St. Joseph
Catholic School

Psalm 27

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. 

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid? 

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. 

One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple. 

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. 

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. 

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Calendar-at-a-Glance

Thursday, November 6
Field Trip (4th grade)

Friday, November 7
Spirit Dress
Field Trip (8th)

Monday, November 10
Field Trip (6th)

Tuesday, November 11
Veterans' Day Ceremony
Fair Planning Meeting @ 6:30

Wednesday, November 12
Mass
Food Drive
Midquarter

Friday, November 14
Spirit Dress
Grandparents' Day @ 9:00-10:30
Family Book Fair Evening @ 4:30-6:45
Family Movie Night @ 7:00-9:00

Monday-Friday, November 17-21
Scholastic Book Fair (in library)

Wednesday, November 19
Mass (with Pilgrims & Indians)
Food Drive
Crusaders Announced

Friday, November 20
Spirit Dress 
Deadline to Order SJS/Pelican Tickets & T-shirts

Monday-Friday, November 24-28
Thanksgiving Holidays - No School

Sunday, November 30
First Sunday of Advent

Tuesday, December 2
December Birthdays
Home & School Meeting @ 6:30

Wednesday, December 3
Mass @ 8:30
Food Drive
Adopt-a-Child Collection
Advisory Council @ 6:30

Friday, December 5
Spirit Dress

Sunday, December 7
Second Sunday of Advent

Monday, December 8
Mass @ 8:30 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Food Drive

Friday, December 12
Accelerated Reader Deadline
Exams (grades 6-7-8) English & Social Studies
Spirit Dress

Sunday, December 14
Third Sunday of Advent

Tuesday, December 16
Exams (grades 6-7-8) Reading & Science

Wednesday, December 17
Mass @ 8:30
Food Drive
Crusaders Announced

Thursday, December 18
Exams (grades 6-7-8) Math

Friday, December 19
Christmas Program/Parties
Spirit Dress
Second Quarter Ends
1/2 Day - Early Dismissal

Sunday, December 21
Fourth Sunday of Advent

Thursday, December 25
Christmas Day

Monday, December 22-Friday, January 2
Christmas/New Years Holidays

Tuesday, December 30
SJS/Pelcians Game

Monday, January 5
Classes Resume
No Bus Service
Dismissal @ 1:00

Partners in Faith

Partners in Faith is a periodic publicaion designed especially to give Catholic parents the practical help and support needed to raise faithful Catholic children. It is filled with actionable ideas parents can use to build a Christ-centered family life, to increase in knowledge of the Catholic faith, and to grow in devotion to the sacraments. Partners in Faith uses friendly, everyday language that is easy to read and absorb in just a few minutes. As a service to our parents, St. Joseph Catholic School will share this important publication with our parents through the online newsletter. We hope everyone finds it helpful and informative.

PARTNERS in FAITH SEPTEMBER

PARTNERS in FAITH OCTOBER

PARTNERS in FAITH NOVEMBER p 1     NOVEMBER p 2

Looking for Refrigerator

We're on a quest.

Our school is looking for a gently used refrigerator to put in the gym kitchen. The one currently there is starting to limp around on its last leg. We were hoping to replace it with a donated model.

If you know of such a gently used refrigerator looking for a good home, please contact Mrs. Ragusa at school. 985-386-6421.

Veterans Day Assembly - November 11

Our St. Joseph family would like to cordially invite any family members who are veterans to join us in a celebration of honor.

Our students will do a presentation in the school gym during our regular morning assembly on Tuesday, November 11, and we welcome our veterans.

Morning assembly begins at 7:35, and our presentation will immediately follow morning prayer. Please join us!

Fair Planning Meeting - November 11

A planning meeting for our May Fair will be held on Tuesday, November 11, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the school library.

Everyone is encouraged to attend this meeting. The more ideas and help we have, the better the fair will be. Whether you're a new family to the school or one that has been with us forever, we welcome you to attend this meeting.

Midquarter - November 12

Midquarter is Wednesday, November 12. Be sure to check Edline for updated grades.

Grandparents' Day - November 14

GRANDPARENTS DAY -
Friday, November 14
9:00-10:30

Grandparents should park in the new church parking lot.

Grandparents will meet in the gym for refreshments and a welcome at 9:00.

After the welcome, grandparents are free to meet their grandchild(ren). Gift certificates to the book fair, tours of the school, pictures, and a bag of special surprises are available for the grandparents.

Picture forms for Grandparents' Day were sent home today, Wednesday, November 5. Three photographers will be set up to make the lines move smoother.

Grandparents may check out grandchildren ONLY when a valid ID matches the signed form sent by the parent. Those forms were sent home today, Wednesday, November 5. Students who are checked out may be signed out with the teacher. Grandparents do not need to climb stairs to get to the office upstairs.

Parents who have lost the form may print another at FORM.

Book Fair Family Night - November 14

The Scholastic Book Fair will be November 14-21. SCHEDULE

Family Night will be Friday, November 14, just prior to Family Movie Night, at 4;30-6:45. Pizza will be available as well as the pig from the Guinness Book of World Records (he'll be signing autographed copies).

