Helpful Election Year Documents

The Catholic Bishops of Minnesota have released some helpful guidance on the 2024 election that I’d like to share with you. The first is a letter from the bishops regarding what ought to be considered when voting on November 5^th. That document is available at the following url: https://www.archspm.org/catholic-bishops-2024-election/. 

The second document comes from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and is entitled “The Role of the Church in American Political Life,” available at the following url: https://www.usccb.org/resources/Role-of-Church-In-American-Political-Life.pdf. 

Finally, the Minnesota Catholic Conference has offered us a very good resource on their Election Resources page that expresses the priority of human dignity and voting with a Catholic conscience. Feel free to take a look at the following url: https://www.mncatholic.org/election2024. 

With respect to our own approach to political speech at Saint Agnes School, feel free to take a look at our Student/Parent Handbook Policy on “Political, Anti-Catholic, and Divisive Endorsement and Symbols Policy.”

Blessing of Animals

This past Friday, Fr. Ubel blessed animals from the front steps of the church to honor the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, in particular St. Francis’s love for the creatures of God’s kingdom here on earth. See the full album of photos here. What a blessing to see so many people caring well for the animals God has given to us!

Conference Meals for Teachers

It’s that time of year again! The Teacher Appreciation Committee is hosting a dinner and light breakfast for our teachers during conferences on October 24-25. Consider donating food or your time to help us provide these wonderful meals to our fantastic teachers. Check out this Sign Up Genius to learn how you can help. Thank you! 

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days Oct 8-9

Amazon Prime days are excellent opportunities to score great deals on items that could be used in the Red & White Benefit auction, and they can be shipped right to our door! We have compiled a wish list from which to shop, but any items that you feel would be popular are most welcome. Please include a gift receipt with your name so we can properly thank you as the donor. Consider supporting the Red & White Benefit and the scholarship money it raises for our students.

Red & White Committee Chairs Needed

We are in need of volunteers to help with planning and executing the Red & White Benefit in the coming months. Silent Auction, Live Auction, Database Management, Sponsors, Advertisers, Programming, Invitations, Bar, Volunteers, are all areas where we could use a leader so as to divide and concur the beast that is the Red & White! To step up or to find out more, please contact Mrs. Sara Bruggemann or Mrs. Mary Appel.

Uniform Sweatshirts

Need a uniform sweatshirt for your student(s)? We will have them available for purchase during conferences on October 24-25. If you would like to pick one up sooner, please email Mr. Neal Abbott. Each sweatshirt is $20.

Mornings with Mary & Martha

All women of the parish are invited to join us on Saturday, October 12 (moved up one week) at 6:30 a.m. in Schuler Hall for our October meeting. We will continue the Abiding Together podcast, Identity of a Woman: Bride (Season 11, episode 14). Discussing Part 2 of Bride . No prior attendance required.

October Important Dates

10/6-10/7 – UMary Bus Trip

10/7 – 6^th Grade Rosary Pilgrimage

Lower School Rosary Procession

10/8 – 11^th Grade Parent Meeting

10/9 – Picture Retakes

10/11 – Lower School Virtue Assembly

               Kindergarten and 1^st Grade Field Trip

10/15 – Lower School Grandparents Day

10/16 – No School for grades PreK – 6^th

               12th Grade Standardized Testing (CLT)

10/17-10/18 – MEA Break-No School PreK-12^th

10/20 – Saint Agnes Parish Festival

10/21 – PreK Field Trip

10/22 – 10^th Grade Field Trip

10/23 – 3^rd Grade Field Trip

Little Flowers After School Group

10/24 – Fall Conferences (Evening)

10/25 – Fall Conferences (Day) - No School PreK-12^th

10/30 – 10th/11th Grade Standardized Testing (PSAT)

10/31 – Parish All Saint’s Party

Volunteer at Saint Agnes School: Share Your Time and Talents

Saint Agnes is blessed by our many volunteers who give back with their time and talents! Volunteering is a wonderful way to serve the Church, support our students, and connect with our school community. 

How You Can Help

We offer various volunteer opportunities, from classroom assistance to event support. Whether you can give a few hours or more, your involvement makes a big difference. Explore the list of opportunities below and sign up for what fits your schedule: https://forms.office.com/r/GGDTNi5Gex

Volunteer Requirements

To ensure a safe and secure environment for our students, all volunteers who interact with youth are required to complete the Essential 3 (E3) requirements. 

Questions? Contact HR Coordinator Mrs. Becca DeMarais.

Volunteer for a Shift & Earn $100 for Our School!

The Center for Catholic School Excellence (CSCOE) is looking for help with a generous reward for our school! The CSCOE Summit of Excellence (a professional development day for our PreK-6 teachers) is coming soon on October 16 and CSCOE needs your help managing logistical aspects of this event. Over 2000 Catholic school teachers, staff, and leadership will gather on October 16, 2024 for an inspiring day of dynamic speakers, collaborative workshops and networking opportunities with fellow educators. The Summit of Excellence is held at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Parents, grandparents and other community members can sign up individually (no need to find a large group in order to volunteer!) for a 4-hour shift (morning or afternoon) on the 16th or a 4-hour shift (midday) on the 15th. 

