Dear SJRCS Families,

It's hard to believe that the first nine school days have already passed! During this time, students have been able to create meaningful connections with one another, set expectations for themselves, and adapt to the routines of the classroom with ease. We're delighted to witness our students embracing their position as learners and assuming responsibility for their own development in mind, body, and emotions.

As Wednesday marks the anniversary of September 11th, I am reminded of the unifying power of courage, hope, and love that brought our country together during that time. Today, these same ideals continue to make our world a better place. By leading with courage and love, we can promote kindness, empathy, acceptance, and inclusion while confronting anything that threatens to undermine these values.

In order to cultivate an academic atmosphere within the school, students are required to wear uniforms that embody the necessary attitudes. We take pride in the appearance of our students, as it reflects the quality of the school, their behavior, and their academic work. Their uniforms must be well-maintained, clean, modest, and fit appropriately. For example: Skirts and skorts must be no shorter than 2 inches above the middle of the knee. If the shorts under the skort are visible, then the skort is too small. Parents have been given two weeks to obtain school uniforms and adjust accordingly.

Homeroom teachers will begin checking for uniform violations and notifying families of these violations beginning Monday, September 9th. It is mandatory for students to arrive and leave school in complete uniform, as well as wear complete uniforms for specific events such as Catholic Schools Week Open House and First Friday Mass, and not their gym uniforms.

It is important that both boys and girls maintain neat and appropriate hairstyles in accordance with the school uniform code. During the school year, students are not permitted to dye, color-treat, or highlight their hair with unnatural colors, and fad hairstyles are prohibited. For boys, hair should be kept above the eyebrows, ears, and collar, without ponytails or "Mohawk" style haircuts. Boys are expected to be clean-shaven, without any facial hair or sideburns that extend below the middle of the ear. Girls may wear headbands or bows in uniform plaid, blue, green, or white. However, oversized bows or overly embellished accessories are not permitted. Hair grooming should be completed outside of school hours, and dyed hair or hair with tinsel is not allowed.

For any questions about uniforms, please refer to page 69 of the Parent Handbook available on the SJRCS website. Please note that the length of skorts, shorts, and PE uniform shorts may not exceed the 2-inch above the knee requirement due to student growth over the summer.

Please be aware that the Family Handbook is a living document and may be updated periodically throughout the year as needed.

We are thrilled to announce that two seminarians from Mount St. Mary’s University will be joining us this year to work closely with our students in Grades 5-8. Their presence will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience, enriching our educational environment. We look forward to the positive impact they will have on our community and the unique perspectives they will share with our students. Welcome Peter Olbrych and Kevin McCarthy.

From September 16-18, your child will take Reading, Math, and Language Arts MAP® Growth tests on a computer provided by NWEA®. Each day, your child will take one test starting at 8:30 am. To accommodate this testing period, the school schedule will be adjusted, with all classes being shortened from Monday to Wednesday. To ensure optimal performance, please ensure that your child gets a good night's rest, eats a healthy breakfast, and arrives at school on time. Although the tests are untimed and your child can take as much time as they need, we have set a limit on the testing period for each day. Please see the letter attached for more details and information regarding MAP Growth testing.

It is important to educate children and youth on expressing their emotions effectively and understanding that abuse is never their fault. The Department of Catholic Schools and the Institute for Evangelization, in collaboration with the Office of Child and Youth Protection, have authorized the use of Loyola Press' Growing with God: Safe and Sacred as the new Family Life Curriculum. This curriculum focuses on social-emotional learning, child protection, human development and reproduction, as well as morality. See the attached letter from the AOB Department of Catholic Schools Archdiocese for more information.

In Christ,

Mrs. Kim Hanner

Principal

You may click on the picture to open calendar view

September:

6 (Fri) H.S.A. Movie Night

9 (Mon) Story Time Tots (8:30 AM)

13 (Fri) Spirit Wear Day - Students may wear (approved) SJRCS Spirit Wear with gym or uniform pants

16 (Mon) MapGrowth Testing Begins - Students in Grades 2-8 may wear their gym uniform

17 (Tues) MapGrowth Testing - Students in Grades 2-8 may wear their gym uniform

18 (Wed) MapGrowth Testing - Students in Grades 2-8 may wear their gym uniform

18 (Wed) H.S.A. General Meeting - No Homework

18 (Wed) Band Demonstration Program: Grades 4-8

19 (Thur) Mass (10:00 AM)

20 (Fri) Noon Dismissal; No Wildcat Care; Grandparents' & Special Friends' Day

23 (Mon) Student Pictures grades PK3, PK4, K, 1st

24 (Tue) Student Pictures grades 2, 3, 4, 5

25 (Wed) Student Pictures grades 6, 7, 8

Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day is quickly approaching. Please be sure to click here to register your Grandparent of Special Friend. Please note that students will not be permitted to leave with a visitor without the permission form found in the link above. All visitors who will be taking students with them MUST present a valid picture ID.

