Saint Leo the Great Catholic School

PLEASE REMEMBER – RE-REGISTRATION FEE IS DUE JANUARY 10th, 2009. PLEASE USE THE NEON YELLOW COUPON IN YOUR TUITION BOOKLET WHEN YOU SEND IN THE RE-REGISTRATION FEE. THANKS!

Father Whitestone for the second year, has tried to keep tuition rate under four percent for our school families. This year’s increase is 3.5% to cover costs of the school as well as salary increases for our faculty and staff. Our 2009-2010 Tuition rates are now posed on our website. Please note that Financial Aid is available (for more information scroll down). Thank you for your continued support of Catholic Education and Saint Leo the Great School.

PRINCIPAL’S CORNER
Dear Parents,

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas break and time to spend with family and friends. It certainly is good to see everyone back. The students quickly settled in with a very positive attitude. As I reminded them, the end of the second quarter is on Friday, January 16th. Please encourage students to complete all assignments on time and to prepare in advance for all tests, projects and quizzes.

The faculty, staff and Administrative office would like to thank our students and families for your thoughtfulness and generosity shown to all of us throughout this holiday season. We wish each of you an outstanding New Year in 2009.

Our second food drive for the St. Vincent de Paul Pantry will begin Friday, January 9th, through Friday, January 23rd. Students are asked to bring in a food item to help the needy in our parish community. Our goal will be 2,000 cans! Thank you for your support of this school-wide service project.

All visitors are reminded to go to the main office BEFORE going to your child’s classroom. By State law, and O.C.S. regulation, all individuals must sign in and wear a visitor badge. This is a safety/security issue but it is also a method of safeguarding instructional time. Faculty cannot use their instructional time with students to conference with individual parents. Please feel free to email or call if you would like a conference with your child’s teacher. Thank you for your cooperation.

In addition, field trips are a wonderful extension of the educational programs at Saint Leo the Great School and an extracurricular activity. Parents are reminded that these trips are not mandatory, but optional. If parents do not want their child to participate, they should notify the teacher in advance. The teacher will provide an alternative activity for students who do not attend.

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

Thought for the Day

Heavenly Father, bless our children with healthful bodies,
with good understandings, with the graces and gifts of your Spirit,
with sweet dispositions and holy habits;
and sanctify them throughout in their bodies, souls and spirits,
and keep them blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jeremy Taylor

Thanks & Praise

• To Kelly Toole and Kate Drazan from Beers & Cutler who coordinated their corporate food drive and brought all the donations to Saint Leo’s for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Drive. The firm collected over 1,000 items giving the families of our parish some desperately needed food during this winter season. Thank you also to Fiona who connected the right people together about this wonderful event.
• Mrs. Sloboda, Mrs. Cosgriff, Mrs. Wardell and all the faculty and students who made the Christmas Pep Rally one of the very best the school has ever had. Special thanks to the Student Government who helped to organize this fun-filled event.
• Mrs. Colleen MacKay for accepting to be the parent moderator of the Mad Science after-school club. Registration forms for students in grades 4 and 5 have been given to the students. Please return them by Friday, January 16th. Registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Saint Vincent de Paul Pantry’s 2nd Food Drive -January 9-January 23, 2009
As a special effort to show others how we are learning to live the Catholic Social Teaching for this year, Rights and Responsibilities, St. Vincent De Paul’s Pantry will hold its second food drive from Jan 9- January 23.
The Catholic Social Teaching for this year reminds us that the Christ within each and every one of us meets our every need. So, we, as Catholics, should try to meet the needs of others, too, by helping in any way possible. With this teaching in mind, let us remember the needy of our community, especially during these cold winter months.
Some food item suggestions include: soups, oatmeal, canned vegetables & fruits, juices, canned meats & tuna, tea & hot cocoa mixes, spaghetti, macaroni & cheese. Food items of any kind are greatly appreciated.

Saint Vincent de Paul Pantry’s News to Cheer about!!!
It is with great pride and appreciation that we announce that the students & family of Saint Leo the Great School had collected over 3,100 food items for the Autumn Food Drive that was held in November. Continuing in this generous spirit, for our “gift-giving Mass” held December 5, 2008, we are equally proud of the 400 gifts that were collected for our SVDP families for this Christmas season. Three cheers for a job well done, St. Leo students!! Saint Vincent de Paul Society thanks you from the bottom of our hearts!

