December 17, 2024



United in Christ

Dear St. Philip Neri School Families and Friends,

This Advent season has been full of wonderful opportunities for us to prepare for our celebration of Christ’s birth. Thank you for contributing to our Adopt-a-Family Program by purchasing items for Alameda Warming Shelter or buying wish list items for a refugee family from Welcome the Stranger. Your generosity in helping others experience Christ’s love is a perfect example of what Advent is all about.

Students in grades 3-8 participated in Reconciliation Services last Tuesday, another spiritual preparation for the holy day of Christmas. We have enjoyed Advent Prayer Services each Wednesday and focused on the weekly themes of Advent: Hope and Peace, Joy (this week) and Love (the final week). Our Christmas Concert on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. in the Church (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) will be our culminating Advent celebration for our school community. Remember that parents with small children or who might not otherwise be able to attend the evening concert are welcome to attend our “Dress” Rehearsal on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. in the Church when the students will perform for one another (NOTE: the performance runs under an hour). Please have TK-8th Grade students to their classrooms between 6:30-6:40 p.m. on Thursday. We look forward to giving you this gift of song from the heart.

May you and your families all enjoy a very blessed and a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year.

Peace & Blessings,

Ms. Thomas

This is a reminder to stay vigilant in keeping sick students home and informing the Office of symptoms so we can guide a safe return to school. We have had 0 cases of COVID since September 4, 2024.

December 2024

Dec 19 Christmas Concert, 7:00 p.m. Students' Attendance Required

Dec 20 Noon Dismissal/ Share & Care Closed after school - Christmas Free Dress

Dec 21 - Jan 3 Christmas Break: NO SCHOOL / No Share and Care

January 2025

Jan 6 Classes Resume

Jan 13 PTG Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Jan 14 T2 Progress Reports

Jan 17 NO SCHOOL: Elementary Staff Day - No Share and Care

Jan 20 NO SCHOOL: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No Share and Care

Jan 21 Free Dress for January B-days

Jan 22 Noon Dismissal/ Teacher Professional Development

Jan 23 8th Grade Graduation Picture Day

Jan 26 Kick-off Catholic Schools Week with All School Mass, 9:00 a.m.

Jan 26 Open House, immediately following Mass, 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Jan 27 Celebrate Community

Jan 27 School Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Jan 28 Student Appreciation Day

Jan 29 SPN Family Culture Day

Jan 30 Oratorical Fest

Jan 31 Noon Dismissal, No Share and Care - Teacher Appreciation

Volunteer at the Mini Maker Faire on Student Appreciation day!

Join us on Jan 28th 2025 from 9:30am-2:30pm at O’Brien Hall for our exciting Mini Makers Fair! Students will craft Mini Terrariums, LED Art Panels, String Art, Button Crafts, Potpourri Sachets etc. We need enthusiastic volunteers to assist at the crafting stations and help students bring their creations to life. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get involved and share in the fun. We are also looking for help with set up from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Sign up today to make this event a success!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14fFfVvhOjsvwSp22sa-hamgGui_JMDRnpK8vUi6IH8s/edit?usp=sharing

Samuel Romero, 4th grade, tied for 1st place in the Hoop Shoot basketball event hosted by the Elks Lodge 1015 last week. The 4th grade basketball team and class are all very proud of him!

Feb. 1 is the SPN Crab Feed! Save the date and purchase your tickets now, flier is attached. Link to purchase tickets is below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bm3wSIQqpZR4CG1P3BF91FKKwGz1DLwIyrpbNEhgaT4/edit

Ahoy, Me Hearties!

The 2025 SPN Auction committee has had all hands on deck making sure everything is shipshape in preparation for the upcoming Spartans of the Caribbean bash on March 15, 2025. One of our first orders of business was to secure a vessel for our evening voyage into the dark sea (i.e., a location for the party), and we are pleased to announce we have succeeded in our task.

Never fear, the SPN Auction Committee has locked down a gorgeous new location. This year’s Spartans of the Caribbean Auction will be held at . . . drumroll please . . . Fairview Events at METROPOLITAN GOLF LINKS. Yo Ho Ho! 

This year’s Spartan of the Caribbean Auction will be more fun than ever before! We will have new and exciting experiences to bid on at our live auction, a bucket raffle during our cocktail hour, photo booth, a DJ to keep us moving and shaking well into the evening, and an OPEN BAR for the entire event, from the cocktail hour to last call! 

Get out your spyglass and be on the lookout for more information on tickets, reserving tables and sponsorships. 

Avast ye! Leave your lads and lassies at home, bring your loot and get your sea legs ready. This ship sails on March 15, 2025, and you do not want to be marooned at home! Are you ready to voyage? We will see you on deck! 

Your Auction Chairs,

Monica and Zane

We are excited to announce that starting December 1, we will begin using Brightwheel to check your children in and out of our Share & Care program. This quick and easy system uses a QR code and your cell phone to accurately track your child's attendance. Please click here if you would like to watch a demonstration video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3yD7FXguIs

Brightwheel will also be used for tuition billing and payments. It gives you the ability to set up autopay, designate payers, make partial and prepayments and more.  

You should have received an email or text message inviting you to sign up for Brightwheel. Please download the Brightwheel app today. 

Please contact Gina Trujillo with any questions. 

Please continue to follow parking and traffic rules– NO PARKING IN RED ZONES, NO JAYWALKING, NO DOUBLE-PARKING– during morning drop off and afternoon pick up to maintain safety for our students as well as to not be cited by law enforcement.

PT https://bit.ly/3MTGSlg

The SPN PTG is selling delicious See's candies as an on-going fundraiser. To help support the PTG, simply visit one of our two virtual stores, make your purchases, and your orders will be shipped directly to you. It’s that easy! Our main store is open for orders now, and will remain open until the end of the year.

See's Candies Yum-Raising - Saint Philip Neri School - St. Philip Neri PTG

yumraising.com

The PTG thanks you in advance for your support! If you have any questions, please reach out to spn.ptg@csdo.org

Earn Volunteer Hours & Link to Log Hours

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.

Log your Volunteer hours Here

https://forms.gle/3VhHDCEhxiPa5YXg9

Preschool

TK

Kindergarten 

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

6th Grade

7th Grade

8th Grade

Art/Spanish

Library

MakerSpace

Music

Office/Shared Areas

PE

Resource

Share & Care

Garden

Science

Choice Lunch Calendar for Volunteer

Thank you so much to Needlyn D'Mello for creating the calendar this year.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1O9RBOBiRFZ-ngev5lHPL0nL718i0_IakbZwIL0t2i4w/edit?usp=sharing

A Christmas Carol

Math Kangaroo Competition 2025

A Better Way to Buy Scrip

Do you want to get a head start on your Scrip purchases for the 2024-2025 school year? We now have an easier way to start earning!  Order your gift cards to be delivered to the school or your home. Raise Right also features an app that allows you to purchase egift cards delivered to your ewallet within seconds. There are hundreds of stores available including gas stations, grocery stores, clothing & shoe stores, hotels and more. Check it out today!

Enter enrollment code 432BQIZ543ML at RaiseRight.com/Enroll 

Saint Philip Neri Social Media

Have you joined SPN on social media? 

We would love to have you as a part of our social media community.

It only takes a few seconds to join.

Check us out on Instagram at “spnalameda”.