SJRS Monthly Newsletter November 2017
Saint Jerome Regional School
"Living Fearlessly Through Faith..."
A Message From The Principal
Dear Parents/Guardians,

October was a very busy month at our school. What a beautiful month God gave us! I hope you were able to enjoy the warm weather!   Thank you for being part of the SJRS Family and thank you for all the sacrifices you make to send your child to Saint Jerome Regional School!

Some of the highlights during the month of October are listed below:
  • In celebration of the Feast of St. Francis, we gathered together as a family as Father Hoffa blessed our pets.
  • Our faculty attended the Diocesan Education Convention early in the month. 
  • The local Fire Departments and Firefighters conducted a Fire Prevention Program for all students.
  • Progress Reports were issued and Parent-Teacher Conferences were held.
  • Kindergarten and 1st grade went on a field trip to Foothilll Farm.
  • Student pictures were taken for the 17-18 school year.
  • Our K-4 Halloween Dance was a huge hit with the kids! If you did not get a chance to see some of the pictures from that night, please check out our Facebook Page.
  • Marian High School visited our school for a Pep Rally with our students.
  • 5th Grade led our school as we prayed the Living Rosary. 
  • We participated in Red Ribbon Week- Your Future is Key, So Stay Drug Free! 
  • We celebrated The Feast of Saint Jerome with a beautiful Mass and some fun afterwards!
 
Christian of the Month 

The Christian of the Month Award recognizes students who display good character on a consistent basis and serve as student role models throughout the month. Students are nominated by their teachers based on the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Students chosen to receive this award will be acknowledged for their accomplishment in the monthly newsletter. Students will receive a dress down pass, Christian of the Month Certificate and a Burger King Certificate. Listed below are the students that have been chosen as Christian of the Month for October in each homeroom. CONGRATULATIONS!

The Christian of the month for Kindergarten Gold is Addison Engleman . Addison is very helpful and is always there to lend a helping hand. She is a very determined, hardworking student who always strives to do her best work. Addison is very friendly and is a “go-getter.” Addison plays soccer and takes dance classes at the “Artists in Motion” dance studio in Schuylkill Haven. Addison is also involved in a summer art program at "The Walk in Art Center" in Schuylkill Haven. She also participated in a 5k Kids Fun Race for the “Magical Memories Charity.” 

Anthony Mendez has been chosen Christian of the Month for Kindergarten Blue. Anthony is a very hard working student who always tries to do his best. He is helpful, kind and respectful to all his teachers and the other students in the class. Anthony follows directions and obeys all classroom rules. At home, Anthony likes to play with his toys and enjoys spending time with his big brother and sister. Congratulations, Anthony!

Andrew Mummey , Grade 1, has earned the Christian of the Month Award.  Andrew demonstrates respect to his teachers and fellow classmates. He displays manners at all times. He is always ready to help others. Andrew works hard and always does his best. Andrew participates in soccer and has earned the rank of purple belt in Martial Arts. Great job AJ!

Second grade Christian of the Month for October is Carter Eschbach . Carter puts a lot of effort into his school work. He tries his best in class and works well with other students. Carter is kind and respectful to adults and to his classmates. When he is not at school, Carter likes to play football and is really good at playing video games. He likes to help his Babci and Pop Pop and likes playing with his older brother and two sisters.

Third grade Christian of the Month is James Gelatko . James is a very kind, helpful and responsible student. James plays soccer with the Tamaqua Area Youth Soccer. He is also an altar server for St. John XXIII. He enjoys art classes and playing with his two chocolate labs and newest puppy, Samantha. James is thoughtful, conscientious, and funny. He loves visiting Disney World and hopes to travel to many other places someday.

The 4th grade Christian of the Month for October is Kaitlyn Kisenwether . Kaitlyn is a very good student. She studies hard and always tries her best. Kaitlyn never hesitates to lend a helping hand to both her classmates and teacher. She is also kind and respectful. Outside of school, Kaitlyn enjoys swimming and was on the Tamaqua Blue Waves swim team last winter. She has been playing the piano for two years and has an orange belt in karate. Kaitlyn also is in the kids’ choir at St. Joe’s of the Panther Valley Church. She is always very helpful to anyone who needs help. Kaitlyn is also an amazing big sister.

October's Christian of the Month for fifth grade is Alyssa Porambo . Alyssa is a very helpful and kind student. She is very dependable as a helper in the class. She is involved in many activities outside of school. Alyssa has been taking piano lessons for a year and enjoys singing lessons at the Community Art Center. She has been involved with Girls Scouts since she's been in first grade and is a Junior Scout. Alyssa enjoys swimming, biking, tennis and hanging out with her SJRS friends. Congratulations Alyssa!
  
Abigail Kluck is the Christian of the Month for Grade 6. Abby is thoughtful, dependable, and responsible. She is helpful in class and always has a smile for others. Abigail works hard and is an honor roll student. Her interests include playing second base on the softball team and being a defense player for the soccer team. She participates in CYO volleyball. Congratulations Abby!

