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FI Lion Line 9.11.26
A Message from the Head of School
Dear SJCA Families,
Today was a special day on our campus as we took time to remember and honor the heroes of September 11, 2001. Our scholars and staff filled the halls in their most patriotic spirit wear, and what a beautiful reminder it was of how grateful we are to be part of a community that values service, sacrifice, and an unwavering love of country.
Throughout the day, our teachers took time to speak with scholars about the events of September 11 in thoughtful, age-appropriate ways. While the details of that day may look different depending on the age of our scholars, the lessons it left behind are timeless.
These lessons included discussions of the perseverance, demonstrated by the men and women who continued to serve in the face of unimaginable circumstances. It was a time to reflect on courage, not only of our first responders and heroes on the scene, but also of the families who waited, hoped, prayed, and endured. And we honor the strong sense of citizenship, as Americans from every walk of life came together to support one another, and stand united as one community.
These are more than lessons from our nation's history. They are qualities we hope to cultivate in the hearts and minds of our scholars each and every day.
It is a privilege to teach these lessons alongside you, and I am deeply grateful for our SJCA families, teachers, staff and scholars who make this such a wonderful servant-hearted community.
God bless our heroes, God bless our SJCA family, and God bless America.
With gratitude,
Carole McCullough
Head of School
Patriot Day: Honoring Our Heroes
Today, our Upper School scholars honored the heroes and the lives lost on September 11, 2001.
At 7:30 a.m., our scholars stood united in the halls of SJCA for the Pledge of Allegiance, the National Anthem sung by our chorus, and a moment of silent as one of our scholars played Taps.
As we remember 25 years ago, may we never forget the unity our nation shared on 9/12.
Mrs. Niessner's Kindergarteners Will Never Forget
SJCA is Ready to Win Big!
The SJCA team is bringing the spirit! Dressed in their favorite college colors, our faculty is ready to kick off a winning year together. From friendly rivalries to plenty of team pride, it’s always fun to see which teams our Lions are cheering for!
No matter the colors we wear, we’re all on the same team at SJCA. Go Lions!
Classroom Corner
Scholars in Mrs. Morrison and Mrs. Jacoway's 5th grade classes explored how distance from the Sun affects how bright the Sun appears.
Students built a model solar system and observed the Sun’s brightness from each planet. They then used their observations as evidence to determine which planet would be best suited for a solar-powered planetary rover.
Students had fun being scientists while practicing how to make observations, gather evidence, and support a scientific claim!
Mrs. Stanley's scholars are excited to check out books from their class library!
Meteorologists in training! Scholars in Mrs. Holdiness's class observed different types of clouds in the sky and then drew and labeled them. They wrote sentences to describe the weather that day.
Our 6th–12th grade scholars had the opportunity to hear from Special Agent Patterson with FDLE and Detective Ellis with CCSO for an important presentation on Internet Safety.
They discussed ways to stay safe online, make responsible choices, and protect themselves while using technology.
Parents, if you would like to learn more about protecting your child online, please visit NCMEC.com for helpful resources and information.
Creating, Exploring, and Learning in the Grammar School Art Room!
Our Grammar School scholars are hard at work in the art room, exploring new techniques, learning about influential artists, and developing their own creative voices. Each grade level is engaged in exciting projects that encourage creativity, observation, and artistic expression.
Kindergarten scholars are putting the finishing touches on their abstract paintings using oil pastels and watercolor. They are exploring a variety of lines and learning about the primary and secondary colors.
First-grade scholars have been learning about symmetry and created beautiful symmetrical butterflies. They also explored the process of printmaking and are using watercolor pencils to add color and detail to their artwork.
Second-grade scholars have been inspired by the work of Claude Monet, with a special focus on his famous water lily paintings. Through their exploration of Impressionism, they learned how artists can use color, texture, and light. Our scholars are applying these ideas to their own Impressionist-style paintings using oil pastels and watercolor resist techniques.
Third-grade scholars are focusing on still-life artwork. They are learning how artists carefully consider composition, light, space, and the arrangement of objects when creating a successful still-life composition.
Fourth-grade scholars are traveling back in time as they explore the art of ancient China. They are studying traditional Chinese landscape paintings and learning how artists create a sense of depth by incorporating foreground, middle ground, and background. Scholars are also experimenting with watercolor techniques to create different values, adding dimension and visual interest to their landscapes.
Fifth-grade scholars are studying the Renaissance and exploring the dramatic use of light and shadow through a still-life project. Their work focuses on chiaroscuro, an Italian term describing the strong contrast between light and dark. Renaissance artists frequently used this technique to create drama, depth, and a sense of three-dimensionality in their paintings. Our scholars are applying this technique to their own artwork as they explore the relationship between light and shadow.
