News for the Week of 10/16/19

October is the Month of the Rosary - All are invited to join us tomorrow -Thursday, 10/17/19 - at 9am in the church as we pray the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary.  Students that are scheduled for physical education on Thursdays may wear their PE uniforms to this prayer service.

Kindness in Chalk - Our fingers are crossed for dry weather!  Our Kindness in Chalk event is now scheduled for this Friday, 10/18/19.  All students may wear P.E. uniforms.

Athletic News - There will be NO Basketball Club this Friday, 10/18/19.

Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences for students in grades K-8 will be held from Wednesday, 10/23/19- Friday, 10/25/19.  Each of these days will be a 12:45pm early dismissal.  PreK Enrichment will be available until 3:20pm but there is NO aftercare available.  Click here to access the links to the Conference Scheduling Sign Up Geniuses.  Please keep in mind that if you do not schedule a conference, none will be scheduled for you.

#uKnighted & Growing!

Our Fall Open House is coming soon! Start Spreading the News -  with a custom SMS lawn sign!  We are hosting our first Open House of the school year on Tuesday, 11/5/19 at 6pm. Live on a busy street? Sign up to take a lawn sign and then stop by the office and pick up a lawn sign at your earliest convenience.  We greatly appreciate your help in advertising our Open House. 

With Open House just around the corner, do you know a family or friend that might be interested in enrolling their children? Don't forget our Family Referral Program!  Earn money towards your tuition, just click here to learn more about this awesome incentive program. 

Fall is the time for health screenings!

Vision and Hearing - Grades K, 1, 3, 4, 5*

Hearing ONLY - 2*

Posture girls - Grades 5th and 7th

Posture boys - 8th Grade

* Please note update from last week - First grade will also have vision and hearing screening. Second grade receives hearing screening only.

Tomorrow -Thursday, 10/17/19 - members of the Simsbury Lions Club will conduct vision screening for the grades indicated above.  The school nurse will conduct the hearing and postural screenings. If any irregularities are found, a note will be sent home asking you to follow up with your physician.  If you do not want your child to be screened for any of the above, please make a request in writing to St. Mary’s school nurse, Kim Tyrrell, RN.

What was your favorite book growing up? Help our students find a favorite at our upcoming Book Fair! If you are Virtus trained,please consider signing up to volunteer during our Fall Book Fair.  All faculty and volunteers receive a 20% discount! Volunteer shifts are available after Mass on Saturday or Sunday, November 2-3 or during school hours on Monday - Thursday, November 4-7.  Click here to volunteer. Thank you in advance for signing up!

Just in Time for the Holidays!  Orders will be accepted until Monday, October 21, for delicious frozen Lyman Orchards Pies and Otis Spunkmeyer Cookie Dough!   Order forms were sent home with all students on Friday, October 4, 2019. Extra order forms are available in the school office. You can also order online and also invite friends and family to do so - click here. Here is important information regarding online orders - If pies or cookie dough are ordered online, they are delivered to the school for local pickup.   The Simply Shipped Collection of beef jerky, coffee, mini baked cookies, popcorn and tumblers are for out of area/state buyers and those items get shipped directly to the buyer's home. Frozen pies and cookie dough will arrive on November 19, 2019 - pick up times will be announced soon! Please note that all orders must be picked up on November 19, since all items arrive frozen and there is not freezer space here at school to store orders. All sales benefit SMS Knights United Family & School Association.

Community News

Lost & Found - A bracelet was found in St. Mary's Church. If, by chance, you are missing one, please contact the parish offices.

Simsbury Public Library - There are lots of great events for teens and tweens coming up in November and December - Click here to learn more.

St. Ann's Church Clothing Drive - Again this year, we will be accepting donations for St. Ann's annual clothing drive for their Clothing Sale.  The Clothing Sale benefits the St. Ann's Scholarship program that provides tuition assistance to urban students that attend local Catholic High Schools.  Please donate clean, gently worn, current style clothing for men, women, teens and children.  Shoes, handbags and jewelry are also accepted along with hangers.  There is a particular need for infant, children and teen items.  Donations may be brought to the school office until October 21.  The clothing sale will be open on Friday, 11/1/19, from 6-8pm ($5 admission), Saturday, 11/2/19, from 8:30-11:30am.  Bargain Hunters - on 11/2/19, from noon until 2pm, the clothing sale is $20 per bag!  Thanks in advance for your donations and support.

St. Mary's Parish Invites You - On Friday, 10/25/19 at 7PM, Saint Luke Productions will present a live 90 minute production of the story of Father Augustus Tolton at St. Mary’s Church. Admission is free. Augustus Tolton was born in Missouri, the son of enslaved parents. Despite being rejected by every American seminary to which he applied, he was ordained in Rome in 1886, the first African American priest in the United States. Pope Francis has promulgated a Decree of Heroic Virtue, advancing the cause for Fr. Tolton’s sainthood. Tolton is a powerful multi-media live production, filled with music and drama. It brings a message of hope and healing for the wounds that plague our culture. Jim Coleman plays the role of Father Tolton. This event is sponsored by the Fr. Nadolny Good News Fund.  In the event you are unable to attend this performance, there are others in the area.  Please note, however, that all other performances are earlier in October than the one at St. Mary's. 

Northwest Catholic Open House Northwest Catholic High School invites prospective students and parents to attend their annual Open House on Sunday, October 20, 1:00 - 3:00 PM. NWC will offer an Entrance Exam (HSPT) on Saturday, October 26, 8:00 AM. You can register for the exam online at (HERE) Walk-ins are welcome! Please contact Andrew Selig at aselig@nwcath.org with any questions.