STM Newsletter for December 12, 2012

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Dear Parents:

For a long time now, many have lost sight of what Christmas really means. People these days think Christmas is just giving and receiving presents. We ask that you take time from your busy schedule to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, Jesus' birthday, and that you remind your children of this. As you make holiday plans, don't forget to include Advent and Christmas services at your local church. Please continue to use the Advent calendar you received last week to help your family prepare for the birth of Jesus on December 25^th.

Many thanks to all the students and their families, along with our friends at Alma Via who generously donated to the Thanksgiving food drive.  We provided the San Francisco Food Bank with two full barrels of canned and boxed foods to be distributed to our hungry brothers and sisters in San Francisco.  The staff of the St. Francisco Living Room were thrilled to received the many jars of peanut butter and jelly for the seniors in their breakfast program who look forward to a healthy and nutritious meal.  Your compassionate and charitable deeds are much appreciated by the various organizations we serve through our community outreach programs.

Our second peanut butter drive this holiday season was for the benefit of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. You may recall us mentioning ‘Peanut Butter Friday’ in last week’s letter. If we reached our goal of 300 jars of peanut butter by last Friday, the student body would enjoy free dress on Wednesday, December 19^th. We are happy to announce that not only did we reach our goal, we exceeded it by over 100 jars. That’s right – we collected over 400 jars of peanut butter! What a great accomplishment. Thank you to all who brought in one jar, or two, to donate to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. For your efforts, we can all enjoy free dress next Wednesday, December 19^th!

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: Tomorrow evening, Dec. 13th, our students will present our annual Christmas Program in the Church. All students will be involved in this production. Students should wear dressy clothes unless notified otherwise by their teacher. No t-shirts or sweats please. Please review the clothing suggestions sent home last week. The front door of the school will open at 6:15 pm to allow students to enter their classrooms. Students are asked to line up on the sidewalk in an orderly manner until the doors open. Families with preschoolers will enter through the side gate and drop their children in their classroom. All students need to arrive by 6:30 pm at the latest. The yard will be open for parking at 5:30 pm. As we said last week, this year, we will present the program in the church. We ask that everyone respects the 5:30pm Mass that evening and remain outside the church until Mass is over. School staff will be stationed at the church doors and will let you know when you may enter. Parents may line up at any of the three entrances. We will begin the program promptly at 7:00 pm. We look forward to your attendance for this faith-filled and fun-filled program. Everyone is welcome!

SANDWICHES-FOR-THE-NEEDY: Our last collection for the year is this Friday, December 14^th, when the 2^nd and 6^th graders will take the lead. We encourage ALL families to provide an extra sandwich for this last collection of the year. Some of our older students will once again work with residents from Alma Via on Friday to make at least 50 additional sandwiches to add to this collection.

FEES: A reminder that the Capital Improvement fee of $350 per family is due no later than dismissal Friday, December 14^th. Please note that this is also the due date for the November Extended Care payment.

CHRISTMAS VACATION: Christmas vacation begins at 12:15pm for grades K-3 and at 12:30pm for grades 4-8 on Wednesday, December 19^th. Preschool will also be dismissed at 12:00pm. There is no afternoon extended care that day, so plan ahead. Staff members will not be available to babysit! Classes resume at 8:10am on Monday, January 7^th, 2013.

USF BASKETBALL NIGHT: The Athletic Board presents a Night at USF Basketball on Saturday, December 29^th.  General admission tickets are only $2 and a discounted food voucher is also available. Reservation forms for this fun event were included in your envelope last week.  The deadline to purchase tickets is tomorrow, Thursday, December 13^th!

CHRISTMAS SPORTS CAMP: There are still some spots available in the Downy Sports Camp. Check out the flyer you are receiving again today.

PUNTO Y RAYA: STM students have gone international! Three animated films created by STM students made it as finalists in the Punto y Raya Junior Film Festival in Barcelona. Unfortunately, they didn't win the grand prize, but did very well to be finalists against many other entries from around the world. The finalists’ work has been put on a 'Best of…' DVD. Click here to see a trailer. Congratulations to the following finalists: Matt Nuris, Rainier DeLa Cruz, Elyssa Nicolas, Gaby Freedland and Isabel Sanchez. A big thank you to Sharon Lawrence, who helped the students prepare for this contest. Sharon offers many afterschool technology programs to our students throughout the year.

      

Finally, congratulations are in order. Our first grade teacher, Sue Kapovich is a brand new grandma! George Douglas Kapovich was born yesterday to Greg Kapovich (class of ’95) and his wife, Vanessa. Our best wishes go out to the Kapovich Family.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick

Principal

STM Newsletter for December 5, 2012

Dear Parents:

This coming Saturday, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The title of Immaculate Conception recognizes Mary’s privilege of coming into the world free from sin. Through the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection, every human can be freed from sin at Baptism. Through that same power, Mary was always free of sin, even from the very first moment of her life. Please join the student body at Friday’s 8:30am Mass as we celebrate this special privilege given to Mary.

Thank you for your presence and support at the Family Mass last Sunday. A special thank you to the second and seventh graders and their teachers Mrs. Heikel and Mrs. Girlich for putting together such a beautiful and reverent service. It was nice to see all our First Communion and Confirmation candidates as they continue their faith filled journey towards Christ. Thank you also for your generous support of the second collection of $526.55, which goes to support the school and its programs.

