SJA Newsletter August 27, 2008
For a New School Year
Good and gracious God,
as a new school year begins,
fill the hearts of our students with eagerness
to learn about the work you have created,
about themselves and
most of all,
about you.
Bless our teachers with gifts of wisdom and
patience that they might help their students
find the truth.
Gift our parents with generous hearts to
encourage and support their sons and daughters.
Help us all work together to form a community
of learning that teaches not only skills
for material success but all that we need
to live our faith fully in this world.
Amen
Welcome to the School Year 2008-2009! The faculty and staff began this year last Tuesday as we do every year by attending Mass together. Many attended a Religion workshop at the Town and Country Convention Center on Wednesday and all have worked very hard to have their rooms prepared to greet your students. We feel ready for a fantastic new year.
I have included in today’s envelope a letter from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges congratulating St. James Academy on achieving a full six-year accreditation. The faculty, staff, students and parents spent enormous amounts of time creating the Self-Study document and working with the visitation team that led to this accreditation. It was definitely an affirmation of all that we do here at the Academy and I thank all who contributed to this success.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
You may view this newsletter and all the year’s newsletters on our website at saintjamesacademy.com under “current news”. You may also sign up for notification that a new newsletter has been posted on line.
Please take the time to review all of the materials enclosed in today’s envelope. There are several forms that must be carefully read, completed and returned to the office no later than next Tuesday, September 2nd. Especially important are the medication dosage form and the white emergency card. Please make sure to complete BOTH sides of the white emergency card. Thank you.
IMPORTANT: Please make sure that your children are aware that if you are not here by 3::00p.m. they
automatically will sign into day care. THEY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE THE OFFICE PHONE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU ARE. The office phone is for emergency use only. Please make sure that your children are aware that they may not use the phone to set up last minute study dates, play dates, etc…
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL DAY CARE
Mrs. Anna Marie Howard will welcome students to her 4th Grade Classroom for before-school care. The
cost is $2.00 per day. All students arriving at school between 7:00 and 7:45 a.m. must go to her room.
All students should be dropped off for school in front of the school. Safety is our huge concern and having students in the Church parking lot when parishioners are parking in order to attend Mass can be very dangerous.
Coach Elbers will again be in charge of the after-school care program daily. Extended care is available from dismissal until 5:30 p.m. All students on campus who are not under the direct supervision of a parent at 3:00 p.m. will be sent to day care and parents will be responsible for payment of any fees. More information on this is included in this envelope.
At dismissal, if you get out of your car and come to the school, students must be under your control. Between 2:45 and 3:00 p.m., no student should be on the field, play equipment or playing with balls on the blacktop. This is so school personnel can account for all the children. No students are allowed in the back of the school or church parking lot unless they are under direct control of the parent. Your cooperation will ensure the safety of all the students.
If you would like your student to walk home or meet you somewhere other than at the Academy, I must have written permission filed in the school office, releasing the Academy from all liability. This permission form is in this envelope.
If your children are late for school they must come to the office and fill out a tardy slip and then present this slip to their teacher. The teacher decides if the reason for tardiness is marked ‘excused’ or ‘unexcused’. Any medical appointments are excused. However, it is preferred that a note is brought in from the physician’s office. Three ‘unexcused’ tardies will result in a detention. Though we realize at times it is unavoidable, it is disruptive to have students coming to classrooms late.
Due to our extensive use of class web pages and sharing academy events on our website, student’s pictures (without names) are often displayed. If you do NOT want your child’s picture included you must put this in writing and send it into the office. Thank you.
CHECK POLICY: By using a check for payment, you agree to the following terms: In the event your check is dishonored or returned for any reason, you authorize us to electronically (or by paper draft) re-present the check to your bank account for collection of the amount of the check, plus any applicable fees as permitted by state law.
There will be NO FRIDAY PIZZA OR HOT LUNCH PROGRAM UNTIL OCTOBER. We have spent this summer researching alternative hot lunch programs and will let you know what the final decision is before October. Thank you.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT: Next Thursday, September 4th please join us in the Parish Hall for Back To School Night. There will be a “casual bite-to-eat” for those of you coming directly from work. Please remember that this is for ADULTS ONLY. After the meeting in the hall you will have two periods to meet with your children’s teachers in their classroom.
The office is in need of someone to cover the phones, etc… from noon until 1:00 on Tuesdays. You can volunteer for every week or switch off with someone else every other week. We also need some ‘back up’ people for Monday-Fridays if someone is ill and cannot make it. Thank you.
The Parent Council will meet in the Ministry Center tomorrow, Thursday morning, August 28th at 8:00 a.m. All parents are welcome to attend. If you have an agenda item, please notify Dana Mueller at 792-8209.
The St. James Academy Advisory Board will have a business meeting Thursday evening, August 28th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Faculty Room.
We have a very special prayer request for Rita Keeley, wife of Richard Keeley who taught fifth grade the past nine years here at the academy. Mrs. Keeley has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will be undergoing surgery next Wednesday. Please keep Rita, Richard and their wonderful family in your prayers.
Please join us for 8:00 Mass Friday morning. The Faculty will be assisting with the Liturgy.
