Welcome to our FOCE update page. It will be used throughout the year to share important information, links, updates, etc. Keep the link you used to get here handy - it will not change - we will simply update the below as needed.

See below and email Melanie at mwidelko@hsplc.org if you have any ideas for info. that should be included.

***Leadership Team will be updated soon! Several members had to step away for personal or job-related reasons. For now, please reach out to Jean, Melanie, or Natalie if you need anything.

Jean Pascale (prefers phone calls @ 330-770-1635)

Melanie Widelko (mwidelko@hsplc.org)

Natalie Fee (nctallstars@gmail.com)

End of the Year Mass & Picnic - May 31st

• Date/Location Change - Mass will be held at St. Camillus Church on Saturday, May 31st at 4PM to celebrate the end of the school year. We have two shelters at Pearson booked and will head there afterward for a picnic and play time, water balloons, etc. More details will be coming out soon!

Volunteer Hours

• Make sure you are getting your volunteer hours in to the online form! Some families are not receiving transportation checks because of lack of hours only because of not entering their vol. hours. We don't know if you've done hours if you don't let us know! Link is below to enter.

Bags & Brews Bingo - May 9th

• Kennedy Catholic's PTO has graciously offered to sponsor a Bags & Brews Bingo in support of FOCE here at our parish center. KC will provide all the needed supplies and will help us set up the event, but we still will need volunteers for food prep, setup, and the night of the event. Volunteer details coming soon.
• FOCE has donated a beautiful Michael Kors bag for the event to get us started. We are looking for around 9 more bags - think Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Fossil, Coach, etc. Please ask around to your contacts to see if anyone would be willing to donate a bag. Melanie's tip: visit the above named "outlet" websites or tab for deep discounts. If there's anyone who would donate a small LV or some other type of big name brand, that would be amazing - we could even have 3-4 people or organizations go together to get a big name bag.
• We are also looking to pair each bag with a more expensive bottle of liquor, but hold tight on that as we are looking into the rules of what we are allowed and not allowed to do at a fundraising event.

• Don't forget to sell your 5 May lottery tickets! These are great for Mother's Day or Easter cards - each ticket gives you TWO chances to win for every day of May.

• Our Share the Love Annual McDonald's Event will take place on Wed., April 30th. As always, FOCE decorates McDonald's the night before the event and works the outdoor collection for charity. Signups will be coming out soon!

• A message is out to the American Legion to determine the date and their needs for this year's Flag Swap. We will send out the details as soon as we have them! (We are guessing it will be May 17th, but waiting on the Legion to confirm.)
• If they still need us this year, we meet at the American Legion on Jefferson St. around 8:30/9AM, get our instructions, and then head to the Greenwood Cemetery to swap flags. We normally finish around 11/11:30AM. We are always advised to wear long pants and shoes that can get wet/dirty/muddy.

• As school winds down, be sure to get your child's teacher and/or principal to sign off on the behavior form located in the scholarship packet. Please make sure you have followed your school's instructions for applying for financial aid as some of the deadlines are fast approaching. Remember that Holy Spirit Scholarship is due on July 15th at the parish office.

This is a growing list, and of course, subject to change! We will soon be adding any of the dates that are TBD along with a list of Parish fundraisers that you can get volunteer hours at.

Updated: 03/21/25

If you are newer to the group or still unaware of our move to a scholarship format for the 2025-2026 school year, please make sure to reach out to Jean Pascale for clarification asap. A fillable copy of the scholarship form that you can use throughout this school year to prep for July of 2025 was sent to the group via email.

***The scholarship format DOES NOT affect this current school year's funding, but if you do not participate in FOCE this school year, you run the risk of not receiving this year's transportation reimbursements AND being approved for any scholarship aid for 2025-2026.

These cards are simply to throw on your fridge to help you track your Mass attendance - they are not mandatory to use and do not need to be turned in to the collection basket. Just note that you will need to honestly answer the Mass Attendance question in the scholarship application for 25-26 and that question will apply to this school year's attendance. I've attached a copy - if you need a hard copy, please email Melanie at mwidelko@hsplc.org.

Melanie has recently spoken with the Transit. Nothing will change this year as far as stops, cost, timing, etc. However, a big change is that we no longer will sanction a bus monitor program. You are welcome to ride as a customer to look after your own child but are not permitted to reprimand any of the children, make seating arrangement changes, etc. All behavior issues will be handled by the Transit and drivers. Any concerns should be forwarded to them at 724-658-3381. Ask for Mark.

The Transit has explicitly stated that due to last year's behavior issues which became a safety hazard...this year, after appropriate warnings are given, the entire route will be suspended as opposed to one or two children. They will suspend service for a week or two. If behavior continues and further warnings are given, they will suspend service for a month, and after that time, if issues continue, they will suspend the route indefinitely. While we aren't going to have monitors this year, Melanie has agreed to jump on just to observe any issues the Transit might be facing from time to time to try to offer them some support/advice in the hopes they do not suspend service.

***Update 1/2025: The year has went incredibly well as far as the Transit goes. We haven't heard of any drama or behavior issues!

• The NC Transit adjusts for early dismissals, snow days, half days, etc.
• Cost to ride is $2.00 one way. Must have exact change.
• Ticket books can be bought from the driver for $20 - exact change only.
• Ticket books can also be purchased from the Transit hub in Mahoningtown or purchased online. Credit cards accepted at the hub and online.
• The Transit records video and audio at all times inside and outside the bus. Tapes will be pulled whenever there are issues.
• All behavior concerns should be addressed with the Transit.
• The Transit cannot, by law, refuse a general customer that wishes to ride. We do, from time to time, have members of the public that ride during the Kennedy route.
• The Transit will transport elementary students from SJPII to the High School for free as a courtesy as long as they are getting off at the High School.
• Our FOCE parents with Transit riders have been wonderful about looking out for one another. We use the TeamReach App for Transit Riders (see below for details). Various parents GPS track their children and offer updates about when the bus leaves Hermitage, etc. Let's make sure to keep the Transit TeamReach as a place for updates, reminders, and pertinent info. that will benefit all. Please use the app sparingly and wisely. Any grievances with behavior, complaints, etc. should be aired with the Transit and not directly with the family on our app.

Transit Hub

311 Mahoning Avenue
New Castle, PA 16102
(724) 654-3130

We use this app to keep connected. We have two TeamReaches, one for the NC Transit riders and one for the general FOCE group. The app is great for a quick method of communication - please just make sure when replying to a post, comment on that particular post. Use the private messaging feature when appropriate, and make sure you can see the calendar tab.

FOCE Parent Group in TeamReach app. Instructions: Install TeamReach on iPhone : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/teamreach-team-management/id1101253705 Install TeamReach on Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teamreach.app Enter code: foce23

FOCE NC Transit in TeamReach app. Instructions: Install TeamReach on iPhone : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/teamreach-team-management/id1101253705 Install TeamReach on Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teamreach.app Enter code: NCTransit

To receive your transportation reimbursement (whether you transport by car or bus), you MUST fill out the below form. We recommend that you get in the habit of doing this once a week. Forms will be processed once a month and be turned in to Parish Accounting on the 15th of the month. We aim to have checks mailed out to families the following week. Natalie Fee is wonderful about sending out reminders, but will not be able to hold processing for those that don't respond. If you don't make the deadline each month, your reimbursement will be held over until the next processing date.

#1 This year's transportation reimbursements will be stopped eventually if you are not participating in FOCE requirements. Use the online form button below for this tracking.

#2 Volunteering is part of the upcoming scholarship application. You should track your hours on that application throughout the year so that you are ready to apply next summer.