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Good Afternoon St.Gabriel Families,
Although the groundhog saw his shadow and predicted 6 more weeks of winter, there are some days that feel like Spring is here. We are all anxious for the days when we will not need a coat or mittens. Although it may be very tempting to dress for Spring, we are not there yet. Please encourage your children to continue to dress appropriately for the weather.
We had 10 new families tour our school during Open House. The feedback from these families was very positive and 3 of the families have already applied for next year. Registration is now open for current families. Remember, registering before March 31 secures your spot and allows you to take advantage of the early registration discount ($250 per student/maximum of $1,000). All registrations can be done online. Please see our website for the registration link.
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And did you know about St. Gabriel's New Family Referral Program? Help us spread the word about our school!! If you aren't aware, new families may indicate on their student's application that a current family has referred them to St. Gabriel. The current family will receive a $500 one-time tuition credit for that referral after the new family enrolls their student(s) AND the new student(s) begin the school year.
More information is available on the Admissions page of the school website. If you have any questions about either the registration process or referral program, please contact Celia Meyers at [email protected].
Please keep Fr. Tim in your thoughts and prayers as he continues to focus on getting well so that he may return as soon as possible. We all miss him very much and wish him well!
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Lent:
Believe it or not, we are just a couple of weeks away from the beginning of the Lenten season. Our students will be participating in a variety of activities during the school day to help them prepare for the Resurrection of Jesus. We will begin the season by burying the Alleluia. Each student will be making a caterpillar that will be put into a jar and “buried” for the season of Lent. Each week during Lent our middle school students will be praying the Stations of the Cross. On Holy Thursday our eighth grade students will host the Living Stations of the Cross for all of the students. Students will also raise the Alleluia on this day. Their caterpillars in the jar will be transformed into beautiful butterflies and will be displayed throughout our school in celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus.
In addition to the all-school activities, each classroom has its own special way of celebrating Lent. Our K4 class will be making Lenten eggs. The K5 classroom will be learning the Lenten jelly bean prayer. Other classes will be keeping Lenten journals and creating Lenten calendars that keep track of good deeds and sacrifices made throughout the season.
For our school-wide Lenten project we will be collecting items for the Milwaukee Rescue Mission. The Milwaukee Rescue Mission serves the homeless and poverty-stricken community in Milwaukee. They are currently in urgent need of several items. For a list of these items, or any information concerning donations, please contact the school office (262-628-1711).
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Read-a-Thon:
Our March Read-a-Thon is approaching. HSA has organized a fun-filled week of activities to get our students excited about reading and raise money for our school at the same time. This year all proceeds raised from our Read-a-Thon will be put towards ELA curriculum, resources, and supplies for all grades. Next year we would like to implement a new ELA curriculum. McGraw-Hill World of Wonders would be used in K4, McGraw-Hill: Wonders would be used in grades K-5, and IXL digital resources for ELA and Math would be used in grades 1-8.
The schedule above includes some of our all-school activities for the week and the link to our Read-a-Thon website. On Thursday we are looking for mystery guest readers to read to each class. If you are interested in coming into school and reading a book to the class, please contact your child’s teacher. Please remember, if you are coming into the classroom, completing the Safeguarding class is required. You may also schedule a virtual read or send a recording of you reading one of your favorite children’s books to the classroom teacher. Thank you for your support!
Read-a-Thon Link
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Iowa Testing:
The window for Iowa Testing is March 1- 18. Grades 3, 5, and 7 will be taking the test during this time. Teachers will schedule which days and times their class will be taking each section of the test. Testing will be spread out throughout these days. Classes will not be testing all day long. Watch your child’s classroom newsletter for more information.
Survey Results:
Thank you again to everyone who participated and filled out the survey back in November. We have been compiling the data to develop an action plan based on your feedback. We appreciate your taking the time to let us know where we can improve, what we are doing right, and how we can continue to grow and serve our students and families. To review a copy of the survey results, please click HERE.
