Our Mission:
Centered in Christ and rooted in historical Catholic tradition, St. Cecilia strives to form missionary disciples and foster academic excellence in a culture of family.
August 11th, 2024
LOOKING AHEAD
- August 13th - Back to School Night PreK-5th Grade
- August 14th - Fall Picture Day
- August 15th - First School Mass
- August 20th - Back to School Night 6th-8th Grade
Dear Bluejay Family,
I hope this message finds you well as we prepare to kick off our second week of the school year. It has been a joy to see our students return with such enthusiasm.
First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude for a fantastic first week back! Our students returned with enthusiasm, and the school was filled with a joyful energy that set a positive tone for the year ahead. It is truly a blessing to see our Bluejay community thriving right from the start.
This week, we held our first House Assembly of the year, where all students were placed into their respective houses. This is an exciting new tradition at St. Cecilia, aimed at fostering camaraderie and a sense of belonging among students across all grade levels. The assembly was a great success, and I look forward to seeing how our students grow and support one another throughout the year.
Additionally, we had the privilege of welcoming Mr. Patrick Doherty, who spoke to our Junior High students about the importance of leadership. His inspiring message challenged our students to lead with integrity and to be examples of our Catholic values both in and out of the classroom.
I’d also like to introduce you to our "Feathers" initiative. Feathers represent the values we strive to live by as Bluejays, guiding us in our daily actions and interactions. These principles will help shape the way our students, employees, and parents contribute to our school community. As we move forward, let’s all aim to embody these rules and make St. Cecilia a place where everyone feels valued and respected.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we embark on this new school year together. Let’s keep the momentum going and make this year one of faith and trust in the Lord.
Grace & Peace,
Erin B. Henry
Principal
"From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's growth and builds itself up in love." -Ephesians 4:16
Special Announcement
We are excited that our St. Cecilia family has so much school spirit, but we need to address a recurring issue with our brand and logos. Our marketing team has worked very hard to create recognizable, unique, yet consistent marks within our brand. We have selected partner vendors that we trust to sell our merchandise and stay within our brand standards. Outside of these vendors, no one should be creating items using our brand, image, or logos.
While not yet trademarked (we are working on this), our logos should not be used to create spirit gear, sports uniforms, warmups, color run shirts, or other items for personal use or sale. We also ask that you refrain from using other bluejay logos (i.e. the Toronto Blue Jay, Creighton Bluejay, etc.) in conjunction with our school’s name as they ARE trademarked properties of other organizations. This also goes against the uniform, consistent look that we have worked so hard to create.
When you support the SCS spirit shop, you are also supporting St. Cecilia financially. Should you have any questions or have ideas for merchandise that you would like to see in our spirit shop for purchase, please join the PTC Spirit Shop Committee. If you are interested in becoming a vendor and working with us to create beautiful items that officially represent our school, please reach out to our Advancement Director, Mrs. Sheree Prince. We can’t wait to collaborate with you!
MUSIC LESSONS WITH MR. BENOIT
Our new Music teacher is available for private lessons after school. Please click the button below for more information on lessons and how to contact him:
CITIZENS FOR EDUCATIONAL CHOICE
The 2024 regular session of the Louisiana Legislature recently ended. Our school is a member of Citizens for Educational Choice (CEC). We need to participate in an electronic advocacy tool designed to help parents of nonpublic school students connect with and influence their state legislators. Parents in our schools should sign up for this tool right away in order to have their voice heard at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge!
HELPFUL LINKS
SCS Mass
Mass is on Thursday at 8:30 and will be hosted by our faculty and staff. Guests may join us in the church (limited seating), choir loft, Narthex and PLC. Mass is also streamed online at shbroussard.org/live or the St. Cecilia Facebook page. This is a Holy Day of Obligation in which all Catholics should attend Mass. We celebrate the Assumption of Mary into Heaven on this day.
