Parent Letter 1/16/20

Dear Parents,
 
Hello from St. Joseph’s School!  Please continue reading to learn of all the exciting events and happenings at our school.  Please call (651-457-8550) or email our school faculty or staff if you have any questions.  May God bless you, your family, and St. Joseph’s School!
 
Our school is holding a number of opportunities for school families, and members of the parish and community to gather to learn more about our school.  By attending any of the preview night meetings and our open house, individuals will learn about our programs.  Our fantastic faculty look forward to partnering with parents to provide quality faith formation and excellent academics.  
 
Our Middle School and Kindergarten Preview Information Nights have been well attended by current and prospective families.  Parents with preschool age children are encouraged to attend our upcoming Preschool Preview Information Night next week.  All school families are invited and encouraged to attend our Catholic Schools Week Mass and Open House.  Details for these special events are included in this letter.  We also ask you to consider inviting and bringing a friend(s) with you to learn more about our school and programs.
 
Memorial Mass - Matthew Wesely
Greg and Anne Wesely would like to share with you that there will be a Memorial Mass for their son Matthew on Monday, January 20 at the Church of St. Joseph.  Visitation will begin at 10am followed by Mass at 11am.  They invite all of you to join them in prayer for their son Matthew.  The family will be going immediately after Mass for a private burial at Resurrection Cemetery.
 
Mission
We thank members of our school and parish communities for assisting us in carrying out the mission of St. Joseph’s School.  Our school is the largest ministry of the parish and with everyone’s support we continue to “educate students through faith formation, academic excellence, and the development of virtue so they may become disciples of Christ.”
 
We fulfill our mission by:

• inspiring spiritual growth through classroom instruction, prayer, liturgy, devotions, sacraments, retreats and service.
• challenging students with a comprehensive curriculum enriched with fine arts and co-curricular activities meeting the needs of all learners.

• engaging students in an environment that allows them to develop virtue through shared responsibility, self-discipline, respect, honor and faith in Christ.

 
Please continue to be involved in the many opportunities to help us carry out our mission by volunteering at our school and sharing our school’s story with others.  Thank you!
 
No School- Friday, January 17th and Monday, January 20th 
There will be no school on Friday, January 17th and Monday, January 20th.   Faculty will be involved in  professional development activities on Friday and we observe the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday.  Enjoy your long weekend!
 
School in Session – Tuesday, January 21st
School will be in session on Tuesday, January 21st for students and faculty.  Please note that school is not in session for students in ISD 197.  Transportation and school lunch will not be available for families.  Parents will need to provide transportation to / from school and lunch for their children on this day.
 
Registration for the 2020-21 School Year Opens in January
Student enrollment has begun for the 2020-21 school year!  Current school families are automatically re-enrolled with the required annual family registration fee applied to family TADS accounts in February.
 
Current and new families interested in learning more about our school are encouraged to attend our Catholic Schools Week Open House on January 26th from 10am to 1pm.
Families not able to attend the Middle School Preview Night on January 9, the Kindergarten Preview Night on January 14, or needing additional information and/or having questions about enrollment for next school year, please contact Lindsay Mayernik, Enrollment Coordinator at limayernik@stjosephwsp.org or by calling 651-789-8315.
In addition, we ask for your assistance in helping share our school story with others and increase our student enrollment.  Please consider inviting families you know to attend our Open House or contact our school to receive information or visit our school.  New families interested in enrolling their child(children) at our school should visit our school website and click on the Admissions tab.
 
Kindergarten Preview Night – Thank you!                                                                   
Thank you to the many families who attended our Kindergarten Preview Information Night.  We really enjoyed sharing information about our outstanding Kindergarten program and showing the families our beautiful classrooms and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Atrium. 
 
Preschool Preview Night – January 23
Please join us Thursday, January 23rd at 6:00pm in the Preschool Classrooms to learn more about the preschool offerings we provide for 3 & 4 year olds in St. Joseph’s Preschool.  Childcare will be available.
 
