Good afternoon, here are this week's news and announcements from St. Johns Country Day School:
Special Occasion Dress September 14
In celebration of Founders Day, St. Johns students in all three divisions will have their first Special Occasion Dress day of the new school year on Tuesday, September 14. Details of what is required for Special Occasion Dress are outlined in the Student Handbook, which is posted on each Division's Topics page in My School App. Please reach out to your Division Head, Dean, or homeroom teacher with any questions.
Carpool Reminder
Just a reminder to parents who drop their students off in the Administration car loop in the morning—As you approach the Administration Building, please pull all the way forward before stopping. Thank you for helping us keep things moving during carpool!
Upcoming College Rep Visits
Each year, St. Johns' College Counseling Office works to bring a variety of college admissions representatives to campus to talk with our students, tell us about their college or university, and answer student questions. Visits are underway for the 2021-2022 school year and are posted on the School's calendar (scroll down for how to subscribe). All Upper School students are welcome to attend and need only register for each visit in their SCOIR account. See the College Counseling Office with any questions.
Upcoming visits include:
| September 3 | University of Maryland | |
| September 7 | Temple University | |
| The University of Alabama | ||
| Nova Southeastern University | ||
| September 8 | The University of Alabama in Huntsville | |
| The University of Wisconsin | ||
| George Mason University |
Character Foundations: Wisdom
In St. Johns' innovative character education program, Character Foundations, students in all divisions learn about and put into practice a new character trait each month. The August trait is Wisdom, which is defined as finding out what you should do and doing it. Learn more about Character Foundations, wisdom, and how you can help support St. Johns' lessons at home at sjcds.net/news!
Upcoming Parent Association Events
The St. Johns Parent Association (SJPA) invites our Spartan parents, guardians, and community members to get involved with the School! Learn more and enjoy a light breakfast at tomorrow's kickoff meeting—Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021—from 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m in the Pace Lecture Hall. If you can't make it in person, join us virtually by typing sjcds.net/sjpa into your web browser or go to meet.google.com and enter the code "qcr-hbys-pmt." Also, be sure to mark your calendar for our upcoming Coffee Talks—a time to chat with, get to know, and ask any questions you may have of School leadership. We look forward to seeing you!
Sailing Club
Sailing Club is underway and meets after school at The Florida Yacht Club. Upper School meets on Mondays and Wednesdays and Middle School is Tuesdays and Thursdays. Come join us for some fun times on the water with friends! Reach out to Director of Student Life Ian Gibson for more information.
Back to School Basketball Camp
Join St. Johns' Head Boys Basketball Coach, Ian Gibson, for a morning of drills & skills to get you prepped for the coming season. Sign up today at sjcds.net/signup, or see Coach Gibson with any questions.
Lower School Baseball Starts Soon!
As a part of St. Johns' "Sparty Sports" Lower School athletics program, Sparty Hardballers after school baseball program will be starting September 14. The first session runs through October 7 and is open to students in Grades 1-5. Sessions run from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Check out sjcds.net/SpartySports to learn more and register.
Senior Portraits & Yearbook Tribute Ads
Parents of the Class of 2022, don't forget that you can make your senior's yearbook extra special by purchasing a yearbook tribute ad in their honor. Early bird pricing ends September 17, so act now to get the best deal and secure your space. To get started, review this info sheet, or go to www.yearbookordercenter.com and enter St. Johns' school code: 17538. If you have any questions about senior portraits or senior yearbook tribute ads, please reach out to Mrs. Kristin Jackson (kjackson@sjcds.net).
Buy a Brick—Leave a Lasting Message
Show your support for St. Johns and leave your lasting message by purchasing a brick to be paved into the new pathway across the quad. The pathway is part of the deck and quad renovation taking place this summer thanks to the generosity of so many at the 2021 Gala & Auction: A Night in Old Havana. Bricks are delivered in groups and St. Johns' first group is on the way! Orders placed from now onwards will be processed and delivered, but not until later this semester. They'll be installed in the path in December. Order today to make sure yours is in that batch!
Subscribe to St. Johns' Calendar
It's been a tough year to stay on top of what's going on, with events and dates changing so frequently due to COVID-19. Simplify your life by subscribing to the School's calendars on your phone—you'll have everything you need all in one place, and it'll automatically update if there are any changes. To subscribe, just visit sjcds.net/calendar and select the gray RSS button above the monthly view. Then, for each calendar you want, just hover over the green iCal button to select the format you need and install. Now you'll always be up to date with the latest!
Yellowstone Wildlife Ecology
Is your student interested in wildlife, the environment, or conservation? Start planning now for the Yellowstone Wildlife Ecology trip coming June 2022. Open to all Upper School students, this amazing summer program will take students to spend a week in and around Yellowstone National Park working with park scientists on habitat restoration and bison grazing projects. Students will observe the park’s famous Lamar Valley wolf packs and fantastic thermal features, and on the last day, we'll take a celebratory rafting trip on the Yellowstone River! For more information, please download the program brochure here, and do check out the COVID protocols, cancellation policy, and more on the travel company's website, here. Space is limited, so if this amazing adventure sounds intriguing, please reach out to Dr. Román for more information.
Key Contacts
Some things never change— no matter the circumstances, St. Johns staff stand ready to assist with anything you might need. Please feel free to reach out at any time to:
| Head of School Valorie Baker | vbaker@sjcds.net | |
| Head of Middle and Upper Schools Jackie Lentini | jlentini@sjcds.net | |
| Head of Lower School Otis Wirth | owirth@sjcds.net |
We hope you have a great week!