January 26, 2023
January 26, 2023
Dear Wildcat Families,
On Tuesday, we celebrated Epiphany and the New Year in a very special manner. Father Chris and Deacon Dave blessed our school and classrooms by using holy water and then using chalk to mark above the doors 20 + C+ M +B +23. The tradition is an invitation for Jesus to be a daily guest in our home/school and to be a part of our comings and goings, our conversations, our work and play, and our joys and sorrows. By way of explanation, there are two meanings of the letters C, M, and B. They are the initials of the traditional names of the three magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They also abbreviate the Latin words Christus mansionem benedicat, “May Christ bless this house.” What a wonderful way to bring in our new year. To get a snapshot of this tradition, photos have been posted on our FaceBook page. Happy with your family’s experience at SJB? Please share with others and future FB families by posting a review on our school FB page. There is much to be proud of and celebrate!
Don’t miss our Winter Carnival on Saturday, immediately following the 5:00 PM Mass in Sebahar Hall, which is directly below the sanctuary. We are so excited to gather again for this treasured SJB tradition. Winter Carnival is the official kick off to Catholic Schools Week. Please see the posting for more information, but I wanted to note that there are some new activities this year for nominal fees… there is something for everyone. I hope to see you there!
We will be celebrating Catholic Schools Week at the 9:30 AM Mass on Sunday, January 29. Students who wear their uniform to church should see Fr. Chris afterwards for a dress down pass. We are delighted that we have several students who will be assisting with the Mass. What a wonderful opportunity to begin our celebration of our beloved SJB School by uniting together and attending Mass with one another!
Be sure to go to the Knight of Columbus Pancake Breakfast on Sunday as they are helping with our celebration of Catholic Schools as well! It will be held from 8:00 – 11:00 AM in Sebahar Hall. Curbside pickup is also an option. Please see the posting for specifics.
Congratulations to all the students who participated in the Knights of Columbus Keep Christ in Christmas coloring and poster contest. There were many entries this year and I was impressed by the artistic talent of so many SJB students! Thank you to all students who took part in the activity! Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 contest: Eliana Cuevas (kindergarten),Evelina DeMola (first), Angela Mang (first), Daniel Valladolid (first), Anna Sofia Bulyk (third), Szymon Mikrut (third) Sarahi Valladolid (third), Danielle Borner (fifth),Viviann LeMay (fifth), Sophia Vazquez (sixth),Adrianna Markiewicz (seventh), and Kim Nguyen (eighth).The message of Keeping Christ in Christmas was beautifully depicted in their artwork and true treasures to behold. Winning entries will be on display at the Pancake Breakfast and gift cards will be awarded.
As you may know, we were able to start a band program last year. We have fifteen students in the program, and Mr. Mower, our band director, shared that they are ready for their first band performance of the year. They will be showcasing what they have learned thus far during our Open House on Sunday, January 29 at 12:30 in St. Cecilia Hall. All are welcome to attend! If coming, please enter through door 9, our ramp door at the rear of the building.
Our Catholic Schools Week school week activities and theme days begin on Monday. Please see yesterday’s email for a complete listing of our activities. I wanted to highlight a few for you at this time. We are bringing back our successful One Book, One School program from last year. The program will be launched during Catholic Schools Week. Each student will be receiving a copy of Aven Green Baking Machine on Monday, and our seventh and eighth grade students and perhaps some special guests will be recording each chapter to help make the story come alive. Recordings will be placed on our school’s YouTube channel, if you are interested. You also can read the book with your child at home each night. Teachers will be discussing a chapter each day in class as well. The book was selected for many reasons, and we think it has lessons for all ages about compassion, acceptance, understanding, and kindness. I do want to note that the protagonist, Aven Green, is feisty and spunky, ala Junie B. Jones, and her language and references are a bit cheeky and descriptive in the first chapter. Parents of our littlest learners, you may want to paraphrase a bit, or preview the chapter before sharing it aloud.
Weather permitting, we will be making visits to our community service providers and local businesses on Monday in faith families with a thank you basket. Upon return, faith families will be gathering together to do a service project of making blankets for the newly baptized or rosaries which will be sent to the Ukraine. Blessed are we that Bishop Hicks will be celebrating Mass with us on Thursday and consecrating our new Sacred Heart of Jesus statue to our school. He will also bless our service project handiwork.
It indeed is winter, and when the temperature is above 10 degrees and weather conditions are appropriate, all of our K-8 students go outside for recess for movement and fresh air. Particularly, on snowy days, please remember to have your child(ren) wear boots and appropriate outerwear. Students who wear a winter jacket, hat, gloves/mittens, snow pants and boots are able to play in the snow. Please know that when there are extreme temperatures before school, students who arrive at school between 7:25 and 7:30 AM, do not wait outside for the bell, instead they wait inside.
Lastly, I want to give a quick shout out to the Gala Committee! As you can see, they are hard at work to ensure that our Gala on Friday, April 28, is an event to remember and one which raises money for our school. Please see the posting for more details about the Gala, and be sure to check out the chance to win one tuition for next year. 100 tickets will be sold.
Important traffic change
Union Pacific will be performing needed railroad repairs at the crossing on Winfield Road, beginning at 9:00 AM tomorrow, January 27 and concluding at 5:00 PM on Sunday, January 29. This repair requires the closure of the crossing for both northbound and southbound traffic for the duration of the repair. Highlake Road, Jewell Road, County Farm Road, and Manchester Road will be available for through traffic.
May each of our days be filled with blessings,
Joanne