FI_Lion Line_8/8/25

We're excited to start another great school year! To get ready, please read through this newsletter, which is FULL of helpful information for every parent and scholar. The Lion Line comes out every Friday and is the best way to stay informed.

Please keep an eye out for a video message from our Head of School Carole McCullough next week, which will welcome you back to campus and provide important updates.

We strive to do what we know to be right despite fear, hardship, and opposition. We resist negative peer pressure, defend our rights and the rights of others, and encourage others to do the same.

Before coming to school on Monday, please review the car line maps, times, and instructions.

Car line procedures will remain *almost* the same as last year; however, the addition of the gym does require a few changes.

There will be NO loading or unloading in front of the gym. All unloading and loading will still occur in between the academic building and the multipurpose building (cafeteria).

If your scholar needs to get to the gym building for class, he or she will get out of your car, walk around the multipurpose building (in front, near the flag pole), and wait at the crosswalk in between the multipurpose building and the gym to cross. Staff will be there to assist.

At the end of the day, all upper school scholars (including sixth grade scholars) will be dismissed to the front of the cafeteria building where they await their ride, same as usual.

At the end of the day, fifth grade will dismiss to car line from their cocurricular class, which is strategically scheduled for the end of their day, and will go to assigned outdoor stations as usual.

Placard updates

Kindergarteners will have blue car line placards so staff can identify young scholars who may need a little extra help getting in or out of the car or getting to their room.

Safety Patrol now has green car line placards. Please speak with Mrs. Hancock to ensure you have the correct placard.

Car pool placards are now yellow.

Upper school scholars (6-12) will be issued an orange car line placard (as pictured below). The placard does not have numbers on it or connect to Silent Dismissal; however, it will allow staff to make sure you are in the proper car line. If you try to arrive outside of your designated car line times, you will be asked to leave and come back. (Times listed below).

If you have questions or need to get a car line placard printed, please email Dismissal@stjca.org.

1. Arrive from Old Hard Road.

All parents must arrive at the school coming from Old Hard Road. Do not drive through the CR 220 intersection coming to the school during car line, unless you have a car pool tag.

2. No Early Birds.

Our biggest problem in the afternoon is parents arriving early for upper and grammar school car lines and it backs traffic up onto Canova Road and blocks traffic from going through car line.

Do not arrive on campus or line up along the road near the campus prior to your designated time.

• For upper school dismissal, do not arrive earlier than 2:23 (12:23 on Wednesdays).
• For grammar school car line, do not arrive earlier than 2:55 (12:55 on Wednesdays).

If you arrive early for grammar school car line, you'll be asked to leave to make room for upper school parents still arriving and trying to get through.

We don’t have room for “early birds.” You must be right on time!

3. Place your vehicle in park when loading and unloading scholars.

4. Stay off the phone.

5. Never park in the ditch or road - that means you are too early!

6. Listen to all directions given by staff.

When you drop off upper school scholars, the car line flow will change depending on what time you arrive. If you plan to drop off your scholar between 7:00-7:10am, you'll do so by going through the bus loop - in front of the cafeteria. You'll pull up as far as possible before you unload scholars and leave.

Car pool and Safety Patrol drop-off use this bus loop as well. Please note, car pool and safety patrol have special car line placards that must be displayed to use this lane.

Upper School Scholars

If you drop off your upper school scholars later, between 7:10-7:25am, you'll go around the big loop - which means you'll drive behind the cafeteria - forming two lanes. You'll drop your scholars off once cars are lined up in front of the Academic Building.

Grammar School Scholars

The grammar school car line starts at 7:25am. You'll form two lanes, go around the cafeteria, and pull up alongside the Academic Building. Once there is a full row of cars lined up and parked, SJCA staff will indicate "Unload" and your scholar can get out of the car and walk to the sidewalk.

Please note, parents should NOT get out of the car. For the first few weeks of school, we'll have extra staff and safety patrollers outside to walk our youngest scholars to their class, if needed.

Once scholars are safely to the sidewalks, SJCA staff will tell you when it's time to move out.

When you reach the gate, you'll zipper merge - meaning you take turns - to exit the parking lot.

Depending on traffic, you may not be able to make a left out of the parking lot towards 220. Our school resource officer or staff will direct you. Please follow their instructions.

You can arrive at the parking lot to pick up your upper school scholar at 2:23pm - no earlier. Dismissal occurs through 2:55pm.

You'll form two lines, go behind the cafeteria, and then you'll merge into one lane. Scholars will be outside watching for their car. Once everyone is loaded, you'll be directed by staff to exit.

Grammar school dismissal starts at 2:55pm. No earlier.

Please have your car line placard hung up so staff can read your number. Once your number is entered, your scholar's classroom receives a notification, and the scholar goes to one of several supervised stations outside, which will correlate to where your car will be parked.

