Pre-K Handbook

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Pre-K families are asked to review the Pre-K program handbook. Any questions may be directed to the program’s director, Mrs. Carpenter, at lcarpenter@saintjamesschool.net.  Please sign the last page of this handbook and bring it next Wednesday for the supply drop-off/meet the teachers event.

SJS Pre-Kindergarten Handbook 2024-2025

New! Rapid Alert System

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We are excited to inform you that our school has a new rapid alert system to improve communication with our families. It’s called Parent Alert, and it will allow us to send out communications via Text, Email, and Voice Messages for all types of events. These alerts can be used for many reasons but will also provide us a fast efficient way to communicate with our families in case of an emergency.

A Sample Text Alert may look like:

SBSJ-CT This is a Parent Alert from St James School. To ensure you are able to receive our alerts please text the word START to 317065 from your mobile device. Any text alerts from our school will begin with SBSJ-CT, and calls will show from 860-643-5088. Text STOP to end.

We will test this new Parent Alert service on Monday, August 26th around 3:00pm.

Please note that email alerts sent via this system will show noreply@pikmykid.com as the “from” email address. Please be assured that this is from the school and is not spam. Please don’t unsubscribe, as that would cause you to miss future email alerts sent using this method.

Note: Per Telephone Consumer Protection Act we must provide all recipients the option to Opt Out of receiving our alerts. Anytime we send out a text alert you will see “Stop to End”. If you reply “Stop” you will no longer receive our text alerts regardless if we select you as a recipient.

Extended Day Program Handbook

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For families who will be using our Extended Day Program, please review the handbook below.  There is a signature page at the back that must be given to the program director by 8/29 (feel free to bring it on 8/28).  This document has also been posted on our Forms/Docs webpage for future reference.

2024-2025 Extended Day Policy Book

SJS App Now Updated

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If you don’t already have our SJS App installed on your mobile device, please visit the App Store or Google Play Store and search for St. James School Manchester CT or use THIS LINK.   Be sure to say “YES” to receiving notifications.   Please note: returning families should confirm they are still logged in if they have not checked the app in a while.  Any questions or problems regarding our SJS App, please email aguenther@saintjamesschool.net.

Medicine Drop Off Reminder

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Mrs. Pennington, our school nurse, will have availability to accept student medicines and medicine authorization forms on August 23rd (Friday) and August 27th (Tuesday).  Please email her at kpennington@mpspride.org to schedule an appointment if you would like to come on one of these two dates.  She will also be available during the Back to School Open House event on August 28th, but the line to see the nurse can be quite long on that day.

Reminder: Singers in Grades 4 – 8 Wanted

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Saint James School and Saint Bridget School are proud to be supporting The Wall That Heals during its time in Manchester this September.

There will be several ways that our schools will participate – one of which is hosting a joint choir to sing at Charter Oak Park (where The Wall will be stationed) during the POW/MIA ceremony on Friday, September 20th.

If your (4th – 8th Grade) student(s) would be interested in performing a couple of patriotic songs and has transportation to/from Charter Oak Park on the evening of September 20th, please fill out the Google Form below.  Our Middle School Music Teacher, Mrs. McKeever-DeLeon, has volunteered to work with interested SJS students after school hours (2:00pm – 2:40pm) on 9/4, 9/11, and 9/18 to put together a performance.

Please note, parents/guardians of participating students must be able to bring them to Charter Oak Park on Friday, September 20th for 6:30pm AND stay with them throughout the event.

Please sign your student(s) up using this link if they would like to participate and can make all the dates: https://forms.gle/1mMafTzZXMuuoPNAA

The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a mobile Education Center, is coming to Manchester, CT on September 19- 22 at Charter Oak Park and will be open 24 hours a day and free to the public. The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed forces in the Vietnam War and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

Bus Assignments

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Bus assignments for our K-8 students that will utilizing the bus this year were emailed out earlier this week.  If you registered to use the bus and did not receive this, please email aguenther@saintjamesschool.net.

Lands’ End Sale on Pants/Shorts

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Lands’ End is offering a 50% off sale this weekend (August 23-25) on uniform pants and shorts.  Please remember that all boys in K-8 will need uniform pants for class picture day on September 18th.  Please use code: SCHOOLPANTS, AND pin: 8180 at checkout.

Cross Country Helpers Needed

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While we have a volunteer coach in place to run this year’s Cross Country Team, we are still need of additional parent volunteers to assist on practice days.  Practices will typically occur after school (2:00pm) on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  If you like to run and can be available for most practice days please reach out to our our Athletic Director, Mr. Green, at CGreen@SaintJamesSchool.net to get additional details.  Thank you!!

Cross Country Information

Hot Lunch Information

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The cost for Hot Lunch at Saint James School for the 2024-2025 school year will be as follows:

Grades K-4: $3.50
Grades 5-8: $4.50
Milk only: $0.40

Please check the balance on your child’s hot lunch (EZSchoolPay) account if they will be purchasing Hot Lunch this school year.

Yesterday, all kindergarten families and any families new to the Saint James School K-8 program should have received an email with their child’s hot lunch account ID.  Returning families are welcome to reach out to the Saint James School office if they have forgotten their child’s lunch account ID.

Please note the following:

* Saint James School is now required by the State to serve lunch on early-dismissal days.  This means that students should bring a lunch from home or be prepared to purchase hot lunch on the 1st day of school (if you were planning to go out to lunch after dismissal perhaps just send a light snack).

* As per our standard protocol, a monthly hot lunch calendar will be sent via our email blast each month, posted on our website homepage (quick links section), and available on the SJS App.

* You may add money to your child’s account online using the EZSchoolPay app (a $3.00 convenience fee will apply) or by sending in cash or a check to the school with your child (no fee).  The check must be made out to “Manchester Public Schools” and please be sure envelopes are labeled with your child’s name.

* 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.

* Allergies: Students who require hot lunch modifications for food allergies or other dietary restrictions are required to provide the below form, signed by the child’s physician. Please note, this does not refer to dietary preferences but rather a physical condition that restricts the child’s die: Meal Modification in School Lunch Form.  If your child has allergies but will never purchase lunch at school, please just inform the nurse.