Volunteer perks include: 

• Free parking
• A famous pot-pie lunch 
• $100 grant to your school per volunteer
• An opportunity to see your Catholic school teachers grow in their faith and profession

Please click this link to volunteer for a shift and earn Saint Agnes $100!  

Thank you in advance!

Note: Wed., October 16 is a day off for Aggie PreK-6 students; 7-12 classes are in session.

Parish Fall Festival Donations and Cherry Tree & Children’s Game Helpers Needed

(E3 required if working with youth). Location: School Gym

1. Assist with supervising youth volunteers during Sunday Fall Festival shifts. Help with Set-Up on Saturday.
2. Date/Times:
3. Saturday, October 19th: (Set Up) 9:00 a.m. - Noon 
4. Sunday, October 20th: (Two shifts) 10:00 a.m. - Noon/Noon - 2:00 p.m. 
5. Sunday, October 20th: (Clean Up) 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 
6. Sign-Up Genius Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D4AA4AC23A2FE3-51001158-fallfestival2024

*6^th grade and older students can help with games, cherry tree, and basket booth runners. Please see Youth Volunteer shifts.

We also need NEW prizes ranging from $4-$6 for the Cherry Tree. Please drop off in the school office by Oct. 15^th.

Please also consider donating NEW prizes for the Children’s Games. See link for ideas and either drop them off or have them shipped to the school office by Oct. 15^th. Amazon Wish List

Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed

If you have a few hours in the middle of the day and would like to volunteer, we are looking for people daily to help our awesome kitchen crew with Hot Lunch (10:30 AM – 1:30 PM). This is a great way to help and connect with our students. Sign up for once a week, once a month or whatever works with your schedule. You will need be current with E3/VIRTUS requirements.  Please contact HR Coordinator Mrs. Becca DeMarais at 651-925-8759 if interested.

Save the Date: Lower School Grandparents Day 10/15

Our K-6 Grandparents and Senior Friends Day is approaching quickly, and we again look forward to opening our doors to them on Tuesday, October 15th. This is one of our favorite days of the year here at Saint Agnes!

Schedule of the day and RSVP can be found on our website through the link below. Please share this information with your child’s grandparents and senior friends.

Junior High Pro-Life Club

Junior High Pro-life Club starts on Monday, October 7 in Room 254. All Junior High students are welcome to attend. The club meets on Mondays from 3:00 - 3:30. If you have any questions, you may contact Mrs. True at ltrue@saintagnesschool.org.

11th Grade Parent Meeting: Tuesday, 10/8 @ 8:15 AM 

All parents of 11^th grade students are invited to join Assistant Headmaster and Director of the Upper School, Mr. Karl Hendrickson, in the Helene Houle Auditorium on Tuesday, October 8^th at 8:15am. A variety of topics will be covered to set your junior student up for a fruitful and successful 2024-25 school year.

Homecoming Dance Photo Link

https://spaces.hightail.com/space/jB5meNAvUQ

Soccer Playoff Information

Boys Soccer Playoffs

The Boys soccer team will head to St. Paul Humboldt Monday, October 7 for the first round of the Section 3A playoffs. Game time is 7pm. Admission will be charged; all tickets must be purchased online at the Section 4A Box Office.

Complete Section 3A Playoff Brackets can be found HERE

Girls Soccer Playoffs

The girls’ soccer team will open the section 4A playoffs with a 2pm game at Mounds Park Academy this Tuesday, October 8. Admission will be charged; all tickets must be purchased online at the Section 4A Box Office.

Complete Section 4A Playoff Brackets can be found HERE

CAA Cross Country Meet 10/12

Calling all 5^th and 6^th graders! Come run for the Aggies in the CAA Cross Country Meet on Saturday, October 12^th. This is a 1-mile race which begins at 9 AM at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights. We will hold 2 optional practice runs on the Tuesday and Thursday prior to the race to get ready. Contact Mr. Kemp at hkemp@saintagnesschool.org by Friday, Oct. 4^th if you are interested in participating.

 Online Athletic Tickets

Saint Agnes as well as many of our opponents use GoFan as our online ticket Box Office. While Saint Agnes continues to provide both cash and online payment options, many other schools do not. Online Ticket Link: https://gofan.co/app/school/MN9808

See the Saint Agnes athletic calendar for all times, locations, and livestreams for this week's games.

Please contact Athletic Director Mr. Streitz with any questions.

Kitchen Help Needed

Aggie families: There will be some very part time positions available in our school kitchen! Available days are anywhere from 1-3 days a week. The kitchen is a fun, energetic part of the school where you get to work with a great team AND meet the students in the school. This job is physical and fast paced. It does required anticipation of needs of our customers (students and staff) as well as the patience of a SAINT!

The job description is attached here.

Please email Food Service Manager, Mrs. Kelly DiPietro, with any inquiries.

Upper School Yearbooks are Now On Sale!

These yearbooks are for our 7th-12^th grade students. 

Price will increase in December, so please order your yearbook before! 

Forming Catholic Hearts & Minds in Faith, Reason, & Virtue