The Trojan Times
Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School February 9, 2020
Mission Statement
St. Maria Goretti is a living testament to our Lord's work in His youngest disciples, exemplified by academic excellence, spiritual formation, and compassionate service to others.
Principal's Message
Dear St. Maria Goretti Catholic School Families,
We have another busy week ahead with a lot happening at SMG!
Registration & Enrollment: Registration & Enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year is well underway and tomorrow is the last day to lock in the savings and receive the Early Bird tuition rate! Details were communicated via an email to parents, and a paper copy of the registration information was sent home in the Friday Folders as well. All registration and enrollment information can also be found on our website. Be sure to take advantage of the Early Bird Tuition rate by registering before midnight tomorrow, February 10th! As well, if you would like to defer your registration fee and pay it next month or over the next few months, please contact our registrar, Mrs. de la Pena (jdelapena@smgschool.org). As a reminder, tuition assistance is available and Father Jim and I are committed to making a Catholic education available to any family who wishes one for their child(ren). I also encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Dinner, Dance & Auction: Our Dinner, Dance and Auction committee is busy organizing a fantastic event! Please, please, please get your Boots and Bling together and plan to join us for the Dinner, Dance and Auction which will take place this Saturday, February 15, 2020 beginning at 6PM in the Holy Family Life Center. The Dinner Dance is not only one of the school's largest fundraisers of the year, it is a lot of fun!! Tickets can be purchased online at http://bidpal.net/smgdinnerdance2020 (also see info below or school website). We look forward to seeing all of you there!
Wednesday's Mass: The school Mass this Wednesday will be at 9:45AM (rather than at 8:00AM) and Fr. Kevin MacDonald, a Redemptionist Priest, visiting for the Parish Mission will con-celebrate with Fr. Jim. As always, you are all welcome to join us!
8th Grade Basketball Tournament: SMG will host the 8th Grade Basketball Tournament next week, February 17-22, 2020. Volunteers are desperately needed to cover concessions, admissions, and score board. Even if you do not have a child on the team, please consider earning helping out and earning Spirit Hours! Visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D49A8AF2BA3FF2-smg8th to
sign up!
Enjoy the rest of your evening and I look forward to seeing you all this weekend at the Dinner, Dance, and Auction!!
St. Maria Goretti, Pray for Us!
Blessings,
Laura Behee, M.Ed.
Principal
Get Your 2020 Dinner, Dance & Auction Tickets Today!
We hope you will join us for the Annual Dinner, Dance and Auction this Saturday, February 15, 2020!! Tickets are still available and all are welcome! Purchase your tickets today by visiting http://bidpal.net/smgdinnerdance2020
If you have questions about volunteering or just want to learn more about Dinner Dance, please contact Kathy Knowles at this corrected email address:
817-240-2119
World Read Aloud Day and the SMG 28-Day Read Aloud Challenge
On Friday, January 31st, we celebrated World Read-Aloud Day 2020 which actually takes place this year on February 5th. What is World Read-Aloud Day? Every year on World Read-Aloud Day, children, teens, and adults across the U.S. and in more than 100 countries worldwide celebrate the power of words by reading aloud and sharing stories to promote literacy. At SMG, students celebrated by "dropping everything and reading" and listening to stories being read aloud.
We also used this day to kick-off our second annual St. Maria Goretti Catholic School 28-Day Read-Aloud Challenge! We are challenging students to read aloud for at least 10 minutes each day during the month of February. Students can read to anyone: a sibling, a parent, a grandma, a stuffed animal…..the point is to READ!! All students who complete the challenge will be eligible to win prizes during our Morning Assembly on March 5th.
More information about World Read Aloud Day and how to participate in the 28-Day Read-Aloud Challenge, including the 28-Day Read Aloud Calendar, was sent home in the Friday Folders and can also be found at the following links.
https://smgschool.org/documents/2019/1/28%20Day%20Read%20Aloud%20Challange%20Calendar.pdf
https://smgschool.org/documents/2020/1/28%20Day%20Read%20Aloud%20Challenge%20Directions%202020.pdf
Read Aloud Resources:
Valentine Grams on Sale Now!
The Student Council is running a fundraiser for Valentine’s Day. We are selling Valentine grams for $1 each. The grams are tags that will be delivered on Friday, February 14. Along with each gram, there will be a rainbow twist lollipop. If you would like to purchase a gram for your student, please return the form (that was sent home in the Friday Folders) along with the necessary information (Student’s name, grade, and a personal message of your choice). The deadline for sending in orders is Wednesday, February 12th.
Additional order forms are available at the Front Office or at the following link:
https://smgschool.org/documents/2020/1/Valentine%20Gram%20Tags.pdf
Chess Club Starts this Wednesday!
