So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

- Mark 16:19

Dear Parents,

Today we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. As humans it can be difficult to comprehend the ways of God. We read in Romans 11:33 “How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” Both in majesty, such as the Ascension of Jesus, and in those devastating situations that are difficult to comprehend, we must continue to believe that God’s ways are inscrutable, even when we do not understand, and even in tragedy. Sometimes our faith is tested, but we persevere in our faith, and we model that faith for our children. We can tell them that we don’t have the answers, but we know that God has a plan, even when we do not understand or cannot see that plan before us. We must continue to tell our children how much God loves them and how much we love them. For when we face life’s greatest challenges, that faith and love will be what carry us through.

God Bless,

Rachel

Monday - Saint Mary School Golf Outing; Strings; Afterschool - Lil' Penguins Soccer (PK3s-PK4s), Board Games (4-8), Garden Club (4-8)

Tuesday - Band; Afterschool Track and Field (K-3); Messy Little Penguins (PK3's-PK4's), Crochet (3-8)

Wednesday - Field Day Grades 3-8; Afterschool - Dancing Through the Decades (TK-3) * change of day*

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

Friday - Field Day K-2; Early Dismissal

• Students should arrive at 7 pm. Early entry is not permitted.
• Cell phones will be collected upon arrival.
• Pick up is 9 pm.

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.

• Kindergarten-Grade 8 will dismiss at 10:30 am
• All Preschool programs will dismiss at 11:00 am
• There is no aftercare or after school enrichment/office hours

There is No School on Monday, May 29th.

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, "Anastasia"

Orphaned as a child, the young adult Anya remembers very little of her early childhood, and wants to find her family. When a conman notices she looks an awful lot like the missing princess Anastasia, rumored to have survived an attack on her royal family, he quickly decides to present her to Anastasia’s grandmother for a handsome reward. A family-friendly adventure featuring a number of catchy songs, Anastasia explores what it means to be true to yourself, acknowledging that “who you are” is not defined by the circumstances of your past, but the decisions you make today.

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