Principals' Peek at the Week

Saints Joseph and John School - December 12, 2024

Dear Saints Joseph and John School Families,

We were very blessed to see the incredible outpouring of support and the large attendance at our K-2 Journey to Bethlehem musical performance this morning! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces in the audience, sharing in this special moment with our young performers.

Thank you to Miss Tara Webb, our dedicated and talented music teacher. Her passion for music and her commitment to our students were evident in every note and movement this morning. She worked tirelessly to prepare our students for this performance, and her efforts truly paid off. The joy our students displayed on stage are a direct testament to her hard work, creativity, and encouragement.

As we reflect upon the successes of this morning's performance, we know we need to explore ways to accommodate our growing crowds in the future. We also understand that the cold temperatures made the wait challenging for some who arrived earlier than the advertised opening time of 8:30 a.m. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work to balance safety, logistics, and the shared commitment to make events like these accessible and enjoyable for all.

We look forward to celebrating many more special moments with you in the months and years ahead!

Spreading Holiday Cheer: Our SJJ Student Council is planning a fun few days next week for our student body as they gear up for Christmas break. Please see below for more information on how your student can join in the fun!

The Spirit of Giving: Two SJJ students have stepped up to lead a special toy drive to support local children in need this season. Please read on to learn how you can join their efforts by donating to the SJJ Giving Tree in McGraw Hall by December 19.

In Christ,

Mrs. Schenek and Mrs. Francis

KEEPING SJJ HEALTHY: A FRIENDLY WELLNESS REMINDER

We have recently noticed an uptick in illnesses among our students and staff. To help ensure the health and well-being of our entire school community, we would like to take this opportunity to remind families of an important protocol:

Please keep your child at home if they are not feeling well, and ensure they stay home until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of medication.

Your partnership in adhering to this policy makes a significant difference in preventing the spread of illness and supporting the health of all students and staff.

We know that it can be challenging to balance school attendance and illness, but by staying vigilant and keeping students home when necessary, we can all contribute to a healthier, safer learning environment.

SCHOOL POLICY FOR ILLNESS (p. 27 of the Saints Joseph and John School Handbook)

Please keep your student home if there is evidence of sore throat, fever, nausea, rash, swollen glands, eye infections, etc.

School guidelines for when to return to school after an illness are:

Conjunctivitis: 24 hrs after treatment is started.

Cough: Cough no longer persistent especially with thick/constant nasal drainage.

Diarrhea: 24 hrs after last episode without use of medicine.

Fever: 24 hrs after fever-free.

Head Lice: Hair is treated and nit-free.

Impetigo: 24 hrs after treatment start; sores should be covered.

Ringworm: 24 hrs after treatment starts; area should be covered.

Strep Throat : 24 hrs after treatment starts and fever free.

Vomiting: 24 hrs after last episode without use of medicine.

HOLIDAY CHEER FROM THE SJJ STUDENT COUNCIL

#weGIVECATHOLIC WINNERS

STUDENTS LEAD THE WAY IN SJJ TOY DRIVE

We are excited to share a wonderful initiative organized by two of our amazing SJJ students! Lila H. and Ella P. are coordinating a SJJ Giving Tree Toy Drive to bring holiday cheer to local children in need.

Inspired by the spirit of giving, these students are leading this toy drive to collect new toys for children of all ages. All donations will benefit local charities in Strongsville and will be shared with children who could use a little extra joy this holiday season.

Please consider supporting their efforts by donating a toy (or multiple toys) to the SJJ Giving Tree located in McGraw Hall by December 19th. There’s no need to wrap them—Santa’s elves will take care of that!

A huge thank you to Lila and Ella for their leadership, kindness, and commitment to making a difference. This is a wonderful example of how our SJJ students lead with compassion and generosity.

Thank you to all of our students and families for supporting this meaningful cause. Let’s come together as a community to spread the magic of the season!

THIS WEEK'S LEARNING AND SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

Saints Joseph and John School hosted teachers and a principal from our sister school from San Jose Villanueva, El Salvador. We also had our second annual Christmas in the Courtyard. Thank you to everyone who made the night special!

Kindergarten through second grade held their Christmas concert. There was a lot of festive outfits and a ton of Christmas Spirit!

The second graders had a visit from Fr. Andy. They also read Junie B Jones together by the Christmas Tree with flashlights.

Our fifth graders are busy translating their Christmas pen pal letters from our sister school in El Salvador! The fifth graders also carried out an acid and base experiment. They tested different household liquids to see if they were an acid or a base.

Our seventh graders took a trip downtown to see the Christmas Carol at Playhouse Square.

TURN YOUR TAX DOLLARS INTO SJJ TUITION

Ohio Scholarship Tax-Credit Program Lets “Turn taxes into Tuition” by directing Your Tax Dollars to Saints Joseph and John School!

Through the Angel Scholarship Fund, you can now contribute funds that will be used to provide tuition assistance for students to attend Saints Joseph and John School, for which you may receive a 100% Ohio income tax credit of up to $750 ($1,500 if married filing jointly) against your 2024 state tax liability. In other words, the state of Ohio allows you to "spend" some of the state income taxes you must pay anyway to provide tuition assistance for students seeking an education at Saints Joseph and John School. The Angel Scholarship Fund is a win-win-win for taxpayer donors, scholarship recipients, and SJJ.

This short video explains how easy it is to contribute to the Angel Scholarship Fund: https://vimeo.com/687761970?fbclid=IwY2xjawHH3adleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHXYNGbPF5EL_nSzWv_1qFpSr3jBizKLv85uY7Ss2zQB25mvTBIAeKvI3CA_aem_cA_haY34iTebGCT-Iz9hbQ

VIKING CAFE UPDATES

Until supplies last, Snack Bar eligible students will be able to purchase Cookie Kits or Blizzards with all proceeds going to St. Augustine Community Cupboard and Closet.

Cookie Kits will be $1 and Blizzards will be $2. Cash only will be accepted. Snack Bar tickets can NOT be used.

Thank you for supporting a great cause!

NEW SNACK BAR PROCESS FOR BIRTHDAY TICKETS

Please see the new form below for purchasing snack bar tickets for your student's birthday.

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Snack Bar Order Form.pdf

December Lunch Menu.pdf

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FROM THE SJJ PTU

Thursday, December 19-Holiday Gift Drop Off from 5:30-6:30 PM @ the SJJ School Main Entrance. The PTU Board members try to make it easier on parents who don't want to weigh down backpacks and send in gifts with their students so we offer an hour for gift drop-off where we will personally deliver gifts to your teacher's classroom or staff/faculty office. This way, you know they will receive gifts before Christmas break. We just ask that you label the gift with the recipient NAME and ROOM #. Please note that gifts are always appreciated but not required.

Thursday, January 9-SJJ Night @ the Chalet - reserve your spot for the entire family to go tobogganing down the chutes in the Strongsville Metropark. How fun! Our private event is from 5:30-8:30 PM. Tickets are non-refundable and on sale until Jan. 2. Link to order tickets: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/sjj-night-at-the-chalet2025-tobogganing-event/items?cart

Honeybaked Ham gift card fundraiser runs through the end of the month! You can purchase gift cards on our fundraiser site and we’ll get 20% on every purchase. It’s the perfect time of year to gift your friends and family with yummy, festive food! Link to buy gift cards: https://www.honeybaked.com/fundraising/Sts_Joseph_and_John_PTU

CHESS CLUB SIGN UPS- GRADES 2-6

KIDS OF FAITH FOR GRADES 6-8

SJJ'S OFFICIAL COLORS, LOGOS and FONTS

SAVE THE DATE

Check Out Our Updated Website

Our school website is updated and available to access. The changes that were made were aimed at enhancing the site’s design and functionality, with a particular focus on improving our marketing and outreach efforts.

As a result, the new SJJ website prioritizes marketing aspects over detailed information for school families. Information and resources such as the school handbook, school policies, lunch menus, gym uniform and book store order forms can be found by going to the SJJ Families Group under the "resources" tab on auth.digitalacademy.org.

Our goal was to create a vibrant and engaging online presence that effectively showcases our school’s strengths and achievements to the public, while Digital Academy houses the information that is school-family focused.

Digital Academy is SJJ's New Education Management System

This school year, we have transitioned to Digital Academy, a new and comprehensive system designed to enhance various aspects of our school operations. As we work to implement its features, please be aware that this process will take some time.

We anticipate encountering a few glitches along the way as we navigate this learning curve. We are dedicated to addressing any issues promptly and efficiently as possible. Our goal is a smooth transition without overwhelming anyone and to get everything up and running at a manageable pace.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we adapt to this new system. Thank you for your support!

2024-2025 DAILY SCHEDULE

PLEASE NOTE THE SCHOOL SCHEDULE FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR:

MORNING

6:30 am- Mornings at Cove opens (pre-registration is required, fee involved)

7:15 am- Building opens and students may enter the building to report directly to McGraw Hall.

