It was great seeing everyone this morning for the meet-the-teachers event! We are looking forward to a GREAT 1st day of School tomorrow. A few reminders – particularly pertaining to our K-8 families:
*All students should be in their regular (non gym) uniform tomorrow.
*Parents: please remember to park in the Saint James Church parking lot or designated areas if you are not using the drop-and-go line. We are opening the big parking lot (by the preschool) this year for morning arrival parking.
*Dismissal is at 12:05pm on the first day – LUNCH WILL BE SERVED. For students being picked up by a parent or caregiver, afternoon pickup will take place in the parking lot between the main school and the Pre-Kindergarten. Please park in a designated spot and walk over to this lot to pick up your student. Kindergarten will be closest to the grassy area and 8th grade closest to the street – with all other grades sequentially in between. Please wait for the teacher to dismiss the child to you in an orderly fashion (don’t encourage them to run over to you). If you also have a student in the Pre-K, please pick that child up first – then proceed to the “big school.”
*After-care/before-care is available on the first day of school for registered families.
*All students should bring a snack and bottle of water on the first day of school. Per school policy, please limit snacks to fruits and/or vegetables or a healthy protein only – cheese/yogurt. A bottle of water should be packed with the snack every day.
*For the K-8 program, please arrive between 7:30am and 7:45am – allow yourself plenty of time to park, particularly on the first day when it will be extremely busy around the school. After 7:50am, your student is tardy and you must come to the main office with them to sign them in.
*Please check your child’s temperature and assess their overall health before leaving the house every day.
Teachers will be reviewing all school guidelines with students over the first few days of school, however, we wish to remind K – 8 parents of the following for the first day (from our school handbook):
*No makeup, nail polish, artificial nails, or artificial “tattoos” are allowed
*Boys’ hair must not touch their shirt collar and must not cover their ears or eyebrows
*Hairpieces, mohawk-style haircuts, designs cut into hair, and outlandish hairstyles are not allowed
*Hair must not be dyed, highlighted, or bleached
*The following jewelry is allowed: one watch, one ring, one thin chain necklace with or without a cross. Smart watches and fitbits are NOT allowed.
*Girls are allowed one pair of post earrings worn in the earlobes (Boys are not allowed to wear earrings)
*Hair must be neat, clean, and well cut
*Students must be in the proper uniform attire.
Please allow extra time in your day for drop-off and pick-up so you are not rushing in at the last minute. Extra staff will be on hand at both drop-off and pick-up to help guide you to where you need to be during the first few days.
Uniform for Tomorrow
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolTomorrow our 1st – 8th grade students will attend a Back-to-School Mass at Saint James Church. As this is our first Mass of the new year, please have your student wear their “regular uniform” to school tomorrow (not gym uniform). IF Friday is the day your child has gym class, your student is welcome to wear their sneakers with their regular uniform.
Welcome New Staff
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolPlease join us in welcoming the following new staff members to Saint James School:
Ms. Brigid Utz – Middle School English/Reading, Grade 6 Homeroom
We are excited to welcome Ms. Utz to our middle school teaching team! Ms. Utz is a recent graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville where she received her degree in Middle Childhood Education. Having completed her student teaching in a Grade 6 classroom, she is excited to jump right in and work with our middle school students here at Saint James School. Ms. Utz will be in tomorrow to meet our students and will be working closely with Mrs. Mitchell over the next few days as she transitions into the role.
Mrs. Ann McAdams – Social Worker
We are also delighted to welcome Mrs. McAdams as our school’s new social worker. Mrs. McAdams has been working with families and children in various roles from almost 15 years, including working at a Family Resource Center, as a School Social Worker, an in-home clinician, and at two different mental health clinics. She welcomes families to reach out to her at any time via phone (860) 643-5088 (option 7) or email (AMcAdams@saintjamesschool.net).
We Had A GREAT First Day!!
