LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: THURSDAY, MAY 26 – 12:30PM DISMISSAL, No ESP
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Parents,
Congratulations to our eighth-graders who graduated this Wednesday! It was wonderful to gather together as a community to celebrate these incredible young men and women as they enter the next phase of their journey with Christ. Our prayer is that they will continue to serve God and God’s people, and will always remember the core values instilled in them at home and at St. John Bosco Catholic School.
Today we celebrated our third-grade students at our annual Third Grade Recognition Mass. They were acknowledged for recently receiving the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation at their respective parishes. They are to be commended as they led our school Mass with humility and reverence. I would like to thank Mrs. Rebecca Daniel and Miss Laura Jean Curley for diligently preparing each student for these important sacraments. And thank you to our second-grade moms for organizing and hosting the beautiful reception following Mass.
And we will soon celebrate yet another graduation. Our Pre-kindergarten students will take the spotlight on Wednesday, May 26 at 8:30 AM in the MPR. This ceremony marks the end of their time in preschool as they move up to Kindergarten next year. We welcome all families and friends to attend this charming event.
This year has flown by; I can’t believe we are entering our last week of the 2021-22 school year. I would like to extend an invitation to all families to attend our last school Mass on Thursday, May 26 at 8:15 AM in the MPR.
Joyful blessings,
Jamie Bescak, M.Ed., Principal
Do everything in love.
SCHOOL NEWS
Student Council Election Results
Thank you to all the 7th graders who campaigned for student council officers. We are very proud of everyone who put forth the effort to run. You showed you care about your school and your fellow students.
We are pleased to announce the following officers for the 2022-2023 school year:
President: Gianna Barone
Vice President: Camden Gross
Treasurer: Mark Addy
Secretary: Maite Arguello
Spirit Commissioner: Rylan Keane
Sports Commissioner: Carlos Rodriguez-Galvez
Way to go Bulldogs!
Ambassador Program
Bulldog Ambassadors are students who represent St. John Bosco by leading Mass and Rosary and helping prospective families learn about our amazing school! The Ambassador Program is open to sixth- through eighth-graders, and applications for the 2022-2023 school year are now being accepted.
Please fill out the application below and either EMAIL it or bring it to Mrs. Gump by Wednesday, May 25th @ 3:00 PM. Once you've submitted your application, Mrs. Gump will ask your homeroom teacher to complete a teacher recommendation form. Please Note: Students who serve on Student Council are not eligible to be an ambassador. Please feel free to email Mrs. Gump with any questions.
Technology Sale
Our school will hold an end-of-year technology sale on Wednesday, May 25, 3 - 4 PM in room C104. We have Klic-N-Print 3D printers ($50), Epson LCD Projectors ($100), and older MacBook Pro Laptops A1278 ($100). Stock is limited and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sorry, no reservations accepted. Debit or credit card only, please. Questions may be directed to Mr. Macdonald.
Looking for LEGOs
SJB is preparing to upgrade both the STEM Program and the Media Room. If you have LEGOs that are taking up space in your home or are tired of stepping on them, we will be happy to take them off your hands (and feet). Please consider donating them to our STEM Program. They may be dropped off in the front office for Mr. Macdonald.
Need Volunteer Hours?
If you have a penchant for a well-organized closet, the SJB Used Uniform Closet and/or the Lost and Found could use your talent! Stop by the school office or contact Amy Molina (480.219.4848) for details.
Make your own hours!
Anton Uniforms
Purchase next year’s school uniforms now and save money! Anton Uniforms is offering 10% off SJB uniforms until May 31st. The discount code 10OFF is valid both in-store and online.
Click this link to save: Anton Uniform 10% Discount
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
Do you have a business that would like to support the Scrip program? We currently have 3 SJB family-owned businesses that offer Scrip and we would love to add more. Gold Crown Promotions gives back 6% on advertising and promotional products, Barefoot Pools offers 3% back on their pool services, and Dr. MacKenzie at Foothills Animal Hospital offers 4% back on veterinary services provided by (only) him. You just need to let them know you are an SJB family and we do the rest! If you would like to participate, please reach out to Katie at sjbscrip@sjbosco.org for more information.
- Fri. May 20: End of 3rd Trimester
- Wed. May 25 @ 8:30AM: Pre-K Graduation, MPR
- Thurs. May 25 @ 8:15AM: Last School Mass, MPR
- Thurs. May 26 @ 12:30PM: Last Day for K - 7 Students
PARISH NEWS
Summer Teen Bible Study Deadline Sunday!
Registration for Venture (Summer Teen Bible Study) has officially opened!
All students entering 6th - 12th grade in the fall are welcome, regardless of where they attend Mass.
Details, calendar, and registration form may be found here: Summer Teen Bible Study
Please note: The last day to register is Sunday, May 22nd.
Venture is the perfect way to cut down on screen time this summer, and the like-minded friends your teen will make are an incredible investment in the nourishment of his/her Catholic identity.
St. Jerome vehemently reminds us that "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ," and to know the Bible is to know a love story, a playbook for life, the greatest adventure, and the nature of God Himself. Reading Scripture is effective; it dramatically opens the heart to the movements of the Holy Spirit.
Venture is a highly engaging, practical, and desperately necessary study of the big picture of the Bible, focusing on the cohesive storyline, major characters and events, and practical application. I encourage you to take advantage of this incredible opportunity!
Please feel free to email Clare Gisla or call (480) 961-1610, ext. 307 with any questions.
Family Promise
Volunteers Needed
The St. Benedict/SJB community will again provide families with food and shelter this summer through the Family Promise Ministry. This charitable program provides a “hand up” to families who are temporarily without shelter. Families utilize a Day Center where they are provided social services and shower/laundry facilities, then transported to Desert Foothills United Methodist Church, 2156 E. Liberty Ln., where they receive a hot meal and a place to spend the night. Every morning at 5:30AM, they are shuttled back to the Day Center for another day of work and school.
Volunteers Needed
This is a very rewarding volunteer experience and summer is a convenient time to earn service hours., and volunteers are sorely needed! Please consider volunteering for all or part of our 2-week hosting commitment, May 29 – June 12. Volunteers are needed to provide meals, participate in after-dinner activities with the families, donate groceries, and/or be an overnight host for one night (sleep in a separate/private room).
Click the following link for more information: Family Promise Details and Volunteer Opportunities
If you would like to read more about Family Promise, go to www.familypromiseaz.org. AZ Family Promise is also on Facebook.
Questions? Contact Tracy Ryan at tracyryan18@cox.net
COMMUNITY NEWS
Seton Catholic Preparatory
Plan your summer now by registering for various Seton Catholic Prep camps. The following link contains a host of offerings:
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
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.