Rebecca Graham has been selected as 7th Grade Christian of the Month. She is a member of St. John XXIII Parish. Rebecca is always smiling, kind, and considerate, and she volunteers to help even when not asked. Rebecca loves soccer and has played for approximately four years. She loves animals, art, music, theater, and fashion and is interested in playing the piano. Rebecca has helped serve lunches at the Summer Free Lunch for Kids program. She always asks to donate to Toys for Tots. At home, Rebecca helps take care of her brother and her cousin’s children. After high school, Rebecca is very interested in attending college to become a fashion designer. Congratulations, Rebecca!
  
Chloe Hiles has been selected as the eighth grade Christian of the Month. Chloe faithfully performs classroom tasks and is cooperative and thoughtful in her interactions with others. She is involved in various school activities such as Student Council where she serves as the president. Chloe also is one of our school writers for the Standard Speaker Newspaper and she is a mission representative. Last year Chloe was a member of the SJRS Academic Bowl Team and she placed second in the CYO Arts and Crafts Competition. Chloe also serves on the Christmas decorating committee at St. Joseph's Church and she is a member of Panther Valley Youth Soccer and CYO basketball. Congratulations, Chloe!
Student Council

Congratulations to our 2017-2018 Student Council members. Thank you to all of the student candidates who took the initiative to be involved in school leadership.   
               
President – Chloe Hiles
Vice-President – Joey Walko
Treasurer – Lance Price          
Secretary – Trinity Hoover

Homeroom Representatives

Gr. 8 – Jay Burton
Gr. 7 –  Hailey Watkins
Gr. 6 –  Brady Bobrowski
Gr. 5 –  Nina Day
CYO SPELLING BEE WINNERS 

The following SJRS Students placed at the District 5 CYO Spelling Bee For 6th, 7th and 8th Graders:   

6th grade - Makenzie Moyer - 3rd place
6th grade - Luke Sterns - 1st place

7th grade - Hunter Gallagher - 1st place

8th grade - Chloe Hiles 2nd place

                                                 CONGRATULATIONS! 
Home and School Events/Fundraisers
Home and School Fall/Early Winter Event Schedule 2017
(All Dates are subject to change)

  • September 10th was SJRS BOWLING NIGHT at SPARE TIME in Hometown. Over 50 people participated in this event and everyone had a lot of fun!

  • September 13-SJRS Super 50/50 Sale began.

  •  The Mum Sale ended on September 15th. We sold over 500 mums!  

  • The Fall Spirit Wear Sale ended on September 15th. This was also very successful. Our students and families love our School Spirit Wear! 

  • Our first HSA Meeting was held on September 20th in the Gym. We had about 35 people attend the meeting. Thank you to everyone who participated and suggested some great ideas for future fundraisers to help our school! We hope to see everyone at the next meeting in November!

  • September 27th was SJRS Day at DiMaggio's and the Gertrude Hawk Candy Bar Box Sale Began.
  • October 20th was the K-4 Halloween Dance!
  • October 25- Fall Gertrude Hawk Candy Sale Began.
  • November 4-5 Basket Bonanza
  • November 8–HSA Meeting 6:30 in the Gym and Winter Spirit Wear Sale Begins
  • November 15- Gertrude Hawk Fall Candy Sale Orders are Due
  • November 21- Winter Spirit Wear Sale Ends
  • December 1- 5th Grade-8th Grade Christmas Dance (must purchase ticket in advance)
  • December 7- Gertrude Hawk Fall Sale Pickup and Winter Spirit Wear Pickup
  • December 11-12 – Santa’s Shop
  • December 18- 50/50 Drawing

A message from the SJRS Home and School Association

REMINDER: We are taking signups for helpers for our Basket Bonanza on November 4th and 5th. Please email sjrs.hsa@gmail.com if you can help.
Also, please return any unsold 50/50 tickets that you may have. We have had an enormous request for other tickets.
Annual Fund Update

We are excited to announce that last Thursday we hosted our first Lead Gift Event to kick off this year’s annual fund. Thanks to the donors who attended, we have started this year’s fund at $8,675.00 and we are on our way to make our $30,000 goal! We are grateful for all the support, especially from our Chancellor, Mr. John Bakey and the Diocesan Director of School Development, Mrs. Stephanie Schweder-Kratzer, who joined us that night.

Pictured from left to right: Chancellor John Bakey, Father Allen Hoffa, Advancement Director Ms. Smarr, Principal Mrs. Amy Hannis-Miskar, and Diocesan Director of School Development Mrs. Stephanie Schweder-Kratzer.

To learn more about our annual fund please visit our website!

Thank you to all the donors who contributed to our fund last year, to see the 2016-2017 Annual Report, click here .




Register for the 2018-2019 School Year

Re-Registration will begin November 3 rd . Information and forms can be found in your communication envelope which was sent home today. The following discounts will be offered for early re-registration:
Enroll by December 22 nd : $50.00 per child
Enroll by February 3 rd (End of CSW): $75.00 per child
Enroll after February 3 rd : $100.00 per child
Registration Fees must be paid in order to officially register for the 2018-2019 school year.

