St. Isidore School Newsletter😁

February 20, 2019 - Walking Together in Faith

Love - St. Valentine

Hello, St. Isidore Families,

“Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbor as thyself . ” Matthew 22:39

The month of February has served as an opportunity to focus on LOVE and kindness. Last week we spoke about parental love, and this week we reflect on loving our neighbor. By that I mean choosing to spread love in the world by treating people with kindness, respect, generosity, and compassion. We are all connected and we can choose to positively impact one another. As you navigate through your day, remember that how you treat someone matters and that LOVE is powerful.

How to Manage Teens and Tech

Most of us know firsthand how difficult it is to manage a child’s screen time. The next eight weeks’ Challenge Success Tips are specific to teens and technology. Challenge Success data shows that the manner in which teenagers use technology is generally positive, but the amount of time spent using technology is concerning. Middle schoolers are on devices for nonacademic reasons from two to five hours a day. High schoolers are on screens for nonacademic reasons for an average of nine hours a day; this is more hours per day than they sleep! Please take a moment to review the tips provided below.

Puppy Love

The auction is now weeks away, and excitement for the annual event is building! If you have not yet purchased a ticket, now is the time! Click here to purchase. This year’s auction puppy, Winston, pays homage to our beloved school mascot, the Bulldog. Check out Winston’s photo and a fun story on how the Bulldog became our mascot in the

“Did you Know?” section below . This little puppy is sure to make one family very happy!

Calling All Amazon Shoppers

St. Isidore School is excited to now be participating in the AmazonSmile program. The AmazonSmile Foundation kindly donates 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. To designate SIS as the organization of your choice, please click here . The SIS Foundation also participates in the AmazonSmile program. Click here to designate the Foundation.

Lenten Reflections

Lent is a great time for reflection and prayer. Every year, our 8th grade students write daily Lenten reflections. These reflections help us to prepare for the coming of Easter and enhance our spiritual life. To sign up to receive these reflections, click here . Feel free to forward the link to others who may enjoy them as well. Lenten reflections will begin on Ash Wednesday, March 6th.

Join Us for Family STEAM Night!

If you have not yet RSVP’d for Family STEAM Night on Wednesday, February 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Benson gym, please do so. The last day to RSVP is Friday, February 22 . Please click here to RSVP. This family event will include pizza, STEAM activities, and an art show. Pizza will be served from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by STEAM activities from 6 to 7 p.m. The Dog House will be open for business during STEAM Night and will offer new, fun merchandise and goodies . Have a wonderful rest of the week!

God bless,

Maria Ward

Principal

Important Dates

Friday, February 22 - Grades 6,7,8 attend mass (led by grade 6). End of 2nd trimester.
Tuesday, February 26 - TK/K Acceptance letters mailed.
Wednesday, February 27 - 6th grade leaves for Caritas. Report cards go home. STEM Night 5:30pm.
Friday, March 1 - All School Mass (led by grade 8). 6th grade returns from Caritas.
Tuesday, March 5 - Happy Birthday Fr. Gerry!
Wednesday, March 6 - Ash Wednesday. All School Mass 9am (led by teachers).
Thursday, March 7 - March B-day free dress.
Friday, March 8 - All School Mass (led by grade 5).
Saturday, March 9 - Auction, SIS Gala at 6pm.

Prayers

Please pray for all those who are suffering or are in need of our thoughts and prayers, especially the Vitzthum Family's uncle - Brad Goforth and Rita Edwards. May God keep them in His tender, loving care.

PTG

Auction Update! The deadline to buy tickets for the auction is approaching quickly!

Click HERE to purchase tickets. Deadline to purchase tickets is: 2/28/19

Sponsorship

Sponsorship opportunities for the St. Isidore Gala are still available. Please contact the sponsorship team if you are interested. Thank you for all those who have already sponsored our school. More information and forms can be found here. Click here to view current sponsors.

