STA Weekly Update

We are thrilled to finally welcome Mr. Mendez to the St. Thomas Aquinas School family as our middle school math teacher! Starting on November 15th, Mr. Mendez will join our dedicated team, bringing his passion for math education and a commitment to helping each student excel. With a strong background in middle school instruction and a focus on creating engaging, interactive learning environments, Mr. Mendez is eager to inspire a love for mathematics in our students.

We look forward to formally introducing him at a Zoom meeting on November 19th at 6 pm, where families will have the chance to meet Mr. Mendez and learn more about his teaching approach and goals for the class.

Mr. Mendez will also be present during parent-teacher conferences so that you have an opportunity to meet him in person.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://la-archdiocese.zoom.us/j/5897232327?pwd=hGJDBPoa0avpCDA9GaZspT81syDkGf.1

Meeting ID: 589 723 2327
Passcode: sta

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Mendez to our school community!

• 4th grade won the candy wars. Mr. Borgerding and the room parents will organize a donut party for the students. Thank you for participating; we will continue using the leftover candy for future events.
• We want to thank everyone who helped with set-up, clean-up, booths, and trunk or treats to make this event memorable for all our students.
• If you had a trunk or treat this year, please stop by the office on Monday, 11/18/24, for a small token of appreciation from the school.

Report Cards will be going home Today, November 12, 2024.

2nd grade report cards will be distributed during parent-teacher conferences. Thank you for your patience as we gather holistic data through STAR and in-class benchmark assessments.

• Please join us for school mass on Thursday, 11/14/24. First Trimester Awards will be announced immediately following mass. Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of all our students.

• First and Second honors awards are for 3rd through 8th grade students.
• First Honors: 3.5 - 4.0
• Second Honors: 3.0 - 3.49

• Eagle Scholar and Christian Citizenship Awards
• The teacher will reach out if your child is receiving on of these additional awards.

We are excited to announce that our PTO has organized a Panda Express fundraiser to support our school’s field trips! All proceeds from this event will go toward covering the cost of bus transportation, making these enriching experiences possible for our students.

To participate, simply purchase food from any Panda Express location at any time on the scheduled day and use the unique code provided to our school at checkout. This code ensures that a portion of your purchase goes directly to our fundraiser.

Thank you for your continued support!

A reminder that lunch forms for December are due on Friday, 11/15/24.

No late forms will be accepted.

Please join us for our family mass led by 1st grade on Sunday, 11/17/24.

This is the last family mass we enjoy together before our Thanksgiving break.

We will have our first coffee with the principal on Wednesday, 11/20/24, at 8:15 am.

Please join us on this open forum, where you can provide feedback and recommendations.

As we approach Thanksgiving, we’re excited to host a special luncheon for our students to celebrate gratitude, community, and togetherness. We would love for parents to join us in making this event memorable for the students!

Event Details:

Date: Thursday, November 21, 2024

Time: 11:00 am

Location: St. Thomas Aquinas School

Sign-up link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E4BA9AC2EAAFA7-53020760-thanksgiving

We seek volunteers to assist with food, decorations, setup, and cleanup. If you are available to help or would like to contribute in any way, please sign up.

Thank you for your support and partnership in creating a wonderful experience for our students. Together, we can make this Thanksgiving luncheon a warm and festive celebration!

We understand it is difficult for you to make adjustments during a non-instructional day, so we will have daycare available for middle school students on Friday, 11/22/24, starting at 8:00 am.

Daycare will be free from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm. We will begin charging at 1:00 pm.

Students should bring their backpacks to work on homework. Please send snacks for your student(s). If you ordered breakfast and lunch for the 22nd, we will hand those out to students. Students can wear jeans with their STA spirit T-shirts.

• Reminder that the 20th, 21st and 22nd we have early dismissal at 12:30 pm

• Middle school teachers will host meetings together to facilitate the process. I will attend the meetings to discuss math grades, student strengths, and growth areas.

• On November 22nd, middle school students will not have classes, so we can accommodate enough time for parent/teacher conferences.

Tk/K: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4FAFA82AA7FAC25-53124020-parent#/

1st: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094CAEAA2AA0F9C16-53123502-parent

2nd:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4BADAC2EA5F4CE9-53123735-parent

3rd: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0844ABA92DAAFDC25-53123766-parent#/

4th: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4BADAC2EAAFFC07-53122774-4thgrade

5-8th: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4FAFAA2DA4FFC16-53123602-middle

As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for the hard work, dedication, and warmth that each of you brings to our school. This season reminds us to appreciate the blessings in our lives, and I feel incredibly thankful for our supportive community of students, parents, teachers, and staff.

Thanksgiving break will be a time for us all to recharge, reflect, and spend quality time with loved ones. I encourage everyone to enjoy this time together, savoring the moments of connection and joy that make this holiday so special.

Classes will NOT be in session from November 25th to November 29th.

As we wrap up the volleyball and football season, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our players, coaches, and supporters. Your dedication, teamwork, and sportsmanship have made this season a great success, and we are proud of each one of you!

With the changing seasons, we're excited to shift our focus to basketball. Let’s carry that same spirit and enthusiasm into the new season. Stay tuned for updates on tryouts and practice schedules.

Thank you once again for representing STA with pride and excellence. Go Eagles!

Dear St. Thomas Aquinas Parents,

We are delighted to invite you to join us for our annual Christmas Program! Come celebrate the season with us as our students share the joy of Christmas through music, performance, and festive cheer.

📅 Date: Friday, December 13, 2024

⏰ Time: 6:00 PM

📍 Location: St. Thomas Aquinas School Church

Let's make this a memorable holiday gathering for our school community. We look forward to celebrating with you!

Outfit colors:

Tk/K: TK/K: Red, Green, White or Black (Christmas Spirit)

1st: Red, Green, White or Black (Christmas Spirit)

2nd: Red, Green, White or Black (Christmas Spirit)

3rd: Boys: Black slacks, white socks, black shoes (no tennis shoes), a red button-up shirt, and a Santa hat. Girls- red dress, white tights, black shoes. Any hairstyle with a red bow.

4th: Red, Green, White or Black (Christmas Spirit)

5th: White or Black (Christmas Spirit)

6th: TBD

7th: Red or Green "Ugly" Christmas sweater and black pants.

8th: White shirt, black pants, red or green scarf.

Songs:

Tk/K: Burrito Sabanero & I want a hippo for Christmas

1st: Oh what a special night & rocking around the Christmas Tree

2nd: Holly jolly Christmas & hark of the Angel Herold

3rd: Go tell it on the mountain & Jingle Bells

4th: TBD

5th: Rings the bells & It's beginning to look like Christmas

6th: Mary did you know & Up on the housetop

7th: All I want for Christmas is you & Angels we have heard on high

8th: Last Christmas & What child is this

Whole School: Silent night

Classroom decorations:

According to the fire department, we cannot decorate the doors because it is a fire hazard. Therefore, we will have a bulletin board decoration contest. Please organize a date and time for decorations with your teachers.

Bishop Brian Nunez is inviting all students to participate in his Christmas Card Design Contest!

Students are encouraged to design a Christmas Card and submit their design for an opportunity to be selected as as his official 2024 Christmas Card.

Find all the the information in the attachment below.

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