Dear Saints Parents:

Today, we had our last practice fire drill of the year. Faculty, staff, and PreK through eighth grade students cleared the building quietly and well behaved in less than 2:00 minutes. This week we also had a practice tornado drill and that drill also went very well.

You will begin seeing more and more boxes or empty space in the front entrance and offices of the school in the few remaining days of school. As was explained at the State of the Saints meeting, this entire area will be emptied and construction will begin after all students are dismissed on Monday, June 10th. There will be new security improvements, new office and conference room placement, and asbestos removal. The school office will be closed for all of June. Watch for news updates and security improvement details and drawings that will be forthcoming.

Terra Nova results were mailed home last week for students in grades 2 through 7. We are very pleased with the results. Our school and students scored well above the national average. The Terra Nova scores provide us with information about our students' academic progress and how our school is doing across all grades. They also give us the opportunity to evaluate our academic programs. Enclosed is a summary of results per grade for your review.

Summary of St. Raymond Test Scores 2012-2013

Congratulations to sixth grader, Grace LaCamera.  Mrs. Porcaro entered our student's in the postcard contest hosted by the Thomas Jefferson Monticello and History Foundation. We are delighted to announce that Grace earned the Special Mention Monticello Award. This comes with a monetary award of $350 for her postcard design.  There were over 1,000 entries from the United States and worldwide. The winning postcards, along with many other notable entries can be viewed at Monticello.org and The Thomas Jefferson Monticello Facebook page.  Great job Grace!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye. Be off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz. St. Raymond Parish Youth Theatre presents the Wizard of Oz. Many of our students will be performing in the play. Thursday's opening night performance was a smash hit. This is a great family outing for children of all ages and is a wonderful production. Tickets can be purchased at the door. There will be performances on Friday, May 24 at 7pm, Saturday, May 25 at 1pm & 7pm and on Sunday, May 26 at 1pm & 7pm.   See the Friday Flyer for more information.

The whole school enjoyed ice cream and sidewalk chalk drawing on Tuesday, May 22.   Sponsored by the Student Leadership Commission, students built their own sundaes and ate them in the courtyard.  Each classroom then decorated sidewalk squares all around the school with beautiful chalk drawings.  The theme for the drawings was 'My Best Day at School'.    Thanks for a very fun time Student Leadership Council student members, Mrs. Gorr, Mrs. Porcaro and Mrs. Solka.

"My Best Day at School " Chalk drawings in front of school

Congratulations to all our Junior High athletes, Coaches, Athletic Board members, and Athletic Volunteer supporters for a great year and a very nice athletic banquet. A special congratulation goes to Molly Heil and Kevin Sherwood, the 2012-2013 Trish Brandenburg Award recipients.

Mark your calendars for the St. Raymond Bags Tournament. It will be held Friday, August 2nd and Saturday, August 3rd. Just in time for alumni, students, parents, grandparents, neighbors and St. Raymond friends to gather for fun, food, laughter and prizes before summer ends. All proceeds will benefit SRS technology and marketing initiatives.

Enjoy the Memorial Day Weekend. There is no school on Monday, May 27th.   May each of us take time to pray for and to commemorate this day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service or serve our country with pride and honor.

We will see you on Tuesday, May 28th. We look forward to our school gathering for our final mass in honor of Jesus, our Lord and our graduating eighth grade students. Mass will be at 8:30. All are welcome.

Peace,

Ms. Sullivan

Our mailman joked that, "summer is over", because of the recent cold weather but I think summer will be coming back sometime soon! Please remember to check you children as they leave home to make sure they have sweaters or jackets as the weather dictates.

Attendance has been pretty strong this past week. We have had few reports of head cold symptoms, few reports of fevers and most of our reported absences have been stomach flu like symptoms. We appreciate your diligence in following a few simple guidelines to promote good health and they are: frequent hand washing, nutritious meals and adequate sleep. Thanks for your help with this as it shows in the student attendance and their work in school.

We have two Laughter Yoga sessions left for this school year. I want to thank everyone for coming and experiencing this wonderful exercise this past year. There is still time to come join us the next two Thursday mornings! Please come at 7:45am in the lobby of the PLC and remember everyone is welcome! I hope to continue Laughter Yoga into the 2013-2014 school year. Each Thursday morning, I can see the benefits from this free, fun and uplifting activity in the smiles of your children and the smiles of our Faculty and staff.

Stay Happy and Healthy!

