A Grateful Heart
Saint Clare School Family News | 1 January 2023
A Grateful Heart by Jazmine Misola, Class of 2024
BEGIN EACH DAY WITH A GRATEFUL HEART
I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you,
praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now.
And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.
~From Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, Ch. 1:1-5, 9-11
Dear Saint Clare School Families,
Happy New Year! May the Solemnity honoring our Blessed Mother be a day that brings you peace and hope. May 2023 be a year full of gratitude for the blessings we have been given so that we may in turn return the blessings to others needing our care, our hope, and our love.
I hope that your Christmas break afforded you time to spend with those you love, doing the things that give you joy and hope. I am grateful to have been able to spend time with family, cook for them, and just listen to stories about their lives. Sometimes, these moments are the most precious, because our lives are filled with so many distractions and there are a lot of “things” that vye for our attention. I pray that as adults, we can model for our children the things that should matter: our presence.
HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY, MSGR. FRAN!
Yesterday, Msgr. Fran celebrated his 70th birthday. Thank you to those families who shared a video greeting. Be welcome to continue to send him greetings: francis.cilia@dsj.org. Better yet, greet him in person when you attend Mass.
A SAFE RETURN TO CAMPUS
Please read Mrs. Rizzo’s post from December 15. Today is the first day to administer an antigen test to your child(ren). Remember that masks are still highly recommended to keep us all safe from respiratory illnesses including the flu. Please remind students of the importance of coughing and sneezing into a tissue or their sleeve, washing and sanitizing hands frequently, avoiding touching the face, and keeping their distance from others. As always, please keep students who exhibit symptoms of a respiratory illness at home.
Thank you for keeping our community safe!
SIXTH GRADERS OFF TO CAMP CAMPBELL
On Tuesday, our sixth grade students will headed to Science Camp at YMCA’s Camp Campbell with their homeroom and science teacher, Mr. Lin. We are excited for them to experience outdoor education, with an opportunity to connect as a class, and to spend some time reflecting on their role as stewards of God’s creation. We pray that their experience brings them the realization that they are surrounded by people who care about them and respect their dignity as humans, that they learn many things about themselves that affirm God’s role in their lives, that they have every opportunity to practice kindness towards themselves and others, and that their eyes would be opened to the possibilities to create a peaceful world were all beings coexist, as God had intended.
Mr. Lin and the Class of 2025: we send you our love and we will pray for your safe return to us on January 9!
TUITION STRUCTURE FOR 2023-2024
I have been working closely with our Finance Committee and with St. Joseph Financial Services (our finance partners) to prepare the tuition structure for the following school year. As many of you know, the Tuition Rate and Agreement will be coming your way in the next week or so, outlining the details of your financial commitment. While we are finalizing details and seeking approval from SAC and Msgr. Fran, please know that there will be “A Cup with the Principal” that will cover the new structure in detail. Please save the date: Thursday, January 19 at 6P via Zoom.
You will be asked to re-enroll using TADS (not FACTS) by February 6, 2023. Also, please remember that we do not assess tuition payments for the current school year in February. Traditionally, a registration fee is assessed in February for the following school year. Instead, in lieu of the registration fee, a tuition installment will be assessed for the 2023-2024 school year. I am sharing this information so that you can plan accordingly and begin your discernment process.
I am looking forward to seeing many of you on January 19.
NEW CLASSROOM FURNITURE and OTHER FACILITIES FACE LIFTS
Classrooms in grades 1-8 now have new desks, chairs, and teacher furniture. Thank you to all who made this possible. The classrooms look brighter and the flexible seating supports the learning differentiation happening in the classrooms.
In addition, thank you to Msgr. Fran for helping coordinate the repair of the leak in the girls’ bathroom. About a month ago, we found a water bottle and a tennis ball stuck in the gutter, preventing rain from properly draining down the spouts, causing a leak into the girls’ bathroom. Thankfully, the damage was superficial, with a little stucco and paint, the space is good as new.
