News for the Week of 3/6/19

TOMORROW - Thursday, 3/7/19, will be a 12:45pm Early Dismissal with NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare to allow for faculty faith formation.

Our second trimester ends on Thursday, 3/7/19.  Report cards for students in Kindergarten - Grade 8 will be available via the Educonnect Parent Portal at the end of the school day on Friday, 3/15/19. Please keep in mind that no paper copy of the report card is sent home.

Friday, 3/8/19, school will be CLOSED for OEEC Professional Development.



Making Up Our Snow Days - Due to Monday's snow day, our tentative last day of school is now Thursday, June 13th.  It will be a 12:45pm early dismissal with NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare available.  At this time, we do still plan to be closed on Easter Monday, April 22.

Hot Lunch Make Up - If you ordered hot lunch (chicken quesadilla) on Monday's snow day we WILL be making it up on Thursday, 3/7.  Special thanks to the lunch volunteers who agreed to come in on Thursday on such short notice!

Hot Lunch Ordering for April Opens Monday, 3/11/19 - The hot lunch order period for April will open on Monday, 3/11.  Orders will be accepted through Friday, 3/15.  Please place all orders through the Educonnect Portal and send in your payment once your order is complete.  This is your ONLY opportunity to order hot lunches for April.  No late orders can be accepted.


Walk-In Wednesdays will be held on every Wednesday in March!  If you know someone wondering if SMS is the place for their family, please encourage them to stop by on any Wednesday in March between 9 and 11am.  When encouraging friends and neighbors to get to know us, please keep our Family Referral program in mind!








School Board Meeting - All are invited to the School Board meeting on Wednesday, March 20, at 7pm in the Lower Church.  Mrs. Williamson will present the annual State of the School report at this meeting.

2019 Altar Server Training for New Servers: -New altar servers are needed at Saint Mary’s Church and School.  Are you interested in joining this wonderful ministry?  We will be meeting on Saturdays, March 16^th and 23^rd from 9-10am and on Sunday, March 31^st from 12:15-1:15pm.  All children in 4^th grade or above are invited to join us.  Please RSVP to Sheila Garilli Altar Server Coordinator via email at ServerLeader@StMarySimsbury.org. 






Mother/Son Bowling Tickets - If you have registered for Mother & Son Bowling on this Thursday, 3/7, your tickets are being sent home today with the student you requested receive them.  Please be sure to check backpacks.

Lenten Service Projects & SMS Spirit Day on Wednesday, 3/13/19 -  St. Mary's School students in all grades will be engaging in several hands on service projects throughout Lent and we need help! Please click here and sign-up to help us. Students that signup and bring items in may participate in a Spirit Day on Wednesday, March 13th. These students will may wear SMS spirit clothes as well as their PE pants/shorts (or other SMS apparel bottoms). Please help us help others!

On Tuesday, 3/7, Ben was crowned “King” of the grade 5 Mardi Gras. It is a Fat Tuesday tradition to have a cake with either a coin or a small doll baked in the cake. Grade 5 began their school day with  King Cake and Ben found the doll baked in the cake, so he was crowned King of Grade 5 Mardi Gras!









It's Time for "Moving Up" &  Family Enrollment 

Book Your Babysitter - Wednesday, 3/13/19, is "Moving up Knight" . "Moving Up Knight" begins at 6:30pm in the Parish Center.  

This is your first chance to get a peek at the classroom(s) and curriculum your child(ren) will experience next year.   You are also invited to take a peek in other grades as well in case you are curious about the curriculum at other levels.  We look forward to seeing you there! 

"Moving Up Knight" is for parents.  

Students will enjoy "moving up" activities during the school day on 3/13.

Family Enrollment Packets for 19-20 were sent out via email on Friday, 3/1/19.  If you have any questions or if you believe Family Enrollment Form is in error, please contact the school office. Thank you for your continued partnership with our school.



Calling all student entrepreneurs! Do you want to learn about business and create a product to sell? Do you want to use your talents to earn money for yourself and for charity? At the Kids in Business Club we will learn about important factors to consider when creating and selling a product. Our items will be for sale to the school community in time for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Each participant will donate a portion or all of their proceeds to a charity of their choice. Club meeting dates and times are:  Monday, 3/18; Monday, 4/1; Monday, 4/15 and Monday, 4/29.  Each session will be from 3:45-4:45pm in the second grade classroom.  Virtus trained parents are welcome to volunteer with this club. Contact Mrs. Herron (cherron@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net) to register your child or volunteer.  

