Dear Saint Mary’s Families,

The architect has signed off on the elementary classrooms and the county has done their final inspection. Teachers are moving in as I type. We are starting school on Monday!

This year, we no longer require the paper Emergency Notification Form, but please make sure you go into ParentsWeb and enter the emergency contact and medical information we will need.  You must do this on a computer. You will not find this information if you log in on your phone.

When you log into ParentsWeb, go to ➤ School Information then to ➤ Web Forms then to ➤ Family Demographic.  In this section, you will need to complete the student medical portion and emergency contacts. If any other sections pertain to your child, please complete those as well.  After entering information in any section, please remember to click on “Save,” then go back to the top and click on “Return to Main Menu.”

Thank you for completing this information before school begins on Monday.  We want to make sure we have all of the information we need when school starts.

For afternoon carpool we are asking each family to print or write their last name on an 8.5” x 11” piece of paper and either display that in your front dash or have it with you when you come to pick up your child if you are picking up at ECDC.  It doesn’t need to be fancy. We just need to be able to read it.  Also have your ID ready and available.  Please know this is for the safety of your child.

The 2018-2019 Student & Parent Handbook is now available here.  Please take time to read the handbook and go through the handbook with your child.  At the end of the handbook is a Statement of Receipt of Handbook. I ask that both you and your child sign this page and have your child bring it in to your child’s homeroom teacher.  The signature page can be found here.  This signature page is due to your child’s homeroom teacher by Wednesday, September 12th.

There was a discussion during preplanning this week about uniform requirements for students when it is hot outside. In consultation with the faculty and staff, the decision has been made that students can wear their PE uniform to school when the high temperature for the day is 85 degrees or above.  Also, students, except for those who have PE that day, are to wear their regular uniform on Mass days regardless of the temperature. This information can be specifically found in 3.12.3 of the Student & Parent Handbook on page 25.

The final decision about morning carpool has not been made.  You will hear from me again this weekend.

Meet the Teacher locations are the same as announced earlier this week with the elementary and resource teachers in the gym, Mrs. Olesen in the science lab, and Mrs. Healy in the Spanish room with Mrs. Thompson.  The elementary wing is still a construction zone and no one is allowed down the elementary wing this afternoon.  We have a lot of construction workers still in that area, working hard.  

When you are on campus for Meet the Teacher today, please remember to park in the back and please be extra careful in the parking lot.  There will be lots of children of all ages coming and going. We can’t wait to see you.

Joyfully,
Jenni Ellis
Principal

 

IMPORTANT DATES THIS WEEK: Please visit the school calendar regularly for the most up-to-date information as times and dates may change.

Monday August 27th – First day of school
Tuesday September 18th – Back to School Night parents of children in 1st through 5th grade
Wednesday September 19th – Back to School Night for parents of middle school students
Saturday September 22nd – Save the Date – Go Forth 5k, at Deep Run Park — kids’ run at 8:00 a.m., 5k at 8:30am.

To get to the temporary offices, enter the building as you are going to the church offices and come into the ECDC wing.  We are located in the fourth room on the left.

Saint Mary’s Kick Off Cook Out:  The Kickoff Cookout has been put on hold due to construction.  We will give you more information once we have it.

5th Annual Go Forth 5k:  The fifth annual Saint Mary Catholic School Go Forth 5k and kids’ fun run will be on Saturday, September 22 at Deep Run Park. The kids’ run starts at 8 a.m. and the 5k walk/run at 8:30 a.m. Please come help us kick off our school year with community, family, fitness and fun! Jogging strollers are welcome. The registration link is here. We’d love our registrants to sign up by September 8th so that we can get race t-shirts to everyone before the race! Thanks to many local sponsors, including Short Pump Orthodontics, Shana Branch Realtor, Wash Your Way RVA, RedRidge Pet Market, James River Irrigation, Bushin Martial Arts Academy, Fleet Feet Sports Richmond, Endorphin Fitness. Would your business like to sponsor this event? Contact Jennifer Janus at jennifer.janus@gmail.com. All proceeds to benefit the school renovation.

Early Release verses Half Days: Please note on the school calendar, there are listed Early Release and Half Days.

A half day is a day with a 12:20 pm dismissal.  An early release day is 1:30 pm dismissal and students will have lunch.

After School Care New information and Registration for Full Time:  Families whose children will be using After School Care full-time, please register by August 24th using this link.

2018 – 2019 Important Key Dates Calendar: Looking toward next year, the key dates calendar for the 2018-2019 school year is linked here.  You will see that the revision date is in the lower right-hand corner.  We will make sure the most updated calendar is always available on our website and we will let families know if any changes to the calendar are made.

Band GRSM @Saint Mary’s Catholic School:  The Greater Richmond  School of Music (GRSM) will provide music instruction in the form of GRSM band program at Saint Mary’s Catholic School for the 2018 – 2019 school year. Click here for details.

 

Church Events:

“Are You Interested in Becoming A Catholic?”  
If you have never been baptized, if you were baptized in another Christian denomination and would like to become Catholic, or if you were baptized Catholic, but never received the Sacraments of Eucharist or Confirmation, you are welcome to join our RCIA Inquiry Process.  For more information, call Sr. Pat at 740-4044, ext. 13, or go to our parish web page, and click on “Interest in Becoming Catholic

 

Helpful Links:
Volunteer in the Lunch Room
Painless Fundraising
Flynn O’Hara Uniform inform