22 January Letter from Mr. Kelly
Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of the Unborn
Dear SJS Catholic School Community,
One of our annual traditions is coming up at the end of the month, Catholic Schools Week! A full schedule is attached to this Virtual Backpack. We know it will have to be different than usual because of COVID, but it will still be fun. And we have much to be thankful for and excited about at SJS. Just a few highlights:
- SJS scores higher than national and diocese averages on standardized tests. And, every year our 8th graders win scholarships to the area high schools.
- SJS offers The Genius Hour in grades 1-6. The only Omaha Catholic School to do so.
- SJS has our very own 3D printer for student use. One of only a few Omaha elementary schools to have one. This is in addition to our computer lab, chromebook lab, and mobile chromebook carts.
- SJS has a Student Services Dept that works with every grade level. And don’t forget Bo, our school therapy dog.
- We have a reading incentive program, The Eagle Readers, which last quarter had over 80 recipients.
- We have a nurse and counselor on site.
- In grades 5-8 we are 1 to 1 student to chromebook.
- Our SJS teachers average 13 years in the classroom.
Clearly SJS has much to offer. When you put our great students together with our outstanding teachers, we can make great progress. Thank you for your continued support.
As we progress in the third quarter, it is time to schedule parent/teacher conferences. Conferences provide an opportunity to evaluate progress and establish goals for the rest of the school year. Just like last year, conferences will not be mandatory for all students. Teachers can request a conference for those families that they would like to visit with, and parents may request a conference with their child’s teacher. This will hopefully allow the teachers to have more time for conferences, and allow them to prepare thoroughly. You will be receiving a conference plan slip. If the teacher is requesting a conference it will be marked on the slip with directions to follow. If you would like a conference, please follow the directions for making one online. This is in no way meant to make you feel like you should not have a conference; if you want to see the teachers, simply make an appointment online.
We have our annual Preschool/Kindergarten Roundup on February 19th. We are limiting the event to new to SJS families and requiring an RSVP to the office. So please spread the word to your friends and family. We will be opening registration first in mid-February to our current families. Every year, a SJS family waits to register and loses that space in our preschool program. So a prompt response is appreciated, and beneficial to you as well.
Please take your time and go slow when picking up and dropping off the students. And if another family member is helping with that duty, please remind them as well. It is exciting to be done with the school day, but our Catholic values call us to be calm and considerate, even in a parking lot. And after school, if picking up on Tomahawk please park before allowing the student into the vehicle. For safety’s sake we don’t want students running into the street. Thanks for your help.
Thanks for all you do.
Peace,
William Kelly
Principal
