From the desk of Sister Stella
Foom SPA School Board
PWC President
Parish News
PWC Function
Traffic Duty Assignments
Weekly Readings/Reflections
Student School Activies
St. James Inn News
Playground Volunteer
Hot Lunch Volunteer
Fall Festival
SPA Chess Club News

“This Pentecost, let us celebrate together the gifts of the Spirit that renew us in joy and courage for service of the Kingdom of God.”
Michael T. Scarborough

From the desk of Sister Stella Maria, Principal

Sunday June 4th is Pentecost Sunday. It is my prayer and wish that all of our Catholic parents will take time to come to Mass and pray for the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit there is no true life in us. You may find the following reflection written by St. Cyril of Jerusalem helpful and inspirational.

There is one Holy Spirit, the Advocate. As there One God, the Father and there is no second father, and as there is only one, begotten Son and Word of God, and he has no brother, so there is only one Holy Spirit and there is no second Spirit equal in honour to him. The Holy Spirit is mighty power, a being divine and inscrutable. He is living and rational, the sanctifier of all things made by God through Christ. He enlightens the souls of the just. He inspired the prophets. He inspired the apostles in the New Testament. The Saviour said of the Spirit whom they who believed in him were to receive (John 7:39) and from within him shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38).

Why has he called the grace of the Holy Spirit water? Because all things depend on water, water produces livings thing, water showers down from heaven and coming down in one form has manifold effects. The Holy Spirit is like the rain from heavens and pours out on each his grace according to his will (1 Cor: 12:11). The dry tree when watered brings forth shoots, so too the soul in sin, once made worthy through penance and the grace of the Holy Spirit; flowers into justice. The Holy Spirit brings about many virtuous effects. He employs the tongue of one man to speak wisdom; the soul of another to prophesy; to another the power to drive out spirits to another the ability to interpret scriptures. He gives one self-control another the gift of teaching and another still the gift of almsgiving and service. The Holy Spirit only actions what is good and salutary. His coming is always gentle, the perception of him fragrant; his yoke light. He comes to save, to cure, to admonish, to strengthen and to enlighten those who receive him.

The Holy Spirit, the good Spirit, is truly worthy of honour and it is fitting that we baptized into the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We have received from God and ally, a protector, a mighty teacher and champion on our behalf. Let us not feat the demons not the devil, for our defender is mightier; let us but open the door to him for he goes about seeking those worthy, looking and searching for him to whom he might impart his gifts.
                                                                                   (St. Cyril of Jerusalem)

We wish to express our thanks and appreciation to Fr. Tom for sharing his time and inspiration with our eight graders during their retreat and liturgy. We are very thankful to Mrs. BJ for the groundwork laid during religion class and to faculty and staff for their support.

 The dinner following the liturgy was spectacular in every way. Kevin Watne your slide show was the crowing glory of the evening. Thank You.

Each year report cards of the eighth graders are mailed home the week or so after graduation. This year the report cards of all students will be mailed to parents shortly after school closes. Following this schedule the teachers have the opportunity not to rush final exams and have adequate time to average grades, fill in absence, tardy, and complete cumulative cards. So that the children will not be disappointed on the last day wondering if they are promoted to the next grade, we have made special promotion certificates which say “Welcome to Grade__________”.

Parents, in the very near future you will receive a letter in the mail letting you know your child’s status for summer school. We are having a very solid and enriched summer school at St. Paul’s. You, of course, know that you are free to select whatever summer school works best for your.

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From the School Board:

All School parents are undoubtedly aware of the SPA Parish annual stewardship campaign -- the time to review your time, talent and treasure and pledge what you can to help SPA Parish (Church & School). In the “treasure” department, the vast majority of School families give at least enough money through the weekly offering envelopes to qualify for the lower, in-parish tuition rate; many give even more. It appears, however, that most School parents are not aware that they need to fill out the annual stewardship commitment card and return it to the Parish office by the end of May (which is rapidly approaching). Even though you may give money in the weekly offering envelopes at Mass, you still need to fill out the commitment card. Those cards are the only good way our Parish office has to construct the annual Parish budget with a reasonable degree of confidence and accuracy. You may be committed to giving -- but no one will know for sure unless you complete the card and return it to the Parish office. For such a giving group, our School families have an extremely low return rate for the commitment cards. Please get your card in right away! The cards are available in the Church and in the Parish office. Take a minute this week to fill one out and, if you can, please also consider increasing your time and talent commitment to the Parish in the process of completing this administrative requirement before the end of May. Thanks in advance!\

Rich Cahalan

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PWC President

Dear SPA Parents,

I hope everyone had a restful Memorial Day weekend and that everyone is returning refreshed for these last few weeks of the school year!

