Newsletter for May 30, 2012

Dear Parents:

This past weekend, the church celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church and the gift of the Holy Spirit – the sending of the Holy Spirit by our Lord Jesus Christ. Having been with his disciples for forty days after the resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God the Father. Pentecost closes the Easter Season. It celebrates the overwhelming experience of God giving the Holy Spirit to the first community of believers in the church. The color of the vestments and decorations for Pentecost is red, which symbolizes the intense love and fire of the Holy Spirit. From now until the beginning of the Advent Season we will celebrate the church season known as Ordinary Time. We now see the return of the green vestments that are a symbol of life and growth in the church.

This week our sixth grade students made cards for their fellow sixth graders at School of the Epiphany in order to express their compassion on the death of one of their classmates. Please keep the family and the Epiphany community in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.

Sandwiches-for-the-needy: Just a reminder that our final collection of sandwiches-for-the-needy is this coming Friday, June 1^st. We ask that all grades pull together to provide sandwiches that day. Thank you once again to all who have supported these collections throughout the year.

Class of 2012: The graduates are off on their picnic to Six Flags tomorrow before they return for all the activities of graduation day this Friday. We are saying good-bye to a fine class of eighth grade students. They have earned awards and recognition for their academic achievements from several of the high schools at which they have been accepted! The student body will come together for the graduates’ last Mass as STM students this Friday at 11:00. The graduation ceremony will be at 5:00 p.m. that evening. At those events, students will pray together, share their thoughts about their time at STM, hear the announcements of awards, and celebrate this educational milestone in their lives. We salute our graduates and hope you will join them at either or both ceremonies. Congratulations to:

Maopeli Ali, Ari Arrospide, Samantha Basco, Noelle Bumanglag, Emily Cano, Ralph De Jesus, Chloe Deguzman, Amaya Echarte, Adrian Embry, Samuel Gagucas, Lidy Garcia, Mario Giusto, Austin Grotkin, Kevin Hughes, Peter Kolokotrones, Pearla Lewis, Byron Li, Nicholas Lobre, Matthew Martinez, Anderson Nguyen, Michelle Nguyen, Kaitlin Nori, Rowby Ocampo, Remy Phaophongsavath, Roisin Quirke, Jenyse Rojo, Josette Rojo, Mike Santos, Melia Schelstrate, Matthew Schivo, Dominic Soriano, Iza Tongol, Luca Trumbull, Jackie Tsodikova, Rayna Urbino, and Stacey Velasco.

More congratulations…Last Wednesday evening, two of our 8^th graders were honored by USF in an academic recognition award ceremony. Katie Nori accepted the award for most improved student in the area of academics, and Rayna Urbino accepted the award for consistent academic excellence. Keep up the great work as you begin your high school journey.

Memory Book: Last week those who had pre-ordered their memory book should have received it in their Envelope. There are still a few copies available but a sellout is assured! Remember, memory books are now $25 and can be purchased from the office.

Photo Time: Our First Communicants and Confirmandi are receiving photos from their special days today. Also, those who ordered the student body panoramic photos (by the deadline) will be receiving them today.

Tuition and Fees: Do you have any unpaid tuition or fees (including the scrip requirement and extended care) for this school year? Please make sure you settle up before the 10:00am dismissal on June 8^th, in order that your child/children may receive their report cards in a timely manner. Report cards for students absent on the last day will be filed in their cumulative folders and may be picked up during the summer or next school year.

Scrip: This Friday is the last chance to order scrip for the school year before our adjusted schedule during the summer. Additionally, we will continue to take simply Uniforms scrip orders through dismissal tomorrow, Thursday, May 31^st. Orders can be placed either online of through the school office. Remember, gift cards make great gifts for graduations and Father's day!

Early Dismissals: Next week, Monday through Thursday, we will have minimum days with 12:15 dismissal for students in grades K-3 and 12:30 dismissal for students in grades 4-7. There will be extended care starting at dismissal on those days. Remember, extended care payment for this final week continues to be on a pay-by-the-day or pre-pay basis. On Friday, June 8, our last day, K-7 will dismiss at 10:00 and Preschool at 10:30. There is NO Extended Care that day.

