Dear AS²A Families,

As we draw closer to Easter, our students have been joyfully and thoughtfully preparing their hearts to celebrate the most important moment in our faith—the resurrection of Jesus! From sharing in the fun of Breakfast with the Bunny, where older students stepped up as joyful helpers, to the moving Passion Play presented by our littlest PreK and Preschool students, each experience has brought us closer to understanding the meaning of Holy Week.

Our Kindergarteners learned about Lent and love through Father Rocky’s lessons, and our First graders explored the meaning of Lent as a time to grow closer to Jesus through prayer, kindness, and making good choices. They set intentions and checked in daily on ways they can show love to others and practice simple sacrifices.  Second Graders prayerfully walked through the Stations of the Cross, using beautiful stained glass artwork to follow Jesus’ footsteps. 

In Grade 3, students reenacted scenes from Holy Week with their Easter Parade Readers' Theater and practiced acts of compassion, removing toothpick "thorns" from Jesus’ grapevine crown—each act a reminder of love in action.  Our Fourth Graders created a joyful and meaningful bulletin board that reads "Jesus has risen, tell your peeps!" They also discussed the meaning of "INRI" and why Jesus wore a crown of thorns. In writing prompts, students reflected deeply on questions like, "What would be your reaction if you opened the tomb and it was empty?" They also began creating stained glass window crosses—a beautiful work in progress that reflects the light and hope of Easter.  Our 5th graders have been sharing compassion this Lent with a special collage cross—each of its 40 sections gets colored in whenever they do a random act of kindness, one for each day of the season. They also walked the Stations of the Cross and followed it up with a thoughtful litter clean-up around the stations and our beloved Bailey’s Brook. Along the way, they’ve been writing in their Lenten reflection journals and reading about the meaning of Lent to help them grow in faith and kindness.

Middle school students walked prayerfully through the Stations of the Cross, reflecting on Jesus’ journey and many students thoughtfully donated a gift of diapers, diaper wipes and/or crib sheets to mothers and babies in need at St. Gabriel’s Call and Lucy’s Hearth. These moments of learning, service, prayer, and community are all part of our journey toward the gift of Easter—a reminder that new life and hope are just around the corner.  We hope your Lenten journey has been fruitful and wish all our families a meaningful Holy Week and a joyful Easter celebration!

GET READY TO WALK, CHEER, AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE —our Walk-a-Thon is coming up on May 2 (with a rain date of May 9)! This fun-filled event is one of only two major fundraisers we hold each year, and it plays an important role in supporting our school community. Pledge sheets have been sent home in student backpacks, so now is the time to start gathering support from family and friends. Every donation helps make amazing programming happen at All Saints! We will need parent helpers while walking - a Sign-Up Genius link will go home after Spring Break via email for those wishing to be part of the fun and volunteer for the event. We can’t wait to see our students walking with spirit and purpose. Let’s go, Eagles! Please click here to make a donation now!

On Sunday, April 27th, Blessed Carlo Acutis, a modern-day teenager who used his love of technology to share his deep faith with the world, will be canonized. Carlo, who passed away in 2006 at the age of 15, is known for creating a website that catalogued Eucharistic miracles—a beautiful example of how technology can be used to evangelize and inspire. As a STEAM school, we believe in teaching our students not only to understand and use technology, but to become creators and innovators, using their gifts for good. Carlo’s life reminds us that holiness is possible at any age and that the tools of our time—when used with purpose—can help build God’s kingdom. We will honor this momentous occasion by attending the 9 am mass on Monday, April 28 (please join us if you are available!) followed by a school-wide assembly later in the day to celebrate Carlo’s life and legacy. Blessed Carlo Acutis, pray for us!

The school is abuzz with excitement as we gear up for STEAM Night! Quite literally—drones are buzzing, robots are rolling, and students are busy painting, building, and designing as they prepare to showcase their creativity and innovation. Join us on Thursday, May 1, 6:00-7:30 pm to share and celebrate the incredible projects our students have created. It's the joyful culmination of their STEAM learning, and we can't wait to share it with you!

Dates to Remember:

• Monday, April 14 - Friday, April 18th - Spring Break, no school

• Monday, April 21 - Easter Monday - no school

• Friday, April 25 - Purple Up for Military Kids - all students may dress out of uniform (wear purple to celebrate)

• Sunday, April 27 - Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis 

• Monday, April 28 - 9 am mass at St. Lucy’s to recognize and celebrate the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis  - JOIN US!

• Thursday, May 1 - STEAM Night 6:00-7:30 pm - No extended afternoon this day 

• Friday, May 2 - Annual Walk-a-thon - see details above

Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay current with our event photos.

May God's blessings be upon you and your family,

Ann Villareal

“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.” 

— and so we wait in joyful hope for Easter morning.

~Matthew 28:6