Mrs. Woods' Weekly eMail

January 3, 2012

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year and welcome back!!

Enrichment Programs - If you are interested in any of the After School Enrichment Programs being offered, please return your registration forms by Thursday, January 5^th. Please note that the Mad Science class has been canceled and the baking class will start on January 11^th. If you need another form, please send a note to the school office.

Soyapango Loose Change - Loose change for Soyapango should be returned to school this week to the attention of Mrs. Plunkett. Thank you. You can also bring it to Mass on Sunday, January 8^th, the Feast of the Three Kings.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

12/23/11

Dear Parents,

Enrichment Program - You can still send in Registration forms on Tuesday, January 3^rd for the Enrichment Program classes. The Basketball program will start on January 10^th.

Sincerely,

Mrs. A. Woods
Principal

Dear Parents,

THANK YOU SO much to all the parents and volunteers for making this year’s Christmas Fair a great success. We can't do these events without your support. We are so blessed to have all of you in the school. It was a great day!!!

Please take a few minutes to read the following information as there is a lot of news.

Christmas Concert - Thursday, December 22nd - 7:00 p.m. Church
PreK 4 Children will meet at 6:45p.m. at the right side of the Altar on the bench.
Kindergarten Class will meet in the Chapel in the Church which is located behind the Altar at 6:45p.m.
  Grades 1^st - 3^rd will meet in their classrooms at 6:45 p.m.
Grades 4^th - 8^th - If you are in the band, you will go to the Church basement at 6:30p.m
                    If you are in the choir, you will meet in your classroom at 6:45p.m.
The Students and Faculty have worked hard to put this concert together. Please sit back and enjoy.

Calendar Raffle Tickets and Teachers’ Gift - If you have not yet returned your Calendar Raffle tickets, please do so by December 21^st. The first drawing is on January 1, 2012. We still have many families who have not yet returned these tickets. If you need additional or replacement tickets, please let the school office know. Teachers Gift donations will be accepted no later than Monday, December 19^th.

Christmas Pageant Rehearsal - Tuesday, December 20^th at 7:00 p.m. in the Church.

Congratulations!!!!! Celebrating Art - Earlier this year, Mrs. Smith, our Art teacher submitted art projects from our students to Celebrating Art Contest. We are happy to announce some of our student's art work has been selected to be included in a full-color hardbound art book, "Celebrating Art". Mrs. Smith and these students should feel honored. Being published represents a lot of talent, hard work and dedication.
Congratulations to:
   Luke Silva - 5^th Grade
   Helena Fortinash - 5^th Grade
   Michael Napoli - 5^th Grade
Caylee Premoli - 5^th Grade
Maura McGlynn - 5^th Grade
      Ashley LoRiggio - 4^th Grade
Gabriela Seguinot - 4^th Grade


Enrichment Programs - Our After School Enrichment Program will begin another session soon. Please keep your eyes open for the registration package which will be coming home next week. Please note, classes will begin soon after we return from Christmas break. So return your forms as soon as possible.

New Standards

As we count down the last days of 2011, quicker than some of us would like, it is time to say goodbye to 2011 and look ahead to the New Year and the challenges it will bring. This is a good time to explain some of the exciting changes that will be taking place in the future. First is the adoption of the Common Core State Standards. The Common Core Standards are a national movement that has been adopted by 47 states, including New York. The mission statement of the Common Core Standards movement explains its purpose and reads as follows:

The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.

These standards are for Mathematics and English Language Arts but they integrate into Science and Social Studies. They focus on what should be emphasized in each grade and how it should be taught. To date, the teachers at Transfiguration School have participated in one workshop related to the common core standards and will have another workshop in the spring. For more information and the particulars about these standards, please go to: www.engageny.org.

New Math and English Language Arts Books

I am happy to report that outstanding Mandated Services money was received from the state and I was able to purchase new Math and Language Arts books for grades K-5 that are completely aligned with the new Common Core Standards. Although the new standards go into practice in September 2012, the teachers will begin using the instructional format and some of the components of the program in January. This will help to lessen the gap that naturally occurs when there is a shift. New York State will change its test format for the 2013 test administration.

Changes in Schedule

In order to implement the new Common Core standards most effectively, and to gain back much needed instructional time, beginning in January 2012 we will eliminate the a morning recess for grades 1 to 4 but will continue to have a 10 minute snack break. Teachers will use periodic classroom breaks throughout the day instead. In addition, there will be a minute between each 40 minute class period to allow for transitions outside of the classroom. This includes going to and from specials, lunch, and for the upper grades, moving from class to class. In this way, we are hoping to gain back vital instructional time and make the transition throughout the day smoother. PreK and Kindergarten will continue to have morning recess as it is necessary for their gross motor development. Lunch recess will also continue.

Science Essential Learnings

The Archdiocese of New York has released new standards for the science curriculum in every grade which complements the Common Core Standards in Math and English Language Arts. It divides the topics per grade in a more comprehension fashion. Teachers will now be required to pull from various sources to create their lessons. This means that if you see that teachers are skipping around in the textbooks they currently use, or are bringing in information from different sources, they are doing what is necessary to align with the new Essential Learnings. There is no one textbook that perfectly aligns to the standards. If you would like to see a copy of the science curriculum for any particular grade, please ask your child’s teacher to see a copy.

Following the Rules

An important part of a child’s development is to understand and follow rules. Children look to their parents to model for them what is appropriate and respectful. We started the year with the theme of Respect, Responsibility, and Safety and at this juncture, I ask you to please reinforce the following:

· Do not drive down, back up, or park in the first aisle closest to the building in the morning. (The first aisle consists of two rows of cars and one driving space). This is reserved for teachers and buses only.

· Please label all items of clothing. We are about to give away a huge box of clothing that has been left at school. There is no need for this.

· Please remember that you must call in your child’s absence in the morning.

· Make sure your child is in complete uniform.

· Do not send your child to school with feathers in their hair or extensions of any kind, or outrageous headbands, or jewelry or anything that is not part of the uniform.

· Do not send in any toys, electronic equipment, games, etc. from home especially for the after school program. It creates too many problems.

Regionalization

Regionalization is a reality. Three pilot regions (Rockland, Staten Island, and NW and South Bronx) have begun their training to go live September 2012 as three of ten regions in the New York Archdiocese. All schools will be grouped into ten regions. We will be part of the Central Westchester region and will begin training to be regionalized in September and go live as a region in September of 2013. As parents, you will not notice a change. Regionalization has more to do with how schools are governed and financed.

Each region will have a Board of Trustees (made up with a majority of Pastors), and a Regional Superintendent. Each central office will also have a Marketing Specialist, Instructional Specialist and a finance office. I am excited by these changes.

New Interactive Whiteboards

Thanks to money set aside from the Westchester consortium of schools to which we belong, every school will have interactive whiteboards in grades Kindergarten through 8. These boards will be arriving shortly, hopefully before the Christmas break. Teachers will be required to teach daily using this new technology.

The boards come with a built in projector but we still need 5 additional laptops that run Windows XP or higher, have 512 Ram or better, and at least 10GB of hard drive. If you can help us out, we would greatly appreciate it.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

Finally, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, all the parents who work tirelessly and relentlessly to support Transfiguration School. There are so many of you who make the school a special place to work and learn. I am so appreciative for all that you do. You deserve a special blessing!

I wish you all the blessings of Christmas. May your hearts be filled with childlike wonder during this holiday season and may your family enjoy the Christmas break and return in the New Year renewed and refreshed and ready to take on the exciting new challenges of 2012. Merry Christmas!

Audrey Woods

December 2, 2011

Dear Parents,

Just a reminder:
Student will attend the 9:00 a.m. Mass on Thursday, December 8^th for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Please feel free to join us.

School is closed on Friday, December 9^th for a Teacher Conference.

Please take special note of these important Parents' Guild notes:

The Scholastic Book Fair - The Scholastic Book Fair is an eagerly anticipated annual event in our school. It will be on Wednesday, December 7^th Thursday, December 8^th and Saturday, December 10^t^h in our Library. This is a great opportunity for you and your family to do some holiday shopping plus the children will get an opportunity to purchase books with their class during the school day. Please be careful sending cash in with your child. We gladly take checks and they can be made out to the Transfiguration Parents' Guild. If you would like to volunteer, please fill out the form and return it to Susan Vacca, c/o Grace 3^rd grade.

The Christmas Fair, Saturday, December 10th - The Christmas Tree and Wreath Sale is a long standing tradition in our community. The trees will go on sale on Saturday, December 10^th from 8am to 6:30pm. There will be many different varieties and sizes to meet your needs! The Wreath Sale offers other beautiful items for sale such as Kissing Balls, Fir Rope and of course, the freshest wreaths in town!. Please return your form to Erika Stroligo c/o Luke 2^nd grade. Poinsettias will also be available for sale.

Craft Sale - While you are shopping at the many different sales that day, stop down to the Cafeteria where the fun continues. While you are enjoying the company of our fellow parents, take a moment to enjoy our delicious baked goods and coffee while your child can stop for a moment and make a craft at the Craft Sale as a gift for someone special in your family.

Christmas Sale - For the first time, we are inviting different vendors to come and sell their specialty items. There will be Doll Clothes, hand-made crotched items, etc. Come and take a look and see if this fits the needs of someone on your Christmas list.

As you can see, we have a full weekend in store. As always, we are very grateful for your support during these events. We would love to see all of whether you are volunteering a few precious hours of your time or coming to support the Fair while buying a tree, book, wreath, etc. If you would like to volunteer, please send in the form/forms that have gone home or even a note explaining what you would like to work on and your availability. Thank you so much for all your help and support!

8th Grade Volunteers - Please return the Christmas Fair volunteer form to Lee Anne Sullivan c/o Robert 7^th grade so we will know when you are coming.

Teachers' Gifts - A letter went home describing the Teachers Christmas Gift. If you would like to participate please send your check, made out to the Transfiguration Parents Guild, by Friday, December 16^th. This is a great way to thank our wonderful teachers for their dedication. If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Fragola at 282-5282 or Elizabeth Rooney at 332-7801.

Calendar Raffle - Please return your Calendar Raffle to Eileen Kyriacou c/o Nicholas 7^th Grade by Monday, December 12^th. Thank you!

Pies - Thank you so much for supporting our annual Thanksgiving Day Pie Sale. Once again, it was a great success!

Movie Night - Thank you to all the families who attended Family Movie Night. A special thank you goes to Jerry Zarra for his technological wizardry.

Enjoy your weekend.

Mrs. A. Woods
Principal

November 22, 2011

Dear Parents,

Please note important information below:

All students in Grades K through 8^th should be in regular uniforms tomorrow 11/23/11. No gym uniforms tomorrow. All students will be attending the 9:00 a.m. Mass.

If you ordered pies through the Parents' Guild - you can pick them up today from 2:30 until 5:30p.m in the school lobby.

