Dear Parents,
As I sit here today in my new “home office” like so many of you are, I struggle to comprehend where we are in our world today. At the same time, I am comforted by the fact that I am safe, that I am still connected to my faith and the community that is so dear to me and I am healthy. I assume many of you are having similar thoughts.
As we completed our sixth day of remote learning, I feel confident in saying that we have an amazing community of teachers and staff who have come together to do their very best to guide our students, to comfort them, to connect with them and to keep the learning moving. I pray that you have felt that same confidence in our plan. I want to remind everyone that we also have many support services still available to your daughters, including:
• Counselors: Our counselors are available by email and have come up with an availability schedule.
|
Skype Office Hours |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
8:30-10:30 a.m. |
Mrs. Banta |
Mrs. House |
Mrs. Banta |
Mrs. House |
Mrs. Brubaker |
|
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. |
Ms. Bruton |
Ms. Frazier |
Ms. Bruton |
Mrs. Brubaker |
Ms. Frazier |
|
12:30-2:30 p.m. |
Ms. Carlino |
Mrs. Elfert |
Ms. Carlino |
Mrs. Elfert |
|
• Pastoral Care: Sister Chris Pologa is available Monday through Friday, 8-10 a.m., for spiritual guidance.
• Campus Ministry: Alise Alexander and Mary Kay Alford are continuing with our Bible study courses, Wednesday rosary and Stations of the Cross by video and video conferences. Weekly devotionals continue, as well.
• Help Desk: Our Help Desk team has worked hard over the last week and a half to make sure each student has internet service at home and to fix as many laptops as possible. Many fixes have involved microphone or camera issues that are needed for remote learning. We ask that students email the Help Desk with issues, and someone will talk them through some quick fixes. For issues that cannot be fixed from home, we will have two days a week during which students can pick up a loaner without entering an SJA building. Email John Richardson at richardsonj@sjabr.org or Sharon Cashio at cashios@sjabr.org, or call 388-2289.
• Communications: Our Communications Department continues to post videos and pictures that capture SJA in its new form. They are presenting a “challenge” each day to students so they can be part of our new school day as well as hosting the prayer and pledge and other special announcements to the greater community.
• Administration: We are all available during the day to email, have phone conferences or Skype meetings with both parents and students. I have recorded and sent several video messages to the students just so they know we are still here and working on their behalf.
• Faculty: Teachers are taking and recording attendance each day (even though this has been waived by the state). Our teachers must also update a daily lesson plan log with information about their connection with the students. All faculty and staff are required to return emails within a 24-hour period.
We will get through this. Until then, I pray that you all stay safe and healthy. I also ask that you keep the senior class of 2020 as a special intention in your prayers. Having this happen at such a memorable time in their lives seems unfair. We are committed to trying to reschedule and creatively plan for each event as we are allowed by the Governor’s orders. Graduation is slated for Sunday, May 17, 2020. Nothing would make me happier than to hand each deserving student her diploma. I believe in the power of prayer.
I love what I do, I love who I do it with and I love that we do it together in the name of our patron, St. Joseph.
Sincerely,
Stacia B. Andricain
Principal
To comply with social distancing requirements and to ensure the health and safety of our students and those they serve, service opportunities have been cancelled for the remainder of the school year. Seniors who have yet to complete 50 or more hours in service this year but have done so each of the three previous years will receive the Service Award at Honors Convocation. All students are reminded that they must have service hours entered, verified and approved in www.x2VOL.com by Wednesday, April 1.
For additional information, contact Pastoral Care Minister Sister Chris Pologa (pologac@sjabr.org; 388-2202). She is available via email Monday-Friday, 8-10 a.m.
Monday, April 6, through Monday, April 13. As of now, school will resume on Tuesday, April 14.
Many school events were cancelled or postponed due to the suspension of on-campus classes. The administration, moderators and coaches will work to reschedule any event possible once we return on April 14. Events scheduled after April 14 have not been cancelled or postponed. We will wait to receive updated directives from Governor Edwards to determine how we can proceed with many of these events.
Please note that information included in this section is subject to change.
If your daughter has chosen Summer PE on her course selection form, you will receive an email from Dean of Academics Aubrey DeJohn with information about how to register for a session. Registration is still set to begin at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 6, but recent circumstances may cause us to push this date back. The cost for summer PE is $200.
If tax ID information is needed for your 2019 taxes, please contact Jane Pardi in the SJA Finance Department at pardij@sjabr.org or 388-2234.
If your daughter is graduating or otherwise leaving SJA, please submit your request for a Dining Hall account refund to support@odin-inc.com by Friday, May 8. You will be issued a reimbursement via ACH within seven business days. Please be sure to leave enough money in your daughter’s account to cover her Dining Hall expenses through the end of the school year. Refund requests submitted after the May 8 deadline may be delayed up to eight weeks.
Accounts for returning students will be frozen over the summer to prevent auto-funding. Accounts will be reactivated for the first day of school. If you would like to receive the balance of funds in your daughter’s account, please log into your My Kids Spending account, or contact support@mykidsspending for assistance. Again, please be sure to leave enough money in your daughter’s account to cover her Dining Hall expenses through the end of the school year.
Any parent requesting a refund is asked to be sure your ACH information is correct in your My Kids Spending account to avoid delays in receiving your refund.
The parents of departing students may choose to transfer account balances to a younger sibling, cousin or family friend. If you wish to transfer an account balance, please email Carlie Boone with the first and last names of both students.
If you have questions, please contact Food Service Director Carlie Boone (c.boone@sagedining.com; 388-2247).
With many families preparing meals at home and trying to keep their children engaged, SAGE Dining Services is prepared to help. SAGE developed a video series with easy, delicious recipes to prepare at home, instructions for various cooking techniques, nutritional guidance and even home food sanitation and hygiene tips. Click here for the first five recipe videos.
SAGE co-founders Tina and Paco Rodriguez hope these recipe ideas bring a little joy to your families during this difficult time.
We are collecting any uniforms no longer needed to be offered for sale at the Pass It On Used Uniform Sale on Saturday, May 30, 8-9:30 a.m., in the Mother Alice Hall Community Room. The Pass It On committee is collecting uniforms for this year’s sale. If you have uniform items that your daughter has outgrown, please consider donating them. Please bring uniforms to the Main Office in Mother Alice Hall before Friday, May 29. You may begin dropping off used uniforms beginning Monday, May 4.
We ask that parents pick up their daughter’s prescription and over-the-counter medications before the last day of school. We are not able to store these medications over the summer. Please direct questions to School Nurse Marie Vukovics (vukovicsm@sjabr.org; 388-2208).
At this time, we plan to host Sizzling Summer camps as scheduled this summer, but in this time of uncertainty, this is subject to change. Girls in grades 3-9 will enjoy athletics, arts, academics, enrichment and technology camps during the month of June. Click here for all the details and to register.
Open to rising freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors who are trying out for or are on any athletic team for the 2020-2021 academic year.
It is the mission of the Strength and Conditioning Program to maximize each SJA athlete’s genetic potential in every component of athleticism and decrease the potential for injury in an environment that is safe, fun, motivational and intense.
Dates: May 25-July 24
Monday-Friday
Time: 6-8 a.m.
Cost: $100
Questions: Liz Fontenot, MS, SCS (fontenote@sjabr.org)
You can register and pay on Shop SJA in early April. Please note that you must print and registration form and bring it with you on the first day you come to training.
Please be reminded that SJA does not sponsor senior trips.
The deadline to purchase a 2019-2020 yearbook is April 15. If you are unsure if you have already purchased a yearbook, click here. Select the Find Existing Order green bar, then enter your email address. The system only recognizes email addresses, not students’ names. Once your order is placed, you will receive a confirmation email from Herff Jones Yearbooks. Please direct questions to moderator Sara Rounds at roundss@sjabr.org.
The yearbook staff wants your pictures. If you have photographs from SJA sporting events, concerts, drama productions, afterschool events or other activities, we invite you to submit them for consideration and use in the 2019-2020 yearbook. Pictures should be uploaded to www.hjeshare.com. The school code is SJA.
The deadline to purchase a senior ad in the 2019-2020 Shield yearbook has been extended to May 1. Senior ad orders are placed through Herff Jones Yearbooks. Click here to see the options that are available. Please direct questions to Moderator Sara Rounds (roundss@sjabr.org).
