WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S! Dear New Families, On behalf of the faculty and staff, I would like to welcome you to the St. Paul’s Episcopal School family. St. Paul’s is a great place for our children to grow, and we are proud of what they achieve while they are students and what they will achieve in the future. The core of the educational experience at St. Paul’s - academics, the arts, athletics, spirituality, and service to our community - gives every student an opportunity to succeed. We anticipate another great year for our school, and we want to ensure that your transition is a smooth one. We will make every effort to answer all of your questions about our policies and procedures, but if any do come up, please do not hesitate to call on us. Our academic year is a busy one, and information about events and activities will be forthcoming in these pages and from the school. We are honored to have the privilege of being a part of the education of your child. Welcome to St. Paul’s Episcopal School.
F. Martin Lester, Jr. Headmaster
SAINTS ESSENTIALS FOR NEW FAMILIES TABLE OF CONTENTS
Mission Statement, Prayer.................................................................................4 Honor Pledge, Brand...........................................................................................5 School Holiday Calendar...................................................................................6 School Start & Orientation Dates....................................................................7 Student-Parent Handbook...............................................................................8 Website Information...........................................................................................8 NetClassroom........................................................................................................8 School Supplies & Text Books .........................................................................8 Used Uniform & Used Book Sale.....................................................................9 Summer Reading ................................................................................................9 Uniforms................................................................................................................10 Carpool...................................................................................................................10 Student ID Photos...............................................................................................11 Dining Services.....................................................................................................11 PayForIt.net Services..........................................................................................11 Speech & Language Services.........................................................................12 Inclement Weather & School Closings........................................................12 After School Matters.........................................................................................12 Summer Saints.....................................................................................................13 Learning Through Service...............................................................................14 Upper School Community Service...............................................................14 Athletic Teams & Resources............................................................................15 Parent Council......................................................................................................15 Technology............................................................................................................16 Supporting St. Paul’s.........................................................................................17
One St. Paul’s... MISSION STATEMENT St. Paul’s Episcopal School is committed to providing the highest quality college preparatory education in a Christian environment. Through a variety of experiences and activities, we encourage individual growth and achievement. By example and instruction, the St. Paul’s community fosters respect, integrity, responsibility, service, tolerance, citizenship, and the highest moral and ethical standards to prepare each student for a changing and challenging future. PRAYER Heavenly Father, help us in St. Paul’s School to live together in love and peace, patient with each other’s faults, mindful of each other’s needs, gentle in words and helpful in deeds. And may this school be as a field which Thou hast blessed so that all that is true, pure, lovely, and of good rapport may grow here, filling our hearts with joy, and our hands with usefulness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 4
HONOR PLEDGE St. Paul’s has a student-initiated Honor Pledge to which student adherence is required. Students will be required to write or sign the following phrase, “I have neither given nor received aid on this assessment.” Students who voluntarily choose not to sign the honor pledge will receive a zero on the assignment. OUR BRAND You can know everything in the world, but if you don’t know what matters, then nothing does. At St. Paul’s Episcopal School, we know what matters. Our academic program is outstanding. Just as important, though, are the values we teach: character, scholarship, creativity, and above all, love. Saints know what matters.
Know What Matters.
