for all their work preparing our students for this
prayer service.
Thanks, too, to our wonderful students
for such a prayerful and beautiful
retelling of the Christmas story.
School will be dismissed early at 12:45pm on this Friday, 12/21/18.
There will be NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare. School is CLOSED from Monday, 12/24/18 through Tuesday, 1/1/19. School reopens for a regular, full day of school on Wednesday, 1/2/19.
Our January school Mass will be held on Tuesday, 1/8/19 at 9am in the Church. All are welcome to attend. Please remember that no PE uniforms should be worn to Mass.
Advent Service Projects -
Thanks to all who participated in last Friday's Pajama Day to benefit CCMC. Your generous support raised over $900!
There's still time to contribute to our toy drive for CCMC. New, unwrapped toys will be accepted through tomorrow, Thursday, 12/20. Collection boxes are located right outside the PreK classroom near our main entrance.
This Friday, 12/21, is our Christmas Carnival Dress Down Day - We will be collecting non-perishable food items for the food bank at Eno Memorial Hall. To participate in the Christmas dress down part of the day, students need to donate as follows:
Bring 1 non-perishable item - wear a red or green shirt of your choice with the uniform of the day. Bring 2 non-perishable items - add pants of your choice. Pants must be appropriate for school. Bring 3 non-perishable items - add a Christmas hat, socks or hair piece to your outfit!
Advancement News - Getting 2019 Off to a Great Start!
It's Jumbled Fairy Tale January at St. Mary's School! Please join us with your little one (all children under the age of 5 are welcome!) on Friday mornings starting January 4th for Story Time & Craft - 9:00 am - 9:30 am ~RSVP to Toni Chagnon at 860-658-9412 or sign up at http://bit.ly/ftjumbled
Keys to Kindergarten - Families with students eligible for Kindergarten next year are invited to join us for a special evening on Wednesday, 1/9/19 at 6pm. There will be a special storytime for children while parents attend an informative presentation regarding kindergarten readiness. More details will be available in our next blog post.
St. Mary's School Open House for Prospective Families
Sunday, January 26th from 2-4 pm
Encourage friends or neighbors who are wondering about SMS to come to meet our faculty, staff, parents and students. From cursive to coding, we'll be sharing what has made us a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence! Contact Toni Chagnon for more information or to RSVP 860-658-9412 or tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net . Don't forget about our Family Referral Program! Click here to learn more.
Students in PreKindergarten & Kindergarten collected personal care items
as an Advent service project to create Blessing Bags for those in need.
There's Still Time to Join the St. Mary's Parish Youth Christmas Choir - The St. Mary’s Parish Christmas Youth Choir will rehearse for the last
time on Thursday, 12/20, from 4:30 - 5:15pm inside the church.All
children old enough to learn the words to traditional Christmas carolsare invited to come to this final rehearsal to
prepare and then participate. The choir sings prior to the 6:00pm Mass on Christmas
Eve starting at 5:30 pm.
Here comes "Santa Claus" in his sleigh pulled by a "tiny reindeer" - A great job with creative coding by our fifth graders, Giselle, Julia & Amelie.
As we look forward to Christmas and the promise of a new year, we are happy to share Google's Year in Search 2018. May we all continue to search for, and be a source of, goodness and kindness and joy.
December 12th is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Hot Lunch Order Period is open NOW for January hot lunches. Orders may be placed via the Educonnect Parent Portal through Friday, 12/14/18. This is your only opportunity to order hot lunches for January. Please send in payment once your order is submitted. NO late orders can be accepted.
Advancement News It's never too late to join Advancement!Please join us for some Christmas cheer at our meeting tomorrow - Thursday, December 13th after drop off at 9am in the lower church. All are welcome!
As we look forward to Christmas and the New Year please consider including St. Mary's School in your end of year donations. Your contribution is tax deductible and crucial to the operating budget. Everything from snow plowing, HVAC maintenance and cleaning supplies, to academic, athletic and arts programs (to name just a few!) are made possible through the generosity of our donors.
