Dear Fabulous Families -

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the auction on Saturday! Many thanks to the myriad of volunteers who have worked hard to make this a fun, community-building event to benefit our students! Just a reminder that due to the sacrificial giving that everyone has contributed to the Capital Campaign, there is no Fund-a-Need this year.

Registrations Fee Increases Monday - Just a reminder that if you have not registered your child for the 2025-2026 school year, registration fees go up to $175 per child on Monday, March 10th. If you have input the information for registration but have not paid the registration fee by Monday, you will have to pay the increased fee. Please contact Mrs. Italiano for any registration questions at gitaliano@stgab.org.

Ordering Lunch - If your child orders the combo meal on Fridays during Lent, they will receive tuna salad sandwich even though MealMagic says that they will get a riblet sandwich. We are working to have this issue corrected.

Save the Date: Grandparents Day for grades 1, 3, and 5 is April 15.

Coming home in the Wednesday yellow envelope:

Rice Bowls

Read Across America Bingo Boards

Auction Booklets

7th Grade Southside Permission Slips (select students only)

Reminder: Submissions for the newsletter should be sent to Mrs. McEnery and Ms. Schmitt by noon on Monday. Graphics should be a jpg or png. In the subject line, please put "Newsletter".

Tonya McEnery

Principal

Jenn Schmitt

Assistant Principal

We're Almost There! Help us Get the Building Bright Futures Capital Campaign Over the TOP!

After about five months of pledges from very generous parishioners, we’re approaching $5.2M.
With about $350K to go to hit our $5.5M goal, we need everyone’s help to get us over the finish line.

We can do it. Here’s how:
With only 39% of school families currently pledging, there is a big opportunity for the majority to
lend a hand. If everyone who hasn’t pledged gave $50/month over 5 years, we’ll make it. $600/year – a total of $3,000. Or we’ll make it with $25/month is $300/year – a total of $1,500 over 5 years.
Can you help us? Please join the other school families who have done their part.

Pledging is easy! Three ways:
1) Faith Direct. Go to the Building Bright Futures section at Faith Direct and sign up:
https://membership.faithdirect.net/enroll/choosegifts/413/56871/73
You can charge it to your credit card or have it deducted from your bank account.
2) Complete the pledge card in your campaign packet, drop it off at the rectory or offertory basket.
3) Write a single check for your 5-year pledge and drop it off at the rectory or offertory basket.
(Please mark it “Capital Campaign”.)

Please help us get over the finish line now. Thanks for your prayerful consideration.

Patrick House is coordinating a collection for Saint Patrick Center. The Center serves people that are unhoused and also helps neighbors to get into housing. They are in great need of cleaning supplies.

Thank you for your help in donating items to St. Patrick Center.

Below is a list of cleaning supplies that are needed. They are very important as over 700 households are placed into housing every year. Please bring items to school on March 13th to the all school Mass. Items will be collected during the offertory. Items needed are:

• Paper towels

• Dish soap

• Bleach

• Laundry detergent

• All-purpose cleaner (like 409)

• Sponges (for dishes and cleaning)

• Kitchen trash bags

Thank you for your generosity!

HAPPY AUCTION WEEK!

Our silent auction items and raffles are now live! Visit AESBID.COM/elp/GABRIEL25 to start bidding!

Mystery bags are still available. Purchase for your student(s) before they are sold out!!

NEW THIS YEAR:

Following the live auction we are welcoming Felix and Fingers, Dueling Pianos, to help make this year’s auction an unforgettable experience. The engaging and interactive entertainment will have you laying down cash to hear your favorite tune or stop them from playing someone else’s. Be sure to bring cash to take part in the festivities- ALL TIPS GO TO ST. GABES!!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:

Can you spare some time to help with the auction? We are looking for help during the event and with set up and clean up. See how you can help here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B084CA9AC2CA7F85-55016936-auction

Do you have a high school student in need of service hours?? Opportunities available to help with auction. Sign up here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B084CA9AC2CA7F85-55029334-high

Sign up parties and reserved seating for vocal and band concerts will open on Saturday at 2pm.

Join the Board of Education!

Are you passionate about education and looking to make a difference in our community? We invite you to consider sharing your ideas and expertise by serving on the St. Gabriel Board of Education!

Why Join?

• Impact: Shape the future of St. Gabe’s and contribute to the success of our students.

