The Defender
February 24, 2023
Important Upcoming Dates
- March 5, 2023 Altar Server Training (5th grade or above) 2:00 PM-3:30 PM in the Church
- March 10, 2023 NO SCHOOL - Professional Development and SOF
- March 13-17 Spring Break
- March 20, 2023 NO SCHOOL - Professional Development
- March 27, 2023 Kindergarten Round Up-(No school for current Kindergarteners)
A Message from Mrs. Tate
Dear St. Michael the Archangel Families,
Thank you for a wonderful week! I want to give a special thank you to our music teacher, Emily Walling, our 5th and 6th grade teachers and our integrated arts teachers for helping our kids put together a beautiful music program “Back to the Cross!” It was wonderful to see so many families and extended families supporting our students, teachers, and community.
We welcomed the religious sisters to their new home at St. Michael the Archangel this week, as well! Sr. Lucia, Sr. Monica Bernadette, and Sr. Kelly Grace arrived on Monday and have been settling in to life in Kansas. Luckily, the Lord blessed us with some chilly weather to slowly acclimate them to life in the Midwest. Welcome, Sisters! We are so happy you are here!
Today we had our first Stations of the Cross. The kids were wonderful and showed such reverence to the prayer. “And you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12
We begin all-school adoration on Monday! We are thrilled to be able to offer this to our students, staff, families, and parishioners four of the Mondays during Lent. Please see the sign-up below to help us ensure adorers are always present in the church. We welcome your participation, and children of all ages LOVE seeing you there!
Sincerely,
Diana Tate, Principal
Join us this weekend at Mass! Saturday 5:00; Sunday 7:30, 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 5:00. See you there!
All-School Adoration – Volunteers Needed
We are thrilled to be able to offer all-school adoration during Lent this year. We will have Eucharistic Adoration on Feb. 27, March 6, March 27, and April 3 from 8:15-11:00 in the church. Please sign up here if you are able and willing to help us keep at least two adults in the church adoring during each of these dates/times. Feel free to sign up for as many days/times you wish. We welcome all adorers!
Fasting Guidelines
Ash Wednesday is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence.
Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
Fasting is obligatory from ages 18-59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal and two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal.
Abstinence from meat is binding for those 14 and older.
Training for New Altar Servers
Altar servers have the privilege of assisting the priest as he does the most important thing on earth -- celebrate Mass! Their prayerful manner and reverence communicate to everyone assembled that God is truly present.
Training for new servers in 5th grade or above will be offered on Sunday, March 5*, from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Church.
Register for the training on our website.
*The date has been changed from the original published due to spring break.
Presidential Service Award Program
For the past several years, St. Michael the Archangel School has participated in the President’s Volunteer Service Award Program. The award recognizes US citizens who have achieved minimum hours of service over a 12-month period. For SMA, this period is from April 1, 2022-March 31, 2023.
It is an amazingly simple process - just keep track of service hours. Forms can be found on the SMA Website. Hours must be submitted to the front office by MONDAY, April 3, 2023.
For student service and community outreach ideas, check out SMA VSL - Student Volunteers.
If you have any questions, email Megan Morris
CYO Track & Field 2023 – REGISTRATION OPEN!
Registration for the CYO 2023 Track Season is now open for grades 3 through 8. Speed on over to https://cyojwa.org/current-programs to sign up!
No tryouts are required and all students are welcome! Joining the track team is a terrific way to get some exercise, have fun with friends and develop a love for running, jumping and throwing. All you need is a pair of shoes (or track spike shoes for more competitive runners) and a little bit of determination.
EVENTS
The 5th-8th grade races include distances of 60m, 100m, 120m, 220m, 440m, 880m and 1 mile. There are multiple relay races, too! Field events are high jump, long jump, ball throw (football for boys, softball for girls), and shot put. The 5th-8th grade athletes may compete in four events per meet.
The 3rd-4th grade races are 60m, 100m, 120m, 200m and 400m. Each runner can participate in two races per meet. Participants in 3rd-4th grade do not compete in any field events.
PRACTICE & MEETS
· For 5th through 8th graders only, practices will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:00 PM-7:15 pm at Prairie Star Middle School, starting Monday, March 20th, and going through Wednesday, May 3rd.
· The 3rd and 4th graders practice Tuesday nights only, and they are from 6:00-7:00 PM at Prairie Star Middle School. The first practice will be Tuesday, March 21st, and the final practice will be Tuesday, April 25th in advance to their third and final meet.
Track meets are scheduled for the following Saturdays: April 15 @ Miege HS, April 22 @ TBD, April 29 @ Miege HS, and then City Finals (for 5th through 8th only) are on Saturday, May 6 @ Miege HS.
FEES & REGISTRATION
Register online now at https://cyojwa.org/current-programs to get the Early Bird pricing. Fees go up $25 as of March 27th for late sign-up.
· $90 for grades 5-8
· $65 for grades 3-4
Your registration fee includes a jersey. More info about track and field is available on the CYO website by clicking HERE.
WE NEED VOLUNTEER PARENT COACHES, NO MATTER YOUR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE:
Last year we approached 120 kids from 3rd through 8th in participant count, which was great. What was missing though was enough help from parent-coaches at the practices. We desperately seek for VIRTUS trained parents to volunteer at the practices AND if possible, some at the meets as well. Being a former track star is not required. Email Ed Baldwin at ed@communitymortgagekc.com with questions or if you would like to volunteer to help coach.
Parish News
Archdiocese Take Back Family Time Challenge
Join the challenge! Take Back Family Time is about spending meaningful, intentional time with your family. Each month families are encouraged to make time to complete the monthly activity. See the attached image for more information. #TakeBackFamilyTime #TakeBackSunday #archkckcs #archkck
Parish Serve Day
Serve at St. Michael and the surrounding community!
Saturday, March 25, after 8:15 am Mass
For more info and to sign up: www.stmichaelcp.org/parish-serve-day
Please consider donating baby themed fleece in 2-yard increments for in-house blanket making, and Easter items (please click link) for Easter Bags that will be donated to a local foster care agency: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3H72M49NGFX7G?ref_=wl_share. Donations can be dropped off in the Parish Hall.St. Thomas Aquinas Summer Camps
During May, June and July, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School offers a variety of sports camps for students entering grades K-8 to explore. Our sports camps include Baseball, Basketball, Cheer, Cross Country, Dance, Football, Soccer, Softball, Strength, Speed & Agility, Swimming, Track & Field (Jumps) and Volleyball.
Saint Thomas Aquinas High School also offers several activity camps. These include Art, Baking, Break Out Boxes (intriguing puzzles similar to an Escape Room), Chess, Crafting, History & Film, Show Choir and a STEM camp!
Registration is available online through our website: www.stasaints.net/summercamps. Or if you prefer, you can download and complete the attached camp registration form and mail it to:
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Summer Camps
11411 Pflumm Rd
Overland Park, KS 66215
We look forward to providing a positive camp experience not only for your son or daughter but for their friends too! Please feel free to pass this information on to friends, neighbors and relatives too!