Mass Music
Hearing our students sing in Mass is one of the most beautiful experiences there is! This Youtube playlist has songs from last year and our theme song for this year (“Nothing I Hold Onto” by Will Reagan). New songs will be added throughout the year. Please consider playing these and praising the Lord in the car, the kitchen, or anywhere else you are!
New Altar Server Sign Up
Registration is open for new altar servers! Students in 4th-12th grade are invited to join this special ministry.
Training will take place at 9:00 a.m. on August 24 in the church. This training is for new altar servers but current servers who missed the July refresher are asked to attend.
Need a Sacrament???
Are you, your child, or anyone else in your family interested in receiving the sacraments- specifically Baptism, First Confession, First Communion (for those older than 2nd grade), or Confirmation (for those in 11th grade or older)? If so, fill out this form and we would love to chat about it!
Opportunities for Students
Registration is open for First Communion, Edge, Teen Confirmation, and Life Teen!
1st Communion: all 2nd grade students who are registered parishioners at Sacred Heart should register. Catholic schools are not the provider of sacrament prep, your registered church parish holds that responsibility. If you are parishioners at another parish, please contact them for their requirements or get permission from your pastor to register in our program. For more information or questions, email katie@shbroussard.org.
Edge: all 6th-8th graders are encouraged to join our junior high youth group. It is a fun, engaging, and fruitful experience led by high school students on Sunday afternoons.
Teen Confirmation: if you have older children- 10th graders confirm this fall and 9th graders this spring.
Life Teen: all 9th-12th graders are encouraged to join our high school youth group. It is a fun, engaging, and fruitful experience on Sunday evenings.
Opportunities for Parents
Registration for small groups opens on Sunday, August 11. There is a group for everyone! Go to shbroussard.org/smallgroups for details and to register.
In conjunction with our theme and focus on strengthening our trust in the Lord, we are excited to share a podcast that you may be interested in. St. Faustina was a Polish nun who Jesus appeared to many times. She wrote of these appearances in a journal which has since been published. Fr. Joseph Roesch, MIC, has a podcast in which he reads from the Diary and offers commentary. Over the span of one year, you will have “read" the Diary, beginning to end and, by the grace of God, absorbed its rich teachings. Each podcast is only 8-12 minutes so it’s a short yet beautiful addition to your day. You can find it here. Just scroll down to the bottom for the beginning.
Back to School Nights
Please note the dates on our calendar for Back to School Nights! All parents/guardians will report to their classroom/ homeroom teacher to begin the event. Each event will take place from 6:00pm-7:15pm. We look forward to seeing you all there in an effort to set your child up for success!
READ, White, and Blue | Tagged on Tuesday
Our first Tagged on Tuesday will be Tuesday, August 20th!
We will celebrate our readers who earned their Summer Tags as well as any who have achieved their first tag for the school year. As a reminder, the cut off for points earned for each level is the FRIDAY before the Tagged Celebration!
Students in grades 6-8 | Testing Center Update
Students and parents, in an effort to best support our students in their academic success, the following has been updated in the Student/Parent Handbook. Please note the important change.
The primary option will be to use the make up test center in the Library Lab classroom. Testing sessions will be on Monday/Wednesday/Thursday afternoons from 2:45-3:20 PM and Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday mornings from 7:20-7:55AM. There will be a total of 8 testing opportunities a week. If a student is 10 minutes late to a testing session, they will be denied the opportunity to take the test that day.
A 1 week (5 school days) makeup timeline for assessments will begin the day students return to school (including if a session was held that morning). After 5 school days, the student will only have an opportunity to obtain a maximum of 70% of the assessment grade.
Testing Talks and TerraNova Student Results
Testing talks have been taking place in grades 4-8 to inform students how to interpret their standardized testing scores. Terranova test scores will be sent home with students on Tuesday, August 13.
Carline Procedures
Welcome Back!! Thank you in advance for your patience as we begin this school year. Here are just a few reminders regarding our Drop Off/ Pick Up procedures. The safety of our students is our number one priority, and we need your cooperation to ensure this. If you have anyone else bringing or picking up your child, please relay the information to them.
