Volume 23 * Issue 19 * February 1,  2018
In This Issue





Stronger together... we lift each other up. We are SERRASTRONG! 
And let us consider how to lift up one another, to love and good works
- Hebrews 10:24





A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT TRUDELL
LETTER FROM THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, DIOCESE OF ORANGE

Please CLICK HERE to read a letter from Mrs. Sally Todd, Interim Superintendent, Diocese of Orange about Catholic Schools Week and the benefits a Catholic education has to offer. 
SEASONS TUITION ASSISTANCE LUNCHEON
This past Sunday, we celebrated our 5th Annual Tuition Assistance Luncheon in support of the tuition assistance programs here at St. Serra, St. Polycarp in Stanton, and the Marian Alliance Schools:  School of Our Lady, St. Anne's Parish School and St. Joseph School, all located in Santa Ana. 
 
 
Photos from the luncheon are now available for viewing. The creativity and talent of our hostesses was truly inspiring!    
 
We were joined by 230 guests for a fun afternoon of commaradrie and friendship while raising money for financial assistance to those in need at all five schools.
 
Tuition Assistance helps provides a safe haven, a home away from home, a community of faith and an excellent Catholic education for these students. We truly believe that all children who desire a Catholic education deserve this opportunity without life's circumstances getting in the way of that. These children NEED US!  CLICK HERE to view a video on our website to witness some of the impact that we make each year by supporting these schools.  You will need your passkey to get into the Parents Only section and then click on the Videos & Presentations page.   
 
If you did not have the opportunity to attend the luncheon, or if you were caught up in the excitement of the afternoon and didn't have the opportunity to donate to the event, you may still do so  HERE.

We have a few of the St. Serra Sweets still available at a cost of $5.00 each.  All proceeds from these treats go directly to the Tuition Assistance Funds of the five schools. If you or your child would like to purchase a St. Serra Sweet, they will be available at the School Office beginning tomorrow.
 
Our many thanks to Karin Hendrick, Event Chair, her committee, our amazingly creative table hostesses, hardworking volunteer servers, event volunteers, alumni student helpers, our award winner, Mr. Pat Murphy, President, Mater Dei Catholic High School for his inspiration, and all our attendees who helped make this event so successful. A special shout out to Leslie Gallagos, Rental Coordinator, whose name was mistakenly omitted from the printed program. We look forward to another successful event next year!  SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2019.

CHAPEL PROMENADE PAVER OPPORTUNITY DEADLINE EXTENDED
Due to the influx of Promenade Paver donations being made this month, we were able to work with the signage company to get an extension to the deadline for this special opportunity. Paver inscriptions are still available for those who would like to leave their lasting footprint on our final phase of the campus. All details of this special Chapel appeal can be found HERE with the order form being at the bottom of that page. Thank you in advance for your support of this exciting project!  

FOOD FOR FRIENDS THANKS YOU!
Friday, February 9, 2018

We would like to extend a prayer of gratitude to our community for supporting this outreach program at St. Serra in conjunction with the food banks associated with our parishes. Your monthly contributions continue to feed hungry men, women, and children in our communities.

Next Friday  will be our monthly food drive to support Santiago de Compostela . Pope Francis reminds us to, "Take care of our brothers and sisters who are weaker...the elderly, the sick, the hungry, and the homeless, because we will be judged on this". Food drives strengthen our community by giving us an opportunity to live the Gospel teachings of Jesus, "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

Not sure what to donate? Non-perishable canned goods or dry foods are welcome.
  • Canned meats, fish, soup, fruits, and vegetables
  • Pasta
  • Hot & Cold cereal
  • Macaroni & Cheese
  • Beans
  • Rice
  • Peanut butter
Your student will bring home a half-page flyer next Thursday as a reminder for this event Please contact Louise Valdez lvaldez@serraschool.org with any questions.

REMINDER ABOUT PARKING ON CAMPUS
As a reminder, parents and visitors may only park in staff designated numbered parking spaces before 6:45 a.m. and after 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. An empty staff parking spot does not mean the spot is available for others to use. Please CLICK HERE to review the on campus parking section (1620. Parking) of the Parent Student Handbook. Thank you.

Our ministry here at St. Serra is first and foremost to help children know that Our Lord is with them every step in their lives. This is core to what we do. As they learn this and trust in Our Lord and God Our Father, they will Learn, Serve, Lead and Succeed. We are all truly blessed that God has gifted us this opportunity to make a difference.

God is Good All the Time...
All the Time God is Good.

Mrs. Angeline Trudell
President
PRINCIPALS' CORNER
Mrs. Carol Reiss, Principal Preschool - Grade 2
Mrs. Julie Tipton, Principal Grades 3 - 8

RENAISSANCE STAR TESTING SCORES

All of the St. Junipero Serra Catholic School Math and ELA STAR scores have been posted.  Renaissance STAR score reports are posted electronically for our parents. To access your child's most recent scores, please go to  https://hosted321.renlearn.com/274505  (do not use the Home Connect link)
  • Click on I'm a Parent
  • Enter your User Name: Your Sycamore Family ID 
  • Password: 1scs (This is a default. You will need to create your own.)
If your password does not work, please email  passwords@serraschool.org.
LOOKING FOR A FEW GREAT VOLUNTEERS!