Wreaths - please get your order form in tomorrow for Christmas Wreaths, Centerpieces and more. We need to place the order. If you cannot locate your order form, please contact Eirka Stroligo at 909-4136. These will be delivered on December 10th to the school. This order form is also located on the school website at www.transfigurationschool.org.

Sign-up Sheets - We sent home a lot of volunteer sheets this week, please keep your eyes open for them and please return them back to school as soon as possible. Any help you can give for these special events; book fair, tree sale, bake sale would be greatly appreciated.

Happy Thanksgiving!

11/18/11

Dear Parents,
Please take a few minutes to read this entire email. There is a lot of important information on it.

Demerits - There seems to be a rise in demerits being issued for homework not done concurrent with the beginning of Basketball practice. Let me reiterate that a student’s job and number one priority is school and the work it entails. Sports, after school activities etc. should never interfere with their job. If it does, it must be stopped.

Dismissal - Please do not come in the building during dismissal 2:20-2:45 (full days) and between; 11:40 - 12:00 on half days. Also, notes about changes must be written ahead of time. We will not allow last minute changes at dismissal. We cannot allow social concerns to interfere with your child safety. In addition, once your child leaves the building at dismissal, they are not permitted to come back in the building for forgotten items or to use the bathroom.

Coats - Students are required to wear proper and appropriate outerwear. They will go outside unless the temperature falls below 32 degrees. Teachers will call home/work for parents to bring jackets if your child comes to school without one.

Parking and Dropping Off in the Morning - Let me remind all families that no one is allowed to drive up the first row in the morning to park and/or drop off. Last week I waited while a parent backed out of a parking spot. She had an SUV and could not see the child behind her car. I had to wait and the buses had to wait for her to finish her maneuver. Let's be sensible everyone and follow the rules.

Lunch with Lou - Menus are available online for parents that would like to order for the month of December. For more information go to lunchwithlou.com.

PARENTS' GUILD NEWS
Family Movie Night - Please come join us for a fun family night. We will be showing "Santa Clause 2" in our school gym on Saturday night. The movie is on a large screen with surround sound! The show begins at 8:00 p.m.

Pies - Grandma's Pies are going to be delivered this coming Tuesday, November 22^nd. You can pick up your order after school from 2:30 - 5:30 OR if you want, your pies can be sent home with your child on Tuesday. A form went home today that you must fill out and return to school by Tuesday. If you have any questions regarding these pies, please contact Mrs. Linnae Latessa at 914-584-9438.

Christmas Fair - In the coming days, you will receive information on the many ways you can support the school during our Christmas Fair. Our Fair consists of our Annual Christmas Tree, Wreath, Craft and Bake sale. We are so fortunate to have our Scholastic Book Fair returning to our Library. In order for this event to be successful, we are looking for our parents to volunteer at these various activities. If you can, please return the volunteer forms to make this an unforgettable fundraiser that benefits our children. We will be looking for parents to help sell trees, wreaths, books, baked goods, and crafts. We would greatly appreciate donations of baked goods. These events provide families a way of getting to know each other and come together for the benefit of the school. This year we are fortunate to have Nick Bruel, the children’s' author of the "Bad Kitty Books," come to read to our children.

Calendar Raffles-”You have got to be in it to win it". Please return your mandatory Calendar Raffles to Eileen Kyriacou c/o Nicholas Grade 7 by December 12^th. This is one of two major fundraisers that parents are required to participate in.

Dues - For those of you who have not submitted your mandatory Guild Dues, please return them to Ellen Galano, c/o Paul 4^th Grade. Remember, if you are unsure if you paid, please review your account on SIS.

Amazon - Please consider using the Amazon link on our website for your Christmas shopping needs. This is a way the school could earn money without any additional cost to you.

Stop and Shop - Please re-register your Stop and Shop cards. The school could benefit greatly while we do our holiday food shopping!!! There is also a link on our school website which can make re-registration very easy for you.

Innisbrook - Thank you once again for participating in this year's fundraiser. You can continue to do shopping online. Our school code is 101902.

SCRIP - One more order form will go home next week. This is the last chance to order SCRIP cards. Please consider buying these cards, which you can use as cash in the stores or online before you do your Christmas shopping. It takes a little effort to think ahead before you shop, but the school benefits greatly.

Box Tops - Please continue to return your Box Tops to the school. Thank you so much for your support.

Christmas Pageant - Christmas Pageant registration is this Sunday, November 20^th after the 10:00 a.m. Mass in the Church Hall. If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Rooney at 332-7801 or Lee Anne Sullivan at 631-4512.

Enjoy your weekend.

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

November 10, 2011

Dear Parents

Don't forget we are closed tomorrow, November 11^th for Veterans Day. Please take time on Friday to stop and pray for our military veterans and all still serving our country today.

Veterans Day Mass- Sunday, November 13th, 10:00 a.m. All 4^th Graders participating in this Mass are asked to be at Church by 9:30a.m. All families are welcome to celebrate this special Mass with us.

Reminder: Please remember that when the After School bell rings at approximately 2:40, we ask all families that are still on the playground to please leave the area so our After School Program can come out. I have noticed our After School Program is waiting in the lobby to go out because the playground is not available to them.

Feast of Saint Cecilia and Feast of Christ the King- Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Mass. The school choir will join the Parish Choir for this celebration. All Choir members are invited to attend. Practice for students participating will be on Friday, November 18^th at 7:00 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Practice will end at 8:00 p.m. All families are encouraged to attend to hear this beautiful music.

Medication Forms - Please be reminded that if your child requires medication to be administered during school hours, the nurse must have a signed release from the physician, as well as, the parent. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the school nurse at 631-7075.

IMPORTANT PARENTS' GUILD INFO

Christmas Pageant - The Christmas Pageant registration will take place on Sunday, November 20^th after the 10:00 a.m. Mass in the Church Hall. If you have any questions, please contact Lee Anne Sullivan at 631-4512 or Elizabeth Rooney at 332-7801.

Movie Night - Last year's MOVIE NIGHT was such a great success, we are doing it again SO...mark your calendars!!!! On Saturday, November 19^th, at 8:00 p.m. in the School Gym we will be showing Santa Claus II. We look forward to seeing you there!

Calendar Raffle Tickets - Please remember to submit your mandatory Calendar Raffles to Eileen Kyriacou c/o Nicholas, Gr. 7 by December 12^th.

Innisbrook - We would like to thank the families who participated in this year's Innisbrook Fundraiser where we sold over $9,300 worth of merchandise during this sale! Items can still be purchased online by using our link on the Transfigurationschool.org website. Our school code is 101902.

Amazon - Please consider using the Amazon link on our school website for your Christmas shopping needs. This is just another way for our school to earn money for items that you are going to purchase anyway during the holidays.

Guild Dues - Please submit you Guild Dues to Ellen Galano c/o Paul, 4^th Grade. If you are unsure if you have paid it, please go on the SIS (Student Information System) to review your school obligations. (This site is one way for you to review whether or not you have paid your tuition, raffles, after school fees, etc.)

Stop & Shop - Please re-register your Stop and Shop cards. This is a passive fundraiser where the school earns money while you shop and there is no additional cost to you. If only takes a few seconds to register when you go to our school website and click on the Stop and Shop link.

Box Tops - We would like to thank you all for the hundreds of box tops that have been turned in so far this year. An e-Box Top flyer went home yesterday describing how the school could earn Box Tops during your holiday shopping. If you have any questions, please contact Eileen Kyriacou at 815-2764. Go to btfe.com/marketplace for a list of over 175 retailers. Don't forget to buy SCRIP and use them when you shop online.

Christmas Fair - Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 10^th to purchase your Christmas trees, wreaths, poinsettias, crafts, Scholastic Books, etc. This year we will have some vendors in the cafeteria selling some items for your Christmas needs. Stay tuned for more information!!!

Enjoy your long weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

November 3, 2011

Dear Parents,

Our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive will begin on Monday, November 7^th and run through November 18^th. Each class has been assigned the food items requested by St. Vincent de Paul Society of our parish. Please consider participating in this school wide project to help those less fortunate than ourselves in our community.

PreK3 - Cranberry Sauce
Prek4 - Cookies
Kindergarten - Macaroni & Cheese
1^stGr. - Cereal
2^nd Gr. - Peanut Butter (regular size jar)
3^rd Gr. - Canned fruit
4^th Gr. - Jelly (regular size)
5^th Gr. - Tuna Fish
6^th Gr. - Coffee (regular or decaf)
7^th Gr. - Teabags
8^th Gr. - Pasta Sauce (regular size)

DISMISSAL POLICY - Again, I must remind every parent that if there is a change in any dismissal, we need a note indicating the change FROM BOTH FAMILIES. These notes must be sent to school with the children. If we do not receive a note from both families, we cannot dismiss the child to the other family. This policy is for the safety of your children and without it enforced, we are at risk of your child not being dismissed safely. These last minutes changes are interrupting instructional time for the class.

DON'T FORGET - School is closed on Tuesday, November 8^th and Friday, November 11^th.

Calendar Raffle Tickets - The Parents' Guild sent home the Calendar Raffle Tickets this week. If you need any more tickets, please let the office know. These tickets are due back by December 21^st.

Family Mass - The 8^th Grade Family Mass Planning meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9^th at 7:15p.m.

10/27/11

Dear Parents,
Just a few reminders:

IRIS Alert Test - the Archdiocese will conduct a test of the IRIS Emergency Alert System on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28^TH by 1:00p.m. The IRIS system is what we use to notify parents of snow delay or school closure due to inclement weather, important class notices etc. You do not have to respond to the message, but please notify the school if for whatever reason you do not receive this test alert. Also, in the future that any time you change your cell phone number, email address and/or home phone, that you give this new information to the school office so they can update your information in the IRIS system.

DRESS DOWN DAY ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 31st - In celebration of Halloween, students can dress down on Monday. Our tradition is to wear either Black and/or Orange.

Innisbrook Wrapping Paper - If you still have orders, please post them online using the EZ form by Friday, October 28^th. Checks should be made out to Transfiguration Parents' Guild. If you have any questions or problems with placing your order, please contact Mrs. Eileen Kyriacou at eileenkyriacou@yahoo.com

Amazon Program - Amazon.com isn't just for Books and CD's. Amazon offers just about anything you need. Start your next visit to Amazon by clicking on the link in the schools website (www.transfigurationschool.org) and Transfiguration will receive up to 5% of the value of your purchases - at no extra cost to you!!!

Transfiguration Students Share Their Artwork with the World!!! - Move over famous artists!!! Transfiguration artists are taking over the spotlight! Sonya Smith, the school's Art Teacher, has teamed up with Artsonia, www.artsonia.com - the world's largest online kids’ art museum - to display the students' artwork.

Anyone can view the school gallery online at: ww.artsonia.com/schools/Transfiguration3. Visitors can browse the artwork in the school gallery by grade level, or by specific exhibits. Transfiguration students join thousands of students from over 130 countries whose artwork is showcased on Artsonia. "This program is a wonderful way to get parents and family members more involved in Art Education," said Sonya Smith.

