I hope your family has been enjoying the sunny weather this week and that you have a restful, enjoyable, and safe Spring Break. Spring has taken a while to arrive, but it will be nice for us all when the warmer weather and sunshine are here to stay. Thank you to all of the students, parents, and teachers who took part in Parent-Teacher Conferences on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Parent - Teacher Conferences are one example of the partnership St. Mary's has with our families in order to educate, support, and nurture each student. If you were not able to attend conferences this week, please contact your child's teacher and she will do her best to find a time to meet with you. It is hard to believe we are already in the final quarter of the 2022-2023 school year!

It's hard to believe, but the month of April will be right around the corner when we return from Spring Break. I wanted to remind parents about St. Mary's noon dismissal time on Holy Thursday and the dates of Easter Break. It's always helpful to have this information so that your family may begin to make plans to celebrate Christ's Resurrection together! Here is the St. Mary's School schedule:

• Holy Thursday- Thursday, April 6: NOON Dismissal, NO AFTER SCHOOL CARE
• Good Friday- Friday, April 7: No School
• Easter Sunday- Sunday, April 9
• Easter Monday- Monday, April 10: No School

Classes resume on Tuesday, April 11 following Easter Break.

Join St. Mary's Preschool for a fun and special evening on Wednesday, March 29...Daddy and Me Night! The evening is JUST for current St. Mary's preschool students and their fathers or grandpas. If a father or grandpa is unable to attend, another male relative or family friend may attend with the student instead. We ask that older and/or younger siblings stay home with mom this evening to keep the evening special for our students and their fathers. A Mommy and Me Night is scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, April 26 so moms or grandmas may get in on the fun as well!

The fun will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the St. Mary's Preschool classrooms--Early Learners, Advanced Learners, and Pre-K. Activities for the evening include center time, snack, brief circle time, and a dance party. Everyone should dress comfortably and be prepared to make memories with your child!

Please join us for Home and School's 4th Quarter meeting on Thursday, March 30. The meeting will start at 6:00 p.m. and will be held in St. Mary's Parish Hall. Topics to be discussed include Staff Appreciation Week, Scoop Up, Field Day, and more. All current St. Mary's parents and grandparents are welcome to attend. We hope to see you there!

Spring Programs and Project Fairs are a wonderful tradition at St. Mary's! As we enter the last quarter of the school year, I wanted to let families know the dates of the St. Mary's Spring Musical Programs and Project Fairs. The evenings will all begin inside St. Mary's Church with the Project Fairs being displayed in the Parish Hall following the Kindergarten-2nd Grade and 3rd-5th Grade programs. Preschool will have their Spring Program beginning at 10:00 a.m. in St. Mary's Church on Tuesday, May 16. Please make plans now to join us for these special evenings!

PLEASE NOTE: THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE OF DATE FOR THE K-2ND GRADE PROGRAM AND PROJECT FAIR DUE TO A PARISH SCHEDULING CONFLICT. The K-2 Spring Program and Project Fair has moved a day, it is now being held on Thursday, May 4 starting at 6:00 p.m.

Congratulations to St. Mary's Preschool and Elementary for an incredible Penny War! In all, $2,412.22 was raised in 5 days for Bishop Rice's Lenten Youth Mission of Mercy. We will add the money raised in the Penny War to the funds raised on our March Charity Dress Day, which also benefits Bishop Rice's Lenten Mission. Thank you for your thoughtful and generous support of the fundraiser, and for helping your child learn and practice the importance of helping others. All 26 schools within the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau participate in the Mission of Mercy, with all funds this year being donated to the Stockton Area Ministerial Alliance. What a beautiful difference our pennies and other change will make!

Kindergarten won the Early Learners-Kindergarten category and will enjoy and popcorn and movie party sometime after Spring Break. 5th Grade won the 1st-5th Grade category and will enjoy a Free Dress WEEK the week following Spring Break, March 27-30 (uniform clothing for School Mass on Friday, March 31) AND homemade cookies from Mrs. Lown.

Our Penny War is always a fun and exciting week of competition and good sportsmanship for a good cause. Finding out which class won in each category is always big news, but our entire school community is the true winner when we come together to love and care for each other in Christ's name.

