The Advent Season began on Sunday and marked a new year of the Liturgical Calendar. As a family, these four weeks leading to the birth of Jesus at Christmas offer special moments to prepare, reflect, and celebrate our faith.

What is so beautiful about celebrating Jesus’ birth with children is how they help us approach this season with joy, hope, and wonder. I encourage you to spend time creating shared traditions with your family that also add depth to your spiritual life- attending Mass (BOXCAST for virtual option), adopting a Jesse Tree child in need, making your own Advent Wreath, using an Advent Calendar, and the annual St. Mike's Tikes drive-through Nativity taking place tonight, Friday, 12/3 beginning at 7:00 pm. All these meaningful shared experiences allow us to live our faith and create lasting memories. CLICK HERE for additional ideas and resources to celebrate the season provided by our Faith Formation team. Please be assured of my continued prayers for your family's good health and happiness this holiday season.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him…Romans 15:13

In Christ,

Lisa Ciesla, Director

lciesla@stmcary.org

Your next tuition payment is due by the 5th of the month. Details regarding payment methods can be found on our Online Payment Webpage.

Tuition can be paid using the following methods:

• Online Credit Card Payment: Log Into Realm (Login required), then click this Link to the Tuition Payment Event, Then select "Make a Payment."

• Monthly Auto draft: If you would like to utilize monthly auto-draft services for the 2021/2022 school year, enrollment is available using our Vanco Payment Solution Portal.

• Personal Check or Cashier's Check: Tuition payments are also accepted via personal check payable to St. Michael Preschool. Payment can be mailed to 804 High House Road, Cary NC 27513. Cashier's checks are accepted in place of cash payments.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY HEALTHY!

Whatever your family’s plans are for the holidays, we ask that you continue to remain cautious and take steps to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Please refer to the CDC guidance for domestic and international travel which can be found HERE. If your family travels during the holidays and you plan to keep your child home for a few days before returning to school, please let your child’s teacher know. We thank you for your continued support in keeping our preschool community healthy and safe.

If a child develops one of the COVID-19 exclusionary symptoms (fever of 100.4 or higher, chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, cough, or loss of taste or smell), families have three options:

1. stay home for 10 days from when symptoms first began, or
2. receive a negative PCR COVID test, or
3. receive a negative antigen (rapid) COVID test, only accepted if the child has no known or suspected exposure to a person with COVID-19 within the last 14 days
   
4. provide a note of alternate diagnosis from the pediatrician

If a child is sick with a non-exclusionary symptom, like a fever under 100.4, stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea, our normal illness policy applies (24 hours free of diarrhea, vomiting, and fever without fever-reducing medication before returning to school). Your child must look and feel well before returning to school.

Please watch the weather and dress your child accordingly. Students will play outside daily when the temperature is above freezing with no precipitation.

As the seasons are changing, please remember to send in a cold-weather change of clothes for your child. Thank you!

Closings and Delays: Our policy is to assess conditions on St. Michael Campus and the local area to determine closings or delays at the preschool. We understand this may not always reflect weather conditions in your area or follow the Wake County School closings or delays, so please use your discretion when bringing your child to school.

Parents will be informed of school closings and delays via our all-call communication system through the primary phone, text message, and email provided. If this information needs to be updated at this time, please let the preschool office know.

On delayed openings, Early Arrival and Lunch Programs are canceled and children bring a lunch and attend from 11:00-1:00 pm. This later dismissal time may interfere with younger children’s nap schedules, so again, please use your best judgment in sending your preschooler on these days.

Miss Tracey and Miss Lynn lead our super fun Adventure Camps. These camps are offered to preschoolers 3 years and older. Camps will occur one Wednesday and Thursday per month. If your child would love extra time playing and learning with friends, Register Here

Thursday, Jan. 6 - Disney - Let's have some fun with Mickey and friends!

Cost: $13.00 per camp. Send a nut-free lunch with your child. Dismissal: 2:00 pm.

Need some extra time to run errands or get to an appointment? We can help! We still have some openings in our early arrival and lunch programs. Your child will enjoy the extra time to socialize and play!

Early Arrival - available daily, drop off begins at 8:15 am at the front preschool door

Lunch Program - available on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; pick up is at 1:30 pm at the playground

Please note that registrations after 9/3 are not guaranteed as we must be able to maintain adequate staffing while ensuring cohort groups.

Ready to register for Extended Day?

Log Into Realm (Realm Log In required), then while logged in click the following Extended Day Registration Link

JOIN OUR DISCOVERY DAY FRIDAYS!

We are excited to offer your child another day to play, pray, learn and grow together at St. Michael Preschool! Discovery Day Friday offers you the option to add an additional fun day to your child’s existing preschool program for ages 2-5, who are not already attending school on Friday.

Miss Susan and Miss Corrine lead this exciting program where the children engage in discovery learning within the areas of early literacy, math, science, religion, art, music & movement. Comprised of age-appropriate thematic units and project-based activities that allow children to experience success through exploration, socialization, and play. Your child will develop their curiosity, problem-solving skills, and a sense of wonder about the world around them while continuing to grow with God.

When: Every Friday school is in session through mid-May.

Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm (regular school hours). Early Arrival is also available beginning at 8:15 am for an additional fee.

Ages: Open to students 2-5 years old.

PLEASE email preschool@stmcary.org to learn more and to register.

Happening December 10th - January 3rd, at Walnut Street Park in Cary. Come out & enjoy a great read along a beautiful path!

This meaningful family experience was organized by our very own St. Michael Preschool mom, Caroline Laski. Thank you, Caroline, for all your enthusiastic efforts to bring this wonderful activity to our community!

“The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.”

ParishAthleticsNC.org has opened registration for the Spring 2022 Soccer and Baseball Season.

Register Here

Spring Soccer (Apex-Cary)

Grades: Coed; Pre-K (3-year-olds) to 8th.

Dates: March to May.

Practice Locations: Apex or Cary, you pick.

Game Locations: Apex & Cary.

Cost: Pre-K $60; K – 8th Grade $65; (includes a medal, shirt, and picnic).

Note: Pre-k players have a combined practice/game on Saturdays. Kindergarteners to 8th graders have one-weekday practice per week.

Spring T-ball & Machine-pitch (Apex)

Grades: Coed. Pre-K (4-year-olds) to 4th grade.

Dates: April to May.

Cost: $65 (includes a medal, shirt, hat, and picnic).

Practice & Game Location: Apex

Note: Pre-k players have a combined practice/game on Saturdays. Kindergarteners to 4th grade have one-weekday practice per week.

Format: Pre-k & Kindergarteners play T-ball and 1st to 4th graders play Machine-pitch.

Project Enlightenment offers support to parents of young children from birth through kindergarten with topics such as discipline techniques, communication, child development, and more.

Please do not send your child(ren) to school if anyone in your household is awaiting COVID-19 test results or exhibiting any COVID symptoms, even if the person with symptoms is fully vaccinated!