Reopening Team Update
The Reopening Team is making steady progress. Of note, we finalized the Middle School Schedule to reduce class changes and movement in the hallways, and ordered a 30-day supply of cleaning and hygiene supplies to ensure that we are properly stocked and prepared. Additionally, most of our classrooms have been reconfigured for 6 feet physical distancing and our teacher's units have been meeting to continue developing this year's hybrid learning plan.
Mark Your Calendars: SBCS Re-Opening Zoom Town Hall - August 6th
Please be sure to mark your calendars for
Thursday, August 6 at 7 pm
for a "Zoom" Town Hall, where you will be able hear from our Administration and ask questions about our reopening plan for St. Benedict this August. Plan now to attend!
New Diocesan-Wide Face Covering Guidelines
After a great deal of discussion, review of CDC guidelines, and consideration for the well being of our children and
teachers, and the practicality of mask-wearing at different age levels, the Office of Catholic Schools has shared the face-covering policy that will be used by Catholic Schools diocesan-wide. With our 6 feet of physical distancing in the classroom it allows for students to remove their face covering during times of classroom instruction, but ensures that
teachers and students are as safe as possible
during transition times and any times we may not be able to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing.
Face Covering Guidelines
- Teach and reinforce use of cloth face mask coverings.
- Teachers, all staff members, and visitors are to wear face mask coverings when they are not able to maintain a 6ft. distance in classrooms or when in communal spaces such offices, hallways, restrooms, school Masses, etc.
- Face mask coverings are to be worn by students in grades 4-12 when they are at a distance of less than 6ft. in the classrooms or in communal spaces such as hallways, restrooms, school Masses, etc.
- Face mask coverings may be more difficult for our younger students in PK through 3rd grade but they should all have masks with them and will be encouraged to wear them when they are at a distance of less than 6ft. in the classrooms and in communal spaces such as hallways, restrooms, school Masses, etc.
- Developmentally appropriate or medically necessary accommodations should be made as needed.
Reminder: Registration Packets!
Returning families, at the Summer Send Off you received a packet of forms (in a bright yellow envelope) for you to update and return by July 1.
(Registration - 1 per student, Health Clinic - 1 per student, Testing form - 1 per student, Family Information - 1 per household, Parent Involvement Program - 1 per family). We are holding off on the Handbook and Transportation Forms until we have completed more of the planning for the fall - please don't turn those in now. New students will also need to submit a Demographic Form (available on our website
HERE
).
You can drop off the forms in the mailbox at the bottom of the front stairs at school. If you have not yet returned your forms,
please do so as soon as possible
. Thank you!
Regarding School Supplies...
We've heard from a number of parents who have had a very difficult time finding the Clorox wipes listed on the supply list. We understand that cleaning items are very hard to locate at this time. If you have found them, wonderful; if you can't, please don't stress about it. The school has already placed a number of cleaning supply orders to ensure that we are prepared for the beginning of the school year.
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Staff Updates & Substitute Teachers
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Fond Farewells
This fall we say a fond farewell to Coach T and Nurse York as they embark upon new and exciting changes for each of their families. All of us at SBCS wish our friends God's blessings in their new journeys.
From Coach T:
Dear SBCS Family,
It was such a pleasure having worked with all of you as your PE teacher. My family and I have made the decision to homeschool, so I will not be back next year. It is bittersweet for me. I am excited to start this new journey with my family, that I feel God is calling me to, but I will greatly miss all of your smiling faces. Each and every one of you have brought me so much joy throughout this past year. I loved receiving notes and hugs from you, but most of all loved playing games and do doing activities with you! I wish you all the best of luck this year and hope it is filled with fun. I will miss you all and please remember that you will forever have a special place in my heart and prayers. Love and God Bless, Coach T
From Nurse York:
It is with much excitement that I share the news that I am expecting Baby York #4 this September. Therefore, I will not be returning to SBCS this fall as the school nurse. I have enjoyed these past 6 years in the clinic and out running on the blacktop and in the neighborhood with your kids. I will greatly miss the students, families, and my colleagues (otherwise known as my friends). SBCS will continue in my thoughts and prayers as always. Much love, Mrs. York
Hearty Hello!
We are very pleased to welcome Mrs. Denise Lawrence as our School Nurse for the 2020-2021 school Year. Mrs. Lawrence earned her Bachelor's degree in Nursing from the University of Virginia. She worked for 27 years in Labor & Delivery at St. Mary's Hospital here in Richmond. For the past few years, she has served as an adjunct instructor for St. Mary's School of Practical Nursing. Mrs. Lawrence is very excited to join the St. Benedict community! Please be sure to give her a warm Comet welcome when you meet her!
We are also in the process of hiring our new PE Teacher and look forward to making that announcement soon, so stay tuned!
Substitute Teachers Needed
Saint Benedict is looking for substitute teachers. Applicants should have their college degree and will have a background check performed as part of the application process. Please contact Sean Cruess or Pam Autry at 804-254-8850 if you are interested. Thank you!
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PTO Update - PE Uniforms!
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Order your exclusive centennial P.E. uniform TODAY!
The sportswear displays SBCS's own centennial logo, celebrating our 100 years of service!
Youth and adult sizes available. This online shop is only available for a limited time, so order today!
Legacy P.E. uniform designs are still acceptable.
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Welcome New Families and New Siblings!
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NEW FAMILY ORIENTATION IS
THIS WEDNESDAY
, JULY 29TH on Zoom from 8-9am!
Please plan now to join us. We'll review all that you need to know to get ready for Back to School this fall! The session will be recorded and emailed out, in case you are not available.
Here is the Zoom link to join:
In the meantime, here are some helpful links to:
Should you have any questions, please reach out to Gretchen at admissions@ saintbenedictschool.org who will be happy to help!
