November 20, 2019 -
Anchored in His Love
Grace - St. Thomas Moore & St. John Fisher
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Dear St. Isidore Families,
“What if today, we were grateful for everything?” – Charlie Brown
Thanksgiving break is finally days away! The holiday is late in the month this year, making the break even more needed and deserved. Students and staff alike are excited to have an opportunity to relax, spend time with family and friends and enjoy a delicious meal. Bring on the pie! I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
Carpool do’s and don’ts
Unfortunately, SIS Carpool continues to be an issue and a safety hazard. At Monday’s staff meeting, I spoke directly to the staff about adopting an “all hands on deck” protocol. I promise we will do our part to keep carpool safe and as efficient as possible. I ask you to do your part by following the
carpool procedures
. Thank you—and, as always, our top priority is the safety of everyone!
Student of the Month
Congratulations to our new Students of the Month for November/December: Reagan Fullerton (fifth grade, Miss Lettire’s class) and Grace Gagnon (sixth grade, Mrs. Williamson’s class). Faculty and staff nominate and vote on students based on the monthly Gospel Values. November’s Gospel Value is “Grace” and December’s Gospel Value is “Kindness.” Reagan’s teacher said she displays grace and humility in her personal and academic life. Grace’s teacher said she comes to school every day with a smile on her face, ready to learn. She is always positive and optimistic. We celebrate you both!
Holiday Happenings
Holiday fun is right around the corner!
Please take a moment to check out the “Holiday Happenings” section in the newsletter below
. Several events are happening right after Thanksgiving break, including the popular student Christmas Boutique, Sip & Shop, Knights of Columbus Toy Drive, and candy cane sales. Fun, fun and more fun… Thank you for your support!
#GivingTuesday, December 3, 2019 – Thankful for teachers
It is with much gratitude and excitement that I announce that an anonymous donor has generously offered to match donations up to the amount of $25,000 given to SIS on #GivingTuesday! #GivingTuesday has become something of a global phenomenon, a movement celebrating giving and inspiring philanthropy. Your donation to SIS will assist in our continued effort to provide competitive salaries and professional development opportunities for our staff. Please know that any donation, large or small, is extremely appreciated!
Calling all pre-school-aged children
We are now accepting applications for TK/K for the 2020–2021 school year!
Children must be four by September 1 for TK and five by September 1 for Kindergarten
. Once we have received your application, the office will contact you to set up a testing time. Testing will take place January 27 through February 7. If your child is currently in TK, testing will take place during their school day. We look forward to meeting our future Bulldogs!
Click here
to apply.
Safety Update
We had a brief lockdown today at 10:00 am, as we had a report from a student that an unfamiliar man was in the gym. This was right before lunch, and there were several adult volunteers around helping with lunch set-up. We had all students stay in/return to their classrooms while we investigated. In the end, the man was a parent volunteer whom the students did not recognize and there was no threat. The volunteer parent had signed-in in the office and had a visitor’s badge that the students did not see.
This is a perfect opportunity to give you an update regarding school safety. In regards to the fence, the school is still working with the parish and diocese to move the fence project along. I know many of you are disappointed that this is not moving faster, but we are in constant communication with the parish to express our community’s concerns. In the meantime, the school has reached out to several security companies about improving the school camera system. The new security system will have better coverage of the school perimeter as well as avenues of approach to the school. Safety is our priority, and we are continually doing our best to keep students safe.
Uniform Modification for Cold Weather
Colder days are right around the corner. We will be implementing the winter uniform modification after Thanksgiving break. (No shorts/skorts for grades TK–5.)
1. Boys in grades TK–5 are to wear long pants ONLY!
2. Girls in grades TK–8
can
wear tights or leggings (solid navy, white, black, or grey) under jumpers and skirts. We appreciate your support in adhering to the uniform policy.
Please join us for an all-school mass this Friday, at 8:10 am. Our adorable second graders will perform a choral reading of the Prodigal Son and together we will give thanks for the many blessings God has given us.
God bless,
Maria Ward, Principal
PS. I want to acknowledge and congratulate the second graders on receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is a special time for them and their families. I also want to thank the second grade team for their hard work and dedication to our school and faith.
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- Wednesday, November 20 - 1st Reconciliation (Downey) 7pm in the Church .
- Thursday, November 21 - Principal Appreciation Day! 4th grade California Cook Off. Faith Family Activity.
- Friday, November 22 - All school Mass at 8:10am (led by teachers). 2nd grade will perform the Prodigal Son at Mass.
- Monday, November 25-29 - No School, Thanksgiving Break.
- Sunday, December 1 - Advent begins.
- Monday, December 2 - School resumes. 1:50pm dismissal.
- Tuesday, December 3 - Candy Cane sales in the AM. Reconciliation for grades 3,4,5.
