March 24, 2024 

Dear Celtic Families,

As we approach the conclusion of another school year, I am delighted to reflect on the incredible journey we have had thus far. It has been a year of growth, achievement, and community spirit, and I am immensely proud of all that our students, faculty, and families have accomplished together.

Throughout this year, we have experienced numerous successes that have truly made our school shine. Our Jog-a-Thon and golf tournament were exceptionally successful, thanks to your unwavering support and dedication. These events not only raised crucial funds for our school but also fostered a sense of unity and camaraderie within our community.

In addition, we implemented the HERO safety program in our classrooms, further enhancing the safety and well-being of our students. The safety and security of our school community are paramount, and the HERO program has been instrumental in providing our students with the tools and knowledge to stay safe in various situations.

Our Christmas program, returning to Quinn Hall again, was a beautiful celebration of joy, talent, and the spirit of the season. It was a delight to witness our students' enthusiasm as they brought the magic of Christmas to life on stage.

In February, we hosted our first Father-Daughter dance, and it was an overwhelming success! This event provided a special opportunity for our fathers and daughters to create lasting memories together. The joy and laughter shared on the dance floor were truly heartwarming. Building on the success of our Father-Daughter dance, we are excited to announce plans to introduce a Mother-Son event in the upcoming fall. Stay tuned for more details.

Looking ahead, we have an exciting event to anticipate this spring—our much-anticipated Lip Sync! This promises to be an evening filled with laughter, music, and unforgettable performances from our talented students. We cannot wait to come together as a community to celebrate their creativity and spirit.

In the spirit of reflection and anticipation, I am excited to share some updates and plans for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year. Please take a moment to review the following important information regarding tuition adjustments, enrollment projections, exciting initiatives, and more.

Tuition:

Firstly, I want to express my deep appreciation for your continued support of our school. Your commitment to Catholic education is truly commendable, and it is because of families like yours that we are able to provide an exceptional learning environment for our students.

With the rising costs of goods and services in addition to faculty and staff salaries and benefits, we find it necessary to make adjustments to our tuition rates for the next school year. After thoughtful consideration, tuition will increase $30 monthly for families with one student. Our sibling discount continues to be the largest throughout the Diocese. With that in mind, there is a modest increase of $40 monthly for the second student, and $50 monthly for the third student. We understand the financial implications this may have for some families and want to assure you that we are dedicated to providing financial assistance to those in need.

Please know that this tuition increase does not fully cover the additional costs we are facing. Through generous donations and fundraising efforts we are able to offset the difference. Your understanding and support during this time are greatly appreciated as we work to maintain the quality of our academic programs and the well-being of our devoted faculty and staff. 

Enrollment:

Our enrollment projections for the 2024-2025 school year show a slight decrease due to the graduation of a large 8th-grade class and a smaller current 7th-grade class. Despite this, we remain optimistic about filling our TK and Kindergarten classrooms.

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to each of you for being our most effective advocates. Your positive experiences and word-of-mouth recommendations play a crucial role in attracting new families to our school. Your continued support in spreading the word about the excellence of our school is invaluable.

Playground:

I am delighted to share that we are exploring the possibility of installing another playground on our school grounds. This initiative is in its early stages, and we will keep you updated as we gather more information and details. We believe that a playground will enhance the overall experience for our students, providing them with opportunities for physical activity and social interaction.

Safety:

The safety and well-being of our students and staff are of utmost importance to us. We have applied for a Safety grant and are eagerly awaiting news regarding its approval. Our goal is to install security cameras and potentially add a security guard to be shared between the church and the school. Rest assured that as soon as we have any updates, we will promptly communicate them to you.

Fundraising:

I am pleased to share some positive news regarding our recent fundraising efforts. Thanks to your incredible generosity during the Jog-a-Thon, we have raised enough funds to renovate six of our classrooms this summer. Your support directly impacts the learning environment of our students, and we are immensely grateful for your contributions.

Additionally, I want to clarify that the funds raised during the Auction are allocated to teacher class funds, the school fund-a-need for campus beautification, and our general operating fund. This helps us keep our tuition rates as low as possible, ensuring accessibility to a quality Catholic education for all families.

In closing, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your unwavering support of our school community. Together, we are creating a nurturing and enriching environment where our students can thrive academically, spiritually, and socially.

If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas you would like to share, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or our administrative team. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we continue to strive for excellence.

Thank you for entrusting us with the education and growth of your children. It is a privilege and honor to serve as the principal of our beloved St. Hedwig School. May the remainder of this school year be filled with joy, accomplishment, and cherished memories for all.

Blessings,

Mrs. Frlekin

Principal

Click below for 2024-2025 Tuition

Holy Week

Dear St. Hedwig family:

Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week – the most important time of the year for the Church. Palm Sunday marks Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem to undergo his passion, crucifixion, and death to reconcile humanity with God the Father. On Holy Monday, the priests of the Diocese of Orange gather at Christ Cathedral for the Chrism Day of Prayer, the Chrism Mass – where the priests renew our ordination promises – and then dinner with the bishops. We also pick up the holy oils that will be blessed at the Chrism Mass to bring back to our parishes. 

The readings of Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday speak about how Jesus freely accepts His mission to suffer and die in obedience to the Father and out of love for us. Holy Wednesday is often referred to as Spy Wednesday because it is the day when Judas betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. We may be shocked at how Judas, who was chosen as one of the twelve Apostles, could have betrayed Jesus so easily. But we betray Jesus every time we sin. But unlike Judas, we don’t despair, but trust in God’s mercy. On Holy Thursday, we have the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, where the priests wash the feet of twelve people, in memory of how Jesus washed the feet of the Apostles. It is at the Last Supper that Jesus instituted the priesthood and the Eucharist, reminding us to celebrate the Eucharist in memory of Him. At the end of this Mass, we have the transfer of the Most Blessed Sacrament to Quinn Hall for all night Adoration. 

