Principal's Corner

Dear Parents and Students,

As I finish my first full week in the Office at St. Benedict School, I want to reach out to you to say hello and introduce myself to you. I do apologize that I didn't get this out earlier; this week has been busy with becoming familiar with St. Benedict, welcoming teachers as they began to prepare classrooms for the new year, seeing families who wanted to register and the like.
I know Mr. Vitiello sent some information about me following my appointment to the position. As he shared, I have been in Catholic Education for the last 38 years in the Diocese of Brooklyn. I taught for 18 years and was Principal for the last 20. When I taught, I always had 8th Grade as a homeroom. Besides Religion, my other subject I taught was Social Studies. However, I have taught every 8th grade subject at one time, except for Math. My 20 years as principal was all in one school. Like all of you, my parents sacrificed to send my siblings and I to both Catholic Grammar school and Catholic H.S. In fact, I attended high school here in the Bronx down at Msgr. Scanlan.
As principal I want to work with the entire St. Benedict School Community to continue and build on the work done by Mr. Vitiello, the teachers and families. I look forward to getting to know each of you over the year. It will be challenging with access to the school and facemasks requirements due to the continuing Covid-19 Global Pandemic. Much of what follows, Mr. Vitiello sent out in July. I just wanted to introduce myself and send these reminders to you as th new academic year is right around the corner. With that in mind, while we don't want to rush the start of the school year, this coming week is a good time to try to ease children back into their "school day" routine so that waking up for that first day of school is not too difficult, especially for those who have been remote since the Pandemic began. Just a thought.
I am looking forward to meeting and welcoming back all of our students and families to the 2021-2022 school year for FIVE FULL DAYS OF IN SCHOOL INSTRUCTION.   We also welcome the NEW families that have joined our SBS Family. We continue to closely follow  the recommended guidelines as set forth by the Archdiocese of New York  & The CDC to safeguard our school community.  
I look forward to working with the new pastor, Fr. Nikolin Pergjini.  I was excited to hear that Father wants the school children to attend daily Mass as well as First Friday Mass. The homeroom teachers will create a rotating schedule that will enable at least ONE CLASS to attend daily Mass at 8:30 am.  Of course, this will take place weather permitting.  We will not bring the students to Mass on inclement weather days such as extreme heat, cold, rain or snow.  
I want to thank Mrs. Pannazzo who has worked tirelessly over the course of this summer in her new position in the Main Office. She too has been preparing to welcome back all of our school families.  
As we prepare for the opening week of school, please see below important information regarding the first week of school, uniform code, immunization requirements and tuition & fees.
A look ahead:
The first day of school for all students is  Wednesday, September 8, 2021. 
Respective students should report to the locations below:

• Grades 6, 7 & 8 report to the rear schoolyard located on Logan Avenue at 8:00 am.  Please note as of the time of this letter,  we will have two classes each for the 6, 7 & 8 grades.  
• Grades 1-5 report to the rear schoolyard located on Logan Avenue at 8:45 am.
• Pre-K-3, Pre-K-4, and Kg report to the schoolyard on the right hand side of the main entrance of the school at 9:15 am.
• In the event of inclement weather, ALL STUDENTS WILL ENTER THROUGH THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF OUR SCHOOL AT THE DESIGNATED TIMES ABOVE.  
• As the students enter the school building their temperature will be taken before they are admitted to class.  I would encourage parents to do the same before they send their child to school.  Any student that has a temperature of 100℉  or greater will be brought to our “Guardian Angel Room” and parents will be notified to pick up their child immediately.  
• Students in Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten will be dismissed at 11:00 am, students in grades 1-8 will be dismissed at 11:30 am.  Dismissal will take place at the same morning drop off locations indicated above with the exception of our 6th-8th grade students.  They will be dismissed via the school yard located on the front left hand side of our school building on Edison Avenue.
• Thursday September 9th. our breakfast & lunch programs will begin.  
• Students may bring their own bottle of water to school.
• Our classrooms have been arranged to provide for the rules and regulations of proper social distancing (as of today, 3 feet spacing).** Each classroom is equipped with hand sanitizers and touchless paper towel dispensers.  (In classes of more than 22 students where less than 3 feet may occur air purifiers have been purchased for the classrooms per guidance)
• Bussing is scheduled to begin Friday, September 10th.  
• Our morning & aftercare programs will begin on Monday, September 13, 2021.
• NYC Title I, SETTS, Speech, OT, PT will be offered to eligible students.  

• Pre-kindergarten & Kindergarten: Navy Blue Nylon Gym Shorts with Silk Screen & Navy Gym Tee Shirt with Silk Screen & Sneakers (non light up please).
• Grades 1-8: Navy Boy’s Twill Walking Shorts, OR Grey Twill Pants & Ash Short Sleeve Polo Shirt with Logo, belt, black crew socks and black tie up shoe.

