Spring Event Coming Up on May 7!
Sponsorships and tickets are on sale now for the 2016 Spring Event, which will take place on Saturday, May 7. Read all about the event and how you can be involved! Watch the video to learn all about the SmartLab.
Featured Article
Ruby Dummett, 6th-grade Teacher, To Retire After over 30 Years at St. James’
The amazing 6th-grade teacher Ruby Dummett has informed us that she plans to retire after more than 30 years of teaching at St. James’.
We will remain forever grateful to Mrs. Dummett for instilling in her students a love of literature, a confidence to speak publicly, and a sense of responsibility. Her tireless dedication to educating young people has produced generations of successful life-long learners. Indeed, Ms. Dummett can take credit for making a mark on the world. In the words one alum, “she is the best English teacher I ever had.”
A special request: Mrs. Dummett, who taught many current St. James’ parents, wishes to avoid fanfare, long good-byes, and the like. She desires to spend the remainder of the year giving her all to her last class of St. James’ students without distraction. In fact, Mrs. Dummett only reluctantly agreed to let us announce her retirement now instead of after Commencement. Thank you in advance for respecting her wishes.
A search for a new 6th-grade teacher is well underway, so stay tuned for another announcement.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misstated Mrs. Dummett’s tenure at St. James’; that error has been revised.
Announcements
UPDATED: Moms’ Night Out, May 20
Mark your calendars! The annual Parent Association-sponsored Moms’ Night Out will take place on Friday, May 20, starting at 6:00 p.m. Mexican Fiesta-themed this year, the evening should prove to be as much fun as in previous years. Tickets are $60 each. Get full details and sign up online now!
Dewar Tuition Insurance
If you have chosen to pay 2016–2017 annual tuition with no insurance and are interested, on second thought, in purchasing Dewar Tuition Insurance please view the pamphlet for additional information. If you have any questions, please contact Sue Periasamy or Najah Lowe in the Business Office.
Yearbook Photos Needed
As we count down the days to summer vacation, the Communications Office is asking everyone's help in getting the annual Yearbook ready for print. We would be most appreciative of your assistance gathering candid photos from this year.
If you have any digital photos of which you are particularly fond – either from your own collection or that you've seen from the Communications Office's online galleries this year – please send them to yearbook@sjsla.org. Some quick notes:
- It would help if you provided a short explanation of any photo you send (grade levels of the students included, what is going on in the photo, etc.).
- Be picky. Don't feel the need to send a ton of photos. A few really great shots would help us along without further contributing to decision fatigue. :)
- Please send only digital files; we don’t have the resources to scan and file hundreds of photos!
The Yearbook is a big project, so we would be most thankful if you could submit these prior to the end of the day on Friday, April 30. After that date, if you have photo suggestions from May events, please send them along to yearbook@sjsla.org as soon as possible thereafter.
Thanks in advance for your help!
S.T.E.A.M. Fair: May 26
The St. James’ Science Fair is an event that has existed for decades, but the fair has evolved to give students an opportunity to showcase their knowledge and interest in the growing S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) fields. We are calling all young scientists, techies, engineers, and math whizzes to participate in the fair by working on a project at home and displaying this project proudly at the S.T.E.A.M. Fair on Thursday, May 26, from 6:00–7:00 p.m. in St. James’ Hall.
Students from preschool through 3rd grade are invited to submit an Exhibit of Wonder display board. Older students are invited to conduct and report on a controlled experiment of their own design. (Only 4th- and 6th-graders are required to participate.)
For more, please review this information packet. You can register your child’s project online.
Lovable Labels Fundraising Drive to Benefit St. James’ Parent Association
With summer (and summer camps) approaching, don’t leave it to chance whether your child’s belongings can be identified and returned to them if lost! Every purchase benefits the St. James’ Parent Association.
Around Campus
First St. James’ Volleyball Game of the Season
It took some doing, but St. James’ has put together an amazing volleyball team! With some stops and starts after their first practice was rained out, the players had just one practice under their belts before meeting their arch-rivals, at the Center for Early Education.
Despite being two players down due to illness, the Huskies gallantly marched on the court with only 5 players to challenge the Center’s 6. With some solid serving and scrappy teamwork, St. James’ won the first game 25–22! The second game was neck-and-neck to the final play, with the Center pulling ahead to win 27–25. The third game was a tie-breaker – up to only 15 points. And although they fought hard throughout the match, our Huskies lost 9-15.
