August 23, 2020
Weekly enews

Dear St. Giles Families,
 
We did it!  We had a FANTASTIC reopening last week and having all of our Lions on campus across three days was energizing and fun! Thank you to all of our parents for making this possible and to the many volunteers who are helping with our new arrival and dismissal protocols.  Monday will be a big day when we have everyone at school together again.  

Here are a few tips/reminders to help our week go smoothly. Patience is going to be key! 

  • Please review the traffic pattern and dropoff/pickup protocols and traffic maps closely.
  • Columbian is one way going south 
  • Linden is one way going north 
  • Student patrol is not available due to COVID restrictions. Please be patient as we get our Kindergarteners to their cars near the Corrigan building. 
  • Parents may want to park in the parking lot or other side streets and walk to pick up your children.  Please remember to use all crosswalks and not walk between cars for everyone’s safety. 
We are looking for volunteers to help with our drop off and pick up--if you are able to help, even one day a week, please sign up here.

Return to school waiver
If you have not returned the Return to School Waiver, please send it to school on Monday with your child (one per family) or via email to forms@stgilesschool.org.  This is required for all in-person learners. 

Warm weather days
The predicted weather this week is hotter than last week and, while we have air conditioners in our classrooms, we want our Lions to be as comfortable as possible while in school this week. Students may wear their gym uniforms to school this week, Monday-Wednesday. We will monitor the temperatures and reassess mid-week. 

Staffing Update
We are currently seeking a K-8 Spanish teacher for this year.  Until we hire a new teacher, Spanish classes will not meet but we will use that time as an opportunity to get all students outside, physically distanced, and take mask breaks.  Please be sure to check out all of our new teachers below! 
Thank you again for your patience and understanding.

Open Position
St. Giles School is looking for a part time cleaning person to help with sanitizing the school during the school day. The schedule would be Monday through Friday when school is in session, from 10 am to 1 pm. No experience is required. Additional information about the position can be found here.

Additional Reminders
  • As much as we love our furry friends, we ask that you keep dogs off campus during drop off and pick up.  Not all students are able to be around dogs for safety reasons.  If you pick up your child while walking your dog, please ask them to cross the street to meet you. 
  • Each of our Lions needs to have a paper bag with an extra mask that will also hold their mask when they are eating lunch or remove it outside. Please make sure your child has 2 masks each day in the event one needs to be changed. 
  • Please check the fit of your child’s mask--ear loops may need to be knotted in order for them to fit tightly throughout the day. 
  • Gaiters are not acceptable

Thank you again for your patience and we look forward to a great week!
Stay well,
Meg
Looking for a new skill to help your child calm down?  Practice meditation with your child.  Meditation has been used for years to train the mind to be more calm, focused and resilient. Check out the progressive meditations on these websites.  

DeStress Monday shares regular tips and guides to help you start every week with a positive frame of mind. Begin with the Monday Refresh practice and enjoy the benefits all week long.

Loyola Press 3 Minute Retreat is another way to calm and focus the mind at the start of a week or whenever tasks seem overwhelming.  Take a prayerful time out from work as needed. The three minute retreats change daily with past retreats in the archives.
April Ackerman Kindergarten
Mary Johnson
3rd Grade
Rachel Mostek
Art
Steven Siwek
Physical Education
Ariana Wanderlingh
8th Grade Homeroom
7th/8th Grade Math
PTO Welcome Back - Evening in the Courtyard
We hope your children are enjoying their first days in the classroom! To connect with old friends and welcome new friends, the PTO would like to invite you for a drink in the St. Giles Courtyard. Join us to learn about our role as parent volunteers in this new environment. BYO drink of choice! Adults Only.
Thursday, August 27th
7-9pm

Space is limited to comply with social distancing standards. 
RSVP required - please register to help us keep an accurate headcount!
Student Photos
During the year, we take pictures of our students for social media, printed school materials and the yearbook. If you do NOT want your child's picture used for these purposes, please let us know!

Please complete this FORM return it to the school office by Friday, September 4 ONLY IF you do NOT want your student's picture used.
Lunch Program - Orders due Monday, August 24th by noon

We have contracted with Marla's Lunch to provide daily lunches to students for a fee. Marla's uses local third party vendors to deliver lunches to St. Giles. Lunches will be individually bagged up and labeled with each student's name and distributed to students in their classroom during lunch time.

Now that you know your child's homeroom teacher, you are able to log on and order lunches, with delivery starting August 31 through October. The order for the week of August 31 is due by August 24 at noon - don't miss out!

Click here for Marla's website to set up your family profile, see FAQs and set up your order.

Parent Compliance

Anyone who volunteers within the Archdiocese must complete an annual CANTS form. Although we are limiting our onsite help right now, please take the time to ensure that your compliance is up to date so that you are not restricted from future volunteer opportunities. All expired accounts will be inactivated.

If you are Virtus Certified, please simply complete this CANTS form and send it back to school via forms@stgilesschool.org or send it with your child. 

If you are NOT Virtus Certified, please go to www.virtusonline.org to register for the training. You will also need to complete the CANTS form as well as the Code of Conduct Form.

If you have any questions about compliance requirements, please contact Michele Bibbey at mbibbey@stgilesschool.org
Have you used the new Family Portal on our website?

Find all the information you will need for this year, including the link to your child's teacher page, info on lunch delivery, a link to Powerschool and much more!

Visit www.stgilesschool.org, click on the Family Portal and enter the password "Lions123".
Trinity is hosting socially-distanced story hours for grade school students on August 29th . They will be reading about inspirational women who have changed the course of history. Additional information can be found here.
Weekly Enews Subscription
If you are reading this, you are subscribed to our weekly, Sunday 9am Enews - please continue to read these each week as they contain important school news. During the year, if at any time you are not receiving these Sunday emails, please email the OFFICE to let us know and we will resubscribe you.

If someone else in your family, such as a partner or caregiver, is not currently subscribed and would also like to receive Enews as well, please have them sign up - click HERE.