Heart Beat Weekly Online Newsletter

Principal's Corner

Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
~Robert Frost

Greetings Sacred Heart Families!

One of our teachers told me recently that her primary personal goal for the year was to be present. "What do you mean?" I replied. She said, "To just be here now, and remember how these students make me so happy that I usually get a belly laugh at least once a day."That comment brought me back to the present-what a gift that was! We started discussing how lucky we are...We all have so much on our minds these days: the kids, the flu, the swine flu, bills; family "drama," lots of homework, there's nothing good on T.V.; the kids, not enough exercise, my job, the car, the roof is leaking, and so on. It's so easy and natural to get lost in these transient worries, and forget how lucky we all are. There's no question to me that our faith calls us to live in the here and now... after all, as Robert Frost reflects, nothing gold can stay.

YOSEMITE: Our 8th graders, Mrs. Verhofstadt, Mrs. Giammona, and some brave parent chaperones returned safely from Yosemite last Friday. Together, they created a memory that will last a lifetime. Thanks to the teachers and the parents who made the trip possible.

PARKING LOT SAFETY: Last Monday we had a car break-in. On Friday, someone left his or her car door open with a purse on the front seat! Luckily someone spotted it and shut the door. Please be careful. Do not leave items on the car seats or visible in any way. Do all that you can to keep your belongings safe.

HALLOWEEN: The students are excitedly pondering and planning their Halloween costumes. As is our tradition, all students may come to school in their costumes on Friday October 30th. STRICT GUIDELINES: No blood, or weapons. Be sure your child's costume is tasteful and appropriate. If you are not sure, please ask us ahead of time.

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES: This week, you are asked to help us schedule a conference with your child's teacher. If you have any questions about the form, please call! We're most happy to answer any questions. The teachers want to discuss how to help your child do their best in school and they need your help and input to do a first-class job. Working together, parents and teachers can help each child have a successful school year.

SCHOOLWIDE LEARNING EXPECTATIONS (SLEs): We've hung a new banner that outlines our SLEs for everyone, parents included, to see and learn. The banner is located out by the flagpole. The SLEs are an important part of our WASC self-study, and we are currently developing a means of assessing our student's progress towards these expectations.

FLU: Yes, it's going around. All Diocesan schools are following the protocols as set up by the County Office of Public Health and the CDC. If your child is showing symptoms, keep them at home until they are well. The teachers have been directed to meet with, and assign appropriate make-up work for each student who misses school due to illness.

God bless you all this week,

Tom Pulchny

SHS Halloween Carnival
Don't forget to send in your donations!

The Halloween Carnival is next Friday October 30, 2009. My, how time flies by! Don't forget to download your forms and turn them into the school office via the Tuesday envelope. A new flyer for lunch on Halloween is also attached. Remember, Pizza will not be served on Friday October 30, so please download the Halloween Lunch form. Halloween Lunch will be catered by our good friends at Rio Adobe, so don't forget to turn in your forms with check made out to Sacred Heart School or cash payment.

Halloween Lunch Form

Halloween Carnival Information

Bake Walk

Halloween Raffle

Halloween Carnival Volunteer Form

Open House at St.Francis

We would like to invite all parents and students to attend our annual Open House on Sunday, November 1st from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Tours leave from Raskob Gym every 15 minutes, and last about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Registration is not required and you are welcome to join us when it is most convenient. Saint Francis High School is located at 1885 Miramonte Avenue, Mountain View, CA.

Sports News

Congratulations to 5th and 6th girls VB on their victories last week. A big way to go to 5/6 FB on their tie. The next 2 weeks are busy ones for sports!!!!!

