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 16th. As we continue to prepare for Thanksgiving,
please consider joining us this coming Monday, November 19th, for a
Thanksgiving prayer service presented by first grade in the gym at 1:00pm.
Please remember that next Tuesday,
November 20th we begin our Thanksgiving break with minimum day
dismissal, 12:15/12:30. Extended Care will be available. School will resume on Monday,
November 26th and being the 4th 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 16th
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 2nd: Please mark December 2nd 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 13th, for our
school's presentation of our Christmas
Program. We will begin at 7:00pm in the Church and all students, preschool
through 8th 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 16th 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 8th
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.
8TH GRADE RECOMMENDATIONS: This is the time of the year when 8th 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