As the countdown for summer continues, I would like to take a minute to remind you of some of the things that the PWC has planned, funded, assisted with, organized, volunteered and supported over the 2005-2006 school year:  The Alumni Reunion Dinner, Baguettes, Book Fair, Back to School Coffees, Back to School Night, Campout, Christmas Dinner Party, School Directory, Disaster Preparedness Program, Golf Tournament,  9 Grade Liturgies and Pot Lucks, Graduation, High School Night, In-N-Out Burger day, Hot Lunch Program, Installation Luncheon, PWC Membership, New Parents Reception, Past President’s Luncheon, Senior Citizen Christmas Luncheon, Ski Trip, Spring Sing Luncheon, Racquettes,  the Faculty Appreciation Breakfast, and much, much, more!.  The PWC also sends Mass cards and healing cards to current and old families of SPA, birthday cards to faculty and staff of SPA and the Parish Office.  There are many other programs that the PWC is involved in as well.  Thank you to EVERYONE who has worked to facilitate these programs.

SPA Chess Club
 Congratulations Chess Club!  Thank you to Mark Raineri for his years of service with the SPA Chess Club.  Monday, June 5th, award ceremony will take place after school. 

Have a Great Week!!!

Julie Chait
PWC President

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Parish News

A Farewell …
With Deep Gratitude

Thérèse Portman, who has served as the Confirmation Program and Youth Ministry Coordinator here at SPA for the last three years (in addition to seven years as parish youth minister back in the 90’s,)is leaving the parish staff at the end of June.  Thérèse, who is a member of the faculty at Notre Dame Academy as well as being a full time wife and mom with two teenagers of her own, has been asked to become the Chair of the Religion Department at NDA, beginning with their upcoming WASC evaluation year. This additional professional commitment just does not leave enough time or energy to address the needs of our teen program here at SPA.  Her departure is a significant loss to our outreach to teens in our parish.  

As we begin the process of seeking Thérèse’s successor, we are reviewing the current job description and working with our parish Finance Council during this budget formation time to see how we can build on – and perhaps even expand – the excellent program Thérèse has put in place during her time on the parish staff.  

We invite you to join with her colleagues on the parish staff as we pray that Thérèse, with her family and her colleagues at NDA, will be richly blessed in the days to come.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What To Do?

Just a month ago this weekend we celebrated the 70th birthday of our parish school, and a mighty good time was had by all! Since I am both an alumna and a former religion teacher/assistant principal of SPA School, my celebration was multi-faceted. I bumped into and shared memories with a dizzying whirl of former classmates, colleagues, students and parents.

At one point one of my former students, who is happily married to a lovely woman and now enjoys a very satisfying career making excellent use of his gifts, said to me rather haltingly, “You know, don’t you, that I am not a regular Mass go-er?” I said that I did. He went on, “But lately I have been trying to use Christ’s principles to deal with the people I meet [in my profession].” He continued to impress upon me that he was starting – evidently for the first time, consciously -- to apply to very difficult situations (with, it seems, very difficult people) the morality he had learned at SPA and at one of the very fine local Catholic high schools. And he specifically used these words: “Christ’s principles.” I didn’t say it aloud, but what ran through my mind was, “Well, I’ll take that for now.  It’s a start.” What I really wanted to do was back him against the wall, grab him by the lapels and ask, “So, what’s keeping you from going to Mass every Sunday?  Didn’t I teach you that?” But courtesy prevailed.

Could it be that there are numbers of this man’s classmates who do go to Mass every Sunday and don’t apply Christ’s principles? Could it be that there are still others who do both?  I suppose this is a teacher’s wonderment, but why is it that people who have learned and experienced the very same things in the very same setting in the very same way make such startlingly different choices?  Well, the truth is that no matter what is said and done in any classroom (or, for that matter, in any family), it is received differently by each person. We all filter and process things uniquely.  Even some of the very people who saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead went out to plot his death (John 11:45-46). Now, I mean really! Wasn’t that one compelling enough to inspire discipleship from all the witnesses? So a son or daughter or brother or sister breaks his/her Catholic family members’ hearts and ends up an agnostic or fundamentalist Christian or Protestant minister or Sikh or … you name it. 