Sponsor Shout Out : We would like to recognize State Farm Insurance Agent, Stepanie Canessa ! Stephanie Canessa has been a supporter of St. Isidore School for several years. We are grateful to have her in our community! Thank you Stephanie and State Farm for your generosity.

Did you Know?

Ever wonder how the bulldog became the SIS mascot? The origin of the St. Isidore School bulldog dates back to 1990, when

Mrs. Wroblewski gave her 8th grade class the responsibility of selecting a school mascot. After much deliberation and heated debate, the students settled on a bulldog. Don’t miss out on your chance to get the St. Isidore School bulldog, Winston at this year's school auction. He will be available for purchase during the live auction at the

St. Isidore School Gala.

Random Act of Kindness

Random acts of kindness are deliberate attempts to brighten another person's day by doing something thoughtful, nice, and caring. Go out and spread kindness SIS. Please let the office know if you do or witness a RAOK.

Valentine's Day was filled with love and kindness. Thank you to the Cooper Family (6th grade), the Chatman Family (1st), the Gallo Family (1,5,7), the Durkee Family (5,7) and the Hospitality Team for filling the teacher lounge with delicious treats. We appreciate your generosity!

School Sunshine Effort

The purpose of a Sunshine Effort is to offe r support for families in our community. The type of support varies on the circumstance ~ from an illness or a family member’s passing to welcoming a new baby. In any case, we offer to provide a little “sunshine” for the family by coordinating meals, transportation, or simply writing a kind note.

Click here to to view the Sunshine Effort for the Mallein Family (TK). They just recently welcomed a new baby girl to the family.

Click here to view the Sunshine Effort for the Cirimele Family (TK). They just recently welcomed a new baby boy.

Challenge Success

Technology Tips for Parents: Restrict the use of devices in the car. Car rides offer a great opportunity for conversation with our children. When parents talk on the phone while driving with kids, we inadvertently tell them that a conversation with the person on the other end of the phone is more important than an in-person discussion with them.

Library Corner

Attention 5th Grade Parents! The library needs your students! We have multiple opportunities for your 5 ^th grader to receive service hours, including STEAM Night (February 27 ^th ) and our upcoming DINO-mite Scholastic Book Fair (April 1 ^st -11 ^th )! Kindly click here to explore SignUpGenius and excavate the perfect volunteer opportunities for your t-riffic 5 ^th grader! Parents – please note that book fair volunteer opportunities will also be available for you and will be arriving shortly! Stomp, Chomp, Read and Roar! Here come the dinosaurs!

1st Grade Pageant DVD

L AST CALL! Please sign up if you would like to purchase a DVD. We are trying to keep the costs below $40 per family, regardless of how many sign up to purchase one. The more that sign up, the more the cost decreases! Thank you! Click here to order

After School Opportunities

Calling all little bakers! Only Wednesday classes are available. SIS mom and CRUMB owner Nancy Phillips is pleased to offer a six-week baking class. Each week your child will learn a new baking technique and bring home treats to share.

The final session of the year begins the week of 3/5/19, space is limited, so get your registration in ASAP. Click here for registration form.

Scrip

Scrip News... Click here to order! Thank you to the many school families who continue to purchase SCRIP on a regular basis, and thank you to those who are just beginning to see how easy it is to buy and use SCRIP for routine shopping and gift giving. Do you know what you are wearing to the auction? Try Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, J. Crew and Banana Republic, and you will surely find something just right for a night of fun and fundraising.

Calling all Amazon shoppers! St. Isidore School is excited to now be participating in the AmazonSmile Account Program. The AmazonSmile Foundation kindly donates 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. To designate SIS as the organization of your choice please click here .

Parent Education Opportunity

The San Ramon Council of PTA's will be hosting a Parent Education night on March 14th from 7pm-9pm at the California High School Theater. They will discuss strategies and steps parents can take to help their children succeed. Click here to register.