Hello from St. Joseph’s School. Are you aware that yesterday was the 100
th day of school for our students in grades 1-5? Our first grade students spent the day completing special activities to mark this very special occasion. It was very interesting to see the type of items the students brought to school (100 of course) to celebrate the day. Our Kindergarten students will be celebrating their 100
th day of school on Tuesday, February 18.
Plans are being finalized for the next season in the Church’s liturgical calendar - Lent. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 26. We will celebrate Mass at 9:00 a.m. with the distribution of ashes happening during the Mass. Our students, faculty, families and members of the parish will have the opportunity to grow in their faith and prepare for Easter through classroom work, prayer, Mass, Stations of the Cross, the Sacrament of Reconciliation (grades 2-8), the Rosary, and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd instruction. In addition, the Church of St. Joseph will pray the Stations of the Cross on Friday evenings in the church beginning at 6:30 p.m. A specific schedule of school Lenten activities will be published next week.
As we continue through the remainder of the school year, please be sure to contact the school office with any needs or questions you may have (651-457-8550).
Mission Statement St. Joseph’s Catholic School educates students through faith formation, academic excellence, and the development of virtue to be disciples of Christ.
Thank you for supporting our mission and entrusting your children to our care each day.
No School Monday, February 17 There will be no school on Monday, February 17 in observance of President’s Day. School will resume on Tuesday, February 18. Please enjoy this time with your families!
Financial Aid Deadline February 18th - Grades Kindergarten-8 If you are interested in applying for Financial Assistance for the 2020-2021 school year, please log into your TADS account and begin that process now. All Financial Assistance Applications are to be completed online through TADS. The deadline to apply for and complete this process is February 18, 2020. If you have any questions, please contact our school office or contact TADS at 612-548-3320.
Aim Higher Scholarships for 2020-2021 - Deadline February 18th The Aim Higher Foundation provides scholarships for students to attend Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Mpls.
The application period ends February 18, 2018. If your child received a scholarship this academic school year, you must re-apply. They are also accepting new applications.
CAA Scholarship Opportunity Each year, the CAA awards six $500 scholarships to current 6th or 7th graders to be awarded at their grade school for the following academic year. The deadline to submit applications is Saturday, April 18, 2020. Award winners will be announced in early May. The link to the application can be found on the CAA website,
stpaulcaa.org or attached below.
Confirmation Retreat Our eighth-grade students continue to prepare for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. They will be participating in a special retreat facilitated by NET Ministries on Tuesday, February 25 in the Great Room. Please continue to pray for our school and parish students as they prepare to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Mass and Breakfast On Wednesdays during Lent, St. Joseph’s School families are invited to attend the parish’s morning Mass at 7:30 a.m. The dates are March 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 8. After Mass, the students (parents may accompany their child/children) will go to the school cafeteria for supervision prior to school (8:05-8:30 a.m.). For any family interested, a light breakfast will be available for students for a nominal charge ($2.00) payable each morning. Students will be dismissed to their classrooms at 8:30 a.m. to begin their school day. We look forward to praying together with members of the parish at morning Mass.
Fiddler on the Roof - Middle School Musical
The Middle School musical “Fiddler on the Roof Jr. ” will be performed on Thursday, March 12 at 7:00 pm and Friday, March 13 at 2:00pm & 7:00pm in the school gym. Middle school students have been working tirelessly on their performance and it will be a fantastic show! All students will have the opportunity to see the play during the week. Ticket order forms went home in Friday Folders today and also attached. Guests attending the performances may also pay at the door. Please be aware that adults attending student performances must purchase a play ticket for each performance attended. We thank Mrs. Bowe, Ms. Roettger, Mrs. Kilduff, Ms. Walsh, our Middle School Faculty and many parent volunteers for providing this special experience for our middle school students.
Donuts with Dads - Feast of St. Joseph Celebration – Tuesday, March 19 – Save the Date The Feast of St. Joseph, the patron saint of our parish and school, is Thursday, March 19. Dads and grandfathers are invited with their children and grandchildren to attend a “Donuts with Dads” celebration on Thursday, March 19 between 7:45-8:25 a.m. in the Monsignor Foran Great Room. Donuts, coffee, and juice will be served before school as we celebrate dads and grandfathers. Dads and grandfathers are invited to remain for fellowship prior to attending the celebration of Mass at 9:00 a.m. in Church. Please
click here to RSVP for this event. We look forward to seeing you!
