Week of August 14, 2022
Last Week of Summer!!
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Last Call!! Mark Your Calendars for Saturday, August 20th. SBCS Spirit Night @ The Squirrels!! |
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Wednesday, August 17th, JK-K Orientation, 9-11:30am
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Thursday, August 18th, Middle School Orientation for grades 6-8, 7pm, St. Anselm
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Saturday, August 20th, Spirit Night at the Squirrels - get your tix above!
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Sunday, August 21st, Opening Mass of the School Year, 11am, St. Benedict Parish, Students wear uniforms.
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Monday, August 22nd, WELCOME FAIR! Sign up NOW! See below!
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Tuesday, August 23rd, 1st Day of School! (Half-day JK & K, Pick up at 12pm.)
- Wednesday, August 24th, Half-day JK & K (Pick up at 12pm)
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PTO Hours & Your Participation: Update |
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(This was emailed on its own earlier this past week.)
Dear Parents,
After the initial PIP information went out, we heard some concerns from parents. We are grateful for your feedback, and we have made some modifications to address those concerns, particularly asking parents to volunteer at Fallfest or the Gala, rather than both events.
Please keep in mind that our PTO exists to serve our school and school families, and we are all members of the PTO. We donβt want volunteering to be burdensome; we want parents involved in our school, and we want to provide fun and engaging events for our community. If you have any concerns about the volunteer requirements, please reach out to one of the PTO representatives, and we will work with you one-on-one to find a volunteer schedule that works for you. **The PTO will also be on hand at Welcome Fair if you need some assistance. Thank you for your commitment to our childrens' school and community!
Sean Cruess, Principal & Georgia Riccobono, PTO President 22-23
Upcoming! Volunteers Still Needed for:
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Kitchen Clean Up: Sat. Aug. 20th, 9am - 12pm (3 PTO hours; 5 volunteers needed)
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Welcome Fair: Mon. Aug. 22nd, 7am - 2pm (time slots vary, up to 6 PTO hours available; 20+ volunteers needed; tents needed too)
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Welcome Fair - Sign Up for Your Spot NOW! |
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Welcome Fair is Monday, August 22nd from 9am - 1pm and this is an important day for all of our families to come to school to meet your child's teachers, drop off all of your school supplies, and generally make sure that your family is all set for the first day of school (the following day). Students do not have to attend Welcome Fair with their parents - but they really love it β€οΈ and it gets them excited for their first day. Students do not need to wear their uniforms if they attend.
So we can make your Welcome Fair an easy and efficient experience for your family, we ask you to please sign up for your arrival window below. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Autry. |
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With summer quickly drawing to a close, here's your final checklist to give you one more week to get them done ππ! Let's go, Comets!
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If you haven't already returned all of your school forms please do so ASAP to Mrs. Autry at pautry@saintbenedictschool.org.
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Sign up for your Welcome Fair time slot (above)!
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The 22-23 Student Handbook and Extended Day (ASE) Handbook are now online. All parents and students are asked to review them and then parents and students 3rd grade and higher should sign and return the Handbook Acknowledgement Form to Mrs. Autry (as above) or bring with you to Welcome Fair.
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How is your student doing on their Summer Reading? ALL students in grades 1-8 have summer reading assignments! π Please help your child start the year off right!
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Make sure to bring your school supplies to Welcome Fair or the 1st Day of School (if not able to attend Welcome Fair).
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Middle School Students (Grades 6-8) & Parents: Orientation is THIS THURSDAY at the school at 7pm. Please plan to attend - this is held to help you and your child have a great year!
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Virtus, Virtus, Virtus! Parents, getting Virtus Trained and background checked is SO EASY now with the virtual training - PLUS, you get 3 PTO HOURS for getting certified - AND, this makes it possible for you to enjoy so much more in the life of your child's school!! We need our parents to be Virtus trained, so please take advantage of the upcoming opportunity on August 22nd at 5:30pm - see below!!
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Dress for success!! Shop for the uniform items you need now at Flynn O'Hara (for logo and plaid items) or anywhere else for generic items like blue shorts/pants/skorts, shoes, socks, oxfords, etc.
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Uniform update! Please read our uniform guidelines thoroughly as we do enforce them. This year, logo sweatshirts are ONLY allowed on a student's PE day over the proper PE uniform. This is a change from last year that we wanted to bring to parents' attention. Also, to clarify - the navy pullover sweater or cardigan sweater with the school monogram, or the fleece jacket with the school monogram, may be worn as part of the uniform on any school day - but they must be worn over the full, proper uniform (meaning, the proper shirt must be worn underneath). Here's a refresher on our uniform policy. And don't forget to schedule those boy's haircuts, friends! π
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I'd like to welcome Mrs. Emily Radford as our new middle school History teacher. If her name sounds familiar, Mrs. Radford's son, Neil, is in our rising 7th grade class, and she has two nieces who also attend St. Benedict. Mrs. Radford holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the College of William & Mary. She has over 22 years of experience teaching in the Richmond Public Schools. Mrs. Radford and her family are longtime members of St. Benedict Parish. She is very excited to be able to use her talents and experience in our parish school.
