Between the Lions - November 12, 2009

CALENDAR REMINDERS-  NOVEMBER - Saint Vincent de Paul Food Drive Continues

OPEN HOUSE at Saint Leo the Great – tell all your friends!
Wednesday, November 18th. Principal’s Welcome begins at 10am in the Guadalupe Room of the Olde Parish Hall. A tour of the school will follow. RSVP 703-273-1211 x645.

PRINCIPAL'S REFLECTION
To the Saint Leo the Great School Community – Father Whitestone and the Finance Committee have approved next year’s tuition rates. Next year, there will be no increase in tuition or fees. Please thank Father Whitestone for his generosity during these economic times. He is well aware of the great sacrifice that parents make to send their children to Saint Leo the Great and he very much appreciates their support of Catholic Education.

What a wonderful weekend! Thank you to all of the 5th through 8th grade students that participated in our First Charity Cup Soccer Tournament to benefit Catholic Charities. It was nice to see so many parents, fans, cheerleaders and faculty/staff support this school-wide service project. Special thanks to our coaches: Mr. Allen and Mrs. Bolster (8th Gr), Mr. Torma and Mrs. Harkes (7th gr), Mr. and Mrs. Velasquez and Mrs. DeFalco (6th gr) and Mrs. Heasly and Mr. Chiarizia (5th gr). Special thanks to our gate keeper, Mrs. Hesse and Paul VI High School for use of their facilities. From the tournament over $800 has been collected by both Holy Spirit and Saint Leo’s Student Government for Catholic Charities. Thank you for your generosity.

Thank you to all the parents who were able to attend our two days of conferences. Communication between the school and parents are essential to student success. If you were unable to attend conferences or if you need to discuss further student progress, please call or email teachers with your questions. Thank you for your commitment to Catholic Education. Together we can help our students achieve and grow in grace and wisdom.

“Free Knowledge. Bring your own container.” These six words remind us that no matter who we are or how much money we have, knowledge is free. Every time you read, its like going to the gas station and filling up. The difference is that you don’t have to pay for the fill-up. Just bring along your own container—your brain! Filling it with ideas and information is available at no charge. That’s pretty incredible! A gas tank only holds so many gallons and will run dry once the gas is used. However, your brain can continue to be filled at whatever speed you choose, for your entire life, and the accumulation of knowledge is ever-expanding and your’s to keep—always. It doesn’t run dry, and no one can take it away from you. Help your child fill up regularly by taking him/her to the library, by reading aloud to them, and by making learning a part of your daily routine. It’s one gift that they will have forever!

As Always, for the children,
Mr. David DiPippa, Principal

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
It’s not how hard you work but how hard you try that makes the difference.

THANKS & PRAISE

• To Father Whitestone and Fr. Baez for the special treats given after the Saint Leo the Great School Mass. Special thanks to Mrs. Cate, Mrs. Corcoran and Mrs. Kochanski for helping organize the distribution.
• To Father Whitestone for gifting a “No Homework Day” on Wednesday, November 11th for our student body. Thank you teachers for your cooperation!
• To Mrs. White, Mrs. Lyle and National Junior Honor Society and the 8th grade choir for preparing our very special Feast Day Mass.
• To Mrs. Ferlotti and the parent volunteers: Mary Beth Crosson, Silvia Campana, Connie Sullivan, Maureen Bayne, Jennifer Callahan, Ban Bakir, Lizzie Stephenson, Joanne Ratay, Theresa Storey, and Leanna Furey for their help with the Vision and Hearing Screening test last Thursday.
• To Mrs. Polan organizer, and Mrs. Wardell and Mrs. White’s advisories for the Passport Party for our middle school students this past Monday. Thanks also to parent volunteers: Mrs. Morillo, Mrs. Bauer, Mrs. Gumowski and Mrs. Faunce.
• To students, parents, faculty and staff for their generous donations to Saint Vincent de Paul. We have collected over 1200 cans of food to date. Please keep up the good work!

LUNCH CALENDARS ARE DUE TOMORROW Friday, November 13

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE
who contributed to Isaac’s 70th Birthday present. We are going to present him with a cake and the gift “on air” Friday, November 20th.

8TH GRADE SPANISH REVIEW:
Mrs. Cozzarelli will be offering several after school review classes for interested 8th grade students only starting November 5th from 3-3:40pm in the Saint John Vianney Center. If your student attends, please pick them up in the front office by 3:45pm or they will be checked into Extended Day. This review is an extra opportunity for students preparing to take the High School Spanish Placement Exam in the spring. Any questions? Please contact Mrs. Cozzarelli at LCozzarelli@saintleothegreatschool.org.