• Community: Collaborate with dedicated individuals who share your commitment to education.

• Growth: Gain valuable experience and develop leadership skills.

Applications will open on March 26. We’d love for you to join us at one of our two informational sessions to learn more about this exciting opportunity. If you can’t make it to a session or have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly:

Jaime Signorino | jaime.m.signorino@gmail.com

Lacy Gassner | lacy.brianna@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you!

"Read Across America" is a nationwide initiative that promotes reading among children and young adults by encouraging schools and communities to celebrate reading through various events and activities, usually taking place on March 2nd, which is also Dr. Seuss' birthday. Classrooms will participate in a few fun reading activities next week. In addition, Reading Bingo cards will be sent home in today’s Wednesday folder with directions should your child choose to participate throughout the month of March.

Bingo Card Directions: Use this card to challenge yourself as a reader throughout the month of March (and beyond!). Color no more than one box a day when that reading task has been completed. See how many bingos you can get (across, down, vertical). Return your bingo board with your parent’s signature at the top to school the last week of March to get a prize.

St. Gabriel has Heart!

On behalf of the American Heart Association and Mrs. Morris, THANK YOU very much for your generosity helping to raise $28,091 for the 2025 Kids Heart Challenge/American Heart Challenge program. Families and schools are critical links in providing the foundation for cardiovascular wellness in our country. Your support and participation in the Kids Heart Challenge/American Heart Challenge makes a tremendous impact in helping millions of Americans through increased awareness of cardiovascular disease, lifesaving scientific research, and critically needed education efforts. We greatly appreciate your participation and hope you take pride in knowing your contributions will help save lives.

Parents have the opportunity to volunteer at school by helping with lunch and recess duties. All volunteers must go through the Protecting God's Children / Safe Environment training requirement.

• Please do not sign up for a position if you have not completed Protecting God's Children / Safe Environment training. Information on this is posted below. .
• The following links are for the first trimester.
• Please only sign up for one spot to give others the chance to volunteer.

Here is the link to the Sign Up Genius for recess volunteers: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A044FAFAD2DA5FA7-55141184-recess

Here is the link to the Sign Up Genius for cafeteria volunteers: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A044FAFAD2DA5FA7-55141052-cafeteria

Claver House Community Garden is a special project supported by St. Gabriel and other local parishes every year. To help prepare for the project, we need volunteers to plant two dozen of one type of vegetable and nurture it until planting day on April 12th. Volunteers are needed on April 12th and May 10th to help tend to the garden beds at Claver House. This community garden and outdoor learning center teaches health, nutrition, gardening and sustainability to GardenVille and Claver House residents. It provides a good source for healthy foods, flowers and green spaces in their neighborhood. Food harvested from the garden feeds residents from June through October. This project is an excellent way to bring families together by reaching out and helping others.

Sign Up Here!

Here is the link you can use to "click through"

https://tinyurl.com/ClaverGardenHelp

• Important - All volunteers need to successfully complete the mandated Archdiocesan Protecting God's Children/Safe Environment Training. Before signing up for lunch duty/recess duty, field trips, etc., volunteers must have this completed. Please use the following link to find the complete information from the church website: mandated training information. Please direct questions to our parish secretary and Child Safety Coordinator, Eileen Garavaglia, at 314-353-6303 Ext. 110 or garavagliae@stgabrielstl.org.

Dear Parents,

Tomorrow, our 7th grade students begin their Southside Early Childhood service project. Please keep them in your prayers as they serve at this important site that serves families with infants to preschoolers.

Patrick House is coordinating a collection for Saint Patrick Center. The Center serves people that are unhoused and also helps neighbors to get into housing. They are in great need of cleaning supplies.

Thank you for your help in donating items to St. Patrick Center.

Below is a list of cleaning supplies that are needed. They are very important as over 700 households are placed into housing every year. Please bring items to school on March 13th to the all school Mass. Items will be collected during the offertory. Items needed are:

• Paper towels

• Dish soap

• Bleach

• Laundry detergent

• All-purpose cleaner (like 409)

• Sponges (for dishes and cleaning)

• Kitchen trash bags

Thank you for your generosity!

CRS Rice Bowls will be sent home in today's Wednesday envelope of the youngest student in the family.

