2014-2015 Family Backpack

1. 2014-2015 Family Backpack FAQs Events at a Glance Communication at SHCS Fundraising at SHCS Getting Involved: Parent and Student Organizations

2. Dear St. Helen School Families, Welcome home to St. Helen Catholic School! We are pleased and excited that you have chosen St. Helen to provide a foundation in both faith and academics for your child. The mission of St. Helen Catholic School (SHCS) is to provide a well-rounded education, emphasizing the Catholic ideals of academic excellence, personal integrity, Christian service, and enduring faith. The St. Helen Catholic School’s mission is WAG: to grow in wisdom, age, and grace! We hope the Family Backpack provides new and current families a useful overview of SHCS to prepare for the coming school year. Further details on policies are printed in our Family/Student Handbook and we hope you will use both of these pieces throughout the school year. The entire faculty and staff of St. Helen Catholic School looks forward to getting to know you and your family as we strive daily to reach our goals. Never hesitate to contact us and thank you for allowing us to be an important part of your child’s life! God’s Blessings, Phyliss Coleman, Ed.D. Principal, SHCS St. Helen Catholic School 2213 Old Alvin Road Pearland, TX 77581 281-485-2845 (office) 281-485-7607 (fax) www.sthelenchurch.org

3. SHCS FAQs History: St. Helen Catholic School was founded in 1996 through the vision and generosity of the parishioners of St. Helen Catholic Church. In August 1997, we began classes on the church grounds with 50 students. In February 1998, the new school building was opened. The campus is well equipped and features spacious classrooms, a library, and large science and computer labs. Currently, the school offers enrollment in Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade. School Mission Statement: Our mission is WAG: to grow in wisdom, age, and grace! Grade Classifications: PreK-1st= Primary 2nd-5th= Intermediate 6th-8th= Middle School School Hours: PreK-8th grade: Mon.-Fri. 7:50 a.m.-2:50 p.m. Parents can drop off students at school via carpool starting at 7:30 a.m. Supervision is provided in each homeroom from 7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. School Board & H.S.A. Board: The School Board & the Home and School Association Board (H.S.A.) consists of volunteers elected by the parish to act in an advisory capacity to the pastor and principal. Elections are held in the spring with each term lasting three years for School Board and one year for HSA Board. Parent volunteer committees work with the Boards on projects and the members and their committees are listed below: School Board: Fr. Jim Courville, Pastor Joey Krafft, President Heather James, Vice President AshaeKubicek, Secretary Janet Kilroy Margaret Hardcastle Meg Crowley H.S.A. Board: Suzanne Polk, President Open, Vice President Raquel Wood, Secretary Susanna Garcia, Treasurer

4. Events at a Glance Throughout the year, the School, H.S.A., and Athletics host events to build community to support SHCS. Please take a moment to mark your calendar to attend. New Parent/Student Orientation August 13, 2014 9-11:00 a.m. in Cafeteria This event is for New families only. Parents and students will have an opportunity to meet the teacher, drop off school supplies , meet their Parent Ambassador and gather information on upcoming activities at the school. Returning Parent/Student Orientation August 13, 2014 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. in Cafeteria Don’t miss this event! This is an opportunity to sign up for activities, visit the classrooms, and drop off school supplies. Parents and students should plan to attend. Plan to bring your calendar and checkbook. Head Room Parent Meeting September 4th, 2014 9-10:00 a.m. in Oblate Center Mark your calendar if you are interested in becoming a room parent. School Board Meeting Dates August 21, 2014 8:45 a.m. in Oblate Center September 18 , 2014 8:45 a.m. in Oblate Center October 9, 2014 8:45 a.m. in Oblate Center November 13 , 2014 8:45 a.m. in Oblate Center December 11, 2014 CLOSED MEETING 8:45 a.m. in Oblate Center School Board Meetings cont… January 8, 2015 8:45 a.m. in Oblate Center February 12, 2015 8:45 a.m. in Oblate Center March 5, 2015 8:45 a.m. in Oblate Center April 9, 2015 8:45 a.m. in Oblate Center May 28 , 2015 8:45 a.m. in Oblate Center Hot Lunch Program Begins September 2, 2014 Lunch menus will be going home on Monday, August 18, 2014. Lunch orders and money will be due Thursday, August 21, 2014. No late orders will be accepted due to food ordering deadlines. H.S.A. Meeting Dates August 24,2014 6:30 p.m. in Helena Hall October 22, 2014 8:15 a.m. in Helena Hall February 11, 2015 6:30 p.m. in Helena Hall May 6, 2015 6:30 p.m. in Helena Hall First Friday Breakfast Donuts and milk are served for all SHCS students on the First Friday of every month following Mass. During Lent, other food items will be served. Mass Days Every Friday and Holy Days of Obligationare Mass days for students. Mass begins at 8 a.m. sharp! The tardy bell on Mass days is at 7:50 a.m.

