Dear Parents,
This Sunday, the final Sunday before Easter,
is known as Palm Sunday and marks the beginning of Holy Week. It celebrates
Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Great crowds of
people thronged the streets waving palm branches to welcome Him. The people
shouted "Hosanna" and laid their cloaks and palm branches from the
nearby trees in His path, yet less than one week later, these same people
shouted “crucify him, crucify him!”.
As we mentioned last week, as part of our preparation
for the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, students in
grades 2-8 received the sacrament of Reconciliation earlier today.
Thank you to the 1st and 3rd grade students
and their teachers for preparing last Sunday’s family mass. More thanks go out
to the 4th graders and their teacher, Jen Conley, who presented the
last set of stations of the cross today. These reminders of Jesus’ suffering
and death prepares us for his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Our final Holy
Week activity at STM will be the presentation
a Lenten prayer service by 7th grade next Wednesday, April 16th
at 1:00pm in the gym. Please join us if you can. Please note that our student
body mass for next week will be on Monday, April 14th at 8:30am.
Next
Wednesday is the last day of the Spring STEM electives. Next Thursday, April 17th,
STEM students will share their work and projects with STM students and families
in a showcase that represent the rigorous work and training resulting from
student collaboration, problem solving, effective communication, and critical
thinking skills. Please drop by the gym between 9:00am-10:00am next Thursday to
see all they have accomplished.
As a
reminder, Thursday, April 17th is a minimum day for all Preschool-8th
graders and the beginning of Easter Vacation. Preschool will dismiss at 12
noon, K-3 at 12:15pm and 4-8 at 12:30pm. There will still be extended care
until 6pm that day for K-8 students. Street parking will be limited because of
the early dismissal schedule. The school yard will be open between 11am-noon to
facilitate the pick up of Preschool students.
Spirit Week!: On Monday we kicked off Spirit
Week with pajama day followed by twin day yesterday.
Today it was great to see all the wacky crazy ways the students accessorized
their uniforms. Moving along, Spirit week continues tomorrow as the students
enjoy Fan Day, where students can represent their favorite sport team
and we round out the week on Friday with STM Appreciation Day. On Friday
afternoon, the student body will enjoy watching the Talent Show. All are
invited to come and watch our amazing talented students in Carroll Hall
beginning at 12:30pm sharp.
Sandwiches-for-the-needy: Thank you in advance to the 4th and 5th grade
students who will take the lead in providing sandwiches for the needy this
Friday, April 11th. We ask students in all grades to consider making
at least one sandwich in this last collection before Easter.
Parents’ Club
Nominations: 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, or if you know of
someone else who should be considered, please write that name next to the
position you feel appropriate. Your suggestions do not obligate these parents
in any way, but only assist us in the selection. Please complete the paper
survey you are receiving in today’s envelope and return it to the school office
as soon as possible.
Men’s Club Survey: As we mentioned last week, we have had many dads express interest in
forming a Men’s Club at St. Thomas More School. Please take a few minutes to
complete this survey.
Your input is valuable to us as we move forward.
2014-2015: Thank you for re-registering for the 2014-2015 school year. We look
forward to continuing our partnership with you in the education for your
children. We have now accepted a full class for our 2014-2015 Kindergarten. Any
further kindergarten applicants will be placed on a waiting list. Now that the
re-registration process is complete, we have a few openings in some of the
other grades. Teachers have begun testing applicants for these few remaining spots.
Utopia preschool has also completely filled all the available spots for the
next school year. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful students and
families. Thank you for spreading the good news about St. Thomas More School.
FACTS: As you know, we have implemented
the FACTS program for processing payments for tuition for
the 2014-2015 school year. If you have not already done so, please enroll
in FACTS now; your child/ren’s enrollment is not
complete until all enrollment steps have been taken, including establishing
your payment plan. If you miss the Tuesday, April 15th, you will have fewer
months available in your payment plan and your monthly amount will be higher. You have been sent an email from FACTS with
instructions on how to enroll. If you have not received an email from FACTS, please stop by the office or email Melody at moakley@stmsf.org. Tuition agreements
will be finalized within the next two weeks. You first need to do your part so
that this transition process moves along smoothly.
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. Our dance teacher, Sue Rissotto, has been
working very hard all year long to ensure that each student has a role in this
spectacular production. All students, Preschool through eighth grade, are
expected to participate in this event.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco would like to invite all adults
18-40, married and single to attend one of the listening sessions we will be holding
across the Archdiocese. These are opportunities for you to share what your
experience of Church has been like and what types of activities and events you
would like us to offer. Your involvement and feedback will help us determine
where we put our time and energy this upcoming year.
The listening sessions will be held at the following times
and locations:
- April 27th after the 5:30pm mass from 6:45 pm to 8:00 pm at Notre Dame des Victoires in the Parish Hall. 566 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108
- May 4th at 2:00 pm at St. Andrews Parish. 1571 Southgate Ave, Daly City, CA 94015
- May 4th after 5:00pm Mass at St. Charles in San Carlos in Borromeo Hall. 880 Tamarack Avenue, San Carlos, CA 94070
- May 18th at 12:00pm at St. Matthews Parish in Ward Hall next to the Auditorium. Notre Dame Avenue, San Mateo, CA. 94402
- May 18th at 6:00 pm at St. Raphael’s Parish in the Kennedy Room. 1104 Fifth Ave. San Rafael, CA 94901
For more information, or if you have any questions please
contact Angela Pollock at 415-614-5595
or email her at PollockA@sfarchdiocese.org.
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal
