Dear Parents-
Now into the second week of Lent, I am reminded that we are all called to take up our
cross and follow Christ. The entire Lenten Season is given to us as a time of prayer,
sacrifice and reflection in order to renew our relationship with Him. Reflecting on what
Christ asks of us, He asks that we, each of us, (in the words of St. Vincent Pallotti),
“Sanctify the world of your everyday life.” Simple enough...we don’t need to look beyond
our daily routines to find ways to glorify God...find the good in all things, avoid
negativity, treat everyone justly, stay humble, and accept God’s grace!
We continue to monitor the
Coronavirus, and as of this morning there are five reported
cases of COVID-19 in Virginia, and sixteen in the DMV. However,
The Virginia
Health Departments do not recommend school closures at this time. We are aware
of the concerns about this virus and the impact on our communities. Updates will
continue to be shared as information is made available to us. During the school day, we
encourage best practices among students to prevent the spread of colds and flu,
including frequent hand-washing, and use of hand sanitizer. Additionally, we have
event of school closure for an extended period of time.
Use this link
to access letter from Mrs. Hatley regarding technology preparedness. The
Arlington Diocese has also
issued a Pandemic Response Plan. All adults and students are reminded to stay home
if you don’t feel well. I also want to recommend that our SJS families develop personal
plans as well, should school close, and students need to stay home for several days.
The SJS Wellness Committee adopted a 9-5-2-1-0 approach to help students develop
healthy habits. Use
this link to access “5” and information related to getting 5 servings of
fruits and vegetables per day to support strong immune systems and overall good
health.
I want to thank the parents who answered the call to serve on our
cell phone policy
committee. The mission of the committee is to evaluate the existing SJS cell phone
policy and develop new guidelines that address the issue of students bringing
cellphones to school. Specifically, the new guidelines will seek to resolve the confusion
and conflicting points of view held by the school, the parents, and the students.
Trimester 2 ends on Friday, March 13, and it is a half-day of school for students.
Monday, March 16 is a student holiday and report cards will go home on Friday, March
20. Just a reminder that the parent portal will close on Friday, March 6 at 9:00AM, and
will reopen Monday, March 23. If you have any questions on the parent portal, please
contact Mrs. Pearce.
With the mild winter, we will be looking to make some adjustments to the end of year
calendar. Stay tuned as we wait out the last few weeks until spring. However, one
announced calendar change,
Thursday, March 19, 2020 is now a half-day of school,
with dismissal at 11:30. Afternoon Extended Day will be open. Bishop Burbidge will
visit our school, spending the morning with students, and the afternoon with teachers
and staff. We are honored by the Bishop’s visit. He has dedicated himself to visiting all
the schools, in turn, and we could not be more thrilled to have him visit us on the Feast
of St. Joseph!
Please consider joining us for
Stations of the Cross, Wednesdays during Lent, at 2:30
in the Church. Students from SCA and NJHS will lead the community in our meditation
on the Stations, reminding each of us of God’s enormous love for us, and His infinite
mercy. Please also remember that it is not possible to dismiss students from the church
for early release. I ask that you plan accordingly if you need your child released from
school early.
Don’t forget to place your
Yearbook order. See below to order online, or download the
order form to pay by check.
As always, if you have any questions, or if I can be of any assistance, please let me know.
Welcome one another....as Christ welcomed you!
(Rom 15:7)
Denise Rutledge
Principal
Building Wisdom and Faith Through Service to God
