Good afternoon! Here are this week's news and announcements from St. Johns Country Day School:
Orientation Day August 9
Less than three weeks remain until Orientation Day, Friday, August 9, 2019. All students are invited to campus to load their lockers, identify classrooms, meet teachers, and just say hello. You can also visit the Spirit Store, check in with SLA Lunch, and take care of other Spartan business. Special presentations are scheduled for all new students and families, and students new to a division (i.e., Grade 6, Grade 9). Click here to download the Orientation Day schedule in PDF.
2019-2020 School Calendar
Just a reminder that the fridge-friendly at-a-glance school calendar is available for download at sjcds.net/calendar. (Or, click here to download it now.) While you're on that page, you can also browse the up-to-the-minute calendar month by month, or download it to your phone or other mobile device so you'll always have the latest at your fingertips. To get started, just click the gray RSS button in the right-hand corner, select the calendar(s) you wish to download, and then hover over the green iCal button to select the type of calendar (Google, Outlook, Apple, etc.) you wish to download.
Spartans Abroad
Did you and your Spartans travel abroad this summer? If so, the Chalice yearbook staff would love to hear about it! Please share your photos-- candids are ideal, but any are welcome-- by sending them to julia.nichols@sjcds.net, or just reply to this message with your photos. Thank you!
Hardcopy Textbooks
While most St. Johns classes use texts that are pushed out on student iPads, occasionally classes do require a non-iPad text. That list is now available in each division's Topics page on My School App. Please check the list against your student's schedule and plan to acquire any needed texts.
SLA Lunch
St. Johns' lunch provider, SLA, will be on campus on Orientation Day, Friday, August 9, and available to help set up accounts, check balances, and answer any questions you may have. Meanwhile, here's some introductory info.
Summer Reading & Math
Just a reminder that summer reading and math assignments for students in all divisions are posted on each division's My School App page for your reference. Summer reading assignments are listed for the course the student will be entering, whereas math work covers the course just completed.
Please note that, while highly recommended, summer assignments for Lower School students are optional.
2019-2020 Student Handbook
The Student Handbook has been updated for the 2019-2020 school year and is now available on each division's My School App Topics page. Please be sure to review it with your student. Updates have been made throughout, but in particular please be sure to review the following sections:
- Lower School Grading System
- Clinic/Health Policies
- Technology Policies
- Dress Code
The St. Johns Athletics Handbook is included as an addendum to the Student Handbook.
Athletics Start Dates Posted
Is your student planning to play a sport this fall? Athletics start dates, locations, and coaches names and contact info have now been posted on the Middle and Upper School My School App Topics pages.
Stop by the Spirit Store This Month
Need to stop by the Spirit Store to pick up Spartan gear, or to start getting ready for back to school? It's open Tuesday - Thursday this week:
| Tuesday, July 30, 2019 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m | |
| Wednesday, July 31, 2019 | 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. | |
| Thursday, August 1, 2019 | 9:00 a m. - 12:00 p.m. |
Can't make it any of these dates? No worries, just email Sherry atsburnside@sjcds.net and she'll be glad to help!
Gear Up For School with a Spartan Backpack!
Students can start the school year right with a Spartan backpack to tote their gear! This custom North Face "Connector" backpack is available in black or grey and includes a padded laptop sleeve, 2 mesh water bottle pockets, and a front organizer pocket. You can even personalize it with your child's name. Purchase one (or more!) today by filling out the order form on your division'sMy School App Topics page (click on Groups, pick your division, and then select "Topics") and emailing it to Director of Development Jordan Rechcigl, or just drop off the form at Reception, in the Administration building.
Updating Magnus Health
It's that time of year again-- time to review and renew your student's health and athletic forms for the new school year. Parents of all students should log into their Magnus Health account via My School App to review each student's health information. For students entering Kindergarten or Grade 7 there are specific immunizations requirements that must be met before the start of school. And for any student who might decide to play a sport this year, sports physicals are required before the start of school. Please plan to have all physicals and immunizations complete and all needed documentation uploaded before the end of July.
New Apple Online Store
St. Johns is pleased to announce the availability of a new St. Johns Country Day School Apple Online Store, which will work to help our families procure needed technology devices quickly, easily, and with special education pricing and free delivery.
For the 2019-2020 school year, all students in Grades 6-8 must be equipped with their own iPad, and all students in Grades 9-12 must be equipped with either their own iPad or an Apple laptop. Although St. Johns doesn't require a specific iPad or laptop, we recommend the iPad 6th Generation and/or the MacBook Air, due to the cost value.
Learn more about St. Johns' technology service and requirements on your Division My School App pages:
Middle School Technology Requirements
Upper School Technology Requirements
Key Contacts
As always, our faculty and administration stand ready to assist with anything you might need. Please do feel free to reach out at any time to Acting Head of School and Head of Upper School Mary Virginia Fisher, Head of Middle School Jackie Lentini, Head of Lower School Otis Wirth, or Head of Administrative Affairs Tanya Powers. Or, feel free to just reply to this message.
We hope you have a great week!