Wednesday, September 11, 2013
STM Newsletter for September 11, 2013
Dear Parents:
As we observe Patriot Day today, we remember all those affected by the September 11th tragedy 12 years ago. To mark this day, we began our morning assembly with an abbreviated version of President Obama's proclamation. The proclamation asked everyone for a moment of silence while the flag was raised to half-mast. Following the raising of the flag, we proceeded to say the Pledge and sung God Bless America. Thank you Mr. Kavanagh and Ms. Stamatis for putting together such a beautiful ceremony.
We hope to see everyone this Sunday, September 15th, for one of the most important celebrations of the school year. Please join us for our Back-to-School Mass at 10:00. Come and share in the celebration as we begin a new year together at St. Thomas More School and Utopia Preschool. We will also introduce our choir, altar servers, and our new 8th grade Eucharistic ministers. Sunday’s second collection will directly support the school. We are sending home offertory envelopes for you to use when the collection is taken up. The school receives the money contributed through these envelopes. We’ll have extra envelopes available at the Mass. Thank you in advance for your support.
Following the Back to School Mass, beginning at 11:00am, all STM families are invited to join together for a free Back to School Family Picnic at Buri Buri Park in South San Francisco. The 1st and 6th grade families are sponsoring this picnic and will serve burgers and hotdogs. Please RSVP by using the form we sent home last week or downloading it from our school website.
Training of our Altar Servers started yesterday after school. We thank our 4th grade teacher, Jen Conley for volunteering to prepare the children for this important service to their church. Choir continues to meet Thursdays after school in the church until 3:45pm. Thank you once again to Mrs. White for training this wonderful group of singers.
OUR FIRST SERVICE PROJECT OF THE YEAR: This year’s toiletries collection will benefit the Little Sisters of the Poor and the residents of St. Anne’s Home in San Francisco. Please join us in helping the residents of St. Anne’s Home by donating new or unused personal items such as: mouth wash, moisturizer, body wash, shampoo, lotions, soaps, denture fix, toilet paper, facial tissue and other personal hygiene items. They are happy to receive full size or trial size of any of the above items. If you can help, please send your donations of any of the above items with your child to school, or drop them off in the office. The Toiletries for St. Anne’s Home donation drive will run from September 11th through October 11th
SANDWICHES-FOR-THE-NEEDY: Our first sandwiches-for-the-needy collection is this Friday, September 14th with the second and seventh graders taking the lead. All students are encouraged to contribute to this act of kindness. Just a reminder…here are a few guidelines to help with the distribution of sandwiches - Please individually wrap the sandwiches (ziplock sandwich bags) and label what is included. This helps people with allergies and dietary restrictions. Thanks to Alexis Reyes (dad of Tyler, 4th grade and Yelena, 2nd grade) for offering to deliver sandwiches this year.
PICTURE DAY: Remember, tomorrow, September 12th is picture day for all Preschool through 8th grade students and staff. Please make sure your child is in full uniform.
CATALOG FUNDRAISER: How is the catalog fundraiser coming? The deadline for returning your orders is Tuesday, September 24th. Thank you to Christy Ramos (mom of Ethan, 6th grade), who has volunteered to help tabulate the orders again this year.
EVEN MORE (EASY) FUNDRAISING
SHOPAROO: Thank you to all the new people who signed up for Shoparoo. We are currently the TOP SCHOOL NATIONWIDE!! Keep snapping those receipts!
TARGET: Remember, each vote is worth $1, and currently we have 221 votes (this means $221). Just click on the red and white "vote" button at GiveWith.Target.com to vote for St. Thomas More School. You can do this once a week through September 21st. Voting will support St. Thomas More School's Technology Program.
BOXTOPS FOR EDUCATION: Teachers in each classroom continue to collect boxtops for education to purchase additional classroom supplies. Please send box tops directly to your child’s teacher.
LABELS FOR EDUCATION: Labels for Education a fun and easy program where families and members of the community work together to “Earn Free Stuff” for their school! Check out http://www.labelsforeducation.com/ for more information. Please send labels directly to the front office.
TYSON CHICKEN LABELS: Please support the Tyson Project A+ program by sending in your clipped Tyson product labels. Each label we receive is worth 24¢! This is an easy way to raise funds for STM. More details are available online at projectaplus.tyson.com or contact Shelley White, program coordinator, at swhite@stmsf.org if you have any questions.
DONATIONS: We are again asking for donations of new plain white 8.5x11 paper. We appreciate your generosity. Keep those used ink cartridges and old cell phones coming! We recycle them through Cartridges for Kids and over the last few months this program has earned us over $200!
BAND: Again this year we are offering band classes to students in grades 3-8. We are excited to welcome a new band program under the direction of Joshua Frye. This year we plan to collaborate with some other local Catholic schools that use the same band director. Before signing up, third through sixth grade students will have the opportunity to test drive some instruments on Friday at our ‘Band Petting Zoo’. Sign up forms for these classes are going home today.