Next Wednesday, December 12th, third through eighth graders will participate in a reconciliation service as we do each year during the Advent Season. That will begin in the Church at 9:30.

A big thank you to Gina Sheridan and Ivette Roca who successfully co-chaired Santa’s Secret Shop this year. The children had a wonderful time shopping for all those on their list. Thank you also to all who volunteered their time to set up and help the children with their Christmas shopping last week.

We hope you all enjoyed the activities of this past weekend. Thanks to the Parents’ Club, and the Alumni Association and all who worked so hard on the Pancake Breakfast and children’s activities. A big thanks especially to Linda Shah and Anarose Schelstrate, who chaired this event. The pancake breakfast was enjoyed by all and a special thank you to the following 7^th and 8^th grade dads who showed up to cook/serve breakfast: Eddie Alvarado (Natasha, 7th), John Coffey (Sean, 8th), Jon Gamboa (Sydney, 8th), John Kavanagh (Julie, 8th), and Tommy Li (Agnes, 7th).

PARENTS' CLUB MEETING: Please consider joining us tomorrow night for our monthly Parents’ Club meeting. All are invited to Carroll Hall for that meeting beginning at 7:00pm. Newcomers are always welcome! Remember, this is your club. Fundraising and Friend-raising is only possible with participation from all our families.


PEANUT BUTTER FRIDAY: As a reminder, we are collecting peanut butter for the St. Vincent de Paul society. If we reach our goal of 300 jars of peanut butter by this Friday, December 7^th, the student body will enjoy free dress on Wednesday, December 19^th. Please send a jar (or two!), any kind, any size with your child by Friday, December 7^th.

ONE WARM COAT: During these cold days, we are reminded to count our blessing that we have enough to eat, warm coats, and cozy homes. Unfortunately, many others in our community are not so lucky. As we mentioned last week, St. Thomas More is once again participating in the One Warm Coat program. Please look through your closets and see if you can locate a warm coat or jacket that is in good condition, clean and ready to be worn by someone less fortunate. Please drop off your donations anytime between now and Monday, December 17^th to the school office.

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: Next Thursday evening, December 13th, our students will present their Christmas Program and will sing a selection of favorite Christmas Carols. All students will be involved in this production. Students should wear dressy clothes unless notified otherwise by their teacher. No t-shirts or sweats please. Please review the clothing suggestions you are receiving today. The front door of the school will open at 6:15 pm to allow students to enter their classrooms. Students are asked to line up on the sidewalk in an orderly manner until the doors open. Families with preschoolers will enter through the side gate and drop their children in their classroom. All students need to arrive by 6:30 pm at the latest. The yard will be open for parking at 5:30 pm. This year, we will present the program in the church. We ask that everyone respects the 5:30pm Mass that evening and remain outside the church until Mass is over. School staff will be stationed at the church doors and will let you know when you may enter. Parents may line up at any of the three entrances. We will begin the program promptly at 7:00 pm. We look forward to your attendance for this faith-filled and fun-filled program. Everyone is welcome!

CIOPPINO 2013: Ask anyone who has been to St. Thomas More School's Annual Cioppino Dinner and Silent Auction and they will tell you it is more than a meal – it is a night to remember! Save the Date: Saturday, February 23^rd, 2013. The evening begins at 5:00 pm with appetizers and a no-host bar. While you're enjoying North Beach's finest focaccia (pizza bread), our kitchen crew's famous meatballs, prawns or one of our other mouth-watering appetizers, you have the chance to bid on some of our wonderful auction prizes, buy a key to our treasure chest, purchase raffle tickets, or a balloon with an instant winning prize number inside. Or simply mingle with friends while you wait for dinner: succulent salad, delectable antipasto, heavenly garlic bread and the best Cioppino to be had anywhere. Don't like fish? Order a chicken entrée instead. But don't miss this great event. And don't forget to save room for dessert! Complete the evening with dancing. And all this for only $50.00! Babysitting is also available on site! This event is our biggest fund-raiser of the year so check out the enclosed flyer and reserve your tickets now. For more info: Linda Shah at lp1114@aol.com or Anarose Schelstrate at anarose0707@gmail.com. This event, like all events, is only successful with schoolwide participation. We look forward to seeing you there!


PROGRESS REPORTS: Progress Reports are going home today. Any student, third grade and up, in danger of, or currently receiving a grade lower than a C in any subject area is receiving such a notice. There are two copies of each notice. Please sign and return the pink copy so that we know you have received the notice. The top parent’s copy is for your records.

EXTENDED CARE BILLING: Bills for November are being sent home today. Please pay by the due date, Friday, December 14^th to avoid the $25 late fee.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FEE: This fee, as described in the financial policies is in support of the construction and maintenance of the classroom additions and the gymnasium. The fee is set at $350 per family. As a reminder, the Capital Improvement fee must be paid in full by next Friday, December 14^th.


