Between the Lions - December 3, 2009

CALENDAR REMINDERS-  DECEMBER

PRINCIPAL'S REFLECTION
Thursday, December 10th, marks the midpoint in our second grading period. Interims for students in grades 1-8 will be sent home via the backpack. Please review these progress reports with your child. Praise their good works and support them in areas of needed growth. Signed interims for students in grade 1-8 should be returned to the advisor (6-7-8) or teacher (gr 1-5) by Tuesday, December 15th. Please remember that these interim reports only reflect progress made up to this point in the quarter and are not final grades. If more information is needed, please contact your child’s teacher. Together we can help each child to succeed and be their best!

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

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“…that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—
For kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives
In all godliness and holiness.”“A generous man will himself be blessed,For he shares his food with the poor.”
--Proverbs 22.9

We would like to welcome Mrs. Craven back to school from her extended leave.  Mrs. Craven would like to thank everyone for all the prayers, cards, flowers and good wishes sent while she was away from Saint Leo the Great.

THANKS & PRAISE

• To Fr. Whitestone, Fr. Baez, Mrs. Sloboda and Mrs. Cosgriff for preparing our 8th grade Confirmandi who received the Sacrament last night
• To Mrs. Hebert and Mrs. Sabat for moderating the Mad Science Club after school this fall. Also to Mr. Muller for his energy and excitement teaching our young scientists.
• To Mrs. Ball and Mrs. Baker and the chaperones for the 3rd grade field trip to the Natural History Museum: Mrs. Notarianni, Mrs. Counts, Mrs. Ly, Mrs. Iriarte, Mrs. Kidwell, Mrs. DeMarco, Mrs. McSoley, Mrs. Zema, Mrs. Pacheco, Mrs. Perry, Mrs. Kent and Mrs. Holler.
• To Mrs. Kelly and Mrs. Ferlotti for coordinating our very successful 8th grade Advent Calendar sales.
• To Mrs. Welsh, Mrs. Lechter for directing our wonderful “Fairfax 2012” play. Students seemed to really enjoy being on stage. Special thanks to Mrs. Weigan and Mrs. Cate for organizing our afterschool Drama Club.
• To all of the parents, students, faculty and staff for our very successful food drive. We collected 2,000 cans of food for the Saint Vincent de Paul Food Pantry – way to go!
• To Mrs. Schindler, and the PTO Cultural Arts Committee for organizing our November assembly, “Giovanni and the Bean Stalk/Encore.” Students really seemed to enjoy watching the very talented Virginia Opera performers.
• To Benjamin T, Kindergartener, who helped to light our Advent wreath last Monday. Benjamin, as the youngest student in the school was given this honor.
• To Mrs. Agostini and Mrs. LaBarge and all the parent chaperones for their field trip to the National Building Museum.
• To the Fairfax Rotary Club for their generous donation of dictionaries to our 3rd grade students.
• To Officer Michael Bartholme for his time in presenting safety tips for our young students in grades K-2.
• To Mrs. Bolster for moderating and instructing our Fall Art Club.

SAVE THE DATE – GRANDPARENTS DAY!!! February 5, 2010

PARENTING FOR LIFE SUCCESS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, 7-9pm
As part of our CARE program, our teachers participated in an educational seminar with Dr. Patricia M. McCormack, IHM. Dr. McCormack will be returning to speak to our parents about fostering self-esteem in children both at home and at school. If helping children to develop self-control, self-esteem, good character and a strong conscience is an interest close to your heart, do not miss this presentation. Guiding the lifelong process of soul formation is the primary responsibility of parents. It is also the mission of Catholic educators. Parents and teachers contribute vitally to the soul formation of a child when they communicate genuine affection and foster lifelong development of security, autonomy, initiative and industry. Together we will reflect on these core elements and consider practical advice that was gathered from teachers and from parents of children in grades K through 12 who were recognized for positive self-esteem and character. Dr. Patricia M. McCormack, IHM is a national formation education consultant who focuses on the whole-person development of children. Her practical experience in education includes both classroom and administration experience at the elementary, secondary, and college levels. Her style of public speaking reflects research with parents, children and teachers. Please join us on Thursday, December 10th from 7-9pm in the Guadalupe Room for this wonderful presentation! Parents that attend will receive a free dress down day pass for their children to be used on Tuesday, December 15th. Please contact Ann Polan with questions, 703-273-1211 x649.

