Attached is the permission slip for the next Book/Art Club with Mrs. Sabatella & Mrs. Carpenter. The next session will be held on Wednesday, March 15th after school for students in grades 1-3. Forms and fees are due back to the school by Wednesday, March 8th. Spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
March 15 Book Art Club Permission Slip
Here are a few cute pictures sent in by Mrs. Carpenter from yesterday’s Art/Book Club:
During the next few weeks the teachers in the 5th and 8th grades will be giving their students a Religious assessment test. The purpose of the ACRE (Assessment of Children/Youth Religious Education) Test is to assess the effectiveness of the program of religious instruction by examining students’ cumulative knowledge of the Catholic faith. The results from the score report can help improve overall strategies for teaching and faith formation. The test takes approximately 75 minutes.
We are looking forward to using the results to better our Religion program. This test is given each year to the 5th & 8th graders.
Everyone contributing to the class baskets will win a dress down day (Date TBA)!
As a reminder, room parents are collecting donations for the 2017 Gala Class Baskets, which will be raffled off the evening of the Gala. Please consider a donation of an item that keeps with the theme of your child’s grade. The deadline for submitting an item (or cash for your child’s room mom to purchase items) has been extended to Friday, 3/3. These items are as follows:
Pre-Kindergarten – Easter/Springtime
Kindergarten – Legos
1st Grade – The Beach
2nd Grade – Gift Cards
3rd Grade – Breakfast
4th Grade – Family Game Night
5th Grade – Movies & Pizza
6th Grade – Connecticut Fun
7th Grade – Sports
8th Grade – BBQ/Picnic
Any item/cash sent in after March 3rd will be used for a “Mystery Basket”. As always, we are very grateful for any support you can provide.
Here are a few pictures of the baskets from last year:
Please take a look at this month’s HSA Newsletter (Click here to open) to learn about all that is happening this month with the HSA and where your help is needed!
In Celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, this week in our library Mrs. Carpenter will be kicking off our “Hats off to reading” contest for grades K to 6th, which will run through April 3rd. Students were given reading logs in library, which will be turned into Mrs. Carpenter when completed. Extra forms can be found HERE or requested from the classroom teachers. This year we will have a winning grade from K to 3rd and winning grade from 4th to 6th. The winning grades will win a dress down day and no homework night. Happy Reading!
Yesterday, Mrs. Sabatella’s 1st grade art class had some fun with the story “Harold and the Purple Crayon.” Here are a few pictures of the students with their very purple crafts!
Congratulations to the SJS Boys JV Gold team for winning the Deanery Championship game last night against St. Gabriel. The team will now move on to the State playoffs. Good luck Sabers!
Saint James School will be offering a summer program this coming summer for currently enrolled students entering Kindergarten through 5th grade for the 2017-2018 school year. There will be limited availability, but the program will offer the same excellent quality that our school is known for. Details and applications will be available by the end of this week!
Thank you to all the families who have already responded for the Mother/Son Wolf Pack game on March 5. If you have not yet sent in your form and payment, please do so by TOMORROW (3/1) in an envelope marked “Mother/Son Event, for Tabitha Post.” Please see the event flyer (here) for details. If you have any questions, contact Tabitha at tpost77@att.net.
To immerse their students in an important aspect of early American History, today the 5th Grade teachers transformed one of their classrooms into an emigrant ship for a day. This unique learning experience was designed to help students appreciate the hardships that our forefathers experienced as they set sail for the “new world.”
The morning began with students arriving for school in period clothes and hauling all the supplies they would need for their adventure. This included food, water, blankets, pillows, and period-appropriate entertainment. Since all items brought to the “ship” had to coincide with items available in the early 1600s through late 1800s, students, like emigrants before them, were forced to wait in a long line while bag checkers went through their belongings and cleared them for departure.
Upon boarding, students were asked to sign the ship’s manifest (the “Saint James School Compact”) and were given their passenger papers (classwork). Next, they settled their belongings in the tight sleeping quarters – one space being designated for boys and a separate space for girls. After everyone was on board, the classroom door was shut and all the students settled in for their day “at sea”. This year, the teachers added a “First Class” section for students who had accumulated enough “teacher bucks” that they could afford to pay the steep $10 fee. Students in first class enjoyed fresh air, private quarters, chocolate, and other treats delivered by the teachers/queens.
Although the fifth grade teachers did remain in the classroom, the students (led by their two designated captains) were solely responsible for completing their work, maintaining a peaceful ship, and working as a team to overcome challenges. Two “ministers” on the ship ensured that hourly prayers were said. When rations started to dwindle, students took turns fishing out the window.
Students encountered storms and other challenges during their day at sea. As the school day came to a close, “land” was sighted and preparations for debarking began. Students will be writing about their experiences in their journal. Below are some pictures from the morning (click to enlarge):
