PLEASE READ "THE CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM ABUSE PARENT INFORMATION" SEGMENT BELOW

Read the News Flash!
Go to the Principal's Office page for quick news, reminders and important dates!

Our Spartans have Talent!
Share your talents! The Annual St. Alphonsus Talent Show is here again! Please see the following flyer for more details about Try-Outs.

Learn to Dance!
St. Alphonsus will be offering Dance Classes starting Friday, March 12th. At only $5 per month, your child will have the oppurtunity to learn various styles of dance, get fit and have fun. Please see the flyer for further details.

Don't Miss Out on a Trip to Stateline!
St. Alphonsus offers three opportunities for a little getway to Stateline:

• March 20th
• April 24th

Enjoy food and fun at three casinos. Free $15 buffet voucher with your paid ticket. All tickets must be paid in advanced. Please call St. Alphonsus to order your tickets only. To reserve your spot and/or for information, please call one of our coordinators listed under the flyer. Available in English and in Spanish.

Weekly Tutoring Begins in the New Year!
St. Alphonsus now offers individual after-school tutoring for Math, English and Study Skills for grades 3rd through 8th with Ms. Gaetos. Tutoring meets every Wednesday from 1:30pm to 2:30pm, except for the the last Wednesday of each month. 

If you would like your child to have a little extra assistance in their Math, English and Study Skills, please fill out this form and return to Ms. Gaetos in the Computer Lab.

Please note: all money must be given to the school office and all checks written to St. Alphonsus School, not Ms. Gaetos. Also, please make sure your child has a healthy lunch to eat before tutoring begins.

Learn the Art of Origami!
St. Alphonsus now offers a monthly after-school art enrichment class. Origami is the ancient Japanese art of folding paper. Not only has it been used to decorate homes, it is a fun way to help with math skills (namely geometry) as well as aid students focus and follow directions.

The class is $5 per student to help with supplies. Class meets at the last Wednesday of each month with Ms. Gaetos at the Computer Lab from 1:30pm to 3:00pm. Please make sure your child has a healthy lunch to eat before class begins.

Our next meeting will be March 31st. Please print, fill out and return this form to Ms. Gaetos if you are interested.

New Safeguard the Children Guidelines
In the spirit of keeping our children's safety top priority, Safeguard and St. Alphonsus School have new guidelines and procedures for dismissal. The form to be downloaded, filled and returned can be found by clicking here.

Homework Helpers!
In our effort to live out our New Mission to ensure every child's success, we are continuing an awesome FREE program!
Please download, print, fill-out and sign the Homework Helpers Form, if you are interested.

We Need Volunteers!
Traffic Duty before and after school.
Please download, print and sign the Traffic Duty Volunteer Form if you are interested.

Bingo
Click here to view the Bingo Guidelines

SERVICE HOURS OPPORTUNITIES

Dear Parents:

Following is a list of ways WE OFFER YOU to become INVOLVED in YOUR CHILD'S EDUCATION. We NEED you and hope you will find a place where you can use your talents to help your child.

To ensure a smooth running school, there is a:

• 15 HOUR service requirement per year.
• FOUR HOURS MUST BE EARNED from WORKING/DONATING for YOUR CHILD’S PARISH/SCHOOL MASS & BREAKFAST
• TWO HOURS MUST BE EARNED from:
• RECRUITMENT, RUMMAGE SALE & VALENTINE’S DANCE.

All the opportunities listed below are ways to earn the remaining hours.

There is a $10.00 per hour charge for all non-worked hours. However, we don't want your money— WE WANT YOUR HELP! Our hope is that you will enjoy using your talents and decide to go BEYOND those 15 hours to help all of our students become the best they can be.

Please read the list and the job descriptions and then return the last sheet to us marked with your name, your child’s name and grade and how you would like to become involved INCLUDING DAYS OR DATES OR MONTH AND/OR TIMES

May the United Hearts of Jesus and Mary bless you.

