Newsletter (Archived): Newsletter 1074 - Mar 18, 2015 - Mar 25, 2015 [Archive]
Psalm 145
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful. The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
From the Principal
Dear Parents,It is hard to believe that we are headed into the last quarter of our school year! March, April, and May are very busy months.
Tomorrow, Thursday, March 19th, we will celebrate the feast of St. Joseph with a school mass. We would love for our alumni to join for mass and a small reception to immediately follow in the ministry building. Please help us to spread the word to the alumni in our community.
This is also the time of year that we begin to plan for the next school year. Our open house and new registration were very successful. We have many grades levels that are full and we have a waiting list as well. We will not begin to schedule students for the 2015-2016 school year until the summer.
We are very fortunate here at St. Joseph to have a very strong faculty who collaborate often and work as a team to create an environment where our students are challenged and can flourish in their academic and spiritual life.
With that being said, we feel very confident that all of our teachers will provide an outstanding and well-rounded educational experience to each of our students and we will not accept teacher requests for the upcoming school year.
We, the faculty and administration, value your trust and support in our ability to nurture and educate your child. We take this responsibility very seriously and will continue to strive for the very best for each and every student.
-- Mrs. Danette Ragusa
Principal
Calendar-at-a-Glance
Thursday, March 19 St. Joseph Feast Day
Mass
Food Drive
Alumni Reception
Friday, March 20
Spirit Dress
Field Trip (7th grade)
Stations of the Cross
Crusader Dads Gathering
Saturday, March 21
District Literary Rally
Tuesday, March 24
ACRE Test (grades 5 and 8)
Wednesday, March 25
Mass
Food Drive
Crusaders of the Month
Thursday, March 26
Spring Pictures
Mandatory Cheer Parent Meeting
Friday, March 27
Spirit Dress
Stations of the Cross
Drama Production - The Wizard of Oz
Saturday, March 28
Drama Production - The Wizard of Oz
Monday, March 30
Field Trip (3rd grade)
Tuesday, March 31
8th Grade Retreat
Wednesday, April 1
Mass
Food Drive
Adopt-a-Child Collection
Advisory Council Meeting
Fair Sponsorship Letters Due
Vendor/Craft Fair Applications Deadline
Friday, April 3 - Friday, April 10
Easter Holidays
Saturday, April 11 & Sunday, April 12
Strawberry Festival Parking
Monday, April 13 - Friday, April 17
Silent Auction Item Drop Off in Carpool Line
Eighth Grade Trip
Wednesday, April 15
Mass
Food Drive
Friday, April 17
Spirit Dress
Rice Bowls
“Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty.” – Pope Francis Dear Families,
This Lent our school is participating in CRS Rice Bowl, a faith-in-action program that helps families experience Lenten spirituality by living in solidarity with people in need around the world. Here are three simple ways to bring Lent to life in your home.
• Place your CRS Rice Bowl in a prominent place in your home and use it to collect your Lenten sacrifices.
• Read the Lenten calendar reflections each day as a family.
• Visit RICE BOWLS to find videos and family activities, or take Lent outside of the bowl and download the CRS Rice Bowl app on your mobile device.
Rice Bowls were sent home with students on Wednesday, February 25.
We will be collecting Rice Bowls at the end of Lent, so stay tuned to learn more. Thank you for using CRS Rice Bowl with your family this Lent.
Feast of St. Joseph - March 19
We will not have a school Mass on Wednesday, March 18. That Mass has been moved to Thursday, March 19, so that our students may celebrate our patron saint on his feast day. St. Joseph Catholic School would like to invite all of our alumni to join us at Mass on Thursday, March 19, at 8;30 for a St. Joseph Feast Day celebration. A short reception for our alumni will follow in the Parish Ministry Building.
Please help spread the word to all of our former students.
Stations of the Cross - March 20
St. Joseph students and faculty in grades 1-8 will follow the Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent. Our next Stations will be on Friday, March 20. The devotional will begin at 1:45 in the church. All are invited to join us. If 1:45 is not convenient, St. Joseph Parish has Stations of the Cross again at 7:00 P.M. each Friday of Lent.
To learn more about this devotional, please visit STATIONS of the CROSS.
Crusader Dads - March 20
The next gathering of the SJS Crusader Dads will be on Friday, March 20, at Warehouse 140 beginning at 7:00 P.M. Please RSVP Jerod Breaux at jerod.breaux@mckeeson.com.
All dads, stepdads, grandfathers, uncles, etc. are invited to attend.