FROM THE ATHLETIC BOARD: Just a reminder that Cross Country begins at 3:15pm tomorrow. Interested students in grades 3-8 should meet outside the 5th grade classroom. Also, the Athletic Board is holding a parent meeting tomorrow night at 7:00pm in the Gym. Parents in attendance will be in a drawing for a chance to win one boys' sports registration and one girls' sports registration, worth $80 each. All parents are also encouraged to visit our Athletics page to share personal stories and nominate John Bickle for the CYO Hall of Fame.
PIZZA SALE: Today the students enjoyed the first Pizza Sale of the year. Thank you to Marivic Vila (mom of Ricardo, 8th grade) who has volunteered to tally the orders once again this year. We are in need of parents to help distribute the pizza on sale days throughout the year. If you are available, please let the office know.
CIOPPINO 2014: There will be a Cioppino/Silent Auction meeting next Monday, September 16th at 7:00pm in the STM Library. All are welcome.
PIRATE DAY IS COMING!: Talk like a Pirate Day is Thursday, September 19th. Students may wear pirate accessories with their uniforms (no weapons please). There will be a coloring contest for grades K-3 and an art contest for grades 4-8. Arrrg!
USF COUNSELING: As you know, again this year, we are working with the USF Center for Child and Family Development to offer a school-based Family Counseling Program. This service is designed to meet the counseling needs of individual students and families as well as the consultation needs of teachers and school staff. The goal of the program is to support our students’ social, emotional and academic needs and thereby afford them increased opportunity for success at school. This year we welcome two counselors, Sarah Safir and Ashley Crouch. They will be on campus Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. This is a free service. If you would like your child to visit with our counselors, you may contact them directly at ssafir@stmsf.org or acrouch@stmsf.org, or request it through your child’s teacher. Please also check out the introduction letter they have included in today’s envelope.
IOWA TESTING: Last week, we sent out the September calendar that showed IOWA testing beginning next Monday, September 16th. This is NOT correct. We begin the IOWA Test of Basic Skills for students in 2nd grade and above the following week on Monday, September 23rd. Because of the shorten time schedule allotted for testing this year, there will be less time available for make-up testing. Please do not schedule appointments, or shadowing during this important week.
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal
St. Thomas More School
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
STM Newsletter for September 4, 2013
Dear Parents:
Show a Little Kindness: This is our theme for the 2013-2014 school year. The teachers will be introducing this concept to the students this week and Msgr. Labib will continue to incorporate this idea into his Friday homilies with the students. Mark Twain once said that kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. We look forward to partnering with you to pass this message on to all our children. Some of you may remember Glen Campbell who had a big hit in the early 70” with a song titled “Try a Little Kindness.” There is actually a nice video that goes along with the song on YouTube.
We are back at it! Morning and after school extended care are up and running, volleyball and soccer practices are being held, and the school lunch program is off to a great start. Today we welcome back our Spanish teacher, Beatriz Cortes, who began working with kindergarten through eighth grade students. We are happy to welcome a few new faces to STM, Bryan Profis (P.E.) and Katie Anderson (Music) join us this year. Yesterday we welcomed back our dance teacher, Sue Risotto, for our first dance class. Also joining us this year, we have two new school counselors, Sarah Safir and Ashley Crouch from the USF Center for Child and Family Development. More information on this program will be sent home next week. Yes, we are back at it!
Thank you to all who attended our back to school meeting. Congratulations to the Vigil family in 1st grade who won the raffle for $500 towards their tuition. It pays to be on time! As we mentioned at the meeting this year we will be offering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) elective courses for our sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. The course descriptions are now available online. We ask that you discuss these options with students so they are prepared to select their courses during their technology classes next week. Also information on our 1:1 iPad program for our middle school students is available on our school website under the Academics tab.
We hope to see everyone on Sunday, September 15th, for one of the most important celebrations of the school year. Please join us for our Back-to-School Mass at 10 a.m. Come and share in the celebration as we begin a new year together at St. Thomas More School and Utopia Preschool.
Following the Back to School Mass, beginning at 11 a.m., all STM families are invited to join together for a free Back to School Family Picnic at Buri Buri Park in South San Francisco. The 1st and 6th grade families are sponsoring this picnic and will serve burgers and hotdogs. Please RSVP online or use the form included in your envelope today.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Families who have not yet returned their child’s Universal Medical Information/Emergency Contact Release and Consent Form are asked to do so by this Friday, September 6th. Without those forms we do not have the updated medical and family information for your child.
TUITION AND FEES: A reminder that several school fees were due by August 30th. If you have not paid your Cultural/Disaster fee ($100 per student) or your Parents’ Club dues ($40 per family), please send them to the school office now. Also, families who pay tuition on a monthly schedule are reminded that the September payment was due yesterday.
PM EXTENDED CARE: In case you are wondering why you haven't received your invoice from Extended Care for August, please recall that Extended Care combines August-September into one bill that will arrive the first week of October.
