Newsletter - May 20, 2019

Dear St. Francis School Families,                                                                                           

4th Grade Class Prayer
Dear Jesus, We pray for the poor, the sick, and those who have died--that all will know God’s love and healing touch. We also pray for all our sports teams so there will be no injuries. We pray for Adventure Camp so it receives the funding it needs to stay open.  We are so thankful that Joe Richards has become a deacon! We are also thankful for our pets, for all the things that we have, our parents, friends and families. We are also thankful for firefighters and all community workers. For all these things we pray. Amen
 
Please join us in prayer for our 4th Grade Class
We all need to seek God in prayer with our joys, worries, and thankful moments.  Thank you for being a prayer partner for our school.  This week we will be lifting up our 4th Grade Class in prayer.
 
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.   Jeremiah 29:12
 
PRAYER PARTNERS:  Next week, we will join together in prayer for our 5th Grade Class.
 
WALK FOR VIRTUES UPDATE:  We have a few more students who need to turn in their Walk for Virtues money, then we will have our all-school assembly to distribute the feet and announce top mile and top dollar students!
 
2020 Carnival: NEW CARNIVAL DATE!!  Attention families: the Carnival Committee has decided to move up the carnival date next year (due to gala changes) to January 26th, 2020! Please mark your calendar for a family day of fun!  The theme was voted on by the students and it will be ocean/beach/sea.  Thank you to the staff and student's for all the great ideas!!
 
SUMMER EAGLE’S NEST PROGRAM:  We are excited to offer a summer care program for our St. Francis Families. Registration material will be sent out soon to our families who expressed interest in our summer program.
 
ST. FRANCIS PRESCHOOL:  St. Francis School will be offering 3-year-old preschool starting this fall 2019.  Please help us spread the word by giving the information card that was included in your weekly envelope to someone who may be interested.
 
FOOD SERVICE ACCOUNTS:  Please check your family’s food service account to make sure you have enough funds in it to finish the year.  Quite a few bills went out in today’s newsletter.  Report cards will not be issued to anyone with a negative balance. Please call if you have questions (715-273-4391), or need help accessing your account balance.  Thanks.
 
Please reference the following excerpt from the Student Handbook:
 
NEGATIVE END-OF-THE-YEAR BALANCES: All lunch account balances must be paid in full on or before the last day of school. Failure to bring family lunch account balances to $0 or above, will result in holding final student report cards and other student papers.

END-OF-THE-YEAR BALANCES FOR NON-RETURNING FAMILIES: At the end of the school year, or when a family withdraws from St. Francis School, funds remaining unused in excess of $5.00 in a family lunch account will be returned via
check sent in the mail, no request needed. Requests for the refund of amounts under $5.00 will be honored, as long as the request is received by the Food Service Manager prior to the last day of school. Amounts under $5.00 that are not requested will not be returned.

END-OF-THE-YEAR BALANCES FOR RETURNING FAMILIES: Family lunch account balances for those with students planning to return the following school year will be held in the Food Services account and will be available for use beginning the first day of school food service. Request may be made at any time for the return of any positive balance in a school food service account. Please allow 10 business days to process the request. Contact the Food Service Manager for more information about returning funds.
 
ALL SCHOOL PICTURE:  A date is being finalized for our all school picture.  Thank you to everyone who has sent in a white shirt for your child/ren and for helping us with this photo project!
 
HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE SIGN-UPS:  Enclosed you will find a sign-up sheet for next year’s committees.   We ask each family to sign up and actively participate in at least one Home & School Committee. Please return forms by Wednesday, May 22. Thank you!
 
GR. 5 - DARE GRADUATION – THURSDAY, MAY 23:  Fifth grade parents are asked to reserve the afternoon of Thursday, May 23 to attend their child’s D.A.R.E. graduation, beginning at 2:00 pm. in the parish hall.
 
MEMORIAL DAY – MONDAY, MAY 27 - NO SCHOOL:  Students do not have classes Monday, May 27, due to our observance of Memorial Day.
 
GR. 5 – MASS OF COMPLETION AND TREE PLANTING – WEDNESDAY, MAY 29:  Our fifth grade Mass of Completion will be at 8:30am. on Wednesday, May 29.  After Mass, our fifth grade students will be planting a tree in memory of their class. Following the Tree Planting, we will have a light brunch reception for the fifth grade class with their parents.
 
GR. 2 & 3 - CARPENTER NATURE CENTER – FRIDAY, MAY 31:  Second and Third Grade students will take their field trip to the Carpenter Nature Center Friday, May 31.  Students will depart at 12:00 pm. and return by 2:45 pm.  Parent chaperones are asked to please come to the office to check-in by 11:50 am.
 
