Register Now for After School Science Club
See the flyer for information on after-school science clubs.
Kids Night Bingo is Coming
See the flyer for Jan. 28 Bingo.
Yearbook Recognition Ads - Due Feb. 16
If you'd like to purchase a yearbook ad to congratulate your future graduate, acknowledge your child's achievements, or advertise your business, please see flyer with instructions. Ads can be purchased and designed online through Jostens. Full page($50), half page ($30), quarter page ($20). Orders due 2/16/19. Questions? Contact Mrs. Leishear at Chrissy.Leishear@sjbsilverspring.org
Sign Up for Chess Club
Career Day is April 5
We'll be looking for parents interested in talking to students about their interesting careers. More information will be coming soon.
Family Looking for Ride for Kids
One of our school parents, Mrs. Anthony, is asking for a ride home for her children. Adrian (8th), Amanda (6th), and Adam (3rd). Please contact Mrs. Anthony at adamanthony2010@yahoo.com if you are able to give their three children a ride home at dismissal on school days. The family leaves off of Old Columbia Road near Tech Road.
Free Throw Contest is Jan. 27
The SJB Knights are holding our annual Basketball Free Throw Contest on Sunday, January 27th. Here is the flyer for the contest.
Mid-Year Scantron Tests
Students take the computer-adaptive assessments in reading and mathematics three times during the school year: September, January, and May. The results help us analyze class progression during the year by identifying strengths and targeting the most challenging learning objectives with instruction adjustments. The scaled scores allow us to measure proficiency without regard to grade level. After the tests are scored in May, we send parents a portfolio of each student's growth in math and reading for the school year. The results are nationally-normed.
Here is the Scantron mid-year test schedule:
Wednesday
Grade 5 Math at 9:00
Grade 7 Math at 1:45
Thursday
Grade 6 Reading at 8:20
Grade 8 Math at 10:00
Friday
Grade 7 Reading at 8:20
Grade 8 Reading at 9:00
Catholic Schools Week Begins Jan. 27
We promote and celebrate Catholic schools all week. On Thursday, Jan. 31, we have Family Day, when we show special appreciation for our families.
Family Day is Thursday, Jan. 31
The day begins with an open house for our school families from 8:30 am to 10:30 am. During the open house, parents are invited into the classroom with their children. At 10:45 am, we will have a family Mass together in the Church, followed by a family lunch together in the gym. It is a great tradition for school parents to come to school for Family Day.
Here are the order forms for Family Day Lunch and for Third Quarter Thursday Hot Lunch.
Order forms also went home in the Gold Folders.
French Club Begins At SJB
See the flyer for information.
Did You Know SJB Launched an Accelerated Math Program?
The new, third-level, accelerated mathematics program started this school year in grades 5-8. Here's some information about it.
Tell Your Friends About SJB's Math Program
Tell Friends About Our 9 am Open House on Friday, Jan. 24
Here is the flyer. Please feel free to distribute it.
Informational Scouts Meeting Coming Up
For information on a new girls-only Scouts troop at SJB, contact Alan Wolcott at awolcott@dentalhealthinfo.com. The new troop of the Boys Club of America would be for girls from age 11 to 17.
Here's SJB's Snow Day Policy
St. John the Baptist follows the decision of Montgomery County Public Schools regarding school cancellations, delayed openings, and early closings due to inclement weather.
Parents are urged to check a reliable new source, such as WTOP Radio, to find out if Montgomery County Public Schools are closed or delayed. The school system usually announces its decision by 5 am.
If Montgomery County Public Schools announces that schools will be closed early, SJB will close early, and After Care and all after-school activities will be cancelled. Parents are advised to listen for the announcement when snow or ice is forecast. The school will try to notify parents by email and text. The school's full policy can be found on pages 11-12 of the Parent Handbook.
If Montgomery County Public Schools are scheduled to be closed for a reason other than weather, such as professional development for teachers, parents should listen for the Archdiocese of Washington announcement about Catholic schools.
To have emergency weather announcements texted to you, sign up for the text alert service of Montgomery County Public Schools.
Do You Need to Update Your Virtus Certification?
