August 9, 2023
Dear SFX Parents,

I hope all of you are having an enjoyable summer and are ready to start the 2023 -2024 school year!  

I would like to share with you some updates on what has been happening this summer at SFX. We have had a lot of construction going on in the building. Some projects have been very visible since we have had a construction crew on the property since school let out. One major project has been the roof replacement project. The windows and A/C units in the south facing classrooms on the 3rd floor have been replaced along with blinds in every 3rd floor classroom. The art room has been undergoing renovations including paint and new tile. The FSA has donated the funds for us to purchase two Interactive Panels, which will be installed in the art room and the music room. The gym floor is scheduled to be refinished next week and the parking lot is also scheduled to be resealed prior to the beginning of school. A big thank you to our facilities manager and his crew, as well as to all who have been involved this summer in coordinating projects, with cleaning and getting the building ready to welcome our staff and students.

I would also like to welcome some new staff members to SFX. I know all of you will help welcome them to our school community. Erin Smith - Director of Marketing & Enrollment, Peter Brown - Parish Director of Operations, Kerry Takash - Kindergarten, Brandt Voiles - PE, and Samantha Lovera - 6th grade Math/Science/Religion. Chris Morella will be returning as a part-time math resource teacher.  

We will also be welcoming many new families to our school community. Our enrollment has gone up by over 20 students since last school year and we will continue to welcome more students this week. Thank you to all of the families who have agreed to be “Buddies” to help welcome our new families!

We have had recent resignations and are presently looking for 4 teachers in the grades of Kindergarten, 4th grade, 6th grade and music. As a Catholic school we experience turnover every year. These past couple of years we have seen increasing evidence of the teacher shortage. The shortage of new teachers is a result of less college graduates going into the profession along with current teachers just leaving the profession for various reasons. This year the shortage is even more prevalent which results in faculty members moving on for more compensation. At the Archdiocese Principal’s meeting last week, every principal I spoke with is looking for teachers, including every school in our local council. There are presently over 200 openings in the Archdiocese of Chicago. I have also talked to many public school principals who are in the same position with recently open positions. As one of our SFX teachers stated to me this week “WE ARE STRONG!” Because of our dedicated staff and supportive community, we will create a positive and meaningful learning experience for our students. If anyone knows of anyone who is interested in a teaching position, please refer them to our school. We continue to be thankful to our veteran teachers and the system we have in place to support and onboard new staff members who join our team. We are committed to putting qualified faculty into our open positions. Presently, we are working on our plans to be sure that all classrooms are prepared and that we have a teacher (even if temporary) to greet your children when they come on the first day of school. We will keep you updated on further developments.  

Last year we adopted a new reading series from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Into Reading, for grades K-6. This series will be implemented this year. Teachers took home the teacher manuals this summer to prepare for the implementation of this series. Teachers will receive professional development on this series next week. We will also be going into our 2nd year with our Social Studies Series, Impact, from McGraw Hill in grades K-5, the Voyages Writing Program from Loyola Press in grades K-8, and Heggerty Phonics in grades PS-2.

Now is the time to start looking for emails from school! The upcoming newsletter will contain information about gym uniforms, school uniforms, schedules and traffic flow. The School Newsletter comes out every Wednesday. We are planning on emailing Class Lists home on Monday, August 14th. 

We thank you for your commitment to Catholic education and to St. Francis Xavier School!

God Bless,

Sharon M. Garcia 

Janice L. Carr

Student School Supplies

Supplies may be conveniently ordered and shipped directly to your home through schooltoolbox.com.
Please remember to allow at least 10 days for your school supplies to arrive before school starts!

Student school supplies my also be purchased on your own using the grade specific links below.
REMEMBER YOUR WATER BOTTLE EVERY DAY!

Every child should have a refillable water bottle with their name on it with them every day in school.

All of the water fountains in the school have been replaced with touchless, sensor-activated bottle filling stations!
NOTE FROM MRS. RYAN, TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR
Students in Kindergarten and up are required to have a backpack with a padded computer pocket. There are so many options available. I find it helps to have some specific ones to look for..the most popular ones with our older students are:

Lands End "TechPack", Pottery Barn Teen "XL" size and Target Embark Jartop backpack. Please let me know if you have any questions!

