Newsletter (Archived): Newsletter 866 - Dec 16, 2009 - Jan 6, 2010 [Archive]
Isaiah 12:2-6
R - Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the Great and Holy One of Israel.God indeed is my Savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the Lord,
and He has been my Savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation. R
Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim His Name;
among the nations make known His deeds,
proclaim how exalted is His Name. R
Sing praise to the Lord for His glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel! R
From the Principal
Dear Parents,Thank you to Juan and Esmerelda Quiroz, owners of Mi Patio Restaurant, for their sponsorship of the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadeloupe last Friday. The students enjoyed the music of the Mariachi Band, breaking the pinadas for candy, and the other treats that were offered. Thanks to Janine George and Carol Girdwood who were very instrumental in the preparations. The day offered a unique opportunity for the students to participate in the traditions of another culture.
Christmas is approaching fast and the joy that comes with the birth of Jesus is right around the corner. From the faculty and staff of St. Joseph School we wish you a Holy and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Christmas is a good time to thank you for the entrusting your children with us. The school children we work with everyday are a credit to you. We all feel privileged to be with them.
Christmas is an excellent time to thank those who have been good to us over the school year. Father John and Father Ramon say Mass for the students, hear their confessions, visit the classrooms, and support the school in all its endeavors. A parish school is a significant burden on the time and energies of the priests. In order to demonstrate our sincere thanks for their service, I have asked the teachers to ask the students to bring a small monetary donation (one or two dollars), and we will offer it to the Fathers at the Mass on Friday. Thank you for your generosity.
Again, I remind you that the time between Christmas and New Years is an excellent time to speak to friends, neighbors, and relatives regarding St. Joseph School. We have increased enrollment by over twenty students a year over the past three years. The increase in enrollment has offered us the opportunity to expand our program, our facilities and our staff to better serve the students and their families. St. Joseph Open House is February 22 . We would like to introduce the school and all it has to offer to new parents at that time. The number one recruiting tool we have is our parents. I ask that you be proactive, especially with parents of younger students. As we grow, we will be better able to serve every child.
-- Dr. Gerard Toups
Calendar for the Week
Wednesday, December 16Exams - Grades 6-7-8 - English, Social Studies
Library Closed
Spring Fair Committee Meeting @ 6:30 in the Library - All are invited.
Thursday, December 17
Exams - Grades 6-7-8 - Math
Library Closed
Friday, December 18
Mass @ 8:30 - All are invited.
Crusaders of the Month Announced
Spirit Dress w/Christmas Hats, Bows, Antlers, etc.
Christmas Program in Gym Following Mass
Christmas Parties in Classrooms Following Program
Half Day for Students - 11:30 Dismissal - Buses Will Run
No After School Care
First Semester Ends
Library Closed
Monday, January 4
New Year Holiday - School is closed.
Tuesday, January 5
Classes resume for all students Grades PreK-8.
Wednesday, January 6
Report Cards Distributed
Thursday, January 7
Class Pictures IN UNIFORMS
Friday, January 8
Mass @ 8:30 - All are invited to attend.
Adopt-a-Child Collection
Spirit Dress
Church Contribution Deadline
To qualify for tuition as a financially supporting parishioner, a family's weekly contribution to St. Joseph Parish should be a minimum of $416.00 per year. ($8.00 per week)These contributions are to be made in full by the last day of the calendar year, December 31, 2009. Regular use of the Sunday envelope is necessary as a sign of financial support for the Church.
Please contact the parish office at 985-386-3749 to finalize contributions.
Christmas Card Recycling
SJS Student Council will b collecting used Christmas cards for the St. Jude's Ranch for Children's recycled Christmas card program. The children at the ranch attach the fronts fo the cards to new backs to make new cards. The new cards are then sold online at their website.
If you would like to donated your used Christmas cards (or other greeting cards), please send just the fronts of the carrds to school with your child. If you don't have time to cut the fronts off the cards, send the cards and Student Council will cut them apart.
Your child should give the cards to their teacher. We will be collectint the cards from now until sometime in January. Thank you for your support. Have a Merry Chrimas and a Happy New Year!
St. Jude Math-a-Thon
A great big THANK YOU to all participants in the St. Jude Math-a-Thon this year!Through your efforts, St. Joseph School was able to raise $1735 for the children of St. Jude's. What a wonderful gift of the season!
You can be very proud that you have made a difference in the life of a child suffering from a catastrophic childhood disease. When the day arrives that a cure for childhood cancers has been found, you can be proud that you had a part in that achievement.
Guatemalan Exchange Students
Our Guatemalan exchange students spent their last day at St. Joseph on December 11. Pictured above are the exchange students with their host student from SJS.Sofia Falla was hosted by Shelby Bagby. Jose Galvez was hosted by Ricky Henry. Andres Burbano was hosted by Zacary Barrient.
