SJS Plan to Safely Reopen in September

SJS Plan to Safely Reopen Saint Joseph continues to prepare for the reopening of School in September.  Click hereto see the letter from principal Dr. Paula Valenti giving all the details of the plan. Please note that our reopening is dependent upon the state of the pandemic, CDC guidelines, as well as the NJ Governor's and the Archdiocesan directives. During the initial weeks of school, teachers will reinforce and practice health and safety routines with our students.  The health, safety and emotional well-being of all are our priority while we continue to deliver a world-class Catholic education.

Important Note from our Art Teacher

Important Note

from our Art Teacher

For art class, all students will be required to carry  their own art supplies (i.e., pencils, scissor, glue, markers, etc.--see needed supplies in article below) in their own personal case or bag.  For health and safety reasons, there can be no sharing of art supplies.

Bring Your Lunch from Home

Homemade Lunch The current pandemic requires our flexibility and understanding as we move forward through the process of reopening SJS. We have been informed that Lisa's Kitchen, the SJS lunch provider, will not be returning to school for the 2020-2021 school year.  Therefore, families should plan on brown-bagging lunch until a suitable lunch service provider has been contracted to work the school lunch program.  We continue to work on our social distancing program for lunch and are confident that we will be able to provide students the opportunity to enjoy their homemade lunch in a comfortable environment.

Inner City Schorlaship Deadline Extended - August 19 - 26, 2020

Good News!    Scholarship Deadline  Extended      The Inner City Scholarship for Children has extended its deadline for scholarship from August 19th through August 26th. Interested parents should click here for application information.       The SFIC General Fund is for students attending private parochial elementary and secondary schools located within Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties in New Jersey.  It is funded with unrestricted donations from individuals, corporations and foundations. Tuition assistance awards are based upon need without regard to ethnicity, gender, race or religion.

Flynn O'Hara Uniform Shopping

Click here to view our school's uniform requirements and to stay connected to our official uniform supplier (with COVID-19 related safety updates,  at-home resources and discount announcements), and make back-to-school shopping as safe and easy as possible this year! 

Check Out These Events Sponsored by Hackensack Meridian Health

Check Out These Events Sponsored by  Hackensack Meridian Health   To register visit:  hackensackmeridianhealth.org/events or call: 800-560-9990    Safe at Home by Safe Sitter Webinar - For children ages 4 - 6 to be safe at home when alone. September 9th 6:30 pm - 7:30 -pm and October 3rd 10 am - 11 am   Safe Sitter Webinar: For boys and girls ages 11 - 14. August 24th & 26th 190 am - 12:30 pm   Back to School Webinar: Join Moses Olorunnisola, M.D. as he addresses questions and concerns parents may have as children venture back to school. August 26th 11 am - 12 noon   Healthy Choices Series Webinar: For moms/guardians and their 6th - 7th and 8th grade daughters. August 27th 6:30 pm - 7:15 pm and September 23rd 6:30 pm - 7:15 pm and October 14th 6:30 pm - 7:15 pm.   Emotional First-Aid: Simple techniques to empower, decrease effects of stress and trauma. September 16th 12 noon - 1 pm or 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm. Location: Debra Simon Center for Integrative Medicine, *87 Route 17 North, Maywood, NJ.   Healthy Can Be Tasty!: Registered dietitians and chefs share new ways to change up simple recipes while keeping them healthy! September - October 12 noon - 1:00 pm at YMCA, 691 Wyckoff Ave., Wyckoff, NJ

Ask Congress to Include Aid for Catholic School Families in Stimulus

Ask Congress to Include Aid
for Catholic School Families in Stimulus

Dear Families, Friends, and Supporters: 

Please read and click through to our Voter Voice system (shown below) to put your message in front of Congress!  

THE ISSUE: Congress is debating the next round of Stimulus Funding. Families who attend Catholic Schools are struggling to pay tuition and schools are scrambling to meet additional expenses of COVID-19. Catholic school communities have been severely impacted by COVID-19. Private schools, including Catholic Schools serve 10% of all K-12 students in the United States. 

THE ASK: 1. That private school students receive Equity in COVID-19 relief services offered to public schools; 2. Tuition assistance for struggling families; and 3. Tax deductions or credits for families' education expenses to help in the struggle to pay for school tuition now. 

THE ACTION: Please click here to go to Voter Voice-NJ Catholic Conference and follow the prompts on NJ Catholic Conference's Voter Voice. In just a few clicks, you can ask Congress to help our Catholic School Families stay in their Catholic schools. 

