School Calendar Correction - There will be NO School on February 18th
A revised calendar is attached here.
We have ONE more week until Christmas break! There are quite a few exciting activities planned for next week. Keep an eye out for communication from your child’s classroom teacher.
We also are excited to announce a few new staff members to the St. Mark’s team. Please visit our website at https://school.saint-mark.net/staff. Spend some time exploring our new website to see what information you may find.
** Drop off reminder: If your child needs help getting out of the vehicle, you will need to park in one of the lots. The drop off line is for students who can independently unbuckle and get out of the car. Most preschool parents will need to park and walk their child up to the door. Thank you for your cooperation and help keeping all of our students safe.
ILLNESS & COVID PROCEDURES
Based on the guidance our school has been given by the Diocese and the IDPH to try to limit, to the
best of our ability, the risk of spreading the virus for the good of all and so that our students can
remain in-school learning the procedure below is being followed.
If a student is sent to the office with any symptoms they will be sent home along with their siblings
until 1 of the 3 options below is fulfilled:
A note from your family physician or a prompt care medical personnel saying that your symptomatic child is okay to return to school. This illness will be treated as in previous school years and in the Parent/Student Handbook as a regular sick absence.
If you choose not to get a note, then your child (and siblings) will need to quarantine for 14
days. At that point your child/ren will become e-learners.
If instructed to go for a COVID test, then the school will need documentation that their test is negative to return to school. Pending tests quarantine should include all family members; so if one child is out pending a COVID test, then all other children in ANY school must also remain away from school.
It is the parents responsibility to inform the office when you have a child at home for COVID
symptoms and/or testing from our school or from another school. ALL of your children must stay
home until another diagnosis is made with a doctor’s note or a documented negative COVID test.
Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and prayers for successful in-school learning.
ONLINE LEARNING
As a reminder remote instruction is only available for students that test positive for Covid or are exposed to a positive case and are unable to attend school.
Last minute notice of absence does not guarantee that remote learning will be available. Remote instruction may be available only if other classmates are quarantining.
Please note that we do not issue Chromebooks for general absences. Students will need to use a personal device if completing work while not in attendance.
CANDY CANE SALES
The Student Council will be selling candy canes before school from 7:30 - 7:50 AM during the week of December 13th. Full sized Candy Canes are 50 cents a piece of 5 for $2.00. There is a limit of 10 candy canes per student per day.
AUCTION NEWS
WE TRULY NEED more people to help pull off our biggest and only fundraiser of the year!
Would you please consider coming to the meeting next week to see where you might be able to lend a hand? Bring a friend that you might like to work with! Many hands make light work!
There will be an auction meeting on Tuesday, December 14 at 5:30 PM at the rectory for anyone interested in helping with the auction.
Here are some examples of smaller things that you could do to make this event a success:
Solicit or pick up silent auction items
Help with set-up or take down the night of the event
Prepare invitation mailing
Help with thank you mailings
Donate a dessert to the Dessert Dash
Help brainstorm some fun ideas for the event such as game or activity
Help with checking in or checking out
Be a spotter during the live auction
Maybe you have some great ideas that you just want to bring to the meeting. We are always open to new ideas too! We promise the meeting won't last too long and there will be snacks! Grab a friend and come!
SANTA BREAKFAST AND COOKIE CRAZE
The 8th grade class will be hosting this year's Cookie Craze (formerly known as the Cookie Walk) as a fundraiser for their class. In order to make the event a success, we are asking that all families donate 3 dozen homemade cookies that will be re-packaged and sold the morning of the Santa Breakfast.
Cookie donations can be brought to the school on Friday December 17th or Saturday December 18th. Specific times and a reminder will be sent out the week before.
If you have any questions please reach out to Amie Slott amie.slott@gmail.com
PEORIA NOTRE DAME NEWS
Incoming 9th grade families:
The PND business office is allowing the incoming 9th grade families to use their 2020 tax information in
the FACTS Grant & Aid application as an ‘early bird’ option. Once you have your application and tax
forms submitted, and your application has been verified by FACTS, please contact Grant McInnis to
discuss what your payments will look like. Note: after December 31, FACTS will require 2021 tax forms
to be submitted. Please visit https://factsmgt.com/financial... and fillout your application for the 22-23 school year.
Randy Simmons Tuition Assistance Scholarship:
Attention incoming 9th grade families:The Randy Simmons Tuition Assistance Scholarship deadline is
December 10th, 2021.The FACTS Grant & Aid application is required to be completed to be
considered for this scholarship. Please visit the link below for more information.
https://www.pndhs.org/randy-si...
FINANCIAL AID FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR…
Announcing Reservation Night for the Empower Illinois Scholarship 2022!
Mark your calendars! Reservations for a 2022-2023 (next school year) scholarship will open Wednesday, January 12 at 6:30pm. ANY family who may need to request additional financial aid MUST complete this process. It is extremely important that you secure your spot on Reservation Night as this is a first come, first serve process.
Like previous years, the reservation will be a two-step process. At 6:30pm, the reservation form will open, giving families time to enter their information before submission at 7pm. Once families reserve their time stamp, they will receive an email to log into their EmpowerXChange portal and complete the application when it opens on Friday, January 14.
Keep an eye on subsequent newsletters for updated resources. In the meantime, please direct any questions to our helpline (800-616-7606, schools@empowerillinois.org).
ADDITIONAL FLYERS