NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Parents,
We understand that everyone still has questions about the exciting news of the universal ESA program. We are also still in the learning phase; however, below are a few facts we can share:
- Each ESA contract is unique and each family's needs are unique. Do not base your decision to use the universal ESA on what other families are doing. Each contract is individual and determined by numerous factors including your grade level, school district, and zip code.
- Remember that if your ESA will not cover your full tuition you will need to either cover the tuition yourself or cancel your contract and try to use STO funds. Check with your STO to see what their policy is going to be to access your funds.
- Consider the types of scholarships you have received before you sign your contract. If you have received mostly financial aid-based funds, please contact us before signing your ESA contract; there could be some issues depending on your circumstance/aid.
- It is strongly encouraged to solicit tax credit funds to use at a later date. Some STOs have indicated that as long as a child continues to be enrolled in a private school and the parent submits an application to them EVERY YEAR, they will “hold” the funds in the student’s name. Please check with your STO to see what their policy is going to be on recommended funds.
- ESA scholarships belong to the parents; thus, tuition payment must be initiated by the parent. The school has no control over your ESA. If you forget to make a payment for a quarter, your personal bank account will be charged for the full quarterly amount. We will not be able to put tuition accounts “on hold” while parents await ESA funds.
- If you are planning to sign your ESA contract, please email Mrs. Kelly McLean at kmclean@sjbosco.org beforehand so we can make sure it is in your family's best interest to do so at that time because EVERY FAMILY’S situation is different.
- If you choose to sign your ESA contract, please forward a copy to Mrs. Kelly McLean. We need to have a copy of the contract to determine active dates. There are different ways to pay using ESA so it will be up to the parents to let us know if they need any documentation from the school.
- We are an authorized vendor through Classwallet. Our vendor name is St John Bosco Catholic School (no period after the St). We utilize this payment method for our disability ESAs and find it very user-friendly for both parents and the school. Please look at the Classwallet information page on azed/esa.gov.
- If you are using the ESA program, make sure you review the ESA Parent Handbook and are familiar with the rules and regulations of the program. Compliance with the program rules is the responsibility of the parent. Noncompliance, especially trying to use ESA and STO in the same quarter, will result in the parent being banned from the ESA program and the parent will be responsible for paying the funds back to the state.
This is a lot to digest, but we will be here to help! Feel free to visit the Arizona Dept. of Education ESA website https://www.azed.gov/esa for up-to-date developments.
Joyful Blessings,
Jamie Bescak, M.Ed., Principal
Jamie Bescak, M.Ed., Principal
Do everything in love.
SCHOOL NEWS
As we near the end of our 1st trimester, teachers are preparing for parent-teacher conferences. A sign-up genius was emailed first to families with multiple children on Wednesday followed by families with one child on Friday. This facilitates the scheduling of conferences with multiple teachers.
Please make sure to sign up for a conference for each of your children; fall conferences are required for all students.
Parent-Teacher Conference days and times will be as follows:
- Wednesday, November 2nd: 1:15 – 4:15 PM
- Thursday, November 3rd: 1:15 – 7:00 PM
- Friday, November 4th: 1:15 – 4:15 PM
Please click the following link(s) to sign up for a conference time:
If your plans change and you find you must change your conference time after signing up, kindly notify the teacher so he/she may open up your time slot for another parent. The teachers will truly appreciate your courtesy.
Kudos to One of Our Own
Each year Xavier College Preparatory asks their high school freshwomen to nominate a 7th- or 8th-grade teacher who had inspired her and significantly helped her along her academic route.
We are proud to announce that our own Mrs. Kelly Rafford was again selected as the recipient of Xavier’s “Golden Gator Award for Excellence in Teaching.” She is part of a committed junior high team that goes above and beyond classroom teaching to prepare students for secondary education and other expectations of high school life. Congratulations, Mrs. Rafford!
Catholic School Support 365
As Catholics, we are no strangers to sharing and helping others in times of need. That’s what we do best. And that’s the idea behind the Catholic School Support 365 Fund. It was born from the Night of Hope and is where donations to Catholic Schools are held for emergency circumstances when families find themselves unable to afford their child’s tuition. The purpose is to provide tuition assistance 365 days a year, as major needs often arise without warning.
As such, your child brought home an appeal envelope last week. If you choose to participate, please return it to your child's teacher or to the front office. If you need a little extra motivation, you may be interested in the following incentives:
- The school with the highest percentage of participation (based on September enrollment figures) for gifts to the appeal will win $5,000.00 for the principal’s discretionary use to benefit student tuition.
- The school with the highest percentage of registrations for Night of Hope will win $5,000.00 for the principal’s discretionary use to benefit student tuition.
As always, your generosity is greatly appreciated by your fellow Catholic school families in their time of need.
It's Bee Season!
No, not that kind of bee—spelling bee. Our 4th–8th-grade students will participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and it all begins with a classroom bee.
The classroom bee is a single-elimination format; the last two standing students from the class bee will represent their class at the school bee on November 15. The school bee is also single elimination.
The winner will represent SJB at the diocesan bee in January during Catholic Schools Week. There will be a second-place trophy, and that student will be the alternate for the diocesan bee. The diocesan bee is the qualifier for the regional bee.
The students have been given a spelling bee list to study for the classroom bee. Click this link to the spelling bee website. Click on “parents” and scroll down to the resources available to students.
Contact Theresa Harvey or Sandra Heffron with any questions or concerns.
Field Trip Chaperones/Classroom Celebrations
Fall field trips and holiday classroom parties are just around the corner. If you would like to participate in any of these fun events, be sure you have completed your Safe Environment Training (SET). Per the Diocese of Phoenix policy, any adult working with children is required to be compliant with SET.
Simply log into https://phoenix.cmgconnect.org to take the ONLINE course. The following link provides step-by-step instructions and contacts for additional assistance: 2022 Safe Environment Training Instructions.pdf
Winter Sports
Boys' Basketball & Girls' Softball
Boys’ basketball and girls' softball are starting soon! And we’ve made it easier for parents to complete the necessary forms by making them digital; no need to make copies! Just click SUBMIT and we’ll take care of the rest. Please click the link below and submit by October 21st.
And if you’d like to get a jump on that annual physical exam, below are the medical forms you may print and take to your child’s pediatrician or medical clinic. This is also due October 21st, 2022.
PLEASE NOTE: Coaches for 7th- and 8th-Grade basketball and softball are needed! Contact Mr. Caradonna if you are willing to help.
Love Art?
Want to Work in the Classroom?
Join us on Thursday, October 20 at 3:30 PM in the art room to discuss all things Art Masterpiece! We are looking for volunteers who would like to get involved in the classroom, have creative fun, and learn a little bit about art. Knowledge of art is NOT required, but make sure to get your Safe Environment Training (SET) up to date! Can’t make it? Email Ashton Kelly, PTO Art Masterpiece Coordinator.
On October 19, Zesty Zzeeks Pizza (4825 E Warner Rd, Ahwatukee) is holding a fundraiser benefiting SJB. Dine-in, take-out, and delivery orders all count. Just mention SJB when ordering in-store or over the phone. Use code ZZEEK15 when ordering online.
Trunk-or-Treat: One Week Away!
We are in need of some fun-loving folks who would like to decorate their car trunks and give out candy! This is your chance to dress up yourself and your trunk (nothing gory or scary, please)! There will be awards for 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-place winning participants! Click here to sign up your car!
SCRIP SHOP
Mid-Year Scrip reports have been completed and distributed to teachers. They will be sent home either today or Monday. Please check your youngest child's backpack for a purple paper. This report shows how much you have earned so far and what you need to earn to meet and exceed the $150 minimum obligation per family.
The Scrip office will be placing a bulk order for physical gift cards on Monday, October 17th at 8:00 AM. This is a great opportunity to order any physical cards through the RaiseRight app. Any cards ordered before 8:00am on October 17th will arrive at the school by Monday, October 24th for distribution to families.
You are always encouraged to order e-cards anytime through the app; the deadline above only applies to physical card orders. If you still need to enroll in the RaiseRight app, click here for detailed instructions
You are always encouraged to order e-cards anytime through the app; the deadline above only applies to physical card orders. If you still need to enroll in the RaiseRight app, click here for detailed instructions
St. John Bosco Catholic School Scrip Office
(480) 219-4848 x5108
Window Hours: Mondays 7:30–8:15 AM & Fridays 12:00–12:45 PM.
Yearbook Sale Extended!
Treering has extended the deadline for 10% off a pre-ordered yearbook to October 31st, in consideration of those affected by the hurricane in Florida. Click Here to purchase yours today! The passcode is 1013434873754555.
Click on this link for full details: Bricks4KidzFlyerStJohnBosco-Fall2-2022.pdf
- Sat., Oct. 22: Harvest Fest. & Trunk-Or-Treat
- Thurs., Oct. 27: Fall Free Dress Day
- Fri., Oct. 28: End of 1st Trimester
- Tues., Nov. 1: Report Cards Emailed
- Wed.–Fri., Nov. 2–4: P-T Conferences; Early (12:30PM) Dismissal
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.
PARISH NEWS
Kid in the Corner
Sunday, Oct. 23, 3–4:45 PM
Tuesday, Oct. 25, 6:15–7:30 PM
We will have two incredible opportunities to hear from Katy Keane, our own SJB Parent, and Francine Sumner, the founder of Kid in the Corner, a ministry dedicated to raising mental health awareness and preventing teen suicide. Please join us at St. John Bosco on Sunday, October 23rd from 3–4:45 PM in Classroom B100 or on Tuesday, October 25th from 6:15–7:30 PM in the MPR.
The activities and presentation will be very moving for all who attend, and could truly save lives. Registration is NOT necessary, and students in grades 6–12 are welcome to attend. Below is the link for more information about Kid in the Corner. https://www.kidinthecorner.org/about
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/ (below Principal Bescak'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.