Once cars are in place, staff will blow a whistle to indicate "loading time." Parents should not get out of the car.

If your scholar isn't outside when you pull up, staff will assist. You'll go through the car line and park just outside the fence (on the left). You'll provide your car line placard number and they will get your scholar and walk them to your car.

Staff will indicate when it's time to leave. At the fence, you'll zipper merge (take turns) to filter out of the parking lot.

If you have scholars in both upper and grammar school grades, you'll drop-off or pick-up once.

In the morning, you'll drop-off upper school scholars and grammar schoolers will wait in the cafeteria until it's time to go to class. In the afternoon, upper schoolers wait in the cafeteria until you arrive to pick up your grammar school scholar and they're all called out to your car when you arrive.

We have a handful of items ready for purchase on MySchoolBucks.

The $10 cocurricular fee helps offset the cost of supplies and is required for all K-5 scholars.

All scholars in K-8 are required to purchase a planner through MySchoolBucks. Planners are delivered to scholars in their classroom.

The last Friday of every month is Spirit Day. On Spirit Days, all scholars - K-12 - can wear approved t-shirts and jeans. To participate in all of the spirit days throughout the school year, we ask that you pay a one-time fee of $20 on MySchoolBucks. Note: Spirit Day participation is optional. If you choose not to participate, you will wear uniform as usual.

Scholars in grades 6-12 are welcome to rent both a hallway locker and a PE locker.

SJCA has purchased more hallway lockers, so there will not be a shortage this year. Locker rentals are $20 on MySchoolBucks. Once it's paid for, Mrs. Glod will assign one to you.

For PE lockers, you'll pay $10 for the year or $5 for the semester for those in grades 7 and 8. Once paid through MySchoolBucks, lockers will be assigned by PE teachers.

Please use the links below to pay for your lockers on MySchoolBucks.

SJCA offers a series of clubs on campus. Many of our clubs start in late August to give scholars time to adjust to their school schedule. When clubs are ready to recruit new members, we'll provide the details in the Lion Line.

Please note, the clubs that are currently enrolling are offered by third-party vendors, which means they're hosted on our campus, but you pay the vendor directly.

Scholars who join these clubs will be dismissed to that room after school. You must update Silent Dismissal to inform teachers of your scholar's after school plans.

In Drone Club, scholars will:

✅ Code drones to complete missions
✅ Fly through obstacle courses with precision
✅ Compete in aerial challenges in our Drone Dome
✅ Develop teamwork and problem-solving skills
✅ Explore real-world drone technology

Drones are made to fly in a classroom, not outside.

Start date: August 27, 2025

Limited to 16 scholars

Questions: Flemingislandfl@codeninjas.com

Please note: This club replaces the Lego Robotics Club hosted by Code Ninjas last year.

All Stars Twirling Academy is a competitive baton twirling team within the National Baton Twirling Association system.

In this after school class, your scholar will learn to twirl, improve team-building skills, and participate in holiday parades and an end-of-the-year recital.

State date: August 27

You may come try a class for free to see if you like it.

Contact: June Stoeber, jjbug@hotmail.com

Scholars who join Little Dancing Stars enjoy tap, ballet, and jazz. Currently, the only class with openings is on Tuesday from 4:00-4:45pm on the SJCA-FI campus. To attend this class, your scholar must be picked up at dismissal and brought back to school or be enrolled in the YMCA for after school care.

If you have interest in a class that is directly after school, please email Haylee Bessent so she can gauge interest, hblittledancingstars@gmail.com.

If you need childcare before or after school, these providers work with SJCA. YMCA provides care before and after school on campus, while the others will drop off and pick up (in the bus loop, in front of the cafeteria).

Care is arranged through the provider, not through the school.

YMCA

Ivy League Academy

Advanced Solutions

Gingerbread Learning Center

Middleburg Martial Arts

O2B Kids

If scholars forget their lunch, parents have until 10:10am to drop it off. They will be placed on the lunch cart. The lunch cart will be taken to the cafeteria no later than 10:15am. If lunches are not dropped off in time, the scholar will be offered the option to purchase lunch.

SJCA is working to limit classroom interruptions and protect instructional time.

If upper school scholars forget anything, the receptionist will not call for them to come get it. They are welcome to check in between classes or lunch, but it will be left at the reception building.

If grammar school forgets something, the receptionist will try to get it to them but no guarantee.

We understand that your scholar may need to leave school early for an appointment, but if that's the case, please follow the rule below.

NO exceptions, unless your scholar is in the clinic waiting to be picked up due to illness.

If you'd like to drop-off or pick-up your scholar through the biker/walker gate, you'll need to complete paperwork, which must be notarized. The school does have a notary on staff. Scholars under 12 years old must have an older sibling or an adult with them to leave campus.