SANDWICHES-FOR-THE-NEEDY: Our first sandwiches-for-the-needy collection will be next Friday, September 13th with the second and seventh graders taking the lead. We encourage all of you to consider making an extra sandwich and/or lunch and sending it to the office on that day. Sandwiches will be delivered to the Martin de Porres House of Hospitality on Potrero Ave. Their mission is to serve in the spirit of compassion, understanding and love and they provide breakfast and lunch during the week and brunch on Sunday to those in need in the community. Please visit their website, martindeporres.org for more information. Here are a few guidelines to help with the distribution of sandwiches - Please individually wrap the sandwiches (ziplock sandwich bags) and label what is included. This helps people with allergies and dietary restrictions.
FUNDRAISING CATALOG: Today we are sending home the fund raising gift catalog and order forms with every child. Some of you have opted out of participating in this fundraiser by paying the necessary buy-out fee. If you are one of those who have done so, please feel free to place an order anyway. All support is welcome! All Preschool families are encouraged to participate in this, our major fundraiser of the school year. Families who did not pay the necessary fee to opt out of the catalog sale by June 1st are required to participate in this fundraiser. Participating families must make a combination of personal purchases and/or sales to friends and co-workers for a minimum of $100 per child enrolled in STM. All order forms are due back to the classroom teachers by Tuesday, September 24th. Extra catalogs are available from the office or your child’s teacher. Thank you again to Christy Ramos, mom of 6th grader, Ethan, who has volunteered to help count and collate the orders that come in.
MORE (EASY) FUNDRAISING
SCRIP: As part of your financial obligations to STM, each family is required to meet the mandatory scrip requirement to generate a minimum profit of $100 by participating in the electronic scrip programs authorized by the school (shopwithscrip.com and/or escrip.com). If you are unsure how to sign up for these scrip programs, please stop by the office and Melody will be happy to help you get started.
SHOPAROO: We raised over $1500 last year! All you need to do is take pictures of your grocery receipts with the Shoparoo app for smartphones and tablets. It doesn’t matter where you shop or what you buy - every receipt submitted results in a donation to our school! So, what are you waiting for? Simply download the free app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and then select St. Thomas More School as your chosen cause. Since there is no limit to how much money we can raise with Shoparoo, be sure to invite your friends and neighbors to join in – every receipt counts!
TARGET: Target is trying to give away up to $10,000 to STM! Each vote is worth $1, and currently we only have 165 votes. Just click on the red and white "vote" button at GiveWith.Target.com to vote for St. Thomas More School. You can do this once a week through September 21st. Voting will support St. Thomas More School's Technology Program.
BIRTHDAYS: If you wish to provide class refreshments on the occasion of your child’s birthday, please contact the classroom teacher at least a week in advance to make a mutually convenient plan. Refreshments must be limited to: an individual serving of prepared treats (such as a muffin, a bagel or a piece of fruit) and a self-serve beverage (milk or juice). Please avoid snacks high in sugar and fats. Need suggestions? Ask your child’s teacher. No goody bags allowed. Refreshments should be dropped off to the office before school or at the time specified by the teacher. Just a reminder that birthday invitations may not be passed out during (including before and after) school unless they are given to the entire class.
BIRTHDAY BOOKS: If you are planning to bring treats to celebrate your child’s birthday, you are required to purchase a “Birthday Book” for our school library. Again this year all books are $15. Each book that you purchase from the school will have a bookplate placed in the front of the book indicating that the book was donated by your child. The students in your child’s class will have the first opportunity to enjoy the selection before it is added to the school library. This book represents your family’s lasting appreciation to the school, as well as honoring your child’s birthday. Books are pre-selected by the teacher to provide a well-rounded class library regarding subject matter and grade appropriateness.
BEFORE SCHOOL PROCEDURES: Regular yard supervision begins at 7:45. It is not acceptable to leave children unsupervised in front of the school, on the steps of the hall or in front of church before this time. Students who are dropped off before the yard opens at 7:45 must be enrolled in the Morning Extended Care Program or stay with their parent until the yard opens. Students who have been left at school unattended by a parent before 7:45 may be brought into morning extended care by a member of the staff. They will be charged at a rate of $10 per day for that service.
YARD DUTY: We remind you that all families must complete 4 yard duty sessions as part of your parent participation requirements. Sign Up Genius is now active for Septembers yard duty. The teachers definitely appreciate your help. Just a couple of reminders – please arrive on time when volunteering for yard duty, sign in at the front office and pick up a yellow ‘yard duty volunteer’ tag. We do not allow food or beverages in the school yard during yard duty (this includes coffee/tea drinks), and cell phone use is prohibited while on duty.
YARD POLICIES: We do need to remind you that when it comes to adults being present in the schoolyard after school, the directives from our insurance company are specific. In the afternoon, the schoolyard is reserved for students only. Parents waiting to pick up students from the later dismissal will need to wait outside the gate. Only parents picking up their kindergarteners or children from extended care may enter the schoolyard at dismissal. If your child takes after school classes such as piano, guitar or band, or they have sports practice, we ask that you remain outside the gate and wait for their activity to end.