This Week:
10/20   5/6FB plays SFC 1 at 3:45, 6VB is at SFC 3 at 5:45 & 7VB is at
SFC at 6:45
10/21   7/8FB goes to Morgan Park to play Lucy at 4:00, 5/6FB plays
Lucy here at 3:45 & 6VB goes to Holy Spirit 2 at 3:45
10/22   5/6FB hosts Holy Spirit 6 at 3:45 & 8-2VB takes on Lucy at 3:45
10/23   7/8FB plays SFC here at 3:45
10/23-25 The 7th & 8th VB teams will take part in the Bengal Classic at St Martin of Tours

Next Week:
10/26     7/8FB hosts Andrew at 3:45
10/27      7VB takes on Holy Spirit 2 at 3:45, 8-1VB plays Andrew 1 at 4:45 & 8-2VB plays Andrew 2 at 5:45
10/28      5/6FB goes to SFC 2 at 3:45, 7/8FB plays Holy Spirit here at 3:45 and 6VB goes to Andrew 1 at 3:45
10/29       5/6FB plays their last game at Canyon Heights at 3:45, 5VB is home against Lucy at 3:45, 8-1VB takes on Holy Spirit 1 at 4:45
& 8-2 plays Holy Spirit 2 at 5:45
10/30      7/8FB goes to SFC after the Carnival for a game at 4:00

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Basketball--Yes it is time to start thinking about whether or not you want to play for the Mustangs!

Alumni News: Kyle Miller (06) was player of the week for the Mercury News--he is the QB for the Lancers.

Have a great week, Sandy

Faith Formation

The Word of God is discussed briefly each morning at the assembly with the students. In the letter to the Hebrews the Word of God is described as being "living and active." The Bible is not mere words written on a page a long time ago. These words are "living!" Living can be defined as being alive, having life, in active use, relevant, true to life etc. God's Word is pertinent to our life and without this guiding force the Bible says we are in darkness. The Word of God is "a lamp for our path." The Word of God gives relevancy and meaning to our life. God's Word is both the framework of life and the brush strokes of color and dimension that add purpose and meaning to our existence. In other words, without it we are in darkness, stumbling into things and drifting without direction. With it - we set a course towards eternal life and live this life to the fullest.

The Word of God is also "active" (defined as being busy, lively, and agile). God's Word, when read in a reflective and prayerful way, changes us, because truth is being proclaimed. Truth that pierces our culture, pierces the malaise and apathy we might have. This truth cuts to the core of who we are. Jesus said, "I came that you might have life and life more abundantly." Jesus did not come to take away our fun and excitement, he came to teach us what true fun and excitement is within his Word.

Patrick DeLorenzo
Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation

8th Grade Poinsetta and Wreath Sale

Get a head start on your Holiday decorating and shopping! Beautiful Poinsettias and an assortment of lush evergreen wreaths are available to order now for delivery the fist week of December.

Order forms will be sent out in next week's Tuesday envelope or you can click on the links below to dowload the forms. Please return your order form to the school office via the Tuesday envelope. Help support the 8th grade and enjoy these beautiful holiday items!!

Evergreen Direct Delivery

Poinsettias Order Form

Wreath Order Form

Impromptu Catering

Ordering Begins Today!

Parents and faculty,
Ordering for the new menu will open Tuesday 10/20 at 6 a.m. and will close Saturday 11/07 at 6 p.m.

To place an order:
Log onto our website www.impromptucatering.com and click the Sacred Heart link.
First time users the school code is: 120impshcsca
If we can help or assist in any way please contact us at impromptulg@aol.com or 605-1777

Dinner to go will be available beginning November 30. You'll be able to order an entree and salad for 4 to 6 people with pick up each Wednesday, more information to follow.

Innisbrook Fundraiser
by Anita Ratra

Alrene and Pony

First of all I want to Thank all the Parents and Children for doing an outstanding job in selling! The Innisbrook Gift Wrap Sale is over and Sacred Heart School sold over $28,000. Up to 50% of every item sold is profit straight back to the school. We sold over 2500 items! Participation was close to 84% with four classes well over 91%.

