STM Newsletter for April 24, 2013

Dear Parents:

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. All 2^nd grade students will get to wear their beautiful first communion outfits again when we celebrate the May crowning at the 10:00am Mass on Sunday, May 5^th.

When children receive confirmation, the third sacrament of initiation, they are showing that they areresponsible, prepared individuals who are ready to become full-fledged members of the Catholic faith. They renew the vows their sponsors made for them when they were baptized. The bishop anoints the confirmandi with chrism accompanied by the words "Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit". This reaffirms the graces of the Holy Spirit conferred on the child at baptism. We offer our congratulations to the following candidates who will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation Friday evening at 5:00pm: Natasha Alvarado, 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, Riley Mihelich, Chloe Novillos, Gian Karla Ocampo, Janelle Paredes, Tianna Ramos, Nicole Rubino, Brandon Santos, Kaiulani Schelstrate, Chloe Sullivan, Krystelle Chloe Sunga, Sean Taylor, Andrew Triunfo, Ricardo Vila. Giselle Bacigalupi, Gina Iampietro, Agnes Li, Evan Prasadi, and Austin Segarra will be receiving a special blessing.

Congratulations also to students from the RCIC program and the Brazillian community of STM church will be joining our school candidates for a total of 47 Confirmation candidates.

Thank you to all who attended the parent mandatory meeting last Thursday night. Congratulations to the Custodio Family, the winners of the brick raffle. It was a very productive evening and we have received a lot of positive feedback about the four topics we covered. The Powerpoint presentations are available on our website if you wish to review them once more.

STEM: Beginning in the fall, 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). To learn more about STEM at STM, click here.

At this time, we are asking all parents (PK-8) to please take a few minutes to complete a STEM electives survey. Your feedback is valuable to us and will help our middle school teachers narrow down the courses that will be offered at STM. Please click here to complete the short survey. Students in 5^th through 7^th grade will also have the opportunity to take a survey to show their interest.

YOLO, A 6^th grade opera: This coming Monday, April 29^th, at 1:15pm in Carroll Hall, 6^th grade are ready to present the opera they have written – YOLO. Please consider joining us for this wonderful musical extravaganza on which the students have worked so hard.

Parent Agreement and Participation Requirements: Please remember that the deadline for returning the “lavender” Parent Agreement-Parent Participation forms is this Friday, April 26^th. By returning that form, we will know how you plan to pay your tuition and that you acknowledge your Parent Participation Requirements for the coming year. As a reminder, tuition payments may be mailed or given to your child to deliver to the school office via their Wednesday Envelope. Also, please consider mailing all tuition payments during the summer months as our office hours vary and we can’t guarantee that the office will be open during regular business hours.

Hoop-a-thon: Thank you for your support at the hoop-a-thon for the 4^th through 8^th graders last week. This Friday, April 26^th the kindergarten through third graders will have their turn. We will begin the hoop-a-thon at 12:45pm sharp. We’d love to see you there to cheer on your children!

From the Parents’ Club: Family Bingo ‘Cinco de Mayo’ Night is set for Saturday, May 4^th. Reservation forms were sent home in your envelope last week. We hope to see you there. The Father-Daughter Dance is scheduled for Saturday, May 11^th. This is always a well-attended event for dad’s and their daughters. Reservations are still being accepted. Check out the flyer you are receiving today.

Dance Festival: Save the date! This year, our Dance Festival will be held on Thursday night, May 23^rd. This is the most popular event of the year and is always very well attended. All students, preschool through 8^th grade, will have a part in this performance.

Asian Week Raffle: The Asian Heritage Street Celebration School Raffle Program is a community based project which provides a no-risk fundraiser opportunity for schools, enhances our children’s learning and extracurricular activities, and familiarizes students at an early age with the concepts of giving and raising funds for community purposes. Raffle tickets are only $3 each with $2 from every ticket being donated directly back to STM. Last year we made $256 from this raffle! Let’s double, or triple that this year! Fill in the raffle tickets you are receiving today and send in your money and the tickets to the STM school office in an envelope marked Asian Week Raffle by Wednesday, May 8^th. Please let us know if you would like more tickets and they will be sent home with your oldest child. Good Luck!

