SJA Parents Letter

SM

Saint Joseph Academy B R O W N S V I L L E

T E X A S

OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

July 1, 2019

Dear SJA Families,

Please allow me to welcome you to a new school year at Saint Joseph Academy on behalf of the entire Administration, faculty and staff. It is our hope that your families’ experiences at SJA will be rewarding and memorable. As an alum, parent, and principal, I firmly believe in all that Saint Joseph Academy represents, and I look forward to partnering with you in your students’ educational journeys, not only as Bloodhounds, but as Marists. You will find our doors are always open, and I encourage you to communicate with each of your student’s teachers or members of the administration regarding any questions or concerns you may have.

We are already busy preparing for the 2019-2020 school year and eager to see everyone on August 9th, the first day of school. Some of you may be familiar with our back to school procedures but attached I have included some information you may find very helpful.

IMPORTANT DATES AND INFORMATION

OFFICE HOURS: Just a reminder that our summer office hours (8:30am – 12:30pm), including Finance, will continue through Wednesday, July 31st. On Thursday, August 1st, all offices will return to regular hours (8:00am – 4:00pm).

SCHOOL CALENDAR: The school calendar has been finalized and may be viewed and downloaded from the school website: www.sja.us

NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION AND FAMILY BBQ: Attendance for new students is mandatory. Thursday, August 8th at 12:00 PM in the Middle Division. Students may dress in jeans and any SJA shirt/t-shirt. Students who do not have their SJA apparel yet may wear a red shirt. Students will be given a tour of the campus, meet their teachers and participate in class demonstrations. Parents are invited to join us at 4:00 PM for a brief presentation and prayer service, followed by a BBQ in our courtyard. Different student organizations and athletic clubs will be in attendance to answer questions you or your children may have regarding extracurricular activities. I hope to see you there!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: Our first day of classes will be on Friday, August 9th, 8 AM- 12 PM. The first bell rings at 8:10 AM. Students are considered tardy if they are not in their homeroom by 8:15 AM. All students will report to

homeroom to receive their schedules and then follow a modified bell schedule. In each of their classes, students will receive a course prospectus that lists all classroom procedures/required materials and highlights the content of the course. We will end the day with a pep rally at 11:20 AM so we hope you can join us and show your Bloodhound pride!

WHAT TO BRING FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: •

• • • • •

All new students must have their immunization records turned in to our Registrar.

Full uniform Backpack Pen, pencil, notebook Summer reading writing assignments Wait until the start of school to purchase supplies as each teacher may or may not require supplies.

WEEKLY BELL SCHEDULES: The first bell will ring at 8:10 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays with students reporting to their homerooms. The school day on Tuesdays will begin at 9:00 AM, and the school day will end at 3:25 PM on all days, with tutoring available until 4:30 PM. MASS CELEBRATION AND NEW PARENT COFFEE THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2019, 9:15 AM. Please join us for our first school mass celebrating the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary to be followed by coffee and pan dulce in the high school library. As with all our school masses, both Catholic and non-Catholic families are welcome. Come and celebrate with us as we also recognize and welcome all new students and their parents to our Marist family.

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT- AUGUST 22, 2019, 6:00 PM BRO. FRANCIS GARZA STUDENT CENTER. This is a great opportunity for parents to meet teachers, staff members, and coaches as you share in your child’s schedule which will be provided when you arrive and check-in. While attendance is not mandatory, this is another chance to connect with members of the SJA community.

THE SCHOOL DAY / ATTENDANCE

• Student supervision is provided on campus from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday- Friday.

• Regular and punctual attendance for each school day and each class is expected.

• The first bell rings at 8:10 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays-Fridays; on Tuesdays the first bell rings at 9:15 AM. • Students are considered TARDY if they are not in their homeroom by 8:15 AM every day.

• Tardy students must report to the office (Middle division office for students

• • • •

•

in grades 7-8, upper division office for students in grades 9-12) for a pass to be admitted to class.

The school day ends at 3:25 PM Monday-Friday.

Note: Bell Schedule (see SJA Student & Parent Handbook) If a student is late to school or going to be absent for the day, please call the attendance line at 956-542-3581.

SIGNING IN OR OUT OF SCHOOL: Any time a student leaves campus prior to dismissal, he/she must sign out at the main office AND must have written permission from his/her parent/guardian.

The note must be provided to the front office at the beginning of the school day. The note must have a date and parent signature.

A student WILL NOT be called out of class for dismissal or to pick something up in the main office.

