Welcome to our school newsletter with

news and events for the month of September!

This newsletter contains very important information.

Please carefully read all articles below.

Welcome to the 2023-2024 School Year!

Saint Dominic School is proud to offer a monthly subscription to Partners in Faith to our school families. 

In the September issue of Partners in Faith you will find...

Welcome to a new school year with Partners in Faith!

As Catholics, we know that lasting happiness depends on our relationship with God. The main article on page 1 lays out four key habits to building a healthy relationship with God for this school year and beyond.

The Scripture Meditation this month focuses on Jesus’ parable of the Workers in the Vineyard – a timeless reminder that God’s understanding of “fairness” and ours are (sometimes very) different.

Manners are still necessary today and a powerful aspect of Christian witness. Read the Parent Talk to see how one parent taught their child the importance of manners…and what happened when those manners were disregarded.

Back to School Nights are scheduled for

September 12th and 13th! 

Parents of students in PreK through third grade are asked to attend on Tuesday, September 12th, and parents of students in fourth through eighth grade are asked to attend on Wednesday, September 13th. The program for both nights will begin with a general meeting in the Parish Center at 7:00 P.M. followed by classroom visits and presentations.

Representatives from our local diocesan Catholic high schools, including Christian Brothers Academy, Donovan Catholic, Trinity Hall, Red Bank Catholic, St. John Vianney, and St. Rose High School will attend our Back to School Night on September 13th. They will be available in the Parish Center from 6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. to provide information regarding academic and extracurricular offerings as well as open house information to parents who wish to continue their children's Catholic education upon eighth grade graduation.

The P.T.A. Uniform Exchange will be available in the school gym on both nights. This is a great opportunity to drop off any uniforms you no longer need or to pick up uniforms items at no cost!

(You do not have to drop off a uniform to pick up any items)

When there is a change in a family's address, phone number, or email, it is imperative that all parents update parents are asked to call the school office so that the information can be changed in our school's database system.

Welcome back to the Blue Jay Café!

Please note that due to the rising cost of food we have to increase the price of lunch.  lunch will be $5.00 for a daily lunch purchase.

Meal tickets may be purchased in advance by purchasing a lunch card. Lunch cards ares sold in increments of 10 or 20 meals. 10 meals for $45.00 or $20 meals for $90.00. *Please note if you purchase a lunch card you are saving $5.00 on 10 lunches and $10.00 on 20 lunches.  

If you have multiple children in the school please only send in one check as siblings share a family lunch card.

If you have any questions please email cafeteria@stdomschool.org

Please also note the following:

• All money for hot lunch options, bagels, and/or salads must be sent to school in an envelope marked with the students name and homeroom and will be collected by the teacher upon taking the morning lunch count. ONLY money for the purchase of lunch will be collected at that time.
• Any money for a child wishing to purchase a snack from the snack stand must remain with the child and be utilized directly at the stand.
• Lunch tickets remain at school and are distributed as needed.
• Lunch Tickets are for complete meals only and may not be used to purchase snacks. 
• A 2nd slice of pizza is $2.00 on Tuesday and Friday.
• All checks must be made payable to St. Dominic School. Parents are asked to include the student's name and homeroom on the check.
• All of the prices at the snack stand are the same this school year. Please check the menu for prices.

Reminder: In the event of an emergency or if your child forgets their lunch or lunch money, they will be allowed to charge for that day. Payment of that charge must be remitted the following day.

St. Dominic School is asking all parents to refrain from sending any peanut or nut containing products into the classrooms for snacks. However, when the children are in the cafeteria, there is a much greater possibility that students could have peanut butter or other meals containing nut products.

In an effort to keep children with allergies from having an allergic reaction in the cafeteria, St. Dominic School is designating a separate table for students with allergies. Please sign the form below with your preference for your child’s seating in the cafeteria and return the form to the main office immediately.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping your child safe and healthy. 

Please help us to keep all children safe while at school by noting the following: 

• Only appropriate non-food items will be distributed to students to celebrate a child's birthday. 
• Refrain from sending in products containing peanuts or nuts for snacks to be eaten in the classroom. (Students eat in their classrooms on Friday due to Bingo. If children bring lunches containing nuts on a Friday, they will be required to purchase lunch from the cafeteria.)
• Encourage your children to wash their hands after food handling.
• Children may bring their choice of food for lunch in the cafeteria. Please encourage your children to avoid the sharing of food, drinks, and utensils.
• If your children sit at a designated peanut/nut free table in the cafeteria and bring peanut/nut products, they will be asked to sit at another table.
• Please avoid the use of food in school projects.

You may drop off students via entrance from Van Zile Road into the Community Room Courtyard circle from 8:00 AM - 8:25 AM.

Or

You may drop off via entrance from Old Squan Road into the Prek parking lot from 8:00 AM - 8: 20 AM.

School staff will be present to guide you and to welcome the children at both locations.

Pick up procedure shall remain the same. Please park in the parking lot adjacent to the Community Room. Walk to the Courtyard to pick up your child(ren).

With respect,

Mrs. Elizabeth Tonkovich

Principal

Any student arriving late to school on any given day must be accompanied by a parent. All parents must park their car in the parking lot (not in the circular driveway), accompany the student into the vestibule, sign the student in on the late sign-in sheet, and complete a lunch order form for that day, if applicable. Students will not be allowed to enter the school without parent accompaniment.