UNIFORM CHANGES/ADDITIONS: We are thinking about making some minor changes/additions to our school uniform for the 2013-2014 school year and would love some input from our families. One change we are considering is that the junior high (6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade) will wear a navy blue V-neck knit sweater with the school’s new logo on the right chest rather than the current button up cardigan. Another suggestion is to have all students wear a P.E. uniform on Wednesdays. This will consist of a crew neck or ¼ zip sweatshirt, sweatpants, and a t-shirt all with the school’s name or logo. Please use this link to complete a short (2 questions) survey about these changes and let us know what you think. The survey will be available online until Monday, December 17^th.

STUDENT SAFETY: Students checking in to the after school extended care program must do so at dismissal or directly after their after school activity (sport practice, detention, homework club, etc.). Once a student leaves the campus, they are no longer covered under the school’s insurance. For the safety of your child, if at anytime you believe you may be running late for pick-up, just call the school office and ask to have your child placed into extended care.

Additionally, please report any strange people you see hanging around the school or church. Recently someone vandalized a number of the church’s pews by making scratches on them. For the safety of all the students, we do not allow them to wait up by the church steps past 3:10pm.
HURRICANE SANDY: In response to inquiries about how to help people in our Catholic education community affected by Hurricane Sandy, the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) has developed a partnership with Catholic Charities USA to most efficiently get help to our colleagues. Together, they have established the 2012 Hurricane Sandy Catholic Education Fund. Please check out their website to see how you can participate and help.

Today was our final school tour. Thank you to all who joined us for our school tours over the past month. The next opportunity to tour the school will be during Catholic Schools Week, which runs from January 28 ^th-February 3^rd. Parents of students who are siblings of current students or who attend Utopia Preschool will need to complete an application form for our 2013-2014 kindergarten class.

Christmas has come early to St. Thomas More School – we are happy to announce that we have received a $5,100 grant from the Olympic Club Foundation to be used for new soccer uniforms and volleyballs. More good news – from our participation in the Asian Heritage Street Celebration Raffle Fundraiser, we raised $256 and received a certificate of honor from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for our participation. Thank you to the Olympic Club Foundation and to all who supported our Asian Heritage Street Celebration Raffle Fundraiser!

Last but not least - Christmas vacation starts at 12:15/12:30pm on Wednesday, December 19th. There is no extended care that day, so plan ahead.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal

STM Newsletter for November 28, 2012

Dear Parents:

One of the most important seasons in our church calendar, the Season of Advent, begins this Sunday. This season is a time for all of us to prepare for the birth of Jesus on Christmas day. Christians prepare for celebrating the birth of Jesus by remembering the longing of the Jews for a Messiah. In Advent, we’re reminded of how much we ourselves also need a Savior, and we look forward to our Savior’s second coming even as we prepare to celebrate his first coming at Christmas. God wanted so much for us to be with him that he became one of us. This is the greatest Christmas present – God’s presence on earth. In the liturgical calendar the season of Christmas begins on Christmas Eve and lasts through the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. Please help your children understand the symbolism of the Advent Wreath and the importance of the true meaning of Christmas. Each Monday in December we will begin our school day with an Advent Prayer Service in the gym. Parents and other family members are welcome to join us at 8:10am. Today we are sending home an advent calendar to help you and your family celebrate this special season in the liturgical year.

SANTA’S SECRET SHOP: The Parents’ Club presents their annual Santa’s Secret Shoppe starting tomorrow, Thursday, November 29th. Over the next two days, all the students will have an opportunity to purchase gifts for parents, friends and relatives. Each student is receiving an envelope today to help them plan their shopping and to keep their money safe.

DECEMBER 2nd: We look forward to seeing you all here this Sunday. We will begin the day with a 10:00am Family Mass where we will present all our Confirmation and First Communion Candidates. Monsignor Labib generously allows the school to receive the proceeds from the second collection when we have Family Masses. We are sending you a special collection envelope for your use at Sunday’s Mass. Following the Mass, the Parents’ Club will present a Pancake Breakfast in Carroll Hall. They will also offer activities for the children and pictures with Santa. Please use the flyer enclosed in your envelope today if you have not already made a reservation for the pancake breakfast. Cioppino 2013 tickets will also go on sale this Sunday at the Pancake Breakfast. They make great Christmas gifts for those "hard to buy for" family and friends.

STM SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD: All members of the St. Thomas More School Advisory Board will meet tonight in the school library at 7:00pm. All parents are invited to attend and learn about the good work that our new School Advisory Board is doing.

SCHOOL TOURS: We are holding another school tour tomorrow at 9:00am. We are very grateful to our 8th grade student ambassadors for doing such a stellar job by sharing information about our wonderful school with prospective families. Our final tour is scheduled for December 5th. Please call or email the office to reserve a space. A reminder that kindergarten applications are available in the office or can be downloaded from our website. Please share this information with your family and friends. Don’t forget that Utopia families and siblings or current students interested in kindergarten for the 2013-2014 school year must complete an application form if you have not already done so.

FIELD TRIPS: Tomorrow, select 3rd through 8th graders will enjoy the ACT’s production of A Christmas Carol. The show ends at 3:10pm and students are expected to arrive back at STM no later than 4:00pm. Next Monday, the 2nd and 5th graders will travel to the Palace of Fine Arts for a performance of The Nutcracker by the Westlake School for the Performing Arts. Later next week on Thursday, December 6th, the 2nd graders will travel to Skyline College for the Elves and the Shoemaker.

