Copy

SMCS NEWS: Our Lenten Journey

Prayer, Almsgiving, Fasting: With God's Love as Guiderails, Our Lenten Journey Begins with Love.


This week began with a pink and red TAG Day which was also Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday followed by Ash Wednesday, a Snow/Ice Day on Thursday and today...This whirlwind of a recap to keep you up to speed on all things Saint Mary's!

PRAYER: Thankfully, we were able to celebrate Ash Wednesday at school in prayerful community with members of our parish.
FASTING: In a year where we sometimes feel we have lost so much, we can focus on the faith lessons we have learned during the pandemic.
ALMSGIVING: While our Garden Club's $1,000 check presentation to the Salvation Army was postponed owing to icy weather, we look forward to sharing our resources with those in need.

And speaking of Giving, don't miss the announcement of three new SMCS Alumni Ambassadors on social media next week!

 
READ THE FULL WEEKLY RECAP

COMMUNITY UPDATES: Honoring Excellence

 

Congrats to Mrs. Klein on her school level selection for Excellence in Catholic Education honors by the Diocese of Richmond! Mrs. Klein has been a member of the SMCS faculty for 13 years and we are so proud to highlight her dedicated service with this nomination. Three Catholic Educator regional award winners and one winner of the Saint Ann Seton Award will be selected from all school nominees. 

Kudos as well to Alden C. (7th grade) and Cathy S. (8th grade) for winning the school level Spelling Bee. We are so grateful for Mrs. Lavallee's early adoption of Scripps' new online testing platform that allowed both virtual and in-person students to compete at the classroom and school levels. 

 
The next virtual Principal's Coffee will be held on Tuesday, February 23rd at 9:00 AM. Discussion topics will include student counseling services provided through Commonwealth Catholic Charities and how parents can support the PTO with creative Spring Gala alternatives.

An email with Zoom meeting information is forthcoming early next week. A recording will be made available after the live session for those unable to attend.

THIS WEEK'S BOOK SPOTLIGHT FROM MRS. LAVALLEE

New Kid
by Jerry Craft

Jordan is just a normal kid who loves drawing cartoons, but when his parents enroll him at a prestigious middle school, Jordan embarks on a journey of self-discovery. As one of the only black kids at his new school, as the only kid from his neighborhood, how can Jordan be both true to his upbringing and navigate these new expectations?

>> New Kid is a 2019 Newberry Award winner; it also won the Coretta Scott King Author Award and the Kirkus Prize for Young Reader's Literature. Check our more award-winning books at the SMCS Library!

On Tuesday afternoon, Paul Reisler and partner Cheryl Toth performed songs collaboratively written with students in sixth and eighth grade music classes. Original song titles include, I thought English class was boring, Life is like an instrument and I don't know where I'm going. You can relive the 30-minute performance by watching the recorded Zoom meeting here.

This experience was made possible through a $1,500 grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts' Artist in Education program. Many thanks to Mrs. Janus and Mrs. Moretti for coordinating and securing a grant award to make this program available in a year that requires extraordinary creativity to deliver engaging music education in alignment with COVID-19 mitigation strategies.

 

PTO NEWS & EVENTS


This Tuesday, February 23rd is the last day to place your Brunswick Stew orders.

Don't miss out on this delicious meal that freezes well and is perfect for cold & rainy days or those nights when you just don't feel like cooking...Don't forget to share with your family and friends too! 
 
Stew may be picked up warm on Saturday, February 27th, or refrigerated and ready for freezing or reheating on Sunday, February 28th.

To pick up your order on Saturday or Sunday, please use the Marywood Lane entrance to enter the back parking lot of the school/church. Follow the signs! Pick up will be by the side Cafeteria/Gym/Middle School doors.

We are also in great need of volunteers for this event! The majority of volunteer opportunities are outside (fingers crossed for great weather!!) and the PTO needs your help to make this exciting event happen. Please sign up to volunteer here.

SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR ANNUAL LENTEN FISH FRY!

BY THE NUMBERS: Join the SMCS Mighty Monarchs Team!


13 Weeks of customized workout challenges by Kids Run RVA

Looking for a healthy way to count down the remaining weeks left until Summer Break? Look no further!

From March 1 - May 30, we're pairing up with SportsBackers to launch our own SMCS Mighty Monarchs Super Fit Challenge team led by Mrs. Janus! Be sure to register online by this Sunday to secure the Early Bird fee of just $20.

>> Click the image below to register or contact Jennifer Janus for more information. All registered participants will receive an activity log to track their weekly progress and qualify to earn some fun incentives along the way.

And for those of you wondering exactly how many school days remain until Summer Break, check out the calendar on our school website and let us know if you agree with our count: As of today, we count 26 school days until Spring Break and an additional 38 school days between Spring Break and the last day of school!

QUICK LINKS

IMPORTANT DATES & SCHEDULE CHANGES


Friday, Feb. 19: Marking Period 3 Interims (via email after 3:00pm)
Tuesday, Feb. 23: Virtual Principal's Coffee, 9:00am
Wednesday, Feb. 24: School Mass, 9:00am (G5-G8)
Thursday, Feb. 25: School Mass, 9:00am (G1-G4)

Friday, Feb. 26: Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences (No School)
Saturday, Feb. 27: 
Brunswick Stew Fundraiser, 4:00pm - 6:00pm 
Sunday, Feb. 28: Brunswick Stew Fundraiser, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Wednesday, March 3: School Mass, 9:00am (G5-G8)
Thursday, March 4: School Mass, 9:00am (G1-G4)
Wednesday, March 10: School Mass, 9:00am (G5-G8)
Thursday, March 11: School Mass, 9:00am (G1-G4) & Early Dismissal (1:30pm)
Wednesday, March 17: School Mass, 9:00am (G5-G8)
Thursday, March 18: School Mass, 9:00am (G1-G4)
Friday, March 19: End of Marking Period 3 (No School)
Monday, March 22:
 Diocesan Professional Development (No School)
Wednesday, March 24:
 School Mass, 9:00am (G5-G8)
Thursday, March 25: School Mass, 9:00am (G1-G4)
Friday, March 26: Report Cards Distributed
Wednesday, March 31: School Mass, 9:00am (G5-G8); Third Grade Easter Lily Presentation
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! Links to all archived volumes from Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 can be found online here.
Facebook
Twitter
Link
Website
Copyright © 2020 - SAINT MARY'S CATHOLIC SCHOOL - RICHMOND, VA, All rights reserved.






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Saint Mary's Catholic School · 9501 Gayton Rd · Richmond, VA 23229-5319 · USA

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp