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The Defender
September 29, 2023
A Message from Mrs. Tate
Happy Feast of the Archangels! We had a wonderful week celebrating our patron, St. Michael the Archangel. We prayed a novena to St. Michael and culminated our week with an awesome picnic around his statue in the SMA Courtyard.
Our picnic was a huge success with perfect weather, yummy sack lunches, praise music, and lots of dancing! Thank you to our VSL lunchroom volunteers who helped us pack and distribute the lunches. Thank you, too, to Sr. Lucia, Sr. Kelly Grace, and Sr. Odilia Therese who led our students in fun dances to give glory to God and honor our school’s patron.
This week’s virtue focus has been on obedience. Obedience is defined as assenting to rightful authority without hesitation or resistance. It looks like following God’s commandment to go to mass each Sunday. It looks like following the rules of our school and classroom. It sounds like, “Yes, Mom/Dad, I finished my homework on time.” It sounds like responding, “Yes!” to our parents/teachers without hesitation or complaining.
Dear Jesus, help me to obey joyfully today and every day, so that my obedience is pleasing to You.
Thank you to those who were able to join us for our first presentation in parent formation, Building the Domestic Church. Sr. Lucia did a wonderful job helping us understand the true meaning of “Domestic Church” as defined by St. John Paul II, and she gave many suggestions for how to use our time to build our family in the Catholic faith through virtuous living. Our next parent formation night is Tuesday, October 24 at 6:30 in the school cafeteria. Please plan to attend!
As our campus minister, Sr. Lucia is always finding ways to help our faculty, staff, students, and parents deepen their understanding of virtue. Please take a look at the articles linked below. They are very short and provide clarity for how to personally grow in virtue and how to pass virtue on to our children.
Growing in Virtue: The First Step
Virtue and the Freedom of Love
Fr. Brian reminded the kids in mass this morning that virtues are habits that lead us to holiness. We must practice virtue like we would practice the piano or our golf game. I can’t sit on my couch and expect to get better at golf if I don’t play and practice regularly. It’s the same with virtue. I’m not going to be perfect at it right away, but I must keep practicing so that I can get better and better each day.
Our kids are learning this valuable lesson, and it’s rewarding to see them work hard to grow in virtue each day. Thank you for supporting our Education in Virtue at home!
Parent-teacher conferences are coming up in October! The times are a little different this year to provide evening times earlier in the week. Wednesday, October 18 from 4:00-8:00 p.m. and Thursday, October 19 from 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Please see the link in the newsletter below to secure your spot for a conference with your child(ren)’s teacher(s). Conferences are 15 minutes each, and we expect all families to participate. It’s a wonderful time to discuss current progress and future goals for this year.
You may have noticed in the bulletin that we will have a first-class relic of St. Jude at SMA on Monday, October 2. School veneration will be from 11-1, and the veneration will open to the public at 1:00 p.m. and will end at 10:00 p.m. Mass will be celebrated at 7:00 p.m.
Please feel free to bring your religious articles (i.e. medals, rosaries, scapulars, crucifixes, etc.) to the veneration of the relic of St. Jude (Patron of Impossible causes). Objects that have been touched to a first-class relic become third-class relics! Students (and parents) are welcome to bring items on Monday.
We are blessed with this unique opportunity to venerate and pray before this special relic. We have no idea how large the crowd will be when we open the relic to the public. We will plan for normal dismissal procedures.
Have a blessed weekend and celebration of our patron, St. Michael the Archangel.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil;
may God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do though, O Prince of the Heavenly Host,
by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Sincerely,
Diana Tate, Principal
Parent Formation - Building the Domestic Church
Next Parent formation session will be on Tuesday, Oct. 24th
Topic: How to have quality conversations with your children / Communicating with your children: responding not reacting
Dismissal Note – Please Read
Please do not arrive for school pickup until 2:50 p.m. Parking lot gates cannot be opened until all students are cleared from the parking lot from afternoon recess. Lining up before gates open and blocking the parking lot entrance or inhibiting traffic on 143rd Street is a law enforcement issue.
Conference Sign Ups
Please click here to schedule your student's conference.
- Open the Sign-Up Genius
- Choose your child's teacher in the tabs/drop down menu
- Choose your day/time
- Sign up!
