3/9 SMCS Newsletter
Good Afternoon St. Mary Catholic School Families,
St. Teresa of Calcutta, our saint of the week, was born in Albania. At the age of 18 she left home to join the Sisters of Loreto as a missionary. She was assigned to a girls’ school in India. In 1946 she experienced an encounter with Christ that led her to dedicate her life to serving the poorest of the poor. With permission, she left her missionary community and formed the Missionaries of Charity, who would spread the mercy of Christ throughout the world, helping the most abandoned and neglected.
“At the end of our lives we will not be judged by…how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.’” - St. Teresa of Calcutta
Have a great week!
In Christ,
Dr. Amy Summers
Safety Collaboration Meeting
Last week our School Safety Team met with the Hagerstown Police Department, Senator Corderman’s Office, and the Hagerstown Mayor’s Office. Our focus of this meeting was simply on building continued collaboration with these offices. This helps us keep student safety our number one priority. We have always maintained a great working relationship with HPD and are thankful for their help daily at our crosswalk, continued communication, and routinely reviewing our safety protocols with us. It was great to hear their positive feedback about our school.
Morning Drop-off and Second Gate Open
We will be opening the additional gate in Wareham Alley at 8:00AM each morning in the hopes that it will minimize the length of the drop-off line. Students may enter through either gate now.
St. Patrick’s Day Cash Raffle
Part of the feedback we heard from families last year was that the weekly mandatory raffle was burdensome for families to sell the mandated number of tickets. So, instead we are moving in the direction of three annual raffles where we will limit the number of tickets sold and increase the value of the cash prizes. By doing this we are able to extend the raffle sale to alumni, parishioners, and family/friends near and far.
Our first raffle will be the St. Patrick’s Day Raffle. Tickets are $25 each. We will sell only 400 tickets. Cash prizes of $1000, $500, and $250x4 will be drawn. Please see the attached flier and share this with others. Ticket sales will end at 3PM on March 16th or when 400 tickets are sold. The drawing will be live on Facebook on March 17 at 10AM.
Notes for Change of Routine at Dismissal
If your child will be going home a different way than they usually do (with a friend, picked up by a grandparent, etc.), please email the school or send a note to let us know the change in plans. Students without a note that they will be going home with someone who is not their parent or on your emergency contact list will not be allowed to do so until we are able to contact a parent to verify. Thank you for helping use keep student safety as our number one priority.
Tuition Assistance Applications for 2025-2026
If you will be requesting tuition assistance from the school or St. Mary's church, FACTS Grant and Aid applications are due by March 31, 2025. Contact Jenny Beck at jbeck@stmarycatholicschool.org if you have any questions.
The link to FACTS Grant and Aid is: https://online.factsmgt.com/aid
Heart Challenge
The fliers for the Heart Challenge were sent home last week. Money will be due on 3/27. While this is not mandatory, the funds raised will go to purchasing new PE equipment. If you have questions please contact Mrs. Lowe (slowe@stmarycatholicschool.org).
Registration for Summer Camps
In addition to Camp Invention, SMCS will be offering mini-camps for students entering grades K-8, PreK camps for students currently in PK3 or PK4, and Vacation Bible School for students in grades entering PK4 to Grade 5. Below are the camp descriptions. You can register here for SMCS Mini Camps, PreK Camps, and Vacation Bible School.
June 9-12 Camp Invention Session I (Rising Kindergarten - 6th Grade)
June 16-19 Camp Invention Session II (Rising Kindergarten - 6th Grade)
June 23-26 Mini-Camps (Rising Kindergarten - 8th Grade)
July 7-11 Vacation Bible School (Rising PK4 - 5th Grade)
Gaelic and Garlic Dinner
The Annual Gaelic and Garlic event will be taking place March 16th from 4-6pm in the School Gym. Tickets can be purchased after Masses next weekend or by contacting Stephanie Lyons (slyons@saintmarysonline.org). Tickets are $10 individually or $25 per family. There will be corned beef and cabbage, pasta, and even some Irish dancing! All proceeds go to the St. Mary’s Church Youth Group.
Hershey Park Tickets
This week HSA will be selling discounted tickets to Hershey Park for the upcoming season. Tickets are $50 each. Please see the attached flyer for details on how to purchase.
Earning House Points
House points can be earned in different ways. Each week in the newsletter some of them will be shared.
