Happy New Year!  May you all experience many blessings in the months ahead!

Please continue to pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.  

THANK YOU 

• to so many of you for your generosity toward the staff at Christmas time!

• to all for the contributions to Christmas Hampers that carried through from Thanksgiving to Christmas - special thanks to the Choboter Family and team for assembling and distributing the hampers
  

INFORMATION

• Swiss Promo will be closed  to January 11. You will be unable to phone, email or visit the store during that time.

• Pietra Fitness ... ever heard of it? want to try it?  It is an amazing fitness program that is a spiritually healthy alternative to yoga.  We use stretching, strengthening and mobility work along with prayer rooted in Catholicism.  Alison ten Bohmer is offering a FREE gentle/intermediate class to LADIES only on Thursday, January 12th at 6:00 PM in St. Mary's Gymnasium. If you would like to join for this night, please email Alison ten Bohmer (a Foundations 3 Certified Pietra Fitness Instructor and also the librarian at St. Mary's School) at alisonlesley.tb@gmail.com to pre-register (we are limited to 30 spots).  You will need modest, comfortable clothing, an exercise mat, and have the ability to get up and down comfortably from floor to standing.

• Registration packages for preschool will be ready for tomorrow for existing preschool families and for siblings of families in the school.  Packages can be picked up at the preschool or can be sent home with siblings early this week.  Completed packages must be handed in to Mrs. Chiappetta by January 13th in order to confirm a spot for the upcoming school year.  Registration will then be open to the public on January 27th. Please contact Mrs. Chiappetta (jchiappetta@saintmarysschool.ca) if you wish to have a package sent home with your child.
  

REMINDERS

• Dress for the weather!  Students will go outside for recess and lunch most days, even if there is light rain or cold.  In extreme weather conditions we will keep them inside.  Please make sure that your children come to school with warm/waterproof clothing and footwear, even if it is not raining in the morning - we know how quickly weather can change here!

• In the event of a school closure due to bad weather, we will make an announcement via email, Facebook group and on our website.
  

TALENT SHOW:  this is the Facebook post that was put out by Mrs. Choboter over the holidays:

Hello St. Mary's parents.  I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas break.  I just wanted to send out a heads up that we will be doing auditions for our annual school Talent Show the week of January 16th-19th.  This year we will be back to a live show in the gym on Friday, January 27th in the afternoon.  We are having the show earlier than usual in the year, so I wanted to make sure students have as much time as possible to practice before they audition.  We encourage a variety of different acts: singing, dancing, drama, piano/musical instruments, comedy, gymnastics, martial arts, or something new and creative.  If your child's routine includes music or costumes please ensure they are included in the audition.  Please note, that while we welcome everyone to audition, not all acts will be selected for the show.  We try to balance different performances across the grades, so please ensure your child is aware of this before they audition.  The Talent Show is open to all students in Kindergarten to Gr 7.  Students will sign up for their audition time, before school or at lunch, on a sign-up sheet posted outside the Gr. 7 classroom starting January 9th.  For younger students, parents can email me a day/time for your child to audition.  If you have any specific questions or inquiries please email Mrs. Choboter directly at kchoboter@saintmarysschool.ca. We look forward to seeing all the amazing talents of our St. Mary's students! God bless.

MONDAY: 

• No School (New Year's Day holiday)

TUESDAY:

• School Re-Opens

• New Year Prayer Assembly at 9:15 in the gym - all welcome

• Grade 4/5 Boys Volleyball at Unsworth Elementary, 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. (parents are responsible for taking the students there and picking up afterwards.  Please let the coach know if someone other than you will be driving your child).

• Grade 4/5 Girls Volleyball Practice, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY:  

• Mass, Grades 2 - 7 (please wear sweaters) - all families welcome!

• Grade 4/5 Boys Volleyball Practice, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

• Grade 4/5 Girls Volleyball Game - Location TBA

THURSDAY:  

• Grade 6/7 Basketball Practice, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

FRIDAY: 

• Little Cub Classic Basketball Tournament at SJB (Grade 7)

SATURDAY:

SUNDAY:

• School-led Mass, 9:30 a.m.  All Choir Members and Lectors are asked to arrive at 9:15.  Please wear neat and complete school uniform to Mass, even if you are not in the choir or reading!

It will be wonderful to see the students back tomorrow!  Enjoy this last day of vacation!