Weekly Newsletter

SCHOOL PICTURE DAY - OCTOBER 30 - DRESS UNIFORMS

HALLOWEEN PARTIES AND PARADE - OCTOBER 31

ALL SAINTS DAY - NOVEMBER 1 - DRESS UNIFORMS

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES NOVEMBER 2 & 3

HALF DAY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2

NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3

BOOK FAIR - NOVEMBER - 6-10

Dear SHS Parents and Guardians,

Fitness Friday was a blast this morning. Congratulations to the 6th grade, they are the recipients of the Golden Sneaker Award. Well done! A big thank you to the PTA and all those who participated in the Halloween Hustle. Our award winners were:

Pre K- 1st grade group 1st Gavin Stokes, 2nd Carmen Mendell, 3rd Max Colgan

2nd grade - 4th grade group 1st Leanna Carrion, 2nd Sophia Marte, 3rd Kristina Montes

5th- 8th grade group 1st Graham Murray, 2nd Trey Jarvis, 3rd Christian Malm

Just a reminder Trunk or Treat is tonight. Festivities start at 6:00 p.m. and don’t forget to bring in your excess Halloween candy for our Treats for Troops service project. Have a spooktacular weekend!

Many Blessings,

Mrs. Joanna Barlow

Principal

Parent teacher conferences are being held on Thursday, November 2 and Friday, November 3. Thursday the 2nd will be a ½ day for students and conferences will be held in the evening from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Friday conferences will be held throughout the day from 8:20 a.m. - 2:40 p.m. Please use the following link(s) to sign up for a conference with your child’s teacher. Elementary School is for Pre K-4 through 5th grade. Pre K -3 will be scheduled through Mrs. DeSanto directly. Middle School is grades 6-8. If you would like to speak with a special area teacher, you will need to contact them via email to set up an appointment.

Grades Pre K-4 through 5th grade Conference Link

Grades 6-8 Middle School Conference Link

Attention parents of children in grades 2-8: The Star Testing Reports are in. Your children will be bringing them home today. Make sure to check your children’s folder or ask them for the report. The report gives detailed information about your child’s progress in Language Arts and Mathematics.

If you have questions about the reports or your child’s progress, please reach out to their classroom teacher.

It's Book Fair time! Our space-themed Book Fair begins Monday, November 6th, and runs through Friday morning, November 10th. Stop by during school hours or after school (Monday-Thursday) until 4:00pm to find a book that takes you "Out of this World"! Or join us for Family Night on Tuesday, November 7th, until 8:00pm, for some crafts, snacks, and outer space fun! Can't make it in person? Our online shopping is available from November 1st through November 14th at https://www.scholastic.com/bf/sacredheartschool15 - all proceeds benefit our school and classroom libraries. Click here for detailed information about our book fair. Click here to read about the ALL for Books program making sure ALL children have access to books.

If you are interested in helping with the book fair Contact Paula Asch at library@sacred-heart-school.org to volunteer.

School picture day is October 30, 2023 Students should come to school in their Dress Uniform for Picture Day. Click below for picture day information.

Picture Day Flyer

Picture Day Paper Flyer

Halloween is almost here. Below are some important reminders for Tuesday, October 31st. Please remember all changes in transportation must be received by the main office no later than 9:00a.m.

• Our Halloween Parade starts promptly at 1:45 p.m. We invite you to come watch our students.

• You can watch us exit the parking lot and then wait for our return in front of the Parish House on High Street. This is a parade for you to enjoy. Please be sure to stay at those locations.

• All students must report to their homeroom after the parade.

• * If your child is wearing a costume that will not allow them to sit or participate in academics in the morning, please send them dressed down and they will be able to put their costume on over their clothing for afternoon festivities.

Pre K - Kindergarten students will be allowed to wear their costumes to school on Tuesday, October 31. (*see above) Students are not permitted to wear costumes that are in any way violent or gory. Weapons should not be sent in with the costume. For the children’s safety, they may not wear masks and must wear sneakers.

