Weekly Update 13 – December 11, 2025
Calendar of Events |
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| Th. 12.11 | 6:30 PM K-4 Advent Service (church) |
| Fr. 12.12 | 8:00 AM K-8 Mass (church) 6:30-8:30 PM Middle School Fun Night (gym) |
| Su. 12.14 | 3rd Sunday of Advent |
| Mo.12.15 | Out-of-Uniform passes may be used |
| Tu. 12.16 | Parkway Pizza Fundraiser Night (2851 Johnson St. NE) 6:00 PM School Advisory Mtg |
| Th. 12.18 | $1 Mustard Seed Communities Charity Spirit Wear Day 6:30 PM Middle School Band & Choir Concert (gym) NO PRESCHOOL & NO PRE-K EXTENDED DAY |
| Fr. 12.19 | 8:00 AM K-8 Mass Bring something festive to wear OVER uniforms after Mass (sweater, hat, headband...) International Christmas Festival for K-8 students 9:00 AM Preschool Concert (cafeteria) 10:00 AM Pre-K Concert (Doran Hall) |
| Sa.12.20 | 10:00 AM Advent Penance Service (church) |
Looking Ahead |
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| Mo.12.22 | Christmas Break begins - School Not in Session |
| Mo. 1.5 | School resumes |
| Tu. 1.6 | 2025-26 Enrollment opens for current families & parishioners |
| Sa. .10 | Liz Hickmas/Sue McSherry Basketball Blast |
Dear St. Charles Parents!
Tonight is one of my favorite nights of the year! The Advent Prayer Service will put you in the spirit of the season of Advent and make you tear up at least once. When you enter the church, please keep the solemnity of the evening and our house of worship. This means saving casual conversations until after the prayer service. We will be praying the rosary before the program, and there will be a piano prelude of Christmas music. Please honor the sacred space; it adds to the atmosphere of an amazing evening!
I have an update on report cards for middle school parents. Earlier this week, I sent an email to all middle school parents about some incorrect grades being published in report cards. We have confirmed that the grades were finalized correctly by the instructors, then mysteriously changed when they appeared on the report cards. We are taking this seriously with Educate as they work to determine the cause and fix the problem. The resolution is taking longer than expected, and as a result, we’re going to have to postpone Friday’s middle school honors ceremony. I promise to keep you updated as we resolve this situation and reschedule the honors ceremony.
Last week after school on Tuesday, I got on an airplane with 5 other Charger staff members and headed for the Head & Heart Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This conference was put on by our partners at “All Belong,” an organization that supports Christ-centered schools in educating students with special needs. This was a big move for St. Charles, and an investment to have that many staff traveling for the conference. I’m glad to report that it was well worth it. The main point of the conference is that we as human beings think with our head and our heart. The organizers categorized the ways we think with our heads and hearts. All of us have challenges and gifts in these areas, and the focus of the conference teaches attendees how to use an evaluation tool that provides some clarity and data on students’ gifts and challenges in these categories. My initial thoughts on returning is: How can we send more teachers next year? More to come on that.
That’s all I have for today. This is a great time to work at a Catholic school! The building has a warmth even with the low temps, and the kids are having an absolute blast on the playground!
God bless you,
Danny Kieffer
St. Charles School Principal
First Trimester Honor Roll Assembly ~ Postponed
Details to be determined.
Message from Home & School ~ Staff Christmas Appreciation Fund
Dear Chargers,
The holiday season is upon us, and our hearts are full of gratitude! It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and we certainly have a lot to be thankful for! The exceptional teachers and staff at St. Charles Borromeo School are committed to serving our students and families. If you are wondering how you can show your appreciation this year, please consider a voluntary donation, in any amount, to the Staff Christmas Appreciation Fund. All collected funds will be distributed among the entire school staff (teachers, assistants, office personnel, and administration). What a wonderful gift!
There are two ways you can contribute:
- Donate through TADS (Email Angela Bollensen with the amount that you would like to give and note that it is for the Staff Christmas Appreciation Fund)
- Send cash or check (made payable to St. Charles School) in an envelope marked “Staff Christmas Appreciation Fund” to school with your student or deliver it directly to the school office.
Please contribute by Tuesday, December 16th.
Thank you for your generosity!!
