Saint Leo the Great Catholic School

PRINCIPAL’S REFLECTION
Congratulations to the school community for our third and final Saint Vincent de Paul Food Drive. Special thanks to the Saint Vincent de Paul committee (Mary Byczek, Scott Allen, Carolina Agostini and Blanca Figueiredo) for organizing this event. As a reward for this outstanding achievement, students, faculty and staff, will be given an additional spirit wear day on Thursday, April 9th. Thank you for the generosity of all the parents and guardians for making this goal a reality for our needy in the community. By your example, you have shown your children the values and virtues of your Catholic Faith.

Tomorrow, Friday, March 27th, marks the end of Third Quarter. Students will be receiving their report cards on Friday, April 3rd. Please review these reports with your children. Praise their accomplishments and encourage them in areas of needed growth. Please have these signed and returned to their teacher no later than Tuesday, April 7th. If you have any questions about individual grades, please contact the teacher for a meeting. Together we can help our students grown, “In Grace and Wisdom.”

It has come to my attention that there are some parents who have not been using the designated PM carpool lines. For clarification, unless the student is a walker or a CUE bus rider, all children should exit the rear of the building to their respective carpools. No student should be walking up the sidewalk of the school building to enter cars unless they are a walker with walking permission on file in the front office. If you need to pick up your child early from school, please come to the front office no later than 15 minutes before dismissal so you can leave before the school children are dismissed. Thank you for your cooperation as we try to provide a safe and efficient PM carpool dismissal.

Safety and security is always primary in our school. To date, we have had eleven fire drills, two tornado drills (one individual class and one school-wide), and one lock-down drill. As a school we will continue to practice safety drills with our students, faculty and staff in the event there is any emergency event that would create a change in our normal routine. If you are in the building during these drills, please follow instructions from the main office, or the teacher in whose class you are volunteering. Thank you for your cooperation.

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

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“Three things in human life are important:
The first is to be kind, the second is to be kind, the third is to be kind.”
-Henry James

Thanks & Praise

• Connor Gormley is headed to Richmond, VA this weekend for the Knights of Columbus State Free Throw Championship having won the District Free Throw Competition. Good Luck this weekend Connor!
• To Lauren Harkes, Scott Roxbrough and Brian Daly, who were school escorts for the pre-school students walking them to the kindergarten assessment in the parish hall on Monday.
• To Mr. and Mrs. Cronin who have organized and moderated our Chess Club after school activity for our students. Students have benefited from this wonderful activity.
• To Mrs. Corcoran, Mr. Moran, 8th grade students and parent volunteers who helped to plan and organize our fun-filled 8th Grade Ice Cream Social.
• To Mrs. Dowd, Mrs. Crosson and the PTO Board for the Chick-Fil-A cheesecake fund-raiser. I know that we will all enjoy the cheesecakes over the Easter break.
• To the PTO Board for organizing our used uniform sale last Friday.
• To Barry Ward and Mrs. Khavari for organizing our Saint Leo Advance Band students for the Band Festival this Saturday at Bishop Ireton HS. Best wishes to all participants.

FROM EXTENDED DAY
Please ensure that your child brings or wears athletic shoes to Extended Day. Uniform shoes mark up the gym floor and we do not allow students in regular uniform shoes to play in the gym. Also, during track & field practices (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays), the parking lot will be blocked off at the speed bump. Parents picking up children from Extended Day before 5pm will need to park in front of the church. Thank you.

TO 7TH GRADE PARENTS
This year, some students in 8th grade participated in a study and test taking skill class for the HSPT (High School Placement Test). This was offered afterschool in the fall for eight weeks. An interest survey was given to your 7th grader yesterday. If you are interested, please return the survey to the front office by Monday, the 23rd. Mr. DiPippa will need to know if there is enough interest to run the class again.

THANK YOU!
The 8th grade class of 2009 wishes to express their thanks to all those who supported the Ice Cream Social. Through your donations of books, media, stuffed animals and your attendance at the event, you helped to make the annual Ice Cream Social a success. Thank you very much!!

