Thank You! A special thank you to Mrs. Litch and Mr. Maxwell for their technical support this past couple of weeks! Between remote learning, new technology and software, NWEA testing, and getting our students up and running on Google Classroom, they have had a LOT going on...but they have handled it all and more!
NEW! Upcoming NO School Days and Early Releases -- Don’t forget that our October calendar has several upcoming No School Days!
October 2 - This is a No School Day for faculty professional development.
October 12 - This is a No School Day in commemoration of Columbus Day.
NEW! Early Release Day Change - Our October calendar also lists an Early Release Day for October 9….please note that this has been changed to October 16 to accommodate the availability of instructors for important faculty professional development. Both campuses will be released at 12:00 PM. No lunch will be served at either campus and there will be no After Care.
NEW! Hot Lunch Begins -- Hot Lunch service begins next Monday, September 28. Please remember that we will have lunches available for only those students who have ordered it! If you did not place a Hot Lunch order, your child should continue to bring lunch from home. Please be sure to check your child's Hot Lunch schedule daily. Because our lunches are being provided pre-packaged by our caterer, we will not have extra food available for forgotten lunches. We will have students call parents if they do not have a lunch. Thank you!
NEW! Extended Care Billing - Extended Care bills for the month of September will be sent to parents shortly after October 1st. Thank you for your patience!
Family Portal and IMPORTANT FORMS – All parents at both campuses should have now created their Family Portal account. If you have not yet done so, please follow the instructions HERE. This portal will allow parents to update student information, complete important forms (see below!), pay Extended Care billing, and more! Please note: Lower campus parents will not see student grades or assignments through the Family Portal at this time.
Once parents from both campuses have created their account, they are asked to complete all forms under the “Family Demographic Form,” including the Student Demographic Form, the Emergency Contact Form, and the Student Medical Form for each student in the family. These forms can be found under “Webforms” on the menu list on the left side of the window. These forms contain vital information the Academy needs to keep students safe and healthy!
NEW! Lower Campus Tech Notes --
- New equipment continues to be installed to improve our remote learner's and in-school student’s experience, including a new whiteboard (better visual quality), longer cables enabling us to move equipment for better audio, etc.
- Lower Campus Art for Remote Learners: Mrs. Fessenden has created Google Classrooms for all grades, and has included an "art lab" for those students interested in pursuing additional projects. She will make art packets of supplies available at the Front Desk for anyone who wants to pick up materials.
- Computer grades 1-6: Classes bagan this week with an introduction to the NWEA testing..
- NWEA testing: Standardized testing in grades 2-6 began this week. Instructions and information were mailed to parents of children learning at home in grades 2-6 on 9/18.
COVID-19 FAQ’s - We have a short list of new COVID-19 FAQ’s to answer today, so we are including them here instead of in a separate document:
When should parents wear masks at school?
We ask all parents to wear masks whenever they are near the children or the staff. This would include picking up students after school, at cross country practice, or coming to pick up at After Care. Not only does wearing a mask at all times keep our community safe, but it also sets a great example for our students about respecting others and the rules that are set for their safety.
Is one mask a day enough for my student?
We are finding that some students are having difficulty in getting through the day with just one mask. Some students get especially sweaty and their masks get very wet by the end of the day. Occasionally masks are dropped on the floor or ground and are not sanitary to place back over a child’s mouth. And, believe it or not, masks do tend to “disappear” during the day! We recommend that if possible, students wear one mask to school in the morning and bring another clean mask in a plastic bag in their backpack in case it is needed!
My student is a remote learner. Occasionally, I need to ask the teacher a question. Is it okay if I ask it while the students are doing a lesson over Zoom?
While we require that parents monitor their students carefully during remote learning, parents should not interrupt the online lessons unless there are technical difficulties that are preventing their child from hearing or seeing the lesson. Parents are encouraged to email the teacher with any specific questions. However, please understand that our teachers may not be able to answer your questions until after the end of the school day as they are busy teaching while the students are in the building.
My child is a remote learner and is able to finish his/her work before the teacher can finish helping those in the classroom. What should he or she do while waiting?
Parents should help at home learners use their time constructively while they wait for the rest of their class to finish working. Remind them that even though they are at home, they are still “in class” at that time and should be doing whatever they would normally do when they are waiting. Reading a book, finishing other work, drawing a picture, etc. would always be acceptable. Playing video games and surfing the web during this time would not be available in school, so it should not be encouraged at home.
