March Newsletter

Kindergarten Class Prayer
Dear Lord, Thank you for guiding me, loving me, and clearing my path from negativity.  We pray for our loved ones, the sick, and our friends in need. Please continue to give us your direction so we are able to walk in your path. Amen

PRAYER PARTNERS:  Please join us as we lift up Miss Avery and our Kindergarten students in prayer during the month of March.  Lily Anderson, Breelyn Krause, Jack Loberg, Mabel Loberg, Rylan Morud, Enoch Nelson, Beckett Platson, Boyer Rohl, Mason Thoner, Christopher Wisniowski.

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

During the month of April, we will be lifting up Mrs. McHardy and our Preschool students in prayer.

FOLLOWING IN JESUS’ FOOTSTEPS
 
VIRTUE AWARDS FOR KINDNESS:
Kindness – You treat others with respect just as you would want to be treated.
 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.   Ephesians 4:32
 
Jack Loberg, Macy Rohl, Claire Bergman, Kate Rohl, June Feuerhelm, Carter Moldenhauer
 
VIRTUE AWARDS FOR PATIENCE:
Patience – You wait and have a good attitude while waiting.
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.  Proverbs 14:29.  
 
Christopher Wisniowski, Trent Acker, Ella Murphy, Anna Puhrmann, Vander Truttman
  
3YK and 4YK – CAUGHT SHOWING CHARACTER:
Kindness - Brindalyn Hager, Finley Thibault, Stevie Kolosky, Colten Brenner
Patience - Tristan Field, Ella Dosdall
 
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK THANK YOU:  Thanks to our families who helped their children get into the spirit of Catholic Schools Week!  We had wonderful participation in the dress themes and activities all throughout the week. Gathering in the presence of God and the St. Francis Catholic community was a great experience!

BOOK FAIR UPDATE: Thank you so much for supporting our Scholastic Book Fair. It was a GREAT success. We are able to get over $2,000 worth of books for our school library. Thank you to all shoppers and volunteers! Mrs. Karlstad 
 
EAGLES NEST REMINDERS:  Eagles Nest is open from 7:00 AM to 7:45 AM and 3:15 PM - 5:30 PM.  
 
REGISTRATION FORMS FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR: Thank you everyone who has returned the registration forms for current students for the 2022-2023 school year. I also thoroughly enjoyed speaking with many of you recently regarding the 2022-2023 school year. If you have not already done so, please send in your forms ASAP so we can plan staffing and purchase curricula.  Remember, there is tuition assistance available. Please do not hesitate to reach out so we can make a plan for your child(ren). No one will be turned away due to cost.  Please contact Mrs. Cormican or Fr. Olson for more information about tuition assistance for next year; all inquiries will be kept confidential. 

ST. FRANCIS PRESCHOOL:  St. Francis School will be offering three, 3-year-old preschool class options next year; 3 day class M/W/F, 2 day class T/Th or a 5 day class M-F.  Classes are held from 8:30-11:00 AM with Wrap-Around Care options for the morning and afternoon. Registration is now open. More details can be found on our website! If you’d like more information please contact our school office at 715-273-4391. Choice of days will be honored on a first come basis so please register early. Enrollment numbers will be capped in order to ensure adequate staffing and programming to meet student needs. 

ST. FRANCIS PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28: St. Francis 3YK will be hosting an open house for interested families on Monday, February 28, 2022 from 4:30-6:00 PM. Parents and their incoming or prospective students should come see what St. Francis Preschool is all about. Please help spread the word.

GR. 5 - MUSIC CLASS – FOLKTALE - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24:  As part of our music curriculum, our fifth grade students study a folktale, and incorporate a variety of musical instruments into the telling of the tale.  Fifth grade parents are invited to attend the presentation of the folktale The Cat and the Rat in the Parish Hall: Thursday, February 24 at 2:00 p.m.  The presentations will last approximately 15 minutes.
 
LENT: Begins Wednesday, March 2, 2022
 
MITE BOXES - Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) Lenten Mite Box Program: Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022 begins all the activities of our Lenten Season. The MCA provides food to hungry children around the world, including in the Mission Diocese of Daru-Klunga, Papua New Guinea. In addition to nutrition programs, children gain access to education by building schools, providing books and catechetical materials, bringing clean water to schools and providing health care. Connecting our children to theirs for prayer and aid is an important objective of the Lenten Mite Box Program and the Missionary Childhood Association.
 