We would like to explore some of the suggestions for new extra-curricular activities for next year. Below is a list of the top three student-based clubs that had the most interest.
- Student Government - We are looking for a volunteer to lead a program for our Middle School students.
- Band - We are in need of someone who can lead this activity. If you know of someone that may be interested, please let us know.
- Community Service Opportunities - Currently the middle school students are invited to Pizza with a Purpose with our Youth Christian Formation Director, Lea Rosenburg. On the 3rd Friday of each month, ALL St. Gabriel middle school students are invited to meet in the parish hall to work on service projects.
If you have a talent and the time, we'd love to hear from you so we can partner together to develop some of the additional programming listed in the survey. We are a family at St. Gabriel and we rely on each other to enhance the experience for our students. Call or email us, we would love to hear from you.
COVID Update:
As of this morning, we do not have any positive cases among our students or staff. YAY!!! Thank you to everyone for continuing to monitor for symptoms and for keeping your children home until you are sure that they do not have the virus. I have included a link to our COVID protocol for your reference. Our protocol includes links to the CDC and Washington County Health Department recommendations.
COVID protocol
Spirit Wear:
For those who ordered Spirit Wear, the items are in and we will be sending it home today.
Athletics:
Due to some activities in the Parish Hall that typically coincide with practices, all players, coaches, and parents will now need to use the main entrance to the school and no longer use the rear entrance into the parish hall.
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Dress Code Transition:
Just a reminder, St. Gabriel Parish School will begin to implement the Mass Day Dress Code five days a week, as of the 2022-2023 school year. While it is not required to follow the Mass Day dress code on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, we would like to give families this opportunity to ease their students into this new routine. Please take advantage of this transition time if you are ready to do so. Please refer to the dress code link for more detailed information regarding the dress code for the next school year.
2022-2023 Dress Code Policy
Our Lands End school account has been updated to reflect next year’s dress code. Our school number is 900129099.
Lands End School Account Info
Lands End Website
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After School Care/Tuition Payments:
We have sent out the January Tuition (including Scrip credits) and After School Learning Program statements.
Please remember that ASLP is a pay-in-advance program. You may make payments online or by check payable to St. Gabriel. After School Care Sign Up
For Tuition payments, we are more than halfway through the school year… please be mindful that you should also be more than halfway through paying your tuition statements.
On the Calendar...
February 24 - Spirit Groups
February 25 - Early Dismissal (11:00 AM)/End of Trimester
March 1 - 18 - Iowa Testing
March 1 - Report Cards Go Home
March 2 - Ash Wednesday Mass 8:30 AM and 7:00 PM
March 18 - Early Dismissal (11:00 AM)
March 22 - Spirit Groups
March 24 - All School Schauer Center Field Trip - Hot lunch will be served prior to departure.
April 14 - Early Dismissal (11:00A M)
April 15 - 22 - Easter Break
Peace and Blessings,
Kim Lestina
Principal
St. Gabriel Catholic Parish School
With God's help, we will do MIGHTY things!
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Save the date for a night of fun at A Country Affair - where fellowship and fun meet!
The St. Gabriel Parish School Auction is set for June 4th and we are excited to invite you and your families to join us here at the Parish for a night of food trucks, carnival games, and live music. More details to come!
Classroom Basket Leaders are needed for all grade levels. Please consider helping the Auction with this very important role. Other volunteer opportunities also exist at various levels of time commitment, please contact Connie Helm, Auction Chair at [email protected] for more information.
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The School Advisory Commission would like to extend a special thanks to everyone who supported this year's Pizza Fundraiser. With the wonderful support of our Parish community, we were able to sell nearly 1000 pizzas. The money raised will be put towards the general benefit of our Parish school's mission, to include purchasing equipment and curriculum to support our wonderful teachers.
We would also like to extend a special thanks to those supporters who made monetary donations in lieu of purchasing pizzas and to those who made it possible for St. Gabriel's to make a sizable food donation to Karl's Place in West Bend, a shelter available to men and women at risk of homelessness in Washington County.
Once again, thank you so much and we look forward to an even more successful fundraiser next year!
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Congratulations to our Forensics Team on a great start to the season!
The students received the following awards at their last two meets:
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7th Grader, Marge Hartlund won two gold medals in her category - Demonstration
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8th Grader, Rachel Kohs won silver in her category - Prose
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8th Grader, Laura Reichert won silver in her category - Poetry
- 7th Graders, Katie Kazmierczak and Ewelina Tripp won a silver and a bronze medal in their category - Infomercial
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8th Graders, Matthew Mans, Mateuze Pawela, and Ally Pentek won a blue ribbon in their category - Group Acting
- 8th Grader, Agata Pawela won a red ribbon for her category - Poetry
- 6th Grader, Oliver Packee won a blue ribbon in his category - Farrago
- 6th Grader, Grace Parker competed virtually and won a red ribbon in her category - Infomercial
- 6th Grader, Roksana Pawela won a red ribbon in her category - Poetry
Good luck to all of the students on Friday as they head to St. Francis Cabrini in West Bend for week 3!
Thanks to coaches (5th Grade Teacher), Mrs. Heimermann, (MUHS Poetry State Champ), Jacob Marx, (Phy Ed Teacher), Mrs. Schulteis, and (Lunch Director), Mrs. Weyer who have been working with the team. And another thank you to Mrs. Weyer for decorating the student lockers for the season plus giving them a little treat!!
-St. Gabriel Head Coach - Nikki Packee
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Get creative with our friends from the Catholic Ecology Center and join them at some upcoming workshops with artist, Andrea Meyer. Click the links below to sign up!
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Have you cheered on your Hawks lately?
St. Gabriel’s is hosting some exciting basketball games for the final two weeks of the season, February 26th and March 5th, right here at our beautiful St. Gabriel Gymnasium. Come watch some basketball, enjoy popcorn, and cheer loudly!!
Our games are as follows:
February 26:
- 8:15am - 8th Grade Boys vs. St. Mary Menomonee Falls
- 9:15am - 6th Grade Boys vs. TBD
- 10:15am - 8th Grade Boys vs. Waukesha Catholic
8:15am - 6th Grade Girls AT Holy Angels
March 5th (FINAL Week of Basketball):
- 8:15am - 6th Grade Girls vs. St. Dominic
- 9:15am - 6th Grade Girls vs. St. John’s Vianney
- Time TBD - 6th Grade Boys vs. TBA
Wear your Hawks Gear and come support our school.
LETS GO HAWKS!!!
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Does your child want to play football? Do you want them to learn the game and how to play it safely?
Look no further.
The Catholic Memorial High School Jr. Crusaders have something FREE for boys in grades 3 thru 7. Check out the Jr. Crusaders 5th annual football Combine Clinic. See the below flyer for details. Follow this link to register:
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Middle School Parents - If you are thinking about Catholic high school for your child, Catholic Memorial High School is hosting a second annual Future Leaders Forum for 6th and 7th graders next month.
Registration for this event is now live, and they are so excited to welcome your future leaders to their campus next month! Please see the instructions below on how to register for this event.
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Click on this link to visit and choose “Schedule a Visit”
https://catholicmemorial.net/admissions/visit-or-shadow/
- Log in to the site or create an account - *If you have not accessed the site since July 2021 – please create a new account
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Enter your student’s name and grade - *Choose Grade 9 - Year 2023-24 (7th graders) or Year 2024-25 (6th graders)
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Click on Future Leaders Forum - Registration
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We will be utilizing Constant Contact for our weekly Gazette this school year. Please mark these emails as "safe" so you receive important updates and news from St. Gabriel Catholic Parish School. | | | | |
