BOOST Is Now Open For Applications
Apply here for state tuition assistance through the BOOST program until April 24.
A BOOST Award can be used to cover tuition at SJB. Click on the BOOST icon to learn about how and when to apply.
Families may use BOOST money to pay for private school tuition. Several SJB families have received tuition assistance through BOOST. SJB is a participating BOOST school.
The BOOST Program provides scholarships for students who would be eligible for the free lunch or reduced-price meals program if they were in a public elementary school.
Notice This Week of Archdiocesan Assistance Awards
Notices of Archdiocesan tuition assistance awards are expected to go out on Friday, March 13. The grants will apply to tuition in the 2020-21 school year. Notices will be made directly to applicants by email through TADS, which manages the tuition assistance program for Archdiocesan Catholic schools. The application deadline for current families passed in December, and the deadline for new families passed in early February.
SJB Begins 25th Arts & Academics
Students in grades 5-8 give oral presentations with their projects:
- 5th grade state reports
- 6th grade artists or arts/architecture
- 7th grade science experiments
- 8th grade social-political essays
Today and Tonight
Seventh-grade science presentations are made before scientists from the Food & Drug Administration. Volunteers, including many parents, judge the science projects throughout the afternoon.
Sixth-grade students make their presentations on art and architecture before a group of volunteers, including many parents.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow Night
The culmination is the Gallery Walk from 7 pm to 8 pm on Wednesday when families and friends view all of the projects, including the work of students in Kindergarten through 4th grade.
On Wednesday, students in all grades view projects throughout the day.
At different times, students present to each other:
- 6th grade students present to 5th graders
- 5th grade students present to 4th graders
- 7th grade students present to 6th graders
The presentations give the lower-grade students an understanding of what they'll be expected to do next year.
TAG Day on Thursday
Students may come to school out of uniform on Thursday. For TAG Day, the Student Council requests a donation of $2 to $5 for Kaboom, an organization that provides playground equipment for parks that serve poor families.
Reminder -- No School Friday
There will be no school on Friday, March 13, a designated professional development day for teachers.
Order Hot Lunch for 3rd Quarter Now
Here's a hot lunch order form you can print.
Congratulations, SJB Honors Band!
Congratulations to the 7th and 8th Grade band members who participated in the Archdiocesan Honors Band this past weekend. Here are the SJB participants:
- Liam Barry
- Nicholas Campagnari
- Olivia Croff
- Aidan Cunningham
- Sebastian Diaz
- Andriy Krzywucki
- Chinedu Obikwelu
They rehearsed for 6 weeks at St. John College High School and then performed at Elizabeth Seton this past Saturday.
Congratulations, Aidan Langan, Essay Contest Winner
Congratulations to 8th grade student Aidan Langan, who won the Catholic Business Network Essay Contest and a CBN scholarship to high school. Aidan is headed to St. John's College High School next year. Eighth grade students from many area Catholic schools competed. The CBN received more than 300 essays. Students were instructed to write in response to the prompt, What can you do to be more aware that Jesus is present in your life?
Prayers for Obikwelu Grandparent
We are praying for Sir Joseph Nwabude, who passed away on March 3, father of Victoria Obikwelu and father-in-law of Christian Obikwelu, grandparent of Chinedu (7th), Adaobi (5th), Zinachidi (3rd), and Tobenna (K). We are praying for his family, as well.
Prayer for Eaton Grandparent
We are praying for Joseph McMahon, father of Missy Eaton and grandparent of Sabrina (6th), who passed away on Feb. 25. Here is the notice that appeared for Mr. McMahon.
Seeking Volunteers
Can you sew?
We are looking for parents, relatives, or friends who are willing to sew an altar cloth with our new theme or banners for our liturgies for the start of the 2020-21 school year. Please contact the school office (301-622-3076) if you are interested in helping.
Service on the SJB School Advisory Board
We are looking for parent-volunteers who are interested and willing to serve for one year or two years on the SJB School Advisory Board.
We are looking for parents willing to take a leadership role in the following areas:
-
Public Relations and Marketing -- publicize the great things happening at SJB and help recruit new families to the school
-
Development and Finance -- determining school needs and how to pay for them
-
Governance and Evaluation -- assessing our own fundraising and volunteering programs
-
Fundraising -- setting the plan for 2020-21 school year and coordinating fundraising as the leader of the HSA
-
Community Building -- planning and coordinating with the HSA leader and room parents
Please let me know if you would be willing to serve on the school board and your area of interest. Email: brian.blomquist@sjbsilverspring.org
Here's What's Happening in Kindergarten
Kindergarten is often referred to as "the reading year," and that is definitely true at SJB. Our little ones start off the year recognizing letters of the alphabet to becoming beginning readers ready to tackle the challenges of 1st grade. Even without a snowstorm this school year, our Kindergarten students enjoyed learning about some animal friends and how they weather the winter. Stories about “snow fun” have been favorites especially The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. Spring will bring more authors for the class to enjoy. As our beginning readers practice with different books in small-class groups, sight vocabulary and strategies for more difficult word decoding is being strengthened. In addition to the reading curriculum, Kindergarten students are excited about learning addition, graphing, and fractions. Math is fun in kindergarten!
The Lenten season brings an opportunity to show the good deeds of our younger students. Kindergarten students will decorate the brown cross in their room with colorful mosaics that show good deeds. By Easter, it should look glorious! A field trip to a petting farm is planned for Spring with Pre-K followed by an end of the year picnic and the not-to-miss Field Day to cap off a spectacular year.
Letters on Coronavirus
March 6
Dear SJB Families,
I've attached a letter from William Ryan, secretary of education of the Archdiocese of Washington, regarding the announcement by Governor Larry Hogan that three Montgomery County residents have been quarantined with the coronavirus (COVID-19) after contracting it overseas.
We continue to monitor the situation and follow the guidance and direction of the Maryland Department of Health, the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Montgomery County Public Schools, the Catholic Schools Office, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The following resources are designed to help parents talk with their children about COVID-19, so I am offering them here.
Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - A Parent Resource
Hable con Sus Hijos Sobre el COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Un Recurso para Padres
St. John the Baptist is committed to providing a safe learning environment to your children. We will continue to seek the guidance of local health officials, and we will continue to pray for the health and safety of our children and our SJB community.
March 6