Join us for our Day of Service
St. Mary Parish and School Day of Service, May 4, 2018
Live Our Faith. Share Our Knowledge. Serve the Community.
The St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish and School
is proud to offer the opportunity to
Live Our Faith. Share Our Knowledge. Serve the Community
WE INVITE SCHOOL FAMILIES, PARISHIONERS
AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
TO JOIN OUR FIRST EVER DAY OF SERVICE
Friday, May 4, 2018
REGISTER BY APRIL 20
at https://bit.ly/2HdN5Z1
THERE IS NO COST TO ATTEND
St. Mary School grades 5-8 earn 5 hours of Service Block credit
St. Mary School parents/guardians earn 5 hours of CIO credit
"Faith in Action: Fulfilling our Mission"
OUR STORY
Originally planned as a Faculty-only in-service day, the teachers and staff at St. Mary School thought, “Why not invite families and students to come and join us for a day of service?”
This year’s school theme, BE PRESENT and our school’s mission statement that we are “a Catholic community that fosters and enriches the faith life of its students…in partnership with parents, guardians, educators, and the whole parish community,” really brings to life our school philosophy that “We believe in the importance of the faith community in living and modeling Gospel values.”
THE RATIONALE FOR THIS DAY
Realizing that this Friday is a day without school, we hope that your families will consider it important enough to spend part of your day with your children’s teachers, parish ministers, and the St. Mary parish community to join together as ONE, to BE PRESENT for one another, and in SOLIDARITY for those who do not have the same privileges we enjoy. Rooted in gospel values and grounded in love for your students, we hope that you will consider strongly this invitation to walk in this journey towards Faith in Action: Fulfilling our Mission.
Our hope is that our students, supported by their teachers, families, and parish community, will grow to become “…a person of COMPASSION, who seeks to actively CONTRIBUTE to his or her own intellectual and personal growth and the growth of others and fosters a CONNECTION to become stewards of his or her own community and the greater world.” (from the St. Mary School Graduation Outcomes: Schoolwide Learning Expectations [SLEs])
WHAT THE DAY ENTAILS
Those who wish can join us for Daily Mass at 7:30 A.M. After mass, starting at 8 A.M., all are welcome to join us for a simple gathering in fellowship over baked goods, coffee, tea, and juice.
Starting at 9 A.M., we have the following activities, depending on your child’s grade level and your family’s desired experience. Attend one of the following tracks:
POVERTY SIMULATION (9 A.M. to 11:45 A.M. | LOCATION: Gym/Howley Hall)
Here adult participants, families with students in grades 2-8 attending as a unit, students in grades 6-8, high school students will be placed in family groups simulating a low-income family from single parents trying to care for their children on little or no income, to seniors on trying to live on a fixed income. The task of each family is to provide food, shelter, and other basic necessities during the simulation while interacting with various community resources staffed by St. Mary School and Parish faculty, staff, parent and parish leadership. At the conclusion of the simulation, a guest speaker will share experiences and struggles.
To learn more about Community Action Poverty Simulation, visit:
http://stepupsv.org/step-up-events/poverty-simulation/
HUNGER IN THE SILICON VALLEY (9 A.M. to 11 A.M., followed by preparation of Solidarity Meal | LOCATION: Hofmann & Kitchen)
Here, students in grades 3-8 can learn about hunger in our community: the plight of those without reliable access to sufficient quantity of affordable and nutritious food. This session will prepare and serve the Solidarity Meal.
CITY TEAM FAMILY MINISTRIES: INDIRECT SERVICE (9 A.M. to 10:15 A.M., with an option to stay through the Solidarity Meal | LOCATION: Kindergarten Rooms, School Elementary Wing)
Here, TK to grade 1 St. Mary School families (students accompanied by at least one parent) and students in grade 2 have the opportunity to learn to become a person of compassion through indirect service. During this experience, your child will learn first hand what Jesus meant when he said "Whatever you do for the least of one of these brothers of Mine, you have done for Me".
Prior to the day, families should have their students select a gently used outfit (jeans/leggings/dress/shirt/sweater) from their wardrobe to "gift a child". Round out the outfit with new socks and packaged underwear, if desired. Add a coloring book and crayons for an extra treat!
The adult family member and child will then decorate a reusable tote together, while learning about empathy.
At a later time, the totes with "goodies" will be delivered to CityTeam Family Ministries in San Jose.
Won’t you join us? Let’s BE PRESENT for one another!
Contact:
- Cecile Mantecon: cmantecon@stmaryslg.org
- Jane Najour jnajour@stmaryslg.org
- Patrick Clifford Patrick.M.Clifford@gmail.com