Hello SKS !

I’m writing a little early this week for two very important reasons—first, there are some late-week announcements you need to know, and second, let’s be honest… come Sunday, you'll be watching the game, not your inbox!

Fly, Eagles, Fly! 🦅
Tomorrow (Friday), we’re kicking off the Superbowl excitement with an Eagles Dress Down Day! Show your Philly pride by wearing your Eagles gear and bringing in $1 to support the Eagles Autism Foundation. Let’s flood the halls in green and celebrate together! And that’s not all—Swoop will be making a special visit during lunch periods, so get ready for some fun!

Super Bowl Monday: Special Schedule Alert ⏰
Following our school district's lead, we will operate on a 2-hour delay. Please note the following bussing updates from various districts:

• Radnor, Marple, and Upper Merion: 2-hour delay

• T/E, Lower Merion, and Haverford: No 2 hour delay. This means that students from these districts must have alternate transportation for Monday's opening; students may arrive as early as 9:30am for our 10:15 start time.

Superbowl Saquon: A Lesson in Lifting Each Other Up 🏈
During CSW, we reflected on what it means to truly SEE one another in our community—recognizing each others' God-given talents and cheering each other on.

With Super Bowl weekend ahead, there’s no better example of this than Saquon Barkley. Whether it was his heartfelt encouragement of teammate Will Shipley after his first NFL touchdown or his constant commitment to uplifting others, Saquon embodies what it means to lead with gratitude and positivity. Huge thanks to SKS mom Michelle Staves for sharing this incredible video: The Journey: Saquon Barkley & the Track Medal of a younger Saquon—proof that the seeds of sportsmanship and support are planted early. I hope you enjoy this short piece! Thank you for sharing, Michelle!

As we gear up for the big game, let’s challenge ourselves to be the kind of community that lifts each other up and celebrates the God-given talents in all of us. If you are looking for ways to do it...come out and cheer on our SKS basketball teams this weekend! 🏀

• Varsity Girls White plays at 9pm Friday at SKS
• Varsity Girl’s Wildcat team (featured in this article for winning the Snowball Tourney!) has a playoff semifinal on Saturday at 1:45 at Merion Mercy.
• JV Girl’s Wildcat team also has a playoff semifinal on Saturday at 11:00 at Merion Mercy.
• The JV Boys Wildcat team won the Region 32 championship this past weekend. They are a perfect 22-0 and heading to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia City Tournament. (pictured below!) Stay tuned for game info!

Go SKS, and GO BIRDS! 🦅💚

G.B.Y.!*,

Mrs. Mulvanerty

*God Bless You!

Did you know that yesterday we had 46 students absent and many more sent home for illness? It's that time of year...so PLEASE be vigilant - remind students to keep hands washed, and please do not send sick children back to school unless they have been fever free for at least 24 hours without medication. Thank you for your partnership!

We're excited to invite middle school students to enjoy Art Study Hall for the three Fridays in February! Bring your favorite art supplies, or borrow some Art materials from the Art office, and spend your lunch recess making art in the Art Lounge. Open to all students in grades 5-8. Dates: February 7, 21, 28. No technology, please.

Don't miss this opportunity for an evening of prayer, dinner and reflection! All women of the parish are welcome to join us as Father Stephen DeLacy (Vicar for the Office for Faith Formation of Youth and Young Adults), brings his grace, wisdom and joy to our February Evening of Reflection. Please register and and bring a friend! Reflection to follow by Sophia Twohig!

Presenter: Jenn Shaw, Teaching and Learning Specialist

Literacy activities at home can develop your child's reading ability,

comprehension, and language skills. This workshop will provide parents with fun and practical

ideas to engage their child in early literacy activities such as rhyming, joint storytelling, and

multisensory play. The targeted audience for this session is 4-8 year olds. Please register for this session by Thursday February 6, 2025. by clicking the link below Register at https://www.dciu.org/ParentTrainings . Zoom link will be sent the day before the training.

Dive deeper into Archbishop Perez’ Pastoral Letter and his vision to strengthen our archdiocese using a unique method of “hub churches.” His hope is to avoid merging parishes or assigning priests to multiple churches. The evening includes a presentation followed by a question and answer session. Find out how St. Katharine’s parish (including our school) will be impacted! To read Archbishop Perez’s full letter visit: www.trustandhope.org. To register for the event, scan the QR code on the attached flyer.

St. Agnes Outreach Services serves our less fortunate neighbors in the greater West Chester area but turns no one away. They serve meals, provide groceries and gently used clothing. Their bilingual staff helps with translation and general administrative assistance. They also have an educational program for area preschool children and a health clinic that serves the uninsured.

Faithful Families will be assembling “Bags of Love” for St. Agnes Day Room after the 9:30AM Children’s Mass on Sunday, February 16. Each bag will include:

• Socks
• Sweet and Salty Treat
• Beverage
• Inspirational Message
• Handmade card

Feel free to drop off NEW warm adult socks in the church library or bins outside the school and parish center. You can also Venmo us and we'll purchase the supplies for the project. Thanks in advance for your support!

Sweetheart Dance grades 1-5
February 8th

We invite all girls from grades 1-5 to bring their dad, granddad, uncle or special friend to our annual Sweetheart Dance! Music, snacks and more will make this a festive night. Please click here for tickets.

It is with great enthusiasm that we extend an invitation to you for our 2024-2025 SpeakUp! Event, taking place on Tuesday, February 11th, at 6:30 PM. We encourage you to pre-register here. The following topics were chosen by your Student Leadership Team:

 Mental Health

 Sports/Sportsmanship

 Relationships/Friendships

 FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

SpeakUp! is a youth-driven initiative designed to foster real dialogue among students,

school staff, and parents on topics that matter to our students. Research shows that the

most significant protective factor in a young person’s life is nurturing relationships with

trusted adults. Through the SpeakUp! program, we are dedicated to building and

strengthening these crucial connections.

The event promises to be an engaging platform where participants can discuss

important issues, share insights, and collaborate on solutions. By attending, you will not

only empower our youth but also contribute to creating a supportive community for their

growth and development. We look forward to seeing you there and working together to enrich our students' lives through meaningful conversation.

Students expand their horizons and discover new interests with our exciting Middle School Electives! Each trimester course features four engaging sessions designed to nurture the whole student by exploring career interests, serving our community, supporting academic and social development, or gaining valuable life skills. We are now planning for the third trimester which begins in April. If you have a unique skill or passion you'd like to share and are interested in leading a mini-course, please contact Jeanne Mulvanerty at jeanne@sksschool.org.

For more announcements about SKS activities and clubs, CYO, and parish activities, click here!

Tuesday, February 4 - MS Youth Group

Friday, February 7 - Elective Day

Saturday, February 8 - Sweetheart Dance

Tuesday, February 11 - Speak Up

Wednesday, February 12 - Monthly School Mass prepared by 4th Grade

Friday, February 14 - No School; Faculty In-Service

Monday, February 17 - No School; Presidents' Day

February 27 - Middle School Open House