MINIMUM DAYS: 12:30 Dismissal
Monday, November 24 — Teacher In-Service
Wednesday, November 27 — Beginning of Thanksgiving Vacation

eNEWSLETTER and WEDNESDAY ENVELOPE
Today, November 19, is the last newsletter for the month. There will not be a newsletter on November 26 because of Thanksgiving vacation! If you want to submit an item for the December 3 newsletter, the deadline to email Sr. Marilyn with your “blurb” is Friday, November 21, at noon. Thanks!
Happy Thanksgiving!

APPLICATIONS 2009-2010
Parents, do you have a child ready for kindergarten (5 years old as of September 1, 2009)? Do you plan to enroll an older child in our school for the 2009-2010 school year? If so, click here for important Sibling Application information. This completed Sibling Application form is due in the school office by Friday, December 12!

LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR
Friday, November 21 is the last day to bring a donation to school for St. Anne’s Home for the Aged. Requested items include: Kleenex, toothpaste, baby powder, moisturizing skin lotion, shampoo, all bars of soap (except Ivory). Thank you for your generosity!

DRAMA CLUB NEWS
We are very lucky to have a Drama Club under the direction of Ms. Katy Porter. Katy does a wonderful job of introducing children to basic acting techniques and terminology and creates a safe space where children can be creative, silly and take risks. Many Drama Club students have uncovered and explored new found talents.

From September through November the Drama Club students learned and practiced improv skills. Each Saturday class was filled with fun activities and creativity! On April 3-5 we will again have our spring musical — You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown. This will be an exciting venture, and we look forward to another wonderful musical performance.

The Drama Club is supported by participants’ fees, ticket sales, contributions from parents, and funding through the school budget. St. Cecilia’s Drama Club is another example of our school’s efforts to meet the needs of all children. We are grateful to Katy for sharing her talents with our students!

MUSIC DEPARTMENT PARENTS
Families who pay tuition by the quarter were billed on October 29. If you pay by the quarter and have not yet sent your tuition, please do so ASAP. Every music student received two copies of the Christmas Concert form: one to sign and return and one to keep. All music students need to return a signed Christmas Concert form to his/her music teacher. The form lets the Music Department know that each family is aware of whether or not their child is performing in the Christmas concerts this year. If you have not yet signed and returned the Christmas Concert form to your child's music teacher, please do so. There is only enough concert time for half the music students to perform in any one year.
Note: Every student musician will perform in the January Concerts.

SC SCREAMER
Congratulation to Laura Soter, editor of the SC Screamer, and her staff for a fabulous Thanksgiving edition of the school newspaper! Click here to view your own copy! Or go to the Downloadable Forms page on the St. Cecilia School website.

THURSDAY SANDWICHES FOR THE POOR
Many thanks to those who have been sending sandwiches for the poor on Thursdays. The success of the Sandwich Program is outstanding, and the St. Vincent De Paul Society thanks parents, students, teachers, and staff for their continued support of this work of charity.

THE SCHOOL FINANCE COMMITTEE
The School Finance Committee has been in existence for many years. The members, representing the parish and the school, are appointed by the pastor and the principal to serve a six year term on a rotating basis. The following are members of the School Finance Committee for the 2008-2009 school year:

Representing the parish: Kathy Atkinson, Barbara Cutten, Joe Grazioli
Representing the school: Steve Johnson, Sally Maske, Ray Williamson

The primary goal of this committee is to ensure affordable Catholic education for the families of St. Cecilia Parish. The committee meets monthly, assesses the status of tuition collection, and makes every effort to deal compassionately and sensitively with parents who are experiencing financial difficulties. This committee also approves the school budget and capital expenses, and based on the proposed income and expenses, determines tuition rates and fees for the following year. As the school year progresses, the committee provides consistent monitoring of receipts and expenses. We are grateful for the service these parishioners perform for the school community.

BIRTHDAY BOOK CLUB
Thank you to all the students who have donated to the Birthday Book Club. An amazing 113 books have been donated since August. For a current list of available books click here.

