Dear SJS Families,
We hope you had a relaxing and sun-filled weekend. The main purpose of this week’s email is to share details for wrapping up the 2019-2020 school year and giving a very tiny glimpse into the new year ahead. There is a lot of information and a lot of time and consideration has been put into trying to wrap things up neatly. We aren’t sure we’ve thought of everything, but we tried our best :)! Please read through to the end.
Wrapping up 2019-2020
With the end of the year looking very non-traditional, there will be special plans in place to help bring us together as a school family, as well as accomplish the common “end of year” tasks that are necessary to keep things running smoothly. Here are some details:
The last instructional days for the year are this week. Grades K-3 have assigned work on Tuesday and Wednesday and grades 4-8 have assigned work on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
4th quarter work turn-in- ALL 4th quarter work is due on Friday, May 29th. For grades 4-8 this will all happen digitally and there is a final due date of Friday, May 29th at 11:59 p.m. for all assignments, including any missing, late, and/or correct and returns that may have been offered. For grades K-3 all paper and pencil work must be turned in to the bins outside of door D at St. Joe’s by 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29th. Please be respectful of these deadlines. The teachers have their final grades due early the following week to allow for creation of awards/recognition certificates, as well as preparing report cards, and other end of year tasks. It is important that all work is turned in. Thank you! (Parents in grades K-3 will get a separate email from your child’s teacher with a turn-in list and details, as you have in the past.)
Returning graded work- any work that is submitted and graded will be returned to families outside of Door D at St. Joe’s beginning Friday, June 5th at 8:00 a.m. If you would like your child’s graded papers back, please pick them up between June 5th and June 30th. Anything left after that will be thrown away.
Returning SJS belongings and collecting student belongings- VERY IMPORTANT- please read!
This will take place on Monday, June 1st from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. AND 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., as well as Tuesday, June 2nd from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each family can choose the time that is best for them. It does not have to be a parent that brings the children, just be sure whoever is bringing the student(s) knows the information below. These will be the only times the building will be open for families to enter.
The event will be run “open house” style with no scheduled times. We will only allow a limited capacity in the building at a time, so please come prepared to possibly have to wait outside/in a line until you are permitted into the building.
Although we have to have guidelines, etc. we still want the mood of the day to be fun since it is technically the “last day of school” that is mixed with excitement for what is to come, as well as a little sadness over what we are leaving behind.
All families must enter and exit through Door D.
You must bring back everything that belongs to the school, including:
Technology that was borrowed, including charger(s).
All books (even soft cover workbooks) EXCEPT your Religion Book, with the exception of grades 2 and 7- must return their Blessed (2nd) and Chosen (7th) books to be used in 3rd and 8th grade for communion and confirmation prep.
Any manipulatives or teaching/learning tools that were handed out by the teacher or sent home that are the property of the school.
Library books
Anything else you have that belongs to the school that we are forgetting.
Masks are not required, but may be worn at the comfort level of each individual person.
Students MUST stay with their family member at all times. They may not wander around and visit with each other/staff members. The visit to school should be task oriented to return and collect belongings, as well as complete other end of year tasks. If a family or student needs/wants to see a particular teacher, we can try to arrange it in a way that makes sense for space, etc.
A checklist/guide to your visit will be given at the door to help direct the day.
We must discourage any kind of gathering either inside or outside the building and on school grounds, including the new playground. We know it is tempting, but it is not open for use at this time. Please help respect this policy.
If you have any questions about this event, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher.
A family event- to help have one last whole-school experience this year, we are hosting a Family Trivia Night over Google Meet this Thursday, May 28th at 6:30 p.m. A separate link will be sent out. We hope you will all try to join us. It will be a laid back and fun trivia night experience and a fun way to end the year! (If your child’s class typically has a Google Meet at this time, the whole school one will take its place.)
Report Cards will be published online again this quarter. The goal is to have them published on Friday, June 5th! A hard copy, as well as any award certificates, etc. will be mailed home at a later date.
