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2020 - 2021
School Year
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Jan 18
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No School -
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
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Feb 15
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No School -
Presidents' Day
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Mar 15
| Spring Conferences | |
Apr
2-9
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Easter Break
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May 31
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No School - Memorial Day
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Last Day of School Preschool/PreK
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Jun 18
| Last Day of School K-7 |
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Luke A. 1B
Luke Z. 1B
Presley B. 1B
Katie M. 1A
Molly G. 1A
Emmie G. 1A
Hudson C. KA
Sloane M. 2B
Aubrey Z. KA
Nico K. KA
Lily S. 1B
Ella W. 1B
Brooke F. 1B
Sofia B. 1B
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1B
1B
1B
1A
1A
1A
KA
2B
KA
KA
1B
1B
1B
1B
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January 13, 2021
Dear St. Francis of Assisi School Parents and Guardians,
Each January, I like to choose a word for the new year. I brainstorm a list of words that I hope will inspire me and guide me through life's ups and downs. Many words were on my list this year after coming out of 2020 and recognizing that 2021 might not be much easier. What is your word for this year? What word inspires you to action?
Last Sunday, we closed our Christmas Season with the feast of the Baptism of Christ. It was time to take down the Christmas decor and return to ordinary life. Believe it or not, in just five short weeks, we enter the Lenten Season! As we begin this new year, it is a great time to look at our own Baptism and the call to mission and action. In Isaiah 42, the prophet says that we are personally called by name to serve. The prophet says that we will open the eyes of the blind, bring people out of prison, and release people from the darkness. While I would love to be witness to the miracle of someone regaining sight, I have to imagine that there is deeper meaning for us here. How are we blind to sharing love for others and most especially those with whom we struggle to find common ground? How can we support the elderly, who out of fear for their health, are homebound and find themselves with feelings of loneliness? Is there a relationship to reconcile that needs God's healing and restoration? While our Baptism occurred on one day, we are invited to live out this Sacrament every day of our lives. Our Baptism imprinted us as the sons and daughters of God, we belong to an eternal family. Our connection to one another is strong because of the grace we received in this Sacrament. For many of us, we find ourselves living out routines Monday through Friday, at work, at home, or at school. These routines can bring us comfort and yet, provide an opportunity to meet Christ daily in the ordinary. We simply have to listen and look for God. God's love and presence is constant, much like the rising and setting of the sun. We can count on both to happen every single day. Like Mary, maybe all we need to do is trust in God and keep saying yes! In hope,
Jeannette Lambert
Principal
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Virtual Open House - January 31, 2021
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St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School will not be hosting an in-person Open House event this year. That said, we still have lots of ways for our existing community and prospective families to celebrate and gain a better understanding of our school.
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January 31 @2:00pm
Live Panel Discussion via Zoom Webinar
- Moderated by SFA parent and The Catholic Dadcast host, Richard Pintang
- The Panel will include SFA Administrators, Teachers, Parents, Students, Alumni and (Potentially) Clergy
This will be an hour-long group discussion allowing prospective families a chance to hear from representatives they would normally have had the opportunity to meet and talk with at Open House. It will also be a chance for our existing families to ask questions and contribute to the conversation. FAQs will be addressed at the start of the discussion and we will follow that with any questions submitted by our current community prior to the meeting. As the webinar continues, we will take questions submitted in the chat thread.
Through this event, we hope to provide viewers with a sense of the people who make up SFA. The zoom link will be posted in a pop-up on our website homepage where everyone can easily find it. We will also be sending a text reminder to the community an hour prior to the webinar.
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January 31 @3:30pm
Premiere of SFA Virtual Tour on YouTube and on sfayl.org
- Produced by Abide Creative
This will be a short film featuring beautiful footage of our campus, classrooms, and important spaces paired with verbiage that evokes emotions.
Through this project, we hope to provide viewers a sense of the
places that make up SFA.
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January 31
Launch of SFA Student Work Library
- Student selected projects will be viewable by clicking through the online library created by Jo Steins
A link to the Library will be made available in the "News" section of our website homepage. We will also send out a text alert to our community with the link once it becomes live.
