Family Update
Week of March 6, 2022
Lent, Registration & Kindness
Good morning,
The video included before this section will highlight the main points of the update.
Wednesday is a kind shirt day as well as a Kind Kid Party. Homeroom teachers send 2-3 kind students to a celebration where we recognize their commitment to kindness and others.
We are in the season of Lent. It's a time for prayerful reflection, fasting, and almsgiving. We discuss with the students ways to do those things. At school, we provide time for reflection and almsgiving. Classrooms will be deciding on different groups to help. As for fasting, we focus on what we can do---being kind, speaking well of others, and including all. Fasting away from things that aren't kind and appropriate.
Registration for the 2022-2023 school year is in full swing! Over 90 students have registered! Today is the last day to secure the $25 registration fee as it moves to $50 tomorrow Please complete this form! 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! Many families are receiving notification of tax credit scholarships for next year. Be sure to keep an eye on your emails.
Have you completed the family survey of the 5 Essentials Survey? If not, please go to this link and offer your thoughts. We need at least 10 more families to participate in order to get fair feedback. It's no more than 10 minutes, but the feedback will be helpful as we seek to always improve!
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 are mask optional now. We will have masks and offer them, but we do not expect nor insist students or staff wear them. That's a family decision.
We will send home students with runny noses, headaches, sore throats, and/or coughs.
Our BSF Gallagher Scholars are required to attend and march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade with Big Shoulders this Saturday. All students and their families are welcome and invited to join. I'll post the location gathering time and information once I receive it on Bloomz! Of course, dress for the weather and wear St. Benedict's clothes if possible!
We are moving into a very exciting part of the year - the last trimester. Teachers enjoyed meeting families for conferences this past Friday. The home-school connection is key to student success. If you weren't able to attend, please reach out to the teacher to set up a time to meet.
We expect that our PK, K, and 8th grade will have in-person graduations! Grades 1-6 will have moving-up ceremonies with awards. Grade 7 has a very moving service with 8th grade where they move into that leadership role, currently scheduled for June 2nd.
There is no school on Friday, March 11th and Monday, March 14th. Enjoy the long weekend!
- 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! Use this form to register. For the month of February, the registration fee for summer school is $10 (will go to $25 in March).
- We still have two 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 family has outgrown, don't wear, 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. Our amazing office staff can take payments, sell hoodies and polos and answer questions. After 3:30, please leave a message on the mainline or dial 101 at the recording to be connected to my extension. If you need extended day after 3:30, dial 107 at the voicemail message.
Thank you for trusting us with your child/ren. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
Mrs. Farrand
Amazon Gift Cards for Referrals!
Inchy the Bookworm Vending Machine
2022-2023 School Calendar
2022-2023 Financial Contracts and Forms
The contract will be written without carrying over any part of the 21-22 contract. In June and July, if necessary, we will make updates.
Please be sure that the phone number and emails we have on Powerschool are accurate.
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.
PAWS
As a reminder, all PAWS must be completed by May 15th.
Thanks for your help!
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES!
- March 9th - Kind Shirt Day, Kind Kid Party!
- March 11th and 14th - No school
- March 22nd - Kind Shirt Day
- March 25th - Professional Learning day No school however, childcare is available from 7:30-4.
- 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
- June 2nd - Candle & Ribbon 1pm (Grades 7 & 8)
- June 3rd - Last day of school for all students, PK & K graduations (NO Extended day)
- June 4rd - 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