Dear Parents-
Each year, the Arlington Diocese, Office of Catholic Schools, mandates that all students in grades 6 through 12 are made aware of the
implications of harassment
. St. Joseph Catholic School seeks to provide for its students “an atmosphere where the equal dignity of man and woman is recognized, and students are free from harassment.” (quoted from OCS policy.)
This week I will present the age-appropriate lessons to the boys and girls in grades 6-8. Please discuss this important topic with your child. As always, if you have any questions, please let me know.
Please note that this program does not contain any objectionable content and represents our Catholic faith in tradition and practice.
Don’t forget to plan for your October lunch orders. Follow this link to reach the
Lunch Program
information on the SJS website. Remember to place your orders no later than the 28th of this month. I have to say these lunches look amazing. When I visit in the lunchroom, the kids tell me the lunch tastes good, and it is plentiful. No one leaves hungry!
Congratulations to our 2018-2019, newly elected,
student council members
. I was very proud of our students during the campaign. Posters displayed positive messages and the speeches were well-written and well-delivered. I am looking forward to working with the new council!
We welcome to the nursing staff,
Mrs. Mary Swaney.
Mrs. Swaney holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing (PA), and is licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia Board of Nursing. She has practiced nursing for over 35 years and has most recently served as school nurse for Loudoun County Public Schools. We are in great hands with Mrs. Mich and Mrs. Swaney!
Saturday, Sept. 22, is the
Herndon Homecoming Parade
. As proud members of the Herndon community, St. Joseph School students may dress out on Thursday, Sept. 20. Please wear red and black or a Herndon sports jersey.
Any 8th grade student who seeks
admission to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
is advised that the application deadline is September 28. Please check the website for additional information. Information regarding the Diocesan high schools application process will be provided to parents at the mandatory confirmation meeting on Oct. 23.
Parents are reminded that band registration is
Wednesday, September 19, 2018, 7:00 PM in rooms 212-213.
On
September 20th
, all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade parents and students are invited to the
SJS High School Night!
Meet
with representatives from Bishop O’Connell H.S and Paul VI Catholic H.S in the Parish Hall on Thursday evening from 7-8pm. This is the perfect opportunity to discover what the high school experience could be for your child at our Diocesan Catholic Schools.
Scantron
testing window moves into its second week, and it will continue until the 28th of September. Students should be well rested and relaxed in preparation for the tests. Results will be made available to parents as soon as possible, after the testing window closes.
Don’t forget that this
Friday, September 21st is an 11:30 dismissal
for students. Teachers will be meeting for professional development to support differentiated instruction to meet individual student needs. While the teachers are working hard to bring best practices to our school, students can visit
Chuck E Cheese's
in Herndon for fellowship and community building. Make plans to meet your friends any time from 11:30-9:00.
We will conduct a test of the
emergency text messaging system
on Wednesday, Sept. 19. This will ensure that all who opted-in are actually in the system.
The PowerSchool
Parent Portal
is experiencing some issues with grades being visible at this time.
The diocese and PowerSchool are working on fixing the inability to see grades and on the errors "String Key not Found!".
Rejoice and Be Glad!
Denise Rutledge
Principal
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Media Release
Please email Lisa Pearce at l.pearce@sjschoolva.org if
you would like to OPT-OUT of pictures or identification via the Media Release form. Because of the issue with PowerSchool at this time, please contact Lisa Pearce if you would like to OPT-OUT. If you have not filled out the Media Release form previously in PowerSchool or contacted Lisa Pearce by Friday, September 21, the school will consider that consent is implied.
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2018-2019 SJS Student Council
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Congratulations to the 2018-2019 SJS Student Council members! Thank you to all the students that showed an interest in various student council offices. Their leadership skills will take them far!
President: Steven F.
Vice President: Trey C.
Secretary: Claire B.
Treasurer: Claire T.
Spirit: Billy D.
Publicity: Lindsay C.
Religious Affairs: Marlene B.