We are so proud of the phenomenal work our scholars are doing in the art room! Their beautiful artwork will remain in the art room throughout the school year. Each scholar will also create an art portfolio to take home at the end of the year. We are excited to showcase their creativity and hard work at our student art show toward the end of the school year!
Homecoming Week: 9th - 12th Grade September 28th - October 3rd
Carline, Carline, Carline!
As we continue to grow, we want to continue to communicate our carline procedures to help traffic move as smoothly and efficiently as possible while welcoming more than 100 new scholars to our school this year.
Our biggest priorities are scholar safety and an efficient carline process that keeps traffic moving and helps everyone get through morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal as smoothly as possible.
Morning Drop-Off
Building access begins at 7:00 a.m. Scholars should not enter the buildings before 7:00 a.m. If your scholar arrives before 7:00 a.m., they must wait outside the cafeteria or in the courtyard.
All Grammar School scholars dropped off with their Upper School siblings must wait un the cafeteria until 7:25 a.m.
For safety reasons, scholars may not play basketball or use school facilities before or after school unless they have received specific permission from an administrator.
We ask families to follow their designated morning drop-off time whenever possible. We understand that work schedules and other circumstances may occasionally require you to adjust your arrival time.
- 7:00–7:10 a.m.: Upper School only
- 7:10–7:25 a.m.: Upper School and Grammar School
- 7:30–7:55 a.m.: Grammar School only
Approved Turn Lane
The designated turn lane is reserved for:
- Staff
- Seniors who drive themselves
Gold Pass holders (auctioned off later in the year)
Yellow Placards (carpool)
Safety Patrol scholars who are assigned to morning duty
Safety Patrol scholars who are not assigned to morning duty should use the regular carline and enter through Canova.
Afternoon Carline
Please do NOT park in the grass along Canova while waiting for your carline to begin. These areas are posted as No Parking areas. In addition to creating traffic congestion, vehicles waiting along Canova create a significant safety concern.
If you have a Yellow Placard, you may occasionally be asked to join the regular carline before your number has been entered if the bus lane becomes backed up. Please know that this is being done to help you get through carline faster while keeping traffic moving safely. Moving into the regular carline when directed will help prevent the bus lane from becoming congested and allow everyone to move through dismissal more efficiently.
If you have a Yellow Placard and are not picking up 3 or more scholars that day, you must use the regular carline and enter through Canova.
Afternoon YMCA Update
Beginning Thursday, September 10, scholars attending the YMCA will be released to the YMCA at 3:20 p.m. instead of 2:55 p.m. This change will provide more structure during dismissal and help reduce the number of scholars in the cafeteria and hallways.
If you need to pick up your scholar before 3:20 p.m., please use the regular carline with your carline placard.
Thank you for helping us make carline safe, efficient, and as quick as possible for everyone. We truly appreciate your partnership and cooperation as we continue to grow our SJCA community.
Respectfully,
SJCA Administration
Lions Council News
Skate Station Spirit Night
Join us for a fun night at Skate Station in Orange Park on Friday, September 25th from 5:00–7:30 PM! Enjoy special Spirit Night pricing—$9 skating or $13 unlimited (in lines extra). Pay at the door!
And we’re continuing our class prizes! The class with the most participants will win a sweet treat as a special prize!
1776 Enroll today!
A pledge to the 1776 Promise is a meaningful way to invest directly in our teachers and the excellence of education at SJCA. If you're already enrolled in recuring giving, please take a moment to make sure your payment information is current, and if you haven't joined yet, we invite you to give at an amount that feels comfortable for your family.
Attention Lion Athletes!
Lion Lunchroom
Fundraisers
👻🎃 BOO GRAMS ARE COMING! 🎃👻
Help support our fourth grade scholars to purchase science experiment materials and raise money for the end-of-year field trip!
Send a sweet Halloween surprise to a scholar, friend, teacher, or staff member! 🍬🦇
Boo Grams are $1 each or 12 for $10 and can be purchased through MySchoolBucks. You scholar will receive a Boo Gram sheet in their Tuesday folders.
🧡 Orders due: 10/28
👻 Boo Grams delivered: 10/30
Spread some spooky fun and Halloween kindness throughout our school! 🎃🍭👻
After School Clubs
K-5 Co-Curricular Schedule
Pre-Order Your Yearbooks
You won't want to miss the lowest price of the year! 2026-2027 yearbooks are available for pre-order now for only $50 (+ a service fee). Go to yearbookordercenter.com to order!
You can also now share pictures of school events such as sports and field trips with us for the yearbook using the link below!
FortifyFL
FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows you to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials. You can submit a tip anytime. A downloadable training presentation about this tool is available on our website, under FortifyFL.
