Dear Parents,
Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent. This is a special liturgical season when we take time to pray, reflect, repent, and renew so that we can grow closer to God as we prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus. Each week I’d like to offer a prayer (from “The Joy of Lent: Encouragement and Daily Prayers”) as we journey through Lent with each other and with our children. We pray:
Heavenly Father, be with us at the beginning of this Lenten journey. You breathed into us the breath of life, the Spirit that formed us in your image. Throughout the whole history of sinful and broken humanity, you have never left us, for you are the life that flows in us and through us through all of our relationships. Help us to feel that breath of life on this journey. AMEN.
--Mrs. Sandra Jimenez
SPORTS COMMITTEE
St. Peter's School will be initiating a sports committee this year. The committee will be working directly with the Athletic Directors and Mr. Suárez. We will be working on policies related to the sports program and brainstorming on fundraisers to help bring in money for equipment, uniforms, and awards. If you would like to be involved please contact Mr. Suárez. We will be having a meeting on Wednesday, February 21 at 5:00 p.m.
--Jim Sanchez and Lissette Lopez, Athletic Directors
NO GRAY SWEATS ON FEBRUARY 23
Next week, we will be taking our school panoramic photo on Friday, February 23. On this day, all students must be in complete uniform—no gray sweats or free dress passes may be used.
FAMILY DINNER & DANCE
The Family Dinner & Dance is a fun community-building event that will take place on Saturday, February 24 form 5:00-8:00 PM. Tickets are limited, so purchase tickets by next Wednesday, February 21.
If you’d like to help with set-up on Friday, February 23, please submit the volunteer form sent home with Que Pasa, or see Mrs. Jimenez in the office.
AZTEC TREK
Thank you to all students and families who have turned in Aztec Trek envelopes! This fundraiser helps to keep our tuition the lowest in the Archdiocese. The last day to turn in the envelope for prizes was February 9. If you have not yet turned in your minimum mandatory amount of $100, please do so by February 23. The Aztec Trek Walk-A-Thon and Games will take place on Friday, March 2. All students must have the minimum $100 paid prior to the date of the Aztec Trek.
Currently, the leading class with the most class points is Kindergarten! Congratulations! Individual winners and raffle winners will be announced on March 2, on the day of the Aztec Trek.
RE-REGISTRATION FOR 2018-2019
The re-registration form (on bright orange paper) has been sent home. Please return this form no later than February 21. The form and new tuition rates are also available on the school website, www.stpeterssf.org. In order to reserve your child’s space for the next school year, the registration fee of $450 per student is due by March 28.
ARCHDIOCESE ELEMENTARY FAMILY GRANT
The application process for the Archdiocese Family Grant for the 2018-2019 school year has now begun. Please go on to mytads.com to begin the application process. Be sure you have your 2017 income tax information or 2017 income information (Calworks, social security, food stamps, etc.).
BASIC FUND
New students entering for the 2018-2019 school year must complete the BASIC Fund Application no later than March 16, 2018. Renewal families will be filling out their BASIC Fund Renewal Application in March. All student accounts must be current with no past due balances. Please be sure you have your 2017 income tax information or 2017 income information (Calworks, social security, food stamps, etc.). Please contact the school office if you have any questions.
An update from the BASIC Fund: The BASIC Fund will increase the maximum scholarship amount from $1600 to $2000. This means that the deadlines for applications will be especially important, so please submit applications for new siblings by the BASIC Fund deadline.
BVCC SPRING CAMP
Registration is open for BVCC Spring Camp, which will be held from Monday, April 2 – Friday, April 6. Registration forms are available in the school office and after school at BVCC in the Parish Hall.
ONLINE TRAINING FOR SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS
In order to be a volunteer at school events (such as a field trip chaperone or a sports team coach), adults must complete the online training on www.virtusonline.org.
*If you have already completed the online training by Shield the Vulnerable, your volunteer clearance is still good for 3 years from date of completion of that online course.
Follow these directions to complete the VIRTUS online training:
· Go to www.virtusonline.org
· Click on “First-time Registrant”
· Click on “Begin the registration process”
· Select San Francisco (Archdiocese)
· Create a User ID and Password for yourself
· Fill out the requested personal information
· Select St. Peter Elementary (San Francisco) **DO NOT SELECT St. Peter Parish**
· Provide your digital signatures for downloading and reading the documents: “Standards of Conduct for Those Working with Children and Young People” and “Policies and Procedures Regarding Child Abuse”
· Select the online course “Protecting God’s Children for Adults” (Online Training)
· Once you’ve completed the course, go to your Toolbox and click on “Training Report” to verify the completion of your course.