View our fair homepage at BOOK FAIR.

We are looking for lots of parent volunteers to help with the bookfair. We can't run a successful bookfair without our wonderful parent support base.

The sign-up sheet is available at www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0F4BA4AC2BA1FB6-book/22766359. We thank you in advance for all of your wonderful help!

Family Movie Night - November 14

Family movie night will be held the evening of Friday, November 14. Bring your family to join the SJS family for a viewing of "Frozen". Doors open at 6:30. The movie starts at 7:00.

SJS Royalty

The student body elected Faculty Fall Fest Royalty last week by casting votes at 25 cents each. The event, sponsored by SJS Jr. Beta Club, is structured as a service project to raise money to buy library books for a school in need.

Elected to the court was, from left, Mrs. Gabrielle Lloyd (5A) as second runner up, Mrs. Susan Casey (3B) as queen, and Mrs. Sandy Gaines (8A) as first runner up.

The entire school spent the day celbrating the fall season with a festival or field trip. To see pictures of the festivities, please visit FALL FEST.

Fall in Love with Reading

Our fall days were so beautiful last week that sixth grade students opted to take their reading classes outside in order to enjoy the wonderful weather!  

In the picture, Emily Wells (left) and Anneleise Broussard alternate reading aloud to each other.

To see other pictures of the classes taking advantage of the delightful day, please visit READING.

Veronica Pierson

St. Joseph Catholic School is very pleased to announced that Mrs. Veronica Kraft Pierson has been selected as our 2014-2015 Distinguished Graduate. Veronica is a 1988 graduate of St. Joseph School. She was chosen for this honor because she infuses her positive attitude into everything she does. She is happy and active in all aspects of her life: family, her children's school as well as her own, her church and her community. She lives God's message of evangelizing through her actions and attitude. Veronica and her husband Lawrence have two sons, Logan and Lane. Both boys are SJS alumni. Veronica's belief in Catholic education: "I believe Catholic schools provide students with the opportunity to develop their God-given talents through academic excellence and Catholic faith through prayer and service." Veronica will be honored by the Diocese of Baton Rouge at a dinner during Catholic Schools Week in late January.

Raylea Willoughby

St. Joseph graduate Raylea Willoughby (SJS Class of 2011) was named the Wendy's High School Heisman winner for Ponchatoula High School.

Raylea is one of only three students in Tangipahoa Parish to win this honor. She will now advance to state competition.

Yearbooks Have Arrived!

Excitement is all around the school as news about our 2013-2014 year books spreads around the school. Yearbooks are in and are being distributed today, Wednesday, October 29! 

Kudos to Mrs. Gabrielle Lloyd for her hard work on this memory book!

Gilberto Cobos (center) browses through the new annual while Alexandera Falk (left) and Alexis Vega look over his shoulder.

Those who prepaid for the yearbooks will receive them today. There area limited number of books available for purchase at $40 each. Please contact the office to obtain a copy. Books wil be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

Save the Date - November 20

St. Joseph School - Group Night with the New Orleans Pelicans
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Phoenix Suns @ 7:00pm

Come experience a New Orleans Pelicans game with our St. Joseph School Group.
The game is during the holiday break, so the students don’t have school that day.
Our tickets will be together in a large group.

This year we have two price options, the balcony ($10) or the lower end ($25).
An optional St. Joseph/New Orleans Pelicans t-shirt may be purchased for $10 each.
You will order on Edline and send your check to the office in an envelope marked Pelicans.

The deadline to order is November 21st.
NO orders will be processed until the money is received.


Our group will receive the following:

*Halftime Fan Tunnel: 20 people from our group will be allowed to go on the court to form a fan tunnel and high-five the Pelicans players. We will pull 20 tickets from our group. This drawing will be done at school the week of December 15th. The 20 tickets drawn will be the able to participate in the fan tunnel.

*Our entire group will be allowed on the floor after the game to take a group photo on the court with some of the Pelicans dancers. They send the group picture to the school.

*Our group name will be posted on the Jumbotron at halftime.


Balcony Ticket $10 each (Balcony seats are in the upper level of the arena)
Lower End Ticket $25 each (Lower seats are on the first lever of the arena)

Optional St. Joseph/New Orleans Pelican group night t-shirt $10 each
YS, YM, YL, AS, AM, AL, AXL, AXXL, AXXXL

Hop for Life

HOP for LIFE

Sock Hop Fundraiser

November 15 @ 6:00 p.m. at Youth Center

Help send 46 teens, young adults, and youth leaders to represent St. Joseph Parish in diocesan pilgrimage to the National March for Life in January.

** $10 donation requested
** tickets available or pay at the door
** door prizes for ticket holders
** $1 pizza and 50 cents drinks available
** featuring the Reno Brothers and Reign
** JD to follow bands
** families welcome

Our Parish

Personnel
Fr. Paul A. McDuffie, Pastor
Larry J. Melancon - Deacon
Mike Agnello - 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. (5:00 Mass only until November 23)

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. (Beginning November 29, confessions will start at 4:00.)

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