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Reminder:
Mandatory Parent Meeting

MFCA Parent Back to School Night
Thursday, September 2nd
6:00 - 8:00 p.m. in St. Dominic’s Parish Hall

July 31, 2010

Dear MFCA Students, Parents and Caregivers,

I hope this letter finds you enjoying a restful and healthy summer.  I am so very excited for students to return so we can begin the 2010-2011 school year!  Our summer break has certainly passed by quickly.  In addition to preparing for the coming school year, MFCA staff had eventful summers that included weddings and a new baby! This year many of our returning staff has taken on new roles and new last names.

I have spent my summer on maternity leave caring for my daughter Julia McAuliffe, born on June 15. I will return to work on August 23 on a part-time basis, working Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Effective July 31, 2010, the MFCA Board of Directors has appointed Christine Unruh to be assistant principal of the Academy. Mrs. Unruh will oversee the school’s day-to-day operations during this time.

Mrs. Unruh has been affiliated with our school since 1999, beginning at Sacred Heart Elementary School. During her tenure with Sacred Heart, Sacred Heart-St. Dominic and MFCA, she has served as tutor, a classroom teacher, a high-school admissions adviser, and grant writer. Mrs. Unruh has been effective in each role, demonstrating both a varied skill set and unwavering commitment to our students and their well-being.

The Board and I are confident that Mrs. Unruh’s experience, skills and dedication to the school community make her the ideal candidate to provide the kind of caring leadership the school community deserves.

There are some other exciting changes in the area of staffing. Mrs. Van Mieghem (formerly Ms. Kim) and Ms. Martha return to lead the Kindergarten class on their learning journey. Ms. Guervitz will once again teach first grade, and Mrs. Mooney (formerly Ms. Hoskins) will teach second grade. Our combined third and fourth grade class will be taught by Ms. Renfrew, who previously co-taught the class with Mrs. Mooney.

Fifth- and sixth-graders will have three teachers this year. They are Mrs. Gonsalves, Mrs. Saenz, and Mr. Torchio. Mr. Torchio, who comes to MFCA after teaching fifth grade at the San Francisco Day School, will teach social studies and religion to both grades. Mrs. Saenz will teach science and health to both grades. Mrs. Saenz and Mr. Torchio will share the sixth-grade homeroom duties. Mrs. Gonsalves will be the fifth-grade homeroom teacher and will teach language arts and math to both 5^th and 6^th grades.

In the 7^th and 8^th grades, Ms. Escobar will continue to teach language arts and social studies, and Mr. Steele will teach science and math. Lastly, I am very excited to report that our Dean of Students, Michael Ward, will once again teach physical education and computers.

This year is shaping up to be an exciting one for the entire school community. School is just not much fun without the beautiful faces of our amazing MFCA children.  We can’t wait to see them!! In the meantime, here is a snapshot of useful information to get us thinking about the start of a great school year:

• School begins on Wednesday, August 25 and all students are expected to arrive by 8:30 a.m. Students will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m. every day during the first week of school. During the first week of school, all students are expected to wear formal uniform only.

• Morning supervision and breakfast from 7 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. will be available daily free of charge.

• Our Web site has been updated with useful information for parents: Please visit www.meganfurthacademy.org for updates, a weekly newsletter, school forms and information.

• Required School Supplies List. Supplies will be due the first full week of school.  You can earn an extra parent hour if you turn in your supplies to your child’s teacher at the Mandatory Parent Meeting on September 2.

• Physical education will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays for all students. Students will be expected to wear their physical education uniform beginning August 31.

• All students will attend Mass every Friday at St. Dominic’s Church. Formal dress uniforms are required on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

• Extended Care will begin on Monday, August 30 for families who have pre-registered. There are still spaces available. For a registration form, please click here. Monthly fees are $100.

• Summer Bridge Learning Books will be due on the first day of school.

• Back to School Night Mandatory Parent Meeting will be Thursday, September 2 from 6-8 p.m. Please mark your calendars.  This is a meeting for ADULTS ONLY; students are not expected to attend and child care will not be provided.

Enjoy the remaining days of your summer holiday. Even though I am still on maternity leave, please do not hesitate to e-mail me if you have a concern or question. I will check e-mails daily beginning August 2. I look forward to seeing you on August 25!

Blessings,

Nicole McAuliffe, Principal