Volume 23 * Issue 26 * March 22,  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
SERRASERVES 2018 ~  OneMeal Event 
THIS Saturday, March 24
  • THANK YOU to ALL those that have donated generously from your hearts! We have reached our first goal of our minimum amount needed to make meals, but DON'T STOP DONATING! The more we raise the more meals we can make for the hungry children of South Africa/Swaziland. EVERY DONATION COUNTS!
  • The Volunteer SIGN UP GENIUS is now open to the entire school. Space is extremely limited. (You MUST sign up in order to participate.) The more donations we receive the more volunteer spots we can make available.
  • Please DONATE NOW and join us during this special Lenten season of service and mercy. Donation link will close tomorrow, Friday, March 23rd, at 12:00 p.m.
  • Questions? Contact Lindsay Hakimi at getmercedesbenz@yahoo.com.
HOLY WEEK EVENTS 2018
Next week we begin the most solemn and joyful events of our Catholic faith during Holy Week. We pray you are able to participate in one of the many celebrations occurring at our four parishes. We encourage you to visit the church websites (which can be found on our website under Spiritual Life) for specific dates and times. 
 
On campus, our 7th-grade students will present the Living Stations of the Cross. Mr. Catey, Mrs. Sifers, Mrs. Armenta and Mrs. Baine were all instrumental in coordinating this year's production. The Living Stations of the Cross will be held on Thursday, March 29 at 10:30 a.m. in the Student Activity Center, and students TK - Grade 8, will attend. Those students are required to wear formal uniform on this day. 

To ease the parking situation, parking will be available on the inner road of the campus and in the neighborhood after 9:00 a.m. Please DO NOT park in the Memorial Health Care parking lot.

"Christ Jesus, your love is made visible through the mystery of your death and resurrection. Make us one in you. Transform us into people of mercy who reach out to embrace you in the suffering ones in our midst. We ask this, as a people reconciled to God through the blood of your cross". Amen. 

LENTEN MASS - FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 9:30 a.m.
Christ's Love Knows No Limits  

Father Tuan Pham of St. Kilian Catholic Church will be our celebrant at tomorrow's Lenten Mass. Please join us as we continue our 40-day journey of repentance through; Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. 
 
This is a formal uniform day for TK - Grade 8 students. Once again we will be having a collection at the entrance to Mass for the Missionary Childhood Association, so please encourage your children to do an extra chore around the house so they are able to bring in some change to donate to those in need and to fulfill their Lenten Almsgiving.
 
Plan to arrive earlier and join other parents as they pray the Rosary before Mass beginning at   8:45 a.m. in Blessed Mother Courtyard. Everyone is welcome!
 
For your convenience, the inner road will be open for parking. We do NOT have permit parking in the neighborhood for this Mass, but as per the guidelines, we are able to park between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. There is NO PARKING allowed in the Memorial Health Care parking lot.

REMINDER OPERATION RICE BOWL
The last day for Operation Rice Bowl collections will be Monday, March 26.  Students can fill up their Rice Bowl with cash or coins and bring them in to help those in need.  

Checkout  crsricebowl.org  for videos, recipes, and prayers to keep your family motivated throughout Lent.  Thank you for your time and generosity!

EDUCATIONAL COSTS AND RE-ENROLLMENT EMAIL
Did you see yesterday's email regarding our new Educational Costs and Re-Enrollment? If not,  CLICK HERE to view. On Monday, March 26, you will be receiving a re-enrollment email from School Mint providing you access to re-enrollment for your students. 

Please Note: your Family ID -- which is also your password to the service hour portal -- will be required as part of the re-enrollment process. If you need assistance in identifying your Family ID please contact Dana Hardenburgh at dhardenburgh@serraschool.org prior to 10:00 a.m. on March 29 as our school offices will be closed during Easter break, and thus unavailable to answer any questions during that time.  

We need prayer to "drive" our lives.  If we leave it in the trunk like a spare tire, we are leaving God in the trunk and His Son with Him. If we drive our lives through prayers of hope, strength, thanksgiving, love and gratitude, we take control of our lives with God's guiding hand


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

HONOR ROLL AND PRINCIPALS HONOR ROLL
Congratulations to Trimester 2 Honor Roll, Principals Honor Roll and Reading Awards recipients. Lists can be found on the Parents Only section of our website, under Middle School Recognition Awards, CLICK HERE
Great work Serra Bears!

