Summer Work for rising 1st graders 2026-27 school year

Please practice this prayer with your child! 

In commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Leo declared 2026 as the Jubilee Year of St. Francis. 

We will recite the Pope's prayer to St. Francis at the conclusion of Mass. Prayer cards can be found in the pews.

Prayer:

Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago
went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace,
intercede for us before the Lord.

You recognized true peace in the Crucifix of San Damiano,
teach us to seek in Him the source of all reconciliation
that breaks down every wall.

You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war
and misunderstanding,
give us the courage to build bridges
where the world raises up boundaries.

In this time afflicted by conflict and division,
intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers:
unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ.

Amen

SAFE ENVIRONMENT:

As we begin the new school year, we'd like to share a few reminders about our Safe Environment requirements for volunteers.

If you are new to St. Mark Catholic School, all volunteers are required to complete Safe Environment Training before volunteering. This includes:

• Attending a Safe Environment webinar

• Completing a background check

Safe Environment Webinars are offered monthly.

Please click here to register for the session that works best for your schedule.  Make sure you choose a date that is labeled Online Meeting - Live with the description: Safe Environment Training - Register now for this Initial Safe Environment Training Session. The session will include the process used in North Carolina to recognize and report child abuse and neglect.

To complete your background check, you'll first need to create an account in Compass. I've attached step-by-step instructions to help you through the process. When prompted, please use St. Mark's code: 4DORbgcheck34.

For our returning St. Mark families, thank you for staying current with your Safe Environment requirements. As a reminder, Safe Environment Training must be renewed each year. You should have received an email notification letting you know it is time for renewal, which only takes about 20-25 minutes to complete.  Click here to get started.

New this year: Background checks must now be renewed every two years. If your background check is due for renewal, you'll receive a notification.

We truly appreciate your partnership and your commitment to helping us provide a safe, faith-filled environment for every child at St. Mark. Thank you for your continued support and for sharing your time and gifts with our school community.