ABC’s of St. Joseph Consolidated School

School times:

• Start time 7:30 a.m.
• Students that arrive after 7:30 a.m. are considered tardy. After 3 unexcused tardy slips parents will be asked to come to school for a conference.
• End time 2:10 p.m.
• Please be courteous and pick up students on time.
•  

Ill Students- Please call or email the office before 8:30 a.m. to report student absence for the day.  If we don’t hear from you, your student will be considered truant.

If you do not call the student is marked as “un-excused”.  In accordance with state law, absences and tardiness are considered excused for the following reasons only: personal illness,  illness in the family, death of a relative or personal emergency parents may request homework sent home with another student or to pick up homework if your child is ill.  If picking up homework, it will be ready at the end of the school day.

Early Pick Up:  Please send a note with the student of call the office if you wish to pick your child up from school or if you need to pick them up early for an appointment. Parents should come to the office, not the child’s classroom, when picking up a child from school for an appointment.

Lunch:  SJCS serves hot lunch every day and we are a part of the National Schools Lunch Program. All SJCS lunch accounts are pre-paid NOT charges.  Parents are asked to send lunch money to school by cash, check or money order in an envelope marked cafeteria.  Lunches may be paid for by the day, week or month.  Parents will be sent notices when money in the account is getting low.  Lunch accounts can also be checked through students Option C accounts.  St. Joseph Consolidated School participates in the Ohio Free & Reduced Meals program to offer nutritious lunches to all students and families.  All families are given an application, please look over this application to see if you family qualifies.

Hot Lunch costs: $3.50 and includes milk.  Reduced Lunch price .40¢

Extra lunch entrée $1.75

Milk- .50 ¢

Menu is included in weekly newsletter and posted on school web page.

If your child has any food allergies please notify the cafeteria  personnel, school office and school nurse.

Weekly Mass: SJCS has weekly Mass for students on Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. and on Holy Days of Obligation.  Student participation in Mass is part of their Religion grade.

• Each class has a month that they prepare the weekly Mass.
• Each class has a Spotlight Breakfast the month they plan the Mass.  The schedule is posted on our school web page.
• Students receive instruction for Sacraments at school.  The students receive the actual Sacrament at their “home” parish.  Some parishes require additional retreats or instruction.
• Grade 2 participates in First Reconciliation and First Eucharist
• Grade 7 & Grade 8 participate in Confirmation every other year.

Class Schedule: Students as SJCS have gym, art, music and library each week

• Gym: All SJCS students have Gym Class 2 days weekly: Monday and Tuesday.
•  Students in grade 2 through 8 will need to have a gym uniform.  All students must wear the gym shorts or sweatpants from Basement Printing.   They can wear class #sjcstradition shirts or any Jog N Jam shirt only for gym class.
• Art: Students in grade 5 thought 8 have Art Class on Wednesday.  Students in grades K-4 have Art Class on Thursday.  Library:  Students in grades K to 5 have Library on Thursday.
• Students in grade 6, 7 & 8 are welcome to visit the Library to check on book for the Accelerated Reader program.
• Music: All SJCS students have Music Class on Wednesday and  Friday.

Volunteers:  St. Joseph Consolidated School welcomes all parents and Grandparents to volunteer at school.  All volunteers must be VIRTUS trained and per the requirements of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.  Those that wish to attend parties or field trips must also be VRITUS trained.  Please call the school office for additional details.

Uniforms:  All SJCS students are required to wear uniforms. 

• Girls: plaid or navy jumper or skirt,  navy blue uniform style shorts or pants, white shirt, and gray or royal blue sweatshirt from either A to Z Wear  or Basement Printing only. No other generic (store bought) blue or gray sweatshirts or sweaters will be allowed.   Plain black, navy blue or white leggings that go to the ankle are permitted. (Please note: calf-length tights are NOT permitted.) 
• Boys: navy blue uniform style shorts or pants, white shirt, and gray or royal blue sweatshirt from either A to Z Wear  or Basement Printing only. No other generic (store bought) blue or gray sweatshirts or sweaters will be allowed.  
• Blue Jean Friday:  once a month all SCJS students are permitted to wear blue jean bottoms (short, skirts, pants) with a school spirit shirt or uniform top.  These items are purchased by families.
• Spirit wear:  Each class has been given a class “color” shirt to wear for special occasions.  Approved spirit wear can be ordered from A to Z Wear or Basement Printing.
• Out of Uniform:  Some students are awarded special out of uniform passes or special out of uniform days.  These out of uniform passes are good only on Fridays.

