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Volume 7, Issue 16
Please contact the school's main office for information regarding announcements.
Photos, personal phone numbers, full names, and students' names
are omitted online.
THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI
While at Mass on Sunday, I listened to our celebrant
preach his sermon about how you never know in what form a Christmas gift will materialize.
Certainly, a young magus, singular of magi, found his way to my door today, bearing a gift to the baby Jesus in the
form of a check for Catholic education at SSPJ.
A second-grader was the winner of $100.00 for Innisbrook Wrapping Paper. He chose to re-gift his money back to the children of SSPJ.
Thank you, like the Magi you followed your heart!
Mrs. Sena
Dear Parents:
I am sure you are now back into the pre-holiday routine, but on
behalf of the HSA Executive Board, we would like to wish you and your family a Happy New Year!
The end of 2006 also means that we are almost halfway through the school year, so I wanted to
provide everyone with an HSA update. The past few months could best be summarized in two
words, "renewed interest". We welcomed new families from St. Joseph, saw a huge school picnic
attendance, and tried to contain our excitement over a possible new school building.
This interest kept momentum as traditional programs such as Internet Safety and Santa's
Breakfast gained support and attendance. Equally, the Basket Bingo, Dutch Mills, Market Day and
Innisbrook fundraisers continued successful contributions. We welcomed new folks to roles such
as room parents, coordinators and committee heads - a few of which were dads. All of this is
great news and thank you for supporting the SSPJ family.
However, much of this success has been the result of too much work being done by too few.
There are over 100 SSPJ families, yet many of the critical HSA committees struggle to get
volunteers. For example, we have been forced to ask folks to support lunch duty multiple times a
week, or in some cases, have had only one parent there. I know, you say, "there is no way for me
to help during the day". Well, the bingo program on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings
experiences the same volunteer dilemma.
These are just two good examples of how a little time can have a tremendous impact. When you
consider that for just a few hours, one can impact the school day experience, we realize that time
is treasure. Or on the other side, one can strengthen the school's financial health through
supporting Bingo, by far our largest fundraiser.
As you begin to charge forth with your New Year's Resolutions, please consider adding one to
your list - volunteering a few hours to SSPJ. I am pretty sure it will be a lot easier to complete than
the first two or three resolutions, and am certain of the positive impact.
Thank you and please do not hesitate to reach out to any of the HSA Executive Board members
with your ideas and suggestions.
Here's to a GREAT 2007!
P.S. To make it easier to volunteer, you will be receiving a postcard where you can simply check/write in a way you
can help and send it back to the school. Looking to volunteer even sooner?, then please give me a call or drop
me an e-mail.
RULE #38
"THERE IS NO TALKING AS YOU ENTER THE BUILDING. YOU WILL ENTER SO QUIETLY THAT NO ONE WILL EVEN NOTICE THAT YOU ARE THERE."
Most people, when they see a huge group of kids entering their building, think "Run for Cover;" but you can take people by surprise by gettting all the way into the building before they realize you are there." -RON CLARK-
Yes, The Children Are Right!
If your child/ren have come home telling you that "The Bishop is coming, the
Bishop is coming!" they are right.
On Monday, Januray 29, 2007, Bishop Paul Gregory Bootkoski will honor us with a Catholic School's Week visit. It is our understanding that he
will be traveling to four schools that week and we are one.
We are very excited and are preparing for him to have a special memory of every homeroom, the curriculum and especially the children of SSPJ.
It is out hope to share with him how we are the same as all other Catholic schools in Christocentricity and Catholicity, but how very unique
we are as the resilient school with a big heart that resides in Phillipsburg.
Bishop, we await you!
Did someone say contract?
(Some quick, early information for new parents.)
During Catholic School's Week, January 28 - February 2, we will be putting in the Wednesday packet a student/s contract for 2007-08. This
will automatically come to you, it does not need to be requested. On the one contract there is space for the enrollment of a single or
multiple children PK through Grade 8.
Tuition rates will be listed and questions answered by Mrs. Bruckman in the office.
Our Open House for new, interested families to view the school from the inside out is on Wednesday, January 31 from 7-8:30. Tell a friend!
MATRIX
The Math Achievement To Realize Individual eXcellence
As discussed during Back-To-School Night, SSPJ is participating in the MATRIX Grant in conjunction with the Oxford School District. Through
this grant, we have received 14 graphing calculators, 1 laptop computer, software to utilize a white board as a SmartBoard, 1 color printer,
1 projector and the ALEKS program for 6th graders.
The goals of this grant are to increase math acheivement in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades and to increase the use of technology in the classroom.
All of our students are welcome to log-in to the website MATRIX. Once there, scroll
down to the list of techer names and click on "Mrs. Francisco" to access numerous math links that include helpful tutorials and fun games to enhance
math knowledge.
You are encouraged to access these links with your student, and monitor his/her use of the computer at all times.
Attention Employed Parents and Guardians
Girl Scout Troop 5112 is planning a Career Extravaganza! We would like
you to come and talk to our school about your fascinating profession!
This Career Fair will be held Friday, February 16, 2007 at SSPJ.
Set-up begins at 8:30AM; students will process through from 9AM - 2PM; we will break from lunch from 12-12:30PM (bring or buy); and clean-up will
last until 2:30PM.
Come and help our students broaden their horizons! Share your profession with our school. Bring props, pictures, samples, or anything you think
will help us to understand what you do for work!
Please return the bottom portion of the form from your packet no later than February 1, 2007 attn: Girl Scout Troop 5112. Thank you for your interest!
HSA Meeting - Stop Bullying
Key Message: How to help your children deal with intimidation and not to
become and intimidator.
The HSA is sponsoring Tom Leston on January 24th at 7PM to speak about bullying and intimidation. He is a NJ counselor, author, and coach with
great experience in working through difficult situations. The program will focus on how, as parents, we can provide tools to help our children
face peers. It will be an informative and interactive evening. You can get a preview of the topics by checking out Bully
Stoppers.Com.
Babysitting will be provided by the older students of SSPJ with adult supervision. Please add the number of children and their ages with your
RSVP response from the packet.