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Winter Uniform Begins October 9th
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It's a good time to check hemlines on skirts, jumpers, and pants! Try on those sweaters, shirts, and P.E. uniforms to ensure the fit is right! Winter uniform goes into affect on October 9th! Refer to the
Parent/Student Handbook or visit the
School Uniform page on the SJS website for guidelines and more information. School uniforms must be purchased at
Flynn and O'Hara. They are located in Fair City Mall at 9650 Main Street Fairfax, VA. 22031
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What are your plans for the early dismissal on
Friday, September 21?
Head over to
Chuck E. Cheese's in Herndon
for a fun outing with your school friends! All are welcome! SJS has partnered with Chuck E. Cheese's (Herndon)! They will be giving each student a voucher for 10 free tokens along with awesome deals on food and drinks! The event starts at 11:30am onSeptember 21 and ends at 9:00pm. Get your friends together and plan to meet there after school! **Vouchers and coupons will be passed out at school and sent home with each student on Friday, September 21.
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Stay Connected - Twitter and Facebook
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Don't forget to follow SJS
on Twitter and FaceBook!
A lot is happening at SJS and you don't want to miss out!
Twitter: @sjschoolva
FaceBook: sjschoolva
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Morning Carpool Procedures Reminder
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Early arriving cars, that is, cars arriving prior to 7:47, are directed to drive past the front of the school, past the gym doors, loop around, and stop at the lane-marking cone, facing the parking lot, and in position to make the right hand turn to exit towards Ferndale. Engines are off, and students remain in the cars. Cars will continue to fill in that area until 7:47, at which time, the patrols exit the school building and, under adult supervision, proceed to the parked cars to assist students who are exiting the cars. During this process, only students in this area are assisted while exiting cars. Once this process is complete, patrols will be available to assist other cars that are curbside.
Later arriving cars are held in the curbside area along the front of the school adjacent to the sidewalk. Students who are old enough to open and close a car door without assistance, may do so, and exit their cars, unassisted, and walk to the school door. Younger children should wait for an adult or patrol to come by to assist.
Cars may start to move once students are safely on the sidewalk, and the adult directing traffic has waved cars on. At this point, the carpool continues in the same manner as it always has, with cars pulling up along the curb, filling in the curb area from the gym to the 2
nd
grade door. Students can exit cars at any point along this walkway.
Once your car has come to a complete stop, students who are old enough to open and close a car door without assistance, may do so. Younger children should wait for an adult or patrol to come by. This has proven to speed up the drop off process without compromising student safety, however, at no time should a small child exit the car alone, nor should a parent feel compelled to have a child leave the car alone, if you feel support is needed.
Whether your child needs assistance is generally a "parent call," reflecting a parent's opinion that the child is big enough to exit the car without support. No one is required to exit a car without the assistance of an adult or patrol.
For more information regarding SJS Carpool, please visit the
Carpool Procedures
under Parent Resources on the SJS website.
Thank you!
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Family Donation Plan
As presented at Back to School Night by our PTO Board, we have taken a streamlined approach with fundraising. We have simplified fundraising to alleviate the amount of time and demand put on the busy schedules of our SJS families. In lieu of numerous fundraisers throughout the year,
we ask each family to make a donation of $65.00.
We have received a very positive response thus far, and we are grateful for the giving spirit of our families. Please download the
Family Donation Plan
form and submit to the school office.
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Register for the SJS 5k / 1 Mile Fun Run!
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Interested in becoming a race sponsor?
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Child Protection Program -
Virtus Seminar at SJS!
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The Virtus seminar at St. Joseph’s has been set for
Thursday Oct 4
th
at 5:00 pm. Individuals who wish to attend should go to
virtus.org
to register. Please contact Beth Covert if you have any questions!
