SJRS Monthly Newsletter -March 2019
Saint Jerome Regional School
"Living Fearlessly Through Faith..."
Message From The Principal
Dear St. Jerome Family,
I recently was reading the IHM Catholic Education Newsletter and wanted to share with you all the important message and short video clip that they included this month.
We know that the word "love" has multiple layers of meaning from the trivial, "I love chocolate!" to
St. Paul's treatise on love in 1 Corinthians Chapter 13! Love operates on a continuum of depth and meaning
in our daily lives. It seems like our current national and global scenes would benefit from a more intentional outpouring of inclusive love that reflects respect, patience, kindness and compassion. As St. John of the
Cross expresses it: "Where there is no love, put love and you will find love!" Believe in your power of one! VIDEO CLIP HERE
The holy season of Lent is upon us.  Lent provides us with an opportunity for a continual change of heart that is the very essence of Christian life and Christian growth. Each week during morning announcements in the season of Lent, we will pray together as a school family with a short prayer service, reflecting on words of scripture passages and psalms. We journey with the church in this holy Lenten season, anticipating the great feast of Christ’s Resurrection. As we continue on life’s busy daily routine, let us continue to pray for one another that the Lenten Journey is a time for transformation, renewal and tremendous blessing.  
Blessings,
Mrs. Amy M. Hannis-Miskar, Principal 
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. Listed below are the students that have been chosen as Christian of the Month for February in each homeroom. 
Students will receive a dress down pass, Christian of the Month Certificate and an Applebees Certificate.
T he students will be recognized at the first Mass of each month.

Logan Miller has been chosen Christian of the Month for Kindergarten Blue. Logan is a very friendly, happy student who is always excited to share a story. Logan eagerly participates in all class activities especially those that involve coloring and drawing. He is helpful and respectful to his teachers and friends at school. At home, Logan loves to sing and play with his sister. He also enjoys playing with his trains and reading. Congratulations, Logan!

Rylan Marcin is the Christian of the month for Kindergarten Gold. Rylan is a quiet and hardworking student. He has improved in his handwriting and coloring. He likes to help and always has a smile on his face. At home, Rylan likes to use his imagination to build with his blocks and make crafts. Rylan also participated in a Christmas play, “Babes in Toyland,” where he played Jack be Nimble at the Nuremburg Community Arts Center. Rylan will also be playing Tee-ball this spring for Tamaqua. Rylan belongs to St. Johns church in Tamaqua, where he loves to go with his family and MeMe. Despite having two major surgeries for craniosynostosis, Rylan has always been a very happy, courageous little boy. He likes to share a joke or a kind word to anyone around him who is feeling down.

Ella Wasko , Grade 1, has earned the Christian of the Month Award. Ella is a very hard worker in school. Ella gets along well with her classmates. She is always ready to lend a helping hand. Ella is very kind and thoughtful. Ella participates in dance. She attends Dance with Kim and studies Tap, Jazz, and Acro. Ella received Dance of the Month Award. Ella is thoughtful and selfless. Ella loves her family, animals, playing with her babies and reading books. Congratulations, Ella!

Abby Whittaker is Second Grade Blue Christian of the Month. Abby is very pleasant, respectful and courteous to everyone she meets.  She is a very helpful, conscientious and responsible student. Abby is shy, but can be very outgoing when you get to know her. She loves to play with her big sister Makayla. Abby loves cheerleading. She is currently a cheerleader with the Tamaqua Knee Hi. Abby will be going to the mini group this year. This will be her third year with them. She also loves to play and walk her new puppy, Larry. Congratulations, Abby!

2-Gold’s Christian of the Month for February is Andrew Mummey . Andrew is a kind, considerate young boy who loves to be challenged in the classroom and is constantly asking questions to learn more. He enjoys soccer and basketball, and competes in karate, where he has earned a solid green belt. AJ also loves to take care of and play with his cousins Kennedy and Aiden and is an avid Legos builder. He loves playing with his best buddy Connor and all his friends. Andrew is a joy to have in the classroom! Congratulations, Andrew!

Third grade Christian of the Month is Baylee Eschbach . Baylee is a kind and caring student who is always quick to want to help out in the classroom. She enjoys taking care of her pets especially her two turtles. She enjoys playing basketball. This was Baylee’s first year playing basketball for CYO. She loves spending time with her friends and her big brother Carter. Congratulations, Baylee!!

4th grade Christian of the Month for February is Gage Green . Gage is a good student and always tries his best. He is eager to volunteer answers and add to discussions during class. Gage is kind and respectful to both students and adults he sees at school. He is always willing to help others who may need it. When Gage is not in school, he plays basketball for Panther Valley. He enjoys playing his guitar which he has been doing for over a year. He also likes to bike ride and is interested in model trains. Gage is kind, caring, responsible, and a good role model for his younger brother.

February's Christian of the Month for fifth grade is Madeleine Rakos . Maddie is a very thoughtful and helpful student. This is her first year at St. Jerome and she has been a great addition to the class. In her spare time Maddie is involved in 4-H and Girl Scouts. She has earned several badges including  Simple Meals, First Aid, Staying Fit, Savvy Shopper, Jeweler, Camper and Move.  Maddie is a very hard worker and always puts forth her best effort. Congratulations, Maddie!