CALENDERS: Today you will find the December calendar in your envelope. On the reverse side, is the lunch menu for both December and January. Keep these handy as December proves to be a busy month!

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: Please remember to reserve the night of December 13th for the St. Thomas More School Christmas Program. All students will be involved in this production. Information regarding clothing suggestions will be sent home next week. We look forward to your attendance for this faith-filled and fun-filled program.

CHILDREN'S CHOIR VOLUNTEER: We're still looking to form a children's choir who will sing during our Sunday Family masses and weekly Friday masses. Please contact Jen Conley - jconley@stmsf.org, Charo Alonso - csalonso@yahoo.com (650-303-2593) or Mylee Bernardo - myleeb@gmail.com if you or anyone you know might be interested in leading our choir.

NIGHT AT THE RACES: We are happy to report that this event raised over $3400 for our technology program! Thank you to all who joined us for Night the Races on November 17th. This is always a great event.

SCHOOL UNIFORM PANTS: Beginning Monday, December 3rd through March 28th, 2012, girls will be able to wear uniform pants. Those who wish to purchase uniform pants, may do so through either of the uniform companies that we contract with, Dennis Uniform and Simply Uniforms. Please remember that navy blue knee-high socks need to be worn with the pants. Girls must wear their uniform skirts (not the pants) on field trips or on occasions specified by the school. Please remember that Simply Uniform and Dennis Uniform scrip can be purchased for all your uniform needs.

COLD WEATHER: During these cold and wintery days, please be sure to send your child to school with a warm coat or jacket. While we understand that it may be raining upon drop-off and pick-up, we strongly suggest your child does not bring an umbrella to school. Often the strong winds and heavy rain make the umbrellas difficult to use, especially for the younger children.

ONE WARM COAT: These cold days also reminded us to count our blessing and give thanks that we have enough to eat, warm coats, and cozy homes. Unfortunately, many others in our community are not so lucky. St. Thomas More is happy to participate in the One Warm Coat program. Please look through your closets and see if you can locate a warm coat or jacket that is in really good condition, clean and ready to be worn by someone less fortunate. ALL types of coats are needed and will be distributed to needy people by St. Anthony's and the Hamilton Family Shelter. You can also drop off your donations anytime between now and December 17th to the school office.

PEANUT BUTTER FRIDAY: As we move towards the holiday season, we want our students to continue to ‘THINK link Jesus’ by participating in our annual collection of peanut butter. Our collection this year, lead by the first graders, will benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The St. Vincent de Paul Society has requested peanut butter, as it is a much-needed nutritious staple for them throughout the holiday season. If we reach our goal of 300 jars of peanut butter by December 7th, the student body will enjoy free dress on Wednesday, December 19th. Please send a jar (or two!), any kind, any size with your child by Friday, December 7th.

We’ll see you this weekend!

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal

Santa's Secret Shoppe

Nov. 29 and 30th will mark our annual Santa's Secret Shoppe where students can shop for special gifts during school hours.  A flyer and money envelope will be placed in next Wednesday's envelope so please check it before your student comes to school the next day.  

 

There are also a few more spots available for parents to volunteer at the Santa's Secret Shoppe (credited towards mandatory hours), so click on the SignUp Genius on the website and help out!

 

Don't forget to turn in those raffle tickets and choose which prize you'd like to win (boys bike / girls bike / stocking full of toys)!  Tickets are due in Nov. 28th.  Drawing will be on Dec. 2nd at the Holiday Faire after family mass.

STM Newsletter for November 14, 2012

Dear Parents:

Thank you for your presence and support at the Family Mass last Sunday. A special thank you to the third and fourth graders and their teachers Miss Bryan and Miss Conley for putting together such a beautiful and reverent service. It was nice to see so many of you there. Thank you for your generous support of the second collection of $655.55, which goes to support the school and its programs.

As Thanksgiving approaches we have much for which we are thankful. It is a time of year when we think of others less fortunate. Your generous response to the Thanksgiving food collection is a wonderful sign of your thoughtfulness and a great example for your children of giving to the local community. Please remember that our annual collection of canned goods and other non-perishable items for the San Francisco Food Bank provides Thanksgiving meals for those in need and continues through this Friday, November 16^th. As we continue to prepare for Thanksgiving, please consider joining us this coming Monday, November 19^th, for a Thanksgiving prayer service presented by first grade in the gym at 1:00pm.

Please remember that next Tuesday, November 20^th we begin our Thanksgiving break with minimum day dismissal, 12:15/12:30. Extended Care will be available. School will resume on Monday, November 26^th and being the 4^th Monday of the month will also be a minimum day. A hot dog lunch will be available for purchase by those attending extended care that day.

We won’t be here to do a Wednesday newsletter next week, however, we will send home the relevant flyers we receive for distribution on Tuesday.

PICTURE RETAKE DAY: This coming Friday, November 16^th is picture make-up day for students who were absent when pictures were taken in October as well as those who wished to have their picture retaken. Please make sure you return your original photo package by tomorrow’s deadline if a retake is requested. Composite class picture were not in your picture package, but they will be sent to you once retake pictures have been completed.

