News for the Week of 1/6/16

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 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.  Look for more information about Family Pizza Lunch in a future blog post. Friday, 1/29, is also the special Art, Food & Wine Event at the Hillstead Museum.  See more about this adult evening event below.

Our January School Mass will be celebrated on Friday, 1/8/16, at 9am in the church.  All are welcome to join us.  Please remember that no physical education uniforms should be worn to Mass.




Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary's by Archbishop Leonard P. Blair on this Sunday, 1/10/16, at 11am.  All are most welcome and encouraged to attend this Mass.

Wear Your Woolies!  Just a reminder that when the weather delivers winter temperatures, it is important that your child(ren) wear the outerwear appropriate for the weather.  If the temperature is above 20 degrees and is not inclement, students will wait outside in the morning and also go outside for recess.  Girls may wear sweatpants beneath their jumpers and/or skirts but they must be removed for the academic portion of the day. Hats, coats, and gloves are really important winter accessories when it's frosty.  If we get some snow, students are encouraged to bring boots and snowpants so they can play in the snow during recess. 

SOS!!  Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed!  We have very few volunteers currently scheduled to help.  The hot lunch program is ONLY able to run because of the generous volunteer help you provide.  Please consider volunteering, even occasionally, if your child(ren) enjoy hot lunch.  It's a great way to share part of a school day with your child and his/her friends.  The Sign-Up Genius for hot lunch volunteers is now available.  Over the last several weeks, we have had several occasions where only one volunteer has been signed up for lunch duty.  If you are Virtus trained and can find time in your schedule, please consider volunteering for lunch duty. The lunch program relies on volunteers and without them, we really cannot have a hot lunch program.  It's a great way to see your child(ren) and his/her/their friends during the school day. Thanks!  Click here to view the Hot Lunch Duty Sign-Up Genius.

The St. Mary’s Ski and Snowboard Club is glad that colder temperatures have arrived!  Our Ski & Snowboard Club is expected to begin Wednesday, January 13, 2016. 

Anyone who would like to participate but was not able to register can still do so prior to the start date. Please contact Jim for more information on this (cell 239-989-6206).

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.

Writer's Workshop - Students in Miss Bedard's Kindergarten have begun "Writer's Workshop" and are working hard to incorporate lots of  ideas used by good writers everywhere.   These include the proper use of punctuation, beginning sentences with a capital letter and using lots of descriptive details.

Looking Ahead to 2016   - Save The Date! 

Book your babysitter & plan to join us on Friday, January 29, 2016 for an evening of Art, Food and Wine at the Hillstead Museum in Farmington, CT.  All families should be receiving an invitation via U.S. mail later this week!

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

Friends of Barb Sieber - next Wednesday, 1/13,  Barb will be having her surgery. Each and every one of you, your family, friends and anyone that believes in the power of prayer is invited to pray the rosary next Tuesday night at 6:30, at St. Mary’s Church.  If you are unable to make it, please say a Hail Mary at 6:30.

The Northwest Catholic Dramateurs are still looking for a few more students from grades 5-8,  interested in participating in their upcoming production of Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  See below for more details