Dear Parents,
Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent. This is a special liturgical season when we take time to pray, reflect, repent, and renew so that we can grow closer to God as we prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus. Throughout Lent, I’d like to offer a reflection (from Daily Reflections for Lent: Not By Bread Alone) as we journey through Lent with each other and with our children:
“Ash Wednesday is marked with a somber sign of our faith. The cross on our forehead is meant to leave a lasting imprint deep within, like a spiritual tattoo that will linger long after we complete the 40-day course. The sacrifices and prayers of the season help us clear a path, but we can’t stop there, not if we want to experience real transformation. God wants nothing less than our hearts broken open so that he might find a resting place within and make us whole. Yes, the exterior practices are important, but what matters most is what happens unseen within our hearts and souls.”
Heavenly Father, guide us in the right ways as we begin our Lenten journey. Give us the courage to allow ourselves to be transformed by your love. Help us to use our Lenten sacrifices to dig deeper into our spiritual center and carve out a space for you alone. AMEN.
--Mrs. Sandra Jimenez
CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations to our fifteen First Communicants who received Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament for the first time over the weekend. This is a momentous event in their faith journey!
Thank you to our First Communion teacher, Mrs. Gurleyen, for all her guidance and preparation, and for all our families for supporting the First Communicants as they worked toward this milestone.
SCHOOL CALENDAR REMINDER
This Monday, February 27 is a Minimum Dismissal (12:30) day. Please plan accordingly.
*BVCC will be open for those students who are registered with their program.
AZTEC TREK UPDATE
Thank you to all who have already turned in their minimum $125 collection for our mandatory school fundraiser, the Aztec Trek! The final due date for the collection envelope is March 9, and the Aztec Trek Walk-a-thon and games will be held on March 31.
Remember–the more money that you collect, the more prizes you receive and the more points your class will receive towards a class prize!
Currently, here are the class standings:
1st place - Kindergarten
2nd place - 5th Grade
3rd place - 1st Grade
GO AZTECS!
FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOPS
In partnership with First Republic Bank, The BASIC Fund is launching a series of workshops that support the goal of financial wellness and are excited to extend this opportunity to families of St. Peter’s School.
The workshops are being offered on the following dates:
- Tuesday, February 28 from 6pm-7pm in Spanish
- Wednesday, March 1 from 6pm-7pm in English
Register today at https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/ce14af6b38da4eeba185c0dc2771abf7
CYO SUMMER CAMP
CYO Summer Camp registration is open for children ages 8-14!
This week-long summer camp experience at CYO Camp in Occidental, CA normally costs $895, but because of generous camp scholarships for St. Peter’s students, the cost goes down to $140 per student!
However, Scholarships are LIMITED. If you are interested in having your child attend CYO Summer Camp with this discounted price, please stop by the office to pick up the registration forms, or call the office so that we may give your child a form to take home.
Space is LIMITED in each camp session. The camp session dates are as follows:
Session One: June 25 - July 1
Session Two: July 3 - July 9
Session Three: July 11 - July 17
Session Four: July 19 - July 25
Session Five: July 27 - August 2
DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION
For those who missed the meeting about Dual-Language Immersion at St. Peter’s School, a full recording of the Zoom meeting is available at this link:
PASSCODE: *0cQgp9+
The slides of the meeting are available here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1c9D4BqAKTIcaPApnI53OrJpnrAbYd9HDd99fU-1O8CY/edit?usp=sharing
Now, ALL parents are encouraged to complete this SURVEY to gather input about a possible Dual Language Immersion program at St. Peter’s School. Please click on this link for the survey. Your input is needed and greatly appreciated! https://forms.gle/U2SF87zu2SAhUY776
MESSAGE FROM THE BASIC FUND
The BASIC Fund application for new students is now available online at https://basicfund.org/. Renewal emails for returning students will be sent out starting in February.
The deadline for applications is March 31, 2023.
MESSAGE FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE FAMILY GRANT
April 15 is the annual deadline for submitting all information to TADS, the third party needs-evaluation company that the Archdiocese uses to collect the financial data from families. This is consistent with the process we used to award tuition assistance for this year. After the Student Aid Form has been processed by TADS, the Department of Catholic Schools gathers the completed application materials. The Archdiocese of San Francisco is unable to provide financial aid to all students who apply. Applicants are ranked on the basis of financial need. Within the limit of available funds, the Archdiocese of San Francisco will then award financial aid.
Late applications will NOT be considered. Students must live in Marin, San Francisco, or San Mateo Counties to be considered for the Archdiocesan Scholarship. Please visit the other scholarship programs section for more opportunities. Grant notifications will be sent out to the elementary student’s families in late May/early June. To use the TADS Financial Aid online application go to mytads.com. You will be guided through the application. If you have any questions, you can phone TADS at 800-477-8237.
COVID VACCINES
Message from the Latino Task Force and Unidos en Salud at the 24th and Capp Street site:
“We’re here to keep your family and community safe. Everyone 5 years and older should get the new Bivalent COVID booster. Everyone 6 months and older should also get a flu shot. Appointments available at https://my.primary.health/a/bridgevaccine?access_code=748F2ABB5AEF6DBC or visit our site at 24th and Capp Street, Friday, Saturday, and Monday, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. For questions or assistance making an appointment, call 844-965-0987. And keep testing before gathering with friends and family!”
INFECTION MITIGATION PLAN
We continue to endure the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 at school, we have developed a School Infection Mitigation Plan, which was given to each parent on the first day of school as part of the Parent-Student Handbook. The Infection Mitigation Plan is also available on our school website at http://www.stpeterssf.org/pandemic-reopening-plan
Please remember -- If your child is feeling ill or has been exposed to COVID-19, phone the school office and keep your child at home!
🡪 Symptoms to watch out for include:
Fever -- 100.4°F / 38°C or higher
Cough
Severe headache
Sore throat
Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
New loss of taste or smell
Vomiting
Diarrhea
REMINDERS:
February 27 Minimum Day Dismissal
February 28 8:15 AM Lenten School Mass
March 1 Minimum Day Dismissal
March 3 End of Trimester 2
March 7-9 Minimum Day Dismissals for Parent-Teacher Conferences
March 10 No School for students; Educator Conference Day