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal
Show a Little Kindness: This is our theme for the 2013-2014 school year. The teachers will be introducing this concept to the students this week and Msgr. Labib will continue to incorporate this idea into his Friday homilies with the students. Mark Twain once said that kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. We look forward to partnering with you to pass this message on to all our children. Some of you may remember Glen Campbell who had a big hit in the early 70” with a song titled “Try a Little Kindness.” There is actually a nice video that goes along with the song on YouTube.
We are back at it! Morning and after school extended care are up and running, volleyball and soccer practices are being held, and the school lunch program is off to a great start. Today we welcome back our Spanish teacher, Beatriz Cortes, who began working with kindergarten through eighth grade students. We are happy to welcome a few new faces to STM, Bryan Profis (P.E.) and Katie Anderson (Music) join us this year. Yesterday we welcomed back our dance teacher, Sue Risotto, for our first dance class. Also joining us this year, we have two new school counselors, Sarah Safir and Ashley Crouch from the USF Center for Child and Family Development. More information on this program will be sent home next week. Yes, we are back at it!
Thank you to all who attended our back to school meeting. Congratulations to the Vigil family in 1st grade who won the raffle for $500 towards their tuition. It pays to be on time! As we mentioned at the meeting this year we will be offering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) elective courses for our sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. The course descriptions are now available online. We ask that you discuss these options with students so they are prepared to select their courses during their technology classes next week. Also information on our 1:1 iPad program for our middle school students is available on our school website under the Academics tab.
We hope to see everyone on Sunday, September 15th, for one of the most important celebrations of the school year. Please join us for our Back-to-School Mass at 10 a.m. Come and share in the celebration as we begin a new year together at St. Thomas More School and Utopia Preschool.
Following the Back to School Mass, beginning at 11 a.m., all STM families are invited to join together for a free Back to School Family Picnic at Buri Buri Park in South San Francisco. The 1st and 6th grade families are sponsoring this picnic and will serve burgers and hotdogs. Please RSVP online or use the form included in your envelope today.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Families who have not yet returned their child’s Universal Medical Information/Emergency Contact Release and Consent Form are asked to do so by this Friday, September 6th. Without those forms we do not have the updated medical and family information for your child.
TUITION AND FEES: A reminder that several school fees were due by August 30th. If you have not paid your Cultural/Disaster fee ($100 per student) or your Parents’ Club dues ($40 per family), please send them to the school office now. Also, families who pay tuition on a monthly schedule are reminded that the September payment was due yesterday.
PM EXTENDED CARE: In case you are wondering why you haven't received your invoice from Extended Care for August, please recall that Extended Care combines August-September into one bill that will arrive the first week of October.
SANDWICHES-FOR-THE-NEEDY: Our first sandwiches-for-the-needy collection will be next Friday, September 13th with the second and seventh graders taking the lead. We encourage all of you to consider making an extra sandwich and/or lunch and sending it to the office on that day. Sandwiches will be delivered to the Martin de Porres House of Hospitality on Potrero Ave. Their mission is to serve in the spirit of compassion, understanding and love and they provide breakfast and lunch during the week and brunch on Sunday to those in need in the community. Please visit their website, martindeporres.org for more information. Here are a few guidelines to help with the distribution of sandwiches - Please individually wrap the sandwiches (ziplock sandwich bags) and label what is included. This helps people with allergies and dietary restrictions.
FUNDRAISING CATALOG: Today we are sending home the fund raising gift catalog and order forms with every child. Some of you have opted out of participating in this fundraiser by paying the necessary buy-out fee. If you are one of those who have done so, please feel free to place an order anyway. All support is welcome! All Preschool families are encouraged to participate in this, our major fundraiser of the school year. Families who did not pay the necessary fee to opt out of the catalog sale by June 1st are required to participate in this fundraiser. Participating families must make a combination of personal purchases and/or sales to friends and co-workers for a minimum of $100 per child enrolled in STM. All order forms are due back to the classroom teachers by Tuesday, September 24th. Extra catalogs are available from the office or your child’s teacher. Thank you again to Christy Ramos, mom of 6th grader, Ethan, who has volunteered to help count and collate the orders that come in.
MORE (EASY) FUNDRAISING
SCRIP: As part of your financial obligations to STM, each family is required to meet the mandatory scrip requirement to generate a minimum profit of $100 by participating in the electronic scrip programs authorized by the school (shopwithscrip.com and/or escrip.com). If you are unsure how to sign up for these scrip programs, please stop by the office and Melody will be happy to help you get started.
SHOPAROO: We raised over $1500 last year! All you need to do is take pictures of your grocery receipts with the Shoparoo app for smartphones and tablets. It doesn’t matter where you shop or what you buy - every receipt submitted results in a donation to our school! So, what are you waiting for? Simply download the free app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and then select St. Thomas More School as your chosen cause. Since there is no limit to how much money we can raise with Shoparoo, be sure to invite your friends and neighbors to join in – every receipt counts!
TARGET: Target is trying to give away up to $10,000 to STM! Each vote is worth $1, and currently we only have 165 votes. Just click on the red and white "vote" button at GiveWith.Target.com to vote for St. Thomas More School. You can do this once a week through September 21st. Voting will support St. Thomas More School's Technology Program.
