In this issue (click to jump to a section):
In the Catholic tradition of stewardship, we invite you to prayerfully consider supporting the St. Thomas More Catholic School 2023-2024 Annual Fund.
This year, our goal is to raise funds to support six areas:
Based on your previous generosity, we know that we can meet and even exceed these goals. Please consider a financial gift that will benefit our students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus.
WAYS TO GIVE
Please call the school office at 225-275-2820 if you need assistance.
Your annual contribution is more than a gift; it is an investment in our students that will have a lasting impact. Thank you for your support!
Grandparents Day for Preschool and Kindergarten is Monday, November 13 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Grandparents will go to the STM Gym upon arrival between 8:30 and 9 a.m. The morning will include musical presentations, Book Fair, and old school games.
Due to safety and liability coverage, we cannot allow any other children or siblings, younger or older, not enrolled at STM, to attend Grandparents Day. Only students enrolled in Preschool and Kindergarten at STM may participate in Grandparents Day activities on Monday.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES! We need your helping hands and hearts to make this special event a success for our students and their grandparents! Please consider signing up for one of these opportunities:
1. To set up, clean up, or volunteer at receptions, click here. Reminder: To volunteer on campus, you must complete Child Protection Certification. Click here to view the Child Protection requirements.
2. To bring refreshments, click here.
3. To contribute a financial gift using Venmo to help make Grandparents Day a special event, click here.
Because of your generosity and participation in Mission Day, the STM school community is donating $9,500 to Village Schools International. Thank you for another successful Mission Day!
Do you have a child entering school next year? Do you know a family looking for a school? Applications for new students are open at stmbr.org/apply. We have limited availability for qualified candidates. Please note: Applications are for new students only; current students will reenroll for 2024-2025 in January.
We did it again! St. Thomas More Catholic School and Church are in the WINNERS CIRCLE for Baton Rouge Parents Magazine Family Favorites 2023! Thank you, STM Family, for voting! YOU are what makes our STM community the winner!
Our first Prom was a success! Music, dancing, food and drinks, and most importantly, community! Congratulations to our Prom King Jarvus Ryes and Prom Queen Jenee Olivier! Thank you to event chairs Lan Hoang and Colleen Bryant, the STM School Board, DJ Sean Rogers, all who attended, and our sponsors:
Air Compressor Energy Systems, Inc.
Airline Auto Center
Dane and Kelly Bailey
Don't Stop Believin' group
Anthony and Katie Castille
Customer Service Janitorial
Paul and Sara Debenedetto
Wayne and Courtney Gatlin
Len Transportation
René and Adrienne Mire
Drew and Libby Murrell
Performance Contractors
Mark and Kayla Pollett
Pro Scales & Construction Services
Sigma Engineers & Constructors
Unique Collision
Billy and Cheryl Zimmerman
STM Women’s Ministry is once again returning to STM school to give students an opportunity to help the less fortunate in our community. In partnership with local nonprofits, the STM Angel Tree provides assistance to those in need in our community through the purchase of Christmas gifts and/or gift cards.
On Friday, November 17, the Women’s Ministry will be on campus to allow students to select angels. With your permission, your son or daughter will be able to choose from three different types of angel ornaments: gift angels, gift card angels, and prayer angels.
Each GIFT ANGEL will describe a person in need (e.g., a 3-year-old boy) and ONE ITEM from that person’s wish list (e.g., a toy truck). If you are uncomfortable with the gift item listed, please feel free to purchase an alternative, age-appropriate gift instead. Please note that “BIG TICKET” items (such as electronics) WILL NOT appear on the angels. ·
Each GIFT CARD ANGEL will list a store from which a gift card has been requested by a person in need. Simply purchase a gift card at the requested store in a denomination that your family wishes to contribute.
Each PRAYER ANGEL will simply ask your family to pray for the less fortunate during the Christmas season.
After purchasing the gift, please wrap the gift in Christmas wrap with the ANGEL ORNAMENT ATTACHED TO THE OUTSIDE so that the description can be read. Simply attach the ANGEL ORNAMENT to any gift cards purchased.
Volunteers will be working morning carpool the week of December 4-8 to collect gifts and gift cards. You may also return the gifts to volunteers at the back of church after weekend Masses from November 18 to December 10 All gifts and gift cards must be returned by December 10. Volunteers will deliver the gifts to our partner organizations the week before Christmas.
If you would like to give permission to have your child select an Angel on Friday, November 17 at school, please click here to fill out the permission form by Wednesday, November 15.
Thank you so much for supporting this mission of STM. If you have any questions or trouble with the form, send an email to stmwomensministry@gmail.com
Dive into reading! The STM book fair is an opportunity to inspire a love of reading for our
students, and Scholastic will give back a portion of money spent to STM.
Click here to set up your child's eWallet. eWallet is a safe, cash-free way for your child to shop the book fair. Share your eWallet link with friends and family—anyone can contribute!
Students will have the opportunity to shop at the Book Fair according to their grade level's designated day and time. On Monday, November 13, students in Preschool and Kindergarten will have the opportunity to shop with their Grandparents; 4th grade also shops on this day. Students in grades 1 to 3 will shop on Tuesday, November 14.
