We are pleased to announce that there are two Virtus sessions scheduled for
January at St. Xavier University. The first is on Tuesday, January 19th at
10:30 a.m., and the other is on Monday, January 25th at 7:00 p.m. If you
currently volunteer or plan to volunteer for any school or parish
extracurricular activities that involve children, including athletics, scouts,
room parents, field trip chaperones, etc., you must complete this training,
along with a background check. This is part of the Archdiocese-mandated
"Protecting God's Children" program.
You can register for the Virtus training at
http://www.virtus.org/virtus/.
Click "Registration" in the top left corner. If you have not yet completed the
background check, that can be done at
https://www.eappsdb.com/Login.asp?ORGZ_KEY=18. The access code you will
need is "protection." Complete instructions can also be found on our website at
http://www.sjfschool.net.
If you have any questions, please contact our Virtus Coordinator, Katie Welin at
katiew62@sbcglobal.net.
Special
MANNA Christmas Offer
As we approach the holiday season, we would like to
encourage you to use the St. John Fisher MANNA program.
Those of you who use the program regularly, know that a
percentage of every gift card you buy is returned to you as a
tuition rebate. Regular users have earned literally
thousands of dollars as significant discounts when the rebates are
refunded in February or August. (This August, almost
$40,000 was earned in tuition rebates.)
In addition to the money you save, the school has also used
their portion of the profits from the MANNA sale for important
improvements to the school program that are not covered in
the operating budget. We are grateful to each of
you for your participation. MANNA is clearly a WIN-WIN
proposition.
Aware of the tough economy this year, we are offering a new
incentive to our program. From November 15-January
15, one percent of the profit from MANNA will be used for
our tuition assistance program. This fund was established
last year to help families who because of job loss or other
temporary set-backs, need assistance with monthly tuition
payments. Although 1% does not seem like a significant sum,
our Christmas sales have traditionally been so strong,
that we anticipate the money directed to that fund could be
significant.
We would like to invite you to consider using MANNA gift
certificate options when you are thinking about your holiday
shopping. Many merchants provide certificates at our sales
on a cash and carry basis. (Jewel, Dominick’s County
Fair, Kohl’s, many local restaurants, and countless other
stores are available any day of the week, (except Tuesday).
Many other merchants and larger businesses can be “special
ordered” with little turn-around time.
Using the MANNA Program this holiday season benefits you,
the school, and our tuition assistance program. If you
are not sure how it works, or need to know about our
convenient hours, please check the new posting on the school
website which lists the hours of operation and the stores
that are in the program. If you have a question about the
stores available through special orders, please call the
school and we will put you in touch with one of our MANNA
staff.
Thank you for your strong support of our school and
especially of this new initiative to help our school families.
Holy Name Society
February 10– Father/Kids Mass and Breakfast
March 20– 2nd Annual Food Drive Bag Drop–Off
March 25 – NCAA Basketball Night
March 27 – 2nd Annual Food Drive Bag Pick-up
WOMEN’S CLUB BOARD MEETING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2010
7:30P.M. IN THE RECTORY BASEMENT
All board members, past presidents and block captains are
welcome.
GENEROSITY WEEKEND - JANUARY
2nd & 3rd
Start the New Year and the new decade off with a resolution to bring a
non-perishable
food item to the First Generosity Weekend of 2010. The dates will be Saturday,
January
2nd and Sunday, January 3rd. All food items gathered will be donated to an area
food pantry that needs to replenish their supplies after the Christmas holidays.
Cold
weather means long lines of people waiting and hoping for a bag of food. Help
us, help
them — hunger never goes away. Suggested items include:
Boxes of Cereal
Pancake Mix
Ramen Noodles
Soups (instant or cans)
Small bags of rice or beans
Boxes of Macaroni & Cheese
Spaghettio’s
Boxes of Pasta
Spaghetti Sauce
Cans of Fruits / Vegetables
Gatorade
Fruit Juices
Instant Potatoes
Jiffy Mixes (Cord Bread)
Cans of Baked Beans
Baby Foods
Hot Chocolate Mixes
Jello / Pudding Mixes
Cans of Chili / Beef Stew
Tuna / Chicken Salad Kits
Canned Meats (Ham / Tuna)!
