Dear Parents-
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. In his early life, Matthew was not well-liked and he served as a tax collector in Roman-ruled Palestine. Matthew wrote of how Jesus called him to follow Him. (Matthew 9:9-13). Matthew gave up collecting taxes, and became a follower of Christ. He wrote his gospels to make it known that Jesus was the Savior God had promised to send. St. Matthew became the patron saint of bankers and reminds us that our riches come from being a follower of Jesus.
A great big SAINTS thank you to all families who were able to support our Breakfast Mash Bash for Catholic Charities. Four industrial-sized kitchen racks are filled with a wonderful array of breakfast food, ready for pick-up Wednesday morning! Your generosity helps the 1 in 4 children in the Arlington Diocese who are food insecure.
Please review the SJS COVID-19 mitigation plan with your child and please insist that they fully comply with the plan. Masks and social distance are our best defenses, and it is important that everyone comply.
In this week’s COVID update VDH reports that over the last 7 days, Fairfax County has a total case rate of 107.6 cases per 100,000, and NAAT (PCR) test positivity remaining steady at 4.6%. The rate of transmission is considered at the highest level. Nearby Loudoun County has a current case rate of 131.3 per 100,000 and the COVID-19 positivity rate in Loudoun is up slightly to 5.3%. The Fairfax County adult vaccination rate for fully vaccinated individuals has reached 73.1%. Mask up, Vax up and Please stay vigilant!
We are in SCANTRON week 2, and students grades 3-7 will complete assessments in Reading. Please have your children in school and on time. If you have a specific scheduling issue, please contact your child’s teacher. The September testing window is very important for us to establish baseline levels in order to accurately assess student growth throughout the year.
Last Friday, we inducted 31 8th grade students into the SJS National Junior Honor Society. The NJHS chapters in over 5,000 middle schools across the nation recognize students who are committed to scholarship, service, leadership and character. We are very proud of all our students and congratulate them on this high achievement.
In this age of social media, please consider “social media free” days or other ways to eliminate social media from the lives of your children. According to the Wall Street Journal investigative report, Facebook’s own research teams determined that, “The longer a teen girl spends on social media, the greater the likelihood of depression and self-harm.” Protect your children from the additional anxiety created by social media.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, or if I can be of any assistance, please let me know.
Pray to St. Joseph for all your needs! (St. Teresa of Avila)
Denise Rutledge
Principal
Building Wisdom and Faith Through Service to God