Grade 2: Elise Gregory, Ben & Megan Hines, Adriana Holst, Angie or Bob McHardy, Andy Murphy, Tom O’Neil, Casey Oricchio, Katy Truttman  Grade 3:  Katie Acker, Maria Dopp, Angie Marks, Vicki Nelson (Kate)
 
MASS SCHEDULE CHANGE:  We will have school Mass on Thursday, June 6 instead of Tuesday, June 4 (original last day of school) for our Awards Ceremony.
 
ORDER FORM FOR LAST DAY PICNIC LUNCH:  An order form is included in today’s packet for those families who would like to order food for the last day of school, June 6, rather than bringing their own picnic lunch.  Please include payment with your order form and return no later than Wed., May 29.  Make checks payable to St. Francis Youth Group.
 
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL – THURSDAY, JUNE 6:  It has been decided that the last day of school for St. Francis will remain on Thursday, June 6 with our students being dismissed at 12:30pm.  PLEASE NOTE:  There will be NO bus service at that time so every student in K – 5th grade will need to be picked up.  Last Day of School Early Release Forms will be sent out closer to that date. (4YK busing that day will remain the same)
 
GRADES K-5 - LAST DAY OF CLASSES/MASS/AWARDS CEREMONY – THURSDAY, JUNE 6:  Our last day of classes for kindergarten through fifth grade students will be Thursday, June 6.   This day will include our all-school Awards Assembly in our church immediately following the 8:30am. Mass.  Our fifth grade class will take on their parents in a kickball game, and we will have our usual picnic lunch (bring your own or order in advance from the St. Francis Youth Group).  Students will be dismissed at 12:30pm.  We will use the following schedule:
 
              8:05                Classes begin, as usual.
              8:30                Mass, and Awards Ceremony
            10:00                Recess (approximate time, 15 minutes of recess will follow the awards ceremony.)
            10:15                Return to classrooms for cleaning, final projects.
            11:00                Kickball game - Fifth grade students versus their parents.
            11:45                Picnic lunch
            12:25                Return to classrooms for report cards & summer farewells
            12:30                Dismissal
 
ST. FRANCIS VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL:  This year’s VBS is titled “SonTreasure Island” - where kids discover the treasure of God’s love through the truth found in 1 Corinthians 13. VBS is scheduled for Monday through Friday, July 22 - 26 from  9:00 am to 12:30 pm and is for children who have completed any of the grades 4YK through 4th. The cost is $35 per child with a $55 family maximum.  Youth (who have completed 5th grade and up) and adults are invited to sign up to volunteer for one of a variety of centers: Bible center, crafts, snacks, games & music as well as large assemblies and skits.  Registration and volunteer sign-up forms have been sent out to both elementary schools and made available during the Religious Ed. Classes.  They can also be found on the St. Francis website at each entrance to the church and on the wall near the Rel. Ed. Office in the Parish Hall.  Any questions contact Joan Foley, 715-338-1199, cfoley@dishup.us or Colleen Belland, colleen_belland@hotmail.com.
 
SAVE THE DATE:  World Youth Day 2019 at St. Francis Parish is being held on Thursday, August 1st ~1:00 pm to Friday August 2nd 10:00 am.  Please mark your calendar and “SAVE THE DATE”.  4th and 5th graders from St. Francis School are invited to attend! This year’s theme: “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to Your Word”, Luke 1:38. As always this will be a faith/fun filled day of praising God and activities for Kids!!  Cost $20/person.  Please complete the permission form and hand in your fee to save your spot!   (see the St. Francis parish website for forms and schedule of events)
 
A TASTE OF TUSCANY: The Ellsworth Community School District Foundation will once again be hosting their largest fundraiser of the year, A Taste of Tuscany, at Vino in the Valley on May 31st from 4:30-8pm.  The evening includes a buffet dinner, wine tasting, live music, school art exhibition, and a silent auction. Tickets are $35 and are available to purchase at the St. Francis School Office, the Ellsworth School District Office, Nilssen’s Foods, Vino in the Valley and from any Foundation member.  A portion of the funds raised at this event are used to finance the EXCELLS grant.  St. Francis School is eligible for this grant and has been awarded it in the past to purchase materials, supplies, and equipment to implement innovative projects.  
 
DATES TO REMEMBER:
May 22 - Self-Control Virtue Awards following Mass
May 22 - Home and School Committee Sign-Ups Due
May 23 - 5th Grade D.A.R.E. Graduation
May 24 - EHS Senior Day
May 24 - Ambulance Day at EES (Grade 3)
May 27 - Memorial Day (No School)
May 28 - All-School Walk For Virtues Assembly
May 29 - 5th Grade Mass of Completion and Tree Planting
May 31 - Carpenter Nature Center (Grades 2 and 3)
May 31 - A Taste of Tuscany
June 6 - Last Day of School (Half Day for K-5; 4YK regular day dismissed at 11:05 a.m.)
 
May God’s Grace Be With You! Please call or e-mail if you have questions: 715-273-4391 or cbuckel@stfrancisellsworth.org
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Chuck Buckel - Principal