St. Thomas More School Newsletter: February 2021

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February 24, 2021

Dear STM Community,

On Ash Wednesday Pope Francis said that the 40 days of Lent are an opportunity to turn from the slavery of sin to the freedom found in reconciliation with God. Here are some of his suggestions regarding fasting during Lent:

DISTANCE LEARNING

We appreciate the struggles and stresses that this pandemic has placed on all of us this past year. Currently, we have approximately half of our students on campus while the other half continue to distance learn. We understand that your family life has also been impacted severely and you may now be taking a vacation or trip that had previously been postponed. If this is the case, please let us know so that we can mark your child absent and your family can enjoy your vacation. Forcing a child to distance learn from Tahoe, Hawaii or anywhere else besides home is putting an undue strain on all concerned. It takes extra energy and time for teachers to keep students focused on learning and class when faced with so many distractions. Students on vacation don't have all their supplies or books, may have wi-fi issues and like to share stories of their vacation with classmates. It is disruptive for everyone.

We are grateful for your consideration when making decisions that may have an unforeseen impact on others. While San Francisco has removed the travel restriction in place it is still strongly recommended the families avoid unnecessary travel. Our teachers and staff are making your child's learning a priority, we ask that you do the same.

Cioppino on the Go!

Pick-up, Saturday, February 27

Congratulations to our amazing Cioppino Committee. Over 350 dinners have now been sold, far surpassing their original goal of 200. We have more than 100 cars picking up in a 2 ½ hour period so please be patient. Here are a few reminders to ensure a safe pick-up on Saturday:

Follow instructions from the volunteer traffic coordinators.
Do not exit your vehicle.
Wear your mask.
Food will be placed in your trunk where possible.
Try to be on time, but please be patient.

Enjoy the terrific food and drink offerings!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are still looking for some more parent volunteers to help this weekend. Please email Linda at Lp1114@aol.com if you are available over the weekend. This is a great way to earn your parent hours.

CATHOLIC IDENTITY SURVEY

Standard 4 Catechist Certification
Standard 8 Evangelization

Due by: Monday, March 8, 2021

Each year the Department of Catholic Schools require us to review certain standards regarding the Catholic Identity of our school. This Catholic Identity Assessment Guide incorporates a vision of the Catholic character of the school within an assessment and review process designed to identify strengths and target areas for growth.

The focus of this assessment process is to build on the strengths within the school while affirming and encouraging efforts to live out the Catholic character in all aspects of the school's life. Please assist us by taking this short survey to gather data for our report.

LINK: CATHOLIC IDENTITY SURVEY

PARENT PARTICIPATION HOURS

Because of the pandemic, we made some adjustments earlier in the year to the required parent hours for this school year, reducing your commitment to just 6 hours. These 6 hours can be completed for volunteer activities sanctioned by the Parents' Club or the St. Thomas More School administration.

Because of the huge response to the Cioppino-To-Go the Committee are looking for extra volunteers for this weekend. Please email Linda at Lp1114@aol.com if you are available this weekend.

Below are alternative ways to fulfill your parent participation hours for this school year.

10 reams of white paper
3 reams of color paper
A Wish List with other needed items will be posted next week

The reduced buy-out fee of $350 is an option for those who do not wish to complete the minimum requirement.

MAINTENANCE FEE

The 2020-2021 Maintenance fee is due on March 1. A late fee of $25 will be assessed if paid after the deadline. Please email our FACTS coordinator, Nancy Cottura at ncottura@stmsf.org if you have any questions.

VACCINES

As essential workers, some of our faculty and staff have received their first vaccine against Covid19 in the past week. Others have appointments scheduled in the near future. We are grateful for this opportunity as we know that getting vaccinated will help keep us, our families and our coworkers safe.

Here are a few tips from the SF Department of Public Health:

If you've already had COVID-19, we still recommend you get a vaccine. While you may have some short-term protection after recovering from COVID-19, we don't know how long this protection will last.
The vaccines are free and offered in SF regardless of immigration status.
You do not need insurance to book an appointment.
Even after you receive the vaccine, it is important you continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing. As of now, we only know that the vaccine protects you from getting sick from COVID-19. Additional research is needed about whether it prevents vaccinated individuals from transmitting the virus.

If you are interested in learning more about the vaccine these resources address many questions and concerns.

Thank you all who contributed to the One Warm Coat Drive! Amazingly, we collected over 200 coats and jackets. Your donations were dropped off this week at our local chapter of One Warm Coat.

Catholic schools continue to demonstrate their commitment to our students and our families during this pandemic. We are grateful that so many families recognise the value of the education their children receive at St. Thomas More. The benefits of our community working closely together for the good of all our children is priceless. We continue to be so very proud of the many successes of our students as they prepare for a life of service and leadership.

Gratefully,

Marie Fitzpatrick

Copyright © 2021 St. Thomas More School, All rights reserved.
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Our mailing address is:
50 Thomas More Way
San Francisco, CA 94132
www.stmsf.org

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St. Thomas More School · 50 Thomas More Way · San Francisco, CA 94132 · USA

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February 17, 2021

Dear STM Community,

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Season of Lent in the Catholic Church. Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. The next 40 days are a time for prayer and spiritual renewal, for fasting, and for doing good deeds for others.

The following information, adapted from Franciscan Media, The Many Customs of Lent, suggests that "Lent provides a perfect opportunity for your family to celebrate together."

As a family, observe the practice of not eating meat on Friday. Remember that the purpose of this tradition is to make a sacrifice. Meatless Fridays are now also seen as a sign of solidarity with the hungry multitudes worldwide.
In addition to abstaining from meat on Fridays, do some abstaining from the television or other types of media, such as the computer or video-game system. Use the time to do activities together as a family, such as taking a walk or playing a game.
Put some thought into your decision as to what your Lenten sacrifice will be this year. Doing something for someone else can be just as good as giving something up. Is it harder to do chores to help around the house or to give up candy?

Today, staff and students in K-8 grade were "sprinkled" with ashes as a symbol of the dust from which God made us and as a sign of repentance for when we have not followed God's plan. The ashes are made from blessed palm branches, taken from last year's Palm Sunday Mass.

CALENDAR

Monday, Feb. 22
Minimum Day - 12:15/12:30 dismissal
Teacher In-service

Tuesday, Feb. 23
Grade 8 ACRE test

Thursday, Feb. 25
Grade 3 Bridge Builders Virtual Workshop

Friday, Feb. 26
End of Trimester 2
Grade 8 Graduation Photo Day

Saturday, Feb. 27
Cioppino on the Go!

Cioppino On The Go!

You are invited to join St.Thomas More School for our annual Cioppino Dinner
(on the go style!)

Date: Saturday, February 27, 2021

Curbside pick up: St. Thomas More schoolyard between 4pm-7:30pm

Dinner: $45/per person

(Crab or chicken, green salad, appetizer box, pasta, bread and dessert)

Drinks to Go: $15-$30

*Bid on wonderful gourmet baskets and class sponsored baskets.
*Purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win! 1rst prize/ $1000 and 2nd prize/IPAD