Each student will receive a Mite Box along with a prayer card included in this envelope. Mite box donations should be returned to school Monday and Tuesday, April 11th and 12th. The students will be presenting their boxes to the altar at 8:30 Mass on Wednesday, April 13th. Thank you.

SERVICE PROJECTS FOR LENT: Serving and giving thanks to those in our community and school is the focus of our Lenten Service Projects this year. Our projects will include making thank you cards for our bus drivers and our upcoming Gala, making Easter cards/projects for residents of the Care Center, and leading/praying weekly Stations of the Cross. Please see the schedule for SOTC below in the dates to remember. 

DR. SEUSS DAY - TUESDAY, MARCH 1: We will celebrate Dr. Theodore Seuss’ Birthday on Tuesday, March 1.  The actual day is Wednesday, March 2nd. However, this is a Mass day and Ash Wednesday so it is not appropriate for St. Francis School to hold a celebration on Ash Wednesday. Please wear comfy clothes or pajamas on Tuesday, March 1.  We will have an all school read in the morning. 

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM FIELD TRIP (K-2nd Grade) - FRIDAY, MARCH 4:  On Friday, March 4th our Kindergarten through 2nd Grade classes will be going on a field trip to the St. Paul’s Children’s Museum. 

FRIDAY, MARCH 4: Students are encouraged to dress in school colors, blue and white, on Friday, March 4. Show your school pride!

SPRING BREAK - MARCH 7-11:  Students will not have classes during the week of March 7-11 due to Spring Break.

CARPENTER NATURE CENTER (4YK - 5th):  Each class will take a field trip to the Carpenter Nature Center this spring as part of our science curriculum. Permission slips and requests for parent chaperones are included in the monthly envelope for our 4th and 5th Grade students.  Please return the forms with appropriate fees by Wednesday, March 2.  The cost is $10.00 per student. There is no cost for parent chaperones.  Permission slips for our 4YK - 3rd Grade will be sent home closer to the dates of their field trip.

The schedule is as follows:  Please mark your calendar!
4YK – Monday, May 23 (Turtles)
Second & Third – Monday, May 9 (Food Chains)
K & First – Tuesday, May 10  (Flowers & Pollination)
Fourth & Fifth – Friday, March 18 (Maple Syruping)

END OF THIRD QUARTER - FRIDAY, MARCH 25:  Our third quarter ends Friday, March 25.

TEACHER IN-SERVICE - MONDAY, MARCH 28 (NO SCHOOL):  Students do not have classes on Monday, March 28.  This is a district-wide in-service day. 

FIRST RECONCILIATION:  Please keep the second grade students in your prayers as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Thursday, March 31.  The second grade students receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation are: Claire Bergman, Adelyn Loberg, Natalie Matzek, Hailee Thoner, and Deni Truttman.  Thank you to Nathaniel Huppert for helping his class prepare for the Sacrament.

SACRAMENTS: 2nd grade students will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion this school year. There will not be a Parent Reconciliation Meeting but parents will be receiving a parent guide for Reconciliation. First Reconciliation will be held on March 31, 2022. There will be a First Communion Family Meeting on April 20, 2022. First Communion will be on Sunday, May 1, 2022. 

SCREENING DAY - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6: Our 4YK students will not have class on Wednesday, April 6 due to District Screening that day. 

SPRING PICTURES - THURSDAY, APRIL 7:  Students will have an opportunity to have a spring photo taken on Thursday, April 7.  More information is coming soon.

GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 15 AND EASTER MONDAY, APRIL 18 (NO SCHOOL): St. Francis Students will not have classes on Good Friday, April 15 and Easter Monday, April 18.  Ellsworth Public School will have class on Monday, April 18 as a make-up day for the State Football Game.

YEARBOOK: Yearbook Online Ordering is open! Visit https://ybpay.lifetouch.com to order. Our ID code is 1934622.


HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION NEWS
 
Minutes from the February 3rd meeting are included in your monthly envelope.

