Weekly Parent Letter December 18, 2023

December 18, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Advent Week 3 – JOY

“Rejoice always.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

St. Thomas Aquinas taught, “Joy is caused by love.”  To know God is to know He is all-loving. God’s love for us is unconditional.  For God loved the world so much, God sent His only son.  So, the question now is, “Do I love God?” Do not just say the answer, instead shout it out in a joyful way! “Jesus, I love You!”  Through this love, Jesus enters our hearts, minds, and souls “and your joy may be complete”. (John 15:11)

My soul rejoices in my God,

Ms. Danielle Gonzalez

THIS WEEK:

Monday, December 18 

• • Theme Day: Christmas Sweater Day (Ugly or Beautiful)
• (Students can dress down if they wear a Christmas sweater.)

Tuesday, December 19 

• • Theme Day: Spirit of Christmas ~ wear a Santa Hat
    • Students in Grades PreK3 through Grade 3 should come dressed for the Christmas Show.  Attire for the show has been shared by the classroom teacher.

• Students in Grades 4-8 dress in regular uniforms, even if they wear a Santa Hat.

Christmas Show (Full day of school for all grades PreK3 through Grade 8) 

• 9:30 AM PreK3, PreK4 and Kindergarten
• 10:30 AM Grades 1-3
• 7:00 PM Grades 4-8 (see below for additional information)
  •  *Students should arrive at 6:30 & go to their Homeroom classrooms. 
  • 8th-grade parents will be selling concessions at the evening performance as part of a Project Graduation fundraiser. 
  • After the show, parents please pick up your child from their Homeroom classroom.

* Please note, the first two rows will be reserved and kept empty before the show starts.  Before each class performs, there will be an announcement. ONE family member will be permitted to move to one of these seats in the front rows in order to get close-up pictures!

* No tickets need to be purchased for the show.  Donations will be accepted as participants leave.  All money will go toward supporting the Performing Arts Program at St. Philip Preparatory School.

* Should guests need to use a bathroom during the morning shows, they will be directed to the bathroom in the Church lobby.  School is in session and therefore, school bathrooms will not be available to guests.  Thank you for understanding.

* Doors open…

• 15 minutes before the morning performances
• 30 minutes before the night performance (6:30 PM)

Wednesday, December 20

• THEME Day: Grinch Day ~ wear Grinch-themed clothing or green

Thursday, December 21

• THEME Day: Dress DOWN in Christmas colors

Friday, December 22 

• THEME Day: Happy Birthday Jesus (Dress UP in Christmas colors – Mass for Grades K-8 at 9AM.)

• • 9:00 AM Mass for Kindergarten through Grade 8. 
    • Early Dismissal
      • 11:30 AM PreK3
      • 11:45 AM PreK4
      • 12:00 PM Grades K-8
• Christmas Break starts at Dismissal – NO Aftercare today.

School resumes on Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 

to you and your families!!!

WEEK of January 1, 2024:

Tuesday, January 2

• School resumes

Friday, January 5

• 9:00 AM Mass for Grades K-8
• Early Dismissal
  • 11:30 AM PreK3
  • 11:45 AM PreK4
  • 12:00 PM Grades K-8

WEEK of January 8, 2024:

Friday, January 12

• $1 TAG Day for all students, faculty and staff

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Martin L. KING, Jr. Birthday

Looking ahead – NO school on Monday, January 15, 2024.

The GIVING TREE

All tags were taken and all gifts were provided!  Thank you for your participation and support!!

TREATS and GIFTS

A reminder:

• Please do not send in candy, treats, or gifts to be handed out to the children at school.  Candy, treats, and/or gifts will not be handed out from parents to students during school hours.  Thank you for your cooperation.

VIRTUS

As per the Virtus announcement (reminder below), if you are having trouble logging on to the site, please email Eric Wilsusen at EWilsusen@patersondiocese.org or Joanne Mikolajczyk at jmikolajczyk@patersondiocese.org to receive your username and temporary change of password, if needed.  

REMINDERS:

VIRTUS – SAFE ENVIRONMENT

This applies to ALL faculty, staff and volunteers who have completed the Virtus training!!!

Beginning 1-1-2024, the safe environment policy will now require online retraining every five years. To start, all active VIRTUS accounts who attended their initial training from 2003 to 2019 must complete their retraining online, and all will have until 7-1-2024 to do so.

*******Before 1-1-2024, it will be extremely important that you check all your active accounts and make sure they all have an email address on their account.******

VIRTUS will push out an email notification to all who are required to comply.

Online training is ONLY available for retraining. Online training is not an option for our initial training.