Psalm 33

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. 

Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.  

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. 

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine. 

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. 

Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you. 

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

From the Principal

Sadie Bohning, first grade student, enjoys lunch on her first day back to school - August 12, 2010.

Dear Parents:

Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year. We thank you for your continued support. Largely to the efforts of parents who have expressed confidence in the school, enrollment has increased again this school year and the school year will start with over 385 students in attendance.

Last year was a busy school year. Much was accomplished to better serve your children. Academically, the school introduced a new reading series, doubled the 4th grade homerooms, and provided an additional teacher for reading in the lower grades.

At the beginning of the last school year the new primary classroom was opened for the pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grades. That building has proven to be a blessing. The school is most fortunate that the church parishioners fulfilled their pledges at a most difficult time economically. The school community is most appreciative.

Also, last summer the second grade classrooms were renovated. Those students enjoyed a quieter and more pleasant environment for their studies. New tables were purchased for the cafeteria, and the new playground for the younger students finally became a reality. Many of the younger students personally expressed their thanks for the playground. It is because of parental support and the growth of the school that these new projects were made possible.

At the start of this school year there is more good news. The school has doubled the fifth grade. That means an additional teacher has been hired. In fact, two new teachers were hired for the fifth grade. Since the school did not have to purchase a major textbook series this school year, an art program was purchased. Students in grades one through eight will have art classes interspersed throughout the school year. Also, the school purchased eight new StarBoards that include an eight foot screen and a projector which is attached to a computer that is operated from a console. It can play DVD’s, connect to the Internet, and serves as an overhead projector. It is a marvelous teaching tool and every homeroom now has one.

The parish and school now share a skilled maintenance man, Mr. Thomas Brehm. He has worked hard this summer to clean the floors, repair the lights, and make the school a much brighter and cleaner place. He had the help of three high school boys from St. Thomas and they did a tremendous job. It is intention of the School Board with parental support and Mr. Tommy’s skill to continue the renovation of the main building in the months to come.

Additionally, repairs had to be made to the sewer system this summer and a contract has been let to pave the area across the street from the gym. That area has been a bog since the primary building was finished. Both these projects were delayed due to no fault of the school. As a result there is obvious evidence where the sewer work was done and there will be some inconvenience as the concrete is poured. I want to thank Mr. Tommy for his efforts to accelerate these two projects. The delays are unfortunate, but the work needs to be completed.

Finally, St. Joseph School has participated in the diocesan effort to have all schools approved by the Southern Association. The surveys completed by parents last school year were used in this project. I am pleased to report that parents expressed great faith in the mission of the school, and the faculty and staff did the same. Certain areas are being targeted to be addressed. The school community will be informed of the goals of the school and the progress being made in these areas as the school year progresses.

-- Dr. Gerard Toups, Principal

Calendar for the Week

Friday, August 13
* Mass @ 8:30 - All are invited to attend.
* Spirit Dress
* PreK Small Group A
* Kindergarten Individual Testing


Monday, August 16 
* PreK Small Group B
* Kindergarten Individual Testing


Tuesday, August 17
* PreK Small Group C
* Kindergarten Individual Testing


Wednesday, August 18
* First full day for PreK and Kindergarten
* Back-to-School Night for parents of students in Grades 1-4 @ 7:00 in the classrooms. Please note, this night is for parents only.


Thursday, August 19
* Home & School Association Meeting @ 6:30 in the gym
* Back-to-School Night for parents of students in Grades 5-8 following the Home & School meeting. Please note, this night is for parents only.


Friday, August 20
* Mass @ 8:30 - All are invited to attend.
* Spirit Dress


Wednesday, August 25
Magazine Sale Kickoff - sale continues until September 8


Friday, August 27
* Mass @ 8:30 - All are invited to attend.
* Spirit Dress

Holidays

Our first school holiday is Labor Day, September 6.

School Shoes

There has been some confusion concerning the shoes for PreK and Kindergarten girls. 

The school shoes for PreK and Kindergarten girls is the Willit's Kasha for sizes under 10 and the Willit's Lauren for the bigger sizes. 

Our official shoes vendor is The Old School.

No other shoes have the approval from the administration.

Spirit Dress

Spirit Dress consists of long, plain blue jeans, the spirit t-shirt, crew socks, uniform shoes, and a belt. 

Spirit Dress is an option on Fridays. The regular uniform may also be worn.

Faculty & Staff

Please check our Faculty Tab on the website to learn all about our new (and veteran) teachers and staff at St. Joseph for 2010-2011.

Boys' Shoes

Major flaws have been discovered with the new boys' shoes purchased at the Old School .

The Old School has agreed to refund money on shoes purchased there. Please bring your receipt with you if you decide to return the shoes.

Boys may wear either the new shoes OR the shoes from last year - black New Balance Cross Trainer. This shoe has velcro for the PreK & K students and ties for the students in Grades One through Eighth. The shoes are widely available in stores and online.

Local stores which carry the black New Balance Cross Trainer are:
Perfectly Fit - Minnesota Parkway - Hammond (near the mall)
Ponseti Shoes - Clearview Mall - Metairie
Joe's Shoes - Mandeville.

We do regret the inconvenience this has caused. We thank our parents for pointing out the flaws right away and greatly appreciate their patience with this situation.

St. Joseph Parish

Personnel
Rev. John Dominic Sims, O.P. - Pastor
Rev. Victor F.A. Celio, O.P. - Parochial Vicar
Larry J. Melcanon - Deacon

Sunday Mass Schedule
Saturday Vigil Mass - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday Mass - 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 5:00 p.m.

Contact Information
Address - 255 North 8th Street (P.O. Box 368), Ponchatoula, LA 70454
Phone - 985.386.3749
Website - www.stjosephsonline.com




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