Alyssa Porambo has been chosen as the Christian of the Month for sixth grade. Alyssa currently serves as Classroom Representative on Student Council. She is always ready to lend a helping hand and is friendly to students, staff, and faculty. Alyssa is artistic and can always be counted upon to help with decorating bulletin boards or the classroom. She is currently a Cadette level Girl Scout and is working on her journey award. Alyssa plays the guitar and enjoys singing. She is involved in theater plays at Tamaqua Community Art Center. She is a member of the SJRS cross country team and received 2nd place in the Kindness Matters Poster Contest. She enjoys hanging out with her friends in her free time. Congratulations, Alyssa!

MacKenna Jacobs is the 7th Grade Christian of the Month. She is a conscientious student and is courteous to everyone she meets. She is a hard worker, and her work is always neatly done. This year, MacKenna is part of the SJRS Academic Bowl Team. MacKenna plays volleyball for both St. Jerome CYO and the AVC Nuggets as an outside hitter. She participates in dance at the Dance with Kim School of Performing Arts. Congratulations, MacKenna

Kamryne Smith has been selected as the 8th Grade Christian of the Month.  Kamryne displays a cheerful, positive attitude in the classroom and is kind to all her classmates.  Her activities include SJRS Volleyball and SJRS Choir. Recently, Kamryne did a beautiful job cantoring at one of our school Masses. Her community service includes volunteering at the Nesquehoning Hose Company #1, and she also likes to babysit. Kamryne enjoys singing, watching movies, sushi, Starbucks and spending time with her family.  A very caring and compassionate person, Kamryne has future plans to become a pediatric nurse.  Congratulations, Kamryne!
Design An Ad contest winner

Congratulations to Quentin Petschauer in Grade 5 for his winning entry in The Pottsville Republican Design An Ad contest. His ad was selected by Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine to represent their business. It will be showcased in the Design An Ad tab on March 5th! Good work, Quentin!
Some of the highlights during the month of February are listed below:

  • We started off the month with some CSW activities due to the weather at the end of January. The kids had lots of fun. The fun days included: Sports Day/Board Games. Mix-Match Day or Twin Day, Cozy Day, Spirit Day and Step-Up Day. Lots of laughs and smiles were shared during all of the events.

  • Our Read-a-Thon kicked off February 6th. It goes until March 6th! Please encourage the students to participate!

  • March 1st Crazy Hat Day and Dr. Seuss Day- St. Luke’s will be here for Read Across America Celebration!  Volunteer Readers will visit grades PreK-4. The Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2 will also visit! There will be a coloring /drawing contest for K-8 and prizes will be awarded!

  • Spring Pictures-Professional School Photography will take spring pictures on Tuesday, March 19th. Parents are under no obligation to purchase pictures. All students will have their individual pictures taken on this day. There is no money needed on picture day. Photos will be given to the students in several days. If you want to purchase the photos, please send the money to school. If you do not want the photos, simply return the packet to school. All students can dress-up for picture day. A monetary incentive is given to SJRS for each picture that is taken. If you do not want your child's picture to be taken, please send a note to the office. 

  • Standardized Tests-The students in Grades 3, 5, 7 will take the Cognitive Abilities Test March 20th, 21st and 22nd. Students in Grades 2- 7 will take the IOWA Test of Basic Skills the week of April 1st-5th. Please make sure the students get the proper rest and a good breakfast during these weeks of testing. The Diocesan Testing Program’s purpose is to:
  • Evaluate and diagnose the academic progress of each student.
  • Evaluate and identify students in need of remedial assistance.Evaluate and identify the strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum so that goals can be established for the school.
  • Evaluate and identify the strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum guidelines of the Diocese of Allentown, so that they can be updated.
  • Determine the educational ability of each student.
  • Determine whether each student is performing according to his/her capability.
  • Evaluate our diocesan students as compared to the national averages.
  • To place students in the appropriate math groups.
  • To place students in the appropriate high school courses.

  • Race for Education – May 1st (Rain date May 8th)
  • Labels are due March 15th. This is a major fundraiser for SJRS and we need every family to participate and send in names for at least 15 labels for the event to be successful. Last year we raised $15,000 and this helps to keep the cost of tuition down. Please send a note to the office if you need more labels. Students will receive a dress down day card for every 15 labels that they bring in. Please remember to return the sheet and labels with the names to which we will be sending Race for Education mailers. Many people do not mind sending a donation to the school. It is a wonderful way to ask people outside the area to support the school. Labels will be sent home in the next family communication envelope.
Register for the 2019-2020 School Year
 
Re-Registration forms can be found at this link HERE

Enrollment fee is now $100.00 per child 

Registration Fees must be paid in order to officially register for the 2019-2020 school year.


Thank you to all the families who registered already! We currently have over 268 Students registered
for 2019-2020!
A Message from the Home and School Association

REMINDER:

Please email sjrs.hsa@gmail.com with any questions regarding HSA.

