News for the Week of 3/31/21

 

Important Calendar Change! TOMORROW - Holy Thursday, 4/1/21, will be a remote learning day with all students learning from home. It will be a half day of remote instruction. All students will bring home their iPads on Wednesday, 3/31/21 and teachers will provide instructional guidance &/or materials for the morning.

School will be closed on Good Friday, 4/2/21 and Easter Monday, 4/5/21. Please be sure iPads are returned to school on Tuesday, 4/6/21.

Our April School Mass will be held on Tuesday, 4/6/21. We will continue to have some students attend Mass in the Church while the remainder attend via livestream. Parents are requested to continue to refrain from attendance at Mass at this time.

Tuition Assistance Application Deadline for 21-22 is Wednesday, 4/7/21- Again this year, all requests for tuition assistance from any of the available sources other than FACS must be made via SMARTAID.   Click here to view the types of tuition assistance available. Click here to access all the instructions needed to complete the SMARTAID application. All SMARTAID applications must be completed NLT Wednesday, April 7, 2021.  Families will received information regarding their tuition assistance package in early May.

School will be closed for Spring Vacation from Monday, 4/12/21 through Friday, 4/16/21.

Over both the Easter holiday and the Spring vacation, we ask that all families remain attuned to and adhere to the health and safety guidelines surrounding travel and gatherings. Below is the most current information from our health office based on the guidance being provided by the state of Connecticut and the Farmington Valley Health Department -

Connecticut's COVID-19 recommended guidance is that if you have traveled out of state (except NY, NJ, or RI) it is suggested you quarantine for 10 days, which can be reduced with proof of a negative test (PCR or Rapid) taken no more than 72 hours before returning to CT or at any time after that. 

Please continue to carefully consider out of state travel and avoid potentially high risk situations in which you could be exposed to COVID 19.  Continue to wear a face mask, practice social distancing and wash your hands.  If anyone in your family becomes ill, have them tested for COVID 19.  It is important to keep all members of your family home until you get the test results back.

Wishing a Happy Easter to our Eno friends!

Our community outreach efforts continued today with the

delivery of beautiful handmade Easter cards from our

students for our friends at the Eno Senior Center.

It is time for health screenings!

Vision and Hearing grades K, 1, 3, 5

Posture girls in grades 5 and 7

Posture boys in grade 8

The most common problems that can be detected and for which early intervention can be successful are vision and hearing. Connecticut statutes and regulations mandate screening in these important areas as well as postural screenings.  Our school nurse, Kim Tyrrell, RN, will conduct the vision, 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 by Tuesday, April 6th.

Relaxed uniforms will begin on Monday, 4/19/21. Click here to review our uniform guidelines and for information about our Used Uniform Exchange. If shopping for new uniforms from Lands' End, don't forget to use CHOICE cards to defray your family's CHOICE obligation and to order using our school code - 900132150 to assure that your selections are the correct style/color/pattern for our school. As we transition to relaxed uniforms, please remember that school shoes are still required unless it is a gym day and that belts are required with walking shorts.

Calendar Change for our new school year - In response to a change announced by the Simsbury Public Schools, we have adjusted our start date for the 21-22 school year.  School will begin on Wednesday, September 1 instead of August 25 as previously announced.  Please make a note of this.  We hope everyone will enjoy a few extra days of summer!

CHOICE News -CHOICE obligations for the 2020-2021 school year are due on April 30, 2021.  There’s still time to earn towards your balance by purchasing gift cards in the school office, online at www.shopwithscrip.com or using the RaiseRight app. If you have any questions regarding your CHOICE contributions, please email tprausa@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

SMS Stars -

Congratulations to Nick G. and Andrew M. (both Gr. 8) and the rest of the Simsbury Bantam A hockey team on their win at the Tier 2 U14 State Tournament. Their victory came after a hard fought game that went into overtime!

Congratulations to our Robotics Team on a fine season! Our team worked in pairs to solve certain problems with programs in the Archdiocese of Hartford Virtual Robotics Competition. The problems were very challenging and everyone did well. Special recognition goes to Evan P. and Andy G., both Gr. 5, for their second place finish in the Elementary Division.  Many thanks to our Robotics Team Coaches:  Mrs. Raymond, Mr. Prausa and Mr. Gaul.

Congratulations to our Mock Trial Team on the completion of their first year of competition. The students worked extremely hard preparing their testimony, questions and even their objections! Their coach, Ms. Bernabo, was thrilled at how they did and how much they have learned through this experience. Our students received excellent comments from the judges and also received recognition as best attorney/best witness in their trials. Thank you to all and especially Ms. Bernabo! 

Alumni News

Congratulations to Avery Hatch - SMS Class of ‘12, NWC Class of ‘16 - Avery has accepted a generously funded offer to pursue her doctorate in environmental engineering from the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder beginning in fall 2021. Having graduated magna cum laude from Elon University in May 2020, Avery spent the last year working in the clinical laboratory testing setting, working with high priority Sars Cov-2 tests, as well as routine medical laboratory tests. Her next academic adventure will build upon a strong foundation of interdisciplinary STEM research conducted at her undergraduate institution, with her thesis work focusing on investigating the physical and chemical behaviors of nanoscale aerosols both indoors and outdoors. This work will continue to inform the scientific, political, and layperson communities on the safe design and use of consumer products. Avery’s ultimate goal is to take the skills honed in her doctorate program to the risk assessment field, potentially working in the federal lab setting with an agency like the EPA.

Community News - 

Living Stations of the Cross  - Our beautiful 8th grade tradition of the Living Stations was held on 3/25 and is available for viewing on the parish website for the coming month.

Holy Week at St. Mary's - Click here to view the Holy Week schedule for St. Mary's Church.  Please note that there is a Sign Up Genius for those planning to attend Easter Mass in person.