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Thoughts from Sister Jeannine More than any other Christmas that I remember, I regret that this Sunday, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, is the end of the liturgical season of Christmas. I have loved the beauty and cessation of normal it brought. Even though the stores begin Christmas in October and end on December 26, in the convent we still have our tree with all the lights and decorations and I plan to sit at least one more time in front of it to pray and just savor the beauty of it all. In the spirit of wanting to postpone the end, I share with you an excerpt from a prayer poem by Father Edward Hays in his book Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim: "Place upon my feet shoes of lead that I may be slow to put away the electric stars that have hung like clusters of constellations upon my Christmas tree. They have nightly spoken to me of what a child's eyes can see in every tree. Turn to concrete my Christmas consciousness that I may continue to greet hassled clerks in crowded stores and nameless strangers on the street with blessings and joyful wishes. And so by living the whole year in the quality of Christmastide, your Word may endlessly become flesh in me, your Christmas child." Hope you have one little candle or bow or ungiven gift still lingering around so you can savor this miracle season just one more minute with me.
In this week’s letter you will find information about:
Baby Formula drive Grandparents Day on April 13 Focus and Merit Week 1/12-1/16 February Lunch Menu Early Distribution World Meeting of Families Talk Middle School Experience
In this week’s folder you will find:
Ned Show In-School Assembly Info (1/12/15)
Ned Show sale of yo-yo’s (1/13/15 – 1/20/15)
Mandated Reporter Form (sign and return)
February Lunch Menu
Kitchen Wizards (staring 1/16)
Science Explorer Signup (starting 1/22)
March for Life form (7th
& 8th
only)
High School Choice Form (8th
only)
Teddy Bear Thank you
SS. Simon and Jude School The Community You Feel. The Lessons You Love
Week of 1–8-15 School Newsletter Issue #16
SS. Simon and Jude Mission Statement
Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary we at Saints Simon and Jude School, commit ourselves to learning,
proclaiming and living the Good News of Jesus Christ. We strive to educate and develop all for Catholic
leadership in the church and community, enabling one another to serve with
Compassion, Courage and Competence.
From the Home & School Welcome back to school and Happy 2015! Congratulations to the McLaughlin family (Ryan Room 4), who won the special $300 raffle before the Christmas break. And congratulations to the teacher winners as well: Sister Barbara Jude, Mrs. Blair, and Mrs. Hood!! If you are still interested in a raffle ticket, contact Kathi Clapham at [email protected]. Winners are drawn every Friday until the end of May! A big thank you goes out to Regina Donohue and Meredith Diederich for all of their hard work throughout the year but especially at Christmastime with SSJ Logowear!! We truly appreciate all of the organization and work that goes in to this, and we know how happy you made many, many students!! Save the Dates: Catholic Schools week begins Sunday January 25th. After the 9:00 mass, walk over to Monihan Hall and enjoy coffee, and bagels. The school is open from 10-1:30 for an open house. The Scholastic Book Fair returns to SSJ during Catholic Schools week with this year’s theme: Under the Sea. The book fair will be open on Sunday January 25th until the 29th in the Parish Center. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase for 50 cents (or 3 for $1) starting on January 12th in the library. Please contact Jen Hannah at [email protected] if you wish to donate a raffle item. Volunteers are still needed to help out at the book fair throughout the week. Please sign up via the SignUp Genius, which was sent by email on December 21st by Molly Kelly. The next general Home and School meeting is Wednesday February 25th in the Meehan Center.
ONCE again there are a few opportunities being offered to give charitably. No one can do it all. Thank you for sharing your goodness as you are able.
New Requests and Opportunities 1. Parents/Guardians: The student council is organizing a drive, "socks for souls", for the homeless who are not able
to afford socks. The drive begins now and will run through the end of January
2. Our parish family is collecting baby formula for newborns-in-need. This collection provides emergency formula for infants who fail to receive the proper nutrition during the critical early months of their development. The formula is distributed to food cupboards and Catholic Social Services within the Archdiocese. Please consider contributing one container of formula on or before February 13th.
