12/1/23 Newsletter
September 11th, 2023
December 1, 2023
Chilly weather is here!
Winter is quickly on its way, so please remember to send your children with appropriate WARM outdoor clothing - coats, gloves/mittens, and hats (and snow pants/boots once the snow arrives) EVERY DAY. It's better to have it and not need it than to not have it and freeze! Students go out for recess daily unless the temperature is below zero.
No Maplewood Bus On Monday, 12/4
Please note there is NO Maplewood Bus on Monday, December 4th. Students that typically take the Maplewood bus will need to be driven to and from school!
MNSAA School Survey
Information was sent out yesterday regarding a survey about the school. We are asking that all school families complete it by Friday, December 15th. Click below to learn more.
Join the cast of Matilda, Jr!
Again this year, in partnership with Totino-Grace High School and various area Catholic elementary schools, we are proud and excited to offer the opportunity to be a part of a full musical theatre production to our 5th - 8th grade students. This year we are doing Matilda, Jr.!
Rehearsals will start in January after the Christmas break.
Performances will be Saturday, March 23rd and Sunday, March 24th, 2024.
Rehearsals will take place at St. John‘s Catholic School in Little Canada.
Performances will take place in the Totino-Grace High School Theatre.
Thanks to a generous sponsorship from the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE), there will be NO CHARGE for students to participate!
To sign your child up, click on the link below.
Do you know IT??
Calling all IT people!
We are looking for someone that is good with technology to help manage our Panther Pride Gala online bidding software, OneCause. If you would like to assist with this process please reach out to Ms. Linda at lprazak@presentationofmary.org or 651-777-5877.
This is an extremely important part of the Gala process, so we ask all technologically-inclined people to please consider helping. This is a great way to build service hours and support our most important fundraiser!
Thank you for your support!
Cheer on the Panthers Basketball Team!
The Panther Basketball team is off to a great start this season. Click the link below to view their schedule and come watch them play!
Presentation Children's Christmas Choir
There's still time to join the Christmas Choir and sing at Christmas Eve Mass! The flyer with updated rehearsal dates is listed below.
Panther Pride Gala
Get your shirt!
The deadline to get a Gala shirt before Christmas Break has passed, but you can still order shirts and get them after break! Gala shirt order forms can be found here, or if you prefer a paper one you can request it from the school office.
Donate Items!
We are collecting items for our silent and live auctions. Put together a fun theme basket or donate tickets to a fun event. Do you have a special skill such as cooking or woodworking? Donate a cooking lesson or a few hours of carpentry assistance! Get together with some friends and donate a hosted dinner party! The options are limited only to your imagination! Questions? Contact Gala Chair, Linda Charnowski, at lprazak@presentationofmary.org.
Faith and Family Night with the Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild hockey team will be hosting a Faith and Family Night on Tuesday, February 27th v. Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:00pm. View the flyer below for more info and to get tickets!
Free Throw Contest
Kids ages 9-14 are invited to participate in a free throw contest being hosted by the Knights of Columbus Council #4374.
Date: January 14th
Time: 12:00pm
Location: Transfiguration
Questions: Contact Mike Schilling, 651-334-3822
Advent Coin Drive
Our Advent Coin Drive is in full swing! It will run through Friday, December 15th. Students can bring in various coins to add to their classroom buckets as donations. The two grades that raise the most money in coins will win prizes! First place gets a pizza party and second place gets extra recess! Bills may be brought in for donation, but only coins will be counted towards the class competition.
All proceeds raised will be donated to Save the Children.
Ways to Give this Christmas Season
The Giving Tree
The Giving Tree is a Presentation of Mary ministry designed to help make Christmas special for those in need. We are honored to be able to offer this assistance again this year. Gift suggestions are hung on our giving tree at the Kennard Street Entrance of church, along with instructions on how to return your gifts to the parish. With any questions about the Giving Tree, please contact Kay Mottaz at 651-842-6022 or kmottaz@presentationofmary.org.
Baby Items / Advent Collection
The Respect Life Committee is sponsoring a baby drive for Options for Women East Life Care Center. From December 2 through January 7, we will collect baby items for moms in need and their infants, sizes newborn to 2T. We prefer that all donations be new, but we do accept gently-used clothing. Items can be placed in the creche in the Kennard Street entrance of church. You may also call the parish office if you need to drop items off outside of church times.
Candy Cane Grams
Presentation's Student Council will be selling Candy Cane Grams from Monday, December 11- Friday, December 15. They will be for sale outside of the art room from 8:15-8:30am each morning and cost $1 each. Students can purchase them to send to a favorite teacher or friend!
Red Cross Blood Drive
On Saturday, December 2, from 8:00am-1:00pm in Kenney Hall, Presentation of Mary and the American Red Cross are hosting a blood drive. Please join our mission and schedule an appointment today at www.redcrossblood.org or all Barb Swanson at 651-395 -0453. Appointments only. No walk-ins.
Christmas Tree Lighting
Our annual Christmas Tree Lighting will take place on Sunday, December 3rd at 6:30pm. Father will bless our tree and we will watch it light up together before heading in to Kenney Hall for cookies, cocoa, and a visit from St. Nick himself!
Preschool and Kindergarten Information Night
Join us to learn about our Preschool and Kindergarten programming and curriculum. Please help us spread the word and invite more families to come learn about Presentation of Mary and join our wonderful community!
Date: Thursday, December 7th
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Kindergarten Classrooms
Park in the Lower Parking Lot and enter the building via Door S8 near the flag pole and mural.
Cookies and Cocoa with Santa
Click on the photo to register!
Advent Lessons & Carols Service
Invite your family, friends, and neighbors to join us on Wednesday, December 20 from 7-8pm in the Church for an inspiring candlelit service to prepare our hearts for the birth of the Christ Child. This simple and beautiful service, in which readings from sacred scripture alternate with sung meditations, illuminates a season of joyful expectation. This service will feature Donna Stoering, renowned concert pianist and our parish music director; concert violist, Erin Nolan; tenor Chidi Ohammah; and our Choir and lectors. A light reception will follow in the church Narthex. With questions, contact mail@presentationofmary.org.
Looking Ahead
Saturday, December 2: Blood Drive, 8am-1pm (Kenney Hall)
Sunday, December 3: Christmas Tree Lighting, 6:30pm (Kenney Hall)
Monday, December 4: Basketball Game vs. Community of Saints, 5pm (Presentation of Mary Gym)
Thursday, December 7: Preschool & Kindergarten Info Night, 6:30pm (Kindergarten Classrooms)
Saturday, December 9: First Reconciliation, 10am (Church)
Thursday, December 14: Basketball Game vs Holy Tinity, 5pm (Presentation of Mary Gym)
Friday, December 15: Christmas Concert, 6:30pm (Church)
Wednesday, December 20: Basketball Game vs Holy Spirit, 4pm (Presentation of Mary Gym)
December 21-January 2: No School, Christmas Break
Protection of Youth: All employees, and volunteers who interact with minors, are required to complete and maintain safe environment credentials (E3) through the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. To ensure successful completion of these requirements or if you have any questions regarding our safe environment practices or would like more information on what is needed to volunteer, please contact our Safe Environment Coordinator: Kay Mottaz @ 651-842-6022 or email kmottaz@presentationofmary.org.
To learn more about reporting suspected abuse, please also visit: www.safe-environment.archspm.org/report-abuse/Report.