Comet Connection | Week of Sept. 3, 2023 | |
Let's Plan for a Great Week! | |
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Monday, Sept. 4
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NO SCHOOL! Labor Day observed.
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Deadline to RSVP for Wednesday's Back to School Night!
Wednesday, Sept. 6
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NEW FAMILIES Coffee with Mr. Cruess, 8:30am, Cafeteria - RSVP HERE!
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Back to School Night! (Parents only) 6:30pm - RSVP HERE!
Friday, Sept. 8
- Parents in Prayer, 9:30am (immediately following School Mass) - Side Porch at Church - see info below!
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Comet Shop is open during all lunches. (Our school five & dime! Parents- if you send money with your child, please do not send more than $5.)
Planning Ahead...
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Friday, Sept. 15, NO SCHOOL! It's Oktoberfest Weekend!
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Friday, Sept. 15 - Sunday, Sept. 17th - St. Benedict Oktoberfest! VOLUNTEER NOW! ALL Families are asked to work at least 2 shifts at Oktoberfest. See below for details.
For Comet Clubs & Sports Schedule - CLICK HERE FOR OUR CALENDAR!
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Back to School Night is THIS WEEK!
This Wednesday evening (September 6) from 6:30-8:30pm, we will open up our school for Back to School Night. We invite all of our parents to join us for this important event. Please get a babysitter for the children as this is a parents-only event. This is an important opportunity for you to hear from our PTO leadership, visit your student's classroom and meet their teachers, and to socialize with fellow parents. The schedule for the evening is linked here. This is a wonderful opportunity to build on the partnership between home and school and we hope to see you there! Hearty refreshments will be provided by our wonderful PTO, so PLEASE RSVP HERE by 5pm tomorrow (Monday). We hope to see you all there!
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Attention New SBCS Families!
Please join me and Mrs. Ridgely right after carline drop-off for bagels, coffee and conversation THIS WEDNESDAY to share how the first couple of weeks have gone, review key dates on the school calendar to keep you in-the-know, and answer all of your new-family questions! RSVP here by 5pm tomorrow (Monday). Enter at St. Anselm ramp at 8:20am and we'll gather in the cafeteria. We'll have you on your way by 9am! Thank you!
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Parents in Prayer
Parents and Prayer will meet Friday, September 8 from 9:30-10:00am (directly following the 8:30 school Mass). We will gather in the side porch (the first room when you enter the church from the church parking lot). All are welcome! We will: pray for one class per month from PreK to 8, pray for the prayer intentions of the school community, reflect on the Gospel, and pray the Divine Mercy chaplet. Please email Danielle at dwkelleher9@gmail.com with any questions.
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Mark your calendars!
Help Distribute YAY Lunches Service Hour Opportunity!
Everyday we need parents to help distribute lunches to our students in the cafeteria. Must be VIRTUS Trained & Background Screened. Click here to help!
https://signup.com/go/RqBCWxG
Help Out at Back to School Night: Wed. Sept. 6th Service Hour Opportunity!
This fun event requires a few volunteers to assist with setting up and breaking down chairs and tables and also with laying out refreshments.
https://signup.com/go/JbWWxam
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Oktoberfest is less than 2 WEEKS AWAY!
ALL Families are asked to serve 2 shifts!
Please sign up now!
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Oktoberfest is coming and ALL SBCS FAMILIES are needed to work a minimum of 8 hours (2 shifts) in service to our school community and this major RVA event which brings over 50K guests annually. This year, ALL parent service hours at Oktoberfest will be counted towards your PTO commitment because this is such an important event for our school (we are the biggest beneficiary of Oktoberfest!)
and it requires the generous support of MANY volunteers (over 700 shifts)!
Oktoberfest will be held Sept. 15-17 and service opportunities will be available for that weekend AND the weekend and days leading up to the event so sign up now!
**If you do not see a shift listed, that is because it is full. Please sign up for a shift listed on the site. That's where your help is needed.
VOLUNTEERS ARE ESPECIALLY NEEDED IN TICKETS & IDS!!
If you have not yet signed up OR can sign up to help out with a shift or two more - we are grateful!