With Good Friday, we begin the Tridduum, the three holiest days in the Church, which includes Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. On Good Friday we have the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord, which includes the Veneration of the Cross. Remember that Good Friday is a day of fasting and abstinence. It is encouraged that this fasting and abstinence continues until the evening of Holy Saturday. On Saturday night, we will celebrate the Easter Vigil, which is a prolonged celebration of the Resurrection of Lord and includes many readings as well as the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation for those fully entering the Church. Next Sunday is Easter Sunday, when we will be celebrating the Lord’s Resurrection with Masses in the morning and at noon. 

As we come to the end of Lent and enter Holy Week, I would encourage everyone to finish strong. No matter if we have not been as faithful as we would have hoped, we can still do better this Holy Week, which is a time of many graces. With the help of the Holy Spirit, may we intensify our self-denial, prayer, and almsgiving as we enter into the most sacred time of the year in order to fully enjoy the rewards of Easter.

With much love and care,

Fr. Quan Tran

HAPPY EASTER!

Easter Break is March 28th- April 7th

Important Auction Reminders

Auction Tickets: A limited number of tickets are still available for $200 each. Each one includes admission, sit-down meal, and open bar.

Golden Tickets: With each Golden Ticket, sold for $100 each, you’re one step closer to winning the chance to cut to the front of the line to pick your favorite live auction item before it goes up for bid.

Sponsorships: A variety of sponsorship packages are available. Deckhand and First Mate packages are perfect options for families, while Captain and Commodore packages are great for businesses looking for community awareness through a variety of channels, including recognition on the digital marquee on Seal Beach Blvd.

Fund-A-Need: This year’s Fund-A-Need is the Faculty Lounge Refresh, a thank you to our amazing SHS teachers for all they do to enrich the education and development of our kids. Any amount would be appreciated to help create a space where teachers can recharge and refresh throughout the day.

Item Donation: Donating items are another way to support the auction. We are looking for generous families willing to donate a weekend in a vacation home. If you are interested in donating or would like more information, please reach out to the Auction Committee ([email protected]). 

For additional event details and to purchase tickets or sponsorship packages, please visit the Rock the Yacht website today. Thank you all for your continued support! We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, April 20th when we Rock the Yacht!

This store will be open until Sunday March 31st.

Be sure to get your orders in early, as this will be the last chance to buy

St. Hedwig Spirit Wear until classes start up in the Fall. Once the store is closed, production will begin and we are not able to take new orders.

Please continue adding your parent volunteer hours to Track It Forward. Hours are due for the 2023-24 school year by May 31st. 

Try-outs are the week we return from vacation.

• Students may only participate in ONE act for Lip Sync.
• Songs and costumes must be school appropriate.
• Quinn Hall CANNOT be used for practice.
• Below are the measurements of the stage.

Click on flyer below and check out some Lip Sync acts from the past.

TRYOUTS ARE THURSDAY, APRIL 11TH! TURN IN APPLICATION TO MRS. MARQUEZ OR MRS. LAINES! APPLICATION BELOW.

Come out and support our 58th year of kickball at St. Hedwig.

Waider Sugar Shack will be open selling all items at $1.

It's a fun time for all.

• COVID-19 update, recommendations for people who test positive:
• STAY HOME if you have COVID-19 symptoms, until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are improving and mild.  
• Mask when you are around other people indoors for the 10 days*.
• Avoid contact with people at higher-risk for severe COVID-19 for 10 days*.

*The potential infectious period is 2 days before the date of symptoms began or the positive test date (if no symptoms) through day 10. (Day 0 is the symptoms onset date or positive test date.)

When to stay home from school:  

• STAY HOME IF any new illness or symptom prevents a

child from participating meaningfully in routine activities, such as cough, stuffy/runny nose, sneezing, eye irritation/redness, rash, sore throat, etc.

• STAY HOME IF a fever is of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.
• STAY HOME IF vomiting has occurred in the last 24 hours.
• STAY HOME IF diarrhea has occurred in the last 24 hours.

When to return to school after illness: 

• RETURN WHEN child has not had a fever for 24 hours without the use of medications such as Tylenol® , Advil®, or Motrin® (acetaminophen or ibuprofen). Fever caused by any illness; Strep throat, RSV, ear infections, etc..
• RETURN WHEN no vomiting for 24 hours and your child is able to hold down liquids and food. Recommend frequent handwashing.
• RETURN WHEN no diarrhea for 24 hours and your child will be able to make it to the toilet in time. Recommend frequent hand washing.
• Strep throat: No fever, symptoms improving AND first dose of antibiotics taken 12 hours before returning to school.
• RSV: No fever AND symptoms improving.
• Pink Eye: RETURN IF: bacterial infection, child can return to school after 24 hours of appropriate antibiotic treatment. If a viral infection, child can return with a doctor's note.  

The health and welfare of your children are of the utmost importance to us. Following these guidelines will help to ensure that we are helping to stop the spread of germs! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Health Room, (562) 296-9063 or [email protected].  

Blessings,

Carol King, R.N.

SHS Health Room

Please be sure to upload your photos for the yearbook as we have had several events at school already and the folders are ready and waiting. Let’s get these memories in print for our kids to enjoy for years to come! 

Note: You might not see the folder you need when you first click on the link. Please be sure to scroll past what is initially visible to find the folder(s) you need. Thank you!