The tears have been shed, the bags are packed and we are off to our new home in Anchorage. As I leave Saint Leo's, I am reminded of the words from one of my favorite songs "Time of Your Life." I can say with utmost certainty that enjoying the past 7 1/2 years being circled in the love of the Saint Leo the Great families; I have had "The Time of My Life." I will miss each and every one of you and carry with me the most special moments for which a teacher may ask. I would love to keep in touch. My e-mail is: sek85@excite.com. Please let me know if any of your children ever need to do projects on Alaska. With all my love, Sue Kelly

PARENTS PLEASE NOTE:
Letter days for the last two weeks of January have been changed due to the Federal Holidays. Please make adjustments to your daily planners/calendars. Thank you so much.

From the library…
Thank you to Noah Liske (kindergarten) for your wonderful donation to the library. The kindergarten loved listening to the story, “God Gave Us Christmas” before Christmas vacation.

MOTHERS’ PRAYER GROUP
Please join us for a Mothers' Prayer Group Meeting on Thursday, January 15, right after morning drop off, in the St. Mark's Room (Parish Hall). We will follow readings from the liturgical calendar, reflections from the book "The Better Part" and prayers for our school, teachers and families. We will end praying The Rosary. For questions, please contact Marcia Capizzani at mloureiro2002@aol.com. All are welcome.

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

• Sunday January 25th, 12:45-2:30pm- Principal’s Welcome - gym (Catholic Schools Week)
• Wednesday, February 18th -10am in the Guadalupe Room with Principal’s Welcome
• Wednesday, March 18th - 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. Applications are available for pickup during the day at the school from 9am-2pm, at the Open House and online at www.saintleothegreatschool.org. All completed applications with copies of supporting documents may be sent through the mail or hand carried to the school at the above hours. Acceptance letters for the 2009-2010 will be mailed once completed applications are received. Financial Aid packets are available in the front office or online at www.factstuitionaid.com.

COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN/UNITED WAY/AMERICA’S CHARITIES:
Thank you to the many parents who, in the past, designated our school as the recipient of their Combined Federal Campaign/United Way or America’s Charities donations. The fall campaign is just getting underway and we would be grateful to receive your donations once again. Our designated number for Combined Federal Campaign is 91500 and for United Way it is 8973.

If your place of employment uses America’s Charities, you may designate our school through their campaign by including our school name, address, phone and EIN# 54-0572701. As always…we are so grateful for your support and generosity!

Financial Aid – School Year 2009-2010
The Diocese of Arlington is please to provide a Tuition Assistance Program for parents of students attending our Diocesan Catholic schools. Interested parents are asked to submit the student aid application form, as well as a processing fee of $20 to FACTS Management Company. FACTS is the company contracted by the Diocese of Arlington to provide a confidential and objective financial analysis in determining a family’s ability to pay for Catholic School education.

In order to become eligible for receiving funds from this program, K-12 students (preschool is not eligible) must satisfy all of the criteria described below:

• A baptized Catholic or convert officially received into the Church
• Family resides within the boundaries of the Diocese of Arlington
• Family is registered and an active member of the parish or
  Family belongs to a military post parish
• Student attends or is accepted by a Catholic school in the Diocese of Arlington.

The funds from the program will be paid directly to the school that the qualifying student attends. Schools will then credit the tuition accounts for those families who have been approved to receive aid for that school year. When submitting your application, please be sure to answer all the questions on the student aid form and include all the documentation requested in the instructions. Applications can also be completed online (www.factstuitionaid.com). The deadlines for filing an application are February 6, 2009 for the first round, and March 16, 2009 for the second round. A packet of information and its program will also be available in the front office.

Save the Date:
Monday, May 11th at 10am for the Saint Leo the Great Annual Golf Outing at Heritage Hunt Golf and Country Club. More details will be coming in the New Year from Mr. Manning and Mrs. Toenshoff.

