Volume 24 * Issue 04 * September 27,  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
Chapel Blessing and Grand Opening Weekend
Saturday, October 6 & Sunday, October 7
Did you get your Invitation? 

We are so excited to have our parents, students and alumni be a part of this historic event here at St. Serra -- the Blessing of our St. Junipero Serra Chapel, official ribbon cutting for our Student Creation and Leadership Center and Community Day open house. A Paperless Post invitation was sent out last weekend t o the preferred email indicated during registration. If you did not receive the invitation, please see the details below.  We hope you and your family will join us on this special day. 

Below are some important highlights. More details such as attire information etc., will be in a Constant Contact October 1.
  • The Blessing will begin at 10:00 a.m. on October 6, with Bishop Vann as the celebrant. Due to the very limited seating in the Chapel (206 seat maximum), we sadly cannot accommodate everyone. An invitation was sent in the mail to a limited number of guests. If you did not receive an invitation in the mail for Chapel seating, we hope you will join us to watch the blessing live-streamed in the Student Activity Center. Communion will be given as well.  
  • Boxed lunches will be served immediately after the Blessing. The link to purchase your boxed lunch was on the invitation, or you can CLICK HERE to order.
     
  • Families are invited to the 1:30 p.m. ribbon cutting of the Student Creation and Leadership Center on October 6.
     
  • Tours of the new Chapel, Creativity Lab, Music room, Parent Hub, and Administration Wing will be given between 1:45 - 4:00 p.m. on October 6 and 12:00-4:00 p.m. on October 7.
     
  • The campus will be open to the public October 7 from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. with tours, light hospitality and visits to at least one classroom per grade level in all buildings.
We hope you will join us October 6 & 7 to see the miracle of your gifts of time, talent and treasure!

Reduce Your Educational Costs with the Scrip Rebate Program
Did you know that your favorite Starbucks drink, that really great outfit you found at Macy's, that family cruise you are saving for, or even that quick stop you made at Chipotle to grab dinner, can save you real dollars and provide your family a tax deduction? How, you ask? The SJSC Rebate Program is how!  No hidden costs, no fees....dollar for dollar buying power will actually reduce your Educational Costs while also supporting SJSC with a tax deductible donation! Yes, that dress you can wear on your cruise while sipping your Starbucks will save you real money, real time!

We are excited to celebrate the over 170 families who did just that last month and received a collective credit of over $3,000 for their October Educational Costs by participating in our SJSC Rebate Program! These direct credits will reduce their monthly payment for October through FACTS.  But it doesn't end there....it gets even better!  Because our families split the overall rebate with our great school, in support of our operating budget and debt reduction, those families will also receive a collective tax deduction of $3,000 for 2018 representing the other half of the rebates they earned.  All for buying that Starbucks, great outfit, cruise, or Chipotle.....it's almost too easy, right?!

If you want to find out how you too can join this exciting group of families please contact Rebate Program Coordinator, Tina Maroutian at [email protected] or call her at (949)888-1990 ext. 121. Getting started is easy....you can save money and receive a tax deduction on your very next Starbucks drink....it really is that simple.

Also, don't forget to ask about our Serra Supporter program through our Rebate Program! Grandpa, Grandma, Aunts and Uncles, etc can help you save too!  Make it a family affair! Ask Tina Maroutian or visit the Scrip Program page on our website for more information.

When we call upon God, Jesus or our Blessed Mother to help us through prayer, we find the JOY in our heart that can brighten our day and the day of all the people we meet. When we call upon God in prayer, we are calm and JOYFUL.


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

Mrs. Angeline Trudell
President
PRINCIPALS' CORNER
Mrs. Carol Reiss, Principal Preschool - Grade 4
Mrs. Alison Daley, Principal Grades 5 - 8
Preschool - Grade 8 Parent and Teacher Communication & Conferences
As we continue to partner in your child's education, we encourage open and ongoing communication throughout the school year. Parent, teacher, and student communication should be envisioned as a process, rather than as an event. All St. Junipero Serra Catholic teachers participate in on-going communication with parents. Communication takes place via Sycamore (K-8), e-mail, telephone, and scheduling conferences as needed. It is our hope that all concerns are addressed as they arise and are not being held until the set conference days.

Upcoming Scheduled Conference Times:
Wednesday, October 17 from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 18 from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Friday, October 19 from 7:30 - 11:00 a.m.

