THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!!!
We are so grateful to all of our students and parent volunteers for making this year's Oktoberfest a wonderful success! You rolled hundreds of pounds of Sauerkraut balls, served thousands of beers, brats and tickets...and made this another wonderful event for our St. Benedict community. And most importantly, you did it all with a smile on your face and a servant's (gingerbread) heart ☺️! You are the best!! Go Comets!!
Coming up this week....

For all in-person events, indoor masking is required regardless of vaccination status.

  • Tuesday, Sept. 21 - PICTURE DAY! Middle School wears MASS UNIFORM for pictures! Get those haircuts and brush those teeth and make sure your uniform is good go!! :)

  • Wednesday, Sept. 22 - SBCS Cross Country Meet @ Roslyn 4-5pm GO COMETS!

  • Friday, Sept. 24 - 1st Quarter Interim Grades - See Principal's Corner below for details.

  • Friday, Sept. 24 - Comet Shop Open (Comet Shop is the students' little 5-and-dime shop with little treats and trinkets and a few basic school supplies if they need them.)

  • Saturday, Sept. 25 - SBCS Soccer and Flag Football Teams. Click here for details! GO COMETS!

PLANNING AHEAD?
  • Friday, Oct. 1st - 22-23 Admissions Season Opens for NEW APPLICANTS (not returning). See below for details.

Check out our school calendar on the website HERE!
Need a past newsletter? Check out our archives on the website HERE!
Principal's Corner
1st Semester Interim Grades
Interim grades will come out on Friday for the mid-point in the First Quarter of our academic year. For grades 3-8, all core subject grades are posted in ParentsWeb, this is just a reminder to check them regularly. For grades K-2, teachers will send home a Progress Checklist as to your student's performance so far this year. As always, if you have ANY questions, our teachers are here for you - to help your child achieve their best. If you wish to discuss your child's interim grades or have any questions to support their success in the classroom, please email their teacher to arrange some time to meet in person or virtually.

Thank you PTO!
I want to express my thanks on behalf of our entire school community for the hard work of our Parent Teacher Organization, led by Georgia Riccobono. Already this school year, our PTO has prepared school supply kits, provided breakfast for the faculty during Teacher Work Week, set up and provided refreshments for Welcome Fair, and organized the food for Back to School Night. It is only through their hard work and dedication that most of our events are possible. All parents and teachers are part of our PTO automatically. I encourage everyone to attend PTO meetings whenever possible and see how you can volunteer. Our PTO leadership is already preparing for our next event, Fallfest, and you'll be receiving information soon about how you can be involved. We are also in the planning stages for our Centennial Gala, which will take place in April.  

Masks
Please be sure that your child has a properly-fitted fabric mask each day for school. We've been seeing a number of masks that are either too big or too small and make it difficult for the child to wear.
The Comet Drama Company!
Helping Hands
Dear School Families,
St. Benedict Parish is collecting items to welcome Afghan refugees arriving at Fort Lee and have invited us to contribute. As you know, thousands of families and individuals have fled their homes with little to nothing. We have the opportunity to welcome them with donations of critical items. This is a great opportunity for students to learn about generosity and hospitality! Students may bring in donations to the classroom where they will be collected through September 22nd.

UPDATE! Ft. Lee has asked that we provide NEW CLOTHING (this is an update) - but if you''ve donated lightly used, that's fine too. This is the very first set of clothing these guests will receive in America and we want to welcome them properly. We also ask for conservative/modest clothing with no logos or inappropriate language. Many refugees are families - please think about what you would need in this situation! If you have any questions, please reach out to school parent Caitlin Bootsma at caitlinbootsma@gmail.com.

The parish is collecting a variety of items, but has asked us to particularly contribute:
  • Infant clothes: Newborn to 24 months
  • Girls and boys clothing (shirts (prefer 3/4 sleeves for girls), shorts, pants, long skirts, socks)
  • Closed toe shoes (shoes of all sizes up to adult size 8)
  • Backpacks
  • Children's masks (new)
  • Hairbrushes (new)
  • Baby wipes
  • Diapers, sizes: Newborn and Stage 5
Helpful Reminders...
Important Carline Reminders:
  • If the gates are closed, you are late. You must park your car in a legal parking space and walk your student to the front door. We've witnessed some drop-and-go's and illegal parking - neither of which are allowed, even if you are running late.
  • ONLY enter the carline on Hanover Ave. FROM NANSEMOND Street.
  • Keep your blinkers on in carline so people see the line and can move around us.
  • Be courteous to our neighbors in carline. DO NOT BLOCK THE GARAGES ON CLEVELAND PLEASE. We have families trying to get to other local schools at the same time as our carline and they need to be able to get out/into their garages.
  • If someone else is picking up your child, please make sure you have informed the office and have instructed them on our carline procedures.
  • THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OUR CARLINE MOVING EFFICIENTLY AND FRIENDLY :)

CARLINE MAP... PLEASE enter the carline on Hanover from Nansemond St. only! (Do not enter from Tilden, Roseneath or Cleveland.)
ASE is the Place in September!
Other Up and Coming...
‌
For the Health of Our Community
Mask Policy (as of 8/13/21):
The statewide public health emergency order requires the wearing of masks in K-12 schools when indoors regardless of vaccination status. This Order was effective immediately and shall remain in full force and effect until the CDC guidelines for K-12 schools change, or unless this Order is sooner amended or rescinded.
• Indoors: Masks are required for all individuals aged 2 years and older, including students, teachers, staff, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.
• Outdoors: Masks do not need to be worn when outdoors.

And remember...
ONLY COME TO SCHOOL IF….
  • Your temperature is under 100.4 degrees.
  • You do NOT have other symptoms of COVID-19, without an alternative diagnosis. Other symptoms include chills, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
  • You have NOT had a positive diagnostic test for the virus that causes COVID-19 in the prior 10 days.
  • You have NO known exposure to a COVID-19 case in the prior 14 days.
  • Please notify the school about a positive COVID test or possible exposure by sending an email addressed to pautry@saintbenedictschool.org, dlawrence@saintbenedictschool.org, and scruess@saintbenedictschool.org.