Face Covering Guidelines
Please read the announcement HERE from Kelly Lazzara, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, announcing an update to the face covering policy for all Catholic schools in the Diocese of Richmond. The new policy puts us more in line with the guidance from the CDC, with other local private schools, and with the current diocesan policy for churches and parish activities. While students will wear face coverings in the classroom, we will ensure that our students have regular breaks from the face covering while maintaining 6 ft. of physical distancing. We will provide developmentally appropriate accommodations for grade JK-2 by allowing longer periods of time without face coverings and more flexibility for students who have trouble keeping the face covering on during the school day. We know that some of our students are already comfortable wearing face coverings, but for some (especially our younger students) it is entirely new. Parents are encouraged to practice having their child wear a mask before the new school year starts. Here is a helpful link to help young children prepare for wearing a mask: https://news.llu.edu/health-wellness/five-tips-help-your-child-adapt-wearing-mask. We appreciate your flexibility as we all work together to balance the educational needs of our students with the safety of our school community.
Back to School Dates for your Calendar
Registration Papers - Please Get Them In Now!
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Registration - 1 per student
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Health Clinic - 1 per student
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Testing form - 1 per student
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Family Information - 1 per household (address)
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Parent Involvement Program - 1 per family
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Demographic Form - 1 per student - NEW STUDENTS
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Commonwealth of Virginia School Physical Form - K and all NEW Students 1 - 8
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Immunization Record - JK Students and all 7th Grade students who didn't provide proof of TDAP to St. Benedict Last Year
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Handbook Form - 1 per family (visit https://www.saintbenedictschool.org/school-life/handbook-n-forms.cfm) to get the form and Handbooks
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Transportation Form - 1 per family
You can drop off the forms in the mailbox at the bottom of the front stairs at school. If you have not yet returned your forms, please do so as soon as possible. Thank you!
School Supply Update
Just added! 2 face coverings (may be disposable) in a ziploc bag with the student's name.
Welcome Ms. Mulero!
Ms. Jameice Mulero has accepted our offer to teach 2nd grade for the upcoming school year. Ms. Mulero earned a Bachelor's degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She attained a teaching license in New York and went on to teach a number of different grade levels at Harlem Children's Zone, a highly-regarded charter school in New York City. Most recently, she worked as the lead teacher at Tuckaway Child Development Center. Ms. Mulero is a member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Richmond. She shared, "I am ecstatic to be a part of the St. Benedict Community. This is a tremendous blessing for me, and I am so grateful."
Welcome Ms. King!
Please join in welcoming our new Physical Education teacher, Ms. Ashauni King. Ms. King earned a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Virginia State University. She has served as a long-term substitute teacher for the past couple years at Donahoe Elementary and Elko Middle School. Ms. King expressed her enthusiasm for athletics, having been employed as a basketball official and coach for several years. She is very excited to join our St. Benedict community!
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Welcome New Families and New Siblings! |
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Get Ready for Back to School at SBCS!
Should you have any questions, please reach out to Gretchen at admissions@ saintbenedictschool.org who will be happy to help!
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2020-2021 Welcome Fair
This years event will be outdoors on the blacktop. See the link below to sign up for a time slot to attend.
We are in need of tents! Since we are outdoors, we need 10x10 tents to keep everyone shaded from the sun. If you have one, it can be dropped off on Sunday August 23 from 11am-1pm on the school blacktop. One tent earns an hour of PTO volunteer time!
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Today is the last day to sign up for the Uniform Swap.
To shop at the Used
Uniform Swap...
2. Upon arrival you will be screened and your temperature will be taken.
3. Adults and children in 4th grade and up must wear a mask.
4. Items can be swapped or purchased for $2. Your FACTS Incidental account will be charged for purchases. (Your FACTS account may be paid online or be sending cash or check into school.)
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Fall Clean Up is Saturday, August 22nd
Join our St Benedict School Community in cleaning up the grounds! Volunteer duties include weeding, hedge trimming, picking up trash and other tasks. Please sign up using the link below. Remember to bring gloves, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, shovels and other useful gardening tools. This is an adult only event, please no kids.This is a great way to start earning those volunteer hours with friends old and new! (Virtus is NOT required for this volunteering opportunity.)
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Upcoming Outdoor Event Health/Safety Guidelines (Uniform Swap, Fall Clean Up, and Welcome Fair) |
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Please come to the alley at your scheduled time to be screened.
Everyone must be wearing a mask. Everyone must have their temperature taken.
Screening Questions:
- Do you currently have a fever (your temperature is 100.4 degrees or higher)?
- In the past two (2) weeks, have you presented symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever, chills, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, with no alternative diagnosis?
- In the past two (2) weeks, have you traveled internationally?
- In the past two (2) weeks, have you been exposed - less than six (6) feet for greater than 15 minutes - to anyone who has tested positive for or exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 (with no alternative diagnosis), without wearing the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Reminder everyone must wear a mask when within 6 feet of someone else.
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Substitute Teachers Needed
Saint Benedict is looking for substitute teachers. 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!
Lost & Found
Are you missing a jacket or sweater from March? Don't worry! All items from the Lost & Found will be available for you to look through at the Welcome Fair on Aug 24th. Any items remaining at the end of the day will be donated to charity.
