“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served. There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to all for their particular services.”

1 Corinthians 12: 4-6

Every day at St. Mary’s School, we are blessed to have opportunities to serve and be served – to make a difference in the lives of students, teachers and families in ways that are not easily measured. The gifts that we receive from the Holy Spirit allow us to have an impact on our world, in our classrooms and with each other. And we’re proud to say that at St. Mary’s, it’s always a season for giving and receiving. At any given moment, on any given day, volunteers are using their time and talents in small ways that collectively make a big difference!

To highlight the significance of our volunteers and their acts of kindness, the St. Mary’s PTO will shine a spotlight on various individuals throughout the year and introduce each as “someone you should know.” The new Volunteer Spotlight program will include: a certificate of recognition to the designated volunteer, an announcement flyer (to go home with students), recognition on our PTO Web page, and a special feature on the St. Mary’s Voices Blog.

We recognize the value of each and every volunteer–from auction organizers and class party helpers to Market Day sorters and yearbook editors. Together they help foster the spirit of giving and the sense of family that are so uniquely St. Mary’s. They are the reason we can say with pride: St. Mary’s School volunteers don’t only make a difference, they make the difference!

Please join us in celebrating our September and October Spotlight Volunteers!

Congratulations to our September 2009
Volunteer Spotlight Recipient:

Christina DiCiaula

We recognize and applaud Christina for all of her many gifts and talents. We spotlight her generosity and creativity in fashioning a custom food service for the Teacher’s Tea event and for the Bishop’s Luncheon hosted for Bishop Sartain’s visit to St. Mary’s School.

We recognize and applaud Susanne for all of her many talents and gifts of time to the St. Mary’s school community. We spotlight her dedication to students through her work with the Junior High Project and Girl’s Volleyball. She has made a difference in the lives of many of our children, and we are thankful.

Behind-the-scenes, Suzanne coordinates a myriad of critical school functions, including (but not only) the School Directory, the Lunch Parents Program, The Volunteer Program and the St. Mary’s School Auction.

Thank you, Susanne–we are blessed!

The bishop’s visit was awhile ago and as all thoughtful boys and girls would do, each grade wrote a thank you to him.  He took special time in his busy schedule to come visit; he took special time with each class, making the visit unique for them.

Here are a few of their messages back to him:

“We are very happy that you think snack is important, too.  Here is on one of our favorite snacks.” –from the Pre-schoolers, who sent him pretzels.

“It was fun to sing the Alphabet Song.  Thanks for joining and singing along.” –from Kindergarten

“We are sending you Flat Stanley and we hope if you have time, you will take him on an adventure.  We would love for you to send him back when you are done…with pictures.”–from the Second Grade

“Thank you also for asking us about the history of the Venn diagram.  Our teacher had us use the computer to research all about it.  There is a report with this note…” –from the Fourth Grade

“We think St. Mary’s is the best school in the world.  We’ve learned a lot from your teachings.” –from the Sixth Grade

“We are still thinking about our graduation wall we are going to paint.  We haven’t decided where we are going for our class trip.  Our parents are working hard to organize it.  Hope you find time to say a quick prayer for us.” –from the Eighth Grade

The bishop has responded to one grade already.  To our first grade class, he says:

“I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for your kind letter and Halloween wishes.  I thoroughly enjoyed visiting your school and I would enjoy it if you would show me your other learning activities the next time I visit.  I promise to keep all of you in my prayers, and may the Lord fill you each day with peace, good health, and joy.

It is these things that make daily life in a Catholic school special.  It is these things that make St. Mary’s Parish school special, well loved, and fondly remembered.

Nancy Coughlin, Principal

The Bishop led the weekly prayer circle, joined students, faculty, and parents in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and visited every classroom, delighting students and teachers alike with his questions, comments, and enthusiastic interest in their studies. We thank the Bishop for spending time with our preschool through eighth grade students, and we invite you to discover the St. Mary’s difference for yourself. Learn more about our faith-centered learning environment, our challenging standards-based curriculum, and our skillful and dedicated teaching staff at stmarywc.org, or contact us at (630) 231-1776 or school.office@stmarywc.org.