Eagle's Eye

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.

We are welcoming family members of students at SJCS to school Mass. We have worked closely with the Polk County Sheriff's Office to identify appropriate protocols to allow those with ties to SJCS to join us for school Mass. We need everyone's full compliance in these protocols as we strive to maintain a high level of safety for our students and staff.

• All persons choosing to attend school Mass must first be cleared through our Raptor system, such is the requirement for all volunteers and visitors coming to SJCS.
• All persons choosing to attend school Mass must preregister by 12pm the previous school day using the Google Form provided by SJCS.
• For those individuals who have not been cleared through Raptor (using their driver's license), a photo of the driver's license must be provided to the school office via email no later than 12pm the previous school day. Please note that in this case, the individual must ALSO complete the Google Form.
• All persons choosing to attend school Mass must arrive between 7:55 am and 8:05 am and be checked in through the back church doors in courtyard by the Parish Center. The church doors on the Avenue M side will be locked and no admittance will be given to anyone attempting to enter on that side. Guests will sit in designated areas and must exit the church when directed by administration. Further, upon exiting the church, it is understood that guests will proceed directly to their cars and not congregate outside of the church/school.

• Once Mass begins, we will not open doors to visitors for the safety of our students.

This is the Google Form sign up link for Wednesday's 8:15 am Mass, February 28th.

https://forms.gle/DiNCqysvcRW4TJY1A

Our largest annual fund raiser is back this year with an evening of food, fun, dancing, and both live and silent auctions. The Taste of Achievement Gala will take place in the school gym next Saturday, March 2, 2024. To purchase sponsorships and tickets, scan the QR or click on this link: https://sjcswh.ejoinme.org/2024gala

We will need help with the set up and clean up for the Gala. If you would like to help, please click the link to sign up. This time will count toward the 20 required hours of volunteering.

Gala Set Up and Clean Up Sign Up

For the season of Lent, we will be participating in the Stations of the Cross each Friday morning at 8:15 am in the Church. If you would like to join us, please sign up on the Google Form link below by Thursday at 12 pm. This is the link for Friday, March 1st.

https://forms.gle/HLfUeGS6zQnV5sddA

Students in grades 2-8 will continuing to take our standardized tests, the Terra Nova, on Monday, February 26th. Testing will continue through Wednesday, February 28th. It is important that students are well rested and arrive to school on time as testing will begin promptly at 8 am. Students should bring a healthy snack to have during a break in testing every day. Thanks for your help in setting your child up to do his/her best!

The end of the second trimester was last Friday, February 16th. Report cards will be emailed to all parents tomorrow, Friday, February 23rd. Please check your child's grades in Renweb and reach out to the teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

Please join us for our 2nd trimester awards immediately after Mass next Wednesday, February 28th. To be at the awards, you must sign up and attend Mass. The link to sign up is above.

Mark your Calendars
Spirit Day at Delectable Delights
March 8th anytime from 12pm-10pm.
245 W Central Ave, Unit 100

Lent is the Church's primary penitential season in the liturgical year. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts until the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. The season has six Sundays: the final one, known as Passion (or Palm) Sunday, begins Holy Week. The origin of Lenten observances dates back to the fourth century or earlier. The length of the season reflects the forty days Christ spent praying and fasting in the desert (see Matthew 4: 1-11) and is a time of preparation for the great feast of Easter. Here are calendars and a link for some Lenten activities for your family https://www.crsricebowl.org/families.

The Solo & Ensemble Festival is an opportunity for middle school students to showcase themselves with a solo or a small group. Students that participated in this opportunity had to learn a solo and/or small ensemble piece and performed in front of a judge for a rating. Students also had a mini master class with the judge.

The band festival was held at Auburndale High School on Friday, Feb. 9th. Congratulations to Christopher for playing a trombone solo and to Khang for playing a saxophone solo. They both received Superior ratings.

The vocal festival was held at Harrison School of the Arts on Saturday, Feb. 17th. Congratulations to Ali and Venice for receiving a rating of Excellent for singing a duet. Congratulations to Rawan for performing a piano solo and receiving a Superior rating. Congratulations to Maley, Cosme and Tatiana on their vocal solos. Maley and Cosme received Excellent ratings, and Tatiana received Superior.

Student lunches that are dropped off at the office need to arrive by 11 am. This gives the office time to notify the student and teacher that there is a lunch waiting before the class goes over to the Parish Center at their lunchtime.

If your child is in a music group with Mrs. James before school, he or she needs to be at before care by 7:15 am. This ensures that your child is at school and ready to be picked up by Mrs. James from before care to go to the music room. No students will be allowed to go to the music room after this time without Mrs. James. Before care charges will be incurred if students come late and miss the cut off for music practice.

NJHS applications are available for students in grades 6-8. The minimum requirement is honors for the first and second trimesters this school year. Interested students should see Mrs. Hengesbach or Mr. Proctor for application information beginning Monday, Feb. 26th, not before. It is very important that, as a candidate for NJHS, students strictly follow all expectations from receiving the application through the submittal process. Applications will be due Wednesday, March 6th.

With the onset of cold season, we are in desperate need of tissues. If you are able to donate some boxes, please drop them off at the school office. Every $10 spent counts for 1 hour of the 20 required volunteers hours.

Our 3rd and 4th grade Odyssey of the Mind team will be participating in a competition is at Mulberry High School this Saturday at 10:40 a.m. Odyssey of the Mind is a program that teaches students how to develop and use their natural creativity to become problem-solvers. We appreciate Ms. Brotherton and Ms. Brotherton for leading this for our students!

Re-registration for current students ended on Friday January 26, 2024, for the 2024-2025 school year. New student registration is open and your returning child(ren)'s spot may not be guaranteed for the new school year without re-registration. The cost for registration is $350. If you have questions or concerns regarding enrollment please reach out to Mrs. Brown at sbrown@stjosephwhschool.org.

If you are planning to register your child in VPK at SJCS for the 2024-2025 school-year, you will need to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility. You can do this on the Early Learning Coalition website by clicking on the following link and following the directions.

https://elcpolk.org/families/voluntary-prekindergarten-education-program/how-to-apply-for-vpk/

Applying for VPK is a two-part process and your application is not considered complete until we receive BOTH of the following items:

1. Registration Packet (from SJCS)

2. Certificate of Eligibility (from The Early Learning Coalition)

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Brown, Enrollment Specialist: sbrown@stjosephwhschool.org

The Diocese of Orlando Office of Schools has let us know that the first day of the 2024-2025 school year will be Monday, August 12th, 2024.

The tuition rates for the 2024-2025 school year have changed.

Tuition: $9,400 (K-8)

Technology: $350

Registration: $250/$350

PreK 3: $4,000 (7:30am-11:50am)

VPK Wrap Around: $3,150 (11:50am – 3:30pm)

• After school care: $4.50 per hour

• Before school care: $2.50 per family per day

• Graduation fee: $125 per eighth grader

With the tution total of $9750 and assuming that the scholarship amount will stay the same for the next school year, below is the out of pocket expense per child.

$9750 Tuition

K-3 $1817 out of pocket based on this year’s scholarship

4-8 $2444 out of pocket based on this year’s scholarship

Please contact the school office with any questions.

Applications are NOT yet available for the 2024-25 school year for the following programs:

• Florida Tax Credit Scholarship / Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options
  (including Transportation and the Personalized Education Program)
• Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities

If your student is currently benefiting from one of these programs, please continue to monitor your email. More information will be shared next month.

https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/private-and-transportation/?utm_source=Private+School+Facebook+Apply+English&utm_medium=Facebook+English&utm_id=Private+School+Facebook+Apply+English

Absences (Including Early Dismissals)

• 10 absences, the parent receives an automatic email notifying them of the number of absences accumulated thus far and reminding them of the policy.

• 15 absences without documentation, the parent will either receive communication or be required to attend a meeting with a school administrator; the student could be placed on attendance probation.

• At the 19th absence, school administration will evaluate the documentation provided and determine if the student can remain at St. Joseph Catholic School.

Tardies

• 10 tardies, the parent receives an automatic email notifying them of the number of tardies accumulated thus far and reminding them of the policy.

• 15 tardies without documentation, the parent will either receive communication or be required to attend a meeting with a school administrator; the student will be placed on attendance probation.

• At the 19th tardy, school administration will evaluate the documentation provided and determine if the student can remain at St. Joseph Catholic School

Special thanks to the Marchese family for sponsoring our deputy at Mass this week.

Please continue to scan your receipts so we can earn funds from Box Tops for our school. Our next goal is to earn $300. Students will have another dress down day once we reach this goal.

This section of the Eagle's Eye will remain in every edition of our newsletter. It will contain links to information that parents may need from time to time. When parents have questions, we urge you to check this section for possible links that could get you the information that you need.

• School Calendar
• Lunch Menus
• Maschio's Birthday Order Form
• Registering for a lunch account
• PikMyKid User Guide (English)
• PikMyKid User Guide (Spanish)
• Fingerprinting/Safe Environment Certification Instructions
• Fingerprinting/Safe Environment Certification
• Uniform Company
• Technology Responsible Use Policy for Students
• Parent Student Handbook
• Attendance Policy
• Accessing Facts Family Portal
• Family Portal Login
• Logging Service Hours: Parents and students can now enter and view their own service hours. You can use your app to view the hours, however, you have to use the web version to enter new hours. go to FACTS Family Portal. The district code is STJC-FL. Once logged in, click on the Family option in the menu on the left side. At the top of the screen, select the family member who will be adding the service hours. Click on the Add option on the right side of the screen in the Service Hours box. Fill out the information and click Save.

Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand over your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.

"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Mt 5:38-48

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.

Principal: Mrs. Insua

Assistant Principal: Mr. Reilly

Canonical Administrator: Fr. Tim LaBo

Superintendent: Mr. Fortier

Email: jinsua@stjosephwhschool.org
Website: stjosephwhschool.org
Location: 535 Avenue M Northwest, Winter Haven, FL, USA
Phone: 863-293-3311