SFX NewsBlast

Reminder: Early Dismissal Thursday and Friday

Quick reminder that school will be dismissed at noon on Thursday and Friday, November 12 and 13, 2009, for Parent Teacher Conferences.

Get your holiday shopping done at SFX! Next Scrip order deadline Nov. 20

The next scrip order deadline is Friday, November 20,2009. Orders, with checks payable to SFX HSO, are due in the school office by 9:00 a.m.

Get your holiday gift card shopping done in one stop at SFX! This is a great way to earn money for the school and save on your tuition, all at no extra cost to you.

The Scrip Store is currently stocked with the usual grocery, gas, retail, Panera, and Starbucks cards. Beginning next Monday, Nov. 16, we will also have the following on hand for purchase in the office:

• AMC Movie Theaters
• Barnes & Noble
• Best Buy
• Blockbuster single movie rental
• Bloomingdale's
• Borders
• Brooks Brothers
• Carson Pirie Scott
• Chipotle
• Cinemark Theaters
• Crate and Barrel
• Dick's Sporting Goods
• Fannie May candies
• Gap/Old Navy/Banana Repub/Athleta
• Gilson's
• Gymboree
• iTunes
• J. Crew
• Kohl's
• LL Bean
• Lands' End
• Organized Chaos
• Panera
• Restoration Hardware
• Sports Authority
• Starbucks
• Subway
• TJ Maxx/Marshalls
• VISA
• Vose-Sanders Bootery
• Williams-Sonoma

These cards will be available for purchase at the Holiday Bazaar on Nov. 19, and in the school office throughout the holiday season.

Questions? Call or email Kristi Schlax at 847-602-6654 or kristischlax@comcast.net.

HSO Thanks, Looking for Volunteers, Game Reminder

The HSO would like to thank Anne Lundberg and Susan Malloy for coordinating this year's wrapping paper program. It was a great success, raising over $2,700 for the school. Thanks to all who sold and purchased Innisbrook's fine quality products.

We are finalizing our list of vendors for our first annual SFX Ladies' Holiday Bazaar on November 19 from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. and it's sure to be a fun and festive event.  The HSO is looking for a few volunteers who might be able to take hour shifts to help with drink ticket sales, SCRIP and SFX Shop sales, set-up and clean-up. If anyone would like to offer a bit of help that evening, we would certainly welcome it. Please contact Monique Watts if you are able and willing. Thanks! 

Finally, if you want to show your true Crusader spirit, please come out to the playoff game this Sunday, November 15, 2009. Wilmette Catholic will be playing Sacred Heart/St. Norbert at 1:45 p.m. at Loyola Academy.  Hope to see you there.

The Book Fair is Coming to St. Francis!

Back by popular demand, the Scholastic Book Fair will be open for business beginning Thursday, December 3, 2009 and will run through Monday, December 7, 2009. We will be open Thursday and Monday evenings, in addition to Saturday and Sunday mornings for family shopping! Please visit our Book Fair homepage for specific hours and special events. You can also preview some of the fantastic books that will be available at the fair!

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Heather Burgess at hburgess20@comcast.net. Any questions, contact Kristan Kelly at kelly96@sbcglobal.net. Thank you!

December Lunch Orders Due November 20, 2009

Orders for December (and November 30) are due in the office no later than Friday November 20. Please endeavor to have your order(s) in on time. Thank you very much for your support of the Lunch Program.

During the course of the month if you should forget what you ordered, please contact the office. There is a Master List of all orders in the office.  Thank you.

A Message from the Lunch Program

By now, you should have received information about your lunch credit or deficit position. If you believe you have a credit but have not heard from me, please email me and I will let you know what our records show. Thank you.

Irish Dance Winter Session Sign-Up

 SFX Irish Dance Club Winter 2009-2010
Affiliated with the Foy School of Irish Dance

Who? All SFX students who would like to learn Irish dancing.

When? Wednesdays (12/9, 12/16, 1/6, 1/13, 1/20, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24)
3:00-3:30 Beginners (new dancer or has taken only 1 session of lessons)
3:30-4:30 Advanced Beginners (has taken lessons for at least 2 sessions)
4:30-5:30 Intermediate (by invitation only)
NEW! 5:30-6:00 Hard Shoes (by invitation only)
    *An extra $50 fee is required for hard shoe lessons

SAVE THE DATE!
- “CHRISTMAS CEILI” SHOW ON DECEMBER 16th @ 7:00
- Saint Francis Xavier School Talent Show on January 27th

Where? Xavier Room (Students can be dropped off and picked up at the gym door.)

How much? A flat rate of $100. Please make the check payable to Saint Francis Xavier School. For hard shoes, please add an additional $50.

