FI_Lion Line_11/22/24

I hope each and every family has a wonderful Thanksgiving break, but before you begin your celebrations, I want to provide a few campus updates. In the video below, I discuss:

• Transforming our Recreation Building into a new welcome center
• A timeline for gym construction
• A new administrative assistant
• Reissuing carpool placards
• Carline reminders
• Our top-notch teachers

Please enjoy a wonderful week off with your scholars. We'll see you back on campus on Monday, December 2.

SJCA is reissuing carpool placards. It has come to our attention that some cars don't meet our carpool criteria. Carpool placards are reserved for cars that pick up or drop off three or more scholars EVERYDAY.

If you meet this criteria, please follow the instructions below so we can issue you a new lime green placard. As of January 6, when we return from Christmas break, pink carpool placards will expire. You'll need a lime green pass to enter the carpool lane.

If you meet carpool criteria, please:

• Stop into the Little House and add your name to the signup sheet
• Be prepared to list the 3+ scholars you regularly pickup
• Tell us how many placards you need

We will send the new placards home with one of your scholars.

Please do not wait until the last minute to request a new placard. Please stop into the office ASAP to ensure a seamless transition in January.

Reminder: If you meet carpool criteria, but the number of scholars you pick up or drop off goes below three (due to illness or a scholar staying after school), you must use the regular carline.

Wondering which classes scholars take as upper schoolers? The Department of Academic Services has put together a helpful course catalog that outlines classes taken in 6-12 grade. Please review the document below to learn more.

In our Wednesday Upper assembly, T.J. Ryan, a talented alumnus from the 2024 graduating class, performed some beautiful pieces of classical music on his guitar.

After playing, he talked to scholars about his own pursuit of excellence, which has involved organizing his time responsibly, persevering through many hours of daily practice, and developing the courage to walk through doors of opportunity that have opened.

T.J. challenged us with a worthy thought by the late, great Vince Lombardi: "Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence. I am not remotely interested in just being good."

On Monday, Mr. Coleman's 10th grade Honors Chemistry performed an atomic emission spectrum test. This test illustrates that elements absorb and emit unique energy signatures in the frequencies of visible light. Chemistry scholars recorded careful observations, which they utilized as a comparison to identify two unknown samples. Every year, this lab ranks as one of the scholars' favorites—because who doesn't love colored fire?

If you weren't at the talent showcase last Friday evening, you really missed out! It was a phenomenal (and funny!) event and all the participants made SJCA proud.

Thank you to our celebrity judges: Mrs. McCullough, Mrs. Rogish, Mrs. Burgess, and Mrs. Patterson. Special thanks Ms. Morro, who served as our hilarious hostess. A great time was had by all!

Pictured below, the top three acts from grammar school and the top three acts from upper school with Ms. Morro.

Winners:

Grammar: 1st-Acie J., 2nd-Elizabeth B. & Molly Claire V., 3rd-Betsy Grace S.

Upper: 1st-MariaRenee B., 2nd-Cole W., 3rd-Abby A., Nate A., Kiah D., & Tobin D.

Check out the official Fine Arts Facebook page for more pictures from the show.

Congratulations to Faith A. on auditioning and being selected for the 2025 Clay All-County Junior High Choir! She will represent SJCA proudly in January in the alto section in an honors concert at the Thrasher-Horne Center.

Attention All Parents of Kinder-3rd Grade Scholars!

As we are sure your children have been telling you, all scholars in grades K-3 are hard at work learning their songs for the 4th Annual Traditions of Christmas Concert in their Music & Piano classes. This event has grown to be our most loved holiday tradition at SJCA! If you haven't already, mark your calendar now! Here is some helpful information for another beautiful Christmas performance:

Who: All scholars in K-3rd grade

What: 4th Annual Traditions of Christmas Concert

When: Tuesday, December 17 at 6:00pm (Doors open at 5:30pm)

Where: First Baptist Church of Orange Park on Kingsley Ave.

Cost: Admission is free. Seating is first come, first served.

Dress Code: All scholars should arrive in their full formal (Wednesday) uniform

Parking: This is our highest-attended event and parking will be at a premium. We encourage carpooling and families arriving in one vehicle, as much as possible. There will be parking volunteers present to assist.

We can't wait for our Littlest Lions to demonstrate loving the beautiful this Christmas season, bringing joy to us all!

The Fine Arts Department is very excited to announce our first ever piano recital, presented by the scholars in our upper school Studio Piano class. The event will take place in early December. Each pianist is hard at work rehearsing an individual piece to perform at the recital.

Mrs. Crosby and Mrs. Urban couldn't be prouder of all they have accomplished and can't wait to watch them perform on stage. Selections will include classical pieces, folk music, and traditional Christmas tunes.

Please join us for this beautiful performance on Thursday, December 5 at 6pm in the cafetorium!

There is no cost for admission and all are welcome.

The Piano Recital kicks off a series of holiday concerts. Mark your calendars for these events.

I am a Navy Veteran originally from NYC. I am married to my wonderful wife, Denise, and we have eight beautiful children (five who have or currently attend SJCA) and one grandchild.

I have coached at the college level for four years, including positions as head coach, assistant coach, and head developmental coach. I have experience coaching over 16 Division 1 contests and have led teams to over 50 wins in my career.

My vision is to lay a strong foundation and build pillars that will lead to sustained success for our student athletes both on and off the court.

SJCA is growing a strong wrestling team. Special thanks to our coaches for their willingness to build a program from the ground up. Here are some of the members of the Lions Wrestling Club.

Parents of SJCA wrestlers, please visit the online store to purchase wrestling attire.