OPEN HOUSES
are going to be held at Saint Leo the Great School on the following days:

• Wednesday, December 16th, 10am in the Guadalupe Room with Principal’s Welcome
• Sunday January 31st, 12:45-2:30pm- Principal’s Welcome - gym
• Wednesday, February 26th -10am in the Guadalupe Room with Principal’s Welcome
• Wednesday, March 17th - 10am in the Guadalupe Room with Principal’s Welcome

A tour of the school will follow all presentations. Please call 703-273-1211 x645 for a reservation. Please let your friends and neighbors know our new dates.

COLD WEATHER IS HERE!
Now that the cold weather is definitely here, please ensure that your child wears warm outer clothing to school, appropriate for winter temperatures. We all want them to stay warm when going outside for morning or lunch recess. Thank you!

SAINT VINCENT de PAUL PANTRY NEWS:
For the month of December, we focus on the virtue of KINDNESS, being friendly and considerate to others. As a caring community, we can show our kindness towards others by participating in a very special “Gift-Giving Mass”, an activity to be held on Friday, December 4 during the 9am Mass. At this annual activity, we ask our Saint Leo students to bring small unwrapped gifts for the children of our Saint Vincent de Paul families.

Any gift should be placed in a gift bag and tagged with an appropriate age and “for” a boy, girl or either. Gift suggestions include:

• Toys, coloring books and crayons, books of any kind
• Puzzles, board games, cards and card games, mittens and scarves, hair items, belts
• Gift certificates to any local store, Gift certificates to any local restaurant

Gifts cannot be wrapped but can be placed in a gift bag, because the Saint Vincent de Paul Society
must check each present before taking it to its needy family.

So, On December 4th, let’s show our kind spirit by helping to make this Christmas a little bit more special for the children of our Saint Vincent de Paul Families. God bless you for your continued help and support (the Saint Leo SVDP team: Mary Byczek, Scott Allen, and Dave DiPippa.

FROM MR. ISAAC TO EVERYONE:
“It certainly caught me by surprise to see everybody celebrating my birthday! Working at Saint Leo the Great and being surrounded by people like you is itself a blessing. Thanks again for being so kind and thoughtful. Sincerely, Isaac”

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.

CHESS CLUB
We need to congratulate the following chess club members who participated in the Elementary Team Chess Tournament in Washington DC:   2nd grader Thomas C, 4th grader Alex B, 5th graders Kevin C, Aidan K, Nicholas T and 6th grader Alex T who earned a 9th place finish for St. Leo's School out of 33 teams!  In addition to that wonderful accomplishment, 2nd grader Thomas C won all 4 of his matches.  He was one of only 9 players to do this out of 182 participants! What a proud day for Saint Leo the Great! Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Cronin for moderating our successful chess club and providing this opportunity for our chess club players.

COAT DRIVE FOR REFUGEES
December 7-10:  “Warm the Winter" Coat Drive at St. Leo’s School for refugees served by Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services.  Each year, Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) helps over 900 documented refugees build new lives when they arrive here in Northern Virginia.  Right now, MRS is completely out of winter outerwear and they have many refugee children and adults arriving who have no coats at all!  Clean out your closets and share any extra or outgrown coats. Donated items can be any size infant-adult and used or new.  Items will be given directly to a refugee individual so please make sure they are wearable and laundered before donating.  Drop your donations in the box by the CCD office, the gym doors, or the front office doors between Monday, December 7th and Thursday, December 10th.  For more information please contact Rebecca Ruiz at r.ruiz@arlingtondiocese.org.  Thank you!

If you still want to purchase items for Friday's St. Leo Giving Mass, please remember that you can.....Shop for the hottest gifts and stocking stuffers at the coolest prices and raise money for St. Leo's PTO with our Five Below FUNdRAISER -- Friday, November 27th through Thursday, December 3rd.

