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Happy
Easter from St. Marys School
By Kathy Ayette
As I write today, I am in the company of four slowly drying papier
mache fish. I too am sporting spots of papier mache paste. I have a
bucket of that same paste sitting on the bookshelf, along with extra
flour and Elmer’s glue. Yes, it is about time for our annual art and
music fair, the Spring Spectacular, or as I like to call it Papier
Mache Palooza. Each year the highlight of the show has been the room
sized diorama, and no matter what its theme is, I know that papier
mache will be involved! This year’s theme is Dr. Seuss. You know, one
of the benefits of my career is that I am given ample opportunity to
see just how tightly my grip on sanity is. If on overseeing a class of
first and second graders applying wet, gooey newspaper to not only the
art project, but themselves doesn’t destroy your mental stability,
nothing will. The proper technique for applying papier mache is to dip
the strips of paper into the paste and then remove the excess paste by
sliding one’s fingers down along the strip. The children get the first
part alright, but seem unable to grasp that second part. I have the
windows open and the ceiling fans going full tilt in hopes that the
fish will be dry enough to add a second layer tomorrow.
The second graders received their First Holy Communion last Saturday,
April 8. The Cherub Choir led the congregation in music. Before Mass
the second grade members of the choir joined the rest of the choir in
singing a prelude.
This week is Holy Week, during which Christians recalled the suffering,
death and resurrection of Jesus. This week the students had an
opportunity to recall some of the events of Holy Week by participating
in some special Holy Week prayer services. On Tuesday the staff and
students gathered for the Washing of the Feet, which recalls when Jesus
washed the feet of his apostles. After an opening prayer, the principal
washed the feet of some of the staff members. The teachers then washed
the feet of their students. On Wednesday the eighth graders led each
class in a Breaking of the Bread service. The older students led a
prayer of thanksgiving and then the younger students offered thanks for
the special gifts in their lives. On Thursday the children were invited
to venerate the Cross as a sign of their appreciation of Jesus’
sacrifice on the cross. All of these prayer experiences were based on
the rites used in the Catholic Church during Holy Week so that the
students could better understand and participate in the Triduum
Liturgies.
We were very happy to welcome two new students to St. Mary’s this week,
Bailey and Libby Stout. Bailey joined our class, and did she ever pick
a good week! On Monday we had donuts and juice in honor of the second
graders who received their First Communion. We have also had extra art
classes this week, preparing the papier mache sculptures for the Spring
Spectacular. We made butterflies and decorated the Lenten crosses in
order to change them into Resurrection crosses.
There is no school on Good Friday or the Monday after Easter. There are
several upcoming events. The Spring Spectacular will be held on April
24, beginning at 6:30. The kindergarten through fourth grades will
begin the evening with a silly musical presentation. Visitors will be
invited to tour the room sized diorama and view students’ art
throughout the school. The Etta
Mae Foley Memorial Dinner and Auction will be held April 29. Dinner
begins at 5:00 p.m. and the bidding starts at 6:00 p.m.
The third through sixth graders will be traveling to Maria Stein for a
Retreat Day on April 20. There will be two separate programs, one for
the younger students and one for the older ones. On the same day, Net
Ministries will be at St. Mary’s to lead a retreat for the junior high
students.
Did you notice all the rain we received Monday? That can only mean one
thing, the mulch for the eighth graders’ annual mulch sale has arrived.
By the way, that is a little inside joke. You see, every year, no
matter how little it has rained the previous month, as soon as the
mulch arrives, we have a down pour. Sodden bags of mulch are so much
more fun to move than dry ones! Anyway, the eighth graders would
appreciate your support. The mulch is $4.35 per bag and orders of ten
bags or more are delivered within a ten mile radius. The proceeds from
the sale go toward the eighth graders’ class trip to Canada.
Happy Easter from all of us at St. Mary’s School.
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