Dear Friends,
Greetings and welcome from St. Thomas More School! In just a short time,
Tuesday, August 26th, we will be back in school. Time does pass too quickly!
Here at school, we have been busy preparing for the new school year.
Besides ordering textbooks and supplies, cleaning the school building
inside and out, servicing the bleachers and the basketball hoops, and
making some limited repairs, we have also updated and painted the girls
and boys bathrooms, and installed a new kitchen in the teachers room.
All this in an effort to maintain our level of academic excellence and
to keep the facilities in good shape.
There have been some additions to the faculty and some juggling, from
last year to this, of the roles some faculty will play. Taking over the
reigns in 2
nd grade are Megan Kennedy and Judy DeMicheli.
Fourth grade will be taught by Alison Verzosa. We are happy to have
Joanne Kane as the new 5
th grade teacher. Anna Tyaglo will be joining us as an additional full time kindergarten aide. Helping out in 3
rd and 5
th grade is Carla Blenkinsop, and we welcome Jeannette Santillan-Gray who will aide in 6
th, 7
th and 8
th grade.
SCHOOL HOURS: Our first day of school, Tuesday, August 26th, will begin at 8:10, with dismissal at 12:15/12:30pm. There is no after school care that day.
Complete school uniforms are to be worn and all students will need
their backpacks. The Parents’ Club will host a “Welcome Back” reception
in Carroll Hall from 8:00am until dismissal. There will be limited parking in the schoolyard for those who arrive before 7:45am.
This is such a pleasant way to meet other school parents while students
are being oriented to the new school year. School supplies will also be
available for sale. All families new to the school are required to attend an orientation beginning at 11:00am in the gym.
After Tuesday’s early dismissal we will ease into the school year. Wednesday, the 27th
is also a minimum day according to the schedule provided. Both morning
and afternoon extended care programs will begin on Wednesday, August 27th. The first full day of school will be Thursday, August 28th. From this point on, we will follow regular school hours and dismissal times.
Regular school hours and dismissal times:
| |
Monday-Thursday |
Friday |
Minimum Days |
| Kinder-3rd grade |
8:10-2:45 |
8:10-2:15 |
8:10-12:15 |
| 4th-8th grade |
8:10-3:00 |
8:10-2:30 |
8:10-12:30 |
|
|
|
|
UNIFORMS:
Do you have your child(ren)’s school uniforms yet? The closer we get
to the start of school, the busier Dennis Uniform and Simply Uniforms
get. Washed and neatly pressed (pleated) uniforms are required for all
students on the first day of school. Please follow closely the uniform
regulations and pay special attention to the shoe requirements. Students wearing incorrect footwear will be required to replace them.
If you are unsure of the suitability of a particular shoe, please check
with the school office. The Parents’ Club will be selling good quality
used uniforms on several occasions during the month of August. These
include the first day of school and also at Back-to-School Night.
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MORNING EXTENDED CARE BEGINS 8/27: The before school extended care program is NOT a drop-in program. The program is held in the 1st grade classroom each morning from 7:00 to 7:45.
Students may arrive for the program at any time during that period. The
cost of this program is $350 per child, per year, payable in 4
installments. Billing will be through FACTS. Further information and an
enrollment form will be sent home to you on the first day of school.
AFTER-SCHOOL EXTENDED CARE BEGINS 8/27:
Advance sign up is not necessary for the after-school extended care
program. It is a good idea for parents of lower grade students to notify
their children’s teachers, in writing, when they are planning to use
the extended care program. The hourly charge is $4 per hour or fraction
thereof. Extended care runs from dismissal each day until 6:00 p.m. Families of students not picked up by 6:00pm
will incur a charge of $1 per minute, per child. Billing will be
through FACTS. Further information and a pick-up authorization sheet
will be sent home to you on the first day of school.
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UPCOMING EVENTS: While you will receive a full calendar of September events in your first Wednesday Envelope, we ask you to please mark your calendar for some upcoming events.
- Thursday, August 28th, is our Back-to-School Night beginning at 7:00pm
in the gym. This is a mandatory meeting for all families. At least one
parent from each family is required to attend. As per the 2014-2015
Parent Participation Requirements, families without a representative in
attendance will be assessed a $25 fee for a missed meeting. While it
would be ideal if children could stay at home, we understand this is not
always possible. Childcare for younger children enrolled at STM will be
available in Carroll Hall at $10 per family. Please click here to make a reservation for childcare. We can only accommodate families who have pre-registered.
- The school lunch program will begin on Tuesday, September 2nd. As soon as the menu is prepared, we will post it on the school website.
- All students and their families are invited to join us for our Back-to-School Family Mass and picnic (following Mass) on Sunday, September 7th.
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If you have any questions or
concerns between now and the start of school do email us at
office@stmsf.org.
Please keep Monsignor Labib in your thoughts and prayers. He has been
hospitalized several times during the summer and has now returned to the
rectory and is under hospice care. We welcome Father Bernard Poggio to
the St. Thomas More Community.
The city is currently in the process of re-striping Brotherhood Way.
They will also be installing an additional signal at the new development
at Summit 800 and Brotherhood Way next week. Please be prepared for
delays and allow extra time when dropping off and picking up your child
from school.
The new school year always brings with it a mixed bag of emotions.
Disappointment at the end of summer vacation and excitement and anxiety
over what the new school year will bring. We look forward to partnering
with you and your child as they begin or continue their journey here at
St. Thomas More School!
Sincerely,
Marie Fitzpatrick
Principal
