Family Messenger April 22, 2008

God,
Help us to understand the moral significance of the environmental degradation of our Earth, especially the consequences of global warming. Help us to want and to be part of the undoing of this ecological disaster. We ask your help for the sake of ourselves, for our responsibilities to future generations and for the sake of Earth herself.
Amen


Dear Parents,

You have heard again and again the importance of reading to children. Sharing a book is a special pleasure more personal than watching television. There is time to linger over a favorite part or to reread a phrase or sentence that is particularly meaningful. Children who have been introduced to books at an early age have significantly larger vocabularies than do nonreaders.

Much of the value in this reading activity is the opportunity you will have to help your young person develop thinking skills. A pause in the reading to discuss what might happen next or to talk about why a character acted in a certain way encourages the habit of “reading between the lines” and making inferences. As you read aloud, you can use a tone of voice to emphasize a dramatic or mysterious moment—or one that is happy or sad. You can help your child to sense the rich meanings of the words an author has chosen. Occasionally, ask your child to retell a favorite part of the story, and he/she will gain experience in organizing facts and selecting important details.

Use a variety of books to appeal to children’s special interests and also to broaden their horizons, but above all, make reading time fun. Let your own pleasure in books be contagious. You are not only building valuable educational skills in your youngster, but you are building precious memories of shared pleasure. Through books, you and your child can travel the work, have exciting adventures, and experience the joys and sorrows of you favorite book characters.

Have a wonderful week!

Ms. Olivia Carrillo
Principal

Inca’s Got Talent
Students at Incarnation surely are a talented group! The Variety Show displayed a wide range of talent from dancing and singing to martial arts and comedy (read your food labels carefully!). Thank you to all students who shared their talents with us. Thank you to our parent volunteers, especially Mrs. Pat Camp and Mrs. Marcellina DeSousa for all of their hard work in making this show possible! More pictures are here .

First in Math Assembly
The Vice President of Suntex, the company that distributes First in Math, will be coming for an assembly for our students in grades 1-8. She will be recognizing our achievements and will be presenting awards to the classes and top students for their phenomenal performance in First in Math. Currently Incarnation School is ranked 12th in the nation and 3rd in the state.

Science Fair
Our science fair began yesterday. Thank you to all of our students who submitted projects for the fair. Thank you also to all of our judges, and a special thank you to Mrs. Jennifer Bunt who has worked so hard in planning and organizing the fair for the school. The auditorium will be open on Wednesday, April 23 between 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. for family and friends to view the projects.

Inca in the Glendale News Press
On Thursday, April 17 the first graders made the cover of the Glendale News Press! The article featured the first grade class and their class auction project, Sam the puppy. The students gave Sam a bath and shared about the bond they have with Sam. Today’s paper features an article on the Science Fair. Check out the article here .

Decathlon 2008 Update
The results are in…Inca’s ACADECA team placed 13th out of 103 elementary schools competing in the event held in March 2008. Congratulations to the team and their coaches!

Morning Gate
To keep our campus safe, it is important for gates to be closed as soon as morning carpool ends. Please park in our lot only if you have business in the office. If you think you will be on campus past 7:45 a.m. please park your car in the church lot or use street parking. Thank you for your cooperation.

Disaster Drill
Please be sure the information on your Emergency Card on file in the school office is current.
For the Emergency Preparedness Drill on May 16, students will only be released to people listed on the Emergency Card. If you need to update your information or add people authorized to pick up your child(ren), please call or stop by the school office.

Looking Ahead
Tuesday, April 22 – Earth Day
April 21 – 22 – Science Fair (all grades)
Wednesday, April 23 – Science Fair exhibit open for parents 6:00 – 7:00
Monday, April 28 – Stranger Safety Presentations (all grades)
Tuesday, April 29 – All School Mass 8:30 a.m.

Family Messenger April 15, 2008

God of all nations,
You give us prophets and teachers, who travel all over the world,
inspired by your Holy Spirit, teaching about your Son.
Guide and protect them.
Amen.



