Dear Parents and Guardians,
Today is a Student Free Day. There will be NO SCHOOL for our students because our Teachers will be having a Staff Retreat off campus. School will resume on 3/22 for grades K-7. On Tuesday, 3/22, PMA Theater students will be on campus performing for our middle school students at 9:15am. Only our 8th graders will be excused tomorrow, 3/22, in light of their extended stay on Catalina Island, due to inclement weather. We will see the 8th graders on campus on Wednesday 3/23 and we pray they had a fruitful retreat. This Friday, 3/25 is the Feast of the Annunciation. That same day, we will join in prayer at our 8am Mass with the Holy Father, as Pope Francis consecrates Russia and Ukraine to the Sacred Heart of Mary. How beautiful, as we are currently in the process of our annual Marian Consecration at school as well. We continue to pray for peace in the world and an end to the war in Ukraine.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week on Sunday, April 10. Holy Thursday, April 14 is our last day of school before the break, and we will have a 12 noon dismissal. Grade level retreats will take place that day. Just a reminder that Good Friday is on April 15, and there will be No School, as that is the beginning of our Easter Break from April 15-April 24. Classes will resume on Monday, April 25.
Our Interior Maintenance PLC will be cleaning our school again this Saturday, 3/26 from 12:30-3:30. If you are interested in helping please sign up on the Sign up Genius or just show up that day. You can earn up to 3 service hours each time you help.
We are thankful to all the dads and father figures who attended our 8am Mass last Friday, as we celebrated the Feast of St. Joseph (3/19).
Our Spring Picture Day is scheduled for this Thursday, March 24. Only students who purchase photos may come to school in Free Dress that day.
We continue with our All School Marian Consecration, which will culminate on May 11, the same day as our May Crowning, led by the 8th graders.
In planning for next year, please email me if you are interested in being a lead for any of our Parent Leadership Committees (PLCs). Our children’s school experience is directly related to the level of involvement of our families. We have been blessed to have supportive parents over the years. Some leads will have their children graduating this year and we need more parents to lead for the coming year. Please remember that the leads may reach out to committee members, but it is each parents’ responsibility to respond so they can earn their family’s 30 service hours. Throughout the year, we always send emails re: opportunities to earn hours by volunteering or donating gift cards for school needs. If you choose this route, please buy Scrip through the school and donate the gift cards so you can earn double credit.
We pray for our 2nd graders as they prepare for their First Reconciliation on March 28.
Our All School Spelling Bee is on April 6. Please encourage your child to study and compete in their class spelling bee. The Top 2 spellers from each grade level will advance to the finals for great prizes! Good luck!
Mrs. Grey, Principal
SCHOOL CALENDAR 2021-2022
(Be sure to always check www.stanthonygardena.org and your child’s teacher’s blog, along with our SAP School app for the most current information.)
- March 24: Spring Picture Day (only students purchasing pictures may come in Free Dress)
- March 28: First Reconciliation for 2nd graders in the evening in Church
- April 4: School Lenten Penance Service starting at 8:45 grades 2-5, 10:15-12 grades 6-8
- April 6: All School Spelling Bee
- April 14: Holy Thursday Noon Dismissal (grade level retreats)
- April 15: Good Friday NO SCHOOL, Easter Break begins
- April 15-24 Easter Break
- April 25: School Resumes
- April 25-29: 7th and 8th grade trip to Washington DC (Sr. Tho and Mrs. Navia chaperoning)
- April 26: Progress reports go home for the 3rd trimester
- April 27: 8th Grade Graduation Pictures (Keys Photography) Tentative, subject to change
- April 30: First Holy Communion for school children (2nd graders)
- May 4: 3rd and Final Mandatory General Parent Meeting ($50 fine for non-participation, must attend the whole meeting)
- May 6: Scrip Money Due
- May 9: Student Government Campaigns Begin
- May 11: May Crowning led by 8th grade and last day of All School Marian Consecration
- May 12-13: Student Free Day (faculty and staff PDs and purging school, packing up classrooms for summer renovations) Parents and students needed to help for service hours
- May 18: Student Government Speeches and voting (Google Classroom)
- May 23: Last School Lenten Penance Service starting at 8:45 grades 2-5, 10:15-12 grades 6-8
- May 23-24: End of Year Gently Used Uniform Sale (donations can be brought to office, especially Kinder and 8th grade)
- May 26: New Parent Orientation (Zoom at 6:30pm) Slide show
- May 27: Parent Service Hours due, Service hours on Gradelink cutoff date, Inauguration of ew Student Government, Gradelink Blocked, end of 3rd trimester for 8th grade
- May 30: NO SCHOOL Memorial Day Holiday
- Friday, June 3: Crossover day
- Friday, June 10: 8th Grade Graduation in the Church
- June 13: Feast Day of St. Anthony of Padua (last full day)
- June 14-16: Noon Dismissal
- Wed, June 15: Kinder Promotion in the Hall
- Thursday, June 16: last Day of School, Summer Break (noon dismissal, end of year Staff Party off campus)
- Shea Family Charities Renovations June 20-Sept. 5, school resumes 9/5/22.
