Psalm 174

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. 

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you. 

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. 

He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
He spreads snow like wool;
frost he strews like ashes. 

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. 

He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. 

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

From the Principal

Dear Parents:

After eight wonderful years at St. Joseph and thirty-seven as a Catholic elementary principal, I have let Father McDuffie know that I will not be returning to St. Joseph as principal next school year. When I took the job after Katrina and the trials that it brought, I had no understanding how satisfying and rewarding my experience would be. St. Joseph is a wonderful place that provides a great environment for children to grow in faith and friendship. The children at St. Joseph are a credit to you as parents. They are well behaved, polite, and invest themselves in their work at school.

I leave knowing I have been blessed in life doing something that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have enjoyed most working with children. I have worked along side educators committed to their craft. Together we have worked to provide effective programs and a positive environment for students to study and play. I will miss the work everyday. But in life there comes a time to step aside. I look forward to spending time with my wife and enjoying some leisure time activities that we share.

Finally, I thank each of you for your kindnesses during my time at St. Joseph. The school has had great support. You have entrusted what is most precious to you to us. I pray that we have made ourselves worthy of that trust. 

-- Dr. Gerard Toups
    Principal

Calendar-at-a-Glance

Thursday, March 27
Free Dress Day
Spring Pictures
Mandatory Parent Meeting for Those Trying Out for Cheerleader @ 5:30 in Mrs. Bankston's Room

Friday, March 28
Spirit Dress (last day to wear Spring Fair t-shirts)
Stations of the Cross @ 1:45

Monday, March 31
Terra Nova Testing (8th grade only)

Tuesday, April 1
April Birthdays
Cheer Clinic for Tryouts
Home & School Meeting @ 6:30 in Gym

Wednesday, April 2
Mass @ 8:45
Bring bagged, boxed, or canned good for the area needy.
Adopt-a-Child Collection

Thursday, April 3
Field Trip (6th and Physical Science I Class)

Friday, April 4
Spirit Dress
Stations of the  Cross @ 1:45
Peter Pan Production @ 7:00

Saturday, April 5
Peter Pan Production @ 7:00

Sunday, April 6
Fifth Sunday of Lent

Monday, April 7
LEAP Testing (8th grade)

Tuesday, April 8
LEAP Testing (8th grade)
Field Trip (4th grade)
Basketball Pictures (3rd & 4th teams after school)

Wednesday, April 9
Mass @ 8:45
Bring bagged, boxed, or canned food for the area needy.

Thursday, April 10
Terra Nova Testing (8th grade only)

Friday, April 11
Spirit Dress
Living Stations of the Cross
Retreat (8th grade)

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, April 11-13
Strawberry Festival Parking

Sunday, April 13
Palm Sunday

Monday, April 14
Rice Bowls Due
Terra Nova Testing (8th grade only)

Tuesday, April 15
Field Trip (3rd grade)

Wednesday, April 16
Field Trip (7th grade)
No Mass
Midquarter

Thursday, April 17
Holy Thursday

Friday, April 17 
Good Friday - NO SCHOOL

Sunday, April 20
Easter Sunday

Monday, April 21 - Friday, April 25
Easter Holidays - NO SCHOOL

Monday, April 28
Class Resume

Monday, April 28 - Friday, May 2
Terra Nova Testing (grades 2-7)
8th Grade Trip

Thursday, May 1
Tuition or Loan Papers Due to the School Office

Friday, May 2
Spirit Dress

Mother Seton Honoree

St. Joseph Catholic School is please to offer congratulations to Jeff Schmitt, our 2014 Mother Seton Honoree.

Jeff is an untiring worker for St. Joseph School. He has served two terms on the school Advisory Board. Several of those years were as chairman of the Board. For the past several years he has been the organizing force for the Strawberry Festival Parking. He is a member of the Crusader Dad's Club and is always ready to offer a helping hand whenever needed by the school.

Jeff and his wife Annie have two children at St. Joseph's: Dane, a seventh grader, and Jonah, a fifth grade student.

Jeff will be formally presented his award at a luncheon to be held next week.

Free Dress/Spring Pictures - March 27

All students may come in free dress on Thursday, March 27. To find out what is acceptable free dress, check the website at DRESS CODE.

Spring pictures will be taken on Thursday, March 27, for those students who have a form and money. NO LATE ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Forms for pictures were sent home with students on Monday, March 24.

Cheerleader Tryouts Meeting - March 27

Tryouts for the 2014-2015 SJS Cheerleader squad will follow the format below:

Mandatory Parent Meeting for anyone trying out - Thursday, March 27 @ 5:30 in Mrs. Bankston's room (bottom floor, main building).

Cheer clinic for tryouts - Tuesday, April 1, from after school till 5:00, in the gym.

Tryouts - Friday, April 4, from after school till all tryouts are done, in a classroom TBA.