Mark your calendars for Thursday, November 5, for The Soirée. Join us for music by Ned Fasullo and His Fabulous Big Band Orchestra, silent and live auctions and great food and drinks in the Academy Student Center. If you would like information about serving as a committee member, volunteering or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Assistant Director of Advancement Cydney Morris (morrisc@sjabr.org; 388-2270).
Save the date to join us on Thursday, May 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Kendra Scott at Perkins Rowe. Enjoy sips, sweets and jewels as Kendra Scott gives back 20 percent of all sales to St. Joseph’s Academy. Just in time to pick up something for Mother’s Day or for your favorite SJA or LSU graduate!
Each Wednesday at 7 a.m., Chapel at SJA. Parents, family members and Catholic High School students are welcome to join us. Please park on Broussard Street.
The Mission Advancement team joins the rest of the St. Joseph’s Academy community in praying for you and your loved ones’ health and wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We look forward to April 14 when we welcome our students back to campus.
We wish you a blessed, healthy and happy Easter.
Make your mark on SJA’s campus by purchasing a brick for your daughter. Engraved brick pavers are placed outside the Sister Agatha Dining Hall. For more information, contact Mission Advancement Assistant Wendy Coniglio (conigliow@sjabr.org; 388-2336). Click here to purchase your brick today.
Our Mothers’ Club membership drive begins in April for the 2020-2021 school year. As an incentive, the first 100 moms to join will be entered into a raffle for free tickets to our annual Mother-Daughter Brunch & Style Show. Please save the date of November 15, 2020, for this wonderful SJA tradition. We ask that you note that senior moms must be a Mothers’ Club member to participate as a model in the style show, so be sure to join by clicking here.
The Dads’ Club works in partnership with the school on a variety of events throughout the year. Some of the highlights of our involvement are class retreats, seniors’ last day, Open House and exam snacks, to name a few. Your membership dues, in combination with the profits from Dads’ Club-sponsored events such as Father-Daughter Day and the Sticker Scramble, benefit our daughters. Are you ready to join for the 2020-2021 school year? If so, simply click here.
It’s hard to believe how quickly this year passed, and with the events of the last few weeks, the year is certainly finishing in an unprecedented manner.
Graduation is just around the corner. Commemorate your Sticker’s wonderful milestone with a unique SJA keepsake from the Sticker Shop. Choose from a variety of items such as our new sherpa SJA embroidered blanket that you can personalize with a monogram, a ceramic plaque of the front gates, SJA jewelry, red beaded dorm blessing rings, an SJA coffee mug to study with in college, new cotton PJ bottoms to take to the dorm and much more.
Depending on the date for the resumption of school, Sticker Shop plans be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Our last day is May 14, though this is subject to change. Come visit us in Mother Alice Hall on Kleinert Avenue in room 116 or email us with questions at stickershop@sjabr.org. All major credit cards, cash and checks made payable to SJA Mothers’ Club are accepted.
With the statewide closure of schools, the spring sports’ regular seasons have been postponed until further notice. At SJA, these sports are golf, gymnastics, softball, tennis, and track and field. If schools reopen on April 14, the LHSAA will determine whether the spring season will resume and make plans for postseason play. We will communicate this information as it becomes available.
Please direct questions to Athletic Director Dorinda Beaumont (beaumontd@sjabr.org; 388-2290).
SJA students can grow in their faith through monthly mass, monthly Eucharistic adoration, annual retreats, weekly rosary, weekly Bible study, opportunities for reconciliation during Advent and Lent, mission trips and service opportunities. Various ministry clubs are available, including Student Ministry (juniors and seniors), Liturgy Committee, Praise & Worship Band, Liturgy Choir and Respect Life Club.
To comply with social distancing recommendations and to ensure the health and safety of our students and those they serve, service opportunities have been cancelled for the remainder of the year. Seniors who have yet to complete 50 or more hours in service this year but have done so each of the three previous years will receive the Service Award at Honors Convocation. All students are reminded that they must have service hours entered, verified and approved in www.x2VOL.com by Wednesday, April 1.
