Dear Parents-
On Sunday, we celebrated the feast of the
Presentation of Our Lord
. Father Tom’s decision to leave our beautiful nativity scene in place these 40 days since Christmas made the feast on Sunday all the more special, with the visual recollection of the glorious Nativity of Our Lord! Our responsibility, as children of God, is to be active participants in our faith. It is appropriate to read about our faith, study it, and seek clarification when dealing with difficult issues. We are so blessed to be associated with St. Joseph Catholic Church, where we have priests who encourage community, and fellowship, and who have a deep commitment to guiding our relationship with Jesus Christ.
We ended Catholic Schools Week with a very
successful food drive
to support LINK Against Hunger. LINK provides support for over 3,600 individuals in our area, and the SJS food drive contributed over 30 boxes of food! Additionally, students collected over 600 baby diapers and baby wipes
that we donated to local women in need through the Gabriel House and Women’s Choice in Herndon. Our teachers were humbled by the outpouring of gratitude from these organizations when the donations were delivered.
We take student health, safety, and wellness very seriously. To that end, please read Mrs. Ezenwa’s letter with regard to the 9-5-2-1-0 wellness program, and follow this link to find information regarding
SJS flu and coronavirus preparedness
. To date, the VA Department of Health is reporting that throughout the Commonwealth, the total number of Flu A and Flu B cases is over 4,200. At SJS, we have a total of 10 reported cases of flu. Additionally, at this time there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the DMV. We continue to encourage good hygiene habits among our students, and remain vigilant to any cause for concern.
The 7th grade
Science Fair
is on the calendar for February 6, and I thank all those who signed up to act in the role of judges for this important event. Your time is greatly appreciated. The students put a great deal of effort into this milestone event and I have noticed a great many relieved faces as the backboards made their way to school this week and last. I hear the abstract were all turned in on time and we are looking forward to a great night!
Mark your calendars for Friday, February 7 and join Mrs. Henry and me for
Coffee with the Principal
. Mrs. Henry will lead a discussion on gratitude and effective ways to help our children develop a sense of gratitude. A healthy understanding of the importance of being grateful is a key element in the social-emotional learning so important for healthy relationships and a positive school climate. Let’s collaborate on ways to inspire gratitude!
As we look ahead to the 2020-2021 school year, I have received some thoughts and comments on the white button-down shirt worn by boys in grades 1-4 during the winter months, and it has been suggested that since these boys don’t wear neckties, a long-sleeve polo shirt might be more practical. To better gauge parent thoughts on the shirt you are invited to complete this
short survey
.
As always, if you have any questions, or if I can be of any assistance, please let me know.
Welcome one another....as Christ welcomed you!
(Rom 15:7)
Denise Rutledge
Principal
Building Wisdom and Faith Through Service to God
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Coffee with the Principal
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Mark your calendars for Friday, February 7 and join Mrs. Henry and me for Coffee with the Principal. Mrs. Henry will lead a discussion on gratitude and effective ways to help our children develop a sense of gratitude. A healthy understanding of the importance of being grateful is a key element in the social-emotional learning so important for healthy relationships and a positive school climate. Let’s collaborate on ways to inspire gratitude!
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Friday, February 7th
“Love Divine, all loves Excelling”
Jesus Gives us His Heart
Parents are invited to attend Adoration. We ask that you stop at the school front office to obtain a badge. Your badge must be shown at the door of the church before having access. Grades 3-8 have scheduled times. K-2 are invited at their convenience. Please check with your child on their scheduled time.
Thank you!
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Spring Fling Dinner and Auction
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SJS needs YOU!!!
Do you have a vacation rental?
Are you a graphic designer?
Do you have airline miles you aren't going to use?
Are you a business owner?
Do you have connections for any of the items/experiences listed below?
Thank you for your support of our biggest fundraiser!!
