The Roman martyrology – the lists of martyrs and the anniversaries of their deaths – tells about two Saint Valentines, both martyred around the year 269. One of them may have been the bishop of Terni in Italy and the other a priest in Rome. A legend says that the priest sent letters of encouragement to people who lived in fear of persecution. The legend is meant to explain why people send valentines in his name.
Another explanation for the custom of sending valentines is that people noticed that in mid-February birds begin returning from their winter nesting sites and then choose mates for the springtime. All that raucous singing of birds is a method of claiming nesting territory. So the day was regarded as the perfect day to choose a sweetheart.
Some important dates:
- February 18 – NO SCHOOL
- February 21 – NO SCHOOL
For Your Information:
- If you have received a progress report for mid-3rd quarter in the this Thursday envelope, it is because your student is receiving a D or F in a core class (Math, Science, E/LA, Social Studies). If this is the case, please email your student’s teacher at your convenience to discuss what can be done to better the grades.
- We were originally scheduled to have a Sister Thea Bowman Open House for current and prospective students on Tuesday, February 1. Yet, because of COVID, we are trying to limit the number of outside individuals into our building. We are tentatively planning on having our Open House / STEM Night on April 7.
- If you haven’t already, please continue to visit our Facebook page as we continue to recognize some of the great accomplishments of our students, daily “happenings”, and other pertinent information.
- In this week’s Thursday envelopes, we have included step-by-step directions in our FACTS system to print out your family’s tax information for upcoming tax season.
- Please make sure you remind your students about our dress code. Black or white shoes and a belt seems to be an issue frequently. Thanks for your support!
BE CAREFUL! Our custodial staff is out every morning salting our sidewalks to make sure they are safe. Still, with the snow melting during the day and freezing at night, it makes for some difficult conditions, especially in the morning. Take your time!
National Catholic Schools Week (CSW) is an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. Now entering its 48th anniversary year, CSW has traditionally been held the last week in January. Yet, even though we have one week out of the school year to recognize the important role that Catholic Schools play…..each day, Catholic school teachers challenge over a million students to engage in innovative learning, to problem-solve, to work in teams, and to stretch their thinking. Our teachers show students how to live a faith that is infused throughout their day and help students create an environment that demonstrates concern for others and for God’s creation.
Field Trip opportunity for our Kindergarten through 5th grade students. In collaboration with Metro Theater and the St. Louis Black Authors of Children’s Literature’s Believe Projects…..on Thursday, February 10, our students will be traveling to the Grandel Theater in St. Louis to see a performance of “The Last Stop on Market Street”. The play is based off the award-winning children’s book by Matt de la Peña. It is an inclusive ode to kindness, empathy, gratitude, and finding joy in unexpected places. There is a field trip form included in your Thursday Envelopes.
The liturgical calendar doesn’t mix Advent, the season of preparation, with Christmas, the season of play, but the work and the play both bring joy. The anticipation during Advent is sweet. Our preparations can be emblems of the yearlong work we must do, in reflection of the season’s scriptures, to “beat swords into plowshares,” to clothe one another in “the garments of justice and mercy,” to wait patiently for the Lord’s peaceable kingdom. In this kingdom, according to the prophet Isaiah, the wolf will be the guest of the lamb, the baby will play safely with the cobra, the ox will share its hay with the lion – and the lion will be completely contented with its vegetarian meal!
What Does the Second Week of Advent Candle stand for?
“The loveliest image of Advent is pregnancy. We keep Advent in the company of the Blessed Virgin Mary. During Advent, we remember her expectation, when she waited for the birth of her child. Through the message of the archangel Gabriel, she heard God’s word and kept it. She as filled with the Holy Spirit, and in her body the body of Christ came to be.