Instructors: Ms. Kerry Howard, with help from Ms. Geraldine Foy (T.C.R.G. Foy School of Irish Dance), Championship dancer Norah Jennings, Foy dancer Erin Howard, Miss Mary Therese Laird, and Mrs. Jennifer McDonough

Description of Classes:
Beginners- Irish dance lessons will teach the basic beginner soft shoe steps, along with beginner ceilli set dances. During this session, students will be learning the first steps of the jig and reel, as well as hop 2-3's to participate in ceilli (group) dances.

Intermediate- Irish dance lessons will implement new intermediate individual soft show steps, along with ceili dances. Students at this level are invited to participate in Feisanna (competitions).

PLEASE RETURN THE REGISTRATION FORM AND CHECK TO THE OFFICE BY November 20th. 

Download Registration form

THANKS! MISS HOWARD

One Hear Club Thanks You!

A big One Heart Thank You goes out to everyone for their financial support for the bake sale and the key chain sale run by the 4th and 5th grade girls'  One Heart Club.

Through your generosity, we were able to raise over $1,600.00 that will help feed and supply school supplies for the girls of Maria y Marta Orphanage in Jalapa, Guatemala. We proudly support our teacher, Mrs. Sage, who will be going to volunteer and teach for a week at this orphanage.

Please visit the website at www.hijascharity.org for more information on the good works of Maria y Marta Orphanage. Your donations will make a future of possibility and peace for the girls living at the orphanage. One Heart thanks our wonderful SFX community!

SFX Ladies' Holiday Bazaar: November 19!

The holiday season is right around the corner!  To get in the spirit, please mark your calendars for the upcoming shopping event at St. Francis Xavier.  It is sure to be an evening of friendship and festivity. Bring family and friends and get some of your shopping underway.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

6:00 to 9:30 p.m.

SFX Gym

Over 30 vendors selling everything from jewelry, clothing, handbags, hair accessories, keychains, food items, ornaments, housewares, art and stocking stuffers.

Complimentary appetizers and desserts, Cash bar.

Questions? Please call Monique Watts at 847-853-8543.

December Lunch Menu Now Available

The December Lunch Menu and Order Form is now available. Click on the School Lunch link and Download Forms and Menus to access the menu. Please take note of the order deadline: Friday, November 20, 2009 by 3:00 pm in the school office. 

Additionally, lunch for Monday November 30 is on the December Menu/Order Form.

Gift Wrap Orders arrive on Friday

Please plan to pick up your Gift Wrap Fundraiser orders on Friday from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the school parking lot along the gym wall. In case of rain we will move just inside the gym foyer. All orders must be picked up at this time as there will not be a place to store them. If you have any questions or need to make alternate arrangements please contact Susan Malloy or Anne Lundberg. Thanks to your participation in this fundraiser our school earned just over $2700.00.  Thank you!

SFX Scrip Order Deadline: Friday, November 6th, 9:00am

The next scrip order deadline is this Friday.  Please submit your orders, with checks payable to SFX HSO, to the office by 9:00 a.m.  Orders will be distributed on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

To order on-line, go to www.shopwithscrip.com.  For new users, the enrollment code is: 1598FD4E18544. 

We will also be selling scrip cards after all of the masses this weekend.

Questions?  Call or email Kristi Schlax at 847-602-6654 or kristischlax@comcast.net.

Show Your Centennial Spirit--Save the Date!

Please join your Crusader Family as we march in the Wilmette Holiday Parade the morning of Saturday, November 21, 2009.  This is a special year for us and we want to let everyone in our community know how excited we are about our Centennial. We'll be marching with birthday hats and noisemakers and passing out treats. Please don't miss this chance to show your school spirit and celebrate our 100th birthday! Stay tuned for details, or contact Jackie Petrozzi, Mary Kay Gorman or Susan Malloy with any questions.

SFX is Going Green!

As you may have already heard from your Crusaders, Student Council is sponsoring a new paper recycling drive.  "GO GREEN" Tuesdays start tomorrow, November 3.  The Student Council ecology team and class representatives will be ready and waiting to collect all of your paper recycling tomorrow morning in the drop off line from 8:00 to 8:15 a.m. 

All of your paper recycling goes into our huge green and gold bin that you can find located near the St. Vincent DePaul box.  Our school earns money for every ton of paper recycled.  The more tons of paper we recycle per month, the more free money our school earns.

The goal is for each student to bring a bag full of paper recycling: magazines, newspapers, junk mail, etc. every other Tuesday morning.  For every bag of paper recycled, students will receive a "Going Green" pass to give to their teacher.  Once a student brings in a total of 10 bags of paper, and earns 10 passes, he or she will join us for a special celebration.  These celebrations will be held every two months.