Summer Hours: The school office will be open during most of the summer, however, we will be on restricted hours, generally from 9-12. If you plan to come and make a payment of tuition and any fees, please call first to see if we are here. We prefer that you mail those items; but if we are here when you call, we’ll be happy to help you. If you do need us during the summer, please call and leave a message or send us an email. The school office will be closed from July 2-6 and July 16-20. Preschool runs a year round program and will continue to operate according to their regular schedule but will also be closed from July 2-6.

Parents' Club: Next Tuesday, June 5^th is the night set aside for the Parents’ Club end of year meeting and recognition dinner. This will be held in Carroll Hall at 7:00pm.

Don’t forget, the Parents’ Club is providing you with a final social activity as the year comes to an end. The end-of-the-year-social is scheduled to start just after school begins next Friday, June 8^th in Carroll Hall and lasts until dismissal. All are invited. See you there. Limited parking will be available in the school yard.

Used Uniforms: To facilitate the Parents’ Club collection of used uniforms this year, we are allowing the students to enjoy free dress on Thursday and Friday of next week. There are no strings attached, no required donations, just enjoy a little freedom. However, we will be happy to accept any uniform pieces that your children have outgrown or that you will no longer be using. Eighth graders may donate their uniforms Thursday and Friday of this week. The used uniform sale will take place in Carroll Hall on August 23rd, our first day back for next school year.

Dance Festival: Dancing with the Stars has nothing on our students. Last week's Dance Festival was a spectacular night showcasing what talented students we have. Congratulations to the dancers, their teachers and especially to Sondra Dwyer, our dance teacher, who put the show together. Thanks also to Cynthia Bringas and the preschool staff for leading our youngest students in their Zumba routine.

As you all heard at last week’s dance festival, our long time dance instructor, Sondra Dwyer will be retiring at the end of this school year. Sondra arrived at St. Thomas More School in 1986, and has been a valued member of the faculty ever since. During her time here, Sondra has guided students in kindergarten through eighth grade in more than 20 dance festivals covering dances from all around the world. Sondra will be dearly missed. Her enthusiasm for teaching and creativity will be remembered by all of her students, past and present. We look forward to seeing her as part of our audience next dance festival.

With Sondra’s departure, we welcome Sue Risotto, who will be taking the reigns as our new dance teacher. We are happy to be able to continue such an enriching program. Welcome Sue!

Band Program: Congratulations also to the students who played in the band. Their performance under the guidance of teacher Mike Borderline was superb! We look forward to continuing this after school class again next year.

As the school year draws to a close, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the support you have extended to the staff of St. Thomas More School over the past year. Through your efforts in the various school events, you have shown a keen interest, not only in the activities involving your child, but also in the whole school community. It has been a privilege to have the opportunity to work with you and your children this year.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick

Principal

Congrats Grads! Class of 2012!

Newsletter for May 23, 2012

May 23^rd, 2012

Dear Parents:

As the year draws to a close, we reflect back on the school year and our theme of ‘Go Make a Difference’. Students in all grades participated in many fundraisers and community awareness programs and learned more about how they can make a difference in the lives of others. Our students showed their charity throughout the year by collecting toiletries for the Blue Star Moms and providing sandwiches for the needy for the Martin de Porres House. Seventh grade spearheaded an extremely successful Confirmation service project. Through Project Night Night, the seventh graders were able to provide comfort to homeless children in our community by preparing and donating over 80 care packages. Together, as a school, we raised money during Lent for the Society of the Propagation of the Faith. We hope that with your continued support, next year there will be many opportunities for you and your child to be involved in a variety of similar service projects.

Our final collection of sandwiches-for-the-needy will be next Friday, June 1^st and we ask that all grades pull together to provide sandwiches that day. Thanks to all who have supported these collections throughout the year.

Dance Festival: As many of you know, our dance program, under the direction of Sondra Dwyer, is an enriching and enjoyable experience for all students. We look forward to seeing you all at this most popular event of the year. Tomorrow night, May 24^th, we will celebrate an evening of our own Dancing with the Stars. Your children will be the stars of our annual Dance Festival. The front doors of the school will open at 6:15pm to allow students to enter their classrooms. Students should arrive no later than 6:30pm. Parking will be available in the schoolyard beginning at 5:45pm. The doors of the gym will open at 6:15pm. Dismissal of students after the Dance Festival is as follows: Kindergarten students can be picked up from their classroom. First and second grade students will be dismissed through the front doors of the school by their teacher. Third through eighth grade students will be dismissed directly from the gym. Please make arrangements with your child as to where to meet them when dismissed.

