St. John Bosco Catholic School is a Pre-K through 8th Grade Catholic elementary school dedicated to academic excellence, serving others and developing the whole child.
St. John Bosco Catholic School serves students and their families in the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Maricopa and other East valley cities. |
Catholic Education Arizona
Improving education is good everyone. For children. For our communities and families. For businesses and our larger society. When you redirect your tax dollars to St. John Bosco Catholic School through Catholic Education Arizona-through a simple tax credit that costs you nothing ($0)-your thoughtful act pays dividends now and years into the future.
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Greetings!
We continue to prepare! We will gather together one more time next Monday at 8 am in the courtyard for our Advent Prayer led by the kindergarten classes. Please join us as we prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord. Each class will also be adding to the Jesse Tree once during Advent and we will update the pictures for you.
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12/10/12 Informal Q&A in the library 6 pm to 6:50 pm
12/12/12 Spirit Day
12/12/12 PTO Meeting 6 pm
12/13/12 Winter Showcase - Jr. High Performing Arts 1:45 pm & 6:30 pm
12/14/12 Dads' Club Meeting 7 pm
12/20/12 Christmas Program 1:15 pm and 6:30 pm
01/27/13 Open House
02/01/13 Special Persons' Day
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Guidelines for Submitting Information for the BITE
Information you would like published in the BITE must be emailed to bulldogbite@sjbosco.org . Please include the date(s) you would like the information to run. Photos and pdf documents may be included in your email. Early submission is encouraged. Information received after 3 pm on the Thursday before the Monday publication you would like the information to appear in will not be considered for publication.
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This morning we gathered as a school community, led by Mrs. McCormick's kindergarten students, to celebrate the second Monday of Advent, the liturgical season that precedes and prepares for Christmas. Advent is a period of joyful expectation and peaceful preparation. Advent refers to "the coming of Christ into the world". The Gospel readings for the Second Sunday of Advent focused on the ministry of John the Baptist, tasked to "Prepare the Way of the Lord."
Wednesday, December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Please join our community in Mass at St. Benedict at 8:15 am followed by the Our Lady of Guadalupe Play led by Second Grade.
Thank you to Ella and Lexa's mom for forwarding an article that she found in the Catholic Digest. The article "Why young children belong at Mass" has some wonderful comments about how children learn from you when you attend Mass as a family. Thank you for sharing.
Informal Q & A is tonight in the Library beginning at 6:00 p.m. You are welcome to join in the conversation.
Mrs. Conner
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Winter MAP Testing
Students in grades 3-8 are currently taking the Winter MAP tests. Group results are available when all students finish all tests and reports will be sent to parents when they are ready. This is a good time to reiterate that the purpose of adding the Measure of Academic Progress testing to the school's evaluative and instructional tool belt. MAP testing provides teachers additional, timely information on what every student knows, and is ready to learn in the curriculum and to be able to watch for growth and adjust if the desired growth is not evident in testing. MAP results also allow students to gain responsibility for elements of learning, an educational best practice.
Adapting to this amount of timely information on every student is new and exciting for us as teachers. It is also overwhelming as we learn how to best implement mid-year changes in curriculum for some students. Even with more information, parents must always remember that every test is just a snapshot in time. NWEA does not consider winter assessments to be an official growth point because of the limited number of instructional weeks, but winter assessments are a useful barometer of student progress. (Locascio, 2012)
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Performing Arts Showcase is this Thursday
In our quest to educate the whole child, Junior High Students at St. John Bosco participate in a Performing Arts Elective. At the beginning of the year, they choose from Percussion, Strings, Drama, Guitar, and this year, Yearbook (as an end result of Graphic Arts). They meet weekly during the semester and learn the subtleties of performance, entertaining and how to speak with and project confidence. Twice each year they share their capstone project in the Winter (and Spring) Showcase. You can see the results this Thursday at 1:45 pm in the MultiPurpose Room.
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Christmas Program
The following week is the annual Christmas Program. Thursday, December 20 all students in grades preK-6 are part of the 12th Annual St. John Bosco Christmas Program. Students should be in their classrooms no later than 6:10 pm and the program begins promptly at 6:30 pm in the Church. There will be a reception in the MPR to follow.
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Christmas Program Reception
The Moms' Club will be helping with the reception immediately following the Christmas Program. We are asking families to bring dessert treats to be shared. Single serving pieces like Cookies, brownie bites, donut holes, and cupcakes all work best. Unfortunately pies and cakes can't be accepted because there is no way and no one to cut and portion them out. We ask that you bring in your single serving treats between 5-5:30 pm that evening directly to the MPR. This will allow everything to be set prior to the program so everyone can enjoy.
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SJB Staff and Specials' Teacher Christmas Collection
It's that time of year again and we're starting to think about Christmas and gift giving. For those of you who are thinking about gifts for the Staff and Specials Teachers, this might help you with your planning. We realize that each of us cannot contribute as much as our heart desires, but combined we are able to provide a nice gift to those teachers and staff who do not have a homeroom parent to organize it. In keeping with this tradition we are taking up a Christmas collection that is strictly voluntary. Click here for the Flyer.
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$50 Scrip Gift Certificate or Front Row Seats
Have you made your Catholic Education Arizona (CEA) contribution or plan to do so in the next few weeks? If so, you are eligible to enter into our annual raffle for front row seating at our Christmas Program or a $50 scrip gift certificate, the choice is yours.
Turn your tax liability into scholarship funds for an SJB student. It is easy, costs you nothing and it is the right thing to do. Confused? Have no idea what we are talking about? Click here for your free, downloadable, step by step guide on tax credits in AZ. Or contact Lisa Watson for more information. 480-201-5967 or lwatson@sjbosco.org. Contribute online today. Or, mail in your contribution using this form: English or Spanish.
