FI_Lion Line_9/19/25

Here's a look at upcoming events.

SJCA celebrated Constitution Day on Friday, September 19. The day's activities are led by Upper School History Teacher Carmen Burgess and the junior class.

This year's keynote speaker was the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Florida Jennifer Carroll who spoke to both upper school and grammar school about the importance of the Constitution. Retired Command Master Chief Mack Ellis also performed Old Glory.

After the assemblies, the juniors went into grammar school classes as teachers to further discuss the Constitution.

Our upper school history teacher Mrs. Burgess and our upper school art teacher Mr. Ross teamed up to create art for the SJCA Constitution Day celebration.

They took a look at contemporary artist Romero Britto who is a Cubist/Pop Artist. He is influenced by the artists Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol.

SJCA's upper school scholars studied and used Britto's style to create their own original pieces using American themes for Constitution Day.

Take a look at their amazing work.

The picture in the bottom left corner, depicting the Statue of Liberty, is by Romero Britto, who immigrated to the US from Brazil in the late 1980s. He is now a US citizen and lives in Miami, Florida. The rest of the images are all created by our scholars.

We shared more art work on the SJCA Facebook page. Be sure to check it out.

At the Board of Directors meeting on August 28, the board approved a uniform addition. Boys in grades 7-12 are now allowed to wear the Lands' End navy blue shorts or pants, in addition to the previously-approved Lands' End khaki pants or shorts for their everyday uniform.

Please note, the navy blue shorts/pants are not allowed on formal days.

Please be on the lookout for an email from your teacher regarding parent-teacher conferences.

The upper school has a beautiful new chemistry lab upstairs in the gym building!

Mr. Coleman, who resides in the lab and teaches Chemistry I to all sophomores and Chemistry II (& AP Chemistry) to all seniors, spent a generous amount of his summer preparing the new lab for our scholars.

This week, seniors completed a two-part precipitates lab in which they did a gravimetric analysis of water hardness. The scenario was, "What's the best place to buy a house where you won't need a water softener?"

Seniors have enjoyed learning new lab techniques and using updated equipment.

Mr. Coleman also led an after-school group of about a dozen American Heritage Girls working on a Kitchen Chemistry badge.

Mr. Coleman did a demonstration involving pH. Though he demonstrated standard types of indicators, the girls particularly enjoyed observing the real-time data that a new digital Vernier probe provided and seeing the pH graph change.

I am so grateful for the curiosity, perseverance, and self-discipline that Mr. Coleman works to instill in our scholars each day.

-Written by Dean of Academics 6-12 Angie Casteel

Did you know that SJCA Athletics has its own app? Download the app to stay in-the-know.

Our Classical Character Parade will take place once again this year. Scholars can come to school in their costume and wear it all day. The Hillsdale Curriculum Guide link below lists the many classical works that we read. Please feel free to use it as inspiration.

We'd like to invite families to complete a Level II Background Check, which is required if you plan to volunteer on campus or attend a field trip this year.

While you can visit campus for events, award ceremonies, or to eat lunch with your scholar without this clearance, if you plan to volunteer or attend a field trip, you must complete the Level II Background Check. The background check requires fingerprinting and lasts for five years.

The process can take several weeks to complete, so we encourage family members to begin this process as soon as possible.

Please note, if you have already been fingerprinted through the school's vendor in the last year or two, you do not need to repeat this process.

If you are interested in completing a background check, here's how it works:

• Visit the website and fill out the form provided.

• You'll receive an email with next steps.

• Pay for your five-year prints and attend your appointment.

• You'll receive an email when you're cleared.

• Once cleared, you can attend field trips and will receive emails about volunteer opportunities on campus.

You'll see a list of FAQs on the website too, which covers the reason behind the policy, cost, and the use of volunteer t-shirts on campus. If you have questions, please reach out to HR@stjca.org.

SJCA is planning a leadership retreat for juniors and seniors on October 12-14. The cost to attend is $140 per scholar. You may pay for the retreat in full or in two payments, with one payment due at registration and the balance due on October 1. The link to register on MySchoolBucks is below.

Please join us for Open House. The event gives parents a chance to visit their scholar's classroom and learn more about the year ahead from teachers. Overflow parking is at Kohl's.

Grab your skates and head to Skate Station in Orange Park for everyone's favorite spirit night.

Our K-5 scholars can stay after school to enjoy holiday crafts and snacks. Registration for this event is completed through the Lions Council website.

After thoughtful consideration, we have decided to cancel the SJCA 6th Annual Golf Tournament. We are truly grateful for the ongoing support and enthusiasm of our SJCA community. While we won’t be on the course this year, we remain dedicated to supporting SJCA through meaningful fundraising initiatives.

Please stay tuned for future events and opportunities to get involved—we look forward to seeing you soon!

Did you know we have a uniform closet on campus? Please take a moment to learn more about this important resource that the Lions Council is proud to offer.

Scholars in grades 8-12 are invited to an upcoming field trip to see Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

The field trip takes place in January.

After all scholars attending have secured their tickets, any remaining spots will be made available to chaperones on a first come, first served basis.

📣 Attention National Honor Society Members

NHS Dues are due and can be paid for on MySchoolBucks. Please ensure you select "returning member" when making your purchase.

Payment is due by September 26.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Mrs. Cosme: anamaria.cosme@stjca.org.

Mark your calendars for this upcoming event. We'll share more details soon.

On Tuesdays, K-12 scholars can participate in our Needle Arts Club. No experience is needed. If you're new to this hobby, you'll start with finger-knitting. If you have some experience, you can crochet.

Our goal this year is to make blankets and plushies for those in need.

Upper school scholars, if you'd like to volunteer to help, you may. To do so, please email Sarah.Kujawa@stjca.org. Please do not sign up for the class if you plan to volunteer. Volunteers will assist scholars with their projects. (Phones will be away).

K-2 scholars must have a parent with them. Parents must complete a Level II background check.

Free and Reduced Lunch

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 follow this link.

Prep Your Little Lion(s)

Please review the menu daily with your little Lion(s). They must take the fruit and/or the vegetable. If they would like to skip an item, they need to speak up when it's their turn or they will be served all components.

September Lunch Menu

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

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.

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.