News for the Week of 4/29/15

Students in Mrs. Jehning's first grade came back from spring break ready to finish the year strong.  Last week, they enjoyed a presentation by Nurse Kim Tyrrell's daughter, Sarah, about Earth Day.  They extended the activity by writing about how they can take care of our earth and all of God's creations.










Application for St. Mary's School Trust Scholarships - The on-line application for the St. Mary's School Trust Scholarships is now available.  Click here.  The deadline for applications is THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015. For more information regarding these scholarships and the qualification parameters, click here.   For a helpful guide from the PSAS about completing the on-line application, click here. 

IOWA testing continues through Monday, 5/4, for students in Grades 3 -7.  Tuesday, 5/5 and Wednesday, 5/6 are reserved for "make-ups" due to illness. Please also keep in mind that it is very important for students to arrive at school PROMPTLY by 8:40AM on IOWA testing days.  Late arrivals will not be permitted into a classroom if the testing has begun until there is a break.  Additionally, we ask that you try to avoid scheduling doctor and dentist visits during the testing period.  Parents are encouraged to send a healthy, protein rich snack (e.g., a cheese stick or small yogurt) with their children each testing day.  Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

Kindergarten is  learning about farms. They have talked about what they already know about farms, farm animals, and why we have farms. Yesterdays activity involved pigs and tens frames. The children added two tens frames together starting with ten to find numbers 11-19. They also wrote the corresponding number sentence on their iPads.

2015-16 Family Enrollment Forms & Fees are now overdue!  If you have not yet returned your Family Enrollment Form and Fee for 2015-16, please do so ASAP.  In order for your Smart Tuition Account to begin in June, it is important that renewals are processed in a timely way.  In addition, waiting lists do exist in several grades.  If seats are going to be available, we would like to be able to begin to welcome new families to our community.  If you have mislaid your enrollment packet or have questions regarding family enrollment, please contact the school office. 

"Fairway to Heaven" Golf Tournament - Enjoy the beautiful spring weather on Monday, May 18th at the Hopmeadow Country Club in Simsbury.  Golf Tournament Registration is OPEN!  Click here to register. Visit "SMSFairwayToHeaven.com" and "/facebook.com/SMSFairwayToHeaven" for more information and updates. 

Sneak Peek - Join us for coffee and a “SNEAK PEEK” at the items for teacup and silent auction prior to "Fairway to Heaven" Golf Outing! Come to the parish center after ALL Masses  during the weekend of May 9^thand 10^th! You can bid on any items of your choice or just get a glimpse of what’s to come!

Grandparents' & Special Person's Day is coming!  One of SMS' most important events, Grandparents" & Special Person's Day, will be held on Friday, May 8th.  Guests are invited to join us for community prayer in the Parish Center at 8:45am followed by light refreshments and student entertainment.  There will also be time to visit in classrooms before the day's events conclude with May Crowning in the Church.  May Crowning will begin at 10:45 and should be complete by about 11:15 to allow our guests to depart and students to return in time for lunch.

Art Show Help Needed!  Our annual art show will be held in conjunction with our Spring Vocal Concert on Tuesday, May 12th.  Our art teacher, Mrs. Raposo, needs some help with labeling student art work and then getting it hung up in the parish center.  If you can help her on 4/29 or 5/1 with labeling or 5/6 or 5/8 (after Grandparents' & Special Person's Day) with the hanging up of art work or 5/13 with taking down art work, please email her at eraposo@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

CHOICE News - Just a reminder that you have until April 30th to complete your 2014-2015 CHOICE commitment. This may be done by purchasing CHOICE cards or by writing a check for the amount of your obligation still due to the school.  

April Choice statements will be prepared and sent home the first week of May.  Final payment of your obligation is due by May 10th.  

CHOICE purchases made after 4/30/15, will be credited to your 2015-16 CHOICE obligation.  If you have questions regarding your family's CHOICE obligation, please contact Tammy Budnick - tbudnick@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

Jump Rope Club - The Jump Rope Club has two shows lined up for the end of the year.  The first show will be held at the McLeanHome on Wednesday, May 27th at 6:00 pm, with a rain date of June 10th. The second show will be held at River Ridge in Avon on Wednesday, June 3rd at 6:45 pm. We encourage all families to come support our jumpers.

Home & School Association News

It's BOGO Time!!! Scholastic Book Fair is coming May 26-31, 2015! We are looking for volunteers to help set up, run and break down the fair. Please contact Karen McKenna at kdsm1120@comcast.net or Bridget Shanley (860-738-8965) bashanley@charter.net or if you are available to help.

Emily M (Left, front) & Lily P (Right, front) along with our FMI
Instructor, Mrs. Debbie Morse and parent chaperones had a great day
despite the rain!

St. Mary's Stars - Congratulations to our All State Musicians!  Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate for this year's planned performance outside of Lincoln Center in NYC but students showed their SMS spirit and had a great day in the city anyway!  There will be another opportunity for these students to shine at the Old State House in Hartford on May 22nd.

Vacation Fun!

Megan S. on Opening Day in Pennsylvania.
No need for a "fish tale"- that's a 3lb. rainbow trout!

Community News

Do you enjoy library books from towns other than the one where you reside?  Most of us do and now's the time for us to speak up to save Connecticut Library Funding!  Valuable Library Services are threatened with elimination. If the proposed state budget passes ONLY your hometown library will honor your card.  You will no longer be able to use your library card to borrow materials at any other Connecticut public library.  Libraries will lose thousands of dollars in cooperative savings leading to fewer materials available for borrowing.  For more information and to email your state representative, click here.  Do what you can to restore funding to Connecticard, Connecticut Library Consortium Cooperating Library Service Units and grants to public libraries.

Everyone is invited to a Benefit Pizza Dinner on Saturday, May 2, 6:00 PM in the Parish Center to help raise funds for a St. Mary's parish family.  Melissa Sartori and her daughter, Katie, are both undergoing treatment for cancer. There will be a silent auction and music by Simsbury High School Choir and Band members.Proceeds from the dinner will assist the Sartori family and support cancer treatment in their honor.

Cost for the dinner is $10.00 per person and $20.00 per family. Payment will be accepted at the door on the night of the dinner. Additionally,if you cannot make it to the dinner but would like to contribute, there are red "donation" envelopes that already have postage on them available at all entrances of the church.

Checks for the supper and/or contributions should be sent to St. Mary’s Church. Please make your check payable to “St. Mary’s Church” with “Sartori Family Health Fund,” noted in the memo section of the check.  All contributions are welcome. If paying for the dinner, please note the number of people attending. If you are just sending a donation, please note "Donation only" in the memo section as well.

If you have questions or wish to volunteer contact Meg Keating at 860-651-3993 or email her at Mkeating.4@comcast.net

Talcott Mountain Science Center Invites You to an evening with Dr. Brian Helmuth.  His research focuses on the effects of climate change on the physiology and ecology of marine organisms. Dr. Helmuth is a veteran Aquanaut and has visited the Aquarius Underwater Research Station in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary numerous times. He will show elements of his research and present the implications to our global oceans.  Click here for more information and to register to attend.  









Summer Fun Available on the Campus of Kingswood Oxford -