It has been a rough couple of weeks since we came back from Christmas break with lots of sick kiddos! I know I am still trying to catch up from being out sick too.  I just want to remind families of the homework policy. 

If your child is Absent, they have one additional day for each day they were out to complete make up work. 

Late Work goes down a grade for each day that it is late. Late work will not be accepted after 2 weeks of the due date. 

ALL GRADES ARE UPDATED ON GRADELINK AS OF TONIGHT (including all projects). Please check gradelink with your child weekly to make sure that they are not missing assignments. The trimester ends March 11. 

*Graded work goes home on Wednesdays. Please go over all graded work with your child. If you get a low grade alert, please look for that assignment in their graded work folder and go over it with your child before scheduling a re-take.  Many students are not returning their graded work files signed by a parent so they are unable to bring their graded work home. *


Chaperones Needed for our trip to Mission San Diego de Alcala on Monday, February 29th.  Please sign up on the sign up link attached. 
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0d4aafad29a57-volunteer
There are a few more volunteer opportunities where we could use your help! Please sign up if you're available. 

Paint Shirts~ We will be using acrylic (non-washable) paint for our gala art piece.  Please send it a "paint shirt" for your child to wear over their uniform by the end of the week if possible!

California Missions Project~ we are starting our biggest research report of the year on the California missions. Information went home yesterday with your child. Please read it over, sign it, and send in the bottom half.  This is a predominately in-class research report. Students will have one (rough draft) paragraph due at the end of each week. They should be able to complete this in class, but if they are absent or do not use their class time to the fullest, they may have some homework on Thursday nights.  Students will be responsible for putting the final draft of the report together at home before the due date 3/11. 

I know not everyone got their first choice of mission, but I can confidently say that each mission is unique and interesting and each child will be very proud of their report when it is complete! Thank you for your encouragement and support on this topic. 

Mandatory Parent Meeting~ The 4th grade will be going on an overnight field trip to the Lazy W Ranch  this spring. I need to meet with the parents to discuss the field trip. The meeting is Tuesday mandatory and will take place March 15th at 6:00 pm in the 4th grade classroom. Please make every effort to attend. 

School Supplies~ It is that time of year when school supplies begin to dwindle. I have several students a day telling me that they do not have a pencil.  The supply that we need the most are dry erase markers. We use them every single day in math. There are many students who have not had expo markers for a long time. Students also really need to have earbuds for their iPads.  PLEASE check in with your child and make sure that they have the supplies that they need. 

Spirit Wear! Information on spirit wear went home this week. Get yours today! It's for a great cause!! 

Friday—January 29, 2016 (Family Appreciation Day)

• 8:00am Grandparents Mass & Reception. Please extend an invitation to the grandparents in your children’s lives to join us for this mass.

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HW Planner is off this week-  I apologize for the confusion! It has been a busy week and we are behind, so many of the homework assignments have been changed this week.  Each afternoon before pack up I've asked students to take careful notes on their homework planners so that they know what is due the following day. 
Tonight students have math textbook pgs. 208 & 209 odds
Science centers (to finish if not done in class)
and Wednesday Writing Journal
No grammar
Please keep an eye open for their RAFFLE TICKETS that went home today!


Catholic Schools Week is next week! We have a lot going on for this busy week of celebration. 
Sunday is Open House from 8:30-11:00
Students that attend mass in their school uniform will receive a free dress pass for Monday. 
Monday is student appreciate day! We have some fun things planned to let the students know that we love and appreciate them! :)
Tuesday is SJA appreciation day. We will be doing a school family activity and have the Spelling Bee.
Wednesday is parish appreciation day - students will make cards for the parish staff and book marks for the parishioners.
Thursday is community appreciation day - we will be having a school supply drive for a sister school in the diocese – All students are asked to bring in a ream of white paper. We will also be visiting the adoration chapel. 
Friday is family appreciation day - we have a special mass for grandparents and we invite them to tour the school after mass. 

Book Reports- students should be finishing up their biography books and taking notes while they're reading! Page numbers need to be included on note-taking sheet. The students know that they should not be using other resources (like the internet) to find out information about their biography person. They should be practicing taking notes from the text.  Reports are due next Thursday!

Rosary Today~ The whole school prayed The Rosary together this morning for Isabelle Oldham.  Please keep their family in your prayers this week. 