Diane Geraghty RN

Dear Parents:

As we  prepare for 2013-2014 Guardian Angel Program (GAP) enrollment, we ask that you please complete and return all forms (see attached forms)  by Monday, June 3, 2013 to adequately prepare for the arrival of your child/ren and to assure a spot for your child/ren in our program. Your $100, per family, non-refundable registration fee  must be received in the G.A.P. office also by Monday, June 3, 2013. Please make check payable to St. Raymond School. 

Thank you in advance for your assistance. If you have any questions, please contact me at nwojcik@st-raymond.org or (847) 253-8475.

Nancy Wojcik

Director, G.A.P.

Donations will be accepted through June 2nd. Thank you so much for your loving support of those in need.

WHERE: St. Raymond School

TIME:   9:30-11:30 a.m.

COST:   $80.00

It has been another very successful year for FSA. Due to the fabulous efforts of our many volunteers we are able to give $18,000.00 back to the school!  This money will be used to purchase items for both the Inquiry Based Learning program and the Literacy Closet.  Additionally, the money we raised will be used to support our AVIC, Hospitality,Teacher Appreciation and Cultural Arts programs. We could not have been so generous without the support of the many families who contribute through our various fundraisers during the year!

At this point we still have a few open positions for next year. The short list is below. Of those unfilled, Market Day is perhaps the most urgent opening. This fundraiser typically brings in nearly $5000.00 each year and without it FSA would be unable to provide nearly as much to the school as we do each year.  You do not need to be a customer to chair this committee and it is a great one to do with a friend. The Market Day staff is very helpful and is at each sale to help fill orders and work with customers. I have chaired this committee and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. We still have one more sale left so there is also a chance to shadow the current chairs to determine how the committee works and if is the right fit for you. Please contact Linda Maggi with any questions at lmaggi@mac.com.

Open Committees

Market Day (this committee can be chaired for 1 or 2 years)

Agape Dinner

Enrichment Clubs

What: St. Raymond has once again partnered with Moxie Jean(www.moxiejean.com ) , the "Upscale Resale" web site founded by two St. Raymond moms, Sandra Pinter (Amanda, 4th and Erin, 2nd) and Sharon Schneider (Audrey, 3rd and Charlie, 1st). 

How:

Fill a bag with the great clothes your kids have outgrown, up to size 8.

All clothes should be in excellent condition, with no stains, holes or excessive wear.

Better brands earn more - like Ralph Lauren, Hanna Andersson, Janie & Jack and Tea Collection.

Please, NO shoes or socks, hats, swimwear, cover-ups, blankets or altered/homemade items.

When: Collection dates are the week after Memorial Day: Tuesday, May 28 - Friday, May 31st.

Where: Volunteers will be on hand AT THE GYM during morning drop-off each morning from 7:50 to 8:15. You can also leave donations at the school office during this time. 

Why: Moxie Jean will evaluate and purchase clothing, and all proceeds will go to St. Raymond. A full bag will earn us $30 to $40 for the school-without you having to spend a dime-so please consider participating in this semi-annual fundraiser. 

NEW this year: Shop for designer deals plus everyday basics at www.moxiejean.com now through June 30th and use Discount Code STRAYS. You will receive $5 off your order and the school will receive 15% of the proceeds. 

Questions? Contact Sharon Schneider at sharon@moxiejean.com  

MARKET DAY - STOCK UP FOR SUMMER 

This is your last chance to purchase Market Day this school year. Don't miss the opportunity to stock up on great grilling items, snacks and drinks for the kids, and all your Market Day staples before it's too late!

Please submit your paper order to school no later than Tuesday, 5/28. Or, place your order online at marketday.com by 11 p.m. Friday, 5/31. Your items will be ready for pick-up on Tuesday, 6/4, in the school cafeteria between 1:45 and 2:45 p.m. Late pick-up is also available from 5:30 to 6 p.m.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your patronage throughout the school year, as well as thank the many volunteers who helped us prepare for each sale. Market Day's success is only possible with the volunteers who make it all happen and the customers who support the program. Thanks for making this a successful year!

Sheila Kalck & Shary Thiel

(Market Day Co-Chairs)

We are pleased to announce that in our race for an extra recess.....We have a winner.

Our top 3 finishers in grades 1-8 were:

3. Ms. Novotny's class: 520 Box Tops
2.  Ms. Janicki's class: 903 Box Tops
1.  Ms. Mier's class: 1,203 Box Tops
Congratulations to Ms. Mier's Class for being our final first place winner of the school year!  One extra recess complete with refreshments is on its' way.

