November 4, 2019
___________________________________________________________________________
Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe the month of November and the end of the First Trimester is already upon us! I hope and pray that you and your families have experienced joy and peace so far this school year! A huge thanks to all the 7th and 8th-grade parents that provided for the October Teacher Luncheon! We are so grateful to you all for the time and love put into making all the delicious food!
As the month of November progresses, you will notice a theme, mainly focused on generosity. In 2 Corinthians 9: 6-11 we read,
"Remember that the person who plants few seeds will have a small crop; the one who plants many seeds will have a large crop. You should each give, then, as you have decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly. And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause."
Please keep this promise of God in mind during the month of November. This coming weekend is Mane Event and we are asking you to reflect and pray about the passage above and how it relates to you, your family, and STM Catholic. As the month continues, you will be asked to donate, among other things, food for the poor and warm weather clothing. Students will also be making donations from our STM Catholic Children's Charity to help support those in need. It is important to remember that we are amazingly blessed here at STM and are called to share our blessings with all.
As always, thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Peace and blessings,
Mrs. DeWolfe
Principal
It is hard to believe the month of November and the end of the First Trimester is already upon us! I hope and pray that you and your families have experienced joy and peace so far this school year! A huge thanks to all the 7th and 8th-grade parents that provided for the October Teacher Luncheon! We are so grateful to you all for the time and love put into making all the delicious food!
As the month of November progresses, you will notice a theme, mainly focused on generosity. In 2 Corinthians 9: 6-11 we read,
"Remember that the person who plants few seeds will have a small crop; the one who plants many seeds will have a large crop. You should each give, then, as you have decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly. And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause."
Please keep this promise of God in mind during the month of November. This coming weekend is Mane Event and we are asking you to reflect and pray about the passage above and how it relates to you, your family, and STM Catholic. As the month continues, you will be asked to donate, among other things, food for the poor and warm weather clothing. Students will also be making donations from our STM Catholic Children's Charity to help support those in need. It is important to remember that we are amazingly blessed here at STM and are called to share our blessings with all.
As always, thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Peace and blessings,
Mrs. DeWolfe
Principal
___________________________________________________________________________
A Note from Mr. Smith
The heart of Catholic education is the Love of Jesus Christ, and the role of Catholic school faculty and staff is to facilitate an encounter with that Love. Simply put, I work in Catholic schools because I desire others to encounter that Love. But I have to ask myself the question, “Why does the Love of Jesus Christ matter?”
In my career, I have worked in public schools, mission schools, private schools, and Catholic schools, and I have never met a teacher or an administrator who did not want the best for their students. Some teachers and administrators define “best” in terms of academic excellence and success. Others consider the “best” to be forming students who excel in friendship or service. Some reduce the “best” in education (even “Catholic” education) to values that make students “good people”. These are all good goals, but they are not the highest goal to which we are all called. I work in Catholic schools because I desire the greatest for my students.
To put it simply, I want my students and others to be happy. I want them to know that they are made to Love and to be Loved. But it is a happiness and Love that cannot be experienced fully within the context of a relationship with academics, sports, social life, or anything other than the person of Jesus Christ. I teach in Catholic schools because I desire True happiness for my students.
I became a teacher, and now an administrator, because I wanted to help students grow into what would fulfill them the most. I want to play some role in helping the next generation to be happier and more fruitful than my generation. It is trite, but I became a teacher to make the world a better place. But as I began my career, and especially as I furthered my study in theology and deepened in my own Faith Journey and relationship with Jesus Christ, I came to realize that the deepest happiness and the most fruitful life cannot be achieved on one’s own. It can’t even be achieved completely with the help of a great teacher. There needs to be more than just our own intellect, creativity, and humor to bring True happiness and flourishing into the lives of future generations.
