A MESSAGE FROM SR. PRINCIPAL, MR. TOLZDA | |
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Dear St. Serra Parents,
As you are aware, registration for the 2023-24 school year has begun. It is hard to believe that this school year is flying by! This time of year calls to mind how every parent wants what is best for their children, and for them to be prepared as they go out into the world to seek their own fortunes. We have many families inquiring about St. Serra for the upcoming school year and I am often asked questions such as, “What makes St. Serra so special? Why do so many parents want their children to attend our school and remain at our school? What makes our school different?” The answers to those questions depend on who you ask, as there are many and various responses.
Personally, I believe that St. Serra is special and our students are excelling on a daily basis because we offer a Christ-centered foundation that resonates in many different ways throughout the year. Gospel readings every morning, the ways in which our staff interacts with and cares for our children on a daily basis, and our partnership with parents to build a strong school community that supports the students and staff; all of these and more demonstrate what separates us from other schools. We are a school that offers a safe and nurturing environment for children to learn and grow. We are a school that provides an academic foundation of excellence and challenges our children to be the very best they can be. We are a school that believes every single child and family is equally important! We are a school with strong convictions and support from our parents to ensure that all St. Serra students receive the best educational experience possible. The list could go on and on.
I know - and am extremely pleased - that our families are proud of our school. Of course like all schools, we have our challenges too. We do not back down from our challenges or sweep them under the proverbial rug. Rather, we look for ways to resolve and grow from them. One of the best Bible verses about challenges comes from the moment Joshua took over for Moses in leading the Israelites to the Promised Land. With enemies bearing down on them and unknown challenges lying ahead, God tells them to be strong and courageous because He will be with them through it all:
Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
It can be difficult, challenging, and even scary raising children and preparing them for their lifelong journey. Take comfort in that “the Lord your God will be with [them] wherever [they] go.”
Always striving,
Tim Tolzda
Sr. Principal
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TODAY: SUNDAY, January 22
Seasons Tuition Assistance Luncheon
12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
St. Serra Student Activity Center
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MONDAY,
January 23
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
Formal Uniform Dress required for students in Grades TK-8
Last Day to Order Chick-fil-A for Friday, January 27
ORDER NOW
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TUESDAY,
January 24
Spring Musical Auditions after school in the Middle School Creativity Lab
APPLICATION
Parent Education Series presents, "The Battleground: Parents Versus Children"
6:00 p.m. in the Student Activity Center
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WEDNESDAY,
January 25
Minimum Day Dismissal
Preschool-2nd at 11:30 a.m. 3rd-8th at 12:10 p.m.
St. Serra's Got Talent Auditions
12:15 to 1:00 p.m. in Room 8B
SIGN UP
Spring Musical Auditions after school in the Middle School Creativity Lab
APPLICATION
Family FUNraiser at Round Table Pizza in RSM
FLYER
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FRIDAY,
January 27
SPIRIT SHIRT DAY - Wear your 2022-23 spirit shirt with uniform bottoms
St. Serra FUNlunch:
Chick-fil-A!
Preorders only. No Choicelunch service.
Last Day to Pre-Purchase Father Daughter Dance Tickets
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WEEKLY UPDATES BY GRADE LEVEL | |
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Adoration Monday
Our Preschool through Eighth grade students will be participating in Eucharistic Adoration on Monday, January 23, in our St. Serra Chapel. Our School Chaplain, Fr. Jim Dunning, will lead a prayer service where the Eucharist is displayed for Adoration. All students in grades Transitional Kindergarten through Eighth Grade are to wear their formal uniform; students in Preschool are encouraged to wear their formal uniform if they have one.
Parents are invited to participate in Eucharistic Adoration. Please check in with the School Office and then proceed to the Chapel. Please enter the Chapel reverently and sit in an available seat. The students will be sitting towards the front of the Chapel.
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THIS TUESDAY
The Battleground: Parents Versus Children
Please join us for our next Parent Education Series presentation, featuring speaker Charise Casiano, MS. This informative discussion will focus on parenting styles and what it means to hold our families accountable, and explore positive and constructive boundaries and consequences. Parents may earn two (2) volunteer service hours for attending!
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
6:00 p.m.
Student Activity Center
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Update to Extended Care Pick-Up Procedures to begin January 30
Effective Monday, January 30, the school will be implementing the use of the FACTS Child Care Pick Up Kiosk in order to ensure that only the properly authorized individuals are picking up a student.