*Please look for Specific Grade Level conference information and sign up opportunities in next week's SerraDIPITY.   
Back-to-School Night
REMINDER:  Due to Ms. Sammy's illness, Back-to-School Night for KA is   postponed until TONIGHT Thursday, September 27 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the KA classroom (Rm 102)
2018 TREE OF REMEMBRANCE ORNAMENT
Last Day to Order! 

DON'T MISS OUT! TOMORROW, Friday, September 28 is the last day to order your Memorial Ornament. This ornament will be included on the Tree of Remembrance and blessed at the November 1, Memorial Mass. To pay by check, complete this FORM and return it with a check for $30 made payable to Serra Catholic School. Please direct the envelope to the attention of the Advancement Office. If you would like to pay with a credit card, please  CLICK HERE  to submit the form and payment online.
 
Contact Cindy Carpino at [email protected] with any questions.
SCHOOL PICTURE MAKE-UPS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12
Students who missed their original school picture day this week will have their pictures taken on Friday, October 12th at  7:15 a.m.  in the SAC. Please allow yourself enough time to arrive before this scheduled time as the parking lot closes at  7:10 a.m.  to begin morning traffic. Make-up photos will end at  7:50 a.m.   

Please contact Mrs. Debbie McGee at  [email protected] with any questions.
SCRIP REBATE PROGRAM

CLICK HERE for important  Vendor Updates including Parkway American Grill in RSM, available through our Daily Sales at 15% rebate, in $25 denominations. Their Boston style pizza is highly recommended!

Congratulations to Megan Hayden for winning the "Double Your Rebate" Raffle. Our next raffle will be announced soon.

For questions or to place a Scrip Order, contact Tina Maroutian, Rebate Program Coordinator at [email protected].
IN-N-OUT ORDERING NOW OPEN!
November Only orders and Annual orders (November-June) are available now until Monday, October 22, 3:00 p.m. ORDER NOW .

Questions? Contact Denise Kacer, In-N-Out Event Chair, at [email protected].
2018 HARVEST FESTIVAL
Sunday, October 28, 2018 from 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.  
  • SERRA'S GOT TALENT - Get your act together! Auditions will be held on Monday, October 15 during lunch in the library. There will be only one in-person audition date this year. If you are unable to make this date and time, you are more than welcome to submit a taped audition. Talent Show REGISTRATION FORM. Talent Show RULES
  • Dine Out and Earn Cash- We have two opportunities for you to dine out and help Harvest next week... a portion of your bill will come back to Harvest!
    • NEKTER in RSM or LADERA on Monday, October 1, for an after school snack (or anytime of the day!)
    • CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN in Mission Viejo for a meal on Wednesday, October 3
  • EVENT VOLUNTEERS- Check out the numerous opportunities to earn your service hours!
YEARBOOK 2019
ONLINE SALE 
BEGINS MONDAY,
OCTOBER 1, 2018!

Yes, it's that time of year again to take advantage of the EARLY BIRD yearbook price of $48. This great price won't last long!  Please act NOW as the price will go up to $58 beginning Monday, October 15, 2018. 

Beginning October 1, yearbooks can only be purchased online. Visit the Yearbook Page on our website for more information and to order. 
AFTER-SCHOOL CLASSES START THIS MONDAY, OCTOBER 1!
Registration and information can be found on our website. Most classes begin NEXT WEEK! Paul Effman Music classes will begin Thursday, October 18.
2018-2019 SERVICE HOURS PARENT PORTAL COMING SOON!
Thank you for your continued patience as we finalize and improve the Service Hour Portal.  Please continue tracking your completed service hours from May 1, 2018. An announcement will be made soon in SerraDIPITY once the portal is available. 
 
For questions, contact Francine Stotko at    [email protected]  or ext. 194.

YEARBOOK DEDICATION AND SHOUT OUT ADS
Have You Created and Purchased Your 2019 Dedication Ad Yet? 

Yearbook Dedication Ads. Commemorate your graduates achievements and important milestones throughout their St. Serra journey towards graduation.
 
Shout-Out Ads.  Is your child celebrating their First Holy Communion? Graduating from Kindergarten? Want to send a special message to your child's teacher?  Let everyone know how proud you are of your student with a Shout-Out Ad - a unique way to show the special Serra Bear in your family how amazing they are. Straight from your heart and into the yearbook!   
  
Have a lot of photos but not sure of how to organize them in an ad?  Never designed an ad before and not sure where to start? 
No Problem!  Ads are easy to create with online templates to help you design a lasting recognition for your family!

