Principal's Note 1/29/19

Family Mass & Lunch Are Still On Schedule

The Family Open House will be re-scheduled.

We are still having Family Day on Thursday, Jan. 31. The Open House, which had been scheduled for Thursday morning, will be rescheduled because of the two-hour delay.

School will begin at 10 am, and we will have our Catholic Schools Week Family Mass at 10:45 am. We invite our families to join us for Mass in the church.

After Mass, the school will host a Family Hot Lunch in the Gym. It is a great SJB tradition for parents to join their children for Family Lunch during Catholic Schools Week. It is a chance for the teachers to show their appreciation for the parents. The teachers and staff have prepared treats for everyone who comes.

We understand that some parents may change their lunch plans  because the school cancellation caused them to lose working time. Please know that we are grateful for the sacrifices our parents make and the trust that they show.  

We know that many parents look forward to the opportunity to see their children in the classroom during the Family Open House. We will reschedule a classroom Open House for current school families and notify parents in advance so that they can plan for it.

A Reminder -- If you were planning to bring a lunch for your child, but now you aren't coming to lunch, please remember to send your child to school with a lunch.

A Note -- Students will have classes on Thursday afternoon after the Family Lunch. 

Catholic Schools Week Continues Friday with Roll Out of Bed & Read

Kids may come to school in their pajamas for Roll Out of Bed and Read Day, or they may wear sweatpants and sweatshirts with sneakers to school. Friday is Roll Out of Bed & Read Day.

Free-Throw Contest -- At 11 am on Friday, we will have our annual Basketball Free-Throw Contest in the Gym. On Friday night, there's Kids Bingo Night in the Gym.

Friday is Half-Day -- Just a reminder that dismissal is 12 noon on Friday, Feb. 1.

Show the SJB kids some love at the Valentine's Day Hot Lunch! 

We'd like to have cupcakes and decorations for Valentine's Hot Lunch on Thursday, Feb 14, bu we need volunteers to make it happen. We are looking for 11 cupcake bakers, three gym decorators, and three cupcake distributors.   

Bakers - Bakers should make two dozen nut-free cupcakes and bring the cupcakes to the kitchen Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning before 11 am. Please label any container you use if you would like the container returned to you.

Decorators -- Decorators should arrive from 10 to 11 am on Thursday, Feb. 14, to help hang hearts and cover tables with plastic tablecloths. 

Distributors -- Parents are needed from 12 to 12:45 pm on Thursday, Feb. 14, to help hand out cupcakes at both lunches. 

Any help would be appreciated.  If you are interested in helping, please contact Kim Trebel at kim5408@msn.com 

Bowie Baysox "Read and Hit a Homerun" Reading Program 

     A message from Maria Hippchen (Nick 8th):  The Bowie Baysox are in their 23rd year of this wonderful program to promote reading, and I wanted to give you information about important dates and some exciting changes!  As many of you know, all the students need to do is read four books inside or outside the classroom from January 1 through  March 22 will count (books read earlier this month will count).  Posters should arrive within the next two weeks, and each student will simply check the box next to his/her name after each book is read.  Upon completion of this program, each student will now receive two tickets (one can be used by an adult) to the Bowie Baysox baseball game on Saturday, May 18, at 6:35 pm. At the game, your child's accomplishments will be celebrated!  This year, tickets will be distributed electronically. I have been running this fun and worthwhile reading program for many years, and the switch to electronic tickets will make it even easier for everyone.  After 15 years at this wonderful school, my youngest child will soon be graduating. I am hoping someone will be willing to take it over for me.  Please let me know if you are interested.  Thanks so much! 

Maria Hippchen (mbhippchen@gmail.com)

SJB Registration Has Begun  

Registration can be a cloudy process. At SJB, families must go through the enrollment process every year. Below are the steps that each family must take from now through April to re-enroll children in the school.

After Care Rates May Change Next Year

We are analyzing our After Care rates with an eye toward creating a new After Care payment system in 2019-20. As soon as we have determined what the new rates will be, we will send the information to our school families. We hope to do this before the end of the school year.

Registration May Look Different Next January

SJB is considering different tuition models for next year. Some models include rolling student and family fees into a higher tuition rate, lowering registration and making it a real fee instead of a down payment for returning families, and increasing assistance credits for multiple children among other measures. SJB's goal is to provide affordable, high-quality education to as many families as possible. The challenge is paying excellent teachers and providing quality resources while keeping tuition as low as possible. SJB will continue to look at tuition models used at Catholic schools in the Archdiocese and in other areas in an effort to strike the right balance while meeting the needs of our families and children. We hope to give our families an idea of where we are headed in advance of the next registration season, which begins in January 2020 for school year 2020-21.

Register for After School Science Club 

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