PM Extended Care: Please note that beginning Monday, May 20^th, parents who use the after schoolExtended 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.

And finally, just a small word of caution: one of our maintenance personnel recently spotted a small snake in the bushes by the front of the school. For the safety of your children, we ask that they do not play or linger by these areas. In order to give our flowers and plants an opportunity to grow and thrive, children are not permitted to play in the planted area at any time. We are also aware that we have some raccoons who are calling the wooded areas around STM home. We remind you that these are wild animals and children should let an adult know immediately if they see one.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick

Principal

STM Newsletter for April 17, 2013

Dear Parents,

The First Communicants and their families invite you to join them this Saturday, April 20^th at 10:00am for their very special First Communion liturgy in the Church. Congratulations to the following First Communicants: Christian Grace Aguinaldo, Isabella Alarcon, Abram Ali, Bradley Campos, Jacob David, Jadine DelosSantos, Eric Duarte, Michaela Echon, Gabriela Freedland, Malachi Gastrock, Joshua Go, Gabriel Lozano, Reana Macatangay, Mia-Gabrielle Madamba, Kiely Madrid, Lindsey Magno, Louie Mogannam, Dominic Orlando, Nathan Quesada, Ava Riego, Dominic Rojo-Cagadoc, Isabel Sanchez, Alexandra Santos, Matt Santos, Noah Singayan, Malia Sladewski, Ethan-Michael Taylor, Salma van Mechelen and Gabriel Wico. Franco Moran will receive a blessing. Please keep them in your prayers as they grow in faith.

Mandatory Parent Meeting: We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow night at 6:30pm for a mandatory parent meeting for all families of Kindergarten through 7th grade. Students will not be allowed to attend this meeting. Babysitting is only available to those who have already signed up. Please do not send your children to babysitting as we only have enough staff for those previously registered. At this meeting we will cover the new Common Core Math and the STEM initiative for the 2013-2014 school year. As an added bonus all attending parents will be entered into a raffle for a free small brick in our buy-a-brick fundraiser. Check in with your child’s teacher to get your raffle ticket!

Financial Policies: Grades kindergarten through seventh are receiving the Financial Policies for the 2013-2014 school year today. Tuition has increased approximately 7.5% but most other fees have remained the same. This raise in tuition is necessary to cover the 2.5% salary increase for all faculty and staff members, the 9-12% projected increase in the cost of employee benefits for the coming school year, as well as the increased cost of textbooks, school supplies and activities. Those of you who pay by credit card will also notice a convenience/transaction fee which will help us cover the fees (approximately $19,000 a year) charged by our bank for this service. If you have any questions please contact the school office.

Parent Agreement and Participation Requirements: Returning kindergarten through seventh graders are receiving the Parent Agreement/Parent Participation Requirements today. Please read them over and then complete both sides of the “lavender” form and return it to us by the deadline, next Friday, April 26^th. By returning that form, we will know how you plan to pay your tuition and that you acknowledge and understand the Parent Participation Requirements for the coming school year. Please keep in mind that if you are choosing to make monthly payments they will begin May 1^st. 

Final numbers are in from this year’s Cioppino! Over $30,000 was raised. A big thank you again to all who worked so tirelessly to make this event such a success. Thank you also to Sue Sullivan, who once again coordinated the See’s Candies fundraiser. The almost $900 raised from the See’s Candies sale was the most successful to date.

Family Bingo ‘Cinco de Mayo’ Night is set for Saturday, May 4^th. Reservation forms are included in your envelope today. We hope to see you there.

Father-Daughter Dance: This fun and special event for dad’s and their daughters has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 11^th. This is always a well-attended event. Reservations are still being accepted. Check out the flyer on our website if you are interested.

Hoop-a-thon: The Athletic Board will conduct their annual Hoop-a-thon for 4^th through 8^th graders this Friday, April 19^th and for the kindergarten through third graders on the following Friday, April 26^th. Sign-ups are still being accepted. Encourage your child to participate in this fun event! We’d love to see you there to cheer on your children!

From the Athletic Board: Thank you to the parents who have completed the online application to show their interest in becoming a part of the Athletic Board. If you did not have the chance to complete the application, but are still interested, please contact Theresa Halloran, our Gym Director directly at thalloran@stmsf.org.