- Wednesday, December 4 - Reconciliation for grades 6,7,8. Children's Christmas Boutique. Sip & Shop 5:30-9pm.
- Thursday, December 5 - Candy Cane sales in the AM. Dec. B-day Free Dress Day.
- Friday, December 6 - All school Mass at 8:10am. KOC Toy Drive.
- Sunday, December 8 - Parish Christmas Breakfast.
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Please pray for all those who are suffering or in need of our thoughts and prayers, especially Will Pringle and Mrs. Koskowich's sister who are both ill. May God keep them in His tender, loving care.
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Advent starts on Sunday, December 1st!
This year our Advent Theme will tie into our school theme, "Anchored in His Love".
Week One: Anchored in His Hope!
Week Two: Anchored in His Peace!
Week Three: Anchored in His Joy!
Week Four: Anchored in His Love!
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Candy Cane Sales coming soon!
Candy Cane sales will begin on Tuesday, December 3rd during AM carpool! Sales will be on the following Tuesdays and Thursdays- 12/3, 12/5, 12/10 and 12/12. If you have a large order, please email
Mrs. Devine
in advance. This year's proceeds will go to
From the Heart Wheelchair Foundation
in honor of Matt Medeiros (SIS Class of 2011).
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St. Isidore School's Annual Christmas Boutique will be held Wednesday, December 4th!
All families are asked to
donate 24 of the same items
for this fun and festive event. Please wrap each item individually in a clear cellophane bag (so we can see the item) with a decorative ribbon. Each class will have an opportunity to come and shop for their family and friends in the Bensen Gym!
All Proceeds will go directly to our less fortunate sister schools.
Items are due on Tuesday, December 3rd!
Leadership students and volunteers will be collecting your items during
AM Carpool
or you can deliver the items directly to the Bensen Gym by 8:00 am. For more information on this event
,
click here
.
Student Raffle! Students will have an opportunity to purchase raffle tickets ($1) to win fun gingerbread themed prizes!
New Volunteer Opportunities just added,
click here
.
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Eat, drink, SHOP and be merry - tickets on sale now!
The Sip & Shop Holiday Market will be held Wednesday, December 4th from 5:30-9p.m. in the Cardelli Center. Ticket price (only $35) includes event entry, wine, champagne and food!
Click here
to purchase.
Volunteers needed!
Volunteers are needed to assist with decorations, set up and take down. Sign up to volunteer
here
.
New this year - Champagne Raffle
This year's event will feature a champagne raffle. Check the Wednesday envelope
on 11/20
for your chance to pre-purchase raffle tickets (you do not need to be present to win)
. Don't forget to
donate a bottle
of champagne, rose or sparkling wine for PEP hours!
Click here
to donate.
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The Knights of Columbus Toy Drive will be held on Friday, December 6th!
E
ach year, we partner with the Knights of Columbus in their annual Toy Drive. The toys, along with collected food items, are assembled into 500 baskets and donated to needy families throughout the Oakland Diocese. If you are able to donate, please have your child bring a wrapped toy (clearly labeled for a boy or a girl, and their age) to school on Friday morning, December 6th. The Knights will collect them from the students at the end of Mass. We invite you to join us for this wonderful Mass and experience the generosity of our community on Friday, December 6th, at 8:10 am.
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Annual Parish Christmas Breakfast:
On
Sunday, December 8th
, the KOC of SI are hosting their 41st Annual Parish Christmas Breakfast in the Msgr. Cardelli Activities Center from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This annual event is their way of saying thank you for supporting the Knights' programs throughout the year. This fun event brings the parish community together to celebrate Christmas.
Click here
for further information.
Mr. Ed InDelicato is asking for student volunteers to hold signs advertising the upcoming breakfast after 7:30, 9 and 10:30 Masses. Please contact him directly if you are able to help, 925-998-6876.
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The Annual School Christmas Concert will be held on Thursday, December 12th
at 7p.m!
We ask that students arrive to the Cardelli Gym
no later than 6:45 p.m. and be dressed in their “Christmas Best” (no jeans, tank tops, etc.).
We will have an open dress rehearsal during the day at 1 p.m. for those who would like to attend. This is a great option for grandparents and friends.
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Let's wear wacky Christmas socks on Wednesday, December 11th!
Students are invited to show their Christmas spirit by wearing wacky socks on 12/11. Cheers to holiday fun!
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Please join us for first grades annual Christmas Pageant!
This special SIS tradition will take place on Thursday, December 19th at the 8:10am all school Mass.
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Thank you to all our wonderful St. Isidore families who generously donated to Mind the Gap this year. We really appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity.
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If you are interested in becoming a School Sponsor for the 2019-2020 school year, please reach out to the sponsorship team at
sponsorship@stisidore.org
.
Click here
to view Sponsorship Opportunities.
Click here
for the Sponsorship Commitment Form.