Open House – Sunday, January 26th  10:00 am – 1:00 pm                                                                     St. Joseph School has scheduled an opportunity for current, prospective, and parish families to visit our school.  Everyone is invited to our Preschool –Grade 8 Open House on Sunday, January 26 from 10:00am - 1:00pm.  All classrooms, Atriums, and areas of the school building will be open for visitors.  School administration and faculty will be available to meet with you and share information about our school.  If you know of a family (parish member, neighbor, relative, colleague at work) who may be interested in learning more about our school, please invite them to attend the special Open House.

Prayer Service for Life
On Wednesday, January 22 at 10:30 a.m., the Archdiocese of St. Paul / Minneapolis and the Minnesota Concerned Citizens for Life (MCCL) will be holding a Prayer Service for Life at the Cathedral in St. Paul.  Mrs. Bowe, Mrs. Bruce, Mr. Butler, Mrs. Budge, and Mr. Wesely will be taking our seventh and eighth grade students to this special prayer service.  People and students from throughout the Archdiocese will be in attendance.  We thank the Church of St. Joseph Respect Life Committee for providing bus transportation for the event.
 
Rosary for Life - Wednesday, January 22 for Kindergarten-Sixth grades
Our school community will gather to pray the Rosary on Wednesday, January 22 at 9:00 a.m. in the Church.  We will pray the Joyful Mysteries following the Christmas season and for a respect for life.  Parents and family members are invited to join our students and faculty in prayer.
 
Spelling Bee – Wednesday, January 29
The annual St. Joseph’s School Spelling Bee for 4th - 8th grade students will be held on Wednesday, January 29 beginning at 9:00 am in the gym.  Two students from each classroom have been chosen to participate in the Spelling Bee.  Good luck to all of the participants; p-a-r-t-i-c-i-p-a-n-t-s; participants.
 
School Carnival
Planning is underway for Carnival to be held on Friday, January 31, 2020.  Carnival information packets were sent home in the Friday Folders.  Carnival is a long-standing tradition at St. Joe’s and caps off an exciting Catholic Schools Week.  
 
Carnival will be held during the school day and students will have a normal school schedule from 8:40am-12:00pm followed by the start of Carnival at 12:00pm.  Students are treated to lunch in their classrooms before being dismissed for Carnival.  All Preschool - 1st grade students must be accompanied by an adult or middle school student at all times throughout the Carnival.  Carnival ends at 3:00pm and student will return to their classrooms to prepare for normal dismissal at 3:40pm.   
 
We are in need of donations for prizes at our school Carnival!  Please click here to sign up for a donation.  After Christmas and clearance sales are a great time to pick up carnival prizes of all kinds.  Prizes may be brought to the school office. ( No used items please)  
 
Many volunteers are also needed for our Carnival to be a wonderful experience for our students.  Please consider signing up for one or more of the volunteer opportunities for this event by    clicking here  Thank you for your assistance and support of the special event!
 
Catholic Schools Week - January 26 – January 31, 2020                                                               National Catholic Schools Week is January 26 – January 31, 2020.  Everyone is excited to celebrate Catholic Education and our school with special theme days.  Please click the links below for more information.
 
Jaguar Fan Appreciation Week - January 27 – January 30, 2020                                                     Jaguar Fan Appreciation Week is scheduled for Monday, January 27 through Thursday, January 30, 2020.  Students and families are invited to show their school spirit and cheer on our Jaguar basketball teams in the gymnasium.  Information about this annual event with dates and times will come out next week.
 
Catholic Schools Week Mass- January 26 - 9:00 a.m.
We invite you and encourage you to attend the Catholic Schools Week Mass to be held at 9:00 a.m. at the Church of St. Joseph.  Students are asked to wear their school uniforms to the weekend Masses (January 25-26).  Students who wear their uniform will receive an out-of-uniform pass.  Parents, please send a note to your child’s teacher indicating they wore their uniform to Mass on Saturday or Sunday to receive their out-of-uniform pass.  Thank you for celebrating and supporting our school by attending this special Mass.
 
