STM Newsletter for March 26, 2014

Dear Parents:

As we enter the third week of Lent, and prepare to celebrate the greatest feast in the Catholic Church - the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to reflect on the following from Pope Francis:

“We begin Lent with this mandate: Break our heart, open it so that it believes in the Gospel of truth. Today, this Gospel is asking you in a special way, as catechists,…to act in such a way that others will believe in the Gospel. Watching you, seeing what you do, how you behave, what you say, how you feel, how you love – this will lead them to the Gospel.”

Report Cards/Academic Awards: Report cards are going home on Friday. If you do not receive one, please check with the office to make sure your accounts, tuition, fees, and extended care, are up to date. Also on Friday, immediately following the 8:30am mass, we will present Citizenship and Academic Excellence Awards. See you there!

Congratulations are in order: Last Saturday night, five STM 7th Graders received cash awards at the Annual YMI Essay Banquet at St. Peter & Paul Church in San Francisco. They were:  Shivaya Urcuyo, Dylan Rojo-Cagadoc, Ava Ragasa, Marlyn San Juan and Chloe David.  STM had five of the fifteen winners in the middle school division, the most of any school in the contest. Prizes awarded ranged from $100 to the $500 that Ava Ragasa was awarded for her 3rd place finish.  STM Class of 2013 graduate Julie Kavanagh also was awarded a cash prize in the high school division.  Congratulations to all of our STM students!

Re-registration: Online re-registration needs to be completed by this Friday. Additionally, the re-registration fee of $325 per child is due in the office also by Friday. If you want your child’s seat held for the 2014-2015 school year, please ensure that the office receives that fee on time.

Knockout: We look forward to the Athletic Board’s annual Knockout Competition next Friday, April 4^th. Participation is encouraged for all 3^rd-8^th grade students. Use the flyer you are receiving this week to sign up for this fun event. Proceeds benefit our athletic program.

Upcoming Parents’ Club Events: Family Bingo Night is set for April 12^th. An updated flyer is being sent home in today’s envelope. We hope to see you there. You are also receiving information about the Parents’ Club Easter Egg Hunt today. Please check it out and thoughtfully respond to all the information you are receiving in today’s Envelope.

Boba Sales: The 8^th grade class is offering ‘Bronco Boba’s’ for sale on Friday, April 11^th in order to raise funds for a special schoolwide event at the end of the school year. We are sending home Boba order slips in today’s envelope. Boba’s are available only if pre-ordered. Each Boba is only $3! YUM!

Peopleologie: 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 Janklow is offering the same classes that she previously did as part of the Museum of Crafts and Folk Arts (MOCFA) and we are very happy to be able to offer this experience to the students. Over the next few weeks, students will participate in different Peopleologie classes. Check out the April calendar for more details.

Dance Festival!: Save the date! This year, our Dance Festival will be held on Thursday night, May 22^nd. 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.

Thanks you to all the parents who cooperated with our traffic monitors at drop-off this morning. Rainy days can be extra challenging. Your patience helps ensure the safety of all our children. Please know that u-turns are dangerous any time children are present. Take the extra few minutes necessary to drive around the church and through the parking lot at Alma Via.

Finally, while our school calendar for 2014-2015 has not yet been approved by the Archdiocese, and we want to let you know that we have requested to begin the new school year on Tuesday, August 26^th, 2014. Hopefully this will help those of you who are planning your vacations now. An official 2013-2014 school calendar will be sent home as soon as it has been approved. The new school year for Utopia, our preschool, will begin on August 18^th.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick                                                           

Principal 

STM Newsletter for March 19, 2014

Dear Parents:

Tomorrow marks the first day of spring. Spring is a time for spring-cleaning, and Jesus gives us the tools for the job, tools that are part of the Lenten tradition of the church. We are to practice generosity. We are to pray – maybe open our prayer beyond our own needs and pray for those who suffer in places all over the world. And we are to fast—to remind ourselves that we do not live by bread alone. Jesus insists that any of these practices should be practices of the heart.

      

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 Wednesday, April 2^nd. 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.

Today in your Wednesday envelope you will find a copy of a letter detailing the issues raised by the proposed new ordinance on seismic retrofitting relating to San Francisco private and Catholic schools. This issue could potentially have a major impact on all of our schools. Take a few minutes to read the information given and please send this letter to the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors seeking the critical changes that are needed to this legislation. Please contact me should you have any questions.

