The Star Gazette

1. Principal's Message
2. Upcoming Events at a Glance
3. October Calendar
4. Annual Calendar
5. From the Office
6. Club Sign-Ups
7. Before Care Registration
8. YMCA Registration
9. Volunteer Opportunities
10. H.S.A.
11. Curriculum Corner
    
12. Athletics
13. Steps for Students Registration
14. Secure the Future Fund Concert
15. Bay Area Catholic High School (BACHS) Survey
16. Parish News
17. Spotlight

Dear St. Clare of Assisi Catholic School Parents,

As we immerse ourselves in the vibrant colors of autumn this October, I extend my sincere gratitude for your steadfast support in cultivating a nurturing learning environment. Your partnership has played a crucial role in fostering the growth of our students.

I invite you to actively participate in guiding the next steps of our students' educational journey. Your involvement is key to creating a dynamic atmosphere that nurtures curiosity and encourages excellence. Our teachers are diligently analyzing student data from the NWEA MAP Growth assessments, enabling them to provide targeted and data-driven instruction for our students. The partnership between parents and school is vital to student success.

I am delighted to share exciting news about our students' academic achievements. During a recent visit to IWA high school, I received commendable feedback regarding our graduates. It is with great pride that I inform you that our students are not only transitioning smoothly into high school but are also excelling in honors and advanced placement classes.

This accomplishment is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and the strong foundation they received at our school. We take pride in preparing our students for the challenges of high school, and it's truly rewarding to see them thriving in advanced academic settings.

Your continued support has been instrumental in their success, and I look forward to witnessing their continued growth in the years ahead. Thank you for being valuable partners in your child's education.

A heartfelt appreciation goes to all the parents and community volunteers who generously contribute their time to make St. Clare’s a warm and family-friendly environment, offering incredible opportunities for our students. Special thanks to our Advisory School Council, HSA, club sponsors, room parents, lunch monitors, mystery readers, atrium volunteers, committee members, and countless others who wholeheartedly give their time, treasure, and talent to ensure our students' needs are met.

Save the date for our upcoming concert on October 20th. Kindly share the flier and ticket link on your social media pages, encouraging others to join us in this fellowship and fundraising event. Your presence will make a significant difference, and we look forward to seeing you there!

I also want to provide a heads up about an exciting event on our campus. Dr. Crystal Collier, the author of The NeuroWhereAboutsGuide, will be our guest speaker in October or November. Stay tuned for more information soon.

Once again, thank you for being an integral part of our school community. Your continued support makes a positive impact on the educational journey of our students.

In Christ,

Claudia Cavazos

Principal

St. Clare of Assisi Catholic School

October

• 10/2 - 10/5 Pet Donation Drive
• 10/2 - 8th Grade High School Visits (Strake & Agnes)
• 10/3 Marco's Pizza Spirit Night - Steps for Students Kick-Off
• 10/3 Mrs. Warner’s Baby Shower
• 10/4 Mass
• 10/4 Living Rosary
• 10/5 8th Grade High School Visits (IWA & STH)
• 10/6 No School - Teacher In-Service
• 10/8 11:00 am All School Mass
• 10/9 - 10/13 Fire Safety Week
• 10/10 Fire Truck Visit

• 10/10 University of St. Thomas Screenings
• 10/11 Fall Pictures
• 10/11 8th Grade Off-Campus Lunch
• 10/11 Mass
• 10/12 H.S.A. Meeting
• 10/13 Spirit Shirt Order Forms Due
• 10/16 - 10/20 Parent-Teacher Conferences
• 10/18 Mass
• 10/18 Mercy Tree
• 10/18 Popcorn on the Plaza
• 10/19 8th Grade High School Visits (Cristo Rey)
• 10/20 Early Release 12:00 pm (Prek3 - 2nd Grade bring lunch)
• 10/20 Tony Meléndez - Secure the Future Fund Concert
• 10/23-10/27 Red Ribbon Week
• 10/25 Mass
• 10/27 School Store

• 10/28 Mrs. Sequeira's Birthday

Social Media

Be sure to follow St. Clare of Assisi School on all of our social media platforms!

https://www.instagram.com/stclarestars/

https://www.facebook.com/StClareStars/

Early Pick Up

If you need to pick up your child early due to appointments or family matters, please pick the students up by 2:45 p.m. This will allow us to have your children ready for early dismissal while not interfering with our dismissal.

Spirit Shirt Order Forms

Order forms will be sent home in the Friday folders. You may also download the form below.

Clubs are on a first come first serve basis. We have a limited number of spots available in each club. Clubs are only offered to certain grade levels, please pay close attention before signing up.