Our sports-themed Family STEAM Night 2018 will be March 13, 2018 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. on the St. Junipero Serra Catholic School Campus. We need parent volunteers to help with set up, serving, check in, and clean up. Please SIGN UP to help and earn service hours. Thank you!
YEARBOOK DEDICATION ADS

Time's running out! 3 DAYS until the FINAL Deadline! 
Sunday, February 4, 2018

Don't wait until it's too late! Submit your ad before midnight Sunday, February 4! This is a unique way to show your Serra Bear how special they are.   CLICK HERE  to begin designing your ad,  or visit our Yearbook Page on our website.

Shout-Out Ads for your special Serra Bear
Is your child celebrating their first Holy Communion? Graduating  
from Kindergarten? Want to send a special message to your child's teacher? Capture these memorable moments with a Shout-Out Ad and create a keepsake you will cherish for years to come. 


  
   
CLICK HERE for more information on St. Junipero Serra Catholic School's Yearbook Ad Guidelines and  Frequently Asked Questions can be found at the bottom of the page.

Please contact Cindy Kennedy, Communications Director if you have any questions at  ckennedy@serraschool.org.

Don't forget to order your 2018 Yearbook! CLICK HERE to order. 
SCOUT SUNDAY AT OUR PARISHES
ALL SCOUTS - leaders, Eagles, past and present - Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and American Heritage Girls are invited to celebrate Scout Sunday this Sunday, February 4, 2018 by wearing their Class "A" Uniform to receive a special blessing and commemorative patch when they attend Mass. 

Parishes celebrating & RSVP contacts:

Please RSVP so that we get a count how many patches we should have available. Scouts on the RSVP list will receive first priority for receipt of a patch.
 

FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE
Saturday, February 24, 2018
6:00 to 9:30 p.m.

 

We can't wait to see all of our St. Serra girls and their dates at the Father Daughter Dance! Reservations are due by Friday, February 16, 3:00 p.m. Our team is making it easy for you this year and selling beautiful Flower Crowns and fresh rose Boutonnieres. The flowers are conveniently picked up the night of the dance, so be sure to order yours today. CLICK HERE to see the invitation and flower pricing.

 
MOTHER SON ULTIMATE FUN COSMIC BOWLING
Sunday, March 11, 2018
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. or 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.

We are looking for all of our St. Serra Moms and boys to "strike up some fun" and join us for some "glow bowling" at Forest Lanes on Sunday, March 11. The invitations and additional information are in today's Monthly Envelope, or can be downloaded HERE .
  • Wear your white or neon attire and accessories.
  • Enjoy a pizza lunch and special treat, fun goody bags, and a complimentary mother son photo.
  • Reservations and fees are due to the SJSC School Office by Thursday, March 1, at 3:00 p.m. First Come, First Serve, this event can sell out.
  • Pre-purchase your Opportunity Raffle Tickets and earn your son(s) a Non-Uniform Dress Pass if you buy 24 tickets for $20, as well as a chance to win some super cool prizes.
  • Questions? Interested in volunteering? Contact Diana Gabriel and Monique Martinho, Event Chairs, at mother-son@serraschool.org.
23rd ANNUAL ANCHOR BALL
Join Us for a Gift Gathering Social!

The success of Anchor Ball is made possible by the generosity of our amazing St. Serra families. Every school family is encouraged to participate in this important effort, by donating a gift valued at $50+ for the silent and live auctions, or becoming an UNDERWRITER/SPONSOR This year we have made it convenient to participate in one of the below three gift gathering events. 
  • Monday, February 5, 8:00 - 10:30 a.m. Lola's CafĂ©, Ladera Ranch (on the patio, please join us for coffee)
  • Thursday, February 8, 7:15 - 8:15 a.m. and 1:45 - 3:00 p.m. School Lobby Drop off (look for RESERVED 10-minute parking spaces for Gift Gathering drop off in the front parking lot)
  • Tuesday, February 13, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Taco Tuesday at Hacienda on the Lake hosted by Mrs. Trudell (gifts valued over $100) tacos, chips, guacamole and soft drinks provided
Each family who participates in Gift Gathering by February 14 will receive a Non-Uniform Dress Pass valid for each student in their family on Tuesday, February 22, and entered into our Gift Gathering Raffle Drawings for a chance to win some exciting prizes. Visit the ANCHOR BALL web page for details or to view our WISH LIST for donation ideas.
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? SUPER BOWL IS FAST APPROACHING! 