Report Cards: This Friday marks the end of the third quarter. Report cards will be going home next Friday, March 28^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 is next Friday, March 28^th. If you still have not re-registered, please do so as soon as possible if you wish for 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 also due no later than Friday, March 28^th.

Paper donations in lieu of parent hours: As a reminder, we are now accepting paper donations IF you are only one or two hours short of the required amount of Parent Hours.

•       One case of white paper (10 reams) = 1 hour

•       5 reams of colored paper = 1 hour

As always, we are still accepting donations of recycled paper and used ink cartridges.

Family Bingo ‘Off to the Ballgame’ Night is set for Saturday, April 12^th. Reservation forms are included in your envelope today. We hope to see you there.

SANDWICHES-FOR-THE-NEEDY: Please don’t forget that this Friday, March 21^st, is our next collection of sandwiches-for-the-needy. All are encouraged to participate and the 2^nd and 3^rd graders are charged with taking the lead that day. The Martin De Porres House of Hospitality asked us to pass on their thanks for the blankets and toiletries that you donated so generously. We will continue to collect these items through the end of the week and deliver them with the sandwiches on Friday.

Outdoor Ed Parent Meeting: The Outdoor Ed Parent Meeting for 5^th and 6^th grade parents is tomorrow night (3/20) at 6:30pm in the fifth grade classroom. (This meeting is for parents only, as students will be given information during a different meeting on a later date) At this meeting, Ms. Bryan and Ms. Stamatis will offer parents an opportunity to learn about our trip to CYO Camp in Occidental, as well as find out who will be our chaperones this year. They welcome your questions and look forward to seeing you tomorrow night!

See's Candies: A reminder that the deadline for ordering is Monday, March 31^st. Candy orders will be available on April 11^th just in time for Easter. Complete and return the form you previously received. Extra forms are available from the office.

Field Trips: More field trips are under way! Our 5^th-8^th graders will be receiving a permission slip for an upcoming field trip to see ‘You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown’ at Riordan High School on April 1^st. Please pay attention to the due date on those forms. Late permission slips will NOT be accepted.

Pizza/Hotdog: Check your envelopes for the April/May/June 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 Friday, March 28^th. Remember, this is the only opportunity you have to order these special lunch and late orders will not be accepted.

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 deadline will incur the late buyout fee of $150.

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 31 students, the following are the schools to which students were accepted: Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory (8), St. Ignatius Preparatory (4), Mercy San Francisco (3), Stuart Hall (2), Archbishop Riordan High School (8), Junipero Serra High School (2), Immaculate Conception Academy (2), University High (1), Lowell (2) and several other local public and private schools. We are all so proud of our soon-to-be graduates! Many of these students were accepted with honors and distinction and/or received scholarships.

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick                               

Principal                           

STM Newsletter for March 12, 2014

Dear Parents:

We are now on day eight of the Lenten Season. As we continue on this journey, we are reminded to show personal acts of kindness and sacrifice. We hope you continue to work with your children to help them better understand the concepts of prayer, fasting, and giving. Consider sitting down with your children once a week to discuss their Lenten plan. Meet as a family every Sunday during Lent and discuss ways you have shown personal acts of kindness and sacrifice. Be accountable to each other. If you make this a great Lent you will notice the difference on Easter Sunday. The celebration of Jesus’ resurrection gives us much to which we can look forward.

As part of our preparation for the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, students in grades 2-8 will receive the sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday, April 2^nd. Please begin to 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: The Stations of the Cross began as the practice of pious pilgrims to Jerusalem who would retrace the final journey of Jesus Christ to Calvary. Later, for the many who wanted to pass along the same route, but could not make the trip to Jerusalem, a practice developed that eventually took the form of the fourteen stations currently found in almost every church. Thank you to all who joined us today for 4^th grade’s presentation of the first four stations. Please consider joining us for the next four stations on Wednesday, March 26^th.

Parent Meeting: Thank you to all who joined us last night for the mandatory parent meeting. Your involvement and support for your St. Thomas More School is very much appreciated and you are truly a blessing to your children. Congratulations to the Tripathi Family for winning the free re-registration raffle!

