Week of December 21, 2020
As we begin our Christmas break and see the light at the end of 2020, I wanted to express my appreciation for the faith, dedication and partnership, we share with our Seton school families.
Thank you for entrusting your children to our care during these unprecedented times. We are grateful for so much this year: we successfully opened school with face-to-face instruction and have thrived. We welcomed over 30 new students to increase enrollment by over 16% from last year. We successfully held our first ever virtual auction, held our second annual Seton golf tournament, held two successful HASA fundraisers and ended the year with The Reason for the Season, a walk-through Nativity presented by our 8th graders. We project that 2021 will be another year of growth and we’ll increase classroom space by replacing the portable destroyed by Hurricane Irma. We also plan to celebrate the 40th anniversary of our beloved school!
May we all focus on the joy of the season, the love of our dear Lord for us all, and the light, goodness and grace of His birth. Many Christmas blessings to our Seton family. School returns on Tuesday, January 5, 2021.
~Mrs. Maria Niebuhr, Principal
Mark your Calendars
- Dec. 21-Jan. 4 – Christmas break
- Jan. 5 – Students return
- Jan. 11 – Used Uniform Closet open from 3:30-4:30pm in the school cafeteria. (Also, on Monday, 2/1 and Monday, 3/1)
- Jan. 31 – School Open House for new prospective families
Thank you for your generosity to Catholic Charities for the 12 Days of Christmas Giving service project sponsored by NJHS. Seton families are the best!
Counselor’s Corner December 21, 2020
Help for Families
With unemployment and rent relief benefits soon coming to an end, there is an increase in pandemic related hardships coinciding now with the holiday season. Catholic Charities still is providing help for food, financial assistance, and tele-mental health counseling. Please call the number for Collier County between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday: 844-385-2404
Reducing Holiday Stress
With the holidays upon us, families everywhere are struggling to make plans appropriate for the pandemic. How do we celebrate when we can’t be together as usual? How do we resolve differences of opinion about what is safe? How do we deal with more disappointment and frustration and help our kids do the same? Here are some tips from experts at the Child Mind Institute about ways to minimize stress and help everyone in the family feel as good as possible about this unusual holiday season.
Planning Ahead: Discussions about this year’s holidays may be painful, but making plans ahead of time will make the days themselves much less stressful. Kenya Hameed, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, advises not trying to evaluate ever changing Covid statistics, but to work with the information we have now and plan accordingly. That gives everyone time to make good decisions and get comfortable with them, especially if they represent a big change in family traditions kids look forward to – like a shopping trip with grandma or a holiday party with friends.
Predictability: “The more predictability we can create in this uncertain time, the better it is for kids,” notes Grace Berman, LCSW, a social worker at the Child Mind Institute. “By making decisions early, you can really help them be prepared for what’s going to happen.” She suggests outlining for kids what Christmas will be like this year, and then helping them cope ahead of it — work through feelings they might have and come up with strategies to feel better. If you wait until the last minute to figure out plans, kids will not have time to deal with any confusion or disappointment, which will make the holidays that much more stressful for the whole family.
Adjusting: If you are not going to be able to celebrate in the way your family is accustomed to, be proactive and find new activities to make the pandemic holidays special. Dr. Hameed also suggests that children have a voice in creating new activities or traditions. If disappointment sets in about not meeting expectations, it is important to pause and acknowledge those feelings, which can go a long way in dissipating any sadness.
Please help us spread the word about our great school—invite your family and friends to join us for: SETON SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE (for New Families)
Sunday, January 31, 2020 from 10am – 1:30pm
Building a Culture of Catholic Stewardship
Our school community needs donors and sponsors to support our mission. Please refer anyone who believes in the importance of affordable, quality Catholic education now and for future generations, to: https://saintelizabethseton.com/giving/
Raise Money Christmas Shopping!
While shopping, don’t forget Amazon Smile – Seton H.A.S.A. Fundraiser
AmazonSmile is a way to support our school every time you shop with Amazon. Shopping at smile.amazon.com is the same (same products, same prices, no cost to you) with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of eligible purchases to Seton. Signing up is easy – please share with your family and friends!
Here’s how to shop AmazonSmile:
1. Visit smile.amazon.com
2. Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials
3. Under charitable locations choose (St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School)
4. Select your charity
5. Start shopping!
6. Add a bookmark for smile.amazon.com to shop here every time!
