December 19, 2023

Principal's Message

Come Let Us Adore Him

On behalf of St. Philip Neri School Faculty and Staff,

we wish all of our school families and friends,

A Very Blessed Christmas and New Year!

Please enjoy a healthy, happy holiday, and we will see you all

Thursday, January 4, 2024 when school resumes.

Peace & Blessings,

Ms. Thomas

All SPN Students and Staff MUST provide a negative COVID test result on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, 12 noon in order to attend school on Thursday, January 4, 2024. Please send a photo of the test results to Ms. Thomas and copy Ms. Andie by 12 noon on January 3, 2024. Thank you for keeping our community safe.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

Due to forecasted rain in the morning, we ask you to drop off students in Grades 1-8 as normal at Fountain or Jackson Streets, and then students will enter O’Brien Hall by the side entrance (nearest the Rectory). Ms. Thomas will be ready to greet students in the Hall (where I hope to sing some Christmas carols before 8:00 a.m.!). We will gather together for our last Advent Prayer Service and assembly before our Christmas break.

Remember, Red-White-Green Free Dress, Noon Dismissal, No Share & Care

Mandatory Testing on January 3

All SPN Students and Staff MUST provide a negative COVID test result on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, by 12 noon in order to attend school on Thursday, January 4, 2024. Please send a photo of the test results to Ms. Thomas and copy Ms. Andie by 12 noon on January 3, 2024. Thank you for keeping our community safe.

Calendar

December 2023

December 20 - Christmas Free Dress

December 20 - Noon Dismissal - No Share and Care

December 21 - January 3 - Christmas Break: NO SCHOOL - No Share and Care

January 2024

January 4 - Classes Resume

January 5 - Vision screening for all new students and K, 2, 5 and 8 Grade

January 9 - PTG Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

January 10 - Information Night for prospective families, 7:00-8:00 p.m.

January 12 - NO SCHOOL, Elementary Staff Day, No Share and Care

January 15 - NO SCHOOL, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, No Share and Care

January 16 - AB Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

January 17 - Come and Play in TK and K, 9:00-11:00 a.m.

January 19 - 8th Grade portraits

January 22 - SAB Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

January 23 - Free dress for January birthdays

January 24 - Noon Dismissal, Teachers Professional Development

January 25 - School Spirit Day - Class theme

January 28 - Catholic Schools Week kick-off with All School Mass, 9:00 a.m.

January 28 - Open House, immediately following Mass/Science Fair 10:00-11:30 a.m.

January 28 - February 2 - Catholic Schools Week

Children's Liturgy

Belonging and Inclusion

Contest Update

We received 16 amazing logo design submissions. The Belonging and Inclusion Committee will be reviewing the designs over Winter break. The winner will be announced shortly after we return in January.

Thank you so much to the students for your creativity, skills, and time.

Belonging and Inclusion Committee

Volunteer Opportunity for Garden Lovers

If you'd like to earn service hours over break, please sign up to help take care of the garden December 20-January 1. Email Ms. Kristen at ksmeal@csdo.org for more information.

Welcome Stranger

Dear SPN Community,

The Jean Batiste Family was incredibly grateful and happy with the gifts our 8th Grade class presented them with. Guster, Berlaine and Ruth loved their jackets!

A huge thank you to the whole SPN Community for your generosity in supporting Building Futures, Alameda Point Collaborative and Welcome the Stranger organizations providing well-received gifts.

Remely R. Laguicao

Adopt a Family Chair

Chess Instruction

Chess at St. Philip Neri

Dates: Thursdays, January 18 - March 21, 2024

Location: Science Room

Time: 3:15 - 4:15

Grades: 1- 5

Tuition: $160 for the 10-week session

Enroll online at www.berkeleychessschool.org (under after school classes)

Immerse yourself in the exciting world of chess! Chess is fun and can be learned quickly and easily! Studies have found that chess helps improve test results in reading, science, and math, and produces growth in critical cognitive skills. Beyond academia, chess influences social behavior including self esteem, respect for others, patience, and good sportsmanship. And did we mention: it’s FUN!

Chess boards and sets are provided. The minimum class size is 10 and the maximum is 20. Enrollments are accepted in the order received. For siblings, the first child is full price, additional siblings are half price. Some reduced fees are available to low-income families upon request.

The Berkeley Chess School is a nonprofit organization offering chess instruction from kindergarten through high school since 1982. Over the years our students have won many state championships and several have gone on to become National Masters, FIDE Masters, International Masters, and International Grandmasters.

2622 San Pablo Ave ◼ Berkeley, CA 94702 ◼ t 510.843.0150 ◼ info@berkeleychessschool.org ◼ www.berkeleychessschool.org

Christmas Concert

Photo Credits: Nicole Gwire

Second Grade Gingerbread Houses

Scrip Online

Did you know that you can purchase Scrip online to be picked up in the front office? Enter group ID 510521SPN when you register a new account.

Order Scrip Here!

Konstella

Dear SPN Community,

We are excited to invite you to join Konstella if you haven't already! It is a web-and-mobile-based app service with various tools that help parent organizations streamline communications, centralize information, and build engaging parent communities. You can create sign ups, share photos, post alerts, and see what's happening in our SPN community with a handy red bubble on your phone. Currently, about half of the parents are on the platform and we would love to get more signed up to really start to use it as a centralized system. Please use THIS LINK to sign up and get an introduction. We will then follow up with an invitation link to join.

Sincerely,

The PTA and SAB

Earn Volunteer Hours & Link to Log Hours

Lunch Servers Needed

Help serve lunch. Please contact Janelle Sheets with any questions.

Log your volunteers hours HERE! Please contact Ms. Trujillo for help.

Families can now get volunteer hours for buying items from Grade Level and Department Amazon Wishlists. You will get 1 volunteer hour for every $20 spent. If the class does not have any items available on their list, Amazon gift cards are welcome, too!

Please include a gift receipt so we know who to thank!

Please contact Ms. Trujillo with any questions.