Dear Friend of St. Rose-McCarthy,
First off, I want to thank you for your faithful and continued support of our school through these difficult days. None of us ever guessed a year ago, our school would be closed for in-person instruction for so many months.
When the lockdown orders first came, we were sent scrambling to set up online instruction. Our teachers were heroic in their efforts to ensure our students didn’t fall behind.
Then when a potential waiver was announced by the state, I resolved not to give up and to do everything I could to get our campus open again.
The staff and I researched ways to comply with health mandates and then implemented the required strategies.
As a result we were one of the very first schools in the state of California granted a waiver to reopen in-person instruction on September 14, 2021.
By contrast, the public schools only recently reopened a few weeks ago. Some are still closed!
A few of our students have opted to continue instruction at home, and we do accommodate those students. By in large, most returned to campus. Happily!
The old saying “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” has certainly proved to be true. The children are so grateful to be back in the classrooms with their friends. One student said, “I don’t like minimum days, I’ve been home long enough. I want to be here all day every day.”
As hard as the past year was, there have been unexpected blessings from the lockdown hardships — aren’t there always?
We learned to work smarter and more efficiently.
For example with drop off and pick up, we had to figure out a way to move students without parents coming onto campus. We were wracking our brains when I remembered our last taco and margarita drive-thru fundraiser, which had gone smoothly. We worked out a similar drive-thru system. In the morning, we have to take each student’s temperature, so the dropoff window is about 30 minutes; in the afternoon pickup takes about 20 minutes. Everyone loves it. It’s quick and easy. This will be a keeper.
Another example was the requirement for frequent hand washing. We set up outdoor hand washing stations. Students wash their hands when they exit the classroom and upon re-entering. It’s nice for the kids and teachers to have clean hands and it helps make the children more aware of good hygiene.
Since we could no longer have contact games at recess, we researched, purchased, and incorporated lots of no-contact games. The children love to play tag so we have a foam ball they toss at each other to “tag.” A happy byproduct is fewer scrapes and “owies” in the office.
One child commented, “The best thing about Covid is that recess is so much more fun.”
Finally, there is an interesting benefit of the student cohort system, a waiver requirement. When students go out to lunch or recess, they stay with their classmates. As a result, they seem to have even more of a family-like bond with their classmates. They are protective of one another; they are more inclusive, kinder. All without losing their closeness to the rest of the school.
As with prior sponsor appeals, I wish to share a little of what’s happened this school year.
- Enrollment is steady though we did suffer some loss of enrollment due to lockdown.
- The phone is ringing steadily for fall applications.
- All School Daily Prayer each morning
- All School Flag Salute and Patriotic Song each morning
- Feast of Our Lady of Fatima Celebration
- Time Traveler Dress Up Day
- Red Ribbon Week — Police Presentation with Canine
- All Saints Day Dress Up
- Thanksgiving Food Drive for St. Brigid Community Outreach Center
- Raised $1,750 for Crossroads Pregnancy Center with fun teacher challenges
- Float in Hanford’s Drive-Thru Christmas Parade at Kings Fairgrounds
- Catholic Schools Week — Rosary and day of prayer for military families
- Catholic Schools Week — Food Drive for St. Brigid Community Outreach Center
- Catholic Schools Week — Drive-Thru Parade for first responders and supporters
- Catholic Schools Week — Drive-Thru Parade for grandparents
- Ash Wednesday School Retreat — McHugh Hall now contains three portable classrooms, so we can have up to three classes doing activities in the hall at the same time while maintaining social distancing guidelines. For Ash Wednesday, we had mini-retreats, with the students having an opportunity to participate in activities directed by three different teachers. It was so much fun and very uplifting for all of us. Spiritual formation remains a critical component of our school.
- Weekly Masses, now resumed in church
- New No-Contact Play Equipment: cornhole, crossnets, pickle ball nets, hula hut, and tether ball
- School Library Reopens — Each class can visit once a week. The room is fogged with sanitizer before the next class arrives
- Follow all our activities on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
Of course, the above is much less than what we normally do; we usually have sports, field trips, musical programs, and more.
Still, we’re pleased to be making our school year as normal as possible in the era of Covid.
This brings me to the Sponsor a Crusader section of my letter. As you know, we strive to keep our tuition as low as possible. Despite our best efforts, a Catholic education is still out of reach for many parents. But with our sponsorship program, we can help more children enroll in our school.
Our sponsor beneficiaries are so grateful for the assistance. We all know how expensive it is to raise children these days. Here are what three of our families have shared with us.
