THIS WEEK AT ST. JOES St. Joseph High School - A Catholic College Preparatory Community

Dear Friends, Good morning and Happy Monday, St. Joes. I hope that you are finding true enjoyment in the crescendo of the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle. Last Thursday, our Visual & Performing Arts Department added to the splendor of the SJ Christmas Season with Fine Arts Night, which included a Concert and Art Show. This terrific evening on campus showcased the exceptionally talented choirs, bands, artists and the Visual and Performing Arts Team (Mr. Miller, Miss Pellegrini, and Department Chairwoman, Mrs. Cardillo). The love and energy in the gymnasium was invigorating – we are blessed to be able to host these live musical events once again! During this abbreviated week, we will be adjusting our daily attire standards as follows: Freshmen Dress Down Day (Tuesday, Dec. 21) and Festive Holiday Sweater Day for Everyone (Wednesday, Dec. 22). The Freshman earned their Tuesday Dress Down Day by winning the Walkathon Fundraising Challenge. Way to go, Class of 2025! Also, please remember that Wednesday, December 22, is an early dismissal for students (12 noon) which officially kicks-off our Christmas Break (December 23-January 3). We will not be publishing a TWSJ Newsletter on Monday, December 27, and our weekly outreach to you will resume on Monday morning, January 3, with our Happy New Year Edition. Merry Christmas and may your hearts be filled with the joy of His love. I will include your family in my daily prayers and intentions for safe travels, good health and abundant happiness. In Faith and Fellowship, David J. Klein President

THANK YOU , THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

We are so grateful for your contributions to St Joe's Giving Tree! Friday marked the final day in our Season of Giving. The collection of bedtime bags for children and blessing bags for the homeless has truly warmed our hearts. All donations will go to Blessed Sacrament and Bridgeport Rescue Mission. Many thanks to the Office of Advancement, Campus Ministry, Athletics, National Honor Society, and Student Council for organizing our Season of Giving!

CALENDAR REMINDER & MIDTERM NOTES

As a reminder to our families, Christmas Break begins on Wednesday, December 22. Wednesday, December 22 is an early dismissal. All students must be picked up by 12:00pm. Busses will operate on an early dismissal schedule. Thursday, December 23 - no school Monday, January 3, 2022 - no school Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 4. In addition, you may access the Mid-Term Schedule (Jan 10-14) by clicking here.

FRESHMEN DRESS DOWN DAY & HOLIDAY SWEATER DAY

This Tuesday, December 21 is a full dress down day for our Freshmen Students. The Class of 2025 earned this dress down day for raising the most funds during Walkathon 2021! Way to go, Cadets. On Wednesday, December 22, we encourage all students, faculty, and staff to wear a festive holiday sweater in celebration of the last day before Christmas break! Uniform bottoms are still required.

WHAT A WONDERFUL FINE ARTS NIGHT!

On Thursday night our students showcased their talents at the Winter Fine Arts Night! We fell in love with the many art pieces on display and swayed to the holiday songs played by our incredible musicians. What a way to kick off the holidays, Cadets! Watch our Musicians in Action

DECISION TIME: SELECTING THE CLASS OF 2026!

Something special was mailed last Friday to all accepted students! Congratulations to those invited to be a part of St. Joe's Class of 2026!   Know Someone Who Still Wants to Apply? Rolling Admission is Happening Now! Families may email or call our admissions team at any time to check the status of their application. Visit sjcadets.org/apply for more information! Click the video on the right to view a message from our current students to their future classmates!

STUDENT ACADEMIC CENTER - PARENT BREAKFAST CLUB

The next Parent Breakfast Club, hosted by the Student Academic Center, will be held on Friday, January 7 from 7:15am-8:00am. The workshop, titled, “Surviving Your Child’s Midterms,” will give our parents the strategies to support students taking midterms and offer self-care tips (for both you and your students). Coffee and bagels will be served to parents by NHS tutors.   Click Here to Register

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR COACHES OF EXCELLENCE!

Many, many congratulations to SJ Coaches, Jordan Smith (Boys Golf), Jack Nogueira (Girls Soccer), and Joe Dellavecchia (Football), who have been recognized as FCIAC Coaches of Excellence for the 2021 Fall Season! We are so proud of our teams and we congratulate our coaches on the success of their teams!

CADETS: LEARN KICKBOXING! Kickboxing Club is in full swing at St. Joes and we invite new members to join! Kickboxing improves the strength and flexibility of all muscle groups in the body. Whether you are already a skilled in the sport, or are just looking to stay in shape the Kickboxing Club is the place for you.   Reach out to Mr. Cook (jcook@sjcadets.org) for more info or join the google classroom, code: pmpki7x

JEOPARDY WINNERS! Each semester, Jeopardy Club hosts a faculty vs. students tournament. The Jeopardy tournament held last week end with a well-earned faculty victory! Mr. Eng and Fr. Silva won with 40,000 points. In 2nd place was Andrew Burke, Sam Stone, and Shane Stone with 34,400 points and in third place was Siena Harper, Kelly McSherry, and Michael Thomas with 20,000 points! We look forward to the next tournament in May.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE FROM OUR SCHOOL NURSE

As a parent you are often faced with difficult decisions. When your child wakes up feeling sick, it can be hard to know when to keep them home from school. You don’t want them missing out on important lessons, but you also don’t want your child to get anyone else sick—or to become even more ill from toughing it out. Now with COVID-19 complicating the issue even more, you may be wondering how to know when to keep your child home from school?  10 Signs You Should Keep Your Child Home From School  This year, infections like common colds, influenza, and RSV are circulating much sooner than before and are perhaps causing symptoms that are stronger. There are some symptoms that all providers agree would warrant keeping your child home from school. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other experts recommend that you keep your child home sick if they are experiencing the following symptoms:  Fever—any temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (F) or greater Vomiting Diarrhea Persistent cough or difficulty breathing Severe pain (like a migraine headache or severe earache)  Severe sore throat, especially when accompanied by a fever A significant rash, especially when other symptoms are present Large amounts of discolored nasal discharge These could be signs of a contagious illness, like strep throat, the flu, or even COVID-19.  At St. Joes, we continue to follow the guidelines set forth by the CDC and the Town of Trumbull Department of Health. Social distancing, temperature screenings at the entrances, and the wearing of face masks are all still in effect. There are hand sanitizers located conveniently around the building and regular sanitization of common areas is done by our custodial staff. The health and wellness of our school community is paramount. Thank you for your continued support keeping everyone safe and well at SJ.

UPCOMING EVENTS (VIEW MORE ON OUR SCHOOL CALENDAR)

December 23-January 3 Christmas Break (No Classes) January 4 Classes Resume January 7 2nd Quarter Ends January 7 SAC Parent Breakfast Club January 10-14 Mid-Term Exams

Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year! In observance of the holidays, St. Joseph High School will be closed starting at noon on December 22 until January 3, 2022. The next issue of This Week at St. Joes will be sent on January 3rd, 2022.

BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! @SJCADETS

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