Free Dress for $1.00 Friday, October 10, 2008
The news has been filled with stories and images of the aftermath of the recent hurricanes in the Gulf Coast region. Hurricanes Gustav and Ike caused great devastation to homes, businesses – even whole cities. The damage done to Catholic schools and parishes in Texas and Louisiana – and beyond – is substantial and the need is real.

As a response, our school is participating in “Child to Child Two: A Catholic Campaign to Aid Education.” It is sponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). The monies collected will be sent to NCEA, a non-profit organization. The NCEA will distribute all donations to dioceses affected by the hurricanes, for use in helping schools and parishes re-establish their education programs.

Students should bring a dollar to their classroom on Friday morning, October 10. The class representative will be collecting the money. Please follow the free dress policy found in the Parent Student Handbook. Thank you for your support of our fundraiser.

Halloween Candy Guess Two Guesses for 25¢
The Student Council will be selling guesses at the morning recesses from Monday, October 20 through Friday, October 24. The winners will be announced at the Halloween Parade!

Target
Thanks to those parents who designated St. Cecilia School when shopping at Target. We just received a check for $513.88 which we will deposit into our technology account. To participate, all you need is a REDcard(SM). Enroll at www.Target.com/tcoe or 1-800-316-6142. Target will donate up to 1% of your purchases to St. Cecilia School. Every little bit helps!

Mandatory Parents Meeting
We will have a Mandatory Parent Meeting on Thursday, October 23, at 7:00 P.M., in the Pavilion.  We have invited Common Sense Media to give this presentation entitled “Keeping Kids Health in a 24/7 Media World”.  This group exists because media and entertainment profoundly impact the social, emotional, and physical development of our children.  Their mission is to improve the media lives of kids and families.

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.

Please mark this date since at least one parent from each family MUST attend. If at least one parent cannot attend, please contact Sr. Marilyn.

Extended Care
Due to preparations for the Parish Festival, Extended Care will be closed all day on Friday, October 10th.

School Pictures
MAKE-UP PICTURE DAY, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 8:30 am
If you were absent on the original School Picture Day or missed the opportunity to purchase portraits or need to have pictures re-taken.
NEW PURCHASES: If you have not yet had your picture taken and wish to do so, now is your opportunity. Call the school office, and we will send home an information packet.
RE-TAKES: If you want a re-take, you must return the complete package to the school office before Thursday.

SunShine Newsletter
Each month we will include the Sunshine Newsletter which recognizes the Primary Grades Citizens of the Week and reminds us to pray for those who have died. (Click here) for the latest Sunshine Newsletter.

Boys’ Basketball: Coaches Meeting & Selection Dates and Time
* Boys Basketball Coaches’ Meeting October 9, 2008 7:00 p.m. Lower Church.
* Parents and Coaches (Click here) for player/team selection dates and times.

Snack Bar News
from Julie Downes and Catherine Schmitz
THANK YOU to the following volunteers: Anne Derrick, Kathy Bonacini, Tricia Brown, Jessica del Carlo, Jeff Schmitz, Kevin Kohmann, Andi Wong, Nathan Praeger, Gerald Ingemannson, Michael Wallace, Aidan Downes, Eamon Roche, Cole Schmitz, Robert Brown.

Call to ALL Parents with children in Third Grade:
We only had ONE person volunteer so far for the Snack Bar in October. We need volunteers for the following October shifts:

Friday, October 17 from 5:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 18 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 18 from 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
Friday, October 24 from 5:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 25 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 25 from 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

If you have a daughter playing a home game, we suggest volunteering either before or after her game. Volunteers will be provided with specific instructions and duties. Please reply to either Julie Downes at julie.o'brien@barclaysglobal.com or Catherine Schmitz at catherine.schmitz@pillsburylaw.com

Festival Website
To encourage more involvement and response, we will send home a Festival Packet with the oldest child on Wednesday, October 1. Please support our Festival! See all the latest raffles, auction items, games, spirit booth items and donor board at www.scfestival.com

Beach Party Volunteer Update 
Thanks to everyone who added a shift or two last week! We really appreciate all you do. It's not too late to add a shift, though, as we still have 60 shifts that are unfilled. We are still looking for volunteers for the following shifts: Sat: 8-10 PM and Sun: 12-2 PM, 2-4 PM and 4-6 PM. Please contact cristisknudsen@yahoo.comto get on the schedule.

