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).