All of Artsonia's artwork (12 million and counting) are viewable online, and any teacher or parent can create an online art gallery for their child or school. Artsonia provides several online features such as fan clubs and personal guestbooks, as a way for families to encourage the creativity and imaginations of their young artists. In addition, family members can purchase keepsakes imprinted with the child's artwork, with Artsonia donating 15 percent of their annual product revenue back to school art programs.
Headquarter in Gurnee, Ill. Artsonia was established in 2000 as an online kid's art museum providing free, educational resources for kids, families and schools to create art projects. To find out more, visit www.artsonia.com.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

October 7, 2011

Dear Parents,

Our Kindergarten and 1^st Graders had a wonderful time apple picking today. They had great weather and thanks to the many parents who volunteered to chaperone, they returned with so many apples, pumpkins and smiles.

Also, all classes attended the Fire Safety assembly today. Thank you to the Tarrytown Volunteer Fire Department for this assembly. I would recommend that you take a moment to talk to your children this weekend and let them tell you what the Fire Department taught them today.

Just a few quick reminders and information:

Main Street Connect Contest - ”Your Home Town Online" The Daily Tarrytown - Is running a Better School Bonanza contest from September 19^th - October 28^th. Transfiguration School is registered, just click on the link below and vote for Transfiguration School

Contest runs Sept 19^th to Oct 28^th. Come back daily to vote for your school. The elementary school with the most votes during the contest wins! To view a complete list of participating sites visit us at www.mainstreetconnect.us. Spread The Word!

Pets Alive Westchester - During the first 2 weeks of October, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, our 4^th grade students will be collecting items for Pets Alive Westchester, formerly known as the Elmsford Animal Shelter. Any contribution, no matter how small, will be appreciated. Donations can be brought to the school lobby anytime from October 3^rd through October 14^th. Suggested items include; paper towels, Fabuloso, heavy duty large black garbage bags, printer paper, dog and cat treats, old blankets and comforters.

Parents' Guild Meeting - The next Parents' Guild meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 11^th at 7:00p.m. in the school cafeteria. All parents are encouraged to attend. Also, one class parent and all committee chairs are to attend.

Innisbrook Wrapping Paper - This fundraiser is still running and orders can be placed online at www.innisbrook.com. Our school number is 101902. Once you have placed your order you can return your payment to school to the attention of Mrs. E. Kyriacou c/o Nicholas 7^th Grade.

Grandma's Pies- Order forms went home last week and if you would like to order any pies, please send in your orders to Mrs. L. Latessa by October 14^th. The pies will be delivered to school for pick up. If you need another order form, please contact the school office. This was a huge success last year so don't miss out.

Parents' Guild Dues - Please check and make sure you have paid your Parents' Guild Dues. You have two options with regard to membership. You can either pay a $75 membership fee now and participate in two mandatory fundraisers which are the Calendar Raffle ($150.00) and the Spring Fundraiser $20,000.00 raffle ($200.00) OR you can pay a lump sum of $475.00 in lieu of all of the above. Every school family is required to become a member of the Parents' Guild.

Enjoy your long weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

September 16, 2011

Dear Parents,
It was great seeing our parents with students in Grades Pk3 - 4^th last night. The purpose of our Back to School Night is to inform parents about what their child/children will be learning and what the expectations are. I hope last night was informative and helped answer some of your questions.

Food Coupons - September - 8th Grade
We are looking for 8^th Grade parents to sell Food Coupons on Saturdays after the 5:00 PM Masses and Sundays after the 10:00 AM Masses during September. 8^th Grade parents, please return your Food Coupons forms to Mrs. D. Arbucci by Monday.

Enrichment Classes - There have been some adjustments to the Enrichment Program schedule. A notice went home today. If you are interested in any Enrichment classes, please return the form by Monday, September 19^th, or write a note to Mrs. Fortinash indicating the class you are interested in.

Parents' Guild Picnic - The weather looks good for tomorrows Family Picnic which will be at Barnhardt Park in Sleepy Hollow from 1:00 - 4:00 PM. All are welcome so please drop by if you can.

Tag Sale - We are still accepting items in the school gym for the Tag Sale which will be held on Saturday, September 24^th here at Transfiguration School. Volunteers and Baked goods are still needed. If interested in helping, please call Lee Anne Sullivan at 631-4512. This is a good opportunity for 8^th Graders to work on their community service projects. Please let Mrs. Sullivan know if you can help.

Innisbrook Wrapping Paper - Order packages went home this week. Please take a few minutes to look over the wonderful selection of items and place an order. Orders are placed online by selecting “EZ -Enter Orders Here” tab.

Grades 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Back to School Night - is Thursday, September 22^nd at 6:30 p.m. in the school gym.

CYO Basketball Program - Transfiguration CYO Basketball program will be starting its 2011-2012 registration on Thursday, September 29^th at 7:00 PM in the School Gym. To be eligible for the program, the child must be a Transfiguration School student, a member of the parish, or attend the Transfiguration CCD program. Registration Fee is $85 plus an optional $25 donation for our Annual NCAA Event. Information regarding uniform fees will be provided that evening. If you have any questions, please contact Rob Sullivan at 646-529-0413 or robsullivan@optonline.net

Enjoy the beautiful weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

September 9, 2011

Dear Parents,

Other than the weather, we had a great start of the school year. Just a reminder that all emergency cards and Parent/Student handbook pages need to be signed and returned by Monday, September 12^th.

Parents' Guild Notes - Welcome Back! To start our new school year, we welcome all families to attend our Family Picnic on Saturday, September 17^th at Barnhardt Park in Sleepy Hollow. It is a great opportunity to reacquaint yourself with your friends as well as make new ones. Lite fare will be provided. Please return your picnic forms to Coral Fernandes, c/o Patricia in 3^rd Grade or Rosina Mourani, c/o Ella in 3^rd Grade. The sprinklers will be turned on that day and if you wish for your child to go in them, please bring appropriate clothes and a towel. We look forward to seeing all of you there!!!

Our school will be participating in the Tarrytown Village-Wide Tag Sale on Saturday, September 24^th from 8:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. on our school lawn. The village places our school on their Tag Sale Map and the community will then know we are hosting a Tag Sale on our property. There are many ways to get involved in this fundraising event. For instance, if you have any items you would like to donate, please bring them to the school gym or you can drop them off this Saturday, September 10^th from 9:00a.m. to 11:00a.m. and Sunday, September 11^th from 11:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. in the Gym. Also, we are looking for volunteers to assist that day with sales and if you are interested, please contact Lauren Fragola at 592-7917. Another way of participating at the Tag Sale is to rent a table to sell your own items. We are requesting a $35 fee for this opportunity. Checks can be made payable to Transfiguration Parents' Guild and returned to Lauren Fragola, c/o Kara 8^th grade. The Bake Sale last year was a huge success due to the donations we received from our school families. If you are able to bring cupcakes, brownies, water bottles, etc. for sale, please contact Elizabeth Rooney at 332-7801. We welcome any 8^th Graders or alumni who would like to receive community service hours.

Please return your $75 Parents' Guide dues to Ellen Galano in c/o Paul 4^th Grade. Checks are to be made payable to Transfiguration Parents' Guild. Thank you.

We participate in two passive fundraising programs, Box Tops and the A+ Stop and Shop Rewards Program. Box Tops can be sent in with your child or you could drop them off in front of the office in our Box Top Container located on the trophy case. Every year, in order for our school to receive funds from the Stop and Shop program, we need to re-enter our Stop and Shop cards on their website. We have a link to this program on the Transfiguration School website. These are ways we can support our school with no additional cost to ourselves!

Today, we had our annual Innisbrook Wrapping paper kick off assembly; your children will be bringing home the catalog today for your review. The sale runs through 10/14. If you have any questions, please call Eileen Kyriacou at 815-2764.

As always, the Parents' Guild would like to thank all of you for your generosity and support!

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

September 6, 2011

Dear Parents,
Welcome back! The teachers and staff are excited and ready to start another spectacular year.

Please remember that gym classes start tomorrow for grades; PK, Kindergarten, 1^st Grade, 4^th Grade, 5th Grade, 6^th Grade and 8^th Grade.

Doors will open at 7:45 a.m. Please do not drop your child earlier than that. Optional summer uniforms can be worn until October 1^st.

Please note that birthday celebrations are only permitted in grades PK-4. You may send in a healthy snack of mini-muffins, pretzels or sugar free pudding or jello (please remember spoons). Please no more cookies or cupcakes. Celebrations for PK-4 will occur during snack time.

Also, please remember to send in only healthy snacks for morning snack and lunch (fruit, yogurt, etc.)

On Sunday, September 11^th, there will be a special 9/11 Mass at noon. Our 4^th graders will be ushers and our school choir will join the adult choir. All first responders (Firefighters, Police, and EMS) and active or retired military service personnel are invited to attend this Mass. Seating will be reserved for those personnel wishing to participate in this Mass. Those participating are encouraged to wear their respective uniforms. There will be a sign-up sheet in the main entrance of the Church so that they can estimate how much seating to reserve. Please plan on attending - all are welcome.

See you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

August 31, 2011

Dear Parents,
Welcome to all our new families, we are very excited for you to be a part of the Transfiguration community. To our returning families, you will see some new enhancements to our great school. We, of course, will kick off our new Pre-K 3 program. Mrs. Fortinash and her new TA will be the teachers of this program. Please welcome Mary Surovich, our new 1st grade aide. Also welcome Mrs. Sonya Smith, our new Art Teacher, and Mrs. Flor Smith, our new Spanish teacher for grades 6^th, 7^th and 8^th. Both Mrs. Smiths' have extensive experience and will be a wonderful addition to the school. In addition to Math, Mr. Lavelle will also be teaching technology to grades 6^th, 7^th and 8^th.

Around the building you will notice some handy work done in some classrooms, as well as a beautiful new awning over the cafeteria door and a new entryway. The gym floor was refinished and there will be new shades installed in the gym. This is thanks to your support of the Parents' Guild, Drama Club and the Sports Program.

Reminders: Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow residents please be reminded that there is no bus transportation on Wednesday, September 7^th. Parents must provide transportation to and from school on Wednesday. Busing will begin on Thursday, September 8^th. As stated in my earlier email, all Tarrytown students will be dismissed at 1:50 p.m. I strongly recommend carpooling to ease the congestion but we must have a written note indicating who is going home with whom.

Flynn & O'Hara will be here on Friday, September 9^th from 1:00p.m. - 2:00p.m. for any missing uniform pieces etc.