3. Monday, January 12th, there will be an in-school assembly, The NED show. As you will see on the NED show flyer, the
presentation is free of charge, but we are then asked to sell yo-yo’s so the next show is funded for another school. We have no quota, and there is no obligation to buy a yo-yo. However, if you choose to allow your child to buy one, they will be sold Tuesday 1/13 through Tuesday 1/20. If paying by check, make the check payable to SSJ.
4. World Meeting of Families Talk, "Love is Our Mission", place on Sunday, January 11, 2015, at 1:00 pm in the Meehan Center. Come with your friends and neighbors to learn about how to improve your family relationships at a special presentation based on the official teaching of the World Meeting of Families. Refreshments will be served. R.S.V.P. to [email protected] or call 610-696-3624 to inform the church office if you can attend so ample refreshments and seating can be provided.
5. Focus and Merit Dress Down was inadvertently left off of the January calendar (sorry). Focus and Merit Dress down
week will be 1/12/15 – 1/16/15. 6. Grandparents Day is moved from January Catholic Schools Week to Monday, April 13th. No more worries for
grandmom and grandpop sliding in the snow and ice. 7. As part of our goal to set Middle School apart as a separate and special experience, all students in Grades 6 to 8 will
have the opportunity to enjoy two half-hour clubs on Friday 1/16 from 1:50-2:45. Their choices for enjoyment are Board Games, Improv, Scrapbooking, Silent Ball, Sim City computer app, Study Hall and Yoga. They have already made their choices, and are looking forward to the time. There will also be another Friday experience during this trimester and there are plans for at least two during third trimester. As an added treat Middle School students have a dress down on club day.
8. The Insectarium Institute, 8046 Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia (215-335-9500) invites children at 1:00 PM on
Saturday, January 10th to join in the fun of making a beautiful lady bug stone garden ornament just for mom! After gaining inspiration while touring the insect zoo, you’ll love preparing your very own lady bug decorative rock.
9. The Lunch Menu is coming home a week earlier than expected. Although the calendar notes that it is not due until
1/21/15, please send back as soon as possible. Thank you. 10. Please see this reprint from the principal of Henderson High School regarding an app of which you’ll want to be
aware: I am writing to make you aware of a dangerous app that has made its way to the West Chester community and to
enlist your help. Over the last week or so, we have received several complaints regarding a new app called After
School. This app enables users to post anonymous pictures and comments about others. Most of the comments
and posts on this app are obnoxious, hurtful, and disgusting. Apps such as Yik Yak and After School are
damaging, careless, and hurtful to students – we have seen a new form of cyberbullying.
What can parents and guardians do? Please talk to your kids. Ask them if they use this app or another one like
it. If they do, re-affirm the message that what they communicate to others matters and that those communications
should be respectful. I would also recommend to review your child’s phone regularly as new apps are created
every day. If you believe that your child is engaging in this type of bullying, please tell them to STOP and help
them sympathize with the victim that is being harassed. If your child is being victimized, please encourage them
to talk with their parent, guidance counselor, or administrator. The West Chester Area School District has a zero
tolerance for bullying. This form of bullying and harassment is also against the law and is a very serious
infraction.
If your child has After School or a similar app, I would also recommend that you have them remove it from their
phone. I am attaching an article that discusses the app "After School." The creators of this app do not care
about how it is affecting kids. Please work together to enable our kids to make good choices and I thank you for
your help in this very serious matter. http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-after-school-app-2014-12
Sincerely, Jason P. Sherlock (principal of Henderson)
Repeated Requests and Opportunities 1. Chester County Intermediate Unit is holding a Summer Camp and Activities Fair on Thursday, January
15th from 5:30-7:30PM at the IU center on Boot Road. Get an early start on summer plans.