In the picture are, front row, left to right, Sofia, Jose, Andres, and, back row, Shelby, Zacary, and Ricky.
Below is a letter from the Catholic Guatemalan Student Exchange Program's sponsors.
Dear Principals, Teachers, and Students at St. Joseph,
We have ended now an experience that marks the beginning of friendships that will last for years. Being part of the Catholic Guatemalan Student Exchange Program has brought students from two cultures together, united by the same faith. Our children share the same hopes, worries, and interests.
Thanks to all of you, the program this year has successfully ended. We hope to continue it next year with students and teachers coming to Guatemala to share the cultural experience and hospitality.
We wish you all great holidays and a blessed new year 2010! Your support and trust in the proram has made all wonderful things possible. Tahnk you again and may the joy of christmas remain with you always.
Sincerely,
Mariella and Deann
Class Pictures
Class pictures will be taken on Thursday, January 7. That's the week we return from the Christmas holidays.Enclosed with today's packet is an order form for class pictures. Please return it with payment to reserve your child's class picture.
Pictures are 8x10 and cost $12. Please make checks payable to Barberito Photographers.
Pictures will be taken in uniform.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration
Leah Dahmer takes a swing at the pinata while her Seventh Grade classmates anxiously await their turns.Thank you to Juan and Esmerelda Quiroz, owners of Mi Patio Restaurant, for their sponsorship of the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadeloupe last Friday. The students enjoyed the music of the Mariachi Band, breaking the pinadas for candy, and the other treats that were offered. Thanks to Janine George and Carol Girdwood who were very instrumental in the preparations. Another thanks goes to the Home and School Association for their contributions of both funding and manpower for the celebration. The day offered a unique opportunity for the students to participate in the traditions of another culture.
Please see more pictures of the celebraton in our Photo Albums.
4th Grade Parish Essay Winners
Congratulations to Allie Amerson and Noah Swanner in our Fourth Grade! They were the first and second place parishwide winners of the Respect Essay Contest sponsored by the Tangipahoa Volunteers for Family and Community, an arm of LSU's extension service.Presenting the awards are, left to right, Joyce Bourliea, parish literarcy chair for the TVFC and a Sunshine Chapter member; Sara Morrow, president of the Westward Ho Chapter; Yvonne Felder, Westward Ho literary chair; and Terry Voight, Busy Bees Chapter.
In front are Allie Amerson, parish first place winner, and Noah Swanner, parish second place winner.
8th Grade Science Fair Winners
from left: Carlos Andino, Eric Alphonso, Brody Pinion, Elizabeth Ford, Emily Buddy, Katie BougereWinners of the 8th Grade Science Fair held at St. Joseph on December 3 were as follows:
First Place - Elizabeth Ford - Now You See It, Now You Don't
Second Place - Brody Pinion - Does a Male or Female Crab Grow More during Molting?
Third Place - Katie Bougere - Blind Spot
Honorable Mention - Emily Buddy - Geotropism
Honorable Mention - Eric Alphonso - Touch vs Memory
Honorable Mention - Carlos Andino - Plants and Radiation
7th Grade Social Studies Fair Winners
from left: Bethany Herrick, Stephanie Ekker, Blaze D'Amico, Paul Mitchell, Ricky Henry not pictured is Catherine McRae
Winners of the 7th Grade Social Studies Fair held at St. Joseph on December 3 were as follows:
First Place - Blaze D'Amico - The Druids
Second Place - Paul Mitchell - Dogs of the Vietnam War
Third Place - Bethany Herrick - Cats in Ancient Egypt
Honorable Mention - Ricky Henry - Flight A-3
Honorable Mention - Catherine McRae - Eilean Donan Castle
Honorable Mention - Stephanie Ekker - St. Valentine's Day
6th Grade Science Fair Winners
from left: Lauren Hebert, Lauren McKneely, Kolby Kraft, Reid Lambert, Scott Dufreche, Katelyn McKneelyWinners of the 6th Grade Science Fair held at St. Joseph on December 3 were as follows:
First Place - Reid Lambert - Do Food Last Longer in Green Bags?
Second Place - Scott Dufreche - Insulation
Third Place - Katelyn & Lauren McKneely - Reading Comprehension
Honorable Mention - Lauren Hebert - Surface Speed
Honorable Mention - Kolby Kraft - Solar Cell
5th Grade Social Studies Fair Winners
from left: Claire-Ann Johnson, Andee Poche, Sydney Gregoire, Tori Millet, Ian Waller, Blaise Polito, Chandler Poche, Johnathan Boudreaux, Brandon MooreWinners of the 5th Grade Social Studies Fair held at St. Joseph on December 3 were as follows:
First Place - Ian Waller - U.S.S. Enterprise - CV-6
Second Place - Claire-Ann Johnson - Animals in War
Third Place - Chandler Poche - Wooly Mammoth
Honorable Mention - Brandon Moore - Devil's Brigade
Honorable Mention - Andee Poche - Teddy Roosevelt
Honorable Mention - Johnathan Boudreaux - CN Tower
Honorable Mention - Tori Millet - Tour Eiffel
Honorable Mention - Sydney Gregoire - Children of the Wagon
Honorable Mention - Blaise Polito - Bald Eagle
Thanks to Second Grade!