The Faculty and Staff are excited to begin. School starts promptly at 8:00a.m. on Wednesday, September 7^th. Doors open at 7:45a.m. The Gym schedule is as follows:

                           GYM SCHEDULE
Wednesday           Thursday             Monday
PK                           PK                     3^rd Grade
1^st Grade                 2^nd Grade            4^th Grade
6^th Grade                 1^st Grade              2^nd Grade
Kindergarten             3^rd Grade             5^th Grade
4^th Grade                 7^th Grade             Kindergarten
5^th Grade                                            7^th Grade
8^th Grade                                            6^th Grade
                                                          8^th Grade

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

June 20, 2011

Dear Parents,

Dress Down Day - On Tuesday, June 21^st and Wednesday, June 22^nd, the students are permitted to dress down. Please remind your child they must come dressed appropriately and in concert with the school's mission.

Yearbooks - There are still some yearbooks available. If you would like a copy, please send a note to the school office with a cash or check payable to; Transfiguration School for $24.00.

Scholastic Book Fair - Monday, June 20^th and Tuesday, June 21^st from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the school Library. Books will be available from the student's summer reading list. Summer reading lists are posted on the front page of the website.

June 17, 2011

Dear Parents,

Congratulations to our 8^th Grade class who will be graduating tomorrow at 11:00a.m. in the Church. I invite all families to come and celebrate with the 8^th Grade. Some of these students have been together since Pre-K and have made many memories at Transfiguration School. Thank you to the many 8^th Grade families that have volunteered and supported Transfiguration School over and over again. Congratulations to you and your children.

Field Day was a great success and we want to thank all the parents who helped make this day run so smoothly. We are so grateful for all your support.

Scholastic Book Fair - The Fair will be this Monday, June 20^th and Tuesday, June 21^st in the Library from 8:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. If you would still like to volunteer, please contact Susan Vacca. Checks should be made payable to Transfiguration Parents' Guild. The summer reading list for each grade will be posted in the Library to assist the children with picking out an appropriate reading book.

Finally, the Guild Board would like to extend their gratitude to the Transfiguration community for all the support we received this year. You have made each fundraising event a great success and for this we are very grateful. Enjoy your summer!

God Bless.

Enjoy your weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

June 14, 2011

Dear Parents,

Field Day is on Wednesday, June 15th. The students will be bused to Barnhart Park in Sleepy Hollow. They will leave Transfiguration at 9:00 a.m. and return by 2:15p.m.

Again, if you want to pick up your child at the park at 1:15 or if your child is going home with someone else, you must send in a note Wednesday.

The weather looks great for Wednesday. Please keep in mind that we are sharing the park with others. Therefore, the students might see kids in the water sprinkler. We have spoken to the students and reminded them that they are NOT permitted to go into the sprinkler at anytime during Field Day. Please make this clear to your child/children.
Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

June 10, 2011

Dear Parents,
Even with the heat, the students were able to take the New York State Science Exam in 4th & 8th Grade, as well as the Archdiocese Religion Exam in 3rd-8th and final exams in Grades 5-8. Thank God for air conditioning!

Looking ahead to next week -

Field Day - Wednesday, June 15^th at Barnhardt Park in Sleepy Hollow. Students know their team colors and should wear the appropriate colored shirt...Please make sure all permission slips are signed and returned. The Parents' Guild has arranged for Bagels when the students arrive at the park and hamburger/cheeseburgers for lunch along with water and chips. If your child did not order a hamburger/cheeseburger, please send them in with a lunch. So far the weather looks good, so please also put sunscreen on your child.

In order to eliminate any confusion - It is very IMPORTANT that if you are picking your child up at the park we have a written note that morning. Also if anyone else is picking up your child we must have this in writing. We will not release anyone without a note. We cannot accept any dismissal changes over the phone in the event we can't contact the teachers at the park. No exceptions, please.

Algebra Regents - Thursday, June 16^th. All 8^th Graders taking the Algebra Regents must be at Our Lady of Victory in Dobbs Ferry by 11:40a.m. Please refer to my letter dated June 9, 2011.

5th Grade D.A.R.E Picnic - Friday, June 17^th 9:30 - 1:30. Please return your permission slips as soon as possible.

8th Grade Graduation - Saturday, June 18^th at 11:00 a.m. Choir members are requested to come and sing at this Mass so please return your response as soon as possible. All families and students are welcome to come to Graduation and celebrate with our 8^th Grade.

Tuition - All tuition should be paid by now. Please check your records to insure you have completed your tuition obligations. Notices will go home to families who have outstanding balances.

Parish Pictorial Directory - Our parish will be producing a new Pictorial Directory for our families. This directory will help everyone place names with faces and will contain color photographs of all participating families. Every family that participates receives a complementary portrait and a copy of the directory. All school families who are parishioners are encouraged to sign up and reserve a date and time to have your portrait taken. You can sign up either at the table after Mass or on the parish website at www.transfiguration-church.org. In addition, you can purchase family portraits for your personal use.

Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ - There will be a Procession after the 10:00 a.m. Mass on June 26^th on the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) with benediction outside (weather permitting). A section next to the choir section will be designated for First Communicants and their families. Please mark your calendars to attend.

PARENTS' GUILD REMINDERS

The Teachers Year-End Gifts are due this Monday, June 13^th. Please send in your donation to Lee Anne Sullivan, c/o Robert Sullivan - 6^th Grade.

Field Day - Wednesday, June 15^th - If anyone has a cooler that the school could borrow for the day, please contact Lee Anne Sullivan at 631-4512 or at robsullivan@optonline.net.

The Scholastic Book Fair is returning on Monday, June 20^th and Tuesday, June 21^st. It is a great opportunity for your children to get books for their summer reading.

The "Clothes Line" will be located in the school lobby next week, please take a few minutes to go through and get items for next year. The donation box is located in the school office.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

June 3, 2011

Dear Parents,

The reviews are in and they all say the production of Aladdin is excellent. The student body saw a preview of it yesterday and loved it. They enjoyed seeing their classmates in different roles as actors and actresses, and were amazed by the set design and costumes. They can't believe it is our gym stage. All families and friends are welcome to come tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday night at 7:30p.m. Again, thank you to the Drama Club Committee and all the many parent volunteers.

Calendar - Our June calendar is packed, please keep referring to it for field trip, exams, graduations, etc.

Congratulations - One of our Enrichment Programs offered in the Fall is a Math Kangaroo Club. This club meets weekly following the Math Kangaroo vision of promoting greater commitment to the study of mathematics through the use of interesting problems and positive reinforcement. Members of the club compete in the annual mathematical competition Math Kangaroo in USA every year on the third Thursday in March.

Two of our students were awarded certificates of Excellence; Arun Raja who is in our 2^nd Grade was awarded for20^th place at level 2 nationwide. There were 6,000,000 participants in 50 countries - 6,500 contestants in the USA and Michal Kozlowski a 5^th Grader placed 2^nd in New York State at Level 5. This is a wonderful accomplishment not only for these winners but for all our students who participated in this competition. Thank you to Mrs. Kozlowski and Mrs. Plunkett for moderating this class.

Also, a congratulation goes out to three winners of the Tarrytown Historical Society's Strawberry Festival poster contest. The winners are:
Salicia Smith - 1^st Grade
Madeline McKinley - 5^th Grade
Kara Fragola - 7^th Grade

The 46^th Annual Strawberry Festival will be held on June 5^th at the Historical Society at 1 Grove Street, Tarrytown from 1:00 - 4:00. All families are welcome.

Tuition and After School Fees - Please check your records, all tuition should have been paid, in accordance with the tuition agreement of August - May. If your child/children are in the After School Program, please refer to the SIS Program for your balances. It is important for the fiscal soundness of the school to keep your account paid.

Transfiguration Parents' Guild News

Field Day - June 15^th - The Parents' Guild will provide donuts and juice when the students arrive at the park and serve lunch of hamburgers and cheeseburgers. If you child/children do not like hamburgers or cheeseburgers, please send them with a packed lunch.

Tuition Raffle - Thank you to all the families who participated in our first Tuition Raffle for the School Year 2011/2012 that was announced at the Spring Concert. Congratulations to Mary Adams and her family!

Scholastic Book Fair - Is returning on Monday, June 20^th and Tuesday, June 21^st. This is a good opportunity to pick up some of the books on your child's summer reading list as well as beach books for your page-turning pleasure. Arrangements have been made to have some of each grades' books available for your convenience.

Year End Teacher Gifts - Can be addressed to Lee Anne Sullivan c/o Robert 6^th Grade by Monday, June 13^th.

Enjoy the weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

May 27, 2011

Dear Parents,

I am sure you will agree that the students put on a wonderful concert on Tuesday. Thank you to Mrs. O'Loughlin, our band instructor, Ms. Deltoro, our music director, Mrs. Lemmey, our twirling moderator and our teachers for a job well done.

Aladdin's magic carpet will be coming to Transfiguration soon. Please mark your calendars and bring your family and friends. Show times; Friday, June 3^rd at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, June 4^th at 7:30 p.m. Ticket will be available at the door for Adults $6.00, Children $4.00 and Seniors $4.00. Doors will open at 6:45 p.m. Please don't miss out on these performances. Thank you and congratulations to the Drama Committee for putting this performance together.

Yearbook sale - is underway, a flyer went home yesterday to place orders. Yearbooks are sold on a first come first serve basis for $24.00 a copy. They will be distributed in June.

Uniforms - There has been some confusion over the uniform policy which is clearly stated in the Parent/Student Handbook. Each of you receives a copy of the handbook each new school year and you are asked to review the rules, policies and guidelines contained within. In addition, each of the faculty has a copy. All important information is contained in the handbook.

As it pertains to sneakers; the handbook has stated for the past several years, "mostly white" sneakers. That means if there is a logo in a different color, that is acceptable but when there is a predominance of any color other than white, it does not follow the uniform code. Sneakers are worn with the gym uniform and with summer shorts. The rationale behind "mostly white" has nothing to do with the soles of the shoe but rather that we are a Catholic school, wear uniforms, and therefore must fit the code, uniformly.

Since we have three and a half weeks of school remaining, the teachers will look the other way at sneakers that do not conform to the uniform code. However, I draw the line at colored sneakers that are yellow, orange, turquoise or purple! Please be sure when shopping for next year, that you refer to the Parent/Student Handbook for what can be purchased as part of the uniform.

Also wheeled backpacks are not allowed in the building. I have seen a recent crop of them. Once again, I ask you to refer to the handbook before you make any purchases.

Field Day, June 15th - Students in Grades K - 8^th will have "Field Day" at Barnhardt Park in Sleepy Hollow. Students will be bused to and from the park. Mrs. Morley our gym teacher will assign a team color for the students in the coming weeks and student will participate in races and team events. Our Parents' Guild will supply donuts and lunch. Parents are invited to come and volunteer. Some helpful hints to make this day fun; please send your child in with sunscreen, and all students must wear sneakers. If you are planning on picking your child up at the park or someone else is picking them up, we require a written note beforehand. Our Pre-K class will have their "Field Day" here at school. Again, they will have color coded teams and events outside. The Parents' Guild will supply them with a pizza lunch and juice. Please keep your eyes opened for notices of team colors.

