WEEK OF JANUARY 7, 2013 ROOTED IN TRADITIONLED BY THE SPIRIT TO WORK HARD!

The coming of the Magi is one of the most loved stories. We usually think about Gods goodness to human beings. But the story of the Magi has it the other way around the goodness of human beings to God. The Magi brought gifts and gave them to Jesus. But the Son of God is a hard one to shop for. How does one give gifts to the Son of God? Well, Jesus helped. He sort of registered to make it easier. He said, As often as you did it for one of these least one, you did it for me.
From the Writings of Bishop Ken Untener

THIS WEEK
Exams for grades 6-8 begin Jan. 11, grade 5 starts Jan. 15. Exam schedule is attached to the email and posted in homerooms. Thursday's Hot Lunch is Traditional and grade 4 brings desserts. Catholic School Week Hot Lunch orders are in the folder and attached to the email. They are due NO LATER than 1/18. Each child and parents coming to lunch must have his/her own order form. Vocations Basketball game-Friday-7:30PM The Concession stand will be open and a free pizza party follows in the Lyon Center. Reading Log Winners- winners get free dress this Friday and Grade 4 will have an extra recess for having the highest class participation. K Christopher Smith 20% Class participation 1st Isabella Rivera 59% Class participation 2nn Alexander Pikas 34% Class participation 3rd Julia McCormack 14% Class participation 4th Aronke Fashina 74% Class participation

LUNCH DUTY
We need people to sign up for lunch duty!!! There are MANY opportunities to participate in January. There are three openings tomorrow, one on Thursday and two on Friday. If you are able to help please go to the below link and sign up. www.SignUpGenius.com/go/30E0A4AA4A829A13-january1/5235127 If we don't have volunteers to cover lunch duties the teachers don't get a break.

SCANTRON IS BACK
In September schools in the Archdiocese of Washington began using the Scantron Performance Series as the new assessment instrument. Grades 2-4 will begin the midyear assessments this week; grades 5-8 will take theirs after exams. Kindergarten and first graders will take the Foundations of Reading assessment. Parents will receive a report after all students have completed the tests.

BATTLE OF THE BOX TOPS

The Fall battle of the Box Tops was a huge success. We collected 2300 box tops and earned $230.00. The January Battle of the Box Tops is now underway. Bring in those Box Tops!!!

CASINO NIGHT - NEW DATE

The new date for the Casino Night is February 9. Mark your calendars!!! Please see the enclosed flyer. (ed noteone of the suggestions from last years town meeting was for the HSA to sponsor evenings for parents to gather with other SJB parents. Casino Night was very popular several years ago.)

LED BY THE SPIRIT UPDATE

We are at 84% of the goal of $700,000 with $590,000 in pledges and cash. Pledge cards are available in the school office. If you have already made a gift/pledge, thank you!

YEARBOOK ADS
Its time to think about placing your ad or congratulatory messages in our yearbook. Mrs. Leishear and Ms. Watson attached a flyer last week with information on how to go about this.

CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST

The Creative Writing Contest has wrapped up for another year. The Judging is this Friday, 1/11 and the Awards Assembly is 1/25 at 2PM in the Lyon Center. All the authors who submitted an entry are invited to the awards assembly.

ARTS & ACADEMICS ALERT

A & A is the 1st week of March. It is time to order the display boards. For the convenience of our families, Michelle Wallace who runs the School Store has enclosed an order form. Boards are $3 and orders are due by Feb. 1.

HOW YOU CAN HELP?

Calling all grocery shoppers! Please support our scholarship fund by purchasing grocery cards from Giant, Shoppers or Shop Rite. For your convenience, order forms are in the folder every week. Grocery cards have added $1,350 to the scholarship fund since school started in September. This is wonderful! Hopefully we can earn another $1,350 before school ends. Sign up for lunch duty. See link above. Save Box Tops and used ink cartridges. Send your unwanted coupons to Kevin Clark or office for getting free items for WV. Bring medication for Haiti Ibuprofen, vitamins, Tums or antacids, and soap. The group will be leaving for Haiti soon so get your donations into the office. Dr. Jason Hoelfing, dad of Max 16 and Simon18 will be making a return trip with the Haiti medical team and will be carrying the medication with him.

