Monday Mail July 19, 2021
COVID-19 Protocols for 2021-22 Earlier today you should have received an email from me highlighting the COVID-19 protocols for the upcoming school year, as set by our new Superintendent, Pierre N. Antoine. You may read his letter here. To summarize, SBA will be observing the following protocols for the 2021-22 academic year: We plan to use virtual learning sparingly this year. As a general rule, students should plan on being back in the classroom on a daily basis. However, learning from trial and error over the past year, we can see where remote learning would work well for retreat days, or extended weather closures. Any virtual learning days would be communicated in advance. If your child has a medical reason for virtual learning this year, please contact me by Friday, July 23, 2021 to set up a time to discuss. Wearing facial coverings for our students will be a parent/family decision. We regard each parent as the primary educator and trust your decision on this matter. Faculty and staff will also be making that decision for themselves. We will observe a minimum of 3-feet of social distancing in classrooms and all common areas. We will continue to encourage the use of hand-sanitizer and desk cleaning each class period. Our dining hall will be without the plexiglass dividers, but we will observe a limit of four students per table. We will continue with extensive night-time cleaning and disinfecting of all areas of campus. We will be returning to our standard daily schedule, with the tardy bell ringing at 7:45am and dismissal most days at 3:00pm. Every Tuesday (except in August and May) will dismiss at 2:20pm to allow our students to pursue an extra-curricular activity outside of sports. There may be additional modifications to the schedule for professional development. We will make those known in advance. There is nothing is more important to us than keeping our community safe. As we have operated since the beginning of the pandemic, we will modify our plans to continue to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and families while on our campus. God Bless and Go Eagles! Sondra Morris, Principal
Used Uniform Sale - Volunteers Needed! The 2021 Used Uniform Sale is coming up Saturday July 24th . Volunteers are needed for shifts on "item drop-off day," as well as during the sale and after for item pick-up (when items are not sold). This is a great way for incoming Freshman class parents to dive in and get involved at SBA. Plus, volunteers get the first look and pick of the sale items! If you can please sign up here.
Download Your Books for Fall! Last week, we sent out schedules for the Fall Semester. You will receive a more detailed schedule in August, complete with teacher names and class periods, but this version has all the information you need to order your student's textbooks. A complete list of materials needed and where to find them is on our website. Please visit www.sbaeagles.org/bookstor for details.
Make Sure You Have Your Laptop All returning students should have picked up their laptops by now. If you have not, please contact Mitzi Donato at: donatom@sbaeagles.org.
Alumni Block Party - Classes 2017-2021 Help us spread the word! SBA is hosting a block party at the rotunda from 4:00pm-6:00pm on Sunday, August 1st for the past 5 graduating classes. There will yearbooks available for the class of '21. Live music from Generation Gap (Frontman is alum, Joseph Ferrante) and sweet treats from The Dream Machine (another SBA family, the McClures). This will be a great chance for one more visit to the Nest before embarking on new chapters this Fall!
Faith at St. Benedict St. Francis of Assisi Parish Picnic - August 21 The Knights of Columbus at SFA are hosting a family picnic on August 21st from 1:00pm - 5:00pm. Brings chairs and a cooler - they will provide the burgers, hot dogs, fries and fruit. Come for a fun afternoon of fellowship, friends and family.
Diocesan Multicultural Festivals As part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration, the Diocese is hosting its first ever multicultural festivals. Learn more by watching Bishop Talley's brief video. Saturday, August 28, 11am-7pm (St. Louis Church in Memphis, TN) Saturday, September 11, 11am-7pm (St. Mary's Church in Jackson, TN) Saturday, September 11, 6:00pm-9:00pm (Immaculate Conception in Union City)
SBA Weekly Sports Report Lady Eagles Soccer Team Fundraiser The Lady Eagles Soccer Team, in partnership with Funds2Go, is collecting gently used and new pairs of shoes. A fundraiser for the club, the shoes will eventually be sold by micro-enterprising families the world over. Over 70% of the global population uses repurposed shoes and clothing. Having access to sell this inventory is one of the most effective ways to lift families out of poverty in devastated economies. Please donate by August 20 we will share details about a rotunda collection day soon!
2020-2021 Tennessee Statewide Sports Awards Show Nominees Congratulations to the following students who were nominated for the Tennessee Statewide Sports Awards:
Lucy Garry - Female Bowler of the Year Riley Martin - Male Bowler of the Year Catherine McCulley - Leadership Award Sean Mullen - Female Tennis Player of the Year
Student News Senior Parking Spots - Break Out Those Brushes Class of 22: That long-awaited tradition of painting your own parking spot has finally arrived! Spots are available for $100 on a first-come, first-serve basis. Email Amy at sbahomeandschool@gmail.com to reserve yours by August 1. Painting will take place on August 5 and 6. There are spots available in the senior and junior (first row) lots. Don't miss out!
Be An Eagle Club - Spread The Word About The Nest! It is time to apply for Be an Eagle Club! This second-year club aims to provide prospective families with resources that will make their transition to SBA easier and show them what a great place The Nest is through the creation of social media content and our unique buddy system. This selective club is a great resume builder because you will demonstrate leadership, organization, and punctuality as well as getting the chance to learn (or strengthen) your social media marketing skills. Any rising sophomore, junior, or senior with the prerequisites listed above are encouraged to apply. If you have any questions, send an email to beaneagle@sbaeagles.org!
