Heart Beat Weekly Online Newsletter

Dear Sacred Heart Families,

REFLECTION:
Advent, week 3: Did any of you leave shoes out for St. Nicholas to put a candy cane in last Sunday? Just wondering! In the gospel this week, (Lk 3:10-18) three groups of people ask John the Baptist the same question, "What should we do?" He might as well replied, "WWJD." We are to recognize our own blessings, and pass them along to others in need generously. "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none." A side benefit is that doing things for others helps us keep perspective and be happy. I think that's why the readings before the gospel are all about rejoicing, not getting down on ourselves, and being happy, even when times are tough.

SCHOOLSPEAK GOES LIVE:
The teachers have been working hard to come up to speed with SchoolSpeak, our new web-based grade/homework access portal. Today, all school families will receive their login information. Please note that these account passwords are for parent access only and eventually, you will be able to "sign" report cards and such through this system. We will send student accounts when everything gets running smoothly, probably in mid January. I'm pleased that we can offer this to our families, and welcome your feedback.

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION MASS:
Thanks to the 8th grade class for their work in preparing this week's special liturgy. They all did a great job! Remember, although there is an 8 AM mass this Thursday, the school will not be attending.

GIFTS OF THE HEART:
Our annual Gifts of the Heart campaign is off and running! This year, we are "Preparing students for a technology-rich world." The brochure for the campaign, in your envelope last week, outlines our goals and how you can help. The campaign is short this year! Take advantage of the tax-deductible savings by submitting your donation before the end of the year!
Thank you very much for your generosity, and support of our school's goals.

GRANT WRITER:
We are looking for a volunteer grant writer to help support our school's goals. If you have experience as a grant writer, especially in the areas of science, math and technology education, and are interested in earning volunteer hours for the school, we like to talk to you. Please contact me at t.pulchny@sacredheartsaratoga.org

STUDENT COUNCIL'S FUN CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISERS:
Next week, Student Council has planned the following fun activities to raise money in support of the Kids with Cancer Foundation.

Tuesday 12/15: Christmas hair or hat day ($1 to participate)
Wednesday 12/16: Christmas pajama day. ($1 to participate)
Thursday 12/17: Christmas cookies day. (Cookies on sale at recess and lunch)
Friday 12/18: Christmas Sock day ($1 to participate)

THANK YOU!
Many parents have helped us get into the Christmas spirit here at school by setting up trees, decorating offices, transforming the staff room, and planning activities. Thanks to Mrs. Gomo, Mrs. Schmalz and Mr. Waller (Mrs. Schmalz Dad), Mrs. Harter, Mrs. Dionne-Reid.

God bless,
Tom Pulchny

Our Condolences 8th Grade Class

Please keep Mrs. Walker and her family in your prayers. Mrs. Walker's mother-in-law, Antoinette Walker passed away Thanksgiving week.

Christmas Program
Mark your calendars!

Dear Parents,

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 is our all-school Christmas concert. It is titled, "I Love Christmas." It will start at 7:00 p.m. in the church. Every class has worked very hard to prepare one or two songs for you. The songs in this program will be some of your favorite Christmas songs and it will be a lovely way to get into the Christmas spirit. The whole event should take about an hour.

The children should arrive no later than 6:45 p.m. They should come dressed in nice clothes. Girls should be in dresses or skirts and boys should have shirts with collars and dress pants. Christmas colors are certainly encouraged, but not required.

The individual classes may have suggested accessories as indicated by their classroom teachers. The First Grade will dress in Nativity costumes as usual. The third grade and sixth grade could wear Christmas jewelry, a bit of holly or mistletoe, tinsel, or other holiday decoration. The fourth grade should wear baseball hats turned backwards. The fifth grade could wear accessories or hair scarves as worn in the 1950's. The 7th and 8th grade could wear hats, gloves, scarves, etc. for use in the snow.

Come and enjoy a colorful, musical, fun evening of sharing and Community spirit. It means a lot to your child to have you there.

Thanks so very much for your support of the school and our music program.