“The Sponsor a Crusader program has been a real blessing to our family. Without the sponsorship we would not have been able to continue sending our daughter to St. Rose-McCarthy. We are so thankful and greatly appreciate our fellow parishioner’s generosity. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for giving our daughter the opportunity to attend such an amazing school. We love SRM. God Bless!” Grateful Parents
“It is hard to put into words how much the sponsorship has meant to our family, but I will try. As a parent of several students attending St. Rose, I cannot express enough how grateful we are to be honored to receive a sponsorship. I thought St. Rose would be a good fit for our family, but worried about whether we could afford to send our children. The sponsorship has not only lightened that burden, but it gave us peace of mind that we could continue to send them even as our family has grown. Our children are thriving in the environment provided by Jamie and the SRM teachers. They are growing not only academically, but socially and spiritually. They come home from school happy every day. I love when they share what they have learned, especially when it is about the ‘Saint of the Day’ or something new they learned about their faith. Our sponsors have made this dream possible for us, and I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. You have given my children a precious gift and we will be forever grateful.” Thankful Mother
“My family is honored to have received a sponsorship from St. Rose McCarthy School, especially during a pandemic with so many uncertainties. My daughter was overwhelmed with joy when we told her she has a school sponsor. Because of the sponsorship, my daughter is motivated to work even harder and give back and help other students. Thank you for your generosity.” Happy Parent
Crusader sponsors have also shared about their experiences
“I feel blessed to be able to provide an interested family the opportunity to be a part of the St. Rose-McCarthy Family.” Blessed Sponsor
“It warmed my heart to see St. Rose-McCarthy students back in their classrooms receiving in person learning and praising God each day while so many children had to stay home. It’s the best investment I made this year!” Satisfied Sponsor
Dave and I also help sponsor two children ourselves. What’s most exciting is we are here on campus and we get to see them every day; we get to know them. Of course, they are unaware of our sponsorship. These two children are both so happy and healthy. They enjoy running and playing; they’re 100% on the go. They have many friends and enjoy hanging out in groups with lots of kids. They are kind and loving. We get to see their love for Jesus coming through them in their genuine kindness. It means everything to us.
Although you won’t be able to see your sponsored child every day like we do, you can opt for receiving periodic letters from your student. And, if things return to normal, you can attend events like the Christmas pageant and Spring Fling to see them in person. Our sponsors just love watching “their kids” grow in wisdom and love for their faith.
If you are able to make a full scholarship commitment, we would like to thank you by giving you …
- Two tickets to the annual DeCampos Dinner*
- Two tickets to Taco Fiesta Night*
- Two tickets to Pancake Breakfast*
- Interactions with student (if both parties desire): Three letters a year and pictures
- Invitations to school programs* — Christmas Program, Catholic Schools Week, Spring Fling, child’s First Holy Communion, Graduation, etc.
- Morning prayer for benefactors
If you are able to make a half-scholarship commitment to match with parent contribution, we would like to thank you by giving you …
- Two tickets to Taco Fiesta Night*
- Two tickets to Pancake Breakfast*
- Interactions with student (if both parties desire): Three letters a year and pictures
- Invitations to school programs* — Christmas Program, Catholic Schools Week, Spring Fling, child’s First Holy Communion, Graduation, etc.
- Morning prayer for benefactors
If you are not able to provide a full or half scholarship, we still welcome any size donation. For your donation, you will receive …
- Invitations to school programs* — Christmas Program, Catholic Schools Week, Spring Fling, First Holy Communion, Graduation, etc.
- Morning prayer for benefactors
- *Pending lifting of restrictions.
Of course, the best thanks you’ll receive is the knowledge that you are helping a child to receive both a great education and to be well-formed in Catholic principles.
“I completely underestimated the potential of my daughter’s spiritual growth upon entering kindergarten at St. Rose-McCarthy. Not only has she learned the value of her faith, she understands the reasons behind it. Which are then reinforced for her every day during school. I’m no longer alone in teaching her Christian values and morals. The school and the family are a great team and I am so thankful for the reinforcement she receives during each school day.” Thankful Parent
The new school year starts August 12. I know it’s still early, but, really, enrollment for the 2021–2022 school year is in full swing and the first day of school is right around the corner.
We need your response by Friday, May 16, in order to plan our programs and let parents know.
Right now, a family, earnestly desiring to enroll a son or daughter, is praying for you to say, “Yes!”
If you reply today, at least one family won’t have to worry whether or not their child can experience a Catholic education.
Please continue your prayers for our beautiful children and our school. We’re praying for you!
Yours in Christ,
Jamie M. Perkins, Principal
St. Rose-McCarthy Catholic School
(559) 584-5218
P.S. If you’ve never sponsored a Crusader, this is your year to start!
P.P.S. It’s impossible to measure the full value of a child being exposed, daily, to God’s Word. The wisdom gained during these formative years can help a soul for a lifetime.