SUPPORT THE
REST SHELTER
Blessings to all this Christmas Season. Let’s start the New Year by support the
REST Shelter. We need volunteers to
provide an evening meal for 40 homeless women, or to travel the shelter and help
serve dinner. We do make a difference.
We are so grateful for the many parishioners who have faithfully sent donations.
Col weather clothing like
sweaters, sweatshirts, coats are needed. Paper products, Breakfast cereals,
Koolaid and sugar. The sign up sheets to
volunteer are found on the bulletin board by the priest sacristy. Please
consider giving up one Friday evening as this
new year begins. You’ll be glad you did! We leave around 7:00p.m. and return
before 11:00p.m. Please include your
phone number on the sign up sheet. If you have questions, please call Betty Kort
(708) 425-1805 or Don Skonicki
(847) 530-2317 or (773) 238-6932.
Upcoming dates for the REST Shelter are: January 1st, 15th, 29th—February 12th,
26th—March 12th, 26th
CHILDREN’S CATHOLIC
BOOK CLUB
Monday, January 25th—6:30p.m. Rectory Basement Meeting Room
For more information, contact Amy Goggin (708) 499-2090 or email
gogginreg@comcast.net
BETWEEN JOBS
MINISTRY
The mission of the Between Jobs Ministry is to provide
practical and spiritual resources to support the unemployed and
underemployed of our parish. The goal is to connect job
seekers with needed resources to achieve full employment.
Networking is an important part of bridging the gap. On
Behalf of our parishioners who are between jobs, we want to
identify those who can offer employment or who might have
connections with those who are hiring. Also, if you can
help with resume development or review, or practice
interviews, we would like to hear from you. We meet after the
10:00a.m. Sunday mass in the rectory basement.
If you want to volunteer or learn more about
the ministry, contact Mary Pat Anders
(773-239-3624), Jim White (773) 322-2518 or Deacon Tom.
MARKET DAY NEWS
Start the new year out eating healthy. There are many
low-fat items for all your meals.
Pick-up is Saturday, January 16th in Kane Hall from
9:30a.m. to 10:30a.m.
Orders can be dropped off at the front of Church or in the
rectory office by January 10th or
Turned into the school by Wednesday, January 13th.
On-line orders can be submitted until 9:00p.m. in
Wednesday, January 13th.
Also, if purchasing on line credit cards are accepted.
Any questions, please contact Norine Vestal (773) 895-0063
or
Renee O’Malley (773) 779-1205
Web Page http://www.marketday.com/
Among the other events planned that week is the Pro-Kids Show. This nationally known program uses comedy, magic, and audience participation to teach respect and responsibility. The show is scheduled to appear at SJF on Thursday, January 28 with a student performance in the afternoon and a family performance at 7:00. The show has received rave reviews at other local schools. Some of the reviews include: “Your show is the best I’ve seen for parents and families.” “Through the years, we have had many wonderful assemblies for students . . . PRO-KIDS tops them all.” We hope that you will make this evening a priority. The family show begins in Church at 7:00 p.m.
Athletic Association News:
SPRING SPORTS SIGN-UP
February 1st, 2010 6:30 to 7:30PM
Registration for spring sports will be held on Monday, February 1st between 6:30PM and 7:30PM in Kane Hall. Fees are listed on the attached sign up form.
We would appreciate a separate check for each sport, not for each child. In addition, a separate check for $25 for the uniform deposit is required for each child registered for soccer and a separate check for $100 for the service deposit for each child registered for boy’s volleyball.
Interested Coaches are also requested to sign-up on this day. Coaching forms can be found on this website.
Questions: Soccer Bill Leslie 773.881.4836
Volleyball Delphine Maxwell 773.239.2203
Golf Tim Bush 773.233.3286
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
The kindergarten Christmas play, the beautiful First
Communion celebrations, the
amazing art shows, the eighth grade ski trip, the long list
of honor roll students, the
vast improvement of our youngest band musicians from their
debut at Christmas to the
Spring Concert, the amazing ease with which all of students
can use the limitless resources
of educational technology, and countless other activities,
accomplishments and
events mark each calendar year at St. John Fisher School.