At St. Joseph School and Parish ALL VOLUNTEERS who interact with children at any Parish or School sponsored activity such as volunteering in school, Scouts or Religious Education, Youth Ministry, CYO, etc.,
must complete and be compliant with the
Child compliance paperwork can be turned in to Beth Covert in the school office as soon as it is completed. No need to wait until you attend your Virtus seminar!
For questions, please contact
the
Child Protection Liaison
for St. Joseph Parish, Beth Covert, at bcovert@sjcherndon.org
or (703) 880-4357
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Be Amazing – Join Girl Scouts!
St. Joseph School Girl Scouts will be hosting an information night on
Monday, September 24, 2018 at 7:00PM in SJS meeting room 214
for parents of girls in Kindergarten through 8
th
Grade.
With Girl Scouts your daughter will discover the G.I.R.L
(Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-Taker, Leader) in her. It’s always a countdown to the next adventure.
Whether they’re advocating for our communities, discovering the outdoors, exploring science and technology, or powering new adventures as part of the Girl Scout Cookie Program, Girl Scouts discover they can achieve anything! Girl-led, expert-approved, and volunteer-supported, Girl Scouts helps girls discover their strengths and change the world!
For more information please contact:
*Potential scouts are welcome to attend and participate in fun activities while parents learn more about Girl Scouts at SJS.
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Herndon Children's Literary Festival featuring Kwame Alexander
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When: Sunday, October 7, 2018
Time: 11:00am until 4:00pm
Where: ArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center St.
Cost: FREE
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In collaboration with local author, Kwame Alexander, Arts Herndon presents the
first Herndon Children’s Literary Festival
. Kwame Alexander, founded the Capital BookFest in 2005, and it has brought thousands of people year after year to the various locations that it takes place in.
- Panels and author conversations, featuring adult and teen authors.
- Outdoor Festival in Historic Herndon, Virginia
- Featuring food, live entertainment, authors and Artisans.
- Participants can purchase books, illustrations, specialty artwork, and gifts
- Free Admission to the public. All day strolling entertainment.
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Morning Prayers
Each week the SJS News crew have helpers lead the school in morning prayers. Parents are welcome to watch the morning news show after carpool on days that their child is our prayerful leader. Siblings say prayers together on their designated day.
The following are students that will be helping this week and next.
9/19 - 9/21:
Wednesday: Schultz
Thursday: Schulz
Friday: Schwingle
Next week (9/24 - 9/28):
Monday: Sellier
Tuesday: Sepulveda
Wednesday: Severns
Thursday: Sherman
Friday: Siganda-Farrar
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7
th
& 8
th
Choir
TIME TO SING!
Mr. Pena-Ariet, the new Music teacher at St. Joseph School, would like to
invite all 7
th
and 8
th
graders to join the choir.
Rehearsals will be Mondays from 12:07-12:52 and Friday12:07–12:45. In choir, you will learn more advanced singing techniques and be able to apply your theory knowledge to its fullest potential all while having a super fun time laughing and singing. Starting October 4
th
we will participate in Mass as an ensemble, and praise God in all His glory with big beautiful sounds!
In hopes to have a choir for students in the younger grades, Mr. Pena-Ariet will be re-evaluating the music program after Christmas.
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Last year St. Joseph School received $661.20 from submitting Box Tops.
For the 2018/2019 school year, we have already earned $152.00
Let’s see if we can earn $1,000 this year!
Simply clip Box Tops and send in envelopes/bags of 50 or use the
to collect 25 at a time!
Look for these Box Tops on hundreds of products. They come in all shapes and sizes and each one is worth $$ for our school:
Drop at the office, in the hallway box where the children enter, or via backpack mail to: Steven F. 8th Grade – Mrs. Bilbo
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8th grade Spirit Wear is available for purchase!
All checks made payable to:
SJS with "8th grade spirit wear" in the memo.
Please turn in order forms to the front office.
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St. Joseph Catholic Church
Annual Craft Fair
Save the date!