Online shopping is available through November 20! Click here!
Once an Eagle, always an Eagle! We are working to create an active alumni network. Click here to fill out our alumni contact form. Please share the link with your STM Alumni family and friends! We appreciate your time and consideration in sharing your information with us!
The administration and faculty/staff of STM have the security of our campus as our number one priority. We have many layers that provide wonderful protection for our staff and students: one entrance into campus, key codes on the buildings, 100% child protection compliant, visitors checked in prior to entering campus, and locked classroom doors. We are looking to add an additional layer to our systems by adding a police officer to our staff. Please consider taking a moment to click here and respond to our survey. Thank you for your time and input!
Later this year, the Diocese will transition to a new system for Child Protection Certifications. To ensure all current applications are processed before this rollover, we ask that anyone who wishes to volunteer at STM and has not completed all Child Protection requirements, please do so by December 1. Click here to view the Child Protection requirements.
Community Coffee Cash for Schools: Please continue collecting Proofs of Purchase from all your Community Coffee products. Funds collected go directly to STM teachers for their classrooms! Save your own Proofs of Purchase, plus consider posting this easy ask flyer at your or your family’s places of work or your STM family-owned local places of business. Send Proofs of Purchase to your child’s homeroom teacher or the front office – whichever is easier! For questions about Community Coffee Cash for Schools, contact chairs Colleen Bryant and/or Beth Morgan.
Home & School is a home-school partnership involving collaborative working relationships between families and schools and we look forward to working with you! Go to stmbr.org/hsa23 for information about STM Home and School events and committees, and to sign up as a volunteer. Please note that to take advantage of these volunteer opportunities you must be Child Protection Certified. Go to https://www.stmbr.org/volunteer23 for more information.
For the STM Athletics full calendar of events, go to stmbr.org/school/athletics.
FALL SPORTS AWARDS CONVOCATION - November 27: We will use this special night to honor our girls basketball, football, cross country, swimming and tennis athletes and coaches. We will be passing out participation certificates, letterman awards and pins to those athletes who have earned them for a fall sport this year.
COACHES NEEDED - STM Athletics needs coaches for the following teams:
Please contact Athletic Director Ryan Empson if interested at empsonr@stmbr.org. All coaches must be Child Protection Certified. Please click here to view Child Protection Certification requirements.
BOYS BASKETBALL - Dunham Tournament, November 29 - December 2
Veterans Day Fellowship: We will honor our veterans with a special blessing at all Mass this weekend; veterans are encouraged to wear something symbolic of their service. Join us for fellowship, donuts and coffee in the activity center after the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Masses on Sunday, November 12.
Thanksgiving Mass: The parish will celebrate Thanksgiving with a 6 p.m. Vigil Mass on Wednesday, November 22. All are invited to bring the bread or wine from their Thanksgiving meal for a special blessing. The collection taken up at this Mass will fund the work done by the St. Vincent de Paul conference, an STM ministry that aids the parish needy. There is no Mass or confession on Thanksgiving day, and the church office is closed on Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24, for the holiday.
Knights of Columbus Family Movie Night: Join us for movie night Friday, December 1, at 7 p.m. on STM Field. The featured movie is Home Alone. Enjoy hot dogs, popcorn, hot chocolate and lemonade! This is a FREE event. Bring your own comfortable seating. Attendees are encouraged to bring donations of toiletries and blankets for the Bishop Ott Homeless Shelter. In the event of inclement weather, movie night will be cancelled.
Advent Begins: Advent is the Catholic liturgical season of preparation leading up to Christmas Day. This year Advent begins on Sunday, December 3, 2023. Prayerfully journey through Advent with us by picking up a copy of the 2023 reflection booklet, A Time for Holy Listening, in the back of the church. Booklets are available beginning November 26 – one per family please.
Immaculate Conception: The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is Friday, December 8, and is a holy day of obligation. The Mass schedule is as follows: Vigil Mass at 6 p.m. on December 7; 8 a.m. Mass (all school Mass) and noon on December 8.
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NOVEMBER 13: Grandparents Day - Preschool and Kindergarten, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
NOVEMBER 16:
• School Mass (Grades K to 8), 8:45 a.m.
• Spotlight performance, 6 p.m.
NOVEMBER 17: No EBR bus transportation
NOVEMBER 20-24: Thanksgiving break
NOVEMBER 27: Fall Sports Awards Convocation, 6:30 p.m.
NOVEMBER 30: School Mass (Grades 4 to 8), 8:45 a.m.
DECEMBER 1: Knights of Columbus Family Movie Night, 7 p.m.
DECEMBER 8: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a holy day of obligation. School Mass (Grades K to 8), 8 a.m.
DECEMBER 14: STM School Choir Christmas Concert, 6:30 p.m. in STM Church.
JANUARY 15:
• STM Movie Night at Celebrity Theatres
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No school on this day
MARCH 9: Dad & Daughter Dance - Grades K-8
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St. Thomas More Catholic School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at its schools. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic, and other school administered programs.