STUDENT ID CARDS: Student ID cards have arrived. They may be purchased, starting tomorrow. Please put $2 in an envelope, write your child’s name and grade and send to your child’s teacher. They are not available in the office.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: Today select students will receive notice that they have been chosen to attend this year’s performance of ACT’s A Christmas Carol. We had an overwhelming response for tickets again this year (we only have 50 tickets and over 90 students wished to attend) and students were chosen based on whether they had previously attended the performance and the timely manner in which the permission slip and payment was received. Students who were not chosen to attend this year are having their payments returned today. Those families should check their Envelopes for those refunds.

PARENT VOLUNTEER HOURS: A reminder that sign-ups for Santa's Secret Shop are now available on Sign-up Genius. All are invited to help with this fundraiser both for hours and to help children sharpen their math skills by budgeting and shopping.

DECEMBER 2^nd: Please mark December 2^nd on your calendar as an exciting day here at STM. We will begin the day with the presentation of our First Communion and Confirmation candidates at our 10:00am Family Mass, followed by a Pancake Breakfast, children’s activities and a visit with Santa in Carroll Hall, all presented by the Parents’ Club.

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: Please save Thursday night, December 13^th, for our school's presentation of our Christmas Program. We will begin at 7:00pm in the Church and all students, preschool through 8^th grade will have a part in this program.

SCRIP: Start your Christmas shopping now! This week's order is the last one to be received before Black Friday and Cyber Monday! Order your scrip by 6am on Friday, November 16^th and receive it next Tuesday before Thanksgiving break. For your convenience, an order will be placed the day after Thanksgiving – remember the 6am deadline!

FROM THE ATHLETIC BOARD: Congratulations to the 4th Grade boys’ soccer team who made it to the championship game. They put up a great effort against NDV before being defeated by a score of 3-1. The 8^th grade girls volleyball team also made it into their division championship game. They put up a great fight against Cornerstone Academy and unfortunately lost 25-22 in the first set and 25-20 in the second. Thank you to all who have represented St. Thomas More School so very well in sports so far this year. We are very proud of all our student athletes.

8^TH GRADE RECOMMENDATIONS: This is the time of the year when 8^th graders are busily writing their high school essays and completing their applications. Because of changing demographics many families attend church in Parishes other than where their school is located. Please remember that students will need to have their clergy recommendations signed by the pastor in the parish where they attend Mass and other church services. This will ensure that recommendations are written by a pastor who knows your child and who is familiar with your family's involvement in your local church.

Congratulations to the 8th Graders whose predictions of the state-by-state electoral vote bettered those of many of the well-known political pundits. The 8th Grade correctly predicted 48 out of 51 "states" (includes Washington D.C.) missing just on Arizona, Colorado and Florida. You might see one of them on C-Span or MSNBC one day!  

More congratulations go out to first grader, Sierra Pecson. She was selected as a finalist for the 2013 Safe and Wise Water Ways poster contest! Her artwork will be displayed in January on the poster contest web site, www.dbw.ca.gov/postercontest and also at the California State Capitol during the 2013 boating season. For her award winning work, Sierra will receive a Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Congratulations, Sierra!

As we come to the day when we recognize all for which we should be thankful, we are especially mindful of you. You continue to support so many of our efforts by your presence and participation. These efforts have continued for years. Thank you, thank you, thank you and enjoy a great holiday with family and friends!

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick

Principal           

STM Newsletter for November 7, 2012

Dear Parents:

Now that election season has come to an end, we remember and pray for all those who worked to keep the democratic process alive and well in our country. The following prayer by Cardinal Adam Maida, Archbishop of Detroit reminds us of all for which we should be thankful.

God of all nations, Father of the human family, we give you thanks for the freedom we exercise and the many blessings of democracy we enjoy in these United States of America.

We ask for your protection and guidance for all who devote themselves to the common good, working for justice and peace at home and around the world.

We lift up all our duly elected leaders and public servants, those who will serve us as president, as legislators and judges, those in the military and law enforcement.

Heal us from our differences and unite us, O Lord, with a common purpose, dedication, and commitment to achieve liberty and justice in the years ahead for all people, and especially those who are most vulnerable in our midst. Amen.

We hope your parent-teacher conferences are going well. The teachers always look forward to meeting with you and sharing the good news about your child’s progress. Once again, our school showed very healthy IOWA test results with the majority of students scoring at or above the 75^th percentile. Just a reminder that every day this week is a minimum day, with dismissal at 12:15pm for grades K-3 and 12:30pm for grades 4-8.

SCHOOL TOURS: We held our first school tour yesterday and were happy to have 16 families join us. Thank you to our 8^th grade student ambassadors, Kameron Powers, Sean Ramos, Crystal Tobar, Jerome Torres, and Sofia Torres who shared a wealth of information with those families. We have another three tours scheduled for November 14^th, November 29^th, and December 5^th. Please call or email the office to reserve a space. Applications are now available from the office or can be downloaded from our website. Please share this information with your family and friends. Students currently enrolled in grades K-7 need not reapply. You will be receiving re-registration information in the spring.

