Saint Ann School Families, THANK YOU!!! Thank you for the amazing generosity shown through your efforts and donations to the school and PTA fundraising events towards the purchase of a new school playground. With your help, the $25,000 goal for the playground was met, and we have also received enough donations to supply 4 additional classrooms with the air conditioning units. The air conditioning units have been ordered and we await delivery. The playground installation date is dependent on manufacturing delays. We are hopeful of a mid-October start. Again, thank you for your tremendous and constant support.

Attention SAS Families! CYO Sports are back!! Cross Country and Basketball season are just around the corner! At this time, the CYO coordinators are looking for all players in grades 2-8, as well as coaches. If a SAS student or member of our St. Ann Parish, every child in grade2-8 is eligible to play. For more information and to register for CYO please contact: Sue Dorio, CYO Athletic Director for the Church of St. Ann at susand7777@verizon.net

This Saturday will mark the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on our country. We’d like to take this opportunity to remember our fellow citizens who were lost on that terrible day, and their families and friends who suffered from their loss. As we look back on twenty years since 9/11, let’s also take time to celebrate and thank our first responders, and honor the sacrifice they have made. May God bless them and their families always.

Saint Ann School families, join us in welcoming our new 21/22 PTA Board members who were sworn in yesterday during the Installation Ceremony. From the left, please welcome Lisa Rancan: Co-Vice President, Jess Coe: Recording Secretary, Monica Haley: Treasurer, Rachel Young: President. May God bless them and guide them as they volunteer their time and talents to serve our school community. Visit the PTA webpage on our school website for information about upcoming events and fundraisers and make sure to follow us on our social media platforms for pictures, news, and updates throughout the year!

Sait Ann School is pleased to announce Mrs. Dayna Panarello as our new Guidance Counselor. Mrs. Panarello is a certified school social worker. Many of you may recall she has served our school community as a substitute teacher last year. We are excited and blessed to have Mrs. Panarello as a member of our Saint Ann family! Welcome Mrs. P!

Governor Murphy announced that all students, educators, staff, and visitors will be required to wear face masks indoors for the start of the 2021-2022 school year. The mandate covers all public, private, and parochial schools. Saint Ann School will be following the mandate, as is required by law. When the mandate is lifted we will review the next steps regarding mask usage indoors. As of now, all are required to wear masks inside the school building, this is a state mandate and as such required legally. Students will be able to remove masks when outdoors. Lunch is taking place in the cafeteria. Students will not be able to sit with all their friends as we need to keep distancing while eating lunch. Depending on the table size we will only allow 4-5 students at a table as opposed to the normal 8. This year we are starting out without the morning Genesis check-in, however, it may return depending on circumstances regarding cases at the school and local district level. Any students with symptoms should be kept home. If a child is experiencing symptoms in school they will be sent to the isolation room and not be allowed back to school until they produce a negative test taken 3-5 days AFTER the symptoms occurred. Please take the proper precautions to keep all our students safe. Saint Ann School is ready for remote instruction should it be necessary, however, it is not offered unless for a documented long-term (more than 4 days absent) medical reason. A note from your child’s physician on letterhead is required in order for me to review whether it meets the requirements. For any questions or concerns please contact our principal, Mr. Chiaravalloti.

We hope that everyone is enjoying the summer and we are looking forward to seeing you all on Wednesday, August 25th, for our annual Back-to-School BBQ! We will be welcoming our new families at 6 pm in the Cafeteria for the New Family Reception and then join the fun outside near the playground for the BBQ. The BBQ will start at 6:30 pm near the playground. The rain date is Thursday, August 26th. As we approach the beginning of the school year, a few updates and reminders: this year we are returning to requiring students to wear the regular school uniform. Students will come to school in their gym uniforms only on their gym day. All grades and students will begin school on September 1. September 1 & 2, dismissal is at 12:00 PM noon and there will be NO After School Program (ASP) available on these two days. School will be closed from Sept. 3rd through the 6th. We will return on September 7th for a full day with ASP available. We are in the process of finalizing some new measures to ensure we are doing all that is possible to provide students a safe, healthy environment. We are reviewing mask policy and social distancing. With the ever-evolving health situation, this is very fluid and subject to revision throughout the school year. We will have more specifics available regarding mask policy, lunch/recess, and cohorts within the next week. Please reach out to our principal, Mr. Chiaravalloti, if you have any questions. Enjoy the rest of the Summer!