Through this project, we hope to provide viewers with a sense of the work that our students are producing.
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January 31 - February 6
Catholic Schools Week
(More information below)
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Ongoing
In-person Tours for Prospective Families
- Opportunities will be available by appointment only. Interested parties will need to contact the Admissions Team
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Catholic Schools Week - January 31 - February 6
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Please join St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in celebrating Catholic Schools Week from January 31 - February 6, 2021. This year's theme is "Catholic Schools: Faith. Service. Excellence." We are taking that theme one step further by proudly proclaiming that, "At SFA Every Mission is Possible With Faith, Service, and Excellence."
We see the marvelous reality of how SFA celebrates faith, knowledge, discipline, morals and service toward each other every day. It is in the dedication, integrity and generosity of our Pastors, teachers, staff, administration, parents, and all those who contribute to supporting SFA. It's in the compassion of our students when they help one another or reach out to assist our less fortunate brothers and sisters. It's in the life-long values that our students will continue to embody long after they have left our doors. Please share in our enthusiasm as we focus on the different aspects of how "Every Mission is Possible with Faith, Service, and Excellence" adds to the spirituality across our Nation this week.
Beyond the fun and fulfilling activities listed in the chart above, we will have two additional "flight paths" for our students during Catholic Schools Week.
- The first is a project highlighting all the reasons our school "shines." Each student will be given a star to write what they believe is the best thing about SFA. The stars will be put together in a beautiful bulletin board and displayed in front of the school throughout the week.
- The second opportunity will be a tear away sheet of "Acts of Kindness" for each day of the week. We will ask students to share how they completed their acts of kindness by submitting photos or short descriptions to aclewett@sfayl.org (optional). We will share their submissions in our social media "stories" throughout Catholic Schools Week.
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Online Book Fair, Read Across America, & Read-a-thon!
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We are excited to share that Catholic Schools Week will be the "launch" of our Online Book Fair! The Fair will run February 1-14, which is perfect timing since we will be participating in a Read-A-Thon Fundraiser during Read Across America Week (aka Dr. Seuss Week) the first week of March. Books ordered during the Online Book Fair should take 3 days to process and up to 10 days for delivery, which means our students will receive them just in time for the Read-a-thon! More information on both of these events will be coming soon.
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Share Your Love of Reading - Become a Guest Reader for Read Across America Week!
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Help SFA celebrate Read Across America Week (aka Dr. Seuss Week) March 1 - 5, 2021 by reading us a story!
Please record a video of yourself reading a book to our students and upload that recording so we can share it. You may read a Dr. Seuss book OR any favorite childhood book. Submit your recordings here. Be sure to log your volunteer hours for your time!
We will be creating a special Online "Bookshelf" featuring each read aloud submission. Teachers and families will be encouraged to explore this unique resource throughout the week and even utilize it during our Read-A-Thon.
Our children will feel a sense of pride and excitement when they listen to their friends, family members, and perhaps even local celebrities read stories to them. We encourage you to participate and to share this project with others. Thank you in advance for your support! |
Earn Volunteer Hours by Donating Supplies!
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As the school year has progressed, we have identified areas where we as a school can use some assistance. We have also realized that the restrictions in place due to Covid-19, have made it difficult for families to obtain volunteer hours. In an effort to help parents secure volunteer hours while also fulfilling some of the ongoing needs of the school, we have decided to create a shared sign-up that allows families to donate supplies in lieu of hours.
Please click here to see a list of needed items.
You will receive 1 service hour for every $15 spent and 1 additional hour for time spent shopping. Under each request is a link to a website where the items can be sourced. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
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Re-enrollment and Application Timelines for 2021/22
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Last Friday, January 8, a letter detailing the re-enrollment and application process for the 2021/22 school year was sent out to all SFA families. Below is a chart that was shared in that communication that lists important dates related to re-enrollment. Click here to read the full letter.
