eGazette - December 2, 2009

Principal's Piece

"Hurry up and wait!"

The turkey leftovers have barely been morphed into sandwiches and already I'm on the hunt for the Advent wreath. Which box did I drop that into last January 1st when I was frantically clearing the house of the all evidence of the holiday season? I finally find the wreath, hunt down 3 purple candles, 1 pink candle and set the entire display on the table. A competition with myself has been won - I placed the wreath before the first Sunday of Advent! And now the Jordans wait, along with all persons of faith. We wait for the birth of the baby that was sent to save us - the baby that began our journey as Christians. While we wait, we teach. We teach and share our faith with our children so that they will carry on the message of Advent...into their own homes and to their own children. At school, we teach this season of anticipation, hope and prayer in the following ways:

- The Color Purple: Purple is the color of the liturgical season of Advent. It is the sign of royalty as we prepare for the King. Notice the purple swags over classroom and office doorways. Check out the purple draped over the classroom prayer tables and purple banners decorating the church. If you see Sister Joyce, ask her why she displays the only pink cloth over her classroom door.

- Advent Wreath: During morning assembly, the student council will light the Advent Wreath which will remain on display in the hallway throughout Advent. They explained significance and importance of the wreath to our student body.

- School Reconciliation Service: On Wednesday, 12/9, our 3rd through 8th grade students will be invited to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, an important gift from our church that allows us to reflect on our own journeys as Christians.

- Service Projects:
-- Catholic Charities: Each class will be pulling names off of our angel trees, located in our church. They will venture out to Kohls, Target and WalMart to provide Christmas to many families in need. Teachers will lead students in honest discussion about how families right here in our own community struggle to find food, shelter and clothing.
-- Cookies with a Prayer: In another important parish effort, students are invited to bake cookies and decorate treat bags for minors who are incarcerated at the Napa County Juvenile Hall. Based on the thank-you letters we've received in the past, this thoughtful gesture is greatly appreciated and helps a group of God's children who are often overlooked.
-- Service Project: St. Vincent de Paul: We've already filled the St. Vincent de Paul food barrels several times with non-perishable food items. Our students should be very proud of themselves.
-- Service Project: Anointing Mass and Luncheon: Many of our students created place mats and sang yesterday at our parish Anointing Mass and Luncheon.
-- Service Project: "With Love from the Home Team": Many of our students sent hand-written letters to our troops overseas, sharing words of support and holiday blessings.

- Advent Program: Our teachers, under the creative guidance of Mrs. Hirsohn have been developing a unique Advent program to present to our school and parish families this year. It will be a dramatic, meaningful celebration of this very special time of our liturgical year.

- Christmas Parties: Of course, in the midst of all of this work and care for others, our students will enjoy some festivities. Most classes will be holding an Advent/Christmas party on Friday, 12/18 but stay posted on specifics from your child's teacher.

- Christmas Eve Family Mass: Even though we'll be on vacation, our church is alive! All school and parish children are invited to participate in our Christmas Eve Family Mass on 12/24 at 5pm. They are welcome to come dressed in their "Sunday best" or as shepherds or angels.

As you can see, as the song says, it is the most wonderful time of the year. It's also the most hectic time of the year! Let's all remember to take a deep breath, count our blessings and pray for those who struggle.

Welcome Advent!

In Peace,
Nancy Jordan, Principal

BwSN is an annual St. John the Baptist Catholic School funfilled, Christmas tradition and has been celebrated for many years. It is typically held on the 1st Sunday of December in our Parish Hall (this year December 6 8:30am - 12:30pm) and for nominal entrance fee you and your family will be served a great pancake breakfast.

