IMPORTANT DATES

A.     Dec. 24 – Christmas Break

B.     Dec. 31 – PTO new Year’s Eve Dance

C.     Jan. 7 – Classes resume

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

E.     Apr. 28 – Jog-A-Thon

1.         WEATHER RELATED CLOSING AND DELAYS.  If Oak Hills School District is closed we are closed.  If Oak Hills is on a delay, the Oak Hills busses will pick up late.  If Oak Hills is on a delay and Cincinnati Public Schools are open, the CPS busses will not run.

2.         UNIFORM SIZING.  Unfortunately as students grow, their clothes don’t.  Many students are having a hard time keeping shirts tucked in and skirts at appropriate lengths or have pants that are beginning to look like “crop pants”.  Please take a look at your child’s uniform and make any alterations needed between now and when we get back from Christmas break.

3.         DISCOUNT TICKETS FOR NUTCRACKER AT ARONOFF.  The Nutcracker, presented by the Cincinnati Ballet, will be held at the Aronoff Center from December 19 through December 29.  Discount tickets, at 20% off, are available by ordering online at cincinnatiballet.com and using the discount code NUTKIDS.  In addition, because Christina, Suzanne and Rachel Schultz will be dancing in the performances, I will be able to order half-price tickets for all performances after Christmas.  Please call Mary Schultz at 922-6242 for information on the half-price tickets.

4.         VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT WEEKEND MASSES!  Bigg's generously donates 6% of all Bigg's gift cards the parish sells.  The gift cards are sold before and after all weekend Masses by volunteers.  Volunteers commit to selling the Bigg's gift cards at one Mass each month.  We are in the process of putting together our 2008 schedule of volunteers, and we need volunteers to cover the following Masses each month:  4:30 Mass on the 1^st, 3^rd, or 4^th weekends of every month; 8:00 Mass on the 4^th Sunday of every month; and 11:30 Mass on the 1^st or 3^rd Sunday of every month.  Volunteers arrive about 15 minutes before Mass begins, and stay after Mass about 15 minutes.  If you can take one of these open volunteer spots, please call Carol Jacob at 451-1344 or e-mail her at carolajacob@fuse.net.  PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING WITH THIS IMPORTANT PARISH FUND RAISER!

5.         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 2 garden salads free; AND one Cincinnati Zoo coupon which is valid for the Festival of Lights.  Please contact any eighth grade student or Sue Ulmer at 922-2159.

6.         NURSING HOME VISIT.  The annual nursing home visit will be Wednesday, December 12.  We will meet at the Priest’s garage at 12 noon and will return by 2 p.m.  Gifts of $1 or more will be accepted (and are needed!) and can be placed in a tub in the greeting room of the church.  Please wrap these gifts and label them as for a gentleman, lady, or either.  We will visit the nursing home, deliver the gifts, and sing Christmas carols to the residents.  Children are especially welcome!  Any questions, please contact Karen Maurer at 471-1273 or Susan Burger at 922-7905.

7.         SPORTS TROPHIES NEEDED.  We have completed the first phase of refreshing the trophy cases in the gym lobby, and now we are looking to highlight more accomplishments of our sports teams.  We have space available to display more trophies, and we are especially looking for trophies that have been earned within the past few years.  The objective is for the kids who earned the trophies to be able see them displayed while they are attending St. Antoninus.  We currently have trophies dating back to 1984, and will continue to display as many trophies as possible.  If you have a trophy or plaque at your house that was won by a St. Antoninus team, please bring it to the school office so that it can be added to the trophy case.  You can also include a team picture if you have it.  If you have any questions or need to have a trophy picked up call Kevin Anneken (922-9616) or Scott Reiter (922-5002).

8.         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.

9.         NEW YEAR’S EVE DANCE.  Mark your calendars for December 31 and make plans to attend the St. Antoninus PTO-sponsored New Year’s Eve Dance.  The party starts at 8:00 p.m. and ends at 1:00 a.m.  The cost of $25.00 per person includes beer, wine, soda, champagne at midnight, party favors, DJ, and Skyline Cheese Coneys!  Come celebrate 2007 and bring in 2008 with family and friends.  For more information contact Jackie Anderson at 451-4264; Lori Rolfes 451-9737; or Lauri Sullivan 451-4142.