It was another engaging, busy, and fun week at St. Mary's as we finished celebrating Catholic Schools Week due to last week's snow days. We have a lot to celebrate at St. Mary's! We celebrated our students on Tuesday, our nation and volunteers on Wednesday, and our faculty and staff on Thursday. We made sure the focus was on our Catholic Christian faith each day, and then added fun dress themes and activities to truly make each day a celebration. Photos and information about each of the days have been posted on our St. Mary's Elementary School Facebook page (@StMarysCatholicElementarySchool), but I am always happy to share the fun in our school newsletter as well. Thank you for all that you do for your child, including sending him or her to St. Mary's. I am proud that we are able to educate and nurture the whole child at our school, it is one of the many strengths that sets St. Mary's apart from other private and public schools in the area.

Thank you to the faculty and staff who helped prepare dishes and serve during our Volunteer Luncheon on Wednesday, for our generous volunteers for joining us for lunch, and for Home and School parents and Club 609 for providing a delicious and relaxing lunch for our faculty and staff on Thursday. We truly have an amazing school community and family, thank you!

Due to all the fun during Catholic Schools Week (and the extended celebration due to the snow days), February's Charity Dress and Free Dress Days have been rescheduled. The new dates are:

• Charity Dress Day: Wednesday, February 16 (monetary donation to participate)
• Free Dress Day: Thursday, February 24

Please remember that Charity Dress Days are just that, days that students may dress out of uniform in exchange for a monetary donation to the month's charity.

Monday is going to be a lovely day at St. Mary's as we celebrate Valentine's Day! We will be celebrating with Preschool class parties (Early Learners, Advanced Learners, Pre-K) starting at 9:30 a.m. and Elementary class parties (Kindergarten-5th Grade) starting at 2:00 p.m. Valentine parties will be held in the classrooms and we ask that adult attendance is limited to the Room Parent and two volunteers. Please ensure that your child brings a valentine for each student in his or her class. If you have any questions over the weekend about your child's class party, what you can volunteer to bring for the party, or class roster information please contact your child's room parent or teacher.

Do you know a family member or friend who is looking for positive, engaging, and Christ-centered education for their child? There has never been a better time to choose the education, faith formation, and nurturing environment that St. Mary's provides children aged 2 years to 5th grade. St. Mary's is a respected and trusted school that parents in the Joplin area have been choosing for their children for over 60 years!

St. Mary's is hosting a Preschool and Elementary Open House for interested families on Saturday, February 26 from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. The I Spy themed morning will include school tours, a fun I Spy game to complete, time spent in classrooms visiting with teachers, and information about what sets St. Mary's apart from other private and public schools in the area. For more information, please call the St. Mary's office, 623-1465.

If you would like to share a few precious photos of school-related events to be included in this year's yearbook, Miss Amy would love to have them! Photos that you have taken at class parties, school Mass or other programs, school movie night, Trunk or Treat, etc. would be a great addition to our amazing yearbook that Miss Amy puts together each year. Photos may be emailed to her at stmaryschool@jacss.org. If you have a question or would like more information, please do not hesitate to call the school office at 623-1465.

Speaking of yearbooks, don't forget that 2021-2022 yearbooks are still for sale! Yearbook order forms can be picked up from the school office or may be ordered online from Inter-State Studio using www.inter-state.com/order and entering St. Mary's code: 64501X. Online yearbook ordering closes on Friday, March 11!

Monday, February 14: Valentine's Day Parties-Preschool parties starting at 9:30 a.m., Elementary parties starting at 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday, February 15: Dr. Wilson's Dental Office visits Preschool classes and Kindergarten

Wednesday, February 16: Rescheduled Charity Dress Day due to CSW activities

Friday, February 18: Noon Dismissal, Faculty PD Day

Monday, February 21: No School, Presidents' Day

Thursday, February 24: Rescheduled Free Dress Day

Saturday, February 26: St. Mary's Preschool and Elementary Open House, 9-11:00 a.m.

Tuesday, March 1: Home and School serves Mardi Gras Cake, 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 2: Ash Wednesday Mass, 8:30 a.m.