STUDENT LAPTOP UPDATE (GRADES THREE TO EIGHT ONLY) 
All student laptops will receive a critical update during the Easter break. (This update does not affect iPads.) We will be collecting student laptops BEFORE STUDENTS LEAVE on Holy  Thursday, March 29 .
  • If you know your student will be leaving early for break, PLEASE make sure your student leaves his or her laptop with the homeroom teacher on their last day
  • After the laptops have been updated, an HP sticker will be placed on the laptop. Please do not remove the sticker
If you have any questions, please email tech@serraschool.org


SYCAMORE ONLINE MERIT CARD PARENT COMMUNICATION (GRADES 3-8)
A friendly reminder as we begin our last leg of the marathon we call "the school year."  We believe at St. Junipero Serra Catholic School the parent and teacher partnership is key for building a successful path for our students. Sycamore is one of our main communication tools. We are asking that you take at least one day out of the week to review these pages with your child. In the event there is a discrepancy or concern, please email your child's teacher.    
 
To access your student's Discipline Log in Sycamore, click on your student's profile then the Discipline button (on the right of the screen).  Students also have the ability to see their own discipline logs.   Teachers typically give several reminders or re-directions before a demerit is given.   Each demerit is 2 points in grades 5 through 8 and 1 point in grades 3 and 4. Detentions automatically populate in Sycamore after 10 points accumulate.  Each commendation or   violation will have a description.

CLICK HERE to view a step-by-step PDF tutorial for your use. 

EXTENDED CARE NEWS
 
There will be NO  afternoon Extended Care on Holy  Thursday, March 29. This is a minimum day and the last day before Easter break. Please plan accordingly. Extended Care will be open their normal hours the morning of  Thursday, March 29.   

APRIL IN-N-OUT ® - ORDERING CLOSES TOMORROW!

Ordering for In-N-Out for the month of April  closes TOMORROW, Friday, March 23 at 3:00 p.m. 

CLICK HERE  to visit our In-N-Out® page and to place your order for March.
HEARTRUN 2018
Friday, April 13
  • To support our efforts to raise awareness about the importance of good heart health, we will be introducing a new Heart Healthy Challenge to the students each week leading up to the HeartRun on Friday, April 13. We encourage you to talk about the challenge of the week and help your kids focus on it. This week's challenge (introduced on Tuesday during SerraVision) was to drink more water instead of sugary beverages. How are they doing?
  • Want to earn money for raising money? For every $50 raised or donated per student, not only will you receive the exciting incentives of a Non-Uniform Dress Pass, Rory the Lion keychain to attach to your backpack, AND the latest AHA Red T-Shirt, but you will also earn a $10 Target Gift Card!  CLICK HERE to check out all our incentive options and make your donation today!
  • Be on the lookout for a Sign Up Genius link on your Grade Level Page in this weekend's Sunday Parent Email if you are interested in volunteering.
  • Questions? Contact your Room Parent or HeartRun Event Chairs, Michele Polana and/or Gina Christiansen, at heartrun@serraschool.org.
CHAPEL PROMENADE PAVER - ORDER YOURS NOW!
Promenade Paver ordering will close on April 13. Don't miss this opportunity to leave a 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 for your support of this exciting project!
23rd ANNUAL ANCHOR BALL
Saturday, May 19
  • *NEW* Save the Date - April 17 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Come join us for a free salsa dance lesson hosted by Sway Ballroom Dance (25260 La Paz Road Laguna Niguel). Space is limited. RSVP to Alecia.Hedge@cox.net
  • Help support Anchor Ball asUNDERWRITER (opportunities start at $50) or be a SPONSOR (opportunities start at $175). You will help make this year's event - which benefits all St. Serra students - a success and receive recognition with our St. Serra Community. Consider a credit card payment and DONATE NOW
  • Donations are still needed. Don't know what to donate? Visit our ANCHOR BALL webpage
SCRIP NEWS

Scrip Schedule before Easter Break:
  • Monday, March 26 - NO WEEKLY ORDER/
    NO PRESTOPAY PHYSICAL CARD ORDERS. These will resume on Monday, April 9, 2018. Virtual Card orders will continue uninterrupted.
  • Tuesday, March 27 - LAST DAILY ORDER BEFORE EASTER BREAK AM sales will continue through March 29, 2018.
Ralph's Rebate Reporting:
Ralph's rebates for quarter ending February 28, 2018 are now due and all rebate information must be emailed to the Scrip Coordinator by April 13, 2018.  NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE FOR LATE REPORTS DUE TO RESTRICTIONS FROM RALPH'S AND SCRIP YEAR END ON APRIL 30.

