Dear Parents:
The three sacraments of initiation in the Catholic Church are Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation. Each sacrament is an outward sign of an inward grace. When we receive them, each provides us with graces to help us live a life closer to God and one another.
The sacrament of Baptism, the first of the sacraments of initiation, welcomes us into the Catholic Church. This sacrament is usually given to infants. The sacramental grace of Baptism helps us to live as children of God and makes it easier for us to believe in God and act accordingly. Baptism takes away original sin and prepares us to participate fully in the life of the church.
First Holy Communion, the second sacrament of initiation, is usually received at about age seven or eight, about the time when the children are in second grade. Because receiving the Eucharist for the first time is such a special sacrament, assisting your child in preparing to receive First Holy Communion, both by instruction and example, is important. By attending Mass frequently, participating in reconciliation on a regular basis and abiding by Catholic values, we can show children how their relationship with God can become stronger. Eucharist is a celebration of what Jesus did at the Last Supper. The word Eucharist means “to give thanks”. When we celebrate this sacrament, we thank God for His many gifts and blessings. Our second graders will receive their First Holy Communion this Saturday, May 3rd at 2:00pm in the church. All are welcome to join us. Please keep the second graders in your prayers as they prepare for this special day.
When children receive confirmation, the third sacrament of initiation, they are showing that they are responsible, prepared individuals who are ready to become full-fledged members of the Catholic faith. They renew the vows their sponsors made for them when they were baptized. The bishop anoints the confirmandi with chrism accompanied by the words "Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit". This reaffirms the graces of the Holy Spirit conferred on the child at baptism. We offer our congratulations to all the candidates who will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation this Friday, May 2nd, at 5:00pm.
The Parents’ Club meet at 7:00 in Carroll Hall tomorrow, Thursday, May 1st. If you have not yet attended a meeting this year, now is a great time to participate and become involved in YOUR parents’ club. The current Parents’ Club is seeking interested parents to take a leadership position as part of the 2014-2015 Parents’ Club. While we understand that these positions may require additional support during the school year, the benefits to our children and our community are invaluable. We hope you will consider yourself an interested candidate and complete the form in today’s envelope.
Sandwiches-for-the-needy: Thank you in advance to the 6th and 7th grade students who will take the lead in providing sandwiches for the needy this Friday, May 2nd. We ask students in all grades to consider making at least one sandwich. Please remember that in order to facilitate the distribution of sandwiches, we have been asked to provide just one type of sandwich: turkey on sliced white or brown bread.
Parent Agreement and Participation Requirements: Please remember that in order for your enrollment to be complete for the 2014-2015 school year, you must return the Parent Agreement-Parent Participation forms. If you have not already done so, please return these forms no later than Friday, May 16th.
FACTS: Thank you to all who completed their enrollment in FACTS by the deadline. Please note that your child’s seat will not be held until you have completed this final part of re-registration. If you have any questions, please contact Melody in the office.
Scrip Requirement: We are grateful to all of the families who have completed this requirement for the 2013-2014 school year. As of May 1st, any scrip purchases will be credited to the next school year, 2014-2015. All families will be notified shortly as to whether or not they have fulfilled this requirement. Families that have not fulfilled this requirement will be notified of the amount of their balance, which will need to be paid by May 30th, 2014.
Calendars: We are heading for the home stretch! We have included the 2014-2015 school calendar in your envelope today. You are also receiving the May/June calendar of events and the hot lunch menu for May. Keep them handy for reminders of all the activities as we draw closer to the end of the school year.
Uniform Regulations/Supply Lists: The teachers have been working on refining and updating the uniform regulations, summer reading lists and supply lists. They are all being changed slightly for the coming year.Today you are receiving a list of school supplies for the coming school year as well as the summer reading lists. Check out the uniform information included as well as the price lists from Simply Uniforms and Dennis Uniforms. Remember, scrip can be purchased for your uniform needs. This year we are excited to announce that Simply Uniform will be coming on campus for a special uniform sale on Saturday, August 16th, 2014. At that time, you will be able to purchase all new uniform items. We will have Simply Uniform scrip on hand so that you can start earning scrip credit for the 2014-2015 school year. The Parents’ Club will also have a used uniform sale on this day.
2013-14 Yearbook: This year’s Yearbook is almost here! All students PK-8th grade are included in this wonderful keepsake book produced under the direction of our Tech Coordinator, Becky Wong. As always we expect a sellout again this year. The order form for the book is in your Envelope today.
Dance Festival: Save the date! This year, our Dance Festival will be held on Thursday night, May 22nd. This is the most popular event of the year and is always very well attended. All students, preschool through 8thgrade, will have a part in this performance.
PM Extended Care: Please note that beginning Monday, May 19th, parents who use the after school Extended Care program will need to either pre-pay or pay-by-the-day. Prepayments may be made when you pick up your child from extended care, not through the school office. The cost is $4.00 per hour or fraction-thereof. Any unused balance from a pre-payment will be applied to next years’ billing.
Congratulations 4th graders!: We are pleased to announce two of our students submitted winning poster contest entries in the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) 2014 “Using Water Wisely” Illustration Contest. Congratulations to the 4th grade winner Tyler Reyes and the overall contest winner Maverick Malabey. As the classroom with the overall winning entry, our 4th grade students will receive stainless steel reusable canteens AND a field trip to the Garden for the Environment. Congratulations again to Tyler and Maverick! Thank you for sharing your artistic talents and reminding us all that we need to "Use Water Wisely" especially during our current drought situation.
Again, we remind you to be considerate when parking your car for school or church events. Last year, during First Communion Mass two cars were towed. One was blocking the entrance to the golf club and another blocked the entrance/exit to the freeway. The situation could prove to be very serious if emergency vehicles can’t get through. With this Friday night being Confirmation, and Saturday being First Communion we anticipate that parking will be limited. The schoolyard will be available for parking. Please follow the directions of those helping with the parking process. We appreciate your cooperation as we consider the safety of all.
Enjoy the lovely weather while it lasts!
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal
