UPCOMING EVENTS
8/9 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Little Lamb Work Day
8/9 8:00 Help Spread Mulch
8/10 2:00 p.m. Little Lamb Parent Orientation
8/11 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Kindergarten Parent Orientation
8/11 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Grades 5 – 8 Parent Orientation
8/12 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Kindergarten Parent Orientation
8/12 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Grades 5 – 8 Parent Orientation
8/14 7:00 p.m. Little Lamb Parent Orientation
8/15 Tuition Payment Due
8/17 0:45 a.m. Rededication Sunday and Teacher Installation
8/17 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. School Supplies drop-off for Fourth Grade
8/19 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. School Supplies drop-off for First & Second Grades
8/20 First day of school. Early dismissal at 11:30 a.m.
8/24 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Little Lamb Open House
8/25 First Day of School at Little Lamb
9/5 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. PTF Back to School Picnic, K-8 Open House & Scholastic Book Fair
WELCOME BACK
Welcome to another great school year at St. John School. The teachers and I are excited about starting the 2008-09 school year. Teachers are busy planning for a year of meaningful learning experiences in the classroom and on field trips.
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade will be using new reading textbooks this year. We know that students will like the change and benefit from the new features of this series. (Students in sixth – eighth grades got new literature books last year.)
We invite you to attend the Welcome Back to School Coffee at 8:00 and Chapel at 9:00 on the first day of school, Wednesday, August 20. The Open House and Back to School Picnic are being held a little later this year on Friday, September 5.
Ralph Leffler
Principal
ORIENTATION
You may attend either day for Little Lamb, Kindergarten and Grades 5-8 Orientations depending on your family’s schedules. You do not have to attend both days.
******SCHOOL LIBRARY NEWS * SCHOOL LIBRARY NEWS * SCHOOL LIBRARY NEWS ******
I have good news to share with you. At the June Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Champaign County Chapter meeting, my request for $1,600 to purchase new books, mainly Easy Readers, was approved! I have another request; would you help to prepare these new books for our students? I am hoping to gather several volunteers on Wednesday, August 20th from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. A few other small projects could also be completed, some require standing and some are sitting jobs. This is the first day of school for the 2008 – 2009 school year and has an 11:30 a.m. dismissal. Start building your FAITH Hours! Please meet me in the library!
Over the summer book donations were brought in by the Pitcher and Lange families, Faye Drews and Sherryl Marsh. Thank you all very much! Have you been wanting to read Coach Bruce Weber’s book Through My Eyes or Dr. Suess’ The Sleep Book? Now you can because of our generous donors.
Ronda Craig,
St. John Lutheran School Librarian
HELP SPREAD MULCH
Our school playground is going to need a new layer of mulch before the school year starts. The mulch has been ordered and paid for. The only thing left to do is spread it. A church trustee stopped me this morning to ask if I could please get the word out to the parents. The mulch will need to be spread this Saturday. The church "handymen" will be there to do the work, but it is a large task and more workers are needed.
Anyone who is available to help spread the mulch for the school playground is asked to come with garden rake in hand at 8:00 a.m. this Saturday, August 9 to the school playground. If you are not available, but know of someone else who is, please feel free to pass this email along.
Thank you for your attention and here's to a great year at St. John Lutheran School!
Monica Taylor
PTF President
SUMMER READING
Optional Reading List for 4th-8th Grade
This school year we will be reading books from the Rebecca Caudill Book List. The 2009 list can be found at www.rcyrba.org . Students who read 3 books from the list this summer will receive a prize. To qualify they need to write a summary, take a Book Adventure Quiz or an Accelerated Reader Quiz. (Books read at the end of last school year count.) I will need their proof of reading by Friday, August 22. I will be in the computer lab after school on Wednesday (8/20), Thursday, (8/21) and Friday (8/22), if students would like to take AR quizzes.
During the school year we will continue to encourage you to read books from this list. The stories cover a wide range of topics and grade levels. You may want to preview some of the stories before your child reads them.