- Car line drop off begins at 7:30 AM and ends at 7:55 AM. Students arriving before 7:30 must report to Morning Care in the cafeteria. Students arriving after 7:55 must report to the front office.
- Car line pick up begins at 2:45 PM and ends at 3:15 PM. Students not picked up by 3:15 will be sent to After School Care. Anyone arriving in the car line before 2:15 should use the right hand lane only. PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK BOTH LANES ON THE DRIVEWAY PRIOR TO 2:15.
- Parents choosing to park and walk their child to school may walk them to the gate entering the courtyard.
- Parents choosing to park and walk up to pick up their child must sign the LOG by 2:40 PM on the brick wall inside the gate entering the courtyard area. All walkers will be called to meet you across the driveway near the cemetery at 2:40. Anyone arriving for pick up after 2:40 must utilize the car line. Walkers will NOT be called once the LOG is picked up at 2:40. We do not want students crossing over once the car line begins.
IMPORTANT CAR LINE REMINDERS
- Follow into the horseshoe behind the church. Once you exit the horseshoe, use only the left lane on Railroad Street. (See attached map from the Broussard PD)
- Two lanes may form ONLY on our private driveway. Parents dropping off/picking up small children please use the right lane.
- Exception: Before 7:30 AM, the right lane is used for morning care drop-off ONLY. Do not form 2 lanes prior to 7:30 AM.
- Remain in your vehicle at all times. If your child needs additional assistance buckling the seat belt, you may park in front of church to assist them. Please do not hold up the car line.
- St. Cecilia is a HANDS-FREE ZONE. Refrain from using your cell phone while in the car line.
- When picking up your child, you must have a VISIBLE sign. Keep it visible until your child is in the vehicle. The best way to display the sign is by attaching it to the passenger side visor or hanging it by a coat hanger on the rear-view mirror. Vertically challenged teachers can not see the sign if it is placed on the dash. Please keep this in mind.
- We would like to use a more unified car sign to ensure the safety of our students. I have attached a template that you can use. Just type your child’s/children’s name in large font on the template and print out as many as you need. Give one to everyone who will be utilizing the car line. By having one of the SCS signs, it will let the duty person know that the driver is authorized to pick up your child. We strongly encourage you to use one of the SCS car signs.
- Keep your eyes facing forward. We need your undivided attention. It takes a split second for a child to get away from a duty teacher. If you would like to watch your child walk into the building, feel free to park and walk them to the gate in the courtyard.
Thanks in advance! Your cooperation helps to expedite the car line and keep our children safe.
Uniforms
Our Bluejays looked great this week with fresh uniforms and all of their new back to school gear. However, we did have a few things that needed to be addressed. Please be reminded about a few of the uniform policies in place for this year.
ATHLETIC SHOE: May contain the following colors: white, gray, navy, or black. NAVY BLUE is the only shade of blue allowed on school shoes.
ALL SHOES: Shoes may NOT contain patterns or other colors. No embellishments or lights allowed. No high-tops allowed. Velcro/Buckle/Snap shoes are allowed for Pre-K, K, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students ONLY. Athletic slip-on shoes are allowed for PreK-3rd graders ONLY. 4th graders and above MUST have shoe laces on their shoes. (Hey Dude shoes are NOT allowed)
HAIR: neat and clean; must not fall below the eyebrows, must be above the ears, and off of shirt collar; none exceeding 4 in. in length; no extreme or partially shaved styles; a natural and appropriate hair color
SOCKS: Solid white, black, or navy / Must be visible. No brand logo visible. Opaque FOOTED white or navy tights. Leggings and leg-warmers NOT allowed
Junior High PE uniforms were delivered to homerooms on Wednesday. If your child did not receive a uniform that had been ordered or if you have questions about incorrect sizing, please contact Perfect Fitz at 337-837-6461.
HIS HOUSE
We are excited that all of our bluejays are now members of House of Faith, Grace, Hope, or Love. HIS HOUSE shirts can be purchased and worn for the assemblies. Let’s take pride in our house and show that spirit!
