Dear Parents-
St. Joseph the Worker is celebrated on May 1, and we reflect on not only our devotion to our patron saint, St. Joseph, but we are also reminded of the dignity that should be granted to each worker, and respect for the work they do. The dignity of human work has been celebrated and many see work as a way for mankind to be productive and participate in the “creative work of God.” In this, the Year of St. Joseph, let’s commit to making this world a better place, and each do our part.
Reminder that with less than 33 days left in the school year, St. Isidore, the Diocesan virtual school, has announced a variety of summer camp opportunities, covering interests from Alphabet Boot Camp, to Math Enrichment to Algebra 1 prep to astronomy, and so much more! Visit St. Isidore at https://www.saintisidorevs.org/servicesmagazine to explore the list of camps.
All grades on PowerSchool will be updated by Friday, April 30. We are half-way through the final trimester and it is important to check grades and take advantage of the time left and set goals to end the year strong. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
The third and final SCANTRON window opens Monday, May 3, and runs through May 21. Students in grades 3-7 will test in the areas of Math, Reading and Language Arts. Please make sure your children are in school during this time to ensure adequate opportunity to complete the tests. If you have specific scheduling questions or conflicts, please contact your child’s teacher. Distance Learners who would like to take the SCANTRON can do so by registering here. Distance Learners must come to school to take the tests during the assigned days and times. No DL student will be allowed in the building unless the sign-up is complete. Please bring a book to read if you finish the test early. Testing for DL students is OPTIONAL.
In our COVID update, the current 14-day COVID testing positivity rate in Fairfax County is 6%; Loudoun County has an 8% positivity rate and Prince William County is at 10%. Pandemic exhaustion affects us all. Please recommit to complying with all mitigation strategies, be mindful of varying levels of anxiety in our community relative to COVID and thank you for your support as SJS/SJC continue to follow the recommendations of the CDC and VDH.
If you have any questions, or if I can be of assistance, please let me know.
Go to Joseph
(Gen 41:55)
Denise Rutledge
Principal
Building Wisdom and Faith Through Service to God
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Chromebook Interest Survey |
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Parents are invited to answer a one question survey on interest in purchasing a Chromebook from SJS for student use at home.
The Chromebook will be fully loaded with Go Guardian and additional learning APPS needed for school, and the Chromebook will also have SJS filters and firewall. Student use would be monitored during the day, and parents will be able to monitor student use during non-school hours through the parent app.
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Congratulations to Father David on
the celebration of his priestly ordination! We are praying for you!
Sending many blessings!
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Student Reflection
Year of St. Joseph
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St. Joseph was a man of several vocations. He was a carpenter, a husband, and a father. By trade, St. Joseph was a carpenter, and it was assumed that he taught this craft to Jesus while growing up in Nazareth. But two of the main vocations that God assigned to St. Joseph were to be a husband and a father. God entrusted St. Joseph with His plan to save mankind and chose him of all men to achieve it correctly. St. Joseph was kind, thoughtful, caring, and hardworking. He was mainly a man with strong faith in God. He never questioned what God asked him to do. He did everything God asked him to do willingly and faithfully. He was called to be the husband of the Virgin Mary. Another one of his vocations was also called to be the foster father of Jesus on earth. St. Joseph dedicated his life to raise, love, and protect Jesus, until Jesus is ready to execute God’s plan of saving mankind from evil and sin. St. Joseph served God, Jesus, and Mary with his faith, humble nature, and hard work. He served God by being a good husband and foster father, and a faithful servant.
St. Joseph Catholic School 5th Grader
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Due to all the recent and continued changes from the CDC regarding traveling and quarantine, the Fairfax county health department issued a statement of clarification yesterday regarding quarantining after any travel for all unvaccinated individuals.
"Regardless of the close proximity of jurisdictions in the DMV area, the same CDC guidance applies when visiting vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals not within a family’s cohort.
Please see below a reference table from the CDC guidance on domestic travel". The link below shows a graphic of travel requirements for easy reading.
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Online Book Fair is open!
April 12-May 14 2021
All proceeds will go to the school library!
Check out the Teacher Wish List, too!
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During the month of April, the NJHS is collecting toiletries for LINK. LINK has a specific need for diapers (all sizes), toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner. Grade levels are asked to sponsor an item: Grades K-2- diapers; Grades 3-5- toothpaste and Grades 6-8- shampoo and conditioner. Please consider participating in this important drive to support vulnerable children and adults in our community. In-person learners should bring their donations starting April 19; Distance learners are invited to drop items at the school office during normal school hours. Please do not leave items in the vestibule between the front doors, but instead call ahead for contactless drop-off, if needed. |
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Mrs. Rutledge and Mrs. Carson invite you to join along
for conversation and camaraderie as we begin
our second book
Discipleship Parenting -Planting the Seeds of Faith by Kim Cameron Smith
The next meeting is planned for Wednesday, April 28, at 7:00PM.
Book Club Zoom Link:
Topic: Chapters 3 and 4 -- Play and Merciful Discipline
The author shares these takeaways for our consideration:
3. Play
- Play is one of the most important ways children connect to us, work through their fears and frustrations, and build their self-confidence. Despite the pressure to fill a child’s schedule with “enrichment” activities, parents can take the lead and preserve free time in their child’s life.
- Playing together as a family builds rapport and protects connection.
- Play can be hard for some parents. However, all humans need play, not just children. The good news: kids are play experts! Allow them to show you how to play again.
4. Merciful Discipline
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The heart of effective discipline is the connection between parent and child. Without a secure connection, discipline will be a frustrating power struggle.
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The goal of effective discipline is for the child to build a conscience and self-control, not to break the child’s will or to coerce obedience through threats.
- “Problem” behavior is rarely a sign that a child is bad or damaged. Usually, they’re trying to get a need met, or they’re struggling to express their emotions responsibly because they’re still immature. On the other hand, sin is real; we want our children to understand how their choices impact their relationships with others, including God. Using virtue training and positive discipline tools, we can shepherd our children toward maturity while teaching then how to protect their relationships and grow spiritually.
The goal of the book club is building community and helping each other through a pandemic. It is not intended to be therapy or family counseling. Please seek the assistance of licensed practitioners if needed.
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Stay Connected!
SJS Mobile App, Twitter and Facebook
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Don't forget to follow the official St. Joseph Catholic School Facebook page (sjschoolva), Twitter account (@sjschoolva), and download the mobile app from the App Store (St. Joseph Catholic School, VA)
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750 Peachtree Street, Herndon, VA 20170
Tel: 703-880-4350 Fax: 703-880-4320
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