Paper donations in lieu of parent hours: Haven’t completed your parent hours for this school year? As we mentioned at last night’s meeting, we are now accepting paper donations IF you are only one or two hours short of the required amount.

•       One case of white paper (10 reams) = 1 hour

•       5 reams of colored paper = 1 hour

As always, we are still accepting donations of recycled paper and used ink cartridges.

STEM: Today we began our Spring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) electives for the 6^th, 7^th and 8^th graders. These classes will nurture students' interests and love of learning through a project based learning approach that emphasizes our school learning expectations (THINK) as well as inspire innovation and creativity.  These classes take place on Wednesdays through April 16th with a showcase on April 17th.  STEM students will share their work and projects with STM students and families in the showcase that shows the rigorous work and training resulting from student collaboration, problem solving, effective communication, and the use of critical thinking skills. Ask your junior high student how their STEM class was!

Re-Registration: It’s that time of year again! We have several applications for grades above kindergarten and we need to know if we will have any open spaces in those grades for those applicants. Again this year, we ask all families, preschool through seventh grade, complete their re-registration ONLINE. From the STM Homepage, click the appropriate re-registration link and you will be directed to an online form. Complete all the information on the form and submit. As a reminder, any family not-having-fulfilled all of its financial obligations to the school may be dropped from the registered list.

Online Re-Registration Guidelines

• You must complete one online form for EACH child currently attending STM/UTOPIA PRESCHOOL.
• Preschool families who are entering kindergarten do not need to register online.
• To begin, click on one of the two REGISTRATION links on the STM Homepage.
• Families returning to STM/UTOPIA for the 2014-2015 school year should click on the RE-REGISTRATION FOR RETURNING PK-7 STUDENTS link.
• For families NOT returning to STM/UTOPIA for the 2014-2015 school year, click on the NOT RETURNING link.
• Deadline to complete re-registration online and to pay the re-registration fee of $325 is Friday, March 28^th.
• If the online form is not returned by the due date, or the re-registration fee not paid, no seat will be saved for your child.
• After the re-registration fee deadline of March 28^th, the re-registration fee is $425 per child.
• As always, re-registration fees are non-refundable.

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!

Talent Show: Do you have talent? Last year’s talent show was so successful that we are doing it again this year! Students wishing to participate should attend the informational meeting on Thursday, March 13^th in the 4^th grade classroom at lunch recess.

Erin Go Bragh!: We neglected to put our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on the March calendar last week. As Monday, March 17^th is a school holiday, we will be celebrating our ‘Irishness’ on Friday, March 14^th. As is our custom, we will mark the day with a celebration of dance and song with an Irish slant. Please join us at 1:10 in the gymnasium. Students may also wear St. Patrick's Day accessories that day to add a little color to their uniforms. Watch out for leprechauns!

Mother-Son Dance: Have you sent in your reservation form for the Mother/Son Dance yet? Reservations are due by Friday, March 14^th if you and your son wish to join in this fun activity. Raffle tickets are included in your envelope today.

Finally, congratulations to the following students who raised the most in their class for the spell-a-thon: Gabrielle Remo (K), Marquez Beasley-Bell (1^st), Darby Curran (2^nd), Isabel Sanchez (3^rd), Tino Woo (4^th), Zach White (5^th), Isabella Androtti (6^th), Michelle Auyeung (7^th), and Kaiulani Schelstrate (8^th). These students will be receiving a certificate and their prize money today. The highest fundraiser in the school was Gabrielle Remo (K) and the class that raised the most funds, and winners of a pizza party, is 1^st grade. The spell-a-thon raised almost $11,000. Congratulations again to everyone who participated.

Don’t forget, Monday, March 17^th is a school holiday!