Tickets can be purchased at the door for the many activities, which include: - games (where kids can win goody bags), Christmas crafts, raffles, face-painting, petting zoo and a photo opportunity with Santa in his sleigh! There is also a craft and bake sale, "gift certificate tree" and small auction to help raise a little money for our great school. BwSN has always proven to be a wonderful kick-off the Christmas Season!
Breakfast_with_St__Nick_-_e-gazette_invite.pdf

Please join us this Sunday, in the Parish Hall- as we kick off the season with a morning of fun at Breakfast with St. Nick! This event is an annual St. John the Baptist Catholic School tradition that has been celebrated for many, many years.

Get ready for a morning of fun for the whole family; games, craft tables, raffle prizes, silent auction, petting zoo, face painting, bake sale, and of course, Santa! The list goes on and on...Our talented parent, Ken Kuntz, will filling the hall with live music. Grandparent, Gary Madison and parent, Sean Warner (along with many volunteers) will be arriving bright and early to put the kettle on and heat up the kitchen to prepare a pancake breakfast!

Tickets available at the door-$6 adults/$4 children and seniors. Raffle and game tickets-$1 each. Please join us from 8:00 a.m. to Noon.

A heartfelt thank you to Jami Mendez, Kitty Helfrich, and an amazing group of dedicated event volunteers for donating their time to this beloved event. A very special thank you to 8th grade grandparents, Rita and Gary Madison, who have continued to help us each and every year! We will miss you next year!

Thank you to the parishioners, school parents, and grandparents that have already donated handmade scarves and quilts, gift baskets, wine, and more. It isn’t too late to join the fun! We still need baked goods as well as silent auction and craft table donations.

We held the last FC meeting of the year yesterday, attended by a small but enthusiastic group of parents who brought some great new ideas to discuss. If you have ideas or suggestions for our school, want to know more about school activities, or just want to share some conversation over coffee (and often some morning treats), join us at the FC meetings.

Mark your new calendar for February 2, 2010!
The Eric Carle school wide art project was a great success! Thanks to many hours of preparation and organization by our art teacher Suzanne Gibbs, and with the assistance of classroom teachers and many parent volunteers, this was a great art experience for our children. Artwork is currently on display on hallway bulletin boards!

Traditionally, FC had presented a holiday gift to each teacher every year. Last year a new tradition was started in lieu of an actual "gift", with the blessing from our teachers. Family Club will continue the tradition this Christmas by donating a $50 gift card to each classroom to put towards their "Children in Need" shopping day.

Ho, ho, ho! See you Sunday morning!

Lifetouch Photography has provided Christmas Photo Magnets and Laminated Ornaments/Gift Tags for each student. Please check your Wednesday Envelope for your child(ren)'s packet. You may purchase these photos or send them back to school. A price sheet and return envelope are included in the packet. You may also purchase them online at payments.lifetouch.com.

Remember, if you do not want to purchase the photos, please return them to the school office.

With the holidays looming, have you been longing to escape without your offspring and do some secret shopping? How about trying to set up a date with your spouse? Or maybe you just need a quiet night at home? Well, the 8th Grade class is here to help. As a fundraiser for our class, they are offering an evening of games, stories, and a movie at the school on Saturday December 12th between 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. for your school-aged children. The cost will be $20 for the first child, and $10 each for any siblings.

Please click here for the link to the flyer. If you have any questions, please e-mail Marion H-J at thehjs@comcast.net. We're looking forward to helping you have an evening off!
Parents_Night_Out_flyer.pdf

Dear St. Johns parents,

As we are trying a different format for the Advent program this year we need your help!

Please print the attached set of words to the Christmas carols we will sing at the service on Thursday December 17th. Staple them together and sing along with your child as often as possible in the next two weeks to help your child become familiar with the words.

The congregation will have a program with a copy of the words but the children will not, so there is a lot to commit to memory.
Please help to make this performance a success.

Many thanks,
Sabine Hirsohn

Advent_Carol_Service_Songs.pdf

One way to acknowledge your child(ren)'s teacher or staff members this Christmas season is to use our "Pay It Forward" donation form. Please see form attached.
PAY_IT_FORWARD.pdf

St. Johns school had a great presence at the Napa Holiday parade on November 28th. This wonderful new tradition at St. Johns is getting better each year! Thank you to all who helped build the float Saturday morning and thank you to all the families that showed up to walk and ride with us in the parade. How cute was that float filled with smiling and waving SJ students!

