Volume VI| September 28, 2018

THIS WEEK AT ST. ROSE SCHOOL
Dear St. Rose School Families:

Happy Birthday Monsignor Bob! The gift of a Pastor's love and support is priceless to a school. Each day I am impressed by, and grateful for, Monsignor's dedication to St. Rose School. It was our great pleasure to recognize his birthday in a special presentation following Mass this morning. The students sang a rousing rendition of "My Favorite Things" using words written by Mrs. Salustri to capture the heart of Monsignor Bob. Eighth grader, Jaxon Gelesco, read a birthday greeting reflecting the love and thanks of our school children and Monsignor was presented with a framed, 20 x 30 drawing of a tree, the leaves of which were created by the autumn colored thumb prints of every St. Rose School student with a message below that reads "Thank you for helping us Grow." This was accompanied by a basket of Monsignor's favorite things.

Our new website is slated to launch in the next week! We have been working diligently to ensure that the site is a dynamic resource and includes the most recent information from all school departments. It will be one stop shopping for all of your information needs; you will also be able to access the Parent Portal through the website. Going forward we are committed to keeping the website current with news and monthly updates. Stay tuned for details about the launch.

Final preparations are being made for our 60th Anniversary Mass and Celebration on October 6th. We have a rich history and a bright future here at St. Rose School. Please come celebrate this milestone which starts with an 11:00 a.m. mass of Thanksgiving and is followed by a fun outdoor celebration with music, food, a Beer Garden (for those 21 and over with photo ID) and games/crafts for the children run by our Student Council and National Junior Honor Society students. Robert Taylor Photography will be on site taking photos so encourage your friends, classmates and any alumni you know to attend. Entry is free but RSVPs are required, advancement@srles.com.

As we complete the first month of school I am pleased to recognize how much has been accomplished. We are truly a team, all working together for the good of our students and the continued success of St. Rose School. There are so many people working tirelessly behind the scenes to make things happen. I am grateful to you all.

Please help us spread the word about the first OPEN HOUSE of the year which will be held on Sunday, October 14, 12:30-2:30 PM. Tell your family and friends about our wonderful school and encourage them to take a walk in our halls, visit the classrooms, meet our Principal, teachers parents and students to discover why a St. Rose School education may be right for them. We would appreciate help distributing Open House lawn signs and will let you know when they are ready to be picked up from Mrs. Wong's office. If you would like to volunteer for this please let Laura know, advancement@srles.com. Questions about Open House can be directed to Karen Coppola admissions@srles.com. Thank you!

I attended an extremely productive Principal's meeting in Lakeville, CT this Thursday and Friday which is always a value added experience for the school. I am grateful to Mrs. Bokuniewicz for overseeing matters in my absence.

May I remind you that winter uniforms begin on Monday October 1st. Thank you for ensuring that your children come to school in the proper uniform. If you need any winter uniform items, we have a very handy uniform exchange, contact uniforms@srles.com and one of our helpful parents will assist you.

Wishing you a weekend filled with family, fun, friends and Fall festivities.

God bless,

Mr. Bardhyl Gjoka
CLASSROOM HAPPENINGS

Bringing textbooks and lessons to life is the key to enhanced learning. This week we celebrated National Punctuation Day and the debut of our Primary Punctuation Pals. With teachers like these, our students are sure to achieve high marks!












CLUBS & ACTIVITIES

Soccer Clinic , Grades 1-2
Band , Grades 3-8, registration closed
Violin Lessons , Grades 1-2, registration closed
ArtSmart , Fridays, Grades 2-5
Cheer , Fridays, Grades 2-6
Flag Football, Fridays, Grades 3-5
Fun Fridays , sign up for new session
Mock Trial , Thursday Evenings, 6:30-7pm, Grades 6-8
Junior Math Club , Wednesdays, 3-4 p.m.
Advanced Math Club, Wednesdays 3-4 p.m.
Click here for more details.
Homework&Tutoring Club , Mon-Fri, 3-4 p.m.


STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS

We want YOU to represent St. Rose School!

This has been an exciting week for Student Council as students have begun campaigning for officer positions for this upcoming year. We have many candidates running and the posters have been very creative. Today's speeches to fellow students were impressive -- every student deserves a round of applause. We appreciate their commitment to St. Rose School! Stay tuned to hear the results of our election. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL MOMENTS

7th grade Social Studies
We are off to a fantastic start and all the students are excited to learn about the early beginnings of American History. In class, the students put on their investigative hats on to learn about what exactly happened to the colony of Roanoke. They were given many telling and contradicting pieces of evidence and as a group they need to come to a decision on what they believe happened to the colonists.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Sunday September 30th -- 6th Grade Bible Blessing at Holy Innocents Hall 10:45 -11:45 a.m. Click here for important information

Saturday, October 6th – St. Rose School 60th Anniversary Celebration starting with 11:00 a.m. Mass followed by Oktoberfest themed event, Noon-4:00 p.m. RSVP by Sept. 28th to advancement@srles.com .

October 6th - October 20th -- Children's Coat Drive in conjunction with the Knights of Columbus. Seeking new and gently used coats -- collection bins will be in every classroom. Details to come.

Friday, October 12th -- First Bingo of the Season! Doors open at 5:45 p.m. and games run through 9:30 p.m. $17 admission fee per person. A great family night -- tell your friends!

Sunday, October 14th, OPEN HOUSE,
12:30-2:30 p.m. Please Share the Word!

Friday October 19th, Trunk -R- Treat,
6:30-8:30 p.m. in school parking lot. Stay tuned for details.

Monday, October 22nd , School photos by Robert Taylor Photography. Full uniform required.

