Catholic Schools Week Mass Hosting

To make the celebration of Catholic education even more special for Catholic Schools Week, we'd like to invite any 5th - 8th grade SJB students to host Mass at St. Benedict on the weekend kicking off Catholic Schools Week. There are two Mass times available to sign up for: Saturday, January 24 at 5 pm and Sunday, January 25 at 11 am. There will be four (4) slots available for lectors and ten (10) slots available for hospitality ministers per Mass. For more information or to sign your student up, please email Erin Holtgreve.

Spelling Bee

The St. John Bosco School Spelling Bee will take place on Wednesday, January 7 at 1:30 pm in the MPR. The champion speller of the school bee will represent St. John Bosco at the Diocese of Phoenix Spelling Bee held during Catholic Schools Week.

Congratulations to the classroom spelling bee winners:

4N Avery K., Abby R.

4R Andrew M., Ryan F.

5L Audrey W., Samantha M.

5W Landon J., Max H.

6D Evan B., Will M.

6H Jackson G., Adam T.

7B  Spencer B., Gregory J.                                                 

7W  Sean R., Nathan L.                                                                    

8B Isabelle A., Parker W.                                                        

8S  Kyla J., Christina L.

ACC Math

We have just finished our first trimester using the online version of ACC Math. As a school we have mastered over 5,525 learning objectives! Awesome! Teachers and students are both loving the online version. ACC Math is done with students in 3rd - 8th grades. 1st and 2nd graders may begin an ACC account if they have mastered all the fact fluency for Xtramath. ACC Math may be completed at home, on a computer or on an iPad. Students login to their AR/ACC account, but select Math instead Accelerated Reader, select their RIT group and work on practices. If they see a "Test" appear, complete the test first--this is how you master objectives. Objectives are individualized for each student depending upon their MAP scores. You can find how your student is doing by clicking "progress" at the top of the page and looking at the "Mastered Objectives." 

Here are the 2nd trimester goals for each grade:

• 3rd grade - 20 objectives
• 4th grade - 15 (new) objectives
• 5th grade - 40 objectives
• 6th grade - 50 objectives
• 7th & 8th grade - 40 objectives

Math Kangaroo Deadline Extended!

The deadline to register for the annual Math Kangaroo Competition has been extended to January 10! Math Kangaroo is a worldwide math competition for grades K-8. It is a great "intro" to the specific thinking-type questions that are part of math competitions. There are sample questions available on the website. Everyone receives a t-shirt, a certificate and a small prize for participating. Later in May, there is an awards ceremony for anyone who places at the state level. This year, the competition will be held at St. John Bosco on Thursday, March 19 at 5 pm. The registration deadline is January 10. The registration fee is $20 and you can register online. 

Diocesan Scout Retreat

Calling all Scouts! You are invited to attend the "Walk in the Son - 2015, Seek and You Will Find" Scout retreat on Saturday, February 7 at the Heard Scout Pueblo at South Mountain. Camping is available Friday and Saturday nights. Scout troops, packs, crews and families are welcome.

For more information, please go to phxdccs.org.

Leaders of Tomorrow Art and Poetry Contest

Seton Catholic Prep is accepting entries for the Leaders of Tomorrow Art and Poetry Contest, which celebrates Seton's 60th anniversary and honors the special gifts in all children set forth by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: Courage, Determination, Faith and Love. Open to all 6th - 8th graders. Students can earn recognition for themselves and their school, and WIN cash and other prizes. For more information on how to enter, click here.