2. The SSJ Book Fair will take place during Catholic Schools Week, 1/25/15 thru 1/30/15. We are in need of volunteers to work the Book Fair. Be on the look-out for a separate Sign-up Genius email. The main focus of the fair is purchasing books, but it has been a tradition that during the fair, children have the opportunity to take chances on a few raffle items. If you are planning to donate a raffle item, please contact Jen Hannah at [email protected]. Raffle tickets will be on sale during students’ regular library time beginning Monday, 1/12/15. The cost is $.50 each or 3 for $1.
3. If you are looking for a tutor there are two IHM resources you may want to consider. a. The IHM Educational Center is located at Saint Aloysius Academy in Bryn Mawr. Sessions for K-8 are
held Monday to Thursday at both 3:30 and 4:45. For more information, please contact Sister Marian Leo at 610-527-1466.
b. Tutoring is also offered by our Camilla Hall sisters for students in grades 5th to 12th Monday through Friday after 1:00 PM and through the evening as agreed upon. Some brochures and registration slips are in SSJ Office or for more information you may call 610-386-2120 or email [email protected]
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Expressions of Gratitude and Congratulations
1. In joy we welcome Jackson Maverick Melcher who was born on 12/31! He is another little bother for Mackenzie Gr. 1! Congrats to Mom and Dad and the whole family.
2. And more sources of joy and pride for and with some of our 8th graders: Sophia Lebano is the recipient of Villa Maria IHM Charism partial scholarship
Jack Purcell has been awarded a full scholarship to Salesianum and Michael Steinetz and Glenford Ona
have been awarded partial scholarships to Salesianum
Sincere congrats to these students, their parents and their teachers for all they’ve done throughout the years.
3. Thanks to all who clip, and/or shop on BoxTop Marketplace and to Regina and Carrie who count and send, we received a check for $2051.48 from BoxTops for Education! The clipped proceeds were $1737.80, bonus points boxtops amounted to $158.70 and the boxtops earned $154.98
4. Congratulations to the SSJ girls JV region team who won 2nd place in the St. Agnes Christmas tournament. Also
congrats to the SSJ Varsity girls B Basketball team who placed 1st in the St. Annie’s tournament.
5. Thanks to all who attended the Hair Cuttery fundraiser held 5/12/14 - 5/14/14. SSJ received a check for $50!
Prayer requests: Please keep the following intentions in your prayers: 1. For Nurse Pam Dutill’s mom who is hospitalized 2. For Miss Welsh’s mother who is in re-hab with several broken vertebrae 6. For Sister James who continues to recuperate and will hopefully be back soon 7. For the repose of the soul of Frank Calabro Mrs. Langdon’s cousin 8. For the repose of the soul of Joseph Tercero , grandfather to Simon Arena, Gr. 7 9. For the repose of the soul of Larry Norton, grandfather to Caroline, Gr. K
Glimpse at the Days Ahead
Fri. 1/9 9:00am School Mass
7:00pm Grade 7-8 Cluster Dance at SSJ
Mon 1/12 9:30am Marketing Committee Meeting
1:30pm Assembly The NED Show – sale of NED yo-yo’s for the next five (5) school days
7:00pm H&S Board Meeting
Tues. 1/13 3:15pm Faculty Meeting
Thurs. 1/15 6:00 pm Safe Environment Training in Meehan Center (registration required on Virtus.org)
7:30pm Visit SSJ – tour and presentation for new families
Fri. 1/16 8:00am Visit SSJ – tour and presentation for new families
Mon 1/19 SCHOOL HOLIDAY
God and Father of us all, in Jesus, your Son and our Savior, you have made us your sons and daughters in the family of the Church. May your grace and love help our families in every part of the world be united to one another in fidelity to the Gospel. May the example of the Holy Family, with the aid of your Holy Spirit, guide all families, especially those most troubled, to be homes of communion and prayer and to always seek your truth and live in your love. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us!
