Family Messenger December 9, 2008

Loving Father,
Through the prayers of Mary
May we follow you with a pure heart.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

A Message from the Principal
Yesterday, with the help of Ms. Rickert and the fourth grade class, we celebrated the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. People all over the world go to church on this holy day of obligation to worship God for giving us Mary, who was pure, holy, and, and worthy of becoming the mother of Jesus Christ. Mary said “yes” to God, and we were given the gift of Jesus Christ. As we wait for the coming of Jesus this Advent, we open ourselves to new growth in the areas where we may still be lacking. Let us use this time of waiting to reflect on how we can best prepare.

Have a blessed week!

Ms. Olivia Carrillo

Important Dates
• 12/10 – Fall Sports Banquet 6:00 p.m.
• 12/14 – 2nd Grade School-Sponsored Mass 9:00 a.m.
• 12/16 – Confessions Grades 3-5
• 12/18 – Christmas Show 7:00 p.m.
• 12/19 – Noon Dismissal; NO ASP
• 1/5/2009 – Classes resume

WASC Surveys
Last week you received a WASC survey for parents. Please take the time to provide thorough responses to the questions provided and return them no later than Friday, December 12. Your input is much appreciated!

St. Columbkille Gift Collection
Please help make a child’s Christmas special by donating a new, wrapped gift to a student at St. Columbkille. Gifts will be collected through December 17 and will be delivered on December 18. Please see your child’s teacher for details. Our goal is to collect 257 presents.

Christmas Program
Our annual Christmas Program will be next Thursday, December 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the church. Join us for an evening of entertainment provided by your children. Listen to traditional Christmas music blended with Christmas songs from around the world. The attire for all grades is “dressy Christmas” in traditional colors: red, green, white, and black. We look forward to sharing the evening with you.

Science Fair
Inca’s Science Fair will be held in March. With the help of our science teacher, Ms. Salazar, students in grades K-4 will work on class projects for the fair with the option of submitting a project individually. Students in grades 5-8 will be required to submit individual projects. A letter will be sent home soon before Christmas vacation with more details about the Science Fair. Over the break, students can begin formulating ideas about what they would like to submit. Ms. Salazar and the Science Fair committee are looking for adults interested in judging the contest. Upon returning from vacation, the Science Fair committee and judges will meet to discuss details. Please email Ms. Salazar if you are interested in judging (incascience@gmail.com).

Scrip Tip from Jennifer Bunt
Today you will be receiving a reporting of your profit contributions. If you have questions, I'm happy to go through it with you. As this is my first year doing this program, I also welcome any suggestions you may have to improve it.

Little elves are busy at work processing your orders as quickly as possible. If you have a "Special Order", send it in right away. We are processing them every few days. Place your "Special Order" scrip on or before December 15th in order to receive it before we break for the holidays.If you want a large amount of any one particular scrip, please be aware that it may have to be ordered. Come in early so that we are sure to get what you need.

Don't forget to take advantage of these extra percentage offers that expire December 12th: Lowe's 5%, Bath and Body Works 18%, Macys 12%, and LL Bean 19%.

Remember to do all of your Christmas gift shopping at the Scrip Desk. We are conveniently located just outside the school office. Short lines, free parking, smiling faces.

November Students of the Month
For the month of November, we emphasized the importance of citizenship. Based on this trait, the following students have been selected as Students of the Month:

Kindergarten: Ethan P and Madison C
First Grade: Mariam E and Reed M
Second Grade: Joshua F and Andrew B
Third Grade: Sean H and Lauren S
Fourth Grade: Marcus C and Alyssa S
Fifth Grade: Andre O and Hannah S
Sixth Grade: Michael M and Emily S
Seventh Grade: Jennifer C and Richard H
Eighth Grade: Juliana D, Lia M, and Joseph V

Congratulations to these students! The focus for the month of December is compassion.


Barnes and Noble Book Fair
On Saturday, students from Incarnation School performed at the Barnes and Noble at the Americana under the direction of Ms. Janis Massey. The Chan family played beautiful Christmas music on the violin, and Mr. and Mrs. Hihn read poetry. It was a nice event organized by our librarian, Mrs. Hihn. Our total sales were approximately $4700; Incarnation will receive 20% profit. Thank you to all who supported this effort!

See's Candies for the Holidays
Are you anxious to finish your Holiday shopping but don't want to fight the crowds at the malls? Do you need last-minute gifts for your mail carrier, your babysitter, your gardener? We still have delicious See's Candies available for purchase – 1 lb. boxes ($15 per box) and assorted Stocking Stuffer boxes ($5 per box). Please contact Lisa Dumansky at 818-497-4479 if you want to purchase See's Candies. Proceeds from this annual Fund Raiser benefit Inca's Sports/P.E. Program