Morning gate times:

• Upper school: 7:10am-7:25am (Class starts at 7:30am)
• If you have upper and grammar school scholars, grammar school scholars wait in the cafeteria until class begins.
• Grammar school: 7:30-7:55am (Classes start at 8:00am)
• All scholars enter through the new push-bar gate near the reception building.

Afternoon gate times:

• Upper school: 2:27pm, exit through the push-bar gate near the reception building.
• Grammar school: 2:55-3:20pm, exit through pull ahead gate, like last year.

Questions: Dismissal@stjca.org

Please make sure all water bottles have a snap lid or screw top so water cannot spill when tipped upside down. Water bottles with straws are not allowed, even if they have "straw toppers." Please see the examples below.

The 2025-2026 school calendar is below. You can also find this calendar on our website.

Lunch prices will remain at $4.25 this year.

Families are welcome to apply for free or reduced lunches. You use one application per household and must apply for this program each year. To apply, please use the link below.

This year, upper school scholars will have a lunch period on Wednesdays as opposed to assembly time.

Please note, this is the lunch menu for K-12. The lunch menu can also be found online, under Calendars.

In an effort to be a cashless campus, SJCA uses MySchoolBucks to collect payments. You'll need to download the app or access it on your desktop and create an account to make payments.

MySchoolBucks for lunch:

With MySchoolBucks you’ll be able to view cafeteria purchases, check your student’s balance, receive low balance alerts, and pay for school meals from anywhere.

Here's how to get started:

1. Go to myschoolbucks.com or download the mobile app

2. Create your free account and add your students using their school name/student ID

3. Choose your state - Florida

4. Choose your district - St. Johns Classical Academy

• Note: St Johns Classical Academy is listed as a district. You won't find SJCA listed under Clay County. This is one of the most common issues parents have when signing up.

5. Choose your school St. Johns Classical Academy Fleming Island Campus

6. Add funds using your credit/debit card or electronic check.

• For each transaction, you will be charged a program fee.

7. You can set up automatic payments and never forget to send in lunch money again.

MySchoolBucks for other payments

Parents use MySchoolBucks to pay for things like field trips, club dues, athletic fees, yearbooks, lockers, etc. To pay for these items, navigate to School Store >> StoreHome. Click on an item that you'd like to pay for and complete your purchase.

Parents with scholars in grades K-5 must use the app, Silent Dismissal, to note their after-school routine. For each day of the week, parents must indicate where they scholar will go after school. Whether your scholar is being picked up in car line, going to a local daycare, staying at school for a club activity, or attending a special event, you MUST indicate where your scholar will go at the end of the day.

It is your responsibility to keep Silent Dismissal updated so teachers can ensure your scholar gets to the correct place.

Even if you plan to pick your scholar up in car line everyday, you must note that in Silent Dismissal.

This year, SJCA has added Technology to its cocurricular schedule for K-5. As a result, your scholar's PE day will now rotate each week. To ensure your scholar is in the proper uniform, please refer to the schedule regularly.

Picture Day is scheduled for the first Wednesday of the school year. Formal uniforms are required. Please refer to this updated visual guide to ensure your scholar has the correct formal uniform.

You can place your order at www.leonards.com/photoprepay. The access code is C713644.

If you do not have your formal uniform, you will participate in picture retakes scheduled later in the year.

Our Roaring Lions Cheer Squad is looking to fill one open stunt position and will host a try out during practice for those interested on August 12 from 6:00-7:30pm at the Fleming Campus. Athlete must be physically strong and ready to jump right in and make an immediate impact.

Questions: tanya_joson@csx.com

As a fundraiser for Athletics and PE, you can pay $22 and have your scholar's birthday on the outdoor sign. The message will run from 6:00am to 6:00pm and be an additional slide on the marquee.

Please note: All requests must be made two weeks in advance.

To participate, use the MySchoolBucks link below.

The Lions Council is a 501c3 stewardship organization, similar to a PTA, intended to engage parents in support of the Head of School, the faculty, and the administration in carrying out the mission of the academy.

Its objectives include:

• Educating parents and the community about the academy and the differences between it and ordinary public school.
• Encouraging family and friends of St. Johns Classical Academy to show their support through volunteering and donations.

Join us for our next meeting on August 14 at 6:00pm in the cafeteria.

Questions: Chairman.lioncouncil@stjca.org

The Lions Council is hosting a spirit night at Maggie D's. Come celebrate the start of a new school year on Tuesday, August 19. Maggie D's will donate a portion of the sales to the Lions Council Support Committee, which helps fund things like Teacher Appreciation Week.

Scholars in grades K-3 can stay after school to make a clay handprint with Mr. Ross, the upper school art teacher. Scholars go directly to this activity after dismissal and be picked up at the end of the event. The handprint needs to go in the kiln, so it will be sent home with your scholar when it's complete.

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.