Parent Memo From Ms. Loria

Dear Families of St. Mary’s and Notre Dame,

Welcome back to another school year! It is always exciting to be able to begin again with a fresh new outlook and attitude.  Below are a few important items to review before school begins.  Prayers for a blessed school year for all!

Please join us at the VA Park under the Osborn Shelter on August 16 from 3:00-5:00 for our Back to School Picnic. Families are asked to provide the following:

PK3, PK4, Kindergarten:  cold single serve drinks for young students
1st, 2nd, and 3rd :  plates and napkins
4th, 5th, and 6th :  Single serve Desserts
7th, 8th, and 9th :  Salads and Side Dishes
10th:  individual bags of chips
11th and 12th:  Drinks, cold, individual servings for teens and adults

Open House will be Monday, August 18, from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm for students to meet teachers and find classrooms.  

The first day of school for students in grades K-12 is Tuesday, August 19. This is a noon dismissal day. August 20 is also a noon dismissal day. August 21 and 22 are full days of school for K-12. PK3 and PK4 begin on August 25.

Staff Updates:

St. Mary’s:

PK4 – Dallas Yost added as an Assistant along with Anna Scalise
Anna Scalise – will be doing daily Nurse duty
Tucker Abruzzino – PE Teacher on Monday
1st Grade:  2 teachers in the classroom – Mrs. Keylea Moore and Mrs. Tamika Moore
5th Grade:  Mrs. Meaghan Navarini, teacher and Ms. Ranee Torchia, assistant
Bo Garnek – Building maintenance

Notre Dame:

Shelby King McCullough – Interventionist for 7-12 grade students
Ali Bartlett – Art for 7-12th grade

Parent/Student Handbook: Updated versions of the 25-26 school year have been posted to the ND and SMS web pages.  You will receive a hard copy at your contract signing in August.  Please be sure to review this policy book.  If you have questions about anything, please search the handbook for answers.

Financial Contracts will be signed August 4-8.  Please see the attachment from Missy Jordan, finance officer, for directions on how to arrange a contract meeting time with her.  Enrollment will not be finalized until a contract meeting has been finalized.  All students expecting a Catholic Rate must have a Registered, Participating, and Participating Form completed by their parish pastor.  See attachment

Sport Physicals are required for the new school year. See attachment.

Free/Reduced Meal Applications are attached.   It is quicker to enroll online.   If necessary, you may complete the application and send it to school.  Be aware, there may be a delay in approval with a paper copy which may result in the necessity to pay for meals until approval is granted. See attachment.

Absence and Tardy Students:  Daily attendance is necessary for the student’s social, emotional, and cognitive development.

Tardy:  

  • Students need to be at school at the designated time.
  • St. Mary’s 8:00 am (7:45 for breakfast)
  • Notre Dame 7:45 am
  • 3 Tardies will result in after school detention.

Absences:

Excused:

Parents/guardians are encouraged to schedule medical and other appointments outside of the school day.  Since this is not always possible, a written statement will need to be brought to the school from a parent or medical facility.  The student should report back to school following the appointment.

Unexcused:

  • No excuse or documentation is provided within a reasonable time period.
  • After 3 consecutive days of unexcused absences, the principal or designee shall contact the parent/guardian.
  • After a total of 5 days of unexcused absences, the principal or designee shall send a certified letter to the parent/guardian requiring an in-person meeting.  Continued unexcused absences may lead to discipline and/or voluntary withdrawal or dismissal from the school.

In the case of 10 total unexcused absences, the principal or designee shall send a certified letter to the parent requiring an in-person meeting to discuss the reasons for the absences.  The principal or designee shall inform the parent that the unexcused absences will lead to discipline, up to and including dismissal from the school.

All students shall have an opportunity to make-up work for excused or unexcused absences.

ND Library:  We will continue to accept donations of age appropriate books for the ND library.   Students will be able to take a book anytime.  It is a ‘take one, bring one’ system rather than a check out system.  Books may be left in the breezeway at any time.

Uniforms cultivate a sense of unity and a professional atmosphere. Uniforms also minimize distractions and instill a sense of discipline promoting a focus on studies.

