From the desk of Sister Stella
From School Office
PWC President
SPA News
Paulist Choristers Function
Traffic Duty Assignments
Weekly Readings/Reflections
Playground Volunteer

" Remember it maybe alright to be content with what you have, but never with what you are.   There's is always room for improvement---it's the biggest room in the house." (Louise Heath    Leber)

 

From the Desk of Sister Stella Maria, Principal:

As the season of Lent opens, you may find some inspiration in the following reflection.

(Taken from SACRED JOURNEY daily reflections for Lent 2006.

“Even now,” says the Lord, “return to me with all your heart with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. Rend your hearts and not your clothing.”

 

Joel2: 12-13

While it is easy to describe fasting as the mechanical exercise of avoiding food, this does little to describe the nature of religious fast. The practice actually has very little to do with what is given up. Fasting is not about dieting or serving some kind of bodily need, nor is it about punishing the body or making a political statement- although going hungry to stand in solidarity with others or to draw attention to some cause can speck volumes.

In stead, fasting is a conscious and self=disciplined attempt to create tangible space in one’s life for the Creator of Creation. It is an act of prayerful devotion or a way of expressing hunger for God.  Fasting, like abstinence, involves intentionally doing something different from an ordinary or expected routine, so that as we miss what we have given up, we are reminded of who is being honoured and whose will is being sought.

Shane Parker

Answering the Big Questions

St. Paul the Apostle School Foundation   will conduct its annual phon-a--thon on Monday March 6th. As you know the Foundation provides the extra day-to-day functioning of our school: note our new library--three cheers. Families who contributed to our Thanksgiving drive will not be contacted on Monday night. Just remember it is the participation that is important. Read the following and understand the difference between the Endowment and the Foundation.

                                                        Today and Tomorrow

St. Paul the Apostle School Foundation provides the extras for the day-to-day functions of our school: computers, safety features, supplementary textbooks and other needs that our children benefit from Today.

The SPA Endowment program, on the other hand, looks to tomorrow. Ensuring the future development and operation of our wonderful school for many years to come.

Both endeavors are vital and rely on parents and friends of SPA for their success.

WASC finished on a high note last Friday afternoon. We received a very positive report form the six member team. We will not know until July the term of accreditation, as the report has to be studied by various groups throughout the state. The maximum term is six years, which we hope to receive. The second option is three years with a review after three years. We just have to wait and see.

Deep and sincere gratitude to all who cooperated with the visiting team during their visit:

              Faculty and Staff, Parents, Priests, Students and last, but not least the incredible set of parents who were in charge of hospitality.

              Maria DiMeglio, Judy Villablanca and Marchelle Hilliard --- two receptions - -approximately sixty people --- food and settings on a par with Martha Stewart

              Judy Villablanca, Marchelle Hilliard, Maria DiMeglio --- for three days--breakfast, lunch and in between refreshments.

         A million thanks from St. Paul the Apostle School and a trillion thanks from the visiting team. We also add our thanks to the Parents Working for Children for financially supporting the entire hospitality program.

TOGETHER IN MISSION

Parents, please remind your children of their opportunity to contribute to the TOGETHER IN MISSION DRIVE.  Remember every one-dollar is matched with two dollars. If we go over our quota the extra goes to our sister school Ascension.  Take a moment to read the following to understand what is going on in our world today.

         St. Polycarp (Memorial) James 5:1-6

Scripture tells it as tit is. It never beats around the bush or skirts around a difficult subject. Scripture is like a double-edge sword: it cuts to the chase. James has some very tough words for the rich and powerful of his day who are oppressing the poor. He is especially indignant that wealthy landowners are withholding payment form their workers. He is clear that God sees this injustice and hears the prayer of those who cry out to him for justice (v.4). Many of the things we purchase, be it training shoes, textiles, electronic equipment or manufactured goods, are produced in countries where justice in the form of a minimum wage and decent working conditions is ignored. We in the West live in a comfort that those poor workers can only dream of. There is terrible disparity between the wealth of the northern world and the poverty of the southern world. We have a grave responsibility to understand how the other half lives.

Get your mind around some of the following facts. The three richest people in the world control more wealth than all 600 million people living in the world’s poorest countries. Over 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day with nearly half world’s population (2.8 billion) living on less than $2 a day. Every day 800 million people go to bed hungry; 600 million children live in abject poverty. Every year more than 10 million children die of hunger and preventable diseases—that’s over 30,000 per day and one every 3 seconds. Every year nearly 1.1 million children die before their fifth birthday. We live in an unjust world – it’s a fact. The rich get richer and the poor ge6t poorer. We Christians must stand up for  the poor of the world.

The saints of old understood human nature perfectly – listen to the words of St. John Chrystostom: “Money is everything now. And so everything has beco9me corrupted and ruined, because we are possessed by this passion for money.” Our celebrity-obsessed, money-dominated and consumer-driven society needs to listen to the wisdom of Scripture and the insight of the saints. Let us leave the last word today to St. Teresa of Avila:

 

“All men would be friendly to one another if the world were to lose interest in honour and money. I really believe that this would be a remedy for everything.”