Saint Dominic School's extended care program offers supervision for our students enrolled in our PreK - Eighth grade. A safe and caring environment is provided with opportunities for peer interaction.

Supervision will be available on scheduled school days only.

Before Care hours are 6:45 A.M. - 8:15 A.M.

(PreK-3 & 4-year-old hours are 6:45 A.M. - 8:30 A.M.)

and After Care hours are Dismissal - 6:00 P.M.

Anytime a student's method of transportation is changed, a note must be sent to the homeroom teacher. Children sometimes have difficulty in remembering last-minute changes. Only authorized students may ride buses that are assigned to them. This means no student may go home on a different bus when visiting a friend's house after school. Parents are advised to read Brick Transportation's Bus Policy, which can be found on our school website under the "Current Parents" link.

Due to the laws that govern non-public transportation there could be inequities (in transportation of public and nonpublic students) since there is a limit that can be spent per student.

 As an example, St. Dominic School has 17 centralized stops because the drivers and buses needed to do those stops still fall below the aid in lieu amount per student. Donovan Catholic and St. Joe's have been reduced to 11 stops. The same limitation per student does not apply to public school students, however, cost restrictions within our budget which has been reduced drastically by the state over the past 6 years (S2) and driver shortages have caused us to consolidate stops for the public school students so routes could be shortened. It is also important to note that Brick District has centralized stops for the preschool students already and have added some middle school & high school this school year.

These decisions are never taken lightly but are always made with the safety of the students in mind. We have Brick Township Police Traffic Safety review all of the stops and when they have a concern we move them immediately.

Brick District Transportation Department.

Saint Dominic Parish’s Friday Bingo has been a program that greatly benefits our school’s yearly budget. 

It is essential that Bingo remains strong since our school budget depends on its success!

In order to keep Bingo as a revenue source for our school, we need the help of all school parents to “work” one Bingo during the 2023-2024 school year. 

We completely understand that there are many households in which both parents work full-time jobs; however, our senior parishioners who volunteer their time each week to run Bingo can not do it alone and need help. 

Each family will be scheduled for one (1) Friday Bingo date throughout the school year. Parents/guardians will receive a letter similar to this update during the first week of school. Further information regarding Bingo as well as the family's assigned Bingo date will be provided in that letter.

Please know that anyone over the age of 18 can “work” your Bingo for you. If it’s difficult for you to be released from your job, you may want to ask a family member or friend to help you by ‘covering’ your assigned Bingo date.

Thank you in advance for all of your efforts to help Saint Dominic’s Bingo thrive and allow us to maintain the school budget!

Throughout the year, Saint Dominic School uses Star 360 Assessments to help teachers understand what students know and what they are ready to learn next.

The first window of Renaissance Star 360 testing is scheduled for October 10, 2023. Students in grades 2-8 will each complete a 20 minute online assessment in Reading and Math. Results will be sent home when all testing has been completed.

It is exciting and wonderful that so many new Saint Dominic School families wish for their children to receive their Sacraments.

If your child has not been Baptized, please contact your parish. 

If you are a Saint Dominic Church parishioner, please call 732-840-1410 to request a Baptism for your child.

If your child is baptized in the Catholic faith, but has not yet received the sacraments of Reconciliation or First Holy Communion, please notify Mrs Mara Tiernan, Assistant Principal, at mtiernan@stdomschool.org or 732-840-1412 ext. 230.

Saint Dominic School is required to comply  

with the New Jersey School Integrated Pest Management Act. Saint Dominic School has adopted an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy and has implemented an IPM Plan to comply with this law. IPM is a holistic, preventive approach to managing pests and is explained further in the school's IPM Policy.  

As mandated by the Diocese of Trenton Office of Catholic Education, students in grades kindergarten through eighth will receive instruction in the RCL Benziger Family Life series.

This series offers lessons in God’s gifts of family, self, life, love, and community. The lessons will be incorporated into the students’ religion classes. Below find attached an overview of the RCL Benziger Family Life Program. 

The RCL Benzinger Family Life website : http://rclbfamilylife.com/

Click on “Family Web Time” in the box. No username or password is required.

September 5

Welcome Back!

School Opens for Grades 1-8

Early Dismissal (12:30 P.M.)

NO Before or Aftercare

September 6

Kindergarten Orientation for Parents

Parents of Students with Last Names A-L at 8:30 A.M.

Parents of Students with Last Names M-Z at 10:00 A.M.

Before & Aftercare Begins

September 7

Kindergarten Begins (A-L)

PreK 3 Yr. Orientation

September 8

Kindergarten Begins (M-Z)

PreK 4 Yr. Orientation

September 11

PreK 4 Yr. Old Begins (Early Dismissal for PreK)

Volunteer Orientation at 1:00 P.M.

September 12

PreK 3 Yr. Old Begins (Early Dismissal for PreK 3)

Back to School Night (PreK - Gr. 3)

 School Uniform Exchange will be available during Back to School Night

September 13

Back to School Night (Gr. 4 - 8)

 School Uniform Exchange will be available during Back to School Night

Representatives from local Catholic high schools will be available.

September 15

Communication Alert

Volunteer Orientation at 10:30 A.M.

September 30

Communication Alert