St. Joseph
Catholic School

Psalm 45

R. (10bc) The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. 

The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir. 
 
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
 
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father’s house.
 
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
 
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord.
 
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
 
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
 
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

From the Principal

Eli Kinchen, left, and William Gaasch, both preK students, enjoy their breakfast as well as a special treat from the Home & School Association on their first full day at school. Boo-hoo's (tissues given to the parents) and Yoo-hoo's (for the students) are a H&S tradition at SJS.

Dear Parents:

The school year is off to a great start. Teachers have been busy setting up classrooms. Unlike the last two years, when there was so much movement because of the opening of the new buildings, just a few room adjustments had to be made this year. I ask that refer to the website weekly for information regarding the school. Every effort will be made through the website and through Edline to keep you informed of the progress and plans for the school and the progress of your child. I ask you to refer to the website page entitled “Planting Seeds that Grow” for a recap of the work done in the school over the past four years. Much still needs to be accomplished, but, with your assistance, the program offered and the physical environment in which your children work and play will continue to improve.

Thursday is the Home and School Meeting at 6:30 and the Open House for the 5th through 8th will follow at 7:00. Please plan on being there. The Home and School has been very active over the past few years and participation is of vital importance. We need parents to step forward and help so often in the school year.

Besides the hiring of a maintenance man, Mr. Tommy Brehm, the school has hired a full time janitor for the school. Mr. Joe Perez started last Monday, so if your children come home and mention Mr. Joe, know that he is working in the school. We are pleased to have both these gentlemen on the staff and as parents I am sure you will be pleased with the cleanliness and state of repair of the school.

Over the next few weeks we will highlight our new employees so return to the website and get introduced. 

-- Dr. Gerard Toups

Calendar for the Week

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 
* Foreign Exchange Student Informational Meeting for parents of students in Grades 6-8 @ 6:00 in the library.
* 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

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.

Back-to-School Nights

Back-to-School Night for parents of students in grades first through fourth will be Wednesday, August 18, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the classrooms.


Back-to-School Night for parenst of students in grades fifth through eighth will be Thursday, August 19, following the Home & School Meeting.


During both sessions, parents will be able to view the classrooms, meet the teachers, and learn about expectations for students as well as classroom routines.

These are adult events. Other arrangements should be made for students.

EDLINE

EDLINE is up and running.

If your child was a student at SJS last year, your user name and password are the same. You may begin using EDLINE immediately. If you have forgotten your EDLINE information, please send an email to Mrs. Little at slittle@sjscrusaders.org to have it reset.

If your child is new to SJS this year, an activation code was sent home Wednesday, August 18 in a white envelope. If you did not receive an activiation code or have problems logging on to EDLINE, please email Mrs. Little at slittle@sjscrusaders.org for assistance.

General information about EDLINE is listed below.

What is Edline?
Edline provides a complete Internet platform that serves as an extension to our school's website. Edline saves our teachers time and enhances parent-teacher communication. Using GradeQuick, our school's student gradebook system software, and other desktop applications, Edline transforms our school's website into an extraordinary extension of our school, where visitors see only what we want them to see. 

Communicate current information-Easily
With a few clicks, our staff posts or displays current grades, news, attendance and calendar items. It's easy to enter and display information on Edline.

Find important information-Fast
Edline's intuitive design securely presents relevant information, in context, so teachers, parents, and students easily find what they need to find-their classes, their activities, their assignments, and more-quickly! 

One password, one login
Edline manages user relationships to give our parents, students and teachers instant access to the information they need. There are no multiple logins, only shortcuts to information. Parents or guardians login once and access information for all of their students. 

Effectively inform parents
With Edline, parents know what's going on everyday-from activities to your student's latest exam scores.
Plus, you can check up on :
Grades
School News
Class News
Assignments
Calendars
... and more

A secure place you control
Edline offers the most secure, protected and private environment possible. Edline authenticates every user and securely displays only the content, such as a student's current grades, that is necessary for you to see. 

Foreign Exchange Students

St. Joseph School students in Grades 6-8 have an opportunity to become hosts for foreign exchange students from Guatemala through the Catholic Student Exchange Program.

This is a program that makes Catholic children relate, enrich, and interact with another culture of a different country. Studenets involved in this cultural and educational activity are between the ages of 11 and 16 years old. They live with an American Catholic family for two months. During this time, they attend the same school where their host is enrolled. Families receive a studenet of the same gender, similar age, and values of your own.

On October 16, Latin American student arrives in the USA where they are received by their host families. They return to Guatemala the same way on December 12.

Host families continue their regular activities, sharing their every day lives, values, and traditions. The Latin Americans tag along while they practice their English. They will do the same schoolwork activities as regular studenets, abiding by all rules and regulations, at home as well as in school.

All expenses, including tuition, lunch, and full medical insurance are covered by each child. Children prepare to share information, food, handcrafts, and videos of their own country at school and home.

Hosting a child from a different culture will make your own children understand why we need good communication. It is a basis for knowing each other as human beings with our mutual needs, faith, fears, and joys. Give your family and school the opportunity of sharing a new friendship that will remain. Our faith unites us and keeps us together. This is a great chance to share your hospitality.

A meeting of parents of students in Grades 6-7-8 who are interested in learning more about his opportunity will be held on Thursday, August 19, at 6:00 p.m. in the library.

Parents may also email Mariella Obiols at mo@catholicstudentexchange.com or magobiols@hotmail.com.

Parents may also email Deann Ponciano at da@catholicstudentexchange.com or catholicstudentexchange@yahoo.com.

Their website is www.catholicstudentexchange.com.

Home & School Meeting

The St. Joseph School Home and School Association will have their first meeting this year on Thursday, August 19, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the gym. 

A short meeting will take place during which the faculty and staff will be introduced. 

The back-to-school night for parents of students in grades fifth through eighth will follow.

There will be a drawing for $100 among those in attendance at every meeting. Those with perfect attendance will have their names entered into a drawing for $500 at the end of the year.

This is an event for adults. Please make child care arrangements.

Permission Signature Form

Today, each family has received a packet of policies which is topped by a signature form. 

The policies included are: 
Publications Release
Emergency Procedure Drill
Medication at School
Bus Rules
Emergency Care & Transport
Student/Parent Handbook/Calendar
Sports Permission Form
Child Protecton Information
Acceptable Use Policy of Computers and Telecommunications.

All policies may be kept at all. Parents and students should sign and date the signature form and return only the signature form to the school. 

The Handbook/Calendar is currently being printed and should be available soon. They will be sent home as soon as we receive them.

Community News

Ponchatoula Little Conference Football & Cheerleaders

Registration:
Saturday, August 21
Saturday, August 28

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

499 4th Street, Ponchatoula

Football - boys - ages 6-13

Cheerleading - girls - ages 5-13

Fee is $60.

Registration forms are available in the school office.

More information: www.plcf.fanspace.com



Child Care

Stay-at-home mom offering quality child care inher home. If you are interested or have questions, call Theresa Labat at 985-635-2228 or 504-710-6676. Located in Bon Aire Estates.

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