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To begin a Healthy New Year, St. Joseph School will again be adopting the
9-5-2-1-0
plan. It is a plan to promote healthy lifestyles for our children. Our goal is to support our parents as they work to encourage healthy behaviors for their children
The mnemonic for
9-5-2-1-0
stands for:
9
Get at least 9 hours of sleep per day
5
Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day
2
Limit screen time to no more than 2 hours per day
1
Get at least one hour of physical activity per day
0
Avoid beverages with added sugar
We will dedicate each month to a different component of the program. Starting in February, we will focus on getting 9 hours of sleep each night. Information will be sent via the “Bark” and by the grade teachers via the classroom email
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The Yearbook Staff needs your help! If you have any candid pictures from school parties, field trips, community or other events, please send them to your Class Coordinator for submission. Please note, picture inclusion will be at the discretion of the yearbook staff. Thank you!
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Can you read aloud to someone for 10-20 minutes a day for a full 20 days???
Who? Individual students and/or families!
What? A reading challenge!
When? Begin on Monday, February 10 and end on Friday, February 29.
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Scout Pinewood Derby and Bake Off
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All Scouts, Alumni, Students, Parents, Teachers and Staff Invited
Saturday, FEB 8
th
WEATHER RESCHEDULED - Come support St Joseph Cub Scouts as they race their hand-built cars to the finish line at our annual Pinewood Derby Race. Also sample our Scouts gourmet skills in our annual Bake-Off competition on
Saturday, February 8
th
in Parish Hall C 9AM-2:00PM.
All Pack 913 Cub Scout Alumni and current siblings are invited to enter your cars in the Alumni and Sibling Races at 12:30. For more information, contact
chairperson@pack913.com
.
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Financial Aid Applications are due for Elementary Schools by March 18, 2020. Please remember that 2019 W-2s and tax returns are required for verification!
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Get Involved! Have some fun!
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Help make our school's biggest fundraiser a huge success, sign up to be on one of our Spring Fling Committees!!
A great way to get involved, meet people, and have so much fun!
Click the link below to sign up!
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Library Helpers!
Consider volunteering your time to help in the library!
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Volunteers are needed to help in the cafeteria and during recess! Get in on the action! Please remember that all volunteers must have completed the Child Protection program. If you have any questions about volunteering for recess/lunch, please contact Laura Stump at
lstump@sjcherndon.org
.
We appreciate your help!
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Tuesday, February 4, 2020 • 4:00-8:30 PM • Grades 6-8 • FREE
Join the Wolfpack for a night! Middle School students are invited to Saint John Paul the Great to cheer on the Varsity Girls and Varsity Boys Basketball Teams, as well as a Scavenger Hunt Tour, games, half-time shoot-outs and more! Go Wolves!
Tour & games start at 4:00PM
Varsity Girls: 5:00PM
Varsity Boys: 6:30PM
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Basketball Clinic at
John Paul the Great
February 15, 2020 • 1:00-3:00 PM • Grades 3-6 • $25 per person
Spend the afternoon with a John Paul the Great Basketball, Coach Palmer, where you will practice your skills and receive guidance on how to develop and improve your abilities on the court.
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Soccer 3 v 3 at
John Paul the Great
February 29, 2020
• 11:00-6:00 PM
• Grades 5-8
• $25 per person
The indoor JP 3v3 Soccer Tournament is a great opportunity for soccer players of all levels to sharpen skills! Create your team of 4-5 players!
REGISTER HERE:
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February 3: Madden, C.
February 4: Malone, L.
February 5: Manetto, M., J., P., and P.
February 6: Mangoba, J.
February 7: Marberry, S. and A.
February 10: Marikio, M. and D.
February 11: Marlow, B.
February 12: Marshall, R.
February 13: Martinez, S. and L.
February 14: Massey, D.
Prayer leaders are to report to the library no later than 7:50 AM in order to appear on the morning news show. Parents are welcome to watch the live show.
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February
February 6: Science Fair
February 7: Mass
February 7: Coffee with the Principal
February 7: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
February 12: Club Picture Day
February 13: Sports Team and Group Picture Day
February 14: Mass
February 14: 11:30am Dismissal
February 17: NO SCHOOL
February 18: Spirit and Service Day
February 21: Mass
February 26: Mass
February 26: Ash Wednesday
February 28: 11:30am Dismissal
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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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750 Peachtree Street, Herndon, VA 20170
Tel: 703-880-4350 Fax: 703-880-4320
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