‘TRAVEL THE WORLD’ CARNIVAL UPDATE: A HUGE thank you to all of you for your efforts with the Carnival held on Feb. 6, 2022. It was wonderful to see everyone! Thank you for your time, talents, and support. The decorations were beautiful and the whole event was well organized. It sure looked like everyone was having fun. Thank you to everyone who worked a game, sold tickets, bought tickets, bought auction items, worked in the kitchen, baked or donated for the cake walk, etc. Thank you also to the best clean-up crew who got the job done at the end of the day. 

The carnival committee gives thanks to all those who gave their time, ideas and monetary contributions to make the carnival a success. With everyone's combined efforts we raised just over $36,000. 

GRAND RAFFLE 
1st: $3000 Cash - Gary & Jean Johnson
2nd: $1000 Cash - Kit Feuerhelm
3rd: Milwaukee Trimmer - Ned & Anna Waltz
4th: Blackstone Griddle - Mike Baker
5th: Hisense 58” Smart TV - Ashley Nelson
6th: “RING” Security System - Dan McMahon
7th - 10th: $100 Cash - Koltin Pask, Linda Quayhackx, Ali Hoyer, Jill Hutcheson

TRADITIONAL RAFFLE
1st: $500 Cash - Teri Calistro
2nd: iRobot Vacuum - Grace Turvaville
3rd: Fitbit Smart Watch - Shawn Wisniowski
4th: Descender Snow Tube - Nathan Gehl
5th: $100 Cash - Dennis Langer

BIKE RAFFLE WINNERS
Boys Bike: Jordy McHardy
Girls Bike: Bryson Streich
 
ST. FRANCIS SCHOOL GALA – TICKETS NOW ON SALE! 
Tickets are now on sale for the “Ein Prosit!” Oktoberfest Gala taking place on April 23, 2022!  This year we are asking all school families to sell four tickets to the event. Enclosed in your white envelope is information regarding ticket sales as well as four tickets. All ticket sales and any unsold tickets are due back to the School Office by April 11. Tickets can also be purchased in the school office or at stfrancisellsworth.org/gala. With your help, we can reach our goal of having a sold-out event! The next gala committee meeting is scheduled for March 14 at 6 pm at the Clyde’s Bar. All are welcome to attend to assist with planning!    

DATES TO REMEMBER: 
Feb. 28 - Preschool Open House from 4:30 - 6:00pm
Mar. 1 - Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Celebration
Mar. 2- Ash Wednesday
Mar. 4 - Children’s Museum Field Trip (K-2nd)
Mar. 4- Stations of the Cross 1:00 PM 4th grade leading; grades 3-5 attending
Mar. 4 - School Color Day
Mar. 7 - 11 - Spring Break
Mar. 18 - Carpenter Nature Center Field Trip (4th & 5th Grade)
Mar. 18 - Stations of the Cross 1:00 Pm: 3rd grade leading; grades K-3 attending
Mar. 25 - End of 3rd Quarter
Mar. 25 - Stations of the Cross 1:00 PM; 5th grade leading; K-5 attending
Mar. 28 - Teacher In-Service (No School)
Mar. 29 - Beginning of 4th Quarter
Mar. 30 - Forgiveness Virtue Awards following Mass
Mar. 31 - 2nd grade First Reconciliation
Apr.1 - Stations of the Cross 1:00 PM; 2nd grade leading; K-5 attending
Apr. 6 - Screening Day - No School for 4YK ONLY
Apr. 7 - Spring Picture Day
Apr. 8-  Stations of the Cross 1:00 PM; K/1 leading; K-5 attending
Apr. 14 - Home and School Meeting/Holy Thursday Mass
Apr. 15 - No School Good Friday
Apr. 18 - No School Easter Monday
Apr. 20 - First Communion Family Meeting
Apr. 22 - Roller Skating at Skateville - Burnsville, MN  (K-5th) - watch for more information soon
April 23 - “Ein Prosit” Oktoberfest Gala
May 1 - 10:30am Mass- 2nd grade First Communion

May God Bless Our St. Francis Families!!
Please call or email if you have questions: 715-273-4391 or
Mary Cormican - Principal principal@stfrancisellsworth.org