From the desk of Sister Stella
Attention All Parents
PWC President
PWC Function
Traffic Duty Assignments
Weekly Readings/Reflections
Fall Festival
Miscellaneous

" We all have this inner strength within us. Just rely on that solid foundation that you have started building with the education you have received."
( Christopher Reeve - 1999)

From the desk of Sr. Stella Maria:

We offer our most sincere congratulations and best wishes to our Class of 2004. May your Graduation Day, be a day filled with excitement, joy and pride for a job well done.

On Monday June7th the Class of 2004 will graduate from St. Paul the Apostle School. Graduation Day at St. Paul’s is a day of celebration for the entire school.

The students from Kindergarten through 7th grade will come to school as usual on Monday June 7th. All students dress up that day. Siblings of graduates may be with their parents during the various activities. This does not include cousins and/or buddies.

The entire school will attend Mass for the graduates at 9am.

All families, guests, friends and student body, need to be in place in church by 8:45.

Following the Mass the graduates and their families have a light brunch in the Pavilion followed by the Patio Program.

All morning events will finish at approximately 11:30.

Parents, you may park on the street or in the Mormon lot during morning graduation exercises. The safety committee will be on duty to direct you.

For the evening ceremonies you may park on the schoolyard.

THE LAST HARD COPY EPISTLE WILL GO HOME ON JUNE 15TH

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Simple science: Kids and religion

Research, including brain-imaging studies, concludes that teens who are religious are better off in significant ways than secular peers.

By Laura Sessions Stepp
Washington Post

March 29, 2004

WASHINGTON — Here’s a crazy idea: After all our ambitious child-rearing with Discovery toys, Suzuki piano lessons, conflict-avoidance classes, 4 a.m. swim practices, SAT prep classes, driver education and summer flights to study folk music in the Republic of Georgia, we might have done as well (and saved money) by just sending our kids to church, temple or mosque.

Late last year, a commission convened by Dartmouth Medical School, among others, studied years of research on kids, including brain-imaging studies, and concluded that young people who are religious are better off in significant ways than their secular peers. They are less likely than nonbelievers to smoke and drink and more likely to eat well; less likely to commit crimes and more likely to wear seat belts; less likely to be depressed and more likely to be satisfied with their families and school.

"Religion has a unique net effect on adolescents above and beyond factors like race, parental education and family income," says Brad Wilcox, a University of Virginia sociologist and panel member. Poor children who are religious will do better than poor children who are not religious, he adds — and in some cases better than nonreligious middle-class children.

Meanwhile, a social groundswell may be underway, as a larger proportion of teenagers than a decade ago say religion is important. In 2001, about three out of five teenagers said religion was "pretty important" or "very important" to them — a significant increase, according to Child Trends, a research organization that analyzes federal data.
The biggest jump occurred among young achievers who anticipated finishing four years of college
.
Such teenagers have helped make a hit out of "Joan of Arcadia," a CBS show about a 15-year-old who talks to God; it has been renewed for a second season. They’ve sustained a decade-long growth in the number of high school Bible clubs to about 15,000. They are swelling the enrollment at Christian colleges at three times the rate of other degree-granting schools. Religion is getting bigger in teenagers’ lives, and the Dartmouth panel’s findings may suggest to some that it should.

Though one of its sponsors, the Institute for American Values, publishes a good bit about God and faith, the commission was no conclave of religious conservatives. It included professors and researchers at the medical schools of Harvard and UCLA as well as longtime experts on child-rearing, including T. Berry Brazelton, Robert Coles and Michael Resnick.

The commission members said that religious congregations benefit teenagers by affirming who they are, expecting a lot from them and giving them opportunities to show what they can do. As the panel noted, the same could be said of clubs, sports teams and other youth organizations (such as the YMCA, which helped fund the study). What sets religious groups apart, however — and makes a surprisingly big difference to kids, according to the panel — is that they promote a "direct personal relationship with the Divine."

