News for the Week of 1/20/16

CELEBRATING!  January is Catholic Schools' Month and we will be celebrating our school and community all month long. Highlights include:

Monday, 1/25, will be Student Appreciation Day!  Our Student Council will be coordinating bingo games with our classes.

Teacher Appreciation Week will take place from 1/25 - 1/29.   Teacher Appreciation Week is being coordinated by Mrs. Kalamarides.  See below for more information and a link to a Sign Up Genius that offers lots of ways for you to contributed to this special week. 

Next Wednesday, 1/27, we are hosting an Open House for Prospective Families.  An RSVP is requested but last minute guests are always more than welcome!

Our annual Family Pizza Lunch will be held on Friday, 1/29.  Family Pizza Lunch information appears below with a link to an order for guest lunches. Friday, 1/29, is also the special Art, Food & Wine Event at the Hill-stead Museum.  See more about this adult evening event below.

Calendar Reminders - 

Second Quarter Report Cards will be distributed on Friday, 1/22/16.  This will be the first formal report card for our Kindergarten students and the second report card of the year for students in grades 1-8.  Please be sure to check backpacks for the report card, retain the report card for your records and return the signed report card envelope to your child(ren)'s home room teacher.



HOT LUNCH SOS!  Hot Lunch help is needed on Monday, 1/25!  We have only one volunteer scheduled.  If you can help, please contact Tammy Budnick at tbudnick@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net or 860-658-9412 or sign up via the Sign Up Genius.  Click here. Thanks in advance!



In February, we will worship with our parish family on Ash Wednesday, 2/10/16,  in observance of the start of the holy season of Lent.  We will attend the 12:15pm parish Mass.  All are welcome.  Please remember that no physical education uniforms should be worn to Mass.

School will be closed on Monday, February 15 & Tuesday, February 16 for a long winter weekend. School is open for regular, full days from Wednesday, February 17 - Friday, February 19.

Teacher Appreciation Week - Part of our Catholic Schools' Month celebration will include a week dedicated to Teacher Appreciation. Teacher Appreciation Week will take place from 1/25 - 1/29.  Diana Kalamarides has graciously offered to coordinate this week's activities again this year and we are so grateful.  Mrs. Kalamarides has created a Sign Up Genius that features lots of ways you can contribute to this week's special activities.  Click here to visit the Sign Up Genius for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Wednesday, 1/27/16 -Open House for Prospective Families - We look forward to sharing our community's special spirit with families that want to learn more about our school and about the benefits of a Catholic school education.  If you know someone who is wondering if SMS is the right place for their family, please encourage them to attend this Open House 1/27 at 6:30pm. 

Family Pizza Lunch is Friday, 1/29/16!  Please come and enjoy lunch with your favorite SMS student(s).  Everyone - parents, grandparents, younger siblings, special friends - is invited.  Bring a bag lunch or order a pizza lunch.  Click here to order guest lunches.  ALL GUEST LUNCHES MUST BE ORDERED NLT THURSDAY, 1/21. Please note - Student pizza lunches were already ordered as part of the regular hot lunch order that was submitted in December.  If you did not order a student lunch at that time, you can order one using the guest lunch order.  

Questions - Contact Tammy Budnick in the school office - tbudnick@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net or 860-658-9412. 

Extra helping hands are always needed on this day!  If you can help, even for just a part of the time, please contact Tammy Budnick using the contact information above.

Family Pizza Lunch Schedule -

11:00-11:35 PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, Grades 1 & 2

11:40-12:15 Grades 3 & 4 

12:20-12:50 Grades 5, 6, 7 & 8 

There's still time to book your babysitter so you can join us on Friday, January 29, 2016 from 7-10pm for an 

Art Show & Wine Tasting 

at the Hill-stead Museum in Farmington.

SMS students have come together to create artwork for a spectacular art show celebration for adults.

EVERY STUDENT HAS CREATED THEIR OWN MASTERPIECE THAT HAS BEEN PROFESSIONALLY FRAMED 

AND WILL BE ON DISPLAY.

Purchase your child's framed original artwork for $35.  

Cash or check only - payable to St. Mary's School

***You may purchase reproductions of your child's work
 for other family members or friends for an additional $35 each.*****

Admission to the show is free.
A percentage of all sales comes back to the school.
Tours of the Hill-Stead Museum will be provided
Wine & beer tasting provided by Valley Fine Wine and Spirits.

