Joyfully Embracing Our Mission
St. Clare School Family News | 7 June 2020
Come! Live in the Light!
You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
~ Matthew 5:13-16
Dear St. Clare School Families,
School year 2019-2020 has officially come to a close, but our communication continues. Having had an unusually challenging third trimester navigating uncharted waters, I am very proud of our students, our teachers and our community for really coming together to finish strong.
Last Friday's parade was well attended: it was so heartwarming to see our students and teachers with signs, bubbles and lots of love and smiles showing gratitude for the time spent learning new things in new ways.
I am particularly grateful to Ms. Cherell, Ms. Valerye, Ms. Teresea, Mrs. Filion and Sr. Ann Marie for their time and energy making sure that drop-off and pick-up of items went smoothly and that all protocols were being followed. We hope the opportunity to see your teachers and visit your classroom one last time before moving on was helpful in some way to ease anxieties.
I am also especially grateful to Mrs. Vallarta, Ms. Payton, Mrs. Stennis, Mrs. Martinez, Ms. Geni, Mrs. Toy, Mrs. Allison, Ms. Jacobsen and her kids, Joseph Hoang as well as all the students who prepared tributes for our teachers and Fr. Tad. Fr. Tad sent them off with a blessing and the school community was able to show their love by attending mass together. As soon as they allow us to, we will gather to celebrate Sr. Ann Marie's retirement and give our community an opportunity to gather once again to celebrate our most unusual year.
Although this is the "last" family news and blog of the school year, please expect regular communication from me to update you on plans ahead. Please also look out for requests to come and help prepare the plant. Ms. Valerye should be sending out a request to help move items from the MS Garage to the ARK to prepare for the delivery of Emergency Supplies.
Here are a couple more "dates" to look out for:
- Yearbooks - as soon as we receive the yearbooks and labels are put on them, we will send out a notice as to when they can be picked up.
- Report Cards - teachers are finalizing these this week. Expect them to be attached to a ParentSquare message from your teacher by the end of the day on June 12.
- Summer Bridge Plans - teachers will be working on these once they are done with report cards. Expect these to be attached to a ParentSquare message from your teacher after June 22.
- Summer Day Care - expect communication on how to register for this once we determine how many classrooms we will be opening up. Communication should be going out by June 12.
- Parent Engagement - Mrs. G will send out communications regarding Parent Ed Summer Edition which will run on Wednesdays June 17 to July 29 (no meeting on July 1).
- A Cup with the Principal - look out an invitation to join me for A Cup with the Principal every other week on Thursdays starting June 18.
In addition, I encourage you to connect with one another as you have done these past couple of months. Feel free to continue origami sessions, happy hours and ways to stay connected even for a bit. Some teachers may also continue book club meetings.
Joseph Hoang and Math Club leaders would like to offer tutoring to students who desire this. It would entail making sure at least one adult from either household is supervising the Zoom session. Stay tuned for details.
Between now and the time you receive the Summer Bridge plan, we encourage you to make sure your students are reading daily for at least 30 minutes. Use this link to find books appropriate for your child's Lexile level. Remember to challenge your students to read more challenging books when you see that they are ready. Here's a link to a document called Family Reading from the Sonoma County Office of Education.
In addition, most apps your students have been using will continue to be available to them. If you will be needing a loaner iPad for Summer Bridge, we will give you an opportunity to request one at that time.
More importantly, I hope you will allow your students for the next couple of weeks to sleep in, relax, do what they love and just act their age in the best way possible.
Again, I want to express my gratitude to all of you for truly partnering with our teachers during this very difficult time. We couldn't have done this without you!
Wishing you lots of celebrations, starting with Trinity Sunday. Join us for mass at 9 A.M.!
Here is a reflection from Henri Nouwen:
Celebrate in the Present
Celebrating is first of all the full affirmation of our present condition. We say with full consciousness: we are, we are here, we are now, and let it be that way. We can only really celebrate when we are present in the present. If anything has become clear, it is that we have to a large extent lost the capability to live in the present. Many so-called celebrations are not much more than a painful moment between bothersome preparations and boring after-talks. We can only celebrate if there is something present that can be celebrated. We cannot celebrate Christmas when there is nothing new born here and now; we cannot celebrate Easter when no new life becomes visible; we cannot celebrate Pentecost when there is no Spirit whatsoever to celebrate. Celebration is the recognition that something is there and needs to be made visible so that we can all say yes to it.
Grateful for your presence and looking forward to the day when we can see each other again.
Cecile Mantecon, Principal
Good-bye St. Clare We Hope That You Have A Wonderful Summer.
YEARBOOKS STILL FOR SALE
Gospel Reflection | June 7th, 2020
Join Us for Mass each Sunday at 9 A.M. followed by Children's Liturgy of the Word
Join Fr. Tad and the St. Clare Parish Community
for Sunday Mass at 9 A.M.
Use this URL to take you to the page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/233637747732346/
Remember that Children's Liturgy of the Word each Sunday at 10 A.M. If you want your child to participate, please respond to the survey in the original post from the Parish Team.
Engage your family in these opportunities to help our community:
Covid kits for the Unhoused: https://lavamaex.org/blog/lavamae-distributes-1000-covid-19-hygiene-kits-to-our-unhoused-neighbors
Farm worker food collection: https://facebook.com/events/s/farmworker-relief-donation-dro/241707893765837/?ti=icl
Virtual town hall with Emma - moms demand action. End gun violence : https://momsdemandaction.org/hundreds-of-moms-demand-action-students-demand-action-volunteers-call-for-gun-safety-at-virtual-advocacy-day/
Sign up for Camp Captivate Virtual Summer Camps.
Camp Captivate, provides half day camps with digital interaction , live instruction science labs, fine arts and other enrichment classes through Zoom. Click link for more information
Our Beloved St. Clare
Photo by Ed Carlo Garcia www.edcarlogarcia.com
UPCOMING EVENTS and THE SCHOOL CALENDAR
2020-2021 School Year First Day of School: August 19, 2020 Last Day of School: June 11, 2021
St. Clare School
Email: office@stclareschool.org
Website: https://www.stclare.school
Location: 725 Washington Street, Santa Clara, CA, USA
Phone: 408 246-6797
Facebook: facebook.com/stclareschoolsantaclara