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Spring Musical - Last Call for Audition Applications
Moana Jr. auditions are on Tuesday and Wednesday this week; all cast members must submit an AUDITION APPLICATION in order to participate. Students in grades 1-8 are invited to audition! Please click the Google Drive link below for all information related to the Spring Musical.
Email questions to jsifers@serraschool.org.
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Join Us for SERRAbrate Open House - Sunday, January 29
We encourage our St. Serra families to attend Mass at one of our four parishes on this day. Following Mass, we invite the whole family to join us at Open House and "SERRAbrate" our amazing Catholic school! Please have your St. Serra students wear their formal school uniform to both Mass and Open House. We look forward to seeing you!
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Celebrate Catholic Schools Week, January 29 - February 4
St. Serra Student Council is proud to present Celebrate Catholic Schools Week: St. Junipero Catholic “The Greatest School on Earth!” Join us by participating in the daily dress-up themes, activities, and prayerful reflections. Students are required to wear uniform bottoms on the days they dress up and/or accessorize according to the theme of the day (see Event Flyer). Please note that students are not permitted to simply wear free dress these days, and all attire must comply with the St. Serra guidelines for dress code.
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St. Serra's Got Talent
Do you have a special skill, God-given gift, or unique talent? Auditions for “St. Serra’s Got Talent” will take place on Wednesday, January 25, from 12:15 to 1:00 p.m., in Ms. Hubert’s classroom (8B). A select number of participants will be chosen to showcase their amazing abilities during the Catholic Schools Week Pep Rally on February 2. For more information, click on the "Sign Up" link below.
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LAST CALL: Chick-fil-A FUNlunch Orders
Our next Chick-fil-A FUNlunch is this Friday, January 27. Online ordering will close tomorrow, Monday, January 23, at 11:45 p.m. Click the link below to place your order(s).
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Sign Up for Choicelunch!
Sign up for Choicelunch and start the new year by making school lunch one less worry. They offer up to 16 entrées daily - something for even the choosiest eaters. Choose an entrée, sides, drinks, and fruits/veggies to customize your lunch order from any device at your convenience. VIEW FLYER
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St. Serra Spotlight
Get to know our St. Serra Faculty and Staff! This week, our spotlight brings you Mrs. Tania Alvarado, Instructional Assistant in First Grade. Click the link below to read more about Mrs. Alvarado!
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2023-24 School Year Registration for Current Families
To ensure priority enrollment, all currently enrolled, TK - Grade 7 families are required to complete 2023-2024 Registration (1 per student) in FACTS. This will secure your spot for the 2023-24 school year. This priority enrollment period for our current families is from January 2, 2023 through February 3, 2023. After this period, St. Serra will begin accepting new applicants for any unsecured spots in each grade level. Preschool families...
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Teacher and Staff Appreciation
Please have your student(s) bring yellow flowers to school on Thursday, February 2. To ensure each of our teachers and staff receive flowers, please do not deliver directly to a specific teacher/staff; rather, instruct your child(ren) to bring their yellow flower donations to the PEB lunch tables during morning drop off. Volunteers will be at the lunch tables to collect the flowers from students and create bouquets for all of our teachers and staff.
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Meet Speechologie and Alissa Suski, M.A. CCC-SLP
We are excited to welcome Ms. Suski, St. Serra's new Speech-Language Pathologist! Click the link below to read more about services offered and areas of focus.
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Rebate (SCRIP) News
Ralph’s shoppers: The last day to submit Ralph’s rebates for the quarter ending November 30, 2022 is this Friday, January 27, 2023. CLICK HERE for instructions.
Treat someone special for Valentine’s or just because! Local Vendor orders (Hanna’s, Handel’s and Tutto Fresco) for February can be ordered anytime until 7:30 a.m. on Monday, February 6, 2023 and will be delivered by Thursday, February 9, 2023.
Questions? Contact rebate@serraschool.org
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The Bear Den Spirit Store
If you are looking for student and parent spirit wear, look no further than the Uniforms4U storefront in San Juan Capistrano! Uniforms4U has sweatshirts, shirts, hats and more! Check them out online and in person!
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2023 Winter Sports Photos
Boys and Girls Lacrosse and Basketball photos (team and individual portraits) will be taken by Simonson Photography the following days:
Tuesday, January 31: Grades 5-6
Wednesday, February 1: Grades 7-8
Read the full article for additional details and to access the order form for prints.