Coach Matthew and Jenn couldn't be prouder of their team's performance! They are looking forward to a rematch with the Center later on in May with a well practiced team at full strength!
Kindergarten & 1st Grade Lemonade Stand for Covenant House
Last Tuesday, two Kindergarteners in Mrs. Vermette’s class – Connor and Harold – opened a lemonade stand during Kindergarten and 1st-grade recess. The boys came up with the idea after noticing a surplus of lemons on a family tree. After some discussion as to which cause to share the profits, it was decided that the sale would benefit Covenant House. The sale netted a grand total of $66.90! Here's to Connor and Harold for thinking about a way to help out in our own community. Many thanks also to Caroline Chiles and Margaret Jacquemin for donating the items that were sold and especially for helping the boys during the sale. This is where service begins!
Reminders
Rowins Scholarship Applications Now Being Accepted, Through April 29
The Father Rowins Scholarship Fund was originally created to help provide financial support for current St. James’ families who have fallen on difficult financial times. Whether a spouse has lost their job, or their business has closed, or a family has suffered other financial hardships, these one-time gifts of financial support help St. James’ families continue attending the school. Current St. James’ families are encouraged to apply for a gift from the Father Rowins Fund. If you have received a scholarship gift from the Father Rowins Fund in the past, you are not eligible to apply.
If you are applying for Tuition Assistance from St. James’ for the 2016–2017 academic year, please contact Najah Lowe in the Business Office to discuss your eligibility to apply for scholarship fund support.
Please pick up an application in the front office or download the attached PDF to apply. Applications may be delivered to the school’s lock-box, located in the front office of the main school building, or mailed to Najah Lowe in the Business Office. Applications must be submitted by Friday, April 29.
Cinco de Mayo Festival: May 5
The Hispanic Heritage Committee invites students, parents, and faculty to join the fiesta and celebrate Cinco de Mayo with tacos and mariachis! At lunchtime on Thursday, May 5, authentic Mexican mariachi musicians will stroll through the playground, and delicious chicken or beef tacos and cheese quesadillas will be served.
$10 lunch plates, which include rice, beans, and a drink, can be ordered online through Thursday, April 28. The same-day price rises to $12, cash-only. Either in advance or on the day of, you can double the entree for only $5.
Hot lunch is cancelled that day, so don't forget to place your order!
Free Dress on Cinco de Mayo
On Thursday, May 5, students may wear red, white, or green – the colors of the Mexican flag – in lieu of their uniforms!
Volunteers Needed!
Help us warm tortillas, staff the salsa station, and hand out drinks at our Second Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta. Sixteen volunteers total in two shifts of 8. The first shift is 11:20 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.; the second shift is 12:40–2:00 p.m. Sign up online to volunteer.
SoCal POCIS Parent Voices Event for Parents, Faculty, Staff, and Administrators: May 14
The Southern California People of Color in Independent Schools organization, in conjunction with St. James’ Episcopal School and many other schools in the region, will hold an event called Parent Voices at Oakwood Secondary School (11600 Magnolia Blvd., Los Angeles) from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 14.
Come engage in conversations with parents from our sponsoring schools. Share experiences and engage in dialogue to effectively foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in our school communities. Learn best practices. Create new solutions. Build partnerships.
R.S.V.P. to the organizers by May 6. You can learn more from the flyer or by visiting the SoCal POCIS website.
Summer Book Fair: May 16–20
Looking for some good books to read over the summer? Visit our Summer Reading Book Fair in the Library Media Center from May 16–20, 2016, and find all the titles you will need to fill your summer with adventure and fun! View the poster. Sign up next week to volunteer.
2016–2017 Academic Calendar
The beginnings of next year’s calendar are available here. Holidays, breaks, days off, testing days, and other landmark days for the coming year are listed; additional information will be added periodically throughout the remainder of the year. The online calendars have also been updated with the same information.
Free ISEE Diagnostic Exam
Team Tutors of Beverly Hills has offered St. James’ parents free, full-length, proctored diagnostic exams on the following dates at 9:00 a.m.: April 16, May 14, May 21, June 4, June 11, June 18, August 6, August 13, and August 20. Please note that only the diagnostic exam is free; additional tutoring services may be purchased directly (testprep@teamtutors.com or 323-356-6160 ext. 3).
Similar ISEE tutoring services are also available from our very own Math Specialist Ed Hermeno and our former colleague Angelina Arrington, who is now the owner of Academic Savvy (323-252-9937) . For more information, please contact them directly.
Photo Galleries & Media
Calendar
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