Advisory Council Voting - March 24
It is time once again to elect new members for the St. Joseph Catholic School Advisory Council. New members must meet the following requirements:
** Be the parent of a student at St. Joseph School. At least one of the nominee's children must be currently in Grade 5 or younger.
** Be a practicing Catholic.
** Be available for monthly meetings for a three-year commitment.
Those nominated for election are as follows:
Corey Berner - up for re-election
Bonnie Duhon - up for re-election
Melissa Higgs
Glen Larent
Kimberly Thibodeaux
Artie Thompason - up for re-election
Three members must be elected.
Voting for Advisory Council members will be open on EDLINE until Tuesday, March 24.
Spring Pictures - March 26
Spring pictures will be taken on Thursday, March 26.
Students may come out of uniform on that date.
This is a pre-paid program. Packets will be sent home today, Wednesday, March 18.
The Wizard of Oz - March 27 & 28
The thespians of St. Joseph Catholic School will present "The Wizard of Oz" on March 27 and 28 beginning at 7:00 P.M. each evening. The production will take place in the gym.
Advanced tickets may be ordered through EDLINE until Friday, March 20. Tickets will be sent home in the March 25 Wednesday packet.
Strawberry Festival Parking Volunteers
We're looking for volunteers for Strawberry Festival Parking.This is a great opportunity to help with an easy fundraiser, enjoy the fellowship of other parents, and get a suntan!
Volunteers are needed for the following days/.times:
Saturday, April 11
10:00-1:30
1:00-5:00
Sunday, April 12
11:30-2:30
2:15-5:30.
Sign up is on EDLINE.
For more information and for questions, please contact
Jeff Schmitt at j2ads@yahoo.com or 985-320-7711.
Fair Prize Booth
It's spring cleaning time!If gently used stuffed animals are found during spring cleaning, please consider donating them to the Fair prize booth.
Stuffed animals may be sent to the office where they will be sent to their new home at the prize booth.
Student Council Donation
The SJS Student Council recently sent a check for over $2500 to the Wounded Warrior Project for use in their programs designe din accordance with their mission staement "To honor and empower wounded warriors".
The students raised the money for their donation by selling Valentine pencils for $1.00.An anonymous donor generously matched their total for this donation.
In the picture are the Student Council moderators and officers. From left, they are, Ms. Cynthia Chatelain, Brett Monistere, Grant Amerson, Ethan Mauterer, Scott Jacobs, and Mrs. Krista Chiasson.
To learn more about the Wounded Warrior Project, please visit their website at WOUNDED WARRIORS.
Respect for Life 8th Grade Winners
Knights of Columbus Respect for Life Eighth Grade Poster Contest Winners .... from left,
Emily Babineaux (2nd),
Thomas Casey (3rd),
Leigh Henderson (1st) - not pictured.
Respect for Life 7th Grade Winners
Knights of Columbus Respect for Life Seventh Grade Poster Contest Winners .... from left,
Slade Smith (1st),
Aiden Koren (3rd),
Brock Milton (2nd).
Respect for Life 6th Grade Winners
Knights of Columbus Respect for Life Sixth Grade Poster Contest Winners .... from left,
Molli Rae Kinchen (3rd),
Skylar Cheek (2nd),
Matthew Wisecarver (1st).
Respect for Life 5th Grade Winners
Knights of Columbus Respect for Life Fifth Grade Poster Contest Winners .... from left,
Ali Foster (2nd),
Hannah Habisreitinger (3rd),
Jadyn Richard (1st).
Community News
SLU's ROCK 'n' ROAR Art, Baseball, and Dance Camps
Limited space.
All registrations are due by March 19.
The registration form is in the school office or at SLU FORM.
PONCHATOULA'S GOT TALENT
The Ponchatoula Junior High School PTSA is excited to announced the third annual Ponchatoula's got Talent Show coming up on Saturday, May 9.
Audition dates are March 21 or March 28 at PJHS.
Contestants must be a student enrolled in a Ponchatoula school.
SJS has sign-up packets in the school office.
Please see the FLYER for this event.
For questions, please contact PonchatoulasGotTalent@gmail.com.
Lenten Confessions Schedule
Besides the regularly scheduled confession times at each Church in the Northeast Deanery of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, confessors will be available at the following locations and dates, starting at 6:00 P.M. until the last penitent's confession is heard: Wednesday, March 18 - Holy Ghost Church in Hammond
and Mater Dolorosa Church in Independence
Wednesday, March 25 - Holy Ghost Church in Hammond
and St. Margaret Church in Albany
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
Weekday Mass Schedule
The week day Masses on Monday through Thursday 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 beginning 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
See Old News: Archive