Parent Letter 1/17/19

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 meetings and open houses, individuals will learn about our programs that under the guidance of fantastic faculty, partner with parents to provide quality faith formation and academic excellence.  
 
Our Middle School and Preschool Information Nights have been well attended by current and prospective families.  We invite you to attend our Kindergarten Information Night and Catholic Schools Week Open House.  Details for these special events are included in this letter.  We also ask you to consider inviting and bringing a friend with you to learn more about our school and programs.
 
No School- Friday, January 18th and Monday, January 21st  
There will be no school on Friday, January 18th and Monday, January 21^st.  Faculty will be attending professional development on Friday.  Faculty will be praying together, listening to an address from Fr. Creagan, reviewing our school’s Strategic Plan for Improvement, attending a presentation from Dr. Michael Naughton, from the University of St. Thomas Catholic Studies Program, reviewing curriculum, and planning instruction.  We will observe the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday.  Enjoy your long weekend!

School in Session – Tuesday, January 22nd
School will be in session on Tuesday, January 22nd 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. 
 
Rosary for Life
On Tuesday, 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.  Ms. Rowe, Mr. Wesely, and Mrs. Budge will be taking our eighth grade students to this special prayer service.
 
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
In the Fall of 2018, several Church of St. Joseph parishioners had the opportunity to listen to a presentation by Mike Scherschligt, Catholic Theologian and Founder of the Holy Family School of Faith Institute.  It was noted in this presentation that a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is a powerful journey that can ignite Christian faith through seeing the places Jesus walked, worked miracles, died and rose from the dead.  It is, as Pope Paul VI put it, the ‘fifth gospel’ which is not written in ink but written on stones.  Mr. Scherschligt proposed that parishes should be inspired to offer this opportunity to our Catholic school teachers so that they might be able to connect to their faith in a more dynamic way and bring that energy back to their classrooms, families and communities.
 
Inspired by this message and recognizing the importance of Catholic education and its integral role in the mission of St. Joseph’s parish, two parish families approached Father Creagan with the offer to financially support the pilgrimage of two teachers.  The staff was notified of the opportunity and candidates were invited to submit a brief writing on how the experience would affect them spiritually and how it might enhance their classroom instruction. 
As a result, we are pleased to announce that Mrs. Lisa Taplin (grade 2) and Ms. Kathy Walsh (grade 5) have been chosen to participate in a 10-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land beginning January 25, 2019!  They will return on February 5, 2019.  Please pray for them as they finalize preparations and participate in this faith-filled journey.  We will look forward to hearing from them during their travels and about their pilgrimage experience upon their return.
 
In addition, we sincerely thank the two St. Joseph parish families for their generosity by providing this experience for Mrs. Taplin and Ms. Walsh.
 
First Reconciliation Retreat and Sacrament
Please pray for our 2nd grade students who will be receiving their First Reconciliation on Saturday, January 26.  The students will attend a special retreat and receive the sacrament.  We thank Fr. Creagan, Fr. Wratkowski, Mrs. Fallon, Mrs. Taplin, and our families for preparing the students to receive this special sacrament of God’s mercy and love.

Catholic Schools Week - January 27 – February 2, 2019
National Catholic Schools Week is January 27 – February 2, 2019.  Everyone is excited to celebrate Catholic Education and our school with special themes days.  Information is included in your child’s Friday Folder as well as in the Important Links section of this letter.

Spirit Week / Jaguar Fan Appreciation Week – Volunteers Needed
We celebrate Jaguar Fan Appreciation / Spirit Week by cheering on our Jaguar basketball teams January 28-31.  The game schedule is going home with students today.  We are seeking volunteers to help make this a very fun event for our students.  Please CLICK HERE to volunteer!
 
School Carnival – Volunteers and Donations Needed
Planning is underway for Carnival to be held on Friday, February 1.  We are looking for several volunteers to help during Carnival.  Please CLICK HERE to volunteer!   Carnival is a long-standing tradition at St. Joe’s and caps off an exciting Catholic Schools Week.  January clearance sales are a great time to pick up carnival prizes of all kinds for the General Store.  Prizes may be brought to the school office.  Thank you for your assistance and support of the special event for our students.