We were disappointed to learn that Mrs. Elizabeth Owens will not be returning this upcoming school year as our Music Teacher. She has decided to pursue a new direction with her music career, and we wish her all the best, as she will certainly be missed. For the upcoming year, both Music and Art will be taught by Miss Victoria Cartaya, who taught art for us last year. Miss Cartaya is learning the Ward Method, a music instruction method developed specifically for Catholic grade schools by Justine Ward. The Ward Method emphasizes developmentally-appropriate musical principals including vocal intonation, counter measure, and rhythm. These principles are taught creatively through exercises, games, and student compositions, guiding students toward a deeper appreciation of truth and beauty through music.
Mrs. Denise Lawrence, our School Nurse, has also decided not to return so that she will have more time to commit to her grandchildren. Mrs. Mary Meadows has accepted the position of School Nurse for the upcoming school year. Mrs. Meadows holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Medical College of Virginia. She has over 20 years of experience as a pediatric nurse at St. Mary's Hospital here in Richmond. We are very pleased to welcome Mrs. Meadows to the St. Benedict staff!
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REMINDER! Virtus Virtual Training August 22, at 5:30 pm.
We're running this again because its just that important! Want to help out on a field trip, coach a team or attend a classroom party?? Well, you have to be Virtus trained and background-screened. No exceptions. That's our safe-child policy in the Diocese of Richmond. St. Benedict will be hosting a Virtus training over Zoom in August. There are also other dates available throughout the Diocese this Fall. Please take advantage of these easy, online opportunities to be Virtus trained (its just 1 session!) and when you sign up, be sure to also follow the directions for a background screening. You must have both.
Registration is on the Virtus website. We will not be taking registrations at the parish/school level. To register go to https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/. On the left sidebar, first-time registration, set up an account and sign up for Saint Benedict School and choose the August 22 date. Please note that you can choose from any of the available sessions that may be more convenient. Questions? Contact Brian Wingfield at bwingfield@saintbenedictschool.org.
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Oktoberfest! Volunteer Now! |
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We ask all families to work at least 2 shifts (8 hours) at the annual St. Benedict Oktoberfest, because it raises significant support for financial aid and operating support at our school. You can earn up to 12 hours towards your required PTO hours (nearly half!) in just one weekend. Many of us work even more because many hands are needed to pull off this amazing event for our parish and school communities.
Oktoberfest is Sept. 16 - 18 and there is no school on Friday, Sept. 16th due to the event. There are MANY opportunities before and throughout the weekend to help and earn hours, so click below to sign up now and get your preferred time/day/location at this AMAZING EVENT WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE AT ST. BENEDICT. If you aren't available the weekend of Oktoberfest, no worries, see other opportunities below!
Stein Stuffing - Help us stuff our steins with tickets so our front gates are ready with all they need to keep our entry lines moving! The exact dates and times have not been set yet, but is typically the Tuesday and Wednesday (9/13 & 9/14) of Oktoberfest Week at Church beginning at 6pm - 9pm each night. Please email Gretchen Ridgely if you would be available to help and she will confirm final dates and times once they are determined.
NEW! Are you a Social Media Maven?? Oktoberfest needs a Social Media Lead to promote and post the events and happenings before and throughout the weekend on social media! As a lead, ALL of your Oktoberfest Hours will count towards your PTO requirement. Interested? Contact Gretchen Ridgely now!
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Class Reps - YOU ARE THE BEST! |
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Your Class Reps for 22-23
We're grateful to the following parents for volunteering
ο»Ώto serve as their class parents for this school year!
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Yay Lunch! (Click on image for more info!) |
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Substitute Teachers for 22-23 School Year! |
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Saint Benedict School is looking for substitute teachers for the 2022-2023 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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BSoR Middies Sports for Grades 5-8:
Register Now!
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Benedictine College Prep and Saint Gertrude High School offer middle school athletic teams throughout the year, which are open to fifth- through eighth-grade students from area Catholic, private, and public schools, as well as homeschool students. The Middies Program is designed to foster a love of sports and a way for middle school students to get acquainted with BCP and SGHS. Teams practice at the high school facilities and are coached by wonderful mentors who will help each young person in his/her athletic goals--whether it be learning a new sport or preparing for high school athletics. This is a program of the Benedictine Schools of Richmond (BSoR). Transportation is on your own and parents are encouraged to find carpools with other families.
Fall Offerings -- There's still time to register!
BCP Football ($175)
SGHS Field Hockey ($150)
SGHS Volleyball ($125)
Spring Offerings:
SGHS Lacrosse ($150)
SGHS Softball ($125)
BCP Lacrosse ($175)
BCP Baseball ($175)
In the winter, the Benedictine Schools of Richmond is proud to host a middle school basketball league for area middle schools in their state-of-the-art, McMurtrie-Reynolds Pavilion. More information about this basketball league will be sent out through individual middle schools, so stay tuned!
Fall 2022 Middies Information
Practices for field hockey and volleyball will begin in early September. Teams will practice twice-a-week, in addition to games with other area middle schools. The volleyball team will also participate in the RVC Middle School league on Tuesdays. Register by August 23 to participate in SGHS Middies field hockey or volleyball. Middies football has already began practicing, but there is still time to register.
If you are interested in any of our spring offerings, we are now accepting registrations for all sports. Click here to register for Benedictine Middies. Click here to register for Saint Gertrude Middies.
GO CADETS! GO GATORS!
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For the Health of Our Community |
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Executive Order Two requires that as of January 24, 2022 parents make the decision about whether their students wear masks in school.
ONLY COME TO SCHOOL IFβ¦.
Helpful resources for our families:
COVID-19 Testing Information
How to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine
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