BIRTHDAYS: If you wish to provide class refreshments on the occasion of your child’s birthday, please contact the classroom teacher at least a week in advance to make a mutually convenient plan. Refreshments must be limited to: an individual serving of prepared treats (such as a muffin, a bagel or a piece of fruit) and a self-serve beverage (milk or juice). Please avoid snacks high in sugar and fats. Need suggestions? Ask your child’s teacher. No goody bags allowed. Refreshments should be dropped off to the office before school or at the time specified by the teacher. Just a reminder that birthday invitations may not be passed out during (including before and after) school unless they are given to the entire class.
BIRTHDAY BOOKS: If you are planning to bring treats to celebrate your child’s birthday, you are required to purchase a “Birthday Book” for our school library. Again this year all books are $15. Each book that you purchase from the school will have a bookplate placed in the front of the book indicating that the book was donated by your child. The students in your child’s class will have the first opportunity to enjoy the selection before it is added to the school library. This book represents your family’s lasting appreciation to the school, as well as honoring your child’s birthday. Books are pre-selected by the teacher to provide a well-rounded class library regarding subject matter and grade appropriateness.
BEFORE SCHOOL PROCEDURES: Regular yard supervision begins at 7:45. It is not acceptable to leave children unsupervised in front of the school, on the steps of the hall or in front of church before this time. Students who are dropped off before the yard opens at 7:45 must be enrolled in the Morning Extended Care Program or stay with their parent until the yard opens. Students who have been left at school unattended by a parent before 7:45 may be brought into morning extended care by a member of the staff. They will be charged at a rate of $10 per day for that service.
YARD DUTY: We remind you that all families must complete 4 yard duty sessions as part of your parent participation requirements. Sign Up Genius is now active for Septembers yard duty. The teachers definitely appreciate your help. Just a couple of reminders – please arrive on time when volunteering for yard duty, sign in at the front office and pick up a yellow ‘yard duty volunteer’ tag. We do not allow food or beverages in the school yard during yard duty (this includes coffee/tea drinks), and cell phone use is prohibited while on duty.
YARD POLICIES: We do need to remind you that when it comes to adults being present in the schoolyard after school, the directives from our insurance company are specific. In the afternoon, the schoolyard is reserved for students only. Parents waiting to pick up students from the later dismissal will need to wait outside the gate. Only parents picking up their kindergarteners or children from extended care may enter the schoolyard at dismissal. If your child takes after school classes such as piano, guitar or band, or they have sports practice, we ask that you remain outside the gate and wait for their activity to end.
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal
Friday, August 23, 2013
STM Newsletter for August 23, 2013
Dear Friends,
Welcome Back! We are excited to welcome the thirty-six kindergartners many of whom recently graduated from Utopia. Another special welcome goes out to the eighteen, new, first through eighth graders who are joining us this year. It is our expectation that all our new students and their families will again be warmly welcomed and enjoy their time at St. Thomas More School. Our school continues to thrive because of your wonderful community spirit and the precious children you entrust to our care.
On Monday, the first day of school, you will receive your first and, probably, biggest Envelopeof the school year! Please, watch for this Envelope again the following week, on September 4th, and throughout the school year each Wednesday. It contains useful information from the Archdiocese, STM parish, the school, Parents’ Club, Athletic Board and various other groups. Please return the signed purple envelope with your child no later than Friday each week and include any necessary forms or responses. Important forms that require your attention will be included in your Envelope. Please complete and return them immediately.
STM School Planner all students (3-8) $10
The following items need to be purchased only for new students:
Atlas (4-8) $15
Bible (6-8) $15
FX-55 Calculator (5-8) $10
TI-108 Calculator (3-4) $5
These items will also be available at Back-to-School Night and through the school office.
Please know that parking will be very limited and difficult on the first day. Be patient. Consider dropping off you child first and finding parking over at Park Merced. There will be a few spots in the yard for Parent Club volunteers who arrive before 7:40.
Monday and Tuesday we will dismiss according to the minimum day schedule and not at 10:00am as in previous years. Wednesday will be our first full day of school. Both morning and afternoon extended care programs will begin on Tuesday, August 27th. In order to use the extended care programs, please complete the form/s you will receive on Monday. The beginning of the hot lunch program is Tuesday, September 3rd.
SCHOOL HOURS:
School hours and dismissal times:
UNIFORMS:
Please follow closely the uniform regulations and pay special attention to the shoe requirements. Students wearing incorrect footwear will be required to replace them. If you are unsure of the suitability of a particular shoe, please check with the school office. The Parents’ Club will also be selling good quality used uniforms at Back-to-School Night on August 30th. We are aware that the patch that students are required to wear on their sweaters are on back order in both uniform stores. Students will have until September 30th to be compliant with this new addition to the school uniform.
MORNING EXTENDED CARE:
Morning Extended Care in under the direction of Sue Kapovich, our first grade teacher. The before school extended care program is NOT a drop-in program. The program is held in the 1st grade classroom each morning from 7:00 a.m. to 7:45. Students may arrive for the program at any time during that period. If you sign up for morning care, please understand that, while the commitment to this program is for the school year, you do not need to have your child present for the program each day. The cost of this program is $350 per year, payable in 4 installments. An enrollment form will be included in your envelope tomorrow.
