Dear Parents/ Guardians,
Day of Prayer for Peace with the Bishop:
Last Friday, we prayed together as an entire faculty, staff, and student body. Bishop Malooly had asked schools to join him in a beautiful prayer for peace in our communities. It talked about unity, mercy, and kindness. There is a part of this prayer that seemed very relevant, so I thought I would share it.
Surrounded by violence and cries for justice, we hear your voice telling us what is required…
“Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with our God” (Mi 6:8)
Fill us with your mercy so that we, in turn, may be merciful to others. Strip away pride, suspicion, and racism so that we may seek peace and justice in our communities.
At Mass last Friday, Father Nick talked to the children about the Holy Spirit being with them since their baptism. He showed them the chrism and water and talked to them about loving each other. Loving one another is one of the best things we can do to lead a happy life. Society would be a much more peaceful place if we all saw Jesus in each other, regardless of religion, race, geographical location, and/or political views. Fathertalked at this past Sunday’s Mass about forgiveness. For those of you who were not able to attend, he gave wonderful examples of the Amish and of people who witnessed horrible attacks and murders of their personal family members yet found it in their hearts to forgive openly. That is true love of a neighbor, a gift given to us from the Holy Spirit. At today’s Mass, Father spoke of Jesus as the friend who welcomed everyone. He reminded the children that they should be friends with everyone and not be exclusive. He taught them that Jesus was unique in that He befriended women at a time when women were not often seen in public. Jesus was not the norm. He did what he wanted to do and was willing to take criticism for his choices to love everyone as Himself. Love continues to be our theme for the month of September. We remember this very popular quote from the Bible. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” John 3:16
Thank you, Home and School Board!:
Thank you for a wonderful brunch social following the 11am Mass this week. It was a special day! We remembered those who lost their lives on September 11th and we also recognized how blessed we are in this parish. We are truly blessed with talented and compassionate teachers and an awesome Home and School Board. Father Nick was happy to be able to say a special blessing for our teachers. Next week is the traditional celebration of those who teach in Catholic schools, Catechetical Sunday. We celebrated a week early!
Faculty and Staff Retreat:
Our entire faculty and staff will travel to Neumann University’s Franciscan Spirituality Center on September 21st for a faculty retreat that will run until 4:30pm. PLEASE be prompt on this NOON DISMISSAL day. All staff members will be traveling as soon as students are dismissed, with a plan to arrive at Neumann by 12:30pm. We appreciate your cooperation, as this is a special day for us to gather in prayer outside of the work environment. We will be focusing our retreat on making the Fruits of the Holy Spirit come alive to us and your children in and out of the classroom and in our personal prayer lives.
Lunch Menu Error: I apologize for the confusion on the lunch menu. September 21stlists menu items. This is a noon dismissal day, and lunch will not be served. We have a plan to rectify this mistake. Anyone who ordered and prepaid on that day can simply order for free on October 19th. Thank you for your patience and understanding!
Panera Spirit Night:
St. Anthony of Padua Grade School is holding a Spirit Night on Thursday, September 29, at Panera Bread on Kirkwood Highway. This event is from 4:00pm to 8:00pm and is good for dining in at the restaurant or for take-out. Please turn in your flyer to the cashier and our school will receive a portion of the proceeds. This is a change from the past year. We will not be collecting receipts. Also, the “Rapid Pick Up” feature, if you order online, cannot be applied toward our Spirit Night. Come out and enjoy a delicious meal and support our school. We hope to see you there!
Picture Day is Friday, September 30th:
Fall Picture day is the day we take pictures for student IDs. Please be sure that your student is in full school uniform for their pictures. More information will follow.
Casino Night:
Join us for our second annual Casino Night on October 1st from 6:30pm until 11pm in the Ballad Room/Gym. You MUST BE 21 or OLDER TO ATTEND. Contactctruver@stanthonynet.org for more information.