If you're interested in playing a sport at SJCA, at the middle or upper school level, you must:

• Get a physical and have your doctor fill out the Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation.
• Complete the Consent and Release from Liability form.
• Complete three online courses: Concussion for Students, Heat Illness Prevention, and Sudden Cardiac Arrest, which can be found on the FHSAA website.
• Upload your certificates provided at the end of each online course to the FHSAA website. (Paper forms may NOT be given to coaches).

Because the fourth Thursday falls on Thanksgiving and the fourth Thursday in December is the day after Christmas, the board has decided to have just one meeting in the Nov/Dec timeframe. That meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 12/12.

Our 2nd annual SJCA ornament has arrived and is on sale through December 18th. This year’s ornament is made of birchwood and will make an excellent addition to your tree.

Ornaments are $10 each and will benefit special projects funded by the Lions Council.

Ornaments will be delivered to your scholar’s classroom so they will be home ahead of the holiday break.

Our wonderful cafeteria staff offered a special Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday, and as an additional treat, the Lions Council provided a free slice of pie for every scholar. A crew of 20 volunteers cut and served 80 pies, dishing out a slice for each of our ~1,000 scholars on campus.

Each month, the Lions Council Support Committee shares a gift with our teachers to show their appreciation. This month, the teachers received caramel apple cups.

(Pictured below are kindergarten teachers: Ms. McClymont, Ms. Arnett, and Ms. Johnson, and the Lions Council Support Committee: Laura Hardegree, Lauren Greer, and Rhonda Joseph)

This holiday season, the 1776 Promise Campaign asks you to consider donating on Giving Tuesday to support our teachers.

If you are led to give on December 3 or before, please use the link below to make a one-time donation. Any amount given makes an impact and together we can show our teachers how much we appreciate them. Thank you so much for your continued support this year. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and makes a difference!

Scholars can stay after school to make a fun craft and enjoy a festive snack. All proceeds go to the Lions Council Fine Arts Booster Club. Please reserve your spot soon. Spots fill up fast.

The Lions Council Fine Arts Booster Club is selling handmade clay ornaments made by your scholar as a fundraiser. Ornaments are $15, if ordered by 12/6. After 12/6, cost increases to $20. All ornaments will be delivered to scholars the week of 12/16.

Mark your calendars! Homecoming week is December 9-14. The schedule of events is below, as is the list of dress-down days. Please note, the dress-down days are for upper schoolers in grades 9-12.

The SJCA Interact Club is a service based organization that is affiliated with the Rotary Club.

Each year, we partner with Wreaths Across America to lay wreaths at veterans' graves before Christmas. We are fundraising to buy as many wreaths as we can.

We need to have all wreaths purchased by Giving Tuesday, which is 12/03, so they can be shipped in time for the wreath laying ceremony on 12/14.

Brought to you by Occupational Therapy

Stephanie Bywater, MHS, OTR/L

Hello SJCA families!

I hope you are looking forward to the break as I am. Below are activities to work on fine motor and gross motor skills. Why are these activities a good idea? Consistent exercise will help improve hand grasp, focus, attention, balance, strength, executive functioning skills and visual motor skills.

If your child is not experiencing any fine motor or gross motor difficulties, I would encourage you to use some of these activities to keep them busy during the week.

Here are some ideas to incorporate it into your routine:

1. Wheelbarrow walk (Hold the ankles as kids “walk” on their hands. If your kids struggle a little, hold closer to the knees. Make sure they don’t twist their core as they “walk” on their hands.), bear walk, or crab walk when they leave a room to go into another room in the house. This will not only help deplete their energy by a small percentage, but it will help strengthen core, arm, shoulder and hand muscles.

2. To work on scissor skills or hand strengthening skills have them cut or rip the junk mail before you throw it away. See the “Fun things to cut” worksheet.

3. To improve handwriting, focus, visual scanning skills: Play with puzzles, word searches, mazes, copy the designs, What item is different and Where’s Waldo exercises.

4. If you have a single hole puncher in the house, google “Free hole punch sheets” and print up worksheets (or make your own) and have your scholar hole punch the paper. I like to have them hole punch business cards that I no longer need.

5. Have your child write a postcard to a family member to show off their handwriting skills!

6. To work on hand strength and upper body strength: Have your child color a picture taped to an easel, under the table (they will lay on their back and color the picture with their arm extended); color Amazon boxes before you throw them away.

7. Please note that none of these exercises should be painful. If kids tell you any of these activities hurt, tell them to stop the exercise. Additionally, they should breathe normally during these activities. Holding your breath during exercise can boost blood pressure and get in the way of building muscle strength. Enjoy your break!

WHAT PARENTS/CAREGIVERS NEED TO KNOW:

• Adequate hand and finger strength is required to exert enough force to match the qualities of the object to be grasped and manipulated.
• Without adequate strength, child will not be able to use tools and/or operate objects as required.
• The child may fatigue before the task is completed.

TRY THESE:

• Push Ups
• Wall Push Ups- child stands facing the wall about an arm's length away.
  wall. His/her feet remain stationary. Repeat many times.
• Outdoor Painting - provide a large paint brush and bucket of water. Allow your child to "paint" outdoor walls, fences, railing, etc.
• Bounce on a Hippity Hop Ball
• Animal Walks - see your Occupational Therapist
• Playground Equipment - use arms to climb up rope ladders and the jungle gym
• Pull - a wagon or pillow case full of heavy toys or other objects
• Push - box full of heavy toys or other objects

• Household Chores - carry bags of groceries and put objects away on shelves
• Blocks & Cups - try to stack as high as you can
• Ball Play - throw and catch
• Pound a ball toy
• Dig in sand and soil
• Swimming - great exercise to build strength and endurance while having fun!

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