THE RATIONALE: Catholic schools save taxpayers millions of dollars. COVID-19 has gravely impacted finances of families and schools alike. Keeping 10% of all K-12 students in private schools helps families choose the education that works best for their children while saving significant money and strain of overcrowding for public schools.

PLEASE CLICK HERE NOW--Voter Voice-NJ Catholic Conference
 

Thank you for answering the call to support our students by advocating for them! 

Order Your Child's Fall School Supplies ONLINE and Help SJS!

Order Your Child's Fall School Supplies ONLINE and Help SJS!   Below please find the details and instructions to order the 2020-2021 school supplies online.  We are using the same vendor as last year, Yubbler, and the majority of the supplies needed can be ordered from them online. (There are very few items not available  that must be purchased separately).      Items purchased through Yubbler will be shipped the next day directly to your home.  You can customize your order to purchase only the items you need, i.e. if you already have the Spanish/English dictionary, you do not have to purchase it again.         Yubbler will donate 50% of the profits back to our school! There is no deadline to place your order, however, the sooner you place the order, the better.     Click here for the School Supply List for each grade.   Click here  for a letter explaining how to order from Yubbler.   To place your order, go to:  https://www.yubbler.com/Yub/Details/19625     If you have any questions, please feel free to send an email to: sjsschoolsupplies@gmail.com

Message from Sonia Labozzetta, PTO President

Another school year at SJS has come to a close and this one has been anything but normal.  On behalf of the PTO Board, I would like to thank you for your support throughout the year.  Without your generous financial support and donations of your time, we would not be able to sponsor programs or provide activities that benefit the school staff and students.  In addition to traditional PTO-sponsored events, this year we were able to sponsor the Weather Assembly and purchase iPads for the Technology Program and a freezer for the LS cafeteria.  I would also like to make the following acknowledgments:

• Thank you to our PTO team:  Elaina DeVardo, Darren Rosen, AnnaMaria Gugliotta, Denise Pertuz, Rosemary Fernandez, Sheri Dennehy and Frances Santos.  These individuals work year-round to make our school community thrive.

• Thank you to our school administrators, teachers, staff, our parish priests and staff and our School Advisory Board for everything you do to promote the education and well-being of children.

• Thank you and a sad farewell to Darren Rosen who has served as the PTO Treasurer and chaired many events over the past several years.  We will miss your many talents, your presence and your British accent.  I am sure we will be recruiting you as MC for many future events.   Welcome to Scott Young who will be taking on the Treasurer position.  

• Congratulations to our Class of 2020 8th Grade Graduates!  I am so sorry that you were unable to experience the traditional 8th Grade events but am thankful you were able to spend quality time with your families before you venture off to high school.  We will miss seeing your smiling faces at SJS.  

• Congratulations to our PK and Kindergarten Graduates!  Great things ahead!

• Welcome to our new SJS families.  We look forward to welcoming you into our SJS community.

Virtual Museum Mile Festival | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Virtual Museum Mile Festival

TUESDAY / JUNE 9

9:00 A.M.–9:00 P.M.

Free; Museum admission not required

Kick off your summer with the first-ever Virtual Museum Mile Festival! Check out exhibition tours, an artist talk, an inspiring performance, and art-making videos for all ages.  Click on the link below for more details.

https://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/met-celebrates/festivals-and-special-programs/museum-mile-2020

School Survey - Deadline June 8, 2020

URGENT NEED 

FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOL PARENTS

TO COMPLETE SURVEY

Deadline: JUNE 8

The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) has created a committee of professionals, including a representative from non-public schools, to create guidelines for the re-opening of New Jersey schools for the 2020-2021 school year. 

     As part of this process, the NJDOE is collecting information from New Jersey parents through a survey which will reflect opinions and concerns regarding remote learning, the re-opening of schools, safety, and health issues. It is crucial that parents of students in Catholic and other non-public schools have a voice in this process.           

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!  Please click on the link below and complete the survey.

The deadline is Monday, June 8.

Click here for English version of Survey.

(For Spanish version of survey, click here.)

PLEASE NOTE: 

The last question in the survey allows parents to write additional concerns. 

When completing this question,  please make sure that you write, "my child(ren) attend a nonpublic school." 

     It would be extremely helpful to also write any concerns that you may have regarding nursing services, transportation, supplemental instruction, compensatory education services, and/or any other concerns specific to your situation. 