For additional information, contact Pastoral Care Minister Sister Chris Pologa (pologac@sjabr.org; 388-2202). She is available via email Monday-Friday, 8-10 a.m.
Please note that failure to turn in service hours by the deadline will result in a checklist. Seniors must complete their service requirements in order to graduate from SJA, and underclasswomen must complete their service hours in order to return to SJA the following year.
St. Joseph’s Academy is pleased to introduce a new program for the start of the 2019-2020 academic year. The Learning Center will provide free-of-charge assistance to any student needing extra help with math, science, English or writing. Also offered is peer tutoring in foreign languages and social studies by members of the National Honor Society and Beta Club. These student-led sessions are offered during lunch hours on Monday through Thursday in the library.
Math Resource is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays during all three lunch hours and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Learning Center classroom in the library.
Science Resource is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during all three lunch hours and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Learning Center classroom in the library.
English Resource is available Monday, Wednesday and Thursday during all three lunch hours and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Learning Center classroom in the library.
The Writing Center provides instruction, resources and support. Trained peer consultants help students gain competence and confidence as writers through one-on-one sessions.
After-school workshops are offered on a variety of topics. The Writing Center is modeled on university writing centers and is a place for all writers at any stage of the writing process.
The Counseling Center provides students the resources and support they need to be successful. Grade-level counselors support students during all four years at SJA. Two full-time college-advisors assist students with scholarship and college applications and provide each girl with as many choices for her future as possible.
Counselors hold quarterly grade-level meetings to discuss students who may need additional assistance and to identify those students who deserve special recognition for accomplishments. All teachers in each grade level collaborate on determining the practices which will best reach all students. In addition, counselors meet with every student at least twice a year to discuss college and career readiness.
|
Allison Hipwell Bruton ’95 |
Ellen Smith Frazier |
Mary Beth Elfert Class of 2020 Counselor elfertm@sjabr.org (225) 388-2281 |
FAFSA
Don’t forget to file your FAFSA as soon as possible, and please forward a copy of your confirmation to Mrs. Elfert at elfertm@sjabr.org. FAFSA is not only required for TOPS but is also used at out-of-state colleges (public and private). After filing, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). This is a paper or electronic document that gives you some basic information about your eligibility for federal student aid as well as answers to the questions on your FAFSA.
INFORMATION FOR GRADUATION PROGRAM
Ms. Frazier and Ms. Bruton are continuing to collect information on college acceptances and scholarships offered for the graduation program. Please have your daughter bring or email copies or phone pictures of this information, including the amount awarded for scholarships, no later than April 15. Copies of original documents may be made in the Counseling Center. Students are required to review and initial their graduation program entry by May 1, presuming we have returned to school on April 14. An email will be sent when the program is ready for their review.
FINAL TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM
A Final Transcript Request Form is due to the College Advising Center on April 15. This form is a formal request that we must have in order to send your daughter’s official final transcript to the college she chooses to attend.
RESPONDING TO OFFERS OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
May 1 is the nationally recognized deadline to respond to offers of admission to colleges and universities. Institutions that adhere to the Statement of Principles of Good Practice of the National Association for College Admission Counseling commit to holding a student’s position in the incoming class until that date. Students should inform the admissions office of their intent to accept or decline an offer by phone, email or mail to the admissions office.
INFORMATION SESSION ON COLLEGE ORIENTATIONS AND COURSE SELECTIONS
Mrs. Elfert plans to present general information about college orientations and course selection to all seniors in late April. Students will view course catalogs and course offerings online as preparation for scheduling college classes.
SENIORITIS
With our Continuous Learning Plan currently taking place, it’s important to stay focused. Grades still matter to colleges, so it’s important to keep them up. If your daughter has academic or personal concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Elfert.
Niki Banta
Class of 2021 Counselor
bantan@sjabr.org
(225) 388-2283
Prior to school closures, we asked all juniors to take the ACT in either February or April of 2020. As you probably know, the April test date has been canceled. As a result, we are modifying our request and asking those juniors who were scheduled to take the ACT in April to take it in either June or July. Students who were scheduled for the April test will receive an email from ACT with instructions for rescheduling for free.
