Dear Parents,
I hope you enjoyed the Easter weekend with your loved ones. It is a time for new beginnings, reflection, and renewal in both hope and faith.
In the spirit of new beginnings, this Wednesday Father James and I hosted our first annual Pastor & Principal Dinner where we personally acknowledged each upcoming graduate and thanked their parents for their unwavering love and support for St. John Bosco. It was a beautiful evening under the stars with an Italian-themed dinner to honor our patron saints John Bosco and Benedict. Each eighth-grader was presented with an SJB Alumni pin to remind them that SJB is where their academic career began and where they may always call home.
We are grateful to the St. Benedict Parish volunteers for making the evening memorable for so many families.
Joyful blessings,
Jamie Bescak, Principal
Do everything in love.
SCHOOL NEWS
Golf Tournament Time!
The Bosco Golf Tournament is only 2 weeks away! It's a 2PM shotgun start on Friday, May 6 at the Whirlwind Golf Club.
Last year we had a full field and were forced to turn away some players, so don't delay; get your foursomes registered ASAP.
There will be tons of raffle items, a silent auction, on-course games, and the infamous "HECKLE HOLE."
Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
Brian Wiscombe
Dads’ Club President
602-999-9330
Personal Hygiene Drive Next Week
The St. Benedict/St. John Bosco School Community will host families through the Family Promise Program from May 29 - June 12 at Desert Foothills United Methodist Church (DFUMC). To support this charitable effort, next week the SJB Student Council is collecting personal hygiene items of unopened, travel-size products. Some ideas include shampoo/conditioner, body wash, body lotion, deodorant, shaving cream, razors, toothbrush/toothpaste (adult and kids sizes), hand sanitizer, Wet Ones wipes, single pack tissues, and Chapstick. As always, your generosity is greatly appreciated by the community recipients of this St. Benedict Ministry.
Kindergarten Information Night
Parents of incoming kindergartners are cordially invited to join us for Kindergarten Information Night on May 5th at 6pm in the MPR. We will share summer activity ideas to get your child ready for kindergarten and review what you can expect in kindergarten next year. We hope you will join us! For more information please contact kindergarten teachers Mrs. Barone at rbarone@sjbosco.org or Miss McLean at bmclean@sjbosco.org
Battle of the Books
The year-end Battle of the Books competition took place before Easter Break. After three grueling battles, the Invincible Quires – Phoebe Wolfort, Sophia Bernardez, and Celine Salloum – emerged victoriously and advanced to the semifinals. Many thanks to judges Mrs. Wolf and Dr. Aguiar and to Mrs. Fisher for crafting an awesome "swag bag" for each team.
The semifinal competition was a real nail-biter! SJB's Invincible Quires were neck-and-neck with Ryan School for a spot in the finals. A guinea pig – not a hamster – caused the team to falter! The girls competed against ten Chandler schools and were very strong throughout the competition.
The Invincible Quires
- Sophia Bernardez
- Celine Salloum
- Phoebe Wolfort
The Book Slayers
- Elle Bescak
- Agnes Pezzuto
The Kings of Suspense
- Nicholas Collier
- Lucas Pagazani
- Elijah Rhodes
The Teutonic Knights
- Noah Raso
- Autumn Iniguez
- Avery Fisher
Teacher-Staff Appreciation Week
To show our gratitude, we will celebrate our teachers & staff on May 2 – 6. This year’s theme is “Thanks for being Spa-tacular!”
Below is a schedule of the weekly events along with optional suggestions to participate in showering our teachers and staff with tokens of appreciation. If you are interested in donating to this week-long appreciation event, please Venmo Erin Gonzales (@ErinGo530) by Wednesday, April 27th. Funds will go towards the daily event costs for the entire staff.
We can’t wait for all the fun to begin! Please contact Erin, PTO Room Parent Coordinator, at gonzalesphxaz@gmail.com with any questions.
Scholastic Book Fair
St. John Bosco will celebrate the power of reading at the upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. You are invited to help our school create a culture of reading, build our school libraries, and have the opportunity to shop and select books with your child for your home library! A portion of all proceeds will go back to our school – your support makes a difference. Click here if you would like to join the fun as a volunteer!
Monday - Friday, May 9 - 13
Monday, Tuesday & Thursday: 7:30AM - 3:30PM
Wednesday: 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Friday 7:30AM - 1:00PM
NEW In-School and Online Shopping Options! Book Fair eWallet, our new digital payment option, allows your student to shop the Fair cash-free. Can’t make it to the Book Fair? Shop The Scholastic Store™online to choose from over 6,000 products! Visit our homepage to access eWallet or the SJB Book Fair link.
Please contact School Librarian Theresa Harvey with any questions. Thank you for your support and for building the joy of reading.
Vacation Bible School
Who? Kindergarten – 5th Grade Kids
When? Monday, June 6 – Friday, June 10 from 8:30AM - 12 Noon
Where? St. John Bosco School Campus
Cost? $35/child | $50/2 children | $70/ 3+ children
How do I sign up? Register here: Vacation Bible School Limited space available!
