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"A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love." -Saint Basil
FYI… hand washing may be the single most important act that you and your child have for disease prevention. Please get your child into the habit of washing her hands often and thoroughly. All day long, your child is exposed to bacteria and viruses—when touching a playmate, sharing toys, or petting the cat/dog. Once her hands pick up these germs, she can quickly infect herself by: rubbing her eyes, touching her nose, and placing her fingers in her mouth. The whole process can happen in seconds, and cause an infection that can last for days, weeks, or even longer.
Hand washing can stop the spread of infection. The key is to encourage your child to wash her hands throughout the day. For example, help her or remind her to wash her hands: before eating (including snacks), after a trip to the bathroom and using the toilet, whenever she comes in from playing outdoors, after touching an animal like a family pet, after sneezing or coughing if she covers her mouth, and when someone in the household is ill – vomiting and/or has diarrhea.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following steps:- Wet - your child’s hands.
- Lather - apply soap to the hands
- Scrub - rub the hands vigorously. Scrub all over for 15 to 20 seconds to remove germs.
- Rinse – make sure you rinse hands completely.
- Dry – pat the hands dry.
Regular use of soap and water is better than using waterless (and often alcohol-based) soaps, gels, rinses, and hand rubs when your child’s hands are visibly dirty. However, when you are in the car, or there is no available sink and water, hand rubs can be a useful alternative.
How Long to Wash??? Please, keep in mind that although 15 to 20 seconds of hand washing sounds like an instant, it is much longer than you think. Try this song, but please don’t rush the singing!!!
The Hand Washing Song…for 15 to 20 seconds
(To the tune of Frere Jacques)
Top and bottom, top and bottom.
In between, in between.
Scrubbing, scrubbing, scrubbing.
Now they’re clean, now they’re clean.
STEPS4STUDENTS
Come join in on our fun and help raise money for Catholic Education! Please mark your calendars for the following STM’s events to support...Wednesday, December 4 …register with steps4students and have your photo with Santa at school...see below:
Friday, December 13…BINGO
Saturday, January 18…Chili Cook-Off
Wednesday, February 5…Fun-a-thon at school
St. Thomas More is having surprise visitors on Wednesday, December 4. We will be celebrating an early St. Nicholas’ Day...with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
This is also our first call for you to join Steps for Students!!! $25.00 will sign your child up for STEPS (see below), a free STEPS t-shirt and a 4x6 picture of your child with Santa.
It's time to lace up your sneakers and prepare to run/walk! We are celebrating fifteen years of raising awareness and support for Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston on Saturday, February 15, 2020 at the 15th Annual Steps for Students 5K Run/Walk. We had an amazing race last year with over 10,000 people joining us to walk/run and cheer, all to benefit Catholic education!
PLEASE, Return order form by Monday, December 2, 2019. Check payable to St. Thomas More, and please write “Steps for Students” in the memo section on the check.
Parent’s Name:____________________________________
Student’s Name (Please PRINT): _________________________________
Student’s Home Room: ________________
T-shirt size: _______________________
Amount of check ________
OCTOBER IS FIRE SAFETY MONTH
Unfortunately, many children will try to hide from a fire, often in a closet, under a bed, or in a corner. By teaching them basic fire safety facts, they'll be better able to protect themselves.
Fires spread quickly. Most fire-related deaths are not from smoke inhalation – not burns.
Dangerous fumes can overcome a person in just a few minutes.
Cover your mouths and noses with a moist towel or an article of clothing to keep out dangerous fumes while evacuating.
Crawl under the smoke to safety, staying as low to the ground as possible (smoke always rises).
Touch any door (not the doorknob) to see if it is hot, and if it is, not to open it — find another exit.
Locate the nearest stairway marked "Fire Exit" if they live in an apartment building.
Avoid elevators during a fire.
Never stop to take personal belongings or pets or to make a phone call (even to 911).
Never go back into a burning building once safely outside.
Stop, drop, and roll to put out flames if an article of clothing catches fire.
