News for the Week of 11/29/17

Our December School Mass will be on Friday, 12/8, for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  We will worship with our Parish family at the 12:15 Mass.  All are welcome.  Please remember that no PE uniforms should be worn to Mass.








Gr. 8 Reminder - Formal uniform begins for Grade 8 students on Friday, December 1.

Thanks to all who purchased poinsettias from our 8th grade.  Poinsettias will be available for pickup on Friday, 12/1 from 2-4pm in the lower church.  They may also be picked up on Saturday, 12/2, from 5:30-6:30pm and Sunday, 12/3, from 8:30am-12:30pm.  If you have questions, please email Jen Pavlonnis at jpavlonnis@yahoo.com.

December is a busy time and everyone could use a night out!  

Why not give your children a "night out" in a safe, familiar place & also support our 8th grade's efforts to raise funds for their graduation activities?  

The holiday classic movie, Polar Express, will be shown.

 Click here for a sign up form.

Grade 8 Student & Parents are needed to make Kid's Night Out a success! Please consider sharing some of your time to help with this activity to benefit your class.   Click here to access the sign up genius.

Stirring the Pot - Pulling out all of your favorite recipes for the holidays? Make an extra copy to submit to our Community Cookbook! 

Recipes can either be typed into a submission form or handwritten on a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper or click here for the link to the recipe form. All  recipes can be emailed to tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net or dropped off in the office.  

*Recipes need to be submitted no later than January 6th. Our plan and goal is to have the cookbook available for sale late February and feature it at our Annual Art Show on February 23rd.  We are hungry just thinking about it!  Thank you in advance for your participation.

Request for the time and talent of creative volunteers!

Calling all those with the passion and talent to help the Advancement committee with school branding efforts.  If you have experience in photography, videography, social media, and/or content writing, please send an email to tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.  All are welcome to volunteer, including recent graduates who would like to build their portfolio.

Again this year, we will be accepting donations for Toys for Tots.  New, unwrapped toys may be brought to school until December 12th.  Thanks in advance for making the Christmas season bright for children in need.

Yankee Candle Fundraiser - Orders Accepted until 1/11/18. Your voluntary participation in this Yankee Candle Fundraiser will help us defray the costs associated with a new recorder program for our third grade and the purchase of replacement music stands for our school band. Your order will ship direct to your address!  No school pick up or sorting! How convenient is that?  It's too late for guaranteed holiday delivery but orders may be placed until 1/11/18.  All orders must be placed on-line.  Click here to start shopping!  Please feel free to share this link with friends or family that might like to support our school.  Please note - when checking out, no need to fill out a Seller ID, our group number will be prefilled and that is sufficient. (If, for some reason, you land on a "general" page, please use our group number - 999977285)

CHOICE News - Participation in the SMS CHOICE Program is part of every family's tuition obligation - if your child(ren) is/are in grade(s) K-8.  PreK families are not required to participate but your participation is welcome & encouraged! We're excited to share that using CHOICE just got even easier!

SMS Stars -

Congratulations to our Girls Varsity Basketball Team, who took 1^st place at the Winsted Turkey Tournament.  The team went undefeated, beating teams from Barkhamsted, Winsted, Avon and Woodbury over the weekend.

Community News -

Sounds of the Season - 

News for the Week of 11/22/17

We wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving.  

School will be closed Thursday, 11/23 and Friday, 11/24.

Our December School Mass will be on Friday, 12/8, for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  We will worship with our Parish family at the 12:15 Mass.  All are welcome.  Please remember that no PE uniforms should be worn to Mass.

Congratulations to our 7th & 8th grade students on their successful completion of their Shakesperience residency!  As part of their study, several 7th & 8th grade students collaborated to create movies about their residency experience.





  Click here for a 7th grade perspective of the work that went into creating the performance and here for an 8th grade "inside look" at the stories told during the performance.

A Request Regarding Uniforms - Recently, a number of younger students have had the misfortune of leaving uniform items behind after changing for an afterschool activity.  In several cases, the missing items have been labeled with names but have not been turned into lost and found and replacements have had to be purchased.  When doing your laundry, please check to see if the uniforms you are washing really belong to your children.  If you find you have someone else's uniform, please send it into the office so we can reunite it with its owner.  We also suggest that you speak with your children about the importance of taking responsibility for their clothing when changing at school.  Encourage them to place their clothing directly into their backpacks or carry alls.  Finally, we strongly recommend that ALL items of uniform clothing and outerwear be labelled with a student's name.

Used Uniform Exchange - Click here to view an updated inventory of items available from the Uniform Exchange.






Gr. 8 Reminder - Formal uniform begins for Grade 8 students on Friday, December 1.

Thanks to all who purchased poinsettias from our 8th grade.  Poinsettias will be available for pickup on Friday, 12/1 from 2-4pm in the lower church.  They may also be picked up on Saturday, 12/2, from 5:30-6:30pm and Sunday, 12/3, from 8:30am-12:30pm.  If you have questions, please email Jen Pavlonnis at jpavlonnis@yahoo.com.


December is a busy time and everyone could use a night out!  Why not give your children a "night out" in a safe, familiar place?  Click here for a sign up form.

Just in Time for Holiday Decorating & Giving!  Get some shopping done and support the music program here at SMS!  We are excited to announce plans to introduce a new third grade recorder program that will be facilitated by our FMI instructor, Debbie Morse.  Additionally, we are planning to replace some of the older music stands used by our band students.  Your support of our music program through your voluntary participation in this Yankee Candle Fundraiser will help us defray the costs associated with these plans.  Your order will ship direct to your address!  No school pick up or sorting! How convenient is that?  It's too late for guaranteed holiday delivery but orders may be placed until 1/11/18.  All orders must be placed on-line.  Click here to start shopping!  Please feel free to share this link with friends or family that might like to support our school.  Please note - when checking out, no need to fill out a Seller ID, our group number will be prefilled and that is sufficient. (If, for some reason, you land on a "general" page, please use our group number - 999977285)


Alumni News -

Maria Nolan holding the State Championship trophy

Our congratulations to Maria Nolan, SMS Class of '16, and the Granby Bears soccer team on winning the state championship last Saturday.  Maria was named All Conference and All State.

Our thanks to Adrian Hatch, SMS Class of '09, for coming to speak with our students in grades 5-8 about his role in the start up company, Imajion, and what he's learned about the importance of education and learning in regard to entrepreneurship.  We look forward to welcoming back more alumni to speak about their careers and life experiences.






Community News -

Your Input is Needed - The town of Simsbury is working on a Pedestrian Bicycle Master Plan which will establish both short and long term goals to improve upon the Town’s pedestrian and bicycling planning and infrastructure.  The Project is expected to wrap up around February.   Click here to learn more about this project.

The safety of students walking and biking in Simsbury is a high priority, so local schools  are being invited to provide input on where improvements can be made.  With St. Mary’s School being right on Hopmeadow St.,  and students/staff walking/biking to campus, crossing Hopmeadow, etc.,  our community input is valuable.  One important way to do this is by completing the Master Plan survey before Dec. 1 you do not need to be a Simsbury resident to participate.  Click here to complete the survey.

Internet Safety Podcast -  Click here to listen to a very informative podcast regarding internet safety.  Topics discussed include:   sexting, cyber bullying, school safety, digital footprints along with many other topics.

Simsbury Public Library has programs for Teens & "Tweens in December -

Thanks to everyone who supported this year's Jack Bannan Turkey Trot by sending  non-perishable food items into school.  As you know, Mrs. Gore and Mrs. Williamson brought 2 car loads of food to a collection site at the Simsbury Stop & Shop.  The remainder of the food was picked up by Foodshare volunteers.  They have let us know that our food donation weighed in at 245 pounds!

Students in Mrs. Jehning's First Grade completed several
Thanksgiving activities this week including this one
that listed some of their blessings from God.

News for the Week of 11/15/17

Catholic Social Teachings in Action - 

CALL TO FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND PARTICIPATION

Today at SMS, beginning at 6am!, Catholic Social Teachings were in action.  Mrs. Williamson, Mrs. Gore and some other SMS representatives including Emma M., Gr. 3, and her dad, were at the Stop & Shop in Simsbury to deliver some of our Turkey Trot donations to Scott Haney from WFSB.  Click here for video clip. 

Cole P. from Gr. 8 was one of several
students that helped load the Foodshare truck.

At about 8:30, the Turkey Trot truck arrived to collect the rest of our school's non-perishable donations.  As this was happening, the many volunteers  responsible for the success of today's Senior Luncheon were beginning to arrive to make the Thanksgiving magic happen.

Our special thanks to this year's luncheon coordinator, Mary Clark,
(second from right) and her "right hand", Karen Corriveau (far right)

 Later in the day, our 8th grade students assumed their roles as hosts and hostesses and began to welcome our guests.  Our Kindergarten, first, second and third grade students entertained guests and a delicious Thanksgiving meal was served around noon.  There was plenty of pie!

Thanks to all who donated non-perishables for the Turkey Trot and items for our Senior Luncheon.  We are grateful to all those who donated their time to help setup, prepare, serve and clean up the luncheon.

Calendar Reminders-

School Board Meeting Tonight - Wednesday, 11/15/17 at 7pm in the lower church.  All are welcome.  Click here for an agenda.

Hot Lunch Order Period for December - The open order period for December hot lunch is open through the close of the school day on Friday, 11/17/17.  This open order period is your only opportunity to order hot lunches for December. Please keep in mind that no late orders can be accepted.

All are welcome to attend this Friday's (11/17) Shakesperience performance at 2pm in the Parish Center.  This performance is the culmination of this year's Shakesperience residency experienced by our 7th & 8th grade students.

Lyman Pie & Cookie Dough Pickup - Frozen pies and cookie dough ordered from the HSA fund raiser will be available for pick up in the lower church on Friday, 11/17, from 2-3:30pm.  Since the products are frozen, timely pickup is important.  We do not have weekend storage available.  Questions about pick up should be directed to Maggie Domashinski at mmdomo@cox.net. Thanks for your support of this HSA fundraiser.

Help is needed with sorting & distribution of the Lyman pies and frozen cookie dough that will delivered Friday, 11/17.  

If you can help - even for just an hour - please click here to visit the Sign Up Genius.  Help from parents in grades K-6 would especially be appreciated Friday afternoon so that parents of 7th & 8th graders can view the Shakesperience performance at 2pm.

Wednesday, 11/22/17, will be a 12:45pm early dismissal.  There will be NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare available.  School is closed Thursday, 11/23, and Friday, 11/24, for Thanksgiving.

CHOICE News - Participation in the SMS CHOICE Program is part of every family's tuition obligation - if your child(ren) is/are in grade(s) K-8.  PreK families are not required to participate but your participation is welcome & encouraged! We're excited to share that using CHOICE just got even easier!

Advancement News

Show your school spirit! Sir Ted is now featured on our new car decals. 

They can go anywhere on your vehicle and be taken on and off as needed, and they won't come off in the car wash!

Can't make it into the office to purchase one?   No problem.  Several of our School Board members will have them available in the after school pick up line on Thursday, November 16 and Friday, November 17.    Available for $5.00 each. 

Request for the time and talent of creative volunteers!

Calling all those with the passion and talent to help the Advancement committee with school branding efforts.  If you have experience in photography, videography, social media, and/or content writing, please send an email to tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.  All are welcome to volunteer, including recent graduates who would like to build their portfolio.

CLICK HERE
TO DOWNLOAD POINSETTIA ORDER FORM

Just in Time for Holiday Decorating & Giving!  Get some shopping done and support the music program here at SMS!  We are excited to announce plans to introduce a new third grade recorder program that will be facilitated by our FMI instructor, Debbie Morse.  Additionally, we are planning to replace some of the older music stands used by our band students.  Your support of our music program through your voluntary participation in this Yankee Candle Fundraiser will help us defray the costs associated with these plans.  Your order will ship direct to your address!  No school pick up or sorting! How convenient is that?  Orders may be placed until 1/11/18.  For guaranteed arrival for Christmas giving, please place your order NLT  November 17th.  All orders must be placed on-line.  Click here to start shopping!  Please feel free to share this link with friends or family that might like to support our school.  Please note - when checking out, no need to fill out a Seller ID, our group number will be prefilled and that is sufficient. (If, for some reason, you land on a "general" page, please use our group number - 999977285)

Lost & Found - Our school Lost & Found is overflowing.  Items include a black Lands End winter weight jacket in a smaller size, a small blue Gap jacket, a girl's fleece hooded jacket, several items of SMS spirit wear including a fleece zip up and a hooded sweatshirt, a girl's uniform blouse and more.  None of these items have names in them.  All unclaimed items will be donated at the end of next week.  Please encourage your child(ren) to check the bin outside the school office if they are missing clothing or lunch boxes.  You are also welcome to come to school and check the bin.

Veterans Day - Our thanks to Mr. Peter O'Meara, Retired Commander & Aviator and father of Sean in grade 5, and Patrick Howard, for participating in our Veterans Day prayer service.  Patrick will begin his Naval service in January.

We thank Mr. O'Meara and all veterans for their service and thank Patrick for his choice to serve our country.

Alumni News

Maria Nolan (pictured center), SMS Class of '16, and the Granby Girls’ Soccer Team
are headed to the Class M State Tournament Finals this weekend.

Community News

Looking for something fun & festive to do with the family this weekend?  The Fransciscan Christmas Fair includes a Living Creche, crafts, food and more.  Click here for more information.

26th Annual Franciscan Christmas Fair

Saturday, November 18, 2017 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Franciscan Life Center Campus 271 Finch Ave. Meriden, CT 06451

Students in Kindergarten and PreK worked together this week  to create
turkey centerpieces for the Simsbury Senior Center.