What can I expect? We will spend the week celebrating God’s greatness and love for us. Kids will leave with new friends, and fun, faith-filled memories, complete with games, music, Bible stories, Saints, snacks, & more! You won’t want to miss out on this Southwest adventure presented by St. Benedict and Corpus Christi. Families may join in the fun on Friday as we wrap up the week with a picnic celebration. It’s going to be Monumental!
*Children must be currently enrolled in kindergarten at the time of registration.
VOLUNTEERS are NEEDED — ADULTS & TEENS!
Interested in being part of the volunteer team? Have questions?
Contact Heather Mooney or (480) 961-1610 x308.
Click the link for all details and to sign up. Vacation Bible School
Summer Baseball / Softball Camp
Mr. Caradonna’s summer baseball & softball camps are open for registration! Click the links for all the details and to complete the waiver:
Still Time to Order Yearbooks
There is still time to order the special 20th Anniversary Edition of the St. John Bosco Yearbook. Yearbooks ordered before the April 16 deadline will be shipped to school by May 9th. Books ordered after that deadline will be shipped to your home address.
To Purchase & Customize Your Yearbook:
1. Go to www.treering.com/validate
2. Enter your school's passcode: 1013434873754555
Any questions about ordering your yearbook may be emailed to Mrs. Krissy Bileski at KBileski@sjbosco.org.
Scrip Shop
Teacher Appreciation Week begins the first week of May. We have a limited amount of $5 Starbucks cards to treat your teachers, as well as Visas and many other restaurants and shops! Stop by the window or e-mail Katie at sjbscrip@sjbosco.org to place your order!
"Thank Scriping Day" on the RaiseRight app will be on April 28 and 29. You can earn extra bonus amounts on e-Giftcard purchases and reloads. If you haven’t already signed up for the RaiseRight app, please Click Here for detailed instructions.
"Thank Scriping Day" on the RaiseRight app will be on April 28 and 29. You can earn extra bonus amounts on e-Giftcard purchases and reloads. If you haven’t already signed up for the RaiseRight app, please Click Here for detailed instructions.
Upcoming Events:
- Wed. April 27: Eighth-Grade Retreat, St. Andrew the Apostle Church
- Mon. May 2 - Fri. May 6: MAPS & DIBELS Assessments
- Mon. May 2 - Fri. May 6: Teacher Appreciation Week
- Fri. May 6 @ 8:15AM: May Crowning
- Fri. May 6 @ 2PM: Dads' Club Golf Tourney, Whirlwind Golf Club
PARISH NEWS
Catholic Media Business Opportunity
St. Benedict Parish is excited to announce a partnership with Decided Excellence Catholic Media to provide quality Catholic content in the form of a magazine. There is no subscription needed and it is free to those who receive it. This monthly magazine, Faith and Family in Ahwatukee & Chandler, will be sent to 3,300 homes including parishioners of St. Benedict Catholic Church, Corpus Christi, and St. John Bosco Catholic School.
We are offering your business the opportunity to purchase advertising space within the magazine. Being featured in the magazine allows us to support businesses and families within our Catholic community and to get to know you better. Moreover, each business that supports the magazine provides greater outreach and savings to our parish.
Why is sponsoring a Decided Excellence Catholic Media magazine an excellent advertisement investment?
- Branding Your Business
- 94% Open Rate
- Premier Distribution Direct to Mailbox
To learn more about the advertising opportunities with Decided Excellence Catholic Media, contact Kevin Muir at (602) 722-6123 or kmuir@decidedexcellence.com
COMMUNITY NEWS
Brophy College Prep
Brophy is excited to offer a full Summer Enrichment Program for rising 5th through 8th-grade boys and girls in June. Activities include sports camps, fitness classes, creative workshops, STEM and academic classes, high school prep camp, and more to keep the kids engaged, learning, and having fun this summer. Brophy Summer Enrichment Bulletin - 2022.pdf
Seton Catholic Preparatory
Plan your summer now by registering for various Seton Catholic Prep athletic camps. The following link contains a host of offerings: Seton Catholic Prep Summer Camps.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
Stay up to date on classroom happenings by following us on Instagram @sjbbulldogs or Facebook@stjohnboscocatholicschool. We also encourage families to tag SJB on any photos or videos they post of their child(ren) from their personal social media accounts.
Until Monday ...
Below are helpful links to information over the weekend:
School Website: https://sjbosco.org/
School Calendar: https://sjbosco.org/calendar
Faculty & Staff Contacts: https://sjbosco.org/faculty-staff
School Lunch Program: https://sjbosco.org/school-lunch
Parish Website: https://stbenedict.org/
The Bulldog Bite: Dr. Teri Pistacchio Aguiar, editor
Past Bulldog Bites: https://sjbosco.org/ (beneath Principal's picture)
Upcoming events are always available on our website events page.
For a more detailed list of yearly events, check the SJB website online calendar.