Click here or contact Toni Chagnon (tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net) for more information on how you can help!
ADVENT SERVICE PROJECTS - PJ DAY IS THIS FRIDAY, 12/14!
PLEASE READ GUIDELINES BELOW CAREFULLY!
Lessons & Carols will be held next Monday, 12/17/18, in the church. This beautiful retelling of the Nativity story is a beloved SMS tradition involving all students in Kindergarten- Grade 8. Student attendance is considered mandatory. If your family has a conflict, please contact Mrs. Williamson.There will be a dress rehearsal at 10am and an evening presentation at 7pm. Guests are welcome at either performance and the morning is especially suitable for preschool age siblings since it is much less crowded and easier to see the Nativity story unfold. Students in Grades 1-7 should wear their formal uniform - no sweatshirts or spirit wear. Students in Kindergarten and Grade 8 follow dress guidelines provided by Miss Ciarcia and Mrs. Work. The snow date for Lessons & Carols is Tuesday, 12/18/18.
PE Club - There will be PE Club on Wednesday, 12/19 and Thursday, 12/20.
School will be dismissed early at 12:45pm on Friday, 12/21/18. There will be NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare. School is CLOSED from Monday, 12/24/18 through Tuesday, 1/1/19. School reopens for a regular, full day of school on Wednesday, 1/2/19.
'Tis the Season to be Thankful!
Thank you to everyone who supported the 8th Grade Poinsettia Sale. We appreciate it! Thank you also to all of the students and parents who helped with the delivery and distribution of the poinsettias! It takes a village and we have one special community! Donna Nolan and the 8th Grade Class
Thanks to all who participated in our "Believe" letters. SMS sent 166 letters to Macy's which will be a $332 donation to Make A Wish.
Students in Grades 7 & 8 immersed themselves in the works of Shakespeare on 11/30. A series of workshops presented by Shakesperience introduced students to the works of Shakespeare and provided an opportunity to interact theatrically.
'Tis the Season to be Clipping! Don't forget to check for BoxTops for Education on some of those special holiday groceries & supplies. Here's a few products you may not have thought about:
Annie’s® Baking Mixes
Fiber One™ Mixes
Reynolds® Bakeware Pans
Reynolds Kitchens® Oven Bags
Reynolds Kitchens® Parchment Paper
Reynolds Kitchens® Slow Cooker Liners
Reynolds® StayBrite® Baking Cups
BoxTops may be sent into school at any time. All classrooms have collection boxes.
Still Shopping? Making your List for Holiday Baking or Celebrations? SMS CHOICE has gift cards for several department and specialty stores like Kohls, Macys, and Barnes & Noble, the Max group restaurants, Panera, Little City, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks & Peachwave along with most local grocery stores. There are also gift cards for Amazon, Target and Walmart! Send in your CHOICE order or stop by the office to browse through the CHOICE box and make your selections!
Alumni News - Our congratulations to Gavin Hughes, SMS Class of '17, on being named to the Simsbury High Honor Roll for the first semester. Gavin's name was inadvertently omitted from last week's listing.
We are also proud to share that Shayna Glazier, SMS Class of '16, was inducted into the Massaco Chapter of the National Honor Society at Simsbury High School. She is also a member of the Spanish National Honor Society. Congratulations, Shayna!
We were honored to have special guests for today's Blue Ribbon Recognition Ceremony.
From left - Reverend Thomas E. Ptaszynski, St. Therese~Granby, Dr. Michael Griffin, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, State Representative (& SMS alum) John Hampton, the Most Reverend Archbishop Leonard Blair, S.T.D., Mrs. Margaret Williamson, Principal, Reverend Frank J. Matera~St. Mary's and Father Michael Whyte~St. Catherine of Siena.
Not pictured, but also present, was Mrs. Maria Maynard, Deputy Superintendent (and past Principal of SMS).
Important Reminders Report cards will be available on the Educonnect Parent Portal on Friday, 12/7, at the close of the school day. Please remember that no paper copy of the report card will be sent home.
