Crusader Connections

Growing in faith, wisdom, and love!

December 1: High School Placement Test (HSPT) - Grade 8

December 2: Science Fair

December 3: First Friday Mass & Last Day to Apply for ADW Financial Aid

December 7: 2nd Quarter Progress Reports Posted on Portal (grades 4-8)

December 8: Feast of Immaculate Conception Mass

December 10: Santa Shop

December 12: Cookies with Santa

December 15: Confessions for Advent

December 16: Christmas Pageant (Grades PK-5)

December 17: Early Dismissal (12:30pm) - NO AFTERCARE

December 18, 2021 - January 2, 2022: No School - Christmas Break

Advent began this past Sunday, November 28th. We will light a candle on our Advent Wreath as part of morning prayers each day. We will also use a Christmas Tree and decorate it with the Saint of the Day. We will learn about the 12 Saints of Advent. We hope our families will emphasize Advent in their homes as we prepare to celebrate our Lord’s birth.

Day of Giving: Giving Tuesday, an international day of charitable giving at the beginning of the Christmas season, provides an opportunity for donors to support a chosen cause. Today, Tuesday, November 30th, we ask that you please consider making a gift to support our Catholic school. By donating to Father Andrew White School, you are supporting the vital programs and the overall accessibility of a Catholic education for our young people. To make a tax-deductible contribution to our school, please visit https://fatherandrewwhite.org/donate/ or contact the school office at 301-475-9795. Thank you for your generosity and prayerful support!

Father Andrew White School is sponsoring a white sock drive for The Mission in Lexington Park. Help us reach our goal of 400 socks. See the flyer for more details.

During school hours on Friday, December 10th, our children will be able to experience the joy of choosing their own Christmas presents for family members and pets. This year Santa Shop will be held in the St. Aloysius Church Hall and your children will be able to select from an inventory of pre-purchased gifts for those on their shopping list. Gifts will be set up on tables and displayed by category (Moms, Grandmas, Dads, Grandpas, Brothers, Sisters, and Pets). Your child(ren) received a money control envelope where they will be able to list the names of the people they are shopping for and how many gifts they are buying. Each gift is $3. Please return the envelope with payment for the gifts by tomorrow Wednesday, Dec. 1st. Parent volunteers will assist the children during their shopping experience and gifts will come home wrapped and ready to be placed under the tree!! If you have any questions, feel free to contact Linda Greer at Lindagreer@gmail.com.

Poinsettia and Wreath pickup is tomorrow, December 1, 2021 between 5:30 - 7pm and Thursday, December 2, 2021 between 7:30 - 9am or 1:30 - 3:30pm. Pickup is at the side door of the St. Aloysius Church Hall. Please fill out this FORM to let us know your pickup preference.

This Thursday, December 2nd, the Science Fair will be open for families and friends to view the projects at 6:30pm. Awards will be announced at 7pm. Come and see the excellent work of our students!

2022-2023 ADW Tuition Assistance Program: Applications for next year’s Archdiocesan Tuition Assistance Program are now available. The deadline date for returning families to apply is this Friday, December 3, 2021. Families may apply online by logging onto https://adwcatholicschools.org/tuition-assistance/.

On the top toolbar, hover over “TUITION ASSISTANCE” and then click on the “ARCHDIOCESAN TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM” link at the top of the menu. Any families who think they will need tuition assistance for the 2022-2023 school year MUST APPLY THROUGH THIS ADW PROGRAM FIRST, before asking for aid from FAW.

Thank you all so much for your support to Father Andrew White School! You helped raise $3,000 for our school. We also appreciate all the behind the scenes work done by our coordinators, John and Jaime Weber along with their team of volunteers. Thanks everyone!

The youth group, Southern Maryland ROOTS, would like to thank the FAW families for their support of the first ever Chickenstock Fall Festival! Both the FAW handbell choir and the Rhythm Rejoicers made a wonderful contribution to all of the musical talent at the festival! Additionally, thank you to all of the FAW middle school volunteers who helped make the day run smoothly! For more volunteer opportunities with the ROOTS youth group, or to participate in more youth-focused and/or family friendly events, go to www.southernmarylandroots.org or find them on Facebook.

A special thank you to our Butter Braid coordinator, Jessica Casto and the volunteers who helped make this fundraiser a success.

Congratulations to 7th grader, Grace Robusto, for her winning poster in the Lions Club International Peace Poster contest. She received a Blue Ribbon, art supplies and a cash award. Her poster "Hand in hand, peace can unite our world," representing the theme “We are all connected,” has been sent to the next round of the competition.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa Claus will be making a special visit to Father Andrew White School on Sunday, December 12, 2021 from 9am-11am for an International Christmas!

Celebrate Christmas traditions from all around the world during this fun event:

- Cookies, coffee and a hot chocolate bar

- Crafts and games for all ages

- Santa Shop open for children to shop for gifts ($3/gift)

- SCRIP Gift Card sales

- Meet Santa and take a photo!

