St. Joseph
Catholic School

Psalm 51

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. 

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me. 

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. 

A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me. 

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. 

For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. 

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

From the Principal

Dear Parents,

The Open House on Monday was well attended and registration proceeds with assurance that the school will continue to be successful. I want to thank parents who acted as guides and walked the perspective parents around. Having St. Joseph parents meet potential parents who are interested in the school offers a powerful influence on the decision making process. Thanks to Kimberly Thibodeaux, Theresa Tumulty, Kristy Gill, Veronica Pierson, Mary Ransom, and Jeri Bankston for the time they gave the school on Monday. I also want to thank Mrs. Debbie Picou, Mrs. Noel Harwell, Mrs. Marilyn Smith, Mrs. Sandy Gaines, Mrs. Cory Pinion, and Mrs. Terri Condon for staying into the evening to speak to interested parents and explaining our programs to them.

Please know that we do have openings in preschool and in other grades. Let parents who you know might have children ready for preschool that St. Joseph is still accepting preschoolers. Preschool registration assures admittance into the school in kindergarten.

A huge ‘Congratulations’ is offered to Maria Guay who was one of five fifth graders from diocesan schools interviewed at the Diocese of Baton Rouge for Student of the Year. We are very pleased to applaud Maria who was chosen to represent the Saint Joseph School and the Diocese of Baton Rouge at the state competition. Thanks to Mrs. Marilyn Smith who coordinates the program and offers guidance to the students in preparing their vitas for the competition.

Remember the School Fair is right around the corner. The school continues to have needs. We wish to continue to integrate technology into the school program in innovative and effective ways. The school will invest in a new reading and language arts program for first through fifth grade for next school year. Several areas of the school security system need to be upgraded. These matters
involve the significant expenditure of funds and the fair is an important generator of funds. Understand that over 90% of the funds that operate the school come from the generosity of parents in one way or another. Be assured that funds generated are carefully expended solely with the students and their families in mind. Our effort is to improve the school plant where the children spend much of their time and improve the program to assure they achieve to the extent of their ability. 

-- Dr. Gerard Toups
    Principal

Calendar for the Week

Thursday, February 21
Boys JV and V Basketball Pictures
Reconciliation Grade 6
Home & School Meeting @ 6:30 in Gym

Friday, February 22
Mass @ 8:30 - All are invited to attend.
Spirit Dress
Crusaders Announced 
Stations of the Cross @ 1:45 
Math-a-Thon Money Due

Sunday, February 24
Second Sunday of Lent

Monday, February 25
Fifth Grade Field Trip 

Tuesday, February 26
Spring Fair Organizational Meeting @ 6:30 in the Library

Thursday, February 28
First Grade Field Trip

Home & School Meeting - Thursday, February 21

The St. Joseph School Home and School Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 21, at 6:30 in the school gym.

We hope to see you all at this most important meeting right before our Spring Fair!

Basketball Pictures - Thursday, February 21

JV and Varisty boys basketball pictures are scheduled for Thursday, February 21.

Order forms are being sent home with the students/players Wednesday, February 6.

Order forms and money must be turned in on or before the day they take their pictures.

Be sure to bring both basketball uniforms. They will be turned in after pictures.

Math-a-Thon Money Due - Friday, February 22

Math-a-Thon money is due to the office on Friday, February 22.

Spring Fair - Last Meeting - Tuesday, February 26

We will have our Final Spring Fair Meeting on February 26, 2013, at 6:30 pm in the Library. Everyone is welcome to join us!

Papa John's/SJS Night - Tuesday, February 26

Tuesday, February 26, is Papa John's/SJS Night!

Order pizza from Papa John's that evening, mention the school, and a percentage of your order goes to the school! How easy!

The class with the highest percentage of orders gets a pizza party. Just be sure to mention your teacher's name when ordering.

Enjoy!

Lenten Rice Bowls

Help make a difference in the lives of millions of people around the world suffering from poverty and hunger by participating in Catholic Relief Services' Lenten program, CRS Rice Bowl. 

CRS works on our behalf to care for the poorest in our world and to end global poverty. Visit www.crsricebowl.org to watch videos, find fun activities and learn more about the difference your prayers, fasting, and almsgiving make in the lives of our brothers and sisters in need. 

Your Rice Bowl will be coming home in the Wednesday packet. To ensure that your donations will be put to use as soon as possible, please return your Rice Bowl to school the week of March 18th, or you may count the money in your Rice Bowl and make a check payable to St. Joseph School. Write "CRS Rice Bowl" in the memo line of the check. 

Thanks in advance for your generous support.

Spring Fair - Confetti Eggs

St. Joseph School is now taking donations of eggshells to be used in the confetti egg booth.

To easily clean eggs:
1. Poke a hole in the top of the egg with a knife.
2. Peel a small amount of the top of the shell (about the size of a nickel).
3. Pour out the egg.
4. Rinse well and air dry.

Please bring your eggshells to school. Mrs. Casey will collect them during morning assembly. Do not give them to the office or your homeroom teacher. Label your carton with your name and grade.

Each student who brings in two cartons of eggshells will receive a popsicle.

