Dear Christ the King Catholic School Community,

Thank you all for attending Catholic Schools Week Mass and our Open House on Sunday.  Thank you for your support and positive feedback as the day was filled with great energy, positivity, and awesome intentions of the heart.  Incredibly proud of our pastor/faculty/staff/students for such an amazing mass and great lessons/projects/artwork being displayed in our classrooms.

It was a pleasure to see our parents, grandparents, students, and faculty/staff interact with each other and prospective students and families.  This week we have wonderful events planned surrounding the celebration of Catholic Schools Week; including new family applicants visiting our classrooms/campus this Thursday.  

Gratefully and humbly, there is high interest in joining our school in general, and I look forward to interviewing kindergarten parents commencing this  Friday and extending to Monday through Wednesday of next week.  

So many fun events planned this week, that is located in this week’s newsletter, as we celebrate our school community and our Catholicity as One Community One Family.  We will end our week with Father Paulson and first grade leading us in a special mass with Saint Blaise’s blessing of our throats.  

In closing, Pope John Paul II stated this about Catholic education, “The mission of the Catholic school is the integral formation of students, so that they may be true to their condition as Christ’s disciples and as such work effectively for the evangelization of culture and the common good of society. Catholic education aims not only to communicate facts but also to transmit a coherent, comprehensive vision of life, in the conviction that the truths contained in that vision liberate students in the most profound meaning of human freedom.”

Abundant blessings and much promise and hope,

Mr. Silveira Ed.D.

Principal 

Christ the King Catholic School

You can RSVP to Fr. Paulson's Birthday Celebration by Clicking Here

Heavenly

 Father,

You sent forth your Son as a beacon of hope for all people.

As a Teacher, He has given us the prime example of the importance of education.

As disciples, we look to Him for inspiration and strength.

Thank you for the many sisters, brothers, priests, and laypeople 

who have dedicated their lives in service to our Catholic schools.

Thank you for the teachers and administrators who sustain our schools today.

Thank you for the parents who have given support and witness 

to the importance of Catholic education in their daily lives.

Thank you for the students who work hard to further their education.

Bless our Catholic schools and the many people who advance our mission.

May our buildings be homes for those who seek to grow in faith, knowledge, and service of others.

May our school communities always support one another and exhibit hospitality to newcomers.

Fill our minds with knowledge and wisdom.

May our understanding of the world help us to grow in appreciation for it.

Fill our hearts with gladness.

May we always turn to you in times of need.

Fill our hands with the tools we need to serve others.

May we show them your unceasing love through our actions.

Amen

Dear Heavenly Father, we are thankful for all of the blessings You have provided to our CTK community. Please continue to guide us on Your path, to trust in You and see the world as You created it. Please hear the intentions in our hearts.



 If you have special intentions please email Mrs. Meran here so we can include them in our next newsletter.

Wednesday, January 31- Catholic Schools Week, Jersey Day, Ice Cream Sales Grades 1 - 8, 2:15pm Dismissal

Thursday, February 1 - Catholic Schools Week, Silly Socks with Dress Uniform, 8:15am Open House / School Tours, HL - BCR's, 7:00pm Parent Sacrament Meeting, 2024-2025 Applications Due

Friday, February 2 - 8:00am Liturgy Grades K - 8 (Grade 1 prepares) Dress Uniform with Divine Mercy Rosary Bracelet, 6th Grade Field Trip, Kindergarten Sibling Interviews

Monday, February 5 - Kindergarten Interviews

Tuesday, February 6 - Kindergarten Interviews

Wednesday, February 7 - CTK Spirit Wear, Kindergarten Interviews, 12:00pm Noon Dismissal

Thursday, February 8 - HL - Pizza

Friday, February 9 - 8:00am Liturgy Grades K - 8 (Kindergarten prepares), Dress Uniform, 7th Grade Dance 7:00pm at CTK

A big thank you goes out to all choir members who participated in the Catholic School’s Week mass on Sunday - and especially to our cantor, Iris Wesley, for her beautiful singing. 

We have choir practice this 

Wednesday January 31st from

2:20pm-3:00pm.

Please arrive at 7:40am on Friday to warm up for mass.

Links to this Friday’s music are here

Due to February 14th being Ash Wednesday this year, we will be celebrating Valentine's day on February 13th. All class parties will be on the 13th. To help in the celebration students can wear red, white or pink with free dress!

Thank you to all the parent volunteers that help make this day fun and special for our students.

Attention parents of 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders:

We are excited to announce that once again students in 5th grade and Middle School will prepare and present speeches for our 12th Annual Speech Competition. Students will receive instructions during class, and will have time during class as well as at home to prepare and practice. Speeches will be presented live in front of individual classes, and judges will select three finalists from each grade, who will then present at the Speech Showcase in March. This year’s topic is:

The Bible says, “Remember your leaders…think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith” (Hebrews 13:7). God has provided us with so many role models to help guide us as we climb towards His kingdom. Take some time to think about what important lessons you have learned from people you look up to.

