Wednesday, September 27, 2017

News for the Week of 9/27/17



Thanks to all that helped make our school's 60th birthday party 
and Anniversary Mass and reception such a wonderful success. 

Thanks to the generous contributions of our students last Friday, 
we raised $407.45 for our Hurricane Relief Fund 
for the NCEA’s “Student to Student” campaign! 
#CatholicschoolsUKNIGHT

Click here to view WFSB's airing of our students kicking off our birthday celebration.




Looking Ahead -

Our October school Mass will be held on Tuesday, October 3rd at 9am in the church.  All are welcome.  Please remember that no PE uniforms should be worn to Mass.

School will be closed on Wednesday, October 4th. 









Spread the word! Invite a Friend! 
October is Open House Month! 


Walk in Wednesdays: 9-11am every Wednesday in October except October 4th.  
School is closed on October 4th.

Wednesday,October 18th: 6:30 pm Open House - Parish Center 

Live on a busy street? Can you take an Open House lawn sign? 
Please contact Toni Chagnon if you are able to give a sign a loving home!


Individual Student Photos by Lifetouch will be sent home with students in PreK - Grade 7 on Friday, September 29.  Please be sure to check backpacks.  If your child was absent on photo day or if you would like a re-take, Lifetouch will be here on Monday, November 13th.  Group class photos will be taken on that take along with any absentee photos and any retakes.  If you want a retake, please send your student to school with his/her original portrait package.




It's Time to Sign Up for Parent/Teacher Conferences -  Our Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday, 10/24; Wednesday, 10/25 and Thursday, 10/26. Each of these days will be a 12:45pm early dismissal.  

***Friday, 10/27, is also a 12:45pm early dismissal for Faculty Faith Formation.***

There will be NO Aftercare on Tuesday, 10/24 - Friday, 10/27.  PreK Enrichment will be available on Tuesday, 10/24 - Thursday, 10/26 but NOT on Friday, 10/27.  PE Club will be available to those that are signed up for October on both Wednesday, 10/25 & Thursday, 10/26 and will run from 1-2:15pm.

Parents with students in middle school, please make note that Mrs. Gina Raymond is only available on Tuesday and Wednesdays so if your child has Gina Raymond for math, you should select a conference on Tuesday or Wednesday only. Ms. Nikki Raymond will be available on all conference days.

To sign up for your Parent/Teacher Conferences, click here.



The School Board is seeking to sharpen up the SMS presence on social media and is very interested in learning from you. Please click here to complete a brief survey.




Supporting Our School -
Stop & Shop A+ Rewards Update - Stop & Shop has let us know that there are new steps for NEW registrants for this program.  Click here for these instructions.  If you registered for this program last year (or even before that), you are automatically re-enrolled.






Box Tops for Education may be sent in at any time.  All homeroom classrooms have a collection box.  Keep those box tops coming!




Community News


Have you always wanted to drive a Corvette? 
 There's still time to purchase tickets in the school office!



We are excited to share that we have 4 students singing in this concert - Clarissa A., Gr. 6; Riley B., Gr. 6 and Julia and Tina M., Gr. 4.  It promises to be a great event for a wonderful cause!

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

News for the Week of 9/20/17




School Board Meeting tonight - Wednesday, September 20th  - at 7pm in the lower church.  All are welcome.


Looking Ahead -

School will be closed on Monday, September 25th and Wednesday, October 4th. 

Our October school Mass will be held on Tuesday, October 3rd at 9am in the church.  All are welcome.  Please remember that no PE uniforms should be worn to Mass.








This Friday, September 22, the student body will celebrate the school's 60th anniversary with a special birthday party on Friday, September 22nd.  

Thanks to everyone who has donated supplies for the birthday party and to those who will be coming in to help cut and serve birthday cake.






NCEA’s “Student to Student” campaign, launched on September 1, 2017, will continue to support the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey and will now be expanded to include Catholic school communities damaged by Hurricane Irma. As part of our 60th anniversary/birthday celebration on Friday, September 22, we will conduct a collection from the students of a suggested donation of $2 per student for this worthy cause. We consider this our gift to our sister schools in need at this difficult time in their histories. Parents and families are welcome to donate as well but we are really hoping that the children will be able to contribute personally as the base for our total.


