School starts Tuesday!
We are excited to welcome back all of our students and their families on Tuesday, Aug. 19, for a full day of school! Please refer to the drop-off and pickup procedures sent to all families recently. They are also posted on our website under “parent resources” and in FACTS under “resource documents.”
Online book fair opens this week
From Sept. 15 to 19, we are hosting a Literati book fair. The fair opens online Aug. 18, so if you want to shop early, you can look here: https://literati.com/store/?school=saint-joseph-school-martinsburg-wv. There are items on the site that can’t be purchased in person, so take a peek! Feel free to share the link with family and friends.
If you’d like to volunteer to help during the book fair and earn some Hours for Ours, please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050D4CA5A62EABFD0-57929902-literati.
Learn about our new staff
Every weekday since Aug. 4 and continuing through Aug. 18, our school Facebook page (facebook.com/SJSMartinsburg) will feature biographies and photos of our new staff members. Please take a moment to read about them.
Hours for Ours
Each SJS family with a student in Little Crusaders to grade nine is expected to volunteer 30 hours per school year. Families of part-time students (Little Crusaders and PreK Jr. only) are expected to volunteer 15 hours. If you have students who attend full- AND part-time, you are required to give 30 hours of service per academic year.
Families with students enrolled in our infant/toddler program are not required to give hours of service to the school, but are encouraged to participate.
Hours for Ours may be completed by immediate family members (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles). They are not transferable between SJS families and do not carry over from year to year. Hours must directly benefit the school.
Hours for Ours Opportunities:
Volunteering at school events and/or being a homeroom parent: Please sign up and show your areas of interest: https://forms.gle/c93LpnxunepK4qFJ6 by Friday, Aug. 22. For more information, please email sfa@sjswv.org.
Buying items from teacher wish lists: You can go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11x4kJGgRfKN8p2Uyzs_lwCudgOFzP2Q0PmW-jkrWWJU/edit?usp=sharing and see a list of our teachers’ wishes for their classrooms. You can earn one hour for every $15 spent. You may have the items mailed directly to the school for convenience, preferably to the attention of the teacher.
Afternoon crossing guards: To ensure the safety of our students and their families at the end of the day, we are seeking volunteers to serve as crossing guards from 2:40 to 3:15 p.m. on school days. On half-days, we need helpers from 11:15 a.m. to noon. You can earn one Hour for Ours for each shift. You can sign up here: https://evite.me/X8rrXmnBha
Help in the kitchen during lunchtimes: If you’d like to help our cafeteria staff from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., please email Cafeteria Manager Suzi Crowder at scrowder@sjswv.org.
Coach one of our athletic teams. You can earn all of your hours in one sports season! Please contact Athletic Director Vic Lupis at 304-676-2671 or vlupis@sjswv.org.
Buy Amazon gift cards for the school to use for purchasing supplies for students and staff. They may be brought to the office or emailed to mpartington@sjswv.org. You earn one hour for every $15 spent.
Tuition-assistance application deadline nears
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is again offering the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to Catholic and non-Catholic families. For the 2025-26 school year, here are dates of note:
Phase III (Catholic and non-Catholic families): Application period closes Aug. 23; awards given Sept. 17
For more information, go to wvcatholicschools.org or email our finance team at finance@sjswv.org.
Fridays are spirit days!
Every Friday is a spirit day at SJS! See our uniform policy for details. It can be found on FACTS under “resource documents” and on our website under “parent resources.” Our spirit-wear store is open online at https://www.storessimple.com/fastink/sjs25. It closes on Sunday, Aug. 31. Please note that the polos ARE FOR PARENTS AND STAFF ONLY.
If you have any questions, please email sfa@sjswv.org.
Calendar
Monday, Aug. 18: Literati book fair opens online at https://literati.com/store/?school=saint-joseph-school-martinsburg-wv
Volleyball practice, 10:30 a.m. to noon in the gym
Open house for all grades, 1 to 7 p.m. Children are welcome to attend.
Soccer practice, 3 p.m. at Roush Field, corner of West Stephen Street and South Georgia Avenue in Martinsburg
Tuesday, Aug. 19: First day of school (full day)
Lunch: deconstructed tacos with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, plus corn, peaches, milk; OR salad and milk
Volleyball practice, 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the gym
Cross-country practice, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Morgan’s Grove Park, 4198 Kearneysville Pike, Shepherdstown
Wednesday, Aug. 20:
Lunch: spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad, carrots, breadstick, mixed fruit, milk; OR Bento box containing pepperoni, Cheddar cheese cubes, grapes, celery, carrots, peanut butter, wheat crackers, plus milk; OR salad and milk
Soccer practice, 3 p.m. at Roush Field, corner of West Stephen Street and South Georgia Avenue in Martinsburg
Volleyball practice, 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the gym
Cross-country practice, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Poor House Farm Park, Poor House Road, Martinsburg
Thursday, Aug. 21:
Lunch: Swedish meatballs with noodles, roll, broccoli, pears, milk; OR salad and milk
Soccer practice, 3 p.m. at Roush Field, corner of West Stephen Street and South Georgia Avenue in Martinsburg
Volleyball practice, 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the gym
Cross-country practice, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Morgan’s Grove Park, 4198 Kearneysville Pike, Shepherdstown
Friday, Aug. 22:
Lunch: Pizza, tossed salad, carrots, pineapple tidbits, milk; OR Bento box containing; OR salad and milk
Volleyball practice, 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the gym
Saturday, Aug. 23: cross-country practice, 9 to 10 a.m. at Poor House Farm Park, Poor House Road, Martinsburg
Dates of note:
Wednesday, Aug. 27: Meeting of parents of Genesis members, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the STEM room; parents may attend this session OR the one on Aug. 28
Thursday, Aug. 28: Meeting of parents of Genesis members, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the STEM room; parents may attend this session OR the one on Aug. 27
Friday, Aug. 29: Genesis show choir learning their music at Apollo Civic Theatre, 128 E. Martin St., 3:15 to 9 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 31: Deadline for ordering spirit wear
Monday, Sept. 1: Labor Day; no school
Wednesday, Sept. 3: soccer practice, 3 p.m. at Roush Field, corner of West Stephen Street and South Georgia Avenue in Martinsburg
Thursday, Sept. 4: soccer practice, 3 p.m. at Roush Field, corner of West Stephen Street and South Georgia Avenue in Martinsburg
Monday, Sept. 8: School liturgy with Bishop Brennan for grades six to nine, 8:20 a.m. at Saint Joseph Catholic Church; soccer practice, 3 p.m. at Roush Field, corner of West Stephen Street and South Georgia Avenue in Martinsburg
Tuesday, Sept. 9: School liturgy with Bishop Brennan for grades kindergarten to five, 8:20 a.m. at Saint Joseph Catholic Church.
Wednesday, Sept. 10: soccer practice, 3 p.m. at Roush Field, corner of West Stephen Street and South Georgia Avenue in Martinsburg
Thursday, Sept. 11: Soccer game at Sacred Heart Academy in Winchester, Va., 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 12: Soccer game at Faith Christian Academy in Martinsburg, 3:30 p.m.