News for the Week of 1/13/16

CELEBRATING!  January is Catholic Schools' Month and we will be celebrating our school and community all month long. Highlights will include:

 Student Appreciation Day on Wednesday, 1/20, and Teacher Appreciation Week from 1/25 - 1/29.  Student Appreciation Day will be coordinated by our Student Council.  Teacher Appreciation Week is being coordinated by Mrs. Kalamarides.  See below for more information and a link to a Sign Up Genius that offers lots of ways for you to contributed to this special week. 

We will also host an Open House for Prospective Families on 1/27 and our annual Family Pizza Lunch on Friday, 1/29.  Family Pizza Lunch information appears below with a link to an order for for guest lunches. Friday, 1/29, is also the special Art, Food & Wine Event at the Hillstead Museum.  See more about this adult evening event below.

Calendar Reminders - 

School will be closed on Monday, 1/18/16, in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

Second Quarter Report Cards will be distributed on Friday, 1/22/16.  This will be the first formal report card for our Kindergarten students and the second report card of the year for students in grades 1-8.  Please be sure to check backpacks for the report card, retain the report card for your records and return the signed report card envelope to your child(ren)'s home room teacher.

Teacher Appreciation Week - Part of our Catholic Schools' Month celebration will include a week dedicated to Teacher Appreciation. Teacher Appreciation Week will take place from 1/25 - 1/29.  Diana Kalamarides has graciously offered to coordinate this week's activities again this year and we are so grateful.  Mrs. Kalamarides has created a Sign Up Genius that features lots of ways you can contribute to this week's special activities.  Click here to visit the Sign Up Genius for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Open House for Prospective Families - We look forward to sharing our community's special spirit with families that want to learn more about our school and about the benefits of a Catholic school education.  If you know someone who is wondering if SMS is the right place for their family, please encourage them to attend this Open House on Wednesday, January 27th at 6:30pm.  An RSVP to Toni Chagnon is appreciated at 860-658-9412 or tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

Family Pizza Lunch is Friday, 1/29/16!  Please come and enjoy lunch with your favorite SMS student(s).  Everyone - parents, grandparents, younger siblings, special friends - is invited.  Bring a bag lunch or order a pizza lunch.  Click here to order guest lunches.  Please note - Student pizza lunches were already ordered as part of the regular hot lunch order that was submitted in December.  If you did not order a student lunch at that time, you can order one using the guest lunch order.  

Questions - Contact Tammy Budnick in the school office - tbudnick@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net or 860-658-9412. 

Extra helping hands are always needed on this day!  If you can help, even for just a part of the time, please contact Tammy Budnick using the contact information above.

Family Pizza Lunch Schedule -

11:00-11:35 PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, Grades 1 & 2

11:40-12:15 Grades 3 & 4 

12:20-12:50 Grades 5, 6, 7 & 8 

Book your babysitter & plan to join us on Friday, January 29, 2016 for an evening Art Show & Wine Tasting 

at the Hill-stead Museum in Farmington, CT. 

Enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres and sample fine wines while browsing our beautiful gallery of student created artwork.  
Your RSVP to Toni Chagnon requested NLT Wednesday, 1/22/16 -tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net

See below for even more information -

Send a Valentine to a Serviceperson - As part of their 80th anniversary celebration, the Big Y has partnered with the USO to sponsor a Valentines program for our service men and women here and overseas.  Click here to download the template that must be used for this Valentine - no other type of card or paper may be used.  Bring your completed valentine to school and we will be take care of delivering all the valentines created by SMS students to the Big Y store in Avon.  The deadline for completed valentines to be brought to school is Monday, 2/1/16.

Science in Action - Students in Miss Bedard's Kindergarten engaged in a little scientific experimentation last week and explored the exciting world of chemical reactions by creating volcanoes.  Each volcano contained different components and students carefully observed which erupted more impressively.

Fun in February!   Students in PreKindergarten through Grade 4 will enjoy an assembly with Zak Morgan on Monday, February 8th at 10am in the Parish Center.  Mr. Morgan is a Grammy nominated musician with a signature brand of children's music.  Click here to learn more about Mr. Morgan.

Community News



Avon Soccer Club Spring 2016 Recreational Season
The Avon Soccer Club offers the following programs to Avon residents:

- Soccer Stars (U5): Develop soccer skills through fun drills and friendly scrimmages led by professional coaches. This group meets on Saturdays, and teams are co-ed. For children born in 2011.
- Kindergarten Clinic (U6): Develop soccer techniques and skills and play small-sided games. Led by professional coaches, this group meets on Saturdays, and teams are co-ed. For children born in 2010.
- Intramural (U8–U14): Develop skills, learn teamwork, and enjoy a fun level of competitive play. Practice is one night per week; games are played on Saturday, with an occasional Sunday game. For children born in 2002 (or grade 8) through 2009.

Click here to register on-line.

Registration Fee: $70/player, with a Family Max of $180
The final date to register without the $25 late fee is February 14, so register early!

Questions? Contact avonsoccerclub@comcast.net.