Dear Parents,
Pope Benedict XVI arrives in Washington, D.C. today and will be celebrating his 81st birthday tomorrow. In honor of his birthday, Incarnation School (along with many other Catholic organizations across the nation) is pledging service hours as a gift. This Friday will be a Free Dress Day with a $1 donation. Money collected from the Free Dress Day will be donated to the Holy Childhood Association in the Pope’s name. Last week Fr. Ken Deasy, a consultant for the Holy Childhood Association, stopped by to personally thank Incarnation School for the collections sent during Advent. I let Fr. Ken know that we would be having an additional collection for HCA, and he was very excited! The money collected from the Free Dress Day will be sent to HCA along with the money collected during Lent.

Last Saturday the second graders and religious education students participated in the First Communion Retreat with their families. Please keep them in your prayers as they prepare for First Communion in May.

Have a wonderful week!

Ms. Olivia Carrillo
Principal

Coffee With the Principal Notes (4/9/08):

• Sweets: Parents again voiced their concerns about the amount of candy given out, particularly the goodie bags and soda, during birthday celebrations. We encourage simple birthday celebrations, so please limit the amount of sweets brought in for birthdays.

• PTO Board Vacated Spaces: This year we anticipate 5 available spaces for the 2008-2009 PTO Board. Parents commented that requiring potential members to speak at the General Meeting in May might be intimidating. Others liked listening to the parents speak so as to become familiarized with new faces. In reviewing the PTO by-laws, the members anticipated to leave this year still have the option of serving another 2-year term.

• Advisory/Consultative Board: By the year 2010, all Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will be required to have a Consultative Board in place separate from the PTO Board. Members of the Consultative Board will be mostly people from the community, parishioners, and former school parents. One third of the Consultative Board can be current school parents.

• Business Sponsors for Auction: A question arose about soliciting business sponsors for the auction. A form letter was not included in the packet this year, but it is being taken into consideration for next year’s auction.


Study Island
Two weeks ago, a representative from Study Island came to give a demo to the teachers. All teachers preferred the Study Island program over First in Math and Accelerated Math. One concern about Study Island is that it is web-based and some prefer having paper tests. Study Island has the option to print, so those who prefer pencil-paper or who do not have Internet access can still take a paper test home. Study Island will be mandatory for our students. The program is currently available for grades 2-8, but they plan to have a program for K & 1 beginning in September or October of 2008. Study Island provides immediate feedback to students. Teachers have greater control of what the students are working on and can change target proficiency levels for acceleration or remediation to meet individual students’ needs. Students will not be “stuck” as many have experienced now with First in Math. Visit www.studyisland.com for more information and to test drive the program.

Proposed Faculty Meeting Change Update
Thank you for participating in the survey sent home last week. While many of you were open to the change or had no preference, the majority preferred to keep faculty meetings and early dismissal on Fridays. Therefore, the meeting day will not be changed for 2008-2009 unless it becomes a mandate from the Department of Catholic Schools. As of now changing days is strongly recommended but is not mandatory.

Looking Ahead
• Friday, April 18– Lunch at 11:00 a.m.
Variety Show at 11:45 – Parents welcome!
Progress Reports go home
• Tuesday, April 22 – Earth Day
• April 21 – 22 – Science Fair (all grades)
• Wednesday, April 23 – Science Fair exhibit open for parents 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
4th Grade field trip
• Monday, April 28 – Stranger Safety Presentations (all grades)
• Tuesday, April 29 – All School Mass 8:30 a.m.

Family Messenger, April 1, 2008

God our Father,
You generously gave us your Son, and he generously gave his life,
so that all might be of one heart and soul.
Draw us close to you and each other so that we may also be generous.
Amen.





Welcome back! I hope your Easter break was pleasant. Spring, the time of renewal, brings joy and an appreciation of our planet Earth. At the same time, we are reminded of our responsibility in caring for it. It is important that we, as parents and teachers, encourage and model those actions which preserve and protect the resources we must share. Recycling is an important activity in which every member of the family can participate.

Talk with your children about other ways we can show responsible stewardship, such as turning out lights to save electricity and making sure that faucets are turned off so that water is not wasted. Spring is a good time to plant trees. They improve the quality of our air, but also provide beauty and shade for us and future generations. Our earth and its resources are a gift to us from God.
We can show our gratitude as we cherish and care for this gift.

