Portae (newsletter) from 13 August 2012

Click here to download a copy of the newsletter for week 1 of the school year, 13 August 2012.

**************************************
Content of the newsletter is here (in non-fancy form!)

**************
Parent Meeting Thursday, 16 August, 7 p.m.:    We will begin our year as a parent community on Thursday, 16 August 2012, at 7 p.m. in the school cafeteria.  The meeting is a mandatory meeting for parents to attend; we will limit the meeting to just under an hour, and depart before 8 p.m.  The meeting will be a review of the school year, financial updates of last year and this year, and an outline of the plan for the school year to come.  Please do all that you can to send at least one parent from your household!
 
Back to school night, Wednesday 22 August 6:30 p.m.:  Back-to-School Night is our introduction to the academic year for parents.  The evening begins in the cafeteria at 6:30 p.m., with a brief presentation by the principal.  Then, at 6:50 p.m., parents head to the classrooms for ten-minute sessions at each of their students’ classes.  It is a long evening, but a good one for all parents to attend.
 
RENWEB IS UP & RUNNING: RenWeb, our grade and class assignment database program, is uploaded with all the necessary information into the database.
 
• Returning parents: please log-in, and check that your log-in works.
 
• New parents: Please click on this link or https://www.renweb.com/Logins/ParentsWeb-Login.aspx

Once there, click on the “Create New ParentsWeb Account.” Our district code is JP-TX, and the email will be one of the parent email addresses in our system.  It is a short process to create the log-in.  Once inside the RenWeb system, there are tutorials and help menus to learn more about the system.
 
Note: RenWeb has a new iPhone app.  Check it out in the Apple App Store.  (RenWeb has said there will be an Android app ready later in the fall.)
 
Mass times:  Wednesday Masses are open to the community, and this year, we will start a few minutes earlier, at 9:10.  For the time being, we will be having those Masses on campus, in the old library.  Parents are asked to check-in in the front office first.
 
This week, Mass will be at 10 a.m.  This week the Mass is a Holy Day of Obligation so all of our local parish priests who celebrate Mass have extra Masses to celebrate in their home parishes.
 
For any of our parents who would like to remain on campus from morning drop off until the start of Mass, we will have the parents room open.  This invitation is open to parents and children.  We will have space and tables for kids to sit, especially if they are homeschooled and need a place to read and work.
 
SUPPORT YOUR GUARDIANS:  Volleyball starts this week Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Dobie and Friday at Castle Hills; our football team has a scrimmage this week Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Hall.  Check out the athletics web site for schedules and sites.

************************************
Finally, a special thanks to our Back-to-School BBQ Committee led by Laura Farias.  It was a great evening, and a nice start to the year.  Thanks as well to our cheerleaders and our student government for the pep rally and the Ice Cream Social.