Celebrate with us
PRE-K through 8TH GRADE
Our 8th grade class demonstrated how truly impressive they are when they presented their Schoolwide Learning Expectations oral projects over the past couple of weeks. They thought about the people that influenced them to be better Caring Christians, one of the Schoolwide Learning Expectations. They asked each other thought provoking questions as they discussed how they influenced each other. For example, one of the boys in the class, when asked who influenced him in being a better Caring Christian, referred to two of the girls in his class who he said are “always kind”. Even as everyone sheltered at home, they created posters featuring family and friends, and constructed physical models of the school. They expressed themselves through amazing hand drawn artwork and selected and shared important quotes and people impacting their lives. They reflected about learning the school wide learning expectations from their earliest experiences, when they first arrived at Queen of Apostles School; until now, as they prepare for graduation. These experiences that helped mold them into Caring Christians will be carried forward with them as they look forward to new challenges as they enter high school.
Queen of Apostles School continues to conduct distance learning from home. The students miss each other and are able to communicate that with each other online. They are adapting to this new learning environment quickly. It is wonderful to see the innovations by their teachers for communicating the coursework. Thank you to the Diocese of San Jose who already hosted online resources for teachers and to Google Classrooms, Zoom, and all of the many other companies who have made it possible for students to continue their learning and their social interaction.
Apr 4-5
Kindness is being defined by the students each day through Lent. Before our distance learning started, they paired up with their buddy students more frequently during the Lenten season and discussed topics such as kindness.
The first few definitions of kindness by the students included taking care of each other, not being deliberately unkind, and giving each other space when needed.
Now, online they are replying to their teachers and the principal, Mrs. Trela with their thoughts about kindness. They are encouraged to do kind things at home daily and have mentioned that they are helping their siblings and parents while they are at home. They have also been invited by Mrs. Trela to keep a daily kindness journal.
Apr 11-12
The Queen of Apostles School community wishes you and your families a Happy Easter!
If you are considering applying to our school or would simply like to learn more about Queen of Apostles School, please see our school website at www.qofa-school.org or contact our school office.
Apr 18-19
Our learning away from the campus has been extended through at least May 1st.
Teachers meet daily online and generously share things they have learned about teaching online and they teach each other programs they have used successfully. The students are also encouraged to gather socially each day with each other and their teachers to share together. Similarly to their teachers, as they are learning, they are being kind to each other and volunteering how-to steps for assignments to each other.
Our principal, Elizabeth Trela, has started an Instagram page for our school.
Apr 25-26
Each day of our learning from home, students are responding to a writing prompt from our principal, Mrs. Trela. The day after she receives the responses, she shares them during the morning prayer. Late in March the prompt was about kindness and we are sharing some of the student responses here with you.
Kindness has the power to…
… make someone who is sad smile and make love spread around the world (kindergartner)
… bring love (1st grader)
… make the world more peaceful (2nd grader)
… bring people together (3rd grader)
… make someone’s day (4th grader)
… empower us (5th grader)
… change someone’s whole day (6th grader)
… change someone’s day (7th grader)
… change hearts and minds (8th grader).
We all appreciate these thoughtful and uplifting responses.
The students are learning to be self-confident and responsible individuals at school and in their daily lives. These past few weeks, students in each of the grades listed specific instances of being self-confident and responsible:
Preschool – Sharing toys and taking turns with toys
Actively participating in daily learning curriculum activities
Learning to say the Hail Mary and praying before meals
Kindergarten – Cleaning up after ourselves
Picking up trash in our community
Doing our schoolwork
Believing in myself
Watering plants
Being a role model
1st grade – Staying focused
Picking up trash
Treating others the way you want to be treated
Doing homework
Listening to our teachers
2nd grade – Turning in homework on time
Picking up trash on campus
Talking to adults for help
Returning our library books on time
Having good sportsmanship
3rd grade – Believing in ourselves
Turning in homework
Dreaming and believing to achieve strong mental thoughts
Having a growth mindset
Loving ourselves
4th grade – Turning in homework on time
Helping others
Paying attention
Doing what is expected
Taking pride in our work
5th grade – Trying our best in class
Telling the truth
Displaying good sportsmanship
Getting ready for class quietly
Taking responsibility for our actions
Respecting others
6th grade – Believing in themselves
Doing their homework
Owning their actions
7th grade – Following up with teachers when you miss school
Going beyond the limit
Asking questions
Making good decisions
8th grade – Support each other to help build confidence
Completing and turning in homework on time
Doing the right thing even when no one is looking
Taking ownership of our actions, community, and selves
Making the right choice even if it is the hard choice
It is exciting to see each how each grade applies the schoolwide learning expectations through their own experiences as the develop and mature from young children into older more responsible youth.