SANDWICHES-FOR-THE-NEEDY: This Friday, November 9^th, is our next collection of sandwiches-for-the-needy. All are welcome to participate and the kindergarten and eighth grade students are charged with taking the lead that day. Some of our upper grade students will again work with Alma Via residents this week to make sandwiches. Don’t have time to make a sandwich for our collection…we are accepting donations to help defray the expenses for when we make sandwiches here at school. We thank you in advance for what we hope will be another huge collection for those at the Martin de Porres House of Hospitality.

FOOD DRIVE: Don’t forget November’s ongoing non-perishable food collection for the San Francisco Food Bank and peanut butter and jelly collection for St. Francis Living Room. We have barrels here at school for your donations and will continue the collection through November 16th. Thank you, in advance, for your generosity!.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS: We would like to invite everyone to join us at the awards ceremony, this Friday, November 9^th immediately following the 8:30am Mass. Academic awards will be presented to students in grades 3 through 8 if he/she maintains outstanding grades in the following subjects: Religion, Mathematics, Reading/Literature, English, Science/Health, and History/Social Studies. In addition to the awards for academic excellence, one student per grade, 3 through 8, will be chosen for a citizenship award. In grades K-2, two students per grade will receive this award.

FAMILY MASS: This Sunday, November 11^th, at 10:00am, the third and fourth graders will prepare our next Family Mass. Please consider joining with the St. Thomas More School Community to gather together in worship. Please use the blue envelope you are receiving today for the second collection which benefits the school.

OLIVE THE STORYTELLER: On Monday, November 12^th, Olive the Storyteller will return for the K-3^rd grade students. Also on that day, Olive will begin her story telling project with the 8^th graders

CIOPPINO: A Cioppino planning meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 13th. Anyone interested in helping with the event are invited to attend the meeting at 7:00 in Carroll Hall.

FROM THE PARENTS’ CLUB: The winners of the Halloween Carnival/Fall Festival Raffle were drawn this morning. You are receiving a flyer with the winners in today’s envelope. Prizes can be picked up tomorrow from the school office.

OFF TO THE RACES: Off to the Races is coming to STM on Saturday, November 17^th! Reservation flyers, Ad space, and Name a Horse/Jockey/Owner are in today’s envelope. This has always been an exciting evening with lots of fun activities, “adult” refreshments and lively entertainment. All this for only $15! Don’t forget that childcare is also available. Send in your reservations now!

UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS: Permission slips for the below mentioned field trip are in your envelopes today. Please pay attention to the due date to return the form and payment.

•   The 3^rd grade Students will visits the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers on Tuesday, November 27^th.
• Students from 2^nd grade will enjoy a performance of The Elves and the Shoemaker at Skyline College on December 6^th.

BUILDING INTO THE FUTURE ONE BRICK AT A TIME: Thank you to all who have purchased a brick or plaque. The 8 plaques offered have been a big hit and sold out very quickly. Because of high demand, we are adding 8 more plaques to our initial offering. These won’t last long either - get your order in early - this is your chance to leave a lasting remembrance of your family’s time at STM. An order form for bricks available for sale is enclosed in your envelope today. Credit cards (VISA and Mastercard) accepted - just stop by the school office.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick

Principal

STM Newsletter for October 31, 2012

Dear Parents,

Thank you to all who joined us for our annual Halloween costume parade today. When you think of Halloween, what comes to mind? For a lot of people, Halloween has become synonymous with candy, costumes, scary stuff, and pumpkins. But do you know the religious connection to the holiday? The word Halloween itself is a contraction of "Hallowed evening". Hallowed is an old English word for "holy" — as in "Hallowed be Thy Name", in the Lord's Prayer. All Saints Day, celebrated on November 1^st, is the day on which Catholics celebrate all the saints, known and unknown. The vigil or eve of this feast, October 31, is Halloween. The purpose of Halloween is to prepare us for All Saints Day by remembering and celebrating those saints. A reminder that tomorrow, All Saints Day is a holy day of obligation. Celebrating this special feast day by attending Mass is a wonderful way to honor the saints. Please consider joining us at 8:30am tomorrow, November 1^st for our student body mass honoring all saints.

Congratulations to all who helped with or worked on last weekend’s Halloween Carnival! What a great effort and great success. A special thank you to the 2012 carnival co-chairs: John Ali, Ivon Van Mechelen, Michaela Munda, Roxy Corrales-Olivier, Gladys Duarte and Anarose Schelstrate. More information will come from the Parents’ Club, but a big thank you to all for a job well done! Check out your envelope today

Tomorrow we begin our annual collection of canned goods and other non-perishable items for the SF Food Bank to provide Thanksgiving meals for those in need. In addition to the Food Bank, this year we are also collecting peanut butter and jelly jars for St. Francis Living Room, an organization that helps to feed seniors in San Francisco. We have barrels and boxes here at school for your donations. We will continue the collections through Friday, November 19^th. Let us continue to ‘THINK like Jesus’ and help to feed the hungry in our community this holiday season.

Tomorrow evening, in Carroll Hall at 7:00pm, the Parents’ Club will have their first-Thursday-of-the-month meeting. Come with your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. See you there!

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES/REPORT CARDS: Just a reminder that Monday through Friday next week are all minimum days with 12:15/12:30 dismissal. We will have parent-teacher conferences during that time. Yes, there is extended care each of those days. Students not signed in to extended care will not be allowed to remain in the yard during your conference.

