Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Family Messenger March 16, 2010

Loving and merciful God,
You see what we need, yet
in your love you give us
the freedom to choose your grace.
May we learn to receive your love with
joy and gratitude.
Amen.

A Message from the Principal

On Friday, our teachers and the Incarnation Religious Education staff will attend the annual Religious Education Congress in Anaheim. The Religious Education Congress offers workshops to those in catechetical and related ministries. Please pray for our teachers and catechists as they renew their commitment to the ministry of education.

Have a blessed week.

Ms. Olivia Carrillo

Important Dates

• 3/19 – Religious Education Congress – No School/No ASP
• 3/22 – Trimester 2 Awards Assembly – 8:00 a.m.
• 3/24 – All School Mass
• 3/26 – Talent Show
• 3/28 – Palm Sunday


Spaghetti Dinner

Thank you to all who attended our Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday. We raised $1,084 with this event. We especially thank Leni and Peter Algiers for organizing the event and all parents (and students!) who helped set-up, cook, serve, and clean. Thank you for your support of Incarnation School!

Holy Childhood Association

Please keep collecting money for Senegal in your HCA boxes.
Donations are due next Thursday, March 18.

Auction Reminder
RSVPs for our annual auction are due this week. Please see flyer enclosed.

St. Patrick’s Day
Students may wear free dress with green tomorrow. Greens should be true greens – think shamrocks! Shirts may have St. Patrick’s Day themes. Other writing, pictures, or logos must be school appropriate. Caps, hats, beanies, etc. are not permitted. Thank you for your cooperation.

Box Tops for Education
We are still collecting Box Tops!
Please send in your clippings to help earn money for the school.

From the Business Office
The monthly statements are enclosed with today’s Home Messenger. Please contact Mrs. Fenton if you have any questions.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Family Messenger March 11, 2010

God of Mercy,
You forgive us our many sins.
May we forgive one another as you forgive us.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.


A Message from the Principal
On Saturday our decathlon team participated in the Academic Junior High Decathlon at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. We are very proud of our team and their accomplishments! Eight students competed in individual events, and all 8 placed in the top 10. Congratulations to:

2nd Place – Fine Arts (Rebecca G, 8th grade)
3rd Place – Literature (August O’B, 6th grade)
4th Place – Grammar (Juliana S, 8th grade)
5th Place – Algebra (Jack F, 8th grade)
5th Place – Social Studies (John T, 8th grade)
6th Place – Religion (Carra L, 6th grade)
8th Place – Science (Matthew G, 7th grade)
8th Place – Current Events (Michael C, 6th grade)

Incarnation placed 7th in the Super Quiz team competition. In addition to the above winners of the individual events, Dani C, 8th grade and Jasmine R, 8th grade competed in the Super Quiz. The team placed 14th place overall out of 98 Catholic schools and brought home a trophy.

Mrs. Imelda Rodriguez, 2009-2010 INCA ACADECA Head Coach, would like to thank all the coaches (logic, super quiz, and individual events) researchers, test creators, food donors, miscellaneous committee, ACADECA parents, and INCA faculty, staff, and students for their prayers and generosity. We are grateful to her for the extra time she has put in to help prepare our students. Thank you!

Ms. Olivia Carrillo

Important Dates

• 3/12 – Report Cards
• 3/13 – Spaghetti Dinner - 6:30 p.m.
• 3/15 – Confessions grades 2 and 3
• 3/19 – Religious Education Congress – No School/No ASP
• 3/22 – Trimester 2 Awards Assembly – 8:00 a.m.

Holy Childhood Association
Please keep collecting money for Senegal in your HCA boxes.
Donations are due next Thursday, March 18.

8th Grade High School Acceptance
This weekend, our 8th graders received their letters from various high schools. Our graduates have been admitted to the following Catholic high schools: Bellarmine-Jefferson, Bishop Alemany, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Loyola, Immaculate Heart, Mayfield, Notre Dame, Providence, and St. Francis. One student was also admitted to the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.
We continue to pray for these students and their parents as they decide which school is best for them.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Family Messenger February 23, 2010

Almighty God,
Jesus taught us to call you father.
We give you thanks for loving us as your children.
May we ever seek to please you.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

A Message from the Principal
You are invited to join our parish community for the Lenten Soup Suppers each Wednesday during Lent from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the school auditorium. Bring your own bowl and spoon and enjoy delicious soups in the company of fellow parishioners!

This evening, the second grade class and the Incarnation Religious Education students will be receiving the sacrament of reconciliation. Please keep them in your prayers as they make this special sacrament in preparation for their first holy communion. We also ask for your prayers for Michael Armstead (8th grade) who is undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

May you have a blessed Lenten season.

