“Return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God.” Joel 2:12

Dear Parents and families,

Welcome back from winter break 2012! Today, Ash Wednesday, we enter the holy season of Lent. This Lent we are giving our students the opportunity to participate in Catholic Relief Services’ Operation Rice Bowl. This is a simple Lenten practice of almsgiving. Students will pray, fast, and contribute as a way to reach out to our brothers and sisters around the world.

During Lent we sacrifice in order to unite our suffering with Jesus’ suffering in atonement for our sins and to show our love for God. We chose to sin and suffering is the consequence of sin. With infinite love Jesus chose to unite Himself to us and our human nature. In doing this He united Himself to our suffering and death. Through our sacrificial offerings of prayer, fasting and almsgiving we choose to unite ourselves to Christ’s suffering. By doing so, we are united to His love and Christ in His infinite love changes our hearts and minds toward God.

“It is this power of his own love that Christ has given to us… The measure in which our own suffering becomes love is not the size of our suffering, but the degree of our oneness with Christ.” (Caryll Houselander, 1978, Lift Up Your Hearts)

God bless your Lent.

In Christ through Mary,

Mrs. Anna Loewe

Parents with concerns or questions regarding a classroom incident involving their child are asked to contact the student’s teacher not another student or parent. There are always at least two sides to a situation. Teachers attend to classroom discipline and need to know if there is a concern.

SCHOOL POLICY FOR DISPENSING MEDICINE

As we enter the winter season the following excerpt from the family handbook is a reminder of our policy for handling medications at school:

1. Medications must be delivered to the school office in person by the parent and are kept in the office.

2. Medication must be accompanied by a dated authorization form, which has been signed by the parent and physician.

3. Medication must be in original container, stating student name, medication name, physician name, and directions.

4. Over-the-counter medication follows the same guidelines with a parent’s signature, and a call home before dispensed.

5. Parents may request permission for a student to carry and self-administer a prescription asthma inhaler if written permission is presented from the physician and parent, and notification is provided to principal and classroom teacher.

6.  Individual records are kept of medications administered.

OUTDOOR RECESS AND CLOTHING

During the winter months we will use the following parameters for outdoor recess: 1) When the temperature is 10 degrees and above, students will be expected to participate in outdoor recess; 2) When the temperature is 9 degrees and below, indoor activities will be provided for the students. Wind chill is considered.

Students go out for recess each day.  With Michigan's ever-changing weather, it is often difficult to know what to have your child wear to school each day.  We've had some cold days with children dressed without appropriate warm clothing.
Dressing with layers of clothing is a good method because it allows children to remove or add clothing for the varying conditions of the day.  A good way for children to start making their own decisions and take responsibility for themselves is to listen to the TV or radio weather report and assess weather conditions before leaving for school.

Illustrious virgin and martyr,

Saint Philomena,

behold us kneeling in spirit before the throne

on which it has pleased the Most Holy Trinity to place thee.

Full of confidence in thy protection, we beseech thee to intercede for us with God.

From the height of thy heavenly country, deign to cast a look upon thy humble servant!

Spouse of Jesus Christ, console us in our troubles, strengthen us in temptations, protect us in the dangers which surround us on every side;

obtain all the graces necessary for us, especially
(Here specify your petition).

And above all, assist us at the our death.

Saint Philomena, powerful with God, pray for us.

Amen