ACCREDITATION SELF-STUDY AND STRATEGIC PLANNING
Our teachers, administrators, and parent leadership have been working diligently to prepare a Self-Study for our accreditation visit in March. We have completed the writing of the key chapters and will be writing the Action Plan goals in the next week or so. A Parent Leadership Symposium is planned for January 21 to actively engage in the Self-Study and review the Action Plan goals. On February 9, our WCEA Visiting Committee will spend a day at our school for a pre-visit. In March (15-17), they will return to visit our classrooms, meet with shareholders, and formally affirm our Self-Study with a Report of Findings towards accreditation. WCEA and ACS WASC jointly accredit our school for six years.
Our Strategic Planning Committee, composed of the current and alumni parents, Fr. Victor, administrators, and teachers will be meeting with Meitler consultants on Tuesday, January 3 to go over the initial report and recommendations. Future iterations of the Strategic Plan will be presented to shareholders later in January, with the final presentation in early March.
As shareholders, I am grateful for your active participation in these consultations and conversations.
STAR DATA GATHERED AND ANALYZED
Prior to our Christmas break, our teachers gathered to review the latest Star assessment results, making a plan to identify students who need additional, targeted support to meet the diocesan benchmarks. They will continue to work with administrators and our student support team (parents and caregivers, occupational therapists, instructional assistants, counselors, medical professionals, SCUSD) to support the high achievement of all students, meeting the needs of students who need to reach the benchmarks and the students who are ready to engage in deeper learning.
ANNUAL GIVING
Many thanks to the families who have already made a donation towards the commitment to support Annual Giving at Saint Clare. Your generous support helps us build our endowment and scholarship funds to sustain the programs at our school. Your dollars support the families who would otherwise not be able to have the advantages of Catholic education. In addition, your giving helps us maintain our beautiful and historic facilities, steeped in tradition and proudly stands as a testament to the impact Catholic education has made in the lives of many.
If you haven’t already sent in your contributions, please do so soon, as part of the determination for a Catholic discount will depend on your active participation in sustained giving.
Again, I am grateful for the investment you are making in the lives of the children that we serve. We can’t do this without your support!
UPCOMING EVENTS | OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT:
Join us for our Weekly School Masses on Fridays at 10:45 A.M.
PTG Meetings are on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30P. RSVP to the original post on ParentSquare.
January Saturday Work Day: to come! Stay tuned.
PLAN AHEAD: NO CKZ on January 16 (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) and January 17 (Teacher In-Service Day)
Catholic Schools Week Mass, Pancake Breakfast and Open House on Sunday, January 29. Stay tuned!
Annual Lunar New Year festivities. TBD–we need a team who can lead this beautiful tradition celebrating the many cultures in our community. Please reach out to PTG leadership to find out more.
WCEA Pre-Visit: February 9
WCEA Visit March 15-17, 2023
2nd Annual Golf Tournament: May 1, 2023 | Boulder Ridge Golf Club
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SCROLL DOWN TO THE CALENDAR AREA
TO FIND DATES THAT NEED YOUR ATTENTION! Thank you.
Most of all, I am grateful to YOU for reading the newsletter that I write each week. I know how important it is to keep you informed and I know there are many other things that vye for your attention. However, I am grateful that you find the information contained here important enough to give your attention to it.
As always, if you feel there is something missing, please reach out to me (cecile.mantecon@dsj.org) or to the office staff (stclare-info@dsj.org). We will do our best to get you the information that you need, or better yet, direct you to the source: a post or a newsletter.
I am truly grateful for your amazing response when prayers are needed, when donations for items and your time are requested of you, and for your continued partnership with us. You know and understand that your involvement in your child’s education, being present at the school, contributes greatly to your child’s academic, spiritual, and personal growth. Thank you. Saint Clare is truly blessed because we have you to walk this journey.