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16th ANNUAL ST. BENEDICT OKTOBERFEST CANCELED
We regretfully announce that the 16th Annual St. Benedict Oktoberfest must be canceled due to reasons associated with COVID-19. Current local and state regulations covering festivals like Oktoberfest, as well as our desire to provide a safe environment for our many wonderful guests, volunteers, entertainers, sponsors, and vendors, make hosting an event this year impossible. Our family-friendly, 3-day annual festival has grown tremendously in recent years, welcoming over 40,000 guests each year. Current regulations, however, would limit our Oktoberfest to 250 people and would prohibit many of the unique offerings of our event.
Cancelling St. Benedict Oktoberfest was an incredibly difficult decision as it will have a severe impact on our mission of supporting Catholic education. The needs of the schools, families, and students we support still exist despite our event being canceled. Whereas we cannot welcome you this year with our German food, music, drink, and entertainment, please consider making a contribution HERE in order to permit us to continue our support of Catholic education.
St. Benedict will be hosting Oktoberfest in 2021. As usual, we will be hosting the festival on the third weekend of September. Please mark your calendars for September 17, 18, and 19, 2021 for our annual event!! Visit www.stbenedictoktoberfest.com for future updates.
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Summer Reading - Finish Strong Comets!
Let's make sure our Comets are ready for Back to School and have finished up their summer reading assignments! Our Middle School students also have a keyboarding certification to complete. Be sure to check out what you will need to do over the summer now, so you can plan your time accordingly! Our summer reading is available on our website here.
NOW IS THE TIME TO BE GETTING THIS DONE so you don't have to cram the week before school starts :).
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We love our Comet Family!! |
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"Our family relocated to Richmond and Virginia from out of state last year, our family was in search for a school that might mirror the school we loved for the past 7 years. Our son was transitioning to middle school and he was in a new environment. What we found at St. Benedict was just what we were looking for: reasonable class sizes, fair yet challenging curriculum, caring teachers, standards for behavior and love for all of their students and families. We feel very blessed to be part of the SBCS family. Thank you St. Benedict!" - The Moubray-Carrico Family
We've been so blessed to receive such kind words of support from families! With school being closed, please know how important it is for us to be able to continue sharing those testimonials with the broader community. If you have a minute and can send a few words about what your family appreciates about St. Benedict to Gretchen at admissions@saintbenedictschool.org it would be VERY appreciated and you will receive 1 PTO Volunteer Hour for the 20-21 school year! That's an easy hour and does SO MUCH GOOD for your school in this time! THANK YOU!!
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Principal - Sean Cruess
(scruess@saintbenedictschool.org)
Administrative - Pam Autry (pautry@saintbenedictschool.org)
Financial/Technical - Elizabeth Hanson (ehanson@saintbenedictschool.org)
Admissions/Development/Communications - Gretchen Ridgely
(gridgely@saintbenedictschool.org)
If you need to stop by the school, PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE FIRST
at 254-8850 or email pautry@saintbenedictschool.org.
Our school is a construction site right now and our office hours vary based on work currently underway.
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Nurses Corner...Get Ready for Fall! |
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It is a state requirement that all students entering Kindergarten and new to the school in grades 1-8 have a physical, including up-to-date immunizations, completed by their local doctor within the year. There is a state-mandated form (found on the school website here) that needs to be completed by the doctor at that visit.
We will need an immunization record from a health provider for all incoming JK students.
All students entering 7th grade are required to receive a booster and must provide the clinic with a copy of this immunization update, unless provide to the clinic last
And a reminder to all students with emergent/as needed medications kept in the clinic, such as Epipens and inhalers, the required medication administration forms, found on the school website, need to be completed by a physician within the year.
All of the above forms are required for the first day of school (but turning them in sooner is greatly appreciated). Stay healthy!
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As a reminder you will have two FACTS accounts, one for tuition and one for incidentals. FACTS is our student accounts system of record and all charges and payments are recorded there.
Incidental charges (including ASE and Early Arrival) will be entered in FACTS and be due on 5th of the month. Unlike the tuition account, the incidental account can be changed so payments are not automatic.
Incidental invoice emails will contain a payment button that allows you to make payment without logging into to your FACTS account. Consequently, the email can be forwarded to allow someone else to make payment if you desire.
For 2020-2021, families who are paying tuition in one lump payment will pay $10 to have both a tuition account and an incidental account. Families who are paying tuition monthly will pay $45 to have both a tuition account and an incidental account. Families who need a second incidental account will pay $10 the additional account.
If you make a partial payment, it is applied proportionally to charges that are due. If you need the payment applied another way, you should make the payment by phone with a FACTS representative or send in payment to the school office.
FACTS Payments: If you need to adjust a payment date you have the following options:
1. Log into FACTS and
-- for payments on the tuition plan, move the payment up to 10 days yourself
-- for payments on the incidental plan, you can turn off automatic payments
2. Email ehanson@saintbenedictschool.org . You will normally get a response within 3 hours, but you should allow 24 hours. Be as specific as you can with your request.
(Please be advised, that if you call FACTS, the first thing they will ask is if you have reached out to the school.)
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