SCRIP
One easy way to help you reach your $500 financial commitment is to purchase Scrip throughout the year. We accept credit cards in the office for your orders making it easier than ever! It’s basically buying gift cards to purchase things like groceries, gas, gifts, or things you need and want on a daily basis, but you can get fundraising credit for a portion of every gift card you buy! Work smarter, not harder! We have Scrip for Starbucks, Vons, Albertsons, Sam’s Club, Home Depot, Gardena Supermarket, and so much more.
SCHOOL DONATIONS AND SERVICE HOURS THROUGH INTERIOR MAINTENANCE
For families looking to pay off their service hour commitment 10 per trimester (30 for the year), our school gives the option to buy Scrip/gift cards and donate them to SAP. We buy a lot of materials and supplies from Office Depot, Walmart/Sam’s Club, and Target for much needed supplies, so if you buy Scrip valued at $10/hour and donate it to the school to offset costs, we will credit your service hour account. (Next year our service hours will be worth $15/hr. to keep up with the minimum wage.) Parents who volunteer on Saturdays can earn service hours cleaning our school with the Interior Maintenance PLC. Please join the group. Thanks in advance! The next few Saturdays are March 26, April 2, April 9, May 7, and May 21.
RALPH’S AND FOOD 4 LESS COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM
Just a reminder that our school is a member of the Community Rewards Programs for both Ralphs and Food 4 Less stores. For the Ralphs & the Food 4 Less Programs, you can opt in for the Community Rewards Program using your Ralphs or Food 4 Less Club Card. Please note that there is a different enrollment code for each of these stores. It is very important that you register the cards as soon as possible prior to the next time you use them, or the school will not receive benefits. Then please have the cashier scan the card or enter your ALT ID every time you make a purchase at Ralphs or Food 4 Less and we will receive a small percentage of each sale! We invite any parents or guardians who shop at Food 4 Less or Ralphs, even occasionally, to consider enrolling as this is an easy way to benefit the school without it costing you anything extra. We thank you in advance for your participation and thoughtfulness!
EARN ONE SERVICE HOUR FROM HOME!
Parents who review our school online on Yelp, Google, AND greatschools.org will earn up to one service hour after you send me your screenshots of all 3 sites as proof: to agrey@stanthonygardena.org.
ON-CAMPUS PRIVATE TOURS AVAILABLE
I have been conducting private tours and scheduling meetings with prospective families this month. If someone you know would like to schedule a tour on campus with me, please contact me at agrey@stanthonygardena.org. Don’t forget our referral incentives! You can earn up to $150 in Scrip or have it credited toward your tuition. Ask me how!
GENTLY USED UNIFORM SALE 5/23 and 5/24
Ms. Patty Dungo is our PLC lead for the Gently Used Uniform Sale that will take place on 2 days in the mornings and afternoons on 5/23 and 5/24. If you can help, please choose a slot on the Sign up Genius.
MAY 12-13 CLEAN UP DAYS
Shea Family Charities will be renovating our school over the summer from June 20-September 5. Our hope is to start school in person this fall, so the earliest we can begin is September 6. The new school year will start on 9/6 and end a week later on 6/23. Please note this. We typically start in mid-August, but that is not possible this year. Please help us clean up our garage and our classrooms on May 12-13. Our school will offer service hours to parents and students. Please reach out to the office or your teachers if you are able to volunteer. Due to Fiesta, those days are typically Student Free Days. This year we will be purging, cleaning, and organizing our classrooms for the renovations. We hope to have everything packed and put away by June 10. Thanks in advance for your help! We are in need of boxes. Everything in the K-8 classrooms, the learning lab, library, and garage must be packed.
St. Anthony of Padua – Pray for us
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