Extended Care: Extended Care bills for May 1^st-18^th will be going home today. Please note the due date of June 1^st. As a reminder, families who use the after school Extended Care program from now until the end of the school year will need to either pre-pay or pay-by-the-day. Prepayments may be made in the office or when you pick up your child from extended care. The cost is $4.00 per hour or fraction-thereof. Any unused balance from a pre-payment will be applied to next years’ billing.

Tuition and Fees: Do you have any unpaid tuition or fees (including extended care) for this school year? Please make sure you settle up before the 10:00am dismissal on June 8^th, in order that your child/children may receive their report cards in a timely manner. Report cards for students absent on the last day will be filed in their cumulative folders and may be picked up during the summer or next school year.

Memory Books: Those who pre-ordered a memory book will be receiving it in their envelope today. If you ordered a book and did not receive one, please let the office know immediately. The price is now $25 if you wish to order a memory book.

Scrip: With Graduation and Father's Day just around the corner, now is a great time to receive credit on your account for purchasing gift cards through our school scrip program. Orders placed online by 6:00am this Friday, May 25^th, will be delivered in your next Wednesday envelope. Use of the scrip program continues to rise. Remember all families are required to generate $100 profit from the use of scrip for the 2012-2013 school year. A double-sided flyer is in your child’s envelope today regarding ordering scrip during the summer. Those of you who have not fulfilled your scrip requirement for the current school year will be receiving a statement in today’s envelope with the balance due.

Simply Uniforms: We have already received over $2000 in orders for Simply Uniforms scrip. We will continue to accept orders until dismissal on Friday. This is an easy way to get started on your scrip requirement for the 2012-2013 school year.

Physics Day at Great America – TAKE 2: Last Friday first round trebuchet champion, Katie Nori returned to Great America to test her skills against all other finalists in Northern California, including many high school entrants. We are happy to report that Katie’s trebuchet took third place overall. Congratulations!

More Congratulations: We are proud to have many sport champions in our school! Firstly, congratulations to the 3^rd grade baseball team. They won their division championship last Sunday beating St. Cecilia’s, 17-4. This past March, Arabella (4^th grade) and Krystelle Chloe (6^th grade) Sunga represented Coastside Fencing in a fencing tournament in Canada. Congratulations also go out to Gabriel Lozano (1^st grade) who will compete in Taekwondo at the Junior Olympics in Dallas at the end of June. In his most recent qualifier, Gabriel received a gold and a silver medal for his age and belt group. How wonderful it is to have so many incredible athletes here at STM.

And finally, thank you to all students who stepped up and took an interest in becoming a part of their student council for the 2012-2013 school year. The results are as follows:

2012-2013 STM Student Council

President – Elyssa Nicolas

Vice President – Jose David

Secretary – Samantha Bernardo

Treasurer – Andre Corrales

Sargent at Arms – Kameron Powers and Riley Mihelich

School Spirit/Publicity – Julietta Lehmann and Chloe Novillos

Athletics – Andrew Triunfo

Religious Affairs – Ava Ragasa

Ecology – Lara Bautista

Traffic Commissioners – Crystal Tobar, Chris Taylor and Sean Ramos

Yearbook and Newspaper Editors – Tony D’Aura, Evan Prasadi, Nikki Binza and Janelle Paredes

Don’t forget, Monday, May 28^th is a holiday in observance of Memorial Day. Enjoy the long weekend!

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick                 

Principal         

Newsletter for May 16, 2012

Dear Parents,

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. According to Scripture, Christ was crucified then resurrected on the third day. Following his resurrection, Christ remained with his disciples and continued his ministry for forty days. Following these forty days, he ascended into heaven. The feast of the Ascension’s meaning provides a sense of hope that the glorious and triumphant return of Christ is near. It is a reminder of the Kingdom of God within our hearts, and of the ever-present Spirit of God, watching over and protecting us as we spread the light of Jesus' truth throughout the world.

We trust everyone enjoyed the special three-day-weekend as we return to the full and exciting next few weeks at STM. Only 16 days to go!

