September 12, 2024

Dear Viking Families,

It is great to be a Viking! This week has been filled with excitement and energy as we dive into the new school year. Our building has truly been buzzing with activity, and we’re thrilled to share some highlights with you.

It was wonderful to see so many of you at our Meet the Teacher event. Your support and enthusiasm as we kicked off the year set a positive tone for what promises to be a fantastic school year. Our teachers are eager to work with each student and have been busy preparing engaging and enriching lessons.

Our first Buddy Mass was a heartwarming experience, bringing together our 1st and 8th grade buddies along with our Kindergartners and 7th graders in a celebration of faith and community. It’s always special to see our younger students paired with their older peers, fostering mentorship and friendship within our Viking family.

This week, our students participated in the iReady Math Diagnostics assessments. These evaluations help us understand each student's academic needs and strengths, allowing us to tailor our instruction to better support their growth. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation during this important process.

Our Walk-a-Thon collections are also well underway! The Walk-A-Thon is a fantastic way to support our school's and PTO’s missions to provide strong and supportive educational programs to our students. We have already collected over $16,000 for this year’s cause! Please keep those donations rolling in!

As autumn begins, our school has embraced the season with a variety of fun fall activities. From creative art projects to homemade applesauce, our students have been making the most of this time of year. It’s exciting to see their creativity and enthusiasm shine through in every activity.

We are off to an amazing start this school year and are grateful for the continued support of our wonderful Viking community. Here’s to a successful and enjoyable fall season ahead!

Warm regards,

Stephanie Woodall, Principal

Points to Ponder

Some of you have inquired about the status of the Beacons of Light program in the Mary Magdalene Family. The following is a short summary of our progress. With the implementation of any new program a significant amount of training and formation of leadership teams must take place. We have completed that phase and are well into the next phases of the Beacons program. We have made tremendous steps in getting things done. Here are just a few of our accomplishments to date.

We have established a common family staff, Family Parish Council, Faith Formation Team, Faith Formation Commission, Parish Leadership Team, and a single Worship Commission with three liturgy planning committees. We still have three Finance Councils but with complete transparency of finances for all three parishes. We have developed an organizational structure according to the Beacons principles for all the ministries and organizations in our three parishes. We have established a common family web page and a common phone system that will be connected soon at all three parish sites. New common email addresses are also soon to follow. We have increased the enrollment in our schools by 10% this year. The number of baptisms, both adults and children is increasing, and the number of those baptized from other Christian denominations who become Catholic is increasing. These are all significant steps now completed as we move forward in the Beacons planning process.

There are still many organizational, administrative, and legal tasks to face which will require more work by the Family Parish Council and church staff. Beacons of Light was, and still is, an enormous endeavor and it will take significantly more time to achieve our desired results. It is like joining three substantial businesses into one. I would like to thank those in our family of parishes for their efforts and good will as that has made this process much easier.

If you were to ask what is the best way for the parishioners to help going forward, I would emphasize one thing. This is something necessary whether Beacons continues or we were to stay as single parishes: We need to increase the number of Catholics who attend Mass each week. COVID resulted in many Catholics not returning to church. So, ask your Catholic friends who no longer come to Mass to join you on the weekend, or perhaps other friends not yet Catholic to join you at Mass. As disciples of Christ this is one of the main jobs we have—spreading the good news!

Please continue to pray for the parish life of St. Mary Magdalene Parish Family.

Fr. Del Staigers

Medications Reminder

This is a reminder that medications - both prescription and OTC - must be brought to school to the health office by an adult and with medication forms found on the school website here. Please do not send medications with your student.

Uniform Update

With the first few weeks of our school year underway, we have had a chance to connect with our uniform and spirit wear vendors for several updates. Schoolbelles and U-Sports continue to fulfill orders on a 6 week timeline. The beginning of the year delay has resulted in several families purchasing alternative skirts and outerwear to start the year. There has been some leniency with uniform items to start the year. Starting November 1, all students must be in approved uniform attire. Please note that the plaids and look-a-like skirts on Amazon, Lands End, ect. are not the same approved plaid that we receive from Schoolbelles. Only items from Schoolbelles and U-Sports are approved uniform items.

Picture Day is September 24

Students may dress out of uniform. All attire must be respectful of the school environment. Shorts, dresses, and skirts must be of appropriate length. Leggings are considered undergarments and must be covered by tunic length tops. Order forms will be sent home the week of September 16, or you may order and prepay here.

PTO Sponsorship

Have you returned your 2024-2025 PTO Sponsorship Form? PTO appreciates your donations and there is still time to support your PTO! Click here for more information.

The 2024 St. Veronica Walk-a-Thon is Underway!

The 2024 Walk-a-Thon is going well so far and we appreciate everyone's dedication to this critical fundraiser! We need to keep pushing to hit our goals!

So far, 227 students have registered on www.mybooster.com, and 137 have received pledges!
We have raised nearly $16,000 - only $4,000 from our halfway point!
If we hit $20,000 in funds raised by Sept 18, students receive "Hoodie Mondays" throughout October!
On Sept 18, be sure to visit Marcella's Donuts (Mt Carmel location) as 10% of sales that day go to the Walk-a-Thon! (Be sure to mention you are from St. Veronica!!)
Keep an eye on the St. Veronica PTO Facebook page every Friday for updates on student and class leaders!

Click here for FAQs, instructions on registration, donations, key dates, and prizes!

2024 Walk-a-Thon Upcoming Dates to Remember:

Sept 18 - Grab some donuts at Marcella's (Mt Carmel location) and mention St. Veronica for 10% of sales to go to the Walk-a-Thon AND halfway point in the drive!

Sept 25 - Grab some chili at Gold Star Chili (location next to school) for 10% of sales go to

the Walk-a-Thon!

Sept 26 - Final donations due!

Sept 27 - Winners announced and WALK-A-THON!

Thanks again!

Walkathon Team

Find More Details Here or Click the Walk-a-Thon Logo!

Sept 9-13

Life Savers for Life Savers Collection

Sept 12

Pottery Building & Painting by Star Glazers | 3:00-4:00PM

Sept 13

Patriot Day (Sept 11) | wear patriotic shirt with uniform bottom

Sept 16

Join Scouts Night | 6:00-8:00PM

Sept 17

Confirmation Parent Meeting at St. Andrew Church | 6:30-7:30PM

Sept 18

Mass | 9:00AM

Sept 19

Pottery Building & Painting by Star Glazers | 3:00-4:00PM

Sept 20

Spirit Wear Day

Sept 21

8th Grade Carwash | 10:00AM-1:00PM

Sept 24

Picture Day

Sept 25

Mass - Virtue Awards | 9:00AM

Sept 26

Pottery Building & Painting by Star Glazers | 3:00-4:00PM

Sept 27

Walk-a-Thon

MORE EVENTS

REGISTRATION OPEN!

St. Veronica Girls Basketball

St. Veronica Boys Basketball

Girls Basketball: Grades 3-8

-Practices begin 10/14/24 (two 1-hour practices per week)

-10 game season with an end of season league tourney

-Games begin 11/09/24

-Games are played primarily on Saturday and Sunday with an occasional Friday evening game

-Registration closes 9/22/24

Boys Basketball: Grades 3-8

-Practices begin 11/1/24 (two 1-hour practices per week)

-Games begin 12/7/24

-10 game season with an end of season league tourney

-Games are played primarily on Saturday and Sunday with an occasional Friday evening game

-Registration closes 10/20/24

Interested coaches please complete application and submit to:

Boys AD -Jamie Brescol jamie.brescol@gmail.com

Girls AD-Julia McNeal mcnealjulia@gmail.com

COACH APPLICATION HERE

Attention grades K-2

St. Veronica Hoopsters is BACK!!

Hoopsters is a 6 week instructional basketball clinic offered to St. Veronica students grades K-2. Clinics are one hour sessions on Saturday mornings. It’s a great way to introduce your child to the sport of basketball and meet other students and parents in our St. Veronica school community!

-Clinic runs 10/26/24 - 12/7/24 with a break the week of Thanksgiving

-Times are 9am for 2nd grade & 10am for K-1

-Each participant gets a free Hoopsters t-shirt (if registered by deadline)

-Registration is open through 9/22

-Please reach out if you’re a parent and are able to volunteer