A big thank you to Katie Batt and Felicia Rundquist for taking the lead and doing a fantastic job! Thanks also to the Taylor family for providing the flatbed for the float and pulling it in the parade.

And, a special thank you to our 8th graders. Over half of our 8th grade class participated in the parade. They walked behind the float, handing out candy canes and Open House invites to families along the parade route. They smiled, waived, and said Merry Christmas to the people they met; doing an awesome job of representing our school to the greater Napa community. Their enthusiasm and school spirit is an inspiration to us all.

Thank You all again!

SJ PR Committee

Entrance Examination:
Justin-Siena will hold its annual Entrance Examination for prospective students on December 5 and December 12. In order for a student to be a candidate for admission, he or she must complete the entrance examination. The entrance examination sign ups can happen through Mr. David Holquin, Director of Admission, at holquind@justin-siena.org or 707.255.0950 ext. 641. If you haven't already signed up and are even slightly interested in Justin-Siena, you must sign up before December 5 to sit for the entrance examination.

Brave for a Day:
As many students already know, Justin-Siena hosts a "Brave for a Day" visit on campus from 8:00 – 12:45 on various Mondays throughout the first semester. The past 5 Brave for a Day Visits have been completely full! If that is any indication of the interest in Justin-Siena, it would be wise for any other students to check us out. The next opportunity of this year is December 7. This is a great way for interested families to get to know more about the school. Parents are welcome to attend the Parent Tour and Talk from 8:00 - 10:00 on the Brave for a Day visits as well. To register, please go online to www.justin-siena.org under Admission and the Brave for a Day to sign up. Questions can be directed to Mr. David Holquin, Director of Admission, at holquind@justin-siena.org or 707.255.0950 ext. 641.

Applications for Admission and Tuition Assistance:
Applications for admission and tuition assistance are due on December 16 for priority. Applications for admission may be submitted online or mailed to the Admission Office at Justin-Siena. Applications for tuition assistance should be mailed directly to PSAS along with a $21 check. Forms for admission and tuition assistance can be found online at www.justin-siena.org. You may find more information under Admissions. Questions can be directed to Mr. David Holquin, Director of Admission, at holquind@justin-siena.org or 707.255.0950 ext. 641. The final deadline for admission and tuition assistance is January 29.

Several parishioners from our Men's Club will be re-stocking and storing our sandbags on Wednesday, 12/9 at 5pm here at the church and school. This is an important preventative effort in our emergency planning for flooding.

The task shouldn't take long, especially if there are many helpers. Please contact Don Huffman if you are in!: don@hcnapa.com

The Students at St. John the Baptist Catholic School were busy this past October. It all began with Mrs. Evans, the school's librarian, who had introduced a pumpkin head contest at St. Johns three years ago. Evans said, "The intention is to bring literature to life during the holiday by having each class choose a beloved literary character, and then bring it to life by decorating a pumpkin in that characters honor."

Each class had a month to work on the project. The pumpkins were really amazing. First prize, a pizza party, was awarded to the 7th grade for their portrayal of Dopey, a member of the Seven Dwarfs, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, based on a story by Walt Disney.

The 8th grade came in second place with their creation of Sam the Firefly from the book Sam and the Firefly by P.D. Eastman. They were followed closed by third place winners, 2nd grade who were inspired to make the Frog Prince based on the Grimms Fairy Tales

Next up was the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students who participated in the Van Winden's Scarecrow contest. The winner would receive a Van Winden's $250 gift certificate. The contest was open to all Napa elementary schools and the Scouts.

With the able help of parents and students, a pair of St. Johns scarecrows were born, "We Grow Our Own" and transported over to Van Winden's. Not only were the scarecrows in full uniform, but they were also created with items from our school gardens.

