News for the Week of 6/10/20

Click here for the full text of Archbishop Blair's statement.  Click here to view
a video featuring Simsbury clergy speaking out against racism.

Prayer to Overcome the Evil of Racism

Mary, friend and mother to all,

through your Son, God has found a way

to unite himself to every human being,

called to be one people,

sisters and brothers to each other.

We ask for your help in calling on your Son,

seeking forgiveness for the times when

we have failed to love and respect one another.

We ask for your help in obtaining from your Son

the grace we need to overcome the evil of racism

and to build a just society.

We ask for your help in following your Son,

so that prejudice and animosity

will no longer infect our minds or hearts

but will be replaced with a love that respects

the dignity of each person.

Mother of the Church,

the Spirit of your Son Jesus

warms our hearts:

pray for us.

citation:

Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love

A Pastoral Letter Against Racism

The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops

The Office of Education, Evangelization & Catechesis has shared some helpful resources for talking with children about the sin of racism and the importance of recognizing the dignity of each person.   We hope you will find these resources helpful.

"The recent death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer has the nation recognizing that racial injustices still exist in our country and need to be addressed. The Catholic Church stands in solidarity against all forms of injustice. Children easily become aware of what is happening in our world and can become confused, frightened and upset." OEEC Newsletter 6/3/20

Click on the links below to access resources:

Anti Racism for Kids 101: Starting to Talk About Race

Raising Race Conscious Children

Social Justice Resources on Racism

Podcast: Talking Race With Young Children

SMS Turn in/Pick-up Day - On Saturday, June 13, we will be collecting school iPads, iPad chargers & cords, sports uniforms and all non-consumable textbooks, SMS library books and SMS owned classroom supplies that may have been sent home for distance learning (e.g., dry erase boards, geoboards, classroom library books).  Eighth grade students will receive their caps and gowns!  

We will also be distributing student items that may have been left at school, including medications left with our school nurse, to all families.  The rain date for this activity is Sunday, June 14. IF the rain date is needed, there will be a Remind Text and a family email sent as soon as the decision is made.

Homeroom teachers will be providing a list of non-consumables and classroom items(e.g., hard cover text books, classroom library books) that should be returned.  Please take the time to review this list and as you prepare for Turn in/Drop off, please keep the following requests in mind:

*  Please be sure all items being returned are clearly identified with a student's full name & grade.  

*  iPad chargers and cords should be returned in a ziplock bag that contains the full name and grade of the student.  

*  Textbooks should have the student's name written in the appropriate area of the inside front cover.  

Please note that replacement costs will be charged for any and all missing items and unmarked items may result in us having to assume an item was not returned by a student.  If you know that a designated item is missing or mislaid, please send an email to the homeroom teacher with a copy to smsoffice@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net so that we are aware that you are looking for an item and that it may still be returned to us.

 We will use the same traffic pattern and the same alphabetical groups that were used for the Reverse Parade though the timing will be different. 

10am -12noon families with last names beginning with A-H & all PreK & PK3 families WITHOUT older siblings (families with students in Prek, PK3 and other grades should come in the appropriate alphabetical grouping)

12 noon - 2pm  families with last names beginning with I-N

 2-4pm  families with last names beginning with O-Z

This will be a drive up activity with minimal contact.  All faculty and staff will wear masks since they will approach your cars to receive or distribute items. All participants must remain in their cars. 

All cars should enter via the rectory entrance from either Hopmeadow St. or Iron Horse Blvd. (as is done for afternoon carpool pickup).  There will be two stations  outside the school's main entrance behind the Magowan Center:

Station 1 - All items being returned to school EXCEPT iPads and chargers/cords will be collected at this station.  Additionally, Mrs. Work will distribute caps & gowns to our graduates at this station!

Station 2 - iPads and chargers/cords will be collected here. 

All cars will then proceed to the north parking lot.  There will be a "pick up" stop in the north (playground) parking lot where a faculty or staff member will load your vehicle with a bag for each of your students.  The "pick up" stop will be located outside the grades one and three classrooms along the sidewalk.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation with this event.  We know that this is one more "unusual request" but it is our hope that we can take care of this as efficiently as possible to minimize disruption to your family's weekend schedule while avoiding interference with work days.

Report Cards will be available for view on the Educonnect Parent Portal during the week of June 15.  There will be an email and Remind text to alert you when the report cards become available.  Please remember that no paper copy of the report card will be sent home.

