Week Six – Get Involved, Part I
Decades of research show that when parents are involved in their child’s education, students have:
Higher grades, test scores and graduation rates
Better school attendance
Increased motivation, better self-esteem
Decreased use of drugs and alcohol
Few instances of violent behavior
The more intensely parents are involved, the more beneficial the achievement effects. And, the more parents participate in schooling, in a sustained way, at every level – in advocacy, decision-making and oversight roles, as fund-raisers and boosters, as volunteers and para-professionals, and as home teachers – the better for student achievement.
School age children spend 70% of their waking hours (including weekends and holidays) outside of school. When parents come to school regularly, it reinforces the view in the child’s mind that school and home are connected and that school is an integral part of the whole family’s life.
The St. John Bosco website and the weekly BITE are going to be your best sources for information on how, when and where you can lend your time and talents. Our parent groups -- School Advisory Board, Dad’s Club, Mom’s Club and PTO are active organizations on campus that are always seeking parent involvement. Once school is in session you will get information from your student’s teacher about the many ways you can volunteer in the classroom.
This week I would like to personally invite all the Dads to become a member of our very active Dad’s Club. St. John Bosco has, by far, the best Dad’s Club in the Diocese of Phoenix Catholic Schools. Check out their web page at www.sjbosco.org/about-us/organizations/dads-club/. Whether you join for the poker nights, the football pool, or that great feeling you will get in your heart when you are in the midst of organizing the next big fun-raiser –becoming a life time member - $30.00, having fun while doing it – Priceless.
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Week Five – School Supplies
Teachers have written up their school supply lists and sent them off to EZ School Supplies. To get the list for your students you will need to go to www.ezschoolsupplies.com. To find St. John Bosco, simply enter our school name (or zip code 85048) in the “Find your school or organization” box located on the top left side of the home page. Once you select the school you will be directed to a list of supplies for each grade level. Scroll to find your child’s grade and click to open.
Once you have the list in front of you, you have several options, with pros and cons to each:
- Print the list and take it with you to Target, Staples, etc., and shop for the items yourself. – This is usually a much cheaper option. The sales on school supplies these days are incredible. Also, you have the ability to select colors, quality, styles, etc. The biggest “con” with going this route is a matter of time. If you don’t have the time or don’t like to shop this may not be your best option.
- Add the entire list to your cart and then go in and edit it. You are able to delete, add or modify the items on the list. If you are not one that needs to look, touch and feel everything you buy, this is a great option although it may be a bit time consuming.
- Purchase everything on the list from EZ School Supplies by adding it to your “cart” and checking out. Items will be shipped directly to your house. This is a good option for families that may not have the time due to work schedules or vacations to be able to shop at the stores when the sales are going on. It is also a great option for those who do not like to shop. The downside to this option is that you pretty much get what you get…there are no options for choice of color or quality. You get shipped exactly what the teachers picked out. While everything they chose is what is needed for school, it may not fit your needs or child’s needs exactly.
A few extra notes: Be sure to read the comments under “additional information for parents” on the main school site, before selecting the class list, and also “additional comments” within each teachers list. You will find information on additional items needed for classes such as art, music and Spanish. Also, be sure to read the class headings carefully. Some grades are split alphabetically. There is also a small list for “New Students” in the upper grades. These are items that returning students are using again from year to year. And finally, if you are new to Catholic schools…no, it is not a typo…most all of the class lists include paper towels, ziplock bags and a few other unusual items!
Happy Shopping!
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Week Four – St. John Bosco
A History of our Patron Saint
Saint John Bosco
Patron Saint of Youth
St John Bosco Feast Day – January 31st.