Fund Raisers:   SJCS has 2 major Fund Raisers we ask all parents to participate in yearly.  These Fund Raisers benefit the general budget and effect tuition rates for all of our families.

• Drawdown: this is a evening adult only event.  Parents are asked to work the event.  It is also a fun event to attend if you wish.
• 365 Lotto Tickets:  All SJCS families are asked to attempt to sell 6 tickets for our lotto. 

PTO:  All St. Joseph Consolidated School parents are considered members of our Parent Teacher Organization and invited to participate. 

• Activities! The SCJS PTO plans many activities for our students, parents and teachers.
• Fund Raisers:  The PTO holds various fund raisers through the school year.  All of these fund raisers are optional.

Communication:   SJCS prides itself on a great communication policy.

Office communication:  Mrs. Stenger and Mrs. Harding are in the office and glad to help with any and all questions.

• School Email:  We send most of our school communication our through various school emails daily.  Please be sure to check your email to be current with school information.
• School Web Page:  www.sjcshamilton.org is our school Web page.  This is updated daily with current information.  We also have a school Facebook page.
• Newsletters:  Every Thursday a newsletter is emailed out to all families.  Families may also receive this information on paper if requested.
• Other important paper work from the office is also sent home on Thursday with students.
• To contact a teacher parents may email the staff member or call the school office to leave a message for a return call.

School Closings/Delays:  there are several ways for families to determine is school if closed for bad weather or other emergencies.

• Option C:  Our school grading system also has a parent communication  program that will call, text or email parents.
• School web Page:  all school closing information is posted on the school web page.
• School email:  All families are sent a school email
• Facebook:  Mrs. Stenger will post on our school Facebook page.
• Channel 12:  Mr. Hicks calls all closing information into WKRC/Channel 12.  It will say specifically St. Joseph Hamilton.
• Delays:  Students should follow the delays from the school district in which they reside.  Only if St. Joseph Consolidated School as a whole is on a delay families will receive the communication like we have closing.

Option C:   option C is our school grading/communication program.  All parents are given and log in and password and all students are given a log in and password.

• Lunch accounts:  All SJCS families can check the balance of funds in their lunch accounts through Option C.
• Grade: students in grades 4 through 8 can check their grades in the Option C program.

Students in grades K-3 use the Archdiocese Standards Based Report Card

Students in grades 4- 8 use the Archdiocese Report Card.

Transportation:   Students from St. Joseph Consolidated School are welcome to use the transportation system of where they reside.  It is the parent’s responsibility to fill our all transportation information

•            Morning Drop off:   students can be dropped off by parents as early as 7:10 a.m. 
• Afternoon Pick Up:  if students are not riding the bus home parents will need to notify the school office by phone call before 1:45 p.m. or by sending a note with the student in the morning.  Parents that pick up in the afternoon must come in to the school building to pick up students.

Transportation phone numbers:

                   Ross                738-2900

                  Hamilton        887-5060

                  Fairfield          829-6603

                  Talawanda    273-3150

                  Lakota            755-5821

                  Edgewood    863-4692

Check Writing Policy: When parents are paying fees, lunch money or tuition we ask that parents write separate checks for each item.  This helps to assist the school in the most efficient way to collect classroom fees, lunch money tuition or other funds.  While we hate to cause any inconvenience, all of these accounts are handled separately to separate payments are required.  When sending in fees please make sure the money or checks are safely in a clearly marked envelope to out items to the proper area. 

List of Fees (PLEASE make out checks to the following areas)

• Lunch Room/Cafeteria- St. Joseph Cafeteria
• PTO Fund Raisers- St. Joseph PTO
• Classroom Fees- St. Joseph School- this may be one check per family
• Tuition- St. Joseph School
• Field Trips- St. Joseph School (unless otherwise specified)

Returned Checks: If we receive a check back from the bank from you SJCS will only accept cash or a money order from that date forward.  This includes tuition, cafeteria, field trips, classroom fees, PTO etc.  You will also be chard a $25 returned check fee.