Joyfully Embracing Our Mission
St. Clare School Family News | 2 November 2019
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,
Dear St. Clare School Families,
Today is El Dia de los Muertos, a day that is rich in tradition in Latin America and the Philippines. Last year, I shared with you my favorite memories of this tradition in our family. Because the loved ones I’ve lost are buried in the Philippines, I only get to visit their grave site whenever I’m there. So each November, I am grateful to be able to memorialize them via the Book of Remembrance compiled at school and through the prayers offered at church for all souls. I am also grateful to Elena Salinas, one of our alum parents, who dressed up our altár in the school hallway to remind us that our loved ones will always be in our hearts.
As usual, we have so many people for whom to be thankful:
The Student Council, Student Ambassadors and Girl Scouts and the parent leaders who led them in a very successful Red Ribbon Week campaign: Jenn Pham, Leana Dalton and Michele Cuni. To the teachers and students who made a pledge
The Halloween Party organizers, Rania Perry and all the parent volunteers who brought so much joy to the students on the elementary side and the hall
The Math Club and Lego Robotics organizers and parent volunteers who keep our students engaged in STEM activities outside of the classroom
The Yard Duty supervisors who have the daily challenge to keep students safe and happy during unstructured play time
Our office staff who fulfill the needs and provide comfort to our sick and injured students
All manner of parent volunteers, especially those who serve as room reps and in PTG roles and the school advisory council and finance committee--your work is essential in providing valuable insights to fulfill our commitment to form the hearts and minds of our beloved St. Clare students
… you are great role models of service to our students!
This upcoming week is the last of our first trimester. Ask your students to finish strong and speak to them about what their goal might be for the upcoming trimester. Our teachers are continuing to refine their practice to make the next trimester an even better learning experience for the students. Language Arts teachers in grades 3-8 will be implementing the Lucy Calkins Units of Study in Writing. Students in grades 5-8 are actively engaged in NGSS science using Amplify tools. Students in grades 6-8 social studies are using Pearson’s myWorld Interactive resources, including online resources for students.
Each week, our teachers gather to discuss the teaching and processing strategies used in the classroom. They collaborate on ways to increase the questioning ratio and deepen learning by challenging students to think more critically. After all, we want our students to graduate from St. Clare School as good human beings who can reason and be a productive part of the culture of innovation. Not just in advancing our efficiencies in technology, but also in ways to improve the life of others, especially those who have no one to advocate for them. Imagine our students being able to find a creative way to provide affordable housing and health care for all? It’s not an impossible task, but it’s not one that can be done in isolation. Our part in inspiring them to aim for this goal is critical. What are some of the ways we are helping them to prepare to be innovators?
Our focus habit for this week is to be gentle. Let's help our students approach life more gently: to use words with care, to be gentle in speech, in action and to be gentle with other people's feelings. When we are careless, we can be forceful or reckless with our how we relate to one another. Gentleness is a way for us to remain mindful. Practicing this habit along with the habits of the past two weeks: be kind, be welcoming, we are continuing our goal to be light for others!
We continue to pray for our community members who are struggling emotionally, physically and financially. I would like to ask for your prayers for a former student who is the daughter of a very close family friend. She diagnosed with brain cancer five years ago and we recently celebrated five years of clean scans. Unfortunately, we got word that they’ve found another cancerous tumor. She just turned 29. Nickie is one of my daughter Rebecca’s best friend. Her parents are like second parents to my children. Please pray for the Ellis family as they undergo this challenge one more time and hopefully, this time, the outcome will be joyful and lasting.
Thank you, as always to all of you who hold our “family” in prayer each day. Thank you, most especially to those who joined in our Eucharistic celebration of Holy men and women this past Friday. Kudos to our choir members and fifth graders who led us joyfully!
Please join us on Friday, November 8 for a prayer service focusing on the Vocation of the women and men religious who said “Yes” to God’s call.