Who is a hero in your life, someone you admire or someone who has had a positive influence on you? What have you learned from this person, and why are they important to you?

If you have any questions, please contact your child’s homeroom or ELA teacher, or Speech Competition coordinators, Katie Thornbury at kthornbury@ctkschool.org or Heidi Nuti at hnuti@ctkschool.org.

Thank you to all of the 4th grade parents that volunteered to help with the Missions. They all look incredible. Great job 4th grade.

Congratulations

to our Science Fair Winners!

6th Grade

1st Place - Carson Cote &

Nathan Patania

2nd Place - Maxine Graham &

Ellen Oliver

3rd Place - Analise Ortega &

Ruby Roberts

7th Grade

1st Place - Tea Nuti

2nd Place - Weston Demeyere

3rd Place - Iris Wesley

8th Grade

1st Place Tie - Mateo Makhoul & Colette Sawyer

3rd Place - Brooklyn Hall &

Madeline Mullane

Thank you to everyone that came and made our Science Fair a great event! We would like to extend a special thank you to our judges:



Juan Duque de Estrada

Steve Ladrech

Spencer Shively

Erika Batista

Joe Silveira

Katie Thornbury

Parents of students in grades 4-8 are invited to attend a presentation about how to keep our children safe online. On Tuesday, February 20th at 7:00pm. CTK parent and Contra Costa DA Inspector Darryl Holcombe will share information about the dangers of social media and other concerning trends law enforcement officials are confronting.

Topics will include: protecting your child’s identity and reputation, cyberbullying, sexting, the misuse of AI, tools for monitoring your child's online activity, and steps you can take right now to limit your child’s exposure and risk. 

Join us: 

Tuesday, February 20th, 7:00pm-8:00pm

CTK Church (this is an in-person event)

Please note, this event is for parents only. Please do not bring children. Students in grades 6-8 will receive an age-appropriate presentation about similar topics later this spring.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!



We need volunteers to help with Choice Lunch. This is a great way to get your service hours and earn credit for free lunches with Choice Lunch.

If you are interested in volunteering for

Choice Lunch

please click here to sign up.

As a friendly reminder please check your supply of hot lunch and ice cream tickets before your child needs them. Tickets can be purchased through the family envelope and will be sent home with your child. We understand that sometimes tickets will need to be purchased in the office but please use the family envelope as your first option. When purchasing tickets please make sure you have the proper form filled out. Please do not send your child to the office with money and not a form.

Hot lunch ticket form is here

Milk & ice cream form is here

It’s officially time to start ordering your CTK 23-24 yearbooks!

All those precious memories captured in one keepsake to treasure.

Order yours by visiting the site below and entering our school code.



If this is your first time accessing the site, you’ll need to register first.

Click here to order

School Code: 214115M

Price: $20.00

Last Day to Order: 4/1/24

We are looking forward to meeting the Class of 2033 and all those interested in the upcoming school year! Applications are now available here and on the school website at ctkschool.org. Please note this is for students that are new to CTK only. Our current students re-registration will be coming in the spring.

Applications are due by February 1st and

Kindergarten interviews begin this Friday!

Our community is strong and

we look forward to sharing our traditions with new families.

The school calendar has now been updated with important dates

for the 2024-2025 school year! 

Please note that parents (and students for grades 4-8) are required to attend conferences with their students' homeroom teachers in person, on campus on either 10/10/24 or 10/11/24. Teachers dedicate these two days to meet with parents and they work very hard to provide useful insights about students' progress, so we kindly ask that all families schedule weekend travel plans to begin after their conferences.

Please click here for our school calendar.

Thank you so much for your support!

Christ the King Tuition Assistance Program

Diocesan and School financial aid programs may be available for families who qualify. While the primary responsibility for financing a student's Catholic education rests with the student's family, Christ the King Catholic School will make every effort to see that no child is denied access to a Catholic education based solely on lack of funds to pay tuition.

There are three types of Tuition Assistance available to Christ the King families: BASIC, FACE, and the CTK Children’s Fund. 

• BASIC (Bay Area Scholastic Inner City) is an outside source available to all new students in Grades K-8 whose families qualify for the free/reduced hot lunch program and/or meet the income criteria set by Basic Fund. The Basic Fund application income criteria guidelines are strictly adhered to. Applications are available online only at How to apply for BASIC and must be filed by March 31, 2024.

• Diocese of Oakland FACE (Family Aid for Catholic Education) Grant is a Diocesan sponsored tuition assistance program available to all qualifying families requesting financial aid. A FACTS application is required (see below) and is due no later than March 31, 2024.  The FACE Financial Aid Timeline for 2024-2025 school year can be found here.  FACE qualifications are here.