Your RSVP to Toni Chagnon requested NLT Wednesday, 1/27/16 -tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net

The Saint Mary’s School Board Nominating Committee has started our process to identify potential school board members for next year. Potential candidates may self-nominate or be nominated by someone else. There is no requirement for board members to have children at Saint Mary’s School. We want to ensure we have the best talent serving on the board. The needs we will be looking to address for the upcoming term will include individuals with a financial or CPA background skills or individuals with skills focused on marketing, project management and strategic planning. Potential candidates must believe in and support Catholic education and be willing to serve a three year term.  If you are interested in being considered to serve on the School Board, please contact Claude Howard at claudeoh@gmail.com. In your e-mail, please include information about your Parish (Town), Occupation, if you have or had students at Saint Mary’s School and the specific talents you will make available to the board.

CHOICE Program News - CHOICE statements are being sent out this week via email.  Please be sure to review this statement so that you are aware of the status of your family's CHOICE commitment.  As indicated in our Family Enrollment Agreement, your CHOICE participation is a required part of your tuition commitment to the school.  Questions should be directed to Tammy Budnick at tbudnick@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net or 860-658-9412.  

If you have any of the large, clear plastic envelopes that we use to send completed CHOICE orders home, please return them to school.  Our supply of these is now quite low and they do help to make completed CHOICE orders more visible.

Send a Valentine to a Serviceperson - As part of their 80th anniversary celebration, the Big Y has partnered with the USO to sponsor a Valentines program for our service men and women here and overseas.  Click here to download the template that must be used for this Valentine - no other type of card or paper may be used.  Bring your completed valentine to school and we will be take care of delivering all the valentines created by SMS students to the Big Y store in Avon.  The deadline for completed valentines to be brought to school is Monday, 2/1/16.

News for the Week of 1/13/16

CELEBRATING!  January is Catholic Schools' Month and we will be celebrating our school and community all month long. Highlights will include:

 Student Appreciation Day on Wednesday, 1/20, and Teacher Appreciation Week from 1/25 - 1/29.  Student Appreciation Day will be coordinated by our Student Council.  Teacher Appreciation Week is being coordinated by Mrs. Kalamarides.  See below for more information and a link to a Sign Up Genius that offers lots of ways for you to contributed to this special week. 

We will also host an Open House for Prospective Families on 1/27 and our annual Family Pizza Lunch on Friday, 1/29.  Family Pizza Lunch information appears below with a link to an order for for guest lunches. Friday, 1/29, is also the special Art, Food & Wine Event at the Hillstead Museum.  See more about this adult evening event below.

Calendar Reminders - 

School will be closed on Monday, 1/18/16, in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

Second Quarter Report Cards will be distributed on Friday, 1/22/16.  This will be the first formal report card for our Kindergarten students and the second report card of the year for students in grades 1-8.  Please be sure to check backpacks for the report card, retain the report card for your records and return the signed report card envelope to your child(ren)'s home room teacher.

Teacher Appreciation Week - Part of our Catholic Schools' Month celebration will include a week dedicated to Teacher Appreciation. Teacher Appreciation Week will take place from 1/25 - 1/29.  Diana Kalamarides has graciously offered to coordinate this week's activities again this year and we are so grateful.  Mrs. Kalamarides has created a Sign Up Genius that features lots of ways you can contribute to this week's special activities.  Click here to visit the Sign Up Genius for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Open House for Prospective Families - We look forward to sharing our community's special spirit with families that want to learn more about our school and about the benefits of a Catholic school education.  If you know someone who is wondering if SMS is the right place for their family, please encourage them to attend this Open House on Wednesday, January 27th at 6:30pm.  An RSVP to Toni Chagnon is appreciated at 860-658-9412 or tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

Family Pizza Lunch is Friday, 1/29/16!  Please come and enjoy lunch with your favorite SMS student(s).  Everyone - parents, grandparents, younger siblings, special friends - is invited.  Bring a bag lunch or order a pizza lunch.  Click here to order guest lunches.  Please note - Student pizza lunches were already ordered as part of the regular hot lunch order that was submitted in December.  If you did not order a student lunch at that time, you can order one using the guest lunch order.  

Questions - Contact Tammy Budnick in the school office - tbudnick@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net or 860-658-9412. 

Extra helping hands are always needed on this day!  If you can help, even for just a part of the time, please contact Tammy Budnick using the contact information above.

Family Pizza Lunch Schedule -

11:00-11:35 PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, Grades 1 & 2

11:40-12:15 Grades 3 & 4 

12:20-12:50 Grades 5, 6, 7 & 8 

Book your babysitter & plan to join us on Friday, January 29, 2016 for an evening Art Show & Wine Tasting 

at the Hill-stead Museum in Farmington, CT. 

Enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres and sample fine wines while browsing our beautiful gallery of student created artwork.  
Your RSVP to Toni Chagnon requested NLT Wednesday, 1/22/16 -tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net

See below for even more information -

Send a Valentine to a Serviceperson - As part of their 80th anniversary celebration, the Big Y has partnered with the USO to sponsor a Valentines program for our service men and women here and overseas.  Click here to download the template that must be used for this Valentine - no other type of card or paper may be used.  Bring your completed valentine to school and we will be take care of delivering all the valentines created by SMS students to the Big Y store in Avon.  The deadline for completed valentines to be brought to school is Monday, 2/1/16.

Science in Action - Students in Miss Bedard's Kindergarten engaged in a little scientific experimentation last week and explored the exciting world of chemical reactions by creating volcanoes.  Each volcano contained different components and students carefully observed which erupted more impressively.

Fun in February!   Students in PreKindergarten through Grade 4 will enjoy an assembly with Zak Morgan on Monday, February 8th at 10am in the Parish Center.  Mr. Morgan is a Grammy nominated musician with a signature brand of children's music.  Click here to learn more about Mr. Morgan.

Community News



Avon Soccer Club Spring 2016 Recreational Season
The Avon Soccer Club offers the following programs to Avon residents:

- Soccer Stars (U5): Develop soccer skills through fun drills and friendly scrimmages led by professional coaches. This group meets on Saturdays, and teams are co-ed. For children born in 2011.
- Kindergarten Clinic (U6): Develop soccer techniques and skills and play small-sided games. Led by professional coaches, this group meets on Saturdays, and teams are co-ed. For children born in 2010.
- Intramural (U8–U14): Develop skills, learn teamwork, and enjoy a fun level of competitive play. Practice is one night per week; games are played on Saturday, with an occasional Sunday game. For children born in 2002 (or grade 8) through 2009.

Click here to register on-line.

Registration Fee: $70/player, with a Family Max of $180
The final date to register without the $25 late fee is February 14, so register early!

Questions? Contact avonsoccerclub@comcast.net.

News for the Week of 1/6/16

CELEBRATING!  January is Catholic Schools' Month and we will be celebrating our school and community all month long.  Highlights will include:

 Student Appreciation Day on 1/20 and Teacher Appreciation Week from 1/25 - 1/29.  Student Appreciation Day will be coordinated by our Student Council.  Teacher Appreciation Week is being coordinated by Mrs. Kalamarides.  See below for more information and a link to a Sign Up Genius that offers lots of ways for you to contributed to this special week.

We will also host an Open House for Prospective Families on 1/27 and our annual Family Pizza Lunch on Friday, 1/29.  Look for more information about Family Pizza Lunch in a future blog post. Friday, 1/29, is also the special Art, Food & Wine Event at the Hillstead Museum.  See more about this adult evening event below.

Our January School Mass will be celebrated on Friday, 1/8/16, at 9am in the church.  All are welcome to join us.  Please remember that no physical education uniforms should be worn to Mass.




Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary's by Archbishop Leonard P. Blair on this Sunday, 1/10/16, at 11am.  All are most welcome and encouraged to attend this Mass.

Wear Your Woolies!  Just a reminder that when the weather delivers winter temperatures, it is important that your child(ren) wear the outerwear appropriate for the weather.  If the temperature is above 20 degrees and is not inclement, students will wait outside in the morning and also go outside for recess.  Girls may wear sweatpants beneath their jumpers and/or skirts but they must be removed for the academic portion of the day. Hats, coats, and gloves are really important winter accessories when it's frosty.  If we get some snow, students are encouraged to bring boots and snowpants so they can play in the snow during recess. 

SOS!!  Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed!  We have very few volunteers currently scheduled to help.  The hot lunch program is ONLY able to run because of the generous volunteer help you provide.  Please consider volunteering, even occasionally, if your child(ren) enjoy hot lunch.  It's a great way to share part of a school day with your child and his/her friends.  The Sign-Up Genius for hot lunch volunteers is now available.  Over the last several weeks, we have had several occasions where only one volunteer has been signed up for lunch duty.  If you are Virtus trained and can find time in your schedule, please consider volunteering for lunch duty. The lunch program relies on volunteers and without them, we really cannot have a hot lunch program.  It's a great way to see your child(ren) and his/her/their friends during the school day. Thanks!  Click here to view the Hot Lunch Duty Sign-Up Genius.

The St. Mary’s Ski and Snowboard Club is glad that colder temperatures have arrived!  Our Ski & Snowboard Club is expected to begin Wednesday, January 13, 2016. 

Anyone who would like to participate but was not able to register can still do so prior to the start date. Please contact Jim for more information on this (cell 239-989-6206).

