NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Parents,
It is an exhilarating moment for our school and parish community as we eagerly anticipate the grand opening of our new St. Benedict Catholic Church. Today marked a significant milestone as we gathered for the final Mass in our school's multipurpose room. A sense of unity and anticipation filled the air as we bid farewell to the familiar setting that has served as our temporary worship space. The genuine excitement lies in the upcoming ceremony and dedication Mass scheduled for Saturday evening at 5 PM, where we will officially consecrate and celebrate the new church. This momentous occasion is not just the culmination of construction efforts but a testament to the vibrant spirit and strong community bonds that define our school and parish. As we prepare to step into this new chapter, there is a heartfelt sense of joy and gratitude among us as we look forward to the blessings that our new St. Benedict Catholic Church will bring to our community.
Following the dedication Mass, our Dads' Club will host our annual SJB Trivia Night at 7 PM in the MPR. This promises to be one of the funniest nights of the year, offering an opportunity for laughter, camaraderie, and friendly competition. Today is your last chance to gather up 8 of your friends and register for this entertaining event. Don't miss out on the chance to participate in an evening filled with trivia, laughter, and community spirit, making it an unforgettable continuation of our celebratory day.
Joyful Blessings,
Jamie Bescak, M.Ed., Principal
Do everything in love.
SCHOOL NEWS
Join us for the Catholic Schools Week Celebration of Learning Open House and bring a friend! It promises to be an enjoyable evening featuring singing, art, science, laughter, and community building. Highlights include:
- SJB Choir's captivating short concert
- Excitement of the Kindergarten Egg Drop
- Exploration of the Jr. High Science Fair in the MPR
- Campus-wide display of STEM and science projects
- Artistic showcase with Art Masterpiece projects in every classroom
- Opportunities to visit with teachers and friends
This event welcomes both our current families and those interested in joining our SJB Community next school year. We encourage everyone to attend this fantastic event and invite your family and friends to discover what makes St. John Bosco Catholic School the BEST Private School in Ahwatukee!
Just Released!
We're already looking forward to the next school year! For your planning convenience, please see this 2024-2025 School Year Calendar.
2024-2025 ENROLLMENT
DON'T LOSE YOUR SPOT!
Due to the high demand for enrollment spots for the 2024-2025 school year, we will accept applications
and open re-enrollment earlier than usual this year.
EXISTING STUDENTS
For students currently enrolled at SJB, re-enrollment began on December 4, 2023. Please follow the instructions carefully. Re-enrollment may be accessed through your RenWeb account. DO NOT SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR AN EXISTING STUDENT; USE THE RE-ENROLLMENT LINK ONLY.
NEW STUDENTS (Siblings)
If you are an existing family with a sibling who will be NEW to SJB in the 2024-2025 school year, please apply now. As always, siblings of existing students will have priority as long as we receive an application before open enrollment for all students. Applications for siblings must be submitted before February 5, 2024, to guarantee a spot for next year.
MONEY-SAVING OPPORTUNITIES
Early Re-Enrollment: Families who re-enroll by January 26, 2024, will receive a discounted enrollment fee of $150 per K–8 student and/or $200 for Preschool, with a family maximum of $250. On January 27, enrollment fees will increase to $200 for K–8 students and/or $225 for Preschool, with a family maximum of $300.
Bonus Incentive: Families who re-enroll their student(s) by Friday, January 26 will receive a free dress day for their child(ren)!
Referral Program: Each referring family will receive $300 credit towards their child’s tuition/fees for each family they refer and who enrolls for the 2024-25 school year. Spread the news about what our school has to offer!
PARISH VERIFICATION
Beginning in 2024-2025, each family enrolling or re-enrolling will be required to provide a valid Parish Verification Form to receive the Active Catholic* Rate. The form must be completed by your home parish and include the parish seal. We will require this verification every two years. Please have this form filled out by your parish and submit it to the SJB front office as soon as possible.
*Active Catholic means a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church. One or more parents in the household are Catholic and raising their child(ren) in the Catholic faith. Their child(ren) is baptized and will receive sacraments at the appropriate age designated by the Church.
Tomorrow Night!
The annual Bosco Trivia Night is HERE!
Catholic Schools Week!