Sincerely,

Marie Fitzpatrick  

Principal

STM Newsletter for March 5, 2014

Dear Parents:

Lent is a time when we prepare as a faith community to meet the risen Christ at Easter. It is a time for us to turn away from what keeps us from living the Gospel, and to remind ourselves that we are called to lives rooted in justice. To be just in the biblical sense is to be in a right relationship with God. Over the 40 days of Lent, we pray for a change of heart towards greater love of God and each other as we share our food, our wealth and our time with others in need. May the Holy Spirit give us the strength to act justly, the courage to love tenderly and the faith to walk humbly with our God, as we prepare for the resurrection of Jesus at Easter time.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Lenten Season and students had an opportunity to attend Mass and receive ashes. During Lent we are reminded to show our love for others. One way that students can do this is through personal acts of kindness and sacrifice. Last week, the students had a visit from the Missionary Childhood Association, whose motto is Children Helping Children. During the presentation the students heard about the great needs of the world’s poorest children. During this Lenten season, we invite your children to pray and offer financial help so that the “children in the Missions today may know Christ and experience His love and care”. We hope to have individual coin collection folders available shortly. Let's all make a special effort this season to show a little kindness and to continue to make a difference in the world.

Family Mass: Please join us this Sunday, March 9th for our next Family Mass. Thank you to our sixth grade families for taking the lead in this Mass beginning at 10:00am. See you there!

Stations of the Cross: Please join us as 4th grade present the first four Stations of the Cross next Wednesday, March 12th at 1:10pm in the church. They will continue to present the remainder of the stations during the Lenten season on Wednesday, March 19th and 26th and on April 9th.

Sandwiches-for-the-needy: During the Lenten season, lets all try and make a real effort in providing sandwiches for those in need. Again this Friday we will be providing sandwiches for the Martin de Porres House of Hospitality. Thank you in advance to the kindergarten and 1st grade classes who will take the lead. We are extending our collection of blankets, men's socks, travel sized toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, and razors donations for the Martin de Porres House of Hospitality until the end of this week. If you have not contributed to the L♥ve Thy Neighbor Campaign yet, please send in your donations now.

Mandatory Parent Meeting: We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, March 11th at 6:30pm for a mandatory parent meeting for all families of preschool through 7th grade. This is a mandatory meeting for all parents. At least one parent from each family is required to attend. 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 no cost. Please click here to make a reservation for childcare. We will begin the meeting in the gym promptly at 6:30pm. Please arrive early enough to sign in with your child/ren’s teacher/s so that you may receive a raffle ticket. One lucky attending family will win free re-registration for one child. Be on time! The raffle will take place at 6:30pm sharp. At this meeting we will share some information about our finances, introduce FACTS, the new tuition management system for the 2014-2015 school year, as well as launch phase two of our Capital Campaign.

Parents’ Club: We understand that the completion of parent participation hours continues to be of concern to many families. The Parent’s Club meets again tomorrow night. Hopefully we can give you an update regarding hours in next week’s letter.

Mother-Son Dance: Have you sent in your reservation form for the Mother/Son Dance yet? Reservations are due by March 14th if you and your son wish to join in this fun activity. Check out the reservation flyer and raffle tickets you are receiving today.

Book Fair: This year, our Book Fair raised one of the highest amounts in recent years - almost $8,000! Thanks to all who purchased books at the fair, especially our grandparents, the school now has almost $4,000 to buy new books for our ever-growing library. Miss Pinnick, our librarian, has been busy keeping an eye on the types of books we would like to add to our collection. Each teacher has been asked to suggest some favorites that will become part of our permanent collection.

Spell-a-thon: So far only two classes have turned in all their pledges for the spell-a-thon. In order for us to determine the top fundraiser in each grade and which class will be awarded the pizza party, all pledges must be turned in by this Friday, March 7th. We will announce the winners in next week’s newsletter.

Tuition Assistance
STM TAP: Families who applied for STM TAP and returned the blue application form in a timely manner will be receiving the status of their award today. We have very limited funds available for those who still have not submitted their completed application.

TADS: To apply for the Archdiocesan Scholarship Program for the 2014-2015 school year, parents can go to the TADS website, Once on their homepage click the link “Apply for Financial Aid” on the right side of the page, which is under the “Parents & Families” heading. Once you complete and submit the online form your application will be processed by TADS. The deadline for completing the application for elementary school assistance is April 15, 2014. Award letters will be sent out in May. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give the school office a call.

The BASIC Fund: The BASIC Fund has not yet sent renewal forms. When we receive the renewal forms, they will be sent home to families currently receiving The BASIC Fund.

