News - August 2020 RSS Feed

When dropping of students in the morning it is very important to follow procedures. You can drop off on either side of the annex; it does not matter the grade level of your child. If you drop off on the playground side of the annex, you will exit via the front of the building. If you drop off on the Church side of the building, then you will exit via the back of the parking lot.

Wellness Policy Federal law now requires all schools to have a Wellness Plan in place to meet federal requirements. Therefore, St. Anthony School has adopted a Wellness Policy to provide nutritious food, snacks, and beverages to the students and to provide opportunities for physical activity. Students are allowed to bring a healthy snack to school. Please see the school handbook for a list of healthy snacks. We will celebrate all students’ birthdays. There will be three dates on the school calendar scheduled for birthday celebrations. We will celebrate June, July, August, and September birthdays first; October, November, December, and January second; and February, March, April, and May last. Students will also celebrate Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day with a treat. Due to COVID, celebrations may look a little different. We will work with room parents to discuss details of the celebrations.

Socks must be visible above the shoe and must be solid white, black or navy Twill pants or shorts - no skinny pants, leggings or jeggings

There will be no School Mass on Thursday, September 10.

It is hard to believe that we are already midway through the 1st Quarter. Families can access Jupiter to review your child’s progress. Please talk to your child about their strengths and challenges and how they can continue to improve throughout the year. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher. If you are not able to access Jupiter, please let the office know and we will get you instructions on how to access your child’s information.

If your child will out for any reason, please call the office and let them know.

We are beginning to get back into the routine of school. Again I can’t say enough how happy I am with how things are going. Families, students, faculty, and staff have done an excellent job in staying healthy and following the protocols that have been put into place. It is important that we work hard to mitigate the spread of germs. We continue to stress healthy habits at school by properly washing hands, properly wearing mask, and social distancing. Please remind children at home these essential healthy habits. Here are a few tips from the health department as we continue to work together to keep the school safe and healthy: If a student is tested for COVID-19, please quarantine until results are received. It is also highly recommended and would be optimal for family members to quarantine as well. Please notify school as soon as positive test results are received on a student. If a person has been considered a close contact, then they must quarantine for a 14-day period since the date of last exposure.

I would like to congratulate our 3rd graders who were finally able to make their 1st Communion this past Sunday. God’s blessing, love and grace was showered upon each of them on this very special day. A big thank you to everyone who helped in making this day special for our 1st communicants.

Please remember that when vehicles are lining for dismissal on the 3-8 side; the car lines should not go past the end of the annex. This can cause traffic to be blocked and cars will not be able to get through. We are changing the way we dismiss students at the end of the day to hopefully speed up the dismissal process.

All orders for P.E. uniforms and school sweatshirts are due by the end of the school day, Thursday, August 27th. While sweatpants aren't a requirement, your child may want to wear them during the colder weather on P.E. days. Attached is the order form. You may send your completed form to Emily Lega Fisher at e.fisher@stanthonyschool.us. If you aren't sure if you've ordered, you can also email Emily to find out.

As we start the school year, it is very important that all families have turned in the necessary paperwork. The following items need to be turned in as soon as possible. Families that have not returned paperwork will be receiving a reminder from the office today. School Registration Forms Handbook and Re-Entry Plan Forms ACH Forms Updated immunization records

School pictures will be taken on Thursday, August 27th for all grades. We will be using a new company, Inter-State Studio, this year for our school pictures. Pictures will be taken in the school gym and we will have two photographers present for picture day. It is highly recommended that families place orders online. Students may be out of uniform on the day that their picture is taken. Please visit INTER-STATE.COM/ORDER and use order code 50029PA.

The school will use virtual learning throughout the year for students who become ill or must quarantine/isolate. Google classroom will be used to provide virtual learning to students. The school is also fortunate to have two teachers working with virtual learners on a daily basis. Mrs. Heather Stocksdale and Mrs. Nancy McGarvey will be working with teachers to provide instruction and curriculum to virtual learners. The school must be notified if a student will be out of school and requires virtual learning. Parents will need to come to school to pick up textbooks to be used with virtual learning. Students will be required to follow the Remote Learning Expectations that have been put into place. A copy of the expectations can be found on our website.

Our theme for the school year is One Team – Together Everyone Achieves More. With this school year being so different; it is important that we all work together as a Team to make the year a success. Good teamwork is necessary in all areas of life- our families, our school, and our community. Paul reminds us in Romans 12 that bodies don’t function well unless they work together. We need to work together as a team; we are one body but many parts. There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ. We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts. You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.

As we continue with our morning temperature checks, here are a few reminders: • From 7:00-7:20, only one side of the annex will be used for temperature checks. Families that arrive during this time should pull to the playground side of the building. After 7:20, both sides of the annex will be used. • Make sure students are ready to exit the vehicle upon arrival and that they are wearing a mask. • As always, please be patient. So far this has been a very smooth process and we appreciate your patience as we work to keep our students safe and healthy.

Just a friendly reminder, the microwave will not be used to warm up student lunches.

Cell Phone/Smart Watch Policy The staff of St. Anthony School highly discourages the bringing of cell phones/smart watch to school. If the parents feel that a child needs a cell phone/smart watch, the cell phone/smart watch must remain turned off and in a student’s backpack. The cell phone/smart watch may not be used at any time during the school day, as this disrupts the learning process. If a student’s cell phone/smart watch goes off, or if a student chooses to use his or her cell phone/smart watch during the school day (including morning care, dismissal, and after school care), then the staff will confiscate the cell phone/smart watch and parents will need to retrieve it from the Principal. Students whose cell phones/smart watch in their possession during the day will receive a grade appropriate consequence.

Free and Reduced lunch applications were sent home with each family last week. Applications must be filled out on a yearly basis, one application per family. Please fill out an application and return to the office as soon as possible. Remember that extras, water, and juice are not included in the Free and Reduced lunch; your account will be charged for these items.

School pictures will be taken on Thursday, August 27th for all grades. We will be using a new company, Inter-State Studio, this year for our school pictures. Order forms will be coming home today. It is highly recommended that families place orders online. Students may be out of uniform on the day that their picture is taken. Guidelines for out of uniform days are in the school handbook. Please visit INTER-STATE.COM/ORDER and use order code 50029PA.

It is essential for our school community to work together to prevent the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in the school environment and in the community. I am proud of all the support and dedication from families to make the start of this year a success. I also appreciate that families are being cautious, proactive, and making proper decisions to keep our school community safe and healthy. It is important that we keep communication open, if you ever have questions or concerns please feel free to contact me. If an issue arises outside of school hours, please contact me on my cell phone (812) 989-4200. Here are a few tips from the health department as we continue to work together to keep the school safe and healthy: • If a student is tested for COVID-19, please quarantine until results are received. It is also highly recommended and would be optimal for family members to quarantine as well. • Please notify school as soon as positive test results are received on a student. • If a person has been considered a close contact, then they must quarantine for a 14-day period since the date of last exposure.