Welcome Back! First Week of School!!! |
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Weekly Checklist: Week of August 23, 2020
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Please be sure to watch the video above
to get ready for our new school year!
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Monday, August 24th - Welcome Fair SIGN UP HERE All families are encouraged to attend, but you must sign up for a time slot. Deadline to sign up is TODAY AT 8PM.
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Can you volunteer to help out at Welcome Fair? Click here!
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Tuesday, August 25th - First Day of School for all students! 12pm dismissal for JK & K* only; Full day Grades 1-8
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Wednesday, August 26th - 12pm dismissal for JK & K* only; Full day Grades 1-8
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Thursday, August 27th - Full day for all students
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Planning Ahead? Always check out school calendar on the website HERE!
(*Please note that there is no ASE for JK and K students on 8/25 or 8/26 because they have a 12pm dismissal for the first two days of school.)
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School Re-Opening Message from The Diocese
The Office of Catholic Schools has put together the following web page with information about our schools resuming in-person instruction: https://richmonddiocese.org/reopening-our-schools/. The page includes a video message from Kelly Lazzara - diocesan Superintendent, a short "Welcome Back to School" video, and some frequently asked questions. I encourage you to take a few minutes to watch it.
Guidance For Masks
Prudence, modesty, and good manners must guide all clothing decisions. T-shirts, facemasks, and other items of clothing may not contain messages or mottos that are inappropriate, contrary to the Catholic faith, or contrary to St. Benedict's commitment to 'provide a welcoming, Christ-centered community' for all its students.
Update on School Mass
School Mass this year will look a little different than it has in the past. Due to physical distancing requirements, students will sit 6 ft. apart in the church. For now, the middle school students will continue to attend Mass each Friday morning at 8:30am. Father John David and Mr. Kumro have graciously agreed to add another school Mass on Tuesday mornings for our elementary students. Because of the current church capacity, the elementary grades will alternate weeks in which they attend Mass. Unfortunately, at this time, parents are not able to join us for School Masses.
Middle School Orientation
If you weren't able to join us for the Middle School Orientation on August 20th via Zoom, click HERE for all the information you need regarding what's new and what's happening for our middle school students this year!
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Important Back to School Reminders |
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Morning Carline Reminders
- Morning Carline drop off begins at 7:45am and ends at 8:10am.
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Everyone must go through carline unless they have been approved as a walker by the Principal.* All students will have their temperature taken before a parent departs.
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Be sure your students are wearing their mask BEFORE the teacher approaches the car door. Help us keep the carline moving by making sure your child has their mask on, filled bottle of water, backpack and lunchbox in hand and ready to go when you pull up.
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Carline Courtesy: Enter the carline on Cleveland St. from Hanover Avenue ONLY. If you enter from Grove, you will be cutting the line, blocking Cleveland St. and frustrating fellow families and our neighbors. Not sure? Check out the map here!
- If the gates are closed, you are late.
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You must park. Walk your student to the front door. Wait at the front door until your student passes the health check. Parents MUST accompany a late child to the front door for their health screening.
Afternoon Carline Reminders
- Afternoon Carline begins at 3:00pm and ends at 3:15pm.
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Everyone must go through carline unless they have been approved as a walker by the Principal.*
- We will call the parents of any remaining children not scheduled for ASE. At 3:30 students remaining will be sent to ASE (and you will incur the ASE cost).
* Generally a walker is someone who walks to/from school or takes public transportation. To be approved as a walker you need to email prepared@saintbenedictschool.org and await approval. You are not a walker until you have received approval.
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School Supply Update
Please be sure to send in 2 face coverings (may be disposable) in a ziploc bag with your student's name. (This is a newly added item to our school supplies list.)
Before and After School Care Reminders
- Morning Care is available from 7:30am - 7:45am. (Carline opens at 7:45am)
- Parent must wait at ramp door until health check is passed
- After School Enrichment (ASE) is available from dismissal - 6pm.
- Parent calls upon arrival at ramp door on N. Belmont Ave.
Get Those Registration Papers In!
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Registration - 1 per student
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Health Clinic - 1 per student
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Testing form - 1 per student
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Family Information - 1 per household (address)
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Parent Involvement Program - 1 per family
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Demographic Form - 1 per student - NEW STUDENTS
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Commonwealth of Virginia School Physical Form - K and all NEW Students 1 - 8
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Immunization Record - JK Students and all 7th Grade students who didn't provide proof of TDAP to St. Benedict Last Year
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Handbook Form - 1 per family (visit https://www.saintbenedictschool.org/school-life/handbook-n-forms.cfm) to get the form and Handbooks
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Transportation Form - 1 per family
Bring your forms to Welcome Fair!