For your planning convenience, click the button below for the entire Catholic Schools Week Schedule:
Field Day 2024 is Coming!
January 30 on the SJB Field
Please sign up to volunteer for Field Day to celebrate our students during Catholic Schools Week. Volunteering for this event will help you meet your SJB 25-hour volunteer obligation for this school year. Enjoy the great Arizona outdoors with the kiddos and a hot dog lunch!
Contact AD Brett Caradonna for questions.
Penny Wars Are ON!
"Penny Wars" is a fun, school-wide contest played during Catholic Schools Week to raise funds for Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos, an amazing charitable organization to help children overcome poverty and become productive, caring leaders in their communities.
St. John Bosco has been sponsoring two deserving children since 2002 and has raised $63,502.70! Read their stories below:
Melanie was born in 2016. Her siblings Deris Oduber and Litzy Velasquez also live at NPH. They joined NPH due to family negligence, a lack of economic and cultural resources, the inability of the mother to provide for their basic needs, and the abandonment by their father. They became part of our NPH family in 2019. Melanie currently lives in our home Casa Suyapa where she receives the necessary attention and care from our volunteers and educators.
Marco Antonio was born in 2011 and is the youngest of three brothers. He and his siblings lost their mother and were abandoned by their father. The children were sent to the street to beg for money which their father used for his addiction. On several occasions, they were maltreated and neglected. When the mother was still alive she tried her best under the circumstances but was suffering from illness and abused physically and emotionally by her husband. For these reasons, it was decided that the children needed to move to a loving home where they could be cared for and nurtured. They joined NPH Bolivia in 2014.
Cans Across Campus
Our annual drive to restock the shelves of our St. Vincent de Paul food pantry will take place on the Monday of Catholic Schools Week (January 29).
Help our students live their faith by participating in this Corporal Work of Mercy: Feed the Hungry. Non-perishable items may be brought in now with our sincere gratitude for your generosity. Click HERE for Details.
Spring Sports Registration
Deadline January 27
Spring sports start soon; register here. SJB offers boys' baseball & girls' basketball for grades 5–8
Practice will begin the first week in February. The registration deadline for both sports is January 27. No exceptions! Please email bcaradonna@sjbosco.org if you are interested in coaching either sport.
Attention ALL SJB Parents: PTO wants YOU!
The amazing events that help build this beloved community would not be possible without the help of MANY.
We are looking forward to setting the board and committees for next year for our newly organized PTO and need YOU to be involved! Many event and administrative positions are available: PTO Coordinator, Event Chairs, Event Committee Member, PTO Reporting, PTO Treasury… just to name a few.
Please visit the PTO website to get a better view of positions and events. Reach out to ptosjb@sjbosco.org to let us know how you would like to be involved! We are excited to hear from you!
Our next PTO meeting is February 6th, 6:00 in the SJB Library. See you there!
SCRIP SHOP
The Scrip office will be placing the next bulk order for physical gift cards on Monday, January 22nd at 8:00 AM. This is a great opportunity to order any physical cards through the RaiseRight app. Cards ordered before 8:00 AM on January 22nd should arrive at the school by Monday, January 29th 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.
Click link below for more details and registration:
chessemporium.com/clubs
Sat. 01/20/24, 5–8 PM: New St. Benedict Church Dedication & Mass
Sat. 01/20/24, 7 PM: Trivia Night in the MPR
Wed. 01/24/24: Mix It Up Day
Sun. 01/28–Fri. 02/02: Catholic Schools Week!
Wed. 01/31, 5:30–7 PM: Open House
Thurs. 02/01. 9–11 AM: Open House
ST. BENEDICT
PARISH NEWS
COMMUNITY NEWS
Sponsorship Opportunity
Do you want to grow your business and help support St. John Bosco at the same time? Do you enjoy reading Faith & Family in Ahwatukee and Chandler every month and want to continue to receive it?
We are looking for business sponsors for the Faith & Family in Ahwatukee and Chandler magazine. There are options at pretty much any level, so please consider jumping in. The magazine is mailed directly to 3,300 Catholic households in the local community.
St. John Bosco School and St. Benedict Parish benefit directly and financially from any additional business sponsors in our community. If you would like to learn more, please contact Kevin Muir at 602-722-6123 or kmuir@decidedexcellence.com
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:
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