Grades 1-5 Students will be allowed to wear their costumes to school on Tuesday, October 31. If your child is wearing a costume that will not allow them to sit or participate in academics in the morning, please send them dressed down and they will be able to put their costume on over their clothing for afternoon festivities. Students are not permitted to wear costumes that are in any way violent or gory. Weapons are not allowed. For the children’s safety, if they wear a mask they must be able to see through it clearly. Students must wear sneakers or well-fitting shoes.

Grades 6-8 Middle School Students will begin the day dressed down. Students should do their best to wear regular clothing that would need to be worn for their costume, keeping in mind dress down rules in the Student/Parent Handbook. No make-up or wigs at this time. At a time designated by their teacher, students will be invited to change or add to their costumes (wigs, make-up etc.) As always, costumes should not be violent in any way, no gore. Weapons are not allowed. They should not be overly scary. We have young children in our school and we want the day to be fun for all students. If students are wearing masks, they must be able to see through them and can only be worn during the parade. (Girls are not permitted to wear heels in the morning.) For the safety of your child, if the shoes worn are not deemed appropriate by their teacher or a member of the SHS Faulty you will be asked to send in a replacement pair.

Any questions please contact the main office.

Don't forget to bring in your excess Halloween candy for our Treats for Troops Service Project. We will be accepting candy through November 15.

November 1st is The Feast of All Saints' Day and a holy day of obligation. We will be attending the 8:30 a.m. mass as a school to celebrate all faithful followers of Jesus throughout church history. The day is celebrated in honor of church saints, whether known or unknown and pays a tribute to all those who have passed on to the Kingdom of Heaven. Students are asked to wear their dress uniforms to school this day.

Congratulations to Juliana Payne for winning the Diocese of Trenton PTA Catholic Elementary Tuition Scholarship Contest. Last year, during Catholic Schools Week, Julianna submitted an essay on the topic of What does Faith mean to me? The judges found Julianna’s essay to be organized and on point. It effectively expressed her faith journey. Julianna was honored at the PTA Fall Conference this past Saturday and received her $500 tuition scholarship. Thank you, Julianna for bringing such pride home to Sacred Heart School!

This past Tuesday, SHS Faculty attended a Diocesan Spirituality Day. We traveled to Saint David the King in West Windsor to participate in a day dedicated to the Eucharist. Rev. Martin O’Reilly was the keynote for the day. He spoke about the Eucharistic Revival and its mission to renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. We explored the history of the Eucharist and brainstormed ideas on how to teach the importance of the Eucharist to our students. The day closed with Eucharist Adoration in the Church. Our day can be summed up by the words of Pope Benedict XVI; The happiness that you are seeking, the happiness you have a right to enjoy has a name and a face: It is Jesus of Nazareth hidden in the Eucharist.

Using state technology funding, SHS has purchased a license to Starfall. The Starfall Education Foundation is a publicly supported nonprofit organization who creates language arts and mathematical experiences whereby children can successfully learn through online exploration. On the Starfall website and in Starfall classrooms, children have fun while learning in an environment of collaboration, wonderment, and play. The program teaches language arts and mathematics through positive reinforcement to ensure children become confident, intrinsically motivated, and successful. Our Starfall subscription gives our students access in school and at home to ALL Starfall games. Follow the steps below to use Starfall at home:

1. Go to their APP store

2. Download Starfall app - Starfall Educational Foundation (a yellow star with green background)

3. Sign in with the following passwords

Prek 3, Pre K 4 and Kindergarten

pkk@sacred-heart-school.org password father

Grades 1,2,3

123@sacred-heart-school.org password sonand

Grades 4,5

45@sacred-heart-school.org password holyspirit

*Grades 6,7,8

678@sacred-heart-school.org password skills

*This app is intended for PK-5th grade. Middle school students needing skills practice can feel free to utilize if they choose.