Extended Care: Don't forget that next Monday, April 22nd is a minimum day with a 12:15 dismissal for K-3 and a 12:30 dismissal for 4-8. Afternoon Extended Care is having a special lunch with Mr. K grilling hot dogs and hamburgers on the barbecue. A hot dog lunch is $4 and a hamburger lunch is $5. Lunches included chips and a drink. Students not attending extended care are also welcome to purchase a hot lunch to go at dismissal time.

Free Chairs: We have 100 dark brown wooden chairs with a cushioned seat to give away. They were donated to us from the San Francisco Golf Club, but since they do not stack, we are having difficulty in storing them. Please drop by the school to check them out if you are interested.

Again, we remind you to be considerate when parking your car for school or church events. Last year, during First Communion Mass two cars were towed. One was blocking the entrance to the golf club and another blocked the entrance/exit to the freeway. The situation could prove to be very serious if emergency vehicles can’t get through. With this Saturday being First Communion we anticipate that parking will be limited. The schoolyard will be available for parking. Please follow the directions of those helping with the parking process. We appreciate your cooperation as we consider the safety of all.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick                                            

Principal

STM Newsletter for April 10, 2013

Dear Parents,

The three sacraments of initiation in the Catholic Church are Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation. Each sacrament is an outward sign of an inward grace. When we receive them, each provides us with graces—with the life of God in our soul.
The sacrament of Baptism, the first of the sacraments of initiation, welcomes us into the Catholic Church. This sacrament is usually given to infants. The sacramental grace of Baptism helps us to live as children of God and makes it easier for us to believe in God and act accordingly. Baptism takes away original sin and prepares us to participate fully in the life of the church.

First Holy Communion, the second sacrament of initiation, is usually received at about age seven or eight, about the time when the children are in second grade. Because receiving the Eucharist for the first time is such a special sacrament, assisting your child in preparing to receive First Holy Communion, both by instruction and example, is important. By attending Mass frequently, participating in reconciliation on a regular basis and abiding by Catholic values, we can show children how their relationship with God can become stronger. Eucharist is a celebration of what Jesus did at the Last Supper. The word Eucharist means “to give thanks”. When we celebrate this sacrament, we thank God for His many gifts and blessings. Our second graders will receive their First Holy Communion on Saturday, April 20^th at 10:00am in the church. All are welcome to join us. Please keep the second graders in your prayers as they prepare for this special day.

When children receive Confirmation, the third sacrament of initiation, they are showing that they are responsible, prepared individuals who are ready to become full-fledged members of the Catholic faith. They renew the vows their sponsors made for them when they were Baptized. The bishop anoints the confirmandi with chrism accompanied by the words "Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit". This reaffirms the graces of the Holy Spirit conferred on the child at baptism. Again this year, Bishop McElroy will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation with our seventh grade students on Friday, April 26th at 5:00pm. To prepare for this important time in their lives, the seventh grade students will attend an all day Confirmation retreat this coming Friday. Please keep them in your prayers. A mandatory Confirmation rehearsal for all seventh grade students and their sponsors will be on Tuesday, April 23^rd at 6:30pm in STM Church. 

Please consider joining us for our next Family Mass, this Sunday, April 14^th at 10:00am. The 3^rd and 5^th graders are taking the lead in preparing this mass, which will carry a spring theme. We hope to see you all there.

Earth Day Prayer service: We would like to invite everyone to join us for a prayer service presented by the Kindergarteners and 6^th graders on Monday, April 15^th, at 1:10pm in the gym. See you there!

Now that Lent is over, we are asking that the individual collection boxes to benefit the Missionary Childhood Association be returned to school. Please send in those donations by this Friday, April 12^th. As a reminder, this year, the MCA is raising funds for children’s needs in Zambia, Bangladesh, India and Sudan. Thank you to everyone who has made a special effort to show their love for others, to THINK like Jesus, and to continue to make a difference in the world by donating to this organization that directly impacts the lives of children in many parts of the world.

Tomorrow evening, in Carroll Hall at 7:00pm, the Parents’ Club will have their first-Thursday-of-the-month meeting. Come with your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. See you there!

Front Door: Some of you may have noticed a change to the school’s front door. Over the Easter break we had a buzzer system and intercom installed. For the safety and security of our students and staff, the front door will remain locked at all times. To enter the school building, all parents/guardians and visitors need to buzz through to the office. 

