STM Newsletter for September 3, 2014

Click to view, the school newsletter for September 2, 2014.

STM Newsletter for August 20, 2014

Dear Friends,

Greetings and welcome from St. Thomas More School! In just a short time, Tuesday, August 26^th, we will be back in school. Time does pass too quickly!

Here at school, we have been busy preparing for the new school year. Besides ordering textbooks and supplies, cleaning the school building inside and out, servicing the bleachers and the basketball hoops, and making some limited repairs, we have also updated and painted the girls and boys bathrooms, and installed a new kitchen in the teachers room. All this in an effort to maintain our level of academic excellence and to keep the facilities in good shape.

There have been some additions to the faculty and some juggling, from last year to this, of the roles some faculty will play. Taking over the reigns in 2^nd grade are Megan Kennedy and Judy DeMicheli. Fourth grade will be taught by Alison Verzosa. We are happy to have Joanne Kane as the new 5^th grade teacher. Anna Tyaglo will be joining us as an additional full time kindergarten aide. Helping out in 3^rd and 5^th grade is Carla Blenkinsop, and we welcome Jeannette Santillan-Gray who will aide in 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade.
 

SCHOOL HOURS: Our first day of school, Tuesday, August 26th, will begin at 8:10, with dismissal at 12:15/12:30pm. There is no after school care that day. 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. There will be limited parking in the schoolyard for those who arrive before 7:45am. 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. All families new to the school are required to attend an orientation beginning at 11:00am in the gym. After Tuesday’s early dismissal we will ease into the school year. Wednesday, the 27th is also a minimum day according to the schedule provided. Both morning and afternoon extended care programs will begin on Wednesday, August 27th. The first full day of school will be Thursday, August 28th. From this point on, we will follow regular school hours and dismissal times. Regular 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

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. The Parents’ Club will be selling good quality used uniforms on several occasions during the month of August. These include the first day of school and also at Back-to-School Night.

MORNING EXTENDED CARE BEGINS 8/27: 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 to 7:45. Students may arrive for the program at any time during that period. The cost of this program is $350 per child, per year, payable in 4 installments. Billing will be through FACTS. Further information and an enrollment form will be sent home to you on the first day of school. AFTER-SCHOOL EXTENDED CARE BEGINS 8/27: 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 through FACTS. 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 28th, is our Back-to-School Night beginning at 7:00pm in the gym. This is a mandatory meeting for all families. At least one parent from each family is required to attend. As per the 2014-2015 Parent Participation Requirements, families without a representative in attendance will be assessed a $25 fee for a missed meeting. While it would be ideal if children could stay at home, we understand this is not always possible. Childcare for younger children enrolled at STM will be available in Carroll Hall at $10 per family. Please click here to make a reservation for childcare. We can only accommodate families who have pre-registered. The school lunch program will begin on Tuesday, September 2nd. 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 and picnic (following Mass) on Sunday, September 7th.

If you have any questions or concerns between now and the start of school do email us at office@stmsf.org.

Please keep Monsignor Labib in your thoughts and prayers.  He has been hospitalized several times during the summer and has now returned to the rectory and is under hospice care. We welcome Father Bernard Poggio to the St. Thomas More Community.

The city is currently in the process of re-striping Brotherhood Way. They will also be installing an additional signal at the new development at Summit 800 and Brotherhood Way next week. Please be prepared for delays and allow extra time when dropping off and picking up your child from school.

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 or continue their journey here at St. Thomas More School!

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal

STM Newsletter for August 9, 2014

UNIFORM AND SCHOOL SUPPLY SALE:

AUGUST 16th, 9am-11am, STM GYM

Do you have your child(ren)’s school uniforms yet? Simply Uniforms will be coming on campus for a special new uniform sale on Saturday, August 16th. Everyone will receive 10% off of their new uniform purchases during this event. We will have Simply Uniforms scrip on hand so that you can start earning scrip credit for the 2014-2015 school year. The Parents’ Club will be selling used uniforms and items such as planners, atlases, bibles, and calculators will also be available for sale on this day. School supplies will continue to be for sold during the first day of school (in Carroll Hall) and at Back-to-School Night on Thursday, August 28th.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Thursday, August 28th, 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. As per the 2014-2015 Parent Agreement, families without a representative in attendance will be assessed a $25 fee. The school lunch program will begin on Tuesday, September 2nd. 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 and picnic on Sunday, September 14th.

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 20th through August 22nd which are set aside for faculty in-services and retreat.

