Comet Connection | Week of Aug. 20th | |
Let's Plan for a Great First Week! | |
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Monday, Aug. 21st, Welcome Fair, 9am - 1pm - Bring your school supplies!
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Tuesday. Aug. 22nd - First Day of School ALL STUDENTS!
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Opening Convocation at 8:15am on the blacktop. RSVP here See details below!
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12pm pick up for JK & K only! (No ASE for JK and K on this day.)
- ASE is available for grades 1-8 only.
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Morning Care* will be available from 7:30am-7:50am in St. Anselm (ramp entrance on Belmont Ave.) everyday for all students. (*fee based)
- Wednesday, Aug. 23rd
- 12pm pick up for JK & K only! (No ASE for JK and K on this day.)
- ASE is available for grades 1-8 only.
- Thursday, Aug. 24th
- ASE available for all grades (JK-8) going forward
Planning Ahead:
- Monday, Sept. 4 - NO SCHOOL! Labor Day observed.
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Wednesday, Sept. 6, NEW FAMILIES Coffee with Mr. Cruess, 8:30am, Cafeteria - RSVP HERE!
- Wednesday, Sept. 6, Back to School Night! (Parents only) 6:30pm
- Friday, Sept. 15, NO SCHOOL! It's Oktoberfest Weekend!
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Friday, Sept. 15 - Sunday, Sept. 17th - St. Benedict Oktoberfest! VOLUNTEER NOW!
Other notes:
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Summer Reading! Parents, don't forget that ALL students in grades 1-8 have summer reading assignments, and we also have helpful review materials included on our website HERE. Don't put this off, so your Comet can be all ready for a great new school year.
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School Supplies! Click HERE for your class list of supplies (no kit ordering this year).
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The Catholic Church holds dear the teaching that parents are the primary educators of their children, and the school serves to assist parents in that responsibility. With that teaching at heart, we try to connect with our parents in a variety of ways. One important way is through our Parent-Teacher Organization. Simply by being a parent with students in the school, you are a member of the PTO! I encourage you to attend PTO meetings whenever possible, and the PTO leadership will help you find ways to volunteer with our school community. In addition, we hold monthly "Coffees with Mr. Cruess" meetings for parents. They are focused on a specific topic or grade level. The first one for this school year will be for our New Families on Wednesday, Sept. 6th to help them settle into their new school home and our awesome Comet family. Our October Coffee will be for our 7th & 8th Grade parents and we'll go over all things high school... tours, applications and graduation!
We also try to involve parents in other ways. We have a parent prayer group that meets each month to pray for our students and families. More details will be coming soon. We have also developed a parent reading list to help introduce parents to classical literature. The Parent Scholars list includes a selection of 10 great books, so parents can read one a year as your child goes from JK to 8th grade. We hope these opportunities help you as parents and connect you to our wonderful St. Benedict Family!
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Carline 101 - PLEASE READ | |
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Morning Carline Reminders:
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Morning Carline drop off begins at 7:50am and ends at 8:10am.
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If your child is a walker, you must walk them to the front door and ring the bell. We open at 7:50am.
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Be sure your students have ALL of their items for the day ready to go BEFORE faculty approaches the car door...it really slows down the carline if kiddos are searching for lunches, backpacks, etc.
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If the gates are closed, you are late. You must park and walk your student to the front door to sign your child in. Absolutely NO DROPPING OFF. This is for the safety of all students.
Afternoon Carline Reminders:
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Afternoon Carline begins at 3:00pm and ends at 3:20pm.
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Please remember to show your carline sign to the attendants in the street. They are texting your child's name to the teachers at the gate so your child is ready when you approach.
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If someone else is going to be picking up your child you must contact the office in advance of carline, otherwise, we will have to call to verify and that really holds up the carline. CALL 804-354-8850 OR pautry@saintbenedictschool.org
- If your child is a walker, they will be dismissed to their parent at the front of the building by our faculty.
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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).
Carline Courtesy: VERY IMPORTANT!
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Please enter the carline on Hanover Ave. FROM NANSEMOND Street. If you cut in on another side street to Hanover, you will be cutting the line AND our side streets are getting blocked which the neighborhood does not want. See the map below for directions.
