Dear Saint James School families,

Happy Easter! Alleluia! I pray that your family had a beautiful Easter Sunday and a restful and joyful spring break. We are now in the “home stretch” and ready to finish strong! We have quite a few exciting events planned in the weeks ahead, and I look forward to celebrating our students' accomplishments!  

This year, we have made a special effort to provide moral and human formation to our middle school students. We launched our new House System, allowing students to build leadership skills and relationships across grade levels with peers. The six houses participated in regular “house lunches” and team-building activities. In March, the middle school attended a day at Camp Piomingo for a ropes course, challenging activities, and some good old-fashioned s’mores. 

In addition to the House System, we’ve also increased the amount of support to our parents and students with two evening sessions for seventh and eighth grade on Theology of the Body and human sexuality by the Family Renewal Project. These sessions, entitled “Animate,” focus on the identity and mission of each person as a son or daughter of God. Our fifth graders also participated with their parents in the Family Life Sessions. Next year, we will continue to provide opportunities for both our students and their families to grow in their understanding of the dignity of the human person and each person’s role in the amazing plan of God.  

We will honor our military families during April, the month of the military child. April 27 will be our second annual “Purple Up Day” at SJS. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to wear purple or our specially-designed T-shirt to honor all of our students from military families. Other activities that day will include special morning announcements, an obedience dog presentation and even a special purple snack! We are so grateful to all who serve and protect our country, most especially our military families at SJS.  

We will be giving our spring MAP tests during the first week of May. Reading, math, and language usage will be given on May 2 - 4. Please help your child do their best by ensuring they eat a nutritious breakfast and get a good night’s sleep. We ask that appointments be avoided on these three days, if possible. Make-up testing will be available the following week, if needed. We are proud of our students' hard work this year and look forward to their growth.  

We know that with several recent events in our area, safety has been on many people's minds. We want to assure you that this is a top priority, and we are currently planning and taking steps toward upgrading the security at SJS in a multi-faceted way. Though our school already has robust security measures, we hope to upgrade to the most current technology available to ensure our children's safety. On Tuesday, May 9, we will participate in KY Gives Day for the sixth straight year. We have had great success over the years with the 24-hour online giving event, and we hope this year will be the same. All funds raised will be used towards several security initiatives. This year, we have a $30,000 match and would like to raise an additional $30,000 on May 9. Keep an eye out for the video explaining more details of how we will use the funds raised. 

Thank you so much to those who responded to our communication survey. We are grateful for your feedback which will be considered as we make decisions and policies for next year. Stay tuned for more information in May! Please take time to review the rest of this newsletter, which highlights recent school activities and more important dates to come! Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. Know of my prayers for your family.  

In Christ,

Sister Mary Grace Watson, O.P.