Calendar Reminders
Dec. 4-7 - Scholastic Book Fair
Dec. 6 - Bishop's Golf Classic, PGA West; Student Council hot Cheetos sale
Dec. 7 - Minimum Day, 12 Noon Dismissal, Faculty Meeting
Dec. 7 - 7th & 8th Christmas Dance
Dec. 8 - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Solemnity
Dec. 12 - Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Dec. 14 - Preschool Christmas Program, 9:00 am; Cocoa with Santa, after school
Dec. 14 - Advent Penitential Service, 7:00 pm in the church
Dec. 17 - 2nd Grade Caroling at Indio Senior Center
Dec. 20 - OLPH Las Posadas program, 7:00 pm
Dec. 21 - Minimum Day, 12:00 Noon Dismissal, No Extended Care
Dec. 24-Jan. 4 - Christmas Vacation
Jan. 7- School Resumes
Mother/Son Dance
Thank you to all who attended our first annual Mother/Son Dance. It was a very nice and fun evening filled with excitement. Everyone looked sharp and beautiful. Thank you to our committee for organizing and executing this special event! You are awesome! Mrs. Daniela Saenz, Mrs. Nydia Santos, Mrs. Gretchen Diaz, Mr. Justin Berzon, Mrs. Valerie Bowman and Mrs. Celina Jimenez
First Trimester Awards
Congratulations to all our students who received an award at our First Trimester Awards Assembly. OLPH Faculty and Staff are very proud of your achievements!
Academic Achievement Award
First Grade: Amauri Arambula, Arabella Sofia Cordero, Thomas Fair, Sandra Kreps, Noah McDonnell, Luke Meraz, Mason Meraz, Mya Nieto, Jayden Ninh, Giuliana Perez, Lilyana Rodriguez, Vyktoria Romero
Second Grade: Anya Borquez, Axel Castro, Isabelle Fair, Levy Marquez, David Salas
Second Grade: Ariana Chaparro, Maya Espinoza, Emilio Guerrero, Isabella Ham, Alyssa Mendoza
Academic Honor Roll
Third Grade: Itzabella Angulo, Miguel Barraza, Brock Domingos, Rebekah Fierro, Cristiano Mendez, Lillyen Morales, Jojo Ninh, Erick Oceguera, Isaiah Pinedo, Sebastian Rodriguez, Uriel Rubio, Teagan Steiger, Jacob Lopez
Fourth Grade: Quinn Crousillac, Juan De La Torre, Brandon Domingo, Isabella Guzman, Victoria Orduno, Veronika Romero, Brianna Vargas
Fifth Grade: Emma Aguilar, Daniela Castro, Isabella Duarte, Elizabeth Pinedo, Viviana Terriquez
Sixth Grade: Miranda Aguirre, Adah Burgen, Avery Crousillac, Daniella Bell, Alexis Domingo, Nicolas Magana, Lananh Ninh, Clint Rarela, Camilla Regalado, Isabella Saenz, Paola Rodriguez, Vianca Terriquez, Rachael Vu
Seventh Grade: Vanessa Castro, Nicademus Flores, Andrew Gonzalez, Sebastian Huerta, Maria Montanez, Daniel Reed, Nevaeh Robles, Joshua Sanchez
Eighth Grade: Gladys Armenta, Jillian Brown, Isabella Reed, Anna Maria Rivera, Ivan Sanchez, Victoria Terriquez
Language Arts Award
Kindergarten: Kristi Berzon, Benjamin Ortiz, Ethan Phan, Monica Pinedo
Consistent Effort Award
Kindergarten: Evelyn Aguilar, Klara Kason, Alan Lozano
First Grade: Aaron Gonzalez, Halen McDonnell, Janelle Serna
Second Grade: Ethan Aguilar, Aaron Berzon, Emily Gonzalez, Jeremiah Padilla, Isabella Valenzuela
Second Grade: Julian, Farias, Maxamus Martinez, Noel Edgar Ortiz, Emry Salazar
Third Grade: Briza Gonzalez, Emily Maldonado
Fourth Grade: Kathleen Gonzalez, Natalia Hoyle, Zoe Lerma
Fifth Grade: Frida Andrade, Andrew Davila, Isaiah Fierro, Isabella King, Sophia Maloy, Emma Mendez, Lucas Sear, Samara Serafini, Liam Steiger, Jayden Zendejas
Sixth Grade: Isabella Rose Diaz, Alexia Garcia, Nathanael Hoyle, Arayah Robles, Owen Domingos, Matthew Martinez
Seventh Grade: Haley Maloy, Jacqueline Miller, Tanya Mujica, Alejandro Salomon, Kaleb Wuertz
Eighth Grade: Jordan Aguilar, Cianna Saenz
Accelerated Reader Award
First Grade: Amauri Arambula, Aaron Gonzalez, Thomas Fair, Vyktoria Romero,
