Dear Parents-

October is a glorious month in terms of celebrating some of our most amazing saints! Last Saturday, we celebrated the feast of Pope St. John Paul II, who served as Pope from 1978-2005, making him the third longest reigning Pope (26.5 years) after St. Peter (37 years) and Pope Blessed Pius IX (31.5 years). If you have not visited the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, I encourage you to make a visit. The chapel is glorious, and Mass is celebrated every day. Go- make the pilgrimage, and you will come away from your visit reconnected to the call to holiness.

Middle school (grades 6-8) parents are reminded that you are invited to sign up for TWO conferences per student. Parents are asked to check the sign-up, and please delete any conference in excess of TWO per student. Parents who want additional conferences should reach out to the teacher(s) to schedule.

Some parents had asked earlier in the school year if the Bishop would grant additional days off for students. I have no way of knowing what the Bishop may plan, however, the Bishop announced last week the grant of a Bishop’s holiday to all schools, noting that, “Even as we move away from some of the greatest challenges of the pandemic period, I am aware that all in Catholic education continue to face lingering effects. I hope that this benefit will provide some additional relief to your faculty, students and families.” The announcement of “this holiday comes with my prayers for all of you and your school communities as well as my gratitude for the selfless work being done to ensure strong Catholic education around the Diocese.”

Parents are invited to participate in a survey regarding the scheduling of this holiday, which must take place, per Bishop Burbidge, before March 1. Please know that I am sensitive to travel plans already in place. Access parent survey HERE.

Trunk or Treat is this week, and we look forward to seeing the amazing decorations on the cars. As in past years, please avoid all representations of the occult. If your child attends extended day, and you plan to pick your child up after 5:00, you will need to use the door by the 2nd grade classrooms. The lot on the side by the nurses entrance will be closed off for the Trunk or Treat event, and you will not be able to drive in that part of the lot. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Lisk at extended_day@sjschoolva.org. And a great big Saints THANK YOU to our PTO for this fun event!

Please let me know if you have any questions.

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

Denise Rutledge

Principal

 Building Wisdom and Faith Through Service to God

Mrs. Fallace-PE Kindergarten & First Grade 

Mr. Pierson-PE Grade 2-8

Beth Moschetto-Library

Karina Lee-Music

Mary Sears-Art

Maura Culligan-Computer

Johanna Naranjo-Spanish

Middle School (Gr. 6-8) Sign Up

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

2nd chance to order

SJS Spirit Wear!

They make great Christmas and birthday gifts!  

GoGuardian Parent App was created to help provide additional support to parents. It allows parents to see what sites and documents their children are browsing and provides parents with additional internet controls at home. The app gives parents a bird's eye

view of the apps and websites that their kids are on most often, and control

over school-issued Google accounts during out-of-school hours. During school

hours SJS admin have an in school policy and a Default Policy. The SJS Default

policy block major elicit websites during school and non-school hours.

So parents are aware the SJS Default Policy does not stop kids from browsing website like, Facebook, YouTube or Tic Tok. During non-school hours SJS does not have control over content parents allow their children to view.

The GoGuardian Parent App will allow parents block site they do not approve of in their own filter on the GoGuardian Parent App. Parents Policies will take control during non-school hours. With this perspective, parents can be made aware of what types of

browsing behavior schools are seeing from students so we can all work together

to encourage more effective internet browsing habits at home and school.

The Book Fair runs from Nov. 8-13, but there is a need for volunteers to set up on Nov. 7 and to pack up on Nov. 14. There are options to volunteer for set up, clean up, cashier after school and two evenings, and cashier both Saturday and Sunday morning. I hope you will take a moment to find a spot that fits your schedule.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4FA5A72AA4FE3-2022

Please note the financial aid application due date is March 15, 2023

Click HERE for more information

October is the month of "lunches"!

We invite YOU to enjoy lunch with your child in the lunchroom during his/her lunch period!

Treasure these times with your child before they grow up and head on to high school! 

Up to 4 parents per class will have the opportunity to sit with their child and their classmates. 

We ask that parents are Child Compliant. 

Also, because of food allergies, we ask that no food is brought in for other students. 

Thank you for your support and we look forward to you taking advantage

of this wonderful time with your child!

Lunch sign ups will be available until November 9.

Trunk or Treat Reminders -

Please read!

Check out our

Frequently Asked Questions!

It's that time of year again - CYO Basketball!

Calling all 4th thru 8th Grade

Boys & Girls

Registration is open from 10/13 - 11/3.