• The CTK Children’s Fund is tuition assistance sponsored by Christ the King Catholic School and is primarily available to students currently attending Christ the King. A FACTS application is required (see below) is due no later than March 31, 2024.

FACTS application instructions: FACTS applications are available online only here:

FACTS Application. Applicants must check the box for FACE under “Other Organizations”. Applications must include a copy of the family's most recent federal income tax return in order to verify the family's financial status and are due no later than March 31, 2024. Application instructions can be viewed here: Application Instructions. For more information please read the FACTS flyer here.

To equitably distribute the available CTK Children’s Funds, it is important that the Principal and Pastor have adequate information. Therefore, the school requires documentation of family financial resources in order to make determinations on applications for these funds. In addition to a family's financial resources, the Principal and Pastor will consider any other relevant family circumstances in making determinations on applications.

The amount of assistance awarded will vary from family to family and will depend upon the family's financial status, the family's particular circumstances and the amount of money the school has available for tuition assistance in a given year. Christ the King School will not discriminate in the administration of its Tuition Assistance Program on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or age in violation of existing state or federal laws or regulations.

All information regarding applications for Tuition Assistance will be held in strictest confidence by the Principal and Pastor. Parents are also expected to keep confidential the amount of any Tuition Assistance award that is given. Families will be notified of the determination made by the Principal on their request for a tuition grant, including the amount of any award for the upcoming school year by May 30, 2024.

Don’t miss out on a CYO favorite! Secure your tickets today for our annual CTK CYO Crab Feed on Saturday, March 2! We will have delicious crab courtesy of Fa Get About It Catering, dancing, raffle prizes and more! Registration is now open - secure your tickets today at our early bird prices until January 31! Tickets and sponsorship information can be found here and any questions, please contact cyo@ctkph.org. 

2024 Basketball Free Throw/Competition

Sunday, February 4th in the

Christ the King Gym-7:30am-11:30am

No fee or pre-registration required.

Registration forms will be available on the day of the event. 



Girls and boys ages 9 to 14 are invited to participate in the 

Free-throw competition. Questions? Contact

Roberto Bracamontes rbracamontes@mac.com

Prizes for this competition donated by Nadine Masarweh, 

Realtor with Compass Realty 

www.compass.com/agents/nadine-masarweh/

Calling all 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade girls…

volleyball season is right around the corner! 

This is a great opportunity to play a sport with your classmates. Practices will begin late February/early March. Keep your eye out for registration details coming next week in the newsletter!

If you have any questions,

please contact Carrie Rohrer at rohrer.carrie@gmail.com.

Valentine's bonuses start now at RaiseRight!

Several vendors have increased bonuses from now through February 9th. Visit www.RaiseRight.com now to purchase gift cards and earn towards your fundraising goals. There is a special Valentine's day section to shop on the top banner of the website. 

_______________________________________________

If you are shopping for REI gift cards on RaiseRight, please note that there are two options. There is a REI Co-Op vendor for 8% rebate and now there is a REI (local) vendor for 10% rebate. Make sure you are choosing the local vendor so that you get the biggest rebate. Happy shopping!

Did you know that our school is enrolled in the BoxTops program? You can download the BoxTops app, scan your receipts and our school receives a portion of profits twice a year.  our school ID is 197834

Click here to sign up. 

Thank you to everyone that has signed up to help our teachers and school! Your time and commitments help us to have the best school year possible. 

When you are finished with your volunteer service, remember to fill out the google form that records your Family Service Hours. You can find the form here. This form can be completed after each volunteer opportunity or your earliest convenience so that your hours are recorded and not forgotten! 

Please complete the form here if you are requesting reimbursement for school activities (for example, PTG events). After requests are reviewed and approved, your reimbursement will be ready within 7-10 business days. 

CTK Parish Constant Contact: Click here to view the January 24th parish news.

CHILDREN'S STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Are you a 2nd through 8th grader who is looking for a way to grow in your faith this Lenten season? Participate in the parish Stations of the Cross!

When: Friday, March 8, 2024

Time: 6:30pm

Where: CTK Church

Who: 2nd - 8th grade boys and girls

How: read or sing

Please contact Lynn Guidi at lynnoguidi@gmail.com to sign up and for more information.

Deadline to sign up is Monday, February 26th. 

Partners in Faith January Issue: Click here

Parent Student Handbook: Click here

Hot Lunch Ticket Order Form: Click here

Milk & Ice Cream Ticket Order Form: Click Here

School Supply List Grades K-8: Click Here

Club Registration Form: Click Here

Walk to School Form: Click here

Student Medication Form: Click here

Virtus Safe Environment Training: Click here to access the online training site and click here for instructions.

Diocese of Oakland Volunteer Application form: Click here

TB Assessment Form: Click Here

CTK Parish Prayer Line: Please email prayer requests to Rosa Grand via prayerline@ctkph.org.