Dear Parents,
This week and next week, we will celebrate two feasts of Mary: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 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 in honor of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, all students must be in complete uniform. No gray sweats may be worn this Friday.
CHRISTMAS SHOP
St. Peter’s School will be hosting a Christmas Shop for students on December 11-12! This will be a safe Christmas shopping experience for children, right here at school. Please see the attached flyer and budget envelope for more details!
ST. PETER’S FOOD DRIVE
The 8th graders are leading the school in a service project of collecting dry or canned foods and cash donations for the SF Marin Food Bank to help feed the thousands of hungry families who live in the Bay Area. Last year, we collected over 1,200 pounds of food. Let’s match or beat that goal! The homeroom that collects the most donations per student will win a special prize.
WINTER CLOTHING DRIVE
Thank you so much for the support you have already offered in donating cold weather clothing items for the Oakland parish of Mary Help of Christians! The collection continues through Wednesday, December 19 and our focus going forward should be jackets in good condition, of all sizes! Thank you and God Bless!
TUITION POLICY FOR 2nd SEMESTER
All student tuition accounts must be up to date and paid through December 2018 in order for your child to return to class for the 2ndSemester on January 7, 2019.
If your tuition is not paid by December 15, 2018 your child will not be able to return to class on Monday, January 7, 2019.
Please plan ahead so your tuition is received on time by December 15, 2018.
If you have any questions, please call the Tuition Office at (415)647-8662.
LAS POSADAS
Save the Date—BVCC is hosting Las Posadas at St. Peter’s School on Friday, December 14, from 6:00-7:30 PM. All are welcome to join the celebration.
BVCC WINTER CAMP
If you would like your child to participate in the BVCC Winter Camp, open from December 26-28 and January 2-4, you can fill out and return the registration form which was sent home last week. Forms are also available in the school office and in the Parish Hall with the BVCC After School Program.
PARENT VOLUNTEERS
We depend on parent volunteer support throughout the school year! Our wonderful school events would not be possible without our loving parent volunteers! Some upcoming events include Las Posadas, Family Lotería Night, and the Family Dance. If you would like to help plan future events and fundraisers, or would like to join one of our parent groups, please contact Mrs. Jimenez at sjimenez@sanpedro.org or leave your name and number at the office.
IN THE CLASSROOM
KINDER - This week in Kindergarten, we will continue to write and produce descriptive sentences. We will work together to write describing words and include it in our writing. In Math, we will solve subtraction word problems, add and subtract within 10.
1A - This week we are reading and discussing the ways that we get around by learning about maps and directions. 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 hoping for dry weather so we can execute our rocket experiment. In social studies, we are learning about the difference between the things that we want and need.
2A - We will be reading “Wild Weather” and telling time to 5-minute intervals. We will sort bits and pieces, watch our bulbs grow, and learn about presidents Obama and Washington. The Advent Season has begun, and we are learning the Act of Contrition.
3A – This week in Religion class we are learning about the season of Advent. We'll be studying the many symbols that are associated with the season. In Language Arts we're reviewing our high frequency word lists from Kindergarten through 2nd grade. We will also be practicing our third grade word lists as well as high frequency nouns. 3A will continue the rotational model in Math class with group work, math stations and STMath with our tablets.
4A - Happy December! This week, we will continue to learn about the season of Advent. We are working to prepare our hearts for Jesus' birth. In Math, we will continue to focus on multiplication. We will learn about 2- digit by 2-digit multiplication and the various ways those problems can be solved. In Reading, we will focus on our next story: "Stormalong" and develop our comprehension skills of understanding characters and making predictions. We will also focus on a writing piece, "If I was stuck in a snow globe!" In Social Studies, we will continue to work on our new online curriculum. The students will be working on their Chromebooks during this time. In Science, we will focus on landforms and weathering. Please remember to check planners and homework folders each night for any updates!
5A - This week, 5th grade will start our holiday story unit by reading The Night of Las Posadas and The Polar Express. We'll continue to practice summarizing and differentiating between important and interesting details with these texts. In math, 5th graders will practice interpreting and writing numerical sentences. In religion, we'll prepare for our Advent reconciliation on Thursday.
6A Religion – Students will be starting a Jesse Tree Project for the Advent season, and they will have Reconciliation on Thursday December 6th. The class is also preparing to lead the Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass next week. Language Arts – Students will continue to explore the social context of our novel Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, based in the Jim Crow era. We'll discuss the inequalities faced by African Americans as we follow the Logan family as they encounter different challenges because of their race. Math - 6A will practice multiplying fractions. Social Studies – Students are finalizing their Egypt Unit and will begin to learn about the physical geography of India. Science – Students are learning about dominant life forms of the Precambrian time and Paleozoic era.
7A Religion – Students will contemplate on the meaning and importance of prayer. Language Arts - Students are continuing to read A Christmas Carol, focusing on character development: physical descriptions, inner desires and important traits. As they reach the end, they are rapidly realizing Scrooge's transformation from a selfish, greedy businessman to a generous, kind-hearted human being. Math - 7A will practice dividing fractions. Social Studies - Students will complete a group project comparing the three early civilizations of West Africa. Science – Students look at cells and prepare to test on cell structures.
8A/8B Religion – This week we will be completing Unit 2 on The Growth of Christendom by taking a test and then will be heading out for the retreat! Language Arts - Students are continuing to read Night. Many lively discussions have already taken place as they learn of Elie's journey through the concentration camps. They will focus next on answering what it means to be a bystander or an upstander when they return from Retreat. Math – Students will identify proportional and non-proportional linear relationships by finding a constant rate of change. Social Studies – Students are taking a tour of the murals in the Mission District with Precita Eyes to learn more about the history and artwork of the Mission. Science - Students work on their rocket project for a couple of days before going on their Confirmation retreat to Occidental! Have a great time!
REMINDERS
Dec. 5-7 8th Grade Retreat in Occidental
Dec. 6 8:30 AM Advent Reconciliation, Grades 5-6
Dec. 7 9:30 AM School Mass – Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Dec. 11 8:30 AM Advent Reconciliation, 7A
Dec. 11-12 St. Peter’s Christmas Shop
Dec. 12 9:30 AM School Mass – Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Dec. 13 8:30 AM Advent Reconciliation, 8th Grade
Dec. 13 3A Field trip to Sheffield Convalescent Hospital
Dec. 14 6:00 PM, Las Posadas with BVCC
Dec. 18 5A Field Trip to the Exploratorium
Dec. 19 4A Field Trip to Mission Branch Library