Many, many thanks to the Second Grade parents for the wonderful treats in the faculty lounge this month!With sooooo many mouth-watering temptations, it was very difficult to choose, so we tried them all and all were fantastic!
We really appreciate the generosity. Thank you all so much.
Literary Club Contest Winners
The St. Joseph Literary Club would like to thank everyone for their participation in our first Christmas recipe contest. We had many delicious recipes to choose from! All entries were divided into four categories: appetizers, main dishes, desserts, and "unique". So amny desserts were submitted that we doulbed the number of winners. Winners are listed below:
Appetizers
Holly Guay - Apple Fritters
McKenzi McNemar - Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Claire-Chapin Perilloux - Monkey Bread
Main Dishes
Jacob Schmaltz - crawfish or Shrimp Fettuccini
Reid Lambert - Lambert House Gumbo
Blake Vampran - Grammy's Bread Dressing
Desserts
Chloe Ernst - Sugar Coated Pecans
Logan Henley - Candy Cane Brownie Lollipops
Emily Waddell - Cherry Candy Cane
Lauren McKneely - Marshmellow Balls
Billy Walch - Oreo Balls
Savanna Barrient - Reindeer Pie
"Unique"
Jeb Kraft - Christmas Crickets
Nicholas Falcon - Christmas Milk
Paige Polito - Christmas Grapes
Some of the recipes follow and all are posted on this website under "Clubs: Literary Club". Enjoy!
Sugar Coated Pecans - Chloe Ernst
Sugar Coated Pecans(Chloe Ernst)
Ingredients:
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 pound pecan halves
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
¾ tablespoon salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 250º. Grease one baking sheet. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. In a large Ziploc bag, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add pecans to egg white mixture, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts and toss them in the sugar mixture. Shake them gently to cover evenly. Spread the nuts on a prepared baking sheet. Bake at 250º for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool. Store in an airtight container.
Christmas Grapes - Paige Polito
Christmas Grapes(Paige Polito)
Ingredients:
2 pounds of green grapes
2 pounds of red grapes
½ cup of white sugar
8 ounces of cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of chopped pecans
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of sour cream
Directions:
Let the cream cheese get soft, then mix it with white sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix that with the grapes. When you are done with this, pour it into a Christmas tree shaped bowl. Then you are able to mix your brown sugar and your pecans and sprinkle them over the top of the salad. Now you are ready to enjoy your holiday friendly grape salad.
Christmas Milk - Nicholas Falcon
Christmas Milk(Nicholas Falcon)
1. Get a coffee cup and pour in some milk.
2. Put the cup in the microwave for one minute or until hot (not
bubbling).
3. Put in some red or green food coloring. (You could try both!)
4. Add cinnamon.
5. Enjoy!
Christmas Crickets - Jeb Kraft
Christmas Crickets(Jeb Kraft)
1. Get crickets.
2. Freeze them.
3. Put them on a pan.
4. Add a little chili powder.
5. Let them fry to a crisp.
6. Add a little red and green food coloring.
7. Enjoy!
Reindeer Pie - Savanna Barrient
Reindeer Pie(Savanna Barrient)
Ingredients:
1 graham cracker pie shell
½ cup of milk
6 Hershey bars with almonds
9 ounces of Cool Whip
18 – 24 marshmallows
Directions:
Place milk, candy bars, and marshmallows in the top of a double boiler and melt. When melted, set aside, and cool completely. Fold Cool Whip into the chocolate mixture. Pour into pie crust and chill in refrigerator for at least three hours or until ready to serve.
Oreo Balls - Billy Walch
Oreo Balls(Billy Walch)
Ingredients:
1 package regular size Oreo cookies, crushed
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 package white almond bark
1 package chocolate almond bark
Directions:
Using a blender or hand held mixer, mix Oreos and cream cheese together. Roll into walnut-sized balls. Chill for an hour.
Melt approzimately ¾ package of white almond bark. Stick a toothpick in an Oreo ball and dip it in the melted white almond bark. Allow to harden on waxed paper (about 15 minutes).
While waiting, melt about ¼ package of chocolate almond bark. When Oreo balls are no longer sticky to the touch, decorate with drizzles of chocolate and white almond bark. (Drizzling can be done by cutting a small hole in the corner of a Ziplock bag.)