The Archdiocese is hosting a panel discussion and simple meal tomorrow at the Rigali Center. See the flyer above for information.

Here is information on the Rice Bowl Program.

"This Lent, our community will participate in CRS Rice Bowl as Catholic Relief Services celebrates 50 years of the program. CRS Rice Bowl started in Allentown, Pennsylvania, by parishioners to help families facing famine in The Sahel region of Africa. Shortly after, it was adopted by the United States bishops and made an official program of CRS.

At this very moment, millions of our most vulnerable sisters and brothers are facing life-threatening levels of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. At the root of this crisis is a perfect storm of poverty, climate change, conflict and inequality.

There is no one solution to breaking the cycle of hunger for every community around the world—but we can do our part through CRS Rice Bowl by answering Jesus’ invitation us to share bread for life with our sisters and brothers during Lent—so all may live with dignity.

Throughout these 40 days, we will learn about families in Nigeria, Guatemala and Bangladesh who are building resilience in the face of adversity and helping their community live healthy lives. This is all possible because of our donations of Lenten alms to CRS Rice Bowl. We also help our local community through the program because 25% of every donation stays in our diocese to fight hunger and poverty.

CRS Rice Bowl provides resources for daily reflection throughout the liturgical season. Consider these suggestions in your family’s Lenten plan:

• Use your CRS Rice Bowl and Lenten Calendar each day to guide your prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
  
• Visit crsricebowl.org to read weekly Stories of Hope and watch the accompanying videos.
  
• Use the CRS Rice Bowl recipes from crsricebowl.org/recipe to prepare simple, meatless meals on the Fridays of Lent to eat in solidarity with our global family.
  

During this holy season, may your Lenten journey be a transformative and enriching experience as you put your faith into action for our sisters and brothers experiencing the greatest need."

Prayer of Saint Augustine

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy.

From the USCCB site:

https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/upload/catholic-social-teaching-poster-for-children-digital.pdf

The students are so proud when they have parts at Mass. We hope you can join us whenever you are able. See below for the school day Mass Schedule.

School Masses

Tuesdays- 1-4 Attends

3/11 3P

3/25 3B

4/1 2K

4/8 2G

4/15 2A

Wednesdays- 5-8 Attends

3/12 8B

3/26 7L

4/2 7D

4/9 7B

4/16 6D

Thursdays- All School Attends

3/6 5-8th Level Mass 5H

3/13 Patrick House

3/27 1K

4/3 1M

4/10 Duchesne House

4/17 Holy Thursday

Looking ahead 2024-2025:

Family Mass Schedule-Mass is at 10:00 am

K and 1st Grade- April 13th

Second Grade

First Eucharist

First Communion Parent Mtg.- Wednesday, March 26th- 6:30 pm in church

Sunday, May 4th- 1st Communion, 2pm Mass

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Come pray with us!

Deborah DaLay

Coordinator of Religious Education

Dates below are subject to change and additional days will be added as we continue to plan for the year. Dates are also posted on the Google calendar located on our website.

2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR

March

6- 4th Grade Field Trip to LinkUp

7 - Stations of the Cross - Student Lighthouse Team

8 - Auction

14- Stations of the Cross - 7th Grade

17-21- Spring Break

24- 8th Grade Field Trip to Holocaust Museum

26- First Communion Parent Meeting, 6:30pm

28- Stations of the Cross - 5th Grade

April

4- Planning & Collaboration (Noon Dismissal)

13 - Kindergarten & First Grade Family Mass

15 - Grandparents Day - Grades 1, 3, 5

17- No School: Holy Thursday

18- No School: Good Friday

20- Easter Sunday

21- No School: Easter Monday

23-25 - 6th Grade Camp

25-27 - AYM Luke 18 Retreat for 8th Graders

May

2- 2nd Grade Jesus Day

4- First Communion, 2pm

5- 2nd Grade Only, - No School

6-7- Art Fair

6- Vocal Concert (Kindergarten, 1st, and 3rd grade students, and Honor Choir), 7pm

7- Band Concert, 7pm

9- Noon Dismissal: Field Day

15- May Crowning

15- 8th Grade - Last Day

16- 8th Grade Mystery Trip

16- 7th Grade Leadership Day

20- 8th Grade Graduation, 6pm

23- Noon Dismissal: Last Day of School

https://goraisedough.com/buy/2590