“Prepare our hearts and remove the sadness that hinders us from feeling the joy and hope which His presence will bestow.”

DRESS UP DAY: Tomorrow is our last day of school in the year 2009. What a joyful celebration it is! Tomorrow is a DRESS UP day for all students.

MASS: Mass tomorrow has been planned by our 4th graders celebrating the third week of Advent. All are welcome to attend. Mass is an all school Liturgy at 8:30 am.

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: Following Mass, the students and teachers have prepared a Christmas program. All grades will be participating. Please join us.

CHRISTMAS PARTIES: Following the program, students will return to their classrooms in grades PK – 5 for their Christmas parties. Grades 6 – 8 will have their party in the ACU following the program. We may have a special visitor on Friday.

DINE OUT NIGHT: Today is a dine-out day for St. Irene School at Max & Erma’s at Cantera. Enclosed in the brown envelope is a flyer to bring when you enjoy lunch or dinner (even takeout) today, and our school receives 20 percent of what is spent.

HOT LUNCH: Hot lunch order forms are enclosed in today’s brown envelope for January. It is extremely important that all orders are in on MONDAY, JANUARY 4TH, 2010. There has been a slight change in hot lunch dates. There is NO hot lunch on Wednesday, January 6th. There will be hot lunch on January 13, 20, and 27. You must place all of your orders on January 4th for the month. Because of the Christmas holiday and placing check requests for the orders, there will be NO LATE orders accepted. All orders are due on Monday, January 4th. Again, NO LATE ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Thank you for your cooperation.

DRESS DOWN DAYS FOR JANUARY: Dress down days for January will still be January 6th and January 20th.

MARKET DAY: Market Day pickup is this Saturday, December 19 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the ACU. Those selling cookie dough for Outdoor Ed also pick up their orders on Saturday.

THANK YOU: To our teachers who proclaimed the powerful message of the St. Irene experience at Masses this past weekend. We love our school and need to share that message with the entire community. Many blessings to all.

SIGN OF PEACE: When offering the sign of peace during Liturgies, we ask those around us to go out and spread peace to those we meet. Let us all share in the joy of this Advent season wishing all of our friends and family peace and blessings today in the New Year. Be Peaceful.

SERVICE PROJECT: The Junior High collected food for the food pantry. The 6th grade class collected 154 items, the 7th grade collected 213 items, and the 8th grade class collected 375 items giving a grand total of 742 items. What joy you shared to families in need! Many blessings to all of you.

HIGH SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMS: 8th grade parents, please mark your calendars for Saturday, January 9, 2010 for the Catholic HS entrance exams. Your child must take the test where he/she wishes to attend. Registration is required. Please contact the individual high schools to register your child and if you have any questions.

BREAKFAST WITH THE BISHOP: Congratulations to Karina Detwiler who has been selected to attend Breakfast with the Bishop on January 15 at the University of St. Francis in Joliet. Each year, one student is selected from each Catholic School in our Diocese to attend this breakfast in preparation for Catholic Schools Week which is January 31st – February 5th, 2010.

CHRISTMAS VACATION: Students will be dismissed on December 18, at 11:30 AM. We will begin the morning with Liturgy followed by a musical presentation. Afterward, students will return to their classrooms for their Christmas parties. There is NO PEAK after dismissal. Please make sure you make arrangements to have your children picked up if they do not take the bus. There is busing on the 18th.

CLASSES RESUME: Monday, January 4, 2010.

We are coming to the end of the Third Week of Advent. Each day this week, we will continue to go through our everyday life, but we will experience the difference our faith can bring to it. We are confident that the grace we ask for will be given us. Each night this week, we want to pause in gratitude. Whatever the day has brought, no matter how busy it has been, we can stop, before we fall asleep, to give thanks for a little more light, a little more freedom to walk by that light, in joy.

Come Lord Jesus! Come quickly!

Blessings and Peace,

Mrs. White