Then in January students who have read 3 books from the list can vote on their favorite book. Students in fourth and fifth grade who read 4 books or more will be invited to a pizza party. Students in sixth–eighth grade who read 5 or more books will be invited to a pizza party.
Keep Reading!
Mrs. Block
Reading Resource
ATHLETICS
FALL SPORTS SIGN UP
If your child would like to play fall sports, they need to have a sports physical turned in to the school office by the first practice. Please pay your sports fees on Orientation Night, either Monday, August 11th or Tuesday, August 12th from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Cross Country fees are $30.00 per season. Soccer fees are $40.00 per season and Volleyball fees are $60.00 per season. If you can not make it to either of the Orientation Nights, please stop by the school office to pay your sports fees.
FAITH HOUR OPPORTUNITIES
Mrs. Lynch has some classroom set up work she could use parental help with before school starts. (FAITH hours would apply) Daytime would be preferable but we could work together in the evening (5-8), if needed. Please call her at 356-4227 if interested. Thanks.
PARENT TEACHER FELLOWSHIP HAPPENINGS
WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL PARENTS!
Join us for coffee and breakfast treats on the first day of school beginning at 8am. Catch up with friends and meet new parents at this social event!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
(Are you good at selling? The PTF will be selling St. John's Rams Logo T-shirts and jersey shirts this year. Anyone who would like to help with the sales of these items please contact Monica Taylor at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
or 355-3707. (Do you love kids? We are looking for some help to provide childcare at our PTF meetings. Space is provided in the church nursery we just need help supervising the children. Please contact Karen Rohrer, 359-0432, or Monica Taylor, 355-3707 for more information. (Calling all Bakers! Baked goods and treats are needed to be donated for the Teacher/ Staff Birthday Celebrations throughout the school year. Sign up will be
available at the Back to School Coffee and Back to School Picnic. If you are ready to sign up now, please contact Karen Rohrer at 359-0432.
SHOP TILL YA’ DROP and
EARN MONEY TOWARDS YOUR TUITION!
How is this possible? The PTF is excited to have the Scrip program at St. John! This program allows you to purchase gift cards which can be used like cash to make your everyday purchases.
Great deals for back to school purchases this month include:
Lands End rebate of 17%
LL Bean rebate of 15%
Children’s Place rebate of 12%
Shoe Carnival rebate of 5%
Check out these retailers and many more before shopping for those new lunch boxes, book bags, and clothing for your student! If you are new to Scrip, it is easy to get started. Just log on to www.shopwithscrip.com to begin, or you may contact Lesley Ellison at 607-1020 or Renee Nagy at 352-3014 for more information. The next Scrip order is due no later than 11am on Tuesday, August 12th. Please place your order in the lockbox next to the school office. Orders will be ready for pick-up by Wednesday, August 20 at 8 a.m.
ONE BIG THANK YOU!!!
On August 4, 2008, PTF provided a Back To School Breakfast for St. John Teachers and Staff. Items were donated by the following families: Mercer, Schmidt, Hagan, Rohrer/Peifer, Morenz, Taylor, and Prom. Thank you to all who contributed to this new event! It was a great way to welcome St. John Teachers and Staff back to school for a new year.
Karen Rohrer
PTF Volunteer Coordinator
MARKET DAY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We will be having a Market Day frozen food sale this August just in time for the new school year! It’s time to stock up on those lunchbox favorites, after school snacks, and delicious meats, entrees, vegetables and more! You can pick up an order form in the school office or visit www.marketday.com to place an order! If you order using the form please return it to the school office by 3:30pm on the due date.
SaleDate/Time - Saturday, Aug. 23, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Orders Due - Tuesday, August 19
Internet Orders Due - August 19 by noon
If you would like to get a jump on earning your F.A.I.T.H. hours for next year and if you can help sort orders please contact Diane Pelafos at 356-0063. No experience is necessary! We would need help from 11:15 a.m. until 1:15 p.m. on the dates listed above. More information regarding Market Day will be sent home with your children when the September order forms are sent home after Labor Day.
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