Tuesday, November 27, 2007

I hope all of you had a very blessed Thanksgiving. We thank you for your generous donations of food during our Thanksgiving Drive for St. Columbkille. I know the gifts are much appreciated. Last week we received a large envelope full of thank you cards from St. Columbkille students for the Halloween treat bags you helped fill. The Student Council will share these cards with the student body. Please know that your donations during this time of giving do help put smiles on children's faces!

Today students in grades K-8 experienced the NED Show (NEVER give up, ENCOURAGE others, DO your best) which encouraged them to believe that they are all champions. Ask your child(ren) to share the NED message with you!

As the Christmas carols play and the department store sales begin we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season. Let us remember that Advent, the time to prepare for the coming of the Lord, is only 5 days away! The mood of this season is one of spiritual preparation that increases in joy with each day. In the classroom, students will focus on ways to prepare during this special time. How about creating the mood of anticipation at home? Perhaps you might consider displaying an Advent wreath, and you can make it family activity by making one together. Talk with your family about how you can fully celebrate Advent together.

Have a wonderful week!

Olivia Carrillo Principal

Jog-A-Thon Fundraiser
As of 11/20/07 we have collected $43,571.27 which will be used towards our upgrade/HVAC fund. Thanks for your support!

Looking Ahead
Wednesday, 11/28 - Optional See's Fundraiser Ends
Wednesday, 12/5 - Fall A & B Sports Banquet 6:30 p.m. .
Thursday, 12/6 - 3rd Grade to St. Joseph's Retreat Center
Sunday, 12/2 _ 1st Sunday of Advent
Sunday, 12/9 - 2nd Grade School Sponsored Mass

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Our Jog-A-Thon last Friday was filled with much energy and enthusiasm, and it was great to see the Inca community working together enjoying each other’s company! Many thanks to Robert Mahan (Jog-A-Thon Chair), the PTO Board, Mrs. Ann Marie Guinane, and all parent volunteers for making this a great day for all of us. Thanks also to our sponsors, donors, and our student runners who helped to make this event a fundraising success. We are one step closer to cool air!

It seems hard to believe that we are approaching the end of November. Conferences have begun and we are grateful that you are taking the time to meet with your child’s teacher(s). Now that the first trimester is over and you have received your child’s report card, you can sit with your child to identify and celebrate areas of strength. Together you can also find some areas for improvement and plan to focus on those specific areas in the second trimester. Teachers will also do their part by reflecting on their practices to ensure that they are doing all they can to best meet the needs of their students.

On your conference day you will receive your child’s ITBS test results from October. Remember that these tests are one indicator of student achievement. At Incarnation, we will use these results as we examine our curricular program. They help us identify our own areas of strength and growth. Each year the Archdiocese gives us a specific curricular area to examine and this year we will focus particularly on math. These scores will be used through the Math In-Depth Study process.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I have much to give thanks for, but I am especially grateful for all of the children that you send to us each day. You are all in my thoughts and prayers, and I wish you a safe and blessed Thanksgiving.

Olivia Carrillo
Principal

Incarnation School Awards Assembly
November 21, 2007
10:45 a.m.
School Auditorium
Parents are welcomed to join us!

Coffee with the Principal Notes
Once a month at 7:45 a.m. in the auditorium, parents gather with me to ask questions and discuss concerns about the school over coffee and snacks. I would like to share with you a few notes from the October and November meetings and invite parents who are available to join me for our upcoming Coffee with the Principal on Thursday, December 13.

• Accelerated Reader – Can students test above their grade level?
o Students will be able to test above their grade level if they have achieved at least 80% mastery on their Accelerated Reader tests at their own grade level. Parents with questions about Accelerated Reader are encouraged to speak with Mrs. Hihn, school librarian.

• First in Math (FIM) vs. Accelerated Math (AM) – Many parents have expressed that they prefer the Accelerated Math program over the new First in Math program. Parents said that AM included more logic, was practical, and gave the parents and students a clear picture of the child’s progress. With FIM some parents find that there is no motivation, and in playing the games there can be a lot of guesswork.
o The faculty decided to try FIM for this school year since it was a paperless standards-based program. We will continue to use FIM for the 2007-2008 school year, but will review the 2 programs at the end of the school year (part of our Math In-Depth Study) to make a decision for 2008-2009.

• Bathroom/School Grounds Cleanliness
o Rita Guild (Parish Coordinator), Rick Thomas (Maintenance Coordinator), and I met with the maintenance company to bring these concerns to their attention. We hope that this meeting will resolve this concern.

• Trimester Tests – Some parents of younger students (grades 1 & 2) said that trimester exams were a bit stressful.
o One suggestion was to test grades 1 & 2 over a two-week period. Teachers will discuss this possibility.

• Physical Education – Can students have more P.E. time?
o The Archdiocese’s guideline for P.E. is 50 minutes per week. Each grade currently gets 60 minutes once per week. We can look at the possibility of having shorter P.E. periods twice per week for next school year

• Afternoon Carpool Safety - There were concerns about the safety of students walking to cars.
o All teachers of students in grades K-5 should be walking the students to their car doors. The teachers were reminded of this responsibility at our faculty meeting.
o Rainy Day carpool safety will be reevaluated should we encounter a rainy afternoon during the school year.

