January 29, 2021 PARENT NEWSLETTER Greetings from the Dean's Office!
It has been quite the school year so far, but we have officially passed the half-way point academically, with the conclusion of the first semester last Friday (more on grade reports below from Mr. Batson). We are excited to have begun our process of returning to "normal" on campus, with 90 students currently on campus. Many of those students started attending in-person classes this week, and we plan to return to athletics next week. Our students and faculty seem to be hitting their strides with hybrid-learning and we are optimistic that the second half of the year will bring on great successes.
Sincerely,
Steve Lachut Dean of Students
IMPORTANT NOTES From the Assistant Headmaster
We are so excited to welcome students back to campus. Though our classes are not full, to see students strolling the hallways and across campus is so encouraging to everyone. What is also remarkable is that one semester is now behind us. Combining COVID protocols with a new semester system has certainly created a new rhythm to the school year, but I still find that time has passed very quickly. This will be an intense semester as we do not have scheduled breaks, but we have built in "half day" weeks once every month.
Mrs. Martirano has work exceptionally hard to ensure that our grade reporting is accurate given the change to semesters. A lot of work went into changing the report cards, so my heartfelt thank you goes out to her for taking on this project. Semester grades should be available by 5 pm on January 29.
To access grades, sign in to Blackbaud. Find your child's name in the upper left corner. Click on the "Progress" tab. Under "Performance" find "Report card" – click this. Click "Semester 1 report card."
Now that the semester is complete, Mr. Harry and I will start to meet with the students regarding class schedules for next year. Mr. Harry will be meeting with classes of 2022 and 2023. I will meet with those in the classes of 2024 and 2025. AP selections depend on recommendations from teachers and approval from department heads. In some cases, AP teachers may ask for a short diagnostic test to check for readiness. If you have any questions about course choices, be sure to reach out to me or to Mr. Harry. SCHOOL STORE From the School Store Manager
Be sure to check out new items in the online school store! Featured in the photo is a classic embroidered crewneck sweatshirt. Show off your Saint James pride with our selection of apparel, glassware, ties, hats, scarfs, and much more. We even have Saint James face masks!
Visit www.stjamesschoolstore.com to start shopping. QUICK LINKS Saint James School |