2013-2014 APPLICATION FORMS: Those who requested an application form for the next school year are receiving those in their envelopes today. Application forms for the 2013-2014 Kindergarten class will be available in the office and online tomorrow, November 1^st.

UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS: Permission slips for the below mentioned field trip are in your envelopes today. Please pay attention to the due date to return the form and payment.

·       The Kindergarten Students will enjoy a presentation of Rapunzel at Fort Mason on Wednesday, November 7^th.

·       Students from 6^th and 8^th grades will attend Archbishop Riordan’s

production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Tuesday, November 13^th.

·       Also on November 13^th, the 7^th graders will enjoy various exhibits at the San Jose Tech Museum.

·       On Monday, December 3^rd, the 2^nd and 5^th graders will visit the Palace of Fine Arts for a production of The Nutcracker.

·       All 3^rd through 8^th grade students are receiving a permission slip for the November 29^th performance of A Christmas Carol. This is an optional field trip. Please see the permission slip for more details.

NOVEMBER CALENDAR: In your Envelope today you are receiving the Hot Lunch Menu and Calendar of Events for the month of November. With all the minimum days for conferences, etc., it will be a helpful reminder throughout the month. Please take note that Tuesday November 20^th will be a minimum day and yes, extended care will be available that evening until 6pm.

FROM THE ADVISORY BOARD: Thank you to those who have already submitted a new logo for STM. The deadline for submitting your design is Friday, November 16^th. Please keep in mind that the new logo/crest, which will be featured on our letterheads, envelopes, business cards and promotional materials should reflect that we are a Catholic school. The ideal logo/crest size could be circular or crest shaped and include the school colors, royal blue and white.

2012 PRESIDENTAL ELECTION SPECIAL: As part of a social studies project designed by Mrs. Spiegel and Mr. Kavanagh, the 8th Grade students studied the Electoral College in order to make a prediction on next Tuesday's election. Each student reported on the political history and current polling data in their two assigned states (and Washington D.C.). The predictions are all in and the 8th Grade predicts that President Obama will win reelection by a count of 305-233 in the Electoral College. Congrats to our 8th Graders for their hard work! 

FROM JOHN KAVANAGH, PM EXTENDED CARE DIRECTOR: The first payment due date has passed and there were some irregularities I would like to address in the hopes of avoiding them in the future. In particular, please wait until you receive a bill before you make a payment and please pay the amount due.  Although I appreciate the zealousness to meet one's financial obligations, there is no need for payments before you receive a bill. The bills always will be sent home in the first or second Wednesday envelope of each month. Early payments make it more likely for bookkeeping errors to occur. In addition, we received a dozen or so payments that did not match the amounts due and this also causes bookkeeping headaches. If you are ever not sure of the exact amount owed because you cannot locate the invoice, then please feel free to e-mail me at JKav@stmsf.org. Lastly, please be aware that full payment must be made by the due date each month to avoid a $25 late charge. Thanks for your cooperation!

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS: We would like to invite everyone to join us at the awards ceremony, next Friday, November 9^th immediately following the 8:30am Mass. Academic awards will be presented to students in grades 3 through 8 if he/she maintains outstanding grades in the following subjects: Religion, Mathematics, Reading/Literature, English, Science/Health, and History/Social Studies. The following criteria will be used to determine eligibility.

First Honors 1. Students must earn a 3.75 GPA or above 2. Behavioral Expectation and Learning Skills of 2 or above

Second Honors 1. Students must earn a 3.50 GPA or above 2. Behavioral Expectation and Learning Skills of 2 or above

In addition to the awards for academic excellence, one student per grade, 3 through 8, will be chosen for a citizenship award. In grades K-2, two students per grade will receive this award. Below are the criteria on which this award will be based.

Citizenship

1. Exemplify exceptional Catholic values

2. Demonstrates overall good citizenship

3. Behavioral Expectation and Learning Skills of 2 or above

YARD DUTY: Thank you to the many who have already volunteer for yard duty this year. The teachers definitely appreciate your help. Just a couple of reminders – please arrive on time when volunteering for yard duty, we do not allow food or beverages in the school yard during yard duty (this includes coffee/tea drinks), and please refrain from using your cell phone while on duty.

Happy Halloween! Happy All Saints Day!

Marie Fitzpatrick

STM Newsletter for October 24, 2012

Dear Parents,

Giving is an important lesson for people of all ages. Some of you may know the story of the boy with the loaves of bread and fishes. A large crowd has gathered. They are hungry. They need to be fed. The leader tells his men to find some food for this mob of hungry people. One man comes back to report, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish” (John 6:9). This is the situation on the banks of the Sea of Galilee nearly 2,000 years ago. What did Jesus do? Did he say the boy was too young to give? No! “Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed them” (John 6:11). With the contribution from one young boy, Jesus was able to feed more than five thousand people! How proud that boy must have felt! Today some people may think children do not need to learn stewardship. Jesus clearly proved he can make miracles happen even with a small contribution from a young child. Stewardship could be the greatest lesson we teach to our young people. Below are some reasons from Today’s Catholic Teacher on why Stewardship is so important.

