It's Mrs. Herrity's Mammal Project that every 5th grade student (and some parents! ;-) ) look forward to creating each year! Here are just a few from this year's zoo! Stay tuned for a little video of ALL of the amazing creatures our 5th graders presented this year! |
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Friday, Jan. 29nd - RE-ENROLLMENT PACKETS WILL BE SENT HOME with your littlest Comet!
OTHER IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR...
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Sunday, Jan. 31st - DEADLINE for 1st Round Priority Consideration for 21-22 Academic Year (not current students - new applicants only).
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Sunday, Jan. 31 - Saturday, Feb. 6 - CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK (see below for details)
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Thursday, Feb. 4 - State of the School Presentation with Principal Cruess on Zoom at 7pm (details below)
- Friday, Feb. 12 - Last Day to Return Your Re-enrollment Contract
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Planning Ahead? Always check out our school calendar on the website HERE!
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Need a past newsletter? Check Need a past newsletter? Check out our archives on the website HERE!
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Middle School - you are on the Week 2 Schedule this week (Days 6-10). Not sure? Check ParentsWeb on our website! (Once in ParentsWeb, go to Student - Schedules to see your child's class schedule.)
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Remarkably, it's already that time of year to be talking about re-enrollment. Our 8th grade students are finishing up their high school applications. New families have been completing assessments with Mrs. Ridgely throughout the month of January. For current families enrolled in JK-7, you will be receiving a re-enrollment packet THIS Friday, January 29. Re-enrollment contracts will be due back by February 12. As we look ahead to next year, I think it's also an opportunity for us to look back at all the blessings of this past semester. To me, one of the greatest blessings for my family has been the opportunity for in-person education. We are all grateful to be back to a routine. I appreciate that the teachers are able to instruct without the limitations of virtual learning. The kids, of course, are most thrilled to be back in the same classroom with their friends, even if they may sit a little apart. We are also blessed that thanks to the dedication and caution of our parents, COVID-19 has really had a minimal impact on our school community. As I recall the blessings of this school year, it reminded me of the Scripture passage, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17). Please know how grateful I am for each one of you and the gift that you are to our school community.
Catholic Schools Week
Catholic Schools Week is coming Jan. 31-Feb.6th...and it's a such a fun week for our school. We're announcing the following Spirit Days so parents can PLAN NOW to help your students show their Comet Pride!
Monday - 20's Day (dress in the style of the 20's to honor the founding of our school)
Tuesday - House T-Shirts
Wednesday - Patriotic Day (wear red, white, and blue)
Thursday - Spirit Day (show your school spirit by wearing blue & gold)
Friday - School Uniform (middle school wear dress uniform for Mass)
State of the School Address
This year, Mr. Cruess has prepared a State of the School presentation, which we plan to be an annual event going forward. The virtual presentation will be held on Thursday, February 4 at 7:00pm. We will share information about the wonderful achievements of our school this year, and the challenges we face. We hope that all of our families will join us. A Zoom link for the meeting will be coming soon.
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As a Catholic School, in unity with the universal Catholic Church, we strongly support the sanctity and dignity of all human life, from conception to natural death. As part of our commitment to these values, we normally take our 8th grade class to the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. (This is a picture of some of our students from last year's pre-march "Life is Very Good" Youth Rally.) Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, the March for Life will be held virtually this year on Friday, January 29. For anyone who would like to participate in the virtual event, you can sign up here.
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From Our Admissions Office |
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RE-ENROLLMENT - Here's How it Works! - For our first-year families who have not been through the RE-enrollment process (and as a reminder to all school families), here's how it works:
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You do not need to reapply. Each family will receive a re-enrollment packet, which includes tuition contracts for each of your current students. (A checklist is also included, so you know exactly what needs to be returned.) The packet is scheduled to be sent home with the youngest sibling in the family THIS Friday, January 29.
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You have 2 weeks to return your contract with your $200 family deposit (which goes towards next year's tuition). The deadline is February 12th. Please understand that your child's spot will be released if we do not receive your contract and deposit by the deadline. This year we were at full capacity in all but 2 grades, and we have several children on our waitlist in other grades. While we do anticipate increasing capacity in all grades for the fall, we have a very active admissions season underway and many prospective families anxious to enroll their children at SBCS so they can return to full-time, in-person, classroom learning with their peers this Fall. (Something we have been very blessed to enjoy this year.)
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Your family is our #1 priority, and we are here to help you throughout the process. If you have any questions along the way, Dr. Hanson will be available to discuss any financial/tuition assistance questions you might have, and Gretchen Ridgely can help with anything else!
