Dear Parents-
Welcome Back! I hope the two weeks away were filled with much joy. We have learned that even COVID can’t stop that feeling of anticipation and excitement that is so special to Christmas. I pray we each hang on to the joyful feelings unique to Christmas, COVID-weary as we are. May the new year bring some relief.
Mrs. Carson and I were overwhelmed by the many gifts we received for Christmas. Your generosity and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated, and we thank each and every one of you for your kindness. Please know that you and your families are always in our prayers, and we wish you many blessings.
In our COVID-19 update, currently, VDH reports that over the last 7 days, Fairfax County has seen a significant increase in total case rate, now 1,101 cases per 100,000, (week ending 01/01/22), and NAAT (PCR) test positivity ticking up significantly to 27.7%. Nearby Loudoun County has a current case rate, up to 1,097 per 100,000, (week ending 01/01/22), and the COVID-19 positivity rate in Loudoun is also up to 27.7%.
As we end our Christmas break amid the current Omicron wave, mask rules in the school will be strictly enforced. Our goal is to provide safe in-person instruction, and a key factor in that goal is following state and local public health guidance, including complying with the mask mandate currently in effect. With shortened quarantine and isolation recommendations in place, masks become more important.
The very successful Ellie’s Hats initiative collected 126 hats and over $600 in gift cards to support the needs of kids with cancer in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. Khang and Liem thank the community for their generosity!
The second Scantron Test window opens Monday January 10 and runs through Friday, January 28. During this time, students in grades 3-7 will test in the areas of Math, Reading and Language Arts. Please make sure your children are in school during this time to ensure adequate opportunity to complete the tests. If you have specific scheduling questions or conflicts, please contact your child’s teacher.
Eighth grade parents interested in more detailed information on how to read HSPT score sheets are encouraged to access HSPT Interpretive Manual. If you have specific high school questions, please contact the high school directly.
Quick reminder that school starts at 8:00 each morning. Students are expected to be in their classrooms ready to start the day. Please recommit to arriving at school on time. It is disruptive for all if students arrive late!
As always, if I can be of assistance, or you have any questions, 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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What are the Top 14 Mitigation Strategies that St. Joseph Catholic School has had in place to keep our school safe?
1. Masks - all students, faculty and staff must wear a mask while indoors regardless of vaccination status, and until further notice.
2. 3 feet social distance with masking
3. Alternate day/limited use of cafeteria
4. Food service has been paused
5. Cohorts maintained at recess
6. We love our volunteers but volunteers are not able to help in the building at this time.
7. Continuous wipe down of high touch surfaces
8. Clorox 360 deep clean of classrooms after illness and during holiday breaks
9. Band and choir have been put on hold
10. Assemblies are on hold
11. Water fountains turned off - touchless bottle/cup dispensers are available
12. Windows open 10 minutes every hour
13. Staggered dismissal from multiple entries to limit congestion in halls
14. 3 feet social distance with mask at Mass - we look forward to inviting guests to attend school Mass at a later date.
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With our 93% retention rate, our streamlined re-enrollment process has proven to be successful. The process is structured so that current students will be automatically re-enrolled for the 2022-2023 school year. Enrollment fees of $300 per student will be charged on February 1, 2022 from the FACTS account on file. Families in need of an extension payment plan must also contact the Business Office by January 15, 2022. Re-enrollment fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. If, for some reason, your student will not be returning to St. Joseph Catholic School, notification in writing is needed by January 15, 2022. If you have any questions, please contact Tisha Hilliard ( thilliard@sjcherndon.org or 703-880-4355) |
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January 10 - Sponsor certificate. Parents must assist with this important requirement.
- March 8 - Saint project done through Computer class
- April 1 - Rehearsal (tentative) COVID protocols permitting - with Confirmand and Sponsor (or proxy). Time TBA.
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Missing sweatshirts, shorts, pants, gloves, hats, water bottles, etc.? SJS has a lost and found -- we ask that you encourage your child to check the lost and found any time they are missing items! Many of the items do not have names on them.....please write names on everything!
The lost and found bins are overflowing! We will place these items on tables in the school lobby on January 5, 2022 from 1:00-3:00pm. Please stop by the lobby during this time to find any of your missing pieces.
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40 Hours Devotion
St. Joseph Catholic Church
January 6 – 8, 2021
Please join us for 40 Hours Devotion during this Diocesan Year of Jubilee. We invite you to sign up for a prayer time before the Blessed Sacrament. If the time slots are filled, know that you can still join us at that time. We have offered two time slots for each hour in order to assure that there would be at least two parishioners for each hour.
To review the sign-up sheet and times, please go to:
Pope Francis shared: “The rediscovery of prayer in various forms, and particularly Eucharistic Adoration, is a source of hope for the Church to grow and take root.”
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Revised Updates: Isolation/Quarantine/Sick policy
In alignment with the CDC, the Fairfax County Health Department is updating its recommendations. These updates include the following:
If You Test Positive for COVID-19 (Isolate) Day 1 starts the next day after you test positive
Everyone, regardless of vaccination status:
- Day 1 to 5:
- Stay home and away from others.
- Day 6 to 10:
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If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving, you can leave your house. Continue to wear a well-fitting mask to reduce any risk of infecting others.
- If you have a fever, continue to stay home until 24 hours after your fever resolves.
If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Quarantine)
If you have been boosted OR received your second dose (and an additional dose if immunocompromised) of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR received your first dose of J&J vaccine within the last two months:
- Day 1 to 10
- Wear a mask around others.
- Test on day 5, if possible.
- If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home.
- If you test positive for COVID-19 during this 10-day period, follow the isolation guidance above
If you received two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines more than six months ago and are not boosted OR received one dose of the J&J vaccine more than two months ago and are not boosted OR are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated:
- Day 1 to 5:
- Stay home and away from others.
- Test on day 5 if possible. If you test positive for COVID-19, follow the isolation guidance above.
- Day 6 to 10:
- Continue to wear a mask around others.
- If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home. If you test positive for COVID-19, follow the isolation guidance above.
Please take note of the adjusted SJS sick policy:
With the emergence of more contagious variants, such as Omicron, and the ongoing surge of COVID-19 cases, it is important that everyone works together to help us minimize spread and illness in school as well as stay healthy so that we can continue with in-person learning.
The first option below will help your child return to school sooner. These apply to symptoms that are unusual for your child. They do not apply to symptoms that are because of a documented chronic illness. 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. We are permitted to accept both rapid antigen tests and the PCR covid test. Please keep your child home while you await their test results.
After 24 hours of illness, if your child is still sick, has a fever 100.4 or greater, has vomited and not improving without taking any over the counter medication:
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Have them evaluated by a healthcare professional with a diagnosis/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 you choose not to take your child to see a healthcare professional, you may test them with:
A home covid test kit (please send a picture of the test result labelled with your child’s name and date of test). If your child tests negative but still has symptoms, keep them home and retest in 48 hours with a negative test prior to returning to school.
OR
Get your child tested at a testing site with a signed/stamped copy of test result
If you choose to do neither and your child is still symptomatic, please keep your child home until they are no longer symptomatic, is fever free, energy is back, vomit free for 24 hours without taking any over the counter medication to mask their symptoms/illness.
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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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