Talent Show: Do you have talent? Last year’s talent show was so successful that we are doing it again this year! Students wishing to participate should attend the informational meeting on Thursday, March 13th in the 4th grade classroom at lunch recess.

Donations: We are asking for donations of new and clean recycled paper. We find many uses for paper that is used on one side only. We appreciate your generosity. Keep those used ink cartridges and old cell phones coming!

Erin Go Bragh!: We neglected to put our St. Patrick’s Day celebration on the March calendar last week. As Monday, March 17th is a school holiday, we will be celebrating our ‘Irishness’ on Friday, March 14th. As is our custom, we will mark the day with a celebration of dance and song with an Irish slant. Please join us at 1:10 in the gymnasium. Students may also wear St. Patrick's Day accessories that day to add a little color to their uniforms. Watch out for leprechauns!

Parking/Traffic: Our parking for drop-off and pick-up presents some challenges. A few parents have expressed concerns about morning drop-off procedures. To ensure that traffic flows smoothly we ask that you drive up the street as far as possible before dropping off students. If there is no space to pull in, please drive up nearer the church before allowing students to exit your vehicle.

Over 90% of our parents drop off their children each morning and continue on their way. Some choose to park and stay and join us for morning assembly. By law, all parents of preschoolers are required to come to the classroom to sign in their child. Preschool parents have been assigned parking passes to help with this. We are asking preschool parents to use this pass only if there are no other parking options. If you do need to use the parking pass, please limit your stay to no more than ten minutes.

Please remember also to be respectful and courteous to our neighbors at the Golf Club, St. Thomas More Church and Alma Via. We all need to share the valuable and limited parking spaces. Pay attention to the traffic patrol during drop off and pick up to ensure the safety of all our children. Practice patience.

Don't forget to get up early and set your clocks ahead at 2:00am on Sunday, March 9th, or even better, set them ahead on Saturday night. And while you are at it, change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

Finally, our kindergarten teacher, Megan Kennedy, and her husband Tim welcomed their second child, Nora Jane Kennedy, born on Sunday, March 2nd. Congratulations to the proud parents and big sister, Abigail!

Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal

STM Newsletter for February 12, 2014

Dear Parents:
 
As we move closer to the feast day of St. Valentine, we ask that you remember those less fortunate around you by showing a little love. The parable of the Good Samaritan from the Gospel of Luke is a great example of this. The parable tells of a traveller who is beaten and robbed along the side of the road. First a priest and then a Levite come by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a Samaritan comes by. The Samaritan helps the injured man. We mentioned last week that the St. Martin de Porres House of Hospitality are currently in need of some specific items for their mostly male clients. The items they are requesting are blankets, men's socks, travel sized toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, and razors. We will be collecting these items as part of our L♥ve Thy Neighbor Campaign through the month of February. Please send them with your child or drop them off in the bins at the front office.
 
Sandwiches-for-the-Needy: Our next collection for the Martin de Porres House is this Friday, February 14^th, when the 5^th and 6^thgraders will take the lead. We encourage ALL families to provide an extra sandwich. Some of our older students will prepare 50 additional sandwiches with the residents at Alma Via to add to this collection.
 
Cioppino 2014!: Saturday, February 22^nd is fast approaching! We are just ten days away from our best Cioppino dinner ever. More than half the families in the school will be there. We have been told that Cioppino is sold out and that any reservation not paid for by this Friday's deadline will not be held as there is a waiting list.
 
Silent Auction: In today’s envelope you are receiving information about the Cioppino silent auction items. Please review the items and send in your bids! Thank you for dropping off your donations to the school office. We are still accepting donations for our silent auction and for balloon prizes.
 
Mother-Son Dance: Watch out for our next exciting family event scheduled during March. Saturday, March 22^nd, is a special night for mom’s and their sons at the annual Mother-Son Dance. Check out the flyer you are receiving in today’s envelope.
      
A Minimum Day and a Holiday!: Please remember that this coming Friday, February 14^th, is a minimum day for optional parent-teacher conferences. Dismissal for the primary grades will be at 12:15 followed by the fourth through eighth grades at 12:30 as usual. We remind you also that Monday, February 17^th is a holiday in honor of Presidents' Day.
 