Our top 3 finishers in Preschool and Kindergarten were:
3. Ms. Cunningham's 3 year old preschool class: 224 Box Tops
2.  Ms. Henry's class: 256 Box Tops
1.  Ms. Stanley's class: 543 Box Tops

Congratulations to Ms. Stanley's Class for being our final first place winner of the school year!  A small treat complete with refreshments is on its' way.
 

Any questions, please contact your Box Top Committee Chairpersons - Rosa Fardella at 847-208-7694 or augienrosa@aol.com atdeblasio@gmail.com 

ST. RAYMOND SUMMER RUNNING GROUP AND FALL CROSS COUNTRY

Come Join us!

 

We will be offering the summer running group again for all 5th-8th grade students. Kids will get some valuable training for the cross country season, or any fall sport that requires conditioning.  

The 50 minute group work-outs will consist of various run workouts, stretching techniques, core training exercises, and FUN! Proper running form and techniques will be stressed!

The program will run for 3 weeks, starting the week of July 23rd. We will then transition directly into the XC team practices the week of August 12th. XC meets can start up after August 17th, so it's important to get our kids started with their training!

Dear Parents,

St. Raymond is pleased to offer you the opportunity to purchase a unique keepsake book for your child's First Communion or Baptism. My First Holy Communion features a personalized story with your child's information woven right into the storyline. These professionally hard-bound books are handmade one at a time to ensure the book is just right for your child. Also included in the book are album pages to hold photos and lined pages on which to record special memories.

Along with this letter is an order form for the book. Simply fill it out and mail it to the publisher: A Gift To Cherish. They will create your book and mail it directly to you. A portion of the sales from this book will be donated back to our school. A sample book is located in the school office; please stop by to take a look at it. It is truly a wonderful book that will be cherished for a lifetime.

Ms. Eileen Sullivan

Principal

St. Raymond de Penafort Parish

Welcomes everyone to Vacation Bible School

Kingdom Rock

July 8-12 (9am-Noon)

This medieval kingdom will have all sorts of fun waiting for the children. There will be songs to sing, lessons to learn, snacks to enjoy, crafts to be made, games to play... and so much more!!!

There are volunteer opportunities available for adults, high school students and junior high students. Five day adult volunteers receive discounted tuition for each of their children.

See form attached for registration information. Registrations accepted through June 1.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

A Conversation With Fr. Fred Licciardi, C.PP.S.

"From Power To Compassion:

The Inner Journey Of Men"

8:00 - Celebration Of The Eucharist

8:30 - Continental Breakfast

9:00 - Presentation

11:00 - Conclusion

This invitation is open to all men of St. Raymond,

their relatives, friends, and guests. All are welcome.

An RSVP to the PMC at 847-253-8600 is appreciated.

MEMORIAL DAY MASS AT ST. RAYMOND

Memorial Day mass will be celebrate on Monday, May 27 at 9am. This replaces the 7am mass that day.  The Eucharistic Prayer Chapel will be closed that day.

All Are Invited!

Cub Scout Pack Meeting, Tuesday May 28th

Come learn about Cub Scouting at our next Pack Meeting scheduled for May 28th at 7:00p in the Courtyard (cafeteria if it is raining). We will be making s'mores around a campfire and learning about Summer Camp options. Current Scouts will be awarded their badges, patches, pins and belt loops as this will be the final Pack meeting of the school year.

Remember: all current Scouts must pay their annual dues of $35 at the May Pack Meeting in order to receive their rocket kit for the rocket launch on June 22. If you cannot attend the May Pack Meeting, please call Janine Durbin, 847-712-1174.

SAINT VIATOR SERVICE AND SONG FOR JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS

We invite you to send junior high students to  Service & Song '13 - 1-5 p.m., July 22-26 Service & Song is a new summer program that invites rising 6th-, 7th- and 8th-graders to grow in faith in one of two ways.

The program's cost is $80. Parents can sign their students up online. 

Please see attached flyer for details

St.Viator Summer Camps

Saint Viator Summer 2013 Sports Camps June 10 thru August 2nd and Service & Song  Camp'13 - 1-5 p.m., July 22-26. at Saint Viator.

Come join us this summer for one of our many camps.

For more information or to register go to the Saint Viator Website at

www.saintviator.com 

Notre Dame Summer Camps

Check out the Notre Dame High School Summer Academic and Sport camps .

Visit the Notre Dame High School Web site at http://www.nddons.org