Eagle's Eye
July 16, 2020
We Learn In Order to Serve
Mission Statement
Start Date: CHANGE
Facial Coverings/Masks
New Year Packets and Uniform Sale: July 22nd
New School Year Packets:
All families need to stop into the school to pick up New School Year Packets beginning Wednesday, July 22nd. This is typically a very busy day in our school office. To accommodate everyone and adhere to social distancing, we will be distributing packets in the science lab on Wednesday, July 22nd from 11:30am until 3:30pm. Please park in the parish center parking lot and come to the science lab. We will conduct temperature checks before you enter the science lab, and everyone will be required to wear a mask. There will be several additional steps during New Packet Pick Up, including signing of a COVID 19 waiver, confirming contact information, etc. Please allow extra time to go through the process of picking up packets. Additionally, the Parent/Student Handbook and Calendar will be posted to the school website this year; hard copies will not be available.
Uniform Sale:
July 22nd is our first of three scheduled Uniform Sales. Please note that the locations of the uniform sales has moved. The Used Sale will be held in the Parish Center. The New Sale will be held in the gym. Again, we will be limiting the capacity in both of these sales, conducting temperature checks before you enter, and requiring masks. Those students who will be participating in virtual learning from home will be required to be in school uniform when on the livestream video.
Forms for parent signature
Volunteers Needed
COVID-19 Measures and Precautions
The health and well-being of our students and staff is our utmost concern at St. Joseph Catholic School. We are taking every precaution possible to help maintain a healthy environment for our children to learn. Some of the steps we are taking are as follows:
- Purchasing two electrostatic sprayers that will allow us to sanitize a classroom/space in minutes.
- Students will remain in their homeroom classes for all subjects and most special areas. (PE will be a combination of outside and in the gym with cleaning occurring between classes.) Middle school students will remain in one room most of the day with teachers coming to them for different classes.
- Purchasing Portable Desk Shields for student individual desks.
- In an effort to reduce congestion in hallways, the breezeway will be one-way only. We are moving the gate near the office parking lot to include the exterior middle school stairwell to help ease congestion.
- We have hired an employee to clean common areas(such as restrooms, hallways, offices, lobby, etc.) throughout the school day.
- Furniture in classrooms is being eliminated in an effort to take advantage of classroom space for student desks. Student desks will all be facing in the same direction and spaced as far apart as possible.
- Touchless hand sanitizing stations are being purchased and will be installed in all classrooms.
- We will routinely schedule our cleaning company to conduct deep cleanings of the classrooms and building.
- The capacity of the cafeteria will be limited to 50% capacity. We are looking to purchase additional picnic tables for outside seating when the weather is nice. In some cases, classes may have to eat in their classroom a day or two a week until the weather cools.
- The schedule for recess is being adjusted to minimize the number of students on the playground at a given time. Classes will be required to play in specified areas.
These are just some of the things we are working on. Please watch for additional updates in upcoming editions of the Eagle's Eye.
What Is Your Intent?
Classrooms VS. Distance Learning
As you know, we are giving parents the option of choosing to have their child come into the building for school or to participate in school from home. Again, please know that if you choose distance learning for your child, this will look much different than it did the end of the past school year. Students will be required to have their own device, internet connection, and the ability to login from 8am until 3pm daily. Students who participate in distance learning will watch the class via livestream. They will need to submit work at the same time as their peers who are in the classroom. Additionally, they will be required to wear school uniforms for class instruction.
We are purchasing SWIVL devices for the purpose of livestreaming classes. These classes are not recorded. In the elementary grades, only one class per grade level will be livestreamed using the Swivl. We understand that circumstances are changing daily in regards to COVID-19. We ask for parents who are considering distance learning to keep the office updated of your decision as classroom placement could be affected. Thanks for your help with this.
PreK 3 and VPK
Change Regarding Virtual School Students
Supply Lists
Summer Homework
Open House: August 25th
As is tradition, we will hold Open House on Tuesday, August 25th, the day before school starts. However, due to Covid19, Open House will look a bit different this year. Students and their families are invited to stop by the school during a given time to meet their teacher and drop off school supplies. Unfortunately, we will not be allowing families to go into the classrooms this year. Teachers will be in specific locations to greet the families and accept school supplies. Please note that the gym and parish center will be cleaned between each group/grade level. Additionally, masks will be required and temperature checks will occur before anyone is permitted to enter the building(s).
