Dear Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic School Community, This has been an interesting week for remembering the saints. We did not celebrate the Feast of the Archangels this year as it fell on Sunday. However, every day this week has been an obligatory memorial (Masses should be celebrated using the prayers for the saint)—St. Jerome, St. Therese of Lisieux, Guardian Angels, St. Theodore Guerin (Indiana’s saint), and St. Francis of Assisi—and tomorrow being the First Saturday of the month is a day to especially recognize and ask for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let us not forget to implore the help of the holy men and women who have gone before us as well as seeking the prayers of the angels. These are prayers we should all learn and memorize. Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. Guardian Angel Prayer Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. St. Thomas the apostle School 1331 N. North Main Street Elkhart, IN 46514 Stselkhart.com Phone: 574 - 2 6 4 - 4855 October 4, 2019 From the Principal’s desk… Happy Friday St. Thomas Families, October is here and with it Fall weather! The change to crisp air mid week reminds us that Grandparents Day and Fall Fest are just around the corner. I’m excited for these upcoming opportunities and anxiously awaiting Monday - when we’ll begin to see the building transform to welcome grandparents and all our families next Fri- day. Along with the cooler weather is thought of outside recess and making sure that students bring the proper apparel for outside play. Please make sure that your student(s) is prepared. Looking ahead Picture retake day is October 24th. If you want to have a picture retake, write “Retake” on the envelope and send it back to school. We will keep them until then. October calendar is included in today’s newsletter. There was a correction for October 22nd. The Amazing Acres Field trip is for grade 1 not Kindergarten. Sorry! Monday and Tuesday this week I was at a school safety conference put on by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. This yearly conference is always engaging and I learn so much from attending. This year, I attended many seminars, and learned much about building security during inclement weather events. The IDHS does an amazing job relating content into applicable practices and I was happy for the opportunity to attend. As we end this week, I’m excited for Fr. Jason to bless all of our pets in the parking lot at dismissal! Our furry friends are such integral parts of our families and it is wonderful seeing how excited our students are when their pet receives a blessing from Father Jason. I’m thrilled to have this tradition continue and hope it does for many years to come. This week, we finish our eighth week of school for the 2019 - 2020 school year. It’s hard to believe we’ve been together for almost an entire quarter! I’m happy to see our students, you, and our amazing staff as energized today as they were on August 12. Keeping a positive mindset and tackling all challenges in front of us, together, we all make St. Thomas the very best learning environment in Elkhart County. Thank you for the week, the quarter, and our year thus far. Have a safe, wonderful, weekend and enjoy the Fall weather. All the best, Chris Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. ~Rev. King Students scheduled to be altar servers this weekend are: Saturday: October 5, 2019 5:30 pm: Chris and John Gropp, Gavin and Elsa Frick, Aidan Esparza Sunday: October 6, 2019 8:00 am: Sophie Ferman 10:30 am: Olivia and Nicholas Fullhart, Austin and Kyle Kiefer, Wade Howard 6:00 pm: Leo Duggan, Lilly Day and Charles Madden SCRIP Seller for Masses October 5 and 6, 2019 Saturday, October 5, 2019 5:30 pm: Caitlin Vlaeminck Sunday, October 6, 2019 8:00 am: Laura Reverman 10:30 am: Kathy Fledderman 6:00 pm: Shannon Myers Box Tops Update $87.00 / $1,000.00 Goal Please download the Box Tops App and scan your receipts! Keep clipping any box tops you see! Send in your clipped box tops by 1/18/19 - We will be submitting them for the November 1 Fall deadline! Walmart is offering DOUBLE BOX TOPS with scanned receipts until 10/31/19 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 Mass 8:15 am PTO Meeting 8:15 am Mass Gr. 1-5 8:15 am All School Reconciliation Parent Blessing of Animals Mtg. 6:30 pm at Dismissal Elliott Hall 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Middle School Mass Ethos Trip Gr. 2 & 3 8:15 am Mass 8:15 am 9:00 am All School Book Fair Begins Ethos Trip Gr. 6 Grandparents Day YAC Meeting 1:00—2:30 pm Fall Festival 5:00 pm 6:30 pm End of the First Quarter 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Middle School Mass Mass 8:15 am 8th Grade Leaves for 8:15 am Mass 8:15 am Gr. 1-5 Washington DC All School Ethos Trip 11:00 am Kindergarten School Board Mtg. 7:00 pm 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 8th Grade Returns Grade 1 to Notre Dame All Picture Retake Day Fall Break from Washington DC Amazing Acres School Mass Gr. 1-8 9:00 am No School 9:00 am 10:30 am Dismissal 12:30 pm Hacienda Give Back Parent/Teacher Night Conferences Parent/Teacher 1:00-4:00 pm Conferences NO AFTERCARE 4:00—7:00 pm 27 28 29 30 31 Middle School Mass Ethos Trip Harvest Treat 8:15 am Grade 1 2019-2020 PTO Calendar 10/7-11 Book Fair 10/11 Fall Fest & Grandparents Day 10/23 Hacienda Give Back Night 10/31 Harvest Treat 11/7 PTO Meeting (8:15am) 11/8-9 Holiday Marketplace (Friday setup, Saturday craft fair) 12/5 PTO Meeting (8:15am) 12/6 St. Nicholas Day Treat 12/19 Teacher Cookie Exchange 12/20 Christmas Parties 1/9 PTO Meeting (8:15am) 1/31 Movie Night (Last friday of Catholic Schools Week) 2/6 PTO Meeting (8:15am) 2/14 Valentine’s Day Parties/Treat 2/25 Texas Roadhouse Give Back Night 2/25-3/4 ILEARN Snacks 3/5 PTO Meeting (8:15am) 3/7 PROM (TBD) (NEED A CHAIR HEAD) 3/17 St. Patrick’s Day Treat 4/2 PTO Meeting (8:15am) 5/4-5/15 ILEARN Snacks 5/7 PTO Meeting (8:15am) 5/4-8 Teacher Appreciation Week 5/27 8th Grade Luncheon and Grad Walk .