Enjoy the last few weeks of summer vacation with your children!

Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal        

STM Newsletter for June 4, 2014

Welcome to your last Wednesday newsletter of the year! No permission slips, no pizza or hot dog lunch order forms…the year is rolling to an end.

8th grade at Glide Memorial serving lunch to 526 people in need.

Class of 2014: The graduates are off on their graduation trip to Great Americatomorrow 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: Natasha Alvarado, Giselle Bacigalupi, Lorenzo Bello, Mark Bickle, Nicole Binza, Nathan Candler, Carlos Colom, Andre Corrales, Peter Cuddihy, Collin Cuff, Anthony D’Aura, Jerrimay De Leon, Melina Diaz, Ricardo Duarte, Matthew Embry, Joshua Esteron, Christian Gabon, Agnes Li, Riley Mihelich, Gian Karla Ocampo, Janelle Paredes, Evan Prasadi, Tianna Ramos, Nicole Rubino, Brandon Santos, Kaiulani Schelstrate, Austin Segarra, Chloe Sullivan, Sean Taylor, Andrew Triunfo, Ricardo Vila.

Reminders for Tuesday, June 10th Make sure that your family's account is paid up. Report cards are subject to holds for delinquent accounts. Parents’ Club hospitality, Carroll Hall, 8:30-9:00am Donations of pastries, breakfast items and juices may be dropped in the office on Monday. Awards Ceremony: 9:00am, gym Preschool through 7th will dismiss at 10:00. No Extended Care that day. School yard parking available at 8:30am.

Extended Care News from Mr. Kavanagh: The last invoice had a typo. The due date for that last monthly payment was supposed to say May 30th and notJune 30th. That was my error so no one is considered late right now. I am extending the due date until this Friday, June 6th.

Summer Hours: Office open through June 27th from 9-12 and will re-open onAugust 4th. If you do need us during the summer, email office@stmsf.org.

Free Dress Monday and Tuesday/Used Uniform Collection: Please donate any uniform pieces that your children have outgrown or that you will no longer be using. A used uniform sale will take place in the gym on August 16th.

New Uniform Sale/Scrip: Simply Uniform will be coming on campus for a special new uniform sale on Saturday, August 16th, 2014. We will have Simply Uniform scrip on hand so that you can start earning scrip credit for the 2014-2015 school year.

2014-2015 SAVE THE DATES Back-to-School Night: The evening of Thursday, August 28th is a mandatory meeting for all parents. International Food Festival/Fall Festival: September 27th and 28th. 60th year Anniversary Celebration: Sunday, November 9th.

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

STM Newsletter for May 21, 2014

Newsletter for Wednesday, May 21, 2014 As the year draws to a close, we reflect back on the school year and our theme,‘Show a Little Kindness’. Students in all grades participated in many fundraisers and community awareness programs and learned more about how they can make a difference in the lives of others by showing a little kindness. Our students showed their charity throughout the year in many ways. They collected toiletries andproviding sandwiches for the needy for the Martin de Porres House of Hospitality. Together, as a school, we raised over $250 during Lent for the Holy Childhood Association and did many activities with and for our neighbors at Alma Via. As part of their Confirmation preparation, earlier this year, our 7th graders spent some of their service hours helping at the SF Food Bank and our 8th graders will help serve lunches at Glide Memorial on June 4th.

Students realized that while many people donate to the food bank and other centers that feed the needy, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas time, food supplies are often at their lowest during the summer months. With that in mind, and at the suggestion of our students, we would like to have one last collection for our local food bank. Tomorrow night we will kick off this collection and are asking everyone to bring a non-perishable item or canned food as cost of admission for the Dance Festival. We will have barrels to collect your donations and will continue the collection through June 6th. Thank you, in advance, for your generosity!

Calendar Items

Friday, May 23 6th grade class written Opera,9:30am, Carroll Hall Friday, May 23 Free dress and free hot dog lunch prepared by 8th grade

Monday, May 26 Memorial Day Holiday Tuesday, May 27 Student Council speeches and Elections, 9:00am, Carroll Hall

Wednesday, May 28 PE field day, students wear assigned colors Wednesday, May 28 Year Book distributed

Friday, May 30 Sandwiches-for-the-needy - ALL GRADES provide a sandwich Friday, May 30 Extended Care bill for May 1-16 due

Thank you to all who supported Churro Day. The Ecology Club is happy to announce that they raised $348 for the San Francisco SPCA from this sale.