Ms. Mendoza's 4th Grade Class was the winner of the Class Party. She will let the class
decide if they want a Pizza Party or Ice Cream Sundae Party. The average sale per student for that class was $237.22. The other classes with high participation levels were the 3rd, 5th and 8th grade.

I want to recognize the fact that everyone contributed. Every sale helps and the participation level from the school is what drives the bottom line. All this money goes back to the school 100% and all of our children will benefit from the extra money generated. We all are winners!

Special Thanks goes out to Ana te Nijenhuis, Sandra Gatier-Marsano, and Maria Zoco-Blanc for helping with the decorations. Debbie Salom was responsible for getting the packets together. Tally counters: Cynthia Dean, Jacqueline Starek, Jane Mailhot, Vicky O'Hara, Deanne Nicolaysen and Maria Zoco-Blanc - verified the money that was turned in on Sept 21st.

Thanks as well to my Co-Chair Maria Zoco Blanc. She was at the school every morning collecting and verifying the money turned in after the 21st all the way up to October 2nd.

The delivery day was changed from Oct. 21st to November 5th. I still need about 10 people in the morning from drop off 8AM - 12PM or longer if you can. This is an early dismissal day due to teacher conferences. So please volunteer. Your volunteer time all goes towards Fundraising Volunteer Hours.

Thanks You All,

Anita Ratra
aratra@comcast.net
408-838-7735

Sacred Heart Students Helping Others!

Lauren Napier has been invited to meet with the Chief of Police for Los Gatos, Scott Seaman, on Thursday, October 15th to receive a special recognition for helping to save an elderly woman's life on September 1st, 2009.

Lauren was in her parents backyard and heard a woman's voice faintly calling for help. She alerted her Dad and followed the woman's voice. It turned out to be an 83 year old woman in a house around the corner who had fallen and broken her hip. She had been on the ground for some time and was very scared and weak. Lauren called the police and the ambulance took her to the hospital! Way to go Lauren!

Amazing Team Adventures

by Marla Miller

If you are looking for a truly inspiring way to spend your weekend, grab your favorite companion, and experience first-hand what it feels like to be part of a thrilling, competitive, challenging race, all the while exploring and enjoying in style, one of the most fabulous cities in the Bay Area, San Francisco! Parishoners of Sacred Heart receive a special discounted rate. See the flyer below for more details.

Amazing Race Information

Halloween Fun Facts Halloween Fun Pics

Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness.

Jack o' Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.

Pumpkins also come in white, blue and green. Great for unique monster carvings!

Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes.

Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.

Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.

Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers #1.

Black cats were once believed to be witch's familiars who protected their powers.

Saint of the Week St. Maria Bertilla Boscardin
October 20

Saint Maria Bertilla

If anyone knew rejection, ridicule and disappointment, it was today's saint. But such trials only brought Maria Bertilla Boscardin closer to God and more determined to serve him.
.
Born in Italy in 1888, the young girl lived in fear of her father, a violent man prone to jealousy and drunkenness. Her schooling was limited so that she could spend more time helping at home and working in the fields.
In 1904 she joined the Sisters of St. Dorothy and was assigned to work in the kitchen, bakery and laundry. After some time Maria received nurses' training and began working in a hospital with children suffering from diphtheria. There the young nun seemed to find her true vocation: nursing very ill and disturbed children. Later, when the hospital was taken over by the military in World War I, Sister Maria Bertilla fearlessly cared for patients amidst the threat of constant air raids and bombings.

She died in 1922 after suffering for many years from a painful tumor. Some of the patients she had nursed many years before were present at her canonization in 1961.

Heart Beat Weekly Deadline for Submissions

The procedure for placing articles, information, flyers or announcements in our weekly Tuesday bulletin is as follows: All "blurbs" are due by email to the school office by Friday of each week at noon. Please send your emails to c.parra@sacredheartsaratoga.org

Non-Discrimination Information

Sacred Heart School does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and/or ethnic origin, age, sex or disability in administration of educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.