| | Dear Parents: The Family Mass, Book Fair, the school-wide open house and the general spirit of goodwill were a fitting beginning to National Catholic Schools Week at St. Thomas More School. We have accomplished so much here by working together. A special thank you to our kindergarten teacher, Anna Tyaglo for preparing a beautiful Family Mass with the kindergarten students and their families. We are so proud of our wonderful kindergarten students. Thank you also to Hydee Mutuc and the Ragasa Family for providing beautiful decorations for the grand opening of our Center for the Performing Arts, and to Raquel Trigueros, Patricia, Leroy and Mia Beasley, and Cecilia Sainez for their help with setting up the hospitality. This is a good time to reflect on the benefit of being part of a Catholic school. The strong school community, grounded in a shared faith and the support and high expectations of parents, teachers and the larger community, offers your children a foundation for facing the rapidly changing world around them. By sharing this belief in God's goodness and living out their faith every day, your children are blessed with a clear advantage. Faith provides an anchor that will serve your children well into the future. | | You are welcome to visit the Book Fair any morning this week before school begins or right after dismissal. Just go straight to the library where Judy Silva and her crew of booksellers will be ready to assist you. Can't make it to our Book Fair? Check out our Online Book Fair. Click here to purchase books. All orders will ship directly to the school when the Online Fair has ended. | | | Tomorrow is Grandparents and Special Friends Day! Parking will be available in the schoolyard beginning at 8:30am. Breakfast for the grandparents will be provided in the gym beginning at 8:30am and activities with the students will begin at 9:30am. Thank you to the 150+ special guests who have RSVP'd for this fun event. The children are really looking forward to welcoming them to our school. Your children are so lucky to have such special people in their lives. | | WARM COAT DRIVE Thank you so much to everyone who donated a warn coat to those in need. Free dress passes for Tuesday, February 7 will be given to all who contributed. Total coats donated: 187! | | | CIOPPINO 2017 It's looking like Cioppino is going to be a sell-out again this year! If you haven't yet bought your ticket, you can make an ONLINE RESERVATION NOW! Babysitting is also available on site. CIOPPINO DONATIONS The Cioppino Committee is still accepting donations which they will turn into spectacular auction items and balloon prizes. Please drop all donations to the school office and remember to include your child's name so that they may receive free dress! | | | GEOGRAPHY BEE For the fifth year in a row, 8th grader Zachary White won the National Geographic Geography Bee conducted last week by Mr. Kavanagh. The bee included three qualifiers each from grades 4-8. Second place went to 8th grader Michael Conefrey and 3rd place to 5th grader Breanna Dizon. Congratulations to all of our students who participated. | | | SPELLING BEE Another thrilling Spelling Bee, complete with a nail-biting ending, was enjoyed by all on the first day of Catholic Schools Week! 4th Grade: Devin Angeles, Keily Madrid, Elisa van Mechelen 5th Grade: 1st Place Mikaylla Catangay, Talissa Caragan, Reagan Calaguas 6th Grade: Gracie Aguinaldo, Abram Ali, Jacob David 7th Grade: Ariana Montiel, Chris Malbas, Jacob Umanzor 8th Grade: 2nd Place Zhari Malig, 3rd Place Zachary White, Adriel Garcia Congratulations to all our participants! You are ALL winners! | | GAME DEVELOPMENT CLASS for 6-8 grade This class, held on Fridays from 4:30pm-6pm, will focus on students' creativity to design and develop a full-7edged 2D game from scratch. Classes begin February 24. Check out this link for more information and to register. | | | STUDENT HOLIDAY Plan ahead - Please remember that the school, preschool through 8th grade, will be closed on Friday, February 3. This is the day set for the annual Archdiocese Professional Development for all Catholic school teachers and administrators. Sincerely, Marie Fitzpatrick Principal | | | | | | |