Eagle's Eye

August 3, 2021

Mission Statement

Mission Statement

St. Joseph Catholic School fosters a diverse community of disciples empowered through a rigorous and inclusive Catholic education rooted in Gospel values and service to others.

Mission Statement

welcome back!

While many teachers have been on campus quite a bit the last couple weeks preparing for the first day of school, they officially return to work tomorrow, Wednesday, August 4th. Please pray for our teachers as they participate in Orientation and Training over the next week before we welcome students back on August 11th.


It is very important that all parents attend Orientation meetings over the next several weeks. Please be sure to check out the school calendar on our school website for the date(s) of your Orientation meetings. Orientation meetings are for parents only. Children should not attend.


Please be sure that you have submitted all necessary paperwork to the school office. The office staff will be quite busy over the next several days. Your prompt attention to their requests will certainly make your child's transition back into the school year smooth. I thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Summer homework

Time is running out! All students entering first through eighth grade have Summer Homework. Please ensure that your child is prepared to start this school year off on the right foot, with summer homework complete. A complete list of summer homework can be found on our school website at Summer 2021 Homework – St. Joseph Catholic School (stjosephwhschool.org)

school supplies

School Supply lists for the 2021-2022 school year can be found on the school website at https://stjosephwhschool.org/school-supply-lists/. Please be sure your child has his/her supplies for the coming school year. *Middle school students will need their school supplies when they come for Boot Camp on Tuesday, August 10th.

monitoring covid

Please know that we continue to monitor the situation in our area surrounding COVID-19. The health and well-being of our students and staff is always our priority. As we approach the first day of school, if the protocols regarding COVID should change, we will certainly communicate that with families. We are grateful for the partnership of our families and staff in maintaining a healthy environment for our students and staff last year and look forward to that same partnership as we begin the 2021-2022 school year.

school office closed tomorrow

The school office will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, August 4th, for staff to attend orientation. The office will reopen on Thursday at 8am.

uniform sales - Final chance

All students in PreK 3 and Kindergarten through grade 8 must be in full SJCS uniform daily. The SJCS uniform may only be purchased from Sir Walter, our uniform company. The uniform must fit comfortably on students and should not be snug. When purchasing mass skirts, please keep in mind that the skirts can be no shorter than 3 inches above the bend in the knee. It is important to remember that children grow over summer, so please assess your child's uniforms and make new purchases as necessary.


Uniform Sale Dates:

  • Saturday, August 7th from 9am-12pm.

2021-2022 School Calendar

The 2021-2022 St. Joseph Catholic School Calendar can be found on our school website at https://stjosephwhschool.org/wp-content/uploads/School-Calendar-2021-2022.pdf

first day of school

Our first day of school is Wednesday, August 11th. Since school masses will be held on Fridays this year, our first school mass together will be Friday, August 13 at 8:15am in our church. Parents and family members are invited to join us for mass; however, Diocesan policy requires family and parishioners to sit in the back of the church separate from the students.

Orientation for New Families, PreK and kindergarten

The first Orientation meeting is this Thursday, August 5 at 6pm in the Parish Center. All parents new to SJCS are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting as much important information will be shared. Parents of students in PreK 3, VPK, and Kindergarten, this meeting is also for you. Following a general meeting in the Parish Center, PreK 3, VPK and Kindergarten parents will go to your child's classroom to meet your child's teacher and learn expectations specific to your class. Children should not attend this Orientation meeting.


*Masks are strongly recommended, particularly for those individuals not vaccinated. Thank you for our cooperation in helping to keep our school community safe.

open house

Open House is offered on Tuesday, August 10th from 10:30am until 12noon for all students entering PreK 3 through Grade 5. Parents are invited to bring their child to school with school supplies. We encourage you to come meet the teacher, visit the classroom, and drop off school supplies.

With visitors on campus during Open House, all individuals are strongly encouraged to wear face masks. Thank you for your cooperation.

*Please note that middle school students do not have Open House, as Boot Camp replaces Open House.

Middle School Boot Camp

All students entering grades 6 through 8 are required to attend Boot Camp on Tuesday, August 10th from 9am until 12noon. Students must wear regular school uniform and bring his/her school supplies. Middle school teachers will be in the parking lot greeting students beginning at 8:45am. Please drop your child off in the parish center parking lot between 8:45am and 9am. Parents will need to park and pick their middle schooler up from the homeroom classroom at noon. Again, this is REQUIRED for all middle school students.

now hiring aftercare director

We are in need of an Afterschool Care Director for the coming school year. If you are interested, please email Mr. Reilly at jreilly@stjosephwhschool.org.

Positions Available

St. Joseph Catholic School is currently seeking certified teachers for part-time employment in the afternoons.

We are also looking for individuals to assist as Substitute Teachers.


Interested individuals should email Mrs. Haas at thaas@stjosephwhschool.org.

pik my kid

We will use the Pik My Kid app for dismissal again this year. It is critical that all parents set up the Pik My Kid app for those individuals who will be picking up your child. Afternoon carline is especially challenging during those first few days of school. You can help make the process more efficient by downloading the app today. If you have any questions, please call the school office.

