One Last Flurry....

Just as the box was being closed to be mailed to Newtown, Miss Kane delivered these snowflakes made by PreKindergarten with their 8th grade Study Buddies.  They were just too cute not to share.

Snowflakes & Comfort

Today was a busy, happy day at SMS.  In third grade, Mrs. Gore made her "famous waffles" and Tyler remarked that he had just "taken a trip to Flavorville."  In second grade, students were decorating cookies.  Brunch was served in first grade and Kindergarten had a feast featuring marshmallow gingerbread men and strawberry snowmen.  Students were also busy making snowflakes for the children of Sandy Hook that will begin the new year in a new school facility at Chalk Hill.

As we packed the snowflakes for mailing, we came upon this letter and card -

How blessed we are to be surrounded by such compassionate and kind children.  As we gaze on the Baby in the manger, it is easy to see His love and mercy reflected in the eyes of our own children.

Snowflakes to Sandy Hook....packed in box full of compassion and care.

Merry Christmas from Saint Mary's School

Updates & Reminders for 12-21-12

For more pictures from Lessons & Carols, click here.

Just a reminder that Mrs. Gannatti has invited all students to wear red and green casual clothing to school tomorrow with Christmas accessories like hats, socks and jewelry.  Please be sure that the clothing your child(ren) select are appropriate for school.  Phone calls home will be made so uniforms can be brought if clothing selections are not appropriate.

As part of our Christmas activities, all students are creating paper snowflakes as part of an initiative suggested by  the Connecticut Parent Teacher Student Association  -Snowflakes for Sandy Hook.
Our students' snowflakes will join with lots of others made statewide to help the students of Sandy Hook have a winter wonderland at their new school! The snowflakes will be displayed at Chalk Hill, the new home to the children of Sandy Hook.

School Security Update -

In the wake of last week's tragedy in Newtown, a review of our school's crisis plan and general security measures is ongoing.  During this week, a new exterior flood light has been installed in the Middle School area of the north parking lot to help create a more secure area for aftercare pickup.  We are also investigating prices on additional security cameras for the facility. Our Parish Facilities Manager, Mr. Heiden, has met with the Simsbury Police Department to review our crisis plan.  We have received assurance from the police department that this plan is sound and executable in the event of an emergency.  Over the next few weeks,  locks on several doors will be rekeyed or installed to enhance building security.  If you are coming to school to volunteer or pickup your child(ren), you will be asked to identify yourself prior to entry if our security camera view is not clear.  You may also find that there will be times you will need to wait for an entrance to be unlocked.  Please remember that any inconvenience is unintentional but also unavoidable as we strive to do our best to keep your children safe.

School will be dismissed at 12:45 on Friday, 12/21/12.  There will be no Prekindergarten Enrichment or Aftercare.  

School reopens on Wednesday, January 2.  This is also the first day of ski & snowboard club.  Please remember that skis, snowboards and associated gear cannot be brought to school on the school bus.  

News for the week of 12/19/12

Lessons & Carols 2012 was truly a magnificent gift for the Baby Jesus.  Mrs. Gannatti would like to acknowledge the hard work of our students by making Friday, 12/21/12, a Christmas Dress Down Day.  In addition to wearing Christmas hats, socks and accessories, all students are invited to wear red and green casual clothing appropriate for school.  Please help your children make good choices for their attire.  Our special thanks to our vocal music instructor, Mrs. Patty Lepak and our religion coordinator, Mr. Bill Walsh, for their work preparing our students for this annual prayer service.

12:45 Early Dismissal for Christmas Break - Friday, December 21st. No PreK Enrichment or Aftercare available.

Middle School iPads will remain at school over Christmas vacation.  All Middle School iPads will be collected on Thursday, 12/20, since Friday is an early closing day.  Students should put a "sticky note" on the iPad with their name and passcode.

School reopens on Wednesday, January 2nd & our celebration of Catholic Schools' Month begins! Please keep in mind that Before Care will not be available when school resumes in January. 

Please remember that Ski & Snowboard Club begins on the day we return to school - Wednesday, January 2nd and continues on each Wednesday through January 30th.  If there should be a cancellation due to a snow day or early closing,  additional Wednesday(s) will be added.  Skis and snowboards may not be brought to school on the school bus.  Skis, snowboards and other gear may be stored in the Parish Center vestibule during the school day.

Parent Meeting regarding Internet Safety - We have arranged for Officer Dunne from the Simsbury Police Department to join us on Monday, February 4, 2013 at 7pm in the Parish Center to discuss internet safety.  Due to the importance of this topic and it’s direct impact on our children, we are asking that you consider attendance at this meeting a mandatory commitment for at least one parent/guardian from each family.  Middle school students are encouraged to attend as well.

Support St. Mary's as you shop for groceries! Fitzgerald's Foods, ShopRite, Big Y and Stop & Shop all offer easy ways for you to help our school as you do your grocery shopping.  

At Fitzgerald's, it's as simple as dropping your receipts in the St. Mary's bucket on your way out the door. These receipts all get tallied and submitted to the Educational Edge program in the spring. The points these receipts earn can be redeemed for all kinds of free educational supplies. We often use these points to stock up on things like dry erase markers, tape, glue, paint, pencils and colored paper.  

To participate in the Shoprite for Education program, register your Shoprite Price Plus Card at www.shopritefor education.com. Our school code is 18436. This program also provides free educational supplies.  

Big Y's Education Express also earns points for free supplies. Go to www.bigyeducationexpress.com. Our school code is 5681.  

The Stop & Shop's A+ School Rewards program sends us a check at the program's conclusion. To register your Stop & Shop card, go to http://www.stopandshop.com/aplus.

On December 13th, Kindergarten celebrated the Feast of Saint Lucia. There was once a time of great hunger in Sweden. During that time, Saint Lucia appeared with food for everyone in the country. When she appeared, her head was surrounded by a great halo of light. Tradition states that early in the morning on December 13th, in homes throughout Sweden, the oldest daughter carries a special breakfast of coffee and sweet bread to her parents. Usually she is dressed in white and wearing a crown of evergreen branches with seven candles on it.  For more pictures of Christmas in Kindergarten, click here.

Talking to Children About Tragedy

The tragic event at the Sandy Hook Elementary School on 12/14/12, has left us all looking for answers and wondering how to talk with our children about this type of situation.  We know we should tell them "something" but how do we begin to talk about something so inexplicable, so random and so frightening.  As a people of faith, we know that even in times of great tragedy, we never walk alone.  We know that God will provide consolation that no human source can.  As parents, we want to strike the right balance and tone.  We want to say "just enough" and we want to say it "just the right way". We hope you will take a moment to read the article below.  It provides some common sense advice that makes this conversation a little bit easier to approach.

Talking to Our Children About Tragedy: Fostering Safety, Not Fear

Tamar Chansky

When tragedy strikes, our hearts are broken and we grieve for the families who are reeling from loss. Though we find ourselves overwhelmed with emotion and feeling ill-equipped to process these incomprehensible events ourselves, let alone convey them to our children, we, as parents are in a unique position to guide our children in dark moments to a place of resilience and safety rather than to a place of fear.

We may, in our own distress and sense of helplessness, feel like we can regain control by telling our children exactly what occurred and making sure they know what to do if the unthinkable happened and they were faced with an attack. Feeling that somehow warning them would prepare them. But there is a time and place for everything. This is not their job, nor should it be our priority. Certainly not now. In fact, our urgency to explain everything-- to quell our own fears-- will be confusing to children. They will be overloaded with information which will add to their stress. Resist that urge. Fear doesn't make us feel safer. First and foremost, our priority is to help our children feel loved and safe, to spend time with them, be aware and attentive to their needs and keep their lives and routines as regular as possible.