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2015-2016 SCHOOL HOLIDAY CALENDAR Check the School Website for continuous calendar updates. August 17
Grades 5-12 Return
August 19
PreK-Grade 4 Return
September 7
Labor Day Holiday
October 12
Faculty Workday/Student Holiday
October 28
PreK - Grade 2 Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 23-27
Thanksgiving Holidays
December 16-18
Grades 9-12 Exams
December 18
Noon Dismissal PreK-Grade 8
December 21 - January 4
Christmas Break
January 5
Classes Resume
January 18
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
February 8-12
Mardi Gras Break
February 15
Classes Resume
March 14
Faculty Workday/Student Holiday
March 25
Noon Dismissal for Good Friday
March 28 - April 1
Spring Break
April 4
Classes Resume
May 18 - 20
Grades 9-12 Exams
May 20
Noon Dismissal PreK - Grade 8
(Student Holiday)
(End of 4th Quarter/School Year) 6
2015-2016 START OF SCHOOL All grades start school at 7:45 a.m. GRADES 7-12 August 17 Full Day (Dismiss at 2:58 p.m.) GRADES 5-6 August 17 Full Day (Dismiss at 2:53 p.m.) GRADES 3-4 August 19 Full Day (Carpool 1 dismiss at 2:40 and Carpool 2 dismiss at 2:50) PreK MORNING - GRADE 2 August 19 *Please note the FIRST THREE DAYS of school for PreK - grade 2 will dismiss as follows: PreK Morning will dismiss at 10:00 a.m., PreK All DayGrade 2 will dismiss at 11:30 a.m. ORIENTATION DATES Grades 9-12 orientation will be August 10. All grade 9 and new students in grades 10-12 must attend. Time and place will be on the website by mid-July. Grades 5-8 new student orientation will be August 12. Time and place will be on the website by mid-July. PreK-grade 4 Parent Preview (parents only) will be on Monday, August 17 and Drop In Day (parents and children) will be Tuesday, August 18. Details will be posted on the website closer to the start of school. 7
STUDENT-PARENT HANDBOOK By attending St. Paul’s Episcopal School, students and their parents agree to follow the school’s policies, procedures, and guidelines as written in the Student-Parent Handbook. Students and parents should be familiar with the contents of the handbook and continued enrollment is contingent upon the completion and submission of the 2015-2016 Student-Parent Handbook Acknowledgment Form on or before the first day of school. All parents will receive a link to the form via email. WEBSITE www.stpaulsmobile.net/newparents The Admissions Office has created a New Parent Information page on the St. Paul’s website that will house direct links for much of the information in the Student-Parent Handbook. Please visit this page, which is under the FUTURE SAINTS menu, throughout the summer for updates. Please view the Master Calendar to see all upcoming events. New parents will receive a username and password for the website and NetClassroom in mid to late June.
Campus Store during the last two weeks of July or during the month of August. The supply list for grades 9 - 12 will be posted on the St. Paul’s website. You may purchase your supplies at the Campus Store or at the vendor of your choice. All text books (grades 3-12) and summer reading books (grades 3-12) can be purchased at the St. Paul’s Campus Store. Campus Store summer hours are Monday through Thursday; 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The Campus Store will be closed during the last week of May for inventory. For questions or assistance please contact Sydney Betbeze, Campus Store Manager, or Marion Stabler, Campus Store Assistant Manager: (251) 461-2193
thecampusstore St. Paul’s Episcopal School
NETCLASSROOM NetClassroom allows parents and students grades 5 -12 access to grades, assignments, and activities online through the St. Paul’s School website. Parents of students in PreK - grade 2 are able to see announcements and report cards, while grades 3 and 4 parents can see announcements, homework assignments, report cards, and averages.
USED UNIFORM & USED BOOK SALE The Used Uniform Sale will be held May 12 from 7:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the St. Paul’s Development Office located at Wilmer Hall. The Used Book Sale will be held May 22 from 3:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. in the Saints Café. Additional information is available on the MASTER CALENDAR portion of the St. Paul’s website.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES & TEXTBOOKS School supplies for PreK - grade 8 are billed on your first tuition statement. Supplies for PreK - grade 4 will be delivered directly to your child’s classroom. Supplies for grades 5 - 8 should be picked up at the
SUMMER READING All summer reading requirements and information for grades 3 - 12 will be posted on the St. Paul’s website. Summer reading books will be available in the Campus Store.
