540 Washington Avenue           Kenilworth, NJ 07033
                   908-276-7220    fax 908-709-1103

September 9, 2022

Dear Parents,

What a great first week! Today our PK students joined us for their first day of school. Lots of smiles, a few tears, and friendly greetings marked each day as students and staff were happy to be together again.

This Monday, September 12, will be our first full day of school for all students, PK3-Grade 8. If you have not ordered hot lunch, please remember to pack a lunch for your child, and healthy snacks (for those younger students who still snack in class, or who attend After School Care). Our Morning Care and After School Care Programs also begin for those students who have registered for those services.

Students have done a good job being on time, and they have looked great in their uniforms. I would remind you that all students are to be in their classrooms or the gym (Gr. 1-8) by 8:00 AM. The entire Parent-Student Handbook will be sent home to you next week for your signature; however, I thought it would be a good idea to send you the information from our Handbook that we reviewed at the New Parent Meeting. The arrival/dismissal procedures, and the uniform policy are particularly important so that all students, grades PK3-8, are in compliance, including the length of the boys’ hair.

Morning Drop-off and Afternoon Dismissal are running relatively smoothly. Please use extreme caution in the parking lot when dropping off or picking up your children. Cars must enter on 22nd Street ONLY and exit on 23rd Street. Please be attentive and patient, so that our “safe” path remains safe for both children and adults. Once again, I would ask parents not to allow their children to play in the parking lot at dismissal.   

Calendar Raffles will be going home next week to all families. Only families who chose Home School Options 1 or 3 are required to sell a minimum of 20 tickets.

Anyone who would like to volunteer at Morning Drop Off is asked to call Maureen. You will also find a link to our Sign-Up Genius on our website.

Also on our website is a link to order pizza for next Friday, September 16; please order by Wednesday. You can also sign up for our Welcome Back Ice Cream Party on our website.

Our Parish is seeking new altar servers. If your child(ren), grades 4-8, are interested, please sign and return the flyer that went home today. I am attaching a copy for your convenience. The altar server training will take place Saturday, September 24, from 10:00AM-1:00PM.

Each year we ask for Class Parents to assist the teachers and to be a liaison between the parents in that particular grade and the HSA parent community at-large. Any parent in Grades PK3 through 7 who would like to be considered for this position, must attend a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, September 14, at 7:00 PM. The role and responsibilities of the class parent will be discussed and there will be an opportunity for questions and answers. Please email me at marisa.derose@mysts.org if you are interested and I will send you the link for the meeting. Class Parents for the 2022-2023 school year will be chosen after that meeting.


Have a wonderful weekend!
God bless! 


Sr. Marisa DeRose, FMA
Principal
 

 

                
    540 Washington Avenue           Kenilworth, NJ 07033
                    908-276-7220    fax 908-709-1103

July 28, 2022

Dear Parents,

I hope this summer has been a wonderful time of rest and relaxation for you and your family. While we have had time here at STS to slow down a bit, we have also been busy preparing for the 2022-2023 school year. I look forward to working with each of you, and with our dedicated faculty and staff as we are privileged to undertake the incredible journey of educating your children in our Salesian Catholic tradition.

Providing a holistic education in a safe and healthy environment has always been our priority, and it continues to be so during this upcoming school year. We will see the return of many “normal” events and activities; however, your child’s well-being is always our top priority and we will always make decisions that we believe are in their best interest.

If you have not already returned your summer information packet, please do so as soon as possible.

The following information on a variety of topics will be of help to you as you prepare for the beginning of the school year.

UNIFORM SALE
Gently used uniforms are available for purchase Tuesday-Thursday mornings during the month of August. If you need an alternate time or more information, please contact Maureen at Maureen.scheuermann@mysts.org.

NEW PARENT ORIENTATION

Families new to St. Theresa School should have received an invitation to a New Parent Orientation on September 1. Families are asked to RSVP.

PK3 AND PK4 MEET AND GREET
PK children and their parents are invited to schedule their 10-minute Meet and Greet/Orientation Session on Thursday, September 8, beginning at 8:00 AM. Please contact Maureen in the school office to sign up.

FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL
K-8 students will begin on Wednesday, September 7. Dismissal is at 12:00 Noon, Wednesday-Friday, September 7-9. There is no After School Care on these days.
PK3 and PK 4 students come for a scheduled Meet and Greet on Thursday, and begin classes on Friday, September 9. This is a 12:00 Noon dismissal for all PK students; there is no After School Care.