Spirit Week!: Yesterday, we kicked off Spirit Week with our pajama day. We had a great time this afternoon being active and sporty with a Rhythm and Moves Field Day. Thanks to our PE teacher, Mike Shimabukuro, for organizing such fun activities. Moving along, Spirit week continues tomorrow as the students enjoy Wacky, Crazy Thursday. Students are allowed free dress and are allowed to show their wacky, crazy side. Absolutely no make-up or hair coloring allowed. To round out the week, on Friday, students may dress as their favorite super hero. In the afternoon, the student body will enjoy a talent show highlighting our own students as contestants. The show will begin at 1:00pm in Carroll Hall and all are invited to come and enjoy the show.

Afternoon Extended Care: Beginning this coming Monday, May 21^st, parents who use the after school Extended Care program will need to either pre-pay or pay-by-the-day. Prepayments may be made in the office or when you pick up your child from extended care. The cost is $4.00 per hour or fraction-thereof. Any unused balance from a pre-payment will be applied to next years’ billing.

Field Trips: Today the 8^th graders are receiving a permission slip for their end-of-year graduation picnic at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo. Please pay close attention to the due date! Thank you to all the parents who have volunteered their time to chaperone on field trips throughout the year. We are so lucky to live in a city which has so many culturally and enriching activities to offer.

Dance Festival: Next Thursday, May 24^th, we will celebrate an evening of our own Dancing with the Stars. Your children will be the stars of our annual Dance Festival. The front doors of the school will open at 6:15pm to allow students to enter their classrooms. Students should arrive no later than 6:30pm. Parking will be available in the schoolyard beginning at 5:45pm. The doors of the gym will open at 6:15pm. Today you are receiving a list of the suggested clothing your child should wear. As many of you know, our dance program, under the direction of Sondra Dwyer, is an enriching and enjoyable experience for all students. We look forward to seeing you all at this most popular event of the year.

Jamba Juice: On Wednesday, May 30^th, as a special treat, we will be offering yummy, classic, all fruit Jamba Juice smoothies for purchase. If your child wishes to enjoy a smoothie on this day, please complete the order form you are receiving in your envelope today. Smoothies will be available in two different flavors and sizes. YUM!

Summer Plans: The Stop Motion Animation Tech Camp for Kids is in danger of canceling. You are receiving an updated flyer in today’s envelope. One difference you might note is that it will only run for two weeks, not three as previously offered.  The deadline to register has been extended to June 1^st. Sign up as soon as possible in order for this camp to continue.

From the Athletic Board: Check out the knock-out flyer in today’s envelope. This fun contest is open to all 3^rd through 8^th graders. Also, the next dad & grad pick up game is this Sunday, May 20^th from 6pm to 8pm.

Preschool Applications: Our four-year-old preschool program for the 2012-2013 school year is now full. We do however still have a few openings for three-year-olds. Preference will be given to school families if applications are received in a timely manner.

Finally, we are delighted to announce that we will have very little changes in staff for the new school year. We will have some wonderful new faculty members joining us next year and some juggling, from last year to this, of the roles some faculty will play. Leaving us and moving back to her hometown of Portland, Oregon is Lillie Stevens, our current 5^th grade teacher. We wish her well as she pursues new challenges in her career and takes advantage of new opportunities. Taking the reins in fifth grade and making her way up to the second floor is our own Kelly Stamatis. We welcome Jessica Bryan as our new third grade teacher.

Congratulations go out to one of our kindergarten teachers, Megan Kennedy and her husband Tim, who are expecting their first child in September! We are happy to have Yvonne Benedict, a long time classroom teacher here at STM, join Heidi Haas in the classroom until Megan returns from maternity leave in late fall.

We will also be including a couple of new positions for the 2012-2013 school year. We are happy to have Alison Hayden on board as our Resource and Learning Specialist. Another position that will help kick off the second phase of our Capital Campaign is the Development Director. We look forward to all that Nicole Owens (mother of Blake, 5^th grade) can offer as she fills this position. Plans are well underway for another great year.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick

Principal

Newsletter for May 9, 2012

May 9th, 2012

Dear Parents,

During the month of May, a month dedicated to honoring Mary, Catholics have long honored Mary by placing a crown on her image. The tradition in the United States and many other countries has been for school children to have a "May Crowning" ceremony, with a procession, pretty dresses and a wreath of fresh flowers that are placed on the statue. Thank you to Sue Kapovich and Julianne Beach for preparing a beautiful May Crowning last Sunday. A special thank you also to the 2nd and 8th grade students who participated in such a lovely ceremony.

