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February 13th ~ Newsletter
One Community One Family
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Dear Christ the King Catholic School,
Lent is the 40-day journey of our Christian Catholic faith that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. We welcome the renewed Lenten aspects of prayer, fasting, reflection, reading sacred scripture, and changing anew. The ashes in the form of a cross symbolize the dust from which God has made us. As ashes are applied this day to a person’s forehead from our priests, clergy, and ministers, we hear, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust, you shall return.” Or alternatively, these words may be spoken, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
Such an awesome opportunity for inner dialogue, conversion of the heart, and following more faithfully in Christ’s footsteps. As we experience the transformative grace of Lent may we open our lives to the passion and resurrection of Christ -- especially during Holy Week.
With tremendous Easter hope that celebrates Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Easter is thus a symbolic reminder that Jesus has overcome death and sin. My prayer and hope are that this Lenten season and Easter be the most faithful, fruitful, and powerful ones for us all!
Looking forward to the Ash Wednesday mass tomorrow morning whereby we will celebrate as One Community and One Family and prepare for the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ our savior. Pope Francis expressed in his 2023 Lenten message, “Dear brothers and sisters, may the Holy Spirit inspire and sustain us this Lent in our ascent with Jesus, so that we may experience his divine splendor and thus, confirmed in the faith, persevere in our journey together with him, the glory of his people and light of the nations.”
Today, we pray and send compassion/healing grace to Father Paulson and his family for brother Jose who is hospitalized in Kerala, India. In addition, we are celebrating Valentine’s Day….a day early, out of respect for tomorrow’s holy day of obligation mass and the commencement of our Lenten journey. Further, Mrs. Sihler along with Mrs. Meyer and our third-grade class will be celebrating Mardi Gras this morning with our One Community One Family – with festive flair and joy leading our day. The parade will include beads, candy, and family/student-made decorative floats in Mardi Gras fashion, and so special to the legacy and traditions that Mrs. Sihler has cultivated at CTK; all these awesome years! 😀
Just as new life begins and surrounds us in nature, over our 40-day Lenten journey, may we not let go of God’s hand and realize the glorious hope of a resurrection Easter that awaits us all.
Abundant blessings as we enter this special sacred liturgical season. May new life surround us as we grow in Christ’s light and change anew,
Mr. Joseph M. Silveira Ed.D.
Principal
Christ the King Catholic School
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Dear Heavenly Father, we are about to enter the Lenten season. Please help us to see the bigger picture in our lives. Lead us in the direction to help one another, to listen and to actually hear each other. Please hear the intentions in our hearts.
We pray for Fr. Paulson's brother Jose in Kerala India. Jose is in critical care, we lift him up in prayer. We pray for Zachary Gile's (Class of 2020) father Honesto Gile who has gone to Heaven.
If you have special intentions please email Mrs. Meran here so we can include them in our next newsletter.
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Wednesday, February 14 - 8:00am Ash Wednesday Mass (Student Leadership prepares) Dress Uniform, 2:15pm Dismissal
Thursday, February 15 - HL -Orange Chicken & White Rice
Friday, February 16 - 8:00am Liturgy Grades K - 8 (8th Grade prepares), Dress Uniform, 12:00pm Noon Dismissal
Monday, February 19 - President's Day, School Holiday
Tuesday, February 20 - 7:00pm Social Media Safety Parent Night (Grades 4 -8)
Wednesday, February 21 - CTK Spirit Wear, Ice Cream Sales Grades 1 - 8, Vision Testing Grades K, 2, 5 & 8, 2:15pm Dismissal
Thursday, February 22 - HL - Chicken Tacos
Friday, February 23 - 8:00am Liturgy Grades K - 8 (7th Grade prepares), 7:00pm 8th Grade Dance at CTK
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2024-2025 Pre-Registration | |
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The 2024-2025 school year is right around the corner! Please click here to fill out our google form for next year. Please enter your students name(s) and grade(s) for the 2024-2025 school year. The form is due by February 23rd. Don't wait to secure your spot!
We hope to have everyone back to continue making CTK the school that it is. Our families are the best and we look forward to what the future holds!
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We are looking for 3 volunteers to help on Wednesday February 21st from 8:00am - 12:00pm. Volunteers will be helping grades K, 2, 5 & 8 during the vision exams.
Please contact Mrs. Makhoul here for more information
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Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped make the 7th grade Valentine's Dance a success! Our wonderful parents planned decorations, purchased snacks, helped set up the gym, and stayed late to clean up afterwards. Special thanks to Eileen Brinker, Whitney Scotto, Alyssa Scotto, Hunter Gilliam, Anthony Scotto, Larry Nuti, and Jamie Ebding for their help with these tasks. Additional thanks to Coach Doc, Jeanne Bucci, Katie Thornbury, and Joe & Merrilee Silveira for chaperoning. The students had a great time, and we couldn't have done it without you!