- Remember, DO NOT ENTER Cleveland Street from Grove Ave. You will be cutting in line and that's not considerate to your fellow parents.
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New this year! As a fundraiser, we auctioned off ONE 'jump the carline' pass at last Spring's Gala, so there is only 1 family who is allowed to enter the carline from Grove Avenue. They have a special car pass. Anyone else trying to enter the carline from the direction of Grove Avenue will be directed to the end of the carline by the carline staff.
- Keep your blinkers ON in carline so people see the line and can move around us.
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Be courteous to our neighbors in carline. If you see someone trying to get in/out of their parking space or garage, kindly move out of their way as soon as possible. Do not speed on our city streets - children live all around our school. PLEASE do not block the garages on Cleveland St AND stay as far right as you can to keep traffic flowing around us. We want to be good neighbors!
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If someone else is picking up your child, please make sure you have informed the office and have instructed them on our carline procedures.
- THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OUR CARLINE MOVING EFFICIENTLY AND FRIENDLY :)
CARLINE MAP... Please enter the carline on Hanover Ave. from Nansemond St. Please do not use other side streets as it causes extra neighborhood congestion. Also, unless you are in carline, avoid Cleveland and Hanover Avenues during those times to help lighten the traffic load for your fellow families and the safety of our carline staff! Thank you!
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Mark your calendars!
Help Distribute YAY Lunches Service Hour Opportunity!
Everyday we need parents to help distribute lunches to our students in the cafeteria. Must be VIRTUS Trained & Background Screened. Click here to help!
https://signup.com/go/RqBCWxG
Help Out at Back to School Night: Wed. Sept. 6th Service Hour Opportunity!
This fun event requires a few volunteers to assist with setting up and breaking down chairs and tables and also with laying out refreshments.
https://signup.com/go/JbWWxam
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Oktoberfest is coming and ALL SBCS FAMILIES are needed to work a minimum of 8 hours (2 shifts) in service to our school community and this major RVA event which brings over 50K guests annually. This year, ALL parent service hours at Oktoberfest will be counted towards your PTO commitment because this is such an important event for our school (we are the biggest beneficiary of Oktoberfest!)
and it requires the generous support of MANY volunteers (over 700 shifts)!
Oktoberfest will be held Sept. 15-17 and service opportunities will be available for that weekend AND the weekend and days leading up to the event so sign up now!
The Oktoberfest Committee is still in need of leads for Decorations and Committee Secretary. This is an EXCELLENT way for parents of O'fest High School Scholarships to serve! Email cgridgely@gmail.com if interested. YOU ARE NEEDED.
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After School Enrichment (ASE) | |
After School Enrichment (ASE) is available for all students Grades JK-8th from 3-6pm on a regular basis (contract) or by drop-in/reservation. THIS YEAR there are a limited number of spaces available daily, so If you do not have a contract agreement for ASE, please email Pam Autry at pautry@saintbenedictschool.org no later than 9am on the day requested and she will need to confirm that drop-in space is available. If you'd like to set up a daily space for your child (via a contract agreement), and haven't done so already, please contact Brian Wingfield in the Business Office at bwingfield@saintbenedictschool.org to make these arrangements. ASE is available every school day during the year, including 12:30pm early dismissals, except December 20th, March 28th and June 5th. Feel free to call or email the office with questions. | | |
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Yay Is Back!
School is right around the corner, and that’s something to say Yay about! We’re excited to continue our partnership with Yay, our lunch service. They’re hard at work curating a customized menu just for us, featuring nourishing meals made fresh daily by local chefs.
Register or update your account today to be the first to know when your Lunch Calendar is ready to explore! With exciting announcements, delicious options and big promos around the corner, you won’t want to miss a thing.
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After-School Instructor & Substitute Teachers
Needed at SBCS
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Saint Benedict School is looking for an ASE instructor and substitute teachers for the 2023-2024 academic year. 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! | |
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This week, Father Mike discusses 4 essentials for every Catholic to embrace in their lives. As we begin a new school year, this is a perfect time to examine if these elements are present in our spiritual lives - and if not - resolve to embrace them now to live abundantly in Christ.
Click on the image below to check it out!
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