Enjoy your long weekend, and please remember all the men and women who have served this country and currently serve us today during this Memorial Weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

May 20, 2011

Dear Parents,

Let me begin with a huge thank you to all the many parents who help make the Parents' Guild Faculty Appreciation Luncheon wonderful. The Faculty truly appreciated all your hard work. The Library looked beautiful, the food was delicious, and each Faculty member had their favorite dessert, not to mention how much fun the students had with all the parents watching them. Again, the Transfiguration community came together in support of a wonderful event and we are very fortunate to have such a supporting parent population.

Congratulations to our 5th Grade D.A.R.E Class and our 2nd Grade Communion Class
On Monday, May 16^th, the 5th Grade completed their D.A.R.E. class with their graduation. Speeches were delivered by Briana Perez, Amanda Diaz, Christopher Hagstrom and Michal Kozlowski. Today the 2^nd Grade class crowned Mary during the 9:00 a.m. Mass and had their Communion Breakfast. Again, thank you to all the class parents and parents who made these events memorable for the students.

Spring Concert - Don't forget the Spring Concert will be held on Tuesday, May 24^th at 7:00p.m. in the Church. Students in Pre-K will meet as they did for the Christmas Concert at 6:45 on the side of the Altar. K will meet at 6:45 p.m. in the Chapel, and band members will meet in the church hall at 6:30p.m. All other students will meet in their classrooms at 6:30p.m. If your child is not participating in the concert they are welcome to come but must be accompanied by a parent while they are watching the concert. Students must remain with their parents during the concert. Nobody is allowed downstairs in the Church Hall or Living room area during the concert.

Noon Dismissal on Friday, May 27th - School Closed on Monday, May 30th.

Parent/Student Handbook - I came across 2 students this week that never saw the Parent/Student Handbook. Parents, please go over the contents with your child. These are the rules they must abide by at Transfiguration. They must understand what is expected and what they will be held accountable for. The most important sections include; academic policies, books, discipline code, uniform and dress code, expectations, lateness and lunchroom.

I would also ask that you monitor their TV, movie and internet viewing. Students should not have access to Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, Jersey Shore, South Park and Family Guy, just to name a few. They are discussing what they are viewing and bringing into school crude and inappropriate language.

Contributor Rate for Tuition - Contributor Rate status is achieved when $650.00 ($13/week) is contributed to The Church of the Transfiguration between August 1, 2010 and July 31, 2011. Our summer letter will be released in mid-July, at which time we will contact the Church priory for the families who have, or who are close to achieving contributor status. Mrs. Lucia in the Church priory will be able answer any questions you have regarding your contributions. She can be reached at 631-1672

Tuition Raffle Tickets - Are still available - The Transfiguration Parents' Guild is raffling off 1 Full Year's Tuition for One Child. The raffle tickets are being sold for $100 per ticket. A maximum of 100 tickets will be sold. The winning raffle ticket will be pulled at the Spring Concert on Tuesday night. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Susan Vacca at 332-0618 or gima910@verizon.net.

Alumni News - On behalf of the Faculty and staff of Transfiguration School, congratulations to our Alumni students from Maria Regina High School who have achieved an overall 90% average for the present academic year.
Victoria Fernandez - Sophomore 93%

Noreen Verini - Sophomore 91%
Elaina Greco - Freshman 93%

Congratulations to the Transfiguration Class of 2007 - They will be graduating from High School shortly. A special congratulation to:
Areza Sumitro - Valedictorian Iona Prep High School
Megan Woods - Giving the Invocation Speech at Our Lady of Victory

Enjoy your weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

May 13, 2011

Dear Parents,

If you missed the Parents' Guild Social on Tuesday night, I would like to again, thank all the many parents who put so much time and effort into making the 2010/2011 school year wonderful. I would also like to extend an invitation to all parents to again think about getting involved in volunteering at the Transfig. in September. There are so many events in which you can volunteer a few hours or any talents you may have. Some of these events are in the evening so as not to disrupt your business day.

Rosary Garden - Sunday, May 15, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. - On behalf of our Pastor, Fr. Lucian, myself and the Parish Council, we invite the First Communion Class of the Second Grade and the Confirmation Class of the Eighth Grade to come together in a special devotional service to Our Blessed Mother on Sunday, May 15, 2011 at 2:00p.m. for our Third Annual Rosary Garden. This is a rain or shine event. In the event of rain, the rosary garden is assembled in the Church Hall. Refreshments will be served and we hope to see you at this loving devotion to Our Blessed Mother by the prayer partners of the First Holy Communion and Confirmation Classes.

D.A.R.E. Graduation - Monday, May 16, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. in school gym. - Congratulations to our 5^th Grade class on this very important event. Our 5^th Grade, under the directive of Det. Brian Byrnes of the Tarrytown Police Department has completed the D.A.R.E. program. Congratulations!!

2nd Grade May Crowning - Will be held on Friday, May 20^th at the 9:00 a.m. Mass. All are welcome to come.

Spring Concert - Tuesday, May 24^th 7:00 p.m. in the Church.

After School Program on SIS - Again we encourage all families who use the After School Program to review their account on the SIS program and bring it up to date. If you have any questions or need Login information, please contact the school office.

Drama Club - Our Drama Club have been busy getting ready for this year's production of Aladdin. The show dates are; Friday, June 3^rd at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, June 4^th at 7:30 p.m. A letter went home today to order your tickets. Please keep your eyes open for this. Orders must be received no later than Friday, May 27^th. All are welcome to come and see this great performance.

Enjoy your weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

May 6, 2011

Dear Parents,

Boy we had a busy week...

Thank you all for your cooperation and flexibility yesterday during our evacuation. Under the circumstances things progressed as smoothly as possible. Here is the timeline of events:

* Road work was being done on the corner of Broadway and Prospect Avenue.
* At about 11:00 a.m. we received the first report of the smell of gas in the area. The smell was outside.   Con Edison, and the Village of Tarrytown were immediately notified.
* 11:15a.m. I evacuated the building to the back of the parking lot and awaited word from the Fire Department and local police.
*   11:35a.m. After a complete investigation of the school building where no gas readings whatsoever were found, the Fire Department said that it was okay to re-enter the building but as a precaution to keep the windows closed.
*   12 noon - The Chief of Police and Fire Department informed me that the building was to be evacuated to the Hitachi parking lot. They had made arrangements with Hitachi to accept the students.
* According to the orders of the Police and under their escort, the school proceeded up the hill, youngest to oldest, with their lunches to await the "all clear" to return.
* I sent out the first IRIS alert and manned the phones. Joan Bucci and I contacted all the bus companies to let them know that pick up would be at a different location.
* At 1:00 p.m. we received word from Con Edison and the Fire Department that we could not come back into the building as they were still working on the gas line. 2 more IRIS alerts went out.
* By 1:30 p.m. about 14 students had not been picked up. We began to call the bus companies who did not need to come.
* At 2:30 p.m. Broadway was re-opened and by 2:45 p.m. we received word that the gas line was repaired and we would re-enter the building.
Thank you also to all the teachers and students who "rolled with the punches" and followed the directives of Police, Fire Department, and Con Edison. Everyone did a great job.

2nd Grade Communion and Family Mass - Tomorrow our 2^nd Graders will receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. I congratulate them, their families and their teachers in preparing them for this very special sacrament. The 2^nd Grade Family Mass will be held on Sunday, May 8^th at 10:00 a.m. I invite all to attend.

New York State Testing - We will continue to administer the New York State Tests in Math next week to grades 4,6,8. Again, I must stress all students be on time for school. Parents, please reinforce reviewing packets sent home.

Rosary Garden - On May 15^th at 2:00 p.m. the 2^nd Grade Communicants and the 8^th Grade Confirmandi are invited to participate in the Rosary Garden. Students will be planting flowers to make a rosary garden with refreshments following. Please plan to join us to honor Mary and celebrate receiving our sacraments together. Also on May 15^th, parishioners are invited to pray the rosary at 11:30 a.m. in the Church.

Summer Uniforms - Students can begin wearing the summer uniform. Please keep in mind that belts are required with the shorts for both boys and girls. I recommend you look at the collection in the "clothes line" down stairs if you need additional uniform items.

Mother's Day Tea - Our Pre-K, K and 1^st Graders held their 2^nd Annual Mother's Day Tea today. Congratulations to the students for the performances and all their teachers for putting together this wonderful memory for Mother's Day.

Oops on Calendar - Sorry, Ascension Thursday is not May 12^th, it is June 2^nd. Therefore the students will be attending 9:00 a.m. Mass on Friday, May 13^th.
Hameed Mourani's Video - Today is the last day to review Hameed Mourani's video promoting Reconciliation Day. Currently Hameed's video is in 5^th place. Please take a few minutes to go onto "Youtube.com" and click on his video and click "Like" with the thumbs up.

                                               Parents' Guild News

Social - The Parents' Guild will hold their yearend Social on Tuesday, May 10^th at 7:00 p.m. in the School Library. All parents are welcome to attend and celebrate all your hard work in selling raffle tickets, food coupons, playground duty, and so very many more hours you have dedicated to Transfiguration this year.

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon - Will be held on Wednesday, May 18^th. A flyer went home this week asking for volunteers. If you have any questions, please call Lee Anne Sullivan at 631-4512.

1 Year Free Tuition - Keep your eyes open for information about a new raffle. The Parents' Guild will be holding a raffle for anyone interested in purchasing a ticket for 1 year free tuition for 1 student for the 2011/2012 school year. The winning ticket will be pulled at the Spring Concert on Tuesday, May 24^th. More information will follow shortly.

I hope all our Mothers enjoy their well deserved Mother's Day Weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

April 20, 2011

Dear Parents,

Just a few quick notes before we break for Easter.

Congratulations - to Diyu Pearce-Fisher, an 8^th Grader, who was selected as the 1^st place winner in the Guilder Lehman Institute of American History Civil War Essay contest. This was a nationwide contest. Diyu will be honored at a special dinner and presented her award by Pulitzer Prize winning historian, Eric Foner. In addition, her essay will be published and she wins a cash prize of $300.00. Diyu worked on this project for 3 months under the guidance of Mrs. Holodak. Bravo!

New York State ELA & Math - Grades 4, 6, 8 - Will begin May 3^rd (ELA) and May 11^th(Math). I encourage parents to assist us in working with your child if they are taking these exams. Please make sure they are completing the work assigned by their teachers over the break. We ask that they come to school on time and well rested, with (4) No. 2 pencils. Please make sure they eat breakfast since these tests will be administered in the morning.

Pre-K 3 Program - I am happy to announce the opening of a PreK-3 Program starting in September 2011. This program will be five half days a week under the guidance of NYS certified Teachers. If you are interested or know anyone that might be interested in this program, please call the school office. Space is limited.

Family Movie Night - was a big success this past Saturday. We would like to thank Jerry Zarra for his phenomenal giant screen and surround sound as well as the O'Connell Family for the delicious popcorn.

