“Let Me Be As Christ to You”

This is a line from one of my favorite songs, “The Servant Song,” and will be the theme of the 2009/2010 school year. It expresses a quality already so apparent to me in the St James community. You are a warm and generous people in a beautiful community and I am excited to be a part of it. Thank you for your gracious welcome.

That being said, can you believe it is the middle of August?! I hope you have enjoyed a relaxed summer break and are (almost) ready for the new school year. We are hard at work getting ready for you.

Please check our website for dates, forms, supply lists, uniform information and much more. A few items of note follow.

Some reminders:

Forms: All school forms are available on the website beginning August 15. They are due into the office no later than September 4. Students will not be admitted to school on Tuesday, September 8 if all forms are not completed and in the office.

Live Scan: All parents, guardians, grandparents, relatives, or friends who wish to volunteer at school events, drive on field trips, or help in the classroom, MUST be fingerprinted through the Live Scan Program. All volunteer coaches or aids over the age of 18 must be fingerprinted. Please see the information flyer and form on the forms page of our website. For your convenience, Live Scan will be on our campus the first day of school, August 31^st from 7:30-10:30am. Volunteers will be required to pay a fee of $62 at the time of fingerprinting. The time frame for live scan response could be anywhere from 48 hours to a week. All results are sent to the SD Diocese Office of Schools. I will receive a confidential phone call from the Superintendent if there is an issue or concern with the report. I would then contact you and make you aware of the report content and, if necessary, alternate arrangements will be make regarding your volunteer capacity. If you do not hear from me, you can consider yourself cleared. It is REQUIRED that this clearance be on file before you can volunteer in any capacity. Once approved by Live Scan as an SJA parent, you will not have to go through the procedure again while your children attend a Catholic school in San Diego County.

Something new: A warning bell will ring at 7:55. Students will be expected to be in line, ready to begin the school day at 8am.

Some dates:

• August 31: First Day of School (please have your student meet his/her teacher on the blacktop between the school and the field), 8:00am Parent’s Coffee in the Hall, Noon dismissal
• September 4: All forms due to school office, First Friday Mass, Noon dismissal
• September 7: Labor Day-No school
• September 10: Back to School Night-Adults only 6:00pm in the hall

Enjoy these last few weeks of August. I look forward to meeting all of you soon.

Mrs. Dunn