Monday, October 22nd, Flu Clinic at School, 3:00-5:00 p.m.

Community Dates to Note

September 30, 2018 -- Spotlight on Addiction, 11:30 a.m.

RCIA program begins at St. Rose Church -- Click here for details.
 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Emergency and Weather Related Blasts - Please program 956-64 into your phone and call it “St. Rose Emergency Blasts”. This will ensure that you receive weather related closings and delays.
Hot Lunch program - For all questions regarding hot lunch, contact Mrs. Suzanne Thorne, at hotlunch@yahoo.com
After School Club - Contact Lauren Frost at afterschool@srles.com . During after school hours, the phone number is: 203-419-5258.
Uniform Exchange - Please direct all uniform requests to uniforms@srles.com .
AllStar Bussing - Newtown families using the bus, please be sure to save this in your cell phone 203-304-9779. All questions regarding bussing should go through Allstar.

HSA NEWS

Dear Friends:

We hope you and your children are doing well as we close out our first month of the school year!

Please remember to send in your HSA membership form and sign up for volunteer opportunities - it's a great way to meet fellow parents and be involved with our school community!

Also, please make note of the date change for the Trunk or Treat - it is October 19th.

Thank you,

Your HSA Board




Questions? Suggestions? Email hsa@srles.com
NEWS FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

Attention Girls in 5-8th grade! Think about joining the SRS Basketball team. There will not be tryouts -- our teams play with a fun, no pressure, Christian attitude. It's a great way to form friendships and represent your school. Registration forms can be found on the website.

http://www.stroseschool.com/athletics/

Questions? Email athletics@stroseschool.com
NEWS FROM NURSE BONNIE

The State of Connecticut requires all preschool students to receive an annual Flu vaccine. This must be done no later then 12/31/18.  St. Rose School will be having a Flu Clinic on October 22nd at 3:00-
5:00 pm in the main school library. All students and family members are welcome.


Please make sure all yearly physicals are updated and forms submitted to me. Thank you.


Request from the Art Room

The Art room is seeking donations for student projects. At this time, we're soliciting donations of:

*Used (but clean) pantyhose
*Wire hangers (need not be perfect)
*Empty tissue boxes (large ones please)

If you have any of these items at home, we'd appreciate the donation. Thanks!
SCHOOL HOURS

Main School:
Early Drop Off: 7:00am by Gathering Hall doors (will be charged $8, no need to pre-register)
Arrival: 7:50am
Departure : 2:50pm
Early Dismissal, Regular: Noon
Early Dismissal, Emergency : 11:50 a.m.
Delay, Emergency: 10:50 a.m.

Preschool School Hours:
Early Drop Off: 8:00 a.m. Contact Beth Keenan, beforeschoolpk@srles.com at least one day ahead.
Arrival: 8:45 a.m.
Departure: 1:45 p.m. for Pre-K 4 and Step Up; 11:45 a.m. for Pre-K 3’s
Extended Day: 1:45-2:45 p.m. for Pre-K 4 and Step Up (must register prior to the start of school year - this not a drop in)
Early Dismissal, Emergency: 11:30 a.m.
Delay, Emergency: 11:15 a.m. for Pre-K 4 and Step Up; Pre-K 3’s is cancelled
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

NOTE: The Family Guide is now available on the Parent Portal. Teacher emails are listed here as well.

Signed forms were due September 5th, please be sure you turned yours in.





SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL IN EASY WAYS

Collect Box Tops : Cut the Box Top symbol from a variety of packaged and canned goods. The first collection will be Friday, September 21st.  For every 500 box tops collected, the winning class receives a dress down day. Send them in as often as you save them.

AmazonSmile   - Shop at AmazonSmile and choose St. Rose of Lima School in Newtown as your charitable organization of choice.  When ordering on Amazon, please use AmazonSmile at  smile.amazon.com . The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of the eligible to St. Rose.  AmazonPrime members can also participate.

Stop & Shop A+ School Rewards Program  - Please log on to  www.stopandshop.com/aplus  and select customer registration to register online using your Stop & Shop Card.  Our school id is 16873 . If you registered your card last year, you DO NOT need to re-register this year. 

BIG Y Education Express. A Family program to help our local schools get FREE, much needed supplies & equipment. Everyone can participate! Please ask your family and friends to support St. Rose School by signing up for Education Express, https://www.bigy.com/rs/EducationExpress# . Create an account using your Big Y card and choose St. Rose in Newtown as the school to support..  From February 1 through April 25, 2019, for every 500 Education Express Points earned, those registered will get a GOLD COIN! Just shop our stores and look for the participating items marked with the Education Express logo. Each item will have a point value and savings on top of that!

Many thanks for your support!

PONDER THIS....

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."
- George Washington Carver

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STUDENT LIFE UPDATE by MRS. B

There are so many positive things happening in our halls and with our students these days, from a brand new band program with over 40 students to the exciting high school application process for our upper graders and many things in between. Click below for the weekly highlights!


8TH GRADE HIGH SCHOOL SHADOW DAYS

Students ‘shadowing’ or spending the day at another school will be marked with an excused absence, provided the following has occurred:

1. Prior notification to the Dean of Student Life from the parent.
2. Note from visiting school stating that the child was present for the day.
3. No more than three school visits to be considered as excused absences during a school year.
4. Multiple visits to a single school within one school year will be counted as unexcused absences
DON'T FORGET...THE WINTER UNIFORM GOES IN TO EFFECT MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018! If you need any items, email uniforms@srles.com.
St. Rose School | 40 Church Hill Road Newtown CT 06470| 203-426-5102 admissions@stroseschool.com | www.stroseschool.com