Saint James School adheres to a strict Dress Code and Uniform Policy for our K-8 students to maintain an environment where the primary focus is on learning. All tops and bottoms must be from Land’s End or Dennis Uniform, with the exception of gym shorts/gym pants and gym sweatshirt. Socks, shoes, and belts may also be purchased form any retailer as long as they conform to the documented requirements.
2023-2024 SJS Uniform Requirements
Summer orders can take at least 3 weeks to receive so please plan on purchasing all needed items within the next week or so if you have not already done so.
*Lands’ End is offering 20% off uniform orders through 8/4 with code: GLOBE and pin: 3766 (plus free shipping on orders of $99+)
*Dennis Uniform is currently offering 15% off with Code: 22ORCZ4X75FS (plus free shipping on orders of $75+)
*If you would like to visit the SJS Uniform Closet prior to ordering, please stop by the SJS main office to borrow the key.
Land’s End Website School Code: 900117540.
Dennis Uniform School Code: WB00SJ
A helpful visual of uniform shoe options can be found HERE.
Please keep in mind:
* Gym Day pants must be plain navy sweat pants (for students playing an SJS team sport, corresponding spiritwear pants – purchased through SJS – are acceptable on gym day). For the warmer weather, shorts must be plain navy and at least a 5-inch inseam.
* Skorts may be NO MORE than TWO inches above the knee.
* Socks must cover the ankle and be plain white on gym day; Navy, black, or khaki socks must be worn with tan pants (white socks may also be worn with tan shorts).
* Hair must not be dyed, highlighted, or bleached. Boys’ hair must not touch their shirt collar and must not cover their ears or eyebrows (if your student has colored their hair for the summer, it must be dyed back before the first day of school).
* Remember, students will need to be in their formal uniform for class pictures on September 20th (uniform pants for all boys, skorts for all girls, and button down shirt with tie for grade 6-8 boys).
* The following jewelry is allowed: one watch, one ring, one bracelet, one thin chain necklace with or without a cross.
— Smart watches/Fitbits are NOT allowed.
— Girls are allowed one pair of stud earrings worn in the earlobes.
Parents are responsible for ensuring their child comes to school in the appropriate attire each day. Our full school handbook – outlining all policies and procedures – will be sent out in the weeks ahead.
Welcome New Faculty and Staff!
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolWe are excited to announce a couple of new additions to the Saint James School faculty and staff. Please join us in welcoming:
Mrs. Christina Nunes – Grade 2 Teacher
Mrs. Nunes is joining us from Saint Gabriel School in Windsor, where she has taught 2nd grade since 2008. Mrs. Nunes is a recipient of the “Light of Christ Teacher Recognition Award” for excellence in teaching and brings a wide variety of skills, experience, and teaching styles to help differentiate learning in the classroom environment. Mrs. Nunes is a graduate of St. Gabriel and Northwest Catholic High School, has a Master’s Degree in Education, and is certified through the State of Connecticut to teach early childhood. We are excited to welcome Mrs. Nunes to our 2nd grade.
Mrs. Amy Watson – Grade 5 Teacher
Mrs. Watson comes to us from the Rocky Hill school system, where she has worked for over two decades as a classroom teacher, long-term substitute, paraeducator, and reading specialist. Mrs. Watson is certified through the State of Connecticut to teach early childhood through 6th grade and holds a Master’s Degree in Reading and Language Arts. In addition to being a 5th grade homeroom teacher, Mrs. Watson will be teaching English, Reading, and Social Studies for both of our 5th grade classes. Please join us in welcoming her to Saint James School.
Mrs. Deanna Simoncini – Grade 5 Teacher
Mrs. Simoncini has over 14 years of experience teaching middle school Math, Religion, and Science in the Catholic school environment. After relocating from Georgia with her family in 2018, Mrs. Simoncini taught at Saint James School for a short time before opting to be home with her children in early 2020. She is a graduate of Florida State University and holds State of Connecticut certification to teach at the middle-grade level (grades 4 – 8). We are excited to welcome Mrs. Simoncini back to Saint James School where she will serve as one of our 5th grade homeroom teachers – teaching the subjects of Religion, Math, and Science for both 5th grade classes.
