The Trojan Times
Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School September 29, 2019
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,
The annual Kountry Karnival and Fun Run is now just days away, coming up next weekend on October 5 & 6!! Kountry Karnival Raffle Tickets were sent home with students the week before last and were again sold after all Masses this weekend.
If you haven't purchased your Kountry Karnival T-shirts yet, the store is open until 11:59PM tonight!! T-shirts purchased will NOT be available for pick up or sent home with students until