Nomination Forms - for Parents' Guild Executive Board openings have gone out. Please consider getting involved.

Final Parents' Guild Meeting - Is actually a social event scheduled for Tuesday, May 10^th at 7:00 p.m. It will be held in the school library. We hope to see many of you there!

Late Spring Fundraiser Donation - The Parents' Guild received a late donation for a yearlong family membership to "Life - The Place to Be". It is a family fun destination located in Ardsley. It has rock climbing, mini bowling, play structures and so much more. Birthday parties can be held there. If you would like to bid on this item, please send your bid to robsullivan@optonline.net. The starting bid is $50 and the last bid will be accepted on Saturday, April 23^rd. Lee Anne Sullivan will notify the highest bidder.

Palm Sunday School Choir - Thank you to the students who participated in the Choir for Palm Sunday Mass. A special thank you to Mrs. Plunkett for organizing our school Choir's participation. They were great representatives of our school.

I-Confess Video - Please continue to view Hameed Mourani's video on YouTube and spread the word. If each family member views it daily for the next 10 days, the video will have over 4,000 hits by May 1^st. Please help Hameed and the school. Mr. Fortinash has set up a link so when you logon YouTube in the search box type in Hameed Mourani's video and it will appear on the top of the page.

On behalf of the Faculty, Staff and Parents' Guild, we wish everyone a very blessed Easter.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

April 12, 2011

Dear Parents,

A Transfiguration School eighth grader, Hameed Mourani was selected to enter a video contest sponsored by the Archdiocese of New York. He created a one-minute video about reconciliation promoting April 18^th as Reconciliation Day. I am sure after you view it you will agree that Hameed

did an excellent job producing this video. For his video to win, he needs viewings and votes that

you like it. To see the video and vote for Hameed please follow these easy instructions:

   1. Log onto Youtube.com
   2. In the search box put in "A Reconciliation Film"
   3. Scroll down until you see a picture of stick cross in a stream. It will be marked as
        A Reconciliation Film and will say that it is from the i-confess contest.
   4. Click on it, view it, and click "likes" with the thumbs up.

The film with the most votes will win. Hameed has a chance to win a scholarship for school and the school has a chance to win as well. Please help and tell everyone you know to go to Youtube and vote for Hameed's film, A Reconciliation Film. If you don't have an account, registration is free.

Also....Yesterday, Monday, April 11^th one of our parents, Mrs. D'Alessandro's car was hit in the parking lot during afternoon dismissal. She parked her maroon Subaru at 2:15 with no cars on either side of her. When she returned at 2:45, the panel on the rear left side door had been pulled off. I know the parking lot is very busy during dismissal, but if anyone did happen to see this, Mrs. D'Alessandro would appreciate it if you could contact her at 332-6044. AGAIN, I must stress the importance of our parking lot safety.....NO CARS are allowed up the front row at all.......YOU MUST enter and exit this property slowly and DO NOT go into the coned off area at any time... Please pass this information on to anyone who drops off or picks up your children.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

April 8, 2011

Dear Parents,

ROCK & ROLLIN’ SPRING FUNDRAISER!!!!!!!!

It is finally here!! Come one; come all to our major fundraising event of the year this Saturday, April 9^th in the Church Hall at 7:30 p.m. There is something there for everyone. Don't you want a chance to win one of your child's art projects or maybe your child's class basket? Don't you need a weekend away at Crystal Springs, New Jersey where you can enjoy the weekend playing golf and receiving a spa treatment? There is a chance to surprise the sports fan of your house with a pair of Giant Tickets. Most of all come and see who the lucky winner of the $20,000 raffle is!!! There is light fare and cocktails for all to enjoy!!!! I hope I'll see you there.

Family Movie Night - is starting on Saturday, April 16^th at 7:30 p.m. in the school gym. Come and watch the movie "Despicable Me" on a 16 x 9 foot screen with theatre like sound in our very own gym!!! It is $10.00 a family and you pay at the door. All grades are welcome!!

Basketball Uniforms - All members of any of our basketball teams must return their basketball uniforms by Monday, April 11^th.

Sincerely,
Audrey J. Woods
Principal

4/1/11

Dear Parents,

***** 2nd Grade First Eucharist (Please mark your April calendars - we forgot to put on school calendar sorry!!) RETREAT - Saturday, April 2nd 9:30a.m. - 1:30p.m. in the Church Hall. Please RSVP for this at 631-2380. One parent must attend. Wednesday, April 6^th rehearsal 3:45 - 5:00 p.m. in the Church - Wednesday, April 13^th - rehearsal 3:45-5:00 p.m. in the Church, May 4^th rehearsal 3:45-5:00 p.m. in the Church. Only the children please at rehearsal. A letter went home to all parents from Nancy Nelson, with the schedule and information on First Eucharist Day. If you did not receive this letter, please call the school office as soon as possible.

SPRING FUNDRAISER.....SPRING FUNDRAISER...SPRING FUNDRAISER......
SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH 7:30 P.M. CHURCH HALL

The Parents' Guild Spring Fundraiser is just around the corner. Our Class Parents, along with our Parents' Guild Board have put in many hours to make this event a success. Every school family is asked to attend this wonderful Rock & Roll Spring Fundraiser on Saturday, April 9^th at 7:30p.m. in the Church Hall. Please feel free to bring friends. Please keep in mind this is an adult event.

If you have not done so already, please get your mandatory raffle tickets in as soon as possible. It is each family's responsibility to buy or sell 2 tickets. The funds generated from this evening assist in purchasing items for our children, as well as, supporting the schools' operating expenses. You certainly want to be in the running for a chance to win $20,000. Please return your raffle tickets to school attention: Ellen Galano, c/o Paul 3^rd Grade. If you misplaced your ticket and need another, please call the school office.

The Live and Silent Auctions alway promise to provide a little something for everyone. For instance; the sports enthusiast has a chance to win a pair of Giants tickets; the theatre buff a night out at the Westchester Broadway Theatre and the Emmelin Theatre; the book lover a Kindle, and what we parents need the most - a night away at the Doubletree Hotel with 2 meals included!

Please return any solicitations to Susan Vacca, c/o Grace 2^nd Grade as well as any class basket donations to your class parents. We need all items so they can be properly listed in our Journal.

Remember, a Pizza Party and a Dress Down Day will be awarded to the class with the highest parent and guest representation!

Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm, which always makes this night a great success.

If anyone would like to help decorate, help during the fundraiser, and clean up at the end of the evening, please contact Lee Anne Sullivan at 631-4512 or robsullivan@optonline.net.

Transfiguration Sports Program NCAA Basketball Finals - Monday, April 4^th 8:00p.m. in the School Gym. All proceeds to benefit the Transfiguration Sports Programs, Tickets available in school office, each $25.00 ticket entitles you to a chance to win a flat panel TV and admission to the event where complimentary food and beverages will be served. Only 250 tickets will be sold. Winner need not be present. You must be 21 or over to attend the event.

7th Grade Family Mass - Planning will be on Monday, April 4^th at 7:00p.m. in the Church Hall. Any 7^th Grade student interested in participating in the Family Mass is encouraged to attend this planning meeting. The 7^th Grade Family Mass will be on Sunday, May 1^st at 10:00a.m.

Basketball Uniforms - Any team player who has not returned their basketball uniform, please bring it in on Monday to the school office.

Absent Notes - Don't forget, if your child is out sick, the day they return they must have an absent note. If no note is received the absences will be recorded as illegal or unexcused. This is a state law.

Calendar Raffle - The Calendar Raffle which ran from January 1^st through March 31^st has ended. Congratulations to all our winners. The final winning names have been posted on the school website. Thank you again to our families who supported this wonderful fundraiser.

Looking ahead - the Parents' Guild will be offering a Family Movie Night on Saturday, April 16^th at 7:30p.m. in the school gym. The movie will be "Despicable Me". More details to follow.

Enjoy your weekend,

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

March 18, 2011

Dear Parents,

We had a wonderful time at the Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday. Thank you to all the families that came out and marched.

Lenten Projects - Don't forget our Lenten Projects that are continuing through Lent. We have designated student captains to be responsible for each project. This is a school wide project and I ask that you contribute to each project.
    2^nd Week of Lent - Items for St. Vincent de Paul - Collection of non-perishable food.
    3^rd Week of Lent - Midnight Run - collection of travel sized items; toothpaste, soap
    4^th Week of Lent - Elmsford Animal Shelter - Collection of dog and cat food, water
                                   bowls, dog and cat toys.
    5^th Week of Lent - Elinor Martin Residence - Pregnancy Care collection of baby
                                  formula, new baby bottles, diapers, and baby wipes.

Congratulations - To our Sixth Grade Teacher, Mrs. Rosemary Holodak. She received a fellowship from Gilder Lehrman to study at Oxford University this summer. The topic of the study will be the Age of Lincoln.

Honor Band - Congratulations to the following students who will be performing in the Lower Hudson Valley Catholic School Honor Band Concert on Sunday, March 20^th at 1:00 p.m. at Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers. These students represent the "Best of the Best" musicians from our area schools.
      Patrick Burns - 5^th Gr.
      Anshuman Konuru - 8^th Gr.
      Hameed Mourani - 8^th Gr.
      Gibran Mourani - 4^th Gr.
      Gina Marie Napoli - 7^th Gr.
      Dylan Pereiras - 8^th Gr.
      Abhishek Purohit - 6^th Gr.
      Shannon Silva - 7^th Gr.
      Seamus Wiseman - 6^th Gr.

Bus Forms - Reminder Bus transportation forms are due to your school district by April 1^st.

8th Grade Confirmation Class - Congratulations to our 8^th Grade class who will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation this Saturday, March 19^th at 10:00 a.m.

Parents' Guild - Spring Fundraiser - We hope you are all able to attend our Annual Spring Fundraiser on Saturday, April 9^th in the Church Hall at 7:30 p.m. It has always proven to be such a fun evening. Please let us know if you are coming by responding to the E-vite. Also, the raffle tickets are going so please return your mandatory Spring Raffle tickets to Ellen Galano, c/o Paul 3^rd Grade. You don't want to miss out on the opportunity to win $20,000!!! Please return your basket donation money to your class parents by the assigned due date.

Again, thank you so much for the solicitations/donations that have been coming in. If you have any donations, please return them to Susan Vacca, c/o Grace - 2^nd Grade at your earliest convenience.

The Spring Fundraiser is a great event for friends and families to come together with the benefit of raising funds to support needed activities and supplies for our children in our school. The children have a chance to win a pizza lunch party and dress down day if they have the highest attendance of parents and guests! Thank you for all your support and we look forward to seeing you on April 9^th.