It is a little less noisy in the homes of fifth and sixth graders as well as here at school. The fifth and sixth graders’ are away on their Outdoor Education Program. They will be back on Friday, near dismissal time, tired, dirty but full of stories of the fun and education they experienced.

Also on Friday, Utopia, our preschool, will have a minimum day with 12:00pm dismissal. Grades K-8 will dismiss regularly on Friday at 2:15/2:30pm. Don’t forget that this coming Monday, May 14th, is a holiday for all students, preschool through eighth grade. School will resume on Tuesday. 

A Reminder…Beginning Monday, May 21st, parents who use the after school Extended Care program will need to either pre-pay or pay-by-the-day. Prepayments may be made in the office or when you pick up your child from extended care. The cost is $4.00 per hour or fraction-thereof. Any unused balance from a pre-payment will be applied to next years’ billing.

Parent Agreement and Participation Requirements: Please remember that the deadline has passed for returning the “yellow” Parent Agreement-Parent Participation form. If you have not yet returned that form, please do so as soon as possible. That way we will know how you plan to pay your tuition and how you intend to fulfill your Parent Participation Requirements in the coming year. Please be aware that the monthly tuition payment plan began this month and the 1st payment is due by next Tuesday, May 15th. Also, there are still a few families who have not yet paid their re-registration fees. Please understand that a spot will not be held for your child until those fees are paid.

2012-2013 Calendar: Today you are receiving the 2012-2013 school calendar, which has been approved by the Archdiocese. Please note that we will begin next school year on Thursday, August 23rd. Also, save the evening of Thursday, August 30th at 7:00 p.m. This is the date set for our mandatory parent back-to-school meeting. Hopefully this will help those of you who are planning your vacations now.

Scrip/Uniforms: We are grateful to all of the families who have completed this requirement for the 2011-2012 school year. As of May 1st, any scrip purchases will be credited to the next school year, 2012-2013. Those who have not fulfilled this requirement will be notified through next Wednesday’s envelope and all balances will need to be in order by the end of this month.

Did you know that Simply Uniforms now participates in our scrip program? They are offering a 10% rebate back to the school. As a convenience to you, we have included a Simply Uniforms scrip order form in your envelope today. If you wish to purchase some Simply Uniforms scrip, please complete the form and send it to the office by Friday May 25th. Scrip will be sent home on Wednesday, May 30th.

First Communion Photos: Raul Panelo, father of 4th grader Samantha, took some great photos at First Communion. Check out the STM website to view and/or order pictures from this memorable event. The photo website password is 1st@stm.

From the Athletic Board: Girls’ Basketball and Baseball Pictures will be taken after school next Wednesday, May 16th. Please make sure your child brings their basketball or baseball uniform to school with them that day. Any sports uniform, including Boys’ Basketball, Girls’ Basketball, Baseball uniforms need to be turned by May 25th. Please put the uniform in a bag with your child’s name and grade clearly written on it. 

Dance Festival: Save the date! This year, our Dance Festival will be held on Thursday night, May 24th. As you know many of our dances are partner dances and Mrs. Dwyer spends a lot of effort preparing the children for this. If your child is unable to attend, please let the office know immediately in writing. It is very upsetting if on the night of the festival a child is not able to perform a dance because his or her partner does not show up. If we do not hear from you, we expect your child will be participating.

Summer Plans: The Stop Motion Animation Tech Camp for Kids is filling up quickly. You are receiving an updated flyer in today’s envelope. One difference you might note is that it will only run for two weeks, not three as previously offered.  Also, the deadline to register and pay is now June 1st. Sign up now!

Physics Day at Great America: Science is a Physics Affair! On Monday, May 7th the 8th graders invited the student body to come and learn about their roller coasters, a physics project they have been working on for the past several weeks. We are very proud of their creativity and workmanship as their rollercoaster’s had many vertical loops, corkscrew turns and plunging drops. Last Friday, four rollercoasters were entered into Great America's Physics Day rollercoaster building contest.  We are happy to announce that 3 of our teams receieved awards. Congratulations also go out to Katie Nori who entered and won the trebuchet building contest launching a small rubber ball more than 20 feet. Congratulations 8th graders and keep up the good work!

Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick    
Principal     

Newsletter for May 2, 2012

May 2nd, 2012

Dear Parents:

Last Friday evening, Bishop McElroy administered the sacrament of confirmation to our seventh grade students. We congratulate them on their further initiation into the Catholic Church. May the gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to work in their lives. Thank you to seventh grade teacher, Natalia Girlich, and CCD Director Kathy Sanford for preparing such a prayerful and meaningful ceremony. A special thank you also to the sixth grade families for their help setting and cleaning up at the confirmation reception last Friday.


The Parents’ Club meet at 7:00 in Carroll Hall tomorrow, Thursday, May 3rd. If you have not yet attended a meeting this year, now is a great time to participate and become involved in YOUR parents’ club.


Parent Agreement: Please remember that the deadline for returning the “yellow” Parent Agreement-Parent Participation forms is Friday, May 4th. By returning those form, we will know how you plan to pay your tuition and how you intend to fulfill your Parent Participation Requirements in the coming year. Please be aware that monthly tuition payment plans begin this month, with the 1st payment due by Tuesday, May 15th. As a reminder, tuition payments may be mailed or given to your child to deliver to the school office via their Wednesday Envelope. Also, please consider mailing all tuition payments during the summer months as our office hours vary and we can’t guarantee that
the office will be open during regular business hours.

Physics Day: This Friday, the eighth grade class will represent STM at Great America for Physics Day. The eight graders have been working on a rollercoaster physics project for the past several weeks. We are very proud of their creativity and workmanship as their rollercoaster’s have many vertical loops, corkscrew turns and plunging drops. Along with the 8th graders, we have four rollercoaster’s going to Great America this Friday to represent St. Thomas More School at Physics Day. We’re sure that the students will enjoy this educational opportunity.

Student Council Elections: Speeches and primary elections will be held next Monday, May 7th. Please join us for the speeches which will begin promptly at 1:00pm in Carroll Hall. Student Council general elections will be held the following day on Tuesday, May 8th.

Extended Care: Billing for the month of April is going home today.  A Reminder - Beginning Monday, May 21st, parents who use the after school Extended Care program will need to either pre-pay or pay-by-the-day . Prepayments may be made in the office or when you pick up your child from extended care. The cost is $4.00 per hour or fraction-thereof. Any unused balance from a pre-payment will be applied to next years’ billing.

Summer Plans: What will you do with your child(ren) this summer? The Stop Motion Animation Tech Camp for Kids last summer was extremely successful and a similar program including an academic component will be offered for three weeks from June 11-29. Check out the flyer in today's envelope. The registration deadline has been extended until May 14th!

From the Athletic Board: The STM Athletic Board is hosting a Coaches Appreciation Dinner on Friday, May 25. Please use the online form to RSVP to this event. Also, the Coaches Questionnaire and the Fall 2012 Sports Sign-up are now available online.

Congratulations 8th graders: The Dream Girl$, Melia Schelstrate, Lidy Garcia, Chloe DeGuzman and Samantha Basco, took 3rd place in the Northern California region for junior high students in the Stock Market Game. They will attend an Awards Ceremony and Luncheon with their Math teacher, John Kavanagh, on May 11th. In addition to The Dream Girl$, three of our other 8th Grade teams placed in the Top Ten for the Northern California region as well (5th, 7th, 9th). Great work, eighth grade!

More Congratulations: We would like to congratulate the Sixth graders, and their teacher Miss Beach, on their magnificent production of The Pied Piper of Hamelin – an opera they wrote in conjunction with the Books to Bravo program of the San Francisco Opera Guild. Photos and songs from the performance can be seen by clicking the link on the STM homepage. A job well done, sixth grade.

Thank you for all who took the time to acknowledge their teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. We are blessed to have such dedicated educators here at St. Thomas More School. A special thank you to the Parent's Club, especially Linda Shah, Kathleen Hooe and Ivon van Mechelen, who prepared a special Teacher Appreciation lunch last Monday. Together we can help our children become thoughtful, spiritual individuals.

Finally, thank you to all the students and staff who made Principal Appreciation Day so special yesterday. I loved all the cards and well-wishes.

Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal