Dear Parents,
In the next few days, we will celebrate two feasts of Mary: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12. It’s very appropriate that we celebrate Mary during the season of Advent as we prepare for the coming of Jesus, because without Mary, and without her faith, strength, and love, we wouldn’t have Jesus. After all, Jesus is the reason for the season.
Pope Francis wrote an Advent reflection a few years ago that reminds us of how Mary is a role model for us today. Mary also reminds me of our Sisters of Mercy, past and present--like Sr. Marian Rose, Sr. Lucy, Sr. Paulina, and Sr. Toni Lynn--who answered the call of Mercy at St. Peter’s. As Pope Francis describes, Mary is a loving mother who inspires us all to put God first in our lives. Here’s a part of what Pope Francis wrote:
“We bet on hope, on the hope of peace, and it will be possible! The journey is never finished. Just as in each of our own lives, there is always a need to restart and to rise again. Mary is a model of this spiritual attitude, to this way of being and of journeying in life. Although she was just a simple girl, she carried in her heart the hope of God. In her womb, the hope of God took flesh, became man, and made history: Jesus Christ. Let us be guided by her, she who is mother, she is a ‘mama’ and knows how to lead us. Let us be guided by her in this time of waiting.”
So let’s remember Mary, during Advent and every day, and how she is a role model for us to have courage, to put God first in our lives, and to have open hearts and open minds. And when we do that, GREAT things can happen!
--Mrs. Sandra Jimenez
NO SWEATS THIS FRIDAY
Since we will be attending school Mass this Friday for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, all children must be in complete uniform, and not in the gray school sweats.
7th GRADE CARITAS CAMP
Next Spring, our 7th graders will be attending Caritas Creek Environmental Education Program and retreat at CYO camp. To help these students raise funds for their trip, visit their GoFundMe page (https://www.gofundme.com/send-mission-kids-to-env-camp) and make a donation, or submit a cash or check donation at the school office. Any amount would help, and please share the GoFundMe page with your family and friends!
PROGRESS REPORTS AND SPORTS PROBATION FOR STUDENT ATHLETES
Today, Progress Reports are being sent home for students who are receiving a C- or below or an “N” in a subject, or a 2- or below in Behavior or Learning Skills. If your child currently plays on a boys’ basketball or girls’ soccer team for St. Peter’s, you may receive a Sports Probation notice if your child has below a C- average or a 3 or 4 in Behavior or Learning Skills. This means that your child may not fully participate with their team sport until they are cleared by their teacher. The teachers want to help students grow and accomplish here at school, so please check in with your child to see if he/she received either of these notices today. Signed progress reports are due by this Friday, December 8.
APPOINTMENTS WITH TEACHERS
Feel free to make appointments with teachers when you have a question or concern. Please avoid last-minute morning meeting with teachers, as teachers use this morning time to prepare their materials for the day so that they can best meet your child’s needs. If you would like a morning meeting, notify the teacher ahead of time by email or by calling the office a day in advance. We appreciate your cooperation on this matter.
BVCC AND COMPUTER LAB ON DEC. 15
Friday, December 15 is a 12:30 dismissal day. BVCC After School Program will be open from 12:30 – 6:00 PM. However, the Computer lab will NOT be open on that day.
BVCC WINTER CAMP
If you would like your child to participate in the BVCC Winter Camp (December 18-29; Closed on December 25), you can fill out and return a registration form which is available in the school office and in the Parish Hall with the BVCC After School Program.
IN THE CLASSROOM
KINDER - This week we will have a discussion about people or places in our neighborhood. We will use our senses to help us describe our neighborhood with words. We will also talk about our favorite restaurant in our neighborhood and describe our favorite food. Then students will make a menu. They will work in pairs to make a menu that names their favorite food or drink. Also, we will be reading "Cultural Festival" and share any festivals or holidays that we celebrate with our family.
1A - This week in first grade we are reading and discussing the ways that we get around. In religion we are learning about Advent and preparing for the arrival of Jesus. In math we are continuing our unit on data and graphing. In science we are continuing to be meteorologists and observing and recording the weather. In social studies we are learning about the natural resources that we use.
