The Gold Folder page has lots of new information on International Night, Breakfast with Santa, Wreath Orders.
Please Sign Up for Teacher Conferences
Please go to this sign-up page before 5 pm on Sunday, Oct. 27, to reserve your parent-teacher conference time. We plan to send confirmed conference times to parents next week.
Parent-teacher conferences will take place after school on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 6-7. Child care will be available in the large Study across from the school office while parents attend their child's conference.
There will be conferences from 3:30 to 6:00 pm on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
There will be conferences from 3:30 to 5:00 pm and from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Thursday, Nov. 7.
Letter from Catholic Schools Secretary
Bill Ryan, Secretary for Catholic Schools, has written a letter to middle-school students informing them of the power of their words and the potential implications of making threatening statements.
This morning I read the letter to students in 5th-8th grades at Secretary Ryan's request. I am sharing the letter with all parents.
The letter was sent to all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Washington. Recently, there have been incidents involving reports of threatening statements by students at other Catholic schools.
SJB's threat policy appears on page 29 of the Parent and Student Handbook. If you have any questions or concerns about the secretary's letter or about the policy, please send your questions or concerns to me, and I'll forward them to Secretary Ryan or address them myself.
Here is the letter from Secretary Ryan.
Friday is Half-Day and End of 1st Quarter
This is just a reminder to our families. There will also be Half-Day Grill on Friday. Go to the Gold Folder page for all the latest on grill lunch, school events and activities.
No School Monday, Teachers Attend Professional Development
Catholic school teachers will attend professional-development workshops at Our Lady of Good Counsel on Monday, Oct. 28. There will be no school and no After Care on Monday, Oct. 28.
Halloween Parade is Thursday, Oct. 31
The Halloween Parade is a must-see event at SJB. Students parade around a big crowd of parents in the parking lot from 12:30 pm until about 1 pm, and then the Student Council presents awards for best costumes to students in all different grades.
Students will eat lunch and have recess early on Thursday, Oct. 31. Grades Lunch Recess
K-4 11:30-11:50 11:50-12:10
5-8 11:50-12:10 11:30-11:50
After the parade, there will be games and activities planned by the 8th graders.
Students come to school out of uniform and bring a costume to change into at 12:10. Parents are welcome to come to the classroom to help their child with his or her costume prior to the parade. We hope parents will be there to cheer on the kids during the parade.
Parade Guidelines -- The parade begins at 12:30 pm. The students loop around the blacktop with the spectators in the middle. If the weather is bad, it will be in the gym.
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.
Students may not bring toy weapons or dye their hair.
Because of the parade, parking will not be available on the blacktop. Please park at the Lyon Center, along the fence closest to White Oak Middle School, or along the side of the school driveway (where the dumpsters are) to Lima Street.
Next Week -- No More Shorts
Winter uniform rules take effect on Tuesday, Oct. 29, the first day of the 2nd Quarter. This means no more shorts with regular school uniforms. Students will wear warm-up jackets and warm-up pants on PE days.
Certified Volunteers Welcome for Lunch/Recess Duty
Parents with child-protection certification are welcome to serve lunch and recess duty as volunteers. Please let us know that you are coming so that we can check on your certification status and alert the teachers and recess monitors. Our teachers and recess monitors welcome the help. We're preparing an online sign-up page so that the students get the most out of your service. We should have it up and running in the next week or so. We'll post the sign-up page when it's ready.
Lunch and recess duty are no longer required of parent volunteers, but the gift of volunteer service is always accepted and encouraged at SJB.
Wondering About Your Fingerprinting Results?
Some parents say they were fingerprinted but haven't heard yet about the results of their background check or if they're now child-protection certified. Please remember to notify our child-protection certification coordinator, Martha Kerley, of the date of your fingerprinting so that she can track the results. Mrs. Kerley can be reached through the Parish Office at 301-622-1122 or at mkerley@sjbssparish.org.
See step 4 on the steps to child-protection certification page.
Drama Company Comes to SJB
On Friday, Nov. 1, at 1:45 pm, the Single Carrot Theater Company will come to SJB for a presentation to our students.