Preschool Information
Preschool will not be in session on Friday, January 17th and Tuesday, January 21st.  Our Preschool teachers will be conducting Telephone Conferences with the parents of their students.  In addition, on Wednesday, January 22nd, the penguins from will visit the PreKindergarten 4/5 ‘s class.
 
Our Preschool teachers and students in our Preschool 4s and 4/5s programs celebrated the letter “W” during this week.  For sharing time, the students had a very special visitor.  Mr. Wesely arrived at the classrooms in a white shirt to see the children, introduced the children to his family, was able to pick the letter “w” out of a bag (no pressure!), and read the students a winter story.  The preschool children (and Mr. Wesely!) really enjoyed the visit. 
 
Early Childhood Screening for Preschool Aged Children 
Please be sure to make an appointment for Preschool Early Childhood screening through the school district you reside in.  Screening is required now for most schools, instead of highly recommended as in the past.  It is suggested that the screening be completed at the 3½ age level.  Even if your child is past the age recommendation, it is still necessary to make an appointment.  Please contact Vicki Young at 651-789-8300 if you have any questions or need additional information.
 
Fiddler on the Roof - Middle School Musical
The cast has been chosen for our Middle School Musical – Fiddler on the Roof.  Congratulations to our students.  Mrs. Bowe is beginning to practice with the cast.  We wish Mrs. Bowe, her assistants, and the students well as they prepare for their performances.  The performances are scheduled for; Thursday, March 12 and Friday, March 13.  Ticket information will be provided in a future Friday Letter.
 
First Reconciliation Retreat and Sacrament
Please pray for our 2nd grade students who will be receiving their First Reconciliation on Saturday, January 25.  The students will attend a special retreat and receive the sacrament.  We thank Fr. Creagan, Fr. Wratkowski, Mrs. Fallon, Mrs. Taplin, members of the parish’s Faith Formation Office, and our families for preparing the students to receive this special sacrament of God’s mercy and love. 
 
St. Joe’s Winter Socials - Now Open!
St. Joe’s Winter Socials are now open!   Please see the attachment below for a list and details of the Socials that are now available!  Please click here to register to attend.
 
Does Your Employer Offer a Matching Gift Program?
Employer matching programs are a wonderful way to maximize your donation to St. Joseph’s School.  Please look into your employer programs to see if they may participate in this program.  If you have any questions or need help with the process, please contact Lisa Wrobel in our school office.  Thank you.
 
Volunteers Needed for Recess Duty - Please help
We need help for recess duty for the remaining months of school.  Whether our students are outside or inside because of the weather, volunteers offer tremendous assistance in providing supervision of students.  Please click here to volunteer in January.
 
Progress Reports & Parent Teacher Conferences                                                                Mid-trimester Progress Reports for students in grades 4-8 will be mailed to families on Friday, January 24.  Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Tuesday, February 4 (4:30-7:30 pm) and Thursday, February 6 (4:30-7:30 pm).  Either the teacher, or the parent may request a conference to discuss the student’s progress.  Conferences are requested for, but not limited to, academic or behavior concerns, special education updates, etc.  
 
Scholastic Book Fair – February 4 - 9                                                                                            Scholastic Book Fair is coming to St. Joseph’s School!  Students in grades K – 5 will be going to the Library to preview the Book Fair on Tuesday, February 5 with their class.  Students will come home on Tuesday with a wish list that they have filled out with items that they are interested in purchasing at the fair.  Then, Thursday, February 7 will be their Book Fair purchase day.  If you are interested in purchasing items from your students wish list or other items, please send in money with your student on the Book Fair purchase day.  
 
Students in Middle School will be attending the Book Fair on Wednesday, February 6.  This will be their purchase day.  Please send money with your student on Wednesday if they are interested in purchasing any Book Fair items.
 