The iPad Responsible Use Policy will go home closer to the start of school.
Wed Aug 16
Grab & Go Uniform Exchange
9:30am – 11:00am
SFX Gymnasium Stage

Sun Aug 20
New Family Welcome Gathering/Ice Cream Social
Stone Monroe Park
2pm-4pm

Mon Aug 21
PS3 & PK4
Parent Information Night
6:30 pm

Wed Aug 23
1st Day
Kindergarten - 8th Grade
HALF DAY - NOON DISMISSAL
NO BASE (extended care)

Parent Welcome Coffee
8:25 am - 9:15 am
School Playground

Thur Aug 24
1st Day
Preschool 3 & PreK4
NORMAL DISMISSAL TIMES

Parent Welcome Coffee
8:25 am - 9:15 am
School Playground

Wed Aug 30
Grades 6-8 Middle School Curriculum Night
6:30pm

Mon Sept 4
Labor Day Holiday
NO CLASSES

Wed Sept 6
Grades K-5 Curriculum Night 6:30pm

Thurs Sept 7
School Pictures

Fri Sept 8
PS3-Gr. 3 Ice Cream Social
5:30pm SFX Playground

Fri Sept 22
NO CLASSES
Teacher Development Day

TBD
Homecoming

Sat Nov 4
Mark Your Calendars!
SFX Falcon 5K
FREE Grab & Go Uniform Exchange 

Wed Aug 16
Grab & Go Uniform Exchange
8:30am – 11:00am
SFX Gymnasium Stage

Put those outgrown uniforms to good use! You may donate your clean, gently used uniforms in July between 8am-noon at the SFX School Office and we will include the items in the SFX Grab & Go Uniform Exchange.


SCHOOLBELLES UNIFORM STORE

Uniforms for grades 1-8 may also be
Our school code is S1411

If you wish to shop in person, the closest store is: Schoolbelles of Chicago Ridge, 10139 S. Harlem Ave, Ridge Plaza Suite A, Chicago Ridge, IL 60415. Phone: 708-929-4695
SFX PE Uniform Order

* Please order your PE Uniform as soon as possible to make sure it arrives before school starts!
STATE OF ILLINOIS STUDENT HEALTH REQUIREMENTS 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR DUE IN AUGUST!!!
Illinois State Law requires that all students prior to entering:
  • Illinois schools for the first time
  • Kindergarten
  • 6th Grade
  • 9th Grade
must have a current (conducted within one year of entering the given grade) physical examination with a current immunization record. Students entering sixth grade will be required to provide proof of Tdap vaccination along with the school physical forms that are also required for these grades.

Illinois requires students to have proof of immunization to enter school. By October 15th each year, students must have an Illinois Child Health Examination form signed by a physician, nurse in physician’s office, school nurse, or local health agency and the form has to show: the type of immunization given, number of immunizations and dates immunizations were given. If the form is not received by October
15th, the child will be excluded from school until they can prove they received the required immunizations unless the child has a valid medical or religious exemption.

The State of Illinois has mandated that dental examinations are required for children entering:
  • Kindergarten
  • 2nd Grade
  • 6th Grade
  • St. Francis Xavier School recommends children entering school for the first time to have a dental examination.
Each child is required to present proof of examination by a dentist prior to May 15 of the school year.

Vision examinations are required for children entering:
  • Kindergarten
  • Or upon first entry into an Illinois school beyond Kindergarten.
Before October 15 of the school year, each child to whom the eye examinations requirement applies is required to present proof of an eye examination by a licensed optometrist or medical doctor who performs eye examinations.

Please be aware of the following:
  • Your child’s health/immunization form should be in the school office no later than August 1, 2022. The completed health/immunization form (with parent section top of page 2 completed and signed) may be brought to the rectory mail slot or mailed to school.
  • This completed form may be substituted for the Athletics Physical form, however, the Athletics form cannot be substituted for the State of Illinois Certificate of Child’s Health Examination.
  • Please retain a photocopy for your own records.
  • Physicians must conform to State Law requirements regarding immunizations or your child may be excluded from school.

Thank you for your cooperation. Please call the school office at 708-352-2175 if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Peggy Evans
School Secretary 

PROTECTING GOD'S CHILDREN
COMPLIANCE for VOLUNTEERS
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL
  • Please do not drop your students off before 7:50 am when supervision begins. 
  • Before school, there are supervisors on the playground beginning at 7:50 am.
  • After school, there will be 2 teachers outside for supervision.
  • Please discuss with your child to either stay on the playground until they see you or designate a meeting place.
  • All students remaining on the playground 10 minutes after the bell will be brought to the office

STUDENTS EXITING A VEHICLE  Whether students are being dropped off on Waiola or by the Rectory, they should leave the car on the side closest to the school. It is important that parents remain in the car and children are ready to get out of the car quickly. When dropping students off, pull as far forward as possible on Waiola or in the Rectory parking lot so that many students can exit their cars at the same time.
  • Rectory Lot:  Students should be dropped off in the line and not along the Rectory sidewalk. 
  • On Waiola:  Students should be dropped off along the curb in front of the school only, not on the snow hills, the grass or from the middle lane. That is unsafe when traffic starts moving. 
 
