Week of 08/18/25

Dear 7th Grade Families,

Welcome to the first week of the 2025-2026 school year! Thank you to those who dropped of their community supplies. We appreciate your generosity. If you did not have a chance to drop off supplies, please bring them this week. For a strong start to the school year please thoroughly read the important information listed below:

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Our First day of school is tomorrow, Tuesday August 19th at 7:50am (tardy bell). Students should bring their community supplies and personal supplies except for their device. We will be having a NOON Dismissal, so students will only need a water and their snack. The family packet with important forms will be sent home. These forms require a parent/guardian signature and must be returned to me, the homeroom teacher, on/before Friday, August 22nd. Students will be given participation credit towards their Math grade. All summer work is due on the first day of school. Please remind your student to complete their packet by then. Junior High teachers will enforce a No Late Work Policy for summer and future assignments.

DAYCARE
During the first week of school there will be daycare from 12-6pm. If your child is staying at daycare please make sure they have a lunch. You can reach out to Pattie Padilla ([email protected]) if you have any questions about daycare. 

FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL
We will be having Noon Dismissal for the whole first week of school. Students may wear appropriate free dress. Free dress clothing must be neat and modest (http://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/schools/08820/chapter-2/section-2-14).

MASS
Junior High will be attending Mass on Thursday, August 21st and All School Mass on Friday, August 22nd. Students will have the option of wearing their formal Mass Uniform or Sunday's best. 

PICK UP/ DROP OFF
If your child is ever going home with another parent/guardian please email me and call the office. For safety, it is important that we receive confirmation before releasing a child to another adult.

Morning Drop-Off - CAR LINE

• Grades 2-8: Students should be dropped off in the car line. Upon arrival, 7th grade must sit right in front of the daycare and wait for the 7:50 am attendance. The tardy bell rings at 7:50 am.
• Parent Guidelines: Parents of students in grades 2-8 should not stay on campus after drop-off or pick-up.
• Arrival Time: Please DO NOT drop off children before 7:30 am, as there is no adult supervision before that time.
• Entry/Exit: Enter through the Berendo gate and exit onto 161st St., adhering to a 5-mph speed limit.

Afternoon Pick-Up - CAR LINE

• Junior High Students will be seated by the bleachers during pick-up. 
• Multiple Children: If you have multiple children, the oldest sibling will join the youngest sibling at their designated pick-up spot.
• Alternate Pick: If your child is going home with another family please make sure to email the office and I informing us who will be picking up your child.

Carline Expectations

• NO Parking at all times in the RED ZONES or in the alley on 163rd Street
• Please don’t park in the St. Anthony Preschool LOADING ONLY zone
• Please ALWAYS yield to pedestrians and our crossing guard volunteers. Be respectful!
• Pedestrians must use designated crosswalks. Don’t take shortcuts and walk through the carline traffic.
• Parents, please don’t exit your vehicle during carline. Students from elementary must always enter on the right side for drop off and dismissal. For Junior High students exit on the right for drop off and must enter on the left for pick up. If they need to go around the other side, let your teacher know so they can assist.
• All vehicles must exit to 161st Street during carline. Never go against the flow of traffic.
• Please take the time to discuss the carline and safety procedures with your children and others who will be picking up your child/children.

PERSONAL CARE AND GROOMING GUIDELINES FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
To maintain a comfortable and distraction-free learning environment, we ask that all students follow the guidelines below:

• Students should avoid wearing strong cologne, as it may trigger headaches or allergic reactions in others.
• Girls are not allowed to wear or bring makeup to school. This includes lip products, hairbrushes, and similar items.
• If a student is found using or bringing these items, they will receive a verbal warning and a parent notification. Repeated violations will result in consequences aligned with the school’s progressive discipline policy.

VACCINATION RECORDS
Please make sure to turn in your child's vaccination records to Mrs.Ray before the first day of school.

COFFEE & DONUTS FOR PARENTS
To welcome all families on our first day of school, we are offering donuts and coffees to all the parents. Please join us at carline and brown benches. Donuts are only for parents/guardians not for students!

NORMAL DISMISSAL TIMES
On Normal days we have dismissal at 3:00pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Wednesday we have early dismissal at 1:30pm.

COMMUNITY SUPPLIES
If you haven’t dropped them off, students may bring the supplies on the first day of school.

• 3 ream copy paper (white - NO RECYCLED)
• 3 pk tissue box (kleenex)
• Clorox Wipes

PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK
Parents, kindly make sure to read our school’s handbook. The pages of the Parent/Student Handbook are filled with important information regarding school policy and procedures. Parents and students should review the contents together. If you have any questions, please call the school office. We feel that open and clear communication between school and home is important to the success of our educational program.
http://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/schools/08820

STAR TESTING
Please mark your calendars for STAR testing on Tuesday, 8/26 (Math test) and Wednesday, 8/27 (Reading test). Ensure your child gets plenty of rest and a nutritious breakfast to perform their best. STAR testing is crucial not only for school data but also for high school applications, placement, and academic programs. Please encourage your child to take the test seriously, as many students tend to rush through it.

BOOK FEES
Book Fees are due before the 2nd week of school. Your child's books will not be distributed till this fee is cleared. Please reach out to Mr. Carlos Aguilar regarding this matter.

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
Join us on September 10th for Back to School Night to receive updated Junior High academic policies, which have had a few changes. More information will follow.

COMMUNICATION 
Email is the best way to contact me, your child's teacher. I will try my best to respond to your email as soon as possible. Please write as your email subject the grade and the class or subject you are referring to (e.g., “7th Math”). This helps me organize and respond to my emails more efficiently. If you do not put the proper subject line, it may cause a delay in response.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your continued support. I appreciate you all!

God Bless,
Ms.Griggs