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Please arrive at 7:40am
tomorrow for our Ash Wednesday mass.
We also have choir practice tomorrow,
Wednesday February 14th - 2:20pm-3:00pm.
Practice videos for Wednesday, February 14th mass are here
Practice videos for Friday, February 16th mass are here
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There are just three more weeks until this year's Walk-a-Jog-a-Thon fundraiser - Tuesday, March 5th! This year we will be raising funds for Camp Caritas and to help make classroom improvements!
Both online and in-person pledges will begin next Tuesday, February 20th. Your child's pledge envelope and prize selections will be in next week's Family Envelope and the link to the online giving will be provided. The pledge envelope will be due on WAJAT day, so this gives the kids two full weeks to get sponsors! And remember, all donations are tax-deductible! Do you work for a corporation that matches fundraising dollars? If so, now is the best time to request their support. It is a great way to increase your student's fundraising efforts and help support our school.
Please contact Ryann Day ryann.k.day@gmail.com if you have any questions.
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CTK’s Father Daughter Dance is coming up on Saturday, March 9th. We hope that you can join us as we roll out the red carpet for a night in Hollywood! For the invitation and to purchase tickets, click here.
We can’t wait to celebrate with all of the fathers and daughters of CTK!
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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.
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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.
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Congratulations CTK!
We had 8 students participate and 8 students place in the top of their respective disciplines!
6th Grade
Maxine Graham & Ellen Oliver: 3rd place (Biological Science)
Carson Cote & Nathan Patania: 1st place (Behavioral & Social Sciences)
7th Grade
Tea Nuti: 3rd place (Behavioral & Social Sciences)
Iris Wesley: 2nd place (Environmental Science)
8th Grade
Colette Sawyer: Honorable Mention (Physical Science)
Mateo Makhoul: 1st place (Environmental Science)
Keep up the great work!
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Our CTK CYO teams had a strong showing in league playoffs this past week! We had SIX of our girls teams - 4GA, 5GA, 6GA, 7GA, 7GN, 8GA - and FIVE of our boys teams - 4BN1, 5BA, 5BN2, 7BA, 7BN2 - advance to championship games. Our 5GA earned a silver bracket championship and 7GA and 8GA both were gold bracket runners up! Our 4BN1 and 5BN2 teams won silver bracket championships while our 5BA and 7BA teams are league champions and will advance to diocesan playoffs next week! Congratulations on a great season to ALL of our players and coaches!! Thank you to all who came out to support our Crusaders!
Let’s go CTK!!!!
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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.
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During Lent our community will participate in CRS Rice Bowl, a faith-in-action program that invites us to reflect on the challenges of global hunger and our responsibility to respond to the needs of our global human family. Click here for more great information and ideas! Rice Bowls will be going home today in the family envelopes.
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Hot Lunch & Ice Cream Tickets | |
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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
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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
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2024-2025 School Year Calendar Update | |
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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!
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Tuition Assistance Program 2024-2025 | |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 todayTickets and sponsorship information can be found here and any questions, please contact cyo@ctkph.org.
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CTK VOLLEYBALL: REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Open to CTK school girls in 6th, 7th and 8th grade. If interested, complete the three registration forms listed below along with a $40 check made out to CTK. If your daughter is new to volleyball this year or needs a new jersey, please add $25 to your check and write your jersey size on the top of the registration form.
Parental Permission/Medical
Code of Conduct
Concussion Information
Please return the registration forms and payment labeled volleyball to the office no later than Friday, February 23rd.
If you have any questions, please contact
Carrie Rohrer at rohrer.carrie@gmail.com.
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RaiseRight has several deals and increased rebates going on right now for your Spring Break plans! Many restaurants, travel and hotel vendors are offering extra rewards. Go to RaiseRight.com to look around. Happy shopping!
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We will no longer be carrying gift cards for Rooted or Batter 'N Icing. We still have a few of each left if you would like to purchase while supplies last.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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Attention Parents and Grandparents of children in Kindergarten through Fourth Grade:
Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) is back!
Twice a month, starting on March 10, your children will have the opportunity to join other children in a special Children's Liturgy. Children will listen to the readings of the day in an interactive, child-friendly way so they can better understand God's Word and strengthen their faith.
CLOW details
Time: Sundays at 9:00am Mass
March Dates: March 10, March 17
No registration necessary. Children will be called forward at the start of mass, and will return to the church to present the Gifts and sit near the Altar during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. They will return to their families during Peace be with You. CLOW is optional, children may participate if they'd like, or remain with their families throughout mass in the church.
Are you interested in helping with CLOW? Live Scan and Veritas Training is required for all volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering or for any other questions please contact Heidi Nuti at hnuti@ctkschool.org.
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CTK Parish Constant Contact: Click here to view the
February 7th parish news.
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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.
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