St. Mary School Newsletter
Escondido, California
August 18, 2018
Principal’s Message
Can you believe school starts in 4 short days? We are bursting with excitement and cannot wait for the school year to begin! Our teachers had a great first week back filled with professional learning and development, and they are eager to bring back what they learned for the benefit of your children. This is going to be a great year!
School will begin this Wednesday with Mass at 8 AM. All students must come to school in their formal uniform. Formal uniform includes:
Girls:
- navy polo with school logo
- jumper (K-4th), skort (K-8th), or skirt (5th-8th)
Boys:
- navy polo with school logo
- Dennis-brand khaki pants (no shorts)
The Kindergarten students will not attend Mass on the first day of school. Instead, they will head straight in to their classroom (Room 1). Parents are welcome to stop in briefly to take pictures before departing for the day.
School will dismiss at 12pm this Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Extension is available for those who need it.
Kona Ice
To celebrate our first week back, Kona Ice will be here on Friday the 24th, selling snow cones for $3, $4, or $5 (cash only) after school. K-2 will go up to the truck starting at 11:45 AM. 3rd and 4th will join them at 11:55 AM, and middle school will come down a 12 PM. The children love this special treat!
Items Due
As a reminder, summer work packets are due on the first day of school. They will be marked down if not turned in on the 22nd. New students are excused from this activity.
School supplies are also due on the first day back. Click the link below if you need a new list.
Kindergarten Meet & Greet
Attention all Kindergarten Families: We are hosting a Kindergarten Meet and Greet tomorrow, August 19th, from 10-11 AM. Please join us for Mass at 9 AM, and then come over to Room 1 to see the classroom, meet the teacher, and drop off your child's school supplies. We hope to see you there!
Back-to-School Ice Cream Social
Join us for our fist community event of the year on Monday, August 20th, from 5:30-6:30. In lieu of a barbecue this year, we will be hosting a back to school ice cream social. Come join us on the playground for ice cream, socialization and fun. You will have the opportunity to meet teachers and families. Bring the whole family! RSVP here.
Staffing
Ms. Bresee
Greetings, St. Mary Families. I am excited to begin this journey in First Grade with the students at St. Mary School. For each of my students, I hope to foster an experience as wonderful as my memories in Catholic school. I have a strong passion for working with children and have attained most recent experiences as a teacher in transitional kindergarten and pre-school. Partnering with each parent, I enjoy guiding children in the classroom as they make new discoveries along their educational journey. In first grade, we will explore many aspects of God’s world and our unique talents and interests. Your children will discover I like to go rock climbing, have a horse that I love to ride, spend time with my family traveling to historic destinations, and wake up each morning eager to share my day with my students. I look forward to an exciting year as we pray, grow, and learn together.
Mrs. Ostrander
My name is Sarah Ostrander. This school year will begin my 8th year of teaching. I have taught Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, & 4th Grade in 4 different states. I just moved to San Diego from Washington DC at the beginning of August. I received my degree from Aurora University in Illinois where I was born and raised. I have spent most of my adult life living on the East Coast and am very excited to experience life on the West Coast. My husband, Adam, is in the military which requires us to move quite a bit. We have a 2-year-old daughter, Raegan, and 2 dogs, Morgan and Jackson. I am looking forward to this wonderful new experience at St. Mary!
Mr. Medrano
Hello St. Mary Community! My name is Mr. Medrano; I attended CSU-Dominguez Hills and received my degree in Science Education. My passion for education started very early on. I have taught an array of classes: Math, Science, Accelerated Tech, 6th/7th Grade English, Robotics, and Civil Engineering. This past summer, I was a summer camp director for an art camp in Torrance, CA. I am excited to join the St. Mary family this year and share my passion for education with you all!.
Mrs. Montijo
Originally from Georgia, I have lived in San Diego County for the last 25 years. I have 12 years teaching experience, 8 of which have been in this diocese, and I am so happy to be teaching at St. Mary School. All three of my boys attended St. Mary, and the school holds a very special place in my heart. I am an active parishioner of St. Timothy Catholic Church in Escondido and am passionate about our beautiful Catholic faith. When I am not teaching, I love to hike, travel, read or just relax and spend time with my family.
Stay Up-to-Date
- Text 81010
- In the body of the text, write @stmesc
Please note that you do not need to download the app to receive the messages.