Teacher Appreciation Week - Part of our Catholic Schools' Month celebration will include a week dedicated to Teacher Appreciation. Teacher Appreciation Week will take place from 1/25 - 1/29.  Diana Kalamarides has graciously offered to coordinate this week's activities again this year and we are so grateful.  Mrs. Kalamarides has created a Sign Up Genius that features lots of ways you can contribute to this week's special activities.  Click here to visit the Sign Up Genius for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Open House for Prospective Families - We look forward to sharing our community's special spirit with families that want to learn more about our school and about the benefits of a Catholic school education.  If you know someone who is wondering if SMS is the right place for their family, please encourage them to attend this Open House on Wednesday, January 27th at 6:30pm.  An RSVP to Toni Chagnon is appreciated at 860-658-9412 or tchagnon@stmarysimsbury.eduk12.net.

Writer's Workshop - Students in Miss Bedard's Kindergarten have begun "Writer's Workshop" and are working hard to incorporate lots of  ideas used by good writers everywhere.   These include the proper use of punctuation, beginning sentences with a capital letter and using lots of descriptive details.

Looking Ahead to 2016   - Save The Date! 

Book your babysitter & plan to join us on Friday, January 29, 2016 for an evening of Art, Food and Wine at the Hillstead Museum in Farmington, CT.  All families should be receiving an invitation via U.S. mail later this week!

Fun in February!   Students in PreKindergarten through Grade 4 will enjoy an assembly with Zak Morgan on Monday, February 8th at 10am in the Parish Center.  Mr. Morgan is a Grammy nominated musician with a signature brand of children's music.  Click here to learn more about Mr. Morgan.

Community News

Friends of Barb Sieber - next Wednesday, 1/13,  Barb will be having her surgery. Each and every one of you, your family, friends and anyone that believes in the power of prayer is invited to pray the rosary next Tuesday night at 6:30, at St. Mary’s Church.  If you are unable to make it, please say a Hail Mary at 6:30.

The Northwest Catholic Dramateurs are still looking for a few more students from grades 5-8,  interested in participating in their upcoming production of Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  See below for more details

News for the Week of 12/23/15

Merry Christmas to all!  School will reopen on Monday, January 4th and we will begin our celebration of Catholic Schools' Month. 

The St. Mary’s Ski and Snowboard Club is waiting for colder temperatures to arrive!  Due to the lack of snow and freezing temperatures, Ski Sundown is pushing back the start dates for all of the school clubs by 1 week.

As a result, our Ski & Snowboard Club will be starting Wednesday, January 13, 2016.

Parents of participants have received an email from group leader Jim Shanley regarding transportation and other preparations. Please be sure to respond to Mr. Shanley regarding the transportation options he has outlined in the email.  Anyone who would like to participate but was not able to register can still do so prior to the start date. Please contact Jim for more information on this (cell 239-989-6206).

Our January School Mass will be celebrated on Friday, 1/8/16, at 9am in the church.  All are welcome to join us.  Please remember that no physical education uniforms should be worn to Mass.

Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed!  The Sign-Up Genius for hot lunch volunteers is now available.  Over the last several weeks, we have had several occasions where only one volunteer has been signed up for lunch duty.  If you are Virtus trained and can find time in your schedule, please consider volunteering for lunch duty. The lunch program relies on volunteers and without them, we really cannot have a hot lunch program.  It's a great way to see your child(ren) and his/her/their friends during the school day. Thanks!  Click here to view the Hot Lunch Duty Sign-Up Genius.

Looking Ahead to 2016   - Save The Date! 

Book your babysitter & plan to join us on Friday, January 29, 2016 for an evening of Art, Food and Wine at the Hillstead Museum in Farmington, CT.  More information coming soon!

Fun in February!   Students in PreKindergarten through Grade 4 will enjoy an assembly with Zak Morgan on Monday, February 8th at 10am in the Parish Center.  Mr. Morgan is a Grammy nominated musician with a signature brand of children's music.  Click here to learn more about Mr. Morgan.

Alumni News

Congratulations to 9 SMS alums that were recently inducted to the Aquinas Chapter of the National Honor Society at Northwest Catholic High School:  From the SMS Class of '12- Lauren Mangine; From the SMS Class of '13 - Brett Baker, Regina Chappano, Christian Heiden, Katharine and Sarah Jessen, Gabriela Doskos, Allyson Voelker and Christopher Poniatowski.

Community News

The Simsbury Public Library has a great line up of programs for middle and high school students during the month of January.  Some programs do require preregistration.

Signs of  the Season

Kindergarten celebrated Christmas a few days early last week.  It was great to see so many parents enjoying the festivities.

Members of the SMS School Board were Santa's helpers this week treating the
faculty and staff to a delicious Christmas breakfast.  Thanks for such a wonderful treat!

O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:

come to save us, Lord our God!