NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL
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.
I also want to thank everyone for participating in our annual parent accreditation survey. Fr. James and I read each response and truly appreciate your candid feedback. Your comments and suggestions are valued and will be considered as we plan for the next school year and years to come.
Have you heard about the Bosco News Network (BNN)? Our incredibly talented Audio-Visual Club and Student Council are now live-streaming the school announcements and prayer every Tuesday through Friday. Parents and friends can also watch from home.
Please use the link Bosco News Network to access the live morning announcements for the Bosco News Network (BNN) at 8:00 AM, Tuesday through Friday. You may need to scroll down to the bottom to access the latest newscasts. BNN Live Morning Announcements may also be accessed on our school website under the NEWS tab.
Joyful Blessings,
Jamie Bescak, M.Ed., Principal
Jamie Bescak, M.Ed., Principal
Do everything in love.
SCHOOL NEWS
48th Street Construction
RESUMES Monday, April 3rd
The City of Phoenix construction project will resume Monday, April 3rd from Chandler Blvd. to Frye Road and is scheduled to continue throughout the month of April. Although we will have access to the St. Benedict and St. John Bosco parking lots, the traffic will be challenging as there will be only 2 lanes open — one lane in each direction.
As always, safety is our top priority. A police officer will assist with directing traffic during drop-off and pick-up times. In order to avoid back-ups and maintain the flow of traffic, the following traffic procedures will be put in place for the duration of the City of Phoenix Construction project:
- Use Frye Road to access 48th Street to make a right turn directly into the St. Benedict and St. John Bosco parking lots.
- Use our school valet carpool service during drop-off and pick-up times.
- When exiting the SJB parking lots, drivers will ONLY be allowed to make a right turn.
- We highly recommend the following drop-off times:
a. Grades 5th–8th: drop off between 7:30–8:00 AM
b. Grades Preschool–4th: drop off between 8:00–8:30 AM
c. Families with multiple children in various grade levels: drop off during the oldest child’s time
d. NOTE: Tardy slips will not be given until after 8:30 AM - We highly recommend the following pick-up times:
a. Grades 5th–8th: pick up between 3:00–3:15 PM
b. Grades Preschool–4th: pick up between 3:15–3:30 PM
c. Families with multiple children in various grade levels: pick up during the oldest child’s time - Please continue to pull forward into parking spaces (do NOT back in) to help maintain the flow and safety in our north parking lot. We need to avoid accidents and back-ups onto 48th Street.
We greatly appreciate cooperation in following procedures to maintain the safety of our community and ensure the flow of traffic to expedite drop-off and pick-up during school hours.
Are you missing something?
Did you know that the school events calendar lists all our school activities and is available at the bottom of the home page on our school website? The link is also listed at the bottom of each Bulldog Bite (scroll down!). School Calendar: https://sjbosco.org/calendar
We don't want you to miss anything!
Talent Show
The Student Council will present the annual SJB Talent Show on Thursday, April 20. Students in Grades K–8 are invited to participate in either of two ways:
- Art Show: Students may create a piece of art and scan it to Mrs. Rafford to be included in a slide show (krafford@sjbosco.org). Art show submissions are due to Mrs. Rafford by Friday, April 14.
- Talent Show: Students may audition for the talent show on April 3 and 4 after school.
Message from the Librarian
One of the greatest gifts you can give to your children is sharing your love of reading. Here is an opportunity for you to engage your family in literacy for a lifetime. The public library offers reading programs, reference resources, technology assistance, commu-nity outreach, information delivered electronically, and books galore. So, go forth and use the library.
Applications were distributed to your child's classroom. Check those backpacks and:
- Complete the application
- Have your child return it to the classroom
- Phoenix library cards will be issued from St. John Bosco
You may also take the application to any Phoenix library to start checking out books immediately. Ironwood Library is located a few short blocks from St. John Bosco School: 4333 E Chandler Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85048.
Students may reside in any city in Maricopa County to be eligible for a Phoenix public library card, and you may hold more than one library card from various city libraries in the county. Stuff your wallet!
$$$ Making Catholic Education Affordable $$$
Re-enrollment invoices will be sent on April 5th from your FACTS account. This is an invoice only. If you are enrolled in Autopay the funds will be taken from the account associated with FACTS on Friday, April 28th.
If you are not enrolled in Autopay, please make sure to pay all outstanding balances in your FACTS incidental account by May 5th. Any unpaid balances in your incidental account after May 5th will result in forfeiting your enrollment spot for the 2023-2024 school year.
Get Tuition $$$ 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.