Car drop-offs may not occur prior to 7:15am unless students are being dropped off at Viking Cove

7:30am- Teachers pick up students from McGraw Hall and escort students to homeroom. Students arriving after 7:30am report directly to their classrooms.

7:45 am- Tardy Bell Rings.
Students not in their seats and ready to learn at 7:45 am will be marked tardy.

AFTERNOON

2:00pm- End of day bell, dismissal after closing prayers.

Saints Joseph and John School offers a safe, teacher-operated before- and after-school care program for K-8 students enrolled in our school: Viking Cove and Mornings at Cove.

Viking Cove is our after-school care program in our Viking Visionary Center. Available for students in grades K-8, Viking Cove operates from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. During their time in Viking Cove, students will have access to supervised homework time, after-school snacks, outdoor activities, open gym time, and the resources of our Viking Visionary Center.

Please note that Viking Cove is offered every day that school is in session, except for scheduled early release days and the last day of school. The fee for Viking Cove is $5 per hour per student, with charges billed in 60-minute increments.

In addition to Viking Cove, we offer our Mornings at the Cove, our new before-school care program. Open to students in grades K-8, Mornings at the Cove takes place between 6:30 AM and 7:15 AM. Students will receive a light breakfast and be taken to McGraw Hall at 7:15 AM. There is a flat rate Mornings at the Cove of $10 per student for this program.

Please click here if you would like more information.

We believe Viking Cove and Mornings at the Cove provide valuable support and care for our students and their families. If you have any questions or need further information about these programs, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Rosanne Puliafico at rpuliafico@sjjschool.org.

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If your child is attending Viking Cove or Mornings at Cove be sure to sign up for our REMIND messaging. On your iPhone or Android phone, open your web browser and go to the following link: rmd.at/vikingcove. Follow the instructions to sign up for Remind. You’ll be prompted to download the mobile app.

For pick up send a REMIND 10 minutes before arriving. A teacher will have your child ready at Door E and bring them out to the car. Please pull into the parking lots outside Door E.

If you need your child to attend MORNINGS AT COVE send a REMIND to notify staff you will be dropping off in the morning. Mornings at Cove drop-off begins at 6:30 A.M.

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Viking Cove is always looking for new or slightly used games, toys, flashcards, and puzzles. Send any donations to the Viking Visionary Center. We thank you for your consideration in advance.

DRESS CODE REMINDERS

Please follow the guidelines as stated in the SJJ Student Handbook:

Field Trips: Traditional School Uniform or Gym Uniform (based on the nature of the trip and determined by administration).

Spirit Wear Days: On designated days, students may wear school-approved spirit wear (sold by the SJJ PTU or purchased through CYO only) with uniform bottoms and school shoes. If this day falls on a gym day for some students, the student may wear gym uniform bottoms and tennis shoes with their spirit wear top.

Our students have been doing a great job adhering to the dress code so far this year. To keep this year running smoothly we ask that parents and students familiarize themselves with the Dress Up Day policy.

When students are permitted to be out of uniform, they will dress up. Days include but may not be limited to:

Picture Day: Dress Up Only
Birthday: Dress Up Only
Dress Up Day defined:

Girls may wear dresses, skirts, blouses, sweaters, dress shoes, dress slacks. Make-up and

jewelry guidelines apply.

**Note: Leggings or tights are permitted only with uniform length skirts or dresses.

Boys may wear slacks, dress shorts (during warm weather uniform months), collared shirts, dress shirts, ties, sweaters, dress shoes, socks appropriate for school.

Jewelry guidelines apply.

The following items are not permitted to be worn on a Dress Up/Out of Uniform Day:

Tanks, sleeveless, or narrow strap tops; Top that are revealing low-cut necklines, or expose bare midriffs when sitting, stretching, stooping, etc.; Athletic shorts or jeans; Pajama pants;

Low or sagging pants or shorts; Skirts or dresses shorter than the top of the knee; If dresses or skirts are shorter than the top of the knee, they must be paired with tights or leggings;

Leggings or other tight fitting pants, unless paired with uniform length skirts or dresses;

Ripped or torn clothing; Hoodies

Administration reserves the right to deem what is appropriate. Students not adhering to rules on

Dress Up/Out of Uniform days will call home for either a change of clothes or their school uniform. If a school uniform or change of clothing is not brought to school by 8:30am, a uniform violation will be issued to the student.

Students are always welcome to wear their traditional school uniform instead of dressing up.

Please see below regarding the proper names, colors, font, and logos for Saints Joseph and John School. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Cimino at vcimino@sjjschool.org.