November 2008

Dear Parents and Families,

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving this month, it seems like a good time to express our thanks for the many graces and blessings God has bestowed on the students, parents, faculty and staff of Corpus Christi. His blessings are all around us everyday in everything we do. What we do with the children everyday is evidence of this. It is an illustration of how teachers, parents and children working together can create an environment that allows for a student’s growth both academically and spiritually.

Thank you Connie Mason and all your helpers for chairing our clothing drive. It was a huge success with the final result of 3 trucks full of clothing and a check for $2000.00 sent to the school. Thank you all for participating in this effort .

November began with the Feast of All Saints, a time when we expressed our gratitude for all of those people who have brought God’s love and presence into our lives. Our Third graders gave us a wonderful presentation of this in their Saints’ procession last Monday. Miss Lemaire and Mrs. Paladino did an outstanding job preparing the children.

Mrs. Kelly and her 8th grade Social Studies classes made the whole school sit up and take notice about what Election Day was all about. From Voter registration right up to casting those votes, the entire student body was abuzz with “election talk”. Even after the election was over, the students were still mapping votes, coloring elephants and donkeys and interpreting the results. All the Social Studies teachers in the school joined in and brought the lesson home in their classrooms. The third grade watched an Election podcast on our new smart board. The Early Childhood center had a real election booth that the PreK children were allowed to cast their votes in. For those of you who didn’t get the school results, District 1 (the Big School) voted Obama 144/McCain140; District 2 (Early Childhood) voted McCain 28/Obama18. Total tally brought McCain in as the winner 168/162.

The National Junior Honor Society celebrates its 2008-2009 Induction of officers tonight, Wednesday the 5th, at 6:30 pm in the Chapel. Our chapter of the NJHS has been in action for the past 3 years. Mrs. Ocello as moderator helps the students choose various projects throughout the year to reinforce the qualities of character, leadership, scholarship, service and citizenship. Students may apply for membership in the society from Grade 7 on. We are happy to say that our charter has been renewed again for another school year.

Take a look this week in the Junior High hallway. The 8th graders have put up a Wall of Honor in observance of Veteran’s Day. All of the children in school were given stars to take home and, with their families, think of the name(s) of a veteran to be placed on the star and then hung on the wall for November 11. We will also be dressing in Red, White and Blue on the 11th in observance of Veterans’ Day.

Keep the 8th graders in your prayers as they take the COOP exam this Friday, an important step in the process of their high school entrance.

Parent Teacher conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, November 12. This will give you the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with his or her teachers. If you have a particular area of concern, please be sure to make a note of it and talk about it with the teacher.

At our Home School meeting this month on Wednesday, November 19th , we will have the School Financial report along with a “Shop ‘til You Drop” night. This will give some of our school parents an opportunity to sell their goods as well as everyone else an opportunity to do a little Christmas shopping.

We all know Christmas is coming, probably quicker than we care to admit. Look for the Parish Giving Trees in the lobby of the Chapel and at the rear of the Church on the first Sunday of Advent, November 30th. The Blue and Gold Club and 8th graders label, tie, and decorate all of the ornaments on the trees. Choose an ornament and return it with the gift designated on the label. The 8th graders help organize the gifts so they can be distributed to where they are needed.

December is on its way with many more surprises and events. Please keep your calendar handy. A few reminders for you:

*All students should be wearing the winter uniform now.

*Be sure to have your child’s lunch money in envelopes to be collected first thing in the morning.

*Our Thanksgiving food drive has officially started. Don’t forget to send in canned goods and non-perishable items to be collected in your child’s classrooms. Class parents are asked to supply a box for each classroom to collect the food.

*PreK and Graduate photos will be taken on November 14th in the Early Childhood Center.

*No School on the Feast of Immaculate Conception, Monday, December 8th.

*First Reconciliation for the Second graders is on December 13th.

*The Christmas Concert is on December 17th performed by Grades K – 2 and our School Choir. And there’s still more to come…Santa’s Secret Shop, Breakfast with Santa, PreKs’ Christmas shows… Watch for the December calendar in the backpacks.

Our lives always get busy around this time of the year. Let’s not forget to take a few minutes every day to reflect on all the good in our lives. We have much to be thankful for…for the wonderful faculty and staff we have working with our students and for the tremendous families who help us create such a great environment for the children. On behalf of the entire Corpus Christi School family, thanks to all of you who have given up your time and energy to make our school a success. May God bless you and your families throughout the month and may you and your family have a very Happy Thanksgiving.

                   

Sincerely,