Among stiff competition, the scarecrows were on display, October 17th through 25th. After achieving the most votes, "We Grow Our Own" was awarded the top prize. Mrs. Berube (4th grade teacher) and Mrs. Ford (2nd grade teacher) along with their students will enjoy replenishing their St. Johns garden.

Next it was time for the 2nd and 3rd graders to visit the retired Brothers of Mont LaSalle. For the past three years, the young students have donned their Halloween costumes and trekked up Mount Veeder to "trick or treat". It brings great joy to the Brothers who are isolated on the mountain. The Brothers and employees of Mont La Salle, greet the students and parent helpers with toys and candies. The Brothers have all decorated their offices and residences with lights, noise making monsters and other Halloween displays. The children sing a few songs to everyone"s delight to end the visit.

2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Ford said, "The activity brightens the lives of the Brothers. Whom we were told, ask about our coming in early fall, and anxiously wait for us the morning of." The children also send greetings to them throughout the year, placemats or small table arrangements at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The children, besides having fun, learn to appreciate the service the Brothers have provided throughout their lives. They understand their responsibility to connect with them, and to pray for them.
Finally, it is time for the highly anticipated Halloween carnival hosted by the 8th grade class. In this longstanding tradition at St. John's, the 8th grade students transform the school into a fun filled day of Halloween delights.

The 8th graders brainstormed ideas for the big day from carnival booths to the haunted house. They then divided into small teams to accomplish their tasks. The carnival is traditionally hosted the Friday before Halloween.

Thursday evening students and parents got busy converting the upstairs of the school to a Haunted House. This venue included scary shapes, spooky lights, creepy spider webs, skeletons and more.

All hands were on deck Friday morning. After the morning assembly the 8th graders and their parents had less than two hours to set up their booths and transform the school parking lot into an old fashioned carnival. At 10am children in grades K thru 7th emerged from their classes in costume - to the tunes of "Monster Mash", "Thriller", and other fun Halloween songs. They were greeted with over a dozen fun carnival games including: fishing, bowling, mini golf, bean bag toss, basketball and football toss, and of course the cake walk. Students were also able to decorate bags, have their faces painted and much more.

This year the St. Johns Family Club joined the carnival and provided an entertaining pumpkin decorating booth. Of course the highlight for many of the kids was the Haunted House. The students were also able to enjoy hot dogs on the grill.

Perhaps the best part of the carnival was watching the 8th grade students man their booths. As, first grade teacher Mrs. Calforda commented to the 8th graders, "The first grade had so much fun and every single 8th grader was so kind and gracious to the first graders! I was so impressed by how you all gave all of your "customers" such good attention and care. You did an outstanding job!"

Proceeds from the carnival help pay for the 8th grade outdoor ed class trip to Yosemite earlier in the fall.

The festivities of October led to the November liturgical celebrations of our church. These included a "procession of Saints" during our parish "All Saint's Day" Mass where students entered the church either dressed or decorated as a Saint. Students remembered all those who've departed by signing a book of remembrance and placing pictures of lost family members and friends on a prayer table in the school hallway. The school community also launched the annual food drive to support the efforts of St. Vincent de Paul and quickly filled several barrels of food for those in need this holiday season. It was a fun- and faith-filled Fall at St. John the Baptist Catholic School.

St. Johns students will have a little bit of a break before they start preparing for the annual Advent program to begin the winter break.

Three St. Johns 8th Grade Students recently attended the National Young Leaders State Conference (NYLSC) in San Jose, CA. Last month, Jenna S., Ryley D. and Justin M. joined other junior high and high school students from all over the West Coast in this unique leadership development program.

As stated in the NYLSC press release, "Throughout the four-day program, scholars will build a working "toolkit" of strategies to help them successfully dream, create and implement plans that will change how they view their role as leaders in their communities... The scholars will be challenged to step forward in a manner that is decisive and confident, to grasp the concepts of leadership that will be taught and to act upon their dreams of making a difference in the world while maintaining the courage of their convictions."

All three St. Johns students returned enthusiastic and inspired to implement what they learned back at school and in the community, commenting that the lessons they learned will help them now and in the future. The students are very grateful to have been nominated for this opportunity and appreciate all of the support they received from the school and parish.

See photo attached.
09_Student_Leadership_Conference.pdf

The Box Top collection results are in: Who won for November???

***Third Grade*** with 119 box tops - Way to go Third Grade!!

The total collected for November was 548. Not bad for a short month.

The month of December is even shorter...we will be collecting on December 10th...so get those box tops in.

**We will have a special promotion over Christmas Break. For the classroom who collects the most box tops over the Christmas Break will get a special treat when School returns.**

Do you do you shopping over the Internet???
Having a hard time collecting those box tops but want to help the school??

Well there is a way: Log on to www.boxtops4education.com and shop thru the marketplace and you will earn money for the school without having to collect box tops. Holiday Shopping can be completed with one click of the mouse...how simple is that??

If you are looking for recipes this Holiday season don't forget to check following websites:
1. www.boxtops4education.com
2. www.campbellskitchen.com

Here are a couple of recipes to get you started on your Holiday Menus:

From Boxtops4education:

Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars
Prize-Winning Recipe 2008! Chocolate and caramel drizzles add a new flavor punch to creamy pumpkin-oat bars.
Ingredients
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup cold butter or margarine
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 tablespoons Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 eggs
1/3 cup chocolate topping
1/3 cup caramel topping
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix, crushed cookies and pecans. Cut in butter, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining filling ingredients; beat until well blended. Pour over warm cookie base. Sprinkle with reserved topping.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.
4. Before serving, drizzle with chocolate and caramel toppings. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Here is one for the kids:

Cheerios Christmas Trees
The Cheerios Cookbook shares a recipe! Gather a group of crafty kids to create edible holiday table decorations.
Ingredients
6 cups Honey Nut Cheerios cereal
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
Green food color
Red cinnamon candies or sliced gumdrops
Directions
1. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.
2. Pour the cereal into a 4-quart bowl. Set the bowl aside.
3. Place the butter and marshmallows in a 3-quart saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
4. Stir in the food color until the mixture is evenly colored. Pour the marshmallow mixture over the cereal and stir until the cereal is evenly coated.
5. Lightly spray your hands with cooking spray. For each tree, shape about 1/4 cup of the cereal mixture into a Christmas tree shape on the cookie sheet.
6. Press the candies into the trees to decorate. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store the trees in a loosely covered container.

Here is one from Campbell's Kitchen:

Double-Apricot Glazed Ham
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup Swanson Chicken Stock
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 fully-cooked whole boneless ham * (6- to 8-pounds)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cups finely chopped shallots
2 jars (12 ounces each) apricot preserves
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1. Place the apricots and stock into a microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Let the mixture cool. Remove the apricots and cut into strips. Reserve the stock. Stir the apricots, sugar and 1/4 cup reserved stock in a small bowl.
2. Place the ham into a roasting pan. Bake at 325F. For 2 hours or until the ham is heated through. Brush with the apricot mixture during the last 30 minutes of baking and baste frequently with the pan drippings.
3. Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until they're tender. Stir in the preserves, mustard, orange zest and remaining reserved stock and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook and stir for 10 minutes or until the stock mixture is slightly thickened.
4. Slice the ham and serve with the apricot sauce.

Your Box-Top Coordinators,
Lee Tatsuguchi
Rebecca Griffin

©St Johns the Baptist Catholic School - 983 Napa St. Napa, CA 94559
(707) 224-8388 - www.stjohnscatholic.org
Web site developed by Huffman Communications (hcnapa.com)
Carbon-free web hosting powered By ©MediaBend.com