College applications for the class of 2021 will open as early as this summer. I am continuing my college groups via Skype to talk about the various parts of the application. Your daughter should have her college list finalized by the fall. Her list should include Safety, Match and Reach colleges.
LSU uses the Common App for its admission application (commonapp.org). More than 900 other colleges use this platform. In addition to the application and fee, colleges will request a standardized test and a high school transcript. Each college has its own guidelines for admission and scholarships. Please visit college websites for the most reliable information regarding application and scholarships.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any concerns or questions. I miss my girls.
The fourth quarter has begun in an unprecedented way with online school, and sophomores are finishing up their second year at SJA. Report cards are now posted to NetSJA. If you have questions about your daughter’s academic progress, please contact me via email.
As of right now, finals are scheduled for May 18-21. We are currently working to reschedule our end-of-the-year activities. We will communicate new dates once they have been set.
We have been meeting in groups for college exploration. It’s not too early to begin college visits. I will continue meeting and talking to the girls virtually. Summer is a good time for visits, but you may also want to consider putting this on your agenda for the Thanksgiving break. College websites will list the information needed to register for a tour.
Lindsay Carlino '02
Class of 2023 Counselor
Carlino@sjabr.org
(225) 388-2225
The fourth quarter has started, and your daughter will soon be finishing up her freshman year at SJA. I am positive that none of us could have imagined that we would be thrown into this world of uncertainty and distance learning. Please know that your daughter’s teachers and I remain committed to providing the unparalleled support that SJA is known for throughout this period.
I will continue to hold my individual meetings via Skype so that every student has an opportunity to meet with me this semester. In addition, I will conduct virtual college and career group meetings for all students that did not get to attend a meeting this semester. By the end of the school year, each student will have met with me a minimum of eight times through individual, small group and classroom meetings.
Tutoring is still available to students in need of these services. To set up a meeting, your daughter should email the tutor directly to set up a Skype session for help. All tutor contact information can be found on the Learning Center Moodle page.
While being at home for an uncertain amount of time can be frustrating, I believe many great things can come out of it. I always seem to find myself wondering where all my time has gone. That has not happened in the last week. I have found myself being more productive with my “free” time than I have in years. Visiting with family and friends via Skype or Zoom, getting all of the “little projects” done around my house that I have had on my list since I moved in four years ago, meeting my neighbors (at a safe distance) as I go for walks and doing yardwork have all been great things that I am choosing to focus on right now.
It is my hope that you can use this time to build even closer relationships to your daughters. They are always so busy with school, afterschool activities, sports, service, etc., that it can be hard to find the time to catch up with each other. Now that they have no other choice and are “stuck” with you, it’s a great time to rebuild family connections that can at times dwindle. Just a few ideas that can be helpful: Play games as a family, work on home projects together, take walks around the neighborhood, cook dinner and pray daily together. I’m sure the girls would be thrilled to have me suggest this to you, but this is a wonderful time to share life skills with your daughters that they will need to have when they go off to college. Won’t they be delighted that I have encouraged you to engage them in household duties such as laundry, washing dishes and yardwork?
We might as well be productive with the beautiful time that we have been granted together. As I type that, I understand that those words may seem sarcastic. However, during my nine years of working with adolescents, one of the recurring themes that comes up is that they wish they had more time with their parents. While it may not seem like it at times, they really do want more quality time with you. Let us all look at this time as a blessing to build up those bonds together.
As your daughter prepares to take the ACT, we would like to provide you with information about test preparation classes. SJA does not promote any particular course; rather, we are sharing opportunities should your daughter want or need additional test-taking help.
SJA math faculty member Kevin Landry offers ACT prep courses on campus. Faculty members Cindy Downs, Brianna Sommers and Rhonda Baird are also on the teaching staff. Students may take individual content courses or the full program. Visit The Extra Point at https://extrapointtestprep.com/
Additional ACT prep opportunities are as follows:
Virtual school is under way at St. Joseph’s Academy.
Our faculty members are following our Continuous Learning Plan to ensure students are engaged and challenged as they learn from home. Faculty members are teaching from home, and effective March 23, campus is closed, with staff working remotely. Those who have business to conduct with SJA may do so by phone or email. Click here for a faculty/staff directory.
Parents, we will continue to communicate with you via email.