Thursday, 11/21/13, was Principal Appreciation Day and we celebrated our favorite Principal in grand style. Staff and faculty hosted a luncheon buffet and our students created beautiful murals and banners and poems of appreciation. There were also lots of hugs and smiles. We love you, Mrs. Gannatti!
Happy Thanksgiving! School is closed Thursday and Friday, 11/28-29/13.
Grade 8 students begin formal uniform on Monday, December 2, 2013.
Middle School iPads will remain at school over the Thanksgiving break. If your child(ren) will not be in school on Wednesday, the iPad should be brought to the office on the last day of attendance before the break.
Mrs. Jehning's First Grade class spent some time counting their blessings and creating beautiful Thanksgiving turkeys.
Our December School Mass will be held on Friday, 12/6, at 9am in the church. Please remember that no physical education uniforms should be worn to Mass.
Our annual Christmas Prayer Service, Lessons & Carols, will be held on Monday, 12/16, in the church. There will be a dress rehearsal that is open to the public at 10am. This is a nice opportunity for young siblings to see the presentation and also a great time to take photos. The evening presentation is at 7pm. Church doors will open at 6:30pm. Students sit with their homeroom class. Grade 8 students report to the lower church. As is customary, the first 6 pews on the right side are reserved for the parents of our 8th grade students. The first 2 pews on the left side are reserved for the families that had the winning bids at last year's HSA auction.
All students in grades Kindergarten - 8 are expected to attend and participate in the evening performance. If a student needs to be excused, a request should be made to Mrs. Gannatti. Students in grades 1-7 should wear their full formal uniform. Students in Kindergarten and grade 8 should follow dress directions from their teachers.
The January School Board Meeting has been rescheduled. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 29th instead of January 15th. The meeting begins at 7pm in the lower church.
A Warm Coat for Everyone! Again this year we are participating in the Hispanic Health Council of Hartford's Coat Drive. Please send in new or gently used, clean coats in all sizes. Coats may be brought to student homerooms now through Tuesday, December 3rd.
Wreaths Across America - Again this year, Mrs. Angie Bautista, mother of Julia, Grade 4, is working with Wreaths Across America to advance their mission to "Remember, Honor and Teach". Wreath sponsorships are now being accepted. If sponsoring a wreath for a specific veteran, the form is due NLT the last week of November. The ceremony will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, 12/14, at the flagpole at the Simsbury Center Cemetery. Click here for more information and a sponsorship form.
Get your School Spirit Wear in time for Christmas Giving! Final week to order! Your friendly eighth grade students are selling terrific "school spirit" items to help defray costs associated with their class trip and other expenses related to graduation. Items for sale include nylon-backed fleece blankets perfect for sports outings, baseball caps, tote bags for grocery shopping or packing ski clothes, and SMS "fathead" stickers! Perfect for holiday gift-giving or stocking stuffers! Click here for photos, information and order forms. Please make checks payable to SMS and write "Grade 8 Fundraiser" in the memo line. ORDER DEADLINE: MONDAY, DECEMBER, 2nd. Thanks for supporting our eighth graders!PLEASE NOTE: FLANNEL PAJAMA PANTS AND BASEBALL CAPS ARE NOT PART OF OUR SMS UNIFORM AND ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE DAILY ATTIRE.
Action Alert from the Connecticut Federation of Catholic Parents- Governor Dannel Malloy has announced $ 5 million in security grants available to public school districts throughout the state. He intends to ask for an additional $6 million once the legislature is back in session in February. It is our belief that regardless of where a child attends school they are entitled to monies that will provide greater security for them.
Many Catholic schools, including ours, have worked to improve security at a cost. Certainly, this cost is one that is not only necessary but vital. If you believe Catholic school students throughout the state are entitled to the same funding as our public counterparts, please take a moment of your time to call the Governor's office to let him know that it is your hope that all children receive equitable funding to make every school a safer place to learn.
A phone call has the greatest effect, but if you would prefer to email, please see the link that will allow you to send your thoughts to the Governor.
PHONE: 860 566 4840 or toll free at 1 800 406 1527.
If we do not make our voices heard, it will be too easy to ignore our students and their right to security in our schools.
Home & School Association News
CHOICE News
Quarterly statements showing CHOICE purchases through October are being sent home Wednesday, 11/27, with your youngest or only child. Please keep in mind that you have until the end of April 2014 to complete your CHOICE commitment. This commitment is part of your tuition obligation as defined in your annual family enrollment agreement. Families that do not complete their commitment via purchase of CHOICE cards or by submitting an "opt-out" payment will be billed in May 2014.
CHOICE cards make Christmas shopping easy and one size fits all! There are many retailers to choose from. In addition to completing your holiday shopping, you are helping to support our school and working toward completion of your CHOICE commitment without additional out of pocket expense. A holiday order form is available by clicking here. Please return your order to the school office marked “Choice Order”. To ensure delivery in time for Christmas, ALL ORDERS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE OFFICE NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 11TH. PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY ALL ORDERS. ~Thank you for your support!
Home & School Association News
The Parents' Night Out scheduled for Friday, 12/6/13, has been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. The event may be rescheduled for later in the year.
Technology Specialist Needed: Do you have computer skills, a logical mind, organizational skills, and a willingness to solve problems? The Auction Committee is looking for a technology specialist leading up to and during the night of the auction to be sure the network is working properly and to solve any technical issues that may arise. Duties will include ordering and testing the credit card terminals, set up the network prior to the auction and support the network during the auction, run reports and check for accuracy, and troubleshoot questions and issues that arise during the event. If you are willing to take on this role, please contact Michelle Howard at michellechoward@yahoo.com.
Playground Committee: The HSA and Auction Committee are pleased to announce that the proceeds from this year’s Auction will go toward the purchase and installation of a new playground for our school! If you are interested in joining the Playground Planning Committee, please contact committee chair Linda Thompson at lindaethompson@earthlink.net.
Quarterly statements showing CHOICE purchases through October are being sent home Wednesday, 11/27, with your youngest or only child. Please keep in mind that you have until the end of April 2014 to complete your CHOICE commitment. This commitment is part of your tuition obligation as defined in your annual family enrollment agreement. Families that do not complete their commitment via purchase of CHOICE cards or by submitting an "opt-out" payment will be billed in May 2014.
CHOICE also reminds you that we still have Big Y cards with a 6% profit rate available - stock up now before the profit rate returns to 2%.