Athletic News 

Congratulations to our Boys' JV and Girls' Varsity Basketball teams on their performance in the Deanery Championships.  Boys were runners-up and the girls are Deanery Champions!  Both teams will begin play in States this weekend. Go Blue Knights!

Spring Clubs are Coming!

Jump Rope Club!  Open to all students in PreK - Gr. 8.  Club will begin Friday, March 15th and run every Friday until May 31st from 3:45pm-5pm. Click here to download and print permission slip. Participation Fee is $50 per student with a $100 max family cap. Checks should be made payable to St. Mary's School with "Jump Rope Club" in the memo section.  Permission slip and fee is due no later than March 11th.  Advanced Jumpers from Grades 6-8 will take on a leadership role in helping develop the younger and beginner jumpers. Please be sure that your child(ren)'s teacher(s) and the school office are notified about participation in this club. Virtus trained Volunteers needed! If you are interested in helping with Jump Rope Club or if you have any questions please email Mr. Gangloff. sgangloff@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

Basketball Club Will Resume! Basketball Club for students in grades 4-8 will resume Thursday, March 28th and continue on Thursdays until May 30th.  Sessions will be from 3:45-5pm. $50 participation fee.  Please make checks payable to St. Mary's School with "Basketball Club" in the memo section.  Please be sure that your child(ren)'s teacher(s) and the school office are notified about participation in this club.

Athletic Remind Texts are Available! As Spring sports and clubs begin, please keep in mind that Mr. G. has a Remind text group just for athletics.  All those participating in team and club sports are strongly encouraged to join this group as well as our main SMS Remind group.  Here are the directions to join the Athletic Remind:

It's Time to Order Your 2019 Yearbooks - The SMS Yearbook is a great way to preserve and enjoy all of this school year's great moments and memories.  The yearbook features photos of every student and of all important school activities, sports and clubs.  You may order online using our school code - 9415319 or complete and order form and return it to the school office NLT March 29, 2019.  Order forms were sent home Friday, 2/1/2019, with each student. Extra order forms are available in the school office. The price per yearbook is $35.  Yearbooks are distributed in June immediately prior to 8th grade graduation and must be pre-ordered.  Please call the school office with any questions. 




Calling All Superheroes To Get Creative!
We need your artistic super powers to help create posters to advertise our SMS Superhero Challenge and Corn Hole Tournament! Posters will be hung throughout the school so that we can make this event our most successful ever!  All students are welcome to participate.  There are two opportunities to create posters:  Tuesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 13.  Both sessions are 3:30-4:30pm in the grade 7 Science Lab. Click here to sign up.

Calling all SMS Superheros! 
 Complete your ticket purchase now for this event by sending in money for tickets
sent home last week.

Corn Hole registration fee  is in addition to ticket purchase.

Looking Ahead to Relaxed Uniforms - Relaxed Uniforms will begin after our Spring vacation on Monday, April 15.  Now through April 5, Lands' End is offering free logos on polos along with 20% off polo shirts.  Please use our school code (900132150) when shopping to assure you purchase the correct style of polo.  Please also keep in mind that logos are always OPTIONAL.  If requesting a logo, our logo code is 1474670.  To review our school's uniform guidelines, click here.  Please also keep in mind that CHOICE cards for Lands' End are available in the School Office.  Using CHOICE cards for all your uniform purchases is a great way to help achieve your family's CHOICE commitment.

CHOICE Program 18-19 Ends on 4/30/19 - Just a reminder that all families with students in grades K-8 are required to complete their annual CHOICE commitment no later than April 30, 2019.  Participation in CHOICE is a mandatory part of each family's tuition obligation if students are enrolled in Kindergarten or above.  Participation in CHOICE is optional (but encouraged) for families whose students are in PreK only.  Purchases made after April 30, will be credited to the 19-20 CHOICE commitment.  If making an "opt-out" payment or to pay off the balance of your obligation, please make your check payable to SMS CHOICE and put Choice Opt-Out (or balance) 18-19 in the memo section.  If you have questions about the CHOICE or about your family's obligation, please contact Michelle Howard in the school office.

SMS Stars - Congratulations to Andrew M. (Gr. 6) and his teammates on the Simsbury Youth Hockey Pee Wee A team. They won the Tier II State Championship this weekend in Bridgeport, CT. They will be heading to New England Regionals in New Hampshire.







Alumni News -

Our congratulations to  Domenico Cirielli, SMS Class of '14, on achieving the fall 2018 Dean's List at Seton Hall University. After the close of every semester, undergraduate students completing all courses with a GPA of 3.4, with no grades lower than "C", qualify for the Dean's List.



Community News

Simsbury Public Library has many offerings coming up on their calendar for all age groups.  Click here to learn more.