Enforced Uniform Policies:

  1. Parents are responsible for knowing the uniform dress code.
  2. Students not adhering to the dress code will be removed from class until suitable clothing is obtained.
  3. Students will maintain a Regular Daily Uniform (Winter and Summer) and a Formal Dress Uniform.  (See explanations below.)
  4. Hair must be neat and clean.
  5. Acceptable personal hygiene is required.
  6. All shirts are to be tucked into pants or skirts at all times.
  7. Socks must be worn at all times and seen above the top of the shoe in white, black, or navy blue only.
  8. All pants/shorts must be loose fitting and belted at the waist. No leggings or jeggings.
  9. All jackets and shirts must have the ND crest on the upper left hand corner. SMS – crest optional.
  10. All Plaid school uniforms must be purchased from Land’s End at www.landsend.com/myschool.  Our codes are:   ND –900053323, SMS – 900053315.
  11. Only Land’s End Fleece jackets /quarter zips are to be worn to school.
  12. Teacher/Counselor/Administration has the right to request a student to pull his/her hair away from his/her face if it is affecting the student’s ability to do school work.
  13. Days of Mass attendance or Special programs are designated Formal Dress Uniform Days.  Dress shoes are required.
  14. On  No Uniform/ Dress Down Days, students must maintain acceptable clothing. No jeans with holes or tears above the knees, crop tops, sleeveless tank tops, spaghetti strap shirts, miniskirts, short shorts, shirts depicting alcohol or tobacco logos or controversial issues, no yoga pants or leggings at any time.
  15. No tattoos can be visible.  Fake tattoos must be cleaned off before attending school.
  16. No costume jewelry is permitted.  Only small, discreet Christian jewelry is permitted.
  17. No piercings beyond earlobes.  Earrings must be small and discreet and no costume jewelry earrings. No gauges in earlobes.
  18. No tinsel weaved in hair.
  19. No unnatural hair dyes permitted in hair.
  20. No facial piercings permitted.
  21. Nail polish is to be neutral in color:  clear, beige, pale pink.
  22. Facial make-up must be light and discreet.  SMS are not permitted to wear makeup.
  23. Dress shirts for Formal Dress Uniform are not to be jersey type material or polo shirts.   The dress shirt must be a cotton, oxford style, full collar with a button up full front for girls and boys.
  24. Shoes: Dress shoes must be a full shoe with no white soles, no lights, no sparkles or glitter.    The color needs to be black or brown or beige.
  25. Warm Weather Uniform (April 1- Oct 31) permits tennis shoes and shorts.
  26. No sandals, crocs, slippers, high heels, or hiking boots.
  27. Formal Uniform requires ‘dress’ shoes only, no boots.
  28. Ugg style boots are not permitted.
  29. Hey Dude style shoes are approved with the regular uniform but not with the Formal Dress Uniform.
  30. The Principal will always has the final say on uniform issues.

Homecoming 2025 will begin September 28-October 4. The theme this year is ‘Dancing Through the Decades.’

Here is a tentative schedule for theme days this week.  Students in SMS and ND will participate in the theme days.   So start planning your costumes!

Sunday, Sept 28 – 7th – 12th grades will decorate the school halls for their decade of dance from 1:00-3:00 pm.  At 3:00, there will be a tailgate party in the back parking lot.  At 4:00, the classes will compete in a Volleyball Tournament in the school gym.

Monday:   Pajama Party Day

Tuesday:   Adam Sandler Dress Alike Day

Wednesday:   Western Wednesday

Thursday:   Formal Uniform, Homecoming Mass at 1:00, Court Presentation in the AM

Friday:   Dress as the theme day…3:00 will be float decorating for 7th – 12th graders in the back parking lot.  SMS will line the parade route to Nutter Fort City Park for the 5:00 parade.  Court Presentation will be on the Frank Loria Field followed by food trucks and the ND Soccer game at 7:00 at the city park.

Saturday, Oct 4:   Dance for 9th -12th grade at Clarksburg Country Club from 8:00-11:00pm.

Calendar Reminders* these may change weekly

  • August 16:  Back to School Picnic 3-5, VA Park, Osborn Shelter
  • August 18:  Open House 9-12
  • August 19:  1st day, K-12, NOON Dismissal
  • August 20:  K-12 , NOON Dismissal
  • August 21, 22:  K-12 Full days
  • August 25:  PK3 and PK4 1st Day
  • August 29:  11:00 Dismissal for Italian Heritage Festival Opening Ceremony
  • Sept 1:    Labor Day, No School
  • Sept 11:   ND Grandparents Day Mass, 8:00 am
  • Sept 12:   SMS Grandparents Day Mass, 8:00 am
  • Sept 19:   Midterm of 1st Nine Weeks, Check RenWeb Grades
  • Sept 28:   Homecoming Week … see above