 AWARDS MASS - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2: Awards Mass for Grades 3 - 5 will be held on Wednesday, June 2 at 8:30AM.  Students in grades 3 and 4 will receive their certificates of promotion. Parents are encouraged to attend.
LAST DAY OF CLASSES, 5TH GRADE KICKBALL GAME,  AND ALL SCHOOL PICNIC - WED., JUNE 2:  Our last day of classes for kindergarten through fifth grade students will be Wednesday, June 2nd. Our fifth grade class will take on their parents in a kickball game, and we will have our usual picnic (more details to come soon). Students will be dismissed at 12:30pm.
**I realize this schedule causes some parents to be at school both days for the end of school Mass, however with limited seating in the church, this is the only way we are positive that we can accommodate all of the parents who want to attend. Thank you for understanding!  
We will use the following schedule:
8:05    Classes begin, as usual.
8:30    Mass for grades 3-5 and Awards Ceremony
9:30    Recess for K-2
9:50    Recess for grades 3-5
10:05   Return to classrooms for cleaning, final projects.
11:00   Kickball game - Fifth grade students versus their parents.
11:45   Picnic lunch grades K-5
12:25   Return to classrooms for report cards & summer farewells
12:30   Dismissal for those students going home with parent

HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION NEWS
Congratulations to our new Home and School officers! I appreciate everyone's willingness and acceptance to take on these new roles! 
Also included in today's envelope is the committee sign up sheet for the 2021-2022 school year. Please return by Wednesday, May 5th.
 
2021-2022 Home and School Officers
President: Emily Rohl
Vice President: Elise Gregory
Secretary: Emily Loberg
Treasurer I: Ashley Nelson
Treasurer II: Tom Wisniowski 
 
ST. FRANCIS SCHOOL GALA – THANK YOU!!!!!!The St. Francis School Gala Committee would like to extend a very special thank you to school families for your outpouring of support during the “Readin’, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmetic” Virtual Gala! With your help, we raised a record-breaking $83,667 for our school!!!! This money will fund building updates, new textbooks, classroom supplies, and more. We would like to extend a special thank you to Brickner’s Oil, Coordinated Business Systems, Limelight Social Media and Loberg Law Office for their teacher’s pet sponsorships. If you weren’t able to participate in the Gala and would still like to donate, please visit www.stfrancisellsworth.org/gala or feel free to send a check to the school. On behalf of the teachers, staff, and students, we are very grateful for your support!!
 PARISH NEWS
 SAVE THE DATES: This summer TOTUS TUUS “Totally Yours” will be coming to St. Francis!  Totus Tuus is a fun and energetic parish based summer Catholic youth program put on by a team of 4 college students or seminarians who will be staying at St. Francis for one week.  Our Totus Tuus program for children going into Grades 1 - 6 will be held Monday - Friday, June 28 - July 2, from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM.  Please mark your calendars!  More details will be coming very soon.   (The Totus Tuus Program will replace the Vacation Bible School - VBS which we have held at St. Francis during past summers.)
DATES TO REMEMBER: 
Apr. 28 - Christmas/Spring Program Orders Due
Apr. 28 - Carpenter Nature Center Assembly
Apr. 29 - Perseverance Virtue Awards following Mass (8:30 am)
May 5 - 4YK ONLY - No School
May 5 - Walk for Virtues Pledge Forms Due
May 7 - Walk for Virtues and School Color Day (Friday, May 14 - inclement weather date)
May 10 - 4YK ONLY - No School
May 10 - 4th & 5th Grade Community Service Day
May 10 & 11 - Spring Program Rehearsal
May 11 & 12  - Spring Program Filming 
May 26 - T/Th Class Last day of Preschool 
May 27 - MWF Class Last day of Preschool
May 27 - Self-Control Virtue Awards following Mass (8:30 am)
May 27 - 5th Grade Dare Graduation, Mass of Completion (10:30 am), Brunch and Tree Planting
May 31 - Memorial Day (No School)
June 1 - K - 2nd Grade Award Mass (8:30am) 
June 1 - Last Day of School for 4YK
June 2 - 3rd - 5th Grade Award Mass (8:30am) 
June 2 - Last Day of School (Half Day for K-5)