December 4, 2020
Dear Families of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School,

Happy Advent! It has been a whirlwind since returning from Thanksgiving. The turkeys and gratitude grams in the hallways and classrooms have been replaced by Advent wreaths, St. Nicholas pictures, stockings and gingerbread men! We have jumped feet first into this season of HOPE in a time when we need HOPE more than ever. As we light the second candle on the Advent wreath this weekend, we will hear the start of Mark’s Gospel in which we learn about John the Baptist as he prepares the way for the arrival of Christ. When may family lived in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, we belonged to a church called St. Ferdinand. Our pastor there, Father Gallagher, was a phenomenal homilist. I remember his homily from this week when he said that we can’t have the singing angels without the locusts and honey; we can’t have the Incarnation without the voice crying in the desert; we can’t have Christmas without John the Baptist. I am always amazed by the fulfillment of the Old Testament in the New Testament which is manifested so clearly in the readings of Advent. As we listen to the readings this weekend, may we focus on the good that blossoms after the struggle. May we know good things will come through the infant in the manger. And may we hold on to HOPE.

Only by His Grace,

Veronica Tucker
Principal
SCHOOL NEWS
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Tuesday, December 8th
Middle School will attend Mass at 9:00 AM
DOLPHIN NETWORK NEWS (DNN) - November 20, 2020
YEARBOOK ADS
Applaud your student’s achievements with a tribute in the yearbook. Celebrate with words of congratulation, encouragement and praise. It's easy to purchase and create your ad online! Click the button for more information and instructions! Ads must be purchased by March 1, 2021.
NURSE'S NOTES & COVID-19 REMINDERS
SCREENING AND ON-CAMPUS REQUIREMENTS
We will continue to work closely with our local health department officials and the Catholic Schools Office to ensure the safety of our students and staff should the school experience a positive case of COVID-19. Please see the attached documents regarding screening of your students and on-campus requirements should someone test positive for COVID-19.
HAVANA NIGHTS - 20TH ANNUAL GALA
VIRTUAL TRIVIA NIGHT
Saturday, Dec. 5th
Parents, Grandparents and Friends are invited to join us for a fun night of virtual trivia! You do not need a team to participate!

Please purchase your spot by midnight tonight! CLICK TO JOIN
GALA TICKET PRE-SALE - Starts Monday!

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS: $175 Available for $150 Dec. 7th - 17th!

PADUAN PATRONS: $500 Available for $400 Dec. 7th - 17th!
Paduan Patrons receive:
  • Two reserved seats at the Gala
  • Two after-party tickets
  • Recognition on Gala website and sponsor page of the auction catalog.
  • Recognition in the Gratitude Report.
PADUAN PARENTS
STOCK THE SNACK BAR - December 8th
  • Paduan Parents is organizing a staff luncheon for our faculty on December 8th.
  • You are invited to help us “Stock the Snack Bar” for faculty & staff – Christmas edition! 
  • Donate snacks or beverages for our faculty and staff.
  • All items should be dropped off on Monday, Dec. 7th or Tuesday, Dec. 8th. Carts will be out during arrivals.
  • Individually-wrapped items, please.
PADUAN PARENT COLLECTION

Dear STAOPCS Families,

To thank our faculty and staff for their endless energy, caring ways, and amazing creativity, Paduan Parents is coordinating a one-time collection to provide Christmas and End-of-the-year gifts for the 2020-2021 school year. Because our children have different teachers on a regular basis at STAOPCS, the Paduan Parents Collection offers an optional opportunity for you to contribute towards a school-level gift to thank all faculty & staff who support your children.
To participate, please send in your contribution in an envelope (one was sent home earlier this month) to the front desk of the school by December 13. Cash or checks (made payable to STAOPCS) are accepted. Thank you for your support of our faculty & staff!
Sincerely in Christ,

Andrea De Aguirre, Middle School Parent Coordinator              
Amanda Walters, Elementary Parent Coordinator                             
Jennifer Jurkus, Early Childhood Parent Coordinator
UPCOMING DATES
12/05/2020 - GALA: Trivia Night
12/07/2020 - GALA: Ticket Pre-Sale Begins
12/07/2020 - Rosary Group, 2:30 PM Church
12/08/2020 - Staff Luncheon/Stock the Snack Bar
12/08/2020 - Mass (8-2) - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 9:00 AM, Church
12/09/2020 - Fine Arts Christmas Program (VIRTUAL)
12/10/2020 - Spanish Rosary Group, 2:30 PM, Church
12/11/2020 - Middle School Exams
12/11/2020 - Spirit Shirt & Jeans Day
12/12/2020 - OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
12/14/2020 - Middle School Exams
12/14/2020 - Rosary Group, 2:30 PM, Church
12/15/2020 - Middle School Exams
12/15/2020 - SPIRIT DAY: Chick-fil-a (Alden Bridge location) – Mention you are supporting St. Anthony when ordering!
12/16/2020 - Mass (6-1), 9:00 AM, Church, Middle School attending
12/16/2020 - 1st/2nd Grade Christmas Program (VIRTUAL)
12/17/2020 - End 2020-2021 - Q2
12/17/2020 - NOON DISMISSAL (NO BEYOND THE BELL)
12/17/2020 - GALA: Ticket Pre-Sale Ends, Midnight
12/18/2020 - 1/5/2021 | CHRISTMAS BREAK
You can still enroll in the optional Waldo photo delivery service where you'll get all YOUR student's photos texted to your phone!

How to enroll:
Click here or text STAOPCS21 to 735-343 and follow the prompts.

You can also scroll through and view all the photos on our Waldo Photos free web gallery here: https://waldo.photos/galleries. Enter the join code: STAOPCS21
(281) 296-0300
7901 Bay Branch Dr.
The Woodlands, TX 77382