What to do?  Catholic theology has always taught that we must follow our informed consciences (see n.1786ff. in the Catechism of the Catholic Church).  It’s just hard to find consolation in this when it involves our own son’s or friend’s or student’s uncomfortable decision. The only thing I can think of is this: do what God does. Love him, love her, love them - unconditionally. Somewhere this worrisome circumstance for us is but a tiny thread in the cosmic tapestry that is God’s invitation to salvation. I don’t have a clue as to what the finished “tapestry” will look like, but I take comfort in the sure conviction that God, the Weaver, does.

                              Joan Doyle
                              Director of Religious Education

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PWC Funtion News

7th GRADE PARENTS

The time-honored tradition of assisting with 8th Grade Graduation continues! Please see the attachment included in this week's Epistle for what you have been assigned to do or bring.  Should you have any questions or issues, please contact the Graduation Committee - Anita, Kelley, Terri, Sue and Susan

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Traffic Duty Assignments

For the month of June (ALL GRADES)

Parents:  Please arrive by 7:20 a.m. for morning duty and 2:30 p.m. for afternoon traffic duty. Should you have questions about your particular traffic duty contact Mary Ann McQueen 839-1020.  If you can serve in one of the empty slots please sign-up!

A huge thank you to all of the kindergarten parents for their great support and efforts with traffic during May!  Your participation in the training and your willingness to help out in June are very much appreciated!  Good job kindergarten room parents for leading the way!  Katie Lewis, Sarah Cox, Kathy Burke and Valentina Palermo have done an excellent job of keeping everyone informed and organized.  Many thanks!

June traffic:  I could still use a little help with June traffic.  If you are available please phone me or email me in the directory. Thanks to those who have volunteered to help in June!  See schedule below.

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Weekly Readings/Reflections

Pentecost Readings

Read
Acts 2:1-11

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.”

Gospel
Jn 20:19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are re ding 1
 tained.”

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Student School Activies

SUMMER SCHOOL NEWS:

To All Summer School Students and Parents,

Registration notices will be coming home later this week or early next week. 

Please keep this notice and bring it with you for the first day of Summer School to know exactly where you are going.  Go directly to the first period classroom listed on the sheet.

All Kindergarten students will follow the Yellow Brick Road to their classroom.  Once in their classroom, they will receive a schedule of their morning classes to be worn around their neck, to help them find their way, and to tell us where they should be.

For your convenience, you will also receive a Summer School Handbook for Policies and Procedures.  This will tell you step by step what to expect and how our Summer School operates.

Thank you for enrolling in our Summer School Program.

Sincerely,
Gina Buchanan
Director of Summer School
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FROM THE LIBRARY…

It has definitely been an exciting school year for the Sister Stella Maria Enright, D.M.J. Library and we are beginning to wind down for the summer break!  Many thanks to the families who have contributed this year to the Adopt-A-Book Program; you have helped put over 600 new books on the shelves!  Also, sincere gratitude to the parent volunteers who have help run the library this year: Terri Wojahn, Cheri Caspari, Kathy Boldy, Alicia Maher, Laura Saade, Jerry Thomas, Carol Crotta, Virginia Doyle, Jackie Mason, Janet Feeley, Tina Cathcart, Leslie McDowell, and Patti Di Tullio.  The library would not be the dynamic, bustling place it is without your help.  Thank you very much for all the hours you have generously given to the library…you are real gems!!! 

As we prepare for the summer break, please be aware that all books are to be returned during the week of June 5-9.  Talk with your child to make sure they have turned in their library books.  Parents will be notified of any books that have been lost. 

During the last two weeks of school, the librarians from the Westwood Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library will be visiting each class to promote their summer reading programs and events.  The LAPL is a wonderful resource that provides fun and enriching literary programs during the summer break.  For more information, visit them at www.lapl.org and click on Kids Path (grades K-5) or Teen Web (grades 6-8).

Use your local public library and favorite books stores to provide your child with great books for the summer.  Reading during the vacation is not only relaxing, but it helps your child’s reading skills develop and grow as he or she prepares to enter the next grade level.  For recommended reading lists by age or genre, visit http://school.familyeducation.com/literature/reading/34576.html.

Have a great summer break!

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St. James Inn News

ST. JAMES INN- SUMMER FIESTA 2006

The St. James Inn invites you to an outdoor “Summer Fiesta” on Saturday, July 2nd at one of L.A.’s best-kept secrets, the historic Gilmore Adobe. Come for margaritas, tasty Mexican cuisine, dancing under the stars, incredible auctions, and catching up with friends.