2A - Second grade will be reading stories about weather. Students will continue adding two digit numbers; prepare for Jesus’ birth during the season of Advent; learn the Act of Contrition; construct timelines of their lives (birthdays and important events); and separate a soup mix.
3A – This week, as we begin Advent, the 3rd graders will be very active in Religion class. The class is responsible for the Immaculate Conception Mass for the school on December 8th. Please join us if you can. We will also receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation this week. At home, with the help of our families, we will be making an Advent banner. We will decorate our classroom Advent wreath with our handprints, and list the ways we can prepare for Jesus' birth and welcoming Him into our hearts. In Science class, we are watching our bean plants grow, as we make sure that they have everything they need-- soil, water, and sunlight. In Social Studies, we are studying the Maidu tribe of California Native Americans.
4A - This week 4A students will continue to understand story characters' behavior and relationships. They will also multiply 2-digit numbers by 1-digit multipliers with regrouping and identify California's first inhabitants.
5A - 5th graders will be practicing their reading comprehension skills to analyze Christmas stories from around the world during the next two weeks. We will also be making Advent wreaths, preparing for the sacrament of Reconciliation, and discussing good scientific practices this week.
6A Religion – 6th Grade will be preparing for Reconciliation (December 6th) and practicing to lead the December 12th Mass for Our Lady of Guadalupe. Come see the reenactment of Our Lady's revealing to St. Juan Diego! Language Arts – The tension in our novel Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry is building, as we continue to follow our protagonist, Cassie, as she discovers the injustices facing African Americans in the South. We will also be delving into informational text to supplement our knowledge of Black History and the Civil Rights Movement. Math – Students have been working on integers and Mean, Median and Mode. This week will find them starting their adventure with those rational numbers we like to call fractions. Social Studies – 6th Grade will be finalizing their Egypt Unit with a Test on Vocabulary and Egypt Essay Questions. Science - 6th grade scientists are working hard to master the equations for calculating mass, volume, and density. They'll have the opportunity to show what they've learned so far on a quiz this Thursday.
7A/7B Religion - Doing the right thing can be tough, especially when you are uncertain what the right thing is. We have been learning about our conscience and making good decisions. Now we take it a step further, just as Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert, we find ourselves facing temptation every day. Jesus resisted so he could carry out his mission as our savior, and we must follow that same path this advent season. As we look outward to support those in need, we must also learn how to resist the selfishness and materialism that is always knocking at the door. Language Arts - Students are continuing to read A Christmas Carol focusing on characterization and point-of-view. They are rapidly realizing Scrooge's transformation from a selfish, greedy businessman to a generous, kind-hearted human being. Math - 7th graders have wrapped up their equation unit, and are now applying those new skills with ratios, Unit Rates and proportions, with a bit of inequalities for added adventure. Coming soon – The 7th Grade Career Project. Social Studies – 7th Grade is learning about the development of Japan's Medieval military society as well as the social classes of Japan. Science - Students are showing what they know about the process of meiosis as we prepare to delve into genetics!
8A Religion – 8th Grade will have Reconciliation on Tuesday December 5th and will be learning about the Church season of Advent. Language Arts - Students are continuing to read Night. They have focused on answering what it means to be a bystander or an upstander. How many are willing to stand up to cruelty, during the Holocaust and even in modern times? Math - Exciting times as we start the business ownership project that will accent, acknowledge, and assess our unit on Equations, as well as lead us into inequalities, graphs and functions. Social Studies – Students will be researching an Executive Branch Department and a Supreme Court Case as they move through their Constitution Unit. Science - Students now know why certain atoms combine, but why would two compounds ever react? We look at chemical reactions next!
REMINDERS
Dec. 7 8:30 AM Advent Reconciliation,
Grades 3-4
Dec. 8 9:30 AM School Mass – Feast of the
Immaculate Conception
Dec. 12 9:30 AM School Mass – Feast of Our
Lady of Guadalupe
Dec. 15 9:00 AM Christmas Prayer Service and
Program
Dec. 15 12:30 Dismissal
Dec. 18-Jan. 1 Christmas Vacation
Jan. 2 Classes resume