Reports by 3rd grade class about their field trip to the Academy of Sciences were filled with anecdotes of amazing experiences and astute observations. They touched animals in the tidal pool. A Blue Morpho butterfly landed on one of the students in the rainforest. They visited an albino alligator named Claude. in addition, they enjoyed getting shaken by an earthquake simulator and getting their arms squeezed by an anaconda simulator. Here are some of their experiences, feelings, and observations, in their own words: “Claude was the coolest animal”, “I felt we had a special connection because he just started staring at me”. “I liked the twilight zone because there were a lot of cool fishes”. One of the boys wrote that the leaf insect and the moon jelly were “a few of the coolest animals” there. Another one of the students listed the snake, jellyfish, and butterfly as her three favorites.
There was a general consensus among the third-grade class that they enjoyed the visit and would like to go again: One third grader wrote that he “really, really wants to go back” with another writing “I wish I could go one million times”. One student wrote, “it was my favorite ever field trip…I loved it so much”.
Fr. Hao Dinh spoke softly during the homily and talked about how all the students came to mass wearing different uniforms, but the uniform we all wear is love.
He also spoke about how St. Angela de Merici, an Italian religious educator, made schools for other people. He spoke of the “color of love” too. The congregation also enjoyed incredible music from the Notre Dame Choir during the service.
Following their visit, the students wrote about how large the cathedral is with ornate and lovely details. They really enjoyed seeing people from all the different schools and all the priests.
The students found the Cathedral visit to be very inspirational. One student wrote: “I could not have foreseen how powerfully Fr. Dinh’s homily resonated with me. All the other schools, despite the different uniforms, wore the same thing as us: love.” That student also wrote that “the story of St. Angela de Merici was moving and inspiring, and I walked away with a new understanding of Catholic education.”
Students celebrated Grandparents and Special Person’s Day at Queen of Apostles School on Nov. 1, 2019. Students were able to invite a grandparent or other ‘special’ person from their lives and host them at the school. While a lot of students invited their grandparents, the school campus saw several aunts, uncles, and older siblings walking around. Some even had their own parents over to celebrate the special day and showcase their efforts in class.
Every year, Queen of Apostles holds this annual event to help get the children celebrate and show gratitude to those closest to them. The day started with Holy Mass with Bishop Oscar Cantu who was kind enough to concelebrate Mass with Father Jeff Fernandez and Father Richie. The Kindergarten class dressed up as saints to bring attention to All Saints Day. The students could sit with their ‘special person’ during the Mass. This was followed by a delicious spread of snacks and coffee for all the guests. Students took their special person to their respective classrooms to participate in individual activities and games that allowed them to get to know them better. One of the activities in the first grade involved doing a personal interview where the students asked clever questions that revealed unknown, ‘special’ facts about their special guest. Some of the answers brought out a lot of giggles and wonderment among the first grade students.
One of the parents volunteered to capture these moments and photograph the students with their guest. A lot of happy faces and expressions were captured that day! The day ended with a trip to the Scholastic Book Fair being held and well timed with this event. The students got to buy books of their choice either for themselves or their classroom or even contribute some to the school library. This marked the end to yet another beautiful and blessed day of bonding, camaraderie and fond memories for the students of Queen of Apostles School!
Sra. Colpo and her 8th grade students made their annual trip to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in downtown San Jose for the Spanish Mass that is offered weekly there. Attending the Spanish Mass is a longstanding tradition for Sra. Colpo. It is the 14th year that Sra. Colpo has invited students and their families from this school to attend the Mass offered in the Spanish language. Students reflected on their visit by writing that they felt very welcomed and felt a sense of family and community. The priest’s emphatic hand gestures portraying the gospel made it easier to listen in Spanish. One student wrote that they were introduced and a couple of our Queen of Apostles students were selected to take up the gifts during mass. She wrote that the mass is the same sacrament, but in another culture it is so different. Another student wrote that the songs were upbeat and it felt like a celebration. There was a point in the mass where a baby was raised up high over the priest’s head showing life being celebrated. In conclusion, one 8th grader wrote that she found it “interesting to see how different cultures may celebrate mass with their own unique traditions”. She enjoyed going to the mass and was happy to experience something that she was not used to. While another student concluded that his “experience at the Basilica was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced.”
Each of the classes at Queen of Apostles School takes care of the main courtyard and for one month during the school year focuses attention around the Mary statue for their class. This year, as part of a social studies lesson about the state of California, the third graders planted California Poppies in small blue green plastic pots. Poppies are the official California state flower. The students have been monitoring the progress of the plants to learn about their life cycles as part of a science lesson. They recently exuberantly proclaimed “they’re sprouting!” Once the plants have grown a bit more, they will be placed near the base of the statue of Mary in the main courtyard in November.