Yearbook Ordering- Here is the info. to order a 2019-2020 yearbook from Ripcho:
Go to: https://www.ripchostudio.com/
Scroll down until you see: Enter your Prepay “Online Password” or “Image Locator Number” below:
Online Password Code: stjosepham20
Fill in any info. needed to order
The firm deadline is June 1, 2020 at midnight
(Side note: I tried this morning and the website was down, so hopefully they are working on that.)
EdChoice Scholarships- any new EdChoice or renewal EdChoice scholarship applications must be to Mrs. Robin Hunker in the school office by this Wednesday, May 27th at 9 a.m. to allow her to enter and submit them by the deadline. Her email is robin.hunker@sjs-amherst.org if you have any questions or need to submit.
Tuition for 20/21- we will be taking the next two weeks to look at tuition assistance awards for families that applied through FACTS for Grant and Aid and tuition amounts for the 20/21 school year will be input to the FACTS payment system by June 15th. IMPORTANT- FACTS will carry over your payment information from this school year unless you change it. If you want to choose a different payment method, plan, etc., now is the time to do so. Tuition payments for 20/21 begin in July.
Knights of Columbus Raffle- the raffle has been extended so if you still have tickets to turn in or more to sell, please do so and bring them to turn in on June 1st or 2nd when you come to school. Thank you!
Looking ahead to 2020-2021
At this time, it is impossible to know what the fall will bring, but I want you to know that we are on top of planning for 3 different scenarios at this time- a full return to school, a blended learning plan of some in class learning and some distance learning, as well as a plan for continuing distance learning for the foreseeable future. There is no indication at this time which of these plans will take effect. The diocese has a task force formed and they are on top of all of the research and information that is coming out and we are using it to our best ability to formulate a plan. Our local health department has given the guidance that we will most likely not know what to truly plan for until July. As soon as I know more, you will, as well.
Lastly, I know there has been a lot of talk about how we are all in this together, and in some ways that is so true, but at other times, I know we can each feel so alone. To help us get through this last big push to end the school year, here is a little motivation and inspiration from some of the school staff. Please share it with your students and know that the hard work from each of them and each of you during this time has been an inspiration to us.
https://animoto.com/play/
Sincerely,
Mrs. Makruski
Happy Sunday, SJS families! We have reached mid-May and it is hard to believe we are two months into our distance learning journey with only a few more left. Here is a short update this week with more details to follow in next week’s update.
Instructional Days- this week our instructional days are M, T, W, and TH. There are only 7 instructional days left for grades K-3 and 8 left for grades 4-8!
Summer Care- At this time we are not planning to open for summer care for several reasons. If this changes, I will make an announcement to the families, but have no immediate plans of opening at this time.
Yearbook Ordering- Here is the info. to order a 2019-2020 yearbook from Ripcho:
Go to: https://www.ripchostudio.com/
Scroll down until you see: Enter your Prepay “Online Password” or “Image Locator Number” below:
Online Password Code: stjosepham20
Fill in any info. needed to order
The firm deadline is June 1, 2020 at midnight
Library Books- don’t forget, if you have library books that belong to the school, you can return them in the library bin outside of Door D. Mrs. Csanady thanks you!
Save the Date(s): Here are some important dates for you to keep in mind as we are approaching the end of the school year. Details for each event will be shared with individual groups, as needed, or with the whole school in next week’s update.
Student supply pick-up, locker clean-out, and school property turn-in will take place on June 1st and 2nd.
8th grade graduation will take place on Thursday, June 4th. Details will be shared with 8th grade specifically.
Preschool graduation for 4 year olds is being coordinated by the preschool director Miss Haslage. Details will be shared with preschool specifically.
Kindergarten graduation will take place on Wednesday, June 3rd. Details will be shared with K specifically.
Teacher work days will be June 3rd and 4th, we hope to publish report cards on June 5th for the year.
I continue to keep you all in my prayers and we continue to miss using our talents in our rooms/building. Thank you for your continued support of your children, their teachers, and all of SJS. It is very appreciated.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Makruski
The mission of Saint Joseph Parish School is to provide rigorous curriculum rooted in faith in an environment that fosters self-reliance. Students are immersed in social justice teachings and 21st century learning to help them achieve their maximum potential.
We encourage you to explore our website and see the amazing opportunities St. Joseph Parish School has to offer your family.