- We will have boys and girls teams in Grades 4-8 - SJS students & Faith Formation students are eligible.

- No cuts - everyone makes a team - if there are enough players for two teams in a given grade, then we will split accordingly.

- Registration is open (Register below) - Cost is $90 per player OR $170 per family. 

- Tryouts are per grade level and will be held at St. Joe's Gym for 60 minutes (twice - next week and the following). For example, 4th grade girls will have the entire gym for 60 minutes. Boys and Girls tryouts are separate. Please come to tryouts - if your schedule does not seem to coordinate, still

- You do not have to be registered to come to tryouts - registration needs to be completed by 11/3 (so we have some time).

- We are looking for coaches - head and/or assistants. Each team MUST have at least 2 coaches. Please consider stepping up!   Please contact Mac Cannon directly with coaching volunteer interest (Cannonclan@gmail.com)

- Practices will be set once teams are formed and assigned coaches - likely the week of November 7th, etc. Practices are twice per week for 60 minutes each.

 Again, the time slot and days remain to be determined. ALL practices will be held at St. Joseph's Gym. Ideally your player can make both practices, but we have busy families and it is completely allowable to miss practices without any excuses needed.

- Games will begin the first weekend in December. Those games are played within the following windows Saturdays 8:30am-6:00pm, Sundays 12:00-6:00pm. Those games are all played at Catholic schools within the Diocese. Locations will vary depending upon scheduling by each grade, etc. Those schedules are typically available 3 weeks out.

- Season Length - runs from November thru Mid/Late March.

Here is the Tryout Schedule for Next Week:

8th GIRLS Wednesday, October 26, 2022 6:30-7:30pm

7th GIRLS Tuesday, October 25, 2022 5:00-6:00pm

6th GIRLS Wednesday, October 26, 2022 5:30-6:30pm

5th GIRLS Wednesday, October 26, 2022 4:30-5:30pm

4th GIRLS Wednesday, October 26, 2022 3:30-4:30pm    

8th BOYS Monday, October 24, 2022 5:00-6:00pm

7th BOYS Thursday, October 27, 2022 7:30-8:30pm

6th BOYS Thursday, October 27, 2022 6:30-7:30pm

5th BOYS Tuesday, October 25, 2022 7:00-8:00pm

4th BOYS Tuesday, October 25, 2022 6:00-7:00pm

Let's go, Saints!

32 student athletes represented St. Joseph's parish in the Arlington Diocese Fall 2022 Track & Field Championship on Saturday, October 8th. The event included 20 parishes and over 700 participants competing in individual and relay races on the track and in long-jump, javelin, and shot put events in the field.

• Our Varsity (Grades 7-8) and JV (Grades 5-6) teams finished 1st and our Frosh (Grades 3-4) team finished 2nd of 9 teams in our division! 
• 12 of our athletes completed their first Track & Field Meet 
• Zayden A., Scott A., Alessandro A., Luciano A., Zoey B., Avery C., Genevieve G., Virginia M., Josie P., Ryan S., Addisyn W., and Declan W.
• 20 athletes returned to compete again and 23 personal records (PR's) were set for individual events these athletes performed in past meets! 
• Ellie A., Scarlet A., Sydney A., Cameron A., Sen A., Becca A., Charlie B., Nolan C., Genevieve E., Penelope G., Isabella H., Abby J., Preston L., Isel L., Davis P., Tyler P., Joseph P., Julie P., Abigail S., and Chloe T.
• 18 athletes scored points (with a top 6 finish across the Diocese) for our St. Joseph's team in individual events!   
• All 6 of our relay teams finished in gold, silver, or bronze positions to add to the point totals! 
• 1st Place Girls 4x100 Meter Relay 7th Grade
• 1st Place Boys 4x100 Meter Relay 6th Grade
• 2nd Place Co-Ed 4x100 Meter Relay 7th Grade
• 2nd Place Co-Ed 4x100 Meter Relay 3rd Grade
• 3rd Place Co-Ed 4x100 Meter Relay 6th Grade
• 3rd Place Co-Ed 4x100 Meter Relay 4th Grade

We were especially proud of the sportsmanship displayed throughout the day as our participants cheered on teammates and competitors as so many young athletes took on new challenges and shared their running, jumping, and throwing talents.  

Way to go, Saints!  Congratulations!  A special "thank you" to our coaches - Mike Culligan, Lisa Anderson, Matthew Eggers, and Kelly Hartley!