Tomorrow is the Chili Cook-off. Please join us in Trinity Hall at 6:30 pm for chili, fun and fellowship. We are also in need volunteers. Please sign up here.

The Student Council will be selling Valentine Candy Grams next week for $1.

Tuesday will be a Dress Down Day. All proceeds will go to Mozambique. Mrs. Terrie Larson spoke to our students earlier this year regarding the struggles children face in Mozambique. Children who have lost their parents are placed with a widow and are unable to attend school for more than 2 hours a day due to space restrictions. Their stories are truly heartbreaking especially the fact that only 1% of those students who begin first grade in the public school ever complete 12th grade, 1%! Class sizes are as large as 90 students and the resources are minimal. Last year we were able to send 4 students to the local Catholic School: Cristina- Grade 5, Maria- Grade 4, Virginia- Grade 2 and Maura- Grade 2. The class sizes are smaller, approximately 40 students, and we are assured they are experiencing a safe and nurturing environment that seeks to teach the students how to learn, serve, lead, and succeed with faith at the center of everything they do. Please consider sparing a few dollars to a worthy cause.

If you have not already done so, please take a couple minutes to complete our school’s Parent Survey. We value your opinion and feedback on how the school is managing the identified areas in this survey. The data collected will be reviewed and utilized for improving our services to our school families. We thank you in advance for your participation.

It is with sincere gratitude that we thank all of our families that donated to our school during the Many Gifts, One Nation: A Day of Giving to Catholic Schools. Your combined generosity yielded a single day of giving in the amount of over $13,000 to our school.

Here is some news and updates to share from the Day of Giving:

• SJES received over $13,000 in 24 hours!
• Over 80 donors contributed to our Day of Giving.
• The 5th Grade was represented with the most gifts and took the First Place Prize. They will receive a DDD/Pizza Party and Inflatable Obstacle Course to be scheduled at the end of the year!
• Kindergarten and 3rd Grade took the Second Place Prize and will receive a DDD/ Moon Bounce/Slide to be scheduled at the end of the year.
• The Middle School Winner was 7th Grade. They will receive a DDD/portable Putt- Putt Mini Golf party to be scheduled at the end of the year.
• The Gift Card give away during the final 2 hours had approximately 25 entries and the winner was the Romeo Family.
• We had over 25 families donate over $100 and were entered into a drawing for one Material Fee. The winner was the Caballero Family.
• The Alumni Classes of 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2012 were represented with generous donations.
• Our Facebook and Twitter pages gained several new followers and climbed throughout the week!

TORCH Drama Club News!

TORCH is gearing up for several productions this spring! The next monthly workshop(s) will be held on Saturday, February 22nd in Trinity Hall.

• The EMBERS (ages 8-10) will be meeting at 2-3 PM for their final cast-call for the EMBERS-FEST in April. This is the last chance to sign up for the one-act play festival. * Please note the time change for EMBERS! *

*The SPARKS (ages 11-14) meet at 4-6 PM. This workshop concentrates on team-work and screening for the upcoming cast in the early fall. Cost is $5.

• The TORCH-bearers (ages 15-19) are hosting preliminary AUDITIONS for their upcoming spring production, NEWSIES! Open call for actors, singers, dancers, and gymnasts should check out the workshop at 7-10 PM. Cost is $5. Final call-backs will be in March.

FOR more information on all three groups, contact Chris Galvin.

Have a GREAT Weekend!