When talking with our children about tragedy, we can choose to emphasize grief and healing rather than fear and danger. Our purpose is to help our children recover and be resilient, not to be frightened of their lives. Though our emotions may make us feel angry and scared that violence is the norm lurking around every corner, we know in our heads and our hearts that billions of people want a safe, peaceful world and that we are joined together in grieving for the terrible events which occurred.

Here are several ideas to guide you in talking about Friday's school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut; these suggestions can be useful in general when helping your child through traumatic events.

Turn off the news

Parents are the best source of news for their children. News programs are not geared for children and repeated exposure to distressing information or images can be confusing and in some cases traumatizing to children when they believe that with each repetition they see, the event is recurring.

Don't give details

Children don't need to know details. Unless they ask, this is not important information. They need to have a narrative to understand the basics of what occurred. Emphasize that many people are working to make sure that doesn't happen again, and that it is over.

Start with what your child already knows

Ask your child what they've heard of what happened. Young children do not need to know unless they will be exposed to the information at church or synagogue or some other venue. The following script can be used for children in middle school. High school students will likely have more questions. Listen to their questions, ask for their input and share yours at a level appropriate for your child.

Here is a sample script: A very sad thing happened in a town in Connecticut on Friday. A man who was very disturbed and had a lot of problems came to a school and shot people; 28 people died. This was very wrong. Immediately, police and ambulances came to keep people safe and take care of people who were hurt. The shooting stopped. The families are very sad. Many, many people who care and love them are helping to take care of them. Schools are very safe places. This is very rare, which means it is extremely unlikely to ever happen. Your teachers and principals work hard to keep you safe at school. That is their job and they work very hard to do that.

Consider your purpose 

We all want to protect our children. Although we can't always protect them from the fact that bad things do happen, we can protect them from feeling more vulnerable and scared because of our explanations. Our explanations should let children know that hard and bad things happen sometimes, but they are very rare, that billions of other people don't want those things to happen, just like them, and that there are thousands of people whose job is to keep children safe. These people work to prevent things from happening. Very rarely bad things do happen, and that is very sad.

Maintain your routines

When a tragedy occurs, the routines such as regular meals and bedtimes may get compromised. Change is stressful; routine is organizing. Routines signal to children that the adults are in charge, and that normalcy prevails. This lets them know that the tragedy, though it is being processed, is over and it's not still going on.

Restore a sense of safety

This is not a time to teach about what to do if an emergency occurred. Children are feeling vulnerable either from grasping what occurred during the tragic events, or even just from seeing the adults upset. The priority now is to tell children that they are safe, help them to picture the layers and layers of adults whose job it is to keep them safe: their parents, the mayor of their town, the president, their teachers and school personnel.

Stay calm 

Children are likely to see parents upset during this time, and crying and feeling sad are all normal, expected and healthy reactions to a tragedy. You can explain this to your child: "Mom is very sad right now, because this was a very sad thing that happened. Mom is OK. Mom won't always feel this way, but this is how Mom feels right now." It is very important in the presence of children to avoid angry outbursts and tirades against people you believe are responsible; this will be confusing and may even make children feel that they are somehow responsible for making you sad or angry.

Give support and spend time with your children

While this is an extremely emotional time for parents identifying with and grieving for the parents who have lost their children, or families who have lost loved ones, spending time with your children will help you and your children to feel connected and safe.

Expect a range of reactions

Children may cry when they hear the news, they may be angry or they may have little reaction. All of these are normal. Children may be more clingy, need more hugs and support at bedtime. All of this is normal.

When to seek help

If after a week or two children continue to be having difficulties, and their anxiety and fears have intensified over that time rather than faded and resolved, consult your pediatrician for advice.

Though we can't shield our children from the realities of life, we can greatly impact how our children are exposed to them, what they learn from them, and how they live with them. These are the parental privileges and responsibilities that we can exercise even in difficult times. Our goal is to prevent our children from becoming afraid or angry or feeling like the world is a chaotic place; it is to show them that there is light even in the narrow places that we are thrust in from tragedies. We can know that while there are many issues which may divide us-- as parents, as educators, as those who care about the future for our children-- we must focus on what brings us together and with our conviction hold tight and work toward the possibility that things can be better for all.

