Love Knowledge

Respect Justice

St. Pius X School Newsletter

IN THE NEWS

Announcements

www.stpius.org March 2, 2017

Calendar Items

Monday, March 6 2:00pm—School Dismissal

Wednesday, March 8 9:15am—School Mass

Sunday, March 12 11:00am Mass - Family Groups 11 & 12

Monday, March 13 2:00pm—School Dismissal

Wednesday, March 15 9:15am—School Mass

Friday, March 17 FREE DRESS End of 2nd Trimester

Monday, March 20 2:00pm—School Dismissal

Wednesday, March 22 9:15am—School Mass

Friday, March 24 Spirit Wear Day!

Monday, March 27—Friday, March 31 NO SCHOOL—SPRING BREAK

Monday, April 3 2:00pm—School Dismissal

Wednesday, April 5 9:15am—School Mass

Newsletter article deadline is 3:00pm on Tuesdays. All articles must be in writing. Email: fwilson@stpius.org

Our Lenten Collection

Our Wednesday Mass collection for the following dates will be donated to the Saint Andre Bessette Catholic Church

(Portland’s Downtown Chapel) to assist them in their ongoing efforts to feed and clothe Portland’s homeless

citizens. A weekly graph will display our progress.

Please give generously.

Donation dates: March 8, 15, 22, April 5 & 12.

What St. Pius X Means To Me

Logan Cruz (8th grade) was asked to speak at the 5:30pm Mass on Sunday, January 29th for Catholic Schools Week.

We are proud to share with you his reflection on page 2 of this newsletter.

Enjoy, Mary Thompson, Principal

Back to Basics — “We Love and Care for Each Other”

Coach Dave Kitchell

It’s Back!!

St. Pius X Summer Enrichment Program for 2017!

More details coming soon!!

Thank You

Words cannot express the heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated, volunteered, planned, organized, worked,

donated and sponsored the 2017 St. Pius X School “Back to the 80’s” auction! It was an amazing evening

and great success for our students.

To Erin Cahill and her leadership team ~ thank you for your leadership and dedication.

To everyone who helped raise funds for the school by your donations, sponsorships and contributions ~ your generosity

is greatly appreciated.

To parents, alums and friends of St. Pius X ~ your hard work did not go unseen. What a gift you are to come and give of

your time.

To the parish and school staff ~ your help and presence only made the team effort stronger.

As principal of St. Pius X School, I stand in awe and give thanks for the many blessings everyone has given to make

this school continue to grow and flourish.

I am extremely grateful to all of you.

Mary Thompson, Principal

What St. Pius X Means To Me

Hi, my name is Logan Cruz and I am one of the graduating 8th graders this year. Tonight I am going

to talk to you about how St. Pius X changed my spiritual life for the better. St. Pius X has made me

grow closer to God by prayer and service. Ever since Kindergarten, I have been learning prayers

from the Our Father to the Act of Contrition. Every morning we have a reading and a prayer and

before lunch we pray Grace. St. Pius X also has prayer services that middle school classes

present. This helps the middle school students get to know each other better. We discuss

questions in groups and strengthen our relationship with God. During religion class, we discuss the

role models of the church and how they served God. In middle school a student is required to do

3 hours of service every trimester. I and about half my class had each done ten or more hours of

service for the first trimester. St. Pius X has taught me to not just do the minimum, but to go beyond

it. Service is never grueling work either. It can be working at the concessions stand during a

basketball game or something more like giving necessities to the homeless. For some of my hours

of service I participated in the Parish Picnic and concessions stands. Over the summer I was a

Vacation Bible School leader. Vacation Bible School is a camp for kids and it is a fun way to learn

about God with songs and different readings. Over the 9 years I have been here, I have made

many friends. My friends have guided me to make good choices and to grow spiritually. At

St. Pius X we have first communion in second grade and reconciliation twice a year. St. Pius X is a

loving community with amazing teachers to help you become independent and more faithful to God.

St. Pius X has taught me how to pray and do service, while helping me become closer to God.

Thank you.

Logan Cruz

8th Grade

Well it seems like Lent comes around faster and faster every year. There used to be a part of me that would secretly be unhappy with the arrival of Lent. I think mostly because Lent does call us to

conversion, and that means change. As I get along in years however, I find myself looking forward to it, because I have come to the understanding that God is not done with me yet. I am still on a

path towards holiness. “Don’t scandalize ‘the little ones’ with a double life, because scandal destroys. That was the message of Pope Francis in his homily at the morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta. And

so, the Pope said, we should not put off conversion. “Cut off your hand,” “Pluck out your eye,” but “don’t scandalize the little ones,” that is, the just, those who confide in the Lord, who

believe simply in the Lord. That was the Pope’s exhortation in the homily, based on the day’s Gospel. For the Lord, he said, scandal is destruction:

“But what is scandal? Scandal is saying one thing and doing another; it is a double life, a double life. A totally double life: ‘I am very Catholic, I always go to Mass, I belong to this association and that one;

but my life is not Christian…(Vatican Radio, Santa Marta)

Have we met this person before? We have. They are in our midst. The gift of Lent, is that there is time for conversion. Lent is a new beginning, a path leading to the certain goal of Easter, Christ’s

victory over death. This season urgently calls us to conversion. Christians are asked to return to God “with all their hearts” (Joel 2:12), to refuse to settle for mediocrity and to grow in

friendship with the Lord. Jesus is the faithful friend who never abandons us. Even when we sin, he patiently awaits our return; by that patient expectation, he shows us his readiness to forgive

(cf. Homily, 8 January 2016).

Lent is a favorable season for deepening our spiritual life through the means of sanctification offered us by the Church: fasting, prayer and almsgiving. So what are you going to do for Lent? Remember,

Lent is a time of conversion. So why would you give up something that you simply are going to return to? We are called to change our lives to be more closely directed to Jesus Christ. So what will you need to do to make this happen? This can be the best Lent of your life, but you need to truly turn to Christ. What needs to be corrected Lord? Help me be open to your loving formation. If I fall, help me to keep

trying. Please Lord, let us all work to avoid living a double lives. Help us to become disciples.

With God’s Grace,

Fr. Sean Weeks, Pastor

Lent to Easter

Fridays of Lent

~ Stations of the Cross—5:30pm in the Church ~ Soup Suppers - 6:15pm in the Community Center

We will share a simple meal of homemade soups, breads, macaroni and cheese and peanut butter sandwiches. We will pray together and eat together, followed by a short program for adults and activities for the children.

Donations are collected for Operation Rice Bowl, which is the Catholic Relief Services’ Lenten Program to reach out to people in our own neighborhoods, as well as around the world.

Fasting & Abstinence

~ All Catholics 14 years and older abstain from meat on the Fridays of Lent, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. ~ Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. To fast means to eat one

full meal; the other two meals that day should be less than the normal amount unless they are already at a minimum for good health. Eating between meals is not permitted; however, liquids including coffee, milk

and fruit juices are allowed.

Newsletter article deadline is 3:00pm on Tuesdays. All articles must be in writing. Email: fwilson@stpius.org

Page 3 February 23, 2017 IN THE NEWS

Northwest Family Services

Northwest Family Services will present Mother-Daughter and Father-Son Adolescent Development Programs, on Sunday,

April 9, 2017. Program location will be at Providence Portland Medical Center Social Room, 4805 NE Glisan, Portland OR. The Mother-Daughter Program, for girls ages 9-12 and their mother or guardian, is from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The Father-Son Program,

for boys ages 10-13 and their father or guardian, is from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. These programs create a warm and friendly

environment and help families prepare for the physical, emotional, and social changes that adolescents can expect to

experience in the years to come. The cost is $15 per family per program. Pre-registration by Monday, April 3, 2017 is

required. For more information or to register, please visit Northwest Family Services’ website: www.nwfs.org/youth-programs/mother-daughter-and-father-son-program.html

Please see enclosed flyers.

Auction News! “Back to the 80’s”

THANK YOU for an AMAZING Auc�on Night!

Our St. Pius X Community came together strong to develop and execute a memorable event. Thank you for the overwhelming amount of support you showed our en�re team! Special thanks for all of the volunteers

who helped make this evening a success - I would have been lost without you!

It’s not too late to s�ll enjoy the fun!

Thank you Danielle Jansen for the BEAUTIFUL table photos. If you are interested in purchasing addi�onal sibling photos, please contact Danielle directly: h�p://www.fourjaysphotography.com/spx.

Class project and par�es, free dress coupons, socials and sign-up par�es, and more, CAN STILL BE PURCHASED online through next Friday, March 10th: stpiusx.ejoinme.org.

PLEASE remember to contribute online to this year's Curriculum Enhancement Appeal. We are SO close to reaching $100,000 for our wonderful staff. Every li�le bit counts! Don't forget to check with your employer

about dona�on matching opportuni�es! Here is a list of popular businesses that match:

Alaska Airlines Merrill Lynch Bank of America Na�onwide Chevron NIKE Cisco Systems Oracle Cola Cola Enterprises Portland General Electric Columbia Sportswear Sherwin Williams Delta Airlines Starbucks General Electric Symantec Corpora�on HP Power Systems Texas Instruments Intel The Gap JP Morgan Chase US Bank Corp. Key Bank Verizon Logitech Wells Fargo West Coast Bank

IMPORTANT HOT LUNCH BALANCE INFORMATION

There are no emails to alert you to your hot lunch balance this school year. All families are to check it on RenWeb.