JACS re-enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year is open! Re-enrollment for current families ends on March 31, after this date current families will pay a late enrollment fee. An important aspect of enrollment this year is that class sizes will be capped when enrollment for each grade level is met. Any student, current or new, will be waitlisted in the event an enrolled spot in the class opens up before the school year begins in August. Enrollment will be on a first come, first served basis. Capped enrollment limits for each grade level are:

• Early Learners: 14 students
• Advanced Learners: 20 students
• Pre-K: 20 students
• Kindergarten: 23 students
• 1st-5th Grades: 25 students

In years past, we have had a rolling enrollment throughout the spring and summer, splitting classes if enrollment went over class limits. Our enrollment policy has changed this year; St. Mary's will only enroll students until the above class size is available. After that, any student, current or new, will be waitlisted. There will be no exceptions, so please do not delay the enrollment process.

The JACS Annual Auction is scheduled for Saturday, April 29 and the auction committee is accepting donations for the event. Information about donations and a donation form were sent home in your family's Communicator Newsletter and/or placed in your preschool child's cubby last week. The form can be taken to area business that you would like to ask for a donation. If you personally have something you’d like to donate just fill out the form and bring the item to St. Mary's school office. You can also find the donation letter and form on the website at: https://www.jacss.org/wp-content/uploads/2023-Auction-Donation-Letter.pdf, if you need to print additional copies.

Items we are seeking include:

• Gift cards
• New kitchen and cooking items
• KC Chiefs, KC Royals and St. Louis Cardinals items
• Timeshares
• A puppy
• Airline miles

You can also check out the Auction's Amazon Wishlist: JACS Annual Auction - Amazon Custom Gift List - https://www.amazon.com/registries/custom/2OVCP9Z6A2TVP/guest-view

Thank you for your support as we raise money for our school system. Questions can be directed to auctionadmin@jacss.org.

Donation forms are available using the following link: https://www.jacss.org/development/auction/

St. Mary's is looking for a positive addition to our school for the 2023-2024 school year! We are looking for a full-time elementary teacher who will be a dependable, positive Christian role model for our students. Candidates will be certified in their respective area of study, adaptive in teaching styles, willing to partner and communicate well with parents, and have a strong desire to be part of a growing, faith-filled team. Active Catholic preferred. Competitive salary, excellent benefits, and a friendly and supportive school environment make St. Mary’s a great place to teach and nurture the whole child.

If you or anyone you know would be an incredible asset to St. Mary's, please ask them to contact me either through the St. Mary's School Office (417-623-1465) or through email, jlown@jacss.org.

Monday, March 20-Friday, March 24: Spring Break

Monday, March 27: Classes Resume

Tuesday, March 28: St. Mary's Student Penance Service, 1:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 29: Preschool Daddy and Me Night, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 30: 3rd Grade Chocolate Mini Society

Thursday, March 30: Home and School Spring Meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 5: Charity Dress Day benefitting Autism Awareness

Wednesday, April 5: Preschool's Easter Egg Hunt

Thursday, April 6: Holy Thursday, Noon Dismissal and NO AFTER SCHOOL CARE

Friday, April 7-Monday, April 10: Easter Break

Tuesday, April 11: Classes Resume

Monday, April 17 and Tuesday, April 18: Inter-State Spring Photos

Wednesday, April 26: Preschool's Mommy and Me Night, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 27: Diocesan 5th Grade Retreat

Saturday, April 29: JACS Annual Auction

Monday, May 1-Friday, May 5: Staff Appreciation Week

Monday, May 1: May Crowning and Rosary in St. Mary's School Courtyard, 8:30 a.m.

Wednesday, May 3: Charity Dress Day benefitting Ronald McDonald House

Thursday, May 4: K-2nd Grade Spring Program and Project Fair, 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 10: 3rd-5th Grade Spring Program and Project Fair, 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 11: 5th Grade Trip

Friday, May 12: Noon Dismissal, Faculty PD Day

Sunday, May 14: Mother's Day

Tuesday, May 16: Preschool Spring Program, 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday, May 17: Preschool's Big Wheel Day, 8:30 a.m.

Thursday, May 18: Free Dress Day, FIELD DAY, and Scoop Up!

Monday, May 22: Pre-K Graduation and Reception, 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 24: Last Day of School!

Wednesday, May 24: School Mass and Awards Assembly, 9:00 a.m.