Saint Joseph School
25 Squire Street
New London, Connecticut 06320
“A holy place where we discover each other in God’s love”
September 8, 2021
Dear St. Joseph School Families,
Our first week back at school for the 2021-2022 school year was a great success! We celebrated with prayer, play, and learning. We remembered the National Day of Prayer for the Care of All God’s Creation! We opened school as Father Mark blessed the School Family and the School Building, asking God to keep us all healthy and safe. At Mass, Father Tony reminded the students to thank their parents, grandparents, and guardians for sending them to St. Joseph School, and to thank their teachers for teaching them.
This week we will take another step toward some normalcy in our building. Students will be eating in the lunchroom. Under the guidance of Mrs. Tejera, our school nurse, we have set up tables for 4 at an appropriate distance. Teachers are creating seating based on classroom seating to assure that part of each classroom’s cohort. Tables will be disinfected between lunch waves.
This past Friday, our students in grades 6-8 participated in our first Prayer Day of this school year. During the day we prayed for the success of our school year, signed our annual Covenant to uphold the Mission of our School, participated in community building and physical activity. We look forward to a special year of learning and serving our community.
Families received a box of chocolate bars on Friday. Many of you have already sent in the proceeds ($60) for each box. You may send the money in when you are ready within the next 2 weeks. Anyone wishing to take an additional box may due so. Simply send a note to the office requesting this. All money raised is used in the school to benefit your children. Thank you for your assistance.
This coming Friday we will welcome our families to the playground between the hours of 5:30 and 7 p.m. to say hello to our teachers and have a bite to eat. You received an email regarding this over the weekend. Captain Scott’s Food Truck will be here to serve you. This is a gift from some special friends of St. Joseph School. Please join us for a short time to say hello!
For those in Grades 4-8 who may be interested, the school offered instrumental lessons through Future Musicians of Connecticut. This is paid separately to the company by the parents. Lessons will be offered on Wednesday afternoon during regular school hours. The teacher is Johnny Lee Walton, a graduate of the Hart School of Music. Mr. Walton was at school today, to offer demonstrations of brass and woodwind instruments. Your children should be coming home with paperwork describing the process and the program. Please return the appropriate materials if you are interested.
Summer Reading Lists are due to Mrs. Williamson by September 17th. Parents, please lists the books and number of pages your child has read and sign the bottom of the list.
The school is planning to take some outdoor field trips as the year progresses. Since we will be transported by bus and our school faculty and staff, as well as bus drivers, are vaccinated, the school is requiring only vaccinated chaperones on these trips. Our goal as always is the health and safety of all of our students. The first of these trips for which you will receive paperwork is the trip to the BIG E for grades 5 through 8. We are requiring everyone on this trip to wear masks on the bus and inside any buildings they might enter. Please look for the paperwork this week which includes permission slips. The date of the trip is September 30th. Teachers and chaperones are now required to pay a $12 fee for tickets. Students are free. If you meet the requirements of the Office of Safe Environments, are vaccinated against the COVID virus, and would like to chaperone, please notify your child’s teacher in writing in Grades 5 through 8 (the grades that will attend the trip). You will be notified if your services for this trip are needed, as space is limited on the bus.
Everyone is asked to make themselves familiar with the Family Handbook, containing much information to assist with the success of your children at St. Joseph School. Please note the uniform section, regarding the specifics of the uniform, accessories, make-up, and jewelry. All of the information therein will be helpful throughout the year and is updated as needed, including the faculty and staff assignments. You will be asked to sign a letter indicating that you and your children have read and discussed its contents.
Please keep us in your prayers, as you are in ours daily.
God’s Blessings,
Marianne Cote
Principal