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Christmas Program Volunteers
Mrs. Jording needs a few volunteers to help with the Christmas Program next week. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (December 18-20) morning from 8:45 - 9:30 to help move items over to the church. If you are available at these times, please email gjording@sjbosco.org.
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Parent Snack Shack Volunteers are needed
Parents are needed to help students with selling concession stand items, restocking, inventory, scheduling, cash register balancing and learning to make change properly. Everyone loves the snack shack, but we need an adult to oversee when students are working. To view the SignUpGenius.
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Used Uniform Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed to sort, organize and set up for upcoming used uniform sale. Contact Dorothy if you are interested.
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Volunteer of the Month
Congratulations to Nathalie Wilda for being selected Volunteer of the Month for December. It was noted that Nathalie "was PHENOMENAL with helping for Winter Wonderland. Not only did she help for the entire set up on Friday night, but she also blew up every balloon and made beautiful balloon arch we had at the front of the school. She then came back Saturday morning to help finish the set up. And, to top it all off, she ended up being "Mrs. Claus" and taking over the kitchen management duties when one of our committee members had to go home with the stomach flu. I asked her to step in to that position at the very last minute and she did so with a smile on her face and did an absolutely fabulous job! She even cleaned the kitchen (and every pot, pan, and utensil) until they were cleaner than when we arrived." Nathalie is awarded the Volunteer of the Month parking space at the front of the school for the entire month of January.
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The holiday season is now in full swing! Check out the new items we have in house just for the Christmas season: $5 Barnes & Noble, $5 Starbucks, $10 Target, $10 Wal-Mart. In stock for a limited time: $25 Shutterfly, and iTunes $15 and $25 cards.
Special Christmas promotion. We have 25 cards from Bath & Body Works that have an extra 50 cents loaded on them. The card value is $10.50 but you only pay $10!
We only have 20 more 2013 Harkins cups left! These cups cost $5 and are refillable for $1.50 at Harkins Theaters during 2013.
See's Candy: Did you forget to place your order for See's candy? No worries. We have extra boxes just for you. For only $5 ($6.50 suggested retail value), you can purchase a cute Jolly Snowman box or Holiday Fancy box filled with 5 ozs. of yummy See's candy. These are a great way to say, "Thank You" to the people around you while earning $1.60 towards your Scrip earnings.
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Moms' Club
Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers who made the Winter Wonderland a huge success!
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Dads' Club
Calling all Dads! Our next meeting is Friday, December 14th. The meeting begins at 7pm in the MPR with a short synopsis of recent Dads' Club activities (no more than 1/2 hour) followed by poker. Please bring your favorite adult beverage. Pizza and snacks will be provided.
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PTO
The mission of the PTO is to provide and foster Christian communication, Catholic values, and goodwill while serving and supporting the SJB families and school. Join us for our next meeting on Wednesday, December 12th, 6pm - 7pm, in the conference room.
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Advisory Board
The next informal Q&A with administration and Advisory Board members is Monday, December 10th at 6:00pm. All are welcome.
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Advent Prayer
Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a wonder at the wisdom and power of Your Father and ours. Receive my prayer as part of my service of the Lord who enlists me in God's own work for justice.
Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a hunger for peace: peace in the world, peace in my home, peace in myself.
Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a joy responsive to the Father's joy. I seek His will so I can serve with gladness, singing and love.
Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me the joy and love and peace it is right to bring to the manger of my Lord. Raise in me, too, sober reverence for the God who acted there, hearty gratitude for the life begun there, and spirited resolution to serve the Father and Son.
I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, whose advent I hail. Amen.
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A Christmas Carol
Ahwatukee Children's Theatre presents "Christmas Carol". Shows on Dec 14th, 15th and 16th. Call (480)705-9319 for tickets or visit www.azact.org for more information.
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 Christmas Fun Please join us on Saturday, December 15 at St. Benedict Parish for an evening of Christmas fun for the whole family! This event is completely free and open to all. Festivities include:
- Chili & Corn Bread
- Dessert Bar
- Hot Chocolate Bar
- Christmas Sing-A-Long
- Fun Family Photo Booth
- Christmas Story with Fr. Gary
Dinner will be served immediately following the 5 pm St. Benedict Mass outside so dress warm. We hope you will join us for this inaugural Christmas event. |
 Las Posada Journey as Family this Advent season as we go on Las Posadas in Nogales, Mexico. Las Posadas is a re-enactment of Joseph and Mary's Journey seeking a room to rest for the night. The Bi-National Posada is scheduled for Saturday, December 15th in Nogales, Mexico. A festive meal will follow the Posada at the Comedor run by Kino Border Initiative. This is a wonderful holiday tradition and we hope you and your family will consider joining us. For more information about the event please contact Patrick Mooney at pmooney@stbenedict.org or 480.961.1610 ext. 307. |
Support the Fine Arts at Seton!
Join us for food and fellowship at Culver's of Chandler (SWC Ray & 101) to help support the Seton Fine Arts Association (SFAA). Dine at Culver's anytime, December 6 - 13, and Culver's will donate 10% of the total sales to the SFAA. Proceeds raised will benefit our drama, dance, art, ceramics, film and stagecraft students directly. A 10% Flyer must be presented at the time of purchase. Thank you for your support!
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St. John Bosco Catholic School, a Ministry of the Parish of St. Benedict
St. John Bosco Catholic School 16035 S. 48th St., Phoenix, AZ 85048
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