/in St. James Notices /by Saint James School1st Day Reminders
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolIt was great seeing everyone this morning for the meet-the-teachers event! We are looking forward to a GREAT 1st day of School tomorrow. A few reminders – particularly pertaining to our K-8 families:
*All students should be in their regular (non gym) uniform tomorrow.
*Parents: please remember to park in the Saint James Church parking lot or designated areas if you are not using the drop-and-go line. We are opening the big parking lot (by the preschool) this year for morning arrival parking.
*Dismissal is at 12:05pm on the first day – LUNCH WILL BE SERVED. For students being picked up by a parent or caregiver, afternoon pickup will take place in the parking lot between the main school and the Pre-Kindergarten. Please park in a designated spot and walk over to this lot to pick up your student. Kindergarten will be closest to the grassy area and 8th grade closest to the street – with all other grades sequentially in between. Please wait for the teacher to dismiss the child to you in an orderly fashion (don’t encourage them to run over to you). If you also have a student in the Pre-K, please pick that child up first – then proceed to the “big school.”
*After-care/before-care is available on the first day of school for registered families.
*All students should bring a snack and bottle of water on the first day of school. Per school policy, please limit snacks to fruits and/or vegetables or a healthy protein only – cheese/yogurt. A bottle of water should be packed with the snack every day.
*For the K-8 program, please arrive between 7:30am and 7:45am – allow yourself plenty of time to park, particularly on the first day when it will be extremely busy around the school. After 7:50am, your student is tardy and you must come to the main office with them to sign them in.
*Please check your child’s temperature and assess their overall health before leaving the house every day.
Teachers will be reviewing all school guidelines with students over the first few days of school, however, we wish to remind K – 8 parents of the following for the first day (from our school handbook):
*No makeup, nail polish, artificial nails, or artificial “tattoos” are allowed
*Boys’ hair must not touch their shirt collar and must not cover their ears or eyebrows
*Hairpieces, mohawk-style haircuts, designs cut into hair, and outlandish hairstyles are not allowed
*Hair must not be dyed, highlighted, or bleached
*The following jewelry is allowed: one watch, one ring, one thin chain necklace with or without a cross. Smart watches and fitbits are NOT allowed.
*Girls are allowed one pair of post earrings worn in the earlobes (Boys are not allowed to wear earrings)
*Hair must be neat, clean, and well cut
*Students must be in the proper uniform attire.
Please allow extra time in your day for drop-off and pick-up so you are not rushing in at the last minute. Extra staff will be on hand at both drop-off and pick-up to help guide you to where you need to be during the first few days.
Last Call: SJS Cross Country Team Info (Gr. 5-8)
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolFor all students in grades 5 – 8 interested in running Cross Country this fall, please note that the following items are due to SJS by Thursday, August 29th (the first day of school).
1. Athletics Health Permission Form (please note, this is different than the standard health physical form and must be signed by the child’s doctor);
2. Cross Country Permission Slip:
3. $70 sports/activity fee.
Cross Country practices are expected to start the first week of September. Runners must have the endurance to run a distances of 1-3 miles (without stopping) at the start of the season. If your student is interested in participating in Cross Country this year, please ensure they are working on their endurance this summer.
Reminder: September Saber Stories Newsletter
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolAttached below is a link to our Saber Stories Newsletter for September. There is lots of important information in this document, please take a few moments to read through at your convenience.
Saber Stories September 2024
In addition to the link below, the September lunch menu can be found in our school app and at the bottom of our website homepage (Quick Links area).
SJS Hot Lunch Menu September 2024
REMINDER: the state is now requiring that lunch is served on early dismissal days so students will have lunch before dismissal on Thursday. If you were planning to take your student out for lunch after school on the first day, just send them with an extra snack.
* An application for Free or Reduced Lunch may be found online at ezmealapp.com. Details and eligibility income guidelines can be found by clicking this link: MPS Paper FAQ. If you would like to print a paper copy of the application, you can do that HERE. Our district for this is Manchester Private Schools.
Alert System Test
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolThis afternoon we sent a text and an email to test out our new Emergency Alert System. If you did not get these alerts and feel you should receive them, please let us know.
