Volume 17 | December 3, 2018

Weekly announcements to help parents and students stay informed about important news and events.

Adopt-a-Family gift donations are due Wednesday, December 5! Thank you for giving back to local families in need. Gifts will be distributed on Sunday, December 9 at St. Paschal's Church in Oakland. Please contact Julie Guevara at jguevara@sjnd.org if interested in helping with distribution.

Principal's Corner

Dear Parents and Students, Happy Advent! The entire school community gathered this morning to have our first of two Advent Prayer services before our Manger in the Quad. The  Advent season  is one of hope and reconciliation. Later this week our SJND community will gather to celebrate the Advent Mass on Tuesday in our beautiful Basilica. Students will also have the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation or receive a blessing from the priest on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Saturday, December 8 will be another special day in the life of the SJND community. At 8:30 a.m. at Crab Cove here in Alameda, SJND will host its  Second Annual 5K Reindeer Run . Last year we had a great turnout, and we are hoping for an even bigger crowd of runners and walkers this year.  You can also bring a donation of non-perishable foods which will be distributed to the Alameda Food Bank . Please support this great community event and spread the word.  Click here to register . That same night at 7:00 p.m., our SJND choral group One Voice will be hosting a  Christmas Concert in St. Joseph Basilica . The program of Advent, Christmas, and holiday music will delight your heart. Bring the entire family to this spectacular night showcasing our marvelous student voices! Prior to the Concert, you can attend the 5:00 p.m. Mass in the Basilica and a Christmas Tree Lighting will follow outside the Basilica. Lite refreshments will be served as well. Finally, I remind all parents and students to have all tuition payments current by Monday, December 10 in order for your son or daughter to take their Final Exams which begin on Thursday, December 13.  Students will not be allowed to take Exams unless all tuition is paid in full . As always, thank you for your support! Go Pilots! Mr. Jennings

Upcoming Events & Deadlines December Open House: Under the Lights: Wednesday, December 5, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Help spread the word! Prospective families can learn more and RSVP at www.sjnd.org/visit-sjnd. Class of 2023 Early Bird Application Deadline: Friday, December 7 Apply at www.sjnd.org/apply Second Annual Reindeer Run: Saturday, December 8, 8:30 a.m. @ Crab Cove. Register here. SJND Basilica Christmas Concert: Saturday, December 8, 7:00 p.m. RSVP here.

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Announcements

Parents Association Event: The SJND Parents Association is hosting an Advent evening presentation by JaYing Wang (SJND alumna parent and owner of Alameda Art Lab) about her recent pilgrimage on the 500 mile Camino in Northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Please join us on Tuesday, December 11 at 6:30 p.m. for a slide presentation in SJND Room 1. If you have any questions, please contact Teresa Courville, SJND Parent Association President.

Counseling: Senior Parents: Due to the vast number of families facing hardship from the California wildfires, the CSU Application deadline has been extended to Saturday, December 15. Students should still plan to submit their applications as soon as possible. Ms. Yee will be learning about out-of-state opportunities at a program hosted by the Regional Admissions Counselors of California on December 3. She will also be off-campus December 10-14 for a counselor program at St. John’s University in New York City and visits to other area colleges. Looking for programs and opportunities for the upcoming summer? Click here to view a list Ms. Yee has compiled. She will continue to add programs throughout the year.

Food Service During Finals Week: Please note that Grace Cuisine will provide grab-and-go items during Final Exams on December 13 and 14. They will not provide food items on December 17 and 18. Please plan accordingly. Final Exam Schedule Announced:

IMPORTANT: No student may miss semester exams due to a family vacation or other unexcused absence. A student may request to reschedule a final exam only for a medical emergency verified by a doctor's note, or an extraordinary family emergency such as a death in the family. All other requests to reschedule final exams will be denied. If a student misses a final exam due to an unexcused absence, the student will receive academic consequences on the exam as well as disciplinary consequences (Student/Parent Handbook, Pg. 15).

Seeking Science Fair Judges: Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School is hosting the Tenth Annual Diocese of Oakland Science Fair on Saturday, February 9, 2019, and we are looking for S.T.E.M. professionals to participate as judges. Judging is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Each judge will be asked to evaluate a set number of student projects and enjoy breakfast and lunch. If you are interested in volunteering your time and expertise for this event, please email sciencefair@sjnd.org. Thank you in advance for agreeing to participate in this wonderful opportunity to recognize talented middle school students in the Diocese of Oakland.

Matching Gifts: You can double or triple your gift to the Fund for SJND! Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees. Click here to see if your company participates, complete your company form and we’ll do the rest.

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News On the Block

Read the latest news from St. Joseph Basilica and St. Joseph Elementary School! Click here to view the parish bulletin and click here to see news from SJES . Know friends, family or neighbors with children going in to grades TK/Kindergarten? SJES will host a TK/Kindergarten Info Night on Tuesday, December 4 at 6:30 p.m. for those interested in learning more.

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