Family Update
February 6th - 11th, 2022
Have You Re-Registered?
Good morning,
The video included before this section will highlight the main points of the update.
Last week we opened registration for the 2022-2023 school year for our returning families. As you may know, we have a waitlist for 4 classrooms, so reserving a seat is key! Please complete this form and then during the week make the $25/student payment to hold the seat. The payment can be made in the office or through the payment portal on our NEW SCHOOL APP putting registration 22-23 in the note/memo section!
Today we open registration to new families. Do you have a family to refer to us? We are hosting Tour Tuesdays at 9 AM through the end of March and love to show off our amazing community!
Our Title I Game Night is Wednesday, February 16th. Use this form to sign up. This is an in-person event. Students do not need to be in Title I to attend All are welcome and each child will take home a brand new game! We will have pizza for all who attend, too!
Did you download the school app yet? Be sure to do so. This app is our hub. It holds all the information you will need including buttons to Bloomz, Powerschool, Facts, the calendar, registration and so much more!
As many of our CSW events were postponed due to last week's weather, we have decided to continue the Penny Wars through Wednesday. Right now the first floor is in the lead. It's not too late!!! The winning floor will choose the charity for the money collected.
We have so many beautiful and captivating spirit posters to hang and admire. Next week, we will debut the winning posters on Facebook and then in the Family Update next week.
As a reminder, this Friday is a Teacher Professional Learning Day and there is no school.
Save the date for our virtual Black History Celebration Program. We will run this just like the Christmas Program. It's Friday, February 25th at 1:15 PM on Zoom. Our students are working hard on their performances.
We are working very hard to keep the school free of COVID to the best of our ability. With that said, our families must partner with us by not sending any students to school who have ANY symptoms. Please keep students home if you are waiting for test results. I know it's hard and families have to work, but it's how we take care of each other and our entire extended school community.
We will send home students with runny noses, headaches, sore throats, and/or coughs. We will send work home as needed for students with an extended absence.
Apple watches and other smartwatches are NOT allowed at school. They, along with any cell phones, will be held in the office for the day.
- We are going to continue assisting at drop-off in the morning on Laflin. The street is messy from all the snow. Two adults will be outside to help the children out of the cars and onto the sidewalk. This will keep the traffic flowing and keep the children safe. If you are walking your child in for some reason, please don't park where we are unloading - go further down or up the street or park on Justine. Safety first!
- Boots must be changed upon arriving at school. This keeps the children safe and the school clean. Some families choose to keep a pair of gym shoes in the student's locker.
- Registration for the 2022-2023 school year is open with a reduced registration fee will be $25 per student now through 2/28!. The regular fee will be $50/per student. (Students who receive tax-credit scholarships do have to pay the full registration fee of $200/student in accordance with the law. That will be financed into the contract) It's important to register early as we have waiting lists for several of our rooms.
- Thank you for your support of the Popcorn Sale. Over $7700 was sold in just four days!
- Keep the resolution: FOLLOW THE DRESS & UNIFORM CODE: Hoodies and sweatshirts that are not part of the school uniform are not allowed during the school day. Please have your child wear their school hoodie, school gym sweatshirt, or a plain navy blue sweater if they're cold during the day. Please see the school uniform/dress code in our family handbook. We believe that excellence happens on purpose. Lessening distractions of being out of uniform is one way we foster that excellence. We still have light blue hoodies in all sizes and some navy blue hoodies.
- Students should not have nail polish, artificial nails, any jewelry, or smartwatches. Students do NOT need their cell phones at school. They are kept in the office all day.
- Please be sure to check the "Save the Date" section below.
- We will have a five-week summer program for students entering PK3 - 5th grade for the 2022-2023 school year. See the flyer below! Registration is open. Use this form. For the month of February, the registration fee for summer school is $10 (will go to $25 in March).
- We still have a few spots remaining in Preschool. Do you know of anyone with children preschool-aged? Referring families will receive a $300 tuition credit ($150 this year and $150 next year) and 3 PAWS will be credited. We accept Action for Children/Child Care for payment for preschool. Spread the word!
