St. James School Welcomes Families Back to School with Picnic in the Park

St. James School welcomed families back to school earlier this week with a Picnic in the Park at Recreation Park in downtown Arlington Heights. Hundreds of students and their families packed Rec Park, where they greeted classmates and friends and met their teachers for the year.

Father Joji Thanugundla offered a prayer for the students and their families and all the St. James faculty and staff before families settled in to eat their brown bag lunches and popsicles. Principal Judy Pappas and all the St. James teachers were on hand to greet students and their families.

The Picnic in the Park was the first of several activities to launch the 2011-2012 school year. Orientation Day was held at the School on Tuesday, August 23, with the first day of school on Wednesday, August 24. Parents will be welcomed back after they drop-off their students on the first day with a Welcome Coffee hosted by the St. James Parents' Club. The first week of school will culminate on Friday morning with the first all-school mass of the year.