Soon, you will hear about our Thanksgiving drive, our Annual Appeal and our Christmas drive. Stay tuned for details which might involve purchasing scrip through ShopWithScrip or making a donation via the School Store.
I am grateful to Cathy Avila-Linn, one of our alum parents who is helping us compile the Annual Report for School Year 2018-19. Each year, I see the publication of the Annual Report (formerly known as the State of the School) as a way to celebrate our accomplishments. St. Clare School, you are looking marvelous! Thank you to all who worked tirelessly for a year filled with great joy and progress.
Please note a couple of very important November dates:
- Open House Nov. 7 from 4-6 P.M.: bring a prospective family to school
- Veterans’ Holiday Observed Nov. 11: there is no school
- 6th Grade goes to Science Camp: Nov. 12-15
- Mayor Lisa Gillmor visits Nov. 20 at 9 A.M.
- Bishop Cantú presides at VIP Day Mass on Nov. 21 at 9 A.M.
- Trimester Honors’ Reception* at 7:40 A.M. in the Rectory Garden on Nov. 22
- Thanksgiving Holiday begins Nov. 27
*expect invitations to come from the school office on 11/19
This next week provides an opportunity for all of us to see how we have participated in the life of our community:
- What was our part in making the Parent-Teacher-Student conference productive for our students?
- How many hours of service did we log onto ParentSquare for our participation in the Jog-A-Thon, Multicultural Dinner, Halloween Party, Yard Duty, Work Days, Urban Garden, Art, Library and Field Trip times, Math Club and Lego Robotics and other parent volunteer opportunities?
- How have we participated in the life of the parish as ministers or members of parish boards or catechists?
- How many times did we celebrate with the school community or taken our family to the Family Mass?
- What have we done to positively communicate about all the wonderful things happening at St. Clare School?
I’d like to share with you a blessing from John O’Donohue’s “To Bless the Space Between Us” so that we can put in perspective the work we have before us:
May the light of your soul bless your work with love and warmth of heart.
May you see in what you do the beauty of your soul.
May the sacredness of your work bring light and renewal to those who work with you and to those who see and receive your work.
May your work never exhaust you
May it release wellspring of refreshment, inspiration and excitement.
May you never become lost in bland absences.
May the day never burden.
May dawn find hope in your heart, approaching your new day with dreams, possibilities and promises.
May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.
May you go into the night blessed, sheltered and protected.
May your soul calm, console and renew you.
Just as he did with Zaccheus, may the Lord see the good that we do, have mercy on us and stay in our house today and always.
Peace.
Mrs. Cecile Mantecón, Principal
Gospel Reflection: Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Our Book of Remembrance
Every day during the month of November, St. Clare School students pray for deceased family and friends at morning assembly. Each St. Clare family is asked to submit names of people who have died on the Please pray and remember…sheet that your child will be bringing home. These names will be placed in our Book of Remembrance which remains on our prayer table for the entire school year.
Please return the sheet with the names of your loved ones to Sister Ann Marie.
Thanksgiving collection 2019
As we gather this Thanksgiving with families and friends to give thanks to God for all the blessings God has given us, we want to also remember those who are not so fortunate.
We are asking each St. Clare family to donate $5.00 to be used to purchase gift cards for different grocery stores. These gift cards would be given to our families who are in need and allow them to purchase the type of food that is “celebration” food for them. You may also donate grocery store gift cards by purchasing them using ShopWithScrip.
If you are sending checks, please make them out to St. Clare School and write on the memo line – Thanksgiving.
Thank you for your generous support as we continue to reach out to those in need.
Student Resource Program Supports All Students
St. Clare School initiated the process for developing a formalized resource program during the 2018-2019 school year. The purpose of St. Clare School’s Student Resource Program is to support all students in demonstrating academic growth, which is in alignment with St. Clare School’s commitment to providing a strong academic foundation for students. The Student Resource Program supports the moral imperative that all children are a gift from God and that all children can learn.