Take advantage of the EARLY BIRD deadline by submitting your ad by  Sunday, November 25, 2018 and receive the EARLY BIRD discount! Please mark your calendar as this date will soon be here.
 
For more information on creating an ad, submission deadlines, ad size, and cost CLICK HERE, or contact Cindy Kennedy, Marketing Creative Director at  [email protected] .
 
See our Yearbook web page for more information and for Frequently Asked Questions at the bottom of the web page.

SJSC GOLF CLASSIC
Congratulations and Thank You!
Helicopter Ball Drop Tomorrow!
  • The 2018 SJSC Golf Classic took place on Monday, September 24, at the Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club. Together over 140 golfers, dinner and silent auction guests enjoyed a wonderful day and evening in support of our St. Serra students. 
     
  • Thank you to our GENEROUS SPONSORS, golfers and dinner guests. We are so grateful for your support and thank you all for continuing to make the Golf Classic a fun event and successful fundraiser benefiting all St. Serra students!
     
  • Thank you to Event Chairs Mr. Mike Ferletic, Mr. Alan Zawistoski, PTO VP - Golf Mrs. Courtnay Flick and the whole Golf team who made the day's festivities possible. Thank you all for your generosity, time and support!

  • Ball Drop Reminder: Thank you to ALL who participated in the 2018 Ball Drop Raffle! The helicopter will be flying over the SJSC field tomorrow, Friday, September 28, between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m.  All are welcome to join in the fun!
Congratulations to Our Winners - Both On & Off the Course!
CHOIR PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS DUE TOMORROW
REMINDER:  Participation agreements are due by TOMORROW, Friday, September 28. Participation forms can be found on the  Choir and Handbells  web page. P articipation fees can now be paid by credit card using the form on our website. 
SHARE WHAT YOUR AFTER-SCHOOL BEARS ARE DOING!
Please send your pictures and news from After-School Sports, Scouting, Choir, After-School Classes, Campus Ministry, or any other SJSC activity happening outside of school hours to Gina Maricondo at  [email protected] . A brief description of the event (team names, score, organization name etc.) would be appreciated. These photos could be used on social media, the SJSC website or the yearbook.
LUNCH DUTY
Double Service Hours!

Don't miss your opportunity to earn DOUBLE SERVICE HOURS! Volunteer s hifts for Lunch supervision, TK/Kindergarten supervision, Sapphire Lunch, In-n-Out and Snack Bar are still available . Please stop by the Yard Supervision office or email Rosie Chavez at [email protected] to sign up. 
HOMEWORK CLUB STARTS MONDAY, OCTOBER 1

CLICK HERE to learn more about Homework Club and to sign up. Registration forms are now available on our website. For questions, please contact:
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS OF INTEREST
Holy Trinity's Annual Parent Night
Tuesday, October 16, 2018 in the Parish Hall

All parents of Middle School and High School students are invited to attend our Annual Parent Night on October 16 from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. Join us for dinner and discussion. Dinner provided by Wood Ranch! 

Special guest speaker Adam McLane will discuss "Raising Digital Natives." CLICK HERE for more information. 

PLEASE RSVP YOUR ATTENDANCE to [email protected] so we can adequately provide dinner.

JSerra High School
JSERRA PRIDE RECEPTION
Are you interested in learning more about JSerra's rigorous academic programs and vibrant student life? Would you like to speak with JSerra students and faculty and hear a short presentation about JSerra? If yes, then we would love to have you attend our upcoming Pride Reception on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.
 
What is a Pride Reception?  Held at a current JSerra family home, this is a more personal way to learn about JSerra. You will speak with current students and faculty one-on-one to see what it means to be a JSerra Lion.

The address for this event is:
The Guinane Residence
30145 Hillside Terrace
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Our admissions team is always available to answer your questions. To speak with a staff member personally, please contact us by phone between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday at (949) 493-9307 ext. 1122 or email us at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS with the Lion Pride at JSerra! Admission to JSerra home football games is FREE for all families of prospective students. Any prospective students can visit our School Relations tent from 5:00-7:00 p.m. to receive complementary tickets for the whole family! We can't wait to see you there! 

JSERRA PEP SQUAD CUBS CAMP
Join the JSerra Pep Squad for a mini cheer/dance camp from 4:00-8:30 p.m. on Friday October 5, 2018! "Cubs" will learn choreography from the Cheer and Dance Team and take part in the halftime show during the Varsity Football home game against Servite! For more information and to register CLICK HERE.