PM CARPOOLING PARENTS:
For safety reasons, parents who are parked behind the chain at PM carpool are asked to remain in their cars and wait until the chain is removed before pulling into the carpool lot and picking up your children. Children may be picked up at the gym entrance after initial cars have left the parking lot. Please form one line closest to the gym entrance. Thank you for your cooperation.

For all parents entering and leaving the lot, please follow the directions of the crossing guard. During inclement weather when the skies darken there have been occasions where one of our personnel/crossing guards has been placed in a dangerous situation due to lack of attention on the part of our drivers. Please keep your eyes and ears opened for whistles and the time to move forward.

2009 Yearbook
Pictures Needed -- We are in need of pictures from Field Trips and 8th Grade CONFIRMATION, tennis, basketball, cheerleaders. Each grade, preschool through 8th grade, also has a "candid" photo page and we will need pictures for those pages throughout the year. You can put pictures on a cd or email pictures to Joanne McCarty at jmccarty1@cox.net or Katie Blanchard Katie_Blanchard@verizon.net. Thank you!

Inclement Weather/School Closings
When the Fairfax County Schools are closed because of hazardous road conditions, Saint Leo the Great School is also closed. If Fairfax County makes a change in the opening or closing of school due to weather conditions, Saint Leo the Great does the same. It is the parent/guardian's responsibility to consult the school website, or listen to the radio or T.V. for this information. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL. In cases of inclement weather, or other non-weather related emergencies, and the cancellation of classes once school is in session, calls from the children to the parents/guardians will be discouraged. Since our school is air-conditioned, we DO NOT FOLLOW Fairfax County School closings due to intense heat.

If Fairfax County Schools are not in session and Saint Leo the Great is in session, consult the school edline website or listen to WMAL 630 AM or WTOP 103.5 FM, channel 4 and channel 7 for any school closings or adjustments in opening times.

Delayed Openings
Kindergarten through Grade 8

• If there is a ONE HOUR DELAYED OPENING ON ANY 11:30AM OR 12:10PM DISMISSAL DAY, classes are dismissed at 12:10PM.

• If there is a TWO HOUR DELAYED OPENING ON ANY 11:30AM, 12:10PM, or 1:40PM EARLY DISMISSAL DAY, classes are dismissed at 3:00PM. Please be sure to send a lunch and drink with your child if it would have been a regular 11:30AM or 12:10PM dismissal day since neither lunch nor milk is provided on those days.)

AROUND THE COMMUNITY

• Knights of Columbus Fr. Diamond Memorial High School Scholarship for any qualified 8th grade student. Please call 703.273.9436 or email hmslydia@msn.com for an application.
• Diocesan Schools Day at George Mason University – Saturday, January 17th GMU vs. JMU at 2pm at the Patriot Center, St. Theresa’s School will sing the National Anthem and PVI Dance Team will perform at halftime. For more information call 703-993-4112.

FROM THE DIOCESE:

OPEN HOUSES FOR PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS

Are you interested in teaching in the Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Arlington? The Diocese of Arlington has 44 schools, and provides educational opportunities for students from preschool through high school. The Diocese has opened 6 new elementary schools in the past 10 years and opened a new diocesan high school in Prince William County in the fall of 2008.

Perhaps your certification has expired, or perhaps you are thinking of changing careers or returning to teaching after a period of absence. Do you have questions about the qualifications needed to teach? Would you like to learn more about the mission of teaching in a Catholic School in a nurturing and caring, Christ-centered environment? Please come to one of the following Open Houses for Prospective Teachers scheduled throughout the Diocese and meet with Sister Patricia Helene, IHM, Former Assistant Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Arlington, and Elizabeth A. Roach, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Personnel, from the Diocesan Office of Catholic Schools, to learn more about the opportunities and advantages of teaching in our Catholic Schools. No registration is required.

St. Thomas More Cathedral School
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
105 North Thomas Street
Arlington, VA 22203
703-528-1547

St. Francis of Assisi School
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
18825 Fuller Heights Road
Triangle, VA 22172
703-221-3868

All Saints School
Thursday, January 29, 2009
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
9294 Stonewall Road
Manassas, VA 20110
703-368-4400