Blue Jay Flyer
December 2, 2020
From the Principal's Desk...
John the Baptist appeared in the desert
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I hope and pray that everyone had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving Holiday. I will admit that it was a very unusual Thanksgiving. My family had a Zoom dinner over the weekend with 20 people in three cities. Especially in the midst of this pandemic, I am reminded of how important, valuable and cherished are our families.
We are in the last few weeks before our Christmas Break. It is our intention to return in person beginning on Monday, December 7, 2020 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. We will continue with Wednesdays being remote until Christmas. I appreciate your support and patience with this week.
Right now, it seems that we are in a very good position to return. In my conversations with our school nurse, Mrs. Hochhausler, our faculty and staff are all well and out of quarantine. Also, the grade levels which were out are permitted to return next week. Let us continue to pray that everyone was careful over the break.
We are in a new Liturgical year in the Season of Advent. It is a time of anticipation and preparation. Advent is a time when we hear many of the foundational narratives of our Christian Faith. In this Sunday’s Gospel (MT 1:1-8), we hear the first story about our patron, St. John the Baptist. “John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” John the Baptist did not know fully what or whom he was preparing for or anticipating. He did know that he had been called by God to be ready.
As we prepare for Christmas during Advent and during this COVID crisis, may we be like John; ready and waiting. May we hear John and prepare our hearts and our minds for the Lord’s Grace, forgiveness and presence. Even today, we can trust that John the Baptist appeared in the desert to help us be ready.
Peace,
Dan Minelli
Calendar of Events
School News
Report Cards On Option C
School E-mail Server Has Been Updated
Thank you for your patience during this conversion process.
Winter Coat Drive
Thank you in advance for sharing the warmth with those less fortunate.
Send Us Your Distance Learning Photos
As we all work and learn from home this week, we really miss seeing our faculty, staff, and students in person. Please share with us some photos of your student(s) during this week of distance learning.
Tag us on Facebook (St. John the Baptist School) and Instagram (@stjohnthebaptistschool) or e-mail photos to Laura Heidorn at lheidorn@stjohnsdrschool.org.
Shopping Cents Gift Cards
Shop with Scrip (our Shopping Cents online program) has some great promotions going on right now through their Raise Right mobile app. Through December 4th, gift cards will be shipped to your home for free when purchased through the app. Additional bonuses are also being offered on many popular brands, including Starbucks, Home Depot, Outback, Bob Evans and more. Our school earns even more with each purchase on these limited time bonuses.
Simply download the Raise Right app and create an account.
Enrollment Code: A1EFFA5L1L12
*Please note, there is a small fee to pay with a credit card or link to a bank account.
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If you would rather make your purchase in person this week (even though school is remote), we will still be filling orders on Thursday, Dec. 3, in the parish office from 9:00-10:00 am.
If you would like to purchase gift cards but cannot make it in on Thursday,
please contact Amy Roetting at amyroetting@hotmail.com to make special arrangements.
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Orders will also be filled (and can be sent through school) on
Thursday, Dec.10th and 17th in the parish office at SJB.
Any questions, please contact Amy Roetting at amyroetting@hotmail.com.
Earn an Out of Uniform Pass
Gift cards are available in various increments ranging from $5.00-$100.00. There is no minimum requirement to earn an out of uniform pass.
Shop Amazon Smile
Our school earns .5% of all Amazon orders provided that you shop through the Amazon Smile link, http://smile.amazon.com, and select St. John the Baptist Catholic School Cincinnati as your charity.
It really is that simple. If you have Amazon Prime, all of your benefits remain the same when using Amazon Smile.
Shopping through the Amazon app on your phone???
Go to Settings. Click on AmazonSmile and assign your St. John's as your charity. All purchases made through the app will earn money for St. John's unless you go back in and change it.
Shutterfly Orders Earn 8% For St. John's
Click here to order and St. John's will earn an 8% commission on the net total of your order. All special offers and coupon promo codes will still apply to your order. Please share the link below with friends and family to maximize our fundraising.
Covid Testing Protocol
If you, your child, or someone in your household is being tested for COVID-19, please keep your child or children home from school while waiting for the results.
Please notify the school that this is the reason for their absence on the attendance line.
Blue Jay Gallery
All Decked Out For Distance Learning
"By now most of us have established a routine when we have school at home. Our workspaces differ from each other. Some of us change our workspace locations a time or two or more during the school day. Do you work from a desk, table, couch or somewhere else? Do you have one specific place you do remote learning or do you travel through out your home?
"Do you decorate the area you work out of for school? If so how? Did you have fun decorating? When and if you decided to decorate your workspace make sure you do not clutter the area you do work on. Check and see if you are able to get to your school stuff easily. Keep extra supplies like power cord, paper and pencils nearby. Make sure that you have plenty of lighting so you can see what you are doing. Especially now that the daylight isn’t as bright and it’s darker in the morning. Christmas lights do not make a good source of good lighting to work by.
"Hope that you have a wonderful Christmas season."
All About Turkeys
A+ For Snowy Remote Recesses!
Distance Learning Week
PTO News
Pie Peddler Fundraiser
*All pies cost $12 each
*Cash, checks (written to St. John's PTO), or Venmo (SJB-Bluejays)
*Orders must be submitted and paid by Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020.
*Pies can be picked up on Sunday, December 20 after the 11:00 am mass at St. John the Baptist.
*PIck up will be done drive thru style
*Pies will come fresh, ready to eat for 4-5 days or can be frozen for 2-3 months.
See attached files for pie descriptions and order form.
Mike's Car Wash Certificate Sale Extended
Due to remote learning this week, the final turn in day has been extended until next Tuesday, December 8th.
Orders can be paid for with cash, check, or Venmo (@SJB-Bluejays). Car washes are $9/$20 each.
Car wash certificates will be sent home on December 11th. If we do not return to school next week, the PTO will figure out a way to get all the orders collected and gift certificates delivered to you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email Elizabeth Scholz at elizabethscholz804@msn.com.
Basic Wash is $9.00
Ultimate Wash is $20.00
Santa Shop
Unfortunately, with the tremendous number of volunteers that it takes to have this event every year and the space being crowded with students, we are unable to hold the event in the same manner as in the past.
Gifts will be available to purchase the week of December 7th. Watch your e-mail for more details and additional photos of the gifts that will be available.