Mrs. Kathleen Hughes

Principal

Please download, print, fill-out & sign the SERVICE HOURS FORM if you are interested.
PDF FIle (Right-click to download)

St. Alphonsus parents are:

Faith-filled, Life-long Catholics

• Attend their child's annual Parish/School Mass & participate in the Breakfast.
• Attend all mandated parent meetings or classes for First Holy Communion. Classes begin in First Grade.
• Regularly take their children to receive the sacraments: Eucharist and Reconciliation.

Involved Academic Advocates

• Attend Back to School Night in September and Parent/Teacher Conferences in December.
• Review with your child Progress Reports & Report Cards; sign and return as soon as possible.
• Review graded work and tests, projects; sign and return as needed on a weekly basis.
• Review daily homework and give assistance and check the website for homework as needed.

Clear Communicators

• Remove, Read, Sign and Return all information as requested from the WEEKLY WEDNESDAY ENVELOPE & Sign off on the Envelope.
• Contact the principal, teachers or the office staff as soon as possible if you have an unresolved concern, question or complaint…. The school can resolve issues only if we are aware of them.

Productive Participants of Service

• Complete 15 service hours (4 from the Parish School Breakfast & 4 from the May Fundraiser- must  sign up for May hours by January 30. Each Missed May Fundraiser Service hour is $50.00.
• Get a SERVICE HOUR SLIP DOCUMENTING SERVICE & TURN IT IN.
• PARISH FIESTA- HOURS- Sign up for 8 hours and work them the WEEKEND OF OCTOBER 10-12.
(Or have 18 year or older representative work). SELL FIESTA TICKETS AND TURN IN OCT. 2nd.
• Complete 4 assigned Bingos or Buy-out $225.00 (or have 18 year or older rep. work) following Guidelines. Each unexcused missed Bingo is $175.00.

Responsible Financial Partners

• Set up Tuition through FACTS (Delinquent accounts result in attendance suspension).
• Pay the Book Fee by September 26th (After 9/28 fee is put on monthly FACTS account).
• Participate in mandatory fundraisers & turn in on time or BUY-OUT. 
• Fundraisers and schedules change annually.  

Parent Information

Respect as a Guide
The value of respect is a very basic part of our families.  This value can assist us in many ways.  Respect can serve us as a guide in helping us maintain the dignity of our children and our families.

It is important to recognize that respect pertains to all the family (including children and adults).  Children should be taught that respect also means taking care of yourself from persons and/or things that can be dangerous or may hurt you.  At the same time, children should also understand the importance of treating others with the same care and respect. 

What I should know as a Parent:

1. Sexual abuse occurs when a child is tricked or made to believe that it is acceptable to participate in sexual activities (not appropriate for the child) by an adult or anyone more than 4 years older than the child.  It can include touching, exposure, oral or direct genital sexual activities.
2. 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 8 boys will be sexually abused before reaching the age of 18.
3. The majority of persons who molest children (over 80%) are someone known to the child or a family member.
4. It is rare that a child will tell an untruthful story about a sexual abuse incident.  It is important to believe the child because it is not their fantasy or imagination.
5. The child or the non-abusing parent is never to blame for a sexual abuse incident.  The abuser is always to blame.

1. Talk clearly and directly with your children about themselves (their health, hygiene) and the development of themselves physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.  Answer all their questions and be sure that you give them the current information.  Parents, who spend time with their children and treat them respectfully, have children who feel comfortable going to them when they need help, have a problem or a question.
2. Talk to your children about the appropriate limits of who can bathe, play with, dress or touch them.
3. Always be aware and careful as to who takes care of, spends time or plays with your children.
4. Help your children understand and use their feelings as a guide.
5. Try, in your reactions, to be more supportive and understanding of your children’s “mistakes” as it is part of the learning process.

What should my children know?

1. Children need to know that they can resist actions by other persons if those actions are disrespectful to them.
2. Children should be taught that any type of warmth of affection should always be given with respect.  This affection is no longer good for them if it makes them feel bad, confused, or if they have to keep it a secret.
3. If this even happens, children should know to go immediately to someone they trust.