Apply Here
Summer math and reading assignments have been posted. These are required assignments. Math will be due the first full day of school. If you have questions regarding the math, there will be a Q&A session in room B217 on Wednesday, August 4th from 5:00pm - 7:00pm. For reading, students must have completed their assigned book by the first day of class. There will be an assessment (5 long answer questions) that first week. Students will also write a summer reading essay - that assignment will be introduced by the second week of class.
Summer Math Assignments
Summer Reading Assignments
Algebra I
For all SBA Students
Rising Algebra 2
For AP English Language (Juniors)
Rising Geometry
For AP English Literature (Seniors)
Award certificates for both 2020 and 2021 are available in the office. Please be sure to stop by during our summer hours (posted below).
Mark Your Calendar Used Uniform Sale The used uniform sale will take place on July 24th (with drop off day on July 23rd and pick up day on July 25th). More information on exactly how to sell/consign your used uniforms can be found on Quicklinks on the website, or here.
SOAR Day We are only about a month out from SOAR (Student Organizations and Registration) Day. Mark your calendars for August 9th . This is your opportunity to learn all about life at SBA. Need to figure out how to load your child's account for the Eagle Cafe or purchase your 9th grader's PE uniforms? Maybe you want to pick up some goodies from the Spirit Shop or join the Home and School Association. If it has anything to do with life at SBA - you can find out more at Soar Day. We will post applicable paperwork and details to the website and share on social in the coming weeks.
SBA Football Camp - Rising 3rd through 8th Graders Join Coach Joey Magnifico and the SBA Football team for camp this July. Register, or check out our full camp offerings at www.sbaeagles.org/sbasummer. July 23rd and 24th 9:00am - 12:00pm $125 per camper
Register
Academic Bootcamp for Incoming Freshmen SBA will offer Summer Prep Boot Camp for incoming freshmen to strengthen their skills in English and math. English will cover basic skills in grammar, composition and literary techniques in preparation for freshman English class. Math will cover remedial fractions, decimals, integers, and equations in preparation for
Algebra 1. The deadline to register is July 19th. Contact Dr. Fischer with any questions. Camp dates: July 26th - 30th $100 for one academic area (English OR math) $175 for both academic areas (English AND math) English 8:00 am - 10:00 | Math 10:15 am - 12:15 pm
Register
Meet The Teacher Night We don't think you will find a better group of educators than we have at St. Benedict. In fact, we are so proud of them that we would like to show them off. Come meet your student's teachers on Wednesday, August 25th at 6:30pm. More details to come!
The Catholic Diocese of Memphis Eucharistic Congress This year we are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of our Catholic Diocese of Memphis. The theme for our Anniversary is That All May Be One. To commemorate this momentous celebration, a Eucharistic Congress will be held October 8th - 9th , 2021, at the newly renovated Renasant Convention Center in downtown Memphis. A Eucharistic Congress is a gathering of clergy, religious and laity to bear witness to the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the sacramental presence of Jesus under the forms of bread and wine. Please join us.
Did You Know? PlusPortals PlusPortals will be down for scheduled maintenance through July. If you indicated during enrollment that you wished to have a PlusPortals account, log-in information will be coming soon (but we must have the correct primary email address for your student on file). If you need to check or update your primary email address, or wish to sign up for an account, please contact Mitzi Donato at donatom@sbaeagles.org.
Quicklinks We talk a lot about Quicklinks on the website, but we realize that they can be hard to find! Quicklinks live on the homepage. You can access them by clicking on the small gray box (pictured circled in yellow) on the scrolling banner on the homepage. We put timesensitive and current information there, as well as things like the current year's school calendar or forms you need easy access to. Of course, anytime you have questions on where to find something, feel free to call the office or contact us at communications@sbaeagles.org.
Home & School Association Volunteers Needed! Thank you to those who answered our call for volunteers! We are still in need of a Teacher Treats Co-Chair, and Honor Society Reception Coordinator. Learn more at www.sbaeagles.org/homeschool.
Middle School Enrichment Programs Parents of middle schoolers: Starting this fall, SBA will be offering STEM enrichment to 7th and 8th graders and Honors Math for 8th graders. Classes will be from 7:00am - 7:30am and are free of charge. Please visit our website for more details on the schedule, requirements and how to register your child.
New Social Media Submission Form We want to shine a light on the great things that happen at SBA every day - as well as the amazing accomplishments of our esteemed alumni. But just like it takes a village to make our community so amazing, it takes help from all of you to tell our story. Please use this form to let us know what you want to share - for social media accounts and for our printed publications. Let's tell the world what it means to be an Eagle! You can find the social media and publications form on Quicklinks at the website.
Driver's Permit - Certificate of Attendance Needed Did you know that a certificate of attendance is required for a student to get a Driver’s Permit? You may pick up a form in the front office during our summer office hours. Please have the student's Social Security Number to complete the form.
Summer Office Hours and School Calendar
The office at St. Benedict will be observing the following summer hours: Monday - Thursday: 8:30am - 2:30pm Friday: 8:30am - Noon Other times are available by appointment. The 2021-2022 School Calendar is available on Quicklinks on the website.
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God Bless & Go Eagles!