Sincerely,

Donna Vehawn
Music Director

A Day in the Fields With the Eighth Grade Class
A Unique Service Opportunity "Ag Against Hunger" and Driscoll's Produce Company

Just before Thanksgiving, the eighth grade students traveled to Salinas and Watsonville for an eye-opening experience of crop picking in the beet and berry fields to help the local hungry population. Elly Hoever (CJ's mom) works for Driscoll's Produce Company and introduced the class to a program called Ag Against Hunger. This program allows volunteers to work in local fields and pick ("glean") produce left by commercial sellers for donation to local food banks. On that day, the eighth grade class picked 5,000 pounds of yellow beets. It was hard physical labor, but so rewarding at the end when the gleaning leader expressed her appreciation because the class had just fed 5,000 people coming to the local food bank.

Fresh off their Yosemite adventure and its eco-lessons, they learned first hand the value of field to table food when they were given the chance to bag some beets of their own to take home. Later, they were given lessons in how to spot produce ready to pick, then picked and boxed several cartloads of strawberries. On their return from the fields, the students wrote about their experiences in class. Ag against Hunger is open to everyone. Perhaps you and your family would enjoy a day spent together "gleaning " for others. For more information, see http://www.agagainsthunger.org

Finacial Aid For 2010-11
PSAS Forms

If your family is interested in applying for Diocesan Financial Aid, please stop by the office to pick up an application.

Message from the Bookeeper
by Diane Grosso

Daycare bills will be in your Tuesday envelope. Payments are due by Wednesday December 16.

Cell Phone Use In The School Office
by the School Office

Parents please do not use your cell phone in the school office. The noise level in the office can get very loud. Staff members cannot hear the school phone ring or talk while others are speaking loud on cell phones. Please use your cell phone outside the school office. Thank you!

Cold Weather This Week!
by the School Office

This week will be very cold on the weather front. Please send your students with warm jackets to wear at recess and lunchtime. Hats and mittens too!

Christmas Break Reminders
The School Office

On December 18, 2009 Extended Care will not be available and that day will be a 12:30pm dismissal. Christmas Break will run through December 21-January 1. The school will be closed for Christmas break. School will resume on Monday January 4, 2010.

From our families to yours have a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.

Christmas Eve Children's Liturgy-4pm Mass

by Ruth Ann Juliano

Again this year children will be part of the entrance procession, dramatization, and gift procession. Angels, banner carriers, and candle bearers are needed from grades K through 12. Please contact Ruth Ann Juliano 408-867-2863 or rajcostumes@yahoo.com or Dawn Juliano 408-247-1898 or drjuliano@sbcglobal.net to participate.

There will be 2 rehearsals, December 19 at 9:30am to 12pm (costumes will be assigned at this date) and on December 22nd from 10am to 12pm. We would like the children to be able to be at both rehearsals.

Christmas Eve 4pm Mass Family Choir 2009

by Lucia Hong

Come join the Christmas Eve 4pm Family Choir -
All voices Grade 3 and older are welcome.

Rehearsals will be held
Sunday December 13, and Sunday December 20, 1:30pm to 3pm.

Please let us know if you will be joining us this year and which rehearsal (s) you will attend (you will need to attend at least one).

Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact
either Lucia Hong, parish music director at ilucia1330@sbcglobal.net 408- 867-3634 x260
or Karen Juliano at kstitches@yahoo.com or 408-866-8208.

O'Connor Hospital Gifts
by Cathleen Harter

Does your child need service hours? They are welcome to join the RCIA group on Sunday December 13, 2009 after the 9:00am Mass in the Parish Center. We will be wrapping gifts for O'Connor Hospital. Feel free to drop off any extra Christmas Bags, wrapping paper, bows, in the school office.

Contact Cathleen Harter for further information at abcharter@aol.com.

Hot Dog Orders

The new hot dog order form begins Wednesday Janaury 6, 2010! Please send in your order form and a check made out to Sacred Heart School for the amount of your order. Don't forget to write in your check memo line "Hot Dog Lunch".

New Hot Dog Order Form!

Pizza Order Forms Pizza

The new pizza order form begins Friday January 8, 2010! Please send in your order form and a check made out to Sacred Heart School for the amount of your order. Don't forget to write in your check memo line "Pizza Lunch".

New Pizza Lunch Order Form

Ice Cream Orders

Please send in a new ice cream form as many children are out of credits. If you have any questions please contact Kathy Arena at 408-499-6679.

Click on the link below for the Ice Cream Form and send back to the school office with payment.

Ice Cream Order Form

Impromptu Lunch Orders
Orders for January are now open!

