St. Mary’s Spotlight: October 9, 2020

Week in Review:

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we push into Fall, I hope you are all able to enjoy the tastes, smells, and sounds of the season.  Hot apple cider, pumpkin pie, and crunching leaves always make me smile.  Do you know what else makes me smile? Our incredible students!  It is always a pleasure to see them in the classroom and out on our campus grounds learning, playing, and enjoying their time at St. Mary’s.  It is a real blessing that we are able to be in school for full 5-day instruction.  If you know anyone that is looking for a great school that provides in-person instruction, have them call the school and we can help them out.  We have a few openings in some grade levels, so be sure to spread the good news.  Please be sure to read the whole newsletter.  It has lots of important information.  Finally, as always, be sure to subscribe to this newsletter to get it directly to your Inbox.

If you want to get an inside peek into life at the school, check the slideshows on my Google Classroom page.

Need to Know:

• 8th Grade Fundraiser:
  The 8th Graders are putting on a fundraiser to raise money for their Spring trip to St. Gertrude Monastery.  The fundraiser runs from 9/28 – 11/13/2020.  Who doesn’t love fresh fruit and it couldn’t be easier, as it’s shipped directly to you before Thanksgiving or Christmas!  It also makes a great. gift!  Please click HERE to take a look and order online.  Also, feel free to share the link and information below on social media to help them in their efforts.  We sincerely appreciate your help!
• Be Vigilant:
  If you have been paying attention to the news, you will see that the COVID-19 numbers are on the rise in our area.  Please be vigilant in keeping you and your family safe by doing your part.  By taking the necessary steps outside of school, you help us accomplish our goal of giving your student(s) a safe and effective face-to-face learning environment.
• Clean Mask and Water Bottle:
  Please be sure to send your child to school with a clean water bottle and at least 2 clean masks.  Student masks often become dirty or wet during the day and may need to be changed.  Please be sure to send your student with two clean masks every day.  We are trying to do everything we can to keep our school and our students as clean and safe as possible.

Nice to Know:

• News from our Nurses:
  Our wonderful nurses from St. Alphonsus have created a helpful and informative document to help families decide if it is prudent to send their child to school when they may be ill.  Please click HERE and HERE to read these important documents.

PTO Corner:

• Looking to fill PTO Positions:
  The PTO is looking to fill the following positions –  Auction Co-Chair (to learn this year and then Chair next year); Holiday Market Co-Chair (to learn this year and Chair next year); Board Treasurer-Elect (to shadow this year and take over next year)
• School Lunches:
  Our new school lunch program seems to be starting very successfully.  Thank you, PTO for getting this up and running!  If you are interested in purchasing lunch for your student(s), click on the link to order and pay. https://www.stmarys-boise.org/parent-experience We have gotten lots of positive reviews from lunch customers, so click on the link and try to for yourself!
• Holiday Market:
  Planning is underway! If you want to be a vendor or know someone who would, please contact PTO

Important Dates (Right around the Corner):

• October 13        Early Release (12:00 PM)
• October 16        End of the 1st Grading Quarter; Early Release (1:15 PM)

Important Dates (On the Horizon):

• October 22,23   Parent-Teacher Conferences (more info to come)

The complete School Calendar can be found on the Home Page or the Parents Quick Links Page. To have an event added to our School Calendar, email us at calendar@stmarys-boise.org.

Strategic Plan Updates

Click here to see the most recent updates on the Strategic Plan Projects, including the West Side Grounds Project, The Interior Project, and the Community Directory Project. We are currently looking for volunteers for these and other key initiatives. Whether you’re interested in helping lead a small project, or just have a few hours to help, please complete this quick form and we’ll contact you shortly about whatever you’re most interested in.

Wisdom from Our Young Scholars:

• Nothing to report this week, but I am sure next week will make up for it!