St. Jerome School Weekly Newsletter
January 12th, 2022
“Let us love, since that is what our hearts were made for.”
St. Therese of Lisieux
From Mr. Merrick
Dear St. Jerome Families,
I hope that you are all having a pleasant week so far. Below, is more information about Catholic Schools Week (the week of January 30th) including the schedule and sign up for the birthday box service project (thank you all for your support so far). We have a full slate of events planned to celebrate Catholic education here at St. Jerome.
This is a reminder that, since the students have off from school this Friday for a faculty professional development workshop, pizza will be tomorrow, Thursday, for this week only.
Tomorrow, Thursday, also is a St. Jerome Spirit Day; donations collected on that day will go toward the Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth's school in the Philippines that was impacted by a recent typhoon. Sr. Jean Marie mentioned this need to our 6th graders when she came to visit them last week to thank them for making cards and writing letters to the retired sisters their convent on Holme Avenue.
Order forms for February hot lunch, pretzels, and February & March milk are in today's Wednesday folder. With some of our students temporarily virtual, we also put together electronic versions of these forms (liked just below). If you are using the electronic versions of the forms, payment needs to be sent into the school office (cash, check, or Venmo @sjsphila). Orders are due by Thursday, January 20th.
For our lions who are currently virtual, Mrs. Bacanskas will be issuing lunch credits that you may use on the March hot lunch order forms.
We try to have the students have time for outdoor recess and physical education whenever possible, if the temperature is above freezing and it is not raining or snowing. Mrs. Blumenstein, Mr. Altomari, and I keep monitor the actual temperature, wind chill, and weather conditions. Please make sure your child has a coat and any other accessories that he or she may need to stay warm when we go outside.
As I stated above, there is no school on Friday; our faculty will have a professional development day. There is also no school on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Please remember that priority registration for current students and new siblings extends through January 28th. All that you need to do is return the continuous enrollment form (either on paper or electronically using the link here or below).
It's also not to early to begin to think about summer camp (we still have quite a bit of school to go, but it will be here before we know it). The brochure for Camp Jerome is posted below. If you have any questions about our fantastic summer camp program, please email Mrs. Lerlo, camp director, at campjerome@sjsphila.org.
Have a great rest of the week; St. Jerome, pray for us!
Registration for 2022-2023
Priority registration for our current St. Jerome families is underway. All that you need to do, for the upcoming school year is return the Continuous Enrollment Form on paper or electronically here by Friday, January 28th; the registration fee will be automatically added to your SMART Tuition account and spread over three months. After January 28th, we will begin open enrollment and can not guarantee seats for next year.
Catholic Schools Week 2022
All are invited to attend, virtually or in-person, the 9:30 AM Mass on Sunday, January 30th, to kick off the week. The Scholastic Book Fair will be open that morning as well.
Please also see below about our Catholic Schools Week Birthday Box Service Project and how you can help.
Catholic Schools Week Birthday Boxes Service Project
As one of our Catholic Schools Week service projects, each homeroom is going to assemble 2 birthday boxes --- one for a boy and one for a girl age-appropriate to their grade. We will have 2 bakery boxes to put the items inside, and the outside will be decorated by the students
All the birthday boxes will be donated to the Catholic Social Services Family Service Center. These birthday boxes will allow families in need, who come to Catholic Social Services for food and clothing, to provide for a special birthday for their child, especially in these challenging times.
Please click here for more information and the sign up sheet (you can sign up for multiple items and grades if you would like). Please note that all of the grades are on the sign up sheet, but you need to scroll to the bottom for Pre-K3 and Pre-K4. Please bring in all items by Monday, January 31st, so that we can assemble the boxes and deliver them to Catholic Social Services. If we have any extra items, we will assemble additional boxes. Thank you!
Home and School Mother/Son Bowling Night
Saturday, Jan.22, 2022
-Time and Place: 7pm-9pm at Thunderbird Lanes (3075 Holme Ave. Phila., PA 19136)
-Please RSVP with your family name and how many attending by Friday, January 14 in an envelope marked “Mother-Son Bowling Night. ” There is no cost for this event, as this is included with your school activity fee. This event is for our St. Jerome’s Mothers and Sons only. It is not open to the public. This is NOT a drop off event. Children must be accompanied by their parent or guardian. ***Walk-ins will not be permitted*** It is very important to RSVP as soon as possible as space is limited and we want to ensure a fun-filled night for our mothers and sons! Pizza and soda will be provided!
A few reminders:
- Shoe rental is included, but you are welcome to bring your own bowling shoes
-Outdoor food and beverages are not permitted, -Masks are required
Three Ways to Register:
-Email to RSVP at saintjeromeshomeandschool@gmail.com by January 14th
-Return the form (below or in the Wednesday Folder) back to school in envelope by Friday, January 14 in an envelope marked “Mother-Son Bowling Night. ”
Home and School Super Bowl Block Pool
$20 a block
4 winners!
$250- FIRST Quarter
$250- HALF-TIME Score
$250- THIRD Quarter
$250- FINAL Score
Blocks will be sold at the Rectory and through any Home and School Member. There are only 6 block pools to fill so grab your lucky spots! Once block pools are filled, they will be posted to the St. Jerome Home and School Facebook Page!
You can also email us at saintjeromeshomeandschool@gmail.com with your contact information if you would like to purchase a block.
Open House
Save the Date: Book Fair
Ways to Save On Your Tuition
St. Jerome Scrip Program
Support St. Jerome on Amazon Smile:
COVID-19 & Catholic Schools Onward Protocol Reminders
Please continue to monitor your children for any symptoms, and have them stay home if unwell, if he or she tests positive for COVID-19, or was exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19. Please let us know so that we can help you determine a return date.
We are also ready to switch our students in K-8th over to virtual learning as quickly as possible. Please let us know, and we will prepare your child's books and lend a Chromebook if you need one. Pre-K teachers will work with families on an individual basis with suggested activities so that your child does not fall too far behind.
If a student or staff member who has been in a classroom tests positive for COVID-19, we will work with the Philadelphia Department of Health to determine close contacts and notify the entire class. They will either recommend the quarantine of the whole class, students who sit near the student or staff member who tested positive, or to monitor your child for symptoms. Again, we will let you know their guidance and switch any students who need to quarantine to virtual.
Thank you for your help and support as we work to keep our students and staff safe and healthy while maintaining in-person instruction for our families and providing the best possible spiritual and academic experience for our students.