Stations of the Cross - March 28

SJS students in grades 1-8 will participate in the Stations of the Cross on Fridays in Lent.

The Stations will be in the church beginning at 1:45.

Our next Stations of the Cross will be on Friday, March 28. All are invited to attend us with. 

We will also recite the Stations on Friday, April 4, and Friday, April 11.

For those who can't join us in person, Stations of the Cross are also featured at STATIONS.

April Birthdays - April 1

All students at St. Joseph who have a birthday in March may come out of uniform on Tuesday, April 1. 

This is the only day students with April birthdays may come out of uniform. There is no make-up day.

Out of uniform guidelines can be found on the WEBSITE.

Home & School Meeting - April 1

The next meeting of the St. Joseph School Home and School Association will be Tuesday, April 1, at 6:30 in the school gym.

Peter Pan Production - April 4 & 5

The 8th Grade Drama Club of St. Joseph School is proud to present 

PETER PAN

on Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, at 7:00p.m. in the St. Joseph School Gym.

Admission prices are $3.00 for adults (those 9th grade and up)
 and $2.00 for children (through 8th grade).

Advance tickets may be ordered on EDLINE. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Sports Physicals - April 5

Mark your calendars!

Tangipahoa Free Physical Day will be on April 5, 2014.

Only 7th and 8th graders of elementary schools are invited to this day.

Forms will be distributed at a later date to present 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.

Test Dates

Some of our 8th grade students will take Phase II of the LEAP on Monday and Tuesday, April 7 and 8.

Because of the 8th grade trip, all of our 8th grade students will take parts of the Terra Nova test on the following dates:

Monday, March 31
Thursday, April 10
Monday, April 14.

The students in grades 2-7 will take the Terra Nova test the week of April 28-May 2.

Tuition/Loan Papers - May 1

Tuition and Loan Papers for the 2014-2015 school year are due in the school office on Thursday, May 1.

The loan application was sent home with students. It can also be downloaded at LOAN APP.

Rice Bowls

St. Joseph School is participating in CRS Rice Bowl again this year. Your child will receive a cardboard Rice Bowl to collect Lenten alms. Also, included with the Rice Bowl is a Lenten calendar to provide inspiration for your Lenten journey.

More information can be found at: RICE BOWLS. Please use the Rice Bowls and return them on Monday, April 14th.

Fair Report

Congratulations to Teresa Cobos, our $1000 raffle winner!

Congratulations to faculty member Tyler Hughes, our first ever Spring Fair 5K winner. He finished with a time of 20:40.

The fair was blessed with great weather and lots of wonderful parents who organized, worked, and came out to support the school. We'll have more detailed fair reports once the bills are paid.

March Crusaders

Congratulations to our March Crusaders!
Mini Crusader is Alex Landry in first grade.
Crusader is Mallory Vining in eighth grade.
We're so proud of both!

Lenten Penance Services

“The Light is ON For You” Lenten Confessions

The priests of the Northeast Deanery of the Diocese of Baton Rouge are once again making the special sacrifice of their Wednesday evenings during the season of Lent to be available for confessions in our local area. On every Wednesday evening of Lent beginning March 12th, through Wednesday, April 9th, confessors will be available at Holy Ghost Church in Hammond from 6:00 PM until the last penitent’s confession is heard.

In addition, confessors will also be available at 6 PM at the following locations until the last penitent’s confession is heard:
Wednesday, March 26th at St. Joseph Church in French Settlement
Wednesday, April 2nd at St. Joseph Church in Ponchatoula
Wednesday, April 9th at St. Margaret Church in Albany

Community News

Chappapeela Sports Park Easter Egg Hunt

Over 5000 Eggs!!!
Friday, April 4
Free registration begins at 5:45 p.m.

Chappapeela Sports Park (19325 Hipark Blvd) is hosting its first Easter Egg Hunt. 
Free to the public. 
Kids ages 10 and younger are invited to come out for fun-filled night.
Kids must bring their own basket.
Prizes donated by the sponsors will be awarded to the kid in each group who finds the Golden Egg and the kids who find the most eggs.
Appearances will be made by the Easter Bunny, Menchie, Minnie Mouse, Sponge Bob, and Roomie.
We will also be giving all kinds of things away: coupons, tea, yogurt, and much more.

Schedule of Events:
Registration 5:45-6:30 p.m.
1st Hunt     6:30     ages 0-3     Field 35
2nd Hunt    6:45     ages 4-6     Middle Playground
3rd Hunt     7:00     ages 7-10   Back Playground

Need more information? Contact erin.playcsp@gmail.com or 985-543-6767.

Parish News

Personnel
Fr. Paul A. McDuffie, Pastor
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.

Weekday Mass Schedule
The week day Masses on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday will be at 8:30 a.m. Reconciliation (Confessions) will be available before all week day Masses at 8:00 a.m. in addition to Confessions on Saturday from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

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


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