Welcome to the 2022-23 School Year!

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Families,

We are excited to welcome you all to the 2022-2023 school year; our team has been working hard all summer planning for the new school year.

We have made a few safety updates, including installing two Ring camera doorbells and buzzers at the Windsor Place Door/Door D and the Howard Place Door/Door. This will allow us to screen visitors before they enter the building to ensure the safety of students and faculty. We have also installed VOIP phones throughout the building. Similar to our intercom system, the phones allow us to intercom and call into all classrooms. They also allow teachers to call out should there be an emergency.

Some of you might have noticed new steps at doorway C. This new staircase was installed over the summer to ensure proper egress of the academy building due to the construction at the convent. Our early childhood classrooms were renovated this summer, and we were excited to unveil our new early childhood classrooms last week at our pre-school orientation; the students had so much fun and we cannot wait to see them again next week! We also painted our first-floor hallway a beautiful shade of light blue that really brightens up the space and updated our Technology Lab with new flooring.

Based on your feedback, we have built an enrichment schedule that meets the developmental needs of all age groups, while being topics of high interest for our students. Some of the additions are track and field, creative movement and dance, silly science for our littlest learners, and much more. We also heard you when you asked for an event calendar ahead of time. Ms. Demera has been busy making sure all known events are posted in our Google Calendar, our website, App, and in Class Dojo. Our administration team also worked closely with the Home-Academy Association (HAA) to create a tentative event and fundraising calendar so you can best prepare for the year. Attached below are copies of that calendar as well as our updated operating calendar.

This year SJWCA will be expanding our music program. Ms. Islas will be working with us full time, allowing our lower school an additional music class each week. She will also be teaching a lower school chorus for grades 1-4 and an upper school chorus for grades 5-8 once a week during their lunch periods.

SJWCA is also expanding our STEM program to include more mechanical engineering in our upper-grade classes. We have also created a dedicated Robotics Lab in room 307 and with the support of Mr. Rosado, will be extending our Robotics team down to grade 6. Mr. Arnold and Ms. Nitzsche will still be coaching grade 7 and grade 8.

I would also like to take this time to welcome our new faculty members. We have Stacey Borriello, Nkese Singh, Amanda Cruz, and Justine Maya joining our early childhood team. Collectively they have over 3 decades of experience and bring with them great energy and a true passion for the work they do.

Erin Cain is also joining our faculty this year. Erin has been teaching for 5 years and has experience in both charter schools and Catholic schools. Erin felt truly at home when she worked in Catholic Education and is excited to make SJWCA her new home. Erin will be teaching grade 2.

As I shared in the spring, all of our teachers, including all of our new faculty members spent a week together in June for Responsive Classroom training. A Responsive Classroom approach focuses on building a positive classroom/school community through a set of common principles and practices. This approach focuses on engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and social-emotional learning. In an effort to build a positive community, support consistency, and cultivate positive relationships between students and teachers, all special content area teachers have been assigned to a middle school homeroom. Homeroom teachers play a critical role in developing and supporting a positive classroom culture.

Lastly, as the first day approaches, I want to share some uniform reminders. We did adopt a new uniform last spring. This year, while you cannot purchase the old uniform, students are welcome to wear it. Families are welcome to visit the office and pick up donated uniforms free of charge to add to their uniform rotation as well. Sneakers/boots are NOT permitted. Sneakers and boots are not considered uniform. Please make sure your child has black (girls can also wear navy) uniform shoes for the start of the year. Students may wear their choice of sneakers for gym days along with the gym uniform. Please see the spirit wear shop for alternative gym uniforms and sweatshirts. Sweatshirts can always be worn over a student’s uniform.

I know our faculty are gearing up for what is sure to be a fantastic school year. Enjoy this last weekend of summer, see you all next week!

Best,
Stephanie Germann

Operating Schedule: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jHRj1StCABBbreBSOr671jgg60YLZJ2P/view?usp=sharing

Fundraising and Event Schedule: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wWFrAsQasTGyD7iB3ToVv9AluXtKNxDq/view?usp=sharing

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Summer Office Hours

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Our office staff will be working all summer and is easily accessible through email or Class Dojo. If you need to come into the building, please call or email to schedule an appointment. Our in-person office hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 8 am-1 pm beginning Tuesday, July 12th.

Mrs. Stephanie Germann – sgermann@sjwca.org
Mrs. Jennifer Gallina – jgallina@sjwca.org
Mrs. Jennifer Demera – jdemera@sjwca.org
Ms. Kellyann Doran – kdoran@sjwca.org

Have a great summer!

