The Diocese of Boise will celebrate Catholic Schools Week Jan. 25-31, 2016.  St. Joe’s has activities planned each day to celebrate the week.  When I met with Student Council before Christmas break, they told me that this is one of their favorite times during the school year.  Please see the schedule below.

• Monday:  Opening Prayer Service,  8:15 a.m., Cathedral–dress-up day: Celebrate Wild Idaho ex. skier, rancher, Napoleon Dynamite; Wild Idaho is the theme for this year’s Crab Feed, and we want to celebrate our great state as we kick off the week. 
• Tuesday: dress-up day–pajama day; cuddle up and read in your classes
• Wednesday:  Dress Up As Your Favorite Saint/dress to represent an SLE for Middle School (academic, physical, spiritual, social, citizenship); 7 p.m. State of the School address and information about tuition and registration for parents (gym)
• Thursday:  dress-up day–Twin Day or dress as your opposite personality; door decorations judged
• Friday:  10 a.m. All City Mass at St. Mark’s (Mass dress/crazy socks and hats for assembly and sock hop), Assembly, and Sock Hop
• Sunday: 11:30 a.m. parish Mass @ St. John’s hosted by the school–please join us to celebrate Catholic Schools

This year St. Joseph’s School is fundraising for our parish, St. John’s Cathedral.  We are a Catholic School because we are a ministry of St. John’s parish.  Our parish gives St. Joseph’s Catholic School $100,000/yearly to help us educate our students.  The parish experienced a budget shortfall of $35,000 last fiscal year.  St. Joseph’s School is going to give back to the parish and help address their shortfall.  As a community, we are going to learn about giving of our time, talent, and treasure to our parish.  We will present the parish with a check at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Jan. 31. The fundraiser will be a class competition–between homeroom classes (3 prizes): free dress, pizza and movie party, rootbeer floats.

Since Pope Francis declared this year the Jubilee Year of Mercy, students will be writing about mercy, and classes will be decorating their doors.

Thank you for sending your child to a Catholic School!  We are blessed to work with you.