Monday, September 12, is the first full-day of school for all students, PK-8. After School Care begins.

Students are expected to be in the complete uniform starting on the first day of school; this also includes ensuring that died hair or “summer haircuts” (mohawks, or those with letters, numbers, designs shaven into your child’s head) have grown out in time for school.

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL
Students registered for Morning Care are to be dropped off by the main Gym door on Washington Avenue after 7:00 AM.

School doors open for all students at 7:40 AM.
We will return to using our Morning Drop Off procedures for ALL students, PK-8. Parents are to pull into the back parking lot via the N. 22^nd Street entrance and pull forward to a parent volunteer who will open their car door to let the student out. Please make sure that your child has all his/her belongings readily available to ensure that he/she can exit the vehicle safely and quickly. Cars are to exit via N. 23^rd Street.

Parents who do not wish to participate in drop-off must park their cars on the side streets and walk their child to the back door (Door F).

Once inside the building, students grades 1-8 are to report directly to the gym, and students PK and K are to report to their classroom. Older students will be by the doors to assist the younger ones. Please remember that it is essential that students (even our youngest) arrive on time. Students must be seated in the gym (or their classroom for PK/K) by 8:00AM.

To facilitate the smooth dismissal of all students, the following procedures are to be followed:

PK 3 students will be dismissed from the Door I (Cafeteria) at 2:40 PM.
PK 4 students will be dismissed from Door H at 2:40 PM.
K students will be dismissed from Door G at 2:40 PM.
Grades 1 and 2B will be dismissed from the Main Office door at 2:45 PM.
Grade 2A will be dismissed from Door B (N.22^nd St.) at 2:45 PM
Grades 3-8 will be dismissed from Doors E and F at 2:50 PM.

Parents should pick up multiple children in the order of youngest to oldest; all children must be picked up from their assigned dismissal area. For everyone’s safety, please leave the property as soon as you have your children. It is very dangerous to allow the children to run and play in the parking lot and/or the front of school.

Children who are not picked up by 3:00 PM will be sent to the school’s extended care program, and parents will be charged for this service.

Our After School Care program runs from 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM. Students who participate in this program should be picked up from the Cafeteria door.

LUNCH
We are pleased to announce that we will once again be offering a full lunch program. Hot lunch can be ordered Monday-Thursday using the monthly lunch calendar that will go home. We will continue to offer “Pizza Friday’s”. Pizza can be ordered from our website. A lunch menu has been included with this mailing.

HSA (HOME SCHOOL ASSOCIATION)

You have already received a Home School Contract and I am sure you noticed the volunteer hours requirement. While this may seem like “another thing to do”, we rely on all of you to assist us in creating that warm, welcoming, family environment in which our students thrive. We cannot do it without you and we look forward to the many activities that will keep our school family vibrant.
Please remember that all volunteers must attend (or have attended within the last 5 years) a Protecting God’s Children session. We hope to host one here at STS in the fall, but if you’d like to attend elsewhere you can find a list of scheduled sessions on www.virtusonline.org.

CLASS PARENTS
Each year we ask for Class Parents to assist the teachers and be the liaison between the Home School Association and the parents in their child’s particular grade. We would ask anyone interested in volunteering for this service to attend a Zoom session on Wednesday, September 14, at 7:00PM. The link for the meeting will be sent out once school begins.

COVID CONSIDERATIONS
We will continue to follow the guidelines given us by the CDC, the State of New Jersey, the Archdiocese of Newark, and any local directives that might be given. Classrooms and common areas will continue to be sanitized appropriately. At this time, masks are optional for both students and staff.
Parents are responsible for checking their children for symptoms each day and for keeping them home when not feeling well, or when suspecting possible exposure to COVID.

I am sure that 20122-2023 will be a year of great growth spiritually, academically and socially for all of us. I look forward to continuing our journey together and of welcoming all our new students and their parents who have joined our school family this year!

Thank you for your continued support and for your commitment to Catholic education.
God bless all of you, your children and families! 

Sr. Marisa DeRose, FMA
Principal

                                                                    908-276-7220    fax 908-709-1103

I 

TBA

. 

 

                  TBA

TBA 

TBA 

TBA