Our school will celebrate its 60th anniversary at the 5pm Mass on Saturday,  September 23rd.  Our expectation is that all families will want to attend this Mass. Students in Kindergarten - grade 8 are requested to wear their relaxed uniforms. Students will sit as a group and should report to the lower church by 4:45. Our Home & School Association will host a reception following Mass.  Donations are needed along with help with setup, serving & clean up. Please visit the Sign Up Genius for this event to see how you can help us with the reception and to RSVP.  Your RSVP will help us plan for the reception. Click here



In addition to anniversary cake, coffee and water after the 5 pm Anniversary Mass on Saturday we will have Nick Glomb and his Family and Friends Roadside Cart providing hot dogs, chips and soda! Cake, coffee and water are at no charge, however, all food from the Roadside Cart is "pay as you go" or cash and carry. Hot dogs are $3.00, chips and soda are $1.00 each.














Serving hot lunch is a great way to be part of your child(ren)'s
school day. Just look at the fun today's volunteers were having!




Hot Lunch Volunteers are still needed!    If you are Virtus trained and can help out, even just once in a while, please click here to visit the Sign Up Genius and volunteer.  Training is provided and a lunch room coordinator is always on hand to help with questions.



8th grade & PreK students get to know each other as "buddies"
as our new school year gets underway!







What do you think?  We are interested in finding out ways to make St. Mary's School more attractive to local families and one way might be to offer more flexible drop off times.  Would your family's morning run more smoothly if you could drop off earlier than 8:20am? Your prompt response to this survey would be appreciated. Click here.









Students in Mrs. Jehning's first grade class became "researchers". They used non-fiction books to look at apple trees throughout the 4 seasons then illustrated their findings. 



Spread the word! Invite a Friend! 
October is Open House Month! 

Walk in Wednesdays: 9-11am every Wednesday in October except October 4th.  
School is closed on October 4th.

Wednesday,October 18th: 6:30 pm Open House - Parish Center 


Live on a busy street? Can you take an Open House lawn sign? 
 Please contact Toni Chagnon if you are able to give a sign a loving home!










New Ice Cream Choices are Available!  Ice cream is sold on all days hot lunch is available.  We have some great new choices this year.  The Itzakadoodle is a dairy free choice.  All items are $1.25.  Chips are sold on Mondays and Wednesday for 50 cents each.




Annual Asbestos Notification -
 Please click here to download the annual Asbestos Inspection Report and Management Plan Notification letter.  This letter is also available on our school website.


Student Council News -

Congratulations to our Student Council Officers for 2017-18! We had our election last week following excellent speeches by all of the candidates to students in grades K-8. The results are as follows:

President: Carter P.
Vice President: Madison S.
Treasurer: Hannah K.
Secretary: Siobhan R.
Public Relations: Sophia P.

In addition, Victoria M. will be the Assistant in Public Relations and Isabel P. will be the Service Chair.

8th grade students' carwash customers included a
Simsbury police cruiser.




Thanks to everyone who supported the Grade 8 car wash and mum sale. 
Mum pick up began today and continues tomorrow (Thursday, 9/21) and Friday (9/22) from 2-4pm in the lower church.



Running Club is Underway  - As fall weather draws near, the running world gets excited for racing season!  This fall, St. Mary's is happy to announce an all new running club for students in grades 2-8.  Club members will learn form, technique and run some fun miles in this lap style club.  Run club members will have an ultimate goal of completing a 1 Mile or 5k (3.1 miles) race at the Blue Back Mitten Run in West Hartford on December 3 (additional fee of $10 to be collected later).

Running Club is held on Mondays from 3:30-4:45pm at the fields on Iron Horse Blvd.  The fall season of running club began on Monday, 9/18, and will run through the end of November, weather permitting. Cost of the club is $30 for the full season or $5 per session. Please make your checks payable to: St. Mary's School with "Running Club" in the memo section.

Please be sure that your child(ren)'s homeroom teacher and the school office are notified of which dates your child(ren) will stay for Running Club.

If your child is interested in running club, or if you have questions, please contact Laura Williams at llg1976@yahoo.com.

It's time for Art Club!  Click here for a permission slip. Please be sure that your child(ren)'s homeroom teacher and the school office are notified that your child(ren) will stay for Art Club.






Community News



All families are invited and encouraged to participate in this year's Family Day.
Everyone is also invited to take a #FamilyDaySelfie, and email it to mzone@aohct.org so that the Archdiocese can post it on the archdiocesan Facebook page on September 26th.  We would also like to post any Family Day selfies you might like to share with us.  You can email them to smsoffice@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net

For more information and ideas to promote “Family Day,” click here.

Have you always wanted to drive a Corvette? 
 There's still time to purchase tickets in the school office!



We are excited to share that we have 4 students singing in this concert - Clarissa A., Gr. 6; Riley B., Gr. 6 and Julia and Tina M., Gr. 4.  It promises to be a great event for a wonderful cause!



Simsbury Public Library has programs for Teens & "Tweens & More in October.







Wednesday, September 13, 2017

News for the Week of 9/13/17







Looking Ahead -

School Board Meeting on Wednesday, September 20th at 7pm in the lower church.  All are welcome.

School will be closed on Monday, September 25th and Wednesday, October 4th.

Our October school Mass will be held on Tuesday, October 3rd at 9am in the church.  All are welcome.  Please remember that no PE uniforms should be worn to Mass.





The student body will celebrate the school's 60th anniversary with a special birthday party on Friday, September 22nd.  We are looking for a few volunteers to help cut and serve birthday cake and we are also looking for donation of some birthday party supplies.  Click here to visit the Sign Up Genius for this event.




Our school will celebrate its 60th anniversary at the 5pm Mass on Saturday,  September 23rd.  Our expectation is that all families will want to attend this Mass. Students in Kindergarten - grade 8 are requested to wear their relaxed uniforms. Our Home & School Association will host a reception following Mass.  Donations are needed along with help with setup, serving & clean up. Please visit the Sign Up Genius for this event to see how you can help us with the reception and to RSVP.  Your RSVP will help us plan for the reception.  Click here.






Hot Lunch Volunteers are still needed!    If you are Virtus trained and can help out, even just once in a while, please click here to visit the Sign Up Genius and volunteer.  Training is provided and a lunch room coordinator is always on hand to help with questions.




The hot lunch "open order" period for October is open until Friday, September 15th.  Please keep in mind that NO late orders can be accepted.  Orders must be placed via the Educonnect Parent Portal. If you miss the open order period, you will have to wait for the next open order period to order lunches for November. Please send in your payment as soon as your order has been entered in Educonnect.  Your order is not considered final until your payment is received.  Click here to access the Educonnect Parent Portal.  Your user id and password were included in your "Back to School" email packet.



"Getting to Know You....Getting to Know All About You"
Grade 1
Zachary S., Gr.1, working on his "All About Me" project.

Selena M., Gr. 1, happy to share her "All About Me"!





Used Uniform Exchange - Click here for an updated inventory of items available from the used uniform exchange.








Mixed on Math!
Students in Mrs. Raymond's Grade 7 Math Class got the year off to a great start
with a "selfie".










A"Mazing" Dot & Dash!

With help from our Middle School Math teacher (and resident coding expert) Nikki Raymond, students in grades Kindergarten - grade 5 are all enjoying working with their iPads to program robots Dot and Dash.  In the pictures below, students in Mrs. Gore's fifth grade try provide Dash with the code needed to complete a maze.






Ski & Snowboard Club Update -Unfortunately, based on responses to our inquiry, there does not appear to be sufficient interest to "formalize" the SMS Ski & Snowboard Club for this winter.  Families that may be interested in a community outing for ski and snowboard are invited to consider meeting at Ski Sundown on Wednesdays after school during the month of January.  We will revisit club interest for the 18-19 school year. 



Community News


Parish Family Picnic! This Sunday - September 17th!
Calling all School and Church Families to come together on Sunday, September 17th, from 3-5PM for a St. Mary's Parish Picnic, in the North Parking Lot (or the fun will move inside the Parish Center in case of rain.) We will provide the Hamburgers, Hot Dogs and Beverages. You bring a Potluck Side Dish or Dessert to share. Enjoy great food, music, games and a photo booth! Reconnect with and meet new friends.  "Day of" volunteers needed, please call Rhoda 860-651-4027. Come and celebrate our parish family at the best picnic ever! 



All families are invited and encouraged to participate in this year's Family Day.
Everyone is also invited to take a #FamilyDaySelfie, and email it to mzone@aohct.org so that the Archdiocese can post it on the archdiocesan Facebook page on September 26th.  We would also like to post any Family Day selfies you might like to share with us.  You can email them to smsoffice@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net

For more information and ideas to promote “Family Day,” visit: https://www.casafamilyday.org .


Have you always wanted to drive a Corvette? 
 There's still time to purchase tickets in the school office!






Wednesday, September 6, 2017

News for the Week of 9/6/17




Tonight - Wednesday, 9/6/17, is Back to School Knight for Parents!  

We are looking forward to seeing you and giving you a chance to peek into our school day, hear about our goals for this year, shop in our Spirit Shop and get an update about the Campus Connection building project.

The evening will begin with a meeting for parents with students beginning instrumental music and band lessons for the first time this year.  If you have a student entering grades 4-8 that is interested in beginning instrumental music and band with our Future Musician's instructor, Mrs. Debbie Morse, please plan to meet in the music/art portable at 6pm. NOTE - This meeting is NOT required for parents of students that have previously participated in band.

"Back to School Knight for Parents" will begin at 6:30pm in the Parish Center.  Mrs. Williamson will have opening remarks addressing our goals for the year and news about our newly revitalized Home & School Association and the Campus Connection building project. This will also be your opportunity to visit your child(ren)'s homeroom classrooms, meet teachers and learn more about the school day and this year's expectations for a great school year.

The "Spirit Shop" will be open at "Back to School Knight" with samples of many of the items available and order forms.  The tee shirt that is approved as part of our Physical Education uniform is in stock and may be purchased for $15.  Non-uniform items like pajama pants and baseball hats will also be available for sale.



Monday, 9/11/17 - Individual Student Photos of students in PreK, K-7 will be taken by Lifetouch Photography. Picture Day order forms were sent home today (Wednesday, 9/6/17) with all students in PreK, and grades K-7.   Even if no pictures are being ordered, a photo will be taken of each student for our school yearbook.  Students may wear casual dress appropriate for school for picture day.  Eighth grade individual student photos will be taken on another date.  Eighth grade students should wear the uniform of the day on 9/11/17. 



Cadet & Advanced Band and Instrumental Lessons will begin on Monday, September 11.  





Tuesday, 9/12/17- School Mass at 9am. All are welcome to join us in worship.  Please remember that no PE uniforms should be worn to Mass.  










Our school will celebrate its 60th anniversary at the 5pm Mass on Saturday,  September 23rd.  Our expectation is that all families will want to attend this Mass.  Our Home & School Association will host a reception following Mass. Please see Home & School News below for more information. Students in Kindergarten - grade 8 are requested to wear their relaxed uniforms.






Hot Lunch will begin on Friday, September 8th. Hot Lunch Volunteers are still needed!  At this time, we have only 2 volunteers for Friday, 9/8.  If you are Virtus trained and can help out, even just once in a while, please click here to visit the Sign Up Genius and volunteer.  Training is provided and a lunch room coordinator is always on hand to help with questions.

The hot lunch "open order" period for October will begin on Monday, September 11th.  Orders may be placed using the Educonnect Parent Portal until Friday, September 15th.  Please keep in mind that NO late orders can be accepted.  If you miss the open order period, you will have to wait for the next open order period to order lunches for November. Please send in your payment as soon as your order has been entered in Educonnect.  Your order is not considered final until your payment is received.  Click here to access the Educonnect Parent Portal.  Your user id and password were included in your "Back to School" email packet.




Virtus Training - Anyone who wishes to volunteer here at school does need to complete Virtus training and fill out a form for completion of a background check.  There will be a Virtus training session here at SMS on Tuesday, September 12th at 6:30pm in the 5th grade classroom.  Please RSVP for this session by emailing smsoffice@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.  Please include your name and contact information.  If you need to complete Virtus training and cannot make the 9/12 session here at SMS, click here for a list of other training sessions available in the Archdiocese of Hartford.





P.E. Club starts Wednesday, September 13th! 
Note new start date!
Students in grades 2-8 are invited to join this active, fun club. 
 Click here for a sign up form.





Your response is requested NLT Friday, September 8.

Calling all Ski & Snowboard Enthusiasts!  Before you know it, we will be thinking about winter sports.  The SMS Ski & Snowboard Club has long been a popular activity in January each year.  This club is open to students in grades 3 and up.  Participants travel to Ski Sundown for 5 outings on Wednesdays during January and early February.  Lessons and equipment rental are available at an additional cost. Participants are generally dismissed from school at 3pm.  If there are sufficient participants, bus transportation can be explored, otherwise club participants arrange carpools.  At this time, we would like to get a better idea of how many of our students would like to participate this year so that we can determine if the club is still viable.  We are also in search of a coordinator for the club for this year.  Please send an email to smsoffice@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net indicated the names and grades of students interested in participating and if you are interested in coordinating the club.  


Home & School Association News

 H.S.A. will begin the year with planning for representation at the Parish Picnic on Sunday,September 17th from 3-5pm. The school will have a table with information that will need staffing and we need as many school families as possible to attend the picnic. Show our #uKnighted St. Mary’s School pride!

The next important event needing HSA organization is  the reception following our Anniversary Mass on Saturday, September 23.  Planning has already begun but we are still looking for volunteers to co-chair this event.  Please contact Mrs. Williamson. 






It's time to plant your mums & support Grade 8 Fundraising - Each year, our 8th grade students conduct a number of fund raisers to help defray costs associated with their graduation and field trip. Click here for an order form for beautiful fall mums & mark your calendars for the 8th grade car wash on Saturday, September 16th from 9:30am-1pm in the North (playground) parking lot.  

Thanks in advance for your support of our 8th grade.








Saint Mary's Stars - 
On Friday, September 8th, Rebecca Lobo Rushin, mother of Siobhan, Gr. 8; Maeve, Gr. 6;  Thomas, Gr. 4 and Rose, Gr. 2, will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.  Our student body celebrated this amazing accomplishment at our Morning Prayer & Assembly on Tuesday, September 5th.







Box Tops for Education -  Have you been clipping this summer?  Our school will continue to participate in the Box Tops for Education program.  Box Tops may be sent into school at any time.  All homeroom classrooms have a collection box.  Our thanks to Doreen Mikan for agreeing to coordinate the Box Tops programs this year.


Stop & Shop A+ Rewards - Our school will again participate in the Stop & Shop A+ Rewards program.  If you participated last year, you do NOT need to re-register your card.  If you are new to the program, you can register your Stop & Shop card beginning 9/11/17. Click here and select Savings & Rewards. Follow the prompts to create your online account. You’ll need your 13-digit Stop & Shop Card number and the School ID # - 06075.  The program will run from October 6, 2017 - March 17, 2018 and you may register for up to 2 schools.


Shoprite for Education -  Our school will also participate in the Shoprite for Education program.  Shoprite does require that shopper cards be registered every year.  To register online, click here and use our school code -18436.



Community News

Parish Family Picnic! Sunday Sept. 17th!
Calling all School and Church Families to come together on Sunday, September 17th, from 3-5PM for a St. Mary's Parish Picnic, in the North Parking Lot (or the fun will move inside the Parish Center in case of rain.) We will provide the Hamburgers, Hot Dogs and Beverages. You bring a Potluck Side Dish or Dessert to share. Enjoy great food, music, games and a photo booth! Reconnect with and meet new friends. Sign-up at the church doors or click here. Please RSVP by September 13th. "Day of" volunteers needed, please call Rhoda 860-651-4027. Come and celebrate our parish family at the best picnic ever! 


Have you always wanted to drive a Corvette? 
 There's still time to purchase tickets in the school office!