The Sacred Heart School Marketing Department is looking for volunteers to help us take Sacred Heart on the Road. Interested parents and their children are asked to help us spread the word about our awesome school.

Who: SHS Parents and Students

What: Be a presence at local events to showcase and spread the word about our school.

When: Tentative Events

12/1/23 - Mt Holly Tree Lighting

1/27/24 - Mt. Holly Fire & Ice Festival

3/2/24 - St. Patrick’s Day Parade

July 2024 Burlington County Farm Fair

If you are interested in being part of the SHS Show on the Road Committee please email schooloffice @sacred-heart-school .org. 7 & 8 grade students who participate with their parents can earn service hours.

Additionally, parents, if you have some time on your hands and would like to volunteer one day a week to assist with lunch or recess duty, please email schooloffice@sacred-heart-school.org. Please be advised that all volunteers must be VIRTUS trained and fingerprinted. If you need to start the process to be fingerprinted and/or VIRTUS trained please email ptaevents@sacred-heart-school.org. Any day you could offer assistance would be welcomed.

The Friends of Sacred Heart School will once again sell delicious pies supplied by Russo's Farm for your Thanksgiving table. There are four pies to choose from:

Old Fashioned Apple, Pumpkin, Coconut Custard, and Cherry.

The cost is $20.00 a pie. Orders will be accepted October 14 - November 12. Pie pick-up will be November 18 & 19 after Mass. School pick-up is November 21.

All proceeds benefit our school. Pie Order Form

***Applications will be available online November 1***

General Information - For Families with Children Attending Catholic Schools in The Diocese of Trenton. Tuition assistance is awarded each year to families with children in our Catholic schools in grades K-8. Awards are made based on financial need.

How is the determination made? Information contained in the application along with the supporting materials is used to determine financial need. The formula utilized has been especially designed for families with children attending Catholic school. This calculation is based on a moderate standard of living for the geographic area of the applicant, further ensuring a realistic result. This formula determines the ability of a family to pay for private education. FACTS includes a comprehensive review and verification process ensuring the accuracy of the data.

Award Amount - Families who apply can receive up to one-half of the school’s in-parish tuition

Rate. Click here to learn how to apply.

MySchoolBucks is a convenient online service that allows you to securely pay for your student’s meals online using your credit/debit card or electronic check.

You can:
- Set Up Automatic Recurring Payments
- Track & Review Meal History
- Create Low Balance Alerts
- Make Payments with the Mobile App
- And More…
Sign up now! Registering for your FREE account is easy, go to https://www.MySchoolBucks.com. Create a secure account and never worry again about sending cash or checks with your student(s) to school again!
https://www.MySchoolBucks.com | (855) 832-5226

Have a smartphone? Get the MySchoolBucks Mobile App:

iOS (iPhone) - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myschoolbucks/id661878685?mt=8
Android -
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hss.msb&feature=search_result

Mrs. Fortin, our Art teacher, is excited to introduce the SHS Virtual Art Gallery. This year we will be showcasing the student's artwork through a new online website called Artsonia. We recently began uploading student art to their portfolio. We will be adding to each student's portfolio throughout the school year. If you do not see any artwork for your little Picasso do not worry, we are just finishing up additional projects in each class.

Please take a moment to scan the code on the flyer to access your child's artwork. If you love your little Rembrandt's piece; this site allows you to purchase it as keepsake. Full giftshop options including ornaments, shirts, mugs etc. Twenty percent (20%) of all proceeds will be donated back to Sacred Heart School!

Mrs. Burke, the SHS Yearbook Advisor, is asking parents of 8th graders for the following:

• Please submit one baby picture of your 8th grader

• Please put child’s name in subject line

• Pictures should be sent to photos@sacred-heart-school.org

The close of Trimester 1 is sneaking up on us. As such:

• November 17th marks the close of Trimester 1.

• To allow teachers to input trimester grades, Parent Access will close sometime between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm on November 17th

• Elementary report cards are distributed on December 1st.

• Parent Access will re-open at 12:45 pm on December 1st.