Volunteers Needed for Donuts with Dads Event St. Joseph School Moms - we need your help to serve donuts and coffee as well as do a little clean-up for our annual Donuts with Dad's event on Thursday, March 19
th, 7:00am-9:15am. This wonderful event is held in the Parish Great Room. Please
CLICK HERE to Volunteer! Thank you for your help!
Chick-fil-A Family Fun Night - Thank you! Thank you to the many families, faculty, and friends for attending our school night at the Chick-fil-A on Thursday. The turnout was terrific and it was a tremendous success. We thank our Home and School Association for organizing this special event. Also, Mr. Wesely would like to thank all of the students who recommended he purchase chicken nuggets for Mrs. Wesely for dinner. She loved them!!
Volunteers Needed for Recess Duty We need help for recess duty for the remaining months of school. Whether our students are outside or inside because of the weather, volunteers offer tremendous assistance in providing supervision of students. Please
click here to volunteer in February.
St. Joseph’s Preschool Hearts of Love Project Our Preschool’s Hearts of Love project will be happening the week of February 24th-28th. A collection box will be placed in the Preschool lobby to collect non-perishable food and care supplies (shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc.) for Neighbors Inc. in So. St. Paul.
Early Childhood Screening for Preschool Aged Children Please be sure to make an appointment for Preschool Early Childhood screening through the school district you reside in. Screening is required now for most schools, instead of highly recommended as in the past. It is suggested that the screening be completed at the 3½ age level. Even if your child is past the age recommendation, it is still necessary to make an appointment. Please contact Vicki Young at 651-789-8300 if you have any questions or need additional information.
St. Joe’s Winter Socials - Now Open! St. Joe’s Winter Socials are now open! Please see the attachment below for a list and details of the Socials that are now available!
Please click here to register to attend.
Scholastic Book Fair - Thank you! Our Scholastic Book Fair was a tremendous success. Everyone extends a special “thank you” to Jenny Vierzba, Julie Smith, Ms. O and our wonderful team of volunteers for organizing and hosting the fair. Proceeds from the fair are used to purchase new books for our school Library. Thanks to all of our families for supporting this annual event.
4HG Summer Camps - Registration Now Open! 4HG is excited to announce our summer camps for 2020! Open to 3rd - 8th graders, our second annual "Faith and Football Camp" returns August 4 - 6, 2020 to be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in New Brighton, Minnesota. Only 100 spots available! Discounted camp fee: $99*
In addition to our hallmark football camp, 4HG will host a "Faith and Volleyball Camp" July 13 - 15 at Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul. The camp is open to 4th - 8th graders and is limited to the first 125 students to register. Discounted camp fee: $149*
Also new this year is our 4HG "Faith and All Sports Camp" to be held at Mendakota Park in Mendota. This twice weekly camp will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to Noon, June 9 - July 30. Registration is open to the first 200 students in grades 3 - 8. Camp fee: $349
All camps are co-ed and include a camp t-shirt and assorted 4HG swag. During each camp, student-athletes will not only develop skills to help them on the field, they will have multiple opportunities to listen to inspiring mentors and to practice their Faith, which will help them grow closer to God and excel in life.
Click here to register for a 4HG Camp and to learn more about what these terrific camps have to offer!
Winter Season- School Closing Information School closings due to snow and/or extreme cold are announced on television and radio. St. Joseph’s School is always included with our school district; ISD 197 West St. Paul, Mendota Heights, Eagan. If District 197 schools close, our school will close. In addition, our school office will also send out an “email blast” to our school families and a message will be posted on our school website announcing the closing of school. Please note; If an extreme number of weather related closings occur, school administration will evaluate the need to reschedule instructional days.
School Masses Our next school Mass will be on Friday, February 21st at 9:00 a.m. in the Church. Parents and family members are always welcome to attend our school Masses and prayer devotions during the school year.