After my first graduate degree in teaching English, I looked for jobs in public schools. I was told by my mentor teacher that I had a gift for working with underserved and oppressed student populations. I planned on working in an inner-city school and “changing the world”. Unfortunately for me, at the time, there were no jobs available where I lived. I was on a domestic mission trip in Memphis, Tennessee when, by accident, I found a Catholic school where I felt at home. They needed a theology teacher, and I had some experience as a youth minister. Teaching theology soon became the start of my own understanding of what it means to teach in a Catholic school.
I had gone to Catholic school from kindergarten through high school, but I never really thought about what made Catholic schools special. I suppose I had always presumed it was simply the higher academic standards that made Catholic school special. But as I taught theology, and later pursued another graduate degree in the subject, I started to understand that there was something much greater than just quality academics at play in Catholic schools.
Catholic schools, simply put, are different from any other kind of school. We hear school mission statements that talk about teaching “the whole person” or that state they strive to “prepare students to succeed” as high school students, college scholars, or “citizens of the world. I teach in Catholic schools because I strive to teach students to become who God made them to be… to become their “eternal self”… to become “citizens of Heaven”. But this sort of “becoming” transcends curriculum or social Justice or the best of modern pedagogy. Catholic education includes an encounter with Jesus Christ so we can help our students to become more than what even they believe they can be. I teach in Catholic schools because I am compelled to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and to do it in a way that brings people into an encounter with the Love and happiness for which we are all made. Jesus is the heart of Catholic Education, and, ultimately, there should be no other reason to work in Catholic schools than to help students to encounter and to know Him.
Peace of Christ,
Mr. Smith
Assistant Principal
Counselor’s Corner, by Mrs. Poniatowski
Here is the link to for the third Raise Them Strong assignment:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v97c1yo8jg03x0q/AABdLuWiPuGCwpjPASyzUpZoa/Be%20Strong%20Program/Be%20Strong%20Parent%20Videos?dl=0&preview=Raise+Them+Strong+-+3+-+Easy.mp4&subfolder_nav_tracking=1
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v97c1yo8jg03x0q/AABdLuWiPuGCwpjPASyzUpZoa/Be%20Strong%20Program/Be%20Strong%20Parent%20Videos?dl=0&preview=Raise+Them+Strong+-+3+-+Easy.mp4&subfolder_nav_tracking=1
The hard copy is coming home with youngest and only children today.
Parent take away: “I love that (he) teaches about social conflict and how we need to teach our kids how to be resilient and them experience life instead of hide from it!”
Child take away: "You can learn leadership by acting with love. If you are friendly then they want to be friendly back."
Thank you for your participation, and keep the feedback coming!
Tuesday, November 5
-Spirit Night at Mod Market (See Flyer Below)
-Used Uniform Sale, 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
-Parents In Prayer, in front of the school, 2:30 PM
Wednesday, November 6
-Mane Event Pajama Day
-Mane Event Silent Auction goes live
-Mane Event Silent Auction preview in the small cafeteria
Thursday, November 7
-Lions for Life, Room 221, 7:10 AM
-Beta Harvest Day, bring in non-perishable food items and receive a free dress day
-Mane Event Silent Auction preview in the small cafeteria
-NEW Altar Server Training workshop (Please see the flyer below)
-In Door Dismissal
Friday, November 8
-STM Spirit Dress, any STM shirt and jeans or uniform bottoms
Saturday, November 9
-Mane Event, Palazzo Verdi
Tuesday, November 12
-St. Thomas More Award Mass, 9:00 AM
-Home and School Meeting, Conference Room, 6:00 PM
-SAC Meeting, School Library, 7:00 PM
Friday, November 15
-Reports Cards Go Home
