Our general music teacher, Mr. Lucey, unfortunately notified us late last week that he will not be returning to us this year. We will be interviewing for a new music teacher shortly and look forward to sharing an update with you in the weeks ahead.
We are looking forward to a GREAT 1st day of School tomorrow – Thursday, September 2nd. A few reminders – particularly pertaining to our K-8 families:
*All K-8 students should be in their regular uniforms tomorrow (no gym uniform on the 1st day).
*Remember, our school day for K-8 students starts at 7:50am this year!
*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. Please do NOT park in any of the school lots or the Pre-K staff parking area (behind the blue house).
*Entrances for students:
Front door – Mrs. Phelan’s 3rd Grade Class & Both 4th Grade Classes;
Breezeway – Grades 1, 2, & 6;
North Door Main Blacktop – Grades 7 & 8;
South Door Main Blacktop – Mrs. Moran’s 3rd Grade, Kindergarten & Grade 5.
*Please arrive between 7:30am and 7:50am – 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 must come in through the front door/check in at the main office.
*Dismissal is at 12:05pm on the first day – no lunch will be served.
*After-care/before-care is available on the first day of school. After-care students will need to bring lunch from home. You must be registered for the program for the 2021-2022 school year to have your child attend. Please email Ms. Jean (jburdick@saintjamesschool.net) with any questions.
*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.
*Please check your child’s temperature and assess their overall health before leaving the house every day.
*Students must have an acceptable mask attached to a lanyard when they arrive with a back up mask (or two!) in their backpack.
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.
Updated January 2022
In clarification of the school’s policy regarding Remote Learning for the 2021-2022 school year, please note the following:
The school may choose to institute remote learning for students who will be out for an extended period of time (defined as more than 3 days) ONLY in the following circumstances:
– After receipt of a Covid-positive test (either for the student personally or for someone in the home)
– Unvaccinated individuals who have been in close contact** with a Covid-positive individual
– Vaccinated individuals who has been in close contact** with a Covid-positive individual and are experiencing symptoms.
If any of the above conditions are met, please call the school nurse, Mrs. Vignati to discuss quarantine days and a date for remote learning to begin.
** Close contact is defined as:
Outside of a school setting: 6 feet, or less, from an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period;
Inside a school setting: 3 feet, or less, from an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
As a reminder from the travel policy notice, travel and quarantine due to travel (while awaiting Covid test results) will not be allowable reasons for remote learning.
Saint James School offers a Cross Country team for students in Grades 5 – 8 who enjoy running. In order to participate on the team students must have the endurance to run at least one mile without stopping (at the very minimum) prior to the first practice.
Coach O’Neill is also looking for a couple of parent volunteers who enjoy running to help out with our team this year (please reach out to Mrs. Sager at lsager@saintjamesschool.net if you can help).
If your child would like to participate in Cross Country and meets the qualifications, please bring the following to school on Wednesday (September 1st):
1) 2021 Cross Country Permission Slip
2) Athletics Health Permission Form (signed by doctor)
3) $35 Sports Activity Fee (Please make checks out to Saint James School)
The first practice will begin shortly after school resumes.
Students should turn in their paperwork to the homeroom teacher by Friday, September 2nd (if you have not already turned it in to our office staff).
8/31/21
As of this notice, Saint James School has modified the policy for return to school after travel. Changes are noted in red below:
Families should call the SJS Nurse – Mrs. Vignati (860.643.5088, option 3) – to further discuss return-to-school protocol and dates of absence PRIOR to travel.
*Please note: NO remote learning will be provided during a quarantine period that is due to travel.
DOMESTIC TRAVEL
If traveling outside of Connecticut for more than 24 hours (but still within the United States), students and staff must meet the following criteria prior to returning to the classroom:
Unvaccinated Individuals
*Take a Covid test upon return from travel (negative test results must be provided to the school before returning) OR stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel;
*Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if symptoms of illness develop.
Fully Vaccinated Individuals
(or recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days)
Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms. No quarantine or test required to return to school.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
If traveling outside of the United States, students and staff must meet the following criteria prior to returning to the classroom:
Unvaccinated Individuals
*Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel (negative test result must be provided to the school before returning);
*If you don’t wish to get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
In both cases, self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if symptoms of illness develop.
Fully Vaccinated Individuals
(or recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days)
*Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel. Negative test results must be provided to the school before returning.
Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if symptoms of illness develop.
We are looking forward to a GREAT 1st day of School this coming Thursday, September 2nd. A few reminders – particularly pertaining to our K-8 families:
*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. Please do NOT park in any of the school lots or the Pre-K staff parking area (behind the blue house).
*Dismissal is at 12:05pm on the first day – no 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-K like last year (please park and walk up). 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. After-care students should bring lunch from home (no hot lunch served at all this day). You must be registered for the program for the 2021-2022 school year to have your child attend. Please email Ms. Jean (jburdick@saintjamesschool.net) with any questions.
*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.
*Please arrive between 7:30am and 7:50am – 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 must come in through the front door/check in at the main office.
*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 parents of the following for the first day (from our school handbook):
*No make up, 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 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
*Students must have an acceptable mask attached to a lanyard when they arrive with a back up mask (or two!) in their backpack.
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.
On Wednesday, September 1st 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 12:00pm, to visit the classrooms, meet the homeroom teachers, and drop-off your child’s school supplies. This is a drop-in event, please come at whatever time works for your schedule. Time spent in the classroom should last no longer than 10 minutes per student.
Mrs. Guenther will be available at the main entrance of the K-8 building to help families find their child’s classroom if needed and our school nurse, Mrs. Vignati, will be in her office to accept medications for students.
Please remember to bring with you:
1) All School Supplies
2) Medication to Drop Off At Nurse & Remaining Health Paperwork
3) Signed Handbook Form (gr. K-8)
4) Signed Technology Agreement (gr. K-8)
5) Signed Chromebook Insurance Form (gr. 3-8)
Please note, K-8 students DO NOT need to be in their uniforms for these visits.
Please be sure to stop by our Home & School Association (parent volunteer organization similar to a PTA/PTO) table to pick up a special Saint James School 2021-2022 school year keepsake, enter a free raffle drawing, and learn about some of the fun events that we will be hosting for families this Fall.
We look forward to seeing you!
Saint James School Offices will be closed on Monday and Tuesday of next week (8/30 and 8/31) until 1:30pm as the faculty and staff will be at off-site meetings. The office will be open from 1:30pm – 3:30pm on those two dates.
Please find below the September Saber Stories Newsletter, Calendar, and Hot Lunch Menu.
As a follow-up reminder to Mrs. Zorger’s letter to families on 8/17/21, if your child is fully vaccinated please submit a copy of their vaccine card to the school nurse as soon as possible. This information will be kept confidential but will be useful should contact tracing need to occur (due to a positive case in the classroom or in extended day).