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Sponsor Shout Out:
This week we would like to thank
State Farm Insurance agent, Stephanie Canessa
for her Copper Level donation and ongoing support of St. Isidore School. Stephanie can assist you with insurance for your home, auto, business, property, life or health. Please contact her for your insurance needs.
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Welcome Jung Family!
The Jung Family has lived In Danville for over 10 years. They have 2 kids, Zoe (6th-Williamson) and Zander (1st-Devine). Leonard is a Firefighter/Engineer as well as a tax aide volunteer through the AARP Foundation. Bheng is a RN and Certified Nutrition & Wellness Advisor who loves sharing the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The Jung's have a hamster named S’mores and 2 goldfish. The kids enjoy building and collecting rare LEGO pieces, playing at their homemade arcade and driving around their property racing power wheels.
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Baby Cummings has arrived!
Gina, Brett, Brayden (1st- Hutchinson) and Addison (TK) recently welcomed a new baby boy to their family, Bodhi! Baby Bodhi who came into the world weighing 7lbs, 8oz. is doing great. Congratulations Cummings Family, we are so happy for you all.
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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.
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We appreciate your thoughtfulness!
The following students are donating their 2016-2017 Girl Scout Cookie sales to SIS. The proceeds are much appreciated and will go towards purchasing benches. Thank you: Aimi-Marie Ellyson, Brianna Cooke, Carly Saunders, Caryss Green, Elise Tancreto, Julia Savarese, Kristina Eubanks, Leighland Tucker, London Spalasso, Maddie Roden, Madeline Murphy, Meghan Donnelly, Sadie Tripaldi and Samantha Pera.
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We are thankful for Mrs. Ward & Mr. Keane!
With tomorrow being Principal Appreciation Day it seems only fitting to give our Principal, Mrs. Ward and Vice Principal, Mr. Keane a shout out. We are grateful for their leadership and dedication to SIS.
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Lauren Rivera accepted to International Choral Festival in Vienna!
Lauren Rivera (SIS Class of 2017) is the first Carondelet student accepted in the High School Honors Choral Performance Series in Vienna, Austria! The selection board chooses a select number of students to represent the finest young performers internationally. Lauren will travel to Vienna and perform at the Musikverein in summer 2020. Way to go Lauren!
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Ellie Ospeck signs her letter of intent to play soccer at the University of Notre Dame!
Ellie (SIS Class of 2016) will be heading off in the fall to play soccer for the Irish. Ellie's sister, Erin also plays soccer for Notre Dame. Well done Ellie!
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St. Isidore Award! The winner will be announced at this year's school auction. You will receive a nomination form via email tomorrow.
Did you know you can earn PEP Hours by donating Scrip to the Auction? Check out the Wednesday envelope for more information!
Save the Date for the Dads' Dodgeball Night & Mother's Day Kickoff parties!
Dads' Dodgeball:
Thursday, April 2nd 6pm at Bensen Gym.
Tickets will be available for a special pre-sale price, only at Sip & Shop! Come by and visit the auction information table to purchase a ticket.
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Opportunities to Lend a Helping Hand
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Help those in our community!
For many years, SIS students have distributed food collection bags to the 650 homes in Whitegate/Bryan Ranch in support of the
Food Bank of Contra Costa County's
annual food drive. It's hard to believe, but 16% of your neighbors who live in Contra Costa County live below the poverty rate. Many of the challenges for hard-working low income families include the rising costs of housing, food, gas, medical care and other necessities. YOU CAN HELP and EARN COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS by distributing food collection bags on
Wednesday, 12/5/19
.
Click here
for details and response form, or email
Barb Hunt.
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Bay Area Crisis Nursery
annual event coming soon!
On January 18, 2020 the BACN will welcome over 350 guests from across the Bay Area to their 20th annual Crab Feed.
Click here
f
o
r more information.
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Games Unlimited
Battle of the Schools:
Earn points for your school every time you shop. The school with the most points at the end of the month wins $100 towards their Ed Fund. Please mention SIS during your holiday shopping.
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Are you heading out of town and hitting the road for the Thanksgiving break? If so, In-N-Out and Chipotle SCRIP are a must for you. A few Starbucks and Peet’s cards are great to have on hand for that trip away too! We know that our school families love Disneyland. Plan your visit to the happiest place on earth a little easier with our Disney $25 and $100 SCRIP cards. Movies are another wonderful way to enjoy family entertainment or a date night out. This time of year there is so much to see and if you have been waiting for the Frozen II out this weekend, order Regal and Cinemark SCRIP, and all you need is popcorn.
Due to Thanksgiving break there will be
NO Special Orders
this week. Thank you St. Isidore families for remembering those in need over the holidays. At Scrip, we support Loaves and Fishes through Soup Kitchen donations and St. Isidore Church's Adopt-A-Family Program. All donations no matter how big or small have made a difference in someone's life. Make it a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
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Volunteer Opportunities- Week A
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