Second Grade: Aaron Berzon, Anya Borquez, Axel Castro, Joan Andres De La Torre, Isabelle Fair, Levy Marquez, Jeremiah Padilla, Omar Rodriguez, David Salas
Second Grade: Ariana Chaparro, Maya Espinoza, Isabella Ham, Alyssa Mendoza, Noel Ortiz, Emry Salazar
Fourth Grade: Quinn Crousillac, Zoe Lerma, Victoria Orduno
Fifth Grade: Daisy Castro, Daniela Castro, Guillermo Delgado, Victor Farias, Isaiah Fierro, Sophia Maloy, Elizabeth Pinedo, Liam Steiger, Jayden Zendejas,
Sixth Grade: Daniella Bell, Avery Crousillac, Isabella Rose Diaz, Alexis Domingo, Lananh Ninh, Camilla Regalado, Arayah Robles, Vianca Terriquez,
Seventh Grade: Vanessa Castro, Nicademus Flores, Andrew Gonzalez, Sebastian Huerta, Haley Maloy, Jacqueline Miller, Maria Montanez, Tanya Mujica, Daniel Reed, Alejandro Salomon, Kaleb Wuertz
Eighth Grade: Jordan Aguilar, Gladys Armenta, Isabella Reed, Victoria Terriquez
Student of the Month
Kindergarten: Aalaynahh Yerena
First Grade: Mya Nieto, Sandra Kreps
Second Grade: Axel Castro, Emry Salazar
Third Grade: Cristiano Mendez
Fourth Grade: Victoria Orduno
Fifth Grade: Liam Steiger, Samara Serafini
Sixth Grade: Isabella Rose Diaz, Julian Angulo
Seventh Grade: Haley Maloy
Eighth Grade: Richard Rivas
Physical Education: Faith Escobar, Jeremiah Padilla, Juan De La Torre, Frida Andrade
Computer Studies: Ty Meraz, Ethan Aguilar, Aaron Hernandez, Brissa Barrera
Advent
Advent is a season of preparation. In Advent, we thank God for Christ's first coming, prepare for his final coming at the end of time, and celebrate Christ's presence among us today through the Spirit. God loved us and wanted to share that love. But his existence isn't well-suited for a god; it's too broken, evil, painful, unjust. So, to rescue the created world from this evil, God chose to come here and walk the earth, to grow up, to live the truth, and to die. The only way to start such a thing is as a baby, and the only way to be a baby is to be born. Hence Christmas. Because Christmas is centered in the new hope brought by a baby, it's a very child-oriented holiday. Because Advent leads us up to that baby, Advent is also child-oriented.
We invite all families to share in the Spirit of Christmas with one another by sharing and reflecting in the Season of Advent. Remember, Advent is a preparation, and the best way to start preparing is with a thankful heart.
Advent Table Prayer Before Meals
Leader: Come, Lord Jesus!
All: Come quickly!
Leader: Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation, in the darkness and in the light. Blessed are you in this food and in our sharing. Blessed are you as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Advent Penitential Service
During the Season of Advent, Catholic churches throughout the valley have penance services. We invite you to take part in one of the services offered. All Advent Penitential Services begin at 7:00 pm. Here are a few to note.
December 5 - St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Desert Hot Springs; St. Theresa, Palm Springs
December 13 - Sacred Heart, Palm Desert
December 14 - Our Lady of Perpetual Help
December 18 - Our Lady of Soledad
"This Advent make yourself small, make yourself humble, make yourself a servant and the Lord will give you the ability to understand how to make peace."- Pope Francis
Scholastic Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair has arrived! Students can purchase books for their reading pleasure. The Book Fair is on the 2nd floor of the building and will be available to families after school this week (12-4 to 12-7) until 4:00 pm. Thank you to Mrs. Shepherd and the 8th grade students for their leadership in preparing for this event. Happy Reading!