Reminder: Any adult volunteer, who works 3 shifts at the Festival, will receive one free dress pass. These will be distributed the week after the Festival.

Jr. High Volunteers
Jr. High Volunteers are low this year. We have the following open shifts:
Fri: 8 - 10 PM need 16 more volunteers
Sat: 2 - 4:15 PM need 6 more volunteers
Sat: 5:45 - 8 PM need 6 more volunteers
Sat: 8 - 10 PM need 15 more volunteers
Sun: 2 - 4 PM need 8 more volunteers
Sun: 4 - 6 PM need 9 more volunteers

Please contact Mary Kate Fitzsimon incabinca@sbcglobal.net to add a shift. Thanks.

Festival Booth Sponsors
Time is running out to become a booth sponsor! You can contribute at the $100 Clam Level, $150 Scallop Level, $200 Oyster Level, or our new $400 Starfish Level, with corporate recognition. Please fill out the Booth Sponsor form (click here) and return it to the school office.

Scrip!
Orders received:
October 2: 15 orders
September 25: 9 orders
September 18: 21 orders
September 11: 16 orders
September 4: 5 orders
August 28: 6 orders
Please visit www.escrip.com to register or renew your grocery cards and earn contributions for our school. Contributions can also be earned at by shopping at selected retailers and dining at participating restaurants.

When ordering your Scrip, please remember that you can donate your choice of Scrip to the Festival. Simply print out the Scrip form and look for  "Donate to the Festival"  in the upper right corner of the form.
To download Scrip order forms (click here)

Origami Volunteers Needed
Got paper magic ideas? Help us by working some shifts at the origami table at the festival. Bring your ideas and creations to share! Please contact Anne Lee at 415-566-7882 or anlwy@pacbell.net

WANTED: Hair Painting Booth Chair
We still need someone to help set up and oversee hair painting at the Festival. All the supplies have been purchased; all the volunteers have been scheduled. Just show up and have some fun! Please call Helen (415) 334-7725 or Cindy (415) 566-2733.

A Great Big Thank You from the Cake Booth
Thank you so much for all of your support. We have had a tremendous response to our calls for baked goodies/cash donations. Your efforts are truly appreciated. Because of all of you, we are going to have some fabulous goodies! Bakers, please drop your items off in the auditorium after 7:30 a.m. either on Friday or anytime on Saturday. Please do not send in any plates or platters that you want returned. We’ll give you a reminder call too.

For those of you who haven't yet done so but wish to donate baked goodies or cash, you can still get in on the action. Please (click here) and return the form to the school office, attention Elaine Shanahan/Cake Booth. Thank you so much for your support!

Candy Booth Contest
It’s time again to start collecting donations for the Chocolate & Candy Booth for festival this year. Once again we will be having a Contest for the class who donates the most Chocolate & Candy. The winning class will receive a wonderful pizza party with all the trimmings.
Here’s how the Contest will work:
Each class will be given a bag with their Grade and Room Number on it. Bags will be collected each week and replaced with new ones. The Chocolate and Candy will be collected, counted and tracked each week. Points will be earned by each class as follows;
Bags of Chocolate/Candy 3 Points
Large Bars of Chocolate & Boxes of Chocolates 3 Points
Medium Bars of Chocolate 2 Points
Small Bars of Chocolate 1 Point
Thanks so much for your support in making this years’ festival the best one yet! Any questions, please contact Jacinta Hurley at (415) 665-3592 or Mary Laffey at (650) 994-4798.

SC Spirit Booth
Be sure to check out all the cool new items at this year's Festival Spirit Booth: windbreakers, compression shirts, travel mugs and duffle bags. Plus, we'll have all the old favorites too! Pom poms, hair ribbons, baseball shirts, beanie caps, cinch packs, pens, pencils and tattoos. Start your holiday shopping!