9am-9:45am: PreK 3 and VPK teachers will be in the Parish Center
9:15am-10am: Grade 5 teachers will be in the gym
10:15-11am: Kindergarten will meet in the Parish Center
10:30-11:15am: Grade 4 teachers will be in the gym
12:30-1:15: Grade 1 teachers will be in the Parish Center
12:45-1:30: Grade 3 teachers will be in the gym
1:45-2:30: Grade 2 teachers will be in the Parish Center
Boot Camp: August 25th
Uniform Sales
Students who choose to participate in distance learning will be required to wear school uniform daily for class.
The New and Used Uniform Store will be open the following dates. We will adhere to social distancing guidelines and limit the number of people in the building at a time. Additionally, everyone will need to wear a mask in the Uniform Stores. Mark your calendar and make plans to shop:
July 22nd from 12pm-5pm
August 4th from 12pm-5pm
August 8th from 9am-12pm
*Please Note: The New Uniform Sale will be held in GYM. The Used Uniform Sale will be held in the Parish Center/Cafeteria.
Athletics and Extracurriculars
Many parents have asked about competitive sports and extracurricular activities for the coming school year. It is our intent to offer all programs that we have offered in the past. However, we will be delaying the start of all programs such as athletics, choir, Bricks for Kidz, Robotics, etc. We will keep families posted of plans to offer these programs; however, we think it is prudent that we focus on starting the school year and maintaining the health and safety of all before offering athletics and extracurriculars. Thank you for your understanding.
Mass
Administrative Announcements
Immunization Requirement
Facts Accounts and Step Up Award Letters
Step Up for Students Scholarship
Summer Office Hours
Uniform Shoes
Parents have the liberty of purchasing shoes for school from a store of their choice. The guidelines for uniform shoes are as follows: Students should wear predominantly white, black, grey, brown, or navy shoes with laces matching the predominant color of the shoes. The shoes may have one secondary color.
If you have a question about shoes, we encourage you to have Mr. Reilly, Mrs. Magnole or Mrs. Haas approve the shoes before having the student wear them so that they can be returned if they are deemed unacceptable.
Eagle's Perch/Aftercare
Changes: School Hours
Please be aware of some minor changes to the school times for the coming school year.
Before care will begin, as always, at 7am.
Morning carline will begin at 7:30am. Students are tardy if they are not in their classrooms by 8am. We will stop accepting students to be dropped off in morning carline at 7:57am daily to allow students ample time to get to their classroom before the tardy bell rings at 8am.
PreK 3 and VPK students have the option to leave school at 11:50am.
All students in PreK through grade 5 will be dismissed beginning at 2:45pm until 3:35pm.
Middle School Students will be dismissed from 3:15pm-3:35pm.
Those families with students in elementary and middle school, you should plan to pick up your children after 3:15pm.
Regarding dismissal, please understand that we are working very hard to establish an effective and safe procedure for moving students from their classroom to your cars. We are working out the final details and will be sharing more with you in future editions of the Eagle's Eye.
Some Things To Consider for PreK
PreK teachers are asking families to consider a couple things as we prepare for the first day of school:
- If your child is not able to tie his/her own shoes, please consider purchasing velcro/shoes without laces.
- If parents of VPK students are not choosing to purchase school uniforms, please consider having students only wear shorts with elastic waistband and/or practice having students manipulate their own shorts for times when they have to use the restroom.
Prayer to St. Joseph
St. Joseph Catholic School
Principal: Mrs. Haas
Assistant Principal: Mr. Reilly
Assistant Principal of Curriculum: Mrs. Insua
Pastor: Father Jimson
Superintendent: Mr. Fortier
Email: thaas@stjosephwhschool.org
Website: stjosephwhschool.org
Location: 535 Avenue M Northwest, Winter Haven, FL, USA
Phone: 863-293-3311