GIVE UP, TAKE UP, LIFT UP! - Mount Aviat Academy

Mount Aviat Academy Newsletter March 14, 2014

Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself. I mean, do not be disturbed because of your imperfections, and always rise

up bravely from a fall. St. Francis de Sales
MAR. 17 – CALENDAR CHANGE** School will be in session. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

20 – Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast 8:00 A.M. – TACO LUNCH
24 to 28 – Standardized Testing for grades 1 through 7
28 – Family Dance – 6:30 to 8:30 P.M. – Macaroni and cheese orders to be picked up
APR. 2 – Woo Hoo! Wednesday – Field Trip for Grades 5,6,7,8 to Ashland Nature Center – 7:45 – 12:15 P.M.

4 – Rush Uniform Company at MAA to measure for school uniforms – KG to 7th 9-10 A.M.
6 – 5K and Sister Walk
8 – Friends Meeting 7:00 P.M.
9 – Awards Assembly – Grades 1 to 7 – 7:00 P.M.
11 – Preschool Spring Show – 9:30 A.M. - Interim Notices go home

“Music – Music – Music”, a lip-synching extravaganza presented by the MAA Players 6:30P.M.
15 – Flynn and O’Hara Uniform Company at MAA to measure for school uniforms – KG to 7th 9-10 A.M.
16 - CALENDAR CHANGE** SCHOOL WILL BE IN SESSION ALL DAY
17 – Holy Thursday – NO SCHOOL – Faculty In-service
18 – Good Friday – NO SCHOOL
20 - BLESSED EASTER TO ALL OF OUR FAMILIES
21 to 23 – EASTER VACATION
24– CALENDAR CHANGE** SCHOOL RESUMES – ALL DAY SESSION
25 – CALENDAR CHANGE** SCHOOL WILL BE IN SESSION ALL DAY
29 – 7th Grade Class Trip to Philadelphia – 8:15 to 4:30

8th Grade Class Trip to Baltimore – 7:15 to 5:00 P.M.

GIVE UP, TAKE UP, LIFT UP!

In his Lenten message for 2014, Pope Francis takes inspiration from the words of St. Paul (Cor
8:9), and asks us to contemplate Paul's invitation to live "a life of evangelical poverty."
We can begin to embrace this call by fasting from or "giving up" material things, including
foods, that are superfluous to our basic needs; "taking up" charitable habits that are directed to
helping and caring for others; and "lifting up" our brothers and sisters who are in need through
giving alms, praying and participating in devotional practices.
By taking an active approach to the three traditional pillars of Lenten observance, prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we
recognize that to be evangelists, we must first be evangelized ourselves. Read more and access resources at
http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-resources/lent/index.cfm
"In the poor and outcast we see Christ's face; by loving and helping the poor, we love and serve Christ." — Pope Francis,

Click here for Salesian reflections on the Sunday readings.


 

Novena to Blessed Louis Brisson
The Oblate Sisters invite families and friends to join in a novena for one of their Sisters in France. Please see the
attachment, which includes an explanation and the novena prayer. Thank you for your prayerful support.


 

Calendar Changes
In light of the recent closings, more changes are needed to the school calendar.
MAA will be in session on –Regular school day - Monday, March 17th
Holy Week - Wednesday, April 16th – regular school day

Thursday, April 17th – staff in-service 8:30 to 11:30AM, no school for students
Easter Week - Thursday, April 24th and Friday, April 25th – will be regular school days
Again, we appreciate your patience with so many calendar changes. We hope no additional changes are required.

Family Folders
The Family Folders are going home today. Enclosed are the following:

1. School Uniform Policy
2. School Shoe Policy
3. Gym Uniform order form
4. Service Hours form
5. Information on Summer Reading Skills Program at the U of D
6. Soup’s on for our Missions form

Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast
Dear Volunteers, Please see the attached invitation to our annual Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, to be held on
Thursday, March 20th from 8-9 A.M. Please RSVP to Mrs. Nichols at [email protected].

WRITERS’ CLUB
Our MAA Writers’ Club will begin meeting this Monday, March 17, and will continue to meet every other Monday until
our Writers’ Showcase in May. Meetings will be held in Mrs. Fritz’s room from 3:20-4:00 and are open to grades 5-8.

Newark Empowerment Center Go Bags
On Friday, April 4th the school will assemble Go Bags for the Newark Empowerment Center. The Newark Empowerment
Center provides assistance to people in need in the Newark area. If possible we would like each student to bring in the
item listed for his or her class by Friday, March 28th. This will provide enough food for each student to assemble one Go
Bag. The items are listed below by grade:

Preschool Box of Little Debbie snacks or Tastykakes

Kindergarten Box of Little Debbie snacks or Tastykakes

1st Grade 4 individual serving size microwavable pasta, soup, or stew

2nd Grade 4 individual serving size microwavable pasta, soup, or stew

3rd Grade 4 individual serving size microwavable pasta, soup, or stew

4th Grade 8 single serving size applesauce or fruit cup

5th Grade 8 single serving size applesauce or fruit cup

6th Grade 10 juice boxes

7th Grade Box of Granola Bars

8th Grade Bacchieri to McGuirk: Box of Granola Bars
Parker to Zwilgmeyer: 10 juice boxes

Mac & Cheese for Lent
The Friends and Families of the Oblate Sisters will again be selling Mac and Cheese for Lent. This is an old Friends’
tradition that was very popular long ago for meatless Fridays. The Mac and Cheese will be sold in a two-pound container
at $9 each and will be distributed frozen with thawing and cooking instructions. All orders must be received and paid for
by Wednesday, March 19 with pick up on Friday, March 28 in St. Joseph Hall from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. All proceeds from
the sale will benefit our Oblate Sister’s Missions and help fund Teacher Appreciation Week. We hope you will support
our teachers and missions. Order forms are in today’s Family Folder.

We will be making and packaging the mac & cheese on Saturday, March 22. Please contact Sister Joseph
Margaret at [email protected] if you are able to help.

Soup’s on for the Missions
In the spirit of Lent, our 8th graders will be preparing a lunch to raise money for our Oblate Missions.
The funds will be used to help build an early childhood learning center for preschooler and kindergarten
aged children in a poor area of Rocafuerte, Ecuador. Get your order in as soon as possible for the lunch
on Thursday, March 27th. Let us prepare lunch for your children.

Let the Training Begin- MAA 4th Annual 5K & Sister Walk April 6, 2014
MAA’s Annual 5K will take place on Sunday, April 6th at 9:15 am. Please check the school
website or your copy of the MAA Link for the registration form. If you would like to volunteer
to help on race day or have any questions please contact Dina Okoniewski at
[email protected] or at 302-893-5074. Don’t miss out on the pre-registration rate available
until March 28: $20/per person or $50/ per family. Pre-registration fee includes T-shirts. Trophies
will be awarded after the race. Mass will take place prior to the race at 8:00 a.m. at the school.

Blue Rocks Challenge
Rocky was here to kick off the 2014 Blue Rocks Reading Challenge. Students from Preschool through 4th Grade are
encouraged to read 10 books on their grade level and return their completed bookmarks for 2 free tickets to a Blue Rocks
game. Bookmarks must be returned by April 3rd.

Service Hours
Students are required to perform 10 Hours of service during the school year. Students are encouraged to submit the form
listing service hours before the Easter Break. Service Hour sheets are available in the school office.

Athletes Enjoy Annual Sports Banquet
 

MAA Athletes were recognized on Sunday, March 9th at the annual Sports Breakfast Banquet.
Pictured here are our 8th grade athletes who hopefully will continue to share their talents as
they move on to high school next year. Thank you to the Athletic Association for all their
efforts to provide a special celebration for our coaches, athletes and their families.

Family Dance, March 28, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
After a long week of Standardized Testing, come have the kids let loose and dance the night away at the annual Family
Dance. From 6:30 – 8:30 pm, on Friday, March 28, our favorite DJ will be back playing the latest tunes and providing
lots of family fun. Entrance fee is $5 per family and a canned good to help support the ICC Food Pantry. Please contact
Jennifer Palm at [email protected] if you have any questions.

“Man Up Philly” Men’s Spirituality Conference
Join your fellow Christian men of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, as we strive to make Jesus Christ present in our lives.
In 2002 a group of five men began a movement for men to come together to share the Gospel with each other outside of
Sunday Mass. Building on their efforts, today over 50 parishes now bring hundreds of men together each week. In 2008
our priests, bishops, and Archbishop (along with these men) started the “Man Up Philly” Men’s Spirituality Conference to
show men of all ages how to bring Our Lord into their everyday lives not just in Church, but in the workplace and most
importantly, the home.
This year's Philadelphia Man Up Philly Conference will be Saturday March15th. Experience first-hand and join others
who are ready to Man-Up, by living their true calling. Info at: http://manupphilly.com/ Also, please see attached flyer.

Chicks For Charity – Door of Hope Pregnancy Center Fundraiser
Please see the attachment with information about an opportunity to enjoy friends and food while helping women and their
unborn children through the Door of Hope Pregnancy Center.

Standardized Testing
The Terra Nova standardized tests will be administered to students in grades 1 to 7 the week of March
24th. Students should be well rested. Please encourage your child to eat a healthy and hardy breakfast.
For testing, students need a few pencils with erasers that are clearly marked #2 and a book to read. The
class schedule has been changed to accommodate testing. If your child has a birthday treat planned for
next week, please consider that we want to avoid high sugar items and items that cause some students to
get overly excited. It is extremely important that children arrive on time so that testing can begin
promptly. Please avoid having your child miss school unless he or she is sick.