Tell Your Friends About SJB Open House

We Need Help With Recruitment and Giving Tours

SJB's success depends on strong enrollment.

At SJB, students and parents feel a true sense of belonging. The strong feeling of community starts with the way that we welcome new families to our school. 

Jackie Dugroo (Katherine 5th, Joanna Class of 2018), who coordinates our recruitment effort as director of the Parent Ambassadors, is seeking volunteers: Our Parent Ambassador program began two years ago with a goal of maintaining high enrollment at SJB. As we approach application season for our 2019-2020 school year, we ask for your help in spreading the word of our awesome school. Our goal is to fill our PreK- 4^th grade classrooms for our next school year.  We currently have a waiting list for grades 5-8.    

Please contact Mrs. Dugroo at jbdugroo@verizon.net if you are able to help in one of the following ways:

• Be a tour guide at one of the Open Houses. Tour guide training will be provided.
• Speak briefly about Catholic schools at a Mass on Sunday, Jan. 6. Talking points are provided.
• Place an Open House announcement or blurb for SJB on your neighborhood list serve or on another visible social media site (and please tell us about it).
• Post a yard sign if your yard is a good place for a tiny SJB billboard.
• Write Thank You notes to families that visited the school. We will send you template, and names and addresses.
• Organize refreshments for open houses

Open House Dates and Times

Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 -- 6:30 to 8:00 pm

Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019 -- 6:30 to 8:00 pm 

Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 -- 9:00 to 10:30 am

Monday, March 18, 2019 -- 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm 

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.

Gourmet Reading in the Fourth Grade

Steps in 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.

 School Choir Forming 

Mr. Shillingford is looking for enthusiastic singers in grades 5-8 for the school choir. The SJB music teacher has placed sign-up forms in the middle-school classrooms and has made an online sign-up form  for parents who want their children to participate. The choir will soon begin rehearsing songs for the Christmas Program. Choir members will be required to attend rehearsals on Tuesday afternoons from 3:10 to 4:15 pm. Choir membership depends on student attendance, effort, and behavior.  

2nd Quarter Hot Lunch Form is Available

Here's the order form for Hot Lunch Thursday for the 2nd quarter. Orders are due by Friday, Oct. 26.

Apply Now for Tuition Assistance

Tuition assistance applications are now being received by the Archdiocese of Washington (ADW).

To apply for tuition assistance for the 2019-20 school year, go to the Catholic Schools tuition assistance information page.

The deadline is Saturday, Dec. 1.

All families are encouraged to apply for tuition assistance through the Archdiocese.

Completion of an Archdiocesan (ADW) application is a requirement for families seeking parish or school assistance.

Last year, 41 students received ADW tuition assistance awards for a total of $37,380 for the current school year. That's $911 per ADW award.

An additional $21,100 was awarded through school and parish tuition assistance accounts, which are funded by contributions.

First Communion Meeting is Sunday, Oct. 28

Parents wishing to celebrate a child’s first communion, please come to an information session on Sunday, October 28 from 2 to 2:30 pm in classroom 8 in the school.

Halloween Parade Set for Wednesday, Oct. 31

Our annual Halloween Parade will begin at 12:45 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The parking lot will be cleared, parents will gather, and  students will parade around the lot in their costumes. Student Council members will judge the best costumes and award prizes, and the 8th grade will have fun activities planned for the afternoon.

If you haven't been here for the Halloween Parade, you'll want to save the date. It's an event you don't want to miss. As you plan ahead for costumes, please keep these guidelines in mind.

Children should be able to walk unassisted with their costumes in place.

Multiple costume plans (3 or more) should include all the girls or boys to avoid hurt feelings.

Toy weapons and hair dye aren't allowed.

 SJB Knights Hold Soccer Competition

The SJB Knights are holding a soccer competition on Saturday, Oct. 20. See the flyer and entry form.

DeMatha Invites 6th-8th Grade for Information Session

Here's the flyer for the session at DeMatha, an all-boys Catholic high school.

Tuesday Science Club Is Under Way 

The SJB Science Club is meeting on Tuesdays from 3:15 to 4:15 pm in the Large Study, the classroom across from the school office, and classroom 7 from today (Oct.2) through Nov. 20. Students in K-3 are experimenting with light and sound, while students in grades 3-5 learn about electricity and circuitry.

ELL Homework Club Starts Tuesday, Oct. 16

The ELL Homework Club will meet after school on Tuesday, Oct. 16, until 4:15 pm. The group will meet in room 5 and the Math Room.

Breakfast with Santa Helpers Needed