From the Health Room
Vision and Hearing Screenings Monday October 5
Vision screening will be for all students in grades K-3, 5 and 7, as well as students new to the district, and those who did not pass last year. The hearing screening will include students in grades K-3, 5 and 7, as well as students new to the school, and those who did not pass the exam last year. These screenings will be conducted by a team from the Blue Valley School District.
If you do not want your child to participate in either of these screenings, please send a written note to the school nurse.
Please remind your son/daughter to wear his/her corrective lenses or glasses to school that day as they will be screened with their corrective lenses on.
If you have any questions please contact Cathy Rysavy, school nurse, at 913- 402-3953.
BackSnack Donations
If you were unable to bring items in this week to support our BackSnack ministry to benefit the families at Our Lady of Unity and Christ the King, you can still make a donation at this link: https://stmichaelcp.shelbynextchms.com/external/form/465b89d6-344e-4a4b-9948-78ef73e4923c
Thank you for your generosity and love for our ministry!
School Messenger Please "Opt In"
Families are not automatically opted in. In order to receive the texts, you must opt in by texting "Yes" to 67587.
After School Care Update
Heartland Campfire has diligently worked with the State of Kansas to get the program opened. The licensing process requires quite a bit of paperwork, and they have moved quickly to get everything to them promptly. The Camp Fire team member who was leading the licensing process resigned and they now need to change the name of the lead staff person on all the documents. The new lead started Monday, Sept. 18 and immediately began the process to change the paperwork.
Because of this change, it looks like the start date will be late October/early November. As soon as they have the license, they will start. The team has been hired, and the supplies have been purchased. Everything in place. They are just waiting for the stamp of approval from Kansas.
We apologize for the delays. We are doing everything humanly possible to get our after-school care in place.
Archdiocese Office of Marriage and Family Life
Please see the newsletter from the Archdiocese Office of Marriage and Family Life. Included in the newsletter is information about upcoming feast days, locations to reverence a first-class relic of St. John Paul II, and much more.
Writing Club first meeting October 26th, 3:30 PM-4:30 PM
Birthday/Class Party Treats/Cafeteria Guidelines
**If you are bringing your child a special event lunch (ie: fast food) please DO NOT include a soda. We do not allow students to bring soda with any lunch. Thank you for your cooperation in maintaining this policy. (page 28 of the Handbook)
Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures
Veterans Day Celebration
Veterans Mass & Reception
Friday, November 10, 2023
8:15 AM Mass, reception following
Students are welcome to invite a family member, friend or neighbor to Mass and the reception; to honor those who served/serve our country.
Questions: Beth Hintz hintz0612@aol.com
VSL Updates
Fun First Friday – October 6
The sign-up list is available for the October 6th Fun First Friday! Fun Fridays are now celebrated only on the FIRST Friday of the month, but there are 4 slots available to honor our teachers and staff! The October Fun First Friday sign up is listed here. Remember each homeroom teacher has an assigned support staff and it’s great to acknowledge their hard work as well. Staff favorite things are listed here.
Presidential Service Award:
For the past several years, St. Michael the Archangel School has participated in the President’s Volunteer Service Award Program. The award recognizes US citizens who have achieved minimum hours of service over a 12-month period. For St. Michael the Archangel School, this period is from April 1, 2023-March 31, 2024. It is an amazingly simple process - just keep track of service hours. Forms can be found on the SMA website. Hours must be submitted to the front office by MONDAY, April 3, 2024. If you have any questions, email Megan Morris.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:1
Staff Appreciation
Please click here if you would like to help with a Teacher Appreciation on September 29,
Dennis Uniform
August Discount Code-23FACAGISM
SMA School Activities
Parish News
Basketball Registration
CYO online registration is open! St. Michael’s will have teams for 3rd grade through 8th grade boys and girls. To register, please go directly to the CYO website at www.cyojwa.org. Please register by Saturday, October 28.
Team Formation / Player Evaluations
5th through 8th grade teams will have tryouts, which will be held the week of October 30th in the St. Michael’s gym. The purpose of tryouts is to form the St. Michael’s basketball teams, not to cut players. All students registered for CYO basketball will be placed on a team as long as there are sufficient players from their grade to form at least one team. The exact days and time for each grade will be communicated mid-October. Tryouts typically last two days and players must attend both days. Practices will start the week of November 6 and the games will start the first weekend in December.
Coaches
We need coaches! If you are interested in coaching a team, please send an email to Scott Hardgree: shardgree@hotmail.com.