Founded almost 20 years ago by Fr. Pat Traynor (with the help of St. Paul the Apostle families), the Inn provides a home away from home for out-of-town patients and families undergoing treatment at UCLA Medical Center and other nearby hospitals.

This year’s fundraiser is dedicated to the memory of our beloved director, Fr. Harold "Bud" Powers, CSP.

For more details, please contact Judy Ness.

See you on July 22nd !

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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

KINDERGARTEN: 11:45-12:15
JUNE

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
1.	Lewis, N.	Gemperle	McMilian	Shirley	Watts
2.	Deutsch	Caspari	Chotta	Stengel	Johantgen
Sub	Fragoso			Egan	Caspar

IRST GRADE 11:45-12:15
JUNE

	Momday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
1.	Lewis, N.	Gemperle		Millikan	Sanford
2.	Millikan				Hauck
Sub

ECOND GRADE 11:45-12:15
JUNE

THIRD GRADE 12:10-12:40
JUNE

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Hot Lunch Volunteer

THE HOT LUNCH COMMITTEE for 2006-2007 NEEDS YOU!!!

PWC Hot Lunch Committee is seeking Hot Lunch Parent Coordinators (1 per grade) for the next school year.  The primary role of these individuals is to help coordinate the volunteers for their grade’s assigned hot lunch months.  The Coordinators are responsible for reminding parent volunteers about their shifts.   IT IS FUN and EASY! 

We appreciate all you do and the commitment to keeping this lunch program alive and well.  If you are interested, please contact Jill McMillan – Hot Lunch Program (in the directory) as soon as possible.    
___________________________________________________________________

Remember to sign up by NOON on Wednesdays in order for your student to receive hot lunch during the following week.  Cancellations need to be made 48 hours prior to the hot lunch date.  Go online to www.bethskitchen.com.  Please call either Beth’s Kitchen or Mayora Hiney, Hot Lunch chairperson, with questions. 

Grades K-2
Mondays                                                         Thursdays

Grades 3-5
Mondays                                                         Thursdays

Grades 6-7
Mondays                                                         Thursdays

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Fall Festival

Festival News Report

School surfing days are numbered and we know you are all excited about heading into the summer and all that that means – summer fun!   We thank you for all of your efforts to date!  The festival “guards” say, “High Five!” for great participation and enthusiasm in festival related endeavors.  Here is the “surf” report for the week!

Apostle’s Attic is eager to hear from you and to receive your items.  See their beautiful flyer that is attached.  They will be collecting items from you between June 1 and June 8!  Contact Meg Grant or Karen Dalby if you have any questions.  The time for spring cleaning has arrived.  What a relief to know that there is someone eager to take your precious give a ways off your  hands.

Raffle Challenge:  We have some very brisk sales going on out there.  1-B is still in the lead for class participation and the jamba juice class prize.  There is still time for other classes to catch up.  The deadline for raffle book sales is Thursday, June 8. Be sure to turn in all of your ticket stubs and money by then.  Be sure that your child’s name and homeroom appears on the last ticket!  If you have sold books to date don’t wait until June 8.  If you need more books check in the front office.  Questions:  contact Nicole Gaffney.  If you haven’t seen the “Surf Board Wall of Fame” in the front entrance of the school by all means do – it is festive, fun, and reveals how the class competition is going to date.  Thanks to Nicole Gaffney for the creative display!  Congratulations to the super sellers – those who have sold ten or more books.  There are twenty-two super sellers featured on the “board.”

Patronage:  Submit the blue form to Jackie Smith Hastie by June 8, 2006.  In the red envelope (Surf Report #1) sent home on March 30 there is a self-addressed pink envelope with Jackie’s name and address to save you time.  The form for patronage has been attached to the epistle for several weeks and was also sent in red envelope #2 (Surf Report #2).  We know how overwhelmed parents can feel by the flow of paper and mail at home so we used bright red envelopes to make identification easy.  The deadline for submission in order to receive an out of uniform pass is June 8, 2006.   You can mail the pink envelope to Jackie at home or submit through the black bag.  Thank you to those who have participated to date!

Auction:  See attachment re: hints about what auction needs from you.  Your creative ideas are very much appreciated.

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SPA Chess Club News

Chess Club Awards Ceremony
Monday, June 5th

Chess Club will hold its annual awards ceremony on Monday, June 5th at 3:15 p.m. in the JCPC.  Chess Club students in the Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced classes (grades 1-8) will be honored.  Parents and siblings are encouraged to attend.  Refreshments will be served following the awards.  Contact Mark Raineri for details or to volunteer

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