Dear Students, Parents/Guardians,
Welcome to our 2nd week of school! Our Fall chocolate sale kickoff takes place in the Hall this morning at 8:30am. Once again we will be working with the World’s Finest Chocolates. You will automatically be entered into the Early Bird raffle if you pick up your candy boxes starting on 9/3 through 9/4 by 4:00. After 4 pm, you can still pick up your candy, but you won’t qualify for a free ticket for the raffle for the prize of a $100 gas card (drawing will take place at the General Parent Meeting on 9/4). More info was sent home by Gabriela Vasquez, our PLC Lead for the Fall Fundraiser. Chocolates may be picked up in the office on 9/5 and 9/6 if you don’t get them by Back to School Night. The first Trojan Drawing is on 9/12. To qualify, monies should be turned in by 9/9. Our sale goes from 9/3-10/11 and all monies are due by 10/25.
This week, ONLY our Kindergarten students continue to have 12 NOON dismissal. They can be picked up on 163rd St. in the Hall with Mrs. Garrido. All students in grades 1-8 students will be dismissed at 3 pm everyday. On Wednesday, we’ll end at 1:30 for our faculty meeting.
Our school uses the online grading system Gradelink for grades. Parents are expected to check on grades weekly with their children to stay on top of academics. You may always set up a meeting with your teacher if you have any questions or concerns. Please sign up for phone notifications so you can help your child monitor grades for success.
Last week all our teachers practiced routines and procedures with the students in our K-8 classrooms, and have stated clear expectations for the year ahead to make it run smoothly. In the coming days, we will also begin practicing our safety drills: fire drill, earthquake drill, and lockdown/intruder alert on campus. You should also be practicing your own safety procedures at home, since we teach our students, “When you’re prepared, you won’t be scared!” After recess each day, we are practicing having everyone “Freeze” at the sound of the bell and whistle. Then on the second whistle blow, students should walk quietly back to their lines, ceasing from playing with any classroom balls or sports equipment and returning them to the ball monitor. Students have also been reminded to tuck their shirts and keep their Hands, Feet, and all Objects to themselves, or it could lead to a detention. Our verbal reminder for this is “HFO.”
This week, all students are expected to be in regular uniforms, wear PE uniforms on designated days, and wear Formal Mass uniforms on Friday, at our All School Mass at 8am. We will be paying close attention to the dress code. All families are expected to read the handbook for uniform guidelines. Know that we will enforce the uniform policy. Three (3) uniform infractions will result in a detention, so please make sure your child is following the uniform policy, especially as it relates to hair. Find the Uniform Policy here http://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/schools/08820/chapter-2/section-2-14
Morning care starts daily at 7:30 am, when a staff member is supervising students seated on the benches. The tardy bell rings at 7:50am and those not present with their teachers at that time will be marked late. Students who are tardy will be sent to the office for a tardy slip. Our attendance register is a legal document, so if your child is absent, please call or email the office about your child’s absence so we can notate whether it is excused or unexcused. Attendance will affect a child’s Work Habits grade and Citizenship at the trimester awards ceremony. Please be aware of all school policies and read the Parent Student Handbok online thoroughly: http://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/schools/08820. Some important sections to note are the Truancy Policy: http://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/chapter-13/section-13-2/topic-13-2-7,
Absence Policy:
http://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/schools/08820/chapter-4/section-4-04/topic-4-04-2
Code of Christian Conduct:
http://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/schools/08820/chapter-6/section-6-12/topic-6-12-09
and the Parent Student Pledge:
http://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/schools/08820/chapter-3/section-3-1/topic-3-1-3
This year we have a new counselor through CPLA. We welcome Stacy Park, who will be on campus on Mondays and Fridays. Our returning counselor Noelle Liles will be on site on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please sign the CPLA consent form if you wish for your child to receive services. This form is good for the whole year. CPLA counselors are on campus starting 9/5 and 9/6. If your child qualifies for Title Services, parents also need to sign a consent form for services to begin.
This Friday, 8/30, is our pastor Msgr. Sal Pilato’s birthday. Please pray for him and offer him a spiritual bouquet of Masses and rosaries. We are grateful to him for being an amazing spiritual leader for our parish community. We also celebrate our Office Secretary, Sarah Ray’s, birthday on 9/2. That is Labor Day this year, and we will have NO SCHOOL due to the holiday.
Wednesday, 9/4, is BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT at 6:30pm in the Hall for all parents/guardians. Mark your calendars! CHILDCARE WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE during the meeting, so please plan to keep your children at home or they must stay with you at all times. Vicki Marsha Uniform will be on campus again on 9/4 in Rm 5, and you can pick up your chocolates that day for the Fall fundraiser in the Hall. We will have two sessions of information in the classrooms to accommodate those with multiple children: 7pm–7:25 pm and 7:30pm-7:55pm. Junior high will be meeting twice as a collective unit in the hall. 6th-8th grade parents may visit classrooms in junior high, but they will not do individual presentations in their class. Please be sure to not conference with the teachers too much afterwards so they can go home and get rest for the next day of teaching. The school will close at 8pm sharp. Parents with multiple children, please coordinate with your teachers to get packets.
Fall Picture Day is on 9/19: Students must wear full Mass uniform with white shirts/blouses, ties, vests, cardigans. No PE sweaters, windbreakers, or Student Government sweaters, please. We are hoping for a uniform look for the yearbook and student ID photos.
AM and PM Carline has been a lot smoother and controllable. Please remember to follow all speed limit requirements of 5 MPH on campus and around the school. Do not park in red zones or block the crosswalks, and please be courteous to all volunteering. We are grateful to all our PLC leads, especially those who are out on the yard making sure students and families are safe. Please do not conference with any teachers during the carline. If you would like to set up a conference or meeting, you may email them for an appointment during office hours. We are in need of parent volunteers for drop off and pick up times, please contact Jeah Avila at jeahtanavila@gmail.com to sign up.
God bless,
Angela Grey, Principal
SCHOOL CALENDAR 2024-2025
(Be sure to always check www.stanthonygardena.org , your child’s teacher’s blog, and the Parish website at www.saintanthonygardena.org/parish-bulletin/ for the most current information.)
- August 5-September 17: STAR Window 1 Please be sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast each day.
- August 26 – Alvarado Lunch begins, PE and Music start this week, all students in Full Uniform moving forward. Noon Dismissal continues this week for Kindergarten students only.
- August 26– Fall Fundraiser Kick Off at 8:30am today
- Sept 2 – Labor Day Holiday, NO SCHOOL!
- Sept 3 – Chocolates delivered to school at 6am. Pick up your candies early and start selling them!
- Sept 4 – Back to School Night, K-8, 6:30 pm-8pm in the Hall. Come early to sign in for credit and pick up your chocolates in the Hall. This is the first of three mandatory parent meetings throughout the year. Non-participation will result in a $50 fine every time, per the tuition contract you each signed.
- Sept 5 – Deadline to Register for Keep Gardena Beautiful Day on 9/21
- Sept 15 – Catechetical Sunday, all families welcome! 11am Mass, First Mandatory Bake Sale
- Sept 19 – FALL School Picture Day 8:30-10:30! ☺ (Wear your complete Formal Mass Uniforms with white blouses and Oxford shirts, cardigans, vests, and ties for Yearbook photos)
- Sept 21 –Keep Gardena Beautiful Day Service project 8am-12 noon, all families welcome to help, register online! 8am-Noon http://KeepGardenaBeautifulDay2024.eventbrite.com
ALVARADO CATERING ($8.00 per lunch)
Alvarado Catering will continue to be our food vendor on campus. Procedures remain the same. Before each month, all forms must be turned in completed with student’s name, grade, and # of lunch choice circled on the top and bottom by the due date. Make checks payable to Alvarado Catering. You can also pay through Zelle App (Elizabeth Alvarado, 323-477-9562). Price per meal is $8.00. Each meal is served with a drink, fruit, fresh vegetables, and salad. Any questions: call Elizabeth or email her at elizabethalvarado660@gmail.com.
ALLERGIES/EMERGENCY CARDS/COURT ORDERS
If your child has any allergies or serious medical concerns, please be sure to notify our office as well as your child’s classroom teacher as soon as possible. Emergency cards and contact info must be current and updated in the office as needed. IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES, WE NEED THE EMERGENCY CARDS UPDATED IN THE OFFICE…This is extremely important in order to make sure we have accurate and updated records for your child. If your child has a medical condition or has allergies, we need to know this up front and have an action plan, in case of an emergency. Any medication must be self-administered by the child or by you, and permission for us to administer medicine must be in writing. Any new or updated court orders or custody papers must be given to the office and updated as things change.
FORMAL FRIDAYS/SACRAMENTS
As a reminder – each Friday (unless otherwise noted) we have a Student Body Mass where the students dress in FORMAL MASS UNIFORM attire. Some students will be attending daily Mass but the formal Mass uniform is only required on Fridays. Students may wear their regular or PE uniforms to Mass on days that they are in Mass and don’t have their regular uniform on. All those who are not baptized and wish to receive the sacraments this year, please notify your child’s teacher by 9/30. Thank you!
PLC SERVICE HOURS (30 hours per family/year: 10 per trimester)
As a reminder, every family is asked to sign up for up to 4 Parent Leadership Committees so you have multiple chances to fulfill your 30 family service hours, valued at $17/hour or you will be charged. If you have questions, please email the office.
VOLUNTEERS
All visitors on campus must check in and out of the office at all times and wear a VISITOR badge. All Volunteers must be Fingerprinted through the ADLA and cleared, and have a current Virtus Training Certificate. AM and PM carline and lunch yard duty volunteers (from 12-1 daily) are needed. Please email me at agrey@stanthonygardena.org if you are interested. For safety reasons, please call before you come to the office and buzz yourself in. Do not prop the door open for anyone, especially strangers. All parents are welcome to join the SAFETY PLC to increase security on our campus.
St. Anthony – Pray for us
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