Dear Parents-
Tomorrow we celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Bible is silent on this event, and nothing is really known about the birth of Our Blessed Mother, however, "Let us celebrate with joy the birth of the Virgin Mary, of whom was born the Sun of Justice.... Her birth constitutes the hope and the light of salvation for the whole world.... Her image is light for the whole Christian people" (From EWTN.com).
The carpool, both afternoon and morning, has become a matter of concern. Parents are asked to PLEASE read the parent handbook and follow the carpool procedures and policies. These are time tested policies that ensure the safety of all our students.
Key Points to remember in the morning:
Cars need to pull up, all the way to the gym doors..the entire length of the sidewalk on the side of the school that faces the church. Once your vehicle is stopped and it is deemed safe to exit, students must exit vehicles through the vehicle door closest to the school/sidewalk. Students should never exit their car from the left-side doors, and parents should never exit their vehicles during morning drop-off.
Students cannot exit their cars along the sidewalk that faces Peachtree Street.
Key Points to remember in the afternoon:
Low profile vehicles (i.e. cars) should enter the parking lot and fill the car lanes closest to the school building. High profile vehicles (i.e. vans, SUVs, trucks) must limit their use to the lanes closest to the church. NO HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD USE THE THREE (3) CAR LANES CLOSEST TO THE SCHOOL.
CAR ENGINES MUST BE IN THE OFF POSITION during dismissal while students are entering the lot.
Parents who arrive for second carpool must STAY IN THEIR CARS, and wait until they move into the pick up lanes in front of the school before gathering their children. STUDENTS MAY NOT ENTER THE SECOND CARPOOL WAITING AREA.
The cooperation of all is essential to run a safe and efficient carpool. PLEASE PARTNER WITH SJS STAFF TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS’ SAFETY.
We remain ever vigilant in following all the COVID-19 mitigation protocols, and I want to thank all parents and students for complying. Everyone can carry and spread virus and everyone can catch virus. No one wants to be in a pandemic, but everyone working together keeps us all safe. In this week’s COVID update VDH reports that over the last 7 days, Fairfax County has a total case rate of 103.2 cases per 100,000, and NAAT (PCR) test positivity at 5.3%. The rate of transmission is considered at the highest level, but both indicators are down slightly from last week. Nearby Loudoun County has a current case rate of 118.7 per 100,000 and the COVID-19 positivity rate in Loudoun is 5.9%. The Fairfax County adult vaccination rate for fully vaccinated individuals has reached 71.6%. We are hearing reports of COVID cases in our neighboring schools. Please stay vigilant!
I hope to see you at our virtual coffee Friday morning!
As always, if you have any questions, or if I can be of any assistance, please let me know.
Pray to St. Joseph for all your needs! (St. Teresa of Avila)
Denise Rutledge
Principal
Building Wisdom and Faith Through Service to God
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Dress Out Day - September 10
Red, White, and Blue
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In honor of the 20th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, students may dress out in red, white, and blue on Friday, September 10. Jeans are permitted (no jeans with holes or rips).
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September
Saints for Service Project
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Community service is an integral part of education at St. Joseph Catholic School. Our service to the community teaches students the importance of making service a lifelong practice, to become better citizens and to live out their faith. St. Joseph Catholic School has partnered with Catholic Charities and will be conducting service projects throughout the year to collect food for families in need.
The September "Breakfast Mash Bash" collection will start on September 8 and end on September 20. See below for more details! Thanks for your support!
Grades K and 1st - Jam and Jelly
Grades 2nd and 3rd - Peanut Butter
Grades 4th and 5th - Oatmeal
Grades 6th and 7th - Breakfast Bars
Grade 8 - Healthy Cereals
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To go along with our "Saints for Service" service project, students may dress in SJS spirit wear on September 22!
No SJS spirit wear, yet? No problem! Dress in school colors -- green, white, and black! Please refer to the Parent/Student Handbook (page 59-60) for dress out guidelines.
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Parent/Student Handbook
Signature Needed by Sept. 13
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- Parent access codes for kindergarten and all new families will be available by Tuesday, September 7.
- Returning families who did not access Schoology last year will also receive an access code by September 7.
- If you forgot your password, click on "forgot password" and reset.
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boys and girls haircuts.
Boys: Hair must be neatly trimmed, cut above the collar, eyebrows, and top of ears. Boys may not wear ponytails, hair bands, or other hair ties. Trendy haircuts of any kind (which includes lines or shapes of any kind), including dyed hair and any color extensions, are not permitted for either boys or girls. Final decisions regarding haircuts rest with the principal/administration.
Girls: Hair must be neat and trimmed. Trendy haircuts of any kind (which includes lines or shapes of any kind), including dyed hair and any color extensions are not permitted for either girls or boys. Final decisions regarding haircuts rests with the principal/administration.
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Virtual Coffee with the Principal |
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We look forward to seeing you virtually for the 1st Coffee and Conversation of the school year! Below is the link to join!