Tuesdays

3:30-4:45

6th-8th grade students

https://forms.gle/ncFp8sw9WrTywPmz9

Thursdays

3:15-4:30

5th-8th grade students

https://forms.gle/43shSqaF1iGf9H449

Mondays

3:30-4:15

5th-8th grade students

https://forms.gle/GmA2KhVSByqtE2Bd7

Every other Friday

3:30-4:15

4th-8th grade students

https://forms.gle/RLQwwvfcgsxsmMMAA

Fridays

3:30-4:15

5th-8th grade students

Start date is TBD. We will let you know when the club will begin.

https://forms.gle/eu4vFjbU4FdThjKUA

Thursdays

Prek-Kinder = https://tkshoustonbayarea.jumbula.com/#/preschool-chess

1st-8th = https://tkshoustonbayarea.jumbula.com/#/elementary-chess

Before school care is from 6:45 am - 7:40 am. Please complete the below registration forms.

Lunch Monitor: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4FA5AC2BA0FEC52-lunch1

We are looking for additional volunteers for our 10/03/23 Lunch Duty.

Warm Hello from HSA President, Candace Bearden to all parents of this school.

Thank you to our parents who attended this morning's pastries with parents. For those who were not able to attend, we hope you are able to join us for future events.

Next Meeting: HSA is the link between parents and school, and we need YOUR voice and your support at our next meeting.

• October 12, 8:15 am, in room 1 (behind the reception desk, in the school). Come have a cup of coffee, we start and end on time!

Invitation:

We want to treat your kiddos to popcorn “on the plaza”

• this October 18
• sign-up genius to volunteer will be sent out separately

Spot #1, 12:30 to prep the machine

Spot #2, 2:45 to serve up the popcorn, and

Spot #3, 3:00 to clean up the machine.

God bless you and have a wonderful and safe October.

Sincerely,

Candace Bearden,

HSA President

Standardized Testing

NWEA MAP Growth Assessment

• 1st grade - 8th grade
• September 5-29
• January 8-25
• April 22-May 10

ARK (Religion Assessment)

• 2nd grade, 5th grade, 8th grade
• April 22-May 10

NWEA Fluency Testing

• Kinder - 3rd 9/28/23-10/06/23

Virtues in Practice is a program for children in grades pre-kindergarten through eight to grow closer to Jesus by imitating His life and virtues. It is set up in such a way that a whole school studies the same virtue each month, to provide a whole-school (and at home, whole-family) focus. The program covers 27 virtues over a three-year cycle, with 81 saints held up as models of the virtues. Please see the Parent Guide below to follow along with out virtue of the month.

Year 1 - Year of Faith

October: Reverence - Showing your deepest respect for things of God

PK-2nd - St. Hyacinth

3rd-5th - St. Tarcisius

6th-8th - St. Margaret Clitherow

Website:

https://www.school.stclarehouston.org/athletics

PE Uniforms:

Uniforms for 6th-8th are now in. $10 for shirts $10 for shorts.

Please email michael.benoit@stclarehouston.org for order forms.

Fall Sports Updates:

Support our athletes and come join us for one of our games. GO STARS! Reminder: All students who stay for a game must be with an adult for their safety.

Volleyball- Game schedule is out. Volleyball parents, please refer to your email.

Soccer- Game schedule is out. Soccer parents, please refer to your email.

Cross Country- Meet schedule was emailed to parents.

Hello 3rd Grade Parents,

I hope that this email finds you well.

I'd like to announce that 3rd graders are eligible to join our Stars soccer team this season! While our athletic program is usually open to 5th - 8th graders, we recruit from lower grade levels on an as-needed basis. The team is in need of a few more players to maintain a sufficient roster, and thus, I wanted to reach out to see if your child is interested. The team typically practices on Monday - Thursday from 3:30 - 5 PM, while the games are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please be aware, that most teams we play are on the Varsity level (5th - 8th graders). But, there are some that do have 3rd graders.

To be eligible to participate in games, the following items would need to be turned in:

• Sports Physical (attached)
• Signed Uniform Form (attached)
• Signed Athletic Handbook (p. 14) (attached)
• Athletic fee of $70, acceptable in cash or check (This is typically $140, but since we are about half way through the season, it'll be reduced to half)

If your child is interested, please let me know, and I will provide more information.

Have a great weekend!

Thank you,

Michael Benoit

P.E. Teacher/Athletic Director

St. Clare of Assisi Catholic School

3131 El Dorado Blvd, Houston, TX 77059

https://school.stclarehouston.org/

281-286-3395

We have a BIG goal this year, Stars!! Every registration and donation counts!

Register by 10/13 and receive an out-of-uniform day on 10/20!

https://runsignup.com/stclare

TICKET SALES NOW OPEN!

Tickets may be purchased online at: https://saintclarecatholicschool.ticketspice.com/secure-the-future-fund-concert

Our inaugural “Secure the Future Fund” event includes multiple pricing packages for attendees.