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2023 Water Awareness Poster Contest
Presented by the Municipal Water District of Orange County, the poster contest is a wonderful opportunity for children and young adults to learn about the importance of water, and express their ideas through art. It is open to all Orange County students, and the grand prize is an iPad Mini. Click the link below for full contest details.
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Code of Conduct Reminder - Dress Codes
We have seen a recent increase in infractions in the following areas:
- Hair length (boys): "Hair cannot touch the eyes, go over the ears, or touch the top of the collar
- Shoes: "extreme or faddish shoes are not permitted, including but not limited to boots, slippers, sandals, shoes with rollers/wheels on the bottom, high heeled shoes and platform shoes"
- Non-uniform sweatshirts (must be a St. Serra sweatshirt)
Please help your children ensure that they are dressing and grooming appropriately for school. Teachers will remind students, and yellow cards will be issued after an initial warning. To view the full dress code policy, see pages 22-23 in the PARENT STUDENT HANDBOOK.
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TODAY: Seasons 10th Anniversary Tuition Assistance Luncheon
A huge thank you to everyone who pre-purchased Travel Raffle and Opportunity Basket tickets! Your generosity directly supports those St. Serra students in need of assistance and ensures that they may continue their Catholic education!
If you are not attending the SEASONS Tuition Assistance Luncheon today and did not have the chance to pre-purchase raffle tickets, it's not too late to support this event. Please consider making a gift to Support a Student!
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Anchor Ball 2023
Help us make this Denim & Diamonds-filled event our Biggest, Best and Most Profitable year yet to benefit our Serra Bears!
Top Three Ways to Make an Impact:
1. DONATE an over-the-top amazing item or experience for our live or silent auction
2. Purchase SCRIP with convenient online shopping and note on your order "deliver to Anchor Ball"
3. Jump on the SPONSORSHIP saddle! Get your name featured while making a difference!
Follow us for all of the rootin’ tootin’ good time details: @serraanchorball
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Saturday, February 4, 2023
6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
St. Serra Student Activity Center
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Final Week to Pre-Register for Father Daughter Dance 2023
Daughters and dads/father figures...join us for a wonderful night of dancing, exciting OPPORTUNITY RAFFLES, and delicious treats! Registration closes on January 27 at 3:00 p.m., after which walk-up registrations will be accepted at the event for $55 per dad/daughter couple. NOTE: The QR code previously published is incorrect - please use the link below to register.
UPLOAD PHOTOS of St. Serra girls with their dads! VOLUNTEER at the event!
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The Scholastic Book Fair is Here!
The Scholastic Book Fair opens this week! There’s something for everyone - adventure, sci-fi, best-selling, and even “laugh-out-loud” stories. Find one book, or find ten! If you haven’t turned in your envelope yet, please remember to bring it on the day your class is scheduled to shop (see SHOPPING SCHEDULE).
Everyone is invited to our Scholastic Book Fair Family Event during the St. Serra’s Open House on Sunday, January 29.
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Don't Forget to put the 'FUN' in FUNraiser!
Our next St. Serra Family FUNraiser is this week, on Wednesday, January 25, at Round Table Pizza in RSM.
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Moms and Margaritas: Thursday, February 23
Why wait until Cinco de Mayo to have some margaritas with fellow moms? Come enjoy a fun evening while supporting our amazing school! All drinks and festive food will be provided. Grab your girlfriends or come and meet some new moms for this special night that’s always a good time! Festivities will be from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in Coto de Caza*. Tickets are $50 per person. *Event address will be provided with your registration confirmation.
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Mater Dei Honor Choir
Mater Dei is inviting St. Serra students to join their Honor Choir! Rehearsals will take place in February and March, and the concert will be held on March 21 at Segerstrom. Click the link below for more details!
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Servite High School News
Check out the most recent news for Servite Admissions, including Servite High School's Information Night on January 24, and the Trinitas Arts Conservatory's production of The Importance of Being Earnest. CLICK HERE for more information.
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DIOCESAN AND LOCAL PARISH NEWS | |
National Eucharistic Revival
The Bishops of the United States are calling for a three-year grassroots revival of devotion and belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival aims to be a movement that renews the Church by enkindling a living relationship with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. READ MORE
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