Saint Leo the Great Catholic School

PRINCIPAL’S REFLECTION
Dear Parents:
“No one is perfect, especially a child in elementary school! Parents are often tempted to step in when their child forgets. It is fine to help out if your child just forgets once in a while. But suppose your child always forgets his spelling book. Each week, you try to fix the problem. Sometimes you drive your child back to school. Sometimes you call around to find out the spelling words. ‘Otherwise my child will fail a spelling test,’ you think.

True enough. But are you going to drive your child several miles back to high school when he forgets his math book? Are you going to call his college professor when he forgets to write down his lab project? Probably not.

Instead, try letting your child see what happens naturally. Tell him that he is responsible for bringing the book home, and that he’ll have to figure out what to do if he forgets.

Might he fail a spelling test? Yes. But sooner or later, he will bring the book home. It is the kind of learning that takes time. But once the lesson is learned, it will never be forgotten.”

Enclosed in this week’s news note, you will find the 08-09 tuition rates as set by the Finance Committee of the Parish. This minimum increase will cover school heating/ac and maintenance costs while also providing for an increase in faculty and staff salaries. Thank you for your continued support of Catholic Education and Saint Leo the Great School.

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

AM CARPOOL FROM MR. DiPIPPA
As the cold weather is here to stay, I would ask that all students come dressed appropriately for outdoor recess (coats, gloves, scarves). Also, for safety and security I would ask all parents to please have students ready for AM carpool drop-off. Parents are asked to please stay in the car while children are let out by teachers or safety patrols. Parents should not walk students across the parking lot through the carpool drop-off on a regular basis, as it creates a safety situation during carpool. If you have an appointment in the school building, please cross at the corner closest to Old Lee Highway. Thank you for your cooperation.

PM CARPOOL FROM MR. DiPIPPA
Parents who arrive late after the chain is raised are asked to please stay in cars until you are given the okay and directed to move your vehicle to the late line which is next to the gym where students will be able to enter cars safely. Students should not be walking past the chain to enter cars as it is not supervised by any faculty or staff member and creates a safety hazard. Thank you again for your cooperation.

Thanks & Praise

• To Fr. Whitestone and Fr. Tarsicio for the Blessing of the Throats for each classroom for the feast of St. Blaize.
• To Monsignor Mahler, Ann LaBarge, Ann Polan and Blanca Figeuiredo for a very
  Special Living Rosary during Catholic Schools Week.
• To Mrs. Leanna Furey and her parent helpers with the Spelling Bee: Mrs. Potter; Mrs. DeMarco, and Mrs. Gormley.
• To Joanne Demarco and her parent volunteers for the Open House we hosted on Sunday, January 25th: Mary Beth Crosson, Kim Notarianni, Tanya Salewski, Ginny Cate, Dan Drummond, Leanna Furey, Julie Gumowski, Diane Utley, Suzanne Dowd, Leah Lee, Connie Sullivan, Erin Cooke, Julie Gladbach and Clara Robertello.
• For all their help with Grandparents Day: Deanna Ruggio, Mary Beth Crossin, Joanne Demarco, Suzanne Dowd, and our Saint Leo kitchen staff: Ginny Cate, Pat Corcoran and LaVerne McGrail.
• To Mrs. Lyle, Mrs. White, National Junior Society Members and Mrs. Perry for coordinating the Pennies for Patients charity drive.
• To Mrs. Sloboda, SGA officers and members for organizing our special Grandparents’ Day Mass.
• To Mrs. White and our 3rd graders, 7th and 8th grade chorus for the outstanding Grandparents’ Day Music Assembly.

SPELLING BEE RESULTS 2009

MOTHERS’ PRAYER GROUP
Please join us for a Mothers' Prayer Group Meeting on Thursday, February 19, 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:

• 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.

FROM THE LIBRARY
Thank you so much to Teddy (2nd grade) and Roy Davies (8th grade) and Luthien Mejias-Perez (2nd grade) for donating many wonderful books (both fiction and non-fiction) to our library collection. For information on donating books to the library, please follow the link on the library page or see Mrs. Craven or Mrs. Ruta

FROM THE PTO
Let's Dish!.... Would you like an easy and convenient way to put healthy, homemade dinners on your table -- and raise funds for St. Leo's? Let's Dish! can help you do that and will donate 10% of the proceeds back to St. Leo's from February 1 - April 30th. Go to www.letsdish.com to view their delicious menu offerings by month. Then simply book an in-store session or select their pick-up Dish-n-Dash service using the promotion code F9-STLEO when you enter your billing information. Remember, the more the merrier, so invite friends and family to "dish" with you and use the promotion code! Please note that other coupons may not be used at the same time as the fundraiser code. Click here for a flyer.
Make Friday the 13th a LUCKY DAY! We have rescheduled Skating at Fairfax Ice Arena for Friday, February 13th from 11:30-1:30. St. Leo's families will receive the discounted rate of $5.25 to skate and $2.75 for skate rental. Come right after our early dismissal to get your skates and start skating. After you have worked up an appetite, stop by McDonalds (3951 Pickett Road) for our St. Leo's fundraiser. McDonalds will donate 10% of the proceeds generated by St. Leo's families to our PTO, and McDonalds will match that donation with a donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities in our name. Bring the flyer to show that you are with St. Leo's. Click here for a flyer.
Dollar Donation to Dress Down - Each student who brings $1 to school on Friday, February 13th will be able to dress down, and they will be contributing to 2 great causes. Half of your donation will go to Pennies for Patients and the other half will go to The Kidney Kid Fund.

