News for the Week of 5/20/20

Students in Mrs. Herron's Second grade are preparing to receive Jesus for the first time in June.
They are joyful no matter the circumstances!

May Crowning - Since we were unable to crown Mary in our traditional manner this year,  St. Mary's School second grade students and those from the parish Religious Education program submitted video clips for a virtual May Crowning ceremony.  The video is now available on the St. Mary's Parish website.  Scroll down on the main page to access this beautiful video.





Thank you to our “Fast as the Flash” families for your Superhero donations! Your generosity helped us raise just over $2,000 towards our $20,000 goal. We are so grateful for our SMS Super Donors! 

There's still time for other superheroes to rush to the rescue and help our Knights United Family & School Association's major community fundraiser of the year.  The 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!  We are entering the "home stretch" now.  In the weeks that have elapsed since distance learning began in mid-March, we have all had to learn and grow and adjust to many changes but we remain #uKnighted in faith and hope and determination as a community of caring.  We appreciate the many small daily sacrifices that must be made at home to keep distance learning moving along and know that you have worked hard to make sure your children's education remains a priority everyday.  Just like you, our teachers continue to work so hard everyday to remain in touch and responsive to your children's needs and concerns.  Please reach out as needed so that we can continue to work in partnership with you.  Please look for information in the next week or two about iPad collection and an opportunity for your family to pick up any items that may have been left at school.  We will be developing a plan that will allow for safe and efficient drop off and pickup.

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.

#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.

Sharing the Caring - Our thanks to the Stich family for coordinating a food drive to benefit Gifts of Love in Avon.  Please see details that follow and thank you for helping if you can!

Isabella and Brendan's Food Drive

To Benefit:  Gifts of Love in Avon, CT & their Nutrition | Weekend BackPack Programs

When: Now through Tuesday, May 26th 

Where: Labeled Bins located at Saint Mary's School--the back parking lot

Donated Food Pick up Days: We will pick up donations on:  Friday, May 22 and Tuesday, May 26 in the morning

Suggestions:   Cereal, Peanut Butter, Canned Items, Kid-Friendly Snacks 

Feel free to text us or drop us an email if you have any questions:   Courtney Stich cell: 860-729-7483     Email: cstich8@gmail.com 




Keep those cards coming!  Mrs. Mortillaro is picking up handmade cards every Wednesday for delivery to local senior citizens who may feel especially isolated and alone right now.  Your handmade creation and good wishes can really brighten someone's day, so please continue to support this outreach.  The cards can be dropped off in the bin located at our north (playground) entrance.

CHOICE News - Families with students in grades K-8 are reminded that participation in CHOICE is part of the annual tuition obligation. CHOICE purchases made now are being applied to the 20-21 CHOICE commitment.  While the school office is closed, everyone is encouraged to use GL Scrip's online order system to purchase downloadable "e cards" for vendors, especially restaurants and on-line merchants like Amazon, Chili's, Chipotle, Olive Garden, Lands End, LL Bean, Bath & Body Works, Barnes & Noble, that may have delivery or pick up available for take out orders or who can ship your order to you. When ordering "cards" from GL Scrip be very careful to only order downloadable cards at this time since there is no one in the office to receive any physical cards that GL Scrip might try to send us to deliver to you.   Click here for more information on GL Scrip's Presto Pay or, if you prefer, there is also a credit card option for payment for these "ecards".  You may also opt out of CHOICE by sending in a check for your family's commitment made payable to SMS Choice with opt-out in the memo section.  Please include the school year to which the opt out payment should be applied. 

Staying Connected at SMS - Students in Mrs. Phillips third grade have found a way to keep their teacher close by to share their fun and activities.  Sharing a page from the popular book, Flat Stanley, third graders are taking "Flat Teacher" along on adventures!

Alumni News

Congratulations to Abigail Herron, SMS Class of '16.  Abby has graduated from  Boston College 2020, cum laude, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Biology Minor.  Abby is also a member of the  Nu Rho Psi Honor Society.

Congratulations to Avery Hatch, SMS Class of '16, who is receiving her Bachelor of Science Degree from Elon University in Biochemistry.  Click here for an Elon Spotlight featuring Avery.








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.