Volunteers are needed to help make Grandparents' Day a success! Please click here to sign up.

Student Picture Day is coming up! The dates for pictures are as follows:

Monday, September 23rd: PK3, PK4, K, 1st grades

Tuesday, September 24th: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th grades

Wednesday, September 25th: 6th, 7th, 8th grades

Photo order forms will be sent home soon!

The St. John Regional Catholic School Annual Golf Tournament is always a fun time! Golfers of all skill levels are invited to play. Single players and foursomes are welcome! Please click here to register today!

Movie Night - September 6, 2024 at 6:45pm in the SJRCS Athletic Field
We can’t wait to see you all tonight at Outdoor Movie Night!

HSA General Meeting - September 18, 2024 at 8:30am in McElroy Hall

All are welcome to attend this meeting to learn more about HSA initiatives for the year and the Homeroom Parent opportunity.

Member Sign Up:

If you’d like to join the HSA as a member, please click here

Academic Dishonesty

St. John Regional Catholic School strives to promote students of integrity in their academic pursuits. Students commit academic dishonesty in the following ways:

• Directly copying answers or materials from another student or students.

• Directly copying answers or materials from a literary or online source, including generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and asserting it as one’s own work.

• Using information, answers, or materials during a test or quiz session that are not explicitly allowed.

• Acquiring and/or using test materials from the instructor or from a previous student to prepare or take an exam or assessment.

• Improper citation of source material in a research report

• Providing information about the questions and/or answers of an assessment to another student prior to that student taking the assessment.

Academic dishonesty offenses will result in a zero for the assignment and an after-school detention for their first infraction. Further offenses will result in a zero for the assignment, a parent conference, and additional consequences including but not limited to detention, suspension, behavioral contract, and loss of eligibility for extracurricular activities.

Students in Grades PreK through 8th are not permitted to use Generative Artificial Intelligence. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) describes algorithms (such as ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, Midj Journey, etc) that can be used to create new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos.

Students in Grades 4-8 and their parents will sign an Academic Integrity Acknowledgement at the beginning of each school year. Please download the attached Academic Integrity form and discuss it with your child. Both parent and student should sign the form and return it to your child's homeroom teacher by Friday, September 13th.

SJRCS is excited to offer Chess Club through Magnus Chess Academy for students in Grades K-8. Each week students of all levels do a fun but challenging lesson with one of our great coaches from our world class curriculum followed by practice games against other students in the class. If you are interested, please click here to register.

If you’re interested in being more involved in the classroom and enjoy planning class parties and helping out, please sign-up to be a homeroom parent. We need 2 homeroom parents per homeroom, as well as for the specials’ classrooms: Music/Art, Library/Technology, and PE/Spanish. Homeroom parents earn 30 hours of tuition credit. VIRTUS certification is required.

Please click here to complete the google form to sign up. Please sign up by September 13th. Notifications about homeroom parent placement will be sent out sometime during the last week of September via email. If you have any questions about being a homeroom parent, please contact Molly Gilbreth at mollygilbreth@gmail.com.

Please note that completing the google form to be a homeroom parent indicates interest only and does not guarantee you will be selected as a homeroom parent. We try to accommodate everyone’s preferences, but overall interest by parents and the need to ensure all homerooms have two homeroom parents sometimes results in parents not receiving their first choice of homeroom or being able to serve as homeroom parent this year if we have more parents than necessary signup. Homeroom parents always request 2 extra volunteers per party, so parents who are not selected will still have the opportunity to help out in the classroom in that capacity. Homeroom parent placements will be emailed sometime the last week of September

Sign-up is now open for the SJRCS Bell Choir and Chorus. Please see attached form for details. Forms are due to Mrs. Frazier by Monday, September 13th.

I am excited to announce that your child will be learning to play the recorder for music class. As

mentioned on the supply list, please follow the directions below to pay the $7.00 for the

recorder that is being supplied by the school. There are great variations in recorders made by

different companies, so it is important that all students use the same brand and model recorder

in class so they are in tune with each other. If your child is getting a sibling’s recorder from a

previous year or have their own already, please make sure it is this model: Yamaha Soprano

Baroque YRS-24B (cream colored). You will not need to purchase another one if they already

have one of this type.

Please see the attached letter for complete information and click here to be taken to the MySchoolBucks store to purchase your 3rd grader's recorder.

We know the students are eager to test out their new playground, and we are excited for them too! We had a third party inspection completed and are in the final stages of making adjustments to ensure the structure is safe and sound for our students! Once we have the green light, we will have the playground blessed by Fr. Matt from St. Katharine Drexel. We will keep everyone posted with the progress. Again, a HUGE thank you to LDD Sports for the incredible work they have done in completing this project. They have been essential in every step of the way!!

SJRCS will administer the HSPT to 8th graders on December 4, 2024. The HSPT is a standardized, timed test required of every 8th grader applying to attend a Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It contains five sections that measure verbal ability, quantitative ability, reading comprehension, mathematics, and components of written language. The questions are designed to test students at their curriculum level. High schools use this assessment tool for admissions, scholarship selection, and course placement. Registration for the HSPT will begin on Tuesday, September 10th, and the fee is $45. Please register for the HSPT by clicking here.

Mrs. LaPier and Mrs. Cody will be teaching an optional prep course on Monday afternoons to help 8th-grade students prepare for the High School Placement Test. Mrs. Cody will teach the ELA portion of the course, and Mrs. LaPier will teach the Math portion. The course will be held on Monday afternoons, October 14th through November 18th, from 3:15-4:15 p.m. The cost is $95 and includes a textbook. Registration for the SJRCS HSPT prep course is open on My School Bucks until September 20th. Space is limited!

Student Achievement Associates HSPT Prep Course

SAA also offers an HSPT Prep course that runs from September 16th to November 16th and meets for one hour per week (M/T/W/Th evenings or Sat mornings) via Zoom. HSPT Prep Boot Camp is offered on November 23rd and 30th from 9:00-4:00. The Program Cost is $160. Archdiocese of Baltimore Students receive $15 off registration using the code “AOB15” at checkout. Questions can be sent to Eric Watts at eric@hsptprepprograms.com.

This fall, the Archdiocese will offer in-person fairs as a “fair only” format for middle school families who want to learn more about our Catholic high schools. These will take place from 6:00pm to 7:30pm according to the following schedule. Registration is not required.

1. Monday, September 16: St. Mark in Catonsville

2. Tuesday, September 17: St. Margaret Middle School in Bel Air

3. Wednesday, September 18: Resurrection – St. Paul in Ellicott City

4. Thursday, September 19: Immaculate Conception in Towson

5. Monday, September 23: St. Joseph Fullerton in Perry Hall

6. Tuesday, September 24: School of the Incarnation in Gambrills

7. Wednesday, September 25: St. Ursula in Parkville

8. Thursday, September 26: Sacred Heart in Glyndon

9. Monday, September 30: Mother Mary Lange in Baltimore City

10. Thursday, October 3: Monsignor Slade in Glen Burnie

Mark your calendar for the Harlem Wizards vs Team Frederick Game at FCC on Saturday, November 9th. Mrs. Hanner will be playing and St. John gets $3 per ticket donated back to the school to be used towards the Garden Committee

This is FUN for the whole family. The tickets will go on sale Friday 8/30/24, and can be purchased here. Get your tickets early before they sell out

We need your help! Every year our school has an opportunity to participate in federal and state programs that benefit our students with a variety of materials and services. Some examples of available opportunities are:

• The Maryland Textbook & Technology Funding Program
  

• The Nonpublic Aging School Program

• Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV services under the Every Child Succeeds Act

• Discounted rates on high speed internet services and infrastructure through the School and Libraries Universal Service Program or E-Rate Program

In order to determine the funding available for these programs, we must have an accurate record of family income information. To obtain this information, we are asking each family to complete our 2024-2025 Income Survey. Ten minutes of your time, can translate to large benefits for our school community.

This year we have provided two ways for you to complete the income survey.

1) Online Survey

2) Paper- Please complete the enclosed survey and return it to your school office

Please be assured that the information you provide is held in strict confidence. The information provided is maintained securely by our school and the information is used ONLY for the purposes described above.

As always, thank you for your support and cooperation, we ask that you please complete the survey by THURSDAY, September 19, 2024.

