News for the Week of 6/3/20

Join us! SMS Reverse Parade - Tomorrow - Thursday, 6/4/20

All SMS families are invited to take a drive tomorrow - Thursday, June 4 -  during the late afternoon and come to school to drive through and see and wave to all of the teachers and staff!  We are simply so anxious to just see the children and we know they miss us as well.  Please follow this schedule:

           5:15 - 5:45 families with last names beginning with A-H

           5:45- 6:15 families with last names beginning with I-N

           6:15-6:45 families with last names beginning with O-Z

- enter the property using the driveway between the Church and Rectory (as you would for pick up each day)

- carefully drive through to the North lot where we will greet you! Beep your horns, wave signs, enjoy!

- cars must not stop except to exit at the light, no one should get out of any car;

- to exit the property, PLEASE turn right at the light

Can't wait to see you all!

Distance learning continues through our scheduled last day of school - Thursday, June 11.  We remain committed to making each school day the best it can possibly be and are so grateful for all the time and help you are providing at home. 

SMS Drop Off/Pick-up Day - Saturday, June 13, we will be collecting school iPads, iPad chargers & cords, sports uniforms and all non-consumable textbooks.  We will also 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 (e.g., hard cover text books) that should be returned.  Please be sure all items being returned are clearly identified by student.  iPad chargers and cords should be returned in a ziplock bag that contains the name of the student.  Textbooks should have the student's name written in the appropriate area of the front cover.  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 as are being used for the Reverse Parade though the timing will be different. This will be a drive up activity with minimal contact.  All participants must remain in their cars.  There will be a "drop off" stop outside the school's main entrance behind the Magowan Center where a faculty or staff member will take all items being dropped off.  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.  Gloves and masks will be worn by all faculty and staff.  Times for each group will be finalized by this Friday, June 5, and an email will be sent out with final details.

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.

Celebrating the SMS Class of '20 -

Last Thursday, representatives of the SMS faculty and staff took to the road and made some special deliveries of congratulatory signs to our graduates!  

They logged a lot of miles but it was worth it to see our graduates and see their smiles!  These photos capture just a few of the day's very special memories.

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

Reminder Regarding Family Enrollment - If you have not as yet returned your 20-21 SMS Family Enrollment Agreement and Family Enrollment Fee, please be aware that a 20-21 Smart Tuition Account cannot be set up until these items are received.  If you are planning to use Smart Tuition, your payment plan will need to be compressed into fewer than 12 months depending on when your Family Enrollment materials are received.  If you need a duplicate copy of your form, please email smsoffice@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.  If the current health crisis is impacting your family's ability to complete enrollment, please contact Mrs. Williamson at mwilliamson@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

As a tribute to Catholic schools throughout the country, the Institute for School and Parish Development (ISPD) created a video entitled Our Shining Moment: Catholic Schools, March 2020 – June 2020. This video has been created as a gift to the wonderful work and ministry of Catholic school leaders. We are delighted to share that a photo featuring some of our second grade class appears about 4 minutes into this video tribute.  Click here to view. 





#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 all who contributed to the Gifts of Love Food Drive sponsored by the Stich family.  Your donations were greatly appreciated and thanks to Isabella & Brendan and their mom and dad for coordinating the drive and delivering all the donations to Gifts of Love.

Calling all Caped Crusaders! It's not too late to donate! 

Thank you to all of our Amazing Marvels who made donations, your support is greatly appreciated! 

There's still time for SMS 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!

Alumni News - Please join us in congratulating two of our recent alumni - 

-- Faith Potter, SMS Class of '19 was awarded the Kingswood Oxford School's Class of 1988 Award - This award is given to a freshman student who possesses qualities of friendliness, helpfulness and good citizenship. 

- Cici Chagnon, SMS Class of '17 was awarded the Kingswood Oxford School's Trinity College Book Award for high scholastic standing and service to her school.  Cici was also presented with the Brendan C. Gill '32 Writer of Promise Award in memory of the renowned writer and essayist Brendan C. Gill for showing the most interest and promise in developing her writing craft. 

We love to hear about the accomplishments of our alumni!  If you have news to share, please send it to smsoffice@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

Community News

The Archdiocese of Hartford has issued guidelines for opening churches for public worship. According to these guidelines, St. Mary's Parish will be able to celebrate Mass during the week for congregations of 100 people or fewer beginning Monday, June 8.  Weekday Masses will be 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.