Dear Families:

Welcome back, Mary Queen of Peace School Family!
Our annual Ice Cream Social will be Sunday, 14 August, from Noon until 2:00 p.m. The earlier time allows families to come to the Ice Cream Social directly from the 11:00 Mass. We look forward to seeing you!

Used Uniforms
If you have school uniforms you would like to sell, please bring them to school during office hours next week or at the beginning of the Ice Cream Social on August 14. Please pin an envelope on the item with the amount you would like for it.

Welcome to New Families
We have new families both to Kindergarten and to upper grades. All new families have been given a Buddy Family to guide them through their first year and are invited to a welcome pizza party social just before school starts. If you are a new family and don’t know details about the party, please contact the school office. Mary Queen takes to heart the parish motto of Closer to God, Closer to One Another and I’m sure you’ll find a home in the School Family.

New Names & New Faces
Ms Cathy Cohn, our 5-6 Social Studies teacher, is getting married over Labor Day weekend. Her new name will be Mrs. Cathy Beebe, which is what we’ve already put on Fast Direct and class lists. Our faculty will add Mrs. Lindsay Higa teaching Art for Kindergarten and 5-8 and Ms Isabelle Ward, who will be a reading specialist for the primary grades. Congratulations to Mrs. Beebe and welcome to Mrs. Higa and Ms Ward!

Seeking Host Families for Exchange Student
The Webster Groves Rotary Club is seeking three host families for an exchange student from Ecuador. Another club was going to sponsor him and the first arranged host family had to back out. The Webster Groves club has agreed to sponsor the student and Webster Groves High School looks forward to his attendance. The Rotary Youth Exchange Program is arranged so that each student stays with three families for three months each. We are seeking a host family immediately for September through November. A family does not have to have a child in WGHS or any high school—they do not have to have children, for that matter, as one of my daughter’s host families in New Zealand was a couple with adult children. If you or someone you know is willing and able to host this student, please contact me by Fast Direct as soon as possible, as the young man and his family are literally waiting to hear if he will be able to come to the United States.

Calendar Updates
The updated School Calendar is now posted on the school website under Parent Information. A monthly calendar is now available on the school website for those who are registered users of the parish website. This calendar will be updated regularly with field trips, school Masses and other events that we don’t wish to make available outside of our school family. If you haven’t registered on the parish website, do so now by clicking at the top right corner of the parish website.
Changes from the previous calendar that are reflected on the updated calendar are:
Sep 14 Home & School Magazine Drive Kick-Off
Oct 2 NO inscription for Confirmation for 7th graders at Sunday Mass
Oct 6 Home & School Magazine Drive ends
Oct 16 CORRECTED date for Confirmation Retreat
Dec 10 CORRECTED date for Breakfast with Santa
Apr 19 CORRECTED date for Dress Out Day for St. Patrick’s Center
May 23 Class of 2013 Parent Meeting (NOT 2012)

Supply Lists
Due to some confusion regarding supplies this year, we will more carefully draw up supply lists next year. In some grades I’ve had questions about the quantity of folders or notebooks. I’ve checked with teachers and found that these supplies will be used for various projects and/or some used first semester and some used second. Teachers wanted to provide the full list at the time when families can get better prices at back to school sales.

Old Desks
I’m frequently asked by parents and other community members about obtaining old student desks to use at home. Last year we made some available to parents and will do so again this year. At the Ice Cream Social you will have an opportunity to obtain older desks for whatever donation you think fair.

Calendar Edits
Thanks to those who’ve provided me with corrections. In the next week we will post the updated calendar on the website and I will provide a listing of corrections, additions and deletions.

I hope you summer continues to be refreshing.

In His Peace,

Gerry Kettenbach, Ph.D.
Principal