Monday Morning Memo

Thank you for your time and commitment to Parent Teacher Conferences.  We value this time with you and appreciate the fact that you prioritize it as important, as well.  We had great turnout in all divisions!

The Middle School Musical, “Godspell”, will be performed this week!  Matinee performances are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday for our students and as dress rehearsals for the big show on Thursday night.  Come share the fun on Thursday at 7:00 pm.  Our students and their leaders, Mrs. Rousey, Mrs. Everly, Ms. Laird, and Mrs. Willets, have worked hard with many obstacles, including four snow days and jury duty, to bring you this great performance! 

Our Fifth Grade Showcase has been postponed until April 2 at 7:00 pm. It was postponed, due to snow and we rescheduled it for March 28, without realizing that this is Maundy Thursday and Holy Week.  A message was sent to fifth grade families last week but we want to make sure we put the word out in several different ways so all will get the message.  The show will go on – on Tuesday, April 2^nd!

March Madness for the Pantry:  Beginning Monday, March 11 and running through Friday, March 15, STUCO is sponsoring a “March Madness for the Pantry” event.  University t-shirts, sweat shirts etc. may be worn with your school logo on them.  (No hats please)   One point per pantry item will be given to the student’s home room. Let the games begin!

Our basketball season ended on Saturday, March 2.  Here’s the wrap-up:

7^th/8^th Grade Girls “A” Team:  Tournament Champions and undefeated season 13-0 (and undefeated last season, too)

7^th/8^th Grade Girls “B” Team:  Tournament Champions and undefeated season 13-0.

6^th Grade Girls Red Team:   Tournament Champions 9-2.

7^th/8^th Grade Boys Blue “B” Team:  Second Place in Tournament 8-6.

Overall record for Middle School teams:   66-28.

Coaches:  Achilles Allen, Greg Buckman, Josh Flett, James Richman, Randy Kurt

Thanks to everyone that stopped in to watch a game or asked about our progress this season.  Thanks, too, to our coaches who put sportsmanship, teamwork and effort above winning – which is probably why our season was so successful!

Congratulations to our Science Olympiad Team, under the direction of Mrs. Gruss and Mr. Stewart – they’re going to the State Competition!  Our student competitors took second place this weekend at their competition and will now compete at the state level on Saturday, April 6.  We are so proud of the effort and camaraderie and mutual support these students demonstrate – as well as their science knowledge and skills.  And they had a great time, too!

Seventeen students competed with 13 other schools in Region 3 in the Science Olympiad Tournament at Penn Valley Community College.  

Congratulations to the following students for individual places:
5th  Anatomy- Cora & Connor                          1st Crime Busters-Meghan & Ella
2nd Disease Detectives- Meghan & Lilly          3rd Dynamic Planet-Meghan & Claire
3rd Food Science- Natalie & Elyse                    3rd Forestry- Roy & Drake
2nd Green Generation- Zach & Oliver               4th Heredity- Caroline R. & Cora
5th  Invasive Species-Zach & Oliver                  2nd Keep the Heat- Claire & Ashley
4th Meteorology- Claire & Elyse                       3rd Metric Mastery- Caroline S. & Ella
5th Mission Possible- Layne & Natalie              4th Reach for the Stars- Connor & Ella
4th Road Scholar- Roy & Drake                         2nd Rocks and Minerals- Caroline S & Natalie
2nd Shock Value-  Lilly & Drake                       2nd Sound of Music- Cora & Caroline R.
2nd Water Quality-Meghan & Elyse

Thanks to all who came out and participated in the 3rd annual benefit games this weekend!  Over 50 players gathered for dodgeball on Friday evening, including some quick moving 8th graders, and on Saturday the court was turned over for coed basketball games. In a new scoring system developed by Trey Hawes, the friendly competition was based on points for wins as well as for participation factors. Thanks to Trey and Randy Kurt for championing the event and to Catherine Shurtleff and Jami Woodbury for their assistance in managing the fabulously fun benefit games!

Thanks also to Sarah & Sean Murray for arranging for sponsor days at Planet Sub to coincide with the benefit games and conference days. We understand they had a steady stream of St. Paul’s customers including faculty and staff who got to eat for free!

It takes a village! If you are planning to attend the St. Paul’s auction gala and would like to help that night, now is your chance to sign up! We are looking for volunteers to help with check-in, check-out, redemption, and to serve as BidPal guides. Training and camaraderie for all positions will be provided!  Please contact Katie Gregg, if you are able to help: kgregg@speds.org.   

Look for other updates and exciting announcements on the 50 & Fabulous Auction Gala as the countdown continues!

Kristine Hansen, Lead Teacher in our Kindergarten program, has let us know that she will be staying home with her children next year.  This has been a tough decision for Mrs. Hansen and her family because she loves her work at St. Paul’s but she also looks forward to spending quality time with her three children.  We will miss her and wish her all the best!

Parents and other drivers are asked to use caution in driving through the parking lot and on Walnut during carpool times, as we have had incidents of people grazing cars with their own.  Admittedly, the snow caused more narrow lanes and greater challenges but, under any circumstance, we expect parents to drive with extreme caution, especially at these times, and to stop and leave a name and phone number if an incident occurs.  Thank you for your respect and responsibility to others.

Best wishes for a safe and happy Spring Break.  We return on Monday, Mar. 25^th and will have a four-day week, due to our Good Friday break at the end of the week.  If you need care for your child during Spring Break, please contact Karen McDonald who will be offering great programs for the children during this week.