Students from Saint Ann School are participating in the parish new initiative "NextLevel", a pilot program of the Center for FaithJustice funded by the Lilly Endowment, which offers and is researching a new approach to youth ministry designed to strengthen Catholic parishes. This program offers teenagers grades 8 to 12 the chance to put their faith into action and to use their gifts to make a difference in our parish and surrounding communities. Two rising 8th graders and two SAS Class of 21 graduates, along with other members of the Church of Saint Ann Youth Group and others from various parishes in New Jersey registered to participate in a Service Retreat held July 25th to July 31st. The location of the retreat was St. James Parish, Trenton (former rectory now used for retreat housing, etc.) Following the retreat, each day these young people will be going to various places like TASK, Sprout U, and Mercer CYO to serve the dear neighbor, whomever they meet. This is an opportunity for them to serve the community as well as learn about social justice, building community, and opportunities to live the gospel, “Faith without works is dead”. Other parishioners from Saint Ann’s served as mentors for the retreat and this journey to bring their faith to the "NextLevel".

Saint Ann School Families, this month of July, get ready to lace up your sneakers! Beginning today, we are starting a Summer Fit-A-Thon, a special fundraiser to help to offset some of the expenses for the building of a new school playground. This year we had to remove our previous play structure from the playground, due to irreparable damage that had occurred on many segments of the structure which made it unsafe for students' usage. The cost for the equipment, replacing the surface mulch, and the installation charges are going to cost more than $40,000 – this is with a more than 40% discounted rate. We need your help! We ask that all students get pledges from family and friends and complete 20 minutes of exercise per day. Keep track of your minutes exercised because there will be prizes awarded at the conclusion of the Fit-A-Thon! We are excited to streamline our fundraiser by going online with 99Pledges and we are shooting for 100% participation so no amount is too small. Our PTA is also stepping up and assisting with the cost. As part of their fundraising efforts, to specifically assist with the cost of the playground, they will be hosting a "Rita’s fundraiser" on July 22 from 5-8 pm at the 2070 Brunswick Pike Rita’s location. So get ready, get set, and pledge!

Saint Ann school’s 7th graders took a walking trip on RT 206 in Lawrenceville, as part of their Social Studies curriculum, to retrace the steps of Gen. George Washington’s 10 days between the Crossing of Delaware, Battle of Trenton, and Princeton. The students, chaperoned by Ms. Shields, Mrs. Laccetti, and Mr. C, stopped at Shabakunk Creek at Notre Dame and a guest speaker, History teacher Mr. John McQuarrie retraced the steps of Colonel Hand and his company to hold off the British at Maidenhead, Five Mile Run and Shabakunk creek for the 7th grade. From Notre Dame, they headed to Five Mile Run on the property of The Bridge Academy. As a class, they discussed the conditions and impact of the skirmish between Colonel Hand and General Cornwallis on the whole of the Revolutionary war. They proceeded then to trek up RT 206 with the help of the Lawrence Police Department to cross the 195-overpass and stopped at Weeden Park for lunch and treats from the local bakery, The Gingered Peach. After lunch, the students headed to the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville where Ms. Shields taught them how to respectfully create grave rubbings of those men who fought in the Revolutionary war. The 7th grade and SAS staff would like to thank everyone who helped them make this walking field trip memorable: The Lawrence Police Department, Mr. Smith, Mr. Poveromo, Mr. McQuarrie and Notre Dame High School, Jacquelyn Pillsbury and The Bridge Academy, Mrs. Beverly Mills, and The Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, The Gingered Peach for making some yummy cupcakes, to Mr. C and Mrs. Laccetti for helping chaperone, and lastly to the parents for trusting Saint Ann School to keep everyone safe during this great teaching moment of learning about our American history that is right in our backyard.

Saint Ann School alumnus Chris Toala, class of 2017, was chosen by the College Board to be a National Recognition Program: Hispanic Scholar for excellence in academic achievement. Chris is a senior at the George School in Newtown, PA. We are very proud of his achievement and we wish him all the best as he moves forward with his college education in the Fall. Congratulations Chris and God bless you always!

This week, 4/19-23, Saint Ann School students are celebrating National Library Week. Slated for the week of April 5-10, because of Easter Break our students had to wait a little while to celebrate our school and nation's libraries but surely did not miss the chance to join in the fun! Our librarian, Mrs. Ortiz planned a week filled with book-smart fun: from daily trivia questions to Bingo, fun games, and virtual visits to the local and national libraries, such as the Mercer County Library and the Library of Congress. In the next few days be sure to visit our social media to find out more about SAS's belated celebration of National Library Week!

This year, seventh-grade students at Saint Ann School will be adding a walking trip to supplement their Social Studies Revolutionary War curriculum. New Jersey, Mercer County, and our local area played critical roles during this time in history and the goal of this trip is to assist students in realizing how much happened right in their “backyard”. Students will stop by carious markers and take note of the events that have occurred there. As part of this exploration of the role our area played in the Revolutionary War, students will be going to the Cemetery at Lawrence Presbyterian Church, where they will perform grave etchings as part of the experience. Following the excursion, they will have a picnic in Weeden Park, guidelines permitting. Special thank you to Ms. Shields, who will accompany the students, and Mr. C for another hands-on learning experience!

