Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Parent's Club Update 09-21-11

You won't want to miss the first Parents Club meeting of the year, tonight in the parish hall.  Childcare is available for the low low price of $5 per family, what a deal!  You must RSVP with Dawna in the office if you plan on utilizing the new and improved "Kids Club", so please contact the office asap so that we have enough "camp counselors" to make this first event a success.  Children will be provided with pizza along with many fun and exciting activities throughout the evening.

Food,  beverages, and fellowship will run from 6:00 until 6:30 with the meeting and business starting promptly at 6:30 with the agenda below.  Q&A will be available at the end of the meeting as time allows, however if you have anything additional that you'd like added to the agenda please contact Jeanette Rafferty.

Agenda

·      Parents Club Board & 2011/2012 Goals 
·   “Kids Club”
·      New Budget Process & Reporting 
·      Changes to Volunteer Opportunities 
·      Update on Gala Technology Paddle Raise 
·   Important Golf Tournament Update
·      Guest Speaker – Jamie Teasdale 
·      RCIA 
·      Q&A 
·      Drawing and prizes!

Mrs. Parker's Message 09-23-11

Dear PCA Parents,

It is that time of year again to help out with the KBVM Share-a-thon.  KBVM (88.3 FM) is the local Catholic radio station located on the campus of the University of Portland.  They have been generous supporters of PCA allowing us the opportunity to promote PCA, our mission, and our annual hallmark Saint’s Museum live on the air.  For the past three years, and again this year, students are allowed to share what they learned about their Saint from the actual radio booth.  We in turn have shown our support by providing help during the Share-a-thon that happens in the fall and the spring.  We only need four volunteers to fulfill this commitment and your volunteer hours can be logged towards your 40 hour requirement.  Thank you for your support. 

Due to unforeseen circumstances Mrs. K’s Doctor has ordered her to be on bed rest effective immediately for the remainder of her pregnancy.  She was not expecting this and is very sad to have to leave early. However what is most important is the health of her and her precious little one.  We ask for your prayers, love, and support for her through this difficult time.  Mrs. Kathleen Tomassi will be filling in for her until she returns.    

I want to thank all of the families for observing the 25 mile per hour speed limit on the side streets.  I have not heard any more from our neighbors.  I am sure they appreciate your being safe & respectful by slowing down.  

Remember that the Jog-a-Thon is quickly approaching. It is on Monday, October 3rd.  If we meet our goal of raising $10,000 we have a special reward of a popcorn & a movie night and NO HOMEWORK for ALL students.   Packets were sent home last week in your Friday folder to help collect pledges.  Go Knights!

Please remember the Safe Environment Training Class must be completed by all parents who wish to volunteer at PCA.  If you’ve already taken the class in a prior year, you do not need to attend this year’s training but will need to complete paperwork which will be sent home next week.

The teachers had an inspirational morning last Friday at our Teacher Excellence Day hosted at Seton.  We spent the morning via webcast listening to Father Robert J. Spitzer.  His talk focused on the Spiritual Dynamics of Catholic Education.  The second part of his talk included the beatitudes and the realization that they reveal God’s great love for us and our salvation is through living them out.  Father Spitzer said that if you want to fully understand just how unconditionally loving and forgiving our God is, read the parable of the prodigal son. Then reflect upon the father’s rejoicing of his son who was lost but was found again.  The parable of the prodigal son can be found in Luke 15:11-32.

In closing I would like to share one of the quotes from his talk that inspired me.  ”God’s will is perfectly loving and his plan is to optimize love, goodness, and salvation through us.”

Have a great weekend.

In Christ,
Mrs. Parker

Box Tops & Soup Labels Fundraising

Earn cash for PCA every time you shop for groceries.  Clip Box Top coupons from your favorite grocery products.  Each coupon is worth 10¢ when redeemed.  Visit boxtops4education.com for a current list of participating brands or look on the side of the package for a coupon like those shown below.  Cambells participating brands include:  Campbell's, Pepperidge Farm, Franco-American, Prego, V8** and Swanson. 

How to help:

Send* your clipped box tops, Campbells UPC symbols, and V8** caps to PCA in your Friday Folders or via your classroom box.  PCA will send them as a group to Box Tops for Education and twice each year PCA receives a check in return (up to a maximum of $20,000)

*Box Tops Expire so please submit often.  **Save caps from V8 juices.
           
    What will the money be used for?
We redeem our points or cash for items such as playground equipment or art supplies. 

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Parent's Club Update 09-16-11

Introducing PCA Kids Club!
As families enrolled at Pacific Crest Academy, you are automatically members of the PCA Parents Club.  Well now you can give your children the opportunity to join the PCA Kids Club!  We are thrilled to launch this exciting program at our first Parents Club meeting of the year, next Friday September the 23rd.  

Kids Club will be a fun and exciting "revamped" childcare option available to families, so that everyone will have the opportunity to attend our Parents Club meetings.  Our new format will be much more structured than childcares of the past.  It will include structured activities around our "Race for Grace" campaign, a more formal check-in and check-out process and groupings for children by age group so that older children aren't hanging out with the preschool kids.

This amazing childcare option only costs $5 per family and includes pizza for the children!!  What a deal!! The $5 is mandatory and you must reserve a spot in advance with the office to ensure that we have enough Kids Club counselors and supplies for activities.

Look for more information in next week's Friday Folder and Forum!

As you now, we are offering a new pizza option this year on Thursdays from Godfathers pizza.  We are hoping that the kids like this option better than they did last year's choice.  Fortunately Godfather's is delivering to us for free each week, however we do need 1-2 folks available on Thursdays to serve the kids.  

Being with the kids is so much fun and this is an easy way to log those volunteers hours.  Lunch on Thursdays is at noon and all that is required is checking a pre-written list and passing out slices accordingly as the children arrive.  It's as simple as that!  Please contact Parents Club if you are interested in helping out with Pizza Thursdays!

Room Parent Training
Thank you to parents who have signed up to be Room Parents this year!  Parents Club provided training and materials for room parents this week and everyone is exciting about taking on this fun and fulfilling role  We still have spots open for 5th and 6th grades, so if you are interested and maybe have questions about what it takes and the time requirements, please do not hesitate to ask.  One important side note for returning families, is that Room Parents are NOT responsible for Gala Art Projects this year.  :)  Please contact Jeanette Rafferty if you are interested.  
After-school programs
This year we are offering art, choir, science and finance options.  All classes take place in the classrooms immediately after the school day end - which means you don’t have to pick up and drive your child to another activity. Just pick up your child later from school.

Finance Class

Are you interested in business and money?  Junior Achievement offers a great program called JA BizTown. This program is geared toward students in Grades 4-6. Students learn how to run a business through interactive activities with this award-winning and nationally-recognized curriculum.

Mad Science

Mad Science on Wednesdays, a weekly science lesson where students learn about molecules, robots,  space technology and much more.

After School Choir Practice

Choir practice with Ms. Dayton:

  • Mondays 3:00 - 3:45 PM
  • Grades 3 and above
  • meet in Ms. Dayton's classroom after school and travel as a class to the Parish Hall for practice
  • pick up children at Parish Hall
  • If not picked up by 4:00, students will be taken to daycare (Parent's charged).

For more information contact Ms. Dayton.