The Gerald Gazette for 12/15/23
Thank You, Lord, for the amazing grace and steadfast love and mercy that You have poured out on me in such abundance, and help me never to become complacent or lukewarm towards You, but rather to live in perpetual awe and wonderment for the gift of life that You have given me as a free gift of grace, by simple faith in Christ Jesus, in Whose name I pray.
Important Upcoming Dates:
Tuesday December 19th: Pre-School Christmas Parties 9:30-10:30
Tuesday December 19th: Christmas Program at 1pm and 6:30pm, Student Attendance is Required
Wednesday December 20th: Christmas Parties for Grades 1 thru 8: 1-2pm
Thursday December 21st: PreK & Kindergarten Christmas Program at 10am
Thursday December 21st: Early Dismissal at 1:30pm NO EXTENDED DAY AVAILABLE AFTER SCHOOL
Friday December 22nd: Christmas Break Begins, NO SCHOOL, Classes Resume Monday January 8th.
Christmas Mass Times: Christmas Eve (12/24) .................4pm and 11 pm
Christmas Day (12/25) .................8am, 9:30 am and 11 am
Solemnity of Mary Vigil (12/31) ....5pm
Solemnity of Mary (1/1/24) ............9:30 and 11 am
School Facebook Page: Please follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StGeraldSchool?mibextid=LQQJ4d
And our HSA: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095054374726&mibextid=LQQJ4d
Holy Name Society: St. Gerald Holy Name Society | Oak Lawn IL | Facebook
SGAC: https://www.facebook.com/people/St-Gerald-Athletic-Club/100057334366008/?mibextid=JRoKGi
Dress Down Days: DRESS DOWN GUIDE
Monday: Dress like your Favorite Xmas Song or Movie Character
Tuesday: Dress Your Best for Grades 1-8 & PreK/Kinder: Christmas Headwear
Wednesday: Christmas Pajamas/Sweater/Sweatshirt
Thursday: Grades 1-8: Christmas Headwear, PreK/Kinder: Dress Your Best
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FyqKZcCYYULnzKlVe-rRoL0q4fylPiA4/view?usp=sharing
Catholic Schools Week Open House: Immediately after 9:30am Mass on 1/28. This is for ALL families, both current and prospective/new ones! We will have activities for the kids and information for the parents! Re-register that day for a discount on registration fees and we will have raffle baskets as well for you to win! This is also an amazing time to visit your child’s classroom and see the newly remodeled Specials classrooms
Tuition Payments on Blackbaud: We have had quite a few families explain to us that Blackbaud charges a fee for paying for tuition with a credit card. Unfortunately, this seems to be the trend most days at most places. We would advise you to either come to the office and pay in person or have it automatically deducted from your bank account and then no fees are charged. Any questions, please contact Mary Ellen Bizzotto in the main office.
Manna Holiday Hours: What better time to shop for your Gift Cards for Christmas than by using MANNA and getting money off your tuition.
Here are our hours:
Sunday 12/17: 9-12 in Arnold Hall, enter using Door 5
Wednesday 12/20: 6-730, Enter using Door 10
Thursday 12/21: 8:15-9:30: Main Office of the School
Friday 12/22: 5-8pm: in Arnold/Bingo Hall
Advent Wreath Candle Lighting: The Breaking of the Bread Ministry is having an Advent wreath candle lighting Mondays during Advent at 5pm in the Church. Come join us for a time of prayer and peace as we prepare our hearts for Christ's coming.
Dress Down for Charity/St. Jude’s Donations: Please consider donating to this amazing cause: https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?team_id=302637&fr_id=133399&pg=team
Dress Appropriately: Please be sure all students are dressing appropriately for the weather. We will go outside for recess if the ‘Feels Like’ temperature is above 29 degrees. THIS IS A CHANGE FROM OUR PREVIOUS POLICY OF 31 DEGREES.
Virtus: This is mandatory for all individuals who want to coach or volunteer in any capacity this year. If you are unsure if you are compliant in Virtus, please reach out to me directly. The website to use is www.virtus.org.
Yearbook: Parents may log in to their existing account or create an account using the passcode on the flyer. All books must be ordered online. Books may be pre-purchased, and pages can be customized all the way up to the order deadline of June 10, 2024. Books will be ready for pick up on curriculum day in August. Feel free to upload into tree ring and make sure to click shared photos. You should then see a place to choose a shared folder to load them to.
Updates from Classrooms:
1st Grade: In Religion we are learning all about the season of Advent and how we can grow closer to God during this special time. Next week, we will look more at Christmas as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Math is all about subtraction strategies and using a number line to help us find the difference when completing subtraction sentences. We will continue to build words that follow the CVCe pattern in phonics. We will learn how to add -s to CVCe words as well. In language arts, we will begin to learn about adjectives (words that describe a noun). Our topics this week in social studies focused on transportation and the various kinds of transportation (land, air, and water). In science we are learning about recycling and ways to take care of our world. In their journals, the students have been busy writing about cookies for Santa and how they will celebrate Christmas!