Poinsettia Pick Up - Those that ordered poinsettias from the grade 8 fundraiser may pickup plants between 2 &4pm on Friday, 12/7, in the Parish Center. Thanks to all who supported our 8th grade!
Hot Lunch Ordering for January Begins Monday, 12/10/18.
Hot lunch orders for January may be submitted through the Educonnect Parent Portal from Monday, 12/10/18 - Friday, 12/14/18. Payment should be sent into the school office as soon as your order is complete. Please remember that this is your only opportunity to order hot lunches for January - NO late orders can be accepted.
Our Christmas Band & Chorus Concert will be held on Monday, 12/10/18, in the Parish Center. There will be a dress rehearsal at 2pm and evening performance at 7pm. Guests are welcome at either performance.
Mrs. Morse has provided concert and dress guidelines to band students. Mrs. Jalinskas has provided guidelines to chorus members. Attendance is considered mandatory if a student is a member of instrumental music/band and/or chorus. If your family has a conflict, please contact Mrs. Williamson.
All are welcome to come and enjoy an evening of festive music. The snow date for this concert is Monday, 1/7/19.
Band students are reminded to bring their instrument, music and any accessories to school on Monday for practice and the dress rehearsal.
***Students that have gym class are requested to wear their formal uniform to school & bring PE uniform to change into after the ceremony.***
Report cards will be available on the Educonnect Parent Portal on Friday, 12/7, at the close of the school day. Please remember that no paper copy of the report card will be sent home. Group Class Photos of students in PreK, K-7, will be sent home with students on Friday, 12/7. Please be sure to check backpacks.
Click here to download the template for the "Believe Day" letters.
Click here to download & print the Advent Service Projects flyer.
Our Christmas Band & Chorus Concert will be held on Monday, 12/10/18, in the Parish Center. There will be a dress rehearsal at 2pm and evening performance at 7pm. Guests are welcome at either performance. Mrs. Morse will provide concert and dress guidelines to band students. Mrs. Jalinskas will provide guidelines to chorus members. Attendance is considered mandatory if a student is a member of instrumental music/band and/or chorus. If your family has a conflict, please contact Mrs. Williamson. All are welcome to come and enjoy an evening of festive music. The snow date for this concert is Monday, 1/7/19.
Lessons & Carols will be held on Monday, 12/17/18, in the church. This beautiful retelling of the Nativity story is a beloved SMS tradition involving all students in Kindergarten- Grade 8. Student attendance is considered mandatory. If your family has a conflict, please contact Mrs. Williamson.There will be a dress rehearsal at 10am and an evening presentation at 7pm. Guests are welcome at either performance and the morning is especially suitable for preschool age siblings since it is much less crowded and easier to see the Nativity story unfold. Students in Grades 1-7 should wear their formal uniform - no sweatshirts or spirit wear. Students in Kindergarten and Grade 8 follow dress guidelines provided by Miss Ciarcia and Mrs. Work. The snow date for Lessons & Carols is Tuesday, 12/18/18.
Poinsettia Pick Up - Those that ordered poinsettias from the grade 8 fundraiser may pickup plants between 2 &4pm on Friday, 12/7, in the Parish Center. Thanks for your support!
"Every Brick Has A Memory To Share" Sponsor a brick for our new St. Mary Courtyard Brick Sponsorship Program ends December 31. Please join the Darnowksi family in sponsoring a brick for the new St. Mary Courtyard.
"St. Mary's School has been an integral part of our family's life for so many years. It's a special place for our children to be educated by amazing faculty who care about the growth of each child. We feel so lucky to be part of this community and purchased a brick as a special memory."
Advancement News
As we look forward to Christmas and the New Year please consider including St. Mary's School in your end of year donations. Your contribution is tax deductible and crucial to the operating budget. Everything from snow plowing, HVAC maintenance and cleaning supplies, to academic, athletic and arts programs (to name just a few!) are made possible through the generosity of our donors.