QUIZ BOWL NEWS:
Start forming your teams for the 2009 Saint Leo the Great PTO Quiz Bowl! Be prepared for a night of fun trivia!!

• Date: Saturday, March 14th 2009
• Place: School Gym
• Time: 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm.
• Cost: $12 for individual ticket or $100 for table of 8/10 players

Questions: contact Vicki Holleran at hollerantj@aol.com. Sign up flyer can be downloaded from school website

FROM GUIDANCE
Small Groups: The Guidance Office will begin holding small group discussion sessions during lunch. The groups will consist of 4-6 students and will meet approximately once per week for 6-8 weeks. Group topics include Academic/Study Skills, Anger Management, Changing Families, and Friendship/Social Skills. Group descriptions are available at the Counselor’s Corner on the St. Leo website. If you would like your child to participate in one of the small groups, please contact Ann Polan in the Guidance Office at 703-273-1211 x649 or apolan@saintleothegreatschool.org.

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.

PENNIES FOR PATIENTS
Pennies for Patients- Week one is underway! I hope you have been encouraging your children to search out those long lost coins and bring them into their classrooms. Unfortunately for many, patients are asking more financial assistance due to the economy. In fact, the request for Patient Aid at LLS is up 15% from the same time last year. At this rate, LLS is in danger of running out of funds before the end of the fiscal year in June. So, anything you can donate, will be greatly beneficial to the 2,500 patients living in our area. If you have any questions or want to help, please contact Kim Perry at 703-92-7105 or deemerkr@aol.com. Below is an inspiring letter from a parent in our community.

Dear Parents and Friends,
By now, you’ve heard about the “Pennies for Patients” fundraiser in school. I had a child diagnosed with Leukemia. Very little compares with hearing that your child has cancer, and the challenges that such news brings. Four months later, my sister was diagnosed with Lymphoma. It’s times like these that you realize just how fragile life can be, how important your friends and family are, and how much you need your community. A good day is when there is only one procedure that you aren’t rushing to the hospital with a fever or infection and that you’ve seen your other children awake sometime that day. There’s hope when the treatment your sister is undergoing has a survival rate, and that there’s been research done for the type of cancer that she is battling. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society offers support through information, research, financial help, bringing people together, and so much more for both children and adults. In fact, they are the only hope for some.
So, what can you do? Pray. Treasure your children, even during those moments when juice just spilled all over the newly mopped floor along with a broken plate and a neighbor just “stops by.” Be grateful for God’s gift of life and health. Know that if you do ever need the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, they are there to help (LLS.org). And finally, please open your hearts and give what you can. You won’t just be giving a little change. You’ll be making it, a little bit at a time.

Sincerely,
One grateful parent

SAVE THE DATE:

• Spring Book Fair – March 29 – April 2-school library.
• 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.

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!

ST. LEO THE GREAT 2009 SCIENCE FAIR WE NEED YOU!!!
7th and 8th Graders have worked hard on their projects and need parents to come participate as judges!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! February 20th from 12:00pm-2:30pm
We are in need of volunteers to judge the science fair. No science expertise necessary. Also, you do not need to be VIRTUS compliant in order to be a judge. Lunch will be provided for our parent volunteers. Please sign up below. Indicate your preferences with a 1 (1st choice) 2 (2nd choice) to 3 (3rd choice) or don’t care.

• Behavioral & Social Science
• Biochemistry
• Botany
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Environmental Sciences
• Earth & Space Sciences
• Engineering
• Mathematics
• Medicine and Healthy
• Microbiology
• Physics
• Zoology

Name:
Email:
Please return forms by February 6th . You may also email or call Wendy Kent with your preferences. wtkent@cox.net or 703-449-0040

Thank you for your time!! The success of the science fair relies on you and the kids greatly appreciate your participation!

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 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.)

Extended Day Program
The Extended Day Program always opens one hour before school:

• Delay of one hour: open at 7:50AM
• Delay of two hours: open at 8:50AM

When school closes early all children must be picked up from the Extended Day Program within two hours of dismissal. Parents/guardians are responsible for listening to the radio or T.V. for announcements.

If Fairfax County cancels after school activities, the Extended Day Program will close within two hours of dismissal.

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.