News for the Week of 5/13/20

As our Knights United Family & School Association's major community fundraiser of the year, our St. Mary's School 2nd Annual Superhero Challenge was slated to raise over $20,000 for our school. 

As COVID 19 continues to impact all of us in so many different ways, we hope that if you are able to make a donation you will consider helping us meet our goal.  Monies raised from this event go directly towards helping fund our academic programs, technology and enrichment for our students.  

Click here to make a donation or send your check along with the sponsor form you received in the mail to school via US mail.  Thanks for your superhero support!

Distance learning continues through our scheduled last day of school - Thursday, June 11.

Please notify our school nurse anytime your child(ren) are unable to participate due to illness or other reason.  Nurse Tyrrell can be reached at hoffice@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net or at (860) 856-6811 from 10am-12noon on scheduled school days. NOTE - This is a temporary contact number established for the distance learning period only.  Nurse Tyrrell will respond within 24 hours to parent concerns and questions.

Thank you for all you are doing to support distance learning at home!  While none of us could ever have predicted what learning would look like this spring, we continue to be so impressed with our students' determination to learn and grow and complete their studies to the best of their ability!  We know this would not be possible without all the support you are providing at home.  Your support and encouragement play a key role in the daily distance learning environment.  Our amazing faculty continues to work with determination to provide engaging content, creative assignments and opportunities for our students to demonstrate mastery of material.  Please reach out to teachers as needed.  We are anxious to work in partnership with you to bring our school year to a successful conclusion.

2020-21 Family Enrollment Forms and Fees Needed Now! Thanks to all that have returned their Family Enrollment Forms and fees. If you have not already sent yours in, please do so at your earliest convenience. If the current world health crisis is impacting your family's ability to complete enrollment at this time, please contact Mrs. Williamson.  Mail is being picked up and processed on a periodic basis. Having this enrollment information helps us finalize our class lists for the upcoming year and allows us to order books, consumables and other supplies so our new school year can get off to a good start! Additionally, if your family uses Smart Tuition for payments, your completed Family Enrollment Form assures that your payments will begin on time in June allowing the maximum number (12) of payment periods.

CHOICE Balance Reminder - The 2019-2020 CHOICE program has concluded as of April 30.  Families that have not met their annual CHOICE obligation are requested to send in the balance due as was outlined on your March CHOICE statement.  As noted on your Family Enrollment Agreement, for families with students enrolled in grades K-8, CHOICE is part of your tuition obligation. If you did not choose to opt-out of participation with a lump sum payment or if your CHOICE purchases did not meet your obligation, you are responsible for the unpaid balance. If you made purchases after your March statement but prior to April 30, an updated statement has been sent to you.  If you have lost track of your statement, please contact Michelle Howard at mhoward@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.  CHOICE purchases made after April 30 will be applied to your 2020-21 CHOICE obligation.

Sharing the Caring -

Recently, our 7th grade students have been engaged in some distance ROPE activities including a Scavenger Hunt.  One of their challenges was to submit their best doodle.  We love this one - designed as a thank you to all those helping us through the pandemic.

Cards Still Needed!  Mrs. Mortillaro is still picking up handmade cards for area senior citizens every Wednesday.  The collection box is at the school's north (playground) entrance.  These cards really make a difference to those that are particularly isolated right now.  Thanks to everyone who is keeping this effort alive and yes, more cards are always needed!






#uKnighted & Growing!  Applications for admission for 2020-21 are being accepted now!  If you know someone interested in joining our community.  Encourage them to take a virtual tour.  For convenience, application forms can now be completed and emailed to school and application fees can be paid with a credit card.  If you do share the good news about St. Mary's School, be sure to take advantage of our Family Referral Program.

Alumni News - Our congratulations to Sam Spak, SMS Class of '12.  Sam was part of a UCONN Senior Design team in the Mechanical Engineering Department that won first place and a $1,500 prize in the Department's annual Senior Design Project.  The projects were judged by a panel comprised of faculty members from the Mechanical Engineering Department and industry representatives.  Sam's team designed an automated cell culturing machine.  As observed by Assistant Professor in Residence, Ryan Cooper, the teams this year were faced with "the challenge of engineering in the face of uncertainty" and their great results are indicative of the skills they have attained.  Great job, Sam!

Avery Hatch, SMS Class of '12, has been inducted to Elon University's chapter of the National Chemical Honor Society, Phi Lambda Epsilon.  Congratulations!

We are pleased to share that Taylor Griffith, SMS Class of '16, will be playing division III Tennis at the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford this fall.  Taylor is a 4 year Varsity athlete at Northwest Catholic High School in Field Hockey and Tennis.  Additionally, congratulations to Evan Clark, SMS Class of '16, who will be playing division III Baseball at St. Olaf's College in Northfield, MN in the fall.   Evan is a 4 year Varsity athlete at Northwest Catholic High School who has shown hard work and dedication to the program.  Congratulations to both of these great athletes and all our wishes for success on and off the field/court as your new journey begins!

Do you have Alumni News to share?  This is the season of graduations, acceptances and awards and while all these things may be taking place in different ways this year, they are still worth celebrating and sharing!  Send your Alumni News to smsoffice@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.


Community News

St. Mary's Parish is here for you! -  While we are unable to worship in community at this time, our Parish and our Pastor and all our Parish resources remain available to us to help guide us and bring us back to a place of spiritual hope.   Click here to visit the Parish's Coronavirus update page.  This page includes easy links to "Staying Connected to the Word", Parish updates, Parish outreach and very helpful and supportive messages from Father Matera.