Children have fire drills at school and adults have them at work. Fires are frightening and can cause panic. By rehearsing different situations, your family will be better prepared in the event of a fire at home. Be sure to plan escape routes, especially in case a fire were to happen at night.
Plan possible exits for each room in your house. Think of two escape routes from each room, in case one is blocked by fire. Check the room to make sure that furniture and other objects are not blocking doorways or windows.
Be sure to know the locations of the closest stairwells or fire escapes and where they lead.
Practice the escape routes for each room.
Decide on a safe meeting place outside your house or apartment building.
Test your plan to see if everyone can be out of the house and at the safe meeting place within 3 minutes. Make sure your babysitters know the plan too.
INFO is from KidsHealth
SUMMER READING 2019
please bring your "Assignment- Book Report" with you on the first day of school,
Monday, August 19, 2019Entering Pre-Kingergarten3 (we encourage you to read as many as possible)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Chica Chica Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney
The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
Assignment: Please pick one story and draw a picture of your favorite part...with your parent's help!Entering Pre-Kindergarten4(we encourage you to read as many as possible)
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Lucilee Colandro
A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
Any version of the Gingerbread Man/Boy
One nonfiction book of your choice about Dinosaurs
One nonfiction book of your choice about Space
Assignment: Please pick one story and draw a picture of your favorite part...with your parent's help!Entering Kindergarten
Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss
Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
*One non-fiction book of your choice about animals
Legend of the Pretzel
The pretzel, made only from flour, water, and salt…reminds us that – long ago during Lent, people fasted from milk, butter, eggs, cheese, cream, and meat. So, they made small breads, we call pretzels. They shaped them in the form of arms crossed in prayer. Pretzels are served during this season as a reminder that Lent is a time for special prayer, as well as a time for fasting.
The Lent Song (Tune of “Frere Jacques”)
Prayer, Fasting, and Sharing, - Hands folded in prayer, hand on tummy, outstretched hands
We are meant, to repent. - Knock on heart 3 times
40 days of sacrifice, - One hand with 4 fingers up, one hand in shape of zero
Being super, extra nice, - J Bend arms at elbows and swing back and forth
This is Lent. This is Lent. - Right hand out like holding a tray, then same with left.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49iO6vRqwkk
Resurrection Eggs ….
Egg Number 1
Message: Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people waved palm branches.
Passage: Matthew 21:1-11.
Item: A small plastic leaf or a piece of a palm branch or a blade of grass.
Egg Number 2
Message: Mary poured expensive perfume on Jesus' feet.
Passage: John 12:2-8.
Item: Cotton ball with perfume on it.
Egg Number 3
Message: Jesus ate the Last Supper with His disciples.
Passage: Matthew 26:17-19.
Item: A small piece of cracker to represent the passover bread.
Egg Number 4
Message: Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
Passage: Matthew 27:3.
Item: Three dimes
Egg Number 5
Message: Jesus carried His cross.
Passage: John 19:17.
Item: A toothpick that is cut and glued in the form of a cross.
Egg Number 6
Message: Soldiers placed a crown of thorns on Jesus' head.
Passage: John 19:2.
Item: A small thorny branch or a single large thorn (a toothpick would work too)
Egg Number 7
Message: Soldiers parted Jesus' garments and cast lots for His coat.
Passage: John 19:23.
Item: Miniature dice
Egg Number 8
Message: Jesus was nailed to a cross and pierced in His side.
Passage: John 19:18,37 and John 20:25-29.
Item: A nail or push pin
Egg Number 9
Message: They gave Jesus vinegar mixed with gall on a sponge to drink.
Passage: Matthew 27:34.
Item: A q-tip
Egg Number 10
Message: Spices to prepare Jesus for burial.
Passage: John 19:40.
Item: a few whole cloves or other whole spices.
Egg Number 11
Message: The stone covering Jesus' tomb was rolled away.
Passage: John 20:1.
Item: A small rock.
Egg Number 12
Message: The tomb is empty. He has risen!
Passage: Luke 24:6.
Item: Nothing
The Meaning of the Candy Cane
Many years ago a candy maker wanted to make a candy that would symbolize the true meaning of Christmas – Jesus.