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12
Next Wednesday December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We will have a prayer service at 9:00 am at the school. All are welcome to attend. Students may bring flowers in honor of our Blessed Mother. Please read the beautiful story of Our Lady of Guadalupe below and share this with your child/ren.
The following is the parish schedule for the Feast Our Lady of Guadalupe.
December 12: 4:00 am Mananitas, 5:00 am Bilingual Mass, 7:00 pm Spanish Mass
Las Posadas
OLPH Faculty and Staff are very excited to have an all school Las Posadas on Thursday December 20. This program will begin at 7:00 pm at the school and end inside the parish center. All are welcome to join us in this prayerful journey of the Birth of Christ. Please refer to the letter that was sent to families if you have any questions or would like to help in any way possible.
Sports Fundraiser
Cool Weather
Just a friendly reminder to label your child's sweater, jackets, uniforms, etc. We are now in our winter months where extra clothing is necessary to keep warm. On occasion, students do misplace their items or forget to take them home and many do not have names. We will do our part to remind students to take home their belongings, but sometimes this does not always happen. With the change in the weather it is important to have the appropriate school uniform, especially sweaters or jackets and their items with names. Please stop by the office if your child is missing an item. There are quite a few sweaters, jackets, etc. in the school office. Thank you for your cooperation.
Annual Financial Report
Every November, the school and parish annual financial report is placed in the OLPH Parish bulletin. In case, you did not have a chance to view the school's report, it is posted here for you.
Box Tops for Education
Our Lady of Perpetual Help School is collecting Box Tops for Education. This is a great way to support the school by sending in the box tops. Many stores where you shop are part of the Box Tops for Education program and will donate a percentage of your online purchase to the school. Many thanks to all who are participating by turning in these box tops. Last year, we received over $300. Let's see if we can exceed this. Every bit helps! Thank you also to Mrs. Bowman who volunteered to chair this program.
Reminders...
*Begin your morning with prayer.
*Read everyday to your child.
*Make quality time for your children and family.
*Take the time to communicate often with your child's teacher.
*Be courteous in the parking lot. Follow the guidelines of the Bliss Ave parking lot and the staff parking lot. Be patient and observant of others.
*Remind your child to dress in correct uniform.
Catholic Calendar
Feast of Immaculate Conception
December 8
A feast called the Conception of Mary arose in the Eastern Church in the seventh century. It came to the West in the eighth century. In the 11th century it received its present name, the Immaculate Conception. In the 18th century, it became a feast of the universal Church.
In 1854, Pius (IX solemnly proclaimed: "The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin."
It took a long time for this doctrine to develop. While many Fathers and Doctors of the Church considered Mary the greatest and holiest of the saints, they often had difficulty in seeing Mary as sinless-either at her conception or throughout her life. This is one of the Church teachings that arose more from the piety of the faithful than from the insights of brilliant theologians. Even such champions of Mary as Bernard and Thomas Aquinas could not see theological justification for this teaching.
Two Franciscans, William of Ware and Blessed John Duns Scotus, helped develop the theology. They point out that Mary's Immaculate Conception enhances Jesus' redemptive work. Other members of the human race are cleansed from original sin after birth. In Mary, Jesus' work was so powerful as to prevent original sin at the outset. --from americancatholic.org
What's Your Catholic IQ?
Last Question
On Sunday, the Lord's Day, all Catholics are supposed to
a. go to Mass.
New Question
The wise men did not return to King Herod to tell him where the newborn king was because
a. they were warned in a dream and went home another way.
b. Jesus told them not to.
c. Mary was suspicious of Herod.
d. their camels were too tired.
See answer in next bulletin!
Prayer Corner
Please pray for:
* Pope Francis
*Bishop Gerald Barnes, Father Alex Gamino and all religious clergy
*Faculty, Staff, students and families of OLPH School
*For violence and injustice
*For peace among nations
Our Lady of Perpetual Help pray for us and bless our school