Employment Opportunities
Join Team Bosco! Our school is growing and we have a few part-time openings:
- Regular Maintenance/Janitorial position
- Summer Maintenance/Janitorial position
- Preschool Instructional Assistant for the 2023-24 school year
For more information or to apply, please click here.
Order Your Yearbook for Less
DEADLINE EXTENDED! The early-bird price is $26.23 if custom pages are created and ordered by March 31, 2023. You'll receive 2 free customized pages; additional pages are just $0.99 each. These pages are seen only in your yearbook.
Go to: www.treering.com/validate
Enter your school passcode: 1013434873754555
Please reach out to Mrs. Krissy Bileski or Mrs. Kari Czerniski with any questions about the yearbook or purchases.
Dads' Club Golf Tourney
Whirlwind Golf Club, May 5 @ 2 PM
Grab your clubs and gather your team for the annual Birdies “Fore” Bosco Charity Golf Tournament at Whirlwind Golf Club on Friday, May 5 at 2 pm shotgun start. Awards and dinner buffet to follow.
SCRIP SHOP
Year-End Scrip reports have been distributed to all classrooms. Please check your youngest child's backpack for a bright green sheet of paper showing how much you have earned this Scrip year. Please read your statement carefully and only return it if you have earned a profit above the $150 minimum requirement. If you did not earn the minimum obligation, the remaining balance owed will be charged to your FACTS account on April 20th.
If you still need to enroll in the RaiseRight app, please, click here for detailed instructions and tips for navigating the app. Please email Katie at sjbscrip@sjbosco.org with any questions.
Window Hours: Mondays 7:30–8:15 AM & Fridays 12:00–12:45 PM
Spring Basketball Camp April 29 & 30
SJB School Counselor Mr. Michael Cortez and his father will hold a 2-day basketball camp for boys and girls ages 7–15. The camp will be held at Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School in Phoenix on Saturday & Sunday, April 29 & 30,
9:00 AM –1:00 PM. Participants should bring a basketball, snack, and refillable water bottle. See the flyer below for more details and register at www.levelupsports.org. Contact Michael Cortez at (480) 479-8736 with any questions.
SUMMER CAMPS
SJB Summer STEM Camp
June 19–23, 2023
Saint John Bosco is proud to announce the return of our full-day (9:00 am to 3:30 pm) Summer STEM Camp. We will be partnering with invent.org to use their curriculum and modules but the camp will be taught by our trusted SJB teachers. Please keep an eye out for sign-up information in the coming weeks.
Summer Volleyball Camp
June 5–8, 8:30–11 AM, SJB Volleyball Courts
All incoming 4th–8th graders are welcome to join the fun and bring a friend!
Learn basic passing, hitting, and serving skills while helping to raise money for a new school volleyball net.
Cost: $120 per camper. Please contact Amy Vaughan to reserve your spot before May 19th.
Vacation Bible School
Coming in JUNE!
Mark your calendars for Monday, June 12 – Friday, June 16, 9 AM–12 noon. St. Benedict will host a STELLAR week of faith, fun, and new friends! Online registration will open in mid-April for children currently in Kindergarten–5th grade. We need many adult & teen volunteers to make this a success and various roles are available. (6th–8th graders are welcome to volunteer with a parent.) If interested in being part of the VBS Team, email Heather for more details at hmooney@stbenedict.org. Volunteers receive a discount on their child's registration cost. It's going to be out of this world!
Innovation Learning
Summer Camp
Innovation Summer Camp registration officially opens on April 3, 2023.
Camp Hours
Monday–Friday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Extended Day Programming
Monday–Friday 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Camp Pricing (Flyers coming soon!!)
- Weekly (5 days): $239/week
- Daily (single day): $63/day
- Extended Day (4:00 – 6:00 PM): $55/week
Please contact Customer Service at info@innovationlearning.com with any questions. You may also reach out to your State Director at dkoltes@innovationlearning.com or 612-229-5797.
- Thurs. 4/6: Passion Play, MPR @ 9 AM
- Thurs. 4/6: 12:30 PM Dismissal
- Fri. 4/7–Mon. 4/10: Easter Vacation
- Tues. 4/11: School Resumes
- Thurs. 4/20: Talent Show
St. Benedict
PARISH NEWS
MIDDLE SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL TEENS:
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SERVICE HOURS?
St. Benedict needs your help to make the 2nd annual Children's Easter Egg Hunt eggstra special for our younger kids! Volunteers are needed to hide Easter eggs from 9am–9:45 AM on Easter Sunday. If you are able to volunteer, please contact the events committee at events@stbenedict.org
COMMUNITY 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 Monday ...
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.
