Dear Families,

Looking forward to picture day tomorrow. All students should be in their regular school uniform. As a Catholic School we should be proud of who we are therefore our yearbook pictures should have the students in uniform. The students can wear their PE sneakers if they have PE.

Boosterthon kick off is almost here and SCA has put together a great spirit week. See below for the dress out days from 10/7 - 10/16. Please note students will have Mass on Thursday, Oct. 15. All hats and headbands must be removed before Mass begins.   

As we move into cooler weather remember winter uniform starts on the Tuesday after Columbus Day which is the 13th of October.

Thank you for all you do.

Make me an instrument of your peace. 

St. Joseph, pray for us.

​Peace, 

Mrs. Stich

Building Wisdom and Faith Through Service to God

School Picture Day will be held on Wednesday, September 30. All students will have their photo taken in their formal St. Joseph Catholic School uniform.



A second Picture Day will be held on Wednesday, November 4 for students who need a makeup photo or who wish to have their picture taken in dress-out attire that complies with the Student/Parent Handbook guidelines.

Volunteers needed for

Picture Day!

The Knights of Columbus will be offering a sweet treat during lunch on October 2 in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis! The treat is a choice of ice cream (chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry) or popsicle. Please see the ingredients listed below for your convenience.

Students start wearing Winter uniforms on Tuesday, October 13th!

Refer to the Parent/Student Handbook for more information. School uniforms must be purchased at Flynn and O'Hara. They are located in Fair City Mall at 9650 Main Street Fairfax, VA. 22031

It is time for the annual vision and hearing health screenings. The diocese recommends that students in grades K (who were NOT screened at their annual health physical), 3rd and 7th, be screened for vision and hearing difficulties.

Any child from any grade who is having difficulty in class OR has been recommended to be screened by their teacher should contact Mrs. Settelmaier at k.settelmaier@sjschoolva.org to request a consent form for you to complete.

Please complete the consent forms that will come home and return to their classroom teacher by Tuesday, September 29th, 2026  in order for your child to be screened. The screening will be conducted on the morning of Tuesday, October 6th, 2026.

**VOLUNTEERS NEEDED** for the vision and hearing health screenings.



Get Ready to Get Colorful!

The Boosterthon Color Run is coming! Our school’s favorite fun run is super exciting - a colorful experience students won’t want to miss! Students will run, walk, dance, and cheer as they make their way through colorful bursts of powder! A high-energy celebration of school spirit, teamwork, and FUN! Let's go, Saints!

Registration IS NOW OPEN! We’re looking for event sponsors to help make this year’s Color Run a huge success! Sponsorship opportunities are available at several levels, with options to showcase your business and support our students and school! We'd love your support!

The Booster staff will be onsite at SJS starting on October 7th and will be interacting with the students daily conducting a character building workshop. All will culminate on Friday, October 16th with the much anticipated Color Run!

October 16th - COLOR DAY EVENTS 

All students should arrive at school on time wearing their Color Run shirts and PE shorts. Please note the PTO will distribute shirts to students on October 13th during the school day. 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Volunteers are needed to make these couple of days a success! Please consider volunteering your time for these events.

Catholic Youth Organization Basketball  

Calling all coaches and players for the 2026-2027 season!

St. Joseph Catholic Church & School offers basketball for boys and girls

in grades 4 - 8

• EVALUATIONS take place the weeks of October 19 and October 26 [no one is cut]
• PRACTICES will be twice a week starting in November
• GAMES will be either Saturday or Sunday starting in December and running through March

Coaches and assistant coaches: register NOW through October 11

Save the Date: MANDATORY COACHES MEETING on November 12

Players: register NOW through October 18

Note: Coaches and assistant coaches must fulfill Child Protection Program requirements in order to serve

Registration cost: $100 per student Click HERE to register!

Any questions, please contact parish representative, 

Stephen Paquette, sjscyo@sjschoolva.org

All recess and lunch volunteers must be compliant with the Child Protection Program. Please see the school website for more information. A great way to fulfill the 12 hour family service/volunteer requirement!

Recess: Please arrive at the front office at 11:10am for 11:15-1:15 recess.

Lunch: Please arrive at the front office at 11:25am for 11:30-1:30 lunch.

Please sign up only if you can volunteer the whole two hours. 



Questions or last minute cancellation? Please call the school office at 703-880-4350.

Bishop O'Connell Open House

October 4, 2026

1:00-3:00 p.m.

Discover the O'Connell tradition of excellence at our annual Open House!

Explore our school at your own pace and let your student's interests lead the way. Families can chat with teachers, watch a performance, discover visual arts, check out athletics, browse clubs, and so much more! Simultaneous breakout sessions will focus on Academics, Campus Ministry, and the Student Experience to give families a deeper understanding of our school and what students can expect at Bishop O'Connell. 

Open to 7th and 8th grade families.

RSVP Here

Paul VI Dance Team Clinic: Join the PVI Dance Team coaches and dancers for our fall clinic! Participants will learn basic dance team skills, techniques, and a halftime routine to perform alongside the PVI Dance Team under the Friday night lights.



• Eligible Participants: Current 2nd – 8th graders
• Clinic Date & Time: Thursday, October 1 | 5–8 p.m.
• Location: St. Paul VI Catholic High School Panther Athletic Center
• Halftime Performance: Friday, October 2 | Drop-off at 5:30 p.m. (Game starts at 7 p.m.)
• Cost: $60 per participant, includes Thursday instruction, Friday performance, clinic T-shirt, and free game admission for the participant (parents and families must purchase game tickets separately).
• Register Here: www.paulvi.net/dance-team-clinic

JP Shadow Days - Sign Up Today!

Schedule a shadow day at Saint John Paul the Great! Shadow days give prospective students the chance to see life at JP firsthand! Shadow guests are paired with a current JP student for an entire school day. They attend classes, meet teachers, and enjoy a complimentary lunch from the cafeteria. This is a great way for prospective students to envision themselves as JP students! Sign up here! 

Link: https://jpthegreat.fsenrollment.com/portal/new_inquiry

Open House at John Paul the Great- Sunday, November 1

Saint John Paul the Great’s Open House is fun for the whole family! Learn more about our rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, competitive athletics, inspiring visual and performing arts, and abundant extracurricular opportunities. Meet students, faculty, coaches, administration, and parents to learn more about the programs you love. Pre-register here!

Link: https://jpthegreat.fsenrollment.com/portal/new_inquiry

St. Joseph Catholic School has implemented a 12-hour family service requirement. All families are encouraged to participate, and many opportunities exist to volunteer time, talent, or treasure, including class field trips, parties or other classroom help, cafeteria, recess and hands-on activities such as art or outdoor classroom activities. The PTO also has numerous opportunities such as the annual auction, Pizza Friday, Used Uniform sales, Donut Sundays, etc. All volunteers must complete the Child Protection Program as they will have substantial contact with students. Families that do not participate in the service program will be charged a $120.00 fee, or partial fee of $10 per hour for hours not volunteered.

**Deadline for completing and submitting volunteer hours for the 2026-2027 school year is May 31, 2027. LOG YOUR HOURS BELOW!

Don't forget to follow the official St. Joseph Catholic School Facebook page (sjschoolva), X (@sjschoolva), and Instagram accounts (@sjschoolva).

St. Joseph Catholic School

750 Peachtree Street, Herndon, VA 20170

Tel: 703-880-4350 Fax: 703-880-4320