Midnight Run - We have a Midnight Run scheduled for THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011.
As usual we are asking that on Thursday, each child bring a "Midnight Run meal" into school with them for collection. Please be sure to label this meal "Midnight Run" so that there is no confusion between the Midnight Run and a child's lunch. Each meal should consist of: A sandwich (please no peanut butter and jelly)
                               A piece of fruit
                               A drink
                               A hard-boiled egg (In its shell)
                               A dessert/snack

Dismissal - If your child is a walker and you are picking them up at dismissal, the playground rules are still in effect. Students are not permitted to play up in the woods, near the exit ramp or throw any sticks or rocks. I ask parents to please remind their children of these rules and work with us to see that they are followed.

Box Tops - The Box Top jar is getting full again!!!!! Thank you so much and please keep sending them in.

SCHOOL CLOSED FRIDAY, MARCH 25TH FOR A TEACHER CONFERENCE DAY.

Enjoy your weekend.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

March 11, 2011

Dear Parents,

The student body celebrated Fat Tuesday this week with masks they made in art class as well as a parade around the school yard with beads and candy. Students in Pre-Kindergarten - 4^th Grade enjoyed a pancake breakfast. On Ash Wednesday, the students received ashes and presented their Lenten Promises during Mass. We remind the students that this is a time for taking spiritual inventory and cleaning out those things which hinder our personal relationships with Jesus Christ.

8th Grade Parents PLEASE NOTE ****** Confirmation Practice has been changed to Wednesday, March 16^th - 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

St. Patrick's Day Parade - Sunday, March 13^th - Transfiguration School will be lining up on John Street in Tarrytown (off Main Street) at 1:00 p.m. Please come join us if you are available.

Drama Club - The first Drama Club rehearsal will be on Monday, March 14^th from 2:30 - 4:00 in the school cafeteria. Parents please send a snack and drink with your child(ren) to all rehearsals.

March 17th - Noon Dismissal - The Faculty will use this opportunity to set up parent/teacher conferences.

Absences - If your child is going to be out sick, you must call the school office before 9:00a.m. We have noticed an increase in parents not calling and telling the reason for the absence. All cases of strep must be reported so we can notify parents. It is highly contagious. Please note that strep not treated can lead to scarlet fever. The bottom line however is that all absences must be called in and a reason must be given. Children with fevers must be fever-free for a full 24 hours before returning to school. Children who have been given antibiotics must be on them for a full 24 hours before returning to school.

SPRING FUNDRAISER - Our annual Spring Fundraiser is on Saturday, April 9^th in the Church Hall at 7:30 p.m. There will be Live and Silent Auctions, Penny Social and so much more! We hope you all can attend. Please return your mandatory Spring Raffle Tickets as soon as possible to Ellen Galano in c/o of Paul, 3^rd Grade.

We are grateful for all the solicitations that we have received to date. If you frequent a particular restaurant, salon, child party place, etc. please ask for a donation on behalf of the Transfiguration Parents' Guild Spring Fundraiser. These donations raise valuable funds that benefit our children. Donation forms are available in the office. Please have all solicitations in by Wednesday, April 6^th and return them to Susan Vacca, c/o Grace - 2^nd Grade.

Please have all class basket donations into your class parents by the assigned due date.

As always, we are very grateful for all your support and we look forward to seeing you on April 9^th.

Box Tops - Please continue to send in your Box Tops. Our school has earned $450.10 so far this year which is more than last year. Keep up the good work!

Innisbrook - Remember you can still purchase Innisbrook items for all your Easter and Spring needs. Go to the school website and the Innisbrook link.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

February 18, 2011

Dear Parents,

We made it to 100 days of school!!!!! In celebration of this accomplishment, PK-3 collected over 100 boxes of cereal and lined them up on Tuesday afternoon in the gym and watched them fall in a domino effect. Not only was this a celebration of this important milestone but they donated all 117 cereal boxes to the St. Vincent DePaul Society to distribute to the needy families in our community. Thank you for your donation to this worthy cause and to the teachers who made this possible.

This week, a lot of information went home. Please check and make sure you have this paperwork or information. If not please let the office know.

Drama Club - A flyer went home with information regarding this year’s production of Aladdin. If your child would like to participate in the Drama Club, please return the form as soon as possible. Forms are also available on the school website; www.transfigurationschool.org

$20,000 Raffle Tickets - Forms went home this week regarding the $20,000 raffle tickets. Only 400 tickets will be sold and every school family is required to participate in this important fundraiser by purchasing two chances. After February 28th, the raffle numbers will be available for sale to members of the parish and community. If you paid the one-time fee of $400.00 to the Parents' Guild, you are exempt from this fundraiser. The drawing will take place on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Spring Fundraiser and Live Auction. It is not necessary to be present to win. If you have any questions, please contact Eileen Kyriacou at 815-2764.

St. Patrick's Day Parade - Transfiguration School has once again been asked to participate in the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday, March 13^th in Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow. The parade will begin at 1:30. All families are invited to come and march with the school behind our banner. Please return the signup sheet by February 28^th or email Mrs. Coughlin and let her know if you will be attending.

St. Jude's Math-A-thon - Thank you for allowing your child to participate in the St. Jude's Math-A-thon. Please note that all pledge forms and donations are due on March 1^st. Please be sure to indicate a shirt size and prize selection if your child is eligible. Your generosity is much appreciated.

Spring Fundraiser - A letter was recently sent regarding obtaining solicitations for our Annual Spring Fundraiser. If you are planning to solicit a particular business from the suggested list, please contact your class parent so another family does not visit the same business establishment. As always, thank you so much for your support and hard work. All your efforts will greatly benefit our school and most importantly our children.

Note on March Calendar - We are opened on March 18^th. We are not giving back any snow days this year. We will also be opened May 13^th and May 16^th.

Guild Meeting - The next Parents' Guild Meeting is re-scheduled for Monday, March 7^th at 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. All families are welcomed and encouraged to come.

Fat Tuesday - Tuesday, March 8^th is often considered the last celebration before Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, March 9^th. In celebration of Fat Tuesday, I would like to give the students 2 small silver dollar pancakes during the morning break at 9:20a.m. Before I commit to this though, I need to have a contingency of parents available to assist in preparing these pancakes, please let me know as soon as possible if you can help.

I hope you enjoy the mid winter break, and encourage the students to read during this time off.

Audrey J. Woods

February 11, 2011

Dear Parents,

We finally made it through a week without a "snow day"!!!

Just a few reminders...

6th Grade Family Mass - Is scheduled for Sunday, March 6^th at 9:30a.m. All Sixth Grade families are asked to sit together in the choir area. The Planning Meeting for any student interested in participating is Tuesday, February 15th at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Center. The Rehearsal Meeting is Tuesday, March 1^st at 7:00 p.m. in the Church. A flyer was sent home with your child this week. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Kozlowski at 914-819-0835 or Mrs. Rooney at 914-332-7801.

Box Tops - We are still collecting Box Tops for Education. The next batch will be sent the end of February. Please send in any that you have by Friday, February 18^th so we can get them in before the winter break.

Open House - Please let your neighbors, relatives and friends know that our Open House has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 15^th from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. We were snowed out the last time and are trying again.

Bus Registration - All bus registration forms must be returned to your school district by April 1^st for the 2011/2012 school year. Please contact your district's Transportation Department with any questions.

Lost and Found - The lost and found boxes are overflowing. If you are missing any uniform items, please look through these boxes soon. Any uniforms with no names will be given to the Clothesline.

Public Relations Person - The Marketing Committee is in need of a PR person to act as a liaison between the school and the news media. This requires sending photos and press releases to the various publications. This can be shared by two or three people. If interested, please contact Mrs. Woods.

Report Cards - Are going home today for Grades PK 4^th - 8^th. Please check your child's folder for it.

Milk Program - Forms for the 2nd half of the Milk Program went home last week. Please return them by Monday if you want your child to get milk February - June. Please call the school office if you need another form.

Enjoy the weekend.

Mrs. Woods

January 21, 2011
Dear Parents,
With the busy holiday season and our snow days, I have not sent you many family weekly emails. So, we have a lot of catching up to do.
Congratulations - to our 8^th grade class on their High School acceptance letters and scholarships. Now the hard part is deciding which school to attend. Isn't it great to have choices?
Reminders
Re-Registration forms (blue form) for 2011/2012 school year went home January 5^th. I would appreciate it if you could please check if you have returned this. If you do not have one, please let the office know as soon as possible. I would like all forms in by Wednesday, January 26^th so I can get a firm enrollment number in order to offer spots to new families.
Transfiguration School Communion Breakfast - Sunday, January 30^th. All families are welcome. The Communion Breakfast is our long standing tradition of kicking off Catholic Schools Week. We will celebrate Mass together at 10:00 a.m. followed by breakfast downstairs in the church hall. Your child's teacher along with the entire faculty and staff will cook and serve our students and parents breakfast. Reservation forms (Pink letter) went home January 7^th. This breakfast fills up quickly and reservations are a must. Please let the office know if you need a reservation form.
Heritage Day- Again, this is a tradition at Transfiguration during Catholic Schools Week, each child is asked to bring in a culinary dish that represents their family's heritage or ethnicity. During lunch hour the students will sample the different foods from their classmates. Our Class Parents have sent home flyers with information about when and where to bring your food. Please make sure these forms are filled out and returned back to them so they can make this day another memorable event for your child. We welcome parents to come on Heritage Day from 11:30 - 1:00 and visit. You can visit your child's class as well as the class they will be moving up to in September. Thank you to all our Class Parents for all their time and effort for this special day.
IRIS Alerts - Please let the office know if you are not getting IRIS Alerts regarding school closures or delayed openings. Our IRIS reports shows that the calls are going through but some emails are not being returned. Again, it is very important that we have any changes to your phones or email address.
Book/Ins./SIS/Testing Fee - We still have families who have not yet paid their Book Fee. For students in Pre-K this fee is $100.00 per student. For students in K-8^th it is $235.00 per student. You can check your account on SIS to see if you have paid. If you have any questions, please call the school office.
Snow Days - Please change your calendars to remove the following dates as snow day give backs. We will have school on May 13^th, and May 16^th. We lost these days because of the snow. . If we exceed our 3 snow days, we will add days to the end of the school year. Currently our calendar states school ends on Wednesday, June 22^nd. If we have to, we will add Thursday, June 23^rd and Friday, June 24^th to cover snow days. We will keep you updated as to the dates and dismissal times as soon as it stops snowing…
Cellphone Tower Mrs. Molloy spoke with the Village of Tarrytown recently. Metro PCS called and advised that they will not be at the January meeting regarding the Cellular facility, and asked for it to be postponed until February. Mrs. Molloy will notify us to the date and time when available.
Regional Open House - On Thursday, January 27^th, Transfiguration School will open its doors from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. to any family displaced by the recent school closings. If you know of any families, please encourage them to stop by. In addition to this Open House, we will have another on Tuesday, February 1^st from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
The Board of Regents - Has released the updated Common Core Learning Standards for English Language Arts (ELA) and Math for Pre-Kindergarten - 8^th. These new standards will be in place for the 2011-2012 school year. The Faculty and I have begun to familiarize ourselves with them. In addition, in our efforts to continuously look to improve our already excellent curriculum and instruction, the faculty and I will be implementing a school-wide math problem solving process and writing process from Grades 1^st to 8^th.
Sincerely,
Audrey J. Woods
Principal

January 6, 2011

Dear Parents,

It looks like we are getting snow tomorrow. Unfortunately, it is unclear what it will be like tomorrow morning, so I just want to give you some information so you can be prepared and make plans.

