Please Voice Your Support For Catholic Schools

Dear Catholic School Supporters:

On March 8th there is public hearing in the Education Committee for a bill that calls for a study of Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and their potential effect in Connecticut.  ESAs grant parents access to all or a portion of the money allocated toward their child’s government school education, to use on educational alternatives such as homeschool textbooks, tutoring, learning therapies, or private school tuition.  As you know, Connecticut currently has no private/nonpublic educational choice programs.

We are arguing that all Catholic School families and prospective families should have these accounts.

Therefore, we need written and vocal support from all of our Catholic school friends: parents, volunteers, teachers, administrators, staff, school board members, and pastors.

We must join together and convince our elected state officials, especially those on the Education Committee, to vote in favor of this bill. 

Please both e-mail and call your state legislators and express your support for House Bill No. 5340, An Act Concerning a Study of Education Savings Accounts, a necessary first step towards ESAs.   The following link helps you find your legislators’ contact information: https://www.cga.ct.gov/webapps/cgafyl.asp

Your communications should:

1)      Introduce yourself, and identify where you live.

2)      Explain the impact Catholic Schools have made for your family and how you and others would benefit by making tuition more affordable.

3)      Respectfully ask your legislator to support your family, your school, and House Bill 5340.

4)      If possible, CC alamonica@ctcatholic.org on your e-mails to your legislators so that she can follow up with them.

“Although ESAs are hardly a panacea for all of Connecticut’s problems, they do promise both to improve equity and save millions of dollars—and most importantly, offer the opportunity for children across our state to achieve their full potential,” authors Lewis M. Andrews and Martin F. Lueken write in “Education Savings Accounts: Empowering Kids and Saving Money in Connecticut,” released in September 2017.

Soirée Spotlight

RSVPs are still being accepted through this coming Friday!!  Don’t miss out on the FUN!!

Among this year’s auction items:

*Reserved seating for 8th grade graduation (2018)

*Reserved front row seating for Spring Concert (Instrumental Band and 3rd Grade recorders)- May 7, 2018 (8 seats)

*Reserved front row seating for Grades K-5 Grandparents Day- October, 2018 (4 seats)

*Reserved front row seating for Christmas Concert (Instrumental Band, Grades 1& 4)- December 2018 (8 seats)

*Your child will design the invitation artwork for the Spring 2019 Saint James School Auction Event

Book & Art Club Notice

Due to the impending weather, tomorrow afternoon’s Book & Art Club is being rescheduled to March 28th.

Hats off to Reading Contest

In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, Mrs. Carpenter is kicking off another fun reading contest for the Kindergarten through 6th grade classes.  Reading logs will be passed out in library this week & details on the contest will be discussed.  The grade with the most books read during the contest will win a dress down day & no homework night!  Extra reading logs are available in the library, from the classroom teachers, or can be printed HERE.  If you have any questions on the contest, please e-mail Mrs. Carpenter at lcarpenter@saintjamesschool.net.  The contest runs through April 3rd. Good luck everyone!


 

 

12:05pm Dismissal Thursday

A reminder that this Thursday is a half-day with dismissal at 12:05pm.  Students going to aftercare must bring a lunch from home as no hot lunch will be served that day.

There will also be 12:05pm dismissals on March 21st and 22nd for Parent/Teacher conferences and no school on March 30th.

If you would like to subscribe to a calendar of just early dismissal and no school days, you can do so HERE.

Pokemon Fun

Thank you to all the Pokemon fans who joined in the fun on Friday night at the HSA’s Pokemon event.  There were lots of cards traded, battles played, and smiling faces!

 

Read Across America

On Friday, Saint James School students participated in Read Across America in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday.  As a special treat at the end of the day, SJS pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade students gathered in the school gym to read Dr. Seuss stories to each other and enjoy a special story-time with Mrs. Zorger (SJS Principal).

Soirée RSVPs Due Tomorrow

Where can you get a special dish personalized by the students in your child’s Kindergarten class?  Or, an afternoon for your child and a friend to play games and enjoy treats with Mrs. Alexander?

Only at the 2018 Saint James School Silver & Gold Soirée!!

Perhaps your child would enjoy a pizza lunch lunch and craft with Mrs. Carpenter and Mrs. Sabatella? Or, ice cream sundaes for your student and 3 friends with Mrs. Plante?

You can only get it at the 2018 Saint James School Silver & Gold Soirée!!

Other special prizes from the teachers and administration – as well as many other items – will also up for grabs during this annual adults-only event!  So……come join members of the staff along with your fellow SJS parents and friends as we eat, drink, celebrate, and support Saint James School!  RSVPs are due back to the office by tomorrow.

 

If you need another RSVP card, please reach out to Mrs. Sager in the front office at lsager@saintjamesschool.net.

 

Movie Night: Cast Your Vote

The HSA is hosting a Family Movie Night on Friday, April 6.  Please help choose which movie will be shown by casting your vote HERE.

Pokemon Trading Card Event

There is still room in the Pokemon Trading Card on Friday, March 2 at 6pm in the school cafeteria.  Please see this flyer for details and to RSVP.