Mr. Thomas Burke – Middle School Teacher
Mr. Burke will be joining our middle school teaching team, overseeing a 6th grade homeroom in addition to teaching classes in both Reading and English Language Arts. Most recently, Mr. Burke taught Literature and English at East Catholic High School but prior to that spent many years teaching at the middle school level in the Hartford public school system. Mr. Burke holds state certification in middle and high school English and also holds a Master’s Degree in Education. Please join us in welcoming him to Saint James School.
Extended Day
We are also welcoming three new staff members to the extended day program under the direction of Ms. Jean. Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Fionnuala Purcell, Mrs. Kristine Nadvornik-Moulard and Mrs. Paula St. Germain to the team!
2023-2024 First Day Reminders
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolAs a reminder, the first day of school for the 2023-2024 school year is as follows:
*K-8 students: Thursday, August 31st (12:05pm dismissal day; aftercare will be in session);
*Pre-K4 Full-Day students: Thursday, August 31st (12:05pm dismissal day; aftercare will be in session);
*Pre-K4 Part-Time students: Friday, September 1st;
*Pre-K3 Full-Day students: Tuesday, September 5th;
*Pre-K3 Part-Time students: Wednesday, September 6th;
Use this link to download the Saint James School 2023-2024 school year calendar: 2023-2024 School Year Calendar
Classroom Visits/Supply Drop-Off:
On Wednesday, August 30th, all Pre-K through grade 8 parents/guardians and their student(s) are invited to stop by the school between the hours of 8:30am and 11:30am to visit the classrooms, meet the teachers, and drop off their child’s school supplies. This is a drop-in event, please come at whatever time works for your schedule.
Teacher Assignments:
Teacher assignments for 1st – 8th grade students will be sent via email later this week. Please note, all teacher assignments are final at this point in time. Requests for changes cannot be accommodated.
Lands’ End Sale
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolFor K – 8 families: If you need any last minute uniform items, please note that Lands’ End is offering 20% off school uniforms from August 10th – 18th with CODE: LEARN and PIN: 5299
A summary of Saint James School’s K-8 dress code (initially sent on 7/19) can be viewed HERE.
School Supplies Reminder
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolLast call for any families wishing to order their (K-8th grade) student’s supplies through our School Toolbox option.
Please refer to the lists below for exactly what supplies your child needs for the grade they are entering:
2023-2024 School Supplies List Grades K-5
2023-2024 School Supplies List Grades 6-8
School Toolbox:
This summer you will once again have the option to order your child’s school supplies online and have them delivered directly to your home! In addition, Saint James School receives a percentage of every sale – convenience for you and a great way to support SJS! Plus, if you already have supplies left over from prior years, you can choose not to include those in your purchase. Click Here to Visit the School Toolbox Website.
St. James School Foundation Golf Outing
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolReminder: School Bus Tracking App
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolFor parents with a student that rides the SJS school buses – First Student will continue to use FirstView, a bus tracking and parent communications app for your smartphone or desktop.
FirstView allows you to track where your child’s bus is in real-time. You can also create a ‘geo-fence’ so you will get an alert when the bus is within a certain distance of your child’s stop, and there’s a multi-stop view if you have multiple students on different buses.
For access visit firstviewapp.com or find FirstView® in the App Store or Google Play.
For step-by-step instructions, you can click here.
As you create an account you will have to supply district code 6S4M. You will also need to know your child/children’s bus number(s).
If you have technical questions, you can contact FirstView at 888-889-8920 from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also email Customer Support at support@firstviewapp.com or use the in-app “✉” button to provide feedback.
Last Call: School Bus Sign Up For 2023-2024
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolManchester residents: If your (K-8th grade) child/ren will be using school bus transportation this upcoming school year (2023-2024), please complete this form for EACH child in your family who will be riding the school bus by the end of day today – Monday, July 24th.
2023-2024 School Bus Sign Up Form
If your student will be riding the bus to/from a location (in Manchester) other than your primary residence (i.e. day care) please also fill out the Request for Day Care Transportation form. You must complete this form and fax it to the town transportation department by Monday, July 24th.