Music Announcement
Mr. Peter Carreiro, our music teacher, has left Incarnation to pursue other opportunities. We wish him well in his endeavors and thank him for his service.

SCRIP
The SCRIP program is a mandatory fundraiser which requires that each family contribute $200 by November 14, 2007. To increase participation and/or profits for the school we have included an option whereby families can receive some of the profits based on the total profits received from vendors. The amount of SCRIP a family would need to purchase depends on the SCRIP which is purchased. For example, Ralphs and Vons only return 1% of purchases, however, Bath & Body Works returns 13%. The amount of each vendor's percentage is listed beside their name on the SCRIP form.

An effortless way to also participate is to register your credit/debit card(s) with eSCRIP at www.escrip.com. You can register as well as look at the list of the participating vendors online.

Regarding the SCRIP calculations, they are handled by Mrs. DeVito who in turn will give the office a report at the end of May. Refunds will be processed before the end of the school year

Congratulations
Claire R., grade 8, was selected as one of the finalists in the search for the Historic Filipino Town’s Search for Youth Ambassadors based on academics, extra curricular activities, community service, talent, and an on-the spot interview. This is a year-long search and only one will be chosen as Youth Ambassador in August 2008. Claire is the youngest among the finalists and won best in talent. Her singing prompted a standing ovation from the judges. Congratulations, Claire!

Looking Ahead
• Monday, 11/19 – Wednesday, 1/21: Noon dismissal; Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Thursday, 11/22 – Friday, 11/23: No School – Thanksgiving Vacation
• Tuesday, 11/27 – The NED Show @ 1:30 (Grades K-8)

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Family Messenger November 6, 2007

Last Wednesday, we celebrated Halloween with great fun and fashion! The day’s festivities offered a nice break in our routine. The students visited Student Council’s Haunted House, paraded around the yard in their costumes, and ended the day with their parties. We thank our room parents for all their work in helping to make this an enjoyable day for our students.

On Thursday we celebrated the Feast of All Saints with a special Mass led by the 3rd grade class. Each 3rd grader, dressed as a saint, processed into the church and told us a little about the saint they had been researching. Many thanks to Ms. Ceballos and the 3rd graders for their work.

The week ended with a pep rally in honor of Inca’s “A” Football Team that made the playoffs. They were undefeated all season and brought back a trophy as 2007 CYO League Champions. Congratulations to the team and to their coach, Mr. Sanchez!

As the Thanksgiving Holiday approaches, we remember to give thanks for our abundant blessings. We also remember those in need and answer our call to help others. Please see the enclosed information for our Thanksgiving Food Drive for St. Columbkille.

Now that our evenings will be longer, it might call for a change in routine. As the weather changes and we get ready to move into winter, time spent inside the house might be longer. It is a very good time to do more reading. It has been proven that reading is at the foundation of student success in all subject areas. I encourage you to read with your child/ren each day. It is a great way to spend time together!

Have a wonderful week!

Olivia Carrillo
Principal

Jog-A-Thon
The Jog-A-Thon is just around the corner! Remember that Donor Forms for each student are due in the office tomorrow, 11/7. Thanks for your support in making this fundraiser a successful event!

Parent Teacher Conferences
This year, parents will be able to sign up for their own Parent-Teacher Conferences either by visiting the school office or by calling the office to make an appointment. Priority sign-ups will be on Wednesday and Thursday (11/7 and 11/8) for parents who have more than 1 child enrolled at the school. All other parents can begin scheduling appointments beginning this Friday, 11/9 through Thursday, 11/15. Junior high parents are asked to sign up with their child’s homeroom teacher. If a conference with another teacher is needed, please contact that teacher to make arrangements.

Front Door Access
At last year’s Auction Dinner Dance, 3 families bid on and won the privilege to pick their children up from the front door. In the past month the number of students arriving and leaving with parents through the School Office has increased dramatically. Please review the following policy regarding the front door.

If you have office business that needs to be taken care of in the morning, please drop your child off through a.m. carpool first, park your car, and then go to the office. If you have afternoon office business to handle, please pick your child up from p.m. carpool first, park your car, and then go to the office with your child.

Parents/Guardians who walk from home or work and pick up their child/ren are asked to arrive no earlier than 2:30 and must sign in before proceeding to the back campus. Please sign out once you have picked up your child/ren.

A “Permission to Walk” form must be on file for all students who walk home after school even if they only walk home on occasion. Before walking home, each student with permission on file must sign out of the school office. Forms are available for pick up in the school office.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Surveillance Cameras
Incarnation is using closed circuit television cameras as a means of monitoring school property. The video surveillance enhances the safety of students and staff and protects school property against theft or vandalism. You will notice the new signs posted around the various entries to the campus.

SCRIP and Lunch Order Forms
SCRIP order forms will no longer be sent via the Home Messenger. The on-hand and special order SCRIP forms are available on our website at www.incaglendale.org. You can also find the current lunch order form online.

Looking Ahead
• This Week: Trimester Tests
• Sunday, 11/11: 7th Grade Sponsored Mass
• Monday, 11/12: No School – Veteran’s Day Observed

Question of the Week
Jesus showed that he loved Zacchaeus by having supper with him. How does Jesus show his love for you?

A Note About Recycling…Please continue to bring plastic bottles and cans from home to recycle at school. For safety reasons, please do not bring glass items. Thank you!