Support the Chapel Fund   while shopping for your Super Bowl needs. Use scripsense   to purchase eGiftCards for your favorite restaurants and grocery stores and raise money for the Chapel   at the same time without ANY cost to you!  Every purchase gives back!
SCRIP NEWS

Family Scrip Rebate Statements for all TK - 8th Grade Families were sent home today!
  • Family Scrip Statements are enclosed in today's Monthly Envelope.
  • Please review your scrip statement carefully, and report any discrepancies to the Scrip Office. Also, take note of the billing announcement for families who elected to participate but did not generate any rebates as of December 31, 2017.
  • There is still plenty of time until the end of our scrip year on April 30, 2018 to earn rebates:
    • Daily sales every morning from 7:40 to 8:30 a.m.
    • Daily/Weekly Sales via daily/weekly envelopes.
    • Online programs: scripsense.com and shopwithscip.com
    • $500 + Credit Card Sales.
           Please visit our scrip page on serraschool.org to access forms.
 
Scrip Lifts Up SJSC:
Support our annual Anchor Ball while earning rebates for your family by purchasing gift cards from a "wish list" of items supplied by our Anchor Ball Committee. CLICK HERE to go to the Scrip webpage and click on the "Support Anchor Ball" tab to access the special Anchor Ball Order Form. This form is also available at the Scrip Office. For more information, or to place an order, please contact tmaroutian@serraschool.org.
 
Ralph's Rebate Reporting Quarter Ending November 30, 2017 CHANGE - PLEASE READ:

For quarter ending November 30, 2017 only , please email all inquiries directly to silvia.brown@stores.food4less.com , as the community contributions department is currently critically understaffed. We are extending the deadline to submit your emails to Friday, February 16, 2018 to make up for the delay.

For questions on any of the above or to place a Scrip Order, contact Tina Maroutian, Scrip Coordinator at  tmaroutian@serraschool.org.  
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
"Paws for Books - Come. Stay. Read A Great Tale."
  • The St. Serra PTO Board would like to thank our 2018 Scholastic Book Fair Event Chairs, Ginaea Bauer, Deeanne Ferletic and Angie Miller for their time and commitment to making our annual Scholastic Book Fair such a success! In addition, we want to thank PTO VP, Book Fair, Courtnay Flick, for her leadership and support, and the numerous SJSC parent volunteers and staff who served at the Book Fair and/or assisted students with their class shopping trips. Special thanks to Mrs. Ella Bummer as well for sharing her insight and knowledge in support of our 2018 Book Fair 
  • And last but not least, thank you to everyone who shopped at the 2018 Book Fair. We are truly grateful for ALL the support we received for this very special event that promotes student reading.
  • As a reminder, Make-up Book Fair Shopping for students and staff is scheduled for TOMORROW, Friday, February 2, 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (Library).
SUESSICAL JR. AUDITIONS ARE COMING SOON!
Students in Grades One Through Eight Are Invited to Audition

Students need to complete and submit an audition application to the School Office by  February 8, 2018. Audition applications and musical info can be found on the SJSC musical website (Campus Life>Theatre Arts) and you can e-mail Janess Sifers at  jsifers@serraschool.org for additional info.  

Auditions: 
February 12 (grades 1-4) in 2C classroom
February 13 (grades 5-8) in the SAC
PTO HAPPENINGS
The coming weeks are filled with numerous community activities and the beginning of our Lenten Season. We invite you to consider attending our Lenten Retreat or another event. Visit our PTO EVENTS AND PROGRAMS HOMEPAGE for more details on February's activities. Questions?  Contact us at serrapto@serraschool.org.

February 2018
  • 1st & 2nd: PTO Sponsored Scholastic Book Fair continues
  • 5th, 8th, 13th: Anchor Ball Gift Gathering Events
  • 8th: PTO Meeting - All parents welcome!
  • 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd: Parent Rosary at the Blessed Mary Statue
  • 14th: Parent Rosary; Ash Wednesday Mass
  • 22nd: Parent Lenten Retreat
  • 24th: Father Daughter Dance
  • 27th: Moment for Mom Book Study Spring Session begins

 

PARTNERS IN PRAYER
God answers ALL prayers and the power of prayer is undeniable. Join us as we pray for our St. Serra community or let us know if you are in need of prayers or have special intentions. Please e-mail Anastacia Escoboza-Henry at partnersinprayer@serraschool.org with a prayer request or to be added to the Partners in Prayer e-mail list. For more information, please visit our OUTREACH MINISTRIES webpage.

WINTER SESSION FOR AFTER-SCHOOL CLASSES STARTING 
JANUARY 29!

A new session for most of the After-School Programs starts  Monday, January 29 . Please visit our  After-School Classes page  for more information on the following classes:
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS OF INTEREST
FREE FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT AT SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO
TOMORROW, Friday, Feb. 2 at 6:00 p.m.,  featuring "Despicable Me 3"
Pizza and drinks will be served! 












CATHOLIC NIGHT AT THE HONDA CENTER
The Diocese of Orange invites us on Friday, February 9 to watch the Anaheim Ducks Hockey Team play the Edmonton Oilers at the Honda Center. Order your tickets at  anaheimducks.com/catholicnight . Use Promo code "OCCATHOLIC". CLICK HERE for more information.

SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO PARISH
Youth Faith Formation Programs
San Francisco Solano parish offers faith formation opportunities for children and teens from kindergarten through high school.   CLICK HERE for more information or visit their website at   www.sanfranciscosolanorsm.org/child-youth/