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Welcome New Families and New Siblings! |
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New Family Help Desk at Welcome Fair
Gretchen will be set up at the Welcome Fair with a help desk just for NEW families, so be sure to stop by with all of your questions or just to say HI!
Get Ready for Back to School at SBCS!
Should you have any questions, please reach out to Gretchen at admissions@ saintbenedictschool.org who will be happy to help!
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Upcoming Outdoor Event Health/Safety Guidelines |
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Please come to the alley at your scheduled time to be screened.
Everyone must be wearing a mask. Everyone must have their temperature taken.
Screening Questions:
- Do you currently have a fever (your temperature is 100.4 degrees or higher)?
- In the past two (2) weeks, have you presented symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever, chills, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, with no alternative diagnosis?
- In the past two (2) weeks, have you traveled internationally?
- In the past two (2) weeks, have you been exposed - less than six (6) feet for greater than 15 minutes - to anyone who has tested positive for or exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 (with no alternative diagnosis), without wearing the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Reminder everyone must wear a mask when within 6 feet of someone else.
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Substitute Teachers Needed
Saint Benedict is looking for substitute teachers. Applicants should have their college degree and will have a background check performed as part of the application process. Please contact Sean Cruess or Pam Autry at 804-254-8850 if you are interested. Thank you!
Lost & Found
Are you missing a jacket or sweater from March? Don't worry! All items from the Lost & Found will be available for you to look through at the Welcome Fair on Aug 24th. Any items remaining at the end of the day will be donated to charity.
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We love our Comet Family!! |
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We are so lucky that when we began searching for a new school option for our son we were pointed to St. Benedict. From the very start of our journey we were greeted with kindness and the always friendly, Gretchen Ridgely. She made not only my husband and me comfortable, she built a fast relationship with our son. Once we were introduced to additional members of the staff, our love for the school and the people that make it wonderful grew. Due to the current pandemic we learned more about the school, staff and education programming through the most efficiently run Zoom meetings. Any questions or concerns we had were immediately answered. Communication is clearly something to note as being an extremely strong point for St. Benedict. We look forward to the upcoming school year and the new adventures the school holds for our family. - Carley, mom of a new 2nd grade student
We've been so blessed to receive such kind words of support from families! Please know how important it is for us to be able to continue sharing those testimonials with the broader community. If you have a minute and can send a few words about what your family appreciates about St. Benedict to us at admissions@saintbenedictschool.org it would be VERY appreciated and you will receive 1 PTO Volunteer Hour for the 20-21 school year! That's an easy hour and does SO MUCH GOOD for your school in this time! THANK YOU!!
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It is a state requirement that all students entering Kindergarten and new to the school in grades 1-8 have a physical, including up-to-date immunizations, completed by their local doctor within the year. There is a state-mandated form (found on the school website here) that needs to be completed by the doctor at that visit.
We will need an immunization record from a health provider for all incoming JK students.
All students entering 7th grade are required to receive a booster and must provide the clinic with a copy of this immunization update, unless provide to the clinic last
And a reminder to all students with emergent/as needed medications kept in the clinic, such as Epipens and inhalers, the required medication administration forms, found on the school website, need to be completed by a physician within the year.
All of the above forms are required for the first day of school (but turning them in sooner is greatly appreciated). Stay healthy!
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As a reminder you will have two FACTS accounts, one for tuition and one for incidentals. FACTS is our student accounts system of record and all charges and payments are recorded there.
Incidental charges (including ASE and Early Arrival) will be entered in FACTS and be due on 5th of the month. Unlike the tuition account, the incidental account can be changed so payments are not automatic.
Incidental invoice emails will contain a payment button that allows you to make payment without logging into to your FACTS account. Consequently, the email can be forwarded to allow someone else to make payment if you desire.
For 2020-2021, families who are paying tuition in one lump payment will pay $10 to have both a tuition account and an incidental account. Families who are paying tuition monthly will pay $45 to have both a tuition account and an incidental account. Families who need a second incidental account will pay $10 the additional account.
If you make a partial payment, it is applied proportionally to charges that are due. If you need the payment applied another way, you should make the payment by phone with a FACTS representative or send in payment to the school office.
FACTS Payments: If you need to adjust a payment date you have the following options:
1. Log into FACTS and
-- for payments on the tuition plan, move the payment up to 10 days yourself
-- for payments on the incidental plan, you can turn off automatic payments
2. Email ehanson@saintbenedictschool.org . You will normally get a response within 3 hours, but you should allow 24 hours. Be as specific as you can with your request.
(Please be advised, that if you call FACTS, the first thing they will ask is if you have reached out to the school.)
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