This week, we had the joy of celebrating the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a beautiful reminder of his love for God’s creation and his spirit of humility and service. St. Francis’ example calls us to care for one another and the world around us with kindness and compassion.

October is also the month of the Holy Rosary, a special time for us to reflect on the life of Jesus and the role of the Blessed Mother in our faith. I encourage you to pray the Rosary with your family this month, asking for Mary’s guidance and protection as we journey together in faith.

In line with our focus on faith formation, I am excited to introduce our new monthly Faith and Enrichment Newsletter! This newsletter will highlight important aspects of our Catholic tradition, providing you with resources and reflections to deepen your family's spiritual life. To read the first issue this month, which features the Holy Rosary, please scroll to the bottom of the weekly bulletin.

Thank you for being a part of our school community. Let’s continue to support one another in faith, growth, and knowledge.

God bless,

Dr. Gonzalez

As we work to make St. John of God even better for our students, we’re starting our accreditation process with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This helps us reflect on our strengths and areas for growth. We need your help by completing the WASC Parent Survey. Your feedback is crucial in shaping the future of our school. The survey is available in English and Spanish, and responses are anonymous. Please take a moment to share your thoughts. Your input directly impacts our efforts to provide the best education and experience for our children. Thank you for your support!

Today our Student Council led an exciting student rally, where we introduced this year's theme: Superheroes! The Jog-A-Thon will run through to our main event on Friday, November 22nd. Throughout the next several weeks, students will be engaging in fun activities and fundraising efforts to support our school. We encourage all families to get involved and help make this year’s Jog-A-Thon a super success! Details and collection envelopes will go home on Monday, but mark your calendars and get ready to cheer on our little superheroes!

Our Christian Service Project is underway! From October 1st to October 11th, SJOG School will be collecting boxes of cereal and bags of rice for the Margaret Aylward Center, in support of the Sisters of the Holy Faith who founded our school. Let's come together as a community and make a difference for those in need. Students can bring donations directly to their teachers or the school office.

We are excited to invite you to our All Hallows Eve Family Carnival on Tuesday, October 31st! The name "All Hallows Eve" comes from the celebration of the Eve of All Saints' Day, a special time in our Catholic tradition where we honor all the saints, both known and unknown, who have faithfully served God. It’s a time for us to reflect on their holy lives and remember that we are all called to sainthood. In keeping with this spirit, we invite students to dress as a Saint or another religious figure to receive a Free Dress and Homework Pass! This event is a wonderful way for our school to come together and celebrate in a safe, fun, and faith-centered environment. Families are welcome to join in the fun, so bring your Halloween spirit and celebrate with us!

We are looking for parents to volunteer for yard supervision during lunch. Your help in ensuring our students have a safe and fun environment during these times is greatly appreciated. To volunteer, you must be VIRTUS trained and fingerprinted. If you are available to assist, please sign up for shifts using the sign up link below. Thank you for considering this opportunity to support our students and staff!

October Lunch Supervision Sign-Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E49A5A722A4F9C25-51889342-yard#/

Get ready for some fun with our Boo Grams! Starting October 1st through October 18th, students can purchase Boo Grams to send to friends, teachers, or anyone they'd like to surprise! Here's what we have to offer:

• $1 Boo Grams: Lollipop
• $2 Boo Grams: Mummy Gram Lollipop and Slap Bracelet
• $3 Boo Grams: Lollipop and Halloween Pop-it

All proceeds from the Boo Grams will go towards fundraising for the student Snow Day! Don't miss out on this chance to spread some Halloween cheer while supporting a great cause!

This is a friendly reminder that there are plenty of opportunities to earn your required service hours! One of the best ways to get involved is by volunteering at PTO events throughout the year. Your time and support are invaluable in helping us create memorable experiences for our students.

To sign up for available volunteer opportunities, please click the link below. We appreciate your commitment to our school community and look forward to working together at these upcoming events!

We are excited to remind you of our upcoming Pumpkin Patch Field Trip for Preschool through 2nd Grade students on October 9, 2024! The field trip will take place at the Irvine Park Railroad, located at 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange, CA 92869.

The cost for the trip is $25 per person (students and chaperones). Payments can be made in cash or by check in the school office. If you would prefer to have the payment added to your FACTS account, please contact the office to make arrangements. We look forward to a fun-filled day at the pumpkin patch!

We’re excited to invite you to be a part of our Trunk-or-Treat and All Hallows Eve celebration! This is a wonderful opportunity to create lasting memories for our children and foster a strong sense of community.

We would love your support through volunteering or donations to help make this event a spooktacular success! Whether you can decorate a trunk, hand out treats, or contribute goodies, every bit helps!

Let’s come together to make this celebration magical for our kids. Thank you for your support!