USF Digital Media and Learning: Congratulations go out to our students who were selected for this program: 8^th graders, Nathan Candle and Brandon Santos and 7^th graders, Michelle Auyeung, Izadora De Oliveira, Zoe Taylor and Shivaya Urcuyo. In addition to their schoolwork here at STM, they will begin additional classes at USF tomorrow!
 
Neighborhood Concerns: Please be aware of your surroundings when picking up and dropping off your students. We have had some issues recently with attempted break-ins to vehicles parked nearby as well as reports of strangers in the vicinity of STM. The police have been alerted and we remind you not to leave personal belongings in plain sight in your vehicle.
                                   
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick                 
Principal

STM Newsletter for February 5, 2014

Dear Parents:

Our 2^nd grade students, along with their parents, will be celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation at 10:00am tomorrow. Their journey as young Catholics will continue when they receive the sacrament of First Communion at 2:00pm on Saturday, May 3^rd. Preparing to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as penance) for the first time is an exciting event in a child’s life.

It is a time for focus on God’s mercy, how we forgive among our family, friends, and community, and how we celebrate forgiveness. According to Sandra DeGidio, O.S.M., the Parable of the Prodigal Son is perhaps the most strikingly powerful illustration of the human process of reconciliation.  Many of us find it difficult to believe the story. The father welcomes the son back instantly—doesn't even wait for him to get to the house. This is not the way we Catholics have viewed the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the past. Most of us tend to view this sacrament with the attitude of the older son in the story: Forgiveness comes only after you recite your list of sins and agree to suffer a bit for them. But God really is like the merciful parent in this parable: not out to catch us in our sin but intent on reaching out and hanging on to us in spite of our sin. Reconciliation is not just a matter of getting rid of sin. The important point is what God does in, with and through us. God is love.

The seventh graders will be receiving Confirmation on Friday, May 2^nd, and over the next few months they will perform a number of service hours and attend an all day retreat to prepare them for this important and special occasion. Please keep both classes in your prayers during this important time as they continue on their spiritual journey over the next few months.

National Catholic Schools Week at St. Thomas More School was a wonderful success. We have accomplished so much here by working together. Thank you for all the positive comments made to the teachers and staff this past week. It is great to be recognized for a job well done.

Thank you to Becky Wong, John Kavanagh and Heidi Haas who organized a great Grandparents and Special Friends Day and to everyone who made it such a success! The children were so happy to have over 200 special guests join us for this fun event. A HUGE thank you goes out to Jeffrey and Maria Spiegel and our awesome 8^th grade cooks for their help in preparing over 500 pasta lunches for all to enjoy. Thanks also to the many other parent volunteers who pitched in to make the day run so smooth.

A HUGE thank you once again this year to Joan Cuddihy, Judy Silva, and their competent committee of booksellers for the great job they did all last week with this year’s Book Fair. Thanks to all of you who bought books to enrich your children’s lives and to donate to the classroom libraries. While we don’t yet have a complete accounting of the proceeds of the sale, we do know that approximately 10% more books were purchased this year than at previous Book Fairs.

Spelling Bee: Another thrilling Spelling Bee, complete with a nail-biting ending was enjoyed by all on the last day of Catholic Schools Week!  Defending his title was this year's winner, 8th grader Tony D'Aura, and runner-up, 5th grader Jordan Mak.  Congratulations also to third place winner, 6th grader Dylan Limjoco.  Other school participants included: 8th graders Melina Diaz and Tianna Ramos, 7th graders Shivaya Urcuyo, Dylan Rojo-Cagadoc, and Michelle Auyeung, 6th graders Justin Santos and Chloe Sladewski, 5th graders Clark Kelly and Lorenzo Mutuc, and 4th graders Christian Bustos, Isabella Brenes, and Nicoli Panelo.  Conratulations to all our participants!  You are ALL winners!

L♥VE THY NEIGHBOR CAMPAIGN: Our twice-monthly sandwich collection serves the needs of clients at St. Martin de Porres House of Hospitality. They are currently in need of some specific items for their mostly male clients. The items they are requesting are blankets, men's socks, travel sized toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, and razors. We will be collecting these items through the month of February. Please send them with your child or drop them off in the bins at the front office. Your acts of kindness do not go unnoticed.

