Dear Saint Mary’s Families,
It has been a fantastic first week of school! Thanks to everyone for their patience as we have worked out some of the kinks.
A few reminders as we move forward. Please remember that students are not allowed to bring in their medications – neither prescription nor non-prescription. A parent or guardian must be the one to bring the medication to the clinic.
Please make sure you have filled out the Permission to Treat in ParentsWeb. 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.”
The construction workers continue to be hard at work. We got the news yesterday that the resource classrooms will not be complete until September 14th. While this is a disappointment to all of us, we know that it is out of our control and the inconvenience we have now will benefit generations to come.
Due to construction, the flow of traffic during the day is not as seamless as it usually is. We have many more vehicles on campus than we normally do and we also have them in places we don’t normally have them because of the temporary entrance.
Our concern is the safety of the students. Because of this, we ask that anyone visiting campus at any time during the day park in the parking lot near the statue of St. Joseph. This parking lot has a speed bump at each entrance and is located on the side of the church. You can then follow the sidewalk around ECDC and up to the middle school doors.
No cars should be driving behind the school during the school day. Please remember that we have students playing on the blacktop during the day during their recess. Cars should enter and leave the campus through the Marywood Lane entrance or through the front entrance closest to Pinchbeck. Again, this is for the safety of your children.
I would like to thank the two parents who came directly to me with concerns about the parent portion of the handbook. I met with both parents in person and addressed their concern. The issue in both cases is that they interpreted the handbook to say that they should dismiss anything their child brings to them. That is not the intent of the handbook at all. I, too, am a parent and I would never want to dismiss anything my child came to me with, nor would I want any parent to dismiss anything something their child came to them with.
Understandably we are all very sensitive right now, especially with the latest scandal in the church recently coming to light. It is true, unfortunately, that in the past children have been dismissed, not believed or have not felt safe coming forward in such cases. No child should ever be made to feel dismissed, that they are not believed or unsafe.
I get up and come to work every day because I care about your children. Students are the number one priority at Saint Mary Catholic School.
If you have concerns about anything, I ask that you come to me directly. I am happy to meet with you in person to talk. And, again, I would like to thank the parents who have and continue to come to me with concerns and questions.
I wish all of you a wonderful holiday weekend!
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.
Tuesday, September 18th – Back to School Night parents of children in 1st through 5th grade, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 19th – Back to School Night for parents of middle school students, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 22nd – Save the Date – Go Forth 5k, at Deep Run Park — kids’ run at 8:00 a.m., 5k at 8:30 a.m.
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.
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.
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.
NEW Instructional Chess: Boys and girls have fun playing the game of chess while learning to be better players. Click here for details.
Church Events:
New The Importance of Our Urban Catholic Schools
Tue., Sept. 18, 4 – 6pm, Cabell Library Lecture Hall, Rm. 303, 901 Park Ave, Richmond
Join VCU President Emeritus, Eugene Trani, guest speakers Wanda Wallin & Joseph Whitmore to learn about Catholic education in Richmond and beyond. For more information, contact Dr. Andrew Chesnut at rachesnut@vcu.edu.
“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