For parents using the Extended Day program after school: Please remember to write your name on the Sign-Out Sheet every day that you utilize the Extended Day program in addition to entering your code on the Pin Pad.
Also, if you have not already done so, please take a few minutes to read through the 2016-2017 Extended Day Policy Book, print the last page, and return the signed parent/student signature page to the school to the attention of Ms. Jean.
This evening, September 13th, Saint James School will host our annual Meet the Teachers Night for Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade families beginning at 6:30pm. Students are invited to attend with their parent(s) – siblings may also attend. The Scholastic Book Fair opens at 6:00pm on this evening as well should you wish to browse prior to visiting the classrooms (please enter the school through the gym).
Tomorrow evening, September 14th, is Meet the Teachers Night for students in grades 6 – 8. Parents of middle school students (grades 6 – 8) are asked to attend without their children. Please arrive no later than 6:30pm and report to the school Cafeteria for a short presentation by the teachers. The Scholastic Book Fair opens at 6:00pm that evening as well should you wish to browse prior to 6:30pm. (please enter the school through the gym).
Please note, 50% of book fair proceeds go towards purchasing new books for our school library and classrooms!
We look forward to seeing you!
If you have not already done so please read through the 2016-2017 Parent/Student Handbook, discuss it with your children, print/sign the last page, and return the signed last page to the school on Monday. The handbook was reviewed with all students in Kindergarten through 8th Grade during school time but should also be discussed at home as well.
For future reference, this document resides on our school’s website under the Documents & Forms yellow quick link (located on the right-hand side of the website home page).
The first Home & School Association (HSA) meeting of the year will be held this this evening (9/6) at 7:00pm in the school cafeteria. All parents/ grandparents/ guardians with a child at Saint James School Pre-K – 8th Grade are welcome to attend!
We will Not be providing child care for this meeting (a change from the original plan), but children are more than welcome to come with their parents (we expect the meeting to be approximately 45 minutes or less). When you arrive at the school for the meeting, please ring the buzzer to the left of the breezeway door and meet us in the Cafeteria.
Whether you are new to Saint James School or a returning parent, we have a new HSA board this year and ask that you take a few minutes to read through the HSA Welcome Packet (click to open).
Here is the agenda for the meeting. Please email HSA President, Alicia Poth, at HSA@SaintJamesSchool.net with any questions. We look forward to sharing with you all the fun coming up this year!
Please note, we have several families who are using the Extended Day program but have not completed all the required registration paperwork. Please look in the bin near the sign-in/out keypad at pickup to see if there is an envelope with your name on it. All Extended Day paperwork must be complete and returned by Friday to continue utilizing the program.
Please find attached the September issue of Saint James School’s monthly newsletter, Saber Stories. A hard copy of the newsletter was sent home to all NEW SJS families only. All future editions will come via e-mail. Please be sure to read through the entire newsletter each month for important news and updates.
Students in grades 1 – 8 will attend Mass at Saint James Church on Tuesday, September 6th at 9:15am.
If your child has Gym on Tuesdays, they should wear their Regular Warm Weather (Khaki Shorts/Skort) Uniform on Tuesday for Mass. Students in Grades 5 and up that have Gym on Tuesday, may bring their Gym Uniform/Sneakers in a separate bag and change at school after the Mass.
As always, parents are welcome to sit in the back of the church and participate in the Mass along with the students. We hope to see you there!
Tomorrow morning we will be utilizing standard drop-off procedures. This means all students will enter through the breezeway doors & parents will not accompany their children into the school. Staff and helpers will be available to escort new and younger students to the correct spot.
If you are doing curbside drop-and-go in front of the school – please remember not to get out of your car. This is meant for quick drop-offs only. If you need to get out of your car to help your child or walk your child to the breezeway door, you must find a parking spot.
Also, if you are not registered for the before-care/after-care program, your child cannot be dropped off before 7:30am.
Parents of Kindergartners and younger students: If you are picking your child up in the Gym at the end of the day, please do not go out the back doors where the buses are. We ask that all parents exit through the main doors they enter the gym through. We don’t want our parents and students getting caught crossing in front of the buses and creating an unsafe situation.
Thank you everyone for adhering to the drop-off and pick-up procedures and for helping to make today a GREAT first day of school!
Thank you to all the new families, buddy families, and staff that came out for the Meet & Sweet event last night! We are looking forward to a great school year, which will kick off tomorrow with a half-day.
Due to the expected rain in the morning and the construction equipment in the main parking lot, we have changed our procedures for tomorrow morning.
All Parents (who wish to stay) and students WILL ENTER THROUGH THE SCHOOL BREEZEWAY TOMORROW. The doors will open at 7:30am unless students are going to before care. Please DO NOT park your car in front of the breezeway or in any spots that are noted as “No Parking.” Your best option is to park in the Saint James Church Parking lot and walk up to the school.
After entering the Breezeway:
Volunteers will be on hand to help new parents get their children to the appropriate locations.
