All gave some,

Some gave all

Gone but never forgotten

Memorial Day 2023

Dear Parents,

Memorial Day is here, and though many people consider Memorial Day to be the unofficial beginning of summer, it is so much more than that. We are so blessed to live in the United States of America. While not perfect, our country provides freedoms that many people around the world will never see or even dream of. Those freedoms are not and were not free. Many paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we could live freely. Each morning after we say the rosary, our school stands and says the Pledge of Allegiance together. Next year it is my goal for all of our students to know our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner. It is my hope that this will help to grow a sense of pride and love for our country. We hope to give our students the knowledge and tools to go out and change the world, and when they see or experience something that is not as it should be, the power to change it, because in the USA, we can do that. May God continue to Bless the United States of America.

God Bless,

Rachel

Monday - NO SCHOOL; Memorial Day Parade

Tuesday - Band and Strings Concert; Afterschool - Track and Field (K-3)

Wednesday - Grade 8 Finals

Thursday - Grade 8 Finals; Afterschool - Track and Field (4-8), First Friday Singers

Friday - Grade 8 Finals; Afterschool - Theater with Lil; Grade 8 Benediction and Dinner

• Students in K-2 should wear their Class Color t-shirts and PE shorts for Field Day.
• Students in Grades 3-8 and staff may dress down in red, white, and blue in honor of Memorial Day.

Now is the time to place your order for the 2022-2023 Saint Mary School Yearbook! The books will be delivered in June. The deadline for ordering is Friday, May 26. The price of a book is $35.

To order:

1. Go to www.coffeepond.com

2. Click on the Order Yearbooks button.

3. Enter the password sms23 and select online order and continue button.

4. Enter your child's name and grade from the 2022-23 school year and the book quantity.

5. If you have another child to order for, select order for another child. If not, select check out.

If you need any help with online ordering please call 1-800-632-2323 x0.

There is No School on Monday, May 29th in honor of Memorial Day.

• Students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 may ride the float, space permitting. Students in Grades 2-8 will walk behind the float. We invite our preschool students to join us, but they need to walk or be pulled in a wagon WITH an adult.
• All participants must meet at Jesse Lee Church promptly at 11 to be prepared for an 11:30 start. Parking can be challenging, many will park at SMS and walk over, so please allow for walking time.
• Please apply sunscreen and have water bottles for all participants
• We have limited spots on the float for students in Grades K and 1 who have registered. There is a list of the order of RSVPs, and that is how spots will be allocated until the float is full.
• Students should wear SMS Spirit wear, class colors, PE uniforms, Cheerleading uniforms or for our PK friends - red, white, and blue.
• All PK students must be accompanied by a parent for the entire time.
• Pick up is at the corner of Main Street and Gilbert IMMEDIATELY at the end of the parade. Please be considerate of our parent volunteer chaperones and pick your child up promptly.

Please click here to RSVP no later than Thursday, May 25, 2023.

The Knights of Columbus are sponsoring a talk on 5/30 at 8pm led by IT expert and former SMS parent Richard Hanel. Learn how to protect your family from inappropriate sites, social media, and the pitfalls of technology.

Registration is open for St. Mary Parish Vacation Bible School, which takes place July 24-28, from 9am-12pm. VBS is available for campers entering K-5th grade AND junior leaders entering 6-12th in the fall.

For information and registration, please visit: https://smcr.org/vbs-vacation-bible-school

To help families spend time together and share common experiences, The Leadership Institute of the Diocese of Bridgeport provides recommendations for Family Movie Night. Each week, a new movie recommendation and explanation are available for your consideration. Click here for recent suggestions, including this week's suggestion, "Bogus".

After his mother is killed in a car crash, young Albert is sent to a new city to live with his godmother (Whoopi Goldberg), who doesn’t know the first thing about looking after a child and is reluctant to agree. While on the trip to his new guardian’s house, Albert invents an imaginary friend called Bogus (Gérard Depardieu) to help cope with the grief and stress. A somewhat sentimental blend of comedy and drama, the film explores themes of loss, healing, and the power of the imagination, offering a unique perspective on coping with grief through the lens of a child’s vivid imagination.

Immaculate High School invites all area students in Grades 6-12 to take advantage of its Summer Enrichment Program June 20-29, 2023. The courses - which include HSPT prep, math, biology, STEM, English and College Essay Writing - offer students an opportunity to learn and grow over the summer while providing extra instructional time. Classes are open to middle school and high school students. See link for information on fees and program: Summer at Immaculate - Immaculate High School (immaculatehs.org)

Ava Fleming, sister of thre SMS students, and current junior at Immaculate High, is offering *free* tutoring to fulfill honor society requirements. Contact her to set up an appointment at the Ridgefield Library for math, English, or French tutoring at afleming24@myimmaculatehs.org