Catholic Schools Week Mass- January 27 - 9:00am
We invite you and encourage you to attend the Catholic Schools Week Mass at the Church of St. Joseph. The Middle School Choir and Band will be providing the music ministry at the 9:00 am Mass on Sunday January 27.  Students are asked to wear their school uniforms to the weekend Masses (January 26-27).  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.  All participating band and choir students will receive an out of uniform pass as well.  Thank you for celebrating and supporting our school by attending this special Mass! 
 
Open House – Sunday, January 27  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 27 from 10:00am - 1:00pm.  All classrooms will be open for visitors.  School administration and faculty will be available to meet 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.

Kindergarten Information Session – January 29
Please join administration, faculty, and staff on Tuesday, January 29^th at 6:00 p.m. in the parish’s Great Room to learn more about our school’s Kindergarten program.  Families will also tour our Kindergarten classrooms and visit with our faculty during the evening.  Childcare will be available.   

Registration for the 2019-2020 School Year Opens in January
It’s time to enroll for the 2019-20 school year!  Current school families with children in grades K-7 will be automatically re-enrolled for the next school year.  We are excited to offer this easy enrollment process for our families – no paperwork or forms to fill out.  The annual family registration fee ($200/family) will be applied to family TADS accounts in February.  If a current family would like to delay re-enrollment, they must notify the school office by January 31st.  For questions about enrollment, contact Christy Frost ( chfrost@stjosephwsp.org or 651-789-8315).
 
2019-2020 Tuition
School administration, Parish Administrator, the School Advisory Council, and the parish Finance Council reviewed and discussed tuition and fees for the next school year.  Multi-child tuition discounts, the registration fee amount, and the Family Referral Fee were discussed by these groups.  Much thought and consideration were given to determining the tuition and fees.  Please visit the Admissions page on our website for 2019-2020 school tuition information.
 
2019-2020 Family Referral Credit
We always invite and encourage our families to share information about our school with your families, neighbors, and friends.  We would love to have them join our wonderful school community.  A $500 Referral Credit is available to current school families for each new family they refer which registers to attend our school for next year.  Thank you for your assistance and sharing our school story.
 
Volunteers Needed for Recess Duty
We are in need of help for recess duty for the upcoming months.  Whether our students are outside or inside because of the weather, volunteers offer tremendous assistance in providing supervision of students.  Please consider signing up for recess duty.  Please contact your home and school grade rep to find out how you can help!  Thank you very much!

Preschool Information Session
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Preschool Information Session, this week. It was a great success!  If you would like information about our Preschool and Extended Day programs, please contact our Preschool Director, Vicki Young at 651-789-8300.

Scholastic Book Fair – February 5-10
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.  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 Thursday, February 7.  

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.

Spelling Bee Grades 4-8
Our annual School Spelling Bee for 4th - 8th graders was held this week.  Congratulations to seventh grade student Solana Arriondo and eighth grade students Sidney Birk and Henry Bitzer.  Solano is our 2019 Spelling Bee Champion and Sydney & Henry are the runners up.  Thank you to all of our students who participated in the spelling bee.  You all did an amazing job and we are proud of your accomplishments!  Thank you to our faculty for organizing this special academic event for our students.

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!
 
St. Joe’s Socials are now available
You won’t want to miss these amazing parties.  These are great way to meet new families and catch up with ones you already know!  There are a variety of parties offered from class parties, teacher hosted parties, and our parent parties.  Please Click Here to register! 
 

Progress Reports & Parent Teacher Conferences
Mid-trimester Progress Reports for students in grades 4-8 will be mailed to families on Friday, January 25.  Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Tuesday, February 5 (4:30-7:30 pm) and Thursday, February 7 (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.