CLICK HERE  for St. Serra's procedures to obtain your family's Ralphs Rebate information.

For questions on any of the above or to place a Scrip Order, contact Tina Maroutian, Scrip Coordinator at  tmaroutian@serraschool.org.  
DON'T FORGET TO RECORD YOUR SERVICE HOURS!

Did you volunteer for the Mother/Son Event or Father/Daughter Dance?
Don't delay! Log All of Your Completed Regular Service Hours ASAP

All regular service hours must be completed and logged by April 30, 2018.
CLICK HERE to record all of your regular service hours on the 2017-18 Service Hour Portal.
 
As a reminder your credentials for the Service Hour Portal are:
Username:  Your family's preferred email address
Password:  Your family's 3 or 4 digit numerical family ID
 
For questions, contact Francine Stotko at  fstotko@serraschool.org  or ext. 194

PARENT EDUCATION SERIES
Morning Session on Wednesday, April 18
 
All parents are invited to join us on Wednesday, April 18, 10:00-11:30 a.m. in the Student Activity Center for the next PTO-sponsored Parent Education Speaker Series. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Sharon May, Ph.D, founder and President of the Safe Haven Family Counseling Center and co-author of The Safe Haven Marriage. Dr. May has over 15 years of experience researching and guiding couples and their families on how to provide meaningful ways to grow, so you can love well and live a good and meaningful life.
 
Visit the  PARENT EDUCATION  webpage for more details. Please note that this is a parent-only event. Kindly RSVP to allow us to provide the proper amount of seating. Thank you.
LAST CALL FOR NOMINATIONS!

NEXT WEDNESDAY, March 28, is the deadline for our annual ST. JUNIPERO SERRA OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP AWARD nominations! Please take a few minutes to NOMINATE a SJSC parent for this prestigious award, which will be presented at Anchor Ball. This is a wonderful way to say "Thank You" to the SJSC community members who are truly deserving of special volunteer recognition. Thank you for your participation! 

Questions? Contact PTO Parliamentarian Cristen Lebsack at lebsackfamily@gmail.com. CLICK HERE to review award guidelines and to view a list of prior recipients.

PARENT FELLOWSHIP AND COFFEE SOCIAL
10:30 - 11:00 a.m. in the SJSC Courtyard
 
"Ever present in your midst, I will be your God, and you will be My people." Leviticus 26:12
 
Come to the table in fellowship with our St. Serra community. Join us at the PTO hosted Parent Coffee Social following our Lenten Mass tomorrow, Friday, March 23. Light hospitality, coffee and water will be provided by the 6th Grade Room Parent Team. We look forward to seeing you there!

FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE PHOTOS
Photos from the night of the event are now available. Please CLICK HERE  to view and download. There are four photo albums for SJSC, titled " JSC Father Daughter Dance," not SJSC. The password to view the pictures is ranchosantamargarita. You can purchase prints or right click to save the photos. 
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS OF INTEREST
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH
Upcoming Parish-wide Events

Middle School Retreat:  All 6-8th graders are invited to attend Holy Trinity's annual Jr. High Retreat, June 18 & 19 at the Santiago Retreat Center. There will be faith-filled talks, worship, games, fun, and more! CLICK HERE for more information. 

Women's Retreat: The Women's Ministry of Holy Trinity Catholic Church invites you to a day of faith, friendship, food and our special guest, Ignatian-trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator and writer Becky Eldredge, presenting "Making Room for God in the Busyness".  CLICK HERE for more information and to register.
 
Family Mission Trip: This summer Holy Trinity will be going on a week-long Family Mission Trip to Ensenada, Mexico from June 23 - 29, 2018 . They will be partnering with  Praying Pelican Missions  to offer families the opportunity to serve together in relational ministry. This trip is open to all parishioners 6th grade and up with an accompanying adult. A deposit of $100 by Sunday, March 4, 2018 is needed to secure your place. Space will be limited. First come, first served! CLICK HERE for more information.


SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO PARISH

Vacation Bible School - Registration is now OPEN! 
Pre-K through 8th Grade. Spots are limited! 

Movie Night - San Francisco Solano Presents Disney Pixar's Coco
CLICK HERE   for more information.

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.  

Solano Saints: Ages 3-5, every Sunday during 8:30 & 10:15 a.m. Masses. Children will learn songs, hear Bible stories, and create a gospel-based craft each week. CLICK HERE for more information. 

MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSION INFORMATION

CLICK HERE for information regarding applying to Mater Dei high School.