If you became Virtus certified in 2013 or earlier, you will need to update your volunteer certification by getting a new background check. The process doesn't take long. Call Martha Kerley in the Parish Office at 301-622-1122 and schedule a background check. Bring two government ID's for your appointment, and you should be finished in under 10 minutes. The new background check became necessary when the Archdiocese Child Protection Office started using a more advanced digital background check system in December of 2013. Thank you for your cooperation in the name of child safety.
2019-20 Registration Has Started
Registration for the following school year is done on TADS. Here are the steps in the process of re-enrolling children.1. Make registration payment of $500, which counts toward next year's tuition, when you re-register on TADS in January.
2. Complete re-registration for each child (but just one $500 payment).
3. Complete the parish verification form in March and send it to the school office. It is parish policy that this form must be completed each year for a parish discount.
4. Complete Tuition Agreement in April.
- Email from TADS will contain link to tuition payment proposals
- Respond to email by following link to TADS to review tuition payment proposals
- Contact Karen Kuzemka in Parish Office if you have a question about the tuition you've been charged. Please note that credit for tuition assistance may be applied after the agreement has been submitted.
- Select the tuition payment proposal you prefer and accept the agreement.
Remember to Check the Parent Portal
This is especially important for parents of students in grades 4-8. Teachers have been posting daily assignments and unit-ahead information on the Parent Portal since the beginning of the year.
Don't Wait for an Email Notice
Homework assignments are typically posted each afternoon by 4:00 pm without any email notification to parents.
An email notice went out with assignments on our old online homework and grading system. With our previous system, one teacher posted the assignments for each grade. With our current system, the Parent Portal, each teacher posts assignments and class information.
For example, the "unit ahead" information gives an overview of the topics that students will be studying over the next few weeks. It may list the chapters they'll be reading, problems they'll be solving, projects they'll be doing, tests they'll be taking. The unit ahead information is posted on the class summary page.
To see the class summary, log in to the Parent Portal. At the top of the SJB website, there is a sign in prompt that will take you to the Parent Portal. When you are on the Portal, look for your child's name and then look for a Classroom tab to the right. If you don't see a Classroom tab, select "More..." and then you should see the Classroom tab.
After selecting Classroom, select the name of the class from the drop-down list, and then select Class Page. You should see a Portal page with the Class Summary, Announcements, Files, and Links.
Here is an image of an 8th grade student's social studies class summary page.
Dress for the Weather
Our inclination is to send students outside for recess even when it's cold, so please send children prepared with hats, coats, and gloves for the coming winter weather. We will keep the children inside when our recess supervisors feel that it's too cold to be outside. We don't use a temperature threshold because wind and humidity are factors. If students could get frostbite, the students will stay inside. If it's raining, the students will stay inside. Otherwise, they'll probably go outside.
Home Access to Educational Websites
Parents, did you know that you and your children have subscriptions to several educational websites? The website list and home access information can be found on the Rediker Parent Portal under School Links and Files. Through the SJB Library, the school provides access to BrainPOP, World Book, Scholastic Go!, CultureGrams, SIRS Discoverer, and IXL Math and Language Arts. There are two files -- one for home access and one for school access. World Book is an online encyclopedia for the children, parents, and teachers. SIRS is part of the ProQuest research database, and CultureGrams provides information about the 50 states and places in the world. BrainPOP provides academic enrichment in all subjects.
Lunch Duty SignUp
The lunch-duty signup link can be found on the Volunteer page and on the School Lunch page.
Here is the direct link to sign up for lunch duty.
Just follow the link, select an available date, select an available classroom, and then sign up for the open slot.
There's no need to register.
Parents, are you on Facebook? We are!
Follow our SJB page: https://www.facebook.com/SJBSilverSpring/
Admire the latest and greatest masterpieces in the Art Room: https://www.facebook.com/ArtWithMrs.Leishear
Discover what's happening in the Computer Lab: https://www.facebook.com/sjbtechnology
SJB Athletics is on Facebook. Visit and "like" the SJB Athletics Facebook page to receive more timely information about registration, events and opportunities to participate in SJB Athletics.