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.