The Scholastic Book Fair will be open during Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00pm-8:00pm on Tuesday, February 5 and Thursday, February 7.   It will be open at Church in the Great Room on Saturday, February 9 -  5:30pm - 6:30pm, and Sunday, February 10 -  8:30am - 12:00pm.
Please contact the school office if you have any questions 651-457-8550.
 
Winter Season- School Closing Information 
Now that we are into the “winter season”, school closings due to snow and/or extreme cold are announced on television and radio.  St. Joseph’s School is always listed with our school district; ISD 197 West St. Paul, Mendota Heights, Eagan.  If District 197 schools close, our school will close.  In addition, our school office will also send out an “email blast” to our school families and a message will be posted on our school website announcing the closing of school.  Please note; If an extreme number of weather related closings occur, school administration will evaluate the need to reschedule instructional days.
 
The Weather is Changing
Winter continues in West St. Paul with more predictions of cold temperatures and snow, snow, and more snow.  Please send your children to school with their sweaters, sweatshirts, jackets, and “snow gear” including hats, scarves, and nylon gloves/mittens so your child’s hands remain dry.   Please remember to label all of your child’s clothing so that it can be returned to him/her in the event that it is misplaced or lost while at school.  Our school’s Lost and Found is located on the first floor outside of the cafeteria.
 
School Masses
Our next school Mass will be on Friday, January 24th at 9:00 a.m. in the Church.  Parents and family members are always welcome to attend our school Masses and prayer devotions during the school year.
 
Painting with Mr. Beaman
St. Joe’s moms are invited to attend “Painting with Mr. Beaman”.  This special event will be held on January 31st at 6:30pm in the parish’s Great Room.  This is the fourth year of painting fun! Join a group of ladies for a fun and relaxing night of wine, hors d’oeuvres, and painting lead by our own amazingly talented art teacher Mr Beaman!  It will be the perfect way to unwind after a fun Carnival Day! 
Sign up here: https://stjosephwsp.org/paint-night
 
For Your Information
St. Joseph’s School is an important ministry of the Church of St. Joseph.  Some of our school families are not members of the parish.  In our efforts to serve all school families, our Friday Letter may at times include information about activities and events that are taking place at the Church of St. Joseph.  
 
Middle School Youth Nights
Middle School Youth Nights will be held every other week throughout the year! These nights will be held on the 1st and 3rd week of each month and will include fun, snacks, fellowship, and different types of prayer such as bible study, Adoration, and small groups.  Please see the attachment for a full list of dates and times.  If you have any questions, please contact Jake Debolt at jake.debolt@churchofstjoseph.org
 
Click here to link to the weekly St. Joseph’s Church Bulletin .
 
Important Links:
Carnival Packet
Spirit Week Dress Up Days
Middle School Youth Nights
 
January / February Look Ahead:
             °  Friday, Jan. 17 - No School for Students, Professional Development for Staff
            °  Monday, Jan. 20 - No School for Students, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
            °  Tuesday, Jan. 21 - School IN Session - Parent Transportation and No School Lunch
            °  Tuesday, Jan. 21 - No Preschool - Phone Conferences
            °  Thursday, Jan. 23 - Preschool Preview Night 6:00pm, Preschool
            °  Friday, Jan. 24 - Mass 9:00am Church
            °  Saturday, Jan. 25 - First Reconciliation Retreat & Sacrament - Parent & 2nd Grader 
               (Mailing will be sent with exact times)
            °  Sunday, Jan. 26 - Catholic Schools Week Mass 9:00 a.m. Church of St. Joseph
            °  Sunday, Jan. 26 - Catholic Schools Week Open House 10:00am- 1:00pm, School
            °  Sunday, Jan. 26 - Friday, Jan. 31- Catholic Schools Week
            °  Monday, January 27 - Friday, January 31 - Jaguar Spirit Week 
            °  Friday, Jan. 31 - Mass 9:00am Church
            °  Friday, Jan. 31 - Carnival
            °  Tuesday, Feb. 4 - Parent Teacher Conferences 4:30-7:30pm
            °  Thursday, Feb. 6 - Parent Teacher Conferences 4:30-7:30pm