Sat Oct 27 2018
We are looking for business sponsors! Applications for vendor booths are now open to the public. Filling up fast! Contact Jacki Esguerra 571-331-6274 or stjpcraftfair@gmail.com
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SJC Men's Society:
Brats, Brew, and Bags
All men (21+ of age) of the Parish are invited & welcomed.
Friday, September 21
, 6:30 PM
Held on the Parish field
Join fellow St. Joseph parishioners for an opportunity to chat and connect!
An RSVP is appreciated to sjms20170@gmail.com
6:15 Divine Mercy Chaplet (Optional)
We ask that you bring an appetite and your own lawn chair if you want a seat.
Grand Prize to winning Corn Hole Team "Bags"
Inclement weather plan is to move to Hall C
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Volunteers for
Lunch and Recess
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Want to volunteer? Help make lunch and recess fun and safe for our children. Click the button below to learn more and sign up.
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Plan a fun night out with the family and support the 8th grade!
Join us on Oct. 10 at Chick-fil-A in Reston
5-8pm
! See you there!
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Middle School (6th-8th) Ministry this Fall
Join the Middle School youth in the SJS Gym for an evening of games, treats, and sharing!
Fridays @ 7:00pm-8:15pm
October 12, 2018
November 9, 2018
December 7, 2018
For more info Contact Kelly Power at singerpie@aol.com
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Holly Rucker (SJS Class of 2011)
Hillcrest Scholarship and Stoye Award Recipient
Holly Rucker (’19) is a senior at James Madison University where she is majoring in Biology. She is in the JMU Honors program with a minor in Biochemistry and Astronomy. She has been conducting field and lab research in Canada for her area of study. Her thesis is focused on female mimicry in garter snakes.
Holly has won multiple awards for her research, including funding her research with a Hillcrest Scholarship from the Honors College. Recently she won the Stoye Award in Physiology and Physiological Ecology at the 2018 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists for the presentation of her research results. Holly also plans to provide hands-on research opportunities to high school students through the Shenandoah Valley Scholars Latino Initiative.
Congratulations, Holly, on your impressive and outstanding accomplishments!
(Mr. Rucker, our Facilities Superintendent, is one proud father!)
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Paul VI High School
All are invited to join the VI Man cheering on our Panther varsity football team. Free to all and no reservations are needed.
with questions.
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Bishop O'Connell High School
Open House:
October 14, 1:00-4:00. Presentation begins at 1:00. Families are invited to see a presentation, meet our faculty and coaches, and tour through our building.
Youth Football Day:
September 22, at 1:00 pm. Students K-8 who register in advance will receive free admission to the game, a drawstring bag and an O'Connell water bottle.
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Bishop Ireton High School
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The
BI Coding Club
is hosting Hack BI, a 24-hour hackathon, open to 8th - 12th graders.
This FREE event will take place at Bishop Ireton on November 3-4. For more information and registration, see
hackbi.org
. Space is limited so register early. The grand prize is a paid internship. and there are many other prizes as well.
No experience necessary
-- workshops are provided for beginners, intermediate, and advanced programmers!
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September
September 19 - Band Registration @ 7:00pm
October
October 2 - Paul VI High School Parent Coffee and Meeting 8:00am - 10:00am
October 12 - Coffee with the Principal
October 14 -
Donut Sunday
(after Mass times: 7:00am, 8:00am, and 10:00am)
October 20 - Book Fair (9:00am - 12:00pm)
October 21 - Book Fair (9:00am - 1:00pm)
October 22 -
Book Fair
(Last day of Book Fair. Limited hours.)
October 27 - 3rd Annual 5k and 1 Mile Fun Run
October 27 - St. Joseph Church Annual Craft Fair
November
November 1 - 4th grade All Saints Mass
November 2 - Coffee with the Principal
November 4 - Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 7 - 11:30am Early Dismissal Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 8 - 11:30am Early Dismissal Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 9 - 11:30am Early Dismissal Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 9 - Mass
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750 Peachtree Street, Herndon, VA 20170
Tel: 703-880-4350 Fax: 703-880-4320
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