Dance Festival: Tomorrow evening we will celebrate our own Dancing with the Stars. Your children will be the stars of our annual Dance Festival. The front doors of the school will open at 6:15pm to allow students to enter their classrooms. Students arriving early should line up on the sidewalk (NOT on the school front steps) and wait in an orderly manner until the school doors open at6:15pm. Students should arrive no later than 6:30pm. Parking will be available in the schoolyard beginning at 5:45pm. The doors of the gym will open at6:15pm. As you know, our dance program, under the direction of Sue Rissotto, is an enriching and enjoyable experience for all students. We look forward to seeing you all at this most popular event of the year.

Attention all Cross Country runners: Please note that the CYO Track & Field Meet for this year has been cancelled. In light of this unfortunate news, all practices for the remainder of this school year have been cancelled as well. Stay active this summer and be ready for a strong season next year. We look forward to seeing all runners in the fall of 2014!

Need Parent Hours?: We are in need of a volunteer to take all our bottles and cans to the recycling center. Please let the office know if you have a truck and are available.

Congratulations go out to 3rd grader, Eric Duarte. This past weekend, Eric was honored as one of the brightest young students in the nation at a regional awards ceremony for academically advanced children sponsored by The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY). The Center honored Eric, a participant in the CTY Talent Search, for his exceptional performance on a rigorous, above-grade-level test given to academically talented second-through-eighth-grade students.

As some of you know, Mrs. Kapovich, the 1st grade teacher, had a procedure a few weeks ago and had anticipated on returning to work next Tuesday. She has now been advised by her doctor to postpone her return. We wish Mrs. Kapovich all the best during her recovery and look forward to her return for the next school year.

Finally, we would like to announce that we have several changes in staff for the new school year. Kelly Stamatis, our current 5th grade teacher, is leaving us to take a position with IXL Learning, a comprehensive K-12 practice site. We also wish Kelly, and her fiancé John, well as they prepare to be married in June. Also leaving us and moving closer to her family in Nashville, Tennessee is Jennifer Conley, our current 4th grade teacher. We wish both teachers well as they pursue new challenges in their careers and take advantage of new opportunities. Some wonderful new additions to our staff include Gym Director, A.J. Tanedo (STM class of 2002) who begins work with us next week and Gym Assistant, Andrew Lobre (STM class of 2007) who joined our staff recently. At this time, we would also like to congratulate our Assistant Preschool Director, Rachelle Frantz and her husband Matt, who are expecting their first child in September!

Sincerely, Marie Fitzpatrick Principal

STM Newsletter for May 14, 2014

Dear Parents, As we continue through the Easter season, we look forward to the celebration of the Feast of Pentecost on June 8th. Pentecost is when we celebrate the birthday of the Church and the gift of the Holy Spirit – the sending of the Holy Spirit by our Lord Jesus Christ. Having been with his disciples for forty days after the resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God the Father. Pentecost closes the Easter Season and from then until the beginning of the Advent Season we will celebrate the church season known as Ordinary Time.

Opera Performance: Today the students enjoyed a production of H.M.S. Pinafore by the 7th grade and the San Francisco Opera Guild.

Calendar Items

Friday, May 16 Sandwiches for the Needy led by K and 8. Friday, May 16 Yearbook orders due

Friday, May 16  Sports Award 1 pm STM Gym Monday, May 19 PM Extended Care Pay by the day begins

Monday, May 19  Prayer Service 1 pm led by Gr 6 STM Gym Friday, May 23 Gr 6 Opera 9:30 a.m. Carroll Hall

Dance Festival: Next Thursday, May 22nd, we will celebrate an evening of our own Dancing with the Stars. Your children will be the stars of our annual Dance Festival. The front doors of the school will open at 6:15 pm to allow students to enter their classrooms. Students arriving early should line up on the street (NOT on the school front steps) and wait in an orderly manner until the school doors open at 6:15. Students should arrive no later than 6:30pm. Parking will be available in the schoolyard beginning at 5:45pm. The doors of the gym will open at 6:15pm. As you know, our dance program, under the direction of Sue Rissotto, is an enriching and enjoyable experience for all students. We look forward to seeing you all at this most popular event of the year.

Parents' Club: Consider volunteering your time by becoming a part of the STM Parents' Club. We are still looking to fill a few positions of this dynamic club for the 2014-2015 school year. If you are interested, please let the school office know.

