SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of May 30, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL:  It’s hard to believe that tomorrow is the first day of June!  It seems just yesterday we were opening the doors to another school year.  As we wind down this academic year, it provides us an opportunity to give thanks to all that have given so much to the school this year: Our 23 8th grade students have blessed our halls during their time at SJF.  As they head their separate ways to high school to start the next chapter in their lives, we hope they return often to keep us updated!  

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of May 23, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL:  Friday was the perfect way to show our community spirit - From running many miles in the morning, transitioning to watching all the talent of our students (faculty and staff too!) and wrapping up the day with a community BBQ for a couple hundred of our friends - my heart was so full of joy to have our community back together again! A tremendous THANK YOU goes out to our Jogathon Chair, Erin McClaskey, our community BBQ team of Molly O’Neill, Holly Brewer, Kathryn Thomason, Monika Lussier, Virginia Adatto, Ashley Reese, Nora Jensen and Megan King and all parent volunteers for helping make such a memorable day for our community. Jogathon packets and collected money is due this Friday, May 27, and we should have some fundraising results at the end of the month. Thanks for your support!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of May 16, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: IT’S JOG-A-THON WEEK!! This is it, the jogathon is almost here! We are crossing our fingers for some dry weather (dare we even say, sunshine!) for the event!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of May 9, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: What’s that sound??? Why it’s Greased Lightnin’! Tonight and tomorrow night at 6:30pm our gymnasium will take you back to Rydell High where characters such as Danny, Sandy and Rizzo will bring you back to your youth. Families are welcome to attend this free production. Huge thanks go out to Mr. Vecchione, our music teacher, Mrs. Connie Loberg, our 2nd grade assistant and costume extraordinaire, and our 5th - 8th grade actors and actresses for all their hard work on this production. It’s not to be missed!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of May 2, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: Happy May!  We are officially on the home stretch of the school year. Yesterday’s May Crowning ceremony was a beautiful way to come together as a community to honor our Blessed Mother. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of April 25, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: This Friday marks our halfway point through the final trimester of the school year. As we wrap up these final six weeks of school, we have many reasons to celebrate: Monday, May 2nd, we honor Mary, the Mother of Jesus, by hosting a traditional “May Crowning.”  All students are asked to bring fresh flowers to the cafeteria on Monday morning. This celebration begins at 2:15pm in the church and all are welcome! 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of April 18, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: Alleluia! Jesus has risen! I hope you all enjoyed your Easter celebrations with friends and family this past weekend. From the moving Stations of the Cross to our upcoming First Communion this Sunday at 2pm, this time of year is always special for our students and parish.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of April 11 to April 18, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: Please read the SAM for our Holy Week Schedule at SJF School and Parish. On behalf of all the SJF Faculty and Staff, we would like to wish everyone a very Blessed and Happy Easter.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of April 4, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: After our reminder announcement last week of the volunteer hour requirement (updated to 20 hours per family versus 30 hours) we have had quite a few inquiries to the office looking for opportunities for families to complete their volunteer hour requirement.  Here are a few suggestions, organized by date, along with the name/email of the coordinator for those events: See full SAM

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of March 28, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: We are looking forward to hosting Grandparents and/or Special Friends at our school Mass later this month. In an effort to help space out attendance, we will be dividing guests via the student’s last name: Wednesday, 4/6: Students whose last name begins with A-L are welcome to bring a Grandparent/Special Friend to our Mass Wednesday, 4/20: Students whose last name begins with M-Z are welcome to bring a Grandparent/Special Friend to our Mass