Adolescents, said the Dartmouth group, are "hard-wired to connect" to people and God.

Panels of academics and medical practitioners don’t usually refer to "the Divine." But these experts couldn’t ignore what the data suggested, in particular two things: Religion or spirituality may influence young people’s brain circuits, reducing their levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and personal devotion is twice as likely to protect them from risky behavior as it would adults.

"Their brains are changing, their relations with family, friends and the opposite sex are changing, and they’re beginning to figure out what their purpose in the world will be," Wilcox says. "We know that people often turn to God in the midst of momentous changes. Adolescents are no different."

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PWC President

Hello SPA Families,

Art Fair
Thank you to Ms. Wuliger and the art docents for putting on another wonderful Art Fair. The student’s work was displayed beautifully. Special thanks to Jennifer Ruddell, Diane Good, Joanne Drake, Julianne O’Connor, Leslie McDowell and Debbie Buderwitz for helping with the food and breakdown.

Last Epistle (Hardcopy)WILL GO HOME ON JUNE 15TH
The last online Epistle for this school year will come out on Thursday, June 10th. This will be a hardcopy Epistle as well. It is important that any articles or fliers intended for this last issue be approved by Sister Stella, then copied and turned in to Ms. Green by June 4th. Thanks for your cooperation.

Karen Knott
PWC President

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PWC Funtion News

8th Grade Brunch

Attention 7th Grade…

Remember that each 7th grade family is asked to help with the graduation celebration. At our potluck, you were given one of the assignments listed below. This is just a reminder of the details. If you have any questions about your task, please email or call Mark Raineri. If you are not able to fulfill your assignment please swap with another 7th grade family.
__________________________________________________________________
Food Items – Your food donation needs to be purchased and delivered to the school Pavilion on Monday June 7th by 7:45 a.m. We will provide all serving trays, dishes and utensils. Non-perishables may be delivered to the JCPC on Saturday, June 5th between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Brunch Volunteers – Your help is needed on Monday, June 7th from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the school Pavilion to assist the Graduation Committee with Brunch set-up, serving and clean-up.

Drivers – You are needed on Monday, June 7th to pick-up and deliver food items to the school Pavilion by 7:45 a.m. The Graduation Committee will arrange for these food items to be donated. You will notified when and where the pick-up should be made.

Dance Set-up Volunteers – You are needed on Saturday, June 5th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the JCPC to assist the Graduation Committee with dance set-up. (Note time change.)

Dance Clean-up Volunteers – You are needed on Tuesday, June 8th from 7:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in the JCPC to assist the Graduation Committee with dance clean-up