Emergency Messaging System: We will be implementing a new emergency messaging system, Remind 101, beginning this summer. STM will be using this service to inform you of traffic alerts and school emergencies.  Our regular school news and non-emergency items will still be sent to you as usual via email. Sign up by clicking here and selecting the links for your child/ren’s current grade level(s). If you have more than one child at STM, please sign up for ALL of your children's classes, as there may be occasions where we may send messages to individual classes. Sign up will only take a minute! Don't have text messaging service on your phone? Sign up with just your email address. Remember keep your STM contact information up-to-date.

Sincerely, Marie Fitzpatrick Principal

STM Newsletter for May 7, 2014

Dear Parents,

Last Friday evening, Bishop Justice administered the sacrament of confirmation to our seventh grade students. We congratulate them on their further initiation into the Catholic Church. May the gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to work in their lives. Thank you to seventh grade teacher, John Kavanagh for preparing such a prayerful and meaningful ceremony. A special thank you also to the sixth grade families for their help setting and cleaning up at the confirmation reception.

This past Saturday, the 2^nd grade class was part of a beautiful ceremony marking their First Holy Communion. A big thank you to their teacher, Claudia Heikel for preparing such a prayerful and respectful ceremony. A special thank you also to the first grade families for helping with the First Communion reception.

Thank you also to our fabulous student choir at both events, led by Shelley White.

It is a little less noisy in the homes of fifth and sixth graders as well as here at school. The fifth and sixth graders’ are away on their Outdoor Education Program. They will be back on Friday, near dismissal time, tired, dirty but full of stories of the fun and education they experienced.

Progress Reports: Progress Reports are going home today. All students, fourth grade and up, are receiving such a report. These progress reports show a snapshot of the student’s current academic standing with optional comments from their teachers. The grading scale is available here. As a system default, art, PE, music and tech will show P/100% for students who fully participate. Students in the lower grades with behavior and/or academic concerns have already been contacted by their child’s teacher. Please sign and return the progress report by Wednesday, May 14^th, so that we know you have received the notice. If you wish to keep a copy of the report, you may make a copy of it before you return it or contact your child’s teacher directly.

Scrip Requirement: Funds from our Scrip requirement are used to directly fund our PE and Dance programs. We budget this income to cover most of the costs of these valuable programs. We are grateful to all of the families who have completed this requirement for the 2013-2014 school year. As of May 1^st, any scrip purchases will be credited to the next school year, 2014-2015. All families are being notified today as to whether or not they have fulfilled this requirement. All balances will need to be in order by the end of this month.

Churro Sale: Help support the Ecology Club’s fundraiser by buying a churro! Order forms are in your envelope today. All proceeds will be donated to the SFPCA.

Coaches Appreciation Dinner: This Friday night we are holding our Coaches Appreciation Dinner to honor the more than seventy people who help coach our sport teams. Some have coached our teams for more than eight years. What a great way to get involved in your child’s school. Thanks to their dedication over this past year, our sports program continues to thrive. We thank them for giving countless hours to help with practices and games both on weekdays and the weekends.

2014-2015 Student Council: Interested 5^th, 6^th and 7^th grade students will have a meeting in the library on Monday, May 12^th from 12:20-1:00pm for a Student Council informational meeting. Please encourage your child to come and find out how they can become more involved in their school.

SF Opera and 7^th grade: Next Wednesday at 10:45am, our 7^th graders will join with the San Francisco Opera Guild to present H.M.S. Pinafore. Please consider joining us for this fun production in Carroll Hall.

Extended Care: Beginning Monday, May 19^th, parents who use the after school Extended Care program will need to either pre-pay or pay-by-the-day. Prepayments may be made in the office or when you pick up your child from extended care. The cost is $4.00 per hour or fraction-thereof. Any unused balance from a pre-payment will be applied to next years’ billing.

Dance Festival: The date is drawing near for our annual Dance Festival. It will be held on Thursday evening, May 22^nd. As you know many of our dances are partner dances and Mrs. Rissotto spends a lot of effort preparing the children for this. If your child is unable to attend, please let the office know immediately in writing. It is very upsetting if on the night of the festival a child is not able to perform a dance because his or her partner does not show up. If we do not hear from you, we expect your child will be participating. Mrs. Rissotto has also included a list of suggested clothing for the night in today’s envelope.

Finally, thank you to all the students, staff and parents who made Principal Appreciation Day so special last week. I loved all the cards and well-wishes and feel privileged to be a part of such a caring community.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick                               

Principal