GENERAL TRAFFIC SAFETY PROCEDURES
  • Parents should never double-park to pick up students.
  • SLOW DOWN !!!
  • No cell phones should be used in the school zone.
  • Parents remain in cars and have your child ready so that drop off can be done quickly.
  • Those who enter the building during school hours may park in the Rectory parking lot. 
  • Please remember, if you are parking and walking to school, or parking and waiting for your student, the law requires that you park 20 feet from the crosswalk and 30 feet from the stop sign.
  • It is VERY important that everyone respects each other and follows our traffic pattern. 

WAIOLA TRAFFIC - NORTHBOUND ONLY
  • It is EXTREMELY important that everyone cooperates and lets a car in when they are trying to pull away from the curb. If everyone lets one or two cars in, traffic flow will be much quicker. It gets a little congested when the traffic light on Ogden is red, but traffic will flow when it turns green. 
  • Everyone must turn LEFT on Ogden from Waiola.
  • Waiola is ONE WAY during arrival and dismissal.  Traffic is NORTHBOUND ONLY on Waiola Ave.  
  • Cars may NOT enter Waiola Ave. from Ogden Ave.
  • U-turns in our neighbors’ driveways are NOT allowed. PLEASE Obey No U turn signs!
  • After school parents need to designate a spot, parents should not leave their cars if on Waiola, between Bell and Ogden. 
  • No Parking on Waiola, Bell to Ogden, unless you are picking up a sick child. When picking up a sick child, to allow room for emergency vehicles, please do not park directly in front of the school doors.
  • LaGrange Police have informed us they will issue tickets for parking violations, which include leaving cars parked on Waiola Ave. between Bell Ave. And Ogden Ave.
 
SPRING AVENUE & CHURCH LOT TRAFFIC
  • When dropping off in church lot, pull up as far as possible before stopping to drop students off, EVEN IF YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE THERE!  Cars pulling up after you cause a traffic jam on Spring Avenue.
  • Students entering from Spring Ave should use the sidewalk by the Rectory to get to playground
 
BICYCLE SAFETY
  • Students should walk to the fence and follow the walkway
  • Students on bicycles must enter the playground from the Waiola side.
  • Bicycles should be locked up daily

Safety is our #1 PRIORITY!  THANK YOU for respecting the rules and having patience!
SFX ATHLETICS
 
The SFX Athletics Program is a member of the Suburban Parochial League (SPL) comprising local area Catholic grade schools. Sports schedules, directions and other information may be found on each sport’s websites (noted below). (Cheerleading is a non-competitive sport.)

LINKS


FORMS


HANDBOOKS & PLEDGES
 
GET INVOLVED for the 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR!
Volunteer Sign-Up for 2022/2023 School Wide Events

This online Volunteer Sign-Up is for volunteer opportunities for the upcoming school year that are not classroom specific. Looking ahead to next year, we still have many areas where parent volunteer help is needed! We are seeking volunteers to help with things like: Yearbook (need 3rd, 5th and 6th grade parent leads), Athletics Program, Junior Falcon Club, Social Events like 4th-6th Grade Monster Mash Bash, Falcon 5K, School Advisory Board committee positions & MORE! Please visit:
 
We are always in need of day-of volunteer assistance for specific events as well. Throughout the year, we will send out Volunteer Sign-Ups for events like Oktoberfest, the Falcon 5K and more! 

August 2023 Volunteer Sign-Up for 2023/2024 Room Parent and Service & Art Smart Programs

After class lists are available in August, this online Volunteer Sign-Up will be sent out for Room Parent, Art Smart Program Volunteers, or Service Program Volunteers for your child’s specific class. (Please note that room parents primarily assign roles and send reminder emails for a volunteer list created with the teacher’s help. This could be a good fit for working parents or those staying home with small children.)

September 2023 Classroom Volunteer Sign-Up

The online Volunteer Sign-Up for class parties, field trips and other miscellaneous activities will be sent mid-late September.

November 2023: Service Day Volunteer SignUp

In the fall, you will receive a separate Sign-Up for Service Day.
WHEN: Friday, September 15th
WHERE: Old Oak Country Club in Homer Glen
CHAIRS: Lindsey & JB Mackenzie 
CO-CHAIRS:  Katie & Scott Lutzow
SAVE THE DATE: SFX FALCON 5K
 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2023

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