SJS Monthly Events Calendar
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolBelow is the link to our full Monthly Events Calendar for the 2024-2025 School Year. Please note dates are subject to change based on weather, scheduling conflicts, etc. We will inform you of any changes via our school emails and Saber Stories Newsletter.
This document will not be posted on our website due to the nature of the information, but a rolling calendar of events can be viewed by logging in to our SJS app. It will also be posted at the bottom of our SJS email blasts under the “In Case You Missed It” section.
2024-2025 Calendar Pages
Reminder: Meet the Teacher Visits This Wednesday
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolWe look forward to seeing our families this Wednesday, August 30th between the hours of 8:30am – 11:30am for the supply drop-off/drop-in classroom visits. Kindergarten – Grade 8 families will enter through the main school entrance for this visit; Pre-K families may go right to the Pre-K building unless you need to see the school nurse.
When you come, please bring with you:
1) All required school supplies
2) Signed Technology Agreement (Gr. K-8)
3) Signed Chromebook Care and Insurance Form (Gr. 3-8)
4) Signed Handbook Form: Grades K-8 Handbook OR Pre-Kindergarten Handbook
5) Signed Extended Day Policy Book signature page (only if registered for the Extended Day program).
6) Completed Summer Assignments, Grades 1 – 8 (OR student may bring on the 1st day of school).
7) Medication to Drop off At Nurse, Medication to be left at Aftercare Program, & Remaining Health Paperwork
K-8 students do NOT need to be in their uniforms for these visits.
Parking: Morning Drop-off & Afternoon Pick-Up
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolWe are excited for a great year!! Please help us get off to a smooth start by reviewing our drop-and-go protocol (for K-8) and acceptable parking options for families. Please be sure to share this information with anyone who drops off or picks up your children. K-8 students must be in the building by 7:50am. Pre-K arrival is 8:00am.
Morning drop-off for K-8 (7:30am-7:50am) and afternoon pick-up (2:00pm) always creates very heavy traffic flow around the school area. We need every parent to please pay attention to our school protocol for drop-off and parking:
There is NO parking against the curb in front of the main school from 7:30am – 7:50am – this area is used for morning K – 8 quick Drop-and-Go only (parents should not be getting out of the car with their child – this is only for quick drop-off and go only). This area is also off limits for cars at afternoon dismissal.
If you would like to walk up to the school with your child, or your child needs a few extra minutes to collect their things before getting out of the car, please park in the acceptable parking areas around the school. The Saint James Church Parking Lot is always available for you to park and walk up (there is a crossing guard to help you safely cross to the school). You may also park on Otis Street (one side only), Park Street past the Pre-K building (both sides), St. James Street (one side only), and this year we are opening the large parking lot (the one with the basketball hoops) for AM parking only.
The Map Below shows our Drop-and-Go areas for morning drop-off (in front of the school) and areas that are available to park in the morning and afternoons. There is no parking in the red areas or blue areas (click image to enlarge).
Important notes:
* Pay attention to all NO PARKING signs and cones around the school – these areas are off limits for a reason.
* We enjoy a great relationship with our neighbors, please do not block their driveways with your vehicle under any circumstances.
* Please do not allow your child to cross the road anywhere other than the crosswalks (even if you are with them) and please ensure children are only getting out of your car towards the sidewalk (so they are not opening doors and hopping out into traffic).
* Please do not park in front of the K-8 school building or where the buses park (Church St.) at dismissal time.
* Please do not pull into or park in the school’s parking lots or the driveway behind the blue house on Park St. (these are for staff only). This year we are going to open the large parking lot (the one with the basketball hoops) for AM parking only. You will NOT be able to pull in here at dismissal as this is where students and parents stand.
* Only very slow, cautious turns onto Otis Street, please.
There are numerous children, parents, and staff members walking up to the school in the mornings. Please drive SLOW and watch your surroundings very carefully at all times!
Please be sure to share this information with anyone who drops off or picks up your children. We want to ensure everyone has a safe start to their school day every day.
Thank you!