Winter Uniform in Full Effect

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Families,
 
Welcome to the second trimester! I am so incredibly grateful for all of you in doing your part to keep our community healthy–with the support from families and our dedicated faculty, we have been able to keep our building open. 
 
With the weather getting colder, I want to remind you about school uniform requirements for the colder months. As of November 1st, we are officially in “cold weather” uniform season–this means that shorts and skorts are no longer permitted until the warm-weather season begins on April 1st. Given that is cold, particularly in the morning, many of the students are wearing boots, booties, Uggs, etc. to school. Boots of any kind are not permitted as acceptable uniform. If students need to wear boots to and from school, please send them with a pair of shoes to change into. In the colder months, they are welcome to leave the shoes in their closet/cubby/locker so that they do not need to transport them daily. 
 
 
 
As of November 1st girls should be wearing:
  • plaid jumper with a yellow blouse (1-4) or gray plaid skirt with SJW Polo (5-8)
  • All grades have the opportunity to wear navy slacks as well 
  • Tights or knee highs under skirts should be navy or gray (leggings are acceptable as well)
  • Shoes must be worn. Boots and sneakers are not permitted. 
As of November 1st boys should be wearing:
  • navy blue slacks and yellow SJW polo 
  • navy or black socks
  • Shoes must be worn. Boots and sneakers are not permitted. 
In addition to the uniform, students are permitted to wear the gray cardigan or any spirit wear sweatshirt in class to keep them warm. Spirt wear t-shirts may only be worn on dress down days or on gym days. 
Thank you for your attention to this matter, teachers will be reminding students as well. 
 
Best,
Stephanie Germann

COVID-19 Reminders

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Families,

COVID-19 spread rates are rising around New York City, despite high vaccination rates. We know that being fully vaccinated does not prevent individuals from contracting COVID-19.

At school, we are being diligent in cleaning our spaces regularly, keeping rooms well ventilated, and promoting healthy habits such as wearing their mask over their nose and mouth, hand washing, and social distancing. These actions have allowed our school to remain open throughout the pandemic.

Teachers will be having conversations with their classes, reinforcing the importance of maintaining these actions to ensure the health of our greater community. Please continue to reinforce at home as well.

I appreciate how diligent families have been in keeping their child(ren) home when they are sick. Please remember that they cannot return to school without a medical note or a negative COVID test and are free from symptoms.

Should your child be quarantined for COVID-related reasons, we will make accommodations for them to work remotely. We cannot allow students to work remotely for any other reason. It is the policy of our district that accommodation for remote learning be made for COVID quarantine cases only as we do not have a hybrid program built out at SJWCA. For more details about remote learning, you can see our FAQ page.

Lastly, we will be taking advantage of the outdoor space for recess as long as possible, so as long as it is dry and above freezing, students will be outside for recess. Please make sure they have appropriate outdoor gear with them.

Thank you always for your support and coordination.

Best,
Stephanie Germann

Read-A-Thon Update

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Congratulations to all our students who participated in a very successful Read-A-Thon. Together we have raised $25,864!!!

Congratulations to Fionnula McKee who is our top earner and the winner of a $100 Amazon Gift Card, raising $935!

Our top earning class, 6B raised $2,820, and our top readers, 3B read 10,731 minutes! We will celebrate both these classes with a pizza party. Congratulations!

2A was our only class with 100% participation. They will celebrate their success with a free dress-down day decided by Ms. Doran.

Last, but not least, 31 students raised over $300 and were entered into a raffle to win $1,500 toward their tuition. Click the link below to see who won!

https://watch.screencastify.com/v/mdc3NW5RLA62PoU8WKaf

End-of-Year Letter

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June 29, 2021

 

Dear families,

I cannot believe this year is already over. This school year was unique and challenging, however we were blessed to be here everyday, serving our community. I am grateful each day for our dedicated faculty who give so much of themselves for our students. We are lucky to have each and every one of them. 

I am also grateful for all of you; our families are a huge part of our school community. Thank you for all of your support throughout this school year–your generous donations, and fundraising efforts allowed us to meet our fundraising goals and put brand new Promethean ActivPanels in every classroom! In addition to monetary support, your role in supporting our re-opening efforts was critical, and together we were able to keep our school safe, healthy, and open all year!

Summer work has been assigned to all students entering kindergarten through grade 8 in the fall of 2021. Students going into Pre-K4 have received optional enrichment packets. Summer work assignments have been emailed, posted in Class Dojo, on our website. If you should have any questions regarding summer assignments, please know that Ms. Gallina (jgallina@sjwca.org) and myself (sgermann@sjwca.org) will be available over the summer to answer your questions. 