HSA Board: Karissa Montgomery, Karen Weicker, Amanda Ogozalek and Megan DeAngelo


Our annual READ-A-THON began February 6th, 2019. A Read-a-thon log was sent home to all families. ALL 4 weeks are on one sheet. The sheets should be turned in at the end of week 4. The last day logs will be accepted is Wednesday, March 6 th . A parent must sign off on each week’s log to be credited. Please make sure student name and grade are clearly written on the form. You can have your family and friends help by sponsoring you with a donation. Sponsor sheets and money are due by Wednesday, March 6 th . Our Goal for this fundraiser is to raise $4,500 for our school.  
 
2019 Incentives/Prizes for the most money raised:

For every $25.00 raised per student, a chance for prizes will be entered
(Example is 25.00 = one chance, 50.00 = 2 chances)

1 st Prize for this year is an IPad 2018 6th generation 128GB WiFi with Apple Pencil

2 nd Prize Amazon Fire 10HD tablet 32GB with I ring holder

3 rd Prize is an Echo Dot 3rd generation Smart Speaker with Alexa plus $50.00 Amazon gift card

Bonus prize for the student that raises the most total money $50.00 Barnes & Noble gift card

Class Prize-The class who raises the most money will also win a pizza party and a dress down day.


2019 Incentives/Prizes for the top reader in each grade:

The top reader in each class will win: a dress down pass and a $15 Scholastic gift certificate.

There will also be a special drawing with the top reader in each class. The eleven names will be entered into a drawing and the prize will be an Amazon Fire 8”HD 16GB with custom cover and show mode charging station.
                                                                                                                                              
All Read a Thon prizes were donated through the generosity of SJRS friends and family
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.

Financial Aid

**Financial Aid Applications must be submitted through FACTS by May 1st**

2019-2020 Payment Plans
Thank you to everyone who has already re-registered for next year! Updated tuition information packets were sent home in the previous communication envelopes and has also been uploaded to our website. Please be sure to read over the packet as there were some changes from last year. For 2019-2020 we will be offering the following payment plans for K-8th grade: 
Full Payment (4% Discount)
Bi-yearly Payment (2% Discount)
12 Month Payment Plan
10 Month Payment Plan

***PLEASE NOTE*** Your current plan will be reselected for next year unless otherwise specified. If you wish to change your payment plan for the 2019-2020 school please contact Mrs. Beers via email ( advancement.director@gmail.com ) by April 30th . Thank you! 


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  February is Brody Peiser in 2nd Grade and Kendall Peiser in Kindergarten . The amount of tuition credit is $111 . Thank you to all who took chances. Slips are enclosed for next month’s drawing which will be on March 20th.

 

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

Class Trips and Clearances
Many classroom trips are being planned for the spring. If you are interested in going on these trips, you must have all of your clearances. Please do not wait to start the process of getting your clearances. That way, when the letter comes home about the trip, you will already have the clearance paperwork completed.

Parents wishing to join their children on field trips will need to get their clearances as soon as possible. If we don't have it on file in the school office , we cannot include it in your list of completed clearances. Thank you.

T he Diocese of Allentown has updated the Code of Conduct and so volunteers must read the new version on line at www.allentowndiocese.com and sign a new Code of Conduct Acknowledgement form. This is mandatory to keep your clearances up to date. Parents who currently have clearances on file in the school office will receive a copy of the new Acknowledgement form in the this communication envelope. Please read the Code of Conduct on-line and sign the form & return it to school as soon as possible. Your clearances will not be up to date & complete until we receive this form.

SJRS SCHOOL CALENDAR UPDATE
We are working on updating the yearly calendar due to the snow days this year. At this time, the request for changes has been made and we are waiting on approval from the Office of Education. As soon as it is finalized, we will notify everyone.


REMINDERS :

- Please check the March calendar for important dates.   


  - March Missions-
It is important that the children understand the idea of sacrifice as a means of drawing closer to Jesus, especially during the season of Lent. With this in mind, the students are asked once again to participate in “Loose Change Fridays” beginning Friday, March 1st. The purpose of this project is to help our children sacrifice some of what they have in order to help others who are experiencing difficulties. Giving up a snack or some type of treat and putting the money saved in the classroom mission bank will help a family in need in our school community. 
Know that we thank God for you and your continued cooperation and support of Catholic education. 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

Let us place our lives in the hands of our God who loves us unconditionally and who calls us to life.
May his peace live in our hearts and shine through our actions so that others may come to know him
and turn their hearts toward him.
Lord, give us the grace to live every day of this Lenten season
guided by your great commandment of love ~
love for you, love for others and love for ourselves.
AMEN.   



Let us pray for:
 
Your continued prayers, support, cooperation and dedication to Catholic education.

Your continued kind words toward each other.    

    Our Home & School Association officers and members, our lunch aides, teacher aides, those who work at our fundraisers, the cooks and bakers and those who support our school in any way. Your dedication and sacrifices, commitment and sharing of your time, talent and resources is a source of inspiration to us. We thank God for the gift of each one of you and we ask Him to continue to bless you and your efforts as you help to make SJRS – simply the best.
This is a special place because you are special people. 
 
 A special intention.

Our school family.

Our community and neighbors.
 
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. 
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