      Thank you for making sure that our children count!

Message from Saint Joseph Church

Don Bosco Prep Virtual Open House - June 1, 2020

Saint Joseph Regional Virtual Open House - May 27, 2020

Message from Saint Joseph Church

Church News

THREE CHANCES TO FEEL MORE 

LIKE PART OF OUR PARISH COMMUNITY 

Have you felt separated from the Saint Joseph Parish Community during this trying time?

Here are three events that will allow you to safely join in our community support efforts and liturgical celebrations!

1.  JOIN THE KNIGHTS of COLUMBUS "FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER"

         With so many people, even in our own community, experiencing the financial hardships that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, our local food pantries are in even greater need than usual.

         The Knights of Columbus (St. Joseph Council #3814)  will be holding a FOOD DRIVE on THIS SUNDAY, May 24 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Council Hall (199 River Road, New Milford, NJ).  It will be a "CURBSIDE DROP OFF" event of any non-perishable food items you can donate.

Especially Needed Items:  COFFEE, FRUIT COCKTAIL, GRATED CHEESE, ICED TEA AND LEMONADE MIXES, BAKED BEANS, JELL-O, PUDDING, INSTANT POTATOES, PANCAKE MIX, PANCAKE SYRUP, BREAD CRUMBS, SALAD DRESSING TISSUES, NAPKINS.

         Simply put your donations in a plastic bag and leave it at our curbside, then drive away.  The Knights will be on site from afar, wearing masks and gloves, as they collect your donated items.

         Cash or checks (made out to Knights of Columbus, Council #3814) will also be gratefully accepted.

2.  PICTURE YOURSELF AT MASS AT SAINT JOSEPH CHURCH!

           You still have a chance to send your individual or family photo (on an 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of copy paper) and have it placed in our pews for our June Sunday Mass celebrations.

DEADLINE has been extended to MAY 31.

            Pictures should be mailed to the parish office at 105 Harrison St., New Milford, NJ 07646 or dropped in our locked parish mailbox in front of the rectory.  (Please do not ring the bell as the staff is working from home.  The box is regularly checked.)

            Please only send a copy of your photo.  Photo sheets will NOT be returned.

3.  ONLINE MASS CONTINUES TO BE BROADCAST on YOUTUBE AND OPTV

             You can continue to view our filming of Sunday Mass at Saint Joseph Church

either by signing up for our Parish Youtube Channel 

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClKY63btBrt8H6UPCcQWw_w

or by going to our website every Saturday ANYTIME AFTER 5:00 pm

http://sjcnj.org

or by viewing it on OPTV (Oradell public access television) at 7:00 pm on Saturdays and 10:00 am on Sundays.

OPTV is broadcast of FiOS (Ch. 77) Oradell and New Milford and Altice/Optimum (Ch. 28) Oradell only

Letter to Parents-Continuation of Remote Learning

Girl Scout Food Drive

Pray the Rosary In The Month of May

Pope encourages faithful to 

pray the Rosary at home.

Pope Francis writes a letter to all the faithful, encouraging 

them to pray the Rosary, especially during the month of May.  

Click on the link below: 

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-04/pope-encourages-faithful-to-pray-rosary-at-home.html

National Field Day Torch Run - Sunday, May 3, 2020

Let the Games Begin!      The National Field Day Torch Run will kick off this SUNDAY, May 3 at  12 noon! Watch kids from around the country run through all 50 states carrying the National Field Day Flame! The run will end on Thursday night as the Field Day Torch makes its way into Texas for the lighting of the OPEN Cauldron! To help everyone celebrate there are some amazing guests including four-time Track and Field Olympian Chaunte' Lowe, Legendary Hip Hop Artist Doug E Fresh, and the Varsity Brands ambassador Kevin Atlas. Follow the Torch Run: OPENPhysEd.org/ followthetorch (Sunday, 5/3) Watch the Ceremony: OPENPhysEd.org/ fielddayopening  (7:30 PM EST Thursday, 5/7) If your kids want to post pictures of themselves running with the "torch" please post on the National Field Day Facebook Page!   SJS School Nurse, Nancy Higgins, and Phys. Ed. teacher, Suzanne McFadden have been sharing information about National Field Day (which will take place on May 8) with our SJS teachers, parents and students. Click here to go to the website and for registration information.  Remember our SJS goal is to have some long  distance fun with this event!!!