SCHOOL UNIFORM / PE UNIFORM / DRESS DOWN DAYS

Saint Joseph Academy maintains a code of dress and grooming consistent with its character as a private, Catholic, college preparatory school. This code contributes to a seriousness of purpose, a constructive learning atmosphere, and the development of sound personal habits and a positive self-image. Students’ failure to comply with regulations will result in disciplinary action- a student may not attend class, may be sent home, or a parent/guardian may be called to bring proper attire.

See Dress Code and Grooming Regulations in the SJA Student & Parent Handbook.

LANDS’ END: Only pre-approved Lands’ End uniforms can be worn.

There are different styles available and different ways to shop.

Online: Go to landsend.com/school and create or sign-in to your account. Include your student and school information in My Account (or find your School using the Preferred School Number Search: 900139510). Start shopping with your personalized product checklist.

Phone: Call 1-800-469-2222 and reference your student’s Preferred School Number 900139510, grade level and gender. Our team of consultants are available 24/7 for assistance.

In-Store: Visit your local Lands’ End at Sears store. Our associates can help you with sizing information and you can place your Preferred School order online via the store kiosk. Please note, Lands’ End at Sears stores may have a limited product assortment (no logo’d merchandise is available in the store).

Lands’ End Uniform Fitting: Lands’ End has shipped sample uniforms to Saint Joseph Academy for students to try on. Samples will be available in the main office for beginning July 8, 2019 from 8:30 am- 12:30 pm.

Only SJA outerwear may be worn during the school day or in classrooms.

These items may be purchased from Lands’ End or the SJA Bookstore. Garments cannot be torn or altered, and no hooded sweatshirts may be worn on campus at any time.

PE UNIFORMS: Students enrolled in a PE class at SJA must wear the designated PE uniform sold at our campus bookstore. (t-shirts/shorts range from $10-$15).

DRESS DOWN DAYS: On Days designated as Dress Down or Spirit Days, students are permitted to be out of uniform. An announcement will be made reminding students about approved dress for the day. Approved dress: jeans (no tears, rips, holes or jeggings), SJA spirit t-shirt, team sport/extracurricular shirt, and tennis shoes.

PARKING PERMITS / DROP-OFF & PICK-UP PARKING PERMITS: All students driving on campus must have a valid SJA Parking Permit to park on campus. Permits are available for purchase for $50 from the Receptionist in the main office. You will need to provide the make, model, year, tag number, car color and proof of auto insurance. Student parking on campus is considered a privilege and may be revoked by the Dean for infractions of school policy.

1. Speeding, reckless driving or making excessive noise on school property may result in the loss of driving privileges on campus.

The speed limit on campus is 10 mph.

2. The use of cell phones by all drivers is prohibited when driving on school grounds.

3. Students may not go to their cars during the school day (8:15 AM-3:25 PM) without permission from an Administrator.

4. Students may not loiter in the parking lot before or after school.

5. Vehicles parked in an unauthorized manner may be cited and/or towed away at owner’s expense.

6. The school reserves the right to search any vehicle if reasonable cause exists.

Searches may be conducted at any time there is reason to do so, with or without the student present.

Drop-Off / Pick-Up / Parking: High school students may be dropped off/pickedup at the Ringgold St. entrance of the school. Middle school students are to be dropped off and picked-up in front of the Middle Division building.

Seniors may park in the Ringgold St. entrance parking lot (in front of Memorial Gymnasium)

Juniors may park near the Ted Grey Pavilion or in the parking lot between the middle division and high school.

Underclassmen may park in the parking lot between the middle division and high school.

* Numbered parking areas are available for purchase beginning August 1st in the main office.

SUMMER READING

Educational research consistently shows something that every teacher knows from experience, and that is that students who don’t read during the summer lose ground in their reading facility and comprehension. Further, the most successful university students are those who have developed excellent reading skills through exposure to a wide variety of literature. Finally, as we seek to prepare our students for a lifetime of learning, nothing could be more important than helping them develop a love of reading. Therefore, all Saint Joseph Academy students are required to participate in our Summer Reading Program.

1. Consult the summer reading book lists and instructions which are available on the school website, www.sja.us under the STUDENTS or ACADEMICS tabs or in the school office.

2. Select the appropriate books and complete the summer reading assignment before the beginning of school. You may purchase Summer Reading books from your preferred vendor or borrow from your local library.

3. Students in grades 7 through 12 must be ready to turn in their completed assignments on the first day of school in August.

If you have questions about Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Chairperson, Suzi Mohr at msmohr@sja.us.

BOOKS / I.D. CARDS / LOCKS

Purchasing Process for Consumable Books: We will be partnering with local bookstore Follett Higher Education Group again this year.