Columbus Day Communion Breakfast:
Tickets are still available for the annual Columbus Day Communion Mass & Breakfast, to be held on Monday, 10/10 (Columbus Day). The event celebrates outstanding contributions by Italian-Americans to our local community and benefits St. Anthony of Padua Grade School & the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales retirement fund. Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Malooly at St. Anthony’s at 7:30am, followed immediately by a delicious catered full breakfast in Padua Academy’s Cafeteria (enter via 10th St.). This year the Committee is pleased to honor Fr Richard DeLillio, O.S.F.S. Fr. DeLillio, who is celebrating 50 years as an Oblate, has held many leadership roles in the Order, including service as President of Nativity Preparatory School during its fledgling years. Breakfast tickets are $35 each, and full tables may be purchased. To purchase a ticket or table, please contact Mike Malchione at (302) 652-4194 x122 or via e-mail at:mmalchione@dossnet.com.
Grandparents Day/Parent Teacher Conferences:
Thursday, October 13th we will celebrate our Grandparents once again for one of my favorite days of the year. Refreshments will be served at 8:30am in the Ballad Room. Visits to classrooms will begin at @9:30am. A prayer service will be held in the gymnasium at 11am, and there will be a NOON DISMISSAL for Parent/Teacher Conferences. There will be no after care provided on this day!
Congratulations to Kevin Reed!
Kevin is a big brother again. His sister Olivia was born last week and he was very proud to share.
After Care/Dismissal Reminder:
Please remember that dismissal for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade is at3pm. Please be prompt! We have many teacher meetings scheduled at 3:15pm, so any student remaining at 3:15pm will be sent to after care for a charge of $10/child or $15/family. After Care service is available from 3:15pm until 6pm. There is no difference in price if your child is there for 10 minutes versus 2 hours. So, please drive safely! Traffic these days is very stressful. Do not let your drive to school be stressful. Know that we have 2-3 staff members at all times who will happily supervise your child, assist them with homework, and even give them a snack while they wait for you.
2016-17 Delaware State Transportation Reimbursement:
The Delaware Department of Education School Transportation Office has informed us that the transportation funding for non-public schools was NOT APPROVED as part of the state budget. Families in Catholic schools will not be receiving a transportation reimbursement for the 2016-17 school year. I am extremely disappointed and sorry to notify all of you of this change.
ATTN: 8th Grade Parents! High School Placement Test (HSPT) Information:
The Diocese of Wilmington will administer the High School Placement Test (HSPT) at our diocesan and parish high schools (Padua Academy, Saint Elizabeth High School, Saint Mark’s High School, Saint Thomas More Academy, Saints Peter & Paul School) the first weekend in December. Registration for this year’s HSPT will take place online only, through Scholastic Testing Services, Inc. Paperwork was sent home with your 8th Grade student on Wednesday.
The HSPT registration website is http://wilmington.stsusers.
If you do not have online internet access, please feel free to stop by the school. I am happy to assist you with this application process. I strongly encourage you to have your 8th Grade student take the HSPT.
7th Grade Parents, Save the Date!: St. Elizabeth High School is inviting students to practice taking the HSPT in a stress-free environment in the spring of their 7th grade year. This practice will take place on Saturday, April 1, 2017 from 8:30am – 12 noon. A parent information letter was also sent home on Wednesday listing all of the practice test dates and Open Houses. Mark your calendars!
Parish Monthly Social-October:
Our first parish social for the fall will be held on Sunday, 10/2/2016, in the Ballad Room of the Grade School, following the 9:00am & 11:00am Masses. Stop by for food, fun, and socializing with fellow parishioners and friends. Special Announcement: We will be featuring the annual recognition slideshow of Italian Festival volunteers at these socials. Be sure to take a few minutes to relive all of your fun memories from the 2016 Festival! Copies of this DVD will be available for sale for $20, with $10 of the sale benefitting our Grade School. For more info contact Anne D’Ascoli (302.547.8107or adascoli@stanthonynet.org). I hope you can make it!
New Website:
Please visit our new website (currently under construction) at sapgs.org for several upcoming events. Also, be sure to check out the Home and School Association Calendar of Events that was sent home in paper form last week. This paper lists all events for the year, and our Home and School Board has been planning for many fun and exciting activities for our families.
Blessings,
Mrs. White and Mr. Shields
See pictures below for 7th Grade Mother Teresa quotes!