____________________________________________________________________
Family -------------------------------------Food Item/Duty
Bell Bagels –------------------------------ 3 dozen assorted, sliced bagels
de Czito Cantaloupe ----------–---------- 5 cut and ready to serve
Deadrick Cantaloupe –------------------- 5 cut and ready to serve
Di Tullio Coke –-------------------------- 6 liters (3 bottles)
Duerr Coke –------------------------------ 6 liters (3 bottles)
Farina Coke –------------------------------ 6 liters (3 bottles)
Fischer Coke –--------------------------- -6 liters (3 bottles)
Milam Diet Coke –------------------------ 6 liters (3 bottles)
Foster Cream cheese and Half & Half– 5 pints of cream cheese and 2 quarts of Half & Half
Fukano Orange juice –------------------------ 4 gallons
Garcia Crystal Geyser 8oz bottled water –-- 2 cases (Smart & Final)
Mullin Crystal Geyser 8oz bottled water -– 2 cases (Smart & Final)
Fitz Crystal Geyser 8oz bottled water -----– 2 cases (Smart & Final)
Ryan Crystal Geyser 8oz bottled water ---– 2 cases (Smart & Final)
Reid Green seedless grapes –---------------- 7 lbs. washed and cut in serving-size bunches
Ruddell Orange juice –------------------------ 4 gallons
Shepherd Red seedless grapes --------------- 7 lbs. washed and cut in serving-size bunches
Speca Root beer –------------------------------ 6 liters (3 bottles)
Stevens Snacks – -------------------------------1 large bag each of pretzels, Chex Mix & Ruffles, and 3 "milk carton" sized containers of Goldfish.
Stitzel Sprite –------------------------------------6 liters (3 bottles)
Taylor Strawberries –----------------------------7 baskets washed and ready to serve
Moynagh Donut holes –-----------------------15 Dozen assorted donut holes
O’Brien Donut holes –-------------------------15 Dozen assorted donut holes
Teague Strawberries --------------------------–-7 baskets washed and ready to serve
McAndrew Diddy Reese Cookies ----------– -5 Dozen assorted cookies
McRae Diddy Reese Cookies ------------------5 Dozen assorted cookies
Watne Strawberries –----------------------------7 baskets washed and ready to serve
Woodward Apple juice & Lemonade –--------2 gallons of each
Wu Cream cheese and Half & Half----------– 5 pints of cream cheese and 2 quarts of Half & Half
___________________________________________________________________
Ben-Zvi --------------------Brunch volunteer 1
Bezanilla-------------------Brunch volunteer 2
Brooks --------------------Brunch volunteer 3
Cahalan--------------------Brunch volunteer 4
Cameron-------------------Brunch volunteer 5
Cole------------------------Brunch volunteer 6
Curcio---------------------Brunch volunteer 7
Curry ---------------------Brunch volunteer 8
Serena---------------------Brunch volunteer 9
Workman-----------------Brunch volunteer 10
____________________________________________________________________
O’Callahan----------------Driver 1
O’Connor -----------------Driver 2
Pulido ----------------------Driver 3
_____________________________________________________________________
Keckeisen-----------------Dance setup volunteer 1
Kinnan --------------------Dance setup volunteer 2
Kou ------------------------Dance setup volunteer 3
Lalli-------------------------Dance setup volunteer 4
Li ---------------------------Dance setup volunteer 5
Looke-----------------------Dance setup volunteer 6
Maher ----------------------Dance setup volunteer 7
Mallari--------------------- Dance setup volunteer 8
Martinez------------------- Dance setup volunteer 9
Martinez------------------- Dance setup volunteer10
___________________________________________________________________
Gelineau-------------------Dance clean up volunteer 1
Griffin---------------------Dance clean up volunteer 2
Hellige---------------------Dance clean up volunteer 3
Hernandez-----------------Dance clean up volunteer 4

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Traffic Duty Assignments

Traffic Duty Assignment for the Month of June

Kindergarten has done a great job this month (May). Excellent job room parents for getting all the positions filled and all those that attended the traffic training sessions.
Thank you Mary Ann McQueen for your help this month!

June 2nd- Pizza lunch for all student traffic volunteers- invite to follow, thanks for your help this year!

Substitutions: Good, Valade. Have a save and happy summer!

Thank you,
Teresa McDugald

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Weekly Readings/Reflections

These are the readings for next Sunday, June 6, The Holy Trinity.
Please read and reflect on these readings during the week (alone or with family and friends), and come to next Sunday’s liturgy prepared to listen attentively to the proclamation of the Word of God.

READING I Proverbs 8:22-31

Thus says the wisdom of God:
"The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways,
          the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago;
from of old I was poured forth,
          at the first, before the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
          when there were no fountains or springs of water;
before the mountains were settled into place,
          before the hills, I was brought forth;
while as yet the earth and fields were not made,
          nor the first clods of the world.

"When the LORD established the heavens I was there,
          when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
when he made firm the skies above,
          when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
          when he set for the sea its limit,
so that the waters should not transgress his command;
          then was I beside him as his craftsman,
          and I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
          playing on the surface of his earth;
          and I found delight in the human race."

READING II Romans 5:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
          we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
          through whom we have gained access by faith
          to this grace in which we stand,
          and we boast in hope of the glory of God.

Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
          knowing that affliction produces endurance,
          and endurance, proven character,
          and proven character, hope,
          and hope does not disappoint,
          because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
          through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

GOSPEL John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
          he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
          but he will speak what he hears,
          and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
          because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
          for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
          and declare it to you.

"Trinity Sunday (June 6)

READINGS The Holy Spirit was there before the beginning;
The Spirit has been given to us:
The Holy Spirit will declare what is coming.

WHAT I HEAR Do I truly hear that the Holy Spirit is supporting me?

MY FAITH JOURNEY Am I ready to suffer afflictions for the sake of the Holy Spirit?

FOR CHILDREN The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Can you feel them all supporting you when you are troubled?

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Fall Festival

October 8th, 9th, 10th
LA ONDA ("The Happenings")
¿Qué pasa esta semana?

Muchisimas gracias to all of our very generous sponsors who donated to the Fall Festival Sponsorship Campaign and enjoyed the FREE DRESS DAY this week. Donations at any level help to support our school, so keep sending in your Sponsorship forms to Jackie Smith-Hastie via the Black Bag to "Sponsorship" or you can mail to Jackie. You can download the form attached to this epistle, or call Jackie.

The Silent Auction Committee has extended the deadline to win the FREE PIZZA PARTY for the class with the most donations to Friday, June 11. Silent Auction Committee members will be in the pavilion daily to take donations, or see the Silent Auction Form for other drop off locations. We can also use all those baskets cluttering your closets, so bring them to the Pavilion after school. Call Claudia Fox or Nancy Cooper for questions.

Watch for our Festival Packet to come this summer by mail with raffle tickets, festival ware order forms, festival ticket order forms (AT A DISCOUNT FROM BUYING THEM AT THE FESTIVAL!), valet parking sign-up, and volunteer forms. You can get raffle tickets now by calling Jean Markarian. Many of our committees can use an extra pair of hands, and it’s a great way to make new friends at school.

There are a thousand ways to participate in the festival
to help our school, so join us in the fun!

The Festival Committee:
Julie Chait, Mona Horton, Teresa McDugald,Beth Rawjee, &Judy Villablanca

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APOSTLE'S ATTIC
Festival de Los Ninos

"FROM DECO TO DISCO AND BEYOND"
DONATIONS NEEDED

We are now accepting donations of new to gently used treasures…Home accessories like china, silver, pictures, lamps and furniture or any other odds and ends that you'd like to donate.

Drop off your items in the Pavilion area at PM Pickup or you can drop off at Jackie Brooks' house each Friday beginning May 9th.

For larger items we can arrange pick-up
Please no clothing or white elephant items.

Questions: Call Liza Murray, Debbie Battaglia, Helene Cameron or Jackie Brooks.

____________________________________________________________________________

Hola St. Paul’s
2004 Festival de los Niños Sponsorship Form

Angeles-------------------$ 3500 and up------- Full page ad
Santos-----------------------$ 1500 - 3499------ Full page ad
Patrocinadores-------------- $ 750 - 1499------ Half page ad
Compadres-----------$ 350 – 749------------Quarter page ad
Amigos---------------$ 150 - 349----------Business Card ad
Compañeros----------------$ 1 – 149---------Epistle Listing

The Fall Festival is sponsored by Parents Working with Children (PWC), a non-profit, 501c(3) organization of Saint Paul the Apostle School, Tax ID #95-1782301. "Donaciones" can be made by cash, check, VISA or Master Card. Please return the form below to the BLACK BAG: "FALL FESTIVAL SPONSORSHIP" or mail to Jackie Smith-Hastie, 2081 Kerwood Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025
____________________________________________________________________
Muchas gracias for supporting the fall festival with your
tax deductible Donación of $________
I am paying by:
Check (payable to "PWC")
VISA Card # ___________________________ Exp Date _______
Master Card # ___________________________ Exp Date _______
Signature on card: _________________________________
Name ______________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________
City _____________________ State _____ Zip ________
Telephone ________________ E-mail ________________________
How would you like your listing to read?: (ex: Smith Family/ John & Judy Smith/ Smith Corp/Anonymous): _______________________________________________________