Research-based instructional strategies, data collection and analysis, student-centered learning principles and the Department of Education Learning Support Handbook form the foundation for our school’s Student Resource Program. The St. Clare School Data Team works with classroom teachers to prepare instruction that is responsive to student needs as well as a plan to differentiate instruction.
Student Learning Plans (SLP) are created for students who could benefit from individualized academic attention as identified by assessment data, teacher observations and outside learning assessments, with partnership and support from parents and guardians, as well as educational and medical professionals.
The SLP identifies the student’s strengths, areas of growth and outlines reasonable accommodations provided by the teacher(s) and the school. In addition, it lists ways in which the student and his or her family agrees to commit to fulfill the learning plan outlined and agreed upon by all parties. The SLP is also a way for teachers and the school to provide high-achieving students an opportunity to outline a plan to increase rigor and to focus on deepening content knowledge.
Together, students, parents and guardians, teachers and administrators may also develop a Student Success Plan (SSP) for a student needing behavioral supports.
In all plans developed under the Resource umbrella, student progress is monitored through data reports from adaptive software applications, formative and summative assessments, STAR Reading and Math assessments, as well as parent and teacher observations. A mid-year review of SLPs and SSPs is completed to determine if refinement or recalibration are needed based on student progress.
St. Clare School seeks to continue to develop its capacity to support the learning needs of all students.
Cristo Rey Students at the Front Desk
Have you had a chance to meet our front desk faces, Gwendolyn "Wendy" Vizcarra and Caiden King?
Wendy is a junior who works in the front office on Mondays. Her hobbies and interests include hanging out with her friends, ice skating and catching up on her sleep (in which we all can relate). She is always up for an adventure or exploring. Wendy strives to be understanding, open-minded and dependable towards others. She considers herself to be open-minded to learning new things and sensitive towards the welfare of others. Wendy looks forward to studying to be a social worker or teacher after she graduates high school.
Caiden is a sophomore, who works in the office every Thursday. Caiden is into theater, singing and dance. He's also into Sci-Fi, movies and shows, like Harry Potter and Dr. Who, photography and skating. Caiden hopes to go to college after high school to study theater and someday end up on Broadway. He considers himself to be creative and has loved the arts since he was very young.
If you are ever in the office when Wendy or Caiden are working, please introduce yourself and let them know who your child's name. They are enjoying getting to know the students and our community.
Halloween Fun
Faith In Action: St. Clare Students Serve
Guest Speaker Visits Middle School
Support LLEC - Order Jamba Juice Today!
UPCOMING EVENTS and THE SCHOOL CALENDAR
The 2019-2020 St. Clare School is now available for public consumption. You will find the calendar in a number of places. They all sync to the Google Public Calendar for our school, so you can trust that these calendars are current.
To find the calendar in our school website, go to https://www.stclare.school/ and scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the "Calendar" icon (third from the left) or visit https://www.stclare.school/calendar.
To find the calendar in ParentSquare, go to your HOME page and look for "EVENTS" and click on "view all".
To subscribe and add the St. Clare School Public Calendar to your calendar app, use this link:
- 11/7 Fall Open House | 4:00pm - 6:00pm
- 11/8 Prayer Service | 9 A.M.
- 11/11 Veterans Day NO SCHOOL
- 11/12 - 11/15 6th Grade Science Camp
- 11/14 Free Dress | Allowed Only For Those With Passes
- 11/19 Free Dress | Allowed Only For Those With Passes
- 11/21 VIP Day | Bishop Cantu Presides At Mass - Formal Uniform
- 11/22 Spirit Shirt Day Wear Spirit Shirts With Uniform Bottoms
- 11/22 Honors' Reception for those invited | 7:40 Rectory Garden
St. Clare School
Email: office@stclareschool.org
Website: https://www.stclare.school
Location: 725 Washington Street, Santa Clara, CA, USA
Phone: 408 246-6797