Cyclone Chatter December 18th , 2020

Dear STM Families,

It was GREAT to see so many of you yesterday at our Drive-Through Christmas Celebration at STM!!  Based on the number of candy canes our Santa shared, we were able to see more than 300 of our students and families on such a beautiful December afternoon.  I know it did my healing heart a lot of good to see you and your children!!  I am truly looking forward to our return together at STM on Monday, January 4, 2021.

We appreciate your flexibility and support as we completed these last weeks of December in the distance learning mode.  Your input and ideas through email and phone conversations have been helpful in preparing some changes that will occur.  There has been a lot of work going on to help ensure that our return to in-person learning will begin on Jan. 4 and continue through May.  Here are some of our continuing efforts to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment for our students and staff:

1. Twenty additional educational Zoom licenses were purchased utilizing CARES funding from the Grandview School District. More of our teachers will be able to livestream from their own classrooms if COVID-impacted students are absent.
2. A STM COVID dashboard is in the works to share a weekly count of actual student or staff cases, numbers in quarantine, and an overall percentage of attendance.
3. The STM COVID Task Force is expanding to include a number of parents who have insight and constructive ideas to add to the conversation as numbers of COVID cases, quarantined staff & students, or absences might rise. If you’re interested in joining this advisory group, please send your name and why you feel you would be helpful to this group to me in an email. 

Since we began our school year later than planned, our 2nd quarter (1st semester), will not end until January 15.  By that time, we hope to have our new COVID Task Force members on board, the dashboard ready to share, and our teachers set to livestream, as necessary.
As a precursor, I have prepared a SHORT (two question) ANONYMOUS survey about your plans for the Christmas holiday.  I will share the results of this survey next Tuesday so you will have a good idea of our school community’s travel and plans to get together.  Here’s the link to the survey:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9XN2SWR 
Here is a guide from the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services for Holiday Celebrations:  https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/holiday-celebrations.php
Don’t forget to follow the guidelines to wear a mask, wash your hands often, avoid large crowds, and isolate from anyone who is known or suspected of COVID infection.  Your continued prayers are needed for the health and well-being of all of our staff and families at STM.  These will be the BEST ways to ensure that we will be able to stay on-site and in school.


STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS:
Dec. 21-Jan. 1                    Christmas Break--Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Friday, Dec. 25.                  Happy Birthday Jesus!  Merry Christmas!
Monday, Jan. 4                   First day of school in 2021
Monday, Jan. 4                   Mrs. Corkins’ class First Reconciliation Service at 6 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 14.              Last day of 2nd Quarter (1st Semester)
Friday, Jan. 15.                   All STM Activity Fees are DUE
Friday, Jan. 15                    Diocesan Prof. Dev. Day for all teachers—NO SCHOOL
Monday, Jan. 18                Martin Luther King, Jr. Day—NO SCHOOL 
Jan. 24-30                           Catholic Schools Week


LAST DAY TO BID ON THE CHRISTMAS PUPPY!!
Still haven’t found that perfect gift?  Our STM Auction has a French Bull Dog
(approximately 9 weeks old) up for bid and adoption.   Make your bid for him NOW
on www.stmauction.org
Bidding for him ends TODAY!  He is AKC Chocolate Brindle and loves to play and cuddle.
He is ready for his forever family. 

CHRISTMAS MASS AT STM:
Make your plans now to attend Christmas Mass at STM.  Reservations are required in order to
make sure we can accommodate safe social distancing and honor current seating restrictions. 
Sign-ups will remain open until capacity has been reached.  Walk-ins will have to be turned
away if capacity has been reached.  Please go to www.stmkc.com  to reserve your seats. 
In addition, the 4 p.m. Mass on Christmas Eve will be live-streamed and the 6 p.m., 8 p.m.,
Midnight, 7:30 a.m., and 9:30 a.m. Masses will be recorded and available on the church website.

LEARNING MODE FOR 3rd QUARTER:
Please notify Mrs. Crosthwait by email at Crosthwait_linda@stmcyclones.org by Friday, Jan 7 if your
 child will change learning modes for the 3rd Quarter of our school year.  Third quarter will begin on
 Tuesday, January 19.  There is no need to notify me if you do not plan to change your child’s
current learning mode.

BASKETBALL SWEATSHIRT AVAILABLE:
Grey Gildan Hoodie for the basketball season.   The cost is $30.00 apiece.  Order form attached.    
All forms should be returned to Tim Waris with cash/ check made out to Saint Thomas More.      
You can also Venmo  @tim-waris. 
The deadline to order is 12/30/20.   You can bring the form to the parish office or leave in the secure
black mailbox by the parish office door.    The Basketball Hoodie has been approved for Spirit wear. 


WINTER SPORTS INFORMATION:
 All students involved in Parochial League Winter Sports should contact the coach of your
team or Tim Waris, STM Athletic Director, with any information about try-outs, practices, etc.


MRS. CORKINS’ 2ND GRADE CLASS FIRST RECONCILIATION:
The First Reconciliation Service for the students in Mrs. Corkins’ 2nd grade class has been rescheduled
 for Monday, January 4 at 6 p.m. in the church.  During this service:
· Fr. Justin will begin with an introduction,
· share a gospel passage,
· give final instructions to the 2nd graders,
· and then our three priests will hear the 2nd graders' (only the students') confessions.
· Fr. Justin will share a concluding prayer at the end of the service.


STM HOLIDAY SPIRITWEAR PICK-UP: 
​We don’t have a solid date/time for STM Spirit Wear delivery and pick-up.  Please continue to check your email for updates.  Thanks for your orders—and your patience! Here we are at the final week of Advent!  May your preparation for the celebration of our Lord’s birth at Christmas bring you all the joy and blessings of the season! 

Week Four Prayer - A Prayer for LoveHeavenly Father, The whole meaning of Christmas can be explained in one little four letter word…LOVE. You sent your gift of pure love to us that first Christmas. Love descended from heaven to be born of a virgin. Love lay in the scratchy hay of a manger in a meager barn in Bethlehem. All of your love, God, was robed in the delicate skin of a baby and wrapped in swaddling clothes. This final week of Advent, help us to reflect on the magnitude of love that was made manifest in Jesus.
Your word became flesh and you made your dwelling among us when Jesus was born. You set aside all of the glory and splendor of heaven and chose the most humble way to enter into your kingdom. Beneath the stars, surrounded by all of the hosts of heaven, Love came. Welcomed by an earthly mother and father, shepherds and wise men, Love came. 
The greatest gift of all came that first Christmas. It wasn’t wrapped in a beautiful package and set under a decorated tree. The greatest gift came wrapped in the flesh of baby Jesus and laid in the rough wood of a manger. Our perfect gift would later be rewrapped in the scars of our sin and nailed to the rugged wood of a cross on Calvary, all because of love.
Father, this final week of Advent, fill our hearts and minds with the significance of that truth. Thank you, Lord, for loving us enough to send Jesus. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen
​
Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year to all of you!

St. Thomas More, pray for us.
Peace and Blessings,
Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal