Weekly E-Notes
E-notes for the week ending October 3, 2008:
Principal's Notes
"What we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop."
Blessed Mother Teresa
It has been a week of significant events for our nation and the world. At St. Andrew the Apostle School our children are thriving, learning and growing in their faith and education. May God be praised in thanksgiving for the blessings He bestows on us.
First quarter interims were sent home last Friday. I apologize for the format of the interims, but it was necessary to update our Grade Quick computerized report card system during the past weeks. Teachers are now able to enter their grades in Grade Quick. Thank you for your understanding during this transition. If you have not done so already, please sign and return all interim reports to your child's homeroom teacher.
If you are employed by the federal government, it is now the season to make Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) contributions. Unfortunately, in the past St. Andrew the Apostle School has not sought application to participate in CFC as a non-profit organization. Charities that apply to receive funds through the CFC are required to submit to extensive review of their financial and governance practices prior to acceptance. I have good news for our future! With PTO funds I have been able to secure an auditor, which is required for application to CFC, so St. Andrew School will be able to complete its application by the next deadline, March 2009. Hopefully, by next fall St. Andrew the Apostle School will be on the list to receive CFC funds. I will keep you posted.
Yesterday afternoon our students enjoyed a live performance by Spencer "Spinny" Johnson, a former Harlem Globetrotter. Through PTO Cultural Arts funds, he came to our school to do K—4th grade and 5—8th grade presentations with the messages "Yes to Education" and "Believe in Yourself." His program featured amazing basketball skills, with student/teacher participation, while he taught the importance of education, respect, goal setting, determination and perseverance. Ask your child about his program. I want to thank Barbara Remington for her coordination of our Cultural Arts programs throughout the year.
One of St Andrew the Apostle School's continuing service projects is a monthly collection of food items for the Food Warehouse at SERVE (Serving Emergency Resource Through Volunteer Efforts), Inc., located in Manassas, VA and the nearby House of Mercy . SERVE provides emergency food assistance to prevent hunger in the local community. Our school begins its fourth year of collecting items for SERVE, and this is the first year that collections will also be distributed to the House of Mercy. Items requested include non-perishable canned, bottled and packaged foods, especially corn flour, rice, beans and oil, as well as diapers and baby needs.
On the first Wednesday of every month, starting in September and ending in May, school children may drop off donations to the school office, where it will be bagged, picked up by a volunteer and either taken to SERVE or the House of Mercy. In the spring we request "heavy" items, such as canned and bottled food/drink items, as the Feinstein Foundation provides matching funds at $1.00 for every pound of food donated to SERVE. Matching funds are used to purchase meat items to give to families. In the spring 2008 St. Andrew School proudly donated over 2,000 pounds of food over a 3 month period! What a great way to perform a Corporal Work of Mercy! We hope our families will continue to be generous this year. Giving even one canned item will mean food for someone who is hungry. THANK YOU for your generosity.
In each Friday's E-Notes, I will be sending to teachers and parents, as an attachment, an excerpt from the book, Positive Soul Formation by Dr. Patricia McCormack, IHM. These "newsletters" unite home and school in the soulful formation of children. Each focuses on a topic within a faith context. I hope you will find this a useful tool for formative support of our children.
May God watch over us, bless us and give us peace. Have a good weekend.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Glenda Sigg †
Here's a synopsis of next week:
Week of October 6 to October 10
Monday — Book Fair
Tuesday — Book Fair
Wednesday — 1:45 Dismissal / Book Fair
Thursday — Book Fair
Friday — Noon Dismissal / Grade 2 Mass Preparation / Confessions Grade 5
Important Reminders:
Faculty members post homework on the school website, www.standrew-clifton.org. Check the website regularly for important PTO/School information.
St. Andrew School will be holding a flu vaccine clinic on Wednesday, November 5 from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm. In your Friday folder please find the flu form to fill out and return if you are interested in getting a flu shot.
School Directories
Those families who have paid their $20 PTO dues will find a school directory in the Friday folders. If you have not paid your PTO dues, please send in a check payable to "St. Andrew PTO" and a directory will be sent home.
Book Fair
During the week of October 6th- October 10th, St. Andrew the Apostle School will be holding its Fall Book Fair. This book fair is an annual fundraiser for the school and has been very successful in providing funds for the purchase of books for the library and classroom books to enhance the curriculum at St. Andrew the Apostle School. Bookworm Plantation, the vendor for this book fair, has provided excellent service and book selections in the past. The book fair will be open each day from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., with many wonderful parent volunteers helping students, parents, and parishioners with their selections. A Family Night will be held on Tuesday evening from 7:00-9:00 p.m. for those families and parishioners who are unable to come to the fair during school hours. It is a fun evening to visit with friends, enjoy a few snacks and look over some great reading material. Bookworm Plantation does an outstanding job of offering a wide selection of nonfiction books, picture books, activity books and fiction stories for all ages. It is a perfect time to find Christmas gifts, gifts for special occasions, as well as a good book or two for pleasure reading. Treat yourself. We hope to see you there!
PTO Suggestion Box
St. Andrew School now has a "Suggestion/Comment Box" on the PTO webpage. We welcome any suggestions or comments you may have. Please find listed below the directions on how to use this feature.
1. Go to the St. Andrew's website www.standrew-clifton.org.
2. Click PTO on the top menu bar.
3. Look at the bottom of the page after the list of PTO officers you will see the following:
4. Submit suggestions or comments to the PTO through the Suggestion Box http://www.standrew-clifton.org/pto/suggestion-box.asp.
5. You can click on the mailbox or the words and the form will appear.
6. The form can be sent with a name or without a name.
7. There is no e-mail address associated with the suggestion/comment.
8. The "Suggestion Box" form is also listed in the left menu bar of the PTO webpage if you would prefer to access the form that way.
Here is a direct link to that webpage http://www.standrew-clifton.org/pto/.
Child to Child Two Campaign for Hurricane Victims in the Gulf States
Please read the Catholic Campaign to Aid Education attachment, a National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) campaign to raise funds for schools and religious education centers in hurricane ravaged states. Our goal is to collect an average of one dollar per student to help the affected schools and parishes re-establish their Catholic educational programs. Our response last week was underwhelming, so please participate if your family funds allow you to do so.
PDF Attachments available for download (just click on the file listed below):