Symptoms of Sexual Abuse: (Physical Indicators):

1. Complaints of pain in their private parts (example pain in urinating, sitting, walking)
2. Venereal Disease
3. Offensive odors from the genital area (private parts)

Behavioral Indicators:

1. Overly clinging to an adult or extremely aggressive behavior.
2. Social withdrawal or difficulty concentrating.
3. Difficulty sleeping and/or always tired.
4. Complaints of feeling bad without and explanation.
5. Extreme change in appetite.
6. Extreme fear of being with a particular person, in a particular room or place.
7. A child that returns to urinating in his pants and/or acts, talks several years younger than his actual age.
8. Consistent bad mood, irritability or nervousness.
9. Constant nightmares, extreme fear of sleeping alone or extreme fear of a particular image or symbol.

Myth:  Children are most often abused by strangers.
Fact:    85% of the abuse against children is committed by someone known to the child, often a
             relative or a friend of the family.

Myth:  Child sexual abuse is often an isolated incident; it only happens once.
Fact:    Once a child is abused, incidents often occur repeatedly, especially if the offender is known to the child or other family
member.

Myth:  Child sexual abuse happens suddenly or “out of the blue.”
Fact:    Child sexual abuse is a situation that develops gradually over time.  Usually the offender develops a relationship of
             trust with the child before making any type of advance.

Myth:  Sexual abuse occurs through a violent attack.
Fact:    Because the child usually knows his/her attacker, rather than a violent approach, the offender often uses subtle coercion
              rather than extreme force.

Myth:  Children will fabricate stories about child sexual abuse.
Fact:    Children rarely fabricate stories of sexual abuse.  In the instance where this happens, falsely reporting sexual abuse is
             an indication of another problem the child is unable to express.

Myth:  Children who recant about sexual assault were lying about the initial report.
Fact:    Children may recant when the offender, their parents or law enforcement officials pressure them to do so.  They recant
             not because they were not abused, but because they need for family acceptance and security is crucial to their survival.

1. Remain calm and be prepared to give your child support.
2. Let the child know that you believe him/her and that you’re glad that he/she trusted you to tell.
3. Talk in private with your child and don’t draw unnecessary attention to the child or situation.
4. If your child has reported at a difficult time, give the child a specific time that you will talk with him/her, preferably within the hour.
5. Let the child know that the incident was not his/her fault.
6. Make sure not to act revengeful toward the abuser.  The abuser may be someone the child loves and it may scare him or her.
7. Don’t use rewards or impractical promises to get information from the child.
8. Remember that it’s not your fault as the non-offending parent.
9. Call the East Los Angeles Women’s Center Hotline (800) 586-6231 or your local Social Service Agency for support and advisement.
10. It’s always important to keep in mind the feeling and the protection of your child and to not have him/her go through unnecessary trauma in the process of investigation or reporting.
11. Although it is oftentimes painful and difficult when such an incident happens, it’s important to know that there are agencies and persons that will assist you, your child and your family through the process.

What is Child Abuse?

1. Physical Abuse (physical harm to their body)
2. Sexual Abuse (sexual act towards a child)
3. Neglect (not providing food, medical, etc)
4. Emotional Maltreatment (verbal assaults)

Every person that has a working relationship or works directly with children are mandated by law (article 2.5 of the penal code) to report suspicion of child abuse.  It is a crime not to report suspected abuse to the proper authorities (police department an/or department of children and family services).
Failure to report by telephone immediately or as soon as practically possible and in writing within 36 hours is a misdemeanor “punishable by confinement in the county jail for a term not to exceed six months or by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or both.” (Penal Code, 11172, Subd.(e)

Remember!

1. Make sure to send your child to school with a healthy snack for snack time and lunch or lunch money for lunchtime.

2. Make sure to dress for P.E. class.

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