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Important Dates
2018 - 2019 
School Year
Important Dates
Nov  2
Teacher In-Service - Student Free Day
Nov 19 - 23 Thanksgiving
Break
Dec 24 - Jan 4 Christmas Break
Jan 21
Martin Luther King Jr. Day - School Holiday
Feb 15
Faculty Retreat - Student Free Day
Feb 18
President's Day - School Holiday
Mar 9
Auction Dinner and Dance
Mar 22
Religious Education Congress - Student Free Day
April 18 - 26
Easter Break
May 27
Memorial Day - School Holiday
May 31
8th Grade Graduation
June 14
Last Day of School
Caught Being Good
Emma
2A
Saharah
4B
Jordan
KB
Kalem
KB
Benton
1B
October 24, 2018
Dear St. Francis of Assisi School Parents and Guardians,

At St. Francis of Assisi School, one factor that truly sets us apart from neighboring schools is our strong Catholic Identity. Beginning with the charism of St. Francis of Assisi, we follow his example of walking boldly and humbly in faith with all we say and do.  At times, this is easier to talk about than it is to put into practice when life is challenging. As adults, we may wrestle with living out our Christianity when we drive on the freeways, encounter a challenge in the workplace, or face a difficult life decision.  Do we really place our trust and faith in God in our words, thoughts, and actions?

Several weeks ago, the Sunday Gospel reading highlighted Jesus talking to his disciples about what they perceived to be a huge challenge in their faith walk. Jesus said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26) At our staff prayer reflection, we talked about recognizing the God of the impossible, who parted the Red Sea for Moses and his people, is the same God today who wants to journey with each one of us. What is the Red Sea in my own life?  What seems difficult to overcome, face or work through? For our students, what is their Red Sea? Do we have the same faith as Moses, believing that God can move powerfully in our lives and is aware of what we most need?

Faith is a big part of our growth mindset culture at St. Francis. When students face academic challenges they perceive to be overwhelming or their own personal Red Sea, it is easy to give up or stop trying.  Teachers and aides will partner with students to encourage, support, and cheerlead them through the process of perseverance. Looking at perseverance through a lense of faith, we are modeling for our students the power of the pause - pausing to pray, ask God for help, waiting to hear an answer to prayer, and just breathing.   We also recognize the gift of community. We do not journey alone. We want our students to recognize that God has given them talents and abilities, support and community, teachers and mentors, on their path of growth. Teachers and parents partner to show that we believe every student can be successful in whatever task lies before them.  When one doubts that the sea will part, the community is there to remind us that not only will the sea part, but we will safely cross over to the other side together! Let us remind our students the importance of spending time in prayer, sharing the desires of their heart with God. Let us pray as a community, that as we work together this year to build our endurance with growth mindset, that we all come to believe more every day that all things are possible with God!

Jeannette Lambert
Principal
SCHOOL NEWS
Family Lunch Event

Upcoming Catholic Identity Events
Mission of the Family Workshop
Parents please join us as we provide soul food for your family. An example of the Family Mission Statement Box is in the office if you would like to take a look at it prior to the event.

Tuesday, November 6th
Attendance is free, RSVP requested.  The flyer went home last Thursday, you can download a copy  here.
Extended Care Aide - Barbara Tallabas
This week we are highlighting the newest addition to the 1-8 Extended Care team.  Barbara came to us from the Ps/Pre-K/K Extended Care.

What Parish do you belong to?

I have been a Parishioner of St. Martin de Porres for 18 years.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy traveling, gardening, cooking and spending time with family and friends.

What do you like most about working at SFA?

I appreciate working with children in a welcoming faith filled environment.
Pumpkin Decorating Contest

Fall Book Fair
Make plans to join us at our Fall Book Fair held in the Seamus Glynn Center in November.  Students will be visiting our Enchanted Forest themed store to browse and make purchases with their classrooms  Friday, November 9 - Wednesday, November 14.  