Andrea Richardson
Home & School President
The Liz Hickman Sue McSherry Basketball Blast~January 10
Liz Hickman was a student at St. Charles who battled cancer for 7 years and passed away in 2005. Sue McSherry was part of the St. Charles staff and beloved mother of 8. Sue passed away from cancer in 2019. Liz and Sue lived their lives with faith, courage, and joy. They were inspirations to all who were blessed to have known them. We are honored to celebrate their lives and to raise money for the St. Charles Sue McSherry Scholarship Fund and Make-A-Wish of Minnesota.
This is the 21st year celebrating Liz and the 7th year celebrating Sue. Please join us for a fun-filled day of basketball, a silent auction, and honoring Liz and Sue!
St. Charles Alumni and Friends Basketball Tournament Jan. 8-10
We are accepting teams for the basketball tournament that will be held during the 21st Annual Liz Hickman-Sue McSherry Basketball Blast. The first eight teams to submit the $125 registration fee will be counted for the tournament.
Who are eligible teams/players?
- St. Charles School parents
- The St. Charles alumni
- The St. Charles parishioners
- Both men and women from the St. Charles School and Church community
- Individuals may also sign up. We will try to place them on a team
Format: two 20 minute halves with 2nd half stop-clock at two minute mark.
- Thursday, January 8, Four Play-In Games (5:30 PM, 6:30 PM, 7:30 PM, & 8:30 PM)
- Friday, January 9, Semifinals (7:00 PM & 8:00 PM)
- Saturday, January 10, Championship Game (approximately 4:30 PM)
Deadline: Checks (made out to St Charles School) must be received by Friday, December 5, 2025.
Submit the $125 registration fee to the school office or mail it to St Charles School, 2727 Stinson Blvd, St. Anthony, MN 55418
Questions? Contact Elmer Gavino at er.gavino61@gmail.com
Concession Stand Opportunities
Concessions are a fun way to engage with the St. Charles School community and help support all of the events that Home and School is in charge of throughout the school year.
If you’ve never volunteered at the concession stand or would like a refresher training, please leave a comment when you sign up, and we’ll be sure to have a seasoned team member there to train you and work with you. Thank you!
Home & School Volunteer Opportunities
Save the Date~Borromeo Bash~April 25, 2026
Save the date: The Borromeo Bash is set for April 25, 2026! Registration will go live January 1st, and Early Bird Pricing will end March 1st.
The Borromeo Bash is our school’s largest fundraising event of the year! We are returning to the Hollywood Theater! Thank you Andrew Volna for the donation of this amazing location! This year we will be raising funds towards the historic front steps of the school (orginal to 1938!), expand services for students with special needs, and the Gary Wilmer Scholarship Fund. Visit the Borromeo Bash website (below) for all the details of this event, including how to donate to or sponsor the event! There will be great food, specialty drinks, fantastic silent. and live auction items to bid on, the best dance party, and so much more!
Thank you for your generosity as we could not have a successful event without YOU!
St. Charles Playgroup & Coffee Break
The parish and school of St Charles warmly invite you and your little one(s) to a playgroup and coffee break weekly on Thursday mornings at 10:00 AM. We usually meet in the Youth Room of the church. Sign up here to receive email updates. Get rejuvenated and inspired in your vocation as a parent! More info here.
Parish Updates and Events
“Lord, Teach Us to Pray” ~ Prayer Series given by Deacon Najarian
In October, Deacon Najarian gave a 4-part series on how to pray and how to navigate the challenges in one’s prayer life. If you missed the opportunity to hear his talks, you can access them HERE.
The Meal Train Ministry
Would you like to help provide meals for a person or family in their time of need? OR do you or someone you know have a short-term need (due to a birth, surgery, illness, etc.) for meals to be delivered to your home? Contact Joan Conlin if you are interested in this ministry.
Prayer Corner
If you would like to add someone to our prayer corner, please email the information to Danny Kieffer.
- For the repose of the soul of Dennis, grandpa to students Macallan and Maeli. May he rest in peace, and may his family be comforted in their time of sorrow.
- For the family of students, Côme, Inés, Amaury, Zita, in thanksgiving for the arrival a healthy baby and for a successful January surgery for Christophe.
- For quick and complete healing after a car accident for Don and Alaime, grandparents of student Henry.
- For complete healing for our former, beloved teacher, Anne Flynn, who is battling cancer once again. For healing for Mrs. Flynn and guidance and strength for her family.
- For comfort and healing for the Annunciation Community.
- For the peace of Christ to reign in our hearts, our homes, our community, our world.
Helpful Links for Parents – Community Events & St Charles Links:
★ Weekly Update article deadline: Wednesday, 9:00 AM – Send submissions to mwappes@stchbs.org