AFTER-SCHOOL EXTENDED CARE:
Our Extended Care Director is John Kavanagh. This is a drop in program and can be used at any time. However, in order to attend it is important that the necessary forms are prepared in advance. If you think your child may use this program any time during the school year, please complete the necessary forms at this time. Advance sign up is not necessary for the after-school extended care program. It is a good idea for parents of lower grade students to notify their children’s teachers, in writing, when they are planning to use the extended care program. The hourly charge is $4 per hour or fraction thereof. Extended care runs from dismissal each day until 6:00 p.m. Families of students not picked up by 6:00pm will incur a charge of $1 per minute, per child. Billing will be sent out at the end of each month. Further information and a pick-up authorization sheet will be in your envelope.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
While you will receive a full calendar of September events in next week’s Wednesday Envelope, we ask you to please mark your calendar for some important upcoming events.
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal
Welcome Back! We are excited to welcome the thirty-six kindergartners many of whom recently graduated from Utopia. Another special welcome goes out to the eighteen, new, first through eighth graders who are joining us this year. It is our expectation that all our new students and their families will again be warmly welcomed and enjoy their time at St. Thomas More School. Our school continues to thrive because of your wonderful community spirit and the precious children you entrust to our care.
On Monday, the first day of school, you will receive your first and, probably, biggest Envelopeof the school year! Please, watch for this Envelope again the following week, on September 4th, and throughout the school year each Wednesday. It contains useful information from the Archdiocese, STM parish, the school, Parents’ Club, Athletic Board and various other groups. Please return the signed purple envelope with your child no later than Friday each week and include any necessary forms or responses. Important forms that require your attention will be included in your Envelope. Please complete and return them immediately.
- Universal Medical Information/Emergency Contact Release and Consent Form
- Disaster Form
- AM Extended Care Sign up
- PM Extended Care Sign up/Authorization
STM School Planner all students (3-8) $10
The following items need to be purchased only for new students:
Atlas (4-8) $15
Bible (6-8) $15
FX-55 Calculator (5-8) $10
TI-108 Calculator (3-4) $5
These items will also be available at Back-to-School Night and through the school office.
Please know that parking will be very limited and difficult on the first day. Be patient. Consider dropping off you child first and finding parking over at Park Merced. There will be a few spots in the yard for Parent Club volunteers who arrive before 7:40.
Monday and Tuesday we will dismiss according to the minimum day schedule and not at 10:00am as in previous years. Wednesday will be our first full day of school. Both morning and afternoon extended care programs will begin on Tuesday, August 27th. In order to use the extended care programs, please complete the form/s you will receive on Monday. The beginning of the hot lunch program is Tuesday, September 3rd.
SCHOOL HOURS:
School hours and dismissal times:
| Monday-Thursday | Friday | Minimum Days | |
| Kinder-3rd grade | 8:10-2:45 | 8:10-2:15 | 8:10-12:15 |
| 4th-8th grade | 8:10-3:00 | 8:10-2:30 | 8:10-12:30 |
Please follow closely the uniform regulations and pay special attention to the shoe requirements. Students wearing incorrect footwear will be required to replace them. If you are unsure of the suitability of a particular shoe, please check with the school office. The Parents’ Club will also be selling good quality used uniforms at Back-to-School Night on August 30th. We are aware that the patch that students are required to wear on their sweaters are on back order in both uniform stores. Students will have until September 30th to be compliant with this new addition to the school uniform.
MORNING EXTENDED CARE:
Morning Extended Care in under the direction of Sue Kapovich, our first grade teacher. The before school extended care program is NOT a drop-in program. The program is held in the 1st grade classroom each morning from 7:00 a.m. to 7:45. Students may arrive for the program at any time during that period. If you sign up for morning care, please understand that, while the commitment to this program is for the school year, you do not need to have your child present for the program each day. The cost of this program is $350 per year, payable in 4 installments. An enrollment form will be included in your envelope tomorrow.
AFTER-SCHOOL EXTENDED CARE:
Our Extended Care Director is John Kavanagh. This is a drop in program and can be used at any time. However, in order to attend it is important that the necessary forms are prepared in advance. If you think your child may use this program any time during the school year, please complete the necessary forms at this time. Advance sign up is not necessary for the after-school extended care program. It is a good idea for parents of lower grade students to notify their children’s teachers, in writing, when they are planning to use the extended care program. The hourly charge is $4 per hour or fraction thereof. Extended care runs from dismissal each day until 6:00 p.m. Families of students not picked up by 6:00pm will incur a charge of $1 per minute, per child. Billing will be sent out at the end of each month. Further information and a pick-up authorization sheet will be in your envelope.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
While you will receive a full calendar of September events in next week’s Wednesday Envelope, we ask you to please mark your calendar for some important upcoming events.