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Mission Report and Project: everyone always remembers 4th grade as the year they learned about the missions~ it is a huge part of our curriculum! Next week we will start to prepare for this month long research project.  On Monday we will be choosing missions for our reports. If there is a special mission that your family is connected to or that you plan on visiting and you'd like your child to do their report on it- please let me know before Monday and I will do my best to accommodate :) Look for information going home about this project next week (to be signed by a parent). 

Party! The 4th grade has been working hard this year to earn a class party. Last week they finally accomplished this goal! They've voted for an hour long recess. This will take place on Friday afternoon of this week. 

Stay Healthy~ We have had so many students out since we've come back from break.  Please make sure your kiddos are getting lots of rest and are washing their hands! 
Also, please keep in mind that make-up/late work gets graded last and it can take up to a few weeks for me to get caught up. Especially with big projects due. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Spelling Bee- is this Tuesday at 1:15~ 4th grade representatives are Niko, Xani, Pierce, Kyan and Alex

Geography Bee- Pierce, Liam, Miley, Matthew and Zoey did an awesome job representing 4th grade at the geography bee last week!! 
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Coming Up
Chapter 3 science test next Friday
Book report due Thursday
Math quiz This Friday AND next Friday (on customary units of distance, weight, and capacity)

Spell-a-Thon- This fund raiser will take place January 20, 2016! I hope you are collecting those pledges for this successful academic fundraising even! This is a unique way to raise funds for our school while promoting academic excellence. Spell-A-Thon packets were sent home before the Christmas break but can also be found on the school website under Fundraising. Thank you in advance for your support and participation! - KEEP IN MIND that this will be considered a graded spelling test for 4th grade because they are all review words from this year.  

No School- next Monday to celebrate Dr. MLK Jr.

Math Test Tomorrow!

Students should be working on their Book Reports! Directions went home last week and are also posted on my website. Reports are due January 28th. 

Open House- is coming up on Sunday, January 24th. Students and families are encouraged to attend! This kicks off our Catholic Schools Week. 

Invitations for our 6th annual Father/Daughter Dance were sent home this week with your daughter. I hope many of you will enjoy this special evening on Saturday, February 6th from 7-9 p.m. in the parish hall. Please RSVP via your check, or cash in an envelope with your name on it, to the classroom or the office. If you have questions please contact Erin Dionisiou at loulouob@mac.com or at 714-747-4055. Thank you, Erin, for taking over the coordination of this wonderful event!

Extra Special School Family Activity! This year during our monthly School Family Activity the SJA student body is focusing on acts of service. Each month we are focusing on a different cause to help our community and allow us to live our faith through kindness and service.
This month, St. James Academy is joining the Red Shoe Crew to support Ronald McDonald House Charities® of San Diego in honor of the Grimmer family on Friday, January 15th! St. James Academy is helping Ronald McDonald House Charities® of San Diego provide a “home away from home” to families with children undergoing treatment for serious medical conditions at local hospitals. This Friday, students will participate in activities that encourage them to help others. The Grimmer family are long-time supporters of the Ronald McDonald House and this is a charity dear to them. We are excited to honor them in this way.

Red Shoe DayDuring Family Activity: Students can write words of encouragement on a poster of Ronald’s shoe. The poster will be hung at the Ronald McDonald House the following week to let families in need know that St. James Academy students care for them. Students can also decorate pictures of Ronald’s shoes. These pictures will be included in Welcome Bags given to every family when they check into the House.

Fit to Lead Newsletter ~ Speck vs Log

"Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?" Matthew 7:3


Anytime we work together with others, there will be conflict.  Sometimes conflict comes from within, other times it comes from those outside your team or the circumstances you face.  Conflict is not a bad thing, it is neutral.  What matters is our response to conflict.  Jesus tells us "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33  Through the Holy Spirit, God pours His love into our hearts (Romans 5:5), with His love empowering us we are able to RESPOND IN LOVE in any and every circumstance.  We call this having an Unoffendable Heart!  

The first 3 weeks of January, students are intentionally being put in situations where there is an unfair advantage or disadvantage to their team.  Our natural response when something is unfair is to complain or get frustrated.  The challenge for each student is to choose to respond to the situation in a positive way - choose to love, to be creative, to be flexible, to persevere, to encourage and share wisdom with their team.  Choose to focus on yourself and your own team, instead of the other team or tough circumstances.  That's the response of great leaders and successful teams when they face conflict of any kind!

Check out pics of the action on our PE website!    stjamesphysicaleducation.shutterfly.com

If you didn't get a chance to see the SJA Student News, take a minute to check it out! I've been working with Junior High on this fun project this year! :)