Marshmellow Balls - Lauren McKneely
Marshmallow Balls(Lauren McKneely)
Ingredients:
10 cookies of any kind
3 cups of marshmallows
Chocolate syrup
Directions:
The first step is to take 10 cookies of any kind and place them into a plastic bag. Then you crush them with your hands. Once they are crushed, you should pour them onto a plate. Next, you take three cups of marshmallows and put them into the microwave until they melt. Then you take a medium sized amount of crushed cookies in your hand, and form them into a ball. Next, you take a little bit of melted marshmallows, be careful not to burn yourself, and cover the ball of cookies with it. You do that until you run out of either cookies or marshmallows. Once you have all the snacks on the plate you can cover them with chocolate syrup if you like. You’re finally finished!
Cherry Candy Cane - Emily Waddell
Cherry Candy Cane(Emily Waddell)
Ingredients:
2 packs crescent rolls
1 8-ounce package cream cheese softened
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 16-ounce can cherry pie filling
Glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk
Directions:
Heat oven to 350º. Unroll crescent rolls. Separate them into 16 triangles. Put 4 on the side for decoration. On a large flat pan, arrange 12 triangles in the shape of a large candy cane, with the wide ends toward the outside edge and the points toward the center. Press seams together to seal the dough.
For filling, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla. Spread the mixture over the dough to shape of candy cane. Top cream cheese with cherry pie filling.
Cut each remaining triangle into thirds. Arrange the dough strips evenly in spoke-like fashion over the filling. Press ends to seal at edges. Bake 25 minutes until golden brown. For glaze, mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth and drizzle over candy cane.
Candy Cane Brownie Lollipops - Logan Henley
Candy Cane Brownie Lollipops(Logan Henley)
Ingredients:
1 package (18-21 oz) fudge brownie mix (plus ingredients to
make brownies
24 candy canes
10 ounces chocolate-flavored almond bark
Additional decorations, such as red jimmies (optional)
Directions:
1. Line medium sheet pan (or 9 x 13 in metal pan) with a 13 inch piece of
parchment paper. Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Pour batter into
pan. Bake 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes
out with moist crumbs attached. Remove from oven to a stackable cooling
rack. Cool 20 minutes or until slightly warm.
2. Meanwhile, cut straight ends of candy canes off to form 4 ½ inch sticks
using a utility knife. Place candy cane tops into resealable plastic bag and
crush using the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Set aside.
3. Using a medium scoop, scoop brownie into 24 rounded scoops, packing the
brownie with your hands (entire brownie will be used). roll brownie scoops
into smooth balls. Insert candy cane sticks into centers of balls,
mounding brownie around each stick to secure. Pinch each brownie ball
where candy cane and top of ball meet.
4. Place almond bark into small batter bowl. Microwave according to
package directions until smooth. Spoon melted bark evenly over each
brownie ball, turning to coat completely. Be sure to coat where candy
cane stick meets brownie ball. Allow access bark to drip off. Dip into
reserved crushed candy canes or jimmies and stand upright on a piece of
parchment paper. Repeat for each. Let stand until set and serve in
miniature cupcake liners.
St. Joseph Parish News
Parish WebsiteMass Schedule
Saturday evening at 5:00
Sunday morning at 8:00 and 10:30
Sunday evening at 5:00
Christmas Poinsettias
Join in the festive decoration of our church by donating $18 to purchase a Christmas poinsettia. The donations can be in honor of a living or deceased individual or family.
To donate, place an envelope marked "Christmas Poinsettia" in the collection basket or box marked "Christmas Poinsettias" any weekend between now and December 24, or drop your envelope off at the church office. make sure you lis the name of the individual or family to be hnored and how you want your named listed in the bulletin.
The poinsettias will NOT be available for pick-up after Christmas.
If you have any questions, please call either Barbara Martino at 985-386-3622 or Roberta Connelley at 985-386-9711.
Resurrection Choir
We are in need of additional voices for our Resurrection Choir. This choir takes care of singing at funeral Masses at St. Joseph. If you are interested in joining this choir, please call Gerline Melancon at 985-386-3834.
Prayer for Priests
The Year for Priests 2009-2010Dear Lord,
We pray that the Blessed Mother wrap her mantle around Your priests and through her intercession strengthen them for their ministry.
We pray that Mary will guide Your priests to follow her own words,
"Do whatever He tells you." (Jn 2:5)
May Your priests have the heart of St. Joseph, Mary's most chaste spouse.
May the Blessed Mother's own pierced heart inspire them to embrace all who suffer at the foot of the cross.
May Your priests be holy, filled with the fire of Your love, seeking nothing but Your greater glory and the salvation of souls.
Amen
St. John Vianney, pray for us.
See Old News: Archive