If you would like to volunteer please check our signup.com.  
SFA Musical Production



We are excited to present Peter Pan Jr., our 3rd Annual Spring production.  Attached are the "Important Dates" for auditions, rehearsals, and performances.  We hope all of our young stars will come out to auditions.  No experience is necessary and all students will be given a role in the play!

Little Lambs: Early Childhood Education News

Friday, October 26, 2018
Early dismissal
11:30 am-11:50 am
Monday, October 29, 2018
Ps/Pre-K Orange Color Day - Students Wear Orange
Monday, October 29, 2018 6:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Daddy & Me Pumpkin Carving
Friday, November 2, 2018 No School & No Extended Care for All School In-Service

Part-time position available in Pre-K Extended Care.  Monday - Friday, 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm.  Click here for full job description. Interested candidates email resume to Mrs. Martinson at  cmartinson@sfayl.org.
Order your yearbook today!
Online ordering of 2018 - 2019 Yearbooks is now open! The cost if ordered today is $45.00.

The final day to personalize yearbooks is February 2, 2019.  The final date to order yearbooks online is May 15, 2019.

Click here to place your order!

Catholic Identity Corner
All Saints Day - November  1st

A Holy Day of Opportunity {Obligation}!! All families are encouraged to join us for Mass Thursday, November 1st at 10:00 am  at Santa Clara for our school all Mass. If you can't join us for the school Mass, please find a time to go  early in the morning or late in the evening at your local Parish.

All Saints Day is a special day where we honor and cel ebrate all of the Saints (like St. Francis of  Assisi) who are identified and canonized as Saints of the Catholic Church.
FUNDRAISING NEWS
Athletic Fundraiser

Fall Fundraiser Pick Up
SFA families please make sure your Fall Fundraiser Yankee Candle and Mrs. Field's cookie orders are picked up by 6:30 pm on Tuesday, October 30th. We will not be able to store your cookie dough over night!  If you cannot pick up your orders for any reason, please send someone to pick up for you. If you have any questions, please contact Danielle Hill at (714) 322-6979. 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We are looking for volunteers who can help sort and distribute on Monday, October 29th beginning at 8:30 am and/or Tuesday, October 30th any time from 8:30 am - 6:30 pm. Please be aware if you are volunteering the boxes of products maybe heavy.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Tammy Clarida at  tclarida@sfayl.org
2018-2019 DC Dining
Wednesday lunches throughout the school year are hosted by our 7th and 8th grade students fundraising for their East Coast Study Trip. The DC Dining program offers a variety of meal options from a broad spectrum of local restaurants.   

Please order DC Dining for Trimester 1 at St. Francis School. Please be sure to turn the form and payment into the office by  Monday of the week you are ordering a meal. DC Dining next  Wednesday, October 31, we will be serving Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Amazon Smile


AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support our school every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at  smile.amazon.com , you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School.  Simply click here to begin shopping through AmazonSmile.
ALUMNI NEWS
Congratulations to Grace Battaglia (SFA '16) on receiving the Kathleen Faley Scholarship. Grace is making an impact at Rosary Academy and in her community.

COMMUNITY NEWS
Rosary Academy Open House and Shadow Day
Rosary Academy will host Open House on Monday, November 5, for girls in grades 5th-8th. Guests will learn why families choose Rosary and hear from Christina Hernandez '10, Assistant Director of Admissions at Chapman University. Ms. Hernandez will share insights to the college application process and discuss how Rosary Academy provides an all-girl advantage that prepares students for success in college and beyond. Click  here  to access the PDF print version. Families may register at  www.rosaryacademy.org/openhouse .

Servite Open House

Servite Lacrosse Clinic

Santa Clara de Asis - Children's Faith Formation
Volunteers Needed!
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School | 714-695-3700 | webmaster@sfayl.org | http://www.sfayl.org
5330 Eastside Circle
Yorba Linda, CA 92887