• Five Below will donate 10% of the dollars spent by our group back to our PTO.  This is a great opportunity to help those in need and our school when you buy toys, clothing, books, and many other gifts at Five Below for the St. Leo's Giving Mass (Friday, December 4th).  Please don't forget to bring your flyer to the event so that we can get credit for your purchases at either the Fair City Mall or Greenbriar Towne Center locations.  The form is now available on St. Leo's website.
• Eating out & Helping our School! Thank you to all our St. Leo families that supported the Chick-fil-a fundraiser in November.  By eating out, St. Leo's earned $184 that will help the PTO support our school.
• Looking ahead to our next chance to EAT for a grEAT cause... Celebrate the last day of school before Christmas break by joining us at Fuddruckers on Friday, December 18 from 11:30 - 4pm.  Fuddruckers will donate 20% of sales from St. Leo's family and friends to the PTO.  Anyone can participate as long as they have a flyer.  Flyers will be distributed at school and available on the school website.

ADVENT CALENDARS:
Thank you to all who volunteered and bought advent calendars this year.  Our sale was a big success.  We sold all 576 calendars in record time.  We sold 166 calendars for the wounded soldiers at Bethesda Naval Hospital, which is a true testament to our school and parish community.  Mr. Kelly will be delivering the calendars on Monday and the Lieutenant in charge was very appreciative and wanted our students to know how thankful he was that they are remembering the soldiers during this holiday season. 
A big thank you to Mrs. Ferlotti who coordinated our school sale and also had our 8th graders send a special note with each calendar to the soldiers. Terry Kelly

PACKING PEANUTS AND BUBBLE WRAP NEEDED
Teige Corcoran, St Leo Class of 2006, needs packing peanuts and bubble wrap for his Eagle Scout Project. If you have any in your homes or offices that would otherwise be thrown away, please drop them off in the designated box by the front trophy case at school by Friday, Dec. 4. Questions may be directed to tcpanther@gmail.com or 703-716-0696

FROM EXTENDED DAY:
Parents. November bills will be available for you to be picked up from Extended day on the first Monday of the Month, December, 7th. Bills not picked up will go home with your child on Thursday, 12/10. Late fee will be applied on Monday January, 4th by 3:00 pm. No exceptions. Please make sure that you save your bills for tax purposes or for child care refunds. We do not provide copies. Please remind your child to pack his/her sneakers for Extended Day. Thank you! Mrs. Figueiredo

FROM THE BOX TOPS CORNER:
Hi! Here I am again reminding you to save those cute little coupons. One from Jack another one from Tara, it makes a huge difference. Have a wonderful December! Mrs. Figueiredo

Making meals at Let's Dish! is fun, and the more the merrier!
If you are interested in participating in the St. Leo's Let's Dish! fundraiser, which will run from November, 2009 through January, 2010, go to www.letsdish.com and select an in-store session or their pick-up service (Dish-n-Dash).  Enter promotional code F9-SLTG when entering your billing information.  You can share our fundraiser code with friends and family to help raise funds.  You may also use the promotional code as many times as you want during fundraiser.  Let's Dish!  will donate 10% of the proceeds back to St. Leo the Great PTO.  The more people who participate, the more money we can raise! Please contact Suzanne Dowd with any questions.

• THIS WEEKEND!! 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.
• DECEMBER 20- Nutcracker Tea, Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel, 2-4pm. Come dressed in your holiday best for a very special Nutcracker Tea. Proceeds from this fundraiser benefit the Ballet Nova scholarship. For ticket information www.balletnova.org. Deadline is December 15th. Call 703.779.3008 for further information.
• JANUARY 9TH - O'Connell to Host Girls Soccer Tournament - The 7th annual Lady Knights Indoor Classic will be held. All girls U-9 through High School teams are invited to participate. Registration closes December 4, and the fee is $175. For more information and the tournament application, visit www.leaguelineup.com/ladyknightsindoorclassic
• JANUARY 10 – 4pm - Disney’s “Mulan” in partnership with Imagination Stage in Bethesda, Md to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Family will revisit the film live on stage! After show--family fun with tastes of the Orient, games and other surprises. Tickets $29/child, $39/adult. For more information, contact Kelly Kent at 703.399.2938 or www.lls.org/ncamulan.