Welcome to our school newsletter with

news and events for the month of September!

This newsletter contains very important information.

Please carefully read all articles below.

Welcome to the 2022-2023 School Year!

Saint Dominic School is proud to offer a monthly subscription to Partners in Faith to our school families. 

In the September issue of Partners in Faith you will find...

Welcome to a new school year with Partners in Faith! I am pleased to enclose the September issue. Our emphasis this year continues to be on helping families to love Jesus and put prayer, devotions, Sacraments, and catechesis at the center of family life.

Please note a few highlights:

• The way we talk can help us build up God’s Kingdom or land us in serious trouble. Teaching children traits of “holy speech” helps them to build up powerful protection against sins of the tongue. Our main article on page one explains.

• Meeting Christ in the Eucharist is the greatest gift we can give to our children. When they know what to do, say, and sing during Mass, they can begin to appreciate the miracle of this gift. The main article on page two offers simple tips to start.

• Our gospel reading this month explains the parable of the rich man and the beggar that Jesus used to teach God’s language of love. The Scripture Lesson explains.

Back to School Nights are scheduled for

September 13th and 14th! 

Parents of students in PreK through third grade are asked to attend on Tuesday, September 13th, and parents of students in fourth through eighth grade are asked to attend on Wednesday, September 14th. The program for both nights will begin with a general meeting in the Parish Center at 7:00 P.M. followed by classroom visits and presentations.

Representatives from our local diocesan Catholic high schools, including Christian Brothers Academy, Donovan Catholic, Mater Dei, Red Bank Catholic, St. John Vianney, and St. Rose High School will attend our Back to School Night on September 14th. They will be available in the Parish Center from 6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. to provide information regarding academic and extracurricular offerings as well as open house information to parents who wish to continue their children's Catholic education upon eighth grade graduation.

The P.T.A. Uniform Exchange will be available in the school gym on both nights. This is a great opportunity to drop off any uniforms you no longer need or to pick up uniforms items at no cost!

(You do not have to drop off a uniform to pick up any items)

When there is a change in a family's address, phone number, or email, it is imperative that all parents update parents are asked to call the school office so that the information can be changed in our school's database system.

The Saint Dominic Kitchen Staff is back and are excited to offer the school students hot lunch options again this year!

The students will once again walk through the cafeteria line to receive their lunch and will be able to purchase additional snacks at our beloved snack stand by October.

Lunch meals may be purchased daily for $4.00.

-or-

Multiple meal tickets may be purchased in advance.

10 meals for $40.00. or 20 meals for $80.0.

• All money for hot lunch options, bagels, and/or salads must be sent to school in an envelope marked with the students name and homeroom and will be collected by the teacher upon taking the morning lunch count. ONLY money for the purchase of lunch will be collected at that time.
• Any money for a child wishing to purchase a snack from the snack stand must remain with the child and be utilized directly at the stand.
• Lunch tickets remain at school and are distributed as needed.
• Lunch Tickets are for complete meals only and may not be used to purchase snacks. 
• All checks must be made payable to St. Dominic School. Parents are asked to include the student's name and homeroom on the check.

Reminder: In the event of an emergency or if your child forgets their lunch or lunch money, they will be allowed to charge for that day. Payment of that charge must be remitted the following day.

St. Dominic School is asking all parents to refrain from sending any peanut or nut containing products into the classrooms for snacks. However, when the children are in the cafeteria, there is a much greater possibility that students could have peanut butter or other meals containing nut products.

In an effort to keep children with allergies from having an allergic reaction in the cafeteria, St. Dominic School is designating a separate table for students with allergies. Please sign the form below with your preference for your child’s seating in the cafeteria and return the form to the main office immediately.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping your child safe and healthy. 

Please help us to keep all children safe while at school by noting the following: 

• Only appropriate non-food items will be distributed to students to celebrate a child's birthday. 
• Refrain from sending in products containing peanuts or nuts for snacks to be eaten in the classroom. (Students eat in their classrooms on Friday due to Bingo. If children bring lunches containing nuts on a Friday, they will be required to purchase lunch from the cafeteria.)
• Encourage your children to wash their hands after food handling.
• Children may bring their choice of food for lunch in the cafeteria. Please encourage your children to avoid the sharing of food, drinks, and utensils.
• If your children sit at a designated peanut/nut free table in the cafeteria and bring peanut/nut products, they will be asked to sit at another table.
• Please avoid the use of food in school projects.

Dear Parents,

Due to the changes in Brick busing, we anticipate an increase in drop offs and pick ups.

We want to make the procedure as seamless and efficient as possible for our families. 

To this end, we have set up another drop off point.

You may drop off students via entrance from Van Zile Road into the Community Room Courtyard circle from 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM.

Or

You may drop off via entrance from Old Squan Road into the Prek parking lot from 8:00 AM - 8: 20 AM.

School staff will be present to guide you and to welcome the children at both locations.

Pick up procedure shall remain the same. Please park in the parking lot adjacent to the Community Room. Walk to the Courtyard to pick up your child(ren).

We shall continue to monitor the situation and make changes as needed.

With respect,

Mrs. Elizabeth Tonkovich

Principal

Any student arriving late to school on any given day must be accompanied by a parent. All parents must park their car in the parking lot (not in the circular driveway), accompany the student into the vestibule, sign the student in on the late sign-in sheet, and complete a lunch order form for that day, if applicable. Students will not be allowed to enter the school without parent accompaniment.

Saint Dominic School's extended care program offers supervision for our students enrolled in our PreK - Eighth grade. A safe and caring environment is provided with opportunities for peer interaction.