Tuition Assistance - All returning families without significant business/self-employment income must apply for tuition assistance no later than March 1st. Those with significant business/self-employment income have until June 1st. That being said, the sooner you complete your application, the sooner you will hear from us. You will have two weeks after receiving the tuition assistance decision to cancel your contract and receive your deposit back. Please know that because the tuition assistance model assumes that the only change on your tax return is your W2 income, in years with a lot of changes in your life the model struggles to be accurate; therefore, we may reach out to you and discuss waiting for your 2020 return to be complete before making a final decision. That being said this does not change the deadlines for applying.
- March 1st Deadline:
- Returning Families with W-2 income and without significant business self/employment income (2019/2020 Return and 2020 W2s)
- Returning Families who do not file taxes - March 1 - other documentation of income
- June 1st Deadline:
- Returning Families without W-2 income who file a tax return (2020 Tax Return)
- Returning Families with W-2 income and significant business/self employment income (2020 Tax Return)
Refer a friend! - If you refer a friend, you'll receive a $75 tuition credit! How it works: You will receive a $75 (2021-22) tuition credit on the first day of school for every new family that starts the school year and who listed you as having referred them to Saint Benedict. Only one $75 referral credit will be awarded for each new family. If the new family mentions multiple families on their application, only the first family listed will get the credit.
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Would you like to know more about what is available in our book collection? Please visit the school library webpage:
(Here are Ms. Rutkowski's amazing readers in 2nd grade!)
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Carline Courtesy Reminder |
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Friends, PLEASE be sure that you are taking a RIGHT onto Cleveland Street from Hanover Ave. If you enter Cleveland St. any other way, you are jumping ahead of other families who have been patiently waiting. Our carline is moving quite efficiently, so please line up on Hanover Avenue to take a RIGHT onto Cleveland St. AND, after you drop off, you should ONLY be taking a RIGHT turn out of the alley onto Belmont Ave. This is for the flow and safety of our school traffic (and traffic monitors), and we appreciate your help. Also, if you happen to see a neighbor trying to move their car - or back out of a parking bay on Cleveland St., please wait and let them do that. We want to be good neighbors :) Thank you!
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We are excited to let you know that our teachers and staff started receiving their Covid-19 vaccinations this week! (Here's Mrs. Ridgely, smiling behind that mask, at the Arthur Ashe Center this past Friday getting her 1st of 2 Pfizer shots!) We are looking forward to healthier times ahead and getting back to normal as a Comet community!! |
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The Virginia Department of Social Services is reaching out on behalf of the Virginia
Department of Education (VDOE), the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF), and the
University of Virginia to help spread the word about the 2020 Virginia Survey of Families with
Young Children. The purpose of this survey is to better understand children’s care and/or
education experiences during COVID-19.
• All Virginia families of young children, birth through kindergarten, can take the survey.
• The survey will take about 10-15 minutes and is voluntary.
• The survey is available online in English or Spanish.
• Families can take it on their phone, tablet, or computer using the link above.
• All information from this survey is anonymous. The survey does not ask families for their
names or their programs’ names.
• The survey is about their children’s care and/or education experiences during COVID-19.
• The survey is not about evaluating any program.
If you would like to participate in the survey, please use this link: vafamilysurvey.info. Surveys must be completed by January 25.
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Keeping Our School Healthy and Together... |
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Covid Question? Email:
And remember...
ONLY COME TO SCHOOL IF….
- Your temperature is under 100.4 degrees.
- In the past two (2) weeks, you HAVE NOT presented symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever, chills, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, with no alternative diagnosis.
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In the past two (2) weeks, you HAVE NOT 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.
UPDATED SEPTEMBER 3, 2020
If you are keeping one student home because they have COVID-19 symptoms with no alternative diagnosis, then you are reminded to keep all of your students home.
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Taking Care of our Comet Family |
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Please remember that we are one community that is supportive and respectful. As in any year, from time to time teachers and students may be out of school. Please respect privacy and don't jump to conclusions. Whenever a member of the school community has a confirmed case of COVID-19, we will work with the Diocese and the Health Department to make sure close contacts are notified so they may take appropriate action inline with CDC guidance.
Also, here's some other helpful information:
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CDC recommendations for gatherings.
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Differences between COIVD-19 and the Flu here.
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If You Missed This on Social Media... |
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Mr. Clary’s 6th grade science students are working with microscopes this morning to compare the structures of different types of tissues in the body. 🧬
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