5. Events at a Glance cont… Throughout the year, the School, H.S.A., and Athletics host events to build community to support SHCS. Please take a moment to mark your calendar to attend. Red Ribbon Week October 27-31, 2014 Students participate in dailyactivities to promote drug awareness. All Saints’ Day October 31st, 2014 Various activities are planned to enhance students’ knowledge of our saints. Christmas Program December 17, 2014 6 p.m. in Helena Hall Pk-8thgrades sing Christmas carols they have been learning in their daily music classes. This is an evening event and the whole family is invited to attend. Catholic Schools Week January 25-30, 2015 Open House is held for Prospective Families only on Sunday, Jan. 25th, 2015 from 10:30am-12:30pm. During the week of CSW, Catholic Schools are honored for combining a Christian educational environment in forming the total child. Events are planned to celebrate SHCS!! Field Day April 16, 2015 for Pk3-K April 24, 2015 for 1st-8th This is a day of fun, sunshine, and outdoor activities! HSA sells snacks, sno-cones, popcorn and pizza! SHCS students look forward to this event all year long! Talent Show May 21, 2015 8:30 a.m. in Helena Hall Bring on the talent! Our SHCS student body has the opportunity to audition, and if selected, participate in a talent show. From singing to dancing to telling jokes, our students will perform for the school and show off their talents! Pep Rallies There are four pep-rallies held in a school year. *Back 2 School *Red Ribbon Week *Catholic Schools Week *Teacher Appreciation Week 8th grade Graduation Mass May 15,2015 10 a.m. at St. Helen Catholic Church End of the Year Party May 29th , 2015 From 12-2 p.m. PearwoodSkate Rink School is out for the summer! Please join us for an end of the year party at our local skate rink hosted by HSA!!

6. Communication at SHCS We strive to keep communication lines open and use multiple vehicles to communicate with our parents. Our doors are always open. Please feel free to voice ideas, questions or concerns. IRIS This is an automated phone and e-mail system the school uses to send parents important or urgent messages. The message can be sent to your home, cell and work phone, as well as e-mail contacts. Be sure to keep the school office updated with any changes in your contact information throughout the year. FACEBOOK Like us on Facebook! Visit our school website and follow the link to our FACEBOOK page. We update the page regularly with current information about the school. The Happenings Dr. Coleman writes a monthly newsletter that is posted on our website. It mirrors all of the activities that are posted on the school calendar, but provides more detailed information. Newsflash Subscription This is another automated e-mail system the school uses to send parents important reminders. You may subscribe to this system through our school website at www.sthelenchurch.org. Calendar The official school calendar is given to each family before the start of the new school year. The monthly calendar is sent home the first week of every month with event details for that particular month. These calendars list all of the planned school closing dates, holidays, in-service days, early dismissals, and key events for the school. Both calendars are also available on the school web-site www.sthelenchurch.org. H.S.A. Newsletter H.S.A launches a monthly e-newsletter that includes service hour opportunities, committee needs, fundraising news, meeting dates, etc… Visit the SHCS school website to start receiving emails! Teacher Web This is an internal web communication center for the school. It contains the school and family handbook, individual teacher webpage, general announcements, and school closing information. Gradelink-NEW THIS YEAR! Each student has a gradelink account that is set up to keep track of grades and assignments. All familes will receive a letter explaining the account and password set-up.

7. Communication at SHCS cont… We strive to keep communication lines open and use multiple vehicles to communicate with our parents. Our doors are always open. Please feel free to voice ideas, questions or concerns. Parent/ Teacher Conferences These conferences occur twice a year-once in the fall and once in the spring. Parents and students attend a 15- minute conference, allowing an opportunity to speak to the teacher about your child’s status, achievements, and concerns. Weekly Folders Each week, students (with the exception of middle school) should bring home a weekly folder. It will include recent schoolwork, information from the school, and information regarding extracurricular activities. School Directory Every year the school prints a directory for you to use at home. The directory has every staff member’s email address, school office phone numbers, school board email, and H.S.A. email. Each family is given the opportunity to post their contact information as well. Teacher Email Each staff member has an individual email account. Parent emails often get a faster response than phone calls. Staff members will generally respond to emails within 24 hours.

8. Fundraising at SHCS To provide a quality Catholic education for children, the school must have the necessary funds to provide the best-qualified teachers possible, as well as current technology and textbooks. Fundraising commitment opportunities are provided throughout the school year. Magazine Sales This is our first fundraiser of the year! Kick-Off to magazine sales usually begins in mid-September. Do you know someone that already has a magazine subscription? Why not ask them to renew their subscription through SHCS?? For every magazine sold that means money for SHCS!! Steps For Students February 21, 2015 Raising money for our school is what we do best! S4S is a 5K walk in downtown Houston, and all the money raised comes back to us! Annual Msgr. Braden Dinner Dance February 7, 2015 Our largest fundraising event of the year, this is a night full of entertainment for parents. Live music, dancing, live auctions, silent auctions, casino tables, dinner and the best part of the evening is dressing up in suits and dresses! Tickets sales will begin soon! Check the school website for more information! “Free Money” for SHCS There are multiple opportunities to raise funds for the school that we consider free money! Most of these programs are no cost to you but the combined effort of many truly makes a difference. Thank you for making a little extra effort to make your regular shopping benefit the School. Box Tops for Education Campbell’s Soup Labels My Coke-Cola Rewards Community Coffee Labels Tyson A+ for Education Labels SCRIP Gift Card Café Ham Sale Scentsy Sale Mixed Bag Sale Spirit Night @local restaurants Free Dress Week Passes Used Uniform Sale Target, Red Card

9. Getting Involved: Parent Organizations The involvement of our parents makes a huge difference to both SHCS students and faculty. H.S.A. is the volunteer command center for the school. There are many opportunities to get involved. Look for sign-ups at Parent/Student Orientation or contact your Room Parents. All parents are encouraged to participate. Don’t be shy! Getting Involved: Student Life Students are encouraged to participate in school and parish-sponsored youth organizations and clubs where they explore interests, develop leadership skills, and offer service to the community. Choir Club National Junior Honor Society Girl Scouts Geography Club Robotics Club Art Club Spanish Club Karate Spirit Squad by Dance Tree Quiz Bowl AFA Competitions Off Season Conditioning Camp …plus new clubs beginning Fall 2014!