Forms will also be located on our school website as well. 
November/December Mission Projects

Many thanks for your tremendous support of the “Stand Down” for homeless veterans. Because of your generosity we were able to donate many needed items that will help our veterans. Thanks also to Mrs. LeClair for organizing this important project.

Our mission project for the months of November & December will be two-fold and support our local community. 

Students in grades Kindergarten through 4 are asked to bring in items for the “Birth Rite “ Tree sponsored by the St. Vincent DePaul Society. 

Items needed include: Newborn to 4T clothing for girls and boys, crib sheets, sleepers, blankets, onsies, disposable diapers, diaper bags, socks/booties, baby towels and wash cloths, baby wipes, shampoo & soap, pacifiers, bibs and bottles.

Items will be accepted until December 20 then given to the Schuylkill County Birth Rite for distribution to clients throughout the year.  

Students in Grades 5-8 will once again participate in the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program. 

New, unwrapped toys will be accepted until December 11 for pick-up on December 12. 

May God bless you for your generosity during this Christmas Season.
Gift Certificates and Scrip Certificates
These are great ways to help with tuition costs. If you have any questions please call the office. Many people are saving hundreds of dollars in tuition by purchasing certificates. Certificates are sold from the school office daily during school hours and scrip orders are taken on Tuesdays. On-hand certificates: Boyer's and Redner's, $100 and $25 denominations. 
 
Tuition Chance
This year we will again sell tuition chances to help you win money toward your tuition bill. The chances are $1 each and paper slips are in the family envelope. If you want to purchase the chance, fill out the slip and enclose money in an envelope marked tuition chance. This is not a fundraiser. All money collected will be awarded to the winning student’s tuition account. If your tuition is fully paid, credit will be applied to next year’s bill. 

The winner for October is Charlie Price in Kindergarten. The amount of tuition credit is $146. Thank you to all who took chances. Slips are enclosed for next month’s drawing which will be on November 29th.
Mandated Reporter On-site Training
The Diocese of Allentown requires that all identified mandated reporters complete an online training course through www.reportabusepa.pitt.edu, and approved training course by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This applies to all Diocesan, Parish and School employees, regardless of whether the individuals have direct contact with children. It also applies to all volunteers of a child care service, school or program, activity or services responsible for a child’s welfare, or where a volunteer has direct contact with children.
If an individual would prefer not to do this 3 hour training on line- it is being offered onsite at the following locations:
Tuesday- November 28 th at 5:30 PM at St. Ann Parish- Emmaus, PA
Tuesday- December 12 th at 5:30 PM at the Safe Environment Office-Bethlehem, PA
To register for one of the above trainings, please call 610.332.0442 (x2016) and leave your name. Leaving your name is all that is needed to confirm your registration.
At the time of registering at the location there is a $5.00 fee for the materials provided by the State.
Protecting God's Children

An updated list of Protecting God's Children sessions is listed on the Diocese of Allentown Website at http://www.allentowndiocese.org/youth-protection . Details are also listed for each location.   

November 7

November 13

November 14
REMINDERS: 

  • Please check the November calendar for all important dates

  • There is a 1:00 dismissal on Tuesday, November 21st. 

  • There is NO SCHOOL on November 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 27th. School reopens on November 28th.

  • Step-Up Day is on November 3rd. Students will step-up to the next grade and 8th Grade will visit Marian High School. 

  • Basket Bonanza is November 4th and 5th. 

  • October 31st- Halloween- Our students will parade in their Halloween costumes in the parking lot starting at 1:45. Please do not park in the parking lot that day. Students are permitted to wear their Halloween costumes to school that day, or they can choose to dress down in orange and black. No weapons of any kind are permitted.  Please be sure that the costumes are appropriate. (If it is raining, or there is inclement weather, the parade will be cancelled). Classroom parties will take place immediately following the parade in each of the classrooms.  

  • Winter Uniform Starts November 1st.  

The faculty, staff and administration ask for your continued prayers, support, cooperation and dedication to Catholic education. If you have any questions or concerns, you can call the school office at 570-668-2757. We will be happy to help you! Thank you for being part of the SJRS Family! Thank you for all the sacrifices you make to send your child to this school! In order to save time and money, we will continue to use email to communicate with you. If you have an email address, please check it and look for our messages. If you are not receiving our e-newsletters, please send a note to the office to be added to the email list. 

God bless you and your families,

Mrs. Amy M. Hannis-Miskar, Principal
Let Us Pray

Almighty God,

We give you our school.

We give you all the teachers and staff who work here.

We give you all the children who study here.

We pray our school would be a place of great discovery, adventure and creativity.

May it be a place where we love to learn and where we learn to love.

A place where everyone is respected and all are deeply valued.

We ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
                              
                   Amen                    


Let us pray for:

Your continued prayers, support, cooperation and dedication to Catholic education.
Someone who is sick and in the hospital.
                     Someone who is battling an illness.            
A special intention.
Father Jim Burdess


Email your prayer requests to altssj@ptd.net or send a note to the office.
We will list the names that you would like us to pray for in our monthly newsletters.