PENNIES FOR PATIENTS-LAST UPDATE!
A huge thank you to all students, faculty, staff, and parents who donated coins to our Pennies campaign! We collected over $1600! Amazing! We have a few rewards to give out for those who collected the most. Our grand winner was Mrs. Ball's third grade class, who will receive a pizza party from Dominos! In addition to the pizza party, they will also be entered into a DC United Raffle for a VIP night! We also had several classes who will earn Pennants to hang in their class for their outstanding donations! The lone Silver Pennant goes to Mrs. Ball's class-congratulations! There are 7 Bronze Pennants to be distributed: the Preschool, Kindergarten (one Pennant for both classes), 1st grade (one Pennant for both classes), Mr. Abraham's advisory, Mrs. Bolster's advisory, Mrs.Byczek's 5th grade and Mrs. Heasly's 5th grade. Thank you for all of your hard work! The Pennants will arrive in late May. One more big thank you to Mrs. Lyle and her math team who helped count the many coins and the NJHS who helped collect the boxes from the classrooms. Thanks also to Mrs. White, Mrs. Craven, and Mr. DiPippa for your support. Again, I really appreciate your support to help LLS- a wonderful organization who helps so many blood cancer patients! With your help, we will find a cure-one dime at a time. Kim Perry

ANNUAL ART SHOW
St Leo’s 3rd Annual Art Show and Fair is on May 5th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm. Your child’s artwork will be showcased in the Gym. During the event your child’s artwork will be framed and matted for display. This is part of a fundraiser for the PTO in conjunction with KidsArt Fairs. You may CHOOSE to purchase the frame and mat and 20% will come back to the school. However, this event is an opportunity for our parents to see our children’s artwork and purchasing any products is VOLUNTARY. Once the event is over the artwork is returned to your child to bring home. We look forward to seeing you at this wonderful event. Any questions please contact Pam Morrison at bempsmsjm@yahoo.com or 703-322-9696 or Kristin Bolster at kbolster@saintleothegreatschool.org

SPRING PORTRAITS
are going to be taken on Tuesday, March 31st. The students may wear “dress up” clothes equal to or better than the uniform. No jeans or sport clothing. Paperwork is going home in the Thursday folders to give you more information.

SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL LENTEN FOOD DRIVE
With the theme, “Be rich in good works & ready to share” (1Timothy 6:18), we should be aware of the needs of others in our Church community, especially those who are struggling in some way at this time. All food donations of any type are appreciated. Some suggestions include: soups, macaroni, canned fruits and vegetables, crackers, cereals, pancake mix, canned tomato sauce, and canned meats and tuna.

During this Church season, we have the wonderful opportunity to participate in the Lenten practices of offering prayers to assist others and giving alms by providing food for those in need through our participation in this Lenten food pantry collection. Let’s fulfill our Christian promises by doing as Jesus did. Our drive ends tomorrow Friday, April 3rd.

Do you know where your Box Tops are?
Look under the sofa, in your pockets, everywhere!!! Friday, March 27th is the last day to submit the coupons for 2008-2009 school year!! Thank you!

FROM THE LIBRARY
Pick up some reading for Spring Break!! The Spring Bookworm Plantation Book Fair will be held in the school library on Sunday, March 29th (10-1) through Thursday, April 2nd (Monday-Thursday hours are from 8:30 -3:00). Please stop by and support the library.

Mark your calendars for the 2009 Auction Gala and Parent Social "Welcome Spring" to be held April 24th, 7—11pm at International Country Club.
Tickets are on sale now! Cost: $65/person. Visit: www.saintleothegreatschool.org and click on Auction Gala info under the NEWS section for more information or to purchase your tickets online. If you would like to donate an item or service to the Auction, or would like to help, contact Leanna Furey: furey5@aol.com or 703 352-2313.

BAND TRIP INFORMATION
In order to make sure you receive the most up-to-date information on the band trip, please make sure you are on the band email list. If you are not currently receiving emails from Joanne Khavari regarding the band, please email her at JSKMED@email.com and ask her to add you to her email list.