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of March 14, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: Inspired by the faculty and students wanting to create a service project for those in Ukraine, tomorrow we will have a free-will offering “blue and yellow” dress day. Students are welcome to bring in any monetary amount in exchange for wearing blue and yellow and all funds will be donated to Caritas Internationalis, an organization that Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is supporting during this time. Here’s one appeal that CRS prepared together with Caritas Moldova: Caritas Moldova’s Caritas Internationalis Emergency Appeal includes eight collective shelters in and around the capital and the development of apartment-based accommodation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSWDVeKepMs The video clip above is very meaningful and age appropriate for all students so feel free to share with your child to give context around this service project. Cash or checks made out to St. John Fisher School is preferred as we will be sending 1 check on behalf of the school.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of March 7, 2022 - FROM THE PRINCIPAL: I would like to send out a HUGE THANK YOU to our SJF families and parishioners for coming out to support our 2 Days of Giving! Because of your generosity, we were able to exceed our goal, raising over $124,000 and secure the $45,000 match from the Catholic Educational Endowment Fund. Your donations will support school needs such as student tuition assistance, middle school electives, 8th grade graduation events and salaries for faculty and staff including instructional assistants and support staff. Thank you!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of February 28, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: Happy Mardi Gras!  As we enter the Lenten season, we invite you to join us for our Ash Wednesday student Mass tomorrow at 1:00pm.  If that time does not work for you, SJF parish will also host Mass at 9:00am and 6:00pm. Lent is a time for renewal for all of us. May the light of Christ fill our hearts, minds and souls with love and a spirit of passion as we continue to fulfill our mission to partner with families in educating our students to grow as Active Christians, Engaged Learners and Responsible Citizens.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of February 21, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: Thank you SJF community for your tremendous response to our “Golden Ticket Raffle.” I was anticipating we would sell out, but never thought it would be within 24 hours of opening up the raffle!  We will look forward to learning who the winner is this Friday after school.  

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of February 14, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: Yesterday was the start of our “Golden Raffle.” You are welcome to buy a $100 ticket for the chance to win a $5,000 tuition voucher to any Portland Area Catholic School or a $2,500 VISA gift card. Tickets will be available for purchase from February 14 – 24, 2022.  Only 100 tickets will be sold and tickets are selling fast! Tickets must be purchased by Thursday, February 24th, and the drawing will occur at 3:00 PM on February 25th. Raffle Tickets can be purchased at www.sjfauction.org

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of February 7, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: Welcome to the mid-year mark!  We have officially completed half of the school year and progress reports will be ready this Thursday. With our new Student Management System FACTS, we anticipate that we will be posting progress reports directly to your parent portal  Since this is our first time not sending home a “hard copy,” we will make sure to eblast all families so you are aware when they are ready for you to view. On Monday, St. Valentine reminds us of 1 John 4:16: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."  Students are welcome to dress in “Valentine theme” free dress (red, pink, hearts, etc) and classes will celebrate Valentine’s Day in their classrooms before dismissal.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of January 31, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: Happy National Catholic Schools Week! On behalf of the entire SJF faculty and staff, I would like to thank you for your commitment to your child’s Catholic education. As a mom of children in Catholic education myself, I recognize the time and financial commitment it takes to be an active member of the school and larger parish community. I wholeheartedly believe that the investment you make in your child’s educational career creates the platform for not only their academic success, but more importantly, a solid spiritual foundation. Thank you for being part of our family!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of January 24, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: As we plan for the 2022-23 school year we have been fielding many new applications for enrollment. We have to have accurate information from our current families regarding their intent to return before we evaluate these applications.  If you have not done so already, (you only need to complete the form once), complete the following Google Form by tomorrow, 1/26 to indicate your enrollment intentions for the 2022-23 academic year:https://forms.gle/2ULX82NrVVAdHM9Y8

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO -Everything You Want to Know Week of January 17, 2022 - FROM THE PRINCIPAL: In an effort to help ensure the health and safety of our community, we have decided that we will be pivoting from our auction fundraising event and will NOT have an in-person auction this February.  Look forward to more details regarding our fundraising efforts in the coming weeks.  

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO - Everything You Want to Know Week of January 10, 2022 FROM THE PRINCIPAL: Yesterday I sent quite a lengthy letter detailing the updated CDC guidelines so if you have not had a chance to read that, please visit your email. Our MULTIPLE layered mitigation strategies within our school (masks, cleaning, distancing in seats and at lunch, high quality HVAC system, air filters, testing on site as needed, staying home when ill, etc) all play into our ability to maintain a safe environment for all.  Thank you for all your work!