Dear Fabulous Families -

• Scroll down to see one of our new staff members who will be joining us next year.

• For the past couple of years we have had special spirit days the last week of school. See the special dress days below.

• For those of you who wish to construct your own chairback pouch for next year, Mrs. Ortwerth has graciously shared the dimensions and instructions here: Do-It-Yourself Chairback Pouch Directions See additional information below if you want Mrs. Ortwerth to make it for you. There is an order form below.

• There are always lots of items to go in the school newsletter throughout the year. Please send in submissions by noon on Monday to Dr. Winkeler, dwinkeler@stgab.org, and Mrs. McEnery, tmcenery@stgab.org, before the Wednesday publication. Graphics should be a jpeg or png - not a PDF.
  

Peace and Joy -

Tonya McEnery

Principal

St. Gabriel the Archangel

Dan Winkeler

Assistant Principal

St. Gabriel the Archangel

Monday – Dress Down Day

The Knitters get to be Assistant Principals of the Day and they are choosing for Monday to be a Dress Down Day! We can't wait to see what other fun they get to have!

Tuesday - Show some team spirit! Add-on your favorite team jersey/shirt to your uniform. What is your favorite team? This could be a team students participate on now or a college or professional team.

Also, share the spirit with others by bringing in any of the following items to support Claver House and Southside Day Care:

Diapers

Tissues

Toilet Paper

Paper Towels

Sponges/Cleanser

Soft Soap

Canned Chicken

Boxes of Rice

Box of Oatmeal

Canned Fruit

Wednesday – Crazy Sock Day

Wear your crazy socks! Stripes, dots, short, or tall, we want to see them all!

Thursday – Hats Off to a Great Year

Students may wear their favorite hat with their uniform.

Friday – Ready for Summer Dress Down Day!

Show off your vacation wardrobe – shorts, T-shirt, sunglasses, hat – Get creative! (No swimsuits)

School Supplies On-line Ordering for the 2023-2024 school year can be found here (Supply Lists)

Preliminary calendar for 2023-2024 can be found here: (Calendar 2023-2024)

Additional information will be added, but we know many of you want to plan vacations!

Calendar History -

There have been a few inquiries regarding spring break. Traditionally at St. Gabriel, when Easter is early, spring break has been added after the Triduum. For those of you who have been around for awhile, you will recall "Spring Break" is a relatively new term. Historically, any sort of break during the second semester was focused on Easter (After all, we are a Catholic school and the calendar reflected that.) There was no "Spring Break" - just the Easter break. The last time Easter occurred on this very same weekend, several years ago, we included "Spring Break" after the Triduum. There are other grade schools in our region that have taken this same approach. This also helps with our teachers who have their own children attending the surrounding Catholic schools.
A few people have brought up a document/mandate/message, etc. that said all schools would be in alignment for Spring Break. As of right now, nobody at the Office of Catholic Education knows of any such document/mandate/message. Team leaders and teachers created the calendar with an eye to instruction. Having a spring break mid-March, coming back for a week and half and then being off for an Easter break leads to choppy instruction. By the time our youngest students get back into a routine, they are out again, only to repeat the same process.

Certainly as we move forward with All Things New and figuring out pastorates, vicariates, deaneries, etc. there will be additional discussion about calendars.

Chairback Pouches:

If your child will be entering 3rd and 4th grade next year you will need a new chairback pouch.

Because the new chairs are wider in these grades the sides of the chairbacks are splitting open.

All chairbacks will now be made wider to accommodate all sizes of chairs!

They will be slightly big on the small chairs but will work nicely and hopefully save many from ordering new ones in the future

.

Art Bags

All grades, kindergarten through 5th grade, will be using drawstring bags. Feel free to use any drawstring bag you may have. Just make sure you have your child's name clearly labeled on it. Joyce Ortwerth will also have some on hand that can be monogrammed but feel free to use what you already have around your house. If you already have a drawstring bag but would like it monogrammed, Joyce is also able to do that for you also. Just fill out the paperwork accordingly and drop it off to her with your drawstring bag.

Finally, if you are attached to the idea of the old art bags for the younger grade, contact Joyce she will accommodate you.

The order form can be found here if you wish for Mrs. Ortwerth to make the chairback pouch: (order form).

For any further questions, please contact Joyce Ortwerth at 314-323-3168.

A huge thank you goes to PFA for the breakfast, bags, and cookies last week. Holy Name did a great job cooking out for us. We appreciate the love from everyone during Staff Appreciation Week!

We look forward to the following individuals joining the St. Gabriel Family next year. Keep an eye on the forthcoming newsletters for additional introductions.

My name is Megan Brady. I was born and raised in St. Louis. I’ve been teaching middle school Language Arts for nine years. I also run a club basketball program, Southside Basketball Academy. I love Cardinals baseball and Blues hockey! In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing games, relaxing at my cabin, and spending time with friends and family.

(Coincidentally Mrs. Ronshausen knows Ms. Brady and recommended her for the 8th grade ELA position!)

Congratulations to all of our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade girls who finished their Girls on the Run season this Saturday, May 13th at the Girls on the Run 5K in Forest Park!