Peopleologie: For many years we have been lucky to have the folks from The Museum of Craft and Folk Art (MOCFA) visit with our students. Unfortunately, due to lack of funding, they closed recently. Lucky for us, Linda Janklow, who used to work there has now gone out on her own and has formed an organization called Peopleologie.com. Peopleologie is a program promoting cultural literacy, celebrating community, and building connections to the world through history, humanities, anthropology, language arts, science, and hand making traditions. Linda is offering the same classes that she previously did as part of the museum and we are very happy to still be able to offer this experience to the students. Today the 4^th and 5^th graders enjoyed learning about Rice: Food and Folk Art. Over the next few weeks, all students will participate in different Peopleologie classes.

Sandwiches-for-the-needy: Thank you in advance to the kindergarten and 6^th grade students who will take the lead in providing sandwiches for the needy this Friday, April 12^th. We ask students in all grades to consider making at least one sandwich. Our next collection is scheduled for April 26^th when our 1^st and 4^th graders take the lead. Please remember the following guidelines to help with the distribution of sandwiches - Individually wrap the sandwiches (ziplock sandwich bags) and label what is included. This helps people with allergies and dietary restrictions.

Mandatory Parent Meeting: We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, April 18^th at 6:30pm for a mandatory parent meeting for all families of Kindergarten through 7th grade. Students will not be allowed to attend this meeting. We will offer free babysitting by reservation only for those unable to make other arrangements. Please click here to make a reservation. At this meeting we will cover the new Common Core Math and the STEM initiative for the 2013-2014 school year. As an added bonus all attending parents will be entered into a raffle for a free small brick in our buy-a-brick fundraiser.
Shoparoo: Unfortunately we were knocked out of the March Madness contest after the first round, which only earned us $50. However, Shoparoo has a new contest for April. This month 10 Shoparoo users are each going to be awarded a $100 gift card to help pay for groceries, as well as an additional $100 to be awarded to their cause. To be entered in the April Sweepstakes, submit 4 qualifying receipts between April 8th and April 30th. More details are available here.

Hoop-a-thon: The Athletic Board will conduct their Hoop-a-thon for 4^th through 8^th graders next Friday, April 19^th and for the kindergarten through third graders on the following Friday, April 26^th. Sign-up forms for your child to participate are being sent home today. Encourage your child to participate in this fun event! All participating students will receive free dress on Monday, April 29^th. Funds raised will support our ever growing athletic programs.

Coaches Appreciation Dinner: This Friday night we are holding our Coaches Appreciation Dinner to honor 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.

Dance Festival!: Save the date! This year, our Dance Festival will be held on Thursday night, May 23^rd. This is the most popular event of the year and is always very well attended. Our dance teacher, Sue Rissotto, has been working very hard all year long to ensure that each student has a role in this spectacular production. All students, Preschool through eighth grade, are expected to participate in this event.

May 24^th: As a reminder, in celebration of Pope Francis, Friday, May 24^th will be a holiday, making Memorial Day weekend a four-day weekend. Please continue to keep Pope Francis in your prayers.

At this time of the year, teachers of all classes will begin working on the Family Life portion of the Religious Education curriculum. Grades two through five will be using the Benziger Family Life series and older grades will use a video series: In God’s Image: A Catholic Vision of Human Sexuality. We strongly encourage you to use this time to talk with your child about your family’s individual views and expectations. Please contact your child's teacher directly if you have any questions about these programs.
 
Sincerely,  
Marie Fitzpatrick  
Principal

STM Newsletter for March 27, 2013

Dear Parents:

Last Sunday, which was Palm Sunday, marked the beginning of Holy Week. Our remembrance of the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus makes Holy Week the most sacred time of the year for Catholics. Remember to balance the sacred part of Holy Week with all the other Easter preparations you may be making. Over the next few days, as we draw closer to Easter Sunday, let us remember the days leading up to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

• ñ  Today, also known as Spy Wednesday, recalls the decision of Judas Iscariot who betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
• Holy Thursday is the day when we remember Jesus and his disciples gathering together for the Last Supper. During this meal, Jesus instituted the very first Eucharist. The Mass of the Last Supper, celebrated tomorrow, reminds us of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples to impress upon them the call to serve others.
• Good Friday services commemorate the crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus. This is the one day of the year Mass is not celebrated. Instead, Good Friday services are held from noon until 3:00pm. This is also a day of fasting and abstinence to commemorate the pain and suffering of Jesus.
• Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday) Liturgy consists of several parts, including the lighting of the Paschal candle, the Liturgy of the Word, and the Sacraments of Initiation for those electing to become members of the Catholic Church.
• Easter Sunday is a joyful celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. He also joined his disciples for a meal and told them to carry on his works. 