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UNIFORMS All students in PreK - grade 12 are required to be dressed in the appropriate St. Paul’s uniform every day. Listed below are the sources for St. Paul’s uniforms and school shoes. SUNSHINE UNIFORMS 6347-D Airport Blvd. www.sunshineuniforms.com (251) 345-7776 J-RAY SHOES 121 S. University Blvd. (251) 342-6322 THE CAMPUS STORE PE Uniforms and outerwear, as well as the red gym shorts that girls in PreK - grade 4 wear under their jumpers, can be purchased in our Campus Store. (251) 461-2193 UNIFORM GUIDELINES For specific uniform guidelines please refer to the uniform guideline sheet that coordinates with your child’s grade. The uniform guidelines are also listed on the NEW PARENT page of our website and in the St. Paul’s Student-Parent Handbook. CARPOOL For carpool guidelines, please refer to the Student-Parent Handbook, which will be posted on the NEW PARENT page of the website. If anyone is interested in actually driving through carpool prior to the start of school, contact Elizabeth Gregory: (251) 461-2159; EGregory@stpaulsmobile.net 10
STUDENT ID PHOTOS New students in grades 3-11 are required to have an ID photo taken at M&A Photography by June 30. Please call M&A to make an appointment. Grades 3 & 4 must wear a school uniform shirt. Grades 5-11 must wear a school uniform shirt and a St. Paul’s uniform blazer. Address: 122 S. Florida St., 36606. Phone: (251) 479-6555 DINING SERVICES The Saints Café serves all students in PreK All Day - grade 12. The cafeteria on the Dogwood Lane campus, serving grades 3 - 12, offers a complete assortment of food and beverages that may be purchased on an individual basis with cash or by taking advantage of either a declining balance account or the “Meal Plan” program. A full service salad bar, “Healthy Edge” hot menu items, hot & cold themed items called “Passport Cafe,” along with traditional fare, sandwiches and desserts are offered daily. Lunches are delivered on a daily basis to the LOWER SCHOOL campus for students in PreK All Day - grade 2, who order in advance. For Meal Plan information, sign-up forms, and the Saints Café menu please visit the Saints Café page on our website under the CURRENT SAINTS tab or contact Heather Meier, Cafeteria Manager: (251) 461-2150; stpaulcafemanager@mmihg.com PAYFORIT.NET SERVICES Parents of students in PreK All Day - grade 12 are able to view their child’s cafeteria declining balance for free. Payments may be made on the account over the internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using PayForIt.net for a fee. View the Saints Café portion of our website under the CURRENT SAINTS tab for details. 11
SPEECH & LANGUAGE SERVICES At the beginning of every school year, our Speech Therapist Heather Kraus offers complimentary speech and language screenings for all new students in PreK - grade 2. After the screenings, she contacts parents to discuss results and offers recommendations. If needed, she works one-on-one with the children for a fee. As part of our faculty, she has the opportunity to coordinate sessions to fit into the child’s classroom schedule without interrupting their learning time or parent’s schedule. For more information about our speech and language development program, contact Heather Kraus: (251) 461-2192; hkraus@stpaulsmobile.net INCLEMENT WEATHER & SCHOOL CLOSINGS If inclement weather requires us to cancel a full day of school or dismiss school early, school officials will notify local radio stations 95 WKSJ, 97.5 WABD, and 106.5 WAVH; and local television stations WKRG 5, WALA 10, and WPMI 15. St. Paul’s also uses the ADT Alert System, where parents will be notified by cell phone, home phone or email. The school answering system will announce cancellation beginning at 6:00 a.m. Please call: (251) 342-6700 AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS St. Paul’s After School Matters is a program designed and supervised by St. Paul’s employees under the direction of Lynn Wharton. It is offered to help working parents with structured and safe child care in PreK All Day - grade 6. After School Matters is held on St. Paul’s Lower School campus for PreK All Day - grade 2 and on the Dogwood Lane campus for grades 3 - 6. For information concerning After School Matters, contact Lynn Wharton at: LWharton@stpaulsmobile.net or visit the After School Matters page on our website under CURRENT SAINTS. 12
SUMMER SAINTS DAY CAMP & ENRICHMENT CLASSES This summer St. Paul’s students who have completed PreK - grade 5 are invited to join us for a safe and dynamic day camp experience. Summer Saints Day Camp is newly designed and will be directed by caring and committed St. Paul’s staff. They have created an exciting program to engage both mind and body. Campers will enjoy water play, field trips, and participate in special daily activities such as arts and crafts, music, recreation, and much more. For more information about Summer Saints Day Camp, contact Donna Landry: (251) 461-2188 or dlandry@stpaulsmobile.net
SAINTS S NEW F RIENDS • NEW ADVENTURE
St. Paul’s will also offer a menu of enrichment classes that can be taken during the summer. To find out more about our summer offerings, please visit the Summer Saints page of our website under CURRENT SAINTS. 13
LEARNING THROUGH SERVICE The Learning Through Service program at St. Paul’s Episcopal School encourages our students to develop a lifelong commitment to helping others. Through a variety of activities, St. Paul’s seeks to both create a sense of service within the school and to improve the community around us. Learning through serving others begins in PreK at St. Paul’s. Our Service Program is comprised of three branches: grade level Community Service, Rutledge Fellows of Philanthropy, and the Service Leadership Class. Each grade level, from PreK - grade 12, has a specific focus area for which the students perform service. Most grade levels have a Service Day where the entire grade participates in a project. By the time a student graduates, he or she will have participated in a broad array of service projects throughout the community. UPPER SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE Community Service is an integral part of the St. Paul’s experience. Students in grades 9 - 12 are required to complete 15 hours of community service each year. Students may only receive credit for community service work performed for an agency recognized as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization by the state of Alabama. All community service work must be submitted on the approved Community Service Hours Form within 30 days of completing the service. Summer hours are credited to the next year. For further information or questions please contact our Community Service Director, Leslie Lerner: (251) 342-6700 ext: 2356; LLerner@ stpaulsmobile.net
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ATHLETIC TEAMS & RESOURCES St. Paul’s team sports begin in grade 7. Prior to grade 7, various intramural sports are offered. For any questions please contact Jimmy Messer, Athletic Director: (251) 461-2147; JMesser@stpaulsmobile.net or visit the Athletic Teams and Resources page of our website under CURRENT SAINTS.
