“A Holy Place Where We Discover Each Other In God’s Love”

March 1, 2023

Dear Families of Saint Joseph School,

The Lenten season began last week with Ash Wednesday. This season calls us to do many things as we prepare for Easter. As we prayed on Monday as a whole school with your children, we were all reminded that during Lent we are asked to pray more often, to fast from something in order to do something for someone else, and to give service to others. May this Lenten season help each one of us to prepare for the new life of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

You will be pleased to know that all the hard work that went into our accreditation visit with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges has been rewarded with a 10-year renewal of our accreditation. Thank you for all you did and continue to do to make our school a success for your children.

Our school year is moving more quickly than we thought. Anyone who is planning to ask for tuition assistance must complete the financial forms for scholarship on the FACTS website. This also qualifies you for filing the Catholic Foundation Scholarship. These applications are due by March 6th. Requests for help with the Catholic Foundation Scholarship application should be addressed to jbustamonte@sjsnl.org. A new scholarship opportunity has come forth through a state organization. This opportunity is addressed in a separate letter. This opportunity requires an online application, the website for which went live today. A successful application will provide $2500 toward tuition for those who qualify financially. It will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis. The sooner you complete this application, the better the chance of the school receiving $2500 toward your child’s tuition. Receiving this not only helps you and your children, but the school as well. Please complete both scholarship applications to ensure the best benefit for your family and the school.

Our next event will be the Shamrock Tea (corned beef and cabbage dinner) on March 18th from 4-7 p.m.. Father Mark and the Blarney Stones will provide Irish music for the event. The cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children. (Hot dogs and chips will be available for the young people.) Volunteers will be needed as well as baked goods and soda bread. If you are able to help, please contact Clare Powers at cmdeter@yahoo.com.

This is a reminder note regarding the children’s water bottles. These should be taken home each night and washed. Some are leaving them at school, and continue to refill them without the benefit of washing them. It would seem that for health reasons, all water bottles should go home each night! Thank you for reminding your children to do so.

Reminders

March 3 – 9 a.m. Mass, 12:30 dismissal.
March 16 – Grades 7-8 Community Meal Center Meal
March 17 – Happy St. Patrick’s Day (Green Casual Day), Grade 5 Inventions
March 18 – “Shamrock Tea” Dinner 4-7 p.m.
March 19 – Feast of St. Joseph
March 20 – Grade 8 Pin Ceremony 1:30 p.m. Church
March 24 – Grade 6 Play, 1 p.m.
March 27 – Diocesan Professional Development—NO School.
March 30 – Grades 6-8 Science Exhibit

As always, you are in our prayers. Please keep us in yours.

God’s Blessings!

Marianne Cote, Principal

NOTE: The March 2023 School Calendar is attached.