San Jose Christian School | August 26, 2013

This Week at SJCS

Mon 8/26No events scheduled

Tues 8/27WAT Planning Meeting8:30am | Room 3

Elementary Chapel 2:10pm | Auditorium

Wed 8/28Flag Football Meeting12pm | Room 16

Thurs 8/29Room Parent Meeting8:40am | Room 3

Girls Softball Meeting12pm | Room 16

Fri 8/30Cross Country Meeting12pm | Room 16

Advanced Dates

Mon 9/2No School (Labor Day)Extended Care closed

Wed - Fri 9/4 - 9/67th Grade RetreatMount Cross | Ben Lomond

Tues 9/10MS Back to School Night6:30pm | Auditorium

Wed 9/11Minimum Day11:45am Dismissal

Theme: New Identity Welcome to the 2013-14 school year at SJCS! We are excited to work with all of you in the wonderful partnership of Christian education. This year’s school theme, New Identity, is taken from 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come.”

We hope that this year, each of you will experience the joy, power, love, and impact that exists in having a new life in Christ. Chapel topics for both elementary and middle school students will center on this theme and provide an opportunity for our students to dig deeper into what their new identity should look like in their daily lives.

Rosetta Stone SurveyRosetta Stone has greatly improved its school software, and this year, students from Kindergarten - 8th grade will have the chance to learn any of the Rosetta Stone languages available. The individual user accounts will make a student’s Rosetta Stone learning accessible from a home computer or any mobile device with an internet connection. The varied access means students won’t have to choose between school activities and foreign language. Watch your email for a survey this week about your interest in the program and language preference.

Parking LotPlease drive slowly and carefully in the SJCS Parking lot. Park only in designated spots, and pull all the way forward on the curb for drop off or pick up. Do not leave your car unattended at the curb. Thanks for keeping SJCS safe.

The WAT is Coming!Saturday, October 5 will mark the 10th annual SJCS Walk-a-Thon. The funds raised at this amazing event go to support a wide range of student activities on campus. Mark your calendars now for this fun-filled day. Want to help out? The WAT planning team is holding its first meeting on Tuesday 8/27 at 8:30am. Co-chairs Melissa Findley and Nancy Rivas would love your help.

Your student packet will come home at the end of next week, and you should watch for volunteer sign-ups very soon. New this year: The first class to have all parents sign up for their volunteer duties will win a prize!

What: 10th Annual Walk-a-ThonWhen: Saturday, 10/5 (9am - 2pm)Where: SJCS Middle School Field

Wanna Be a Room Parent?If you are interested in helping your student’s class this year, a great way to do that is by being a room parent. Room parents can help coordinate schedules and communication amongst the families in a particular class, set up volunteer opportunities, and support teachers. Classes can have solo room parents, but this is a great job for a team as well. All classes JK - 8 need a room parent.

An informational meeting about room parenting is scheduled for Thursday, 8/29 at 8:40am in room 3. We look forward to seeing you there!

Attendance HotlineIf your student is not coming to school, please call (408)371-4815 before 9am to report the absence.

Tiger Tracks

Extended CareRemember, students who arrive at school before 8am or stay after 3:15pm are required to check in to Extended Care. Room 15 will serve as the headquarters this year. If you think your child will use Extended Care at all, please fill out your paperwork and turn it in to the office.

Class Websites Are HereAnother exciting development at SJCS this year is the rollout of teacher websites in each class. All of our teachers have been hard at work this summer to get their sites up for the first day of school.

These sites will be the place for information about specific classes, and will be taking the place of newsletters and homework emails. Students can use the websites to check for homework, find information about projects, and discover resources for enrichment or extra help. You can access the classroom sites in two ways: through our school website under the Quicklinks tab for classroom resources, or by typing the teacher’s first initial and last name after our website address (e.g.—www.sjchristian.org/jdenouden). Teachers will be adding more content throughout the year, so check back often for updates and pictures. And don’t forget to browse through some other teachers’ websites to get excited about next year!

School Picture DaysMark your calendars. On Thursday and Friday, September 19 & 20, Still Light Studios will be here to take the photos of our students. Parents will have a wide range of choices for high quality photos available online once the pictures are processed. As the dates get closer, you will find out the day for your child’s picture.

Middle School SportsSeason Starting SoonThe Fall sports season is nearly underway at SJCS. That means it’s time for Girls Softball, Boys Flag Football, and Coed Cross Country. Informational meetings for these teams will be happening at lunchtime this week, so make sure you stop by to see which sport interests you and sign up to participate. The coaches are eager to get started with another great season of Tiger sports.

Flag Football Mtg: Wed 8/28Girls Softball Mtg: Thurs 8/29Cross Country Mtg: Fri 8/30*All meetings are at 12pm in room 16.

Afternoon Dance ClassesIn another exciting new opportunity, elementary students can consider taking after-school dance classes in the auditorium. Long time dance teacher and choreographer, Autumn Mortenson, will be offering SJCS students the chance to learn ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, and more. Another email survey will contain information about dates, costs, and course content. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity.

Order Scrip. Save Money.School is back in session, so it’s time to order Scrip! This simple program allows families to raise funds for SJCS and their own tuition while making everyday purchases. Own your own business? Get your supplies with Scrip and earn even more! Scrip order forms are on our website, and the first order is due by Friday, August 30. Check out the revenue sharing policy for more information, and start buying Scrip today! If you have questions please contact Mrs. Phillips in the school office at (408) 371-7741 ext. 231.

Mentor Families NeededWe have been blessed with a recent influx of new families to SJCS, so we are in need of some additional mentor families to help welcome them. Parents of lower elementary students are most needed. This is a great way to show people what it means to be a part of the SJCS community. Mentor families can answer questions for new families, schedule play dates with kids, and remind them about key school events. Please contact the office to volunteer.

Tiger TracksTeacher Tales

Check this section each week for exciting stories about teachers doing great things in the classrooms of San Jose Christian School.

Last week Mr. De Graaf did a wonderful job integrating faith into his math lesson. While discussing zero as the “origin point” on a number line, students read John 1:1. Their assignment was then to compare God to the concept of zero, citing ways that He is similar and ways that He is not. Student answers were creative and often profound. One student wrote that we often forget to put God first in our lives, just like we forget that zero is the real starting point of counting (not 1). Other students talked about God having attributes that are completely unique to Him, just as zero has unique properties unlike any other number. It’s exciting to see our faith integrated into classes in such authentic ways!