-STM Spirit Dress Day, any STM shirt and jeans or uniform bottoms
Friday, November 22
-Early Dismissal 11:30
-STM Spirit Dress Day, and STM shirt and jeans or uniform bottoms
Monday - Friday, November 25-29
-Thanksgiving Break (Lion's Den Closed)
-Spirit Night at Mod Market (See Flyer Below)
-Used Uniform Sale, 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
-Parents In Prayer, in front of the school, 2:30 PM
Wednesday, November 6
-Mane Event Pajama Day
-Mane Event Silent Auction goes live
-Mane Event Silent Auction preview in the small cafeteria
Thursday, November 7
-Lions for Life, Room 221, 7:10 AM
-Beta Harvest Day, bring in non-perishable food items and receive a free dress day
-Mane Event Silent Auction preview in the small cafeteria
-NEW Altar Server Training workshop (Please see the flyer below)
-In Door Dismissal
Friday, November 8
-STM Spirit Dress, any STM shirt and jeans or uniform bottoms
Saturday, November 9
-Mane Event, Palazzo Verdi
Tuesday, November 12
-St. Thomas More Award Mass, 9:00 AM
-Home and School Meeting, Conference Room, 6:00 PM
-SAC Meeting, School Library, 7:00 PM
Friday, November 15
-Reports Cards Go Home
-STM Spirit Dress Day, any STM shirt and jeans or uniform bottoms
Friday, November 22
-Early Dismissal 11:30
-STM Spirit Dress Day, and STM shirt and jeans or uniform bottoms
Monday - Friday, November 25-29
-Thanksgiving Break (Lion's Den Closed)
November STM Basketball Game Schedule
Home Games – Friday, November 15
5:00 Klein vs SVDP (Ohlson)
6:00 Cunningham vs SM
Home Games – Monday, November 18
5:00 Francavilla vs SVDP (A2) Benz
6:00 Thompson vs SVDP(Strawbridge)
Home Games – Thursday, November 21
5:00 Klein vs SM
6:00 Gleason vs SM (Morley)
7:00 Thompson vs SM
Mane Event
Silent Auction! The silent auction will go live this Wednesday! If you have registered for the event, you will get a notification when the items are available for viewing and bidding. If you cannot attend but would like to bid online from wherever you are, go to https://aesbid.org/STM19#page=1. Once the auction has gone live, you’ll be able to view and bid on the amazing collection of auction items there.
Preview Days! We know you’re curious about all the fantastic auction items our team has procured this year. Come check them out this Wednesday and Thursday in the small cafeteria. You can see the beautiful and unique class projects, sports memorabilia, must-have Christmas gifts for the kids, vacation packages, jewelry, golf outings, spa gift cards, and so much more!
Live Auction raffle tickets! Our live auction is chock-full of exciting items, too! We have a trip to Mexico, tickets to the Final Four semi-finals and championship games, a romantic weekend in Cherry Creek with tickets to see “Book of Mormon," that adorable PUPPY, and many more! Want to win one of these items for a mere $100? Buy a live auction raffle ticket! Raffle tickets are on sale now. Our team will be selling them at dismissal while they last; we only sell 75, and we always sell out, so get yours before they’re gone! Contact Mary Roth if you’re interested: mary.roth@comcast.net.
Fund-a-Need! This year’s Fund-a-Need will raise funds for our school Safety Initiative. Details of the program are laid out in the letter attached below (you should have received a hard copy in your child’s backpack on Friday). After the live auction ends on Saturday evening, we will hold a paddle raiser for this important cause. Please prayerfully consider making a contribution to this important cause.
<2019 fund-a-need parent letter.pdf>
Volunteer! We still need volunteers to help get us across the finish line! Please check out the most recent additions to the Sign-up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054cafad29a02-stmmane2
Modern Market Spirit Night! Too busy helping the Mane Event Committee put the final touches on the auction to cook dinner this week? We’ve got you covered on Tuesday night - come to Modern Market between 5:00 and 8:00 pm, mention STM, and they will donate 50% of your purchase to our school! Modern Market is located at 8575 E. Arapahoe Road, Greenwood Village, CO 80112.
