Mustang Memo
A Newsletter for Saint Ann School Families
March 13, 2023
Table of Contents
- Spiritual Reflection
- Home & School Association News
- Student Life Notes
- Mark Your Calendars!
One Body in Christ: Our Spiritual Theme
Solidarity is Our Call
Scripture about solidarity:
- Matthew 5:21-24 – Teaching about Anger
- 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 – One Body, Many Parts
Spiritual Reflection
Miss Sheila O'Callaghan
As we continue our Lenten journey, let us renew our resolve to make the sacrifices we planned to offer Jesus. It is hard to believe we will celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Lent. It is also Daylight Savings Time. Set clocks forward one hour.
The signs of Spring are everywhere. The flowers are in bloom and even the cherry blossoms are showing their beautiful pink color. Again, they are signs of God’s great love for us.
On Friday, March 17, we remember St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Legend has it that Patrick was born in Brittany, France. He was kidnapped by pirates as a teenager and taken to Ireland and sold to a man named Duach. He had to tend sheep on a mountain named Sleigh Mish.
During six lonely years, Patrick put his life in God’s hands. Finally he escaped and returned to his family and his studies. Patrick became a priest and a great preacher. Years later he returned to Ireland as a missionary and bishop.
The following prayer is attributed to St Patrick:
I arise today, through
God’s strength to pilot me
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We remember St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, on March 18. At the time Cyril was bishop Christians fought among themselves about the way the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are God. St. Cyril wrote 18 lessons about this. His lessons were used by catechumens during Lent. Catechumens are people getting ready to become Christians and preparing to be baptized on Easter.
Remember during Lent God invites us to be renewed in our thoughts and actions and to open our hearts to others.
Please pray for the sick, especially Father Mink, Father Jasper’s mom, Patrick Flanagan, and all the sick of our parish. Our Armed Forces and First Responders need our prayers. Please pray for them.
Home & School Association News
Pope Benedict XVI’s Prayer for Grandparents
Written at the request of the Catholic Grandparents Association in 2008.
Lord Jesus,
you were born of the Virgin Mary,
the daughter of Saints Joachim and Ann.
Look with love on grandparents the world over.
Protect them! They are a source of enrichment
for families, for the Church and for all of society.
Support them! As they grow older,
may they continue to be for their families
strong pillars of Gospel faith,
guardians of noble domestic ideals,
living treasuries of sound religious traditions.
Make them teachers of wisdom and courage,
that they may pass on to future generations the fruits
of their mature human and spiritual experience.
Lord Jesus,
help families and society
to value the presence and role of grandparents.
May they never be ignored or excluded,
but always encounter respect and love.
Help them to live serenely and to feel welcomed
in all the years of life which you give them.
Mary, Mother of all the living,
keep grandparents constantly in your care,
accompany them on their earthly pilgrimage,
and by your prayers, grant that all families
may one day be reunited in our heavenly homeland,
where you await all humanity
for the great embrace of life without end. Amen!
Spring Festival: Thursday, April 20
In order to ensure a successful event, we are asking for a parent volunteer from each class (PreK 3-8th grade) to oversee the creation of two baskets, each according to a theme. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up via Google Sheet. We ask for parents to sign up by March 24 so there is enough time to put the baskets together.
We recommend that families pool their resources for donations and ideas to create the most prized basket. It does not take a lot of money…just some thought! Please note, it is not required for parents to donate money towards the baskets and we ask that cash contributions do not exceed $20 per person. We truly appreciate your generosity. All money raised from the basket raffle will go towards funding HSA initiatives. Baskets are due by April 18.
Alicia Marascio will be the chairperson for the baskets this year! Please direct all questions to her at aliciamarascio@outlook.com.
We will open up ticket presale the week of April 2. We will also be selling tickets during the festival this year. More information to come.
Thank you for your support!
Student Life Notes
The students of St. Ann's will enjoy a special surprise treat in place of regular gym classes on Wednesday, March 15. We think it will be a fun and unique form of exercise that students can learn and teach to family and friends to repeat on the holiday this Friday!
See if you can guess what will happen....
- We'll enjoy traditional Irish music
- We'll be moving our feet!
- While we won't wear tutus, we will "ballet up"
- We'll have a "flat down" good time!
