Summer Blog Post #1 - 6/19/19

Summer office hours -  The office will be routinely staffed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am-1pm and by appointment as needed.  The week of July 1, the office will be closed Thursday, July 4 and Friday, July 5. Both email and phone messages will be checked regularly throughout the summer.

Summer CHOICE Sales - CHOICE cards will be available for sale  in the school office during summer office hours.

The "Back to School" page for the school blog is now available.  Click here or use the tab at the top of the blog.  This page will provide updates to our summer calendar, links to supply lists and summer assignments.  Please  check this page frequently to stay up to date.  Our first day of school will be a regular, full school day on Wednesday, August 28. 

Final Report Cards are available via the Educonnect Parent Portal.  No paper copy of the report card will be sent home.  If you plan to print a copy of your child(ren)'s report card(s), please do so before 6/28/19.  We are required to "roll forward" Educonnect before July 1.

Welcoming Mrs. Russo - We are so pleased that Mrs. Nicole Russo will be joining our Middle School faculty team.  Mrs. Russo's email is nrusso@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net. You may view her new teacher blog by clicking here.

Alumni News

We are so proud of Christian Fagnant, SMS Class of '15, catcher for the East Granby Crusaders Varsity Baseball team, for his being selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. He fought back from injury a year ago coming back even stronger! #uKNIGHTedinalumnipride





Congratulations to Avery Hatch, SMS Class of '12.  Avery has been named to the Dean's List at Elon University for the spring semester.  Avery is currently completing a 10 week summer research opportunity at Eastern Carolina University in the chemistry department.

News for the Week of 6/12/19

Calling All Our Wonderful Volunteers! Hot Lunch Servers, Pie Sale Organizers, Library Helpers, Room Parents, Book Fair Workers, Coaches, Community Builders, Fundraisers, Club Moderators, Classroom Helpers, Eno Drivers, School Board Members to list just a few........

"Donut" what we would do without volunteers like you!

 Thanks a "Latte" for helping to make our school great!   Join us tomorrow, Thursday, June 13, at 8:30am in the Magowan Center Reading Room for coffee, donuts and treats, our way of thanking you for all that you do! 

Last Day of School & Awards Assembly - Thursday, June 13.  This will be a 12:45pm early dismissal with NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare.  Awards Assembly will begin at 9:30am in the parish center.  Parents of students that will receive awards will be notified in advance.  All are welcome to attend.

Final Report Cards will be available via the Educonnect Parent Portal on Monday, June 17.  No paper copy of the report card will be sent home.  If you plan to print a copy of your child(ren)'s report card(s), please do so before 6/28/19.  We are required to "roll forward" Educonnect before July 1.

Summer office hours will begin the week of June 17.   The office will be routinely staffed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am-1pm and by appointment as needed.  The week of July 1, the office will be closed Thursday, July 4 and Friday, July 5. Both email and phone messages will be checked regularly throughout the summer.

Summer CHOICE Sales - CHOICE cards will be available for sale  in the school office during summer office hours.

The "Back to School" page for the school blog will be published the week of June 17th.  This page will provide updates to our summer calendar, links to supply lists and summer assignments.  Please  check this page frequently to stay up to date.  Our first day of school will be a regular, full school day on Wednesday, August 28. 

Family Enrollment Reminder - Family Enrollment is not complete until the signed Family Enrollment Form and $250 Family Enrollment  Fee are returned to the school office.  Incomplete enrollment means your students are not appearing on class lists for the fall and that your family will not receive important Back to School communications.  Please contact the school office if you are uncertain about the status of your family enrollment. 

Reminder to Smart Tuition Account Holders who make payments via invoice:  as you begin making payments in June on your 2019-2020 Smart Tuition account, please remember to change the school year in your account number from 18 to 19.  Account numbers are broken down as follows:  02300 is the school code; 19 refers to the school year; and the last six digits reflect your individual family’s account.  If you continue making payments using the 18 school year, they will apply to your 2018-19 account, generating an overpayment status.  Your 2019-20 account will then appear delinquent, causing $50 late fees to accrue each month the payments are missing.  If you have any questions about this, please call Smart Tuition’s Parent contact center at 1-888-868-8828.

Note that this change occurs automatically for families who have Smart Tuition draw their payments from checking, savings, or credit card accounts.

Click here to read the complete June 2019 issue of the SMS Times.