Students in all grades can earn points by completing the March House Project. This project is mandatory for students in grades 6-8. If you would like to create your own family project tied to the virtue of Mercy, please feel free to do that as well and just note that on the form. Students should turn in the completed form by March 2828 to earn a point for their House.
This month the challenge is for students in Grades PreK - 2nd grade is to know two of The Sorrowful Mysteries. Students in grade 3 - 8 should memorize the Apostles’ Creed. Each student who does this earns a point for their House.
Students in all grades can earn a point for their House if they pray the following for seven days in a row:
8th - Full Rosary
7th - 4 Decades of the Rosary
6th - 3 Decades of the Rosary
4th and 5th - 2 Decades of the Rosary
2nd and 3rd - 1 Decade of the Rosary
1st Grade - 5 Hail Marys
PreK and K - 1 Hail Mary
Accelerated Reader
Students may use this link to login to Accelerated Reader and take quizzes on books they have read. Their logins have been given to their teacher.
The Catholic Faith Explained
Every Thursday, from 7-8PM, Father James will host a class series called “The Catholic Faith Explained.” This Thursday’s topic is Understanding the Difficult Moral Teachings of the Catholic Church.
Daily Mass
Daily Mass is at 8:25. Students in grades 3-8 will attend Mass every day, grades PreK-1 will attend on Tuesday and Friday, and 2nd grade will attend on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday.
Upcoming Restaurant Nights
March 13 - BJ’s Restaurant (12PM - 9PM) Please present this flier.
Lunch Menu
Please use this link for the March Lunch Menu.
Confessions This Week
Thursday - 5th Grade
Clubs This Week
Art Club - Tuesday
Young Women of Grace - Wednesday
Guardians of the Altar - Wednesday
Upcoming Dates
March 11 ACRE Administered to Grades 5 and 8
March 18 Spelling Bee - Grades 6-8
March 21 No School - Professional Development Day
March 24 Spelling Bee - Grades 3-5
March 25 Honors Assembly Grades 4-8
March 26 Grandparents’ Day
March 28 House Spirit Day and MVP Awards
March 31 No School - Faculty Retreat
April 2 Lockdown Drill
April 7-11 MAP Testing
April 13 Palm Sunday
April 14 Warm Weather Uniforms Begin
April 16 T3 Progress Reports Emailed
April 17 - 27 Easter Break
April 17 Holy Thursday
April 18 Good Friday
April 20 Easter Sunday
April 28 School Resumes
April 29 PreHSPT (7th Grade)
Virtus Background Check
Any parent/volunteer who is interested in helping with field trips, classroom events, recess duty, etc.must go through the Virtus registration as mandated by the Archdiocese of Baltimore. We are asking as many parents as possible to do this so that we have volunteers who are readily available, if you have not already done so. Please be sure to complete the two parts, the video and the background check. Additionally, three references must be checked. The registration instructions can be found here. This can be done at virtusonline.org. Please choose the VOLUNTEERS WITH SUBSTANTIAL CONTACT WITH CHILDREN option.
If you have questions about your status, please contact Stephanie Roccograndi (sroccograndi@stmarycatholicschool.org)
Who to Contact
office@stmarycatholicschool.org For reporting absences, early dismissals, and general questions.
jbeck@stmarycatholicschool.org General tuition, financial aid, FACTS, tuition contracts, or Powerschool questions.
alebedda@stmarycatholicschool.org For re-registration or admissions questions and transcript requests.
Parent Volunteer Opportunities (must have Virtus)
January is a great time of the school year to catch up on your family’s volunteer hours! Please remember that each family is required to volunteer 20 hours by the end of the school year. In addition to volunteering for events during school, there are more ways to earn volunteer hours:
30 minutes of service may be recorded for each donated classroom or party item
30 minutes for every item donated to a monthly staff luncheon
30 minutes for every item donated during the winter coat drive for It’s a Blessing to be a Blessing
30 minutes for donation of three items to the Canned Food Drive before Thanksgiving
1 hour of service may be recorded for each $25 donation to a fundraising event such as the SMCS Annual Fund
If you donated to the Salvation Army Angel Tree project before Christmas, record one hour for each $25 donation
30 minutes for each item donated to the SMCS Art Studio
30 minutes for each item purchased from the teacher’s wish list on Amazon (record additional 30 or 60 minutes for higher priced items - you get the idea!)
Links to Signups for Upcoming Opportunities:
Cafeteria and Dining Hall Volunteers
Please record your service using this Google Form:
Questions? Email Jenny Beck at jbeck@stmarycatholicschool.org.