Admission is $5 per child 12 and under. Please wear a mask inside the building at all times, except when you’re seated to enjoy the cookies! We look forward to spreading Christmas cheer with you!

Please see the flyer HERE!

Looking for a way to spread Christmas cheer to families in need? Well, here’s your chance! From November 30th to December 15th, we will be collecting unwrapped, new and gently used toys for ages toddler to ten years old. This Toy Drive will benefit needy families in our area who may not have any gifts to give to their children. Please bring your new and gently used toys to school and deposit them in the marked box located in the FAW School lobby. For any questions please contact our 2020 FAW graduate, James O'Hara by emailing him at james.ohara@smrhs.org. Thank you for your generosity!

It is time to order your Christmas and Holiday cards!! Please consider using Minted.com... you save 20% and Minted donates 15% back to Father Andrew White by using code FUNDRAISEWHITE. Please share the code with friends and family members as they can also use it to save and raise money for our school!!

Each year we participate in the “Keep Christ in Christmas” poster contest hosted by the Knights of Columbus. In order for your child to participate, you must fill out and return the permission form. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Gavin at fawsart@fatherandrewwhite.org.

Mark your calendars for one of FAW’s most exciting events! The annual Brown Bag Auction, a basket raffle of all donated items, is coming up in early February! To prepare these fun, themed baskets, we need your help! Please keep the Brown Bag Auction in mind when Christmas Shopping!

Donation ideas include:

- New, in package items

- Gift card donations

- A completed, themed basket

- Monetary donations to purchase big-ticket items

- Baskets, basket plastic wrap

Thank you for considering donating! Donations can be sent to school labeled "Brown Bag Auction" or can be given directly to Brown Bag Auction Co-Chairs (Shannon Dent shannonadent@gmail.com; Jessica Phillips jessica@phillips5.com, or Kristen Haley kristenhaley11@gmail.com). Thank you!

Christmas is around the corner! Remember to use SCRIP to make purchases while you are shopping and to give as gifts! Our American Express $25s, Visa $50s and Visa $100s are popular gifts and don't carry the extra surcharge they would have if you bought them in the store.

- Friday, December 3, 2021: Middle School Friday Game Night and Adoration at St. Aloysius

- Wednesday, December 8, 2021 (Holy Day): (K-12th grade) Christmas Party & Pizza at 5:30pm and Mass at 7pm - hosted by Southern Maryland ROOTS Youth Group at Holy Angels School Youth Group Room

- Wednesday, December 15, 2021 - 5:30pm: (K-12th grade) Making Fruit Baskets for the needy and Christmas Potluck Celebration - hosted by Southern Maryland ROOTS Youth Group at Holy Angels School Youth Group Room (This event counts as service/volunteer hours.)

Please see the flyer below for information on how to support Hospice of St. Mary's through their Virtual Festival of Trees event.

Date: Saturday, December 4, 2021

Time: 10:00am – 3:00 pm

Location: www.2021fot.givesmart.com

Everyone Can Participate!

Donate: Any amount choose

Raffle: Purchase tickets to win a prize tree with gifts included

Bid: Win a decorated tree or wreath (Dec. 4th until 3pm)

All winning trees and wreaths will be delivered on Dec. 5th in St. Mary’s County. All proceeds benefit local community members who need hospice care and support.

God has blessed each of us with various talents. Are you able to share yours with Father Andrew White School? We are looking for some help from individuals and/or businesses to improve our physical campus. Also, if you or your business would like to sponsor/fund any of these projects we would be forever grateful! If you are willing to help with any of the following, please contact Jaime Weber at jaimeweber11@gmail.com

• replace cracked floor tiles
• replace ceiling tiles
• repair drywall
• repave parking lot near back playground area
• tidy wiring in gym
• create a patio for picnic table area
• make cupboards to cover open shelving in classroom
• landscaping
• paint hallways and bathrooms
  
• install gate/fence around propane tank
• fix window closures
• replace playground benches
• install taller/stronger net behind soccer goals
• fix leaky roof

We have open time slots available for recess monitors during the second quarter. If you are available, please consider signing up. Your child will love to have you here!! Access the sign-up here.

❏ Consider Donating to FAW on Giving Tuesday (today)

❏ Return Santa Shop Envelopes (tomorrow)

❏ Pick up your Wreaths and Poinsettias (Wednesday or Thursday)

❏ Attend the Science Fair (Thursday)

❏ Apply for Financial Aid through the ADW (by Friday)

❏ Order Christmas Cards through Minted.com

❏ Volunteer to be a Recess Monitor, Science Fair Judge, or to help with Cookies with Santa

❏ Consider Volunteering your Talents to help improve our Campus

Email: office@fatherandrewwhite.org
Website: https://www.fatherandrewwhite.org
Location: 22850 Washington Street, Leonardtown, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 475-9795
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fawschool/
Twitter: @FAWcrusaders