Co-Curricular Activities
Religious Activities and Sacraments
Mass for students – at 8:30 a.m. – is celebrated every other week on a rotating basis. Throughout the academic year, special-celebration liturgies also are scheduled. Students are encouraged to participate as lectors, sacristans, choir members and servers (in grades 5-8).
Preparedness programs for sacraments are coordinated by the parish Religious Education Office.
Preparation for First Holy Communion is in second grade.
Fourth graders prepare and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is in eighth grade.
In every school-parish sacramental program, parents are recognized as the primary educators. Parents should attend preparation meetings and work at home with their children.
Field Trips
Class field trips – to expand our students’ learning horizons beyond the classroom – are an important and popular part of the Saint Isaac Jogues experience. These outings are planned and directed by individual teachers.
Field trips are privileges and appropriate conduct is expected. Accompanying chaperones are to be respected. Students must have a signed permission form from their parents (telephone calls cannot be accepted in lieu of a signed form). These forms are available on line. Simply click here.
Please note: if parents use their own vehicles to transport students to or from any school events, they must have adequate auto insurance in effect.
Library
To support our core curriculum, teach researching skills
and enhance our students’ intellectual enrichment
through quality literature, we maintain a well-stocked
school library and professional staff. In addition to scheduled library times, at the teacher’s
discretion students are strongly encouraged to stop
in and browse the library any time of day.
Computer Labs
Adjacent to our library are two computer labs – each fully equipped with advanced computers and supporting online and digital systems – staffed by certified instructors. Computer labs are available during assigned classes, and other times in the school day, at the discretion of individual teachers.
For our students’ protection, we maintain a strict Internet access and usage policy. Details are provided in our printed handbook. Acceptance and agreement forms must be signed and placed on file each year by students and parents.
Student Council
All students in grades 6-8 are considered active voting members. For sixth and seventh grades, homeroom representatives are elected each September. For eighth-grade, board members are determined at the end of seventh grade.
Information on our Student Council structure and
procedures are provided in the constitution and by-laws.
Two faculty moderators supervise all activities.Saint Isaac Jogues’ Student Council is a member of the
Illinois Association of Junior High School Student
Councils, which offers guidance and leadership
workshops.
Various School Activities
Saint Isaac Jogues provides a full schedule of lively events and activities throughout the academic year. Details are outlined in the school’s monthly newsletter. These events include:
Curriculum Night: children and their parents are
invited to view students’ theme-related projects, papers
and presentations.
Open House: one evening, early in the school year, parents are invited to visit teachers and learn about curricula and plans for the upcoming year.
Book Fair: in the same week as parent-teacher conferences, parents may examine and purchase selected books.
Picture Day: class photos are taken early each year. This is a “dress up” day.
Field Day: instead of individual class picnics, in May the school stages a theme-related Day for fun and friendly competition among all students of all grades.
May Crowning: each May, second and eighth-graders prepare a liturgy that includes the Crowning of Mary.
Halloween Walk: this very popular event gives eighth-graders a chance to help create fantastical costumes for their “little brothers and sisters” in first grade. All students are invited to attend.
Special Lunches: from time to time throughout the school year, in cooperation with our Parent-School Association, special hot lunches are offered to students. A variety of vendors participate. Click here for more details.
D. A. R. E.: Drug and alcohol-resistance education classes are provided every year to sixth graders by members of the Hinsdale Police Department. Follow-up presentations are presented in seventh and eighth grades.
Other curriculum related events include our
Academic Bowl, Spelling Bee and Art Awareness.