Ms. Olivia Carrillo

Important Dates
• 3/5 – End of Trimester II
• 3/6 – Academic Decathlon
• 3/8 – Confessions grades 4, 6, 8
• 3/9 – Confessions grades 5 and 7
• 3/12 – Report Cards
• 3/15 – Spaghetti Dinner 6:30 p.m.
• 3/15 – Confessions grades 2 and 3

2010-2011 Tuition
Enclosed you will find the tuition for the 2010-2011 school year. This fee schedule includes an approximate 1% increase in tuition without a change in other fees and fundraising requirements. The Catholic Education Foundation offers tuition assistance for families who meet specific income guidelines. Incarnation also offers tuition assistance. Please see Mrs. Fenton for an application.

Re-Registration
Re-registration for current students began last week. To reserve a space for next school year, please submit the required paperwork and fees no later than March 1. After March 1, we will begin filling seats with new student applicants. To re-register your account must be up-to-date. Please call Mrs. Fenton if you have any questions. Please let us know if you do not intend to return for the 10-11 school year.

Welcome, Mrs. Riley
We are pleased to welcome Mrs. Riley as our long-term substitute in kindergarten! Mrs. Riley will be substituting in kindergarten while Mrs. Neumeier is on maternity leave.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Family Messenger, February 9, 2010

Lord our God,
May we always show respect for
the places where people gather to
give you praise.
Amen.


A Message from the Principal

I am happy to report that our WCEA/WASC visit last week was very positive! The committee was quite impressed with Incarnation—the students, teachers, parents, and all the school has to offer. We were blessed to have such a supportive team working with us in the last stages of the process. There are approximately 30 elementary schools going through WASC this year from now until the end of March. After all visits have been completed, the WCEA Commission will read through each school’s report and will make a determination on the term of the accreditation in June. Our critical areas for growth, as approved and recommended by the visiting committee, are as follows:

1. Revise the school’s mission and philosophy statements
2. Though reading comprehension ITBS scores are high, we will focus on continued improvement in this area and closely analyze test scores
3. Provide more authentic Christian service opportunities for students with a connection to the larger world
4. The administration will work with the Consultative School Board to develop a long-range strategic plan
5. Develop a professional growth plan to address inclusion practices

Thank you for your support during this important process.

Blessings,

Ms. Olivia Carrillo

Important Dates

• 2/10 – 3rd Grade Bake Sale; Crazy Day
• 2/11 – 8th Grade Graduation Pictures 8:00 a.m.
• 2/12 – Valentine’s Day Parties 1:00 p.m.; Students may wear free dress in pink and red
• 2/13 – Father/Daughter Dance 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
• 2/15 – No School: Presidents’ Day
• 2/17 – Ash Wednesday: All School Mass 11:00 a.m.

2010-2011 Re-Registration

In this week’s envelope, you will find paperwork for re-registration for the 2010-2011 school year. To reserve a space for next school year, please submit the required paperwork and fees no later than
March 1. After March 1, we will begin filling seats with new student applicants.


Catholic Education Foundation

The Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) offers Tuition Awards Programs (TAP) to children from low income families in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles who desire a Catholic education. The basic TAP provides $1,000 in assistance to elementary school students and $2,000 to high school students. Parents of scholarship recipients must meet criteria at or below the Federal guidelines for poverty. If you are eligible and would like to obtain an application for CEF assistance, please contact Mrs. Fenton in the business office. TAP applications are available for elementary school students as well as 8th graders attending Catholic high schools in the fall. All applications and supporting documents must be received by the school no later than March 12, 2010 for processing.

Crazy Day
Crazy Day is back by popular demand! It was not included in the celebration of Catholic Schools Week last week, but the student council has designated tomorrow, February 10th as Crazy Day. If this is your child’s mass day, he/she should come in uniform and can change following mass.

Christmas Concert DVDs

The Christmas Concert DVDs are in! If you ordered a copy, please come to the school office to pick it up.

Morning Drop Off
Please enter the parking lot through the Dryden gate and exit through the Central gate. This also applies if you are dropping your child off for before-school care or early morning classes. Thank you for your cooperation.

Convenient Pick Up

All students must be dropped off and picked up through the a.m. and p.m. carpools with the exception of three families who purchased convenient pick up at last year’s auction. If your family did not purchase this item at the auction, you may be asked to follow carpool procedures. Please communicate this to friends or family members responsible for picking up your children.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Family Messenger February 2, 2010

Lord God Almighty,
You reveal your loving plan
to those who wait and trust in you.
Fill us with your Holy Spirit,
so that we may see your face.
Grant this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.