As this year has come to a close, your Class Dojo classes will be archived on Thursday, July 1, 2020. You will have access to the “School Story” all summer and new sections will be available to you in mid-august. 

Thank you for choosing Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Academy. Have a wonderful summer! I cannot wait to see all of our students and families in September!

 

Best,

Stephanie Germann

Read-a-thon to begin soon!

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Saint Joseph The Worker Catholic Academy has decided to hold a

Read-a-thon this year!

Read-a-thons actually get your reader excited about reading and it gives friends and family the opportunity to encourage your child to read even more.

Our Read-a-thon starts Monday, March 22nd, 2021.

Today  we will send home instructions on how to activate your reader’s personal page. This is where you will be able to view and record their progress.

We’ve chosen Read-a-thon because it will not take much of your time, gives your child a reason to read and helps in the development of stronger reading skills.

We hope EVERYONE participates.

 

Thanks so much,

Saint Joseph The Worker Catholic Academy

 

Please visit: https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers/r/eHjtZk for more information.

Happy Easter

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April 9, 2020
 
Dear families,
 
Good afternoon. I hope your family is safe and well. It has been a long and difficult four weeks. I know each of us have had our own struggles, whether that be adjusting to working from home, loss of income, supporting your child(ren) with distance learning or caring for family members. It has been an incredibly difficult time as we adjusted to our new normal and we appreciate all that you have done to help facilitate the learning process at home. It is important, now more than ever that we stick together as a community and help each other.  
 
As Easter approaches, I cannot help but reflect on all of my blessings. I am blessed not only with my health and the health of my family but by each and every one of you. I am incredibly blessed to be able to lead and be a part of the SJWCA community. I miss walking the halls and spending time in classrooms with our students and anticipate the day that we can be back together under one roof. I am blessed to have such a talented and dedicated faculty who are committed to their students. As we begin Spring Break, know that you and your family will remain in my thoughts and in my prayers. 
 
While this is a time for us to take a break from schoolwork, know that we are here to support you in any way that we can. I will continue to post updates via email and Class Dojo as I receive them.  
 
Have a very Happy Easter! Stay safe and God Bless. 
 
 
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Best,
Stephanie Germann

Distance Learning: Week 2

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March 27, 2019

 

Dear parents, guardians, and faculty,

 
As we close out the second week of distance learning, I cannot help but feel grateful. I am grateful for all of the talented, dedicated educators at SJWCA who have spent countless hours over the last two weeks collaborating with each other and working with their students; educators who immediately embraced distance learning as their new normal so that their students would not miss a beat. 
 
I am grateful for our families, who continue to support our school community. Please know that we are here for you.  I understand that this has not been easy for you either. Many families are juggling child care, working from home and doing their best to support their children in navigating their digital classrooms. Please know we appreciate you and your children very much. 
 
I am grateful for our students as they are the reason we show up every day and do the work we do. Our students continue to inspire me each day with their resilience and persistence. I know this has been a challenge for them as they learn to work and interact with their teachers and classmates in a digital space. Please know we are all here to support them in any way that we can. 
 
Thank you for choosing Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Academy. I will continue to keep our entire school community in my thoughts and prayers. Stay safe and healthy. Enjoy your weekend! 
 
 
Best,
Stephanie Germann

Trimester 1 Report Cards

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December 4, 2019

 

Dear Families,

 

This Friday, Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Academy will be holding its first official Family-Teacher report card conferences for the 2019-2020 school year. As you sit with your child’s teacher, you will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s academic progress, based on a wide range of assessments and endless hours of close observations. At the same time, we rely on what families tell us to deepen our understanding of students, and we hope you leave your conference with a richer and more detailed sense of who your child is at school to compliment your sense of your child in the wider world. Conferences pull together a portrait of your child’s progress so far this year–laying out early strengths and providing a chance to reflect on some next steps to support continued growth. 

Friday, December 6, 2019, has been set aside for Family-Teacher report card conferences. Students will be dismissed at 12 noon and there is no afterschool. You should have already received information from your child’s teacher regarding setting up an appointment. At conferences, you will receive your child’s report card, login credentials for a new math enrichment program we are using, and if earned, honor roll certificate. Terranova results have not arrived as of today and may not be here in time for your conference. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each and every student at Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Academy over the past few months and am looking forward to the remainder of the year!

 

Best,

Stephanie-Ann Germann

Principal