- Monday, August 26th, 11:15am: Kindergarten parents and all other parents new to the school will meet in the gym for orientation. We will open the schoolyard for parking following recess at 10:45am.
- The school lunch program will begin on Tuesday, September 3rd. A menu will be in your envelope and is always available on our website.
- Thursday, August 29th, is our Back-to-School Night beginning at 6:30pm in the gym. This is a mandatory meeting for all families. At least one parent from each family is required to attend. We will have a raffle for $500 off tuition for all who arrive on time! Please sign in with you child’s teacher(s). One ticket per child.
- All students and their families are expected to join us for our Back-to-School Family Mass and free School Picnic on Sunday, September 15th
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal
Friday, August 9, 2013
STM 2013 Back To School Newsletter
Dear
Friends
Greetings
from St. Thomas More School! In just a short time, Monday,
August 26th, we will be back in school. Time does pass too
quickly!
Here
at school, we have been busy preparing for the new school year. The office
reopened on August 1st and Melody and Rita have been busy ordering
textbooks and supplies, taking care of tuition payments, checking
immunizations, paying bills, and taking care of the myriad details involved in
keeping a school running smoothly. Ezequiel has cleaned and polished all
classrooms and hallways and the building is looking great. Teachers have begun
to prepare their classrooms, decorate their bulletin boards, and are excitedly
awaiting their new students.
Our
first day of school, Monday, August 26th, will begin at 8:10, with
dismissal at 12:15/12:30pm. This is a departure from previous years when we
dismissed at 10:00am on the first day. There is no after school care that day
so please make arrangements to have your child picked up at dismissal. Complete
school uniforms are to be worn and all students will need their backpacks. The
Parents’ Club will host a “Welcome Back” reception in Carroll Hall from 8:00am
until dismissal. This is such a pleasant way to meet other school parents while
students are being oriented to the new school year. School supplies will also
be available for sale as well as a quantity of used uniform items. All Kindergarten
families, as well as all other families new to the school are required to
attend an orientation beginning at 11:00am in the gym.
Following
are a few reminders to get you orientated for the coming school year.
SCHOOL
HOURS:
School
hours and dismissal times:
Monday-Thursday
|
Friday
|
Minimum Days
|
|
Kinder-3rd grade
|
8:10-2:45
|
8:10-2:15
|
8:10-12:15
|
4th-8th grade
|
8:10-3:00
|
8:10-2:30
|
8:10-12:30
|
After
Monday’s early dismissal we will ease into the school year. Tuesday, August 27th
is also a minimum day according to the schedule provided. Both morning and
afternoon extended care programs will begin on Tuesday, August 27th.
The first full day of school will be Wednesday, August 28th. Our hot
lunch program will begin after Labor Day, on Tuesday, September 3rd.
UNIFORMS:
Do
you have your child(ren)’s school uniforms yet? The closer we get to the
start of school, the busier Dennis Uniform and Simply Uniforms get. Washed and
neatly pressed (pleated) uniforms are required for all students on the first
day of school. Please follow closely the uniform regulations and pay
special attention to the shoe requirements. Students
wearing incorrect footwear will be required to replace them. If you are unsure
of the suitability of a particular shoe, please check with the school office.
Don’t forget that this year we have introduced a patch with the school logo to
be placed on the school cardigan. Both Dennis Uniform and Simply Uniforms carry
this patch. The Parents’ Club will be selling good quality used uniforms on
several occasions during the month of August. These include during the social
on the first day of school and also at Back-to-School Night on August 29th.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL
SALES:
Items
such as planners, atlases, bibles, and calculators will be available during the
first day of school (in Carroll Hall) and also at Back-to-School Night.
MORNING
EXTENDED CARE:
The
Morning Extended Care Program is under the supervision of Sue Kapovich and is
held in the 1st grade classroom each morning from 7:00 to 7:45. Students
may arrive for the program at any time during that period. The before school
extended care program is NOT a drop-in program. If you
sign up for morning care, please understand that, while the commitment to this
program is for the school year, you do not need to have your child present for
the program each day. The cost of this program is $350 per year, payable in 4
installments. Further information and an enrollment form will be sent home to
you on the first day of school. This program will begin on Tuesday, August 27th.
AFTER-SCHOOL
EXTENDED CARE:
Our
Extended Care Director is John Kavanagh. Advance sign up is not necessary for
the after-school extended care program. It is a good idea for parents of lower
grade students to notify their children’s teachers, in writing, when they are
planning to use the extended care program. The hourly charge is $4 per hour or
fraction thereof. Extended care runs from dismissal each day until 6:00 p.m.
Families of students not picked up by 6:00pm will incur a charge of $1 per
minute, per child. Billing will be sent out at the end of each month. Further
information and a pick-up authorization sheet will be sent home to you on the
first day of school.
UPCOMING
EVENTS:
While
you will receive a full calendar of September events in your first Wednesday
Envelope, we ask you to please mark your calendar for some upcoming events.
- Thursday, August 29th, is our Back-to-School Night beginning at 6:30pm in the gym. This is a mandatory meeting for all families. At least one parent from each family is required to attend. Students will need to stay home that evening.
