St. Joan of Arc School

Thanks to the generosity of the parents at this year’s auction the “Call for Cash” plus the stimulus money garnered enough to purchase 13 Smart Boards for our classrooms as well as 10 new dedicated computers.

Through grant money Mrs. Joniak has added a smart board to the Supplemental Learning Center.
The SMART Board is a interactive, electronic whiteboard which can enhance instruction and learning. SmartBoards provide an exciting way to motivate students, streamline  lesson delivery, and save student work.

Student and teachers alike are thrilled with the Smart Board and all it can do.

A big thank you to the many people who answered the “Call”.

/

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGE TO THE  2009/2010 SJA SCHOOL CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 4 IS NOT THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK OPEN HOUSE.

THE OPEN HOUSE WILL BE ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 31ST FOLLOWING THE 11:30 MASS RUNNING UNTIL 2:30.
The calendar for 2009-2010 can be found here.

February Calendar can be found here.

Welcome to SJA Communicator, a weblog resource for parents, students, teachers and staff of St. Joan of Arc School, Lisle IL.

Thursday: No hot lunch. 

Valentines in 5th Grade: Your child will receive a sheet on Tuesday that has a list of all of their classmates.  If students would like to bring in valentines, they must do so for the entire class.  We will have bags for them to decorate in the classroom.

Friday: No school.

Monday, February 15: No school.

9:30 Math: Chapter 9, test 3 will be on Thursday.  Students will receive a study note on Tuesday.  This test will cover the fraction concepts from the chapter.

10:30 Math: Students will be multiplying and dividing fractions this week.  Last week they started math station rotation and did a very good job.  Students will continue to review math skills during station rotation throughout the semester. 

Science: Chapter 8 test on the solar system is on Tuesday.  The study sheet is also due on Tuesday.

English: This week students will begin to work on their “how-to” projects.

Friday, April 9, 2010

click here for more info

7th and 8th grades will have their 5th dance lesson with Mr. Fuzak this week.  They are really doing well.  In PE class, Jr. High kids are into their Square Dance Unit.  6th grade Health Class will learn about resting and working heart rates and how to monitor their heart rate.  We will begin our unit on Step Aerobics.  Jr. High Fitness classes on Thursday will play team hand ball.

Elementary students (3rd through 5th), will play soccer this week.  Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades will play the “Dot Game”.  This is a game where the kids work in pairs and have to move to commands and music as a team.  Listening skills are very important in this endeavor!

Have a wonderful week!

St. Joan of Arc presents
Praying With the Church
An exploration of spirituality and prayer styles

Click here for more info.

SJO PSO BOARD MEETING MINUTES
November 16, 2009
7:05 PM    Meeting called to order.
Executive Board Members Present:    Kathy Gausselin, Amy DiSanto, Sue Littell Associate Board Members Present:     Mindy Etheridge, Charmaine Thompson,                                                                                                                     Michelle Getz
Faculty Present:    Sister Carolyn
OPENING PRAYER AND WELCOME
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT – Sister Carolyn
-    On September 22, Mr. Wind, Mrs. Connell, Mrs. Barrenbrugge and Mrs. Gusthurst attended an all day tech conference.  All other teachers attended a conferencce on the nurtured heart approach.
-    On October 7, the children had a fire drill
-    On October 8, the 8th grade class visited the Art Institute
-    On October 9, all teachers attended a diocesan cateshismal conference
-    On October 14, the Jr. High science teacher attened a diacesan meeting.
-    On October 29, the 1st graders participated in the All Saints Day Program.
-    On October 30, donuts for dad
-    The school children are attending reconcillation during the school day.
-    The School Board and Kathy Gausselin attended Partners in Education.
-    Sister attended the 13th annual principal forum.  It is a national conference.  The conference emphasized technology, self respect and self esteem of chilren.
-    Sister will be conducting a survey on the homework level of the children.
-    Jr. High is now using Ed Line.  The Ed Line program may be enlarged to include elementary.
-    Battle of the Books update:  The Red Team took 1st place by a large margin.  The White Team was 1 point short of 3rd place.
-    This year’s Christmas program is scheduled for December 18.
EXECUTIVE BOARD REPORTS
PRESIDENT – Kathy Gausselin
-    The 8th grade pizza party went well.
-    The gift wrap fundraiser went well.  Mindy Etheridge and Michelle Getz did a great job.  Orders will continue throughout the year.
-    The dinner dance auction is set for Nov.20
VICE PRESIDENT – Littell for Briggs
-    The Lisle in Touch commission donated pencils to the students for Red Ribbon Week.  The teachers distributed the pencils on Tuesday of that week.
SECRETARY -  Sue Littell
-    Congratulations to Mrs. Nettleton on receiving the Lisle Character counts award.
TREASURER – Amy DiSanto
-    Please see treasurers report attached hereto and incorporated herein.
ASSOCIATE BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS
ARTS ALIVE -  - no report.
CAR TRANSPORTATION – Littell for Wylly
-    This is Lori Wylly’s last year in this position.  A new chairperson should be found.
HANDS ON SCIENCE – Littell for Burke
-    Meredith did not receive notice of this meeting.
-    HOS is missing 10 power chords for microscopes.
FAMILY CONCERNS – no report.
HOSPITALITY – no report.
JH COORDINATORS – no report.
MENTORING – no report.
NEWSLETTER – Littell for Forassiepi
-    The first PSO Press will be ready sometime in December.
PERFORMING ARTS – no report.
APPAREL/SPIRITWEAR – no report.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES no report.
REC PARENTS – no report.
SCRIP – Charmaine Thompson
-    Friday quick pick days going well.
-    Thompson and Wallace are brainstorming ways to increase Scrip sales.
-    Volunteer Julie O’Connor has been a wonderful asset to the program.
SCHOOL PROGRAMS
DIRECTORY  - no report.
PIZZA PARTY - no report.
TEACHER YEAR-END LUNCHEON – no report.
UNIFORM RESALE – Littell for Austgen
-    All is going well.  January is the next sale date.
-    The auction out of uniform sale is limited to 40-60% of students.
-    Discussion was had regarding suggestion of an additional re sale in March or April to accommodate summer uniform (shorts, JH polo shirts, etc.).
KRIS KRINGLE –
-    Set for December 14.
BAND LIASON  - no report.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE – no report.
FUNDRAISING
GIFT WRAP – Mindy Etheridge
-    Decrease in sales this year was anticipted due to ecomony
-    Profit was down about $4500.
-    This year no family sold $1,000 or more.
-    This year’s profit was $14,000.
-    Additional ideas are to include a cookie dough sale, candy bar sale, magazine order insert.
-    Michelle Getz will be chair next year with Mindy Etheridge as assistant.
-    Special thanks to the following JH volunteers
-    1A, 1B and 2A earned the donut treat.
-    Mr. and Mrs. Camba won the tickets to the dinner dance.
DINNER AUCTION – no report.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS – none.
NEW BUSINESS
VISITOR COMMENTS
-    All volunteers must attend Protecting God’s Children regardless of whether or not the volunteer will work with student’s one on one.
8:20 – Meeting adjourned.

SJA PSO Financial Update
November 16, 2009

Orientation
There remains issues with non-paying families; at least three notices were sent to each who still owe for various aspects of registration costs.
One family owes $60 for REC fees- for just this year.  Another family has chosen to not pay REC fees for at least the past three years (it is unknown prior to my position)- that family’s fee totals over $60.  Still yet, one family simply has a balance due of $107.61 for overall registration fees.
It is not fair to all of the other paying families to allow these to be [continually, in some cases] overlooked, nor is it fair to deduct from the PSO’s general account these amounts.  Should the amount owed be deducted from the ADOPT or Good Neighbor funds collected?

Auction 2009
Current coss of the Auction are at $6,975.  Some are still shopping without the tax exempt form.  Dinner reservations almost total $20,000 but Raffle Ticket sales are extremely low, not even $8,000.
Maybe Raffle (and Dinner) Tickets can be sold at games or after Church next year?

Innisbrook Sale
The total deposited is $23,082 + $390 worth of checks made payable to Innisbrook, which will be deducted from their  invoice.  Sales total $23,472; invoice was $11,973.

8th Pizza Party
The amount of $9,871.70 was deposited.

This week the Gospel talks about when Jesus began to call His apostles.  Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” The children will think about ways that they can lead others to know Jesus.

The children really had a wonderful time last week! There were so many wonderful activities for everyone. This week we will also have a very fun week with 100 Day on Monday and Valentine activities on Thursday.

Remember to have your children bring in their collections of 100 things.

On Monday, the children who have completed the Monarch Reading Program will receive an award from Sister Carolyn.

On Thursday morning, the children will be making their Valentine boxes with our fifth grade buddies. Later on Monday, the children will pass out Valentines in their homerooms. Remember not to have your child address any of the envelopes. Be sure you have one Valentine for each classmate if your child is planning on handing out Valentines. The baker moms are providing us with a cookie treat. Remember to send us a note if you do not want your child to have the treat. Please provide an alternative treat for your child that day.

We had some more fun this week brainstorming more than one hundred ways to use math tools. We worked together with each homeroom adding something new to our list. We utilized the SmartBoard and then transferred the data to a poster chart to hang in the hallway for 100 Day. This activity helped us to see how many different tools we can use to help us in our everyday math activities. It also helped us to get a quick glimpse for what these things are used. This is a good time to let your child help or watch as you use measuring tools, calculators, etc. at home. Remember to continue counting and helping your child learn to identify numerals to 75.

Our new words for this week are are and see.

Remember there is no school on Friday, February 12  and no school on Monday, February 15. Next week we will also see the beginning of Lent on Wednesday. Wow!!!! Where has the time gone?

Enjoy the week!

Congratulations to my homeroom students for donating the most money for the Adopt the Student Fundraiser held during Catholic Schools Week. 7A donated $550.00 to edge out 8B Homeroom. Overall all $4500.00 was raised during the week. Great job SJA student body.

7A Vocabulary Unit 11 Test on Tuesday, Feb. 9.
Reminder: There is NO SCHOOL this Friday and next Monday. NO HOT LUNCH this Thursday.

6th Grade Classes: Memorize Apostles’ Creed Prayer for Monday.
8th Grade Religion Classes: Confirmation Glossary Test on Ch. 1-3 definitions.
7th Grade Religion Classes: Complete Chapter Study Guide started in class last Thursday.