RE-ENROLLMENT & APPLICATION TIMELINE
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Date
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Activity
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Fee
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January 19, 2021
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Re-enrollment opens for current SFA students
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$150 Non-refundable Hold Fee
(will be used as initial deposit toward Enrollment Fee)
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January 25, 2021
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Sibling Applications open
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$100 Application Fee
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February 1, 2021
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Outside Applications open
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$100 Application Fee
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February 8, 2021
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Sibling Applications Deadline
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Early Childhood Notification letters begin
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February 12, 2021
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Re-enrollment Deadline
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February 16, 2021
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K-8 Notification letters begin
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Tuition Assistance Portal opens
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March 5, 2021
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Tuition Assistance Portal closes
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March 19, 2021
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Balance of Enrollment Fee due for returning students
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$350 charged through FACTS
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March 22, 2021
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Tuition Assistance Notification letters begin
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March 31, 2021
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Application Fee increases
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$125 Application Fee
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SFA Vignette Interview Series
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With over twenty years of education and character building, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School has influenced countless journeys. Every Monday, we will be highlighting community members whose personal and professional trajectories have been impacted by their experiences at SFA. This vignette interview series captures their unique perspectives and demonstrates how a foundation of faith empowers our students and inspires us all as we Dare to Dream!
St. Francis alumnus and
Colorado Rockies
infielder, Ryan McMahon encourages us all to dream big and shares some wise words about being good to one another.
SFA alumnus and missionary, Justin Gauthier, shares how his faith foundation began at St. Francis and how he has found the same church and the same faith practiced all over the world. His story reminds us that a foundation of faith can start wherever we are at in our journey and it can take us great distances!
SFA Founding Pastor, Seamus Glynn, remembers where we began and he looks forward to what the future has in store for St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School. He encourages families to invest in what's to come for our children and our community, emphasizing that the sacrifice is really worth it. "You may not see it today, but you'll look back and say, 'This all began and has continued through the teaching at the school.'"
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SFA Golf Tournament and Online Auction - May 3, 2021
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We are excited to announce that St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School will host a Golf Tournament and Online Auction: May the Course Be With You from May 3-7, 2021. The week long "fun" raising event will be the largest fundraiser of our school year.
Golf Tournament - May 3, 2021
Online Auction - May 3-7, 2021
Stay tuned for more details on purchasing tickets to the golf event and additional ways you can participate in the online auction.
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As we gear up for our Golf Tournament and Auction Fundraiser, we are in need of help from the SFA community.
Auction Catalog
Do you have a special talent when it comes to graphic design and organization? We need your expertise to put together the auction item catalog and advertisements for our biggest school fundraiser of the year!
Storage
Do you have extra space in your garage or maybe a guest bedroom that is not getting much use during quarantine? Why not put that area to good use by allowing our committee to store donated items? This opportunity requires only space...no time, money, or special skill on your part! Your service hour commitment will be completed with your "yes!"
Acquisitions
Do you have stores or restaurants that you visit frequently? How about friends and family members who work in a service industry? If you love our school and would be happy to ask for gift cards or gift certificates, join our auction acquisitions team. This is an easy way to complete your service hours swiftly!
Class Basket
Every year, each class puts together a themed personalized basket for the fundraiser. This year baskets will be done by each grade level rather than each class. We need a representative from each grade to take the lead.
Contact fundraisers@sfayl.org to learn more or share your talent! |
 We are proud to announce that this year the St. Francis yearbook will be designed by students! We would love your support with this project.
Given the unusual structure of learning in 2020/2021 (in-person, hybrid, and virtual), we do not have the opportunity to capture as many images during regular school hours. In addition, with many events and activities moving to an online format, we are at a disadvantage when it comes to visual representations of those programs. From time to time we will announce a specific photo theme and ask for submissions from the community.
This month we are looking for pictures in the following categories:
- Back to School
- Pets of Covid / Blessing of the Animals
- Mask styles
- Halloween
- Pumpkin Decorating Contest
- Faith and Family
- Trends of 2020
Please send all yearbook photo submissions to photos@sfayl.org. |
| It's Time to Purchase Your Yearbook! |
Click here to purchase a book designed by students that will be a great keepsake of this unique year.
Purchase your yearbook today! Time is running out on the opportunity to personalize the yearbook with your student's name. Don't delay!
The cost for a 2020-2021 yearbook was included in class fees for 8th Grade students. It is not necessary to purchase a yearbook for students in the class of 2021!