American Girl Doll Raffle
Show your school spirit! Win Kit Kittredge star of this summer's American Girl movie. Kit shows her blue and gold pride by wearing her SC School uniform. Download and return your tickets today! (click here)

Who Needs Snow?
Get ready for winter by practicing slalom racing, snowboarding, and ski jumps. The new Wii Fit has over 40 new activities including snow sports, skateboarding and soccer heading. It also has aerobics training, yoga and training exercises like push ups and jack-knife. You can win the Wii Fit Bundle Raffle which includes 3 popular Wii games that connect into your Wii. Games included are: Wii Fit, Wii Dance, Dance Revolution and Wii High School Musical, Sing It Karaoke! Download the raffle tickets (click here)

Grand Awards Cash Raffle...Big Changes = BIG Bucks
Get your tickets in early! Over $5,000 in cash prizes. Don't miss out on our new Grand Awards Daily Cash Drawing. In addition to the Sunday Grand Awards drawing, we will be pulling winning tickets each evening of the festival. If you wait until Sunday at 5pm to submit your tickets, you'll miss out on winning cash prizes. You need not be present to win. If you need more ticket books, please pick them up at the rectory.

Outdoor Games Raffle - ONE MORE DAY TO ENTER
The 3 winning tickets will be pulled on Friday, October 10th at 2:15 P.M. Turn in your raffle tickets today! Download your tickets today (click here) and return to the school office. Don't delay! These tickets cannot be bought at the festival!

Don't Forget to Tell The Kiddies!
The Silent Auction has a new item that will thrill the kids, so be sure to tell them: VIP passes to the Halloween haunted house at the rectory. Each of the four passes will let one person go to the front of the line! If you have ever seen how long the line can get, you know how great that is. Be sure to look for it at the Silent Auction! If you would like to donate to the Silent Auction please download our donor form. (click here). Thanks!

Basket Accessories And Wine!
Do you have any items in your garage or closet that would work as a basket accessory? If so, please bring it by the rectory as soon as possible. The Festival is two weeks away! Be sure the item is new and in good shape! Thanks! Below is a partial list of things we need:
Wine, wine and more wine!
Cans/jars of nuts (great to pair with whiskey, etc. or party baskets)
Baking mixes
Pancake mixes (great for coffee baskets or holiday baskets)
Baking Tools (even Christmas themed tools - to go with cute Christmas cookie jar that'll be an eye-catcher)
Coffee
Tea
Party snacks
Non-perishable sausages or cheeses (we had a number of small serving or cheese trays donated)
Separately wrapped candies (to dress up glassware, make baskets look more festive - color is great too)
Specialty sauces, barbeque sauces and jarred salsas
Nice cups, glassware, stemware

Did I mention wine?

Silent Auction - Coming Attractions!
How about spending a week at a luxury villa in Orlando Florida over St. Cecilia Spring break? Watch out for a set of 8 Waterford Crystal water glasses, wine glasses and beautiful dessert and/or appetizer bowls in the lovely Lismore pattern. Don’t miss out on those 49ner, Giants or Big Game tickets, all great seats. We also have a beautiful signed Normal Rockwell lithograph and well as hundreds of wonderful baskets, gift certificates to wonderful restaurants.

iPod Touch Raffle
Be the first to own the newest iPod from Apple. With its revolutionary Multi-Touch interface, 3.5-inch widescreen color display, the new iPod Touch handles music, videos, photos, Wi-Fi, Safari, Mail and YouTube. This iPod Touch has 8 GB of storage and is sure to be a hit. Download the raffle tickets (click here) and return to the school office.

Pavilion Raffle
The Durocher Pavilion can be your for a Saturday night party. Winner also receives pizza and a $50 Safeway gift card. Click for tickets (click here)

Irish Blanket Raffle
Stay warm this winter with a beautiful wool Irish knit blanket. Gorgeously handcrafted, this blanket can be yours by purchasing raffle tickets today.(click here)

Free Dress For A Week Raffle
What St. Cecilia child would not love a free dress pass for a full week? Well, here is your chance to win your child that honor. The winner of this raffle will be able to wear whatever they like for a full week (must follow St. Cecilia free dress guidelines). (click here)

S.I. Pool Party Raffle
Attention moms and dads…..We will be raffling off a pool party at St. Ignatius again this year. This is a great spot for birthday parties. You can't win if you don't buy a ticket, so download your form today! (click here)