Supervision will be available on scheduled school days only.

Before Care hours are 6:45 A.M. - 8:15 A.M.

(PreK-3 & 4-year-old hours are 6:45 A.M. - 8:30 A.M.)

and After Care hours are Dismissal - 6:00 P.M.

Due to the changes in Brick busing, extended efforts have been put forth to provide our school community with as much support and assistance as possible. Before & Aftercare will be provided beginning the first day of school, Tuesday, September 6, 2022.

Anytime a student's method of transportation is changed, a note must be sent to the homeroom teacher. Children sometimes have difficulty in remembering last-minute changes. Only authorized students may ride buses that are assigned to them. This means no student may go home on a different bus when visiting a friend's house after school. Parents are advised to read Brick Transportation's Bus Policy, which can be found on our school website under the "Current Parents" link.

Parent volunteers are needed and welcomed at Saint Dominic School! We thank you in advance for making our volunteer program here at Saint Dominic School such a great success. We appreciate you and the service you provide to our school community.

If interested, please send a note to school or contact Mrs. Dalleo in the school office. If you have already signed up to volunteer and haven't received a call, please contact the office. 

Mandatory Volunteer Requirements

1. Attendance at the School Volunteer Orientation - Monday, September 12, 2022, at 1:00 P.M. in the Community Room.
2. Signed 2022-2023 volunteer application, Code of Conduct agreement, and Volunteer Handbook acknowledgement (will be distributed and collected at the orientation). 
3. Completion of NJDOE Background check/fingerprinting. Information will be provided at the Volunteer Orientation for those individuals volunteering for certain positions.
4. Proof of attendance or registration at a Virtus Protecting God's Children class. Volunteers can attend a class at Saint Dominic School or at any local parish or school.

A Virtus class will be offered at Saint Dominic School on Wednesday, October 6, 2022, at 7:00 P.M. in the Community Room. Instructions on the registration process can be found below.

All volunteers are asked to bring their driver's license with them on the first day of volunteering. Should you have any questions, please contact the school office. Thank you and may God bless you!

Saint Dominic Parish’s Friday Bingo has been a program that greatly benefits our school’s yearly budget. 

It is essential that Bingo remains strong since our school budget depends on its success!

In order to keep Bingo as a revenue source for our school, we need the help of all school parents to “work” one Bingo during the 2022-2023 school year. 

We completely understand that there are many households in which both parents work full-time jobs; however, our senior parishioners who volunteer their time each week to run Bingo can not do it alone and need help. 

Each family will be scheduled for one (1) Friday Bingo date throughout the school year. Parents/guardians will receive a letter similar to this update during the first week of school. Further information regarding Bingo as well as the family's assigned Bingo date will be provided in that letter.

Please know that anyone over the age of 18 can “work” your Bingo for you. If it’s difficult for you to be released from your job, you may want to ask a family member or friend to help you by ‘covering’ your assigned Bingo date.

Thank you in advance for all of your efforts to help Saint Dominic’s Bingo thrive and allow us to maintain the school budget!

Throughout the year, Saint Dominic School uses Star 360 Assessments to help teachers understand what students know and what they are ready to learn next.

The first window of Renaissance Star 360 testing is scheduled for October 10, 2022 through October 28, 2022. Students in grades 2-8 will each complete a 20 minute online assessment in Reading and Math. Results will be sent home when all testing has been completed.

It is exciting and wonderful that so many new Saint Dominic School families wish for their children to receive their Sacraments.

If your child has not been Baptized, please contact your parish. 

If you are a Saint Dominic Church parishioner, please call 732-840-1410 to request a Baptism for your child.

If your child is baptized in the Catholic faith, but has not yet received the sacraments of Reconciliation or First Holy Communion, please notify Mrs Mara Tiernan, Assistant Principal, at mtiernan@stdomschool.org or 732-840-1412 ext. 230.

Saint Dominic School is required to comply  

with the New Jersey School Integrated Pest Management Act. Saint Dominic School has adopted an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy and has implemented an IPM Plan to comply with this law. IPM is a holistic, preventive approach to managing pests and is explained further in the school's IPM Policy.  

As mandated by the Diocese of Trenton Office of Catholic Education, students in grades kindergarten through eighth will receive instruction in the RCL Benziger Family Life series.

This series offers lessons in God’s gifts of family, self, life, love, and community. The lessons will be incorporated into the students’ religion classes. Below find attached an overview of the RCL Benziger Family Life Program. 

The RCL Benzinger Family Life website : http://rclbfamilylife.com/

Click on “Family Web Time” in the box. No username or password is required.

September 6

School Opens for Grades 1-8

Early Dismissal (12:30 P.M.)

Before & After Care Begins

September 7

Kindergarten Orientation for Parents

September 8

Kindergarten Begins (A-L)

PreK 3 Yr. Orientation

September 9

Kindergarten Begins (M-Z)

PreK 4 Yr. Orientation

September 12

PreK 4 Yr. Old Begins (Early Dismissal for PreK)

September 13

PreK 3 Yr. Old Begins (Early Dismissal for PreK 3)

Back to School Night (PreK - Gr. 3)

 School Uniform Exchange will be available during Back to School Night

September 14

Back to School Night (Gr. 4 - 8)

 School Uniform Exchange will be available during Back to School Night

Representatives from local Catholic high schools will be available.

September 15

Communication Alert

September 30

Communication Alert

Early Dismissal (PreK at 12:00 P.M. & K-8 at 12:30 P.M.)

Faculty Meeting