Spring Fair - Stuffed Animals

We are asking for any old , but still in great condition, stuffed animals to be donated to the Spring Fair Prize Booth. 

Stuffed animal donations can be brought to the office starting immediately.

Thank you so much for your efforts!

Spring Fair - Volunteers

Dear Room Moms, 

Each class has been assigned a shift to cover. Everyone in your class will be asked to work the same shift. We tried this for the first time last year, and had great success. It was the first time we had complete shift coverage for the entire weekend. Below you will find a schedule of when your class will be responsible to work.
Friday 5:00pm – 8:00pm 3A & 3B
Friday 7:50pm – 11:00pm 7th & 8th

Saturday 9:30am – 1:00pm 5A & 5B
Saturday 12:50pm – 4:00pm PreK A & KA
Saturday 3:50pm – 7:00pm 4A, 4B & KB
Saturday 6:50pm – 10:30pm 6A , 6B & PreK B

Sunday 10:30am – 2:pm 1A & 1B
Sunday 1:50pm – 5:30pm 2A & 2B

-This schedule takes into account the younger grades having performances on Saturday. No parent will be asked to work a shift while their child is performing on stage.
-If any of your parents have more than one student, they may choose which child’s shift they will work.
-Please try to sign up as many as you can. There are plenty of things that need to be accomplished during each shift. The more people we have, the better.

Altar Server Announcement

Registration and the initial training session for those interested in becoming Altar Servers:

Please make every effort to attend this first session because much of what is covered is not repeated in subsequent sessions. It will be Sunday, February 24, at 2:00 p.m. at church.

Prospective Altar Servers must be baptized Catholic, have received First Communion, and be in at least the fourth grade (born prior to Fall 2003).

We prefer that parents register their children and highly encourage you to stay if you do not already have a child who has altar served at St. Joseph.

The length of session will depend on how many people attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

Congatulations, Beta!

Congratulations to our new Jr. Beta Club inductees. They were installed at Mass on the morning of February 8, 2013. 

Pictures of the ceremony can be found at JR. BETA CLUB.

Congratulations, Religion Fair Winners!

.Congratulations to 8th graders Camryn Flanagan, Sydney Gregoire, Adam Coffey and Dawson Pinion, first place winners at the SJS Religion Fair held during Catholic Schools Week. 

Check out all of our winners at RELIGION FAIR WINNERS.

Congratulations, Boys Varsity Basketball!

Congratulations to the SJS Boys Varsity Basketball Team for winning the NIAL Championship!
Team members are as follows: Kaleb Kraemer, Kade Bleakley, Peyton Licciardi, Chandler Poche', Trey Campbell, Michael Dickson, Dawson Pinion, Carson Wyld, Johnathan Boudreaux. Not pictured is Zach Schwaibold. 

Way to go, Crusaders!

Congratulations, Girls Varisty Basketball!

.Congratulations to the SJS Girls Varisty Basketball Team for winning the NIAL Champsionship!
Team members are as follows: Haylee Laylle, Madison Gill, Jourdan Cheek, Lydia Pevey, Mallory Vining, Courtney Curtis, Karlee Kraft, Kennedy Martin, Allie Amerson. Not pictured are Blair Atkins and Jayden Berthelot. 

Way to go, Lady Crusaders!

Community News

2013 PONCHATOULA YOUTH BASEBALL/SOFTBALL REGISTRATION
January 26th - March 2nd
Walk-in Registration
Saturdays February 9th, 16th & 23rd
March 2nd
9am to 12pm at the Recreation Park Gym on Hoover Road
Forms may also be dropped off at the PARD gym during the week from 9am-3pm.
Forms received after March 2nd & through March 6th will be assessed a late fee.
Registration forms received after March 6th will be placed on a waiting list (first come, first serve) and if a spot becomes available, parents will be contacted.
Checks will be returned to those we were unable to place.
More information on registration, coaching, & sponsors can be found online at www.PARD1.com
For questions or comments please contact
Kim Coates
Athletic Coordinator
Ponchatoula Area Recreation District #1
19030 Ponchatoula Park Drive
Ponchatoula, LA 70454
(985) 370-7273
(985) 370-7270 (fax)

Parish News

Personnel
Fr. Cayet Mangiaracina, O.P. - Parochial Vicar and Administrator
Fr. David K. Seid, O.P, - In Residence
Larry J. Melancon - Deacon
Mike Agnello - Deacon
Dr. M.J. "Dutch" Schanzbach - Deacon

Weekend Mass Schedule
Saturday Vigil Mass - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday Mass - 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m.

Contact Information
Address - 255 North 8th Street (P.O. Box 368), Ponchatoula, LA 70454
Phone - 985.386.3749
Website - www.stjosephsonline.com



ST. JOSEPH ALTAR

We are looking for children to play the role of saints for the St. Joseph Altar. The St. JOseph Altar will be on March 17. The children will be asked to participate in the rosary procession, Mass, and feeding of the saints. The children will have to furnish their own costumes. There will be a short practice on Monday, March 11, at 6:00 p.m. in the gym. If you are interested in particiating, please call Fay Murray at 985-386-8151, or the church office at 985-386-3749, with your name and the saint you will be.