• Pre-kindergarten & Kindergarten: Navy Blue Nylon Gym Shorts with Silk Screen & Navy Gym Tee Shirt with Silk Screen & Sneakers (non light up please).

• Grades 1-5: Navy Plaid Split Front Jumper with Emblem and White Short Sleeve Peter Pan Collar Blouse, OR Navy Girls Twill Walking Shorts/Navy Skort with Ash Short Sleeve Polo Shirt with logo, Navy Orlon Knee-hi with flat black/blue tie up shoes.
• Grades 6-8: Charcoal Grey Triblend Girls Slacks with White Short Sleeve Collar Blouse, OR Navy Girls Twill Walking Shorts with Ash Short Sleeve Polo Shirt, belt with black/blue tie up shoes.
• *** Please be sure that all hair highlights & nail polish is removed before the first day of school!

Summer Reading and Math
Please be sure all students in grades 1-8 complete their required summer Reading and Math Assignments.  Students received a copy of their summer reading list, and Math Dreambox assignment along with their final report card that was picked up in June.   All new students were emailed the summer assignments by Mr. VItiello in late June.   Students will be evaluated on the Summer Reading Assignment during the week of September 13th. Any new student that transferred  into SBS may not have Math Dreambox and/or Read Theory accounts, please do not worry about this at the moment.  New students will be set up with those respective accounts in September.   
As some of you are aware, Dreambox did it's new school year rollover and it has not been allowing you to sign in to your accounts.
Updated Physical and Medical Forms and Immunizations
BEFORE the first day of school all PRE-K 3, PRE-K 4, KINDERGARTEN & NEW STUDENTS TO ST. BENEDICT SCHOOL MUST PROVIDE a completed Medical Form to Mrs. Pannazzo.  Any new student that does not have a medical form on file MAY NOT REPORT TO SCHOOL ON SEPTEMBER 8th.  Students are REQUIRED to have ALL vaccinations as mandated by the Department of Health BEFORE admission to school.  
Thank You to all who have brought in the required documentation. PLEASE, if you have not sent in the medicals, please do so by this Monday & Tuesday, 8/30 & 8/31. The beginning of September is extremely busy and we want to make sure every student can start on time. Mrs. Pannazzo and I will work together to send emails out to those whose forms we are still missing.
Tuition/Fees/Lunch/Aftercare/Fundraising/ Graduation Fees
By now you should have received your Smart Tuition schedule of payments.  Please be up-to-date with tuition payments. Tuition is due the 15th of each month.  ALL tuition, fees, fundraising, breakfast, lunch, aftercare & graduation fees payments  MUST be paid directly to SMART TUITION NOT THE SCHOOL.  Unfortunately, if any family falls two months behind with their Smart Tuition payments, students will be excluded from school.    
The school office will be open during the month of August on Mondays - Thursdays from 8:30-1:30 pm.  Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or drop by the office. Again, on September 1st & 2nd, the teachers and I have Regional Conference days and will be on Zoom meetings both days.
Again, I look forward to working with all of you for a safe, productive and successful school year. I also look forward to meeting you and beginning to put names and faces together.
I conclude by continuing to use Mr. Vitiello's sign off ----
St. Benedict, Pray for Us, 
Our Lady, Pray for Us, 
Cardinal Cooke-Servant of God, Pray for Us!
Respectfully,
M.C. Scheer
Miss Mary C. Scheer
Principal
St. Benedict School

Dear St. Benedict School Community,

I pray this letter finds you well as we approach the 2021-2022 school year!  Fr. Pergjini and I are pleased to announce that Ms. Mary Scheer will be assuming the principal position of our beloved school, St. Benedict’s, effective immediately.   

Ms. Scheer joins our SBS Family Community with a wealth of knowledge and experience in Catholic Education.  She has served as a teacher for 17 years and as an elementary school principal within the Brooklyn Diocese for the past 20 years.  Ms. Scheer  earned her Bachelor of Arts in History/Education from Queens College, her Masters in Science in Education from St. John’s University and her Professional Diploma in School Administration and Supervision from Fordham University. 

I would like to thank the members who participated in our principal search committee:  Dr. Noelle Beale, Sr. Anne Massell PVMB, Mrs. Linda Dougherty, Fr. Nikolin Pergjini, Mrs. Marie Kearns and Mrs. Maria Buchan.  

Please join Fr. Pergjini and I in extending our warmest well wishes in welcoming Ms. Scheer to our school community.

Wishing each of you a very enjoyable and relaxing summer break and a successful school year.  

Respectfully yours,

Fr. Nikolin Pergjini

Pastor of St. Benedict Parish 
Ray Vitiello

Northeast/East Bronx Regional Superintendent