A Message from the Principal

Our WASC accreditation has finally begun! We are pleased to welcome our visiting committee and are looking forward to working with them these next couple of days:

Steffani McMains (Chair),
Principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School
Jim McMains (Co-Chair),
Principal of St. Michael School
Marie Bournoutian,
St. Elizabeth School
Ninette Reyes,
St. Sebastian School
Joellyn Jaster,
St. Euphrasia School
Aida Martinez,
Our Lady of Loretto School



Pictures from the Open House

We are also celebrating Catholic Schools Week. Thank you to all who attended the Open House on Sunday. The teachers and students worked very hard to prepare their displays for you to enjoy. The schedule of activities for the remainder of Catholic Schools Week is as follows:

• Wednesday, February 3 – Blue and Gold Day: Wear blue and gold to show off your school spirit
• Thursday, February 4 – Faculty/Student Volleyball Game 1:30
• Friday, February 5 – Movie and Pajama Day: A permission form for the movie “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” (rated PG) is enclosed. Please return the form to your child’s teacher only if you do not give permission for your child to watch the movie.

Blessings,

Ms. Olivia Carrillo

Important Dates

• 2/2 – 2/4 – WASC Visit; No Homework Club
• 2/5 – Noon Dismissal; ASP available
• 2/7 – 4th Grade School Sponsored Mass
• 2/10 – 3rd Grade Bake Sale
• 2/11 – 8th Grade Graduation Pictures 8:00 a.m.
• 2/12 – Valentine’s Day Parties
• 2/15 – No School: Presidents’ Day

Catholic Education Foundation
The Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) offers Tuition Awards Programs (TAP) to children from low income families in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles who desire a Catholic education. The basic TAP provides $1,000 in assistance to elementary school students and $2,000 to high school students. Parents of scholarship recipients must meet criteria at or below the Federal guidelines for poverty. The criteria per household size are enclosed. If you are eligible and would like to obtain an application for CEF assistance, please contact Mrs. Fenton in the business office. TAP applications are available for elementary school students as well as 8th graders attending Catholic high schools in the fall. All applications and supporting documents must be received by the school no later than March 12, 2010 for processing.

Pajama Day Guidelines
This Friday, students may come to school dressed in pajamas. Please keep in mind that since they are at school, safe shoes should be worn. Slippers are comfortable, but they not the best for playground activity!

Hats for Haiti Campaign - Preschool
Our preschoolers also participated in the Hats for Haiti Campaign and collected over $220! Thanks to our little ones for their contributions!

Homework Club Notice!
Please note that there will be NO homework club on February 3, 4, and 5 due to our WASC visit. Teachers will be meeting with the committee after school on these days.

Christmas Concert DVDs
The Christmas Concert DVDs are in! If you ordered a copy, please come to the school office to pick it up.

From the Business Office
The January 2010 After School Program, Morning Care, and Homework Club invoices are enclosed with this week’s Home Messenger. I have noticed that many families who use some or all of these programs and receive more than one invoice send a check for each invoice. I apologize for not bringing this up before, but if you would prefer you can pay for ALL of your invoices on one check. Just be sure to write the invoice numbers in the memo section of your check. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!

2010-2011 Re-Registration
Information regarding re-registration for the 2010-2011 school year will be sent home in next week’s messenger.

2010 Spring Auction
Auction packets, including raffle tickets, are included in this week’s home messenger.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Help for Haiti


Haiti Relief


Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international
humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, is
responding to victims of the massive earthquake in Haiti.
If you wish to make a donation there are Special
Collection envelopes at the church entrances or you can
put your check in the basket and please make the notation
Haiti Earthquake in the memo portion of your check. We
will forward all donations. You may also donate online:

DONATE NOW

Family Messenger January 19, 2010

Loving God,
You care for us as a shepherd cares for his sheep.
Help us to stay close to you
and to listen for your voice.
Amen.


A Message from the Principal

The recent earthquake in Haiti has caused much devastation. At a time like this, we are all called to help those in need. Catholic elementary and high schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles are participating in a campaign called “HATS FOR HAITI.” On Friday, January 22, students can wear hats to school– baseball hats, cowboy hats, crazy hats, etc. - and each participant is asked to donate $1.00 (although a larger donation is certainly welcome) toward our “Hats for Haiti” cause. The money collected will be sent to the Holy Childhood Association – Haiti Fund.

The diocese has an anonymous donor who will match dollar for dollar all funds collected through this effort – up to $100,000. Then, 100 % of all funds will be “wired” directly to the Archdiocese of Port au Prince, Haiti, on January 29th. It is our hope that together we can raise at least $100,000 for the Holy Childhood Association – Haiti Fund. If 200 schools in the diocese participate and each school raises at least $500.00, we will meet our goal. With the donor matching our gifts, there is a possibility that we can donate up to $200,000 to this cause! Please help us support this effort, we ask that you keep the people of Haiti in your prayers.

Blessings,

Ms. Olivia Carrillo

Important Dates

• 1/22 – “Hats for Haiti” Day; Progress Reports
• 1/29 – Noon Dismissal
• 1/30 – High School Placement Test
• 1/31 – Open House 10:00 a.m. - noon