HOMEWORK DURING ABSENCE - REMINDER
In Kindergarten through Grade 5, parents/guardians calling in an absence to the attendance line may leave the request for homework to be sent home with a sibling, sent home with another student or left in the main office to be picked up between dismissal and one-half hour after school.

FROM EXTENDED DAY:
The bill for October went home with your child on Thursday 11/5.
Thursday 11/12 and Friday 11/13 are 11:30 dismissal days. If your child is attending Extended Day please make sure that your family is registered with us, that your child brings a lunch, snack and sneakers. Thank you!

FROM THE BOX TOPS CORNER:
I submitted the Box Tops for the first half of the year. Please keep on clipping we are not done yet! We still have the second part of the year to go!
Thank you!!

THE PRIDE- YEARBOOK 2010
The Yearbook Committee is requesting pictures from the following events from last school year- spring track, medieval day, kindergarten graduation, first communion, field day, awards ceremony. Although we will be taking a great deal of pictures this year, we would still like to have more! Please remember the yearbook when you are at school sport events, field trips, scout events, club activities (math, chess, art, etc). Any candid pictures. Pictures can be emailed to jmccarty1@cox.net or crosson46@yahoo.com. Or you can put them on a CD. Thank you!

ADVENT CALENDARS: Back by Popular Demand....!
During the next few weeks the 8th grade class will be selling Advent Calendars, all profits will go toward their graduation expenses. Each calendar has a chocolate surprise for each day counting down to Christmas. These calendars are a great gift idea - what a treat for all the children in your family, neighbors, co-workers and friends. Calendars can be ordered through school or purchased after all Sunday masses in November. New this year you will be able to purchase a calendar for one of our wounded soldiers at the Bethesda Naval Hospital. Please buy an extra calendar and the 8th grade will deliver some holiday cheer to our wounded soldiers. Thank you for supporting our 8th Grade Students! Questions please call Terry Kelly 703-266-0374.

Let's Dish is a great way for busy families to spend less time in the kitchen and raise money for St. Leo's!
Let's Dish customers can make delicious, freezer-ready meals, such as Chicken Parmigiana, Country-Style Chicken with Herb Dumplings, Swedish Meatballs over Noodles, Chile-Lime Pork Chops with Black Bean Salsa, and Thai-Style Shrimp and Noodles. Let's Dish offers full meal portions (to serve 6 people), split portions (split into 2 meals for 2-3 people), and now "halves" portions (one meal to serve 2-3 people). Some sessions allow a child (age 8 and above) to accompany a parent, so that your child can assist with preparing dinner for the family. Dishing is a fun, social experience that can be enjoyed by friends, classes, clubs, or teams....plus, everyone goes home with a cooler-full of meals and St. Leo's will receive 10% of sales from St. Leo families! Please contact Suzanne Dowd if you are interested in coordinating a Let's Dish session. More information will be provided soon.

• THIS WEEKEND-NOVEMBER 12-13-14-15 PVI Players present “THE PINK PANTHER” at Paul VI Catholic High School. Th. Performance 7pm, Fri & Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm. Tickets $5 student/seniors, $10adult, $30 max for families (2 parents & children). For more information contact PVIproducers@yahoo.com.
• November 17th – A 4-session overview of the semester class “Principles of Ethics” is being offered for adults at Pope John Paul the Great HS on Tuesdays, October 6 and 20. “Principles of Ethics” is the second course of the 4-year Bioethics Curriculum at JP the Great. There is no cost for the seminar, though the text book, Called to Happiness: Guiding Ethical Principles, by Sister Terese Auer, will be available for purchase for $10. Please RSVP by calling 703-445-0300, or via email to rsvp@jpthegreat.org
• NOVEMBER 20 –Due date for order forms for “Wreaths Across America” Saint Leo the Great Cheerleading Fundraiser.
• November 20-November 22 - “Our Town” presented by Georgetown Visitation. Campus Auditorium (1524 35th St, NW)
• NOVEMBER 21 – Free tickets to the FFX Symphony. The program includes Gershwin's RHAPSODY IN BLUE.  Go to www.fairfaxsymphony.org  or call 703-563-1990 today- only a limited number of free tickets are available.
• DECEMBER 5 – 10AM-3PM-PVI Cheerleading offering a Holiday Cheer Clinic. Ages K-gr.8 at PVI gym. Cost is $75/per student. They will learn cheers, chants and a short dance to be performed at the end of clinic. Wear tennis shoes and workout clothes. Lunch and Water provided! To register: contact kkbrady@fcps.edu.