Reminder regarding Lessons & Carols - Tuesday, 12/18/12

Lessons & Carols - Tuesday, December 18th. 10am Dress Rehearsal; 7pm Evening Presentation in the Church -  This annual SMS Christmas tradition is a mandatory part of our students' Religion curriculum.  All students, grades Kindergarten through 8 are expected to attend this prayer service.  If an excused absence is required for an unavoidable reason, please contact Mrs. Gannatti.

Students in grades Kindergarten and 8 should follow teachers' directions regarding dress for daytime and evening presentations.  All other students (grades 1-7) should wear their full formal uniform for both the day and evening presentations.  No sweatshirts or school athletic apparel should be worn.  Middle School Students - No crazy socks or ties, please. Please make every effort to assure your child(ren)'s formal uniform(s) for this day is(are) clean and tidy.  Boys should have belts with trousers.  No sneakers should be worn.  School sweater vest or cardigan is acceptable. No physical education uniforms should be worn to school on 12/18. 

Students in Kindergarten and grade 8 should report to the lower church no earlier than 6:30pm for the evening presentation.  All other students (grades 1-7) should report to the Church no earlier than 6:30pm.  Homeroom teachers will be waiting for them in their assigned pews. 

The 10am presentation is a full dress rehearsal and is the perfect opportunity for photos.  The church is generally much less crowded and the lighting is more conducive to photography.  There is room for young guests to wiggle in the pews.

Doors of the church will be open for seating at 6:30pm.  Please keep in mind that the first 6 pews on the right side (when entering from Hopmeadow Street entrance of the church) are reserved for the parents and guests of our 8th grade students.  This is a traditional "gift" to our graduating families.  The first  pew on the left side is reserved for the family that had the winning bid at last year's H.S.A. auction.

As was the case last year, dismissal after Lessons & Carols will take place from the Church.

Save those crazy Christmas socks, ties, & hats for Friday, 12/21/12 - Mrs. Gannatti invites all students to wear Christmas socks, ties, hats, hair decor and jewelry to school on Friday with the uniform of the day.

Please remember that Friday, 12/21/12, is an early dismissal day at 12:45pm.  There will be no Prekindergarten Enrichment or Aftercare.

News for the week of 12/12/12

December is a busy month. Please be sure to check the school calendar regularly. Here are some important dates to remember -

 

Band & Chorus Christmas Concert - Thursday, December 13th. 2pm Dress Rehearsal (Both Band & Chorus will perform); 7pm Performance in the Parish Center - Band Students, click here for guidelines regarding concert dress, arrival time & deportment. Chorus students that are not in the band should follow Mrs. Lepak's directions regarding arrival time and gathering spot and wear red, green or white tops with black bottoms.

Lessons & Carols - Tuesday, December 18th. 10am Dress Rehearsal; 7pm Evening Presentation in the Church -  This annual SMS Christmas tradition is a mandatory part of our students' Religion curriculum.  All students, grades Kindergarten through 8 are expected to attend this prayer service.  If an excused absence is required for an unavoidable reason, please contact Mrs. Gannatti.

The 10am presentation is a full dress rehearsal and is the perfect opportunity for photos.  The church is generally much less crowded and the lighting is more conducive to photography.  There is room for young guests to wiggle in the pews.

Students in grades Kindergarten and 8 should follow teachers' directions regarding dress  for daytime and evening presentations.  All other students (grades 1-7) should wear their full formal uniform for both the day and evening presentations.  No sweatshirts or school athletic apparel should be worn.  Please make every effort to assure your child(ren)'s formal uniform(s) for this day is(are) clean and tidy.  Boys should have belts with trousers.  No sneakers should be worn.  School sweater vest or cardigan is acceptable. No physical education uniforms should be worn to school on 12/18. Students in Kindergarten and grade 8 should report to the lower church no earlier than 6:30pm for the evening presentation.  All other students (grades 1-7) should report to the Church no earlier than 6:30pm.  Homeroom teachers will be waiting for them in their assigned pews. 

Doors of the church will be open for seating at 6:30pm.  Please keep in mind that the first 6 pews on the right side (when entering from Hopmeadow Street entrance of the church) are reserved for the parents and guests of our 8th grade students.  This is a traditional "gift" to our graduating families.  The first  pew on the left side is reserved for the family that had the winning bid at last year's H.S.A. auction.

As was the case last year, dismissal after Lessons & Carols will take place from the Church.

Grades 3 & 4 Reminder regarding Mass at the Cathedral - Students in grades 3 and 4 will attend a celebratory Mass on Wednesday, December 19th at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hartford in honor of the 50th anniversary of Archbishop Mansell's ordination.  All students in grades 3 & 4 should wear a clean and tidy formal uniform and have a bagged lunch for this day.

12:45 Early Dismissal for Christmas Break - Friday, December 21st. No PreK Enrichment or Aftercare available.

Middle School iPads will remain at school over Christmas vacation.  Any students that will be leaving early to begin the Christmas break are requested to turn in their iPads to Mrs. Hatch at dismissal on their last day of attendance before the Christmas vacation.  Students should put a "sticky note" on the iPad with their name and passcode.

School reopens on Wednesday, January 2nd & our celebration of Catholic Schools' Month begins! Please keep in mind that Before Care will not be available when school resumes in January.

Parent Meeting regarding Internet Safety - We have arranged for Officer Dunne from the Simsbury Police Department to join us on Monday, February 4, 2013 at 7pm in the Parish Center to discuss internet safety.  Due to the importance of this topic and it’s direct impact on our children, we are asking that you consider attendance at this meeting a mandatory commitment for at least one
parent/guardian from each family.  Middle school students are encouraged to attend as well.

Everyone looks fabulous dressed in SMS Athletic Wear!  Order yours today!

SMS Athletic Apparel is available! The Booster Club will accept orders for SMS athletic apparel from Vincent's for the remainder of the school year. An order will be sent in on the last Friday of every month. A crew cut sweatshirt (sweatshirt without the hood) is now available to purchase.  This sweatshirt may be worn with any of our school uniforms by all students. The order form will be updated to show this new item soon.  Until the order form is updated, please contact ADirector@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net to place an order for the crew neck sweatshirt.  All other items may be ordered via the order form.  Click here for order form.

HSA News

Thank you to everyone who helped make Parents Night Out a fun evening for the children as well as the parents. Special thanks to Nancy Figulski, Cherith Sullivan, Blair Wlochowski, Andrea Wlochowski, Rich Kuziak and Scott Glazier.

CHOICE News

CHOICE Statements will come home with your youngest or only child on Friday, 12/14/12. These statements will show you how much your family has earned toward its CHOICE commitment as of November 30th.  Just a reminder that you have until April 30, 2013 to complete your CHOICE commitment.

CHOICE gift cards make great Christmas gifts, grab bag gifts and donations! Lots of great cards are available for daily purchase. Vendors normally in stock include area grocery stores like Fitzgeralds, Stop & Shop, Geisslers and Big Y, restaurants like the Max Restaurant group, Joe Pizza and Little City, "one size fits all" gifts to places like Dicks and Barnes & Nobles, treats like Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks and One Bite and those one stop shops like Walmart and Target.

News for the week of 12/6/12

The Kindergarten students had a busy week last week learning about the legends of Christmas! They have created displays throughout the school building that have the different legends posted on them along with a project that they created for each one.  They learned about the Legend of the Candy Cane, letting us know that when a candy cane is held upside down, it becomes the letter "J" which stands for Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who is truly what the Christmas Season is all about!


December is a busy month.  Please be sure to check the school calendar regularly.  Here are some important dates to remember -

• Our monthly School Mass will be held on Friday, December 7th at 9:30am.  Everyone is welcome to join us at Mass.  Please remember that no physical education uniforms should be worn to Mass.
• Grade 8 Poinsettia Sale - Pickup Reminder-  Thanks to everyone who supported this fundraiser! Poinsettia pickup will be in the Parish Center on Friday, Dec. 7th, 2-4pm and after all Masses on Saturday, Dec. 8th and Sunday, Dec. 9th. 
• Band & Chorus Christmas Concert - Thursday, December 13th.  2pm Dress Rehearsal (Both Band & Chorus will perform), 7pm Performance in the Parish Center  - Band Students, click here for guidelines regarding concert dress, arrival time & deportment. Chorus students that are not in the band should follow Mrs. Lepak's directions regarding arrival time and gathering spot and wear red, green or white tops with black bottoms.  
• Lessons & Carols - Tuesday, December 18th. 10am Dress Rehearsal, 7pm Evening Presentation in the Church
• 12:45 Early Dismissal for Christmas Break - Friday, December 21st.  No PreK Enrichment or Aftercare available.
• School reopens on Wednesday, January 2nd & our celebration of Catholic Schools' Month begins!  Please keep in mind that Before Care will not be available when school resumes in January.

Parent Meeting regarding Internet Safety - We have arranged for Officer Dunne from the Simsbury Police Department to join us on Monday, February 4, 2013 at 7pm in the Parish Center to discuss internet safety.  Due to the importance of this topic and it’s direct impact on our children, we are asking that you consider attendance at this meeting a mandatory commitment for at least one parent/guardian from each family.  Middle school students are encouraged to attend as well.

Athletic News - If you have not paid for your fall sport participation fee please send it in no later then Friday 12/7/12. If you have any questions regarding your owed payment please contact Mr. Gangloff.

It's time for cheerleading!  Starting soon for the season, the SMS cheerleading pep squad will meet during the week to practice stunts and cheers.  Members need to be 5th grade or older. For more information about cheerleading at SMS, click here. If you are interested please email Mr. Gangloff by Friday, 12/7/12.

Mark your calendars for special author visits! As part of our celebration of Catholic Schools' Month, two authors will be visiting with us.  Stacy DeKeyser, author of The Brixen Witch will visit SMS on Friday, January 11th at 9am. Stacy DeKeyser is the author of four books for kids, including The Brixen Witch and Jump the Cracks. She lives in Simsbury with her husband and two sons, and is a member of St. Catherine's parish. For more information, visit her website at stacydekeyser.com. Copies of The Brixen Witch will be available for the author's signature. Click here for an order form.

On January 18th, students in grades K-4 will visit with Janice Hechter. Ms. Hechter  lives in Farmington and has illustrated at least four children's books. She holds a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. Her book, Hooray for Heroes, was a National Best Book Award Winner in 2010.   Ms. Hechter will be chatting with students about what an illustrator does and other topics related to this and read from her book, The Great Elephant Escape.  She will discuss the actual true story upon which her book is based.
      

Home & School Association News -

The Auction needs your donations!  Need an idea for your donation? Here is what the Auction is wishing for:

iPad Mini

Kindle Fire

Horseback Riding lessons

Laptop

Theater Tickets

Cooking Classes

Babysitting Services

Horseshoe Necklace

Choice Cards

CHOICE Cards make great Christmas gifts!  Just in time for Christmas giving, in addition to the $25 and $50 gift cards usually available, several $100 gift cards for the Max Restaurant Group are now in stock! Click here for a list of cards currently available with special percentage rates. Special order cards ordered now may arrive in time for Christmas but delivery is not guaranteed.

Getting ready for Christmas in Kindergarten! Kindergarten had a wonderful time decorating their milk carton gingerbread houses! We read different gingerbread stories and compared the stories to tell how they were alike and different. On Thursday, Kindergarten enjoyed a Christmas Cookie Exchange.  Everyone brought in a batch of their favorite Christmas cookies and the students packed a bag of treats to bring home to share. Getting ready for Christmas is certainly yummy in kindergarten!

Click here for more pictures.