Click here or contact Toni Chagnon (tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net) for more information on how you can help!
It's never too late to join Advancement! Please join us for some Christmas cheer at our meeting on Thursday, December 13th after drop off at 9am in the lower church. All are welcome!
PE Club - There will be PE Club on Wednesday, 12/19 and Thursday, 12/20.
School will be dismissed early at 12:45pm on Friday, 12/21/18. There will be NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare. School is CLOSED from Monday, 12/24/18 through Tuesday, 1/1/19. School reopens for a regular, full day of school on Wednesday, 1/2/19.
The latest issue of the SMS Times is now available. Click here to read all the news.
Signs of the Season here at SMS
Looking for a "Special Something" for Christmas? SMS Class of 2019 has beautiful bracelets and key chains available. Please send your check payable to St. Mary's School with "bracelet or keychain" in the memo section.
Need a Stocking Stuffer?CHOICE has lots of great possibilities including $5, $10, or $20 denominations to Peachwave with a 15% profit rate. Peachwave is located in the Fitzgeralds shopping plaza and is owned by a SMS family. Here are a few other stocking stuffer ideas: Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, Barnes & Noble, Panera, and Amazon. There's also many, many options via GL Scrip special order.
Shopping for Your XBox Fanatic? CHOICE also has 2, $25 Xbox ecards available at this time. Additional cards can be ordered if there is interest.
"Blue (Ribbon) Christmas"
Alumni News - Our congratulations to our alumni at Simsbury High School that have been named to the first quarter honor roll: Gr. 9 Honors -Mason Burhoe, Francesca Cirielli, Greyson Keller, and Benjamin Rivera, all SMS Class of '18; Gr. 10 High Honors - Ellie & Mary McElroy, SMS Class of '17; Gr. 11 Honors - Shayna Glazier, SMS Class of '16; Gr. 12 High Honors - Mark Bedson and Patrick Sheridan, SMS Class of '15 and Gr. 12 Honors - Kurt Bedson, Justin Donnelly, Grace O'Bryan & Cristina Santillan, SMS Class of '15.
Community News
St. Mary's Parish Invites You To Three Special Events-
Nativity Story Puppet Show
Saturday, December 8th from 9:30 – 11am
A Nativity Story Puppet Show will be offered in our Parish Center for our littlest parishioners along with their parents/grandparents. The event is most appropriate for Preschool age to Grade 2 children however older siblings would enjoy this as well and are welcome to attend. This special gathering will include a sing-a-long, craft and snack and is free of charge. We hope you will join us! Please contact Lori Oleasz, Director of Religious Education, at 860-658-7627 for questions and to RSVP so that the appropriate amount of supplies and snack can be provided.
Night in Bethlehem: A Living Nativity
Saturday, December 8th from 6-6:30pm following the 5pm Mass
Please join us as the children and teens from Saint Mary’s Religious Education program and Ignite Youth Ministry bring the Nativity story to life in this holy and beautiful reenactment. A reception with refreshments will follow in the Parish Center. All are welcome. Blessed Advent!
Hot Lunch Order Period is open NOW for January hot lunches. Orders may be placed via the Educonnect Parent Portal through Friday, 12/14/18. This is your only opportunity to order hot lunches for January. Please send in payment once your order is submitted. NO late orders can be accepted.
Lessons & Carols will be held next Monday, 12/17/18, in the church. This beautiful retelling of the Nativity story is a beloved SMS tradition involving all students in Kindergarten- Grade 8. Student attendance is considered mandatory. If your family has a conflict, please contact Mrs. Williamson. There will be a dress rehearsal at 10am and an evening presentation at 7pm. Guests are welcome at either performance and the morning is especially suitable for preschool age siblings since it is much less crowded and easier to see the Nativity story unfold. Students in Grades 1-7 should wear their formal uniform - no sweatshirts or spirit wear. Students in Kindergarten and Grade 8 follow dress guidelines provided by Miss Ciarcia and Mrs. Work. The snow date for Lessons & Carols is Tuesday, 12/18/18.