School Mass – Friday, January 25
Please join us for our school Mass on Friday, January 25 at 9:00am in the church.  School families, friends, and members of the parish are invited to pray with our students and faculty.
 
Cub Scout Pinewood Derby
Please have your family join the St. Joe's Cub Scouts for their annual Pinewood Derby on Saturday January 26 - 6:00pm-8:30pm in the Gym. Watch students race their custom-designed wooden Derby cars along a 42 foot race track at scale speeds of over 200mph.  See former Scout - Father Creagan - race his 'Popemobile'.  Extra Derby cars will be available for your child to race in the 'Open Class' event.  Questions: Paul Elskamp - pelskamp@msn.com Winter Season- School Closing Information
Now that we are into the “winter season”, school closings 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 are closed, our school is closed, even if St. Joseph’s School is not listed in the announcement.  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.
 
Reminder to Parents – Thank you for your cooperation!
Our school day for students in grades K-8 begins at 8:40 a.m.  Our school doors open at 8:30am.  Please make sure your child is arriving to school and in their classroom prior to 8:40 a.m. so they are not tardy.  Students arriving late to school can be a disruption to the learning environment when they enter the classroom.  Thank you for your cooperation.
 
Lost and Found
Parents please stop in to check the lost and found bin located in the front main entrance of our school.  There are many items including coats, hats, gloves, shoes, and gym bags.  If you are missing any of these items please stop by school to pick them up.
 
Just a Reminder
Please continue to review our Friday Letters, check your child’s Family Folder, our school website, Facebook, Twitter, and the St. Joseph parish bulletin to keep updated on all the exciting happenings at St. Joseph’s School.
 
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.
 
Upcoming Parish events include:

Parish Father Daughter Dance - Friday, February 8    Save the Date!
Please mark your calendars for Friday, February 8 ^th for the annual Father – Daughter Dance in St. Joseph’s Church Great Room, 6:30-9:30-pm.  This event is open to all ages.   Please watch the parish bulletin for ticket information.  If you are interested in helping with this event, please contact Tracy Kracht at 651-457-2709 or ryan_kracht@msn.com.
 
Our Parish Mission: Welcoming the Stranger & The Call to Holiness
Did you know we are all called to holiness? It’s not just for priests, deacons, or professed religious.  In his November 19 general audience, Pope Francis reminded us about the "universal vocation to holiness" stressed by Vatican II: "Holiness is a gift, it is a gift that the Lord Jesus gives us, when He takes us to Himself, clothes us with Himself, and renders us like Himself." Learning about the universal call to holiness is just the first of four parts of our parish mission on Saturday, February 16 ^th. Join us and learn how personal holiness is at the core of welcoming the stranger. Please see the parish website https://churchofstjoseph.org/ for more information and to register.
 
All in God’s Plan:
St. Joseph’s will be hosting an All in God’s Plan Level 1 event for 10-12 years old girls and their mothers or significant adult female on Saturday, March 9, 2019 from 2-4:30pm.   Space will be limited.  Look for registration details to be announced mid-January. 
 
Mission Statement
St. Joseph’s Catholic School educates students through faith formation, academic excellence,
and the development of virtue to be disciples of Christ.
 
Click here to link to the weekly St. Joseph’s Church Bulletin
 
Important Links:  Fan Appreciation Week – Game Schedule
                                Catholic Schools Week – Theme Days
                                Air Higher Scholarship
                                CDH Baseball Clinic
 
January Calendar Look Ahead:
Please consider joining us for some of the special events at our school.

• Friday, January 18 – No School, Professional Development
• Monday, January 21 – No School, Martin Luther King Day
• Tuesday, January 22 – School in Session – No District Transportation or Food Service
• Sunday, January 27 – Saturday, February 2 – Catholic Schools Week
• Sunday, January 27 – St. Joseph’s School Open House; 10:00am-1:00pm.
• Monday, January 28 – Friday, February 1 – Spirit Week
• Tuesday, January 29 – Kindergarten Information Night – 6:00-7:30pm, Great Room
• Friday, February 1 – Carnival