The Weekly Howl

It was a wonderful week at St. Francis Catholic School in celebrating Advent and upcoming Christmas season! Students had many activities this week to get into the spirit of the season. We hope everyone enjoyed our annual Advent Concert this week. It was another wonderful production directed by Mrs. Sweeney.

This will be the last edition of The Weekly Howl for 2018. The next issue will be sent the weekend before we all return to school on Monday, January 7th.

On behalf of the faculty and staff of St. Francis Catholic School I wish everyone a very holy and Merry Christmas! Also have a Happy New Year and I look forward to seeing everyone in 2019!

Sincerely in Christ,

Brian Pope

Principal

Sunday, December 23rd

Monday, December 24th

• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Vigil Masses: 4:00pm, 6:00pm and 10:00pm

Tuesday, December 25th

• Merry Christmas!!!
• Christmas Day Masses: 9:00am, 11:00am and 1:00pm(Spanish)

Wednesday, December 26th

• Feast of St. Stephen, The First Martyr
• Parish and School Offices Closed

Thursday, December 27th

• Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
• Parish and School Offices Closed

Friday, December 28th

• Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs
• Parish and School Offices Closed

Saturday, December 29th

• Happy Birthday Mrs. Boudreaux!!!

Sunday, December 30th

• Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Monday, December 31st

• 6:00pm: Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God (Holy Day of Obligation)

Tuesday, January 1st

• Happy New Year!!!
• Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God (Holy Day of Obligation): Masses at 8:00am & 12:15pm

Wednesday, January 2nd

• Memorial of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen
• Happy Birthday Mrs. Sandoval!!!
• Parish Office Open
• School Office Closed
• 9:30am: Voluntary (Sr.) Girls Basketball Practice
• 4:30 - 6:30pm: Voluntary (Sr.) Boys Basketball Practice

Thursday, January 3rd

• Parish Office Open
• School Office Closed
• 9:30am: Voluntary (Sr.) Girls Basketball Practice
• 4:30 - 6:30pm: Voluntary (Sr.) Boys Basketball Practice

Friday, January 4th

• Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
• Parish Office Open
• School Office Closed
• 4:30 - 6:30pm: Voluntary (Sr.) Boys Basketball Practice

Saturday, January 5th

• Memorial of St. John Neumann
• 10:00am - 12:00pm: Voluntary Sr. Boys Basketball Practice

Father Mike and the 1st & 2nd Grade had their annual Procession to the Crib on Friday bringing the Baby Jesus to the school's Nativity located in the front lobby.

The 4th graders completed their book report dioramas and had fun at their Christmas party this week!

The 5th graders also had fun at their Christmas Party and Advent Concert this week!

The 5th and 6th grade enjoyed their trip to John Paul II Catholic School to watch the production of Elf on Monday!

The students learned more about Advent and Christmas the past few weeks in Lectio Divina. Students created ornaments for classroom Jesse trees, prayed with the story of Mary's Visitation and her visit with Elizabeth, prayed the ancient prayers of the Church, the O Antiphons, and finished their Advent reflections. Thank you Dr. Burckart for helping the students make their Advent and Christmas a little more focused on the coming of our Savior!

Congratulations to our Geography Bee classroom winners, who will be moving on to compete in the schoolwide Geography Bee on January 18th!

4th grade-Alejandro Restrepo

5th grade-Sophia Taylor

6th grade- Makena Allen and Bryant Jolley

7th grade-Emilie Fister and Jack Rohr

8th grade-Gigi Graziano

Congratulations to our newest Beta Club members: Carolyn Goll, Holly Heiens and Kylie Bison. They have already been serving by helping with candy cane grams, visits to Bloom and Christmas cards for Life Care. Way to go, girls!

Mr. Holstein and Mrs. Safe were working hard this week getting all our technology updated and ready for the Winter MAP testing sessions when we return after break. Thank you for all the hard work!

Thank you Mrs. Sweeney for another awesome Advent Concert! Also thank you to all the volunteers and faculty members that assisted! A special thank you to Mrs. Susan Spencer, Mrs. MacDonald, Jonathan Davis, Kendall Freisen and Logan Velliquette!!! The students did a wonderful job!

The SFCS Cheer Season is in full swing! Check out the schedule for upcoming performances. Below are some video clips from their performances this week.

Thank you Arbor Nature for becoming a Gala Sponsor!!! Check out sponsorship levels below if you are interested in a great way to advertise your business.

Well it is time to start planning for A Night at the Disco!!! This year the FSA's Gala is on March 23rd, 2019 and we are working now in getting sponsors and now donations!

School Donation Drive - 100% Participation

We need your help. This year for the gala we are asking that each family contribute at least one item for the silent auction for the Gala. We are now accepting donations. Once the school gets 75% family participation the students will receive a treat at lunch. Once we reach 88% we will have the Kona Ice truck visit all the students for a Kona Ice. When we reach 100% participation the students (and teachers) will be awarded an afternoon off with Mr. Pope and Mrs. McGlynn hosting a movie matinee with fresh popped popcorn in the gym!!! Students can even bring sleeping bags if they want to! Progress for the Gala Donation Drive can be seen at the bulletin board outside the school office.

Donations will be accepted at the front office. If you have any questions about what to donate or need to contact someone from the Gala committee feel free to email gala@sfcshhi.com.

Ticket sales will begin soon. Keep an eye out for that information which will be communicated soon.

Congratulations to JPII Golden Warrior senior football players Zack Doe and Freddie Aiken on their selection to the upcoming Blitz Border Bowl, an all-star football game pitting the top players from the South Carolina Lowcountry against the stars of the Georgia Coastal Empire. The annual game will be played Jan. 12 at Bluffton High School.

Mr. David Cullen of the Beaufort County Ancient Order of Hibernians stopped by JPII to deliver a check for the scholarship fund. The much-appreciated $300 donation from the AOH was given through the organization's state division.

"The members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians are great friends of JPII," said Brian Quinty of the school's Advancement Office. "Over the years, they have supported our students and Catholic education in the Lowcountry by giving generously to the scholarship fund. We are extremely blessed to have them by our side."

Check out these previous editions of the Howl if you need a document or reminder on any information.

• December 16th, 2018
• December 9th, 2018
• December 1st, 2018
  
• November, 18th, 2018