e-Updates
February Parent Club Meeting Cancelled
Our February Parent Club scheduled for Feb 8th is cancelled. Our next scheduled meeting is March 14th at 7:00pm in the Cafeteria.
Magazine Drive
Our annual St. Mary's Academy magazine drive has begun! Packets were sent home with your children on Monday, February 6th. This sale will continue until 2/29. All orders with payment are due on Wednesday, February 29th. For your convience, there is a website distant friends and relatives can use to order new subscriptions or renew existing ones. Click here to be linked to the website. Our school code is 2489433.
Valentine Post Office
We will be having a Valentine Post Office this year at SMA. Students will be sending greetings to each other (reading buddies, siblings) through their classroom writing programs. We encourage you too, to send in greetings to your children. Our "mailbox" will be in the lobby for you to put your cards/letters in. Please be sure to address your envelope with your child's name and grade. Remember a return address! Our post office will be open 2/13 and 2/14. Cards and letters only, please no candy! These will be delivered to your children after lunch.
Winter Break
There will be no school the week of February 20 - 24 for winter break.
Bishop Grimes Academic Games
It is that time of year to get ready for the Bishop Grimes Academic Games. This competition is offered to students in grades K - 6. Event categories include: Math, Science, Oratory, Drawing/Painting, Spelling, Vocal, Essay and Religion. Please click here for more information. Applications are due at school by March 9th.
SMART Tuition Program
We have partnered with SMART Tuition to manage our tuition payments starting with 2012 - 2013 enrollment. We sent home a packet of information including the application form. Financial Aid applications through SMART Tuition are due March 16th You can either fill the paperwork out online, or complete a paper copy. If you would like an application, or if you have any questions about this new process, please call the office and we can help. Or click here for information posted on this website.
Reapplication Process
Traditionally, January is the month when the reapplication process begins. Any student returning in September must reapply. The Diocese also establishes a timeline for seeking tuition assistance. When that information becomes available, we will send it home in "backpack" mail. If your hesitation to reapply is the cost of tuition, please contact the school office to speak with Mrs. Henderson. We will continue with our retention scholarship for those students entering 5th and 6th grade and we will also offer a tuition credit if you refer a new family and they attend our school.
Bulletin Board
The bulletin board in the main lobby will now be used to feature a class a month. For January, we featured the 5th graders' written work about Catholic Schools. Their writing pieces were well done! In February, we will geature Ms. Aiello's class. Stop by and check out the good work by our very own 3rd graders!
New York State Tests
New York State has sent out a schedule for tests. The dates are as follows:
Grade 3 through 8 ELA: April 17 - 19
Grade 3 through 8 Math: April 25 - 27
Grade 4 Science: (Performance - May 23 - June 1), (Written - June 4)
Vitamin L
During Catholic Schools Week, our students travelled to Holy Cross Elementary School in Dewitt to see a Vitamin L concert sponsored in part by the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust. The Vitamin L project is dedicated to encouraging positive character development in young people through uplifting, inspiring music. This music has received very positive reviews in numerous national publications such as School Library Journal, Booklist, and Times Magazine.
St Mary's Academy PTA is offering parents the opportunity to purchase CD's and/or songbooks of these songs. Vitamin will be donating 20% of the sales to our PTA!
Ask your child about the program, and if you wish, complete the order form by clicking here and return it to your child's teacher. Please make checks payable to: St. Mary's Academy PTA.
* For Vitamin L t-shirts, order from their website by clicking here.
Annual Golf Tournament
The golf tournament team is gearing up to plan the golf outing. This year, there is a date change as well as a location change. The new date is Saturday, June 2nd at 1:00pm at the Radisson Green Golf Course. Stay tuned for more informaiton on this exciting event!
Directories
Directories are out. If you did not receive a directory and would like one, send in $3.00 and we will send you one.
St. Patrick's Parade
We are looking for a flatbed truck to use for the St. Patrick's Day parade. If you have one, or know of where we can get one, please call the office. More information regarding participation in the parade to follow if we secure a truck!
Kudos to Our Students!
Our 5th and 6th graders took a trip downtown to tour the Cathedral and the Onondaga County Historical Society. They gained wonderful knowledge about the Syracuse Diocese as taught by Father Scardella and viewed many relics and artifacts. The trip was followed up by lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse where we received compliments from patrons as well as staff at the restaurant about what a wonderful and well behaved group of students we have. Congratulations to our 5th and 6th graders. We are all so very proud of you! You are all wonderful representatives of St. Mary's Academy!
Winter Boots
Some children have forgotten their dress shoes for school. Rather than make this an automatic write-up as a dress code violation, we will first try to contact a parent to bring the shoes in. If we are unsuccessful in getting your childs shoes, only then will we write up a violation. This applies to winter boots only.
Volunteers
We are always in need of volunteers at lunch time. If you can spare an hour and a half a week, we could use your help. The children love to see their parents if that is possible! We do ask that when you are here volunteering, you limit your cell phone use as the children need your undivided attention. We are still looking for someone to work part-time in our Afterschool program on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 - 5:30pm. This is a paid position. If you are interested, please contact Mrs. Henderson.
Lunch Bucks
As a reminder, lunch bucks are worth $1.50. They are not worth the cost of our school lunches. If you are using the lunch bucks from last year, please send in the difference, or enough lunch bucks to equal $3.00.
After School
To lesson confusion at the end of the day and maintain safety for our students, all students will be put on their bus unless we have a note or a phone call from the parents. Often times, the students are confused, so we cannot take their word as to what they are to do.
Four Graders Ski for Free
Your 4th Grader can learn to ski or ride this winter or ski or ride -- for free, you choose! This program brings families together and encourages great exercise. Enjoy the best winter sports on the planet -- skiing and snowboarding in New York -- and save money, too! For more information, click on www.44free.com.