**Dear SJRCS Community,**

We are excited to announce that SJRCS is offering Girls on the Run again this year. To sign up, please click here. Girls on the Run cannot happen without the support of parent volunteers. If you are able to volunteer and are VIRTUS certified, please click here here to register.

This year, we also hope to start a "Let Me Run" program for boys. Please click here to learn more about the program.

Thank you for your continued support of our students!

We are still in need of a head coach for each. Girls on the Run is a run club for girls in grades 3-8 that focuses on empowerment and developing confidence, and Let Me Run is a boys run club for grades 3-8 that focuses on teaching boys to be their best selves through a character development program powered by running. The success of these programs depends on the support of our parent volunteers. Parents will receive tuition credit for their volunteer hours. Each coach will need to complete training on these programs, and the training days are quickly approaching. Without coaches, these programs will not be able to run. To learn more about the programs, please visit the links below. If you are interested in volunteering for coaching, please contact Advancement Director, Katharine Galvas at kgalvas@sjrcs.org or 301-662-6722.

Let Me Run https://letmerun.org/about-the-program

SJRCS Athletics will will be running an in-house volleyball clinic with instruction and games! Please click here to sign up!

If you are interested in ordering lunch from school, please be sure to create an account with All About Lunch Deli by clicking here. For those families who have money left over on their MSB account from last year, you will be refunded through FACTS by the end of September.

Every year, the Archdiocese of Baltimore releases a guide to the Catholic High Schools within the Archdiocese. This year's guide can be found here.

With the beginning of the school year upon us, here are a few reminders about the SJRCS uniform policy.

Gym Shorts:

• Gym Shorts, Shorts, and Skirt Length must be 2 inches above the middle of the knee
  

Shoes:

• Shoes should be white or LIGHT gray with minimal color accent

Boys' Hair:

• Must be cut above the eyebrows, ears, and collar
• Must remain its natural color

Girls' Hair:

• Must remain its natural color.
• No dyed hair, "fairy hair," tinsel hair, or any fad hairstyles are permitted.

Makeup:

• No makeup is allowed for students.

Nails:

• Students must have natural nails with no nail polish.

These guidelines help ensure a uniform appearance and maintain the school's standards. Please refer to the Family Handbook for additional details.

Come check out the Scouts! Open to students grades Kindergarten - 5th Grade. We hope to see you there!

If your child will be absent, or your child has an appointment and will need to be picked up early from school, please fill out the absentee form by clicking here. In doing so, the front office will be notified and can mark your child's attendance report accurately, as well as, have your child ready for you when you arrive to pick them up for the appointment.

Please note - per AOB regulations, early dismissal ends at 2:20 PM. Parents arriving after that time will be instructed to wait in the parking lot for regular dismissal.

It is important for parents to follow the designated drop-off and pick-up times for their children at school. The school cannot take responsibility for any supervision or accidents that occur before 7:55 a.m. or after 3:15 p.m.. If a parent is unable to pick up their child on time, enrolling in the school's aftercare program is a helpful option. However, instances of tardiness will result in an additional late pick-up fee. If the student is participating in a supervised activity outside of school hours, specific arrangements must be made for drop-off and/or pick-up at the designated times. Please value and respect the school staff, teachers, and administration by being punctual and adhering to the designated drop-off and pick-up times. See page 32 of the handbook for more information.

Students in Grades 3 - 8 who are designated as walkers or bike riders should live within a two-mile distance of the school. They will require the written permission of a parent or guardian and the school administration to be released with these groups. Please click here to register your child as a walker or bike rider.

Google Classroom is an important tool used at SJRCS. Teachers post homework daily and give assignments using Google Classroom. It is important that parents become familiar with Google Classroom to support their students. It is very helpful to use your child’s log in information so that you can see everything your child sees. We encourage parents to view a short video on how Google Classroom works. Please reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions regarding Google Classroom.

Google Classroom How To

If you are visiting the school during the school day or for evening school events, we ask that you park in the Pk-3rd grade parking lot. Please do not park in any of the numbered spots as those are reserved for teachers and staff. We also ask that you not park in the spots on the side of the school reserved for the Parish Offices.

This tip line is offered to expand the means for students, staff, and the community to come forward if they are aware of threats, possible self-harm by a student or other behavior that could adversely impact a particular school community. The tip line is administered through a partnership of the Maryland Center for School Safety and the Maryland Department of Emergency Management.

Report a Tip

8414 Opossumtown Pike Frederick, MD 21702

Phone: 301-662-6722

www.sjrcs.org