National Vocations Week - January 12-16

Thank You, Father John
Father John visited the Fifth and Sixth Grade students this week to speak on religious vocations and demonstrate the habit worn by priests, brothers, and sisters of the Dominican Order. He is pictured with Paul Mitchell.

From the Principal

Dear Parents,
As we enter the New Year, we begin preparing for the next school year. One of the most important days of the school year is the Open House for Prospective Parents. It is our intention to give parents a good introduction to the school including faculty, facilities and program. 

As I have noted many times, there are no better ambassadors for the school than the families we serve. Now is the time to bring St. Joseph to the attention of relatives and neighbors The school is especially dependent on parents of preschoolers and Kindergarteners to recruit for the school. The school will also be able to accommodate a greater number of students next year as we will have two sections each of kindergarten through fourth grades. The school will have also limited openings in the upper grades. 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and enthusiastic support of the school. The Open House for new parents will be February 16th which is President’s Day. Hours for visitation for new parents will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

If you are aware of parents who have children entering school for the first time, or parents who have older children but who are in some manner of other unhappy with the education their children are receiving, or any family with preschoolers or elementary age students moving into the area, please provide us with their name and address and we will forward an Open House Package to them. We will not divulge who forwarded the name and address of prospective parents. Please see the enclosed form provided for that purpose.

—Dr. Gerard Toups


Calendar Events

Calendar for the Week:
January 12-16 - National Vocation Awareness Week
January 15 - Penitential Prayer Service (Grades 6-8)
January 15 - 7:00 Spring Fair Planning Meeting in the Library
January 16 - 8:30 Mass
January 16 - 2:50-3:50 4-H Meeting Second Grade Classroom
January 19 - Martin Luther King Holiday
January 22 - Reconciliation (8th)
January 23 - 8:30 Mass with Crusaders
January 23 - Cake Raffle
January 26-30 - Catholic Schools Week
January 26 - 8:30 Mass
January 29 - Religion Fair

2009-2010 Tuition Rates

The new tuition and fee schedule for 2009-2010 was approved by the SJS Advisory Council at their last meeting. 

The schedule for the new rates is attached to this packet. 

Information for registration for students and siblings of students already attending SJS will begin on Wednesday, February 4, and continue through Friday, February 11. After this date, registrations of new students will be accepted.

Home & School Notes

Dear SJS Parents, 

The Home and School Association will hold a fun-filled, hands-on Family Science Night on Friday, February 6, in the school gym from 7:00-8:30. The evening is at no cost, but we do need 
pre-registration in order to prepare the needed supplies for the evening. A registration form is attached to today’s packet. We should have it returned to the school office by Monday, January 26, if you plan to attend. Please note that all children MUST be accompanied by an adult in order to participate. We hope to see you there!

- George Waddell, President SJS H&S

Published Young Authors

Blaze D’Amico, Callie Fulmer, Amelia-Kate Johnson, Katie Bougère, and Faith Allen, left to right, recently had their original poetry selected for publication in the Young Authors’ Anthology.

4-H Club Meeting

The 4-H Club will hold a meeting on Friday, January 16, from 2:50-3:50 in the Second Grade Classroom. Parents are to pick up children promptly at 3:50 on the carpool side ONLY.

Cafeteria Updates

The cafeteria will immediately begin offering a personal pan pizza to students as an extra sales item. Pizza will cost $1.25. Please contact the cafeteria manager, Ms. Gwen Klein, with any questions. 985-386-8075.

Jr. Beta Club News

** The Jr. Beta Club at St. Joseph School will have its membership induction ceremony on Friday, January 16, at the 8:30 Mass. The ceremony will be followed by a short reception in the gym. 

** Beginning on Tuesday, January 27, members of the Jr. Beta Club will be available on Tuesday afternoons from 2:50-3:50 to tutor students in Grades 1-5. The areas tutored will be language arts/math. Please contact Mrs. Bonnie Naquin or Mrs. Lorraine Brennan (985-386-6421) if you feel your child would benefit from this service. A flyer with more information is included.

SJS Open House

If you have friends, neighbors or relatives who might be interested in sending their children (or grandchildren) to St. Joseph School, please provide us with their names and addresses on the attached flyer so that we may send them an invitation to our Open House on February 16. 

If you do not receive a flyer, you may contact the school office at 985-386-6421.

We are especially looking for students entering grades preK, kindergarten and first. 

Prospective parents will be able to see classes in session, meet and talk with the teachers, ask questions, and get a feel for SJS. 

Your help in this matter is most important. Thank you for your tremendous support of our school!

Sports Updates

TRACK - Students in Grades K-8 may sign up for track. The sign-up sheet is on the Sports Bulletin Board in the upstairs hallway. For more information, please contact the coaches Kirk Jackson at 985-969-2840 and Ron Pembo at 985-969-3877. 

SOFTBALL - Girls in Grades 6-7-8 may sign up for softball tryouts. The sign up sheet is on the Sports Bulletin Board. Tryouts will be scheduled soon.

Essay Contest Winners

Christina Ernst, left, and Amy Fresina took first and second places respectively with their essays on Caring. The parish-wide contest had more than 100 entries. Christina’s essay will now go on to state

TARC Benefit

A basketball exhibition game pitting the Harlem ambassadors against the Hammond Hometown Heroes will be played January 18, at 3:00 at the University Center as a benefit for TARC. 

Coach Kirk Jackson will be one of the Heroes on the court. 

Tickets and information are available at www.tarc-hammond.com or by calling 985-345-8811.

St. Paul Quote of the Week

The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?.

Heb 13:6


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