St. Mary's News

By: St. Mary of the Assumption School

Students learn life skills

St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic School focuses on developing a special life skill every two weeks. At the end of every two weeks, each teacher selects a student from their class that they feel best demonstrated that life skill. Shown are the first life skill award winners, chosen for demonstrating cooperation (front row, from the left) Alli Spieles, Brandon Burk, and Zaine Eibling; (back row) Brynleigh Moody, Myles Moody, and Elijah Ryder. (St. Mary’s photo)

Annual Christmas program scheduled

The students of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic School will present their annual Christmas Program on Sunday, December 11, in the school’s gymnasium starting at 4 p.m. This year’s program is titled, “Gabriel’s Big Break”.

“Gabriel’s Big Break” is a charming musical that presents the story of Christ’s birth from the angels’ point of view. Throughout the production, Gabriel has to work very hard to complete his checklist to prepare for the coming of Jesus.

The production will also feature traditional Christmas carols, along with some new songs.. Several of our students will also be featured on the piano. The program will conclude with the students re-enacting the traditional Nativity. This school-wide performance includes all students from K+ to Sixth Grade and is directed by our music teacher, Erin Stokes. St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic School invites and welcomes you to attend their free Christmas production.

St. Marys students study organization

Apple Fest art winners

St. Mary’s students attend Lima Symphony

St. Mary’s first grade insect zoo

St. Mary of the Assumption’s First Grade students recently invited family and friends to attend an Insect Zoo that they collected, created, and researched in their classroom. Each first grade student was responsible for the research and care of a specific insect. The students demonstrated their knowledge about each particular insect by creating individual habitats that provided suitable living conditions. Visitors learned about each insect’s habitat, diet, and interesting facts. Visitors followed the Insect Zoo Map, also created by the students, around the zoo. At the conclusion of each exhibit, the students also shared why they felt God created their insect.

St. Marys third grade visits quarry

Recently Stoneco Scott Quarry hosted Mrs. Arnold’s third grade class for a field trip /tour of the quarry .  The students enjoyed several educational fun activities and quarry safety training followed by a delicious lunch.  In the afternoon the group traveled to the Aggregate Lab where they were able to assist in performing assorted lab tests, crafted a dinosaur planter, and dug in sand piles for hidden coin tokens which could be traded for prizes.   Mrs. Arnold commented that this was one of the most adventurous, educational and fun field trips she has ever seen.  Many of the

children agreed that it is at the top of their list as well.   Stoneco Quarry is located at 2364 Richey Road. Field trip requests can be made by calling Robin Kraner at  the quarry  lab  at 419.622.3300. There is no charge for the field trip/tours.

St. Mary’s hosts Science Fair

The Fourth Annual Science Fair was recently held at St. Mary’s of the Assumption School. The students were placed into multi-aged groups that consisted of students from grades 4 through 6, with either a fifth or sixth grade student as the group leader.

Students were challenged to find a project that is important to science and to develop the scientific method that demonstrates the impact of their project in science. Students worked on their projects for nine weeks at school and among group members’ homes. The students were then asked to determine a topic for their respective projects utilizing the library, Internet, and other available resources in problem-solving, creativity, decision making, design, and research through a hands-on approach. As the event drew near, students’ anticipation

grew for the presentation of their project and poster boards.

Projects were scored by three judges: Barb Hesseling, Jeanne Loomis, and Mayor Jerry Mazur. After the scores were tallied by Dustin Hesseling (fifth/sixth grade teacher), two groups’ projects emerged as winners that went to a tiebreaker for first place. In first place was “What Do Plants Like To Eat” by Liesel Lare, Brecken Hazeltine, Josie Williamson, and Reece Berryman. Coming in second place was “The Ultimate Food Beatdown” by Catherine Kopack, James Reinhart, Ava Garner and Tyler Spray.

100 days of school

St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic School celebrated being in session for 100 days on Friday, Jan. 30. Students in each grade took part in both educational and fun activities through out the day.

On that day the first grade class had a very special visitor, Norma “Toddy” Todd Rozelle-Diers. Toddy is 100 years old and continues to live on her own in Delphos.  She came to visit the first grade class to tell about her life as a child.  She shared many differences between life today and when she was growing up.  She said she felt that the washing machine was the invention that made her life easier than it had been.  She also shared with the students that when she was a child, the telephone was a ‘box’ on the wall.  Today, she has a cordless phone.  Toddy’s words of advice to the students were “Whatever you do, do the best that you can.” and “The more you learn, the better your life will be.”

Kindergarteners donate to Pregnancy Life Center

Therese Tate’s Kindergarten and Kindergarten Plus students at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic School recently made several donations to the Pregnancy Life Center of Van Wert. The Pregnancy Life Center is a non-profit ministry whose mission is to protect the life of the unborn, offer alternatives to abortion, encourage sexual abstinence outside of marriage, educate the community, bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and offer love by providing spiritual, educational, and physical support to those affected by unplanned pregnancy.

Tate’s class is learning about how we grow and change throughout the cycle of life. They are realizing the importance of respecting life at every age. Also, they are reminded that the Christmas season is because of Jesus’ birthday, who also came to the world as a baby.

Each student decorated a star and a Teddy bear pattern square.  The squares were sewn together into two child-sized quilts and donated to the Pregnancy Life Center. Each child’s family also donated various baby items to go to the center.