STM Newsletter for September 2, 2020

View this email in your browser Last week, our fifth-grade students learned about the history of pop art and the biographies of some of these artists. Our talented STM students modeled their artwork in the style of Andy Warhol's famous exhibits. September 2, 2020 Dear Parents,  Labor Day for most of us simply marks the last weekend of the summer.  We tend to forget that it was brought about in an effort to bring change to society as many workers were working up to 70 hours a week, often with no day off. The 40 hour, 5-day-a-week, schedule many of us work came about because people organized together in an effort to improve working hours and conditions for so many. Change comes about when enough people stand up to injustice and allow their voices to be heard. As our students returned to school with many questions about Covid-19, and their own health and safety, many also had concerns about why so many of our fellow citizens have to die so violently. Do we talk to our children about racism, oppression, and injustices in our society? We tell them to treat others with respect and dignity, but do we apply that to all our fellow human beings or just those who look like us, or come from the same country like us? We need to keep the dialogue open, both at home and at school. We need to celebrate our race and our culture while being open to learning about, and understanding, other nationalities, and cultures. We need to actively seek opportunities to discuss racism and injustice with children from a very young age and teach empathy and compassion for our fellow human beings. We need to forgive, to allow healing and understanding to develop. Because the St. Thomas More School community is a melting pot of so many nationalities, we are given the chance to learn so much from each other. Let's use that gift of each other to bring about understanding, justice, and peace in our neck of the woods so that our children can grow up to be part of the solution and help in bringing about needed changes in our society.  Calendar Thursday, September 3 Parent Club Meeting, 7 pm - all are welcome Friday, September 4 Archdiocesan Teacher Inservice Day - Student Holiday Monday, September 7 Labor Day - School Holiday Tuesday, September 8 Utopia Preschool opens STAR Testing Q1  Monday, August 31-Friday, September 18 Please check with teachers for testing dates and times.  STAR Testing Link HELP NEEDED Are you handy with a hammer, good at working with wood, or metal? We are looking for help in designing and putting together some partitions and dividers at school in several locations. We would love to hear from you if you can be of assistance. Earn some parent hours as well! Fun Run is coming soon! Video Kick-Off on Monday, September 21 Fun Run Event on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 More details to come.  IMMUNIZATION REMINDERS TK and K students need to have their immunization records sent to our school office before they are allowed to attend school in person.  7th graders need a TDap test on file.  Please check here for all immunization requirements. School Parents and Students Asbestos Notification Letter Please read the School Parents and Students Asbestos Notification by clicking the link below and complete the acknowledgment form by Friday, September 18, 2020. Complete one form per family.  LINK: School Parents and Students Asbestos Notification Letter While there is no substitute for in-person learning, we are delighted that the robust distance learning program, refined over the summer months, is off to a great start. Students are engaged and doing great work. Much credit for that goes to you, our school parents, for juggling so many things well, for prioritizing your children's education, for dealing with continuous scheduling changes, and for continuing to thrive under such difficult circumstances. Our gratitude to you for allowing us to partner with you in this endeavor. With God's blessing, this will be a year of growth and learning for all of us.   Regards, Marie Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi "Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy.  O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek  To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life." Copyright © 2020 St. Thomas More School, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email from the office of St. Thomas More School.   Thank you for helping us go green. Our mailing address is: 50 Thomas More Way San Francisco, CA 94132 www.stmsf.org unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

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