News for Week of 5/25/16

Carnival Week is coming!

Just in time for end 

of the school year fun!

37th Annual

St. Mary's Carnival

June 8-11, 2016

Carnival Hours: 

Wednesday - Friday
6 - 10 pm

Saturday
5 - 10 pm 

Saint Mary's 37th annual Spring Carnival will be held from June 8^th- 11^th at 34 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury (Field North of Eversource Energy formerly Connecticut Light & Power).

50% of the proceeds directly benefit St. Mary’s School!!!

Many volunteers are needed to make the carnival a success! Please join us to make this fun-filled event a success. Click here to access the Sign Up Genius for Carnival Volunteers.

Raffle tickets are officially for sale at $20 per ticket. Tickets are available at the Parish Offices at 3 Massaco Street. 

1st prize - $10,000

2nd prize - $500 Holloways Appliance Store Gift Certificate

3rd prize – Fitbit Surge

4th prize – Cake-of-the-Month for one year at Fitzgerald’s. 

Drawing to be held Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 8pm at the St. Mary’s Carnival (winner need not be present)

Please consider a sponsorship, available at varying levels (including a colorful flag with your individual, family or business name to fly at the carnival starting at $50 or $25 if a renewal from a previous year). Deadline has been extended to Friday, May 30, 2015. Click here for sponsorship information. 

School Calendar- It's a very busy time of year!  Please take note of the below, some are changes to our original school calendar.

Primary Grades Field Day has been moved to Monday, June 6th, from 1:30-3pm.  This event was originally scheduled for Friday, 5/20.  Students in Kindergarten - Grade 4 participate in this event and it will take place in the North (playground) parking lot.

Middle School Field Day (Grs. 5-8) will take place on Friday, May 27th from 9am-1pm. Students will be playing baseball and we are in need of umpires! If you can help umpire or supervise a game please contact Mr. Gangloff at sgangloff@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

School is closed, Monday, May 30th, in observance of Memorial Day.

The final prayer service for this school year, prepared by our Kindergarten students will take place on Tuesday, June 7th at 1:30pm in the Church.  Please note that this a time change from the original calendar.  The prayer service was originally scheduled for 9am.

Wednesday, June 8th will be a full day of school with both PreK Enrichment and Aftercare available.

Thursday, June 9th will be our last day of school. There will be an Awards Assembly in the Parish Center at 9:30am.  Parents of students receiving an award will receive notification from the teacher.  This will be a 12:45 early dismissal with NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare available.

Our first day of school for the 16-17 school year will be Wednesday, August 31.  This will be a regular, full day of school with both PreK Enrichment and Aftercare available.

Students in Miss Bedard's Kindergarten enjoyed a visit from Mr. Corriveau for a lesson in cartooning.








SMS Stars

Pictured from left - Isa, Grace, Cici & Lily

Congratulations to Isa, Gr. 8, Grace, Cici, & Lily, all Gr. 7!
Last fall, these SMS field hockey players tried out for USA Field Hockey Future Program. The four of them put in many hours this spring training & learning new skills with top coaches. On May 7th, they participated in a field hockey tournament with players from all over New England. This was Isa's third time participating in this tournament and Grace, Cici, and Lily's first tournament. All agreed it was a great experience.

Mary Elizabeth Budnick, SMS Class of '12, & her vie for the Kids team mates.
Mary is pictured second from the right in the front row.

Congratulations to Mary Elizabeth Budnick, SMS Class of  '12, and her vie for the Kids team at Northwest Catholic.  The team raised $1,461, selling branded sunglasses and operating a car wash to develop additional seed money.  The team was praised for their organization, their ability to work together, and the execution of their business plan. All teams were judged on their creativity, collaboration and financial results.  The proceeds from all the groups, approximately $7500, will benefit the Clinical Trials Program at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.  Mary Elizabeth is a senior and plans to attend Syracuse University.

We also extend congratulations to Abby Herron, SMS Class of '12 - A dedicated field hockey and lacrosse player, Abby has been named a  Northwest Catholic CIAC Scholar-Athlete for 2016. Abby has played midfield in field hockey and lacrosse for four years. She has been named All-Academic in both sports every year since her sophomore season, and is currently a team captain for lacrosse. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and has been named this year's Salutatorian. Abby hopes to play club lacrosse in college and will attend Boston College.

Community News

Simsbury Public Library Announces June & Summer Programs for Teens & Tweens -

Click here to view a calendar of  summer events for teens & tweens.

News for the Week of 5/18/16

Congratulations & all God's blessings to the St. Mary's Parish & School second graders who celebrated
their First Holy Communion last Saturday.  Pictured above, many of the SMS second grade students with their proud
teacher, Miss Soucy.

2016 Fairway to Heaven Golf Tournament 

TUESDAY, MAY 24!

Registration Deadline is Friday, 5/20/16! 

Click here to register now.

Get ready for a uKNIGHTed day of swinging, serving and bidding at The Hop Meadow Country Club on Tuesday, May 24, 2016.

Join us for a morning of tennis, a round of golf or just a delicious dinner and exciting auction. 

 For more information, please contact Toni Chagnon at 860-658-9412 
or tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.  

For a sneak peek at some SMS "priceless" auction items - scroll to the bottom of the blog!

Authors in residence

Claudia and Madeline sharing their Book Creator books with their grade 3 classmates.

School Calendar Changes -  Please make note of the following changes to the school calendar:

Primary Grades Field Day has been moved to Monday, June 6th, from 1:30-3pm.  This event was originally scheduled for Friday, 5/20.  Students in Kindergarten - Grade 4 participate in this event and it will take place in the North (playground) parking lot.

Middle School Field Day (Grs. 5-8) will take place on Friday, May 27th from 9am-1pm. Students will be playing baseball and we are in need of umpires! If you can help umpire or supervise a game please contact Mr. Gangloff at sgangloff@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

School is closed, Monday, May 30th, in observance of Memorial Day.

The final prayer service for this school year, prepared by our Kindergarten students will take place on Tuesday, June 7th at 1:30pm in the Church.  Please note that this a time change from the original calendar.  The prayer service was originally scheduled for 9am.

Wednesday, June 8th will be a full day of school with both PreK Enrichment and Aftercare available.

Thursday, June 9th will be our last day of school. There will be an Awards Assembly in the Parish Center at 9:30am.  Parents of students receiving an award will receive notification from the teacher.  This will be a 12:45 early dismissal with NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare available.

Our first day of school for the 16-17 school year will be Wednesday, August 31.  This will be a regular, full day of school with both PreK Enrichment and Aftercare available.

Thanks to everyone who made last Friday's Grandparents' & Special Person's Day and May Crowning such a success!  We were so happy to welcome so many special guests to share part of a school day with us and to join us as we honored Mary at our annual May Crowning.  Special thanks to our Advancement Committee for all their help setting up, serving and cleaning up the day's continental breakfast.

Used Uniform Exchange - Click here for an updated inventory of items available via the used uniform exchange.

Kindergarten students visited the Post Office this week to learn
how our mail is processed and delivered.

Community News

Click here to register for the Parent's Retreat at Holy Family.

Auction Sneak Peek!

Gr. 1

Gr. 6

Grade 8 - Stepping Stones

PreKindergarten

Kindergarten

Gr. 5 - Colorfully Blended

Grade 2

Gr. 3 - Woven Friends

Gr. 4 - Circles of Life

Special note --- Grade 7 will also have a "priceless" auction item.

News for the Week of 5/11/16

Grandparents' & Special Person's Day is Tomorrow, May 13th!  

In addition to a continental breakfast, student entertainment & classroom visits, 

the day's events will include our traditional May Crowning by our second grade students.  

2016 Fairway to Heaven Golf Tournament 

Registration Is Now Open! 

Click here to register now.

Get ready for a uKNIGHTed day of swinging, serving and bidding at The Hop Meadow Country Club on Tuesday, May 24, 2016. For more information, please contact Toni Chagnon at 860-658-9412 or tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.  

Spring Band Concert - Our annual Spring Band Concert will be held on Monday, May 16th at 7pm in the Parish Center.  There will be a dress rehearsal for the student body at 2pm.  Guest are welcome at both performances.  It is important that all musicians bring their instrument, stand, music and accessories to school on Monday, 5/16.  Please click here for more information about concert dress, arrival time and expectations for musicians. 

Students in Miss Bedard's Kindergarten celebrated
Pajama Day last week!

CHOICE Program News -  

We have been informed that GL Script will no longer be carrying Aeropostale cards once their current inventory of cards is depleted.

Also, just a reminder that the CHOICE year ended on April 30th and any outstanding balances are due to the office at this time. Statements were sent home last week.

All profits from CHOICE cards purchased beginning on May 1, 2016 through April 30, 2017, are applied to your family's 2016-17 CHOICE obligation.  Thank you!

If you have questions about the CHOICE program or your family's CHOICE obligation, please contact Mrs. Budnick in the School Office -tbudnick@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

School Calendar Changes -  Please make note of the following changes to the school calendar:

Primary Grades Field Day has been moved to Monday, June 6th, from 1:30-3pm.  This event was originally scheduled for Friday, 5/20.  Students in Kindergarten - Grade 4 participate in this event and it will take place in the North (playground) parking lot.

Middle School Field Day (Grs. 5-8) will take place on Friday, May 27th from 9am-1pm. 



The final prayer service for this school year, prepared by our Kindergarten students will take place on Tuesday, June 7th at 1:30pm in the Church.  Please note that this a time change from the original calendar.  The prayer service was originally scheduled for 9am.

Wednesday, June 8th will be a full day of school with both PreK Enrichment and Aftercare available.

Thursday, June 9th will be our last day of school. There will be an Awards Assembly in the Parish Center at 9:30am.  Parents of students receiving an award will receive notification from the teacher.  This will be a 12:45 early dismissal with NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare available.

Our first day of school for the 16-17 school year will be Wednesday, August 31.  This will be a regular, full day of school with both PreK Enrichment and Aftercare available.

Students in Mrs. Jehning's First Grade have been using an iPad app called Book Creator to write books about "animal homes".

Tuition Assistance for 2016-17  
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS SUNDAY, MAY 15TH.

Again this year, tuition assistance will be available from funds provided by the Archbishop's Annual Appeal (AAA), the Catholic Schools' Support Program (CSSP) and our school's budget.  These funds are distinct from the scholarships that are available from the St. Mary's Trust.  The application period for the Trust Scholarships closed on 4/30/16.

To apply for tuition assistance from the Archbishop's Annual Appeal, CSSP and the school budget this year, your application must be submitted via SMARTAID.  SMARTAID is a confidential service provided by SMART, LLC that helps schools to assess a family's need for financial assistance based on the information provided to SMARTAID by the family.  St. Mary's School, with the guidance and advice of our pastor, Father Matera, will continue to be solely responsible for all tuition assistance decisions and the school will notify all applicants of any tuition assistance awards.

The application deadline for tuition assistance requests is May 15, 2016.  There is a $35 fee to apply via SMARTAID.  If this fee presents a hardship for your family, please contact Mrs. Gannatti.

Click here for a set of helpful guidelines for completing your SMARTAID application.  To access the SMARTAID application, click here.

Community News

Talcott Mountain Science Center Invites You to Go Whale Watching!  Family Whale Watch on Saturday, May 21st. Talcott has chartered a boat through Capt. John Whale Watching out of Plymouth, MA. This is a company that Talcott has worked with for over 30 years. The boat departs at noon for a 4-hour whale watching trip and returns at 4 pm. The cost of the Whale Watch is a very reasonable $25 per person.

A coach bus will be available for those who would prefer not to drive. There are only 55 spots on the bus. If you would like to ride on the bus, please get your order in early.If there is  a big demand for the bus it may be possible to get a second bus. The bus will leave from the Avon Commuter Lot, Rt. 44, in front of Walmart at 8:30 am. On the way home from Plymouth we will be stopping for dinner and arrive back in Avon around 8pm. The cost of the whale watch plus coach bus transportation is $60 per person.

The boat holds up to 144 people and has a galley for lunch, snacks and beverages. You are welcome to bring your own picnic lunch as well. You are advised to bring extra layers of warm clothes; even if it is a warm day, once you round the tip of the Cape it gets very chilly. Jonathan Craig will be our whale watch leader and there is a naturalist on the boat, as well. Don’t forget to bring your camera!

Please click here to register.

News for the week of 5/4/16

TONIGHT - MAY 4TH  

We are Hosting Open House for families with children getting ready to enter Kindergarten or a primary grade.  The event will begin at 6:30pm in the primary unit.  Guests are welcome even if they did not RSVP for the event.

 

OPEN HOUSE YARD SIGNS - Please remember that  yard signs should be promptly removed from your yard after the Open House on May 4th, and returned to the school office.  We do reuse the signs.   Thanks in advance for your help publicizing this event.

IOWA Testing in Grades 3-7 continues through Friday, May 6th.  Monday, May 9th-Wednesday, May 11th are reserved for make-up testing.   Please continue to 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.  Students cannot be called out of class during a testing period and no announcements will be made into classrooms during testing.

This Thursday, May 5th,  we will attend the 12:15pm Parish Mass to celebrate the Feast of the Ascension.  All are welcome to join us in worship.  Please remember that no physical education uniforms should be worn to Mass.

There will be a Middle School Dance this Friday, May 6th from 6-9pm in the Parish Center.  This dance is open to SMS students in grades 6-8.  Food and dessert will be provided!  The cost is $5 per student.  

Spring Vocal Concert Honoring Mrs. Gannatti- Please join us on Tuesday, 5/10/16, for our Spring Vocal Concert. Our concert will begin promptly at 7pm. This year's concert is our students' retirement gift to Mrs. Gannatti. All students in grades Kindergarten through Grade 8 participate in this concert and attendance is required. Performance is considered part of a student's music grade. Students should arrive at 6:45pm wearing their "Sunday Best." "Sunday Best" is defined as no jeans for boys or girls. Additionally, for boys, "Sunday Best" means a collared shirt with walking shorts or slacks, socks and shoes. For girls, "Sunday Best" means walking length shorts, skirt or skort or slacks and a shirt or blouse that covers the shoulders. It may also be a modest length dress that covers the shoulders. No flip-flops or backless sandals and no high heels.  

Blue Knight Night will be held on Wednesday, May 11th from 6-8:30pm in the Parish Center.   JVA and Varsity basketball players only.  All players should bring their jerseys to Blue Knight Night washed and in a zip-lock bag with their name written on it. They will be collected.  #UKnighted

Grandparents' & Special Person's Day & May Crowning will be held on Friday, May 13th.  Again this year, we are looking forward to welcoming special guests for a visit.  We hope many grandparents and people special to our students will join us for morning prayer at 8:45am in the Parish Center.  After a continental breakfast and some student entertainment, guests will be free to visit classrooms until 10:45am when the school community will transition to the church for our traditional May Crowning.  Guests will be free to depart after May Crowning as students return to school for the remainder of the academic day. 

2016 Fairway to Heaven Golf Tournament 

Registration Is Now Open! 

Click here to register now

Get ready for a uKNIGHTed day of swinging, serving and bidding at The Hop Meadow Country Club on Tuesday, May 24, 2016. For more information, please contact Toni Chagnon at 860-658-9412or tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.  

CHOICE Program News -  Please look for your family's final invoice or statement in your email this Friday. The CHOICE year ended on April 30th and any outstanding balances are due to the office at this time. If you have previously fulfilled your CHOICE obligation, you will not receive another statement at this time.

All profits from CHOICE cards purchased beginning on May 1, 2016 through April 30, 2017, are applied to your family's 2016-17 CHOICE obligation.  Thank you!

If you have questions about the CHOICE program or your family's CHOICE obligation, please contact Mrs. Budnick in the School Office -tbudnick@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

School Calendar Changes -  Please make note of the following changes to the school calendar:

Primary Grades Field Day has been moved to Monday, June 6th, from 1:30-3pm.  This event was originally scheduled for Friday, 5/20.  Students in Kindergarten - Grade 4 participate in this event and it will take place in the North (playground) parking lot.

