IMPORTANT DATES

A.    Feb. 7 – PTO Meeting, 7 p.m.

B.    Feb. 11-14 – Conferences

C.    Feb. 15, 18 – Presidents’ Day Weekend – SCHOOL CLOSED

D.    Feb. 27 – Spring Portrait Day

E.    Feb. 29 – Yearbook Orders Due

F.    Mar. 21-28 – Easter Holiday – SCHOOL CLOSED

G.    Apr. 5 – Girl Scout Toy and Clothing Sale

H.    Apr. 10 – Spring Program

I.      Apr. 28 – Jog-A-Thon

1.         ST. ANTONINUS PTO GENERAL MEETING.  Plan on attending the next PTO meeting!  The meeting will take place on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, in the Undercroft at 7 p.m. for refreshments with the meeting beginning at 7:30 p.m.  Come and meet other St. A parents and teachers, find out about volunteer opportunities and bring your ideas to share ... We are a T.E.A.M. (Together Everyone Achieves More)!

2.         CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK THANK YOU!  A huge thank you to those who helped make Catholic Schools Week such a memorable one.  Special recognition goes to Susan Roberto, Lisa Reiter, Janet Weber, and Lisa Wagner for their assistance with the Open House refreshments in the cafeteria, and to Patti Brunst for her work in the Spirit Shop on Sunday.  The PTO deserves a lot of credit for their support of this week's activities including Family Fun Night, special recognition to the faculty and staff, and an ice cream social for the school which was chaired by Jackie Anderson.  We'd also like to recognize Kim Springer and Harlan Graphics for the beautiful new banners they made for our school for display during Catholic Schools Week each year.  One proudly hangs outside the front entrance and the other is in the cafeteria.  Thanks Kim to you and your company!  Congratulations to the teachers on their volleyball game victory against the 7th and 8th graders!  Thank you to Fr. Armstrong and Mr. Corey for the rosaries that were distributed to the students.  Lastly, and most importantly, a special thank you to all the faculty and staff for all your hard work and dedication to our students!  You're the greatest!!!

3.         FAMILY FUN NIGHT.  Thanks to all the volunteers and faculty advisors who helped to make this such a fun event.  A special thanks to Marcia Wessels, Carrie Naber, Lori Rolfes, Jackie Anderson, Nancy Clements, Gwen Bender and Lisa Reiter for chairing the individual continents .  An extra special thanks to Mrs. Dwyer for her dedication and help -- it was "over and above" what is expected and, without her help, it would not have been such a success.  The rough estimate (based on 250 printed "Passports" plus the 40 extra we printed that night) was that we had approximately 275 kids attending.  Thanks again, Patti Brunst, Coordinator.

4.         2007-2008 YEARBOOK ORDERS.  Enclosed with this white envelope is a yearbook order form.  The cost is $17.50 per yearbook ordered.  You can order multiple yearbooks in one envelope or separately.  Payment is by check, cash, or money order.  If you pay by cash, you will receive a receipt when the sale is over.  If you do not receive a receipt, we did not receive your order.  Please return your form/payment to your homeroom teacher by Friday, February 29.  (After this date, the cost will increase to $20 since we get a discount for buying in volume on the initial orders.)  Don't miss the opportunity to order a great memory keepsake from your child's school days.  The 8th graders will not want to miss the 2-page color layout of their graduating class.  Please e-mail any questions to Cathy Neville at thestayearbook@yahoo.com.

5.         YEARBOOK PICTURES.  We need your help!!  To make sure we have covered all the school activities so far this year, please send any pictures you may have taken to Carol Hartfiel on a CD marked “yearbook pictures” or as an attachment to thestayearbook@yahoo.com.  We can only accept pictures of school-sponsored functions and in digital form.  If you have any questions, please e-mail the yearbook staff at the above e-mail address.  Thanks for your help!!

6.         SPRING SHOW.  The Spring Show stars the students in K, 5th, 6th, and 8th grades.  Attention Parents and Grandparents:  The Spring Show is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, 2008.  We are looking for volunteers who would like to share their time and/or talents with the students to help make our show a success.  If you are interested, please contact Mrs. Milano at 922-2500 or milano@saintantoninus.org.  We are looking for all kinds of volunteers, so feel free to join even if you think you don’t have any talents!

7.          2008 SPRING BOX TOPS CONTEST.  A new contest has started!!  Start saving Box Tops for Education coupons from 2/1/08 to 5/31/08.  Tape or paste Box Tops for Education coupons in each of the 25 blocks on the contest form.  Turn in completed sheets by May 31, 2008, to the school office.  Each completed sheet is worth $2.50 for St. Antoninus PTO.  The family turning in the most money for school will receive a $30 Kroger Gift Card.  Also, there will be a random drawing for a winner of a basket of Box Tops for Education products worth over $25.  Get your kids involved!!  The more sheets turned in, the more opportunity to win the basket and the most collected.  If you need more sheets, please copy the form, stop by the school office, or go to the St. A website.  PLEASE SEE BACK OF CONTEST FORM FOR A LIST OF PARTICIPATING PRODUCTS!!  Thanks for your help.  Any questions, e-mail Cathy Neville at staboxtops@yahoo.com.

8.         SAINT ANTONINUS BOY SCOUT TROOP 614 - LENTEN FISH FRY.  Please come!  Free yourself from cooking and socialize with your fellow parishioners beginning on Ash Wednesday and every Friday in Lent.  Dinner is served between 5-7 p.m. in the Undercroft.  Menu includes fish sandwiches, grilled salmon, pizza, fries, macaroni and cheese, desserts and more.  New item this year is baked potatoes.  Dine-In and Carryout options are both available.

9.         TOY AND CLOTHING SALE.  Saturday, April 5, 2008, 8:30 a.m – 12:00 p.m. in the Church Undercroft.  Sellers should register by contacting Mariellen Rechtin, 467-1616, or trechtin@fuse.net.  The following items may be sold at the sale:  baby/child/teen clothing, school uniforms, maternity clothing, baby equipment (strollers, car seats, etc.), toys, children’s videos and books, parenting books.  More information can be found on a link from the Church web site, www.saintantoninus.org.  Sellers receive 40% of what is sold.

10.       GIRLS SOFTBALL.  Sign ups will be held in person following the 11:30 a.m. mass on February 10 and 17 in the Undercroft.  For more information, contact Candi Bushman or Carrie Steinhaus.

11.       CHOCOLATE MILK.  For your information, Meyer Dairy no longer sells 2% Chocolate Milk.  The school will now be ordering 1% Chocolate Milk from Meyer Dairy.  Students will notice a lighter brown carton.  This change does not affect White Milk; we will still have 2% White Milk (and Orange Drink) on hand.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the School Office.

12.       ATTENTION EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS AND PARENTS.  We would like to collect pictures from all your years at St A. for your graduation breakfast.  Please send any pictures you would like to share to school, marked with your name and phone # so we can return them to you.  And remember to take lots of pictures during this year so we can include them also.  We are looking for all kinds of events:  scouts, sports, school events, etc.  Send them in an envelope marked "8th grade pictures - Attention Diane Martini” through the school office or you can e-mail them to me at rmartini2@cinci.rr.com.  We will be collecting them all year.  Thank you in advance for helping.  Questions?  Contact Diane Martini at 922-0963.

13.       LOST WEEKLY WHITE ENVELOPES.  Lost weekly white envelopes can be replaced at a cost of $1.00 (due to the expense of the envelopes).  Please see Mrs. Bepler in the School Office.

14       LOST & FOUND.  Lost & Found bin for large items is located in the Cafeteria.  Lost small items (jewelry, watches, etc.) are in the School Office.  Mrs. Bepler would love to reunite these items with their owners.  Please stop by if you are missing an item.

15.       LAROSA BUDDY CARDS ARE AVAILABLE.  The "new" Buddy Card includes 12 coupons for buy a large pizza get a large cheese pizza free; buy a large pizza get a calzone, hoagy, or two garden salads free; AND one Cincinnati Zoo coupon which is valid for the Festival of Lights.  Please contact Sue Ulmer at 922-2159.

16.       SKI TRIP TO PERFECT NORTH SLOPES.  All are invited to a day of skiing, snowboarding, and/or tubing at Perfect North Slopes on Friday, February 15.  The group rate for SKIING & SNOWBOARDING is $45 for ages 7 & up (6 and under free with a paying adult).  This includes 8 hours of skiing/snowboarding plus equipment rental plus a beginner lesson.  Deduct $15 if you have your own equipment.  You will need to know your shoe size, height and weight to rent equipment.  If we have less than 41 skiers/snowboarders, the cost is an additional $2.  SNOW TUBING is available for ages 7 & up for $15 for 2 hours, $20 for 3 hours, $32 for 8 hours; add $5 for each additional hour.  Deduct $5 from adult rates for ages 6 & under.  One signed waiver form is required per family for snow tubing.  A COMBO lift ticket is also available.  Add $10 to your ski/snowboard lift ticket to include tubing during the 8 hour period.  Everyone is responsible for his own transportation and supervision.  A car caravan will leave the St. Antoninus lower parking lot PROMPTLY at 9 AM (be there by 8:45 AM) or meet us in the upper level of Perfect’s lodge at 9:30 AM.  Pack a lunch or buy there … coolers are allowed!  CASH payment MUST be received by Patty Hetzer (1419 Linneman Road) by 10 PM on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, to be included in the group rate.  This is a private trip, and is not associated with St. Antoninus Parish.  Questions?  Call Patty Hetzer at 347-3690.