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Student Activities
Activites & Clubs
Bookworm Club
The Bookworm Club for grades one through four meets in the library once a month to discuss books they have read during the month. Our librarian, Mrs. Gray, provides treats for the students.
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Battle of the Books
Open to students in grades five and six, this club challenges students to read twenty books from a list compiled by the diocesan Catholic school librarians. Students then compete with other Catholic schools to see which team knows the most about the books they read. SJA has placed first in this competition two years in a row!
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Junior Great Books
This program allows students who are top readers to meet once a week with an adult leader to discuss the literature they have read, and to develop their critical thinking and writing skills.
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Spelling Club
Spelling Club is open to students in grades five through eight. Students meet once a week after school to practice spelling words from various levels of difficulty in preparation for the school spelling bee. Winners from the school spelling bee advance to the diocesan spelling bee held in March.
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Geography Bee
Similar to a spelling bee, this annual event, for students in grades five through eight, tests student knowledge of places and geographical features throughout the world.
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“It’s Academic”
Middle school students meet once a week in the second semester to prepare for the “It's Academic” competition held among several Catholic schools.
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Safety Patrols
The SJA Safety Patrol program is open to any student in grades five through eight. Patrols are supervised by Capt. Edwin Smedberg, the classroom aide in grades four through eight, and supervised by the Fairfax County Police. The patrols are visited monthly by a Fairfax County Police officer who advises them on traffic procedures. In the morning, patrols raise the flags and are present for carpool. They also set up traffic cones, help direct traffic, and assist parents and students exiting cars and entering the building. In the afternoon, patrols take the flags down and set up the cones for the afternoon carpool. They help direct traffic in the parking lot and assist students in finding their carpools safely.
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Children’s Treble Choir
The Treble Choir, under the direction of Mr. David Lang (music director) and Ms. Maria Bissex (music teacher), meets to practice on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:05 p.m. Students are taught through the Ward method, and practice to sing at the weekly school Mass on Thursday at 9:00 a.m.
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Shakespeare Performance
SJA students in the eighth grade class study a Shakespearian play, and then perform the play at the Diocesan Shakespeare Festival held at Paul VI High School in May.
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School Newspaper
Middle school students are offered the opportunity to become reporters and/or photographers for the school newspaper. Students begin to learn the fundamentals of journalism by planning, writing, editing, and organizing the layout of the newspaper.
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The
Aerium
The
Aerium is a cross-curricular enrichment program offered
to 7th and 8th grade students who
desire an opportunity to exceed academically beyond the
normal confines of the classroom. The goal of The Aerium
is to teach students how to integrate academic studies
with life experience through a variety of activities
such as public speaking, mock trials, debates,
discussions, privileged field trips, and creative
writing. These activities will enhance student’s
critical and analytical skills.
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Yearbook and Memory Book
Seventh and eighth-grade students work together on producing the annual school yearbook. Students are responsible for the photography and layouts in the yearbook. Six graders learn about the business of publishing as they help with the sale and distribution of the books. The Memory Book, for graduating eighth graders and their families, is produced by students in the eighth grade, and parent volunteers.
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Student Council
The student council works together to manage a variety of student government-related projects and activities. The offices of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer are held by eighth graders. Students in grades four through eight are eligible to run for class representative position, and sit on the student council. Elections are held in the spring, and the induction ceremony is in the fall.
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Leadership Programs
The Leadership Training Program is an after-school program designed to bring out the best in tomorrow’s leaders. Boys and girls from different schools come together in a positive environment that emphasizes teamwork, a spirit of initiative, and sacrifice. This program is sponsored by the Legionaries of Christ.
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Scouting
Boy Scout and Girl Scout programs are held after school for students in grades one through eight. Students participate in service projects and outreach programs through their respective troops to help the school, and the community.
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