 

Please check out our website for a schedule of Easter Week activities for St. Thomas More Church.

Lenten prayer service/Academic Excellence Awards: We would like to invite everyone to join us for a Lenten prayer service presented by the 7^th graders tomorrow, Thursday, March 28^th, at 11:00am in the church. Immediately following the prayer service, we will present Citizenship and Academic Excellence Awards. See you there!

Develop Africa: Thank you to everyone who contributed to the 7^th graders Lenten Service Project. Congratulations to the 3^rd Grade – winners of the Develop Africa, school supplies donation drive. They get a free-dress day tomorrow, Thursday March 28^th! As of Monday afternoon, the 3^rd grade class donated a total of 182 school supply items.  Their generosity will benefit so many children in developing nations in Africa that will enjoy doing their schoolwork with all these new supplies! Congratulations also to our second and third place winners – 1^st grade was very close to winning and donated 158 items.  In third place, the 5^th grade donated 81 items. Overall we collected nearly 700 school supplies and nearly $650 to help with shipping costs and/or the purchase of extra supplies. Thank you again to all who donated to such a great cause!

Report Cards: Report cards are going home today. If you did not receive one, please check with the office to make sure your accounts, tuition, fees, and extended care, are up to date.

Re-registration: Re-registration fees of $325 per child were due in the office today. If you want your child’s seat held for the 2013-2014 school year, please ensure that the office receives that fee by dismissal tomorrow.

Extended Care: Please remember that tomorrow, Thursday March 28^th, is the beginning of Easter break and a minimum day. Dismissal for Preschool is at noon, grades K-3 at 12:15 and 4-8 at 12:30. Afternoon Extended Care is available tomorrow until 6:00pm but will NOT be providing a hot dog lunch.  Please plan ahead and provide your child with a lunch tomorrow.

School Uniform: Now that the weather has started to improve and we are enjoying some beautiful spring weather, we have decided that the last day for girls to wear uniform pants will be tomorrow, March 28^th. After we return from Easter vacation, girls will no longer be allowed to wear pants to school.

Updates on Uniform Changes: Based on the responses from the uniform survey, we will not be making any major changes in the uniform this year. While many families were in favor of introducing a P.E. uniform, we have decided to put this off for a few years because the extra cost involved would cause undue hardship for some of our families. Thank you to all who offered ideas for our new logo. We have decided on a new logo seen at the top of this letter. Students in all grades will wear this logo on their sweaters as a patch beginning this fall.

Save the Date: Please save the evening of Thursday, April 18^th at 6:30pm for a mandatory parent meeting for all families of kindergarteners through 7th grade. Students will not be allowed to attend this meeting. We will offer free babysitting by reservation only for those unable to make other arrangements. Please click here to make a reservation. More details about the meeting will be provided after Easter break.

From the Athletic Board: The Athletic Board oversees the athletic program at STM and reports to Principal Marie Fitzpatrick. The Board currently has five members: 7^th grade parents, John Bickle and Mike Mihelich, and STM faculty members, Kelly Stamatis, Theresa Halloran and John Kavanagh. The Board is seeking to add 2-3 more members sometime before the end of the school year.  Although some roles are defined, such as Athletic Director and Treasurer, each Board member wears many hats and prospective members of the Board should anticipate providing general assistance to the Board in its responsibilities.  If you are interested in applying to be a part of the Athletic Board, click here for more details.

Dance Festival!: Save the date! This year, our Dance Festival will be held on Thursday night, May 23^rd. This is the most popular event of the year and is always very well attended. Our new dance teacher, Sue Rissotto, has been working very hard all year long to ensure that each student has a role in this spectacular production. All students, preschool through eighth grade, are expected to participate in this event.

