News for the Week of 5/20/15

A Delicious Day in the Neighborhood! -- Students in Miss Kane's PreKindergarten took a stroll in the neighborhood this week to visit Little City Pizza. Students learned all about making pizza in the best way - by making a personal pizza to enjoy!

Golf Tournament chairs Fay Lenz (left) and Sue Zordan (right)
with our Pastor, Father Matera.

Thank you to each and every one of you who came out to support St. Mary's School Golf Tournament fundraiser at Hop Meadow Country Club on Monday, 5/18 - and those of you who worked behind the scenes to bring it together. Raffle buyers, coffee drinkers, basket builders, donors, sponsors, golfers, dinner attendees, auction shoppers and, of course, tireless volunteers. Thanks to all of you, it was a great success on many levels - great friendship, fun and fundraising. We are blessed and grateful.

Please check out the newly designed website(smsfairwaytoheaven.com - http://www.smsfairwaytoheaven.com/) to see photos of the event and for links to our wide variety of sponsor businesses - what a vibrant community we live in!

Mr. Gangloff "on the green".

REMINDER ---- The first two spots in our carpool lot are RESERVED for the families that paid for these spots at the HSA auction last year and at our Golf Tournament this year. This reserved parking is valid throughout this school year and the 2015-16 school year. Please DO NOT park in these spots. Our thanks to the Bradley and Greggains families for their generous support at these events.

The School Board will meet on Wednesday, May 20th at 7pm in the lower church. All are welcome.

Our Spring Band concert will be held on Thursday, May 21st in the Parish Center at 7pm. The concert will feature selections by our Cadet (Beginner), Advanced and Jazz Bands as well as some special performances. Information regarding student arrival time and dress is available here. There will be a dress rehearsal of the concert for the entire student body on Thursday, 5/21, at 2pm in the Parish Center. Guests are also welcome at this performance. All musicians should be sure to bring their instruments, music, stands and necessary supplies to school on Thursday for this dress rehearsal.

All Musicians & Parents of Musicians - Please CLICK HERE for important information from Mrs. Morse regarding the school day dress rehearsal, evening arrival time and concert dress.

The FMI Concert at the Old State House that was scheduled for this Friday, 5/22, has been CANCELLED due to construction on the Old State House lawn.

Athletic News - FIELD DAY FOR GRADES 5-8 THIS FRIDAY, 5/22!

Students in grades 5-8 will enjoy a Field Day soccer tournament on the Iron Horse Boulevard fields on Friday, 5/22 from 9am until noon. All students should be sure to bring water. No cleats are allowed. Shin guards are optional. Games will be played following co-ed rules which will be reviewed on Friday before the tournament begins. Parents are welcome to come to the field to watch, cheer on participants and/or referee.

Field Day for Grades PreK, K-4 will be on Monday, June 8th in the school's north (playground) parking lot. More details as the event draws closer.

Friday, May 22nd is a 12:45 early dismissal to begin the Memorial Day holiday. There will be NO PreKindergarten Enrichment or Aftercare. School is CLOSED on Monday, 5/25/15, for Memorial Day.

Thank a Teacher & Target Will Send SMS $25! Target stores are committed to donating one billion dollars in support of education. If you participate in their "Thanks a Billion" campaign, our school will receive $25 for every thank you you share with a teacher. Click here. Please note that you do need to login via Facebook to complete this "thank you".

Looking Ahead to 2015-16 - Are You Interested in Serving as a Room Parent Next Year?

Room parents typically help homeroom teachers coordinate classroom volunteers if they are needed for a special event or project. They also support class activities or communicate important information by sending out emails to parents when requested to do so by the teacher or Mrs. Gannatti. In an emergency, room parents may be asked to assist with phone notifications. Room parents for 8th grade have additional responsibilities associated with the many activities associated with graduation and the New York field trip and yearbook. If you are interested in serving as a room parent next year, please email Mrs. Gannatti at mgannatti@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net NLT Friday, 5/22. She will meet with each homeroom teacher about room parent needs for the coming year and selections will be made by the end of May. If you have being serving as a room parent either this year or within the last 3 years, please be sure to let Mrs. Gannatti know that. We would like to be sure that people who have not yet had the opportunity to serve are given a chance.

Congratulations to our 7th grade students on their successful completion of the R.O.P.E.S. program.

The program concluded with a day long "high ropes" course experience at Simsbury Farms followed by a potluck dinner.

8th Grade students enjoyed a day in New York City.
While in the city, students visited the Intrepid, attended a performance
of "Neverland" and dinner at Ellen's Stardust Diner.

SMS in the News - Click here & here to read articles that have been posted to the Hartford Courant.

Home & School Association

SEND IN THOSE BOX TOPS!!

Box Tops for Education - Final Collection Contest for 2014-15! Starting May 18th and ending May 29th, we will begin the third and final Box Tops for Education collection contest for this year. The grade level that collects the most Box Tops from the Fall, Winter and Spring, will win the last contest, and their teacher will receive $75 for the classroom. Click here for more information.

Come Explore an Ocean of Books!

At the Book Fair Under the Sea

Get ready for summer reading at our BOGO Scholastic book fair:

Spring Book Fair hours:

Tues. May 26 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Wed. & Thurs. May 27 & 28 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Fri. May 29 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Sun. May 31 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Classes will be visiting the Book Fair at the following times:

Kindergarten - Wed., May 27th @9:15AM

Grade 1 - Thurs., May 28th@10:45AM

Grade 2 - Tues., May 26th@1:15PM

Grade 3 -Wed., May 27th @2:00PM

Grade 4 - Wed., May 27th @10:15AM

Grade 5 - Wed., May 27th @1:15PM

Grade 6 - Thurs., May 28th @2:35PM

Grade 7 - Tues., May 26th @2:35PM

Grade 8 - Tues., May 26th @2:00PM

We still need volunteers, so if you are available please contact Karen McKenna at kdsm1120@comcast.net or Bridget Shanley (860-738-8965) bashanley@charter.net if you are available to help.

Special Event for the book fair:

Our thanks to our vocal music teacher, Mrs. Patty Lepak, for a beautiful spring vocal concert last week. Students looked well turned out in their Sunday best and their performances were wonderful! We also thank our art teacher, Mrs. Ellen Raposo for beautifully showcasing our students' art work in this year's Art Show.

Pictured left and below, our first grade class looking spectacular in concert attire!

Community News

Simsbury Public Library Announces Summer Teen Events - You can download a copy of the flyer below on our website. Click here.