• Diamond tickets come with pre-concert meet-and-greet with the artist and guaranteed seating in the first two rows ($200)
• Platinum tickets include premium seating in rows 3-6 at the front of the church ($75)
• Gold tickets include guaranteed seating in front of the baptismal font ($50)
• Silver tickets include guaranteed seating in the back of the church and beside the altar ($25)
• Bronze tickets provide first-come, first-come seating and standing room in the Narthex or Family Life Center, with additional audio and video provided ($15)
• Family packages provide a single ticket good for up to 8 family members, with first-come seating and standing room in the Narthex or Family Life Center ($60 per family)

Tickets will be delivered electronically, or you may print them on your computer. Please bring either your mobile phone or your printed tickets on the day of the event so that our event staff can scan you in and show you to your seats.

Space is limited, so please purchase tickets in advance if you wish to reserve a spot in advance.

We are pleased to announce that Tony Meléndez has graciously agreed to perform at St. Clare Catholic Church. Mr. Meléndez is a gifted guitarist who has received awards from the United Catholic Music & Video Association and the Branson Entertainment Awards, as well as commendations from state governments and the White House. He also performed for Pope John Paul II early in his career. In addition to Mr. Meléndez’ performance, the event will include food and fellowship for attendees:

• 5:00 pm – Food trucks arrive and begin serving
• 6:15 pm – Interior seating opens, and St. Clare’s Contemporary Group begins praise and worship music
• 7:00 pm – Tony Meléndez performance

As a community, we recognize the pivotal role teachers play in our children's lives. Not only do they provide an excellent education, but they are also mentors and role models who help mold our children into responsible citizens and compassionate individuals. Our teachers play an invaluable role in our children’s lives, academic development, and faith formation.

Amidst our current economic challenges, we must acknowledge the importance of fair compensation for our educators, in alignment with their invaluable contributions. We know how important educators are to the success of our school and the development of our young scholars. Thus, we are excited to introduce the "Secure the Future'' fund—an initiative dedicated to upholding academic excellence and fostering Catholic education. Through it, we seek to raise the funds needed to attract and retain high-level educators through competitive compensation and professional development.

The fund will kick off with a concert on October 20 where 100% of the proceeds will go towards the “Secure the Future” fund. This event is designed for the entire community, a combination of fellowship, food, and the beautiful music of musical artist Tony Meléndez.

For sneak peeks of Tony Meléndez's beautiful and talented work, please see the information below.

https://www.tonymelendez.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHViS-_TzILnOHHOwKHHySA

The Bay Area Catholic High School parents group, with permission, is conducting a feasibility study for a new potential Catholic High school in the Bay Area Deanery.

A pivotal part of this feasibility study is a demographics survey of our parish communities. This is a great opportunity to provide input that will help shape our future plans!

The survey can be accessed by clicking the button below, or with the QR code using the camera on any mobile device. We pray for substantial participation within our deanery and with your help, we can succeed.

We ask that you share with your Parish communities and any others you know who may be interested in a Catholic school in our Deanery.

On behalf of our entire team, we thank you for your support. Advocating for Catholic education in our community has been an honor and blessing. Please continue to pray for and support us in any way you can.

In Christ,

The BACHs team

Please check the parish bulletin for more information.

Address: 3131 El Dorado Blvd. Houston, TX. 77059

Parish Office: 281-286-7729

Website: www.stclarehouston.org

Parish Office Hours

Monday-Thursday: 8:30a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Mass Schedule

Saturday: 4:30 p.m. Vigil

Sunday: 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 5:30 p.m.

Weekdays (Except Tuesday): 8:30 a.m.

Reconciliation

Saturdays: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. or by appointment

Stay Connected to Your Faith

Flocknote: Sign up at www.flocknote.com/stclare or text CLARE to 84576.

myParish App: Text Appt to 88202 (or visit www.myparishapp.com) to download. Search by zip code and select our parish.

Facebook: Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stclarehouston.

Formed: Go to www.stclarehouston.formed.org, create a personal account with your user name/email and password.

Tuesday Morning Men's Group

Prayer, study, discussion, and accountability. And coffee.

Tuesdays from 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 a.m. in the Conference Center

Becoming Catholic - RCIA

Do you know someone interested in becoming Catholic?

Contact: John Kovacs: john.kovacs@stclarehouston.org, 281-286-7729

Infant Baptisms and Prep Classes

To baptize your child (age 6 or younger), click the link for more information and to register. https://www.stclarehouston.org/baptism

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Email: claudia.cavazos@stclarehouston.org
Website: https://school.stclarehouston.org/
Location: 3131 El Dorado Boulevard, Houston, TX, USA
Phone: 281-286-3395
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StClareStars/