Finally, our school calendar for 2013-2014 has been approved by the Archdiocese, and we want to let you know that we will begin the new school year on Monday, August 26^th, 2013. Hopefully this will help those of you who are planning your vacations now. An official 2013-2014 school calendar will be sent home shortly. The new school year for Utopia, our preschool, will begin on August 19^th.

Enjoy the break!

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick                                            

Principal        

STM Newsletter for March 20, 2013

Dear Parents:
     
This Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, is known as Palm Sunday. It is the beginning of Holy Week. It celebrates Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Great crowds of people thronged the streets waving palm branches to welcome Him. The people shouted "Hosanna" and laid their cloaks and palm branches from the nearby trees in His path. As we mentioned last week, as part of our preparation for the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, students in grades 3-8 will receive the sacrament of Reconciliation on Monday, March 25^th.

The 7^th graders will present a lenten prayer service on Thursday, March 28^th at 11:00am in the church. Following the prayer service, we will present the 3^rd quarter Academic Awards. Please join us if you can.

As a reminder, Thursday, March 28^th is a minimum day for all Preschool-8^th graders and the beginning of Easter Vacation. Preschool will dismiss at 12 noon, K-3 at 12:15pm and 4-8 at 12:30pm. There will still be extended care until 6pm that day for K-8 students. Street parking will be limited because of the early dismissal schedule. The school yard will be open between 11am-noon to facilitate the pick up of Preschool students.

Develop Africa: The 7th graders continue to accept donations for their Lenten Service Project. Please help the 7^th graders honor their commitment to help children, like themselves. So far, $350 and over 350 various school supplies have been donated. Donations should be given to the classroom teacher and will be collected until Monday, March 25^th. As an added bonus, the class who donates the most school supplies will have free dress on Thursday, March 28^th. If you would like to send a monetary donation to help purchase more supplies, please put it in an envelope marked ‘DEVELOP AFRICA’.

Report Cards: This Friday marks the end of the third quarter. Report cards will be going home next Wednesday, March 27^th. Please check with the office to make sure your accounts, both tuition and extended care, are up to date so that you may receive your child’s report card.

Re-registration: The deadline to complete re-registration online has passed. If you still have not re-registered, please do so by the end of this week if you wish us to save a spot for your child. We have had several families looking for available spots for next year, and we would like to let them know as soon as possible if there is room for them. Also don’t forget, the re-registration fee of $325 per child is due no later than Wednesday, March 27^th.

Save the Date: Please save the evening of Thursday, April 18^th at 6:30pm for a mandatory parent meeting for all families of kindergarteners through 7th grade. Students will not be allowed to attend this meeting. We will offer free babysitting for those unable to make other arrangements. More details will be provided as we get closer to the date.

See's Candies: A reminder that the deadline for ordering is tomorrow, Thursday, March 21^st. Candy orders will be available on March 27^th just in time for Easter. Complete and return the form you previously received. Extra forms are available from the office.

Books to Bravo: The SF Opera Guild will be here again on Monday, for their ongoing preparation of the sixth grade’s Books to Bravo project. The premier production of the opera they have created will be performed in Carroll Hall at 1:10 on Monday, April 29^th. Mark your calendars!

Field Trips: More field trips are under way! Our 7^th graders continue to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation by attending an all day retreat at Point Bonita on Friday, April 12^th. Students in third grade will be receiving a permission slip for an upcoming field trip to the Academy of Sciences on April 16^th. Also visiting the Academy of Sciences on April 17^th, are the preschoolers. Look for that permission slip. Please pay attention to the due dates on all those forms. Late permission slips will NOT be accepted.

Pizza/Hotdog: Check your envelopes for the April/May pizza sale slip and the hotdog sale slip. Please read them and follow the directions on the forms. The due date for those to be returned is next Wednesday, March 27^th. Remember, this is the only opportunity you have to order these special lunch and late orders will not be accepted.

Paper Donations: One way we save money is by using recycled paper, paper printed only on one side. So many of you are kind enough to collect it at your place of business and bring it to us on a regular basis. Your generous donation of new and recycled paper is very much appreciated. Please keep these donations coming!