Consumables will become available August 1st at the Follett Bookstore located at 83 Fort Brown, Brownsville, TX 78520. Follett employees will need to view the student’s course selection list/schedule (visible on the Portal) to select the correct books for each course. If you have questions, you may contact their store manager at (956) 882-8249. If using an internet vendor, please place your order in July to ensure delivery by August 10th

On-Campus Bookstore: Please note that PE uniforms, student planners, locks, and SJA athletic wear will be sold only at our on-campus bookstore.

Hours: August 5th – 9th August 12th – 30th

1:00pm – 4:00pm 3:30pm – 4:30pm

ID CARDS: Each student will be issued a student identification card at the beginning of the year. This I.D. card must always be carried by students while on campus and at school-related events. Lost or missing cards must be immediately reported to the Dean of Students and replaced at a cost of $10.00.

LOCKS: Locks for school issued lockers are available for purchase at the SJA Bookstore ($8). Locks on all lockers must be an SJA issued lock or the lock will be removed. Students must always keep a lock on their locker to endure safety of their personal belongings.

PLUSPORTALS

The Rediker PlusPortal is our electronic communication system linking students, parents, and school. Because the great majority of our communication during the summer and throughout the school year will be by email through the Portal, all students and parents are required to maintain active PlusPortal accounts.

The Portal will also be the means by which students and parents can check grades and assignments online once classes have started. Please notify the main office if you have a new email address in order for us to update the system. We will send all new families a link to the Portal (via email) this month in order for you to set up your Student and Parent Portal accounts. If you already have a PlusPortal account, there is no need to setup a new one. If you have questions about setting up your PlusPortal account, please contact Ms. Linda De los Santos at (956) 542-3581, ext. 317, for assistance.

TUTORING

All teachers are available before and after school for students in their classes who may need additional help. We also have tutors available from 3:30-4:30 MondayThursday in the areas of Math, Science, English, Religion, and Social Studies. Your child’s grade level counselor can easily set up a personalized tutorial schedule that would meet your child’s needs. Please know that all our tutoring services are available for our families free of charge.

COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

- Mahatma Gandhi

All students must perform a required number of service hours each semester.

Examples of acceptable service include: • •

Direct Service to the poor.

Service with organizations that indirectly serve the poor. (In this case, students should be prompted to consider how their work indirectly served the poor)

• Service at or for a Church or faith community.

• Service at City or County organizations and/or organized event.

• Service to Saint Joseph Academy community and/or special SJA events.

A listing of approved and reliable service sites and the hour log sheet will be available through the student’s Religious Studies teacher.

LUNCH

All students must remain on campus in the designated areas (MD gymnasium or MD courtyard) during the lunch period. Lunches and snacks may be purchased in the cafeteria or students may bring their own lunches and eat in the cafeteria.

Students are not permitted to have food delivered to them during the school day by anyone; nor are students allowed to leave school to have lunch with other persons.

ATHLETICS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Participation in extracurricular activities is an integral part of school life. Students are encouraged to be involved in ways that are consistent with their talents and interests. Enthusiasm generated in student activities often overflows into academic diligence. Participating in any of our programs is a privilege, therefore membership on any team or in any club is contingent upon a student’s satisfactory academic and behavioral comportment.

There will be an opportunity to meet the coaches and moderators of our teams and clubs at the new student orientation and again at Back to School Night.

SAINT JOSEPH ACADEMY STUDENT & PARENT HANDBOOK

At the beginning of the school year, new students will be given a handbook that outlines the policies and procedures set by Saint Joseph Academy. All returning students will be emailed and texted the link to the online handbook. All students and parents are required to sign documents acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by the policies and procedures contained in the handbook and consent for your child to participate in our random drug testing.

TUITION/ FINANCE

For information regarding tuition payments or tuition fees, please reference the school’s website. All necessary information can be found under the ADMISSIONS and TUITION AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE tabs. If you should need to speak with our Finance Office, please call the main office at 956-542-3581.

STAY CONNECTED

We love to keep up with what is happening with students, families, and alumni throughout the year. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for lots of great information. Most of our events can be found on our Saint Joseph Academy Facebook page, but current parents can read more about school- related activities and announcements and share their own images on our SJA Bloodhound Families page. Important announcements and reminders may also be sent to parents via text blasts so make sure we always have your most recent and up-to-date information in our database.

Please feel free to contact me or any member of the staff should you have any questions. One of our goals is to make your transition to a new school year at Saint Joseph Academy a positive experience. I am eager to get the new year going and look forward to meeting with each of you in August. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we will see you soon.

Blessings, Mrs. Melissa Valadez Principal