athletic logo
PARENT COUNCIL Every parent of a St. Paul’s student is invited to become an active member of the Parent Council. The function of Parent Council is to support the mission of St. Paul’s Episcopal School, and this is done in a variety of ways. Parent Council is structured with a Lower School division and a Middle/Upper School division. Each division has grade representatives (room mothers) and committee chairs. Parent Council meets regularly throughout the year sometimes jointly and sometimes separately. The meetings are held during the morning, last 1 to 1.5 hours, and often feature a speaker, members of the administration or representatives of the student body. For more detailed information please contact the Parent Council Coordinator Katie Courtney: 251-3800408 ext. 25; KCourtney@stpaulsmobile.net. 15
TECHNOLOGY
GRADES 5-6 In an effort to provide the most creative, interactive, and cutting-edge educational opportunities for your children, we will provide students in grades 5 and 6 a Lenovo tablet device to use both at school and at home during the school year. Our staff will be able to “lockdown” the device to fit our educational needs and to assure a safe environment as we emphasize appropriate digital citizenship. The teachers have worked tirelessly to match our curriculum standards and benchmarks to open source resource materials. The use of these resources allows us to be in the forefront of education and to eliminate the expense of traditional textbooks. St. Paul’s will provide the device and the maintenance of the tablet for a learning initiative fee. Logistical details will be forthcoming later this spring. Information about tablet pick-up and training for grades 5 and 6 will be posted on the New Parent Information page of our website. GRADES 7-12 Currently all students, grades 7-12, are required to have a laptop purchased through the school. For the academic year 2015-2016, students in grades 8-12 are required to purchase one of the Lenovo devices selected by the St. Paul’s Technology Department. All students in grade 7 will be required to purchase the same model to be determined by the school. Please visit the Laptop Selections section of our website for detailed information. Parents also may find the Laptop Program FAQs portion of our website very helpful. Technology Training Camp information for new students in grades 7-12 will be posted on the NEW PARENT information page of our website.
SUPPORTING ST. PAUL’S The Annual Fund, Saints’ Night Out, capital campaigns and the Endowment are the highest priority fundraising activities of the School. Each St. Paul’s family is asked to make a gift to the Annual Fund on which the School relies to offset annual operating expenses over and above tuition. Parent participation to the extent that each family is able to give is essential to the success of the school. Periodically, the Board of Trustees will authorize fundraising for capital improvements and the Endowment. On-going fundraising occurs to raise money for the School’s endowment funds to secure financial stability for the School’s future. These funds are placed in The St. Paul's Episcopal School Foundation, Inc. for investment purposes. In an effort to limit additional fundraising, the Board of Trustees has approved fundraising guidelines, which allow only one fundraiser for each club or sports program per year. Please visit the St. Paul’s website under Giving for more information. We value your support and thank your family for embracing our mission and our children’s education. Please call or email Lee Weldon, Director of Development, (251) 3800408 ext. 28; LWeldon@stpaulsmobile.net with any questions.
Saints’ Fund ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
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saints’ night out ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
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Note What Matters.
Know What Matters
161 Dogwood Lane Mobile, Alabama 36608 251-342-6700 www.stpaulsmobile.net
St. Paul’s Episcopal School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, tuition assistance or other school administered programs.