Rockin with the Bluejays
Tickets are now available. September 14th from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. Get your tickets now for a fun night with other Bluejay parents, faculty and staff. Includes drinks, food, and live entertainment beginning at 9:00pm from the Chee-Weez.
JOIN PTC
St. Cecilia PTC (parent teacher committee) is open to ANYONE who wants to volunteer, support, and work within our school community to further the school’s mission. PTC members assist anywhere from fundraisers, serving as room parents, Faculty/Staff Appreciation, to Spirit Shop and community events. This group is open to ALL parents who share a love for St. Cecilia and want to volunteer. Please click on the link below to sign up for the PTC. Our first meeting will be August 25th at 2:45pm. If you would like to donate items for Stock the Lounge, please sign up below. We will have a drop off bin for items at meet and greet.
REMINDER: FACTS Billing - St. Cecilia does NOT collect cash for school fees. If your child(ren) incur a school-related fee (field trips, athletics, etc.), this charge will be sent to your FACTS account via Incidental Billing. Please be sure the financial account you have on file for FACTS incidental billing is valid.
LAST CALL for Aftercare/Morning Care Registration!! If you have not enrolled your child(ren) for our aftercare/morning care program, please click the link below. Registration is required for ALL attendees, including drop-ins. Thank you!!
We are excited to announce that we have been working hard to establish our 4-H calendar and reintroduce our approach to the valued staples of the club!
Along with our incoming faculty liasons for the 2024-2025 school year, Mrs. Hailey Fontenot (conentrating in grades 4-8) and Mrs. Ella York (concentrating grades 1-3) have spearheaded the efforts for 4-H this upcoming school year as parent volunteers.
Please view our flyer and sign up with the links included.
“…for my club, my community, my country and my world.”
Homework Club hosted by Beta Club
This year we will be introducing Homework Club hosted by Beta Club. Our 6-8 grade Beta Club Members will assist students in grades 3-5 with homework. This is not meant to be a tutoring session. It is intended to help students complete their homework before their afternoon begins. Our Homework Club will begin the first week of September. Please be on the look out sign ups in the SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 Bluejay Bulletin. If you know this something you may be interested in this upcoming year PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE INFORMATION BELOW. There is limited space available each month.
Running Club
Dear Bluejay Family,
Welcome Bluejay Athletes! We are so happy to see everyone again officially as we look forward to our fall seasons. We have been very busy this summer with practices, equipment inventory, and scheduling. Special thanks go to Mr. Ray and Boo Gary that hung last year’s banners in the gym to start the new year. They were able to do so with the generosity of the folks at United Rentals donating the use of a lift, specifically Coach Chayse Melancon. He is the father of Keller Melancon, a 6th grader and Carter Melancon, a 2022 Bluejay alum, and one of our football coaches. Thanks to all of you for your generosity to SCS Athletics!
We have some exciting news on the athletic front with regards to concussion protocol and reporting as we strive to protect our Bluejays. Thanks to Mr. Tommy Dean for facilitating a meeting this week with officials from Epic Education and Consulting. We will be examining their recommendations with regards to concussion information and reporting. We will have more information in the coming weeks.
Please see below the correspondence from Coach Chuck Hebert at Sts. Leo Seton with regards to our junior soccer program. The participating grades are Pre-K to 4th grade. All of the games are played in Sunset on Saturday mornings. Practices will be held on the SCS playground after school and scheduled at the coaches’ discretion.
I hope that everyone is having a smooth start to the school year! Registration for the fall season is rolling along and has two weeks left. It will run through August 23. We had an incredible fall season last year and are looking forward to another great year for our participants and families! The fees this year will remain the same as they were last fall! We look forward to having everyone back and welcome all new players this year as well. The details for the fall season are below. If you have any questions feel free to reach out.
Registration Dates: July 1-August 23
Season Dates: September 14- October 26
Registration Fee: $75
The schedules are in and up on the school calendar. Please follow the link below to take you to the athletics section for all your information.
Have a blessed day,
Scott Boudreaux
Athletic Director