• Stewardship helps build self-esteem. Today children are exposed to constant advertising telling them they are not good enough unless they wear the right clothes and carry the latest accessories. Since there will always be something newer and more tempting for us to want, these messages can lead to a lifetime of poor self-image and lasting discontent. In the Catholic classroom, children hear a different message. They learn that God has already blessed them with all the wonderful and unique gifts they will need to do the special work God has put them on Earth to do. They do not need what the world is selling.

• Stewardship brings joy and contentment. A life of giving is a rewarding life. When children learn to share the gifts God has entrusted to them, they will naturally find joy, fulfillment, and contentment.

• Stewardship connects children more deeply with God. An important part of good stewardship is turning to God for guidance in using and sharing our gifts. Children learn to place their trust in God when they are taught to ask God what he wants them to do, instead of them always telling God what they want.

• Children have the ability and the natural longing to give. Due to allowances and gifts, most children in our society today have quite a bit of disposable income. Even children without financial resources have the ability to share their talents or give the gift of prayer. Children feel grown-up, important, and needed when they give. Social scientists believe most children learn their attitudes about giving between the ages of 6 and 10. If young children learn to find joy in giving, they will become lifelong givers.

Beginning Thursday, November 1^st, we will conduct our annual collection of canned goods and other non-perishable items for the San Francisco Food Bank. Your donations will be used to provide Thanksgiving meals for those in need. We will have barrels here at school for your donations and will continue the collection through November 16^th. This is another great way for all or us to show great stewardship.

LET'S GO GIANTS...LET'S GO! Last Thursday we raised $147 for the "Say Hey for the Kids" Willie Mays Boys & Girls Club at Hunters Point from our Giants free dress. Today, the Student Council held a bake sale that raised an additional $419 for this great cause. Thank you to all who participated. Let's go Giants! Let's go...and win the World Series!!!

HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL: It’s almost here…the Halloween Carnival! Are you ready for a Saturday filled with fun?  This Saturday is our Parents' Club sponsored Halloween Carnival from 10:00am to 8:00pm. The Haunted House will be sure to scare and delight those daring enough to go in; all the games will be challenging - have you ever won at the Ring Toss or Backwards Basketball; win a cake or a plateful of cupcakes from the Cake Walk; Minute to Win It - need we say more; the little ones will enjoy the Kids' Korner made especially for them; and there will be plenty of food and drinks for everyone!  AND in honor of our SF GIANTS, Carroll Hall will become a GIANTS ORANGE AND BLACK ZONE starting at 4:00pm. Come and join us cheer our favorite team! Check out the raffle flyer in your envelope today for your chance to win an iPad.

HALLOWEEN PARADE: We will celebrate Halloween next Wednesday, October 31^st. Just a reminder that when purchasing costumes for wearing to school on Halloween, please consider the following: age appropriate, bathroom accessible, make up must be applied at home, shoes must be comfortable for walking, and no weapons of any kind. The Halloween costume parade will be after lunch recess, about 1:15. The students will parade around the homestead for thirty to forty-five minutes. You should have plenty of time to capture your child’s Kodak moment. After the parade, students will return to class to party until they drop. Parents are not permitted in classrooms unless specifically arranged in advance with the classroom teacher. At dismissal we will be thrilled to return your child to you complete with a sugar high!

PARENT CONFERENCES: This Friday, October 26^th marks the end of the first quarter of the school year. Report cards will be sent home next Friday, November 2^nd. Academic test scores (second through eighth graders) will all be available to you at your parent-teacher conference. We are sending home scheduled appointments today. If you do not receive an appointment, please check with the office to ensure your accounts are up to date.

2013-2014 APPLICATION FORMS FOR NEW STUDENTS: K-8 application forms for the 2013-2014 school year will be available in the front office and online beginning November 1^st, 2012. Siblings of current students as well as Utopia preschool students can use the flyer in today’s envelope to request an application. Students currently attending Utopia Preschool and/or with siblings currently attending St. Thomas More School will be given preference.

PIZZA AND HOT DOG SALES: Order forms are being sent home today for November, December and January sales. This is your ONLY opportunity to order. You must order for all sales if you wish to participate in these special lunches. Pay attention to the due date, Friday, November 2^nd, and return the form and payment in a sealed envelope.

FUNDRAISING CATALOG: Families who did not pick up catalog items yesterday are receiving them today. Please check your order thoroughly and notify us immediately if you are missing anything. Call the office and check with Melody if you have questions. She has a complete list of those items. Congratulations to STM’s top fundraiser, the Beasley-Bell Family (Marquez, Kindergarten) who raised over $1100. Marquez will be receiving a special gift in his envelope today.

OFF TO THE RACES: Off to the Races is coming to STM on Saturday, November 17^th! Reservation flyers, Ad space, and Name a Horse/Jockey/Owner are in today’s envelope. This has always been an exciting evening with lots of fun activities, “adult” refreshments and lively entertainment. All this for only $15! Don’t forget that childcare is also available. Send in your reservations now!

SCHOOL PHOTOS: As you know, we were not happy with the quality of the school photos that were taken in September of this year and have decided to do an entire student retake on Friday, October 26^th. All students in Preschool through eighth grade will be photographed that day. All families will have the opportunity to purchase their child’s photo using the flyer you are receiving today. Families who purchased photos in September are receiving a check refund from the company in today’s envelope.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick

Principal