Registration Day
All registration forms are available on our school website www.stceciliaschool.org  Please download these forms, complete them at home, and bring them to your child’s teacher on registration day, Thursday August 21. Parents who enrolled for the email Wednesday newsletter MUST download these and bring the completed forms to school on Registration Day.

Parents Welcome
The Mothers’ Club invites all parents to the auditorium for coffee and donuts on the first day of school, Friday, August 22, beginning at 8:10 A.M.  Parents with children in the P.M. Kindergarten are welcome to join us in the auditorium either before your designated school arrival time or after you leave your child in the classroom.  This is a nice way to catch up with the summer news and/or to meet new friends!

Thanks!
Again this summer we made major improvements in our school plant

• new linoleum in the faculty room, the kitchen, and four classrooms  (Rooms 20, 17, 18, 19, 7).
• new stove and work table in the McKay Center.
• new enlarged drain pipe to alleviate flooding into the McKay Center.
• sealing and lining the schoolyard.
• painting benches and some classrooms.

You will notice how our plant looks so clean and bright!
           
Thanks to

• Sister Catherine and Jose Robles and Raul Ponce for making sure that blinds and lights are sparkling and that all the floors are polished!
• the Men’s Club volunteers who participated in “2008 Work Day” on Saturday, August 16.  These men painted areas facing the schoolyard:  walls of the school building, the Pavilion, and the Collins Center.    
• Laura and Joe Marchini who donated the services of their window washing company to clean the outside windows of our school! 
• the Mothers' Club and the Festival Committee for their fantastic fundraising efforts.  Our children will benefit from a new math program Grades K-8 as well as new document readers and multimedia projectors for each room.
• our S.C. parents and parishioners for their financial support.
• the school’s Finance Committee for their sound financial planning.

St. Cecilia School Website
We are grateful to Tom Angsten (Quinn, Gr. 1) and his company, The Netkitchen, for working with Sr. Marilyn, Gene Ide, and Karen Carberry to update our school’s website and making it more user-friendly.  This is a work in progress, and we hope that this will be a useful tool for parents.  Visit our school’s website at www.stceciliaschool.org

SC Spirit Items
SC Spirit Items, including sweatshirts, shorts, t-shirts and folders, will be available for purchase on Registration Day.  Because they have grown so fast over the summer, you’ll want to replenish your supply of school items, plus we’ve ordered new t-shirt styles and colors.  Remember - the children may only wear SC sweatshirts on the playground during recess and lunch! If you have any questions, please call Katherine Ragusa at 415-613-9588 or Eddy Salazar at 415-254-2694.

Parent/Student Handbook
The Parent/Student Handbook can be downloaded from the school’s website or you may request a copy from the school office.  This handbook is for your reference and information.  It contains school and Archdiocesan policies and should be referred to if you have questions.  Please sign the Parent/Student Handbook Response Sheet and return it to school by Tuesday, August 26.

Accreditation Process
During the summer we received the following letter from the accrediting Commission for Schools which stated:
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is pleased to announce the action taken by the accrediting Commission for Schools granting St. Cecilia School a six-year term of accreditation, expiring on June 30, 2014.  This action was taken upon recommendation of the WCEA Elementary Commission after its careful study of the Visiting Committee Report.  Please accept our congratulations on the quality of instruction being offered in your school.We thank you for your support during the past two years as we worked to prepare for the visiting team at St Cecilia School last March.  We are very proud of our school and our outstanding faculty!

Drive -Through 
Parents please use the Drive-Through system.  It works quite well and eliminates the problem of finding parking!  Cars waiting for Drive-Through should line up on 18th Avenue between Wawona and Vicente Streets, rather than lining up on Vicente Street!  Do not block driveways!  New families, please put the child’s name in BIG, DARK letters in your windshield for afternoon pickup.
DO NOT DOUBLE PARK ON VICENTE OR 18TH AVENUE TO DROP OFF OR PICK UP!
DO NOT PARK IN THE DRIVEWAY TO THE SCHOOLYARD ON 18TH AVENUE!

Faculty News
            Welcome to our new faculty/staff members:
Mrs. Beth Fergus, Grade 8 Room 15
Ms. Rossana Busalacchi, Third Grade Aide
Mrs. Kerry Lucey, Grade 1 Room 4
*Mrs. Lucey will replace Ms. Mary Radanovich who will be on a personal leave through December.