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The Comet Drama Company will be convening for the fall semester, starting on September 5th, under the direction of Mrs. Connie Schneider. All 5th - 8th grade students are welcome to join. Students will practice theatre skills and work to prepare for our Christmas performance. We will rehearse in the library on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 - 4:30 pm. In order to give focused instruction to actors, there will sometimes be rehearsals just for specific actor groups. A schedule for these focused rehearsals will be handed out the second or third week of drama meetings, and reminders will be sent each week. We are asking for a $25 fee per participant to cover various program needs. Mrs. Schneider looks forward to meeting all our budding actors!
Please register here.
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Carline 101 - PLEASE READ | |
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Morning Carline Reminders:
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Morning Carline drop off begins at 7:50am and ends at 8:10am.
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Be sure your students have ALL of their items for the day ready to go BEFORE faculty approaches the car door...it really slows down the carline if kiddos are searching for lunches, backpacks, etc.
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Do not enter the alley after 8:10am. You must park and walk your student to the front door to sign your child in. Absolutely NO DROPPING OFF. This is for the safety of all students.
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If your child is a walker, you must walk them to the front door and ring the bell. We open at 7:50am.
Afternoon Carline Reminders:
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Afternoon Carline begins at 3:00pm and ends at 3:20pm.
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Please remember to show your carline sign to the attendants in the street. They are texting your child's name to the teachers at the gate so your child is ready when you approach.
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If someone else is going to be picking up your child you must contact the office in advance of carline, otherwise, we will have to call to verify and that really holds up the carline. CALL 804-254-8850 OR pautry@saintbenedictschool.org
- If your child is a walker, they will be dismissed to their parent at the front of the building by our faculty.
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We will call the parents of any remaining children not scheduled for ASE. At 3:30 students remaining will be sent to ASE (and you will incur the ASE cost).
Carline Courtesy: VERY IMPORTANT!
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Please enter the carline on Hanover Ave. FROM NANSEMOND Street. If you cut in on another side street to Hanover, you will be cutting the line AND our side streets are getting blocked which the neighborhood does not want. See the map below for directions.
- Remember, DO NOT ENTER Cleveland Street from Grove Ave. You will be cutting in line and that's not considerate to your fellow parents.
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New this year! As a fundraiser, we auctioned off ONE 'jump the carline' pass at last Spring's Gala, so there is only 1 family who is allowed to enter the carline from Grove Avenue. They have a special car pass. Anyone else trying to enter the carline from the direction of Grove Avenue will be directed to the end of the carline by the carline staff.
- Keep your blinkers ON in carline so people see the line and can move around us.
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Be courteous to our neighbors in carline. If you see someone trying to get in/out of their parking space or garage, kindly move out of their way as soon as possible. Do not speed on our city streets - children live all around our school. PLEASE do not block the garages on Cleveland St AND stay as far right as you can to keep traffic flowing around us. We want to be good neighbors!
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If someone else is picking up your child, please make sure you have informed the office and have instructed them on our carline procedures.
- THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OUR CARLINE MOVING EFFICIENTLY AND FRIENDLY :)
CARLINE MAP... Please enter the carline on Hanover Ave. from Nansemond St. Please do not use other side streets as it causes extra neighborhood congestion. Also, unless you are in carline, avoid Cleveland and Hanover Avenues during those times to help lighten the traffic load for your fellow families and the safety of our carline staff! Thank you!
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After School Enrichment (ASE) | |
After School Enrichment (ASE) is available for all students Grades JK-8th from 3-6pm on a regular basis (contract) or by drop-in/reservation. THIS YEAR there are a limited number of spaces available daily, so If you do not have a contract agreement for ASE, please email Pam Autry at pautry@saintbenedictschool.org no later than 9am on the day requested and she will need to confirm that drop-in space is available. If you'd like to set up a daily space for your child (via a contract agreement), and haven't done so already, please contact Brian Wingfield in the Business Office at bwingfield@saintbenedictschool.org to make these arrangements. ASE is available every school day during the year, including 12:30pm early dismissals, except December 20th, March 28th and June 5th. Feel free to call or email the office with questions. | |
Substitute Teachers Needed at SBCS | |
Saint Benedict School is looking for substitute teachers for the 2023-2024 academic year. 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! | |
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Are you interested in being baptized in the Catholic Church, or entering into full communion with the Catholic Church?
For any inquiries about becoming Catholic, please contact Ben Fleser at bfleser@saintbenedictparish.org or call 804-254-8810 ext.109. Click below for an overview of the RCIA process (featuring our former pastor, Fr. Tony - now rector at Cathedral.)
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