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TUITION RE-ENROLLMENT FOR 2006-2007

FACTs tuition re-enrollment process will begin for returning students in March.  If you need to make any changes to your existing accounts for next school year, please contact Missy Stevens at extension 221 before March 25th.  Otherwise the current payment schedule will be honored in 2006-2007.

Tuition deductions for the 2006 - 2007 school year will begin in June to allow for a 12 month payment option.

IF YOU USE YOUR CREDIT CARD  for tuition, it is mandatory that you call FACTs directly to re-enroll by April 25th. Their number is

800-233-1096.  The school I.D. number for 2006-2007 is  62484.

 

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PWC President

Dear SPA Parents,

Western Association of Schools and Colleges

On Friday, the visiting WASC team met with the faculty, staff and parents of SPA to present their report on the evaluation for accreditation.  Many thanks to our Hospitality Chairs, Maria DiMeglio, Judy Villablanca and Marchell Hilliard, who provided Hospitality to the team the entire week they were visiting SPA.  The WASC Team was very thankful for all of the support they received in their visit.

SPA SKI Club

The SPA Annual Ski Trip was better than ever.  Approximately 300 members attended the beautiful weekend.  Many thanks to Anne Marie Scibelli and Wendy Lightbourn for orchestrating this fabulous weekend.

Spring Sing

The PWC Spring Sing will be held on Wednesday, March 22 at 11:30am to announce this year’s slate of officers for PWC President, 1st Vice President, and Treasurer. Your child will be bringing home an invitation in hard copy today. Grades 5-8 will be performing under the direction of Mr. Nic Nicassio. Danny Harold of Harold’s Catering will cater the luncheon. Please RSVP to Anne Marie Scibelli as instructed on the invitation.  This will be the only hard copy invitation going home.

Together in Mission

As many of you know, our parish is currently collecting pledges for Together in Mission.  Monies collected are for Catholic schools and parishes that do not have the resources that we are fortunate to have.  Please contribute, every dollar counts!

Ash Wednesday

During the Lenten season, we are encouraged to “give up” something in order to draw nearer to God.  Let us not forget that one can also do “nice things” in addition.  Acts of charity, praying together as a family, attending mass, eating no meat on Fridays and helping the poor are a few other actions we can take.

Have a Great Week!

Julie Chait

PWC President

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SPA Web Club News

SPA web club returns for its third year and is taking applications from 5th - 8th grade students.  The web club is an after school program that teaches students about web design and computer technology. Mike Martner, a former SPA student, whose computer company maintains St. Paul’s computers, teaches the program.  Spots will be filled on a first come basis. Space is limited.  Please see attached application."

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Paulist Choristers Function

“SACRED TREASURES”

AT THE CATHEDRAL

Click on this link.

http://www.paulistchoristers.org

EVENSONG ˆ ORGAN and TRUMPET MUSIC ˆ CHORAL CONCERT

Featuring masterworks by

Palestrina | Bach | Brahms | Fauré | Barber | Duruflé | Britten | Rutter | Lauridsen | others

Paulist Choristers of California

Christoph Bull, organist

Singers of the Chapel Royal

Luke McEndarfer, conductor

Sunday, April 2, 2006

4:00PM

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

555 West Temple Street

Los Angeles, CA  90012

Discount Tickets for sale online at www.paulistchoristers.org

Luke McEndarfer

(310) 721-5256

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Traffic Duty Assignments

For the month of March Second Grade Parents:

Note:  Please arrive by 7:20 am or 2:30 pm to complete your assignment.  Should you have questions about your duty do not hesitate to contact your room parents – Elaine Gilbert or Nina Shepherd – or Mary Ann McQueen (traffic coordinator)

Alternates/Substitutes – Stretesky (M-F), Colwell, and Calabria

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Weekly Readings/Reflections

MARCH 5    First Sunday of Lent

Reading I
Gn 9:8-15

God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
and with every living creature that was with you:
all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals
that were with you and came out of the ark.
I will establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed
by the waters of a flood;
there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.”
God added:
“This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come,
of the covenant between me and you
and every living creature with you:
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign
of the covenant between me and the earth.
When I bring clouds over the earth,
and the bow appears in the clouds,
I will recall the covenant I have made
between me and you and all living beings,
so that the waters shall never again become a flood
to destroy all mortal beings.”

Reading II
1 Pt 3:18-22

Beloved:
Christ suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.
In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,
who had once been disobedient
while God patiently waited in the days of Noah
during the building of the ark,
in which a few persons, eight in all,
were saved through water.
This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.
It is not a removal of dirt from the body
but an appeal to God for a clear conscience,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who has gone into heaven
and is at the right hand of God,
with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

Gospel
Mk 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

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Playgound Volunteer

Help our coaches supervise our children during lunchtime recess! We need two parents each day. Questions? Contact Kathleen Felesina

SECOND GRADE: 11:45-12:15
March

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