Presidents' Day Monday, February 20 — No School
Early Dismissal (12:30 PM) Wed., Thurs., & Fri. — Parent-Teacher Conferences
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL
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 14th, and conferences will take place next week on February 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. Please note early dismissal (12:30 PM) 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.
Tuesday is Mardi Gras and we will continue our tradition of “resting” the Alleluia banner with a brief afternoon ceremony led by kindergarten. Every year on Mardi Gras the entire staff and student body come together in our courtyard to witness the “banner-resting” and to place their own Lenten commitments in the Lenten box. The resting of the banner ushers in the season of Lent when we refrain from saying the word "Alleluia." This event takes place next Tuesday, February 21st at 2:30 PM. Parents are warmly invited to attend.
All K–8th-grade students will attend Ash Wednesday Mass at 9:00 AM in the MPR. As such, please, no spirit wear today; school uniforms are required. As always, families are encouraged to join us for Mass.
I now have the honor of announcing science fair awards: Sophia Bernardez placed 1st in our School Science Fair with her project entitled “Mighty Tiny Masked Heros—MealWorms and Face Masks.” Sophia will be representing SJB in the Diocesan Science Fair on February 28th. Viana Vazquez placed second with her project, “How Does Age Affect an Eyewitness Testimony?” Oliver Grandmont placed third with “Shape Strength—What Shape is the Strongest?” Honorable Mentions are Olivia Vaughan, “What Causes Algae Growth and How Can We Control It?” (for research on the environmental impact of algae) and Lucas Pagazani, “How Do Different Materials Affect the Strength of a WIFI Signal?” (for research on technology).
And now I am pleased to share the BEST news with you! St. John Bosco Catholic School was voted the BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN AHWATUKEE! And SJB Preschool placed 2nd as the Best PRESCHOOL in Ahwatukee. Thank you all for voting and supporting our beloved school.
Lastly, although we believe St. John Bosco is an outstanding Catholic school, even the most exceptional schools have room for growth and improvement. We value honest feedback from our parents, faculty, staff, and students regarding their experience at St. John Bosco so I kindly ask all parents to take a few minutes to fill out this Parent Survey by March 10th. Faculty and staff will be emailed a separate survey Monday, and kindergarten–8th-grade students will be given the student survey in class next week.
Joyful Blessings,
Jamie Bescak, M.Ed., Principal
Jamie Bescak, M.Ed., Principal
Do everything in love.
SCHOOL NEWS
Grading Scale Update
In accordance with Diocesan Policy, grading scale below has been used at ALL Phoenix Diocese Elementary Schools for Grades 3–8:
94 - 100% = A; 85 - 93% = B; 75 - 84% = C;
65 - 74% = D 0 - 64% = F
Beginning next school year (2023-24), the Diocese will require ALL Phoenix Diocese Elementary Schools to use the following grading scale for Grades 3–8:
90–100% = A
80–89% = B
70–79% = C
60–69% = D
0–59% = F
Last Call for
TRIVIA NIGHT
February 24
YEARBOOK PHOTOS NEEDED!
The Yearbook Committee is working hard to create another great book of memories and we need YOUR help. We know parents have some of the best pictures from many events here at SJB. Please take a moment to share those photos with us — class parties, holiday events, sports events, art masterpieces, just hanging out around campus — we want it all! Thank you for helping us create a lifetime of memories for every student, teacher, and family.
We've made it SO EASY to share! CLICK HERE to find folders of each teacher and some special events (Sports, SJB Community, Harvest Fest, etc.). Just upload your photos to your child's teacher's folder or any folder you see fit. THANK YOU!
Questions may be emailed to Mrs. Krissy Bileski or Mrs. Kari Czerniski .
Questions may be emailed to Mrs. Krissy Bileski or Mrs. Kari Czerniski .
Mother-Son Kickball Fun!
Join us for our second annual Mother-Son Kickball event on March 31 from 4–6:30 PM. We are excited to have shirts made this year in a “Moms Rule & Boys Drool” theme. T-shirts, pizza, and water bottles are included! Friday, March 3 is the last day to register to enable us to have shirts made in time.
Please use the button below to register so we may finalize team numbers:
Regional Spelling Bee
Olivia Vaughan represented SJB with poise and confidence at the regional spelling bee last weekend. She and half of the contestants were eliminated during a particularly challenging round and graciously accepted defeat.
Over the years, many SJB students have advanced to the regional and state competitions as one of the top five spellers, but Olivia brought home the only diocesan bee champion speller trophy. As such, Olivia leaves a legacy in SJB spelling bee history.
Thank You From SVdP
The SJB School community received a heartwarming note of thanks from volunteers of the St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Pantry at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. These faithful servants expressed their gratitude for filling their shelves with non-perishable goods from SJB’s "Cans Across Campus" food drive during Catholic Schools Week. Due to the generosity of our school families, the SVdP food pantry is now replenished and able to assist hungry families in our community. Thank you all for coming together to not only help those in need but for teaching your children that, as God's children, sharing is what we do.
ESA UPDATE
We are thrilled that so many SJB families are taking advantage of Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA)! Understandably, there is a great deal of interest and many questions. To ease the delay in receiving answers, please note the following:
- It is critical that parents understand their ESA contract is with the State of Arizona; St John Bosco is only a vendor to the program. As such, we have no control over how ESA funds are distributed. All of the information and instructions to manage your ESA account are on the ESA website. It is the parents' responsibility to educate themselves about the contract.
- We appreciate your patience as we navigate Quarter 3 (Q3) of the ESA program. Mrs. McLean has received mountains of emails and is working as fast as she can to address everyone's questions and requests for Q3 invoices. Please be sure to submit all prior invoices before requesting a Q3 Invoice.
- Some people will receive RECEIPTS for Q3. These receipts are for funds that have already been paid to SJB prior to ESA becoming effective and must be uploaded as reimbursements. Classwallet will then transfer those funds to the bank account you have connected to your account. Instructions for uploading RECEIPTS are on the ESA website.
Tuition $$$ Available for 2023–2024 School Year
Need tuition money? Apply now for financial assistance for next school year. Applications are available HERE for STOs/scholarships. Most are due April 15.
If you plan to use the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA), check the ESA website regularly to find out when they will begin accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year.
Nurse's Notes
Our faithful fill-in nurses have reported a steady stream of students filing into the health office asking for saltine crackers. We like to keep these on hand for children with nausea/tummy aches but now it seems to be hunger that drives them in. The nurses would like to remind parents to please send an adequate snack with students so they don't miss out on learning/class time while they munch on crackers in the health office. 😉
(480) 219-4848 ext. 5102
Coach Caradonna's Baseball & Softball Camps
EMAIL Mr. Caradonna to REGISTER by MARCH 10
Employment Opportunity
Our school has a part-time opening for a maintenance/janitorial position. For more information or to apply, please click here.
SCRIP SHOP
The Scrip office will be placing the next bulk order for physical gift cards on Tuesday, February 21 at 9:00 AM. This is a great opportunity to order any physical cards through the RaiseRight app. Cards ordered before 9:00 AM on February 21st should arrive at the school by Tuesday, February 28th for distribution to families.
Of course, you are always encouraged to order e-cards anytime through the app; the deadline above only applies to physical card orders.
If you still need to enroll in the RaiseRight app, click here for detailed instructions.
**Attention Safeway cardholders: Safeway has launched new cards. Reloads of your previous cards are no longer available. If you reload your Safeway card in the app, you will need to purchase a new card either through the app or in the Scrip office to begin reloading them again. Please email Katie with any questions at sjbscrip@sjbosco.org.
St. John Bosco Catholic School Scrip Office
(480) 219-4848 x5108
Window Hours: Mondays 7:30–8:15 AM & Fridays 12:00–12:45 PM
- Fri. 2/17: Jr High Dance 6 PM Courtyard
- Mon. 2/20: Presidents' Day — NO SCHOOL
- Tues. 2/21: Mardi Gras; "Rest" Alleluia banner
- Wed. 2/22: Lent Begins Ash Wednesday 9 AM Mass
- Wed. 2/22–Fri. 2/24: Parent-Teacher Conferences; 12:30 PM Release
- Fri. 2/24: Stations of the Cross & Fish Fry 6 PM
- Fri. 2/24: Trivia Night 7 PM SJB MPR
PARISH NEWS
Stay up to date on classroom happenings by following us on Instagram@sjbbulldogs or Facebook@stjohnboscocatholicschool. We also encourage families to tag SJB on any photos or videos they post of their child(ren) from their personal social media accounts.
Until Tuesday ...
Below are helpful links to information over the weekend:
School Website: https://sjbosco.org/
School Calendar: https://sjbosco.org/calendar
Faculty & Staff Contacts: https://sjbosco.org/faculty-staff
School Lunch Program: https://sjbosco.org/school-lunch
Parish Website: https://stbenedict.org/
The Bulldog Bite: Dr. Teri Pistacchio Aguiar, editor
Past Bulldog Bites: https://sjbosco.org/ (below Principal Bescak's picture)
Upcoming events are always available on our website events page.
For a more detailed list of yearly events, check the SJB website online calendar.