The SMG Chess Club will begin on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, 3:30-4:00PM in the 5th-8th Science Room. Space is limited to 20 participants and is open to all 5th-8th Grade students. Sign up at:
The Magic of Chess Video
Anyone who is interested in learning how to play chess, who’s just getting started, or who already loves to play: Watch The Magic of Chess.This charming short film by Jenny Schweitzer Bell, presented by The US Chess Federation, was filmed at the 2019 Elementary Chess Championships at the Nashville Opryland resort. The short film is filled with excellent advice, “uninhibited, philosophical insights” by kids who seem to love playing chess:
https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/the-magic-of-chess-jenny-schweitzer-bell
Rubik's Cube Club
Sign up at the following link https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D45A8AC2FABFD0-rubik
There is Still Time to Join the SMG Running Club
It is not too late to join the SMG Running Club.
These are the official Thursday dates that Running Club will meet:
- Feb. 6, 13, 20
- Mar. 5, 19, 26
- April 2, 23, 30
- May 7, 14
Running Club Information Flyer: https://ec-prod-sites.s3.amazonaws.com/12396/documents/2020/1/Running%20Club%20Flyer%202019%202-1.pdf
Running Club Sign-Up Form: https://ec-prod-sites.s3.amazonaws.com/12396/documents/2020/1/Running%20Club%20sign-up%20form%202019%202-1.pdf
Girls of Grace
Fifth through eighth grade girls are invited to join the Girls of Grace Club, a devotional journaling group which meets the third Wednesday of each month, except this month's meeting has been moved to Wednesday, February 26th. Visit our web site for more information https://smgschool.org/girls-of-grace
.REMINDERS
The 2019-2020 Annual Fund
The St. Maria Goretti Catholic School Annual Fund is essential to help fill the gap between tuition and operating expenses. The school’s 2019-2020 Annual Fund helps provide funding for many of the school’s most pressing needs such as academic enhancements, security improvements and updates, professional development for our teachers, and general operating expenses.
Please, prayerfully consider supporting our school through the 2019-2020 Annual Fund. Donations can be made by check (payable to SMG Catholic School), or online by visiting https://smgschool.org/give-now. Every gift counts!
Remember to Keep Collecting Those BoxTops!
Rainy Day Morning Drop Off Procedure--Addendum to the Family Handbook
You talked, we listened! Inclement weather, especially the torrential downpours we experienced last week, make morning drop-off in the back of the school especially difficult and confusing. In an effort to not only clarify, but more importantly for the safety of our students, we have made a change to the morning drop-off procedure during severe, rainy weather. Please follow the link below for specifics and a map outlining the procedure change. This information can also be found on the school website and will be included in next year's Family Handbook.
SMG Alumni and Former Student News
Calling all St. Maria Goretti Catholic School Alumni and Former Students!!
Mark Tompkins, SMG class of '73 along with Tom Moore, class of '67; Janey Morrow Wright, class of '64, Pru Vader Brett, class of '57, Pam Fields Webb, class of '69, Dave Tompkins, class of '82 and Laura Perez, class of ‘81 are on a mission to get all 2,500+ SMG Alumni and former students together to celebrate!
St. Maria Goretti School's 65th Anniversaryfor our HOMECOMING
Saturday, March 28, 2020.
6:30PM- 9:00PM
Holy Family Life Center
Laura Perez is SMG Catholic School’s new Development Coordinator and our Alumni Liaison for the SMG School.
Over the years, school records have been lost and we are without contact information for many of our alumni and former students. For you to have received this newsletter, we have your current email address and we are asking your help in contacting as many of our alumni and former students as possible, so we can update our records.
First and most important, please provide your full contact info to: www.smgschool.org/alumni.
Then please forward this newsletter to your classmates, siblings, and SMG friends and ask them to also provide their contact info to: www.smgschool.org/alumni.
We look so forward to hearing from you! Your help in our mission to contact all the former students and getting together for our 65th Homecoming on March 28, 2020 is valuable to carry on our SMG tradition.
Should you have any questions and/or want to join our committee, please contact Mark Tompkins metntex@yahoo.comand/or Janey Morrow Wright jawright44@aol.com.
Nolan Catholic High School Happenings
Online Application is Open
New Student Tuition Assistance Application is NOW OPEN
The application for returning students opened December , 2019. Learn More.
Spring Preview
Nolan Catholic High School would like to invite all prospective families, transfer students, and 6th-8th-grade families to our Spring Preview on Friday, March 20, 2020. Families interested in learning more about the admissions process and tuition assistance are encouraged to join us. This two hour event will run from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. beginning in the NCHS Auditorium. Hear from Nolan Catholic Administration, current NCHS families and students, enjoy a campus tour, and leave with a better understanding of why Nolan Catholic is the right educational choice.