Upon completion of the online course, please email sjimenez@sanpedro.org or print out the “Training Report” page and submit it to the school office. You will receive 3 parent hours.
JOB OPENINGS
CUSTODIAN -- Full-time or Part-time position available. Must have flexibility with weekends and late afternoon shifts. HOUSEKEEPER -- On-call, weekdays or weekends. Both jobs are located at Mercy Convent (2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame). If interested, please leave your name and phone number at the school office for Sister Marian Rose, or call the school office at 415-647-8662.
IN THE CLASSROOM
KINDER - This week in Kindergarten, we will celebrate Chinese New Year on Friday and have a small parade out on the yard. Also, we will discuss weather that occurs in different seasons such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards. Then we will think of weather-related safety rules, such as what to do during a storm and make a class book. The book will contain safety rules during bad weather. I am looking forward to an exciting week!
1A - This week in first grade we are reading and discussing how different animals help each other. In spelling we are working on the long /e/ sound. In religion we are learning about the importance of Ash Wednesday and Lent. In math we are continuing to work on subtraction and we are reviewing fact families. In science we are continuing our study of the moon. In social studies we are learning about the different states that make up our country.
2A - Second grade will be reading “Grace for President.” We will be counting pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters; we will talk about Lent and prepare for reconciliation; we will be observing our tea we made in science. We will be making books about producers and consumers.
3A – Welcome to a VERY busy week in third grade. On Monday, we celebrate Lincoln's birthday by making log cabins with a shiny new penny in the window. On Tuesday, we celebrate St. Valentine's Day with treats and notes that show care and love for our classmates. Wednesday begins the Lenten season of our church. Please join us as we celebrate the holy Mass and receive ashes that remind us to try harder to follow Jesus. Thursday should be rather calm, however we celebrate the beginning of the Year of the Dog on Friday set forth in the Lunar calendar. We will make our own Lunar calendar, as well as a Chinese dragon. Look for your son/daughter to bring home a lucky red envelope with a candy treat.
4A - This week 4A students will learn that sacrifice is part of the Christian way of life, identify cause and effect relationships, and divide 2-digit dividends by 1-digit divisors to find 2-digit quotients with remainders.
5A - During our field trip to the Civic Kitchen cooking school this week, 5th graders learned how many recipes use the scientific principles of mixtures and solutions we've been discussing in science this year. 5th graders will also learn about the Catholic history of both St. Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras and present their social studies group's research on the 13 colonies.
6A Religion – 6th Grade will be learning about the Lenten season and making Lenten promises. Language Arts – 6th Grade is now finished with all of our research presentations and showed great composure and professionalism in their public speaking. We are continuing to read the novel Hatchet while supplementing our reading with non-fiction text about the Canadian wilderness. Math - Students will be learning about expressions, and how variables are used. Social Studies – 6th graders are finding the morals of Ancient Indian folktales and acting them out in class. Science – 6th graders will finish their investigation on the effect of solar angles on our seasons.
7A/7B Religion - We will be studying how Jesus used parables to connect with different types of people to teach about the Kingdom of Heaven. Language Arts - Students are finalizing their reading of Freak the Mighty. They will continue to respond to a series of comprehension questions to ensure understanding of the overall content. They will also participate in post-reading activities to end the novel. Math - Students will be investigating the connections between inequalities and percents, and applying the concept of increasing and decreasing percents. Social Studies – 7th graders are analyzing paintings of the Black Death and learning about the effects that the disease had in Europe. Science - Students will review main organ systems as preparation for Friday's test.
8A Religion - 8th graders are learning about the Lenten season and making Lenten promises. Language Arts - Students will continue their Poetry Unit; they have successfully completed their ode and elegy poems and will begin reading poems found in the Romanticism era. Thank you to all those who contributed to the "Where I'm From" Potluck! The food, desserts and beverages were absolutely delicious! Math - We are moving linearly and studying the rate of change and linear equations. Specifically the slope equation y=mx÷b. Social Studies – 8th Graders are exploring the causes and effects of the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark's journey. Science - Students are done flying their rockets and now it's time to evaluate and analyze their performances.
REMINDERS
Feb. 5-16 STAR Testing Window
Feb. 15 Missionary Childhood Association presentation
to students
Feb. 19 No School, Presidents’ Day holiday
Feb. 20 School Mass, 8:15 AM
Feb. 23 School Panoramic Photo Day
Feb. 24 Family Dinner & Dance, 5:00-8:00 PM.
Feb. 25 Sunday Family Mass, 9:30 AM