IF we are closed tomorrow you will receive an IRIS call and email. This information will also be listed on:
               Channel 12 News
                WFAS Radio 103.9 FM
                The school's website: www.transfigurationschool.org
                The school's phone machine - 631-3737
Also note that if the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns are closed so is Transfiguration School.

IF we open and have to close early, again, an IRIS call and email will be sent with the information and listed on the above sites as well. The After School Program and Enrichment classes will be canceled if we close early.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

December 17, 2010

Dear Parents,

I want to express my deep gratitude and appreciation to all who volunteered their time and energy at the Tree/Wreath/Book/Craft/BakeSale this past weekend. It was a tremendous effort and it produced a fantastic result. The weather was perfect for the day. Thank you!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! That's what the children are singing throughout the halls. Should there be snow, please check Channel 12, WFAS and your phone and email for an IRIS alert to find out if school is delayed or closed. The general rule is that if the Tarrytown School District is closed or delayed, we are closed or delayed.

I cannot believe that I am still seeing students without coats. The weather has been brutally cold. Every child MUST come to school with proper outerwear and every parent MUST insure they do.

I have a concern about what occurs during basketball. There is to be no playing of any kind on the stage; no playing in the lobby and hall area; no child should be left unattended without adult supervision on the playground. Parents who have door duty are responsible for what goes on in the lobby and hall. Parents who have stage duty are responsible for what happens on the stage. Whether it is our families or a visiting team, the rules of conduct must be followed. The coach of the last game of the day or evening must check the bathrooms before leaving. The stage area and lobby must be cleaned up. Do not leave water bottles, clothing, etc. in the lobby. If we all do our part, we can maintain our school and keep our children safe.

When we think of the holiday season, what comes to mind? Gift exchanges? Holiday parties? Home-baked cookies? Getting together with friends and family? Taxes? Okay, so maybe no one thinks about income taxes during Christmas, but the holiday season is a great time to take some last-minute tax deductions before the year is over. A gift or donation to Transfiguration School is tax deductible. If you are looking to make some charitable donations before year-end, please put Transfiguration on your charitable donation gift list this year.

Christmas Concert - The school Christmas Concert is Tuesday, December 21^st at 7:00p.m. in the Church. Please note the time and place to bring your child:
    All Band members should report to the Church Hall at 6:30 p.m.
    Students in Pre-K should meet on the benches behind the Altar at 6:45 p.m.
    Kindergarten should meet in the Church Chapel at 6:45 p.m.
    Students in Grades 1-8 will meet in their classrooms. The school doors will open at 6:30p.m.

Students should wear dress clothes, please no jeans and sneakers. Parents please be mindful of parking lot safety. It will be dark and there will be students running to the Church as well as into the school.

Altar Servers - Are desperately needed for the following Masses; Christmas Eve 8:00pm, Christmas Day 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. Please contact Barbara Coughlin at 914-332-1240 or email her at barbcoug@aol.com.

School Vacation Schedule - Thursday, December 23^rd - Noon Dismissal
Friday, December 24^th - Friday, December 31^st - Closed Monday, January 3^rd, - Classes resume.
The After School Program - Will run on Thursday, December 23^rd.

Parents' Guild Information

Faculty and Staff Christmas monetary gifts will continue to be collected until Monday, December 20^th. If you would like to make a donation, please send to school by Monday.

Calendar Raffle Tickets - Are due back to school by Thursday, December 23^rd. The first drawing will be January 1, 2011.

Parents' Guild Fees - If you have not paid this, please try and have it in as soon as possible.

Christmas Pageant – Practice will be on Monday, December 20^th at 7:00 p.m. in the Church.

Box Tops - Continue sending in your pages of Box Tops for Education. Also consider making your online Christmas shopping orders through the BoxTops Marketplace at www.btfe.com. Hundreds of department store websites are accessible through the marketplace. It costs nothing extra and benefits Transfiguration School.

Cake Orders - If you ordered Holiday Desserts, they will be available for pick up on Wednesday, December 22^nd between 2:30 and 5:30.

Enjoy your weekend; see you at the concert on Tuesday night.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

November 19, 2010

Dear Parents,

It is said that "gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others". This Thanksgiving holiday, there will be many families in our community that will be very grateful for all the donations we received from our annual food drive, as well as our Midnight Run. The halls of the school were lined with donations, and the students were proud to present these gifts during Mass this morning. After Mass, our Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st Grade reminded us all of the blessings of Thanksgiving in their annual Thanksgiving assembly. Thank you to all the parents that help make this assembly a huge success.

REMINDERS AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday is coming up quickly, please take note of some of the following reminders..

Monday, November 22nd - IF YOU ORDERED PIES, THEY WILL BE DELIVERED ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22^nd. A flyer went home today on where and when to pick them up. Please fill out and return on Monday. There will be a few extra pies available. If interested, please contact Linnae Latessa at 584-9438.

Sunday, November 21st - Christmas Pageant sign up after 10:00 a.m. Mass. Any questions, please call Lori Fernandes at 592-9428, Elizabeth Rooney at 332-7801 or Lee Anne Sullivan at 631-4512.

Monday, November 22nd - Grades 2^nd & 3^rd will be on a field trip.

Wednesday, November 24th - NOON DISMISSAL - Report Cards sent home.

Thursday & Friday, November 25th & 26th - SCHOOL CLOSED

Thursday, December 2nd - FULL DAY - Grades K - 8^th on Field Trip "Annie"

Friday, December 3rd - NOON DISMISSAL - Parent/Teacher Conferences

Sunday, December 5th - Third Grade Family Mass 10:00 a.m.

Parent/Teacher Conference - Teachers will be sending home Parent/Teacher Conference letters this week and early next week. Please check your child's folder to insure you have a copy. Please notify your child's teacher if you need another one.

If you ask students who graduated from Transfiguration School, and parents what is one of their favorite memories of Transfiguration School, most of them will tell you the Annual Tree/Wreath/Book/Craft Fair.
This event begins with our Annual Scholastic Book Fair on Wednesday, December 8^th through Sunday, December 12^th. On Saturday, December 11^th, the school explodes with CYO basketball games, tree and wreath sale, bake sale, and crafts, along with our book fair. I encourage all parents to come on Saturday, December 11^th to make memories with their children. Even if you only have 20 minutes, come and make a Christmas craft with your children, or watch an upper classmate in a basketball game, or even find the perfect Christmas book.

In the next few days, you will receive flyers giving you the opportunity to volunteer for the Book Fair, Tree Sale, Craft table or donate items to the Bake Sale. Please take a few minutes and consider helping out in any way. I promise you, it will be worth it and your children will see, by example the rewards of volunteering.

I hope you and your family have an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

November 5, 2010

Dear Parents,

Cold Weather - There is no doubt that it is getting colder. It is time to be sending your child to school with the proper outerwear, including hats and gloves. Students will be going out for recess and gym if the weather stays above 32 degrees.

350 Club - The school is a few shy of making 350 members! There are 109 chances to win, including the $1,000 Grand Prize in May. A $50 investment goes a long way to help the school and its fuel bill, while giving you so many opportunities to make back your money and more! Please join.

Report Cards - Believe it or not, the end of the first quarter will be the week of November 14^th. Teachers will be preparing report cards, which will go out before we break for the Thanksgiving holiday. Conferences schedules will also be going out with the teachers' availability noted. Conduct grades will be determined by every faculty member who has contact with the students. This includes conduct during gym, art, music, Spanish and technology, as well as the lunchroom and playground. The school's mission is for the development of the whole child and so our assessments must be all inclusive. Please remember that the SIS system will give you up-to-date information about your child and their upcoming assignments. We hope that you refer to it regularly.

Change in Calendar - Please note a change for December. December 2^nd will be a full day - not noon dismissal. December 3^rd will be a noon dismissal to accommodate Parent/Teacher Conferences.

Innisbrook Fundraiser - Was a huge success, and the school made a profit of over $4,700.00. Thank you to all the families who participated in this fundraiser. Orders will arrive at school before Thanksgiving.

Calendar Raffle Tickets - Were sent home last week. If you have not received your envelope of tickets, please contact eileen.kyriacou@lexisnexis.com. Over the Thanksgiving holiday might be a good time to sell your tickets. The ticket price is $10.00 with 90 chances to win! Each family is required to sell 15 tickets. Extra tickets are available in the school office.

IRIS Test - Has been completed and we have made adjustments to emails and phone numbers so that communications run smoothly.

Family Mass - November 7th, 10:00 a.m. - This Mass will be celebrated by the 1^st Grade Class. If you have any questions, please contact Monique Kozlowski at 914-819-0835.

Parents' Guild Meeting – Tuesday, November 9^th at 7:00 PM in the School Cafeteria. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

SCHOOL CLOSED - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH - In honor of Veterans Day.

Sincerely,

Audrey J. Woods
Principal

October 15, 2010

Dear Parents,
Now that we are in a school routine, I would like to bring to your attention a few very important reminders and concerns that I have witnessed.

Playground and Parking Lot Rules - All students are aware of, and are required to follow all the rules of the playground and parking lot. These rules apply as long as the child is on school property. Since the beginning of this school year, the faculty, as well as other parents, has notified me of dangerous activities that are happening in the parking lot at dismissal. I have had calls notifying me that students are running up Prospect Avenue, while others are throwing sticks and rocks at each other and playing on the railing exiting the property or in the woods. Again, this is not allowed during school hours and I don't expect it to be done at dismissal. I strongly urge parents to please support me in seeing that these rules are followed at all times. Also, please note that when the After School Program rings the bell, we ask that all students not attending the After School Program please leave the area so the After School personnel can adequately watch the students in this program. These rules are followed in the interest of safety for your children.

Soyapagno Visit - Was a wonderful success. Our visitors greatly appreciated all the donated soccer uniforms and school supplies, as well as the luncheon, meeting the students, and celebrating Mass with us on Friday. We also presented them with a check for $126.00 from the proceeds of the "Clothesline" donations. Thank you to Mrs. Cristina Sullivan for overseeing and maintaining the "Clothesline" project.

Winter Uniform - Starting on Monday, October 18^th, students should be in complete winter uniforms. Please refer to your Parent/Student Handbook to see what items are needed. Students will be going outside during gym and recess, weather permitting,
so they need to be dressed accordingly.

Book, SIS, Ins. Fee - Just a reminder that if you have not paid this fee, please send it in at your earliest convenience. K-8 = $235.00 per student. PK - $100.00 per student.

Dismissal and Attendance Notes