SAS will again participate in the Kids Heart Challenge to support the efforts of the American Heart Association, which seeks to fight heart disease and stroke, striving to save and improve lives. SAS students are asked to participate by choosing one fundraising challenge: to be active, or to be kind!
Have you signed up yet? Visit www.heart.org/khc or sign up on the “Kids Heart Challenge” App!
It is our goal to have 50% of students take the challenge! Once half the students in grades Pre-K -5 sign up and choose their challenge and our school reaches the first $500 in life saving donations to help the mission of the AHA…our school will earn an EXTRA $500 to shop for wellness and PE equipment for our school. To add to the fun, if we hit our goal...
- Two random students from the class with the highest percentage of students taking the health challenge will be chosen to Silly String a teacher!
- The first class to have all its students taking the health challenge will earn an extra gym class!
- Lastly, if we reach our school fundraising goal, students raising $150 or more will get to try and dunk a teacher in a dunk tank!
Thank you for joining our team of Heart Heroes!
Rock Your Socks for World Down Syndrome Day
On Tuesday, March 21st, students will be able to show their support for World Down Syndrome day by wearing a pair of mismatched socks!
Mismatched socks will be sold March 15th - March 17th for $2. Youth and adult socks are available for purchase. Parents, sport your socks at work and help bring awareness and support individuals with Down syndrome to achieve the same level of access and opportunity as their peers! If students would like to wear their own mismatched socks, they can for a $2 donation towards the Down Syndrome Association of Delaware.
Learn more here: https://www.dsadelaware.org/
“The Music Man, Jr." Is Coming to St. Ann's Social Hall!
Come see what happens when Professor Harold Hill comes to town! The shows are:
- Friday, March 31st at 7pm
- Saturday, April 1st matinee at 1pm
- Saturday, April 1st for a final evening performance at 7pm
There are two ways to support the students of SAS and St. Ann Parish:
- The St. Ann Parish Pasta Dinner
- Attending a Performance
TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE FOR THE 2023 ST. ANN’S SCHOOL MUSICAL
Tickets are $10 each.
You may purchase tickets electronically using the buttons below. Please put the number of tickets and which performance you would like in the note field if you pay electronically.
You can also drop off cash or checks to the rectory.
For more info, call Jane at the rectory (302-654-5519) or email jmatyger@thesaintannschool.org. You won’t want to miss it!
- $20 if ordered by March 31, 2023
- $25 if ordered in April
- FINAL DATE TO ORDER: APRIL 13, 2023!
Families of 8th Graders: you may purchase an ad to include in the yearbook featuring family photos, well wishes, and other special memories in honor of our graduates. Ads cannot be accepted after March 31, 2023, so act now!
In order to place your orders and learn more about how to design an advertisement, visit our website: https://www.thesaintannschool.org/parents/yearbook2023
The middle school students practiced well and competed on two teams at Delaware State University this weekend... placing in fourth place (behind third place by a mere 5 points) and fourteenth place overall!
Every child who competed earned at least one medal. Notably, Team 31 medaled in 21 of 24 events, a record for SAS, Team 32, medaled in 10 of 13 events. WOW!
Special congratulations to our teams with top three placements in the following competitions:
- Lennon and Phoebe - Agricultural Science Competition, 1st Place
Alexis and Charles - Cant Judge a Powder Competition, 1st Place
Isabella and Vivian - Bridge Competition, 2nd Place
Declan and James - Solar System Competition, 2nd Place
Patricia and Vivian - Sounds of Music Competition, 2nd Place
Jackie and Lily - Storm the Castle Competition, 2nd Place
Alexis and Cecelia - Bridge Competition, 3rd Place
Evelyn, Lennon - Forestry Competition, 3rd Place
Nick and Thomas - Wheeled Vehicle Competition, 3rd Place
Mark Your Calendars!
March 14: In-school SAS Band performance for 3rd & 4th graders
March 15: St. Patrick's Day Gym Class Take Over!
March 21: Rock Your Socks for World Down Syndrome Day - $2 socks or donation
March 24:
Casual Day, $1 for the Missions
Mother & Son Blue Coats Game, 7 pm
March 25: Pasta Dinner, 5:30 pm
March 31 & April 1: The Music Man Jr. Performances
April 5: Half-Day, no After Care
Easter Holiday: April 6-14, 2023
April 20: Spring Festival, 6-8 pm
April 24: 8th Grade End of Year Meeting & Potluck Dinner, 6-7:30 pm