Dear Parents-

Welcome Back! I hope the two weeks away were filled with much joy. There is such a

feeling of anticipation and excitement that is so special to Christmas, and I pray we each hang on to all those joyful feelings that are unique to Christmas.

Mrs. Carson and I were overwhelmed by the many gifts we received for Christmas. Your generosity and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated, and we thank each and every one of you for your kindness. Please know that you and your families are always in our prayers, and we wish you many blessings.

The second MAP Test window opens Monday January 9 and runs through Friday, January 27. During this time, students in grades 3-7 will test in the areas of Math, Reading and Language Arts. Please make sure your children are in school during this time to ensure adequate opportunity to complete the tests. If you have specific scheduling questions or conflicts, please contact your child’s teacher.

With great excitement, I am happy to announce that Mrs. Maria Rose Janine Corriere has joined our faculty as a special education teacher. Mrs. Corriere earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education with a major in special education from Ecumenical Christian College (Philippines), and she has completed 39 credits towards her master's degree. Mrs. Corriere has 10 years teaching experience, most recently as a special education teacher for Clark County Public Schools.

Over the break we learned of a new app that has made it easier for users to plagiarize or cheat on assignments, and harder for teachers to catch. According to news sources, ChatGPT is a chatbot that runs on artificial intelligence to solve high-level math problems, as well as write essays and responses to just about anything. Experts say that it is difficult to catch plagiarized essays and math responses. ChatGPT has been available to students only in the last month or so, and as with all things, we will partner with parents to remain vigilant against inappropriate use of technology.

Parents are invited to mark their calendars for Wednesday, January 18, and join us for the PTO meeting. The evening will provide a time for parents to get together and reconnect after the Christmas break, hear a bit about what’s going on at SJS and participate in some fun line dancing. If you are feeling unsure about line dancing, I speak from experience when I tell you that it is great fun! Many thanks to Mrs. Schill for her willingness to make this possible….so wear sneakers, dress comfortably and we will see you on the 18th!

As always, if you have any questions, or if I can be of any assistance, please let me know.

Refreshed, revived and renewed by "faith, love and hope." (1Thess. 1:2-3)

Denise Rutledge

Principal

 Building Wisdom and Faith Through Service to God

With our 93% retention rate, our streamlined re-enrollment process has proven to be successful. The process is structured so that current students will be automatically re-enrolled for the 2023-2024 school year.  Enrollment fees of $300 per student will be charged on February 1, 2023 from the FACTS account on file. Families in need of an extension payment plan must also contact the Business Office by January 13, 2023. Re-enrollment fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. If, for some reason, your student will not be returning to St. Joseph Catholic School, notification in writing is needed by January 13, 2023. If you have any questions, please contact Tisha Hilliard (thilliard@sjcherndon.org or 703-880-4355) 

Email Jessie Ingham at events@sjschoolva.org to join the planning committee or to become an auction sponsor!

Stay tuned for more information!

95210 initiatives: Limit screen time to 2 hours a day

Some research data: According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids ages 8-18 now spend, on average, a whopping 7.5 hours in front of a screen for entertainment each day, 4.5 of which are spent watching TV. Over a year, that adds up to 114 full days watching a screen for fun. That’s just the time they spend in front of a screen for entertainment. It doesn’t include the time they spend on the computer at school for educational purposes or at home for homework (CDC). Another research by the American Academy of Pediatrics links higher volumes of screen time to higher rates of obesity. Two new reports have linked children's screen time to an increased risk of developing cancer and short-sightedness (World Cancer Research Fund International). A study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed that seven or more hours of screen time during developmental ages lead to thinning of the brain’s cortex. Click HERE to read more!

New, Lower Prices From Yay Lunch!

The team at Yay Lunch is taking your feedback about pricing to heart and have been working with their food partners to offer new, lower prices on our menu. Take a look at a few of the new, lower prices now available on your Lunch Calendar

St. Joseph Catholic School

750 Peachtree Street, Herndon, VA 20170

Tel: 703-880-4350 Fax: 703-880-4320