Please contact admissions@nchstx.org to schedule a family tour, or for more information.
Stephen Breen Wildcat Challenge - Order Your T-Shirt Now
The Stephen Breen Wildcat Challenge is an annual basketball tournament held at Saint Andrew Catholic School that celebrates the life of Stephen Breen and provides support to his foundation. This year’s tournament is February 21st – March 5th. Saint Andrews is selling gear for the Stephen Breen basketball tournament! Short and long sleeve shirts, as well as black shorts, are available. Each t-shit has the roster of every diocesan basketball team (including those not playing in the tournament). Those who wear the t-shirt to the tournament will receive free admission. All proceeds go to the Stephen Breen Foundation, which provides tuition assistance to students in our diocese, as well as assistance to families of children battling cancer. Please contact Ms. Seyer (eseyer@smgschool.org) with any questions. Thank you for your support!
Order online at the following site:
LAST WEEK AT SMG.....
Blessing of the Throat
Saint Blaise is the Patron Saint of throat ailments and English wool combers.
GeoBee Winner Louis Hayward
Each year, SMG students in grades 5-8 are invited to participate in the National Geographic Geography Bee. Students completed a preliminary test to determine the 10 students to compete in the school competition. This year's champion, Louis Hayward, will take a proctored, online qualifying test and the top 100-ranked students in each state qualify to represent their school at the State GeoBee competition. State champions are then invited to compete in the National Championship.
Congratulations to our 1st Place Geography Bee winner, Louis Hayward; 2nd Place winner, Jocelyn Geller; and 3rd Place winner, Ethan Alford!
Regional Spelling Bee
The Area 15 Spelling Bee was held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School on Thursday, February 6th. Anjali Menezes did us proud by placing 7th. This is the fourth consecutive year Anjali has been the SMG champion and qualified to represent our school at the Area Spelling Bee. Congratulations to Anjali!
PreK 4 - “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” – Margaret Fuller
5th Grade Religion
Fun Time in Art Class: Kindergarten Making Valentine Mosaics
HALLWAY HAPPENINGS
6th Grade - Life of Buddah
The four sights that Siddhartha Gautama saw for the first time when he left the palace after living a sheltered life were an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and a holy man. The four incidents eventually made him realize the fleetingness and extreme unsatisfying nature of existence.
7th Grade - Middle Ages
Sentence Structures by 6th Grade
2nd Grade - Branches of Gorernment
Our Federal government has three branches. They are the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Ask a second grade student to sing you the song they learned in Ms. Meurer's class to help remember the responsibilities of each branch.
1st Grade - Animal Teeth Opinion Papers
School Website Under Construction
Pardon our reconstruction.....we are in the process of cleaning up and updating the school website. This is a work in progress, and we ask for your patience as we work to improve the site. In the meantime, if you are unable to find information you are looking for on the website, please feel free to call the office.
Calendar Notes
- Monday, 2/10: Rubik's Cube Club Meeting Lunch/Recess; Ceceilian Singers 3:30-4:15PM; PSIA 2nd-8th Spelling 3:30-4:15PM; PSIA 4th-8th On-Site Drawing 3:30-4:15PM
- Tuesday, 2/11: PSIA 6th/7th Reading Writing 3:30-4:15PM
- Wednesday, 2/12: Deadline for ordering Valentine Grams, PSIA 2nd/3rd Math 3:30-4:15PM; PSIA 4th/5th Math 3:30-4:15PM; PSIA 1st/2nd Creative Writing 3:30-4:15PM; PSIA 4th-6th Maps, Graphs & Charts 3:30-4:15PM; Chess Club 3:30-4:00PM
- Thursday, 2/13: Running Club (weather permitting) 3:30-4:15PM; PSIA 6th-8th Math 3:30-4:15PM; PSIA 3rd-5th Ready Writing CANCELLED
- Friday, 2/14: Jr. High Valentine's Day Dance: 6th-8th Grades, Semi-formal attire; 6:00-8:00PM, cafetorium REVISED TIMES
- Saturday, 2/15: Dinner Dance and Auction: Boots and Bling 6:00PM in the HFLC
Need Prayers?
We all do!! The St. Maria Goretti Catholic School Community would love to pray for you and your intentions. Please send all prayer requests to: smgprays4u@smgschool.org.
Meet Our Priests!
St. Maria Goretti Parish Website: https://www.smgparish.org/
Fr. Jim Angert, T.O.R.
Fr. Mike Ciski, T.O.R.
Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth
Serving the North Texas Catholic community by providing the faithful opportunities to grow in Christian discipleship and strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ.
St. Maria Goretti Catholic School
Email: development@smgschool.org
Website: https://smgschool.org
Location: 1200 South Davis Drive, Arlington, TX, USA
Phone: (817)275-5081
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StMariaGorettiArlington/