January 14, 2019

Reflection

Christmastime is over. On Sunday we celebrate The Baptism of the Lord. We are now in Ordinary Time. This means that the church is in between seasons. Remember that "ordinary" is not the same as unimportant. This is not a time to stop praying or caring about one another. So, during Ordinary Time we will continue to pray well, do our school work well and continue to enjoy feasts and festivals. 

On January 11, we remembered two Druid women Ethnea & Fedelmia. According to a legend, after Ethnia and Fedelmia were converted to Jesus and were baptized, they died of joy. This legend shows us how greatly we should value our baptism.

January 13 is the memorial of St. Hilary, a bishop. His name means cheerful. Bishop Hilary was a great writer. He helped people understand that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When you make the Sign of the Cross remember St. Hilary. School in England used to begin after Christmas break on the Feast of St. Hilary. Now, if people ask you what time of the year it is, you can say that it is "January" or "Winter" or "Ordinary Time" or "Hilary".

As we remember these feasts, festivals and Ordinary Time, let us pray for each other, love each other and reach out to those who are in need of our friendship. Be courageous, strong and be there for others.

Continue to pray for Fr. Mink. He is always grateful for your prayers. Please pray for the sick especially Michael Dadd, Ms. Carmen, Baby William Kelley, Mrs. Sowden's little niece and the sick of our parish. Our Armed Forces and First Responders always need our prayers. Please pray for them. 

Sheila O'Callaghan

School Notes:

In the event of weather-related school closing or delay, you will be notified via School Messenger using the contact information (text/email) we have for you in PowerSchool. Notices will be posted on our school website and on social media (SAS Facebook & Instagram). School closings or delays will also be posted on the Diocesan website www.cdow.org and on WDEL SnoWatch and announced on WSTW/WDEL radio stations. Remember that we get our closing determinations from the Catholic Schools Office and will relay any decisions without hesitation.  

Re-Registration & New Student Applications: Re-registration forms for current students were sent home in the Friday Folders. Please return the completed forms and registration fee to the office no later than Friday, January 25. Any families interested in enrolling siblings not already attending St. Ann are encouraged to complete the online registration application as soon as possible as there is a strong interest in our Early Childhood Program. Click here to access the online application.We will be making admissions decisions in early February. It is necessary to have the application completed with all required documents to be considered for admissions.  

Catholic Schools Week of Jan 27: We will kick off Catholic Schools Week at Masses on the weekend of January 26-27.  In art class, students will be making tokens of appreciation for parishioners that they will distribute after Mass. We encourage St. Ann students to show their school pride by wearing their school uniforms to Mass that weekend. 

If you have been volunteering your time at school this year, you should have received an Evite to the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon on Wednesday, January 30.  Please let us know if you did not hear from us; it may mean we do not have your correct email address, and we do not want to miss any volunteers. 

Alumni News:

Alumni Meet & Greet: Spread the word! Alumni Meet & Greet on Saturday, January 26, at 6:30 pm at Dead Presidents 618 N. Union St. Wilmington, DE 19805. Sign up here.

Kentmere Mass: Friday, January 18, led by Grade 8. 

Noon Dismissal:  Friday, January 18, for Teacher Professional Development. 

Martin Luther King Holiday: No school Monday, January 21 in observance of the MLK Holiday. 

Casual and Pretzel Day: Friday, January 25. The monthly opportunity to wear casual clothes is an incentive to contribute to the missions. Please remember that students who opt to wear casual clothes on this day should give at least $1 for the missions. Pretzels will be available for $.50 each. Students in grades 4-8 can order dips for an additional $.50 each.

Catholic Schools Week: We celebrate Catholic School week January 27- February 1. 

School Mass: Thursday, January 31 at 9:15 am led by 4th grade. Parents are welcome and should plan to arrive by 9:10 am. Doors will be locked after all students have entered the church. 

Cornhole Tournament: Save the NEW date-- Saturday, April 27 9am-5pm. This promises to be another fun new H&S event. More info to follow. 

Special Someone/Father-Daughter Dance: Save the date--Saturday, April 13 for the Special Someone/Father-Daughter Dance. This is the second year for this fun event; you don't want to miss it! More information to follow.

More Useful Information

2019-2020 Tuition Assistance Information: The Diocese is now accepting tuition assistance applications for the 2019-2020 school year. To be considered a parent must submit an application online to FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment. The deadline to submit the application is March 4, 2019. A letter and  detailed instructions was sent home in the Friday Folder. A copy of that information is attached here.  

2018-2019 Diocesan Calendar: Attached here is the Diocesan School Calendar for the 2018-2019 school year. The St. Ann School specific calendar which includes additional days off and noon dismissals is now available on our website calendar. The printable detailed calendar is attached above.