The on line ordering for Impromptu's January menu opens
Today, Tuesday 12/08 at 6 p.m. and closes Sunday 01/03/10 at 6 p.m.
Please contact us with any questions or concerns at impromptulg@aol.com or 408-605-1777

Happy holidays to all!!

Thanks!

Impromptu Catering Website

POSTAGEPALOOZA
by Ms. Tomaino

It's b-a-c-k!!!

Greetings everyone! Once again I'm trying this WONDERFUL fundraiser called "Postagepalooza!" If you've never heard of it before, it's where your children's art and fundraising work go "hand in hand!" The children will bring home their art work (including information and order forms) for you and "the entire world to see!" After gazing at their masterpieces and beaming with pride, you can select a variety of items (such as ACTUAL postage stamps, stationery, stickers and assortments of other goodies). ALL done with your child's art work!

There is an instruction sheet telling you WHEN and WHERE to drop off your CHECK, the ORDER FORM and your children's ART WORK. ( There is "drop-off" box in the office.) I will then send the "goods" off and we will all wait, with anticipation, for the final product! It's that easy!

Now.....here's the BEST part..........25% of the proceeds go back to the school! Woohoo! What a way for the kids to immortalize their art work forever and raise money for the school!

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Happy Holidays to each and every one of you!

Cheers and all the best!
With deepest affection,
Miss Teeeeee

This year's theme is VALENTINE's DAY!
Please know that this fundraiser is OPTIONAL and NOT MANDATORY!

Faith Formation

Advent is a time of waiting, watching and anticipating the coming of the Lord. What was the last thing, or someone, you waited for with great anticipation? I waited to see my son, who lives in Washington DC and we were meeting in Nashville for Thanksgiving. It had been 3 months since I last saw him. I got off the plane and was thinking how much he might have grown. How excited he was going to be to see his dad. I thought about how proud I was of him and how much I missed him. I walked outside and there he was waving his hands frantically. I gave him a big hug and knew our three months of not seeing each other had come to an end. He was as excited as I was.

Our God is excited every time we come to church, every time we pray, every time we do a kind act or express our love to others. We do not have to wait three months, three weeks for Jesus - He is present every time we think about him. Take a moment and allow Him to just be with us.

Patrick DeLorenzo
Pastoral Associate Faith Formation

Sports News

All the boys' uniforms are out--now for the girls. All out by Friday is my goal! Schedules will also be out to all athletes by 12/11--Christina will put them on the sports calendar before we go for break.

Alumni News:
Over the weekend Mitty HS VB team won the state championship & finished their season 39-0-------WOW! Joan Caloiaro (06 Formico) was their setter and Shannon Fleming was the middle hitter--way to go girls! Congrats to Kyle Miller the QB for St Francis on a great effort leading his FB team. Also Mike Lauck (09 Dalton), Nick Keyes and Austin Woodard are playing frosh B-Ball for the Lancers. Erin Calderoni, who moved back to CT, made HS All-American, All state and All league in swimming. Great job!

Have a great week, Sandy

Saint of the Week: Our Lady of Guadalupe

Saturday December 12

The feast in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe goes back to the sixteenth century. Chronicles of that period tell us the story. A poor Indian named Cuauhtlatohuac was baptized and given the name Juan Diego. He was a 57-year-old widower and lived in a small village near Mexico City. On Saturday morning, December 9, 1531, he was on his way to a nearby village to attend Mass in honor of Our Lady.

He was walking by a hill called Tepeyac when he heard beautiful music like the warbling of birds. A radiant cloud appeared and within it a young Native American maiden dressed like an Aztec princess. The lady spoke to him in his own language and sent him to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarraga. The bishop was to build a chapel in the place where the lady appeared.

Eventually the bishop told Juan Diego to have the lady give him a sign. About this same time Juan Diego's uncle became seriously ill. This led poor Diego to try to avoid the lady. The lady found Diego, nevertheless, assured him that his uncle would recover and provided roses for Juan to carry to the bishop in his cape or tilma.

When Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop's presence, the roses fell to the ground and the bishop sank to his knees. On Juan Diego's tilma appeared an image of Mary exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac. It was December 12, 1531.

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" and fliers are due by email to the school office by Friday of each week at 12pm.

Please send your emails to c.parra@sacredheartsaratoga.org

Any items received on a Monday will be placed in the next week's bulletin. Please be prompt with sending in your bulletin items.

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.