Prayers
Our prayers are with the Soberanis Family as they mourn the loss of Robert (father of Gina Soberanis, Grade 6) who died suddenly on August 7, 2008.

IOWA Testing
On Monday, September 15, we will begin IOWA Testing for Grades 2-8. Check the September calendar for the exact dates of the testing. Students should not be leaving for appointments on these days. 
Students with documented learning disabilities on file in the Principal’s Office are eligible for extended time. To qualify, the students’ testing evaluation must be current (within three years) and administered by a credentialed school psychologist or a licensed educational psychologist.
Parents whose child qualifies for IOWA testing modifications will receive a letter next week with their child.  If you have questions about this Archdiocesan policy, please contact Sister Marilyn.

Mandatory Parent Meetings
New Parent Meeting
If your family is new to St. Cecilia School this year, we invite you to attend the meeting for new parents on Thursday, August 28, at 7:30 p.m., in the Lower Church.  Park in the schoolyard and enter by the open door.  At this meeting we will explain school procedures, discuss ways you can be involved in either school or parish ministries, and answer any questions you may have.  Please mark your calendars now.

Sacramental Parent Meetings
Each year we have parent meetings for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation.  Please put these dates on your calendars!  The first meeting for parents of children receiving these sacraments will be on Tuesday, September 2, at 7:30 in the Lower Church.  Each family must be represented.

There are two additional parent/child meetings for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist.
                        Saturday, November 8, from 9:15-12:30 (Reconciliation Meeting)                                                                                                                                     Meeting)
                        Saturday, January 31, from 9:15-12:30 (Eucharist Meeting)

Back to School Nights for Parents Only
                        Grades K-6       Wednesday, September 3     7 PM           
                        Grades 7-8       Thursday, September 11      7 PM

Mandatory Parent Meetings for Grades K-8
At the end of the last school year the faculty became aware again of issues regarding our students’ improper computer use both at home and school.  We are concerned about the risks and dangers of revealing personal information, and we are concerned about students’ comments which are contrary to our Catholic/ Christian value system.  We are scheduling a mandatory parent meeting on Thursday, October 23, at 7:00 P.M., entitled,  “Keeping Kids Safe in a Media World—24/7".  This meeting will NOT be a repeat of the Internet meeting that we had three years ago.
Please mark this date since at least one parent from each family MUST attend.

Fall Sports
Please be prepared for both soccer and volleyball tryouts and practices to begin on the first day of school.    Check with the Athletic Directors for your schedules.

Mandatory Coaches’ Meetings Tuesday, August 26           
         7:00            New coaches in the Serra Room (located behind the Lower Church)
            7:30            All coaches in the Lower Church
Any person planning on coaching or assistant coaching for the school year 2008-2009 must attend these meetings.  If you do not attend, you will not be allowed to coach a team at St. Cecilia.

 

Schedule For All Grades           
              Minimum Day Schedule
Friday, August 22, Monday, August 25
                        Kindergarten AM session                          8:10-10:10
                  Kindergarten PM session                         10:30-12:30
                  Grades 1-8                                               8:10-12:30

If you ordered school supplies through the Mothers’ Club, they will be available in each student’s classroom on Registration Day.  Students should bring all school supplies with them on Friday, August 22.

GRADES 2-8 begin REGULAR SCHEDULE on Tuesday, August 26.            
                        8:10-3:00   (M, T, Th, F)                        8:10-2:30    ( W ) 
                        
GRADES K-1 have MINIMUM DAY SCHEDULE from Friday, August 22 through
Friday, August 29.
                        Kindergarten AM session                        8:10-10:10
                   Kindergarten PM session                      10:30-12:30
                        Grade 1                                            8:10-12:30
Arrangements should be made for Kindergarten students and First Graders to be picked up on minimum days since there is no supervision provided except for those enrolled in the Extended Care program.

Tuesday, September 2
Kindergarten and First Grades will begin a FULL DAY session.           
                        Kindergarten A. M.            8:10-11:45
                        Kindergarten P. M.           11:25—3:00
                        Grade 1                            8:10—3:00 ( M, T, Th, F )            8:10--2:30 ( W )