THE BLUE JAY FLYER

F rom the Principal’s Desk... September 25, 2019

Who do you say that I am?

Dear Parents,

This morning I attended Mass with grades 6-8. After Mass, the candidates for Student Council spoke. Their comments were fairly simple and direct. One of my thoughts after listening to them was they all want to be of service to the school. Even at this level, this desire says a great deal. Our students, who desire to have leadership positions, want to be servant leaders.

This Friday the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul. This saint was, and through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, continues to be an amazing example of servant leadership. His commit- ment to serving the poor has persisted for five centuries.

If we take seriously our Mission and the opportunities we have to serve the poor, the lonely, the needy and the forgotten, we are becoming like St. Vincent de Paul. We herald God’s love when we take care of one another.

The Gospel for this Friday reminds us when Jesus questions his disciples, “Then he said to them, but who do you say that I am?” (LK 18-22). Jesus is asking his disciples to recognize, acknowledge and fol- low him as the Christ. He is asking them to join him as a servant leader. Later he reminds them that they, too, must take up their cross and follow him.

As we continue this school year and as we choose Student Council leaders, may we always be choos- ing to be servants. This week I encourage you to talk with you daughters and sons about what it means to be of service. Perhaps get in touch with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and see what they need. When we choose to act as servant leaders, we are answering Jesus” question. Who do you say that I am?

Sincerely, Daniel A. Minelli

PTO Dine to Donate Sunday, September 30 11:30am-9:00pm Dine in or Carry-Out

Pebble Creek Restaurant will again be donating 10% of all food sales to St. John the Baptist School. This includes Dine-in and Carry-out orders. All proceeds go directly to our Student Enrichment Programs.

You must tell your server that you are dining for St. John the Baptist School.

Make sure to purchase your Pebble Creek Gift Cards through Shopping Cents at mass this weekend and our school will earn even more money!!

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UP Calendar of events Curious Why the Library is Having a SPECIAL Fall Book

Sept 27 PTO Kickball Tournament Fair This Year? 6:15pm Athletic Fields The St. John the Baptist Library is very excited Sept 30 Mass Grade 3 8:30 am to welcome local award winning author, and Miami University graduate, Jeff Alt, to come Oct 1 PTO BRINK for a Cause 6-9 pm speak to our students this winter! Not only has Jeff Alt written 6 award winning books, but he is Oct 2 Interims Sent Home also a hiking and camping expert, and a talented speaker! He has shared his Oct 3 PTO High School Info Night inspirational "Lessons from the Trail" 6:30-8:00pm Church presentation with thousands. He has also SHOPPING CENTS FILLED hosted the annual Sunshine Walk, 5K Run and Roll for over 20 years, raising over half a million Oct 4 GRANDPARENTS DAY dollars to support people with developmental Fall Book Fair Begins disabilities. His best selling Appalachian Trail Blessing of the Animals 2:00 pm book, A Walk for Sunshine, won first place in the National Best Books Awards, and his new Oct 7 Mass Grade 7 8:30 am National Parks children's series, The Adventures of Bubba Jones are captivating Oct 9 Mass Grades 1-5 8:30 am readers of all ages.

The funds from the St. John's Fall Book Fair are Oct 10 Walk-a-thon needed to cover the cost of this exciting author visit for our students, so please consider generously supporting the book fair and your In-house School children's love of reading! Find more information about Jeff Alt at: www.jeffalt.com. Supply Store

Our in-house bookstore is a great Volunteers Needed! service for the students who need to replenish school supplies such as notebooks, pens, We are looking for volunteers to enter reward pencils, erasers, gluesticks, etc. In addition, it is also codes from Coca-Cola products. Codes can a great opportunity for our 8th graders to learn be entered online or scanned from your phone. responsibility and leadership skills. Our school earns money for each code entered. If you are willing to help, please St. John’s has three bookstores for our contact the school office at 385-7970. students. One is located by grades 3/4, one by grades 5/6, and one in the junior high hallway. They are open each day before morning announcements. Vision and Hearing Screenings Check out the available supplies and prices on our website located under the Parent Info section. Students in first, third, fifth and seventh grades will have vision and/or hearing screenings performed over the next few Shopping cents orders will be filled on Thursday, weeks as required by state law. If your child does not pass the screening, the school nurse October 3rd. Order forms will come home in the Blue will send home a letter to share the results Jay Folders next week or can be printed from the and make a recommendation. If you have school website. any questions, please contact Mrs. Elise Hochhausler at 699-6978.

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High School Open House Schedule Taking Photos of Students at School

Mercy McAuley Sunday, Nov. 10 1-3:30 pm Parents/guardians who volunteer/visit the school are asked to please refrain from Mount Notre Dame Sunday, Nov. 3 1-4 pm posting on social media photos/videos of students other than your own children without St. Ursula Academy Sunday, Oct. 27 1-3:30 pm that parent’s consent.