- The school lunch program will begin on Tuesday, September 3rd. As soon as the menu is prepared, we will post it on the school website.
- All students and their families are invited to join us for our Back-to-School Family Mass on Sunday, September 15th.
If
you have any questions or concerns between now and the start of school do give
us a call. The school office will continue to be open by 9:00am each day during
the remainder of the summer with the exception of August 14th and
August 22nd which are set aside for faculty in-services and retreat.
The
new school year always brings with it a mixed bag of emotions. Disappointment
at the end of summer vacation and excitement and anxiety over what the new
school year will bring. We look forward to partnering with you and your child
as they begin and/or continue their journey here at St. Thomas More School!
Sincerely,
Marie
Fitzpatrick
Principal
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
STM Newsletter for June 5, 2013
Dear Parents,
Welcome to your last Wednesday newsletter of the year! No permission slips, no pizza or hot dog lunch order forms, no cookie order forms…the year is rolling to an end.
Class of 2013: The graduates are off on their picnic to Six Flags tomorrow before they return for all the activities of graduation day this Friday. We are saying good-bye to a fine class of eighth grade students. They have earned awards and recognition for their academic achievements from several of the high schools at which they have been accepted! The student body will come together for the graduates’ last Mass as STM students this Friday at 11:00. The graduation ceremony will be at 5:00 p.m. that evening. At those events, students will pray together, share their thoughts about their time at STM, hear the announcements of awards, and celebrate this educational milestone in their lives. We salute our graduates and hope you will join them at either or both ceremonies. Congratulations to: Julius Aguinaldo, Samantha Bernardo, Patrick Brown, Vialina Bulatova, Sean Coffey, Jose David, Alexandra Diaz, Sydnie Gamboa, Juliana Kavanagh, Julietta Lehmann, Daniela Londero, Kevin Londero, Antoine Malouf, Elyssa Nicolas, Ian Ostrea, Kameron Powers, Sean Ramos, Devin Rojo-Cagadoc, Annalysse Santos, Nizar Sweileh, Christopher Taylor, Crystal Tobar, Paulina Toledo, Sofia Torres, Jerome Torres, and Ademir Vila.
Report Cards: Do you have any unpaid tuition or fees for this school year? Do you still have sports uniforms not turned in? Please make sure you settle up with Melody and/or return your uniform before the 10:00am dismissal on Wednesday, June 12th, in order that your child/children may receive their report cards. Report cards for students absent on the last day will be filed in their cumulative folders and may be picked up during the summer or next school year.
Extended Care: Remember, extended care payment for this final week continues to be on a pre-pay/pay by the day basis. On Wednesday, June 12, our last day, K-7 will dismiss at 10:00 and Preschool at 10:30. There is NO Extended Care that day.
Summer Hours: The school office will be open through June 28th; however, we will be on a summer schedule, generally from 9-12. This year, the office will be closed for the month of July and we will resume summer hours beginning August 1st. If you plan to come and make a payment of tuition and any fees, please call first to see if we are here. We prefer that you mail those items; but if we are here when you call, we’ll be happy to help you. If you do need us during the summer, please call and leave a message or send us an email.
Principal for the day/Free Dress: Thank you to Samantha Reynolds, our Principal for the day, for declaring free dress for all students next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (Monday and Tuesday for teachers!). This will help facilitate the Parents’ Club collection of used uniforms. We will be happy to accept any uniform pieces that your children have outgrown or that you will no longer be using. We ask that they are washed and clean before you donate them. During the summer they will be sorted and ready for the used uniform sale which will take place in Carroll Hall on August 26th, our first day back for next school year.
Please also save the evening of Thursday, August 29th, for our annual Back-to-School Night. Again this year, this is a mandatory meeting for all parents. More information will be given when we return from summer vacation.
STEM: As you know, beginning in October, we will be offering elective courses to our middle school students (Grades 6-8). These elective classes will enhance STM's academic program by focusing on the STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). During April we asked parents to take a survey indicating what electives they would like to see offered here at STM. Students in 5th through 7th grade also had the opportunity to take a survey to show where their interests lie. More details on what courses will be offered will be available in late August for your review prior to your child’s enrollment. Sixth through eighth grade student enrollment will begin in mid-September.
Some great news to end the year with - Last week we received a $40,000 check from an anonymous donor. The donor wished that the funds be received in memory of Joe Elsbernd, our former principal who passed in 2009. While the donor wishes to remain anonymous, we thank them for this generous gift, which will be earmarked for our new creative arts center in the gym.
Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our families who volunteered their time this school year. Activities like showing up for yard duty, rain or shine, volunteering as class reps, attending the Parents’ Club meetings and School Advisory Board meetings, chaperoning on field trips, working on Cioppino, the Fall Festival, and numerous other school activities, would not happen without you. Your involvement allows St. Thomas More School to be a wonderful place for your children to grow and develop. A special thank you also to those who have donated paper, envelopes, used cartridges, and books for our library. Together we make a big difference in the lives of our children.
See you in August!
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal
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