March 12, 2009
PRINCIPAL NOTES: Please continue taking your children to church each weekend. Also, please join the St. Barbara Parish community for the Stations of the Cross each Friday during Lent at 7:30 p.m. in the Church.
In place of the requested items for the Easter Food Drive, Sr. Margaret would greatly appreciate gift cards from grocery stores so she would be able to purchase hams, turkeys, etc. To benefit you, grocery store gift cards can be purchased through the Manna Program. The food pantry is also in need of canned vegetables. Please feel free to substitute items for the ones listed last week.
We received a check from Target in the amount of $369.07. Thank you to all who participate in this program.
WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE: These students have demonstrated their willingness to serve others through the weeks of February 16th – February 27th: see paper/email tidbit
St. Barbara Derby Sweepstakes EARLY BIRD DRAWING is tomorrow night during Bingo intermission. If you haven't turned your sold tickets in, now is the time to do it, OR if you plan on purchasing tickets, get them purchased today! Don't forget, tickets can be purchased online with a credit card. It couldn’t be easier!!! Someone will win $500 tomorrow night!! Good luck!
PARISH MISSION: “The Symphony of Faith” will be the theme of this year’s parish mission held Sunday, March 15, to Thursday, March 19, led by Fr. George Knab, OMI. Each evening will begin at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, the mission will kick off with a special gathering for soup and bread at 6:30 p.m. in the Windemere Room of the school. The schedule for the mission is as follows: -- Sunday: “Jesus Christ: Our Lord and Savior.” Everything in the catechism flows from our faith in Jesus, the cornerstone of the Catholic Church. This service is the overture to the symphony. -- Monday: “Creed: Profession of Faith.” God made us to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him in this world. The first part of the catechism helps us to know God more clearly. -- Tuesday: “Sacraments: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery.” Our belief in God draws us into the celebration of the sacred liturgy where we experience and express the love that joins us together in his Son, Jesus Christ. -- Wednesday: “Commandments: Our Life in Christ.” The love of God poured into our lives through the sacraments impels us to serve God and grow in holiness according to the pattern we have in Christ. This service leads to an examination of conscience and the celebration of the sacrament of penance. -- Thursday: “Christian Prayer: A Personal Relationship with God.” God made us to be happy with him forever in heaven. Through prayer in its many forms we taste that happiness. To complement the evening programs, Fr. Knab will celebrate morning Mass during the week at 8 a.m. After light refreshments, he will give a brief informal talk. Topics will include the “Greatest Commandment,” “Second Great Commandment” and “Good Grief.” Free babysitting will be available each night in the parents’ room of church.
REMINDERS: Tomorrow, Friday, March 13th, out-of-uniform with 50 cent donation. See enclosed flyer. Tuesday, March 17th, wear green accessories (no dyed hair) for St. Patrick’s Day. Thursday, March 19th wear red accessories (no dyed hair) for St. Joseph’s Day
TRANSPORTATION REIMBURSEMENT: This reimbursement is available only to parents whose students are in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade.
All claims for Transportation Reimbursement must be transmitted to the Illinois State Board of Education electronically by the school. If you have already applied and been approved for a Serious Safety Hazard, you still need to file a claim. Please read the enclosed information carefully before coming to school and entering your information.
The school computer will be available on all school days during school hours beginning today until dismissal on the last day of school (Friday, June 5, 2009) in the school office. We suggest that you do this as soon as possible so you do not forget.
Please have your computations completed BEFORE you come to fill out the form. They have raised the cost to $0.505 cents per mile. You can use Map Quest to find the distance from home and school. This is how the Illinois State Board of Education confirms the distance you drive from home to school. To compute mileage reimbursement when driving children to school, multiply the distance between home and school by four, then multiply the product by .505. This is the daily cost. Multiply the daily cost by 176 (the number of school days).