Ursuline Academy Saturday, Nov. 2 10 am-1 pm According to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Sunday, Nov 3 1-4pm Social Media Policy, “Employees, clerics, and volunteers are forbidden to post or

distribute personal identifiable information Badin High School Sunday, Nov. 3 1-4 pm including pictures of any child under the age of eighteen without verifiable consent LaSalle High School Sunday, Nov. 10 1-4 pm of a parent or guardian.” St. Xavier High School Sunday, Nov. 17 1-4 pm Andrea Argus Scholarship

Moeller High School Sunday, Nov. 3 2-5 pm Did you know that St. John’s faculty and staff donate $2 each week to Roger Bacon H.S. Sunday, Oct. 27 1-3 pm wear jeans and pink on Spirit Days? The money collected during the year Purcell Marian H.S. Sunday, Nov. 3 2-5 pm provides the funds for the Andrea Argus Scholarship in memory of Mrs. Argus, our Elder High School Thursday, Nov 14 5-8 pm longtime school secretary who passed away after a long courageous battle with cancer. Bishop Fenwick H.S. Sunday, Nov. 10 1-3 pm The scholarship will be awarded at graduation to two 8th graders, one boy and one girl, who will be attending Catholic high St. John’s Received $1,498.72 schools. From Kroger Rewards Program

Are you a Kroger shopper? Do you have a Kroger Plus Save your Ink Jet Cartridges card? You can help St. John’s continue to earn FREE money when you link your Kroger Plus card to our St. John’s is fortunate to have a fundraiser school! for our computer lab that costs us nothing. We are paid $1.00 to $2.00 for empty ink jet Go to www.krogercommunityrewards.com to register. cartridges. We can use ONLY INK JET, no Use the St. John ‘s code of 80216 or search for St. laser printer cartridges (Anything bigger John the Baptist –Dry Ridge. Verify that you are linked by than 5” X 5” is too big)! Please ask family, checking the bottom of your Kroger receipt. It will show neighbors, friends and businesses to start St. John the Baptist as being assigned for rewards. saving for you now. A box for collection is located in the computer lab and in the Save your Aluminum Pull Tabs church’s bell tower. You may also send them into school. Thank you for your Please save your aluminum pull tabs for the Ronald continuing support. McDonald House of Greater Cincinnati. We have a little blue and white striped house outside the school office for the tabs. Someone will deliver them to the Ronald McDonald House a few times a year.

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Please Join Us! **The PTO General Membership Meeting on Thursday, Oct 3 will now be held in the church St. John’s PTO from 6:30-8:00pm. See flyer in this weeks BRINK for a Cause Blue Jay Folder for more information about

Tuesday, Oct. 1st our “High School Information Night” with guest 6:00-9:00pm speaker Maria Schweikert, former Admissions 5905 Hamilton Ave. Director at McAuley High School. Cincinnati, OH 45224

One dollar from each pint sold on October 1st will go directly to student enrichment, student activities, and supplies for our school. Please be sure to show your flyer (paper or electronically from your phone) at the event in order to ensure that your beers contribute to the cause!

St. John the Baptist PTO invites you to

High School Information Night Grandparents Day will begin in the church with a Thursday, October 3, 2019 prayer service. Pews will be marked by color for 6:30-8:00pm each grade level. Grandparents with multiple children should sit together with the youngest St. John the Baptist Church child’s grade.

Presented by Dan Minelli and Maria The schedule for the day is as follows: Schweikert, former Admissions Director at McAuley High School 9:30-9:50 Prayer Service in Church

Learn more information about: 9:50-10:30 Music Program *High School preparation 10:30-10:45 Refreshments (Right side of church) *Open House Dates for all Catholic HS Visit classroom (Left side of church) *HSPT prep and test

*Application Process 10:45-11:00 Visit classroom (Right side church) *What Catholic HS are looking for Refreshments (Left side of church) *Merit based scholarships *Other awards 11:00 Dismissal: This year we strongly *Need based Financial Aid encourage students to stay at school. No students in grades 4- *The most important issue is “Best Fit” 8 will be dismissed at 11:00. for your child Classes will resume at this time.

We will have our annual Animal Childcare will be provided. Blessing at 2pm.

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Check out these CANDY BACKBONES! In conjunction with their science unit on the human skeleton, fifth grade students Eighth grade students recently built models of the human backbone completed their upcycle art projects, using licorice laces, tube shaped pasta cardboard sandals made from cereal and gummy lifesavers to represent the boxes. Senorita Moore allowed them to spinal cord, vertebrae, and cartilage. wear their new creations during

Our in-house school supply stores opened last week. The three locations are open each day before morning a announcements. This great service for the students who need supplies is also an opportunity for our 8th graders to help the school and learn responsibility. Our little Pre K engineers figured out how to build an apple tree using only a cardboard tube, craft sticks, and pom-poms during this fun hands-on STEM activity.

Ms. Witzgall's second graders are hard at work Mrs. Seller’s first graders recently writing letters to their pen pals at another solved a breakout challenge with the Catholic school in Chicago. Ms. Witzgall and a help of Mrs. Flick’s 7th grade former classmate from University of Dayton accelerated math students. came up with this great idea for their students!

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