The Messenger

Dear Fabulous Families -

Thank you for your flexibility over the past few days with being off school and with the late start this morning. Our attendance was 96.4% today, so everyone did a great job getting to school with a little extra time. We will have a regular start tomorrow, Thursday, January 9.

Thank you to everyone who has donated to the Capital Campaign. We acknowledge the sacrificial giving that everyone has committed to for our future as a parish and school. In this spirit, I wanted to let you know that we are suspending the Auction Fund-A-Need this year. If you have not donated to the Capital Campaign and would still like to do so, see the information below.

On the topic of Fund-A-Need, check out the new bathroom floors in the photo below. Bathroom floors were updated over the Christmas break. A fresh coat of paint will be completed, but things are looking better already! Many thanks to everyone who donated at last year's Fund-A-Need!

Saturday is the last chance to sign up for Archangel Activities. See the information below.

Auction Dress Down Day Opportunity - Last Chance! - Dress Down is this Friday if you have logged into the Auction site and donated. See information below.

Coming home in the Wednesday yellow envelope:

Nothing from the office

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

SGA graduates from DuBourg will be volunteering at SGA for 2 weeks. We appreciate Elio, Vincent, Gavin, and Emilio being here!

We welcome Mrs. Darko to St. Gabriel as a paraprofessional. She replaces Ms. Monk who left to work for the foster care system. Mrs. Darko and her husband are from St. Louis and have a daughter who attends St. Ann's Catholic School (Fr. Madden's Parish). She will be lending a hand wherever needed and primarily supporting our students with learning differences.

Have you completed your pledge card yet? Now is the time! Please PLEDGE NOW either online via Faith Direct or submit your pledge card to the rectory.

If you are looking for ways to amplify your gift, consider Creative Ways to Donate, such as:

- Spread your pledge payments out over several years (3 years maximum for gifts under $15,000; 5 years maximum otherwise).

- Explore Memorial Naming Opportunities, perhaps together with other family or community members.

- Check if your employer has a matching gift program.

- Consider gifts of stock or donor advised funds.

- Other non-traditional sources could include life insurance, personal property or saleable real estate, and IRA distributions.

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/70A044FAFAD2DA5FA7-52834478-recess

Here is the link to the Sign Up Genius for cafeteria volunteers: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A044FAFAD2DA5FA7-51700775-cafeteria

Attention Parents - This is your last chance to sign up for after school classes! As of Monday (1/6) we still have some openings in these classes: Kids Comedy/Balloons animals (K-5th grades), Spanish Club House (K-4th), Art Club (3rd-8th grades), Wednesday Karate (K-5th), Tapping w/Tina's Ballerinas (K-4th). See below flier for detailed class information.

If you are interested in signing your child up for one of these classes please email me at archangel@stgab.org no later than Saturday, January 11th.

Thank You

Jill Farace

Program Director

Class of 2025 Spring Pretzel Boys Fundraiser is open! Simply scan the QR code or click the link to place your order https://forms.ministryforms.net/viewForm.aspx?formId=bc951ef6-f927-485c-a297-2d8d456731a1

• 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,

We hope you have had a wonderful Christmas break. We look forward to celebrating our faith with you in this new year! Next Sunday at 10 am is the 4th and 5th grade Family Mass. It is a blessing to the parish to have so many families join us for the Family Masses.

If you have not yet blessed your home, it is not too late to do an Epiphany blessing.

The information was sent home in the youngest child's Wednesday envelope before Christmas break.

Epiphany House Blessing

Sunday, January 5th was the feast of the Epiphany. It is a traditional day for families to bless their homes for the new year. Thanks to the SGA Parish Liturgy Committee who prepared the chalk and prayer scroll for our classrooms and your homes.

Let us praise God, who fills our hearts and home with peace.
Blessed be God forever.
All repeat: R/. Blessed be God forever.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling place among us. It is Christ who enlightens our hearts and homes with his love. May all who enter our home find Christ’s light and love. Please place the initials of the wise men above your door.

20 C+M+B 25

Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar

Upcoming Prayer for Christian Unity-Save the Date. See above.

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

1/14 2G

1/21 2A

1/ 28 1K Baptism Mass

Wednesdays- 5-8 Attends

1/8 8B

1/15 7L

1/22 7D

1/29 7B

Thursdays- All School Attends

1/9 3S

1/16 3P

1/23 Jude House-Collection for Our Lady's Inn

1/30 3B

Looking ahead 2024-2025:

Family Mass Schedule-Mass is at 10:00 am

4th and 5th Grade- January 12th

2nd and 3rd Grade- February 9th

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

Confirmation

Confirmation Day of Reflection- February 18, 2025

Confirmation Mass -February 20, 2025 at Saint Gabriel the Archangel Church at 7 pm

Prayer Resource:

The School Sisters of Notre Dame have a virtual prayer space to pray for peace.

SSND Prayer Room: Open on Fridays from 9am- 9pm Central Time.

https://ssnd.org/ssnd-virtual-prayer-room/

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

January

12- 4th & 5th Grade Family Mass

15- American Heart Association Fundraiser Begins

20- No School: MLK Day

26-31- Catholic Schools Week

26- Open House

27- Spelling Bee, 2:05pm

31- Noon Dismissal

February

7- End of American Heart Association

Fundraiser

9- 2nd & 3rd Grade Family Mass (NEW)

14- End of 2nd Trimester

14- Valentine’s Day Parties, 11:05am

14- Planning & Collaboration (Noon

Dismissal)

17- No School: Presidents’ Day

20 - 8th Grade Confirmation

25- Parents/Students/Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7pm

27- Parents/Students/Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7pm

28- Noon Dismissal

March

5- Ash Wednesday

6- 4th Grade Field Trip to LinkUp (Updated)

7- Stations of the Cross

8 - Auction

14- Stations of the Cross

17-21- Spring Break

24- 8th Grade Field Trip to Holocaust Museum (Updated)

26- First Communion Parent Meeting,

6:30pm

28- Stations of the Cross

April

4- Planning & Collaboration (Noon

Dismissal)

13 - Kindergarten & First Grade Family Mass (NEW)

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

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