I am picking up my Prekindergarten student early from school today. I’ve sent in a note to the teacher. Can I just go directly to the Fine Arts Center?
No. To ensure our students’ safety in the Center, we request that you park in the upper parish parking lot and call the front office at 882-7442 to let us know you are here. The front desk will call the Prek classroom and ask them to prepare the child to leave. One of the teachers will escort your child to the front of the Center and you may meet them there.
Lower Campus Library News:
Checking Out Books
Grades 2-6 will search the Destiny Discover Online Library Catalog to put their books on hold. The library has over 8,000 books for book reports, projects and fun reading! Students should put their book on hold by this Friday to receive their books this Monday. Students will not be sharing books but may bring their books home. There will be a library bag in each classroom that will act as a book return. After I empty the bag, I will use it to deliver the next batch of library books for your teacher to distribute. Students will be invited to join their Library Google Classroom where they will find a link to show them step by step how to use the online catalog. Please email Mrs. Noon at [email protected] with any questions.
Grades PreK-1 will have library books delivered to their classroom. Appropriate books will be chosen for these grades and the teachers will distribute them in class.
At Home Learners
Grades 2-6 students can follow the same procedure to put books on hold as outlined above. The books will be held at the front desk. When you arrive to pick them up, please ring the bell and let reception know that you are there for a curbside pick up for library books. The receptionist will bring the books out to the front door for you. Please contact Mrs. Noon at [email protected] with any questions.
Birthday Book Program
The birthday book program will continue this year. It will look a little different than in the past. As the "new" procedures are established, you will receive information on how to order a book this year. Typically students choose a book and then a bookplate is attached to the inside cover stating the students name and birthdate. The book becomes part of the library for other students to enjoy. Each year our library typically gains 60+ new books thanks to the birthday book program. Students really enjoy choosing a book and having the opportunity to check it out first! They love the cracking sound of a book opening for the first time! :)
UPDATED! Raffle Calendar Fundraiser – Raffle Calendar sales are continuing….thank you SO much to all those who have sold calendars so far! As of today, we have sold just over 2,100 calendars on our way to our goal of 2,500 calendars sold! Don’t forget...for every 10 raffle tickets your family sells, you will earn one entry into a raffle for a $1,500 Tuition Credit or $1,000 Cash! This is the first of our three (and only three!) major fundraiser, so we are really counting on your support!
Need More Tickets? There’s still time to sell! Drawings begin October 1, so they can be submitted any time before the 1st! If you need more tickets, please send a note to Marta at [email protected] to have more sent home in with your child today!
Top Sellers: The top three student sellers across both campuses will receive Target gift cards! Our highest seller so far has 48 tickets!
Missing Sellers: We have a few tickets with no seller names on them! If your child sold to any of the individuals below, please let Marta know at [email protected]:
Scott McDougald
David Faulkner
Doug McKay
Linda Abate
David Rourke
Dave Belliveau
Shawn Sheehan
Greg Vestal
NEW! Saint Christopher's Parish Pack 253 is looking for new leaders to start K, 1st, and 2nd grade Cub Scouting programs -- Cub Scout Pack 253 is a youth ministry program at Saint Christopher’s Catholic Church, which accepts youth members from both the Saint Christopher’s Parish, Saint Christopher Academy, and the community-at-large. Pack 253 is currently seeking new adults who want to provide a fun and proven character-building program for the youth of Saint Christopher Academy in Grades K, 1, and 2. New adults who join will be guided, trained, and mentored by our existing team of 10 adults, who run existing groups (called Dens) for grades 3, 4, and 5. New adults will also be assisted with starting their own grade and gender-specific Dens and trained on how to execute the proven pre-planned yearly program.
The need for role models who demonstrate by example the benefits of living a life that prioritizes mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, service to others before self, and adherence to a proven set of admired qualities has never been greater. Cub Scouts learn the value of possessing these qualities (being trustworthy, helpful, courteous, and kind) by participating in a series of fun weekly activities where they are encouraged to have fun while being respectful to everyone and their surroundings. Interested new role models/leaders should contact Parishioner Bob Trabucchi, 603-864-9187 or email [email protected] to set up an appointment.