A reminder for families with a student participating in the first Cross Country Practice today, pick-up for students not going to aftercare is 3:30pm outside the SJS gymnasium. Please wait outside and runners will be dismissed to you there.
As a reminder, Saint James School’s Fall Festival commemorating our Centennial Anniversary will take place on Saturday, September 17th on our school campus. There will be inflatables, food trucks, games, a dunk tank, fun contests, and more! We are hoping all our SJS families will come out to enjoy the fun and commemorate this milestone event! The Fall Festival is open to everyone in the community as well, so invite friends, family, etc. to join us!
Fall Festival Admission WRIST BANDS are now on sale for $10 each (for students/children only – no charge for accompanying adults). Please note food and some other items will be an additional cost.
Our event chairs – Mrs. Tierney and Mrs. Fiereck – will be on hand selling wristbands this coming WEDNESDAY (9/14) at afternoon pickup. You can also send cash or check into school in an envelope with your child (“kid mail”) and wrist bands will be sent home with them. Please include this form for “kid mail” purchases: 100th Anniversary FALL FESTIVAL Wrist Band Purchases
Saint James School is pleased to share a couple of changes to the middle school teaching team/schedule:
First, we are happy to report that Mr. Adams will be returning to SJS in the role of 6th grade Social Studies and 7th & 8th grade History/Geography teacher. With this change, Mr. Adams will become a homeroom teacher in 7th grade – taking over Mrs. Wolpert’s 7th grade homeroom beginning tomorrow (Thursday).
Mrs. Wolpert, who is opting for a part-time schedule this year, will continue to teach 7th grade English and 8th Grade Reading. Mrs. McQuaid will add the 6th grade and 7th grade Math B groups to her teaching schedule while Ms. Starnick will continue to teach the mid and accelerated math classes for grades 6 – 8.
If you have any questions about these changes, please feel free to reach out to your child’s homeroom teacher.
This morning all NEW SJS K – 8 families should have received an email with information on setting up their EZSchoolPay account for tracking funds in their child’s hot lunch account.
While Hot Lunch is FREE through approximately December 1st, if your child purchases just milk or extra food, there will be a charge to your account. You can add money to your child’s account through the EZSchoolPay app (a $3.00 convenience fee will apply) or by sending in cash or a check with your child to the attention of Manchester Hot Lunch Program (no fee). Checks must be made out to “Manchester Hot Lunch Program” and the envelope you send it in should be clearly labeled with your child’s name.
If you are a returning family and did not set up an EZSchoolPay account last year, please reach out to Amy Guenther (aguenther@saintjamesschool.net) if you need your child’s ID number.
Mr. Corcoran is pleased to announce that the Advanced Band will be performing at the Open House for Saint James School’s 100th Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, September 18th. On September 7th, music students in grades 6 – 8 will have lessons and band rehearsal to prepare all members for this important event.
On Monday, September 12th Mr. Corcoran will have a parent meeting at 6:30pm in the cafeteria for families (grades 4 – 8) interested in joining the band program this year.
Beginning Band Lessons start on September 15th.
The SJS Home & School Association (similar to a PTA/PTO) will hold its first meeting of the new school year this coming Thursday, September 8th from 7:00-8:00pm in the school cafeteria. We strongly encourage all Pre-K through Grade 8 parents to attend to learn about ways to get involved in our school community and get information about events that will be upcoming in the next few months.
When you arrive at the school, please ring the buzzer at the breezeway doors and then head downstairs to the cafeteria for the meeting.
Any questions can be directed to our HSA President, Patricia McCarthy, at hsa@saintjamesschool.net.
We look forward to seeing you there!
A couple of notes about dismissal:
* As a reminder, we do not allow pets on our campus during dismissal time;
* The SJS buses are arriving a bit later this year, so bus students are being dismissed at 2:05pm. Please DO NOT park on Church street (from the corner of Park Street to Oak Place) until after the buses pull away (about 2:15pm). Please note, we are also dismissing walkers (parent pickup) beginning at 2:05pm – which is about 5 or so minutes later than last year.
As a reminder, if your child will be going home in a way that is outside the normal daily routine, please send a written note in to school with your student so the teacher is aware (i.e., student is going to aftercare instead of parent pick-up, student is going home with a different adult or a friend, etc., student is being picked up instead of taking the bus, etc.).
Last minute changes may be called in to Mrs. Sager in the SJS main office.
As a reminder, there is no school this coming Monday (Labor Day). Enjoy the long weekend and we look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Tuesday.
Please return the Athletics Health Form, the Cross Country Permission Slip, and the $50 sports/activity fee to the school office by Friday, September 2nd. Students must be in grades 5 – 8 and be able to run at minimum a consistent mile for the first practice.
Practices begin on Tuesday, September 6th and will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays after school until 3:30pm (once meets start, practices may change). A full practice/meet calendar will be provided in the weeks ahead.