Message From The Principal
Dear St. Jerome Regional School Family,
Welcome to the New School Year! Whether you’re returning or new to our school family, we are blessed to have you here. We are very busy preparing for your return and very excited for the new school year to begin! As of today, we are excited to welcome 68 new students to SJRS! Our present enrollment is 287 in PreK-8th grade! We have all worked hard to spread the good news of Saint Jerome Regional School. A healthy enrollment helps to ensure our future. There are many exciting additions and changes to our staff and school for the 2019-2020 school year. We are excited for this new year and all of the great things that are happening. This letter is full of important information, so please keep it handy for your reference.
NEW STAFF: We have a few new staff members to introduce to everyone this year.
• Ms. Amy Bachert- 3rd Grade Classroom Teacher (for the 2nd section of 3rd Grade)
• Mrs. Maria Kopp- Preschool Teacher
• Mrs. Megan DeAngelo-Preschool Aide
• Mrs. Stephanie Metters is moving from the preschool teacher to 1st Grade teacher.
• Mrs. Cheryl Upanavage is moving from the preschool aide to Kindergarten aide.
• Ms. Laurie Daukshus is moving from the 3rd grade teacher to STEM/Gym Teacher.
• Mrs. Tara Krajcirik is moving from the 2nd grade teacher to 3rd grade teacher.
OUR SUPPORTING PARISHES AND PASTORS:
• St. Joseph of Panther Valley Parish- Father Allen Hoffa
• St. Richard's Parish, Barnesville- Father Eric Tolentino
• All Saints Parish, McAdoo- Monsignor William Baker
• St. John XXIII Parish, Tamaqua- Father John Frink
• SS. Peter & Paul Parish, Lehighton- Father Christopher Zelonis
• St. Peter the Fisherman Parish, Lake Harmony- Monsignor John Chizmar
• Church of Immaculate Conception, Jim Thorpe- Father James Ward
• St. Joseph Parish, Jim Thorpe- Father James Ward
EDUCATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• We have also added a second section of 1st and 3rd grade this year thanks to our growing enrollment! We now have double sections of Kindergarten, 1st and 3rd grade.
• This summer, we applied for another grant through Computer Aid, Inc. We were informed that we will be awarded a $34,403 Instructional Technology Grant for the 2019-2020 School Year.
FIRST DAY ARRIVAL PROCEDURES:
• Please be sure that your child arrives between 7:45-8:00 AM on the first day of school. Homeroom starts at 8:00 AM. Children should not be dropped off before 7:45 AM during the school year, unless they are registered for ECP. ECP will start September 3rd. The main doors will not be unlocked until 7:45 am.
• All children in grades K-8 should be dropped off and enter the main entrance of the school building. Please do not park in front of the main doors. The large loop is for drop off only. Buses and cars will be arriving and leaving at that time. Parents should use the small loop in front of the main entrance if you are parking your car to come into the school for school business. We ask that all parents take their final pictures and say good-bye to their children before their children enter the building. Parents will not be walking their children into the building. Teachers and Staff will be outside directing and helping the students. On the first day, we will have all of the children report to the gym to line up with their class and their teacher. From there, the teachers will begin to take all of their students into their classrooms.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES:
• On the first two days of school, we will dismiss students in two groups. Please be patient the first few weeks of school, as the students will be learning new procedures and dismissal may take longer than expected. Parents who are picking up their children should follow the normal dismissal routines that were established last school year. For our new families, there is also a diagram that explains the arrival and dismissal routines. Buses will be using the large loop to pick up, and the buses will be loaded and dismissed first. Parent pick up will follow the buses.
• Group 1 – Kindergarten students will be dismissed at 12:00 PM at the main entrance of the school. Busing is not provided for Kindergarten students on these two days.
• Group 2 – All students in grades 1-8 will be dismissed at 2:45 PM. Buses will dismiss from the main entrance and car riders/walkers will be dismissed from main entrance.
• Be sure that your child knows how he or she is going home from school—by bus, car, etc. It is a good idea for kindergarten and grade one students to write the mode of transportation on a card and pin it like a nametag to your child. Your child’s safety is our greatest concern. We also want each child to feel secure and confident on the first days of school. Please plan transportation ahead of time. Last minute calls to the school office are stressful for the children and the staff. Only call in the case of an emergency change.
BUS TRANSPORTATION:
• Bus schedules vary from district to district. In the past, some districts sent information directly to the parents. Others posted stops on the district website. If the schedules are sent to us, we will forward them to you as soon as they are received. Questions concerning busing must be directed to the school district. If you are having difficulty with any busing issues and you need our assistance, we will help you as best we can. Please be sure to complete any transportation forms as soon as possible if you haven’t done so already. To download the busing forms please visit our resource page on our website.
OTHER Announcements:
• Important Documents: Students will return home from the first few days of school with many important documents if you did not already receive them at the Meet the Teacher Event. Most of these documents will need to be filled out and returned to school as soon as possible. Please remind your child to bring the documents home and to return them to their homeroom teacher completed and signed. Included with this letter is an emergency form. Please complete and return it before or on the first day of school.
• SCHOOL LUNCHES: School lunches will be available starting September 3rd. Please be sure to send your child to school with a lunch, drink and a snack until that time.
• WEBSITE: www.sjrschool.com. Please go to our website frequently to find important information on calendars, dress code, supply lists, extended care program information, etc.
• Please be sure to set up your FACTS account if you are new to our school and haven't done so already.
IMPORTANT DATES:
• August 22nd, 2019 from 5:30-7:30 PM – Meet the Teacher Event. The doors to the school will be open to all of our families who have students that are registered for the start of the new school year. Teachers will be available in their classrooms from 5:30-7:30 PM. They will be speaking to groups of families every half hour. They will distribute information about their individual classes and other information about the school. School administration will also be available to answer questions and point people in the right direction. The office will be open if you need to hand in any paperwork or request new paperwork. Homeroom lists for Kindergarten, 1st grade and 3rd grade will be posted at this event.
• There will be a Protecting God’s Children Workshop at SJRS on September 10th at 6pm. Please call the school office and ask for Debbie to register ahead of time. All volunteers are required to complete this workshop. See
volunteer checklist.
I would also like to thank our Home and School Association for all of their work throughout last school year and for their continued efforts and commitment to help our school and our students. I encourage all parents to get involved with Home and School. Information will be available at the Meet the Teacher Event.
Also, here are some links to important information about SJRS:
Thank you for being a part of the SJRS Family and thank you for all the sacrifices you make to send your child to this school. We wholeheartedly believe that, as our mission statement reflects: Our base is family, our mission is faith, and our future rests in the courage to leave behind a legacy. It is truly a privilege to be part of a community where parents, teachers, and students care for each other and help each other to live fearlessly through faith. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we will see you on August 26th. Let’s make it a great year at SJRS!
If you have any questions about anything, do not hesitate to call our school office. We will be happy to help you!
God bless you and your families!
Mrs. Amy M. Hannis-Miskar, Principal
