October 4th Letter from Mr. Kelly
Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi
Dear SJS Catholic School Community,
We know that working together home and school can make great progress for students. To continue the home and school partnership, Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on October 24th. Conferences will begin at 11:30 and will end at 7:00 and all conference will be signed up for online. There will be no school on the 25th. And, don’t forget that parents have access to grades online 24/7 through Sycamore.
There was a change made to the Safe Environment policy that Catholic schools follow. Essentially, all adults who have contact with students are to be Safe Environment trained. No matter how small that contact may seem. So, if you would like to participate in field trips and class parties we definitely want you to. We just have to make sure we are following the expectations given to us by the Archdiocese. You can find a listing of Safe Environment trainings at https://archomaha.org/safe-
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 of uniform section of a department store. A uniform policy silently teaches the lesson of equality while allowing individuality to shine through via words, actions, and personality.
We are finished now with our Terra Nova testing. Thank you for all your help and ensuring student attendance. It was a long week of focusing, thinking, and answering difficult questions. We are proud of our students and the hard work they put into these tests. The results will arrive in a few weeks and help us with future school planning and give you more information about the academic skill of your student.
At SJS we don’t serve others because they are Catholic. We serve others because we are Catholic. This idea is made clear through the annual coat drive. So you can clean out your closets and donate your clean and gently used coats, hats, and mittens. All will be sent to the St. Vincent De Paul Society for their coat give away in November. Donations can be dropped in the collection boxes at SJS during school hours October 14-20th.
There is excitement building for our SOAR Dinner next month! We have new items dropped off daily for the silent auction or tickets being purchased for the event. Come on and be part of the fun on November 23rd. The SOAR Dinner is our most important fundraiser for the school. Its success helps to keep costs low and allows the school to purchase new supplies. If your student has enjoyed a chromebook, ipad, the cafeteria tables, or air conditioning they have SOAR to thank at least in part. So your support makes a difference. You can buy your tickets now at-bidpal.net/soar2019 or stop in the office. And if you are interested in sponsorship or even helping at the event contact the school office. You will have a fun time at SOAR, and also provide your student with an example that Catholics do what they can to help their school and parish.
October is a special month in the Catholic Church to remember the Rosary. You might use this month as an opportunity to think about how to make this powerful Catholic tradition a meaningful part of your family’s faith life. Here is a resource that may be of some help- http://www.rosary-center.org/
Peace,
William Kelly
Principal
