Parent Memo From Ms. Lorie
January 14, 2022
Friday, January 14, 2022
Dear Families of St. Mary’s,
If you get the opportunity to see The Little Mermaid this weekend at the Robinson Grand, you should really take friends and family! It is such a great show full of talented St. Mary’s and Notre Dame Students. It was a perfect way to end our week. Our students were mesmerized and entranced by the show!
Notes of Interest:
Religion Lesson of the Week: John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus.
HandS St. Mary’s T-Shirt Sale: HandS has designed a t-shirt to sell as a fundraiser.
- The hoodies and sweatshirts can be worn with the standard uniform as a cover up over the polo shirt.
- The t-shirts can be worn on Gym Day (Thursday) only.
https://www.customink.com/fundraising/st-marys-grade-school-1731
Uniform Reminders: We are in the Winter Uniform time period.
- No tennis shoes are to be worn except on Gym Day (Thursday). Shoes for girls and boys are to be regular shoes in blue, black or brown.
- Girls hair bows and head bands are to be in navy blue, white or gray and bows are not to be bigger than the size of a child’s fist.
- Shirts for both boys and girls must have a collar on them. (except Gym Day-Th)
Catholic Daughters Education Contest: All students in grades 4, 5 and 6 are required to participate and receive a Religion grades for this assignment. The theme is: With God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26…Where is God in my life when I am struggling?
Grades 4 and 5 choose: Essay, Poetry, Art, Computer Art
Grade 6: Essay, Poetry, Art, Computer Art, Music, Photography.
All entries due January 19.
Uniforms: Land’s End has our new plaids ready for purchase. This semester and next year will be a transition year. When it is time for you to purchase a new size, then you can order the new plaid from Land’s End. Order from landsend.com/my school. Our school code is 900053315.
The standard, everyday uniform criteria will not change. We will still use navy bottoms with white, light blue and gray polo shirts. The only things that will change are the plaid on the formal uniform skirts and ties and the navy fleece. The current royal blue fleece can still be worn until we have a full change over in one year. After the full changeover, shirts on Formal Uniform Days are to be WHITE only for both girls and boys.
About You Monograms in Bridgeport will have monogramming available for the new fleeces. Monogramming is optional. About You Monograms will have a school emblem and personal name option for you to choose from in the event you would like to monogram your child’s fleece jacket. We did not select an embroidered emblem option from Land’s End due to the cost and longer wait time. ND will honor the navy blue fleece for Middle School.
Old Uniforms: As you replace your uniforms, please send the old ones to school. We will be collecting the old plaids and nice shirts and sending them to a school in Africa with the help of Sister Maria.
At this time, US Nursing Network in Bridgeport is going out of business and selling all of their uniform separates for buy one get one free. They do carry the navy bottoms and polo shirts. This may be a good time to stock up on the basics.
MAP (Measures of Academic Performance) Testing: Students in grades K-6 will be completing their mid-year testing Jan 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20. As with all testing, please encourage your child to do his/her very best and show off his/her great mind! Assist your child by making sure he/she gets plenty of rest on these nights and has a good breakfast. Our students are very intelligent but have taken these tests seriously over the years. Many just hurry through them to get finished. These tests are very important. They give every teacher in this building an overview of the abilities and skills of your child. The results are then used to re-teach skills that have been missed and provide extra help as needed or advance instruction. The results of every Catholic school in our diocese are also compared and contrasted to determine the strengths and weaknesses of each school and our Catholic education system as a whole. We will be encouraging the students to do their best and appreciate all of your help with this important piece of your child’s education. Thank you.
TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) is opening SOON!! See attachment at the bottom of this MEMO for more specific details. Tuition assistance is based on need relative to all other applicants. Assistance may be obtained up to 50% of a child’s tuition. The Phase I application process opens on Feb 1 and closes on April 29, 2022. Phase I is for families currently enrolled or already accepted for the 22-23 school year. Families will receive notification of award in late May. Phase II is for families new to the school or who have had a life changing event and will be awarded in early September. Only one application per family is needed. Applications are made on-line at www.factsmgt.com, click on Grant & Aid Assessment and log in. The application fee is $35; the diocese will pay $17.50 and the family pays $17.50. All applications must be complete and all fees must be paid in order to be considered for an award.
HOPE Scholarship: The Hope Scholarship is an education savings account program developed by the Treasury Department of the State of WV that will allow parents and families to use the state portion of their child’s education funding to tailor an individualized learning experience that works best for them.
Passed by the Legislature during the 2021 Regular Legislative Session, the program is scheduled to begin with the Fall 2022 school year, with an application period to open by March 2022.
The State Treasurer’s Office is currently developing this program in advance of its release. I encourage you to visit hopescholarshipwv.com for more information.
Weather Advisory: In the event of the calling of a Snow Day next week, St. Mary’s will provide Tech Day work for the students. Please make sure your child completes this work in the event of a day out of school called by Harrison County Schools.
******CALENDAR ******
Upcoming Dates and Events:
Jan14: Report Cards home
Jan 17: No School MLK Day
Jan 19: Catholic Daughters Education Contest entries due for grades 4, 5 and 6
Jan 30-Feb 4: Catholic Schools Week
Feb 3: Young Writer’s Contest Entries due
Feb 8: Tech Day – Students work from home
Feb 14: Valentine’s Parties – PK 9:30 party entrance and K-6 party entrance time is 1:15
Feb 21: No School President’s Day
Special Recognitions:
Congratulations to Ryker Leonard – grade 4 for also winning 1st Place and being selected to advance to the next level of the Science Fair!
If your child has a great accomplishment that you are proud of and would like me to announce, please send me the information via email to lcavallo@stmaryswv.org
We are proud of our students (and staff and families) and want to shout out the great things they are doing!!!!
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