SMCS NEWS: Two New Ways to Live Our Faith Together
|
|
Goal: Sustain school garden, feed locals in need
Our Garden Club has been busy with winter plantings, monitoring compost health and welcoming some wiggly worm additions to the school garden. They have also been working with Mrs. Osborne in the Cafeteria to collect used (sanitized!) milk cartons to prime, decorate and re-use for a new Carton2Garden initiative that started this month and will conclude with the sale of Virginia Pine seedlings over the holiday season.
Various helpers ranging from 2nd grade students to local Girl Scouts will decorate the upcycled cartons (like those pictured above) before the Garden Club uses them as containers to plant 125 seedlings donated by the Virginia Department of Forestry. The Carton2Garden plants will then be sold for a suggested $5 donation to parents and parishioners to display over the holiday season and plant in their own home gardens.
Mrs. Janus, Garden Club sponsor and Development Coordinator has entered us in a national Carton2Garden contest with a grand prize of $5,000. All proceeds from the project--including any contest award money--will be used to offset costs associated with maintaining the school garden and purchasing extra meal items (veggies, starches and proteins) for the Salvation Army's Food Ministry.
|
|
|
Mrs. Slifka's 8th grade Religion students are in the process of putting the final touches on a month-long charitable sock drive in partnership with Caritas. More information will follow in November, so be listening for their creative call to action!
|
|
|
|
Mark Your Calendars: Blue & White TAG Day
Friday, November 13th will be a Blue & White TAG Day! Send in $3 per student and have them sport their favorite blue and white clothing and/or Saint Mary's gear. TAG Day rules apply.
All money collected will be used by the PTO to enhance student technology offerings.
|
|
|
Saint Mary's PTO Spirit Day/Night at Marco's Pizza
Your Saint Mary's PTO has partnered with two Marco's Pizza locations for an ALL DAY Spirit Night on Thursday, Nov. 12th!
Order via phone or online from the Short Pump or the Reynolds Crossing location anytime during the day or night and Saint Mary's will receive 20% of the net sales!! Ordering instructions & detailed information can be found here.
|
|
|
Celebrating Halloween in November??   
It's 2020, so why not?!
We hope you'll join your Saint Mary's PTO for the rescheduled drive thru Trunk or Treat on Thursday, Nov. 5th 5:30-7:00 PM!
We realize that this reschedule may affect your ability to participate, so please use this link to sign up to decorate a trunk (or delete if you have to  ) or volunteer to direct traffic.
We look forward to seeing everyone next week! Questions about this event? Please contact Kate Faraci.
|
|
|
A reminder to all parents that Report Cards are always distributed via our FACTS SIS email system.
The email you receive will be from info@saintmary.org and will include a link to view your child's grades. This link will be valid for two weeks. You should receive this email on Friday, October 30th after school.
Students in grades 4-8 who have earned all A's or all A's and B's will receive First or Second Honors pins as recognition for their extraordinary academic efforts.
|
|
|
Our latest edition of the Monarch Messenger is now available. Read the entire issue online and be sure to share all alumni news and updates with Jennifer Janus.
|
|
|
In September, students in grades 2-8 were assessed using the Scantron Performance Series Test. These test score reports will be sent home on Friday, October 30th. Students in grades 2-5 will receive their scores in their Friday folder while middle schoolers (grades 6-8) will be given their scores in a sealed envelope.
Sometimes interpreting scores can be difficult. To assist in interpreting the scores, we are providing this letter distributed by the Office of Catholic Schools.
|
|
|
THIS WEEK'S BOOK SPOTLIGHT FROM MRS. LAVALLEE
Other Words for Home
Written by Jasmine Warga
Jude is a typical middle schooler who loves chocolate, movies, and pop songs. But her whole world changes when the Syrian Civil War breaks out and she must relocate to America with her mother. This lyrical novel is a sweet, gentle story about a young girl who journeys across the world to find her true self.
>> Check out this and other books in our SMCS Catalog!
|
|
BY THE NUMBERS: New SCA Officers
|
|
|
Ballots were cast by students in our IB Middle Years Programme this week as they participated in Student Council Association Officer elections. Still to come are elections for Homeroom Representatives which will take place later in November.
17 students ran for 7 offices as evidenced by the many creative campaign posters in the Middle School hallway. Winning candidates were announced to the entire school earlier this week and Officers were officially installed after mass on Wednesday.
|
|
LAST CHANCE FOR MINI PHOTO SESSIONS THIS SUNDAY!
|
|
Last Sunday was too rainy for photos, so we are wrapping up all outdoor mini-photo sessions this coming Sunday, Nov. 1st from 9am until 3pm only! Please check our sign-up list to ensure you have reserved your 10 minute time slot. All families will receive 3-6 final shots (photographer's choice).
We've even created some style tips and an inspiration board to help you plan your family's outfits for the occasion. All sessions are $125 and proceeds benefit our 2020-2021 Annual Fund.
|
|
QUICK LINKS: October & November
|
|
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Friday, Oct. 30: Report Cards via e-mail
Sunday, Nov. 1: Outdoor Mini-Photo Sessions, 9:00am - 3:00pm & Daylight Savings Time Ends (Fall Back 1 hour!)
Monday, Nov. 2: Early Dismissal (1:30pm) & Veterans Day Salute Deadline
Mon. - Tues. Nov. 2 - 3: Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences
Tuesday, Nov. 3: No School (Election Day)
Wednesday, Nov. 4: School Mass, 9:00am (G5-G8)
Thursday, Nov. 5: School Mass, 9:00am (G1-G4)
Thursday, Nov. 5: PTO Trunk or Treat, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Mon. Nov. 9 - Sun. Nov. 22: Virtual Book Fair
Wednesday, Nov. 11: School Mass, 9:00am (G5-G8)
Thursday, Nov. 12: School Mass, 9:00am (G1-G4) & PTO Spirit Day/Night at Marco's Pizza
Fri. Nov. 13: Blue & White TAG Day ($3)
Wednesday, Nov. 18: School Mass, 9:00am (G5-G8)
Thursday, Nov. 19: School Mass, 9:00am (G1-G4)
Tuesday, Nov. 24: Early Dismissal 1:30pm
Wed. Nov. 25 - Fri. Nov. 27: No School (Thanksgiving Break)
|
|
|
The Friday Flash is a weekly newsletter intended to connect, inform and support the Saint Mary's School community. Your feedback/suggestions regarding content are always welcome and appreciated: kbotha@saintmary.org
|
|
|
|
|