Reminder to Smart Tuition Account Holders who make payments via invoice:  as you begin making payments in June on your 2020-2021 Smart Tuition account, please remember to change the school year in your account number from 19 to 20.  Account numbers are broken down as follows:  02300 is the school code; 20 refers to the school year; and the last six digits reflect your individual family’s account.  If you continue making payments using the 19 school year, they will apply to your 2019-20 account, generating an overpayment status.  Your 2020-21 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

It was a great evening for a parade!  We were finally re#uKnighted and it felt so good!  Thanks to all who participated in our Reverse Parade last Thursday.

Summer Office Hours - We are happy to share that the school office will be open for summer office hours beginning Tuesday,  June 16th.  At this time, our plan is for the office to be staffed Tuesday - Thursday each week from 9am - 1pm (or by appointment).  Please plan to come to the main school office door behind the Magowan Center and ring the bell. We will meet you at the door if you are coming to drop something off or to pick up something.  Other visitors will be admitted to the office.  If possible, please call the office or send an email prior to your visit so we are expecting you and can minimize the need for contact. All visitors do need to wear a mask.

CHOICE cards will be available during school office hours.  When possible, please call ahead or send an email to smsoffice@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net so that we can prepare your order in advance and hand it to you at the door.

Looking ahead to a new school year!  At this time, our plan is for school to resume on Wednesday, August 26th.  We are hopeful that it will be a regular full day of school with both early drop off and aftercare available.  Obviously, our plans will be adjusted if we need to comply with health and safety instructions from the state or federal government, Simsbury town officials or the Office of Education, Evangelization & Catechesis.  We encourage you to regularly read the school blog and also to check the blog's Back to School page.  The Back to School page will be posted soon and will include links to supply lists and any summer assignments as well as calendar updates and other important information regarding our new school year.

Sharing the Caring - This week we received a thank you note from Gifts of Love for the grocery donation coordinated by the Stich family.  Thanks to all who participated.  In her thank you note, Interim Director, Mary Jane Lund shared:  "Gifts of Love depends on donors like you to continue operating critical programs for our community.  Every donation that comes in is deeply appreciated and gives opportunity and hope to hardworking families who need a helping hand."

Congratulations to Rebecca Rienow, SMS Class of '12!  Rebecca graduated Magna Cum Laude from Geneva College with an Elementary and Special Education degree with a Minor in Reading. On May 30th she married Elijah Watkins  and they now live in Beaver Falls, PA.  We wish the happy couple all God's blessings as they begin their life journey together!

Supporting SMS -  We are pleased to share that thanks to your participation, our school has earned $629.34 from the Stop & Shop A+ School Rewards Program.  We will continue to participate in this program again next year.  Those that have already registered, do not need to do so again.  If you have not participated in the past, click here to sign up!

A mighty thank you to all of our Super Donors! Your Marvelous support helped raise over $5,000 for our SMS Superhero Challenge!  Can’t wait for spring 2021 for our 3rd Annual Superhero Challenge when we can all attend in person! See you there! 

News from  OEEC - Archbishop Leonard P. Blair has announced that effective June 15, 2020, Fr. Michael Whyte will serve as Vicar for Education, Evangelization, and Catechesis of the Archdiocese of

Hartford. Fr. Whyte will be temporarily filling the role in the Office of Education, Evangelization and Catechesis (OEEC) previously held by Sister Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, who will be assuming her next role as president of Cor Jesu Academy in St. Louis, Missouri.

In addition to his responsibilities as Vicar, Fr. Whyte will continue his duties as Pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in West Simsbury, where he has ministered since August of 2008. He

will also continue his duties as a member of the Archdiocesan College of Consultors, Archdiocesan Director of Continuing Faith Formation for Priests, Assistant Chaplain of the Hartford Knights of Malta, and Trustee of St. Thomas Seminary.  We look forward to working with Father Whyte in his new role as Vicar for Education, Evangelization & Catechesis in addition to as the pastor at St. Catherine's.  We wish Sister Mary Grace well as she begins her new responsibilities and thank her for all her help and guidance during her tenure here.

Community News

The Archdiocese of Hartford has issued guidelines for opening churches for public worship. According to these guidelines, St. Mary's Parish is now able to celebrate Mass during the week for congregations of 100 people or fewer.  Weekday Masses are on Monday - Thursday at 6pm.  There will be no 8am Masses at this time and Sunday Masses have not resumed at this time.  For more information, including required safety precautions and how to sign up to attend Mass, click here.

For additional Parish resources related to Covid-19, click here.






GoodKNIGHT Stories are available on SCTV in June! You can now enjoy our GoodKNIGHT stories on SCTV as well as on our public Facebook page (Facebook stories are at 7pm every Monday - Friday night until our last day of school on June 11).  You can check the SCTV schedule here.   For quick reference, 7pm on channel 95 (Educational channel) and 8pm channel 5 public channel.