• If a parent tries to access the portal 5 times with incorrect credentials, the account will be locked and no credentials – even ones sent from the Forgot Password link – will not work until the account is re-enabled.

• Parents are advised to click on the Forgot Password link after 2 unsuccessful attempts. This may decrease the chance of being locked out of your account.

Genesis will be down for maintenance and upgrade on Friday, October 27 from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm. During that time, no Genesis user – administrator, staff, teacher, parent – will have access to the system.

Genesis credentials were sent to new users. These credentials come from Genesis SIS – not Sacred Heart School. Existing users should use the credentials they already have. If you have forgotten your credentials, click on the Forgot Password link. If you attempt to access an account 5 times using incorrect credentials, NO PASSWORD, even one sent from the Forgot Password link, will work until the account is re-enabled. Accounts are re-enabled Tuesday – Friday, sometime between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm. If your parent account is disabled please:

· Wait until midnight

· Go to https://parents.dioceseoftrenton.org

· Click on forgot password link

· Wait for a new password to be sent

· To avoid errors, copy and paste the new password

If you do not think you received credentials, please check your SPAM before posting a parent access support request.

*** If you did not complete and sign off on the start of school forms:

• Sacred Heart School 2023-24 Photo Release Form
• Sacred Heart School 2023-24 Student/Parent Handbook & Acceptable Use Policy

Your Parent Access Account has been deleted. You can no longer access your child(ren)’s assignments, grades, or report cards. Your Parent Access Account will not be restored until you provide physical copies of the forms.***

To view our great products click SHS SPIRIT WEAR to enter the website. Remember all your purchases support our school and show our Chargers Pride!

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL TIMES:

Drop-off begins at 7:30am. Pick up for our K-8 program is at 2:30 and 2:15 if you child is in Pre-K 2:15.

CAR LINE TIPS ON ARRIVAL:

Form 2 lanes. The right lane is for grades K-8, the left lane is for our Pre-K students. Families with students in both PreK and K-8 should stay in the right lane.

When arriving you will be greeted by Father John and myself. Please wait your turn in the car lanes. Once in the drop off area, have your child exit the car. K-8 students will be dropped off in front of the main gym doors. Pre-K will circle around and be dropped off in front of the church. Our staff on duty will assist in making sure your children arrive safely to their classrooms.

Once you have dropped off your child/children please do not cut out of lane instead wait until the car in front of you moves to exit the campus. When exiting please be mindful that cars may turn in front of you to drop off at preschool or to exit the campus.

CAR LINE TIPS FOR PICK-UP

Form 2 lanes. In the interest of safety for your child/children and others:

Children will not be permitted to enter a car until the car is in front of the auditorium. Please pull all the way up to the "Drop off ends here" sign even if your child is standing in another place. If one of the car lanes is moving, children must wait until the cars stop moving before going to their car. If you must exit your car to buckle seat belts, we ask that you use the lane closest to the auditorium. Please pick up your child as quickly as possible, being mindful of the extremely long line behind you. We are discouraged from blocking Clifton Avenue.

Morning Care (6:30am-7:30am) and Extended Day Program (EDP) is available. If you are interested in either of these programs, please be sure to visit the website to get all the information you need. This is also where you can register your child for the programs.

Let’s show everyone all the amazing things happening at Sacred Heart School! Have you taken some great pictures of events or activities at SHS? If so, share your photos with us. Your photo(s) could be used to promote our school via our website, newsletter and our social media accounts. We will also use the photos for our 23/24 school yearbook.

To share, email photos@sacred-heart-school.org and use the following guidelines:

● Try to include more than one SHS student in the photo

● Email photos with name of event or activity in the subject heading

● Include names of students and grades

If you are happy with our school, please consider giving us a 5 star review on google and yelp. If you are not happy, please let us know at schooloffice@sacred-heart-school.org

If you would like to submit pictures, or need an event posted to Facebook or Instagram please contact yfortin@sacred-heart-school.org