Principals' Peek at the Week

Saints Joseph and John School - January 9, 2025

Dear Saints Joseph and John School Families,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We are excited to be back in school and back together as a school family! We hope you had a wonderful holiday filled with faith, family and relaxation.

Show SJJ (or OSU or Cavs) Spirit: Tomorrow (Friday), is school spirit wear day! Students may wear their SJJ spirit wear with uniform bottoms and school shoes. Students may also decide to show their support of the OSU Buckeyes by wearing an OSU shirt or sweatshirt or the Cleveland Cavs by wearing a CAVS shirt or sweatshirt with uniform bottoms and school shoes.

Enrollment Season: Enrollment for grades K-8 for the 2025-2026 school year is coming soon. As we prepare to celebrate Catholic Schools Week during the last week of January, we would like to extend a special invitation to you for our SJJ State of the School meeting on January 23, 2025 at 6:30 pm in McGraw Hall. Our SJJ State of the School meeting is a new tradition at SJJ and will serve as the official kick-off to this important week and marks the beginning of the enrollment period for K-8 for the 2025-2026 school year. We are thrilled to offer this opportunity for us to come together as a community to reflect on the blessings of our school and discuss our vision for the future.

We look forward to seeing you at this important meeting.

Be an Angel in 2025: Donations to the Angel Scholarship Fund (ASF) helped make it possible for a growing number of families to receive tuition assistance for their children to attend a high quality Catholic school, like Saints Joseph and John School.

As we begin the 2025 calendar year, our hope and prayer is for the number of ASF supporters to grow so that we may achieve even greater success. Please consider making an ASF donation so your donation will be available to award to SJJ students in the 2025-2026 school year by clicking here: https://www.catholiccommunity.org/give/catholic-education/angel-scholarship-fund.

Eligible donors receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit, and SJJ students could then get scholarships toward tuition that EdChoice may not cover.

Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) Week: Students in grades K-8 will be assessed in math, reading, language (Grades 2-8) and science (Grades 5 & 8) next week. The goal is for students to show growth from the fall testing session to the winter testing session.

Grades 3-8 will test on the following days:

Tuesday 1/14: Math

Wednesday 1/15: Reading

Thursday 1/16: Language

Friday 1/17: Science (Grades 5 & 8 only)

Teachers in Grade K-2 will share their class MAP schedule separately.

Please be sure to send in a healthy snack for your child, encourage your child to eat a hearty breakfast before coming to school each morning, and get a good night's sleep.

End of Quarter 2: Report cards will be sent electronically via Digital Academy on Tuesday, January 14. Please remember to digitally sign your child's report card on Digital Academy to acknowledge receipt.

Have a blessed week ahead!

In Christ,

Mrs. Schenek & 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.

THIS WEEK'S LEARNING AND SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

Our first graders performed the Nativity after our Mass on December 20. They did a great job! Thank you to Mrs. Tinnirello, Mrs. Towne, Ms. Fedor, and Mrs. McCullough for getting our first graders ready.

Mrs. Tinnirello wants to send a thank you to the parents that helped with the Christmas party for her class before break. As you can see the students had a lot of fun! Mrs. Tinnirello's first grade class had two students who earned the most minutes practiced for our IXL Christmas Challenge: Celeste R. and Addie W. Congratulations!

Mrs. Kirkland's 5th grade students use their Greek and Latin roots "fan" to apply their knowledge of new vocabulary words.

The students in Mrs. Cary's Enrichment Reading class finished reading Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, and are doing STEM challenges based on the novel. The first challenge was the Paper Airplane and Floatplane challenge. They researched the three main factors that affect a (paper) plane's ability to fly: lift, drag, and thrust, and then tested their airplanes for distance. The second part of the challenge was to take the paper airplane and design a plane that will float using tin foil, straws, and pipe cleaners. They are testing if their modified planes stay afloat or not. An extra challenge was if they can keep the plane dry as well as afloat.

TURN YOUR TAX DOLLARS INTO SJJ TUITION

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

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January Lunch Menu.pdf

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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

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FROM THE SJJ PTU

TONIGHT is the Night at the Chalet tobogganing event for those that purchased tickets - be sure to post your pictures to our Facebook page: SJJ Vikings PTU! Thank you to Mara Wehung for coordinating and organizing this fun-filled family event!

January 28 and 29 - mark your calendars for our SJJ Scholastic Book Fair! Our students will have an opportunity to shop during the school day on Tuesday, Jan 28th or Wednesday, Jan 29th. A class schedule and link for parent volunteers will be sent out soon. The book fair proceeds will help restock the book vending machine located in our school lobby! The book fair will also be open during the Catholic Schools Week Open House event at SJJ on Sunday, January 26th. Please consider volunteering to work a shift! We will need both cashiers and re-stocker/shopping helpers on several of these days. Attached is a draft schedule of when classes will be visiting the fair in case you’d like to work a shift where your child will be coming through to shop, as well as a SignUp Genius link for the different shifts needed. Thank you in advance for your help in making this a successful Book Fair! SJJ will earn valuable “Scholastic dollars” to be put back into the school for additional books and resources.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4EA5A82AA2F49-54074899-catholic

February 10 - mark your calendars for our virtual SJJ PTU Committee & Parent Meeting from 6:30-7:30 PM - learn about upcoming PTU events and how you can get more involved! Video Call link: https://meet.google.com/yry-uvze-dqt

February 12 - Save the Date for Culver’s Restaurant Night - students will have an opportunity to work this event and earn service hours. More details will be shared soon!

February 20 - March 20 - we are pleased to announce that we're launching a Malley’s Chocolates and Candy Sale ONLINE! The ordering link will be sent out soon.

February 22 - Tickets and tables are now available to purchase to the SJJ Viking Gala! Link to purchase: http://sjjgala2025.givesmart.com/ For any questions, email Mandy Miller and Kelly Zamiska: sjjbot@sjjschool.org

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.