PARENT HOURS: As we mentioned last week, the Parents' Club is currently doing an audit of the hours that still need to be done by some families and will be opening up further volunteer opportunities in the near future. Note that yard duty service does not substitute for parent club hours. Please consider attending our next PC meeting tomorrow night at 7:00pm in Carroll Hall to provide your input with regards to scheduling of hours in the future.

Cioppino 2014 and FREE DRESS: Work continues in preparation for our BIG fundraiser on Saturday, February 22^nd. Thank you for the many donations that have come through the school office for our Cioppino baskets and auction items – keep them coming! Ticket sales have really picked up for the event. Reservation forms are included in your envelopes again today – tell your friends! This event is a lot of fun. Remember, childcare is available for $25 and includes a pizza dinner and snacks. Please respond as soon as possible so that we can begin work on our seating plan. Remember, as an added bonus every school parent who buys a ticket for Cioppino will receive a FREE DRESS PASS for their child/ren to be used on Monday, February 24^th.

School Holiday: This Friday, February 7^th is a school holiday for the students. Teachers and administrators from all the Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese will be attending an all day professional development in-service at Archbishop Riordan High School.

SPELL-A-THON: Please remember that all monies pledged are due back by Thursday, February 13^th. We are very happy with the way this fundraiser went and look forward to having another Spell-a-thon next year.

Field Trips: Taking a field trip on Tuesday, February 18^th, are the fourth graders. They will be traveling to the San Francisco Transfer Station to observe how recycled material is collected and organized. Permission slips for this trip are going home today.

Scrip: Just a reminder that all families are required to generate a minimum of $100 profit by participating in the electronic scrip programs authorized by the school. Scrip purchased between May 1^st, 2013 and April 30^th, 2014 will be credited to this requirement. Families who do not wish to participate in the scrip program will have the option of buying out at $150. This Valentine’s Day, we remind you to think Scrip when you’re shopping for flowers, candy, and the perfect date night for your sweetheart.

Candy Grams: The Student Council has extended the deadline to order Candy Grams to tomorrow, Thursday, February 6^th. The Student Council will send home the candy grams your have ordered for you to complete on Friday. Please send back the completed candy grams to the office by dismissal on Wednesday, February 12^th. The Student Council will then attach candy to the cards and deliver them on Valentine’s Day.

Afternoon Extended Care: Do you need a 2013 payment summary from Afternoon Extended Care for your flexible spending account or your 2013 tax return? Please contact John Kavanagh at JKav@stmsf.org and he will provide it.

Thank you to two very generous STM parents for their time and support of our tech program! Mr. Limjoco, father of Ethan (5), Dylan (6) and Ian (K) recently donated 6 Cisco wireless access points to our school. Mr. Colom, father of Carlos (8) and Noah (1) has worked diligently on installing and upgrading our network devices in the last month. These network upgrades are significant and important to the successful integration of technology in all of our classrooms and our 1:1 iPad program. Both parents' contribution have ensured that our internet access has been extremely fast and reliable.

Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick       
Principal          

STM Newsletter for January 29, 2014

Dear Parents:
 
The Family Mass, Book Fair, the school-wide open house and the general spirit of goodwill were a fitting beginning to National Catholic Schools Week at St. Thomas More School. We have accomplished so much here by working together. A special thank you to our kindergarten teachers, Heidi Haas and Megan Kennedy, for preparing a beautiful Family Mass with the kindergartners and their families. We are so proud of our wonderful kindergarten students. This is a good time to reflect on the benefit of being part of a Catholic school. The strong school community, grounded in a shared faith and the support and high expectations of parents, teachers and the larger community, offers your children a foundation for facing the rapidly changing world around them. By sharing this belief in God’s goodness and living out their faith every day, your children are blessed with a clear advantage. Faith provides an anchor that will serve your children well into the future.
 
You are welcome to visit the Book Fair any morning this week before school begins or right after dismissal. Just go straight to the library where Joan Cuddihy and her crew of booksellers will be there to assist you. Check out the wish lists the teachers have prepared of books they would like to have in their classroom libraries. Consider donating a book to your child’s classroom. Can’t make it to our Book Fair? Check out our Online Book Fair. Click here to purchase books. All orders will ship directly to school for free when the Online Fair has ended.
 