Does Your Employer Offer a Matching Gift Program? Employer matching programs are a wonderful way to maximize your donation to St. Joseph’s School. Please look into your employer programs to see if they may participate in this program. If you have any questions or need help with the process, please contact Lisa Wrobel in our school office. Thank you.
For Your Information St. Joseph’s School is an important ministry of the Church of St. Joseph. Some of our school families are not members of the parish. In our efforts to serve all school families, our Friday Letter may at times include information about activities and events that are taking place at the Church of St. Joseph.
Parish Father Daughter Dance - Friday, February 21st Please mark your calendars for Friday, February 21st for the annual Father – Daughter Dance. The dance will be held in St. Joseph’s Church Great Room from 6:30-9:30-pm. This event is open to all ages. Please RSVP online by clicking on this link:
Father & Daughter Dance. If you are interested in helping with this event, please contact Tracy Kracht at 651-457-2709.
Church of St. Joseph Pre-Lenten Mission St. Joseph’s School families are invited to attend the Pre-Lenten “Alive in Prayer” Mission to be held February 23-24 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Church of St. Joseph. Fr. Steve Borello, Director for Vocations for the Diocese of Joliet IL, will be our special guest leading the mission in preparation for Lent. Fellowship and refreshments follow both talks in the Msgr. Foran Great Room. We hope you are able to attend. Please click on the link below for more information.
Archdiocesan Synod As part of the Archdiocesan Synod process, all parishioners are invited to participate in surveys that will provide valuable information in planning for the future here at St. Joseph and in our Archdiocese. If you haven’t already attended a Listening Session, we encourage you to bring a friend and attend the upcoming the upcoming
Listening Sessions.
Middle School Youth Nights Middle School Youth Nights will be held every other week throughout the year! These nights will be held on the 1st and 3rd week of each month and will include fun, snacks, fellowship, and different types of prayer such as bible study, Adoration, and small groups. Please see the attachment for a full list of dates and times. If you have any questions, please contact Jake Debolt at
jake.debolt@churchofstjoseph.org
Click here to link to the weekly St. Joseph’s Church Bulletin
.
February / March Look Ahead: ° Monday, Feb. 17 - No School Presidents Day ° Friday, Feb. 21 - Mass 9:00am Church ° Friday, Feb. 21 - Father / Daughter Dance 6:30-9:30pm Great Room ° Sunday, Feb. 23 - Church of St. Joseph Lenten Mission “Alive in Prayer” ° Monday, Feb. 24 - Church of St. Joseph Lenten Mission “Alive in Prayer” ° Tuesday, Feb. 25 - Confirmation NET Retreat 4:00-9:00pm Great Room ° Wednesday, Feb. 26 - Mass 9:00am Ash Wednesday Church ° Friday, Feb. 28 - Sacrament of Reconciliation - Church ° Saturday, Mar. 1 - Confirmation Interviews 3:30-6:00pm (times to be assigned) Church ° Friday, Mar. 6 - Mass 9:00am Church ° Friday, Mar. 6 - End of Trimester 2 ° Monday, Mar. 9 - Beginning of Trimester 3 ° Monday, Mar. 9 - Confirmation Night of Reflection 7:00pm Church ° Tuesday, Mar. 10 - First Eucharist Night of Reflection 6:30-7:30pm Church ° Thursday, Mar. 12 - Fiddler on the Roof 7:00pm School Gymnasium ° Friday, Mar. 13 - Fiddler on the Roof 2:00pm & 7:00pm School Gymnasium ° Friday, Mar. 13 - Mass 9:00am Church ° Thursday, Mar. 19 - Donuts with Dads 7:45am- Feast of St. Joseph, Mass 9:00am Church ° Sunday, Mar. 22 - Confirmation Ceremony 2:00-4:00pm St. Paul Cathedral ° Friday, Mar. 27 - School IN Session No District Transportation or Food Service ° Friday, Mar. 27 - Mass 9:00am Church ° Friday, Mar. 27 - 6th grade Biography Fair - Great Room ° Monday, March 30 - Friday, April 3 - No School Spring Break