FOR SPONSORS ENTITLED TO ADS, POR FAVOR, CHOOSE ONE:

I do not want an ad
Please design an ad for me
Business card/original artwork enclosed
I will email file with logo, photo, ad, etc (Please send jpeg or MSWord file to Liane Schirmer at rdcltheory@aol.com)

For questions regarding sponsorship, por favor, call or email Jackie Smith-Hastie @jackies-h@sbcglobal.net) Muchísimas gracias!

___________________________________________________________________

GRACIAS TO OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS AS OF MAY 31
ST. PAUL’S 2004 FESTIVAL DE LOS NIÑOS

SANTOS
Greg, Terry, Joe, Nadine and Charlie Curtin
The Assaf Family
The Feeley Family
The Meyer-Whalley Family & The Dumont Children

PATROCINADORES
Cece Osborn's Family
The Scibelli Family
The Posin Family

COMPADRES
Lukas and Rafi Ferrer and Leilani Figalan
Shane McDonald and Family
The Carmichael Family
The Keckeisen Family and Woods Financial Corp
The Lalli Family
The Michael O'Connor Family
The Newby Family
The Scher Family
The Smith-Hastie Family
Alex and Ryan Pleuger

COMPANEROS
The Hart Family
The Loo Family
The Masterson Cluchey Family
The Wilkerson FamilyKristine and Kole Ryan
Sean Ryan
The Cuomo Family
The Luini Family
Anonymous
The Alvarado Family
The Harper Family/John Kensinger
The Lucitt Family
The Wafer Family
The Corey Family
John Griffin Construction
Sara Spring
The Balfe Family
The Drake Family
The Perry Family
The Porterfield Family
The Kerrigan Family
The Ruddell Family
The Speca Family
The Garcia-Teague Family
Grace and Yannick Denis
Ken and Denise Kilroy
The Edson Family
Missy, Peter and Delaney Stevens
The Kozakowski Family
The Moffet Family
The Moynagh Family
Nancy and Lawrence Wolf
The Chaghouri Family/George and Dede
The Schirmer-James Family
The Duerr Family

AMIGOS
Steve and Michelle Carbone
The Kaiser Family
The Cooper Family
"La Familia Cooper"- Clare, Charlie, Chris, & Nancy
The Popp Family
Armen and Jean Markarian
Grace and Chrissy Freymiller
Paul, Karen and Robert McKenna
The Altshule/Caspar Family
The Cathcart Family
The Krogstad Family
The Li Family
The Ranieri (Fukano)Family
The Talamas Family
The Thé Family
The Villablanca Family
The Wang Family
Robert, Patti, Joanna, Phillip and Margaret Ditullio
The Blackwell Family
The Dixon Family
The Murphy Family
John W. Linfesty
Natasha and Nyla Rawjee

 

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Miscellaneous

ESSENTIAL LEARNING SYSTEMS PARENT EDUCATION NETWORK

Spaces are still available for the 2004-2005 school year session of Essential Learning Systems. This interactive, computerized approach designed to help students become more efficient learners has just completed a fifth successful year at St. Paul the Apostle School. Post-testing results indicate an average growth of two grade levels in reading comprehension, not to mention improved grades and self-esteem. There are blue brochures with additional information about Essential Learning Systems in the school patio. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to maximize the success of your child’s learning potential. For more information, contact Essential Learning Systems Director and Learning Specialist, Nora Masterson, at ext. 309. Additionally, Ms. Masterson, with the assistance of school counselor Dr. Carol King, will be introducing "Parents Education Network" next year, a coalition of parents working with educators to help bring success to children with learning difficulties. Details to follow in the October Epistle.

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