Junior Kindergarten Uniforms
Reminder! Junior Kindergarten students will now be wearing standard school uniforms beginning this Fall. Please refer to our uniform guidelines on our website
HERE
.
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Summer Reading
We want our students to enjoy a relaxing summer
and
we want to make sure that they are reading good books and practicing their math facts along the way! Our Middle School students will also have a keyboarding certification to complete.
Be sure to check out what you will need to do over the summer now, so you can plan your time accordingly! Our summer reading is available on our website
here
.
Back to School Dates for your Calendar
Monday, August 24th
will be our Welcome Fair (Re-imagined!)
Tuesday, August 25th
will be the 1st Day of School for all students! 12pm dismissal for JK & K, full day 1-8
Wednesday, August 26th
- 12pm dismissal for JK & K, full day 1-8
Thursday, August 27th
- full day all students
Yearbooks ARE still available!
Yearbooks have arrived! To purchase a yearbook, fill out the google form - see link below. Please fill out 1 form per yearbook.
There are 3 ways to get your yearbook:
- pick up from the side porch of the church
- have it mailed to your home address ($5 shipping fee)
- receive it in the fall from your homeroom teacher
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Important Admissions Update
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Thank you to all of our families for their wonderful referrals. I wanted to give you an update as to where things currently stand for our admissions this year. Keep in mind that we have reduced our capacity in our grades to preserve proper physical distancing in the classroom. If you have any friends looking for a new school option this fall for the available grades, please have them email us
as soon as possible
at admissions@saintbenedictschool.org. Thank you!
JK - waitlisting
K - space available
1 - likely to waitlist
2 - likely to waitlist
3 - waitlisting
4 - space available
5 - waitlisting
6 - likely to waitlist
7 - space available
8 - space available
*"Likely to waitlist" means that we have more applicants than space available at this time and we are just waiting for returned contract(s) before we can officially waitlist.
If you refer a friend, you'll receive a $75 tuition credit! How it works: You will receive a $75 (2020-21) tuition credit on the first day of school for every new family that starts the school year
and
who listed you as having referred them to Saint Benedict. Only one $75 referral credit will be awarded for each new family. If the new family mentions multiple families on their application, only the first family listed will get the credit.
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Please keep them coming!!
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We, as the parents of Ivancito, feel very fortunate that he is attending Saint Benedict, the faith and good manners taught at the school are very important for our family. We love the small group classes, and we feel that our son is getting the attention he deserves and needs. We feel safe that he is attending Saint Benedict in these times we are living in. - Iveth, Mom of Rising Kindergartner
We've been so blessed to receive such kind words of support from families! With school being closed,
please know how important it is for us to be able to continue sharing those testimonials with the broader community.
If you have a minute and can send a few words about what your family appreciates about St. Benedict to Gretchen at
admissions@saintbenedictschool.org
it would be VERY appreciated and you will receive
1 PTO Volunteer Hour for the 20-21 school year!
That's an easy hour and does SO MUCH GOOD for your school in this time! THANK YOU!!
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Principal - Sean Cruess
(scruess@saintbenedictschool.org)
Administrative - Pam Autry
(pautry@saintbenedictschool.org)
Financial/Technical - Elizabeth Hanson
(ehanson@saintbenedictschool.org)
Admissions/Development/Communications - Gretchen Ridgely
(gridgely@saintbenedictschool.org)
If you need to stop by the school, PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE FIRST
at 254-8850 or email pautry@saintbenedictschool.org.
Our school is a construction site right now and our office hours vary based on work currently underway.
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Nurses Corner...Get Ready for Fall!
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It is a state requirement that
all students
entering Kindergarten and new to the school in grades 1-8
have a physical, including up-to-date immunizations, completed by their local doctor within the year. There is a state-mandated form (
found on the school website here
) that needs to be completed by the doctor at that visit.
We will need an immunization record from a health provider for
all incoming JK students
.
All students entering 6th grade
are required to receive a Tdap booster and must provide the clinic with a copy of this immunization update.
And a reminder to all students with emergent/as needed medications kept in the clinic, such as Epipens and inhalers, the required medication administration forms, found on the
school website
, need to be completed by a physician within the year.
All of the above forms are required for the first day of school (but turning them in sooner is greatly appreciated). Stay healthy!
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Time to get ready for next year!
The Business office is in the process of setting up incidental billing.
As a reminder you will have two FACTS accounts, one for tuition and one for incidentals. FACTS is our student accounts system of record and all charges and payments are recorded there.
Incidental charges (including ASE and Early Arrival) will be entered in FACTS and be due on 5th of the month. Unlike the tuition account, the incidental account can be changed so payments are not automatic.
Incidental invoice emails will contain a payment button that allows you to make payment without logging into to your FACTS account. Consequently, the email can be forwarded to allow someone else to make payment if you desire.
For 2020-2021, families who are paying tuition in one lump payment will pay $10 to have both a tuition account and an incidental account. Families who are paying tuition monthly will pay $45 to have both a tuition account and an incidental account. Families who need a second incidental account will pay $10 the additional account.
If you make a partial payment, it is applied proportionally to charges that are due. If you need the payment applied another way, you should make the payment by phone with a FACTS representative or send in payment to the school office.
FACTS Payments:
If you need to adjust a payment date you have the following options:
1. Log into FACTS and
-- for payments on the tuition plan, move the payment up to 10 days yourself
-- for payments on the incidental plan, you can turn off automatic payments
2. Email
ehanson@saintbenedictschool.org
. You will normally get a response within 3 hours, but you should allow 24 hours. Be as specific as you can with your request.
(Please be advised, that if you call FACTS, the first thing they will ask is if you have reached out to the school.)
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