- Do you have clothes and shoes your children have outgrown or don't want? We have a clothes and shoes collection box in the parking lot! The school receives $0.02/lb and a tree is planted in our honor each time it's emptied. We are the stewards of God's beautiful earth. This is one way we help!
- The school office is open Monday through Friday 6:30 AM - 3:30 PM. After 3:30, please leave a message on the mainline or dial 101 at the recording to be connected to my extension. Our amazing office staff can take payments, sell hoodies and polos and answer questions.
- There are NO changes to our Mask Mandates. Masks are required by every person in our building regardless of vaccination status.
- Please send your child to school with their mask every day along with an extra in their backpack. It's really important that the children are wearing child-sized masks that cover their nose and mouth fully. KN95 masks or other disposable masks are recommended over a cloth mask.
Thank you for trusting us with your child/ren. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
Mrs. Farrand
Academy of St. Benedict the African Celebrates Black History
Topic: St. Benedict the African Presents A Celebration of Black History
Time: Feb 25, 2022 01:15 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82198402126?pwd=Vk5IcElJNXpxWlR5aDdJRzZqRUUxQT09
Meeting ID: 821 9840 2126
Passcode: ASBA
Friday, Feb 25, 2022, 01:15 PM
undefined
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Tuition Payments
The office will continue making reminder calls and sending notices. Please let us know if there is a particular challenge in advance of the payment due date. We will work with you, but we need to know! We will be starting exclusions as necessary.
As a reminder, all financial accounts must be settled by May 15th for all graduating students: PK4, Kindergarten, and Eighth grade.
Volunteering in School
Go to https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/ to register for an online class and consent to the background check. Please see or email Ms. Fernandez (mfernandez@academystbenedict.org) if you need assistance or have a question.
The Archdiocesan policy is that volunteers who are working directly with children, like chaperoning or in the classrooms must be vaccinated. Proof of the vaccination must be shown to me. Thanks for your understanding.
PAWS
As a reminder, all PAWS must be completed by May 15th.
We are requesting Coke products: 12 oz cans of Diet Coke, Coke, Minute Maid Fruit Punch, Lemonade, Fuze Ice Tea, and Sprite. 4 24-packs will count as a PAW.
Thanks for your help!
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES!
- February 7th - Kind Shirt Day
- February 7th - Registration for PK-5th grade Summer program opens
- February 11th - Professional Learning Day for Teachers -NO SCHOOL
- February 14th - Dress Down in Valentine's Day colors
- February 16th - Title I Game Night! 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
- February 17th - Kind Shirt Day
- February 18th - No School - Wellness day for Faculty and Staff
- February 21st - No School - Presidents' Day
- February 23rd - Kind Shirt Day
- February 23rd - Graduation Pictures: 8th, Kindergarten and PK4
- February 25th - Black History Program - Details to follow
- March 2nd - Kind Shirt Day
- March 4th - Remote Learning Day with Parent-Teacher Conferences 8-4.
- March 9th - Kind Shirt Day
- March 11th and 14th - No school
- March 22nd - Kind Shirt Day
- March 25th - Professional Learning Day - No School
- April 4th - Kind Shirt Day
- April 15th - 22nd - Easter Break -no school
- April 27th - Kind Shirt Day
- May 10th - Kind Shirt Day
- May 19th - Kind Shirt Day
- May 30th - Memorial Day - no school
- June 1st - Last day of classes for 8th grade
- Last Day of School is TBD -depending on snow days
- June 4th- Eighth Grade graduation 10 AM
- June 13th - July 14th - Summer Program
- August 22nd - First day of the 2022 -2023 school year. Full-Day for all students, no extended day.
Academy of St. Benedict the African
Email: jfarrand@academystbenedict.org
Website: academystbenedict.org
Location: 6020 South Laflin Street, Chicago, IL, USA
Phone: 773-776-3316
Facebook: Facebook.com/academystbenedictafrican
Twitter: @asba_chicago