Coaches Appreciation Dinner: The Athletic Board is holding their Coaches Appreciation Dinner on Friday, April 12^th. This delectable dinner, prepared by Chef Stamatis (dad of our own 5^th grade teacher, Kelly Stamatis) will be the highlight of the evening to thank-you for all of your efforts during this last school year. Please remember to RSVP here if you are planning to attend. Spouses and significant others are also invited.

Pi Day: We have the results of the Pi Day Memorization Contest. In 5th Grade, Samantha Panelo memorized 83 digits and just edged out Isabella Triunfo and Patty Palomares who both had 82 digits. In 6th Grade, Anthony Martinez also won with 83 digits. In 8th Grade, Sydney Gamboa won with an even 100 digits. Lastly, in 7th Grade, Andre Corrales kept going and going and finally stopped at 143 digits. The winners of the contest will all receive a Pi tee shirt, and perhaps more importantly, the winners all got a whole pie last Friday afternoon that they shared with friends. Congratulations to all our Pi day competitors!

Viva Opera: The Museo ItaloAmericano visited the 1^st through 8^th grade students today for their presentation of Viva Opera. They taught the students about the history of opera and introduced them to composers such as Mozart, Verdi, and Puccini. Students also learned about the different voices in opera; alto, tenor, soprano and bass. What an enriching environment your children enjoy!

Shoparoo: This week we received a $300 check from Shoparoo for coming in 2^nd in their February contest. Now we have our eye on the $500 grand prize for their March Madness contest. We’ve made it through to round two and go up against Sam V. Curtis Elementary in Rialto, California, this week. Check out Shoparoo’s blog here for the updated results. Keep snapping those receipts!

Scrip Requirement: As a reminder, all families are required to generate at least $100 profit by participating in the electronic scrip programs authorized by the school. Scrip purchases through April 30th will continue to be credited to your account. At the end of this period, families who have not reached the $100 profit will receive a statement with their balance still owed. Families who have not participated in the scrip program and did not buyout by the February deadline will incur the late buyout fee of $150.

Parking: We all need to share the valuable and limited parking spaces around the school and church. We ask that you be respectful and courteous to our neighbors at the Golf Club, St. Thomas More Church and Alma Via when parking. Pay attention, and show respect to the traffic patrol during drop off and pick up to ensure the safety of all our children.

Yesterday our new Pope, Francis, was officially installed. Archbishop Cordileone has granted us a school holiday in celebration of the election and installation of Pope Francis. We have chosen to take Friday, May 24^th, making Memorial Day weekend a four-day weekend. Please continue to keep Pope Francis in your prayers.

Finally, congratulations to our 8^th graders who are heading off to high school next year. Students have been lucky enough to be accepted into several schools to which they applied. Keeping in mind that this class only has 26 students, the following are the schools to which students were accepted: Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory (8), St. Ignatius Preparatory (8), Mercy San Francisco (4), Mercy Burlingame (6), Archbishop Riordan High School (5), Junipero Serra High School (2), Immaculate Conception Academy (1), and several other local public schools. We are all so proud of our soon-to-be graduates!

Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick                   

Principal

STM Newsletter for March 13, 2013

Dear Parents:
 
Habemus Papam! The conclave has chosen Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, from Argentina, to be the new leader of the Catholic Church. The new pope, 76, is to be called Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. Please keep him in your prayers as he takes on this important role in the church.
Viva il Papa!
 
As part of our preparation for the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter
Sunday, students in grades 3-8 will receive the sacrament of Reconciliation on Monday, March 25^th. Please prepare your children to receive this sacrament by helping them to decide how to make good choices in their lives and how to ask God's forgiveness for decisions they may have made that did not show love for God or one another.
 
Stations of the Cross: Thank you to all who joined us today for 4^th grades presentation of the last four stations. To prepare us for Good Friday and Easter, the 7^th graders will present a prayer service on Thursday, March 28^th at 11:00am in the church. Following the prayer service, we will present the 3^rdquarter Academic Awards. Please join us if you can.
 
7^th grade Lenten Project: As you know, this year the 7th graders are dedicating their Lenten Service Project to Develop Africa. Please help the 7^thgraders honor their commitment to help children, like themselves. So far, $250 and over 300 various school supplies have been donated. Donations should be given to the classroom teacher and will be collected until Monday, March 25^th. If you would like to send a monetary donation to help purchase more supplies, please put it in an envelope marked ‘DEVELOP AFRICA’.
 