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S.E.E.Ds - Effective Communication with Your Child
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"Listen earnestly to anything [your children] want to tell you, no matter what. If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff." - Catherine M. Wallace
 Many parents fall into the "how was your day" routine which most likely leads to a one word answer from your child. We know fostering open communication is a key ingredient to maintaining a healthy parent-child relationship, so how do we get our children to open up?
First and foremost, good communication with your child includes limiting distractions while they are talking, validating their feelings, and repeating back some key takeaways to show you were listening. You may even consider setting aside a special time every day (or night) to chat with him or her. Keep in mind that right after school, your child may need some down time and doesn't necessarily want to answer all of our burning questions about the day, so consider giving them a little time to decompress first. Also, good communication doesn't always have to be a sit down conversation-sometimes children will open up more while they are doing an activity they love (shooting hoops, building a castle, or simply riding in the car). Even further, some children do better communicating through writing so a parent/child journal might be another communication tool as well. Finally, in order to get a little more insight, try using one of these 35 Different Ways to Ask "How Was Your Day?" to foster better communication with your child.
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Shared Responsibility Reminder
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As a reminder, St. Francis requests that families screen their students for symptoms of COVID-19 at home before arriving at school each and every day. Anyone with a fever of 100.4° F or greater within the past 24 hours must stay home as well as fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, new loss of taste or smell, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, fatigue, diarrhea, congestion or runny nose, nausea and vomiting. In addition, anyone with recent close contacts within the past 14 days with known or suspected COVID-19 positive cases must stay at home. Personal illness, quarantine, COVID-19 illness, and symptom-related absences will be excused.
This shared responsibility is critical to our ability to keep our school open for hybrid learning. In support of this partnership, the school will send out regular reminders to families periodically. Please report your student's illness with details of all symptoms to their school Covid Coordinator. A school staff member will follow up on all students that are at home with COVID-19 symptoms.
Lastly, it is important to note that a student who is sent home, stays home, or has been exposed to COVID-19 and is at home in quarantine, will be able to access live classroom instruction from home if they are healthy enough to participate. Thank you in advance for your commitment to this shared responsibility. |
| 6th Grade Families - Immunization Requirement |
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TDap immunization is needed before your child enters 7th grade. Once this requirement has been met, please be sure to forward documentation to the SFA office. We will need this information prior to the start of the 2021 - 2022 school year.
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| Dine with Wise Guys and Support SFA All January Long! |
Don't feel like cooking? Want to treat a friend, family, neighbor, or deserving health care worker to a meal? Looking for a way to support a local small business? Interested in helping our school?
Well, SFA has the answer! We are partnering with Wise Guys Pizzeria in Yorba Linda to raise some dough for our school during the month of January. That's right...ALL MONTH LONG...Wise Guys will donate 20% of your purchase Sundays through Thursdays to our school.
Simply show this flyer when you place your order so they can track the sales. Great food + local business + worthy cause = a win, win, win!
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You can support our school for FREE using AmazonSmile when you shop!
What you need to do:
2. Select "Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School" as your charitable organization [or simply click this link:
3. Shop Your Heart Out
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to assist SFA. Let's make our dollars really count. Every little bit helps!
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| SFA Face Mask Buddies for Sale - Great Stocking Stuffers! |
The St. Francis of Assisi Scrip Program is a major fundraiser used to reduce tuition costs for families at SFA. The scrip program provides families the ability to purchase retailer gift cards through various providers. Those retailers then rebate a percentage back to the school to pass on to each buyer.
The SFA Scrip Program will run on a yearly basis from April 1 through March 31 and will operate weekly throughout the school year with minor deadline and delivery changes due to holidays and vacations. Participants must check the school newsletter for updated order and pick up schedules.
Please download and return the attached Scrip delivery form.
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Great news! Shop With Scrip has a new feature and families can have orders shipped directly to their home.
Watch this brief video to learn more about the Shop With Scrip.
If you have any questions regarding the scrip program please contact Michelle at scrip@sfayl.org.
Thank you for supporting our school by using the scrip program.
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| National League of Young Men |
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