If you live less than 1 1/2 miles from school, you must have an approved safety hazard. Example of a family who lives 1 mile from school (with an approved safety hazard): 1 mi. (distance from home to school) x 4 (1 mi. to & from twice daily) 4 x .505 per mile $ 2.02 x 176 school days $ 355.52 Total cost of driving your children
HOT LUNCH: April menus and lunch forms are DUE NO LATER than Thursday, March 19th. Please remember to send a lunch with your child when no lunch is ordered. If you would like a receipt, please check the form on the line provided. If you have any questions, call Jenny G.
AL'S PIZZA DAY: We will be using a new Restaurant for our Pizza Fun Lunch day. Orders are DUE NO LATER than March 20th. JUST A REMINDER that BINGO is tomorrow, MARCH 13th. Our new game is underway....BLUE BALL JACKPOT and the jackpot in March will be $700! For March and April we will be helping Sr. Margaret's Pantry. Bring (3) cans of fruit, any size and receive: $5.00 off paper buy-in OR $10 off computer package #3. Hope to see you there!
INSTALLATION MASS FOR FR. MARK KALEMA: Father Mark Kalema, who was Associate Pastor here at St. Barbara 5 ˝ years ago, will be installed as a Pastor at Our Lady of Peace Church, 7851 S. Jeffrey Blvd. in Chicago, at 10 a.m. Sunday, March 15th. Fr. Mark has extended a special invitation to St. Barbara parishioners to join him at the Installation Mass being celebrated by Bishop Joseph Perry. Fr. Mark has maintained contact with St. Barbara School, whose students have raised money over the years to buy goats for Fr. Mark’s village in Uganda. Fr. Mark also has graciously said Mass at the Men’s Fellowship Retreat for the past six years. Please join us as we support Fr. Mark on this special day. Anyone interested in car-pooling to the Mass should contact Deacon Dave Brencic at (708) 485-6614.
SPORTS PICTURES will be taken Saturday, March 14th in the Parish Center. Please arrive dressed in your uniform 15 minutes before your scheduled time. The schedule is: 9:00 am Volleyball Blue 11:00 am Basketball Girls JV 9:30 am Volleyball JV 11:30 am Basketball Boys Varsity 10:00 am Volleyball Gold 12:00 am Basketball Boys JV 10:30 am Basketball Girls Varsity 12:30 am Track and Cross Country Any questions please contact Juan G
MANNA CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: Tony's Grocery in North Riverside is now available in $25.00 denominations with a 2% discount.
MARKET DAY NEWS: Don't forget to place your Market Day orders! A link to the Market Day order form is on the school website. Orders are due in the school office or Market Day mailbox outside the Rectory by noon on Friday, March 20th. You can also order on-line anytime at www.marketday.com by 11:00 PM Wednesday, March 25th. Note that our March sale will be held in the WINDEMERE ROOM on 3/28, with 2nd grade families as our scheduled helpers.
FSA NEWS: Easter will be here before you know it! Looking for the perfect gift that keeps on giving? Order your Easter Lily, Tulip and Hyacinth plants from FSA today! They're beautiful plants at great prices. Pick up is conveniently located in the Parish Center on Sunday, March 29th, 8:00 AM - 12:00. See enclosed order form. Please call Peggy with any questions. 485-4943.
MARY POPPINS TICKETS AVAILABLE TO ALL GIRLS AND THEIR MOMS! The St. Barbara Girl Scouts have a limited amount of tickets left for the theatre production of Mary Poppins at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago on Wednesday, June 3, 2009. The cost of the play is $25 and $7 for the bus, for a total of $32. We will board the bus at 6PM in the Parish Center parking lot and return at approximately 11PM. All girls & their Moms are invited. Reservations will be on a first come, first serve basis, so don't wait until they are all gone, reserve your tickets today! Send your reservation and your money (checks can be made to Girl Scouts) in an envelope marked Mary Poppins; Attn: Marge S. Any questions, please call Marge
WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR TUITION TO BE LOWER? You can get tuition credit for selling Manna Express after church. Many dates still available, call Cathy K.