*In addition to having the app downloaded, it is necessary for those individuals picking up children to have a school issued car tag hanging from the rearview mirror in the car. If you need additional car tags, parents may request extras in the school office.

mass times

Mass times at St. Joseph Catholic Church have changed. New mass times are:

Saturday: Vigil mass at 4:30pm in the church.

Sunday: 7:30am and 11am in the church.

Daily mass will be at 8:15am in the chapel beginning Monday, August 2nd and in our church on Fridays during the school year.

altar server training

On Saturday, August 21st at 11am, St. Joseph Catholic Church will host an Altar Server Training class for current and new servers. The training will be held in the church.

This ministry seeks to encourage the youth of our parish to fully engage in our faith through their service to the Church as altar servers. Serving at the altar gives youth a hands-on personal experience of God's work in the liturgy.

Requirements are that the children have received their First Communion. If students are over the age of 14, they will need to complete the Safe Environment Training and Fingerprinting.

Please contact Laurie Spang in the Church Office at 294-3144 to register.

before school care

It is very important to note that Before School Care doesn't begin until 7am daily. SJCS staff will not be able to accept students before 7am. Mrs. Arambarri and Mrs. Heisey will accept students in the cafeteria beginning at 7am..

Shoes

As you begin to prepare your child for back to school at St. Joseph Catholic School, please be mindful of our requirements for student's shoes. The shoe rule will remain the same this coming school year and states:


Predominantly white, black, grey, brown or navy shoes are to be worn with laces matching the predominant color of the shoes. The shoes may have one secondary color. *Please note that predominant red shoes are not permitted.


If you have questions about shoes meeting the requirements, you are urged to speak with MRS. HAAS, MR. REILLY, or MRS. MAGNOLE only.

hair

As you begin to make plans for back to school haircuts, etc, we remind parents of the guidelines regarding hairstyles for boys and girls at St. Joseph Catholic School.


No radical hairstyles or hair colors are permitted. No highlights or alterations to natural hair or hair color are allowed. No elaborate hair decorations are allowed. (This includes designs shaved into haircuts, mohawks, spiked hair, etc.)


Thank you for your help in adhering to this policy.

from your PTO

Dear SJCS Families,

On behalf of your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), welcome to a fantastic school year! We hope you had a wonderful summer. To our new families, a special welcome to our St. Joseph Catholic School family. As you transition to St. Joseph, we hope you will feel comfortable asking questions and allowing us to help you become acclimated to our school.

We remind you that this is your school, and we certainly invite you to be as involved as you are able or interested. Your children are learning from your actions. When they watch you give back to the school, they learn the value of giving of themselves. They also love having their parent/guardian involved in their learning.

PTO committees sponsor many events throughout the year. The purpose of the PTO events are to build closer relationships within our school community and sometimes to raise funds. All funds raised by PTO go directly to the teachers and students at our school.

Please mark your calendars to attend our PTO General Meetings and these upcoming events that will happen throughout the school year! Everyone is welcome!


August 23rd- SJCS Read-a-Thon Kick-Off

September 14th- Unintended Consequences Meeting 6pm

October 12th- PTO General Meeting 6pm

November 5th- Fall Fest

December 11th- Sweets With Santa

January 18th- PTO General Meeting 6pm

January 28th- Family Movie Night

February 4th- Grandparent’s Day

February 11th-Daddy Daughter Dance

February 20th-Mother Son Bowling

February 26th- Gala- A Taste Of Achievement

May 17th- PTO General Meeting 6pm

Our PTO board meets monthly, so if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us or any other board member. We are excited and committed to help make this a wonderful school year! Thank you in advance for your help and support to make it all happen!!


Sincerely,

Maria Rivera

PTO President

mmrivera1981@gmail.com

(863)651-2774


Valerie Cutrer
PTO Vice President

vnc0979@yahoo.com

(863)307-8105


PTO Board Members: Tammi Haas, John Reilly, Sunshine Brown, Katie Collany, Tyra Hunt, Allison Beeman, Brittany Coulter, Claudette Biaggi-Torres, Lauren Brigante, Lindsay Corbett, Stephanie Odom, Veronica Alvarez

St. Joseph Prayer

St. Joseph Prayer

O Blessed Joseph, faithful guardian of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, protector of Mary, the virgin Mother of God, I choose you this day to be my special patron and advocate and I firmly resolve to honor you all the days of my life. Therefore, I humbly ask you to receive me as your client, to instruct me in every doubt, to comfort me in every affliction, to obtain for me and for all the knowledge and love of the Heart of Jesus, and finally to defend and protect me at the hour of my death. Amen.
St. Joseph Prayer
St. Joseph Catholic School

St. Joseph Catholic School

St. Joseph Catholic School

Principal: Mrs. Haas

Assistant Principal: Mr. Reilly

Assistant Principal: Mrs. Insua

Canonical Administrator: Fr. Tim LaBo

Superintendent: Mr. Fortier

535 Avenue M Northwest, Winter Haven, FL, USA thaas@stjosephwhschool.org 863-293-3311 stjosephwhschool.org