October II
+JMJ
Dear Families,
Our Lady of Fatima is now visiting the homes of our school families. Thank you for welcoming her and praying the Rosary with your children. As October ends, the Church turns our hearts to the saints in heaven and the souls in purgatory. We will celebrate both this week, and we will spend the next two weeks on one virtue that every saint had in common.
Our Virtue: Obedience (October 26 – November 6)
This week, your child is bringing home an Obedience Packet written for their grade. The word obey comes from the Latin ob-audire, which means “to listen toward.” Obedience is not blind rule-following. It is saying “yes” to the loving will of God, and to the people He has placed in charge of us, because we trust Him.
The packet looks at saints who said yes. Mary said yes to the Angel Gabriel. St. Joseph rose from his dream and did what he was told. As a boy, the Prophet Samuel answered God, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” The packet also has a daily tracker to fill in at home. Please sit down with your child for a few minutes each evening to go through it together. Virtue is taught at school, but it is practiced at home first, through the Fourth Commandments: Honor your father and your mother.
This Week: All Saints Day Reminders
All Saints Day Assembly: Friday, Oct. 30, 10:00 AM. Students come to school dressed as their saints. There is no car pick-up line that day. Please park in the drive-thru area and come in through the back entrance to the auditorium. After the assembly, pick up your child in their classroom and stay for cake in the courtyard.
SPP’s Catholic Hallowe’en Carnival: Saturday, Oct. 31, 4:00 - 8:00 PM at the school. Bring the whole family! Volunteering counts toward service hours. More details are here.
All Saints Day: Sunday, Nov. 1. We’ll see you at Mass!
All Souls Day: Monday, Nov. 2. November is the month of the Holy Souls. For Día de los Muertos, our school is preparing an ofrenda to honor and pray for the faithful departed. Please email the names of your loved ones who have died to rcarmony@sppschool.org. We will add them to our ofrenda and pray for them throughout November.
Progress Reports
Progress reports went home last Friday, Oct. 23. Praise God for the growth our scholars have shown this first quarter! It is a joy to watch them work hard and grow in wisdom. If you would like a digital copy of your child’s progress report, please let me know and I’ll be happy to send one.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-teacher conferences will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 18; Thursday, Nov. 19; and Monday, Nov. 23, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. Your child’s teacher will send you a sign-up link soon, so please watch your inbox or text messages, and choose a time that works for your family. Conferences are a chance to celebrate your child’s growth and to work together as partners in their formation. We look forward to seeing you.
LMU College Day: Saturday, Nov. 14 - 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Families are invited to join us for College Day at Loyola Marymount University! It’s a wonderful chance for our students to see a Catholic university up close and start dreaming about their future. Tour the campus, watch a college women's volleyball game, and meet and greet the players. If your family would like to attend, please let Coach Johnson know by this Friday, Oct. 30. For details, please see Coach Johnson at school or email him at coachjohnson@sppschool.org.
As we honor all the saints this week, remember that every one of them began as a child who learned to listen. May our children learn to say, with Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
With gratitude and prayers,
Rachelle