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 991 1558 3299
Passcode: 17gHf2
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The Office of Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Arlington (OCS) and any of its schools and/or the Arlington Catholic Herald may produce or participate in video tape, audio recording, website or still photographic productions that may involve the use of students’ names, likenesses, or voices. Such productions may be used for educational and/or official school marketing purposes and may be copied or copyrighted with the school retaining any and all rights to such productions.
What do YOU need to do? Complete the Media Release Waiver if you do not wish to have your child's name, voice, photo, or video published! If we do not receive the waiver by September 7, 2021, we assume your child's photograph, voice, video, and identity can be used for all marketing purposes.
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Quarantine requirement:
SJS is in Fairfax county, as a result, we have been informed that the Fairfax county quarantine requirement supersedes the quarantine requirement of the county where you reside. From Fairfax County Health Department: “If the school is in Fairfax County, they must follow the 14 day quarantine”.
Please reach out to Robin Wallin at the Fairfax County Health Department for any quarantine related questions that you may have regarding the statement above:
Robin Wallin, DNP, RN, CPNP-PC, NCSN
Direct: 703-246-8658
Travel: “The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) provides guidance about testing and quarantine for individuals who are planning travel or have recently traveled. Guidance varies based on where you have traveled, whether you are vaccinated and the levels of community transmission. This guidance is updated regularly and can be found HERE
VDH strongly recommends that travelers who are not fully vaccinated quarantine (stay home) after domestic or international travel. There are not currently any Virginia laws addressing travel restrictions, just strong recommendations”. Contact Robin Wallin for any questions regarding travel quarantine requirement for Fairfax county.
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Illness and siblings: If your child is sick or just not feeling well, please keep them home and monitor them. If your child continues not to feel well or is not fever free after 24 hours without taking any over the counter medication, please have them evaluated by their healthcare provider and provide a medical clearance note prior to returning to school. Click HERE for a copy of the clearance note. You can also find this clearance note on the nurses’ page. If your child has a sibling in the school, we ask that you keep everyone home until the sick child has a diagnosis for their symptoms OR has been medically cleared. Household contact is considered continuous transmission; this is an extra layer in place to help prevent the spread of illness to other students while waiting for a diagnosis for your sick child.
Orthopedic devices: If your child requires crutches, casts, splints, or any other orthopedic device, you must send in a doctor’s note that includes a summary of the treatment plan, required accommodations and your child’s limitations for physical activities. Additionally, a doctor’s note is required if your child is unable to participate in Physical Education classes.
Medication drop off: Please drop off any medication for your child at the front desk with the appropriate medication authorization form. All medication must be in their original packet, placed in a zip lock bag labelled with your child’s full name, DOB, grade & teacher. Your child should not be bringing in their medication in their backpacks.
Nut free lunch and snacks: All snacks and lunches should be nut free; please pay attention to the labelling, foods that are labeled as processed on the same lines as peanut products, nut products are not allowed in the school. Due to the pandemic and the adjusted schedule in the cafeteria, the cafeteria will also be nut free at this time. Please read the SJS Allergy Plan. You can also find it on the nurse's page.
Extra masks and water bottle: Even though we provide extra masks for your child if they forget their mask or if their masks are soiled, we ask that you still send your child to school with extra masks in their back packs. Hydration is essential especially with the warm weather, please remind your child to take their water bottle to school.
Email reason for absence: When you email the attendance office (attendance@sjschoolva.org), please state the reason for your child absence especially if it is due to illness.
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Get your spirit wear! We have several spirit wear dress out days
throughout the year - you don't want to miss out!
The store closes on September 13 and all orders will be
delivered to SJS on October 8th. Also, the black 1/4 zip pullover is an approved uniform piece and can be worn in place of the uniform sweater.
All other items below are considered spirit gear and can be
worn at school on designated days!
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Or use the QR code below to order! |
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(703) 338-7077 for more information and to join a group!
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SIGN-UP NIGHT! – Virtual ZOOM Session Monday, Sept 13th 7PM
For boys in grades K-5: learn about the adventure of Cub Scouts and be part of our St. Joseph Pack 913!
Cub Scouts is a year-round family program with siblings very welcomed. Our Pack has exciting events with activities that are fun for kids and the entire family. Our Cubs learn about important life skills, personal safety, and environmental stewardship. They take part in fun outdoor activities, get involved in their community, and learn to be part of a team. Safe social distancing guidelines are always observed. Join to attend Water Bottle Rocket launches and a scout s'more campfire @ Lake Fairfax Sept 25th.
Date: Monday, September 13th Time: 7:00pm
Virtual Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84575638905
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Bishop O'Connell High School is offering the following events for our 8th grade families:
- Individual family tours by appointment
- Opportunity for 8th graders to come shadow for a day
- Families may sign up to shadow/tour or both with the link here
- Our Open House is October 3 from 1pm to 3pm
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Stay Connected!
SJS Mobile App, Twitter and Facebook
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Don't forget to follow the official St. Joseph Catholic School Facebook page (sjschoolva), Twitter account (@sjschoolva), and download the mobile app from the App Store (St. Joseph Catholic School, VA)
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750 Peachtree Street, Herndon, VA 20170
Tel: 703-880-4350 Fax: 703-880-4320
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