St. Joseph
Catholic School

Psalm 105

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. 
.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. 

Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. 

You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. 

He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations—
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

From the Principal

Dear Parents:

The St. Joseph School Advisory Board has approved a $100.00 increase in tuition for the 2013-2014 school year. Also, a $100.00 Technology Fee will be collected beginning next year from all students. The new tuition rates and fees are listed at EDLINE.

The Technology Fee can be paid upfront or funded through the loan program with the bank. The technology fee will help finance a one to one I-pad program for the 6th through 8th graders similar the one used at St. Thomas and the high schools throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Every student will benefit from the program and the increased use of technology in the school. The upper grades will be the school’s immediate priority, but as funds permit, I-pad labs will be established for the younger students. 

The entire campus has already been equipped to handle the increase in traffic through a high speed wireless network. Today, I ordered ten I-pads for the upper grade teachers so they might begin investigating the software that is available for use in the classroom. This is an exciting time for the school as it enters a new level of sophistication in the age of technology.

In this regard, the support of the entire community will be needed to fund the new initiative. The School Fair tickets and related items that go directly to support school programs are coming home today. Please be generous and be assured that the monies we receive are spent wisely and for the sole benefit of the children in the school.

Yesterday, with the approval and recommendation of the St. Joseph School Advisory Board, the Chief of Police Mr. Bry Layrisson and Mr. Chris Gideon who works with the State Attorney General’s Office in the area of school safety, toured the school to offer a plan to amend the present Safety and Crisis Plan for the school. Both have a special interest in the school since both are parents of children who attend St. Joseph. Our expectation is that we will have a number of excellent recommendations from them.

I ask again that parents make every effort to have the children to school on time. Every day twenty to twenty-five students enter the gym while we are praying. Teachers have to redo lunch counts and revise attendance reports. Time is wasted.

Finally, I receive weekly reports from the cafeteria that families are behind in their payments. In most cases this is a matter of inattentiveness. Please keep up with these payments. 

-- Dr. Gerard Toups
    Principal

Calendar for the Week

Wednesday, January 16
Fair Planning Meeting @ 6:30 in the Library
Final Mother/Son Tailgating Meeting @ 6:30 in the Library

Thursday, January 17
Field Trip - 6th Grade
Reconciliation - 8th Grade
Parent Night @ PHS - 8th Grade 6:00 p.m.

Friday, January 18
Mass @ 8:30 - All are invited to attend.
Spirit Dress

Monday, January 21
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday - No School

Tuesday, January 22
Classes Resume

Wednesday, January 23
In-House Registration Begins for 2013-2014
Fair Sponsorship Letters Due

Thursday, January 24
Reconciliation - 8th Grade

Friday, January 25
Mass @ 8:30 - All are invited to attend.
Spirit Dress
Crusaders Announced
Fair T-Shirt Order Forms Due 
Mother/Son Tailgate Party Ticket Orders Due

Monday-Friday, January 28-February 2
Catholic Schools Week

Monday, January 28
Mass @ 8:30 - All are invited to attend.
Spirit Dress with Red Shirts

Wednesday, January 30
Spirit Dress with Red, White, or Blue Shirts 
Fair Planning Meeting @ 6:30 in Library

Thursday, January 31
Religion Fair

8th Grade Parent Meeting - Thursday, January 17

Important Information for Parents of 8th Grade Students:

The counselors at Phonchatoula High School will hold a meeting for parents of 8th grade students in the PHS auditorium starting at 6:00 p.m.

School Holiday - Monday, January 21

St. Joseph Catholic School will have no school on Monday, January 21, in observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

Classes resume as usual on Tuesday, January 22.

Re-Registration - Wednesday, January 23

In-house (those students already enrolled) registration for the 2013-2014 school year will begin on Wednesday, January 23.

Re-registration papers and details will be sent home on that date.

Re-registration is open for in-house students until Friday, February 1.

Tailgate Party! - Sunday, January 27

Come join us for our second annual

Mother/Son Tailgate Party!

Sunday, January 27

2:00-4:00 p.m.

St. Joseph Catholic School

$25 per Mother/Son Ticket

Food and Drinks to be Served

Tickets Can Be Purchased on EDLINE

Payment Needs to be Sent to the Office in a Marked Envelope

Jumping Inflatables Courtesy of J&J Inflatables

If you have questions, please contact Veronica Pierson at

985-386-7799 or 985-320-4543 or veronica.pierson@lpsb.org.

The Wild West Spring Fest Is Coming!

March 8-9-10, 2013!!