Totus Tuus returns to St Gabriel’s this summer during the week of June 26-30. The day program is for school aged children entering grades 1st-6th from 9 am - 3 pm in the school. There is also an evening program for those entering 7th-12th grade at 7:30 pm in the Gabriel House.

For those who are unfamiliar with Totus Tuus, it is initially a Catholic version of a Vacation Bible School led by missionary and seminarians from across Missouri. Totus Tuus includes Confessions, Mass, and Adoration as well as learning about the Catholic faith!

This is also an opportunity for high school students to volunteer who are in need of completing service hours.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Faith Kremer at vfaithkremer@gmail.com or 314-712-4433

https://forms.ministryforms.net/viewForm.aspx?formId=b2cb6348-c406-4592-a99a-1498bf1d6560

Dear Parents,

Please join us tomorrow if you are able to pray for our 8th grade class. Monsignor Shamleffer is celebrating his 40th year as a priest this Sunday at the 9am Mass. We will have a blessing for him as well at tomorrow's Mass.

A Favorite Mary Song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFSRRcNWufc

A Favorite Prayer Song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtwIT8JjddM&list=RDbFSRRcNWufc&index=3

Tuesday Masses

5/23 Kindergarten Baptism Mass

Wednesday Masses

5/24 5P

Thursday Masses

5/18 May Crowning -8th Blessing Mass

5/25-Students do not attend 8 am Mass

5/26 Friday, Last Day of School, All School Mass

Come pray with us. Please join us whenever you are able! Masses are at 8:00 am in church.

Peace and blessings!

Deborah DaLay

Coordinator of Religious Education

Dates below are subject to change and additional days will be added as we continue to plan for the upcoming year.

May 23- 8th Grade Graduation (6:00pm)

May 26- Last day of school- NOON DISMISSAL

Are you interested in getting involved to support our school, faculty and students next year? The PFA strives to foster connections across our school community through activities both in and out of school.

We have two committees that need volunteers for next year:

• The Home & School Committee needs two volunteers. This committee focuses on supporting activities at school, such as—Class Party support, Veterans Day breakfast coordination, Grandparents Day breakfast coordination. (Often this committee spends 1-3 hours on PFA activities per month).
• The Community Outreach Committee needs one volunteer. This committee focuses on connecting our school with the broader community through service activities. Join this committee in finding amazing ways to help our school community give back. (Often this committee spending 1-3 hours on PFA activities per month with slightly more for our school-wide day of service in October)

If you have a couple of hours a month to give, please consider joining PFA to support our amazing school community! Reach out to Erin Knitter (erin.k.keefe@gmail.com) or Emily McGinnis (emilymcginnis@gmail.com) for more information or to volunteer.

If you are interested in being a mentor family, please see the link below:

bit.ly/3IZsc1H

SGYG is open to all high school teens. We meet on Wednesday evenings from 7:30-9pm (Doors Open at 7:15pm) in the Gabriel House Chapel. No sign-up necessary! High schoolers can attend on a regular basis or drop-in as it fits their schedule!

-SGYG Wednesday Nights (and other activities) are now open to current 8th graders! Please feel free to join us for our weekly gatherings whenever if fits your schedule.

Saturday, June 17th | St. Gabriel Block Party!

St. Gabriel is having another Block Party this June and SGYG needs your help! We need volunteers to work in the food tent, monitor trash during the evening, and clean-up the event. We had many volunteers last year, but need twice as many this year, especially with clean-up. Use the sign-up link below or contact Sarah.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4caaae23aafbc16-stgabriel1#/

Follow us on Instagram @stgabesyg

Like our Facebook Group: St. Gabriel Youth Group (SGYG)

Join the Flocknote Group: Youth Ministry

Visit the Youth Group page on the parish website

Contact our Youth Minister: Sarah Henderson - hendersons@stgabrielstl.org

Urban Golf is like traditional golf using one golf club of the player’s choosing and a tennis ball. Players drive, pitch, and putt with all the challenges of traditional golf but in a transformed Francis Park 12-hole golf track. Teams of 4 participate in a best ball scramble with the lowest score taking home the championship and bragging rights.

There will be 3 tee times for the event taking place at 12:00pm, 2:00pm, and 4:00pm with event check in occurring 30 minutes before your scheduled tee time at the north end of the park near Nottingham and Childress.

Sign up information:
Please email mnshekell@hotmail.com the following information to sign up for the event.
Team name:
Golfer’s names:
Preferred tee time: 12:00pm, 2:00pm or 4:00pm (first come, first serve):

Payment information:
The event cost is $200 per foursome, that cost includes Urban Golf greens fees, tennis balls, beverages including beer, seltzer, water, and food including burgers, brats, hotdogs, chips and pretzels.

To pay via Venmo, send the $200 payment to @SGAA-Urban-Golf or deliver/mail a check made out to St. Gabriel the Archangel Athletic Association (SGAA) to 6364 Devonshire Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63109.

Thank you for supporting the St. Gabriel the Archangel Athletic Association!

Enjoy a premier summer experience held in CBC’s theater, classrooms, science labs, STEM Academy, art studios, and sports facilities by being part of our CBC Summer Academy. Register today at www.BeaCadet.org/summer. Contact Melissa Ryan at ryanm@cbchs.org or 314-985-6095 for more information.