Dear Parents,

Today we concluded a busy week of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). Thank you all for your support and to our PTO for their generous donations of healthy snacks to nourish the students as they worked hard on the ITBS.

I can’t believe we are halfway through our 3rd trimester! Kindergarten–8th-grade parents will be emailed their child’s progress report this evening. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher with any questions or concerns.

Dear Parents,

For the first time ever, a team of SJB students competed virtually in the National Catholic Academic Junior High Decathlon. This one-day competition for Catholic school students in Grades 6–8 is designed to showcase their knowledge of fine arts, science, math, literature, Catholic doctrine, and more. Our SJB team included sixth grader Jorge Rodriguez and seventh graders Sophia Bernardez, Celine Salloum, Theresa Gove, and Harmony Rodriguez.

Dear Parents,

I am so incredibly proud to announce that 7th grader Sophia Bernardez won 1st place in the Diocesean Science Fair with her project entitled “Mighty Tiny Masked Heros—MealWorms and Face Masks.” Sophia will now move on to the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair on March 30th. This is an opportunity for Sophia to showcase her amazing work, compete for thousands of dollars in prizes, and the opportunity to move on to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (RISEF). Please join me in praying for her success as she represents the Diocese of Phoenix Catholic Schools.

Dear Parents,

This week began our Lenten season with Kindergarten leading the school in "resting" the Alleluia banner. It is so-called as a way to teach the younger students that we refrain from singing the Alleluia during Lent and that it will be "resurrected" with Jesus at Easter.

K–8 students gathered with St. Benedict parishioners for Ash Wednesday Mass while our student choir sang beautiful traditional hymns with absolute reverence and love for Jesus. Following Mass, Fr. Manasseh, Deacon Ed, and the preschool teachers performed an Ash Wednesday skit for the preschool students to give them a better understanding of how we say “Yes to Jesus” during Lent. They then received ashes on their foreheads, just like the "big kids."

Dear Parents,

We already completed a full week of our third (and final) trimester of the school year! Report cards were emailed on Tuesday, February 14, and conferences will take place next week on February 22, 23, and 24. Please note early dismissal at 12:30pm on all three days to allow time for teachers and parents to conference. It is important that students are picked up promptly or registered with Innovation Learning for aftercare so teachers may begin their conferences on time. 

Dear Parents,

Thank you for supporting our annual Bosco Gala, “Cheers to 21 years of Academic Excellence, Faith, and Community.” The event was amazing and we exceeded our goal with a profit of $164,064.17! The funds from this event will tremendously benefit our school by providing an ELA curriculum for K-8, technology upgrades, and classroom materials for every teacher. We are truly grateful for your generosity and support for the students of St. John Bosco. 

Dear Parents,

What a fabulous week! How exciting it was to see our entire community participate in the various activities of Catholic Schools Week!

So many people are responsible for the smooth operation of the week’s festivities. We are truly grateful to our devoted SJB families and faculty/staff for their generous gifts of time and effort to make this week memorable for the students. The display of teamwork from teachers, staff, parents, and students throughout the week is what makes St. John Bosco more than a school, it makes us a community.

Dear Parents,

Can you believe that Tuesday is already the 100th day of school? It is amazing to see how much our students have grown spiritually, physically, and academically in that short time. All are invited to attend the Preschool and Kindergarten 100th Day of School Parade Tuesday morning following morning prayer and announcements. 

Dear Parents,

Have you purchased your Gala ticket yet? Are you considering securing a table for your family and friends? Would your company like to be a sponsor for our 21st Annual St. John Bosco Gala? If so, click here to purchase tickets and learn more about our sponsorship opportunities. 

Thank you for your support of our school and teachers by nominating St. John Bosco in several categories for the "Best of Ahwatukee 2022." We feel your love! Please vote every day for #55 Best Place to Work, #84 Best Preschool, #86 Best Elementary Teacher, #88 Best Private School, and #94 St. Benedict – Best Place to Worship.

Dear Parents,

Welcome back, and Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed time with your family and friends celebrating the birth of Christ and ringing in the new year. On behalf of the SJB school office personnel, please know how grateful we are for your plentiful and generous Christmas gifts. We were positively overwhelmed by your love and kindness. May God bless you abundantly!

Next week we will be back to business with benchmark testing. Our K–2nd-grade students will have DIBELS assessments in reading and math while 3rd–8th-grade students will complete MAP assessments in math, reading, ELA, and science. Please make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep, a healthy breakfast, and is on time for school each day.

Dear Parents,

Can you believe we’re already in the third week of Advent? Before you head into Christmas break, be sure to join us for two of our favorite events at St. John Bosco Catholic School!

Wednesday, December 14 at 6:00pm is our 21st Annual Christmas Program. Music Director Dr. Luis Rodriguez has created a very special program that will take place outside in our festive courtyard and showcase our kindergarten through 5th–grade-students singing and playing instruments. Our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders will be reciting scriptures and assisting Dr. Rodriguez behind the scenes. Since we will be outside, we recommend you dress accordingly.

Dear Parents,

Welcome back! I hope you and your family had a peaceful Thanksgiving break together and plenty of time to reflect on the many blessings in your lives.

As you’ve no doubt noticed, ‘tis the season for sniffles and coughs. If you find your child not feeling well, please err on the side of caution and keep them home; please do not give them medicine to relieve the symptoms and send them to school. We have learned that keeping them home is the most effective strategy to lessen the spread of illness on our school campus.