CONFIRMATION
Mark your calendars — The seventh graders will be confirmed on Saturday, May 9, 10:30 A.M., by Bishop William Justice.

NASA ASTRONAUT VISITS SC
On September 29, 2008, we were honored to have Dr. Nicholas Patrick, PH.D speak to the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders about his space flight experience on STS-116 Discovery (December 9-22, 2006). His 7-member crew continued construction of the ISS outpost and also delivered a new crew member and more than two tons of equipment and supplies to the station. Almost two tons of items no longer needed on the station returned to Earth with STS-116. Dr. Patrick is a family friend of Vicki Inglis (mother of Natalia Arguello-Inglis, Gr. 7), and we are grateful to her for inviting Dr. Nicholas to visit SC. Check out Dr. Patrick's pictures at the SC Photo Gallery.

UPDATED SC PHOTO GALLERY
Click to checkout the latest school pictures. New photos of: Halloween, Limo-Lunch, NASA Astronaut Patrick, and Mix It Up At Lunch. Photo Gallery link located on the bottom of our St. Cecilia School homepage.

ADVENT
We begin the season of Advent on Sunday, November 30. During Advent we learn how to wait and pray, and we try to live according to the teachings of the prophets. Then we can be ready to receive the Messiah with joy. We want to share with you the various ways that we, as a school family, will be preparing for Christmas during this Advent season:

Grades 3-6 and 8 will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Tuesday, December 2. Grade 7 will have the opportunity to receive this sacrament during their Confirmation retreat.

In the quiet waiting of Advent, we pray to the Lord. As a school community we will take quiet prayer time each morning. The bulletin board by the office will reflect our Advent prayer. If you are in the school building at morning announcements, we ask that you join us in prayer.

Each family will receive an Advent table tent which actually lights up (when a tea candle is placed inside). Not only that ... the table tent also proclaims the meaning of the Advent season, featuring the traditional themes of the Advent--Be Hopeful, Be Ready, Be Joyful, Be Love. We hope this will help to make Advent more meaningful for you and your families.

The Student Council will sponsor the annual Toys for Tots collection from Monday, December 8 through Friday, December 12. The toys must be new and sent to school unwrapped. Thanks for your generosity!

On Friday, December 5, we will celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas. Each child (and teacher) will put a shoe outside the classroom door. We look forward to a “sweet” for each of us!

The Primary Grades are planning their Advent Pageant for the student body on Friday, December 12, at our 11:00 Mass, and for the parish on Sunday, December 14, at the 9:30 Family Mass. The Men of St. Cecilia will sponsor the Pancake Breakfast following this Mass.

In keeping with the spirit of Advent, we will not have Christmas parties before vacation. Classes will have Epiphany parties on Friday, January 9. May the Advent season bring you deep blessings, and may the light of Christ fill your days with peace.

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS
On Tuesday, December 16 some of our music students will present a Christmas Concert in the auditorium:
10:40 am Grades KAM, 2, 4, 6, 8
1:30 pm Grades KPM, 1, 3, 5, 7

The children’s Christmas Boutique will be on Thursday, December 18, in the Lower Church. A BIG thank you to the chairpersons: Celine Calalang and Mariwil Wong.

On Friday, December 19, at 11:30, we will have a prayer service in Church entitled “The Spirit of Christmas”. You are welcome to join us!

Scrip!
Orders received:
November13: 13 orders — Thank You!
November 6: 13 orders — Thank You!
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.
To order Scrip please (click here!)

MOTHERS' CLUB ANNUAL WINTER BRUNCH
The Brunch is set for Sunday December 7, 2008 at the Olympic Club. Invitations were sent home with your children on Wednesday, November 5. Get your table ready to enjoy this special event with your friends. Reservations are due by December 1.

GIRLS' SOCCER TRY-OUTS
ALL TRY-OUTS WILL BE HELD AT PARKSIDE PARK (27th Avenue and Vicente Street)
Grade 7 Monday, November 24, 2:15-3:15
Grade 8 Monday, November 24, 3:30-4:30
Questions? Please call the Mary Ann Paul at 415-664-6905. Thank you!