The Messenger

Dear Fabulous Families -

It has been a busy couple of weeks! Eighth graders showed off their talents with a terrific Follies performance. Student led the Stations of the Cross,. First, Third, and Fifth Grades hosted Grandparents and VIPs yesterday. The Fifth Graders showed off their dance moves with a Dancing Classroom Ballroom Dance performance today. Pretty soon it will be time for spring performances, Kindergarten Shadow Day, and Mystery Day! You are encouraged to read the grade level newsletters in grades K-5 and check out middle school website as well as The Messenger for important dates and information so you don't miss a thing!

Last Thursday and Friday we hosted the visiting team for our school improvement plan visit. Read more about it below. Many thanks go to the SIP Committee and to the students and staff on a job well done!

Wishing you a blessed Easter as we celebrate the resurrection of Christ!

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

We had a successful School Improvement visit last Thursday and Friday. The visiting team spent time attending Mass with us, talking with administration, students, and staff members. They reviewed documents and checked out student work, observed Stations of the Cross, reviewed our proposed goals, and wrote their report. They were very busy!

The school improvement process is done by all schools in the Archdiocese every 5-7 years. This process allowed us to showcase the great things that are happening at St. Gabriel and reflect on growth opportunities we have for the future. Sometimes it is easy to get lost in the weeds of everyday life and the things we take for granted. Having a team come into our school and see things with new eyes allows us to hopefully feel affirmed in the work that we are doing.

I am sharing with you the first several pages of the report known as the "Commendations" so that you can read through and experience our school with the same eyes with which the visiting team saw our school.

Our SIP Committee will review the report taking into account any feedback on our goals and tweak those. We look forward to sharing those with you in a few weeks. The final goals will be ones that we work on for the next five years.

There are still spots available to attend the following sign up parties. To purchase tickets or find out more information email sgaauction@gmail.com.

MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE (6th-8th grade): 5.09.25

90S DANCE PARTY, ALL ADULTS: 5.31.25

MOTHER-SON BOWLING (k-5th grade): 6.01.25

DADDY-DAUGHTER DANCE (k-5th grade): 6.07.25

SOCK HOP (KDG & 1ST grade): 8.02.25

SKY ZONE (2ND-5TH GRADER): 8.13.25

ROCK & ROLL BINGO, all adults 10.03.25

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

A SPECIAL THANKS to all of the third grade students, teachers and families for helping to start and grow the seedlings used this weekend by volunteers to plant a garden that will feed so many people throughout the summer. Claver House truly appreciates all of your hard work to make this event a success year after year. We couldn't do it without our many volunteers that donated their time and effort. Thank you so much!

• 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,

Thanks to all our Kindergarten and First Grade families that were able to celebrate Mass together last Sunday.

Next Tuesday, at the 8 am Mass we celebrate our 2nd graders' Baptisms.

Please keep our 2nd graders and their families in your prayers as the students prepare to receive their First Communion.

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

Please continue to use your Rice Bowl materials for prayer and reflection this Holy Week. At our first all school Mass after Easter on Thursday, April 24, Rice Bowls will be collected during the Offertory at Mass.

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

4/22 2A Baptism Mass

4/29 1M

5/6 1K

5/13 1C

5/20 K Baptism

Wednesdays- 5-8 Attends

4/235P

4/30 5W Baptism Mass (Rescheduled from Snow Day)

5/7 6B

5/14 5H

Thursdays- All School Attends

4/17 Holy Thursday

4/24 Girl Scouts

5/1 1C

5/8 7th Grade Leadership/ Baptism Mass

5/15 May Crowning/ 8th Grade Blessing

Second Grade

First Eucharist

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

April

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

PLEASE NOTE: These are two separate opportunities happening on the same day. You can support school by just dining at (or carry out) Pietro's, you can support the parish by just buying tickets to see the film, you can do both, or neither.

https://forms.ministryforms.net/viewForm.aspx?formId=33d50d33-1130-4ba3-8ef3-e33aecde1fd1

https://goraisedough.com/buy/2590