Middle School Field Day (Grs. 5-8) will take place on Friday, May 27th from 9am-1pm. 

Wednesday, June 8th will be a full day of school with both PreK Enrichment and Aftercare available.

Thursday, June 9th will be our last day of school. There will be an Awards Assembly in the Parish Center at 9:30am.  Parents of students receiving an award will receive notification from the teacher.  This will be a 12:45 early dismissal with NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare available.

Our first day of school for the 16-17 school year will be Wednesday, August 31.  This will be a regular, full day of school with both PreK Enrichment and Aftercare available.

Thanks to everyone who supported the 3rd grade's service project in April.
75 packages of napkins were collected for donation to the House of Bread.

Tuition Assistance for 2016-17  - Again this year, tuition assistance will be available from funds provided by the Archbishop's Annual Appeal (AAA), the Catholic Schools' Support Program (CSSP) and our school's budget.  These funds are distinct from the scholarships that are available from the St. Mary's Trust.  The application period for the Trust Scholarships closed on 4/30/16.

To apply for tuition assistance from the Archbishop's Annual Appeal, CSSP and the school budget this year, your application must be submitted via SMARTAID.  SMARTAID is a confidential service provided by SMART, LLC that helps schools to assess a family's need for financial assistance based on the information provided to SMARTAID by the family.  St. Mary's School, with the guidance and advice of our pastor, Father Matera, will continue to be solely responsible for all tuition assistance decisions and the school will notify all applicants of any tuition assistance awards.

The application deadline for tuition assistance requests is May 15, 2016.  There is a $35 fee to apply via SMARTAID.  If this fee presents a hardship for your family, please contact Mrs. Gannatti.

Click here for a set of helpful guidelines for completing your SMARTAID application.  To access the SMARTAID application, click here.

Alumni News -

Abby Herron, SMS Class of '12, pictured 4th from left, standing.

Congratulations to Abby Herron, SMS Class of '12 and a Senior at Northwest Catholic High School on her recognition as a Superintendent's Summa Scholar. To qualify for the award, which was given to 52 seniors from the eight Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Hartford, students needed to be in the top 5% of their graduating class through the first semester of grade 12. Abby and the other Summa Scholars were honored during a ceremony and reception at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield on May 2.  Each Summa Scholar was invited to name the teacher from a Catholic elementary or secondary school who had been the most influential in the student’s education. These teachers were also honored during the ceremony. Abby honored Jennifer Montoney, NWC Science teacher. Abby will enroll at either Boston College or Georgetown University in the Fall of 2016.

We also extend congratulations to the SMS alums that have recently been named to the third quarter honor roll at Simsbury High School.  SMS Class of '15 alums Mark Bedson and Patrick Sheridan have attained High Honors.  SMS Class of '14 alums Dominico Cirielli and Robert Tomasello have attained High Honors and Spencer Bernard and Parker Myslow have attained General Honors.  SMS Class of '13 alums Nicole Gomez-Nieto, Joseph Leon, and Griffin Myslow have attained General Honors. SMS Class of '12 alum Jennifer Kornacki has attained General Honors.

Community News -

Summer Fun!  The Simsbury Recreation Department has many programs available for summer fun.  Registration for summer camp and recreation programs is going on now.  Click here to learn more and explore all the opportunities for fun!

CSA Farm Shares are available at the George Hall Farm in Simsbury.   Farmer Daren Hall  is making efforts to steer the farm to biological organic growing.  He is working to restore the health of his soil so that greater nutrition will be in the crops grown there.

Shayna Glazier, Gr. 8,  will be part of a Girl Scout presentation on allergies including an Epi-Pen demonstration at the Simsbury Library this Saturday, May 7 at 10:30am in the Children's Room Discovery Center. This presentation is part of a project to earn the Girl Scout Silver Award.
 All school-aged children are invited to drop in and attend the event.