BACK TO SCHOOL NEWSLETTER AUGUST 21, 2018
IMMEDIATE NEEDS SUMMER READING LISTS Students entering the first and second grades have suggested summer reading. Rising third through eighth graders have required summer reading, which must be completed by the first day of school. Those students must also bring their signed reading logs to school on the first day. Get the Middle School reading log. The third and fourth grade reading logs are included in each grade's summer reading packet. Please see the reading lists by grade level below.
RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR RISING SIXTH, SEVENTH & EIGHTH GRADERS
UNIFORM UPDATE
St. John's Expectations w/ PE uniforms If your daughter's PE shorts are still on back-order, please have your child wear athletic shorts within the dress guidelines or the PE shorts that are still available through the Spirit Shop. We apologize for the delay and inconvenience.
If you ordered new P.E. clothes from the Crusader Shop, they will be in your youngest child's locker tonight at Meet the Teacher.
Please tell your child not to worry if he or she does not have all of the P.E. uniform pieces on the first day. The P.E. teachers will not enforce the required uniform policy until all items from Mills have been fulfilled. WHITELIST/SAFE SENDERS
FROM THE CLINIC All students must have all state-required immunizations on file with the school by the first day of school, August 22. Parents of all students who are non-compliant with immunizations have been notified by email. The school nurse, Amy Johns, is in the clinic from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. If your child requires daily medication during the school day, please take the medication and medication administration form to the clinic during this time or in the morning on the first day of class. Children with asthma or a severe allergy that requires administration of epinephrine (Epi-pen/Auvi-Q) must have an action plan signed by their doctor along with the proper medication forms. If your child's doctor does not provide an action plan, contact the nurse at ajohns@stjohnsschool.org or 214-328-9131 x109, and she will provide a form for your child's doctor to fill out. Action plans must be dated for the current year.
Also, please check your child's head for lice as part of your back-to-school routine.
INFO FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL SIGNS Here are your official St. John's first day of school signs for all of photo needs. Please feel free to share them on social media with the hashtag #SJESdallas.
LUNCH/MS BREAK
BIRTHDAY BLESSING The August/September list of birthday blessings are posted in ParentsWeb.
CHAPEL We will not celebrate Eucharist on our first day of school, so students will wear regular (not dress) uniforms that day. Chapel will begin with a practice session Friday, August 24. We will celebrate our first Eucharist Wednesday, August 29. Dress uniforms are required for Wednesday Eucharist (first through eighth). Blazers/sweaters are not required for Eucharist until November.
EARLY-DISMISSAL WEDNESDAY We will have early dismissal on the first day of school. Each Wednesday, faculty members use this time for professional development. Refer to the chart below for carpool pick-up times. MIDDLE SCHOOL NOTES Student schedules are available in RenWeb (Student / Schedule). We are making small adjustments to some schedules (including loading electives for seventh and eighth graders), and advisors will have a printed copy of each student's schedule on the first day of school. Middle School will follow an adjusted schedule Wednesday and Thursday. View the schedule.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS We invite all Middle School students to participate on St. John's athletic teams. This fall, we will field teams in volleyball (girls), soccer (co-ed), cross country (co-ed) and flag football (fifth and sixth grade boys; depending on interest). Volleyball
Soccer Soccer tryouts for team placement will be August 27, 28 and 30 from 3:45 - 5:30 p.m. Once teams have been determined, Coach Walker will share details about the practice times.
Flag Football
Cross-Country AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM (ASP) Our After School Program begins on the first day of school and offers a fun and engaging environment for students from the end of the school day until 6:00 p.m. Several optional after-school classes are also available to all St. John's students. Find program details, FAQs, optional class descriptions, and the contract on the After School Program page of our website. Please contact ASP director Lani Jones with questions (214-328-9131 x108).
HOMEWORK CLUB Middle School Homework Club is free and open to fifth through eighth graders. It meets for 45 minutes immediately after school most school days, with dismissal at 4:30 p.m. M, T, Th, F and 4:00 p.m. Wednesdays. Homework Club will begin Monday, August 27. If you are more than 15 minutes late picking up your child from Homework Club, he or she will be checked into the After School Program, and you will be charged the ASP drop-in fee.
ST. JOHN'S CHILDCARE CENTER OPENINGS The St. John's childcare center currently has limited spots for children ages one to four and would like to invite interested families whose children attend St. John's to apply. The center is located on the west side underneath the church facing the green space and the pond. Please contact the director, Olga Cervantes, if interested.
FRONT ENTRANCE The front entrance into the school will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please use the Lower School entrance outside of those hours.
RAPTOR SIGN-IN PROCEDURE CHANGE Last November we implemented the Raptor Visitor Management System to augment
This year, we will not issue permanent ID badges for parents or visitors but will require a new badge each time you visit campus. First time visitors will need to provide a driver's license to the receptionist in order to receive an ID from the RAPTOR visitor check-in system. Returning visitors already in the RAPTOR system can print out a badge from the RAPTOR kiosk located next to the receptionist's desk and at the Lower School carpool desk. The Middle School entrance will only be used to pick up sick students.
SAFETY FIRST As we begin the school year, please remember to take an extra moment to remove or hide your valuables and lock your vehicles. Even with our police officers present on campus, we ask you to follow the LOCK, TAKE and HIDE rule.
SAVE THE DATE 2018-19 CALENDAR View key dates and the Middle School letter day calendar. For a more comprehensive and up-to-date look at events scheduled for August 2018 through May 2019 go to the ParentsWeb calendar (School / Calendar).
Meet the Teacher: Tonight, August 21, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. for students and parents in all grades to greet teachers before the first day of school.
First day of classes: Tomorrow, August 22 at 8:00 a.m. Please note that Wednesdays are early-dismissal days due to faculty professional development. School dismisses 30 minutes early every Wednesday (pre-k: 2:30 p.m.; kindergarten through second: 2:30 p.m.; third and fourth: 3:00 p.m.; Middle School: 3:15 p.m.)
Pre-k/Kinder BooHoo/WooHoo: Tomorrow August 22, 8:00 - 9:00 a.m in Parish Hall
Fifth Grade Open House: We will hold a back-to-school Open House specifically for fifth grade parents to better tailor the experience during the transition to Middle School. The Fifth Grade Open House date is Thursday, August 23, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
First PA Meeting: Tuesday, August 28, noon - 1:30 p.m.
First Eucharist: Wednesday, August 29, from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Students will be required to be in full dress; sweaters or blazers are not required until November.
Sixth through Eighth Grade Open House: Thursday, August 30, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Lower School Open House for First through Fourth Grade: Thursday, September 6, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Crusader Breakfast: Friday, September 7, from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in Owen Gym
WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE AT MEET THE TEACHER TONIGHT AT 5:00 - 6:00 P.M.
St. John's Episcopal School is dedicated to a program of academic excellence designed to train the mind, strengthen the character and enrich the spirit of each student in a Christian environment.
St. John's Episcopal School | 214-328-9131 |