St. Thomas More Cathedral School
PTO Newsletter - December 15, 2017 - Volume 204
Included in this newsletter:
The Italian Place Fundraiser
Auction Planning
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Message from the President
Happy Friday!
I'm very excited to announce that our STM faculty & staff will be receiving an increased Christmas bonus this year thanks to the continued support of the PTO via the PTO Dues we all pay each year, the 2017 auction funds earmarked for faculty/staff bonuses, AS WELL AS the generous addition of a matching gift given by The Boeing Company that was earmarked for STM Teacher bonuses by the matched employee (and PTO Vice President), Jenny McIntyre.
Thank you to Jenny, The Boeing Company and all of our STM parents for supporting the wonderful group of teachers and staff who take such wonderful care of our children each day.
This will be the last PTO Newsletter of 2017!! I hope that everyone has a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Kassie Stewart
PTO President
The Italian Place Fundraiser is THIS weekend!!
Auction Planning
Sharing the sentiments of STM parent, Chandra Burnside
...with her permission, of course!
I just left the auction kick off meeting with our fabulous 2018 auction chairs, Tara Ashworth and CT Urick, and the mood struck to make a post here about why I’m volunteering with the auction and why I hope you might consider doing so too. It might be long, and it will definitely be personal, so bear with me!
I’ll even wait while you heat up your coffee...
Advent is the season for preparation and anticipation, and it happens just when December seems to make us reflect on what the past year has brought into our lives. This year, my husband and I find ourselves feeling so blessed by what Saint Thomas More has meant for our children and family. In hundreds of ways, big and small, STM is giving Tom and Mary-Catherine an amazing foundation to face the world. We truly believe our children are nourished mind, soul, and heart by what happens within those walls.
We are all fortunate to have so many options for schooling our children in this area. STM families not only live in areas with some of the most highly rated public schools in the country, but private secular and even other Catholic school options abound, yet we all chose STM! Maybe for your family you’ve picked STM because it’s super convenient that our kids are fulfilling their Holy Day Of Obligation (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) today at school, maybe it’s because our school launched a satellite, or maybe it’s because there is that drive thru Dunkin Donuts so close at drop off . Whatever your reasoning, this school means something special to your family, and I’m confident you wouldn’t be choosing it if it wasn’t the best for you and your children.
And yet, choosing STM isn’t free. Our family, like many STM families, sacrifices for Catholic education because we think it’s THAT important for our children. So we don’t live in the size house we might, or take the vacations we could otherwise— but it’s more than made up for by the benefits we see our children and their peers reaping at STM. They will carry the academic and faith experiences from STM with them far further in life than souvenirs from extravagant vacations.
Above all, I find myself so deeply grateful that a Catholic education is within financial reach for us! We are lucky to have a great bishop and a strong diocese committed to supporting our schools. However, one of the chief reasons that this nurse and police officer can afford a world class Catholic Education for their children is because of the major fundraising efforts that keep STM’s annual tuition at manageable levels. Without the heavy lift of the Annual STM Auction, it wouldn’t be possible for tuition to remain within reach for families like ours.
So, if like us, you’re preparing and reflecting this season, please consider how you can give your time and talent to the 2018 auction too. Cindy and Tara have stepped forward once again to plan what is sure to be a delightful evening. I’m committing to help them make it as fruitful as it is fun so the amazing experiences of STM can still be within our reach. I hope you’ll consider joining me at the next meeting. More information on the Auction event will come home in early January but if you’d like to get involved today, please email Tara at tashworth@stmschool.org.
Merry Christmas to you all!
STM Cathedral School PTO
Email: kassiestewart2000@gmail.com
Website: www.stmschool.org
Location: 105 Thomas Street Northwest, Washington, DC, United States
Phone: 7035286781