It’s easy! Log-in to RenWeb, click on Family Information, then go to Family Billing and click on

Details. Scroll through to see recent hot lunch charges and credits. Please note that you cannot pay online as this feature is not activated. Hot lunch payments are

applied to your account on a weekly basis. If your account has a negative amount, that actually indicates a credit. Please submit all payments (cash or check) to the school office. If you have any questions, please contact

the school office.

Thank you!

Newsletter article deadline is 3:00pm on Tuesdays. All articles must be in writing. Email: fwilson@stpius.org

Page 4 March 2, 2017 IN THE NEWS

Included in this Newsletter

What St. Pius X Means To Me - Logan Cruz Scrip/See’s Candy Fundraiser/Order Form Screen Agers-Growing Up in the Digital Age Spring Break Drama Camp Bales School Can & Bottle Recycling Donation Program Family Groups 11 & 12 Women’s ACTS Retreat SPX Lenten Parish Mission Women’s Club Spring Tea NW Family Services Programs

St. Pius X School Office Hours: 7:30am—4:00pm

Fran Wilson - fwilson@stpius.org / Kristine DaSilva—kdasilva@stpius.org

503-644-3244/Office 503-213-1379/Attendance

stpiuspanthers.org

SCRIP

NEW this year, See's Spring Sale! We are teaming up with See's Candies for the Spring Easter Egg & Chocolates sale! This is a pre-sale order, with delivery just before Easter in

April. There are 5 types of eggs ($5 ea) & one box of chocolates ($6 ea) available. Each item gives 20% to

St. Pius X School! Find your sales order form at the end of the newsletter, or pick one up from the Scrip counter in

the school lobby. Order forms are due no later than Thursday, March 23rd. Offer these delicious Easter

treats to your friends, family, and neighbors to raise money for SPX!

During Lent, remember that we have Scrip to some of your favorite restaurants featuring seafood and non-meat

meal options! McGrath's Fish House, Newport Bay/Stanfords, Red Lobster, McCormick & Schmick's, Morton's

Steakhouse, Chart House, Pastini Pastaria, Sweet Tomatoes, Old Spaghetti Factory, Veggie Grill, and

Baja Fresh.

Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed!

The hot lunch program is desperate for volunteers! Many dates are available from

March through June.

Hot lunch cannot exist without volunteers!!

Please check your calendar and sign-up today!

Re-Enrollment & New Application Timeline for 2017-18

Friday, March 3

~ K-8 Admission notices sent to applicants.

~ Financial Aid decisions mailed to all families.

Monday, March 13

K-8 new student/kindergarten sibling enrollment deadline online RenWeb and fee

($225 per student).

Access Student Online Resources From Home!

Did you know that students and their families can access research databases, keyboarding and other websites used

in the classroom from home? Go to:

http://www.stpiuspanthers.org/k-5-research-resource for kindergarten—5th grade resources. http://www.stpiuspanthers.org/ms-research-resource for middle school resources.

See attached flyer for more information.

Congratulations to our 3rd grade CYO boys team who finished 2nd place in The City

CYO Championship tournament! We are so proud of you—great job!!

Family Groups 11 & 12

Sunday, March 12

11:00am Mass

Group 11 Group 12

Mrs. Bogan Mrs. Larkin

Mrs. Foesch Ms. Keagbine

8th - Matthew Engholm 8th - Taylor Evans

8th - Diego Rystadt 8th - Aries Valenzuela

7A - Jack Whalen 7A - Matt Lesowski

7B - Harrison McGuire 7B - Ryan Hart

7B - Samantha Rickman 7B - Carter Smoluch

6A - Andrew Ignatescu 6A - Ivan Barba

6A - Bella Simas 6B - Clare Mahoney

6B - Gus Clevenger 6B - Casey Schneck

5A - Emie Dykeman 5A - Mickey Badger

5B - Ameya Bharadwaj 5A - Olivia Bateman

5B - Katie Wagner 5B - Michael Darby

4A - Lance Suk 4A - Gerardo Cruz Perez

4B - Preston Lee 4B - Alex Collin

4B - Helena Stremme 4B - Gabe Maloney

3A - Emmett Hapeman 3A - Aaron Rodriguez

3A - Minh Tran 3A - Ashley Zabzeck

3A - Riley McCormick 2A - Sam Bloomer

2A - Katharine Ceneviva 2A - Maria Grajeda

2A - Elizabeth McCann 2B - Bianca Bond

2B - Tillie Amann 1A - Alec Hoffman

2B - Mia Verzani 1B - Lily Bryan

1A - Joey Harrington 1B - Henry Montagne

1B - Sienna Conner KB - Carmen Stepien

1B - Gavin Mendoza KB - Meredith Washburn

KB - Emma Sarantakos KC - Patrick Stepien

KB - Ashley Simon

KC - Lucas Schneck