MOTHERS’ PRAYER GROUP
Please join us for the Mothers' Prayer Group Meetings on April 23, May 14, and June 4, 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 atmloureiro2002@aol.com. All are welcome.

ST. LEO'S CYO TRACK AND FIELD
begins March 25. Wednesdays, Grades 2-4, 3-4:15 PM. Thursdays, Grades 5-8, 3-4:15 PM. Tuesdays-field events and Sundays TBA. All athletes MUST have their forms completed to attend- please bring them to practice or send them through school to D. Ku-DiPietro. http://www.nvjcyo.org/Forms/PARTICIPANTAGREEMENTtrack.pdf and http://www.nvjcyo.org/Forms/medicalform.pdf to get the forms. Visit The fee for spring track is $25.00. Questions? Please email dotyku@aol.com. Have fun and get fit!

ONLY A FEW MORE DAYS LEFT FOR BOX TOPS!!!!
Please send in the coupons you have in your kitchen drawer! Don’t worry if you only have one or one hundred, just clip and send to school, attention Mrs. Figueiredo!

AUCTION BASKETS:
This year we will be including baskets for the auction. Instead of asking each class to donate a basket, we are creating a school wide general basket fund. The money from this fund will then be used by the Auction Basket Committee to provide several different themed baskets to be auctioned. We are asking each family to consider donating toward this basket fund. The suggested donation is $5.00 per family but any amount is appreciated. As always your donations are voluntary. Today, a cover letter and envelope are being sent home via the oldest and only child through homeroom in K-5 and advisory in Middle School. If you misplace the envelope sent home, please send donations marked Basket Fund, return to front office. Thank you!

FROM THE PTO
BOARD POSITIONS Nominations for PTO Board positions are currently being accepted for the 2009-2011 school terms. If you are interested in applying for a Board position, or would like to nominate someone, please contact Mary Beth Crosson as soon as possible at crosson46@yahoo.com. Nominations are due by Monday, April 20th with elections on Thursday, April 30th.
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.

NIGHT OF MAGIC – PRESENTED BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
Multiple magicians! Saturday, April 4th – School gym, 6pm. $10 per adult, $5 per child ($30 family cap). Price includes 2 slices of pizza and one beverage (soda and water available). Please RSVP so food can be ordered accordingly to Nelson Clinch 703.385.2146 or email: clinch5va@yahoo.com.

AROUND THE COMMUNITY

• If you're looking for an affordable vacation, take a look at some of the fun, free and almost-free experiences that await you in DC. Here is the website for you to have some fun: http://www.washington.org/visiting/browse-dc/attractions/100-free-things...
• CRAZY FOR YOU presented by Georgetown Visitation on April 3 and 4 at 7:30pm, April 5th at 2pm. Reserve your tickets online at www.visi.org. $15 adults, $10 students/seniors. For questions only, please email box.office@visi.org.
• Paul VI Girls & Boys Summer Basketball Camp: June 15-19 / July 6-10 for Girls & Boys going into 3rd - 9th grades (9am - 4pm). $180 single camp fee/ $300 for both. Please contact Scott Allen at Coachsallen@aol.com (703-856-7157) to sign-up. Camp is filling up fast.
• St Leo The Great Mini-Hoopsters Basketball Camp: June 22 -26 / July 13-17 for Girls & Boys going into 1st - 3rd grades. $100 Single Camp Fee /$175 for both. Boys 9 am-12 pm / Girls 1pm - 4pm (Mon - Fri). Please contact Scott Allen at Coachsallen@aol.com (703-856-7157) to sign-up. Camp is filling up fast.
• PVI Soccer Camp Summer 2009 - June 22-26, 9-3 pm - all day - ages 7-15 are welcome to attend. For more information call 703-352-0925.
• BISHOP O’CONNELL SOCCER CAMP: Tuckahoe Park, Arlington, VA - June 29-July 2, 9:00am - 3:00pm (8-14 year Olds, $195* includes t-shirt) Morning: Skills, Tactics, Contests and More – Afternoon: Small and Large Sided Play - 1 hour lunch break (bring your own lunch ). For more information, please contact DJOsoccercamp@verizon.net or call 703-894-8844.