Page One We Are Called to Serve
December 4, 2008
PRINCIPAL NOTES: I'm sure the entire school family joins me in congratulating our students who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time last Monday.
Please keep [one of] our former Pastor[s], in your prayers. He is scheduled for hip replacement surgery today at West Suburban Hospital.
Parents and families, please join the school children at the 10:00 Mass on Monday, December 8th, celebrating the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Please read the enclosed letter regarding our school's Terra Nova test results.
Plan a fun family outing this Sunday caroling and spreading Christmas cheer! See enclosed flyer for details.
Thank you to [two parish gentlemen] for putting together the Bears vs. Packers party. All who attended had a great time! The TV they raffled was won by [] a former St. Barbara School mom! Congratulations!
Reminder that the Christmas Program is Thursday, December 18th at 6:30. Because the students may get to bed later than usual that evening, WE WILL NOT BE ATTENDING 8:00 MASS THE NEXT MORNING, Friday, December 19th. Our school day will begin at 8:30. Extended Day will be open at 7:00 as usual.
Come and join in the Christmas festivities at our FSA meeting on Monday, December 8th. There will be appetizers, gift exchange, etc. []
Sr. Margaret appreciated all of the school's donations for Thanksgiving. During these hard times, it's so nice to see such generosity!
WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE: These students have demonstrated their willingness to serve others through the weeks of November 10th – November 21st: [see paper tidbit]
OUT-OF-UNIFORM: Tomorrow the students can be out of uniform with a minimum 50 cent donation for our Adopt-a-Family program sponsored by Sr. Margaret. The girl scouts will be raising money for their service project through an out-of-uniform day on Tuesday, December 9th. See enclosed flyer for details.
We are supporting [] a 1st grader at St. Barbara School, in her efforts to raise money to help the children with clef palate. Please see the enclosed flyer, designed by [our student], for more details on this worthy cause. This out-of-uniform day will be on Friday, December 12th.
FAMILY QUILT REMINDER: The due date for the Family Quilt squares has been extended to December 19th. Unfortunately, any square not received by this date will not be able to be included in the quilt to be displayed in the Parish Center. A limited amount of additional squares are available, if needed. []
Links for Technology: The classrooms from grades Kindergarten through 8th grade are competing to create the largest chain or "link". The links for technology are paper links that the students can purchase to support the pride of their grade. The contest will run from November 14th to December 17th, with the big reveal on the 17th! The contest was extended due to the students wanting more time to bring in money and win a prize for their class! The most important part of this contest is that it is a secret. Do not tell the other grades how many links your class has bought or how long your chain is! The class with the longest chain will receive a special prize. The links are $.50 each. Do not forget to support your class!
MANNA CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: The Corner Bakery is no longer available. The following vendors are available for purchase but will not be on the order sheet. If you wish to purchase any of these certificates, please write it in on your order sheet. Dell Computers gift cards are available in $100.00 denominations with a 5% discount. These cards can be used to order on-line, however, only 3 cards can be entered. If you place an order with a Dell representative, you may use as many cards as necessary. Chicago Bears gift cards are available in $25.00 denominations with a 7% discount. These cards can be used only at a pro shop or ChicagoBears.com. Chicago Bulls gift cards are available in $25.00 denominations with a 7% discount. These cards can be used at Bulls.com, NBAStore.com or at the United Center box office to purchase game tickets.[]
GREAT AMERICA READING PROGRAM: Reading logs for this year's program were sent home with students K - 6 this week. Each student must complete 6 hours of reading to be eligible for a free admission ticket to Six Flags. The logs are due back to the teachers no later than Friday, February 20th. []
GEOGRAPHIC BEE: Saint Barbara School will once again be holding the National Geographic Bee on Monday, December 8th for our 7th & 8th graders (during their social studies classes). This is the 20th year that the National Geographic Society has offered this geographic bee to students in thousands of schools across the United States. The top ten 7th & 8th graders will go on to the final level of our competition which will be Friday, December 12th at 1:30. We will then narrow it down to the top 2 winners and they will compete for the championship. The final winner of the bee at our school will advance to the next level of competition, which is a written examination to determine state competitors. All school winners are eligible to win the national championship and its first prize, a $25,000.00 college scholarship, at the national competition in Washington, D.C.! Good luck to all of them!!
HOT LUNCH: The Home Run Inn Pizza Day form was sent out on December 1st and it is due back December 12th. Order forms for Hot Lunch are being sent home today and they are due back NO LATER THAN December 18th @ 2:30p.m. Menus are enclosed in today's tidbit. There will NOT be a Pizza Day in January.
SANTA'S WORKSHOP: The students will be shopping next Tuesday and Wednesday. You will be receiving your child's shopping envelope today. Please send back the envelope and payment with your child on his/her assigned day. If you volunteered, you will be receiving your confirmation letter no later than Friday December 5th. If you signed up and did not receive a confirmation letter from me, please call []. Thank you!
8TH GRADE BAKE SALE will be held this weekend after all the Masses in the Windemere Room.
FSA NEWS: Don't forget to stop by the Windemere Room from 8AM-Noon this Sunday! FSA is holding a wreath sale. If you pre-ordered, your order will be waiting for you. Otherwise, there will be WREATHS & POINSETTIAS for sale, cash-n-carry. Stop by and check out the beautiful selection, at prices only FSA can offer!
JUST A REMINDER...The deadline for the Girl Scout Ornament-Making party is this Monday, December 8th. Remember this is open to all girls at St. Barbara School. []
MARKET DAY NEWS: Your Market Day team wishes to thank everyone for their November orders, as well as their generosity in donating pies to Sr. Margaret. In total, we were able provide 88 pies for families in need! We'd also like to thank those who helped out at our November sale[]. Our next pick-up date is Saturday, December 20th.
BOX TOPS, CAMPBELL'S, TYSON & MILK CAPS UPDATE....the pumpkins & leaves contest has ended and the winning classroom with 1,406 items collected is the 6th Grade. They have earned a lunch for themselves. A new collection sheet is included in today's tidbit for our next contest, a "Holiday Gift Surprise", with the winning classroom being the one that has the highest average items collected per student. There will only be one collection on Friday, December 19th, so make sure to send in all your items before Christmas break. The winner will be announced when we come back. Thanks for your support.
MANNA EXPRESS: Interested in lowering the cost of your tuition? Consider being a Manna Express certificate seller. Contact Cathy K[] for further details and available dates. Remember you do have control over your tuition cost.
ALUMNI NEWS: [Congratulations to our alumni who made honor roll at their high schools. See paper tidbit for names.]