The hard candy was shaped like a “J” to represent that Jesus is our rock of all ages.
The candy was made of white to stand for the pureness of Jesus. The red represents the blood that Jesus shed to save us from our sins.
So the next time you see a candy cane take a minute to remember the real meaning of Christmas.
This is just a reminder of STM’s policy to ensure the health of our students:
To ensure the health and safety of all students…students who exhibit vomiting, diarrhea, or a fever ≥ 100, must be excluded from school. We will give you a call if your child needs to be picked up from school. If you are unable to leave work, please have a back-up family member or friend that you may call upon to pick up your child that is ill…thank you.
Regarding admittance back in school:
Free of fever (<100) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Common trade names of products containing these medications include, but are not limited to Tylenol, Motrin and Advil. All aspirin-containing products should be avoided.
Your child is eating food and drinking liquids and able to tolerate them for at least 24 hours without vomiting and/or diarrhea, and without the use of medication to relieve symptoms.
Students diagnosed with a contagious illness that is being treated with prescription medication, must complete a minimum of 24 hours of the prescribed medication dosage prior to returning to school.
A DOCTOR’S NOTE DOES NOT SUPERSEDE THE “24 HOUR RULE”.
Those students who have special health needs such as food allergies or asthma, or who require medications to be stored on campus should print off the permission form and take with you to your doctor's appointment for signature.
Please keep in mind that the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston requires a MD/NP/PA signature for all medications, even over the counter medications if they will be given at school.
Just a reminder, we are a FoodSafe Campus and do not allow food items in the classroom that are not provided by STM school. Please review the information on birthday and classroom celebrations in your STM Family Handbook for approved items and guidelines.
Your child’s health and safety are of primary importance to us! Thank you for complying with these guidelines to ensure the health of our entire STM community!
OCTOBER IS FIRE SAFETY MONTHHouston Fire Department – Station #82 Fire Truck and four firefighters visited the children for October’s Fire Safety Month. The firemen had a short presentation showing off their equipment and told them the truck carried over 500 gallons of water on it. Then the rookie fireman put on his gear so the children won’t be afraid if they see a fireman all dressed out and finally all the children were allowed to walk around the fire truck and see all the tools stored on the fire truck including a thousand foot hose. Please speak to your children about a fire escape plan in your own home. We have fire drills at school but the Fire Captain said it was very important that families discuss their escape routes and have home practice drills in their homes. Please also remember to change your batteries in your smoke alarms yearly.
Helpful safety tips and information from the City of Houston’s Fire Department - babysitting guides to cooking and holiday safety:
http://www.houstontx.gov/fire/safety/safetytips.html
A very informative fire safety video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiIGMWRKfQI
Stop, Drop, Roll video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUdxOmHgeZ4
Is your child getting enough sleep???
Research shows that preschoolers need 10-13 hours of sleep every night to help them grow, stay healthy and do well in school.
Have your child stick to a nightly bedtime routine. Take a bath, brush teeth, put out the next day's clothing, listen to a story are a few suggestions but do this regularly - make it your night time routine. Also, research shows that watching TV or playing video games close to bedtime can get kids wound up and keep them from sleeping. Turn off all electronics at least an hour before bedtime. Finally, encourage the rest of the family to read or do other quiet activities after you tell your young child goodnight....this will make it an easier time for all going to bed and staying there...especially if they think everyone else is having fun while you have to go to bed!
JUST PLAYING…
When I am building in the block area, please don’t say I’m just playing. For you see, I’m learning as I play about balance and shapes. Who knows, I may be an architect someday!
When I’m playing kitchen or caring for babies, don’t get the idea I’m just playing. For, you see, I’m learning as I play. I may be a parent someday!
When you see me up to my elbows in paint, or standing at an easel, or molding and shaping clay, please don’t say I’m just playing. For, you see, I’m learning as I play and I may be a teacher someday!
When you ask me what I’ve done at school today, and I say, “I just played”, please don’t misunderstand me. For, you see,I’m learning as I play!