Today, as we begin the
national celebration of Catholic Schools Week, our school
community has much to
celebrate.
Thank you to each member of our parish and school community
who have made a strong philosophical and financial
commitment to the school. Because of your generosity and
strong support, our school remains the fourth largest in the
archdiocese and the second largest in the city. Our Terra
Nova Standardized Test Scores are well above national norms
at each grade level tested. Our graduates continue to be
accepted in the high schools of their choice, and our high
school graduates are not only well prepared for the
challenges they face at the secondary level, but also are now attending
some of the most prestigious universities in the country.
Each day, the corridors at school are FILLED with creative
art projects and thoughtful writing assignments. Our gym is
busy from 7:30 a.m. until well past 9:00 p.m. each day. The
enthusiasm of our youngest scholars is contagious. We
have a proud heritage and a bright future because so many
individuals, families, and parish organizations work selflessly
to make the school stronger each year. Catholic Schools
Week provides an excellent opportunity to say THANK
YOU to all who help create the spirit that marks our
school.
Our teachers, past and present, are highly qualified,
creative, competent and caring professionals. Their days end
much after the students leave and all are life-long
learners themselves. Each is dedicated to the profession of teaching
and the vocation of Catholic education.
Thank you to the parents of our students, both past and
present. Their commitment is demonstrated not only when they
write the monthly tuition check but also when they
volunteer for the myriad programs and activities that complement
our academic program. They model unselfish service and a
willingness to partner with the school to provide the values
and vision our students will need to be responsible leaders
and citizens in the future.
Thank you to our students. They are artists and athletes,
scientists and singers, actors and authors who delight us with
their inquisitive minds, enthusiastic spirits, and
compassionate hearts. Yes, we do have a few “bad days” but even on
days that are most dark and worrisome, there is a child who
makes you laugh, amazes you with an insightful question,
or shoots a winning basket at the buzzer. Be assured that
we hold a bright hope for the future in our classrooms and
corridors.
Thank you to our parish family. Your regular Sunday
contributions to the parish help fund the programs that make our
school strong. Additionally, you buy magazines and wrapping
paper, come to Fisher Fest, contribute to toy drives and
food collections, and model the values we hope to foster in
the hearts and minds of each of our students. Though many
of you do not have children in school, your continued
interest affirms your belief in the importance of Catholic Schools.
Thank you to all who continue to INVEST in our school. We
believe that your investment will have maximum dividends
as SJF graduates continue to make their mark in the world.
Thank you for continuing to make that possible.
SCHOOL NEWS
YES — It’s that time of year again — registration time! Pre-school and
kindergarten registration information and
forms for the 2010-2011 school year are being sent home to all families with
currently enrolled students.
Open registration for all families new to St. John Fisher School will be
accepted after February 1st by calling the
school office and making arrangements to complete the proper paperwork. Packets
will also be available in the preschool
and kindergarten classrooms at the Open House on Sunday, January 24, 2010 after
the 10:00a.m. family
mass. For all current and new families, registration applications must be
accompanied by the child’s birth and baptismal
certificates (if not already on file); a completed registration form and a
completed enrollment sheet.
A $150.00 deposit, per child, will be due when you register. This amount will
show as a credit on your September tuition
bill.
There is also a one-time New Family Fee of $25.00 for families new to St. John
Fisher School.
If your child does not attend St. John Fisher School in the fall, your deposit
will be returned to you, minus a $50.00
non-refundable processing fee.
All new students (includes preschoolers through 8th graders) to St. John Fisher
must have a current medical examination
form which includes all immunizations dates and a dental exam form. An eye
examination form is also required
for all kindergarten students. All forms are available in the school office and
are to be returned before your child
begins class in the fall.
Both the pre-school and kindergarten classes fill up very quickly. Preschoolers
must be three (3) or four (4) and kindergarten
students must be five (5) BEFORE September 1, 2010.
If you have any questions regarding registration, please call the school office
(773) 445-4737.