Reminders
Immunizations
Please see the attached document below for required vaccinations by grade level.
It is also important to note that we cannot accept personal exemption waivers for immunizations for students who began after the Fall of 2016. We can only accept medical exemptions from a doctor. This is California State Law, and we are not excused even though we a private school. Contact the school office if you have any questions.
Uniforms for 2018-2019
As a reminder, we grandfathered our old logo uniforms for the 2017-2018 school year. Last year, it was stated that beginning in 2018-2019, old logos would not be allowed.
For the 2018-2019 school year:
- All polo shirts must have the new (crest) logo. Old logos (knight) will be considered out of uniform, and the child will receive an out of uniform slip when wearing it to school. 3 out of uniform slips result in a detention.
- We will extend the grandfather rule for outerwear for the 2018-2019 school year. Sweatshirts, sweaters, and vests with both the old (knight) and new (crest) logos will be allowed for the 2018-2019 school year but will not be allowed beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.
- P.E. uniforms- ONLY the new logo (crest) will be allowed for PE uniforms. Students MUST wear the yellow shirt on PE days (except for Thursday when they may choose to wear their spirit shirt instead). The sweatpants have not changed and will still be allowed.
OLD PE Uniforms will be allowed until new uniforms arrive.
PE Uniforms
Shoe Policy
Two changes to the shoe policy:
- Navy blue shoes may be worn this year. Other shades of blue are not allowed.
- High top tennis shoes are now allowed so long as socks are visible. Boots are not allowed.
Here is the official shoe policy for new families or anyone needing a refresher:
- Shoes on non-PE days must be mostly black, mostly white, or mostly navy blue with only neutral (black, white, gray, tan or brown) accents.
- No open-toed, open-heeled shoes, wooden soles, heels, boots or oversized shoes are allowed.
- On PE days, athletic shoes are required. Athletic shoes can be any color, but they may not contain lights, sounds, or wheels.
Socks must be solid white, solid black, or solid navy blue and must cover the ankle. Logos of any form on socks are not allowed.
Announcements
Last Call for Yearbooks
Used Uniforms
- Polo shirts with new logos only
- Dennis uniform pants, shorts, skirts, skorts, and jumpers
- PE Uniforms with new logos only
- Outerwear (sweatshirts, sweaters, fleece jackets) with old or new logos
Uniforms may be dropped off during summer office hours.
Have an Announcement?
Volunteer Opportunities
Gala
If you are interested in helping out with our main fundraiser, the gala, email our gala chair, Megan Handy, at gala@stmesc.org. We have volunteer opportunities that are both large and small, so there is something for everyone.
PTG
Upcoming Events
August 19th:
- Kindergarten Meet & Greet- 10-11 AM
August 20th:
- Back-to-School Kick Off Ice Cream Social (in lieu of the BBQ) 5:30-6:30 PM
August 22nd:
- First Day of School
- Mass- 8 AM - students must wear formal uniform
- 12 PM dismissal
August 23rd:
- Happy Birthday, Mrs. Coy!
- 12 PM dismissal
August 24th:
- 12 PM dismissal- Kona Ice
August 29th:
- Mass- 8 AM - students must wear formal uniform
- Back-to-School Night- 6-7 PM
September 3rd:
- No School- Labor Day
September 5th:
- Mass- 8 AM - students must wear formal uniform
September 7th:
- 12 PM dismissal
September 10th-28th:
- STAR Testing
September 12th:
- Mass- 8 AM - students must wear formal uniform
September 16th:
- School Mass at 9 AM- 8th Grade
September 18th:
- Picture Day- Any colored polo must be worn
September 19th:
- Mass- 8 AM - students must wear formal uniform
September 26th:
- Mass- 8 AM - students must wear formal uniform
September 28th:
- 12 PM dismissal for teacher collaboration meeting
Currently Enrolling
St. Mary Preschool is currently enrolling for the 2018-2019 school year. Come tour the new facility!
Contact the preschool at 760.745.1611 ext. 301, to set up a tour and to learn more information about their program.
Find out more information on their website below and follow them on Facebook here.
Parish Items
Archived Newsletters
About Us
Email: office@stmesc.org
Website: www.stmesc.org
Location: 130 East 13th Avenue, Escondido, CA, USA
Phone: (760) 743-3431
Facebook: facebook.com/smsescondido
Twitter: @stmaryescondido