Hark! The Herald
Back to School Edition
We have missed you all this summer and can't wait to see everyone in just a few weeks!!!
School officially begins on Thursday, August 29th for all grades, PreK through 12th grade.
We trust you all have had an enjoyable, busy summer vacation!
Please keep an eye out in the mail for a letter and supply list from your teachers. They were mailed out this week so if you do not receive something by next week, contact us for a copy.
If you plan to do any shopping online through Amazon, please consider supporting Saint Michael's with your purchases. Shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/03-0181252 and Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the Saint Michael Parish Charitable Trust. You can often find great deals on Back to School supplies, uniforms, lunch gear etc. and they ship to your door!
Don't Miss Our Back to School Event!
Stop by to pick up your student packets, meet your teachers, say hello to old and new friends, and enjoy a delicious ice cream treat from Kona Ice of NH to kick off our 2019-2020 school year!
We will be having an all-school assembly before ice cream so please visit your classrooms, then make your way down to Rand Hall to collect your packets and Super Raffle tickets. We have new staff members to introduce, some exciting changes and information to share about the year ahead. Afterwards, we will all go outside to enjoy some frozen treats together.
Have you finalized your Tuition Payment Plan?
It has been brought to my attention by a few families that the new tuition payment plan was confusing, and many of you have been waiting for a contract to be mailed out as in years past. We are now partnering with FACTS for all tuition management. You will receive a final tuition payment plan from me electronically, AFTER you setup your account in FACTS.
If you have not arranged for tuition payment, please go here to setup your account for the year: https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/3JB80.
Once you select your method of payment (1, 2 or 11 months) and setup your bank account information, I have to go into FACTS and add all the tuition charges and discounts. I will send you a final payment schedule for your approval, before I give FACTS the green light to begin withdrawals.
If you have any questions, please contact me at lindsayoneil@smsvt.info or call the office next week at 802.254.6320.
Uniform Changes
Saint Michael Catholic School generally observes three time periods of dress code requirements:
Fall Uniforms: First Day of School – October 1st
Winter Uniforms: October 2nd-April 30th
Spring Uniforms: May 1st – Last Day of School
We have made some changes to the uniform dress code and format this year. You should have received a copy in your packet, but here is a link to the most up to date version for your reference: SMS 2019/2020 Dress Code. No matter how you slice it, uniform policies are confusing so please contact us for any clarification.
- All students are now allowed to wear white OR NAVY polos during our Fall and Spring periods
- Elementary grade girls can now wear SMS plaid skirts and jumpers
- Girls in grades 6-12 are not permitted to wear jumpers
- Please review guidelines for fit. Baggy and tight fitting pants, such as skinny leg pants or leggings are not permitted as part of the uniform guidelines. Shorts, skirts and jumpers should be fingertip length or longer.
If you are in need of clothing for the new year, don't forget to shop Saint Mikes first! We received generous donations of gently used uniforms at the end of the year. The closet looks beautiful and organized, thanks to the ongoing volunteer help of the Boyd family, so we hope you will come check it out. Call or email ahead to make sure someone is in the office to help you.
Uniforms may be purchased from any clothing retailer, as long as the items comply with the school dress code.
Here are links to our uniform vendors:
French Toast and Donnelly's Uniforms. Make sure to search for Saint Michael School before ordering. We receive 5% back from French Toast for purchases credited to our school.
Parent Volunteers Needed
We are so grateful for all of your help this past year! We look forward to having you participating in our classrooms, on field trips, behind the scenes with events, and simply sharing in your child's education for 2019-2020!
As we prepare for the school year to get underway, there are some tasks that could be done around the school as credit towards your Parent Volunteer Hours:
- Be a greeter during our Welcome Back Event on Tuesday, August 27th.
- Help us in the office to assemble Back to School packets for families
- Clean up flower beds and weeding around school
- Tidy the halls and classrooms alongside your child's teacher. Please see if they could use your help with anything.
- Can you give an hour each week or two to help out in our kitchen? It could be after you drop off your students, during the lunch hour, or before dismissal. Anything helps!
- Tell Us How You Would Like to Help Out?!
Read On!
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.” - George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons
Time has quietly slipped into August and the Summer Reading Challenge is racing to the finish! We hope that your students have enjoyed one, two, or maybe many titles from our reading list!
Please encourage them to continue reading during these remaining 3 weeks to get their minds ready for learning and their imaginations fueled for the year ahead! To view the list, please visit here.
Is there anything else you need to know?
Is there a question you have about the dress code? The supply list you've received? Are you thinking ahead to an upcoming school event?
If you have a question, it's likely that someone else in our community does too, so please reach out to us. We can include any pertinent information in the next Hark newsletter.
We are here for you
Questions? Thoughts? Suggestions?
Please reach out. We LOVE to hear from our families!
If you are not already a friend of SMS on Facebook, please come join us! We will post school cancellations, fun photos and events that happen during the week that don't make it into the Hark! Please click this link, like and follow our page so you can continue to stay involved.
Email: lindsayoneil@smsvt.info
Website: http://www.smsvt.info/
Location: 48 Walnut Street, Brattleboro, VT, USA
Phone: 803-254-6320
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMSVT/