10 September Letter from Mr. Kelly

Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Dear SJS School Community,

A big part of being successful during these COVID times is going to be keeping sick kids, or possibly sick kids, out of school.  And we have been doing a great job of that.  We’ve had lots of parents say that they are just being careful and keeping their kids out of school for a day or two to see how things progress.  Or that they are consulting pediatrician. So, we know that is a challenge and we appreciate your dedication.  Here again are the common symptoms for COVID-19- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

And, just a reminder that if anyone is COVID positive in the household the student will need to stay home as well.  If there is a positive case in the classroom you will be notified and everyone in the classroom or contact group will have to mask up for two weeks.  Contact the school office with any questions.  And, we strongly encourage mask use.  Please send your student with a mask so they can put it on whenever in close contact with another.  Thanks for your continued support.

Midterms are coming out next week.  So, this is the middle of the quarter and gives you a chance to visit with your student about progress and you can make goals for the rest of the quarter.  If ever any issues arise in class, it’s always best to consult the teacher first.  They have the first-hand knowledge about what is going on in the class to address your concerns.  And, we are planning on in person Parent/Teacher Conferences in October.  As it gets closer you will once again get an email link to sign up.

As we reach the midpoint of the first quarter the following are some tips, based upon experience and best practice, to help students become successful in school:

1. Make clear to your child that disobedience is not an option.  Not even the best teacher can discipline a child who comes from a home not already respectful of adult authority.   
2. Assign your child a fair amount of day-to-day housework.  The more responsible the child is within the family, the more responsibility the child will demonstrate at school.
3.  Always be interested in what your child is doing at school. 
4.  If and when your child’s teacher reports a problem, give the teacher, not the child, the benefit of the doubt.  As a general rule teachers are more committed to bettering the welfare of children than any other class of professionals. 
-I just find this to be good food for thought as we advance into the rest of the school year.

I also wanted to comment on our school uniform policy.  The uniform policy is a tool to make our school look consistent and respectful, and help alleviate social issues.  Thank you for your parental support and involvement.   Reminders: socks are to be visible, hair out of the eyes, belts in 5-8, and skirts no shorter than 3 inches from the knee.  All uniform items are to be purchased at a uniform store or uniform section of a department store.  It’s wise to check the Dennis Uniform website before making a purchase to see if it falls in line with our uniform policy.  A uniform policy silently teaches the lesson of equality while allowing individuality to shine through via words, actions, and personality.  Thanks for all you do.

Peace,
William Kelly
Principal