Blessings,

Ms. Olivia Carrillo
Principal

Decathlon 2008 Correction
Maura T’s name was inadvertently omitted from the decathlon news in the last Home Messenger. Maura was a dedicated alternate for Inca’s ACADECA team. Maura, we are proud of you!

Picture Date Change
Group pictures (karate, chess, sports, etc.) will be taken on Thursday, April 3 at 8 a.m. Students involved in extra-curricular activities may bring their clothes to change into for group pictures. Eighth grade cap and gown pictures will still be taken tomorrow, April 2 at 8 a.m.

Raffle Update
The following family has exceeded the $100 raffle ticket sales requirement. Our apologies for the delay in recognizin – Gr. Kinder.-winner of-Free Dress, CD and entry for 6 Disneyland tickets.

Catholic Loyalty
Catholic Loyalty is a loyalty program that gives rebates to members and the church on all purchases made at participating merchants. Catholic Loyalty is a unique way for members to give more to their parish. It works just like any other rewards card and can be used with any form of payment including cash, credit, debit, or check. All school families should have a card. Please come by the school office to get yours right away! For more information visit their website at
www.catholicloyalty.com

Thank You
Thank you to Mrs. Rodriguez, the 8th grade class, and the parent volunteers for the performance of the Living Stations of the Cross. It was a heartfelt performance that led us into Holy Week.

Scrip
You will find the Scrip order forms in your envelopes once again. We have noticed that Scrip sales have decreased, and we need your help. Please support the Scrip program. This is an easy way to help the school earn money. Scrip gift cards are easy to use—use them instead of cash while doing your usual shopping!

Coffee With the Principal Notes (3/12/08)
• First in Math will not continue for 2008-2009. We are looking at either going back to Accelerated Math or trying another program by Study Island. Study Island is standards-based and is online, but it offers a detailed report of the students’ scores. We are able to see if the student is proficient or below level in each tested area. The computer detects when a student is guessing, so students must think before answering the questions. A representative from Study Island will present a demo to the faculty this Friday. If you would like to see a demo of the program, please visit www.studyisland.com. Select California and click on the link to take a quick tour. Please send me your feedback. Please note that the program is for grades two through eight.
• Proposed Faculty Meeting Day Change - The purpose of our faculty meetings is to discuss best practices—how can we improve upon what we do to impact student learning? At these meetings, I ask teachers to frequently contribute to discussions, read and discuss articles, reflect on their work, etc. Friday afternoons are not the best days for a highly productive meeting. The Department of Catholic Schools strongly discourages Fridays as faculty meeting days for this reason. I proposed a change to meetings on Wednesdays which would be dismissal at 1:30 on those days.
o Parent feedback
• The change would not be convenient for everyone since the early dismissal on Fridays allows for an earlier start to the weekend; Will get resistance
• If the purpose is for benefit of the students, the change would be fine; earlier dismissal on a Wednesday gives more time for homework for students who participate in after school extra-curricular activities.
A final decision about the change will be made by the end of the month when the 2008-2009 calendar is submitted to the Department of Catholic Schools.
• Computer Homework - Some parents asked if it would be possible to get homework for computer class.

Ralphs Community Programs
Thank you to all families who shop at Ralphs and have designated Incarnation School as their charitable organization to receive donations. For the period of 12/1/07 through 2/29/08 we have earned $1,973.28.

Looking Ahead
Wednesday, April 2 – 5th grade field trip to Getty
8th grade cap and gown pictures – 8 a.m.
Thursday, April 3 – Group pictures – 8 a.m.
Sunday, April 6 – Book Fair open after 9:00 Mass (in hallway near library and kindergarten)
Monday, April 8 – Kindergarten field trip to Aladdin play
Tuesday, April 9 – Coffee with the Principal
Saturday, April 12 – First Communion Retreat – 9:30 a.m.
Sunday, April 13 – Grade 5 School Sponsored Mass
Friday, April 18 – Variety Show – 12:00 p.m. in school auditorium.
Progress Reports go home
April 21 – 23 – Science Fair (all grades).