OPEN HOUSE FOR PERSPECTIVE FAMILIES

January 25, from 9-12PM, is Open House for perspective families. If you know of anyone who is interested in joining our St. John the Baptist School Community please let them know about our Open House. From surveys we have taken, most of our new families are here because current families recommended our school. So we need your help to spread the word.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK January 28- February 1

Monday, 1/28 is Student Appreciation DayNo Homework! Tuesday, 1/29, Living Rosary for Peace at 2:15 in Church. Thursday, 1/31- Family Day at SJB. Due to the amount of people, this day is only for current SJB students and their parents/guardians only. We love our preschoolers but there isn't room in this event. Following is the schedule for that day. 8:30 Classroom visits 11:00 Mass- families sit together. Noon Hot Lunch- families sit together. Friday, 2/1- Bingo Night- 6:30 - 9PM. Tickets are now on sale. Be sure and buy tickets before the event as they are not available at the door. Volunteers are also needed to help at this event. See the flyer in the folder for details on tickets and volunteering.

CHRISTMAS SHOW/BAND CONCERT DVD

The SJB Christmas Show DVD will be in the folder today. The Christmas Show and Rehearsal Show are on one DVD and the Band Concert on another DVD. The Band DVD is not finished and will be sent home when it is ready. All 4-8 th graders who ordered a Christmas DVD will receive a Band DVD. For the lower grades, if you would like a copy of the band concert DVD, please email the Trebels ( kim5408@msn.com) and we will forward one to you as well. NOTE: Due to the many different televisions, DVD and Blu-Ray video players in use today, you may need to adjust the picture size setting on your widescreen television for optimal viewing after the DVD begins playing. This is the ninth year that the show has been offered on DVD on behalf of SJBHSA. All proceeds from the sale of the DVD go to HSA. (If you have lost or misplaced a copy of a previous year's show and would like to order a replacement disc, please contact the Trebels).

2013 DATES TO NOTE

1/11 1/17 1/18 1/21 1/23 1/25 1/25 1/26 Exams begin Exams end NO SCHOOL- Teacher Professional Day NO SCHOOL MLK Day HSA Meeting 7:30PM Budget Committee meets at 6:30PM New Family Open House 9-Noon Creative Writing Assembly 2PM Athletic Ministrys Picks Party for Super Bowl Square Purchasers

1/29 1/31 2/1 2/9

Rosary 2:15PM Family day at SJB Bingo Night Casino Night

SJB CYO ATHLETIC NEWS

Super Bowl Squares are now on sale! This is a fundraiser for the SJB Athletic Ministry. Each square is $100 and you have a chance to win $1,000 each quarter of the big game. Along with the chance to win the big money, the ticket gets you entrance the fun picks party on Jan. 26th. Tickets can be purchased at Intramural Basketball on Saturday's at SJB or by using the attached form. Don't procrastinate tickets are going fast.

SJB FAMILY NEWS

Please remember Dan Langans (Riley18 and Aidan 20) mom, Marge Langan, in your family prayers. She died earlier today. Arrangements are pending and will be local.

SJB PARISH NEWS

The 7th annual Vocations Basketball is back in our gym this Friday, January 11th at 7:30PM. A team of SJB men will play a team of seminarians and priests of the Archdiocese, known as the DC Hood. 8th grade will have a concession stand before and during the game. Come and have dinner and snacks. After the game there is a pizza party in the Lyon Center for all attendees. Deadline for submitting information and flyers for the next Tuesday Folder will be Monday, 1/14, 10AM.

ATTACHMENTS
Exam Schedule (email only) Super Bowl Squares (email only) Bingo Night Ticket Order Form (folder & email) Bingo Night Volunteer Ask (folder & email) Catholic Schools Lunch order (folder & email) Display Board order form(folder & email) Casino Night (folder)