Once the final bell rings (7:55am), all parents are invited to join the HSA in the school cafeteria for the “Boo Hoo!/Woo Hoo!” Welcome Back Coffee & Danish Social. Come catch up with friends you have not seen in a while or meet new families joining the school this year. Volunteers & staff will be on hand to answer your last minute questions about pickup, aftercare, etc.
Aftercare:
If your child will be going to aftercare of the first day of school, please remember that they need a lunch and drink from home. No Hot Lunch or Milk is served on half-days.
Friday Lunch:
Returning families, please remember to fund your child’s lunch account. Students new to Grades 1-8 this year will receive a packet home with their child in the first few days of school containing instructions on how to sign up for an on-line lunch account. If you wish to have your child purchase Hot Lunch in advance of receiving on-line sign-up information, please send in exact change (in an envelope labeled with their name) or a check for multiple lunches made out to “Manchester Hot Lunch Program” detailing your child’s name. If you have multiple children at the school, please detail how you would like the funding split among the students.
If you have any questions, please contact the main office at 860.643.5088 (option 1), or e-mail our Advancement Director at aguenther@saintjamesschool.net. We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow morning!
Please click here to view the 2016-2017 school year teacher assignments
The 2016-2017 Monthly Events Calendar is now available on our website under the “Forms & Documents” page. You can also view a copy here. The 2016-2017 Parent/Student Handbook has also been posted on the web under Forms & Documents. You can view a copy here (an acknowledgement form that you and your child must sign – stating you have read and understand the school policies – will be sent home on the first or second day of school).
First Day of School – Thursday, September 1st – Four-hour Day – 12:05 Dismissal
Please bring all of your child(ren)’s school supplies and meet in the large parking lot between the school and the Pre-Kindergarten between 7:30 and 7:50am. Parents can wait with students in the lot on the first day of school.
At 7:55am the homeroom teachers will come out and call their students’ names and ask them to line up to enter the school. Kindergarten parents will enter the school with their Kindergartners.
If there is rain on the first day of school, everyone will enter through the breezeway door and wait in the school gym.
DISMISSAL: At the end of the school day, students being picked up by parents (referred to as “walkers”) will be walked over to the school gym. Parents should be waiting outside the gym doors no later than 12:05pm to pick up their child(ren). When the doors are opened, please form a line at your youngest child’s grade first (numbers are marked on the floor with Kindergarten being closest to the stage).
Once the teachers have walked the children into the gym and has blown the whistle, each parent will approach the teacher and give their name. The child will then be dismissed to them. Please do not cross the center of the gym and take your child out of the line. For everyone’s safety, please help us conduct dismissal in an orderly manner.
Please do NOT park your car in front of the breezeway, anywhere there are marked “no parking signs,” or on Church Street where the buses park any day during dismissal time.
If your child is taking the bus home, please make sure they know their bus number. Younger students should have a name tag with their name, your cell number, and the bus number written on it. (Bus schedules are expected to be available by end of day Friday and will be put on our school website and e-mailed out to everyone when we have them).
If your child is going to AFTERCARE on the first day, please make sure they have a lunch and drink from home. There is no hot lunch/milk served on 12:05pm dismissal days. To pick your child up from Aftercare (or drop them off in the morning), ring the buzzer outside the breezeway door.
Friday, September 2nd – Full Day – 2:05pm Dismissal
Parents of walkers should be outside the school gym doors no later than 2:05pm to pick up their children. Dismissal procedures will be exactly the same as on Thursday.
Snack Policy
Kindergarten students should bring a snack and a drink to school along with a lunch on both four-hour days and full days of school. Students in grades 1-8 may bring a fruit or vegetable snack and a bottle of water to school every day. Students in grades 1-8 do not have lunch at school on four-hour days, unless they are attending aftercare. Students attending aftercare on four-hour days must bring a lunch and drink from home (hot lunch is not available on these days).
Lunch
On full days of school, students in grades 1-8 may bring a lunch from home or purchase lunch at school. The lunch menu is sent home with students before the start of each month. The lunch menu (click to view) is also available online at saintjamesschool.net. Prices are as follows (the price of lunch includes one milk): Grades 1-5, $2.15; Grades 6-8, $2.40. Students new to Saint James School this year (grades 1-8) will receive a packet home with their child in the first few days of school containing instructions on how to sign up for an on-line lunch account. If you wish to have your child purchase Hot Lunch in advance of receiving on-line sign-up information, please send in exact change (in an envelope labeled with their name) or a check for multiple lunches made out to “Manchester Hot Lunch Program” detailing your child’s name.
Returning families, please remember to fund your child’s lunch account prior to the first full day of school.
We look forward to seeing our new families, incoming Kindergarten families, and buddy families at the annual Meet & Sweet event on August 30th from 6:00pm – 7:00pm (at the school), and everyone else on September 1st! Enjoy these last few days of Summer Vacation!