Kindergarten and other first-time bus riders will also need to be registered through the town’s portal. We will send that information to parents individually as appropriate.
Per the town’s policy, Kindergarten through Grade 2 students, MUST have an adult with them while waiting for the bus in the morning and an adult must be present to receive the student in the afternoon otherwise the student will be returned to school and sent to the SJS Aftercare Program until a parent/guardian can pick them up. (Aftercare charges will be incurred in these instances).
Due Wednesday: Cross Country Interest Form
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolIf your child will be running Cross Country this year (open to students in grades 5 – 8), please complete the Google Form below by Wednesday, July 26th to help us get a headcount as we are planning to order new uniforms for our runners.
https://forms.gle/hYC6o6pYd6hqPhai6
As a reminder, the Athletics Health Form (signed by your child’s doctor), the Cross Country Permission Slip, and the $60 sports/activity fee will be due to the school office by Thursday, August 31st.
If your child/ren are interested in participating, please ensure they begin training over the summer. Please find HERE some helpful information from Coach Page that your runner may wish to follow. Runners must have the endurance to run distances of 1-3 miles (without stopping) at the start of the season.
Reminder: School Toolbox
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolThis summer we are once again offering the option for K-8 families to order their child/ren’s school supplies online and have them delivered directly to their home! In addition, Saint James School receives a percentage of every sale – convenience for you and a great way to support SJS!
Plus, if you already have supplies left over from prior years, you can choose not to include those in your purchase.
Visit the School Toolbox Website (click to access) and type in St. James School Manchester, CT in the search box if prompted.
Please remember all school supplies should be brought to school on August 30th – our classroom visit/meet-the-teacher day.
Here are the K-8 supply lists for Fall 2023:
2023-2024 School Supplies List Grades K-5
2023-2024 School Supplies List Grades 6-8
(These are also posted on our website under the Forms/Docs section for future reference).
Uniform Reminders
/in Uncategorized /by Saint James SchoolSaint James School adheres to a strict Dress Code and Uniform Policy for our K-8 students to maintain an environment where the primary focus is on learning. All tops and bottoms must be from Land’s End or Dennis Uniform, with the exception of gym shorts/gym pants and gym sweatshirt. Socks, shoes, and belts may also be purchased form any retailer as long as they conform to the documented requirements.
2023-2024 SJS Uniform Requirements
Summer orders can take at least 3 weeks to receive so please plan on purchasing all needed items within the next week or so if you have not already done so.
*Lands’ End is offering 20% off uniform orders through 8/4 with code: GLOBE and pin: 3766 (plus free shipping on orders of $99+)
*Dennis Uniform is currently offering 15% off with Code: 22ORCZ4X75FS (plus free shipping on orders of $75+)
*If you would like to visit the SJS Uniform Closet prior to ordering, please stop by the SJS main office to borrow the key.
Land’s End Website School Code: 900117540.
Dennis Uniform School Code: WB00SJ
A helpful visual of uniform shoe options can be found HERE.
Please keep in mind:
* Gym Day pants must be plain navy sweat pants (for students playing an SJS team sport, corresponding spiritwear pants – purchased through SJS – are acceptable on gym day). For the warmer weather, shorts must be plain navy and at least a 5-inch inseam.
* Skorts may be NO MORE than TWO inches above the knee.
* Socks must cover the ankle and be plain white on gym day; Navy, black, or khaki socks must be worn with tan pants (white socks may also be worn with tan shorts).
* Hair must not be dyed, highlighted, or bleached. Boys’ hair must not touch their shirt collar and must not cover their ears or eyebrows (if your student has colored their hair for the summer, it must be dyed back before the first day of school).
* Remember, students will need to be in their formal uniform for class pictures on September 20th (uniform pants for all boys, skorts for all girls, and button down shirt with tie for grade 6-8 boys).
* The following jewelry is allowed: one watch, one ring, one bracelet, one thin chain necklace with or without a cross.
— Smart watches/Fitbits are NOT allowed.
— Girls are allowed one pair of stud earrings worn in the earlobes.
Parents are responsible for ensuring their child comes to school in the appropriate attire each day. Our full school handbook – outlining all policies and procedures – will be sent out in the weeks ahead.