St. John Bosco began his journey into Sainthood as a young priest in Italy when he recognized the need to love, nurture and train the homeless and often troublesome young boys in his community. As a fatherly influence, he taught the boys catechism and vocational skills as apprentice printers, shoemakers, etc. John Bosco educated the whole person. He believed that Christ’s love and our faith in that love should pervade everything we do—work, study and play. He considered play a most important means of stirring a child’s interest. For John Bosco, being a Christian was a full-time effort, not a once-a-week, Mass-on-Sunday experience. It is searching and finding God and Jesus in everything we do, letting their love lead us. Yet, John realized the importance of job training and the self-worth and pride that comes with talent and ability so he trained his students in the tradecrafts, too.
“Do you want our Lord to give you many graces? Visit Him often…” St. John Bosco
Prayer of St. John Bosco
St. John Bosco, you have reached out to others whom no one cared for despite ridicule and insult. Help us to care less about the laughter of the world and care more about the joy of the Lord. Amen.
St. John Bosco Interparish School Mission Statement
Guided by Jesus Christ, we are caring community dedicated to academic excellence, serving others and developing the whole child within the traditions of our Catholic faith.
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Week Three - RenWeb
RenWeb is the primary form of communication we use to inform you of your student’s schedules, grades, homework, etc. Under “Quick Links” on the SJB website (www.sjbosco.org) you will find a link called RenWeb Access. Once there you will find step-by-step instructions on how to log onto RenWeb for the first time.
Although at this time there are no schedules, grades or homework posted for your students, I am recommending that you log on and take a quick look around so you are familiar with the interactive website before school starts. In addition to information about your student, you will find the family and student directory (new families/students will not appear in the directory until the past school year has been cleared out) as well as a tab for community service hours. If you have already gotten a start on your service hours for this coming school year, this is where you would record those hours.
On the opening page in RenWeb you will see the school activity/event calendar. If you move your cursor over an event it will give you the details of that event. To view another month other than the current one showing, simply click on the “<” or “>” on the right and left of the month displayed.
Once school is in session, RenWeb is where you will go to find information regarding your student’s academic progress. It will be where you will view progress reports as well as report cards. In addition, it is an excellent tool for you to use throughout the year to keep on top of and stay informed of test scores, homework grades, and any missed assignments.
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Week Two -Scrip
The scrip program is an easy, no cost way to support St. John Bosco. For those of you not familiar with the program and process it may seem a little confusing. I assure you though, it is very easy to do and you will get the hang of it pretty quickly. In a nutshell, the program works like this…St. John Bosco purchases gift cards from various scrip companies as well as from local merchants at a discount. St. John Bosco then sells them to you at face value. You then use them to do your shopping, give as gifts, etc. The difference between what St. John Bosco pays for the card and what you pay for the card is the “profit” that you earn for the school and then for your tuition discount.
A real life example: I know this weekend I will be taking my kids to the movies to see the new “UP” movie so today I will stop by the scrip office and purchase $50 in gift cards for Harkins theater. When I go to the movies, I will use the gift cards to pay for admission and snacks. That’s all there is to it.
Here’s what happened behind the scene: The scrip order form says Harkins pays 8%. This means that when I purchased the cards, 8% of $50.00 (or $4.00) went to the school as “profit.” The school keeps an account for each family so now my family has a balance of $4.00. Each time I purchase gift cards through scrip my account will be credited with the “profit” that was made from my purchase. Once I reach $150 in profit, profit above and beyond that will be split 50/50 meaning the school will get half and I will get half to apply toward my tuition. (Example: At the end of the first semester I had earned a total of $1000 in profit. The school takes the first $150. The balance, $850, is split…the school gets $425 and I get a $425 reduction in tuition for next semester.)
here are a few tips you may not have heard…
You can purchase gift cards through the scrip office during the summer. The window will be open on Fridays from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm during the month of June. You can also use online ordering or drop off/pick up your order Tuesday – Friday from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. In July the only scrip that will be available is uniform scrip and you will need to email Miss Dorothy (dabril@sjbosco.org) directly to place your order.
Grocery gift cards are the fastest way to earn your scrip dollars. Everyone eats, right?? Fry’s and Bashas cards are re-loadable at the store so every time you grocery shop be sure to re-load your card. You can also use your grocery card to purchase gift cards at that store. I use my Fry’s card to buy Target and iTunes gift cards that I can use myself or give as gifts. Doing this earns me 6% on every purchase. The possibilities are endless.
By using the special order form you can purchase scrip for Disney (land, world, cruises and the store), Marriott (includes all Marriott properties such as Courtyard and Residence Inn), Best Western, Quality Inn and many more “vacation destinations.” Plan ahead though. Special orders usually take a week to 10 days to get in.
Local merchants usually give a greater percentage back to our school. Check out Madison Avenue, Original Burrito Company and Someburros…these local companies are owned by St. John Bosco families and give a higher percentage back to the school.
Take advantage of the scrip promotions. There are many other promotions through out the year. You will receive emails and flyers about upcoming events.
Take the time to read “Weekly Scrip News” on the Scrip web page. I find something new there each time I look. Scrip is listed under “Quick Links” on the SJB home page. www.sjbosco.org
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Week One - Uniforms
“One of my favorite things about SJB is wearing uniforms. No one can put me down for what I am wearing if they are wearing the same thing! It is also easier in the morning because I know what I have to wear. I don’t have to spend a long time every morning picking out an outfit.” Kelly, grade 6
Information about our school uniform policy can be found in the parent/student handbook as well at under the “Quick Link” section of the SJB Homepage. www.sjbosco.org
There are five uniform companies that carry the St. John Bosco uniform. Pricing and quality will vary slightly between each uniform supplier. Shop around or ask your Mentor family which company they prefer. The choice is yours. Give your business to the company that best serves your needs. You can buy shirts at one location, shorts at another, whatever works for you. Scrip is available for all stores.
Dennis www.dennisuniform.com
Educational Outfitters www.educationaloutfitters.com
Simply School Uniforms www.simplyschooluniforms.com
Collette’s Uniform Company www.euniformstore.com
Excel Screen Printing 480-966-1158
Summer Sales – shop early to take advantage of these sales:
Collette’s – 10% off non-sale items with flyer (check your welcome packet for a copy)
Dennis – 10% off all purchases June 10th – July10th, in-store, online, phone or mail order
Educational Outfitters – 10% off purchases in June and December
Simply School Uniforms – 15% off purchase July 1st – August 31st
Here are a few tips you may not have heard…
Shop early for white sneakers! There always seems to be a shortage of white sneakers, in the size you need, right before school starts. K-Swiss is a popular style and available at many stores. Look for sales at Famous Footwear – buy one, get one half off. Payless Shoe Source is also a good source of white shoes for the younger kids. Tip for girls…the white sneakers sold as “boy shoes” are really a unisex style and most girls seem to prefer them to the styles offered for “girls.” Also, they are much easier to find and usually in stock. It seems most “girl” shoes these days come with pink and bling. Also, keep in mind that the sneakers you purchase will need to be appropriate for PE class….no slip-ons or “skater” type shoes.
Students have the option of wearing long sleeve or short sleeve shirts in the colder months. The choice is of course yours and you will probably base your decision on the likes and dislikes of your child. We have found though that most kids prefer to wear the short sleeve shirts year round, wearing a sweatshirt over them during the colder months. If you think this sounds like your child, don’t waste your money on purchasing the long sleeve shirts. With that said, keep in mind that while the navy sweatshirt is great about hiding the dirt that kids seem to attract, they will not be able to wear the navy during mass. They may wear it TO mass, but then they will be asked to remove it for the duration of the service. Only the white SJB logo sweatshirt is permissible at mass.
The uniform stores get REALLY crowded starting about 2 weeks out from the start of school. Expect to wait in lines and also be mindful that some sizes and styles may be out of stock. If you wait until the very last minute to buy your uniforms, you may be out of luck and will have to wait for backorders to come in. If you are an early bird shopper, remember to account for any growth spurts your child may have over the summer. Skirt and shorts must be within 2” of the knee.
And lastly, take advantage of the used uniform sales. Sales will be announced in the BITE and through email.