K-7 Re-registration: Don’t forget that the online re-registration for the 2013-2014 school year is due by this Friday, March 15^th. Re-registration fees of $325 per child, are due in the office no later than Wednesday, March 27^th.
 
Preschool Re-registration: This year we are asking all returning preschool families to complete their re-registration ONLINE by Friday, April 12^th. To complete the re-registration, from the STM Homepage, click the appropriate Utopia Preschool Re-registration link and you will be directed to an online form. Complete all the information on the form and submit. The
re-registration fee for preschool is $325 and is due by Friday, April 19^th.
 
Save the Date: Please save the evening of Thursday, April 18^th at 6:30pm for a mandatory parent meeting for all families of kindergarteners through 7th grade. Students will not be allowed to attend this meeting. We will offer free babysitting for those unable to make other arrangements. We will provide more details as we get closer to the date.
 
Pi Day Is Coming: Pi or “π” is the mathematical symbol for the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. It is also an irrational number that never ends. The first ten digits of Pi are 3.141592653…, but it is usually approximated as 3.14. Tomorrow, March 14th (a.k.a. 3/14 or Pi Day), STM will hold a Pi Memorization Contest for the 5th-8th Grades. The winner merely needs to memorize and write down in order as many digits of Pi as possible. Winners in each grade will get a prize and pie. To get started on Pi Day, visit the website PiDay.org, where you can learn about all things Pi, including the first million digits of Pi!
 
8^th grade High School Acceptances: Friday is a big day for the eighth graders. They will be receiving notification of their acceptances in the various Catholic high schools to which they have applied. They are a wonderful, talented and mature group of students. We know they will do amazingly well!
 
Books to Bravo: The SF Opera Guild will be here again on Monday, for their ongoing preparation of the sixth grade’s Books to Bravo project. The premier production of the opera they have created will be performed in Carroll Hall at 1:10 on Monday, April 29^th. Mark your calendars!
 
Erin Go Bragh!: St. Patrick is one of the three patron saints of Ireland. If you know who the other two are, please come and let me know and you will get a treat that my little lucky leprechaun, Seamus, has left for you. We celebrate St. Patrick’s feast day every year on March 17th. On Monday, March 18th, we will hold our annual celebration of this great saint who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. As is our custom, we will mark the day with acelebration of dance and song with an Irish slant. Please join us at 1:10 in the schoolyard if the weather permits, otherwise in the gymnasium. Students may also wear St. Patrick's Day accessories on Monday to add a little color to their uniforms. The Student Council will hold a St. Patrick’s Day bake sale on Friday, March 15th at recess.
 
Shoparoo: This month Shoparoo is giving away over $2,000 in their March Fundraising Tournament (Think March Madness). They have selected the 16 schools with the highest total Roo Points to participate in a playoff bracket (And yes, St. Thomas More is the number one seed!). This week, we go up against 16^thseeded Hillel Yeshiva School in New Jersey. Click here to see the rest of the bracket. The tournament runs as follows: Sweet 16: March 11 - March 17 $50 per winner, Elite 8: March 18 - March 24 $100 per winner, Final Four: March 25 - March 31 $200 per winner, and Championship: April 1 - April 7 $500 Grand Prize. The objective is very simple: score more Roo Points than our competitor school does. At the end of the week, the winning school will advance to the next round and be one step closer to the grand prize.
 
Easter Egg Hunt: Please check your envelopes today for the Easter Egg Hunt reservation and donation form. We are also looking for helpers for the event. Please contact Kathy Sanford at (650) 738-0646 if you can help.
 
USF vs. Northern Kentucky: Tomorrow night, Thursday, March 14^th, the USF Men’s basketball team takes on Northern Kentucky at 7pm. To celebrate the end of yet another successful season youth 12 and under are admitted free and general admission is only $10. This is a great (and affordable) family night out. Don’t forget to stop by the concession stands run by STM parents, Jeff and Maria Spiegel. Go Dons!
 
Please check out and thoughtfully respond to all the information you are receiving in today’s Envelope.
 
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal