Welcome to the month of March! This month we focus on the virtue of perseverance. Perseverance is the quality that allows someone to keep going and continue trying even when faced with difficulties or obstacles.
March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, which serves as a reminder that each individual, regardless of their abilities, has the right to be respected, embraced, and provided with opportunities to thrive. This is also a key message of our faith and grounded in the Catholic Social Teaching Principle of Human Dignity. Each one of us is a beloved child of God, valued and worthy of respect. God calls each one of us to honour the dignity of others.
Ash Wednesday takes place this week on March 5th. This day is the beginning of our Lenten journey as we prepare for Easter, the greatest feast of the Church year.
Let us reflect upon the changes we need to make in our lives so that we can better reflect a life of Christ.
Dear God,
As we prepare to begin the season of Lent,
grant us perseverance in our journey of
fasting, alms giving and prayer.
Please renew our commitment
towards a life full of Christ.
May this season bring us the
blessing of Your forgiveness
and the gift of Your light.
Amen.
Catholic School Council
As a result of schools being closed on February 13th due to inclement weather, hot lunch orders from Astoria for this day were cancelled. Please note that the make up day for this lunch is Thursday, April 17th.
A reminder that there will be one final set of orders for hot lunches for this school year. Please see below for information regarding order timelines.
FINAL PIZZA ORDER:
Orders to be placed from March 31 to April 9, 2025; deadline is April 9th at 11:59pm
Pizza Tuesdays from April 15th to June 24th.
FINAL ASTORIA GREEK ORDER:
REVISED: Orders to be placed from April 9 to 18, 2025; deadline is April 18th at 11:59pm
REVISED: Astoria Thursday Lunches from April 24th to June 19th.
FINAL BOOSTER JUICE ORDER:
Orders to be placed from April 7 to 15, 2025; deadline is April 15th, 2025 at 11:59PM
Booster Juice Fridays on: April 25th, May 9th, May 23rd, June 6th, June 20th
Thank you for your continued support of our hot lunch program!
Active School Travel
“The wheels on the bus go round and round…”
Walking to the school bus stop and riding the bus to school are considered important forms of active school travel. Students who live outside of the Non-Transportation Zone for their home school qualify for school bus service.
Walking to the bus stop and riding the bus provides a number of benefits including:
– Teaching children the value of time and being organized
– Keeping children active, which leads to strong physical and mental health
– Encouraging social interaction and improving and building social skills
– Keeping communities safe and reducing private automobile traffic congestion
– Reducing environmental air pollution
– Making school more accessible for all children
For more information on the benefits of walking to the bus stop and riding the bus as well as school bus safety tips, please see the YCDSB Active School Travel March newsletter.
March AST Communication - Bus Safety Tips
St. Mark Parish
All parents and guardians are warmly invited to attend St. Mark’s Parish Lenten Mission March 15 to 19, 2025 with Fr. Ben St. Croix, CC, from the Companions of the Cross. Please join us for this moment of Grace!
Please see the attachment for more information:
St. Mark's Parish Lenten Mission
Kindergarten Registration
Do you have a child or know someone who has a child who is eligible to register for Kindergarten this coming fall? If yes, please note that 2025-2026 Kindergarten registration at the York Catholic District School Board is open!
Parents are invited to register online at: www.ycdsb.ca/admissions .
Next Week’s Activities and Events
Here is a look ahead to next week…
March 4th: Shrove Tuesday
> snack pancakes with syrup to be delivered to classes for morning snack
> gluten-free vegan carrot muffin for students with allergies
March 4th: Dairy Farmers Class Presentations
> 8:55-9:35am: Grades 5/6 and 6 classes
> 9:50-10:30am: Grade 1/2 class
> 10:30-11:10am: Grade 4 students
> 12:10-12:50pm: Grade 3 students
> 12:50-1:30pm: Grade 2 classes
> 1:45-2:25pm: Grade 5 class
March 5th: Ash Wednesday Service at St. Mark Parish, 10:15am; families are welcome to attend
March 10th-14th: March Break (no school)
Upcoming Activities and Events
March 18th: Praying with the Rosary Apostolate, K-6 classes
March 18th: St. Mark Parish Youth Minister Visit, 11:30am-12:10pm
March 19th: Taking Charge of Me (Session #1), Grades 4/5, 5/6 and 6 classes
March 19th: Annual Grade 6 Exit Survey
March 21st: World Down Syndrome Day
March 26th: Taking Charge of Me (Session #2), Grades 4/5, 5/6 and 6 classes
March 27th: Boardwide Lenten Mass (virtual), 1:45-2:30pm
Closing Prayer
We close with a prayer for perseverance.
Loving God,
Give us the strength to keep trying
even when things are hard.
Remind us to never give up and
always give the best we have
so that we may succeed in all we do.
Amen.
St. Mark, pray for us.
Our weekly update will resume on March 16th, 2025.
Wishing all families a wonderful March break!
Sincerely,
C. Quadrini, Principal