Monday Memo
September 4, 2023 - Build Each Other Up
Dear parents,
Grandparents Day is this Thursday, September 28th. Please relay the following information to your child's grandparent or special person:
All grandparents or a child's special person are welcome to attend.
We will start with mass at 8:45 a.m. During mass, students will remain with their classes. Grandparents are welcome to sit in the section along the right side of the church or in the back, upper level.
After mass, we will ask grandparents to come over to the school gym. ALL students will return to their classrooms.
Grandparents who do not attend mass can arrive after 9:20 a.m. and come straight to the gym.
Once grandparents are in the gym, I will announce that grades 3-8 will be able to come to meet their grandparents in the gym. Grandparents with grandchildren in grades PS - 2nd will be able to come to the classrooms to visit and/or pick them up to go to the gym.
From 9:35 - 10:35 AM, they can visit the classrooms, visit the book fair in the parish center, visit with their grandchildren in the gym, and enjoy light refreshments.
At 10:35 AM, we will conclude Grandparents Day with a prayer in the gym and a school-wide prayer over the PA system.
Jamboree Raffle Tickets will come home today with your youngest child. These tickets are for the Drawdown (or reverse) Raffle that occurs on the evening of the event. There will be many winners throughout the night with $50 awarded to every 50th ticket drawn. The last ten tickets earn prizes between $100 and $4,000. Winners need not be present to win. We ask that you sell these tickets to friends, family, or anyone who is interested in winning a $4,000 grand prize! All sold tickets and money need to be returned to the school office by October 18th. We also ask that any unsold tickets are returned by that date as well.
God bless, Janet Abdoulaye
Events This Week
Monday, September 25th
- College GO Week: "Hats off To College Awareness"
- Book Fair in the Parish Center
Tuesday, September 26th
- College GO Week: "Follow Your Dreams - Pajama Dress Down Day (Students must wear normal shoes to school, no slippers)
- Book Fair in the Parish Center
Wednesday, September 27th
- 2:50 PM Dismissal
- College GO Week: "Your Future is Bright" - Neon (out of uniform day if wearing neon colors)
- Book Fair in the Parish Center
- Book Fair Family Night, 3:30 - 7:30 PM
Thursday, September 28th
- Grandparents Day (see information in letter above)
- Mass at 8:45 AM hosted by 3L
- College GO Week: "College Rocks" College Gear, wear your favorite college team or wear Saint Susanna Spirit Wear
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Future Events:
- The next Avon Sports Apparel uniform sale will be Friday, October 6th after dismissal in the Parish Center.
- We will have our annual pet blessing on Friday, October 6th after morning announcements. Our pet blessing is held in honor of Saint Francis's feast day in early October. Saint Francis is the patron saint of animals. We welcome all pets (on leashes, in carriers, etc.) to our north parking lot for a blessing from Father Rob and a visit from many eager students!
- Our fall break is October 9th - 13th.
- The Jamboree is a fun family event each fall. The event is on Saturday, October 21st in the gym. Activities throughout the evening include a draw-down raffle, chili tasting, a Jail and Bail, concessions, and more. We welcome all chili makers to the contest! Please make plans to attend!
Scholastic Book Fair - September 25th - 29th!
Book Fair is next week! Students will come home with their wish list from their preview day on either Monday or Tuesday of next week. They will have the opportunity to buy books on Wednesday or Thursday with their class. During the fair, we accept e-wallets (can be set up on our website below), cash, or credit card (adult must be present).
Wednesday, September 27th from 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm is our family night! Please stop by to check out the books that your students have chosen for this wish list and preview the fun new titles Scholastic is offering.
Living the Spartan Life
Spotted at dismissal: Big brother helping little sister with her homework ♥️
A huge thank you to the Saint Susanna CYO for purchasing a new sign for our kitchen!
Carter led last week's fire drill by pulling the alarm for Mr. Fischer. These experiences are available for purchase each year at the Spring Gala.
Walkthrough of the Mass
Are you interested in knowing more about what happens during the mass and why? Father Rob is presenting a walkthrough of the mass in September and October. All are welcome!
High School Placement Tests
Eighth graders who are planning to attend a Catholic high school will need to take the High School Placement test. This test is available in the fall at any Catholic high school in Indianapolis. You should be able to find dates and registration information on the respective school websites.
Cardinal Ritter does not require advance registration. Placement tests are on November 4th and December 2nd. The test starts at 9:00, we ask the students to be there around 8:40-8:45 to sign in. Also, if any students need accommodations, the guidance office needs to be contacted ahead of time to ensure they are put in the correct classroom.
To prepare for the test, Cardinal Ritter offers a series of study sessions at the dates and locations below. The test prep sessions are extremely helpful. The placement test is used by high schools to determine scholarships for those who apply early and placement in math and English classes. Ritter charges $20 for the book used in these sessions. Students can attend all three sessions or just the ones they want to. We can make allowances for students to leave early without penalty to attend these sessions.
PTA Events 23-24
Saint Susanna Catholic Church - Helpful Information for School Families
Lunch Payment Policy Updates
In order for our cafeteria to be self-sufficient, we must receive regular and timely payments from those who participate in the hot lunch program. As such, I have updated our lunch policies accordingly. Please see below for the excerpt from the attached Student Parent Handbook:
- For any student with a negative cafeteria balance, the student will continue to be eligible for a hot or cold lunch and milk; however, they will not be eligible for extra servings or any a la carte items including bottled water, until the account is brought positive. Students are always welcome to bring their own refillable water bottles to lunch with them.
- Preferred: www.myschoolbucks.com Payments made through MySchoolBucks credit to a student’s account automatically and accounts are updated without delay. Previously setup accounts will continue to work throughout your child’s time at Saint Susanna. Accounts can be set up with the lunch number that will come home in your child’s back-to-school packet. This system also shows parents all of the charges and credits to a student’s account.
- Alternate Method of Payment: Payments made outside of the MySchoolBucks system are subject to delay in crediting your student’s lunch account: 1) Online via www.saintsusanna.com/pay 2) Check sent via backpack mail to Mrs. Carson’s attention clearly describing the amounts to be applied to each student account. Do not send cash.
Uniform Information 2023
New uniform polos for K-8th grade for the 23-24 school year must be purchased from Schoolbelles and carry our monogram. Students can also wear monogrammed Educational Apparel red shirts from previous years. Students may not wear non-monogrammed polos as part of their uniforms.
Our plaid is unchanged. Girls may continue to wear the previous years' skirts or can purchase new ones at Schoolbelles as well. You can order through their website at www.schoolbelles.com with the school code S3012. Below is a flyer that shows items that Schoolbelles has to offer. The only item that must be purchased through their company is the monogrammed polos (highlighted). Other items are optional and are permissible in our dress code.
Middle school students will continue to have specially monogrammed shirts available from Avon Sports Apparel.
Safe Environment Training
All volunteers must have a background check and completed safe environment training through the Archdiocese's Safe Parish system. All volunteers' background checks are monitored quarterly. All volunteers must be registered in the Safe Parish system before they can volunteer. Instructions for registering and training are in the newsletter each week (see below).
In order to volunteer in our school building during the day or attend field trips as a chaperone, you must have current safe environment training on file with us. This requirement includes safe environment training and a basic background check through the Archdiocese.
To obtain a new training and background check:
- Go to the website www.archindysafeparish.org
- Create an account.
- You will need a passcode in order to create an account. The passcode is Archindy2021
- Complete the background check for school or parish VOLUNTEER and select Saint Susanna as a recipient of your information.
- Complete the training video and questions.
Please allow up to two weeks for this process to be completed.
Volunteer Opportunities
The service hour tracking form can be found here and a copy will be sent home in the back-to-school packets. We ask that each family complete five service hours this school year. These hours can be completed during school or parish events.
Easy Fund-Raising for Saint Susanna Catholic School!
Box Tops for Education
Here’s how it works:
- Step 1: Download the new Box Tops App (iTunes or Google Play) – it’s free
- Step 2: Create a username and connect it to your child’s school
- Step 3: Scan your grocery store receipt. Items with the new Box Tops label will be automatically credited to your school
Does this mean I should stop sending in my paper Box Tops that I have already clipped? No! Continue to send those to the school!
Kroger Community Rewards
Information on the Kroger Community Rewards program can be found here on their website or under the "rewards" tab in your Kroger app. You will need to search for the exact name of our organization as SAINT SUSANNAS SCHOOL PTP . From there, you can link your Kroger card with our organization and a portion of your spending at Kroger will come to us.
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About Us
St. Susanna Catholic School's mission is to provide a Christ-centered, quality education that prepares and inspires its students to excel as they progress in their scholastic careers. Based on Catholic teachings, our students and staff exemplify the value of faith, service, love, and respect in all situations and with all people.
Email: jabdoulaye@saintsusanna.com
Website: www.saintsusannaschool.com
Location: 1212 East Main Street, Plainfield, IN, USA
Phone: 317-839-3713
Facebook: facebook.com/stsusannaschool