+JMJ

Dear Sts. Peter & Paul families,

August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Church honors Our Lady's heart as the seat of her love for Christ and the model of a life given over completely to God. As we begin a new school year, we place our students, families, and faculty under her care.

A few practical things to carry into the next two weeks.

WHEN WE BEGIN

Our first day is Monday, August 24, and our full calendar is here. Please note two things about the opening weeks. The first week is a half day for all students, with dismissal at noon. The second week is a half day for TK and Kindergarten only, while the rest of the school moves to a full schedule. Our youngest students do better easing in, and their teachers use that extra time well.

CLASS SUPPLIES DROPOFF

Rather than have students carry everything in on the first morning, please drop supplies off ahead of time in the gym. Put the items in a bag labeled with your child's name.

Supply lists went out in July. If you need another copy, text 949.702.5460 and we will send one.

LUNCH

If you would like your child to take part in our school lunch program, order forms are due back to the office by August 25th, though the program itself does not begin until September 8th. Mrs. Licea, our office manager, will be sending the menu, the order form, and all the details shortly. Please watch your inbox for that message. Participation is optional.

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

We are planning SPP's after-school care option and our activity offerings now, and we want them to reflect what suits your family and what your children are most interested in. Please share your preferences here. Your answers shape what we are able to run, so even a quick response helps.

If you have a gift you would like to share in any of these activities, whether as a coach, teacher, guide, or assistant, please let me know.

OUR NEW LIBRARY

I am glad to share that the school now has a library. What we need are books to fill it, and more shelving to hold them. Donations of all kinds are welcome, and we are especially glad to receive reference books such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, and atlases. If you have volumes in good condition that are no longer being read at home, they may find a second life here. To donate, please let me know and we will arrange a time.

We left for summer vacation in June, the month the Church gives to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and we return in August, the month given to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The two belong together. The Church observes that no heart resembles Christ's more closely than his mother's, which is why the liturgy sets them side by side for our veneration. A school year is a long stretch of ordinary days, and we hope to spend it teaching your children to love what Christ loves, with the help of the Mother who learned it first.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

In Christ,

Rachelle

Rachelle Carmony

Principal, Sts. Peter & Paul School

Please feel free to text/call: 949.702.5460