FI_Lion Line_9/13/24

I would like to highlight a couple of SJCA initiatives, especially in light of having so many new families join us this school year.

First of all, click here to learn more about Lions Council and join this wonderful organization.

Secondly, click here to learn about the 1776 Promise, where all proceeds go directly to our amazing teachers.

Lastly, be sure to join me at this link each Tuesday at 9:00 am for Coffee Time with the Headmaster where you will learn more about the school and its curriculum.

On Tuesday's Coffee Time episode, I introduced parents to Ms. Robison, one of our Latin teachers and we received a short lesson about the beauty of Latin. I also introduced parents to Mrs. Hancock in 4th grade, who taught a grammar lesson and diagramed a sentence for us. I concluded the episode with a literacy lesson from Mrs. Stuart, who introduced her class to the phonograms "ow" and "ou".

I plan to interview Mrs. Burgess about Constitution Day on September 17th and then Dr. Katy O'Toole from Hillsdale College on September 24th. Please join us each Tuesday at 9:00.

I would like to introduce Mrs. Martin, our new Curriculum Coach for K-12. She will be working with the teachers Kindergarten through 12th grade to guide and coach them in classical curriculum and pedagogy.

Mrs. Martin grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and came to Florida to attend Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach. She fell in love with classical education while attending graduate school at Hillsdale College, where she learned of Hillsdale's involvement in K12 education. After graduating from Hillsdale's Graduate School of Statesmanship, Mrs. Martin returned to sunny Florida to enter the teaching profession.

She has since taught 5th and 6th grades at multiple Hillsdale member schools and is excited to share her love of classical education through this new role.

In her free time Mrs. Martin enjoys reading, being outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.

-Submitted by Stephanie Burris, Grammar School Principal

We will soon use lunch detention to help curb tardies in upper school. Each time a scholar accrues three tardies, that scholar will serve three days of silent lunch detention in the cafeteria.

We will pull a tardy report each week, and scholars will serve the detentions on Thursday, Friday, and Monday. Scholars serving detention will enter the cafeteria and sit at the indicated table; those who are purchasing a lunch will get in line once all others have their food.

Any scholar who talks during silent lunch detention will serve three days the following week as well. Scholars who continue to talk will get a referral for defiance.

Thank you for your support as we continually strive to improve school operations.

Our athletic teams are growing! Here's a look at the upcoming schedule. Come cheer on our student scholars.

The Cross Country team participated in the Middleburg Bronco Classic on August 31 where they were once again led by Charlie M and Cullen L.

Last weekend, both teams ran very well in the Clay County Invitational meet that was held at Seamark Ranch. Many PRs (Personal Records) were set as the runners continue to condition and post faster race times.

The following girls set a PR: Isabella C, Giada D, Isabella F, Addison H, Jalayah V, and Lorelei W.

On the boys team, Zach D and Evan R shaved off about a minute each from their previous best time, earning them a PR as well!

This Saturday, September 14, the running Lions will compete in the Duval Cross Country Challenge held at the University of North Florida. The boys race starts at 8:45am followed by the girls race at 9:20am. Come out and show your support for these dedicated athletes.

Congrats to our volleyball team on participating in their first-ever tournament! The team traveled to Naples to compete. Our team lost in the final set by 4 but won the second set up to 36 points. Then in the next game we dominated and started on a 14 point streak to start the game and won 2-0.

Need a reason to head to Jeremiah's for a treat? If you go on September 17, you can support the SJCA Swim Team!

A picture shared by our cheerleading team during "Pink Practice."

Thank you to everyone who participated in the PE & Athletics Charleston Wrap fundraiser. We raised $3067.10 for new equipment and sports jerseys.

We are excited about our new gym and with these funds we can prepare for years to come!

If you did not get a chance to place an order and would like to, the portal is open until Dec. 6. Student prizes should arrive in about two weeks.

In a creative fourth-grade science experiment, scholars got to explore fossils using bread, gummy worms, chocolate pieces, and Swedish fish!

They pressed gummy worms, chocolate pieces, and Swedish fish into slices of bread to simulate the way fossils are embedded in rock layers.

Then, they covered their “fossils” with another piece of bread, representing sediment layers, and let it set over the weekend. Once the “sediment” hardens, students carefully dug out the candy “fossils” to discover and identify them, just like real paleontologists.

Check out the pictures of Mrs. Hancock's class conducting this experiment.

Lunch Account Tips:

• Talk to your scholar(s) about spending limits and what is and isn't ok to buy. The more you communicate your guidelines and expectations, the less issues with negative accounts you will have.

• If you set spending limits last school year and would like them changed or deleted, contact lunch@stjca.org.

• If you need to set spending limits or place a serving line note on the account, contact lunch@stjca.org.

• If you are allowing your scholar a treat after a good week, please be sure there is enough in the account. All extras (ice cream, chips, juice drink, extra slice of pizza) must have cash in hand or a positive account.

Our school has experienced tremendous growth this year, which means we're a bit tight on space until the gym opens. Given the lack of room, the Lions Council has decided to cancel the Winter Wonderland Store this year.

We know how much our scholars love shopping at this event for affordable gifts for family and friends, but it's best to pause since we don't have enough room to host a proper shopping experience without adding stress to crowded hallways.

The Lions Council is working on an alternative idea. More to come.

Chick-fil-A Spirit Week is just around the corner!

Please visit our local Chick-fil-A any time during the week of September 16-20.

You can stop in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and you can dine-in or order through the drive-thru - just say you're supporting SJCA's spirit week.

Get ready for the first-ever 1776 Promise Spirit Day. Scholars may wear red, white, and blue spirit shirts or outfits. All proceeds collected will go directly towards the 1776 Promise Campaign to benefit our teachers.

When: Thursday, September 19

Cost: $2 to participate, per scholar

Payment: You can pay in cash and give it to your teacher, pay online with this link, or scan the QR code. Please note, you cannont pay via MySchoolBucks.

Tops: Should be primarily red, white, or blue in color. No political language or pictures. No face paint.

Bottoms: Standard spirit day bottoms. Jeans or jean shorts to the knee without tears or rips. Uniform shorts or any khaki or navy blue shorts to the knee. No athletic shorts unless you have PE that day.

Have you registered for the golf tournament yet? The tournament is one of three big fundraisers hosted by The Lions Council. The golf tournament kicks off the fundraising season, and there are still spots available! Register today.

Grammar Schoolers

Start in the cafeteria before heading to your classroom. If you have scholars in both grades on the same night, it's easiest to bring two parents and each visit a classroom.

Upper Schoolers

Start in the cafeteria and then go with your scholar(s) to walk through the upper schedule. Each teacher will be in his/her classroom to give a 7-minute talk about the class. This allows parents to meet all the teachers and understand the class content and the classroom expectations.

FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows you to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials. You can submit a tip at any time.