Tomorrow is Grandparents and Special Friends Day! Thank you to the 200+ special guests who have RSVP’d for this fun event. The children are really looking forward to welcoming them to our school. Your children are so lucky to have such special people in their lives.  Carroll Hall will be open at 11:00am for our early arriving guests.  Grandparents Day activities will begin at 11:30 a.m.  The day's activities will conclude with a prayer service led by third grade at 1:30pm in the Gym.
 
REPORT CARDS/HONOR AWARDS: Report cards will be sent home with your child on Friday, January 31^st. Make sure your accounts are in order so that your child may receive their report card. We would like to invite everyone to join us at the honor awards ceremony on Friday, January 31^st immediately following the 8:30am mass.
 
SPELL-A-THON: Today you will be receiving your child’s corrected spell-a-thon test and pledge sheet. Just a reminder that all monies are due back by Thursday, February 13^th.
 
SPELLING BEE/ACADEMIC AWARDS: We invite everyone to join us for our annual Spelling Bee on Friday beginning at 1:10pm in Carroll Hall.

CYO HALL OF FAME: As previously mentioned, this year John Bickle has been chosen as one of the honorees for the 7th Annual Catholic Charities CYO Athletics Hall of Fame dinner. This event will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2014 at the Father O'Reilly Catholic Charities CYO gym at St. Emydius. Please consider joining us to recognize and honor John’s legacy at this event. Tickets can be purchased through the CYO website. Individual dinner tickets are $90 each. If you wish to join together with some other families and purchase a table at one of the sponsorship levels this will include a pre-dinner reception, premier seating and a tribute in the printed event program, recognition on-screen and sponsorship acknowledgment in all printed materials.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY: Be prepared! Friday, February 7^th is a school holiday for the students. Teachers and administrators from all the Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese will be attending an all day in-service at St. Mary’s Cathedral.
 
CIOPPINO 2014: Work continues in preparation for our BIG fundraiser on Saturday, February 22^nd. We have only had a handful of families send donations into the office. We cannot do this without your help. Most of the items we use in our baskets come to us by your kind donations – please keep them coming! To purchase tickets, please use the flyer you have previously received. Consider getting together with other parents from your child’s class to purchase a table. This event is a lot of fun. Remember, childcare is available for a nominal fee. Please respond as soon as possible as we believe this will be a sell out event again this year. As an added bonus, every school parent who buys a ticket for Cioppino will receive a FREE DRESS PASS for their child/ren to be used on Monday, February 24^th.
 
HIGH SCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS: Our Junior High teachers and I have been busily writing recommendations and preparing transcripts for the high schools to which our 8^th graders have applied. These have all been safely delivered into the hands of the high school admission offices. Our soon to be graduates will be notified of their acceptances by mid-March. Good luck to all.
 
PARENT HOURS: Last week we wrote about the 10 parent hours that are a requirement for this school year. Many of you expressed frustration with the difficulty in signing up for activities because all the slots had been taken. The Parents' Club is currently doing an audit of the hours that still need to be done by some families and will be opening up further volunteer opportunities in the near future. Note that yard duty service does not substitute for parent club hours. Please consider attending our next PC meeting on Feb. 6th to provide your input with regards to scheduling of hours in the future.
 
PEN: Parents Education Network (PEN) is a coalition of parents collaborating with educators, students and the community to empower and bring academic and life success to students with learning and attention differences. They are a grassroots organization with national impact, founded in 2003 by a group of parents whose children have learning and attention differences, and who individually struggled to find the information, services, and expertise to help their children succeed academically. Here is a link to their website which provides many valuable tools that you may find useful as well as information about their speaker series. http://parentseducationnetwork.org/
 
RE-REGISTRATION: Re-registration for current students will be online again this year. More information on how to re-register will be available mid-March.
 
SAVE THE DATE: Please save the evening of Tuesday, March 11^th at 6:30pm for a mandatory parent meeting for all families of preschool through 7th grade. Students will not be allowed to attend this meeting. While we strongly encourage you to find a babysitter, we will offer limited free babysitting for those unable to make other arrangements. We will provide more details as we get closer to the date.
 
Today you are receiving the February calendar of events and hot lunch menu. Keep these handy as February proves to be a busy month.
 
Marie Fitzpatrick             
Principal