Are you a 5th grader? Then this year for you will be a walk in the park! Dear 5th Grade parents, you don't want to miss this AMAZING opportunity! For the remainder of the school year, U.S. fifth-graders can bring their families to any national parks, national forests/grasslands, wildlife refuges, and other Department of the Interior, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers- managed public land- for FREE!" This opportunity is usually provided for 4th graders, but since 4th-grade students missed out last year because of the pandemic, the Department of the Interior is providing this pass for the current 5th graders. For more information, visit nps.gov and the website will provide you with information, the voucher you can print, rules, and general questions. This offer expires on August 31, 2021.

Once again, Saint Ann School students participated in the Science Fair Week back in February. Middle school students presented their scientific findings on a research project of their choosing. Just to name a few, we've heard presentations about the energy usage of different computer modes, the behavior of a student's bearded dragon, and how different breeds of dogs respond to different genres of music. At the end of the week, the winners of the science fair were unanimously agreed upon by Mrs. Daniel and two community members. It was tough to determine first place as we had some really well-done experiments. the winner was determined not only by how well the scientific process was followed but also by the ingenuity of the project and the discovery of new information for the scientific community. 8th-grade student Spencer brought home first place with the project "Analyzing the effects of time, type, and cleaning method on bacterial growth/presence in disposable and reusable masks." The second and third places were Joice and Jillian, 7th grade. Some of our students went on to submit their projects to the Mercer Science and Engineering Fair and few 7th graders (Jillian, Lily, William, Jamison, and Joice) won prizes and recognitions. We are very proud of our students' accomplishments and we look forward to next year's Science Fair for more interesting findings!

A new youth initiative called "NeXt Level" is coming to our parish! NeXt Level is a pilot program of the Center for FaithJustice funded by the Lilly Endowment, which offers and is researching a new approach to youth ministry designed to strengthen Catholic parishes. For those of you who don’t know, our parish was selected to participate in this groundbreaking study! This is a selective program that gives the young people of our parish an opportunity to put their faith into action, be formed as leaders, and use their gifts to address the needs of our parish and surrounding communities. If you are a teenager in grade 8-12 who may be interested in joining please attend our information session this Tuesday, 3/16 at 6 PM! Please visit the Youth Ministry Page on the Parish Website or speak to the youth Minister Linh Nguyen for more information.

Saint Ann School's 8th-grade student Liz Ravenel shared her talent and performed in the Newtown Arts Center virtual show "Art from the Heat", an evening of songs that celebrated all things love. Liz has been part of the SAS Drama Club since 2nd-grade and showcased her beautiful voice with the song "I've never been in love" from Guys and Dolls. We are very proud of Liz, one of our many talented students here at Saint Ann's!

On behalf of the PTA Nominating Committee let me thank everyone who submitted applications for and/or on behalf of others for the open positions. The work of the PTA is instrumental in providing needed resources. I look forward to working with the incoming and returning members of the PTA Board. Hopefully next year we are able to host some of the various activities that we could not hold this year. Each of the individuals who have agreed to accept a position is, similar to our general population, motivated and dedicated to Saint Ann School. Please welcome them to their positions. Our newly elected members are President, Rachel Young (P’24), Co-Vice Presidents, Janet Ragan (P’20, ’24), and Lisa Rancan (P’21, ’26), Treasurer: Monica Haley (P’28). I am excited to work with these and all members of the PTA and our greater parent community. Sincerely, Salvatore Chiaravalloti - Principal

It's Science Fair Week! Middle school students are presenting their scientific findings on a research project of their choosing. Just to name a few, on day one, we've heard presentations about the energy usage of different computer modes, the behavior of a student's bearded dragon, and how different breeds of dogs respond to different genres of music. Students also presented projects on how music affects test scores, how salt concentration affects brine shrimp activity, how effective different disinfectants are, and more! Although students weren't able to show off their projects and findings to a live audience like in years past, they still worked very hard and presented in front of their classmates, in-person and virtual, through slide shows and PowerPoint presentations, using the smartboard in their classroom. As a few more students will get their turn to present this week, we look forward to discovering the winners of this year's Science Fair. Stay tuned!

Our Lenten journey begins on Wednesday, Feb. 17, Ash Wednesday. Saint Ann School students, faculty, and staff get ready for their Lenten Season by watching Ash Wednesday mass live-streamed from our parish and by receiving Ashes in their classrooms, administered by their teachers with the use of a Q-tip for each student following the guidelines of Bishop O'Connell and the Diocese of Trenton. In Fr. Dela Cruz's words, "As Catholics and Christians, we do not make the Lenten journey alone. We journey together as a community, a family of faith, and people of hope". We invite our students and families to visit the SAS Lent page on our website for suggestions and resources to help you along the way. Start with joining our 7th-grade students as they guide us in the first Stations of the Cross on Friday, Fe. 19. Let us all journey together this Lent and be people of hope!