Gratefully,
Mrs. Cecile Mantecon, Principal
Our Faculty and Staff Christmas Game
What a fun way to count down the days to Christmas break. The week was filled with holiday laughter and joy as teachers accept and perform fun challenges to earn prizes. We want to thank you, all the parents, who have donated gift cards and treats to our game. We are truly grateful!
Congratulations to our overall big winner: Mrs. Soares!
Hot Cocoa For All!
A BIG Thank You To This Year's Jog-a-thon Sponsors
Attendance Impacts Learning
Early Literacy Resources from Harvard Global Family Research Project
IMPORTANT DATES TO NOTE
- Dec. 19-January 2: Christmas Break
- January 3: Return to School
- January 3: Strategic Planning Committee Meeting, 5:30-8:30P
- January 3-6: Grade 6 at Camp Campbell
- January 5: PTG Meeting, 6:30P
- January 6: All-School Mass, 10:45A
- January 8: Epiphany of the Lord
- January 9: Baptism of the Lord
- January 16: NO SCHOOL, NO CKZ: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- January 17: NO SCHOOL, NO CKZ: Teacher In-Service Day
- January 19: A Cup with the Principal, 6P
- January 21: Parent Leadership Symposium, invitations to come
- January 23: Graduation Photos, info to come (Class of 2023)
- January 25: Tuition Agreements DUE to the office
- January 27-29: Diocesan Synod at Santa Clara University
- January 29: Catholic Schools Week Mass at 10:30A; Open House at 9A; Pancake Breakfast after all Masses
- January 29-February 3: Catholic Schools Week
- February 5: Re-Enrollment DUE in TADS
2022-23 School Calendar
Below, you will find the Calendar Grid for the school year. It is a snapshot so you can plan for child care and work around the calendar to plan trips, vacations, and appointments.
Please remember that this GRID is a STATIC version of the calendar. For a more accurate and up-to-date version, please see the options below.
Other options to view the calendar include a Google calendar synched to ParentSquare, or subscribing to the St. Clare School Public Calendar below:
Google Public Calendar
You are invited to subscribe to the St. Clare School *PUBLIC* Google Calendar which is also synched to ParentSquare.
PUBLIC URL TO ACCESS FROM A WEB BROWSER
PUBLIC ADDRESS IN iCAL TO ACCESS FROM OTHER APPS
OUR MISSION
We, the Saint Clare School Community,
joyfully embody the Gospel mission entrusted by Christ to His Church.
Made in the image and likeness of God,
our community values our diversity,
embracing all backgrounds and cultures.
With a rigorous curriculum and student-centered instruction,
we, together with parents as primary educators of their children,
form learners with strong academic and spiritual foundations
to become moral and ethical servant leaders.
SCHOOLWIDE LEARNING EXPECTATIONS (SLEs) | Graduation Outcomes
A ST. CLARE SCHOOL GRADUATE practices
Habits of the Mind
Through Inquiry and Curiosity
Through Resilience and Resourcefulness
Through Creativity and Innovation
Habits of the Heart
Through Kindness and Respect
Through Empathy and Compassion
Through Gratitude and Humility
Habits of the Spirit
Through Stewardship and Servant Leadership
Through Accompaniment and Inclusivity
Through the example and teachings of Christ Jesus
School Leadership
Finance Committee Chairperson: Lea Lind
PTG President: Katy Kerns
If you are interested in a leadership role, please reach out to Mrs. Mantecon (cecile.mantecon@dsj.org).
SAC Meetings are held once a month via Zoom and open only to SAC members and invited guests.
PTG Meetings are held once a month via Zoom and open to all
Finance Committee meetings are held quarterly, with occasional special meeting times surrounding finance deadlines, and are open only to Finance Committee members and invited guests.
Parent Resource Library
Our Beloved St. Clare
Photo by Ed Carlo Garcia www.edcarlogarcia.com
St. Clare School
Email: office@stclareschool.org
Website: https://www.stclare.school
Location: 750 Washington Street, Santa Clara, CA, USA
Phone: 408 246-6797
Facebook: facebook.com/stclareschoolsantaclara