Pajama Day! To show our appreciation for all the support you and your children have shown us this fall, we have arranged for a Pajama Day on Wednesday, November 6th. Please wear appropriate footwear and adhere to the free dress guidelines in the handbook.
Silent Auction! The silent auction will go live this Wednesday! If you have registered for the event, you will get a notification when the items are available for viewing and bidding. If you cannot attend but would like to bid online from wherever you are, go to https://aesbid.org/STM19#page=1. Once the auction has gone live, you’ll be able to view and bid on the amazing collection of auction items there.
Preview Days! We know you’re curious about all the fantastic auction items our team has procured this year. Come check them out this Wednesday and Thursday in the small cafeteria. You can see the beautiful and unique class projects, sports memorabilia, must-have Christmas gifts for the kids, vacation packages, jewelry, golf outings, spa gift cards, and so much more!
Live Auction raffle tickets! Our live auction is chock-full of exciting items, too! We have a trip to Mexico, tickets to the Final Four semi-finals and championship games, a romantic weekend in Cherry Creek with tickets to see “Book of Mormon," that adorable PUPPY, and many more! Want to win one of these items for a mere $100? Buy a live auction raffle ticket! Raffle tickets are on sale now. Our team will be selling them at dismissal while they last; we only sell 75, and we always sell out, so get yours before they’re gone! Contact Mary Roth if you’re interested: mary.roth@comcast.net.
Fund-a-Need! This year’s Fund-a-Need will raise funds for our school Safety Initiative. Details of the program are laid out in the letter attached below (you should have received a hard copy in your child’s backpack on Friday). After the live auction ends on Saturday evening, we will hold a paddle raiser for this important cause. Please prayerfully consider making a contribution to this important cause.
<2019 fund-a-need parent letter.pdf>
Volunteer! We still need volunteers to help get us across the finish line! Please check out the most recent additions to the Sign-up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054cafad29a02-stmmane2
Modern Market Spirit Night! Too busy helping the Mane Event Committee put the final touches on the auction to cook dinner this week? We’ve got you covered on Tuesday night - come to Modern Market between 5:00 and 8:00 pm, mention STM, and they will donate 50% of your purchase to our school! Modern Market is located at 8575 E. Arapahoe Road, Greenwood Village, CO 80112.
Pajama Day! To show our appreciation for all the support you and your children have shown us this fall, we have arranged for a Pajama Day on Wednesday, November 6th. Please wear appropriate footwear and adhere to the free dress guidelines in the handbook.
Original Works! If you have any questions regarding the Mane Event (Original Works) art, please contact Stephanie Weldon at stephanieweldon@yahoo.com
Mane Event Raffle Drawing Winners
November 1st winner: Betty Hanoian $100
November 2nd winner: Mike Gogel $500
November 3rd winner: Ryan Buetow $100
November 4th winner: Peg Brennan $100
November 1st winner: Betty Hanoian $100
November 2nd winner: Mike Gogel $500
November 3rd winner: Ryan Buetow $100
November 4th winner: Peg Brennan $100
Cafeteria Help Needed!
If you are looking for an opportunity to help around school, we are in much need of volunteers in the cafeteria from 11:00 - 12:15 PM. Please consider helping out!VETERAN'S DAY FORMS
If you have Veteran's Day Forms to return to school, please be sure they are turned in to the main office no later than Wednesday, November 6. Thank you!
Parents In Prayer
Parents/guardians, please join us on Tuesday, November 5, at 2:30 in front of the school to pray for our community and specifically for Ms. Ryan's 4th-grade homebase. You may park in the church or padre lot, or leave your car in carline.
What better gift can we give to our community?
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Mt. 18:20
Parents/guardians, please join us on Tuesday, November 5, at 2:30 in front of the school to pray for our community and specifically for Ms. Ryan's 4th-grade homebase. You may park in the church or padre lot, or leave your car in carline.
What better gift can we give to our community?
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Mt. 18:20
Flyers