Please help us to increase our recycling at St. Francis.  We hope to involve the entire parish and Wilmette community in our paper recycling.  If you or anyone you know have large quantities of paper to be recycled on a regular basis, please let us know.  E-mail Colleen Barrett with any questions you may have: ColleenBarrett@sfx-school.org

 Upcoming "GO GREEN Tuesdays" : Tuesday, November 17 and Tuesday, December 1. 

HSO Volunteer "Thank You" Party This Thursday

Greetings HSO Volunteers -

October was a busy month! Come join the fun, as we kick back and celebrate Showcase, the Rummage Sale, Fall Fest and Halloween Party!

Date: Thursday, November 5th, 7:30PM

Place: The Bredemann's, 918 Lake

Hosted By: Diane O'Brien and Katie Bredemann

Let the centennial celebrations continue!

Please note: This is also the same night at the Women's Club Harvest Fest, a Festive Harvest cooking demonstration and tasting, with libations at The Breakfast Fuel, Wilmette's newest eatery, 1222 Washington Ct (across from Chase Bank & the train station). No charge to members; $20 to non-members and guests. Reservations are required since space is limited. Contact Lisa Revord at 847-920-9636 or mlrevord@sbcglobal.net.

Come to both events Thursday night!

 

Miss Andaloro's 4th grade wins Scrip Classroom Contest

Congratulations to Miss Andaloro's 4th graders who won the Scrip Classroom Contest with 54% participation!  They will celebrate with an ice cream party on Friday afternoon.

A big thank you to all who purchased Scrip gift cards in October!  This was our best month ever! 

Did You Possibly Take Home The Wrong Coat From Showcase?

Just checking again to see if anyone found a Size 4 London Fog Beige full-length raincoat at home - it was taken by mistake on the night of Showcase. The owner is still looking for her coat. If you have it, can you please let me know and we will gladly handle the switch and get your coat to you. Thank you! Katie Bredemann (847) 256-6019, bredemann7@aol.com.  

Halloween Costumes and Parade

All parents and families are invited to join the St. Francis community in a Halloween Costume Parade on Friday, October 30, 2009, at approximately 10:00 a.m. If the weather is nice, we will walk around the block as we did last year. If it is raining, we will walk through the gym and over the stage.

Students are allowed to wear costumes this year, although outfits do need to be school-appropriate. No masks, no face paint, and no props at school. Wigs, however, are allowed. If you have any questions about your costume, please see Mr. McKenna.

One Heart Club Fundraiser

After school on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 27 and 28, the One Heart Club will be selling keychains to benefit the Marta and Maria Orphanage in Guatemala. This Catholic orphanage provides shelter, safety, and education for girls. The silver keychains are $12.00 each and feed one girl for one week. Please support this wonderful cause! Your generosity is most appreciated.

Rummage, Fall Fest, and Junior High Halloween Party

It was a happening week for St. Francis Xavier, with another successful Rummage Sale, the first Fall Fest for our younger Crusaders, and our annual Junior High Halloween Party. It took many helping hands to pull it all off with ease!

Julie Conway dedicated her week to making sure that everything was in perfect order when the doors opened to the public for Pre-Sale Tuesday evening. Thanks to all of the school families/parishioners who donated their belongings and volunteered their time throughout rummage. We so appreciate the help of the department chairs and we congratulate Julie for stepping up to a very important HSO role. It certainly takes a village! Please remember, we are still looking for spring rummage chairpersons. Please contact Monique Watts or Holly Tamisiea if you are interested.

Everyone certainly enjoyed themselves Saturday morning at the Fall Fest. Even the steady rain couldn't dampen the spirits of all the little ones who showed up in costume for face-painting, moon bounces, popcorn, and friendship. Thank you to Ann Ponzi for organizing such a fun-filled event, and to all of the student and parent volunteers who made it all come together.

Finally, Ellen Eberle and her host of helpers put on a fabulous Junior High Halloween Party! The kids had a blast and they looked terrific in their costumes. From the Haunted House and DJ, to the carved pumpkins and homemade ghastly treats, no grave was left unturned. Thank you, Ellen, for all of your coordination and creativity! 

Many thanks and happy Halloween!  The SFX HSO

Rosary After 8:15 am Mass on Monday

Please join in the praying of the Rosary for our good friend Paul Tyska, who will undergo open-heart surgery Monday morning. As you know, Paul and Patti are parents of four kids who attend or have graduated from SFX. Paul has also been dedicated for years to running our SFX cross country team. Please come pray for Paul and his family immediately following the 8:15 Mass Monday morning.