We are sending home today a packet to provide you with an early look at all the information needed to make plans for the Wild West Spring Fest!

The packet shows all scheduled events, items for purchase, contests, entertainment, etc. The required deadlines for each is also included.  Deadlines are necessary in order to meet planning, scheduling, and production limitations. Thank you for your cooperation.

Contents of the packet include:
***** Fair Events and Stage Performance Schedule
***** Sponsorship Letter - due 1/23/13 to be included on t-shirt
***** Class Basket/Silent Auction Drop Off - due 2/25/13 to 3/1/13
***** Fair T-Shirt Order - due 1/25/13
***** Raffle Ticket Letter - due 3/1/13
***** Jambalaya Cook-Off - due 3/1/13
***** Pay-One-Price Ride Passes - due 3/1/13

All information is also available on our school website at FAIR..

Math-a-Thon

Dear Parents and Guardians: 

St. Joseph School is excited to participate in the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Math-A-Thon program. The Math-A-Thon will be sponsored by the Beta Club and participation is open to any student in 1st -8th grade. 

Math-A-Thon is a free educational program that teaches our kids the importance of math while helping others in need. This year’s Math-A-Thon will kick-off today, Wednesday, January 18. This morning students watched a video that showed them how they can help kids at St. Jude.

If you want your student to take part in the St. Jude Math-A-Thon, follow the instructions below:

1- GET PERMISSION
Fill out and sign the permission slip in the Wed. Packet and return it by FRIDAY, JANUARY 18.

2- GET SPONSORS
Ask family, friends, grandparents, and other people you know to sponsor by making a flat donation, a per page donation, or a per problem donation. Checks should be made out to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

3- DO THE MATH!
Have fun filling out your Funbook! Students will receive their Funbook 1-2 weeks after the permission slips are returned on or before Friday, January 18.

4- COLLECT PLEDGES
Use the envelope to collect your pledges from your sponsors. Return it along with your pledges to school by the deadline on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22. If you are fundraising and working problems on Math-A-Thon online, be sure to print your total online donations and turn them in with this form. Checks should be made out to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Of course, the best reward for participating is knowing your family has made a difference in the lives of children suffering from cancer and other catastrophic diseases, but the added bonus is that Math-A-Thon will help your child sharpen their math skills just in time for Terra-Nova testing.

To learn more about St. Jude, visit www.stjude.org. For additional information regarding the Math-A-Thon program and a complete list of prizes, please visit www.mathathon.org.

Through Math-A-Thon, you and your child make it possible for St. Jude to treat patients regardless of a family’s ability to pay.

Thank you,

Jeri Carroll
Stacy Bankston
Math-A-Thon and Beta Club Sponsors
985-386-6421

Student Council Valentine FundRaiser

Love is in the air at St. Joseph School!

The 2013 St. Joseph Student council will begin their annual Valentine's Day fundraiser for charity on Thursday, January 17. This year, they are selling 8" silk roses for $1.00 each. The proceeds from the sale will go toward a Catholic charity in our area.

The roses will be distributed to students on Friday, February 8, during homeroom.

To Purchase a Rose:
     1. Fill out the recipient information on the back of the car (remember to include the grade level of the recipient and his/her homeroom).
     2. Send the card, along with the money, to the office.
     3. The price is $1.00 per rose.
     4. Deadline for purchase: February 4.

Purchase as many roses as you like. Additional cards may be found at VALENTINE and are also available by request in the office. Please have all money and cards sent to school on or before February 4.

Prospective Students

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

Prospective parents will be able to see classes in session, meet and talk with the teachers, ask questions, and get a "feel" for St. Joseph School at this Open House.

Our parents are our best advocates. Thank you for your tremendous support.

You may download the form at OPEN HOUSE, fill it out, and send it to the office. You may also email information to sjsoffice@sjscrusaders.org.

Special Education Survey

The Diocese is in the process of reviewing its special education offerings with the intention of offering a quality Catholic education that meets the spiritual, educational and practical needs of all students with disabilities throughout the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Your input is vital to this effort and would be greatly appreciated. Please complete the survey and provide as much detail as you deem useful in their effort.

You can access the SURVEY.

Parish News

Personnel
Fr. Cayet Mangiaracina, O.P. - Parochial Vicar and Administrator
Fr. David K. Seid, O.P, - In Residence
Larry J. Melancon - Deacon
Mike Agnello - Deacon
Dr. M.J. "Dutch" Schanzbach - Deacon

Weekend Mass Schedule
Saturday Vigil Mass - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday Mass - 8:00 a.m., 11:00 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