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St. Mary’s School
Happy Halloween!
By Kathy Ayette
October has crept in with all its spookiness. As usual, I have
bats flying around the ceiling, and jack-o-lanterns and spiders
observing my every move from the top of the lockers. I also have
a skeleton in my locker. (Please note, that’s a skeleton in my locker,
not my closet.) However, he has not been satisfied with staying
there. He stayed put for a week, but now has taken to hiding in
the children’s lockers. Wednesday, we came in to find him working
at one of the computers. No wonder I have been having computer
issues. Although in all fairness, it may not be the skeleton’s
fault. I can mess up a computer with no assistance from the
paranormal.
Friday, October 4 was the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi.
Students and staff brought in pet supplies that were donated to the
Darke County Humane Society. A poster with pictures of the
students’ pets was displayed at Mass as we asked God to bless our
furry, feathered and scaly friends. Family Movie Night was that
evening. Coincidently the movie elected by the students was the
“Secret Lives of Pets”. The movie night is an annual event,
weather permitting. Families can join in a rousing game of kickball,
enjoy the playground equipment, or just visiting with friends.
When it is dark enough, the movie begins. This year we had
hamburgers, hot dogs and tenderloin sandwiches available. The
Winner family provided and cooked the meat. Before school started
the husband of one of the teachers had a stroke. The funds raised
from the food sale were donated to the teacher and her family.
On October 10 the Caterpillar preschool class had a visit from some
Greenville City firefighters who helped them learn about fire safety
and fire fighters. The next day, October 11, the Butterfly
preschoolers and the kindergarteners walked to the Fire Station for a
tour. On the same day my first and second graders traveled to the
fairgrounds for the Greenville High School FFA Farm and Safety
Day. Members of the FFA had set up learning stations for the
children. One of the presenters was Miss Annie Oakley herself,
a.k.a Madison Werner. Madison is a not only a former
student of St. Mary’s, but she is one of my former students as
well. She visited the school on September 30, to tell us about
the original Annie Oakley.
On Wednesday, October 16, the preschool through second grades went to
Brumbaugh’s Fruit Farm. Now I am writing before the fact, but
unless the weather causes a cancellation, I feel safe in saying that
children had a great time. This field trip is one of the
highlights of the year. In fact, it may be the highlight of the
year. The students learn about growing apples and get to see the
apple sorting machine and walk into the cooler packed with fragrant
apples. They learn that bees not only make honey but are
essential in producing apples. They go on a hayride and each
child gets to pick a pumpkin from the field. Finally, they have
an extended recess in the playground. I believe the highlight for
the teachers and chaperones is a trip to the bakery. All in all,
everyone has a great time.
On Sunday, October 20 the seventh and eighth graders will receive the
sacrament of Confirmation. Bishop Binzer will be at St. Mary’s
Church to confirm the students.
On October 22 and 23, the third graders will take the state test for
reading and language arts. The test is online, so hopefully the
computers will cooperate. I have this theory. I believe
computers are sentient beings out to get us. At least my computer
and I-pad seem to have evil designs.
The first quarter ends October 25. You would think that
after all the years of teaching, I wouldn’t be taken by surprise by the
end of the quarter. Yet every quarter, every year, seems to
arrive sooner than expected. Report cards will go home shortly
after. Parent teacher conferences will be Thursday evening,
November 7.
The kindergarten through fourth grade will be entertaining the
residents of Heartland and Village Green with Halloween songs on
October 30. The children will dress in their Halloween costumes
for what will be a “spook-tacular” performance.
The class Halloween parties will be on October 31. This year’s
eighth grade haunted house will feature a haunted swamp. In the
afternoon the students will change into their costumes for the school
parade. After the parade they will return to their classrooms to
continue the festivities.
Before long we will be exchanging our skeletons and ghosts for turkeys,
and our jack-o-lanterns for pies. Until next month, watch out for
all those ghoulies and goblins, and things that go bump in the night.
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