 

There are 7 extra yearbooks available on a first come/first served basis.  The cost per yearbook is $35.  Checks should be made payable to St. Mary's School with "yearbook" in the memo section.  Once payment is received, student(s) will be given a yearbook.

SMS Stars-

Mrs. Herron's 2nd Grade class "dove" right in to helping the coral reef cause!  Students & their families donated $101.25 to the Coral Restoration Foundation and then created 65 pieces of art work, with the help of K, 1st, 2nd & 3rd grade to submit to the Foundation's challenge of donating $2.00 for every piece submitted for a total of $130.   Wow! What a tidal wave of support!!

Our congratulations to Hayden D., Gr. 4; Thomas C., Gr. 5;  Andrew M., Gr. 6 and Max W., Gr. 6. All these Simsbury Little League players were all selected for All Star teams this year.  Yes, that's 4 SMS baseball players out of 36 spots from the entire league!  

Community News - 

Circus Smirkus Coloring Contest.

Circus Smirkus is coming to Simsbury Meadows on July 30th and they are hosting a coloring contest. The object of the contest is for children between the ages of 3 and 12 to color the Circus Smirkus coloring page using any materials they would like. Click here to download the coloring page and full information.

The contest is open until June 14th at 11:59 p.m. One Grand Prize winner will be selected as well as one winner in the 3-5 age group; one winner in the 6-9 age group; and one winner in the 10 and older age group.

The Grand Prize is their art featured on the Circus Smirkus Program to be handed out at each performance, a Family 4 pack (2 adult, 2 child) tickets to the Simsbury performance of the winner’s choosing, and a post-show meet and greet with members of the Smirkus cast.

The Age Group Prize is a Family 4 pack (2 adult, 2 child) tickets to the Simsbury performance of the winner’s choosing, and their contest submission artwork displayed at each Circus Smirkus performance on July 30 & 31, 2019.

News for the Week of 6/5/2019

                                                                              Source

The Carnival starts tonight, Wednesday, June 5th! 

 St. Mary’s Annual Spring Carnival runs through Saturday, June 8th.  

Same location as last year on 10/202 North field of CL & P.  The hours are Wednesday thru Friday from 6pm until 10pm and on Saturday from 4pm until 10pm.  Please plan to join us and catch up with good friends and great food! 

Saturday evening, 6/8,  enjoy live music by Matt Forneris' band, Sound Risk.  Matt is dad to Greta, Gr. 4 and Noelle, Gr. 1.  Click here for more information about the band. 

Volunteers (teen through adults) are needed in everything from selling raffle tickets to cooking and serving food.  Please click here to sign up for a shift or two or use the sign up sheets at the exits of the church.  If you are having any difficulty signing up to volunteer or you have any questions just call or text Sandy at 860-214-6557.  School families are strongly encouraged to volunteer at the carnival since we receive a generous share of carnival proceeds each year - plus, its a lot of fun!

40th Annual Spring Raffle!  Raffle tickets are $20 each and are now available at the Parish Offices in the Magowan Center.  Tickets are also available at the carnival.

A total of 5 prizes will be award:

1st Prize - $10,000
2nd Prize - $600 Bill Selig Jewelers Gift Certificate
3rd Prize - $250 Fitzgerald's Food Gift Certificate & coupon booklet for one gourmet cake each month for one year.
4th Prize - $500 Holloways Appliance Gift Certificate
5th Prize - Apple Airpods with wireless charging case


Drawing will be held at Field North of Eversource, 34 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, CT on Saturday, June 8, 2019 at 8pm.  Winner need not be present.

June Events - It's so hard to believe another school year is drawing to a close.  As always, there are lots of special events.  Please take a moment to review and mark your calendars.

Grade 8 Graduation & Class Day Assembly - Friday, June 7.  Graduation ceremony will take place in church after the 10am school Mass.  Class Day Assembly begins at 1:15pm in the church.  All are welcome.

Kindergarten Prayer Service - Tuesday, June 11, in Church at 9am.  All are welcome to join us as we prayerfully conclude our school year.  All students should wear their relaxed uniforms. 

Hot Lunch Servers, Pie Sale Organizers, Library Helpers, Room Parents, Book Fair Workers, Coaches, Community Builders, Fundraisers, Club Moderators, Classroom Helpers, Eno Drivers, School Board Members to list just a few........

"Donut" what we would do without volunteers like you! Thanks a "Latte" for helping to make our school great!   Please stop in on Thursday, June 13  at 8:30am in the Magowan Center Reading Room for coffee, donuts and treats, our way of thanking you for all that you do! 

Last Day of School & Awards Assembly - Thursday, June 13.  This will be a 12:45pm early dismissal with NO PreK Enrichment or Aftercare.  Awards Assembly will begin at 9:30am in the parish center.  Parents of students that will receive awards will be notified in advance.  All are welcome to attend.

Final Report Cards will be available via the Educonnect Parent Portal on Monday, June 17.  No paper copy of the report card will be sent home.  

Summer office hours will begin the week of June 17.   The office will be routinely staffed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am-1pm and by appointment as needed.  The week of July 1, the office will be closed Thursday, July 4 and Friday, July 5. Both email and phone messages will be checked regularly throughout the summer.

Summer CHOICE Sales - CHOICE cards will be available for sale  in the school office during summer office hours.

The "Back to School" page for the school blog will be published the week of June 17th.  This page will provide updates to our summer calendar, links to supply lists and summer assignments.  Please  check this page frequently to stay up to date.  Our first day of school will be a regular, full school day on Wednesday, August 28.

Family Enrollment Reminder - Family Enrollment is not complete until the signed Family Enrollment Form and $250 Family Enrollment  Fee are returned to the school office.  Incomplete enrollment means your students are not appearing on class lists for the fall and that your family will not receive important Back to School communications.  Please contact the school office if you are uncertain about the status of your family enrollment. 

Reminder to Smart Tuition Account Holders who make payments via invoice:  as you begin making payments in June on your 2019-2020 Smart Tuition account, please remember to change the school year in your account number from 18 to 19.  Account numbers are broken down as follows:  02300 is the school code; 19 refers to the school year; and the last six digits reflect your individual family’s account.  If you continue making payments using the 18 school year, they will apply to your 2018-19 account, generating an overpayment status.  Your 2019-20 account will then appear delinquent, causing $50 late fees to accrue each month the payments are missing.  If you have any questions about this, please call Smart Tuition’s Parent contact center at 1-888-868-8828.

Note that this change occurs automatically for families who have Smart Tuition draw their payments from checking, savings, or credit card accounts.

Yearbooks will be distributed Thursday, June 6th to all those that pre-ordered.  There are 15 extra yearbooks available on a first come/first served basis.  The cost per yearbook is $35.  Checks should be made payable to St. Mary's School with "yearbook" in the memo section.  Once payment is received, student(s) will be given a yearbook.

Thank you to all the volunteers for generously giving your time and energy to our Spring Book Fair.   The kids enjoyed shopping, we surpassed last Spring's sales, and the loose change donations collected through All for Books paid for 40 new books for our classroom and school libraries.  Thanks again!  Our special thanks to Mrs. Prausa for chairing both our bookfairs this year.

We Want YOU!!   Buddy families are needed this summer to help welcome new families joining our community for the 2019-2020 school year! This is an easy and fun way to help grow St. Mary's School. Click here to learn more and sign up today! 

SMS Stars

We couldn't be prouder of our very own Student Council President, 8th grader, Maggie S.! Congratulations on receiving such a wonderful award from SMS Alumni and State Representative John Hampton recognizing your outstanding citizenship and academic & athletic accomplishments as a student at St. Mary's School. #uKNIGHTedinpride

Our congratulations to Greer E., Gr. 3 on winning
her very first tennis tournament!  Great job, Greer!

Alumni News

Pictured from left - Pam Carter, Hayden Carter, SMS
Class of '19, Alexandra Carter, SMS Class of '09,
Dave Carter, Cortland Carter, SMS Class of '05
and Robert Carter, SMS Class of '08.

Our congratulations to Alexandra E. Carter, SMS Class '09. Alex was among more than 625 master's and doctoral degree recipients at University of Scranton's commencement ceremony on May 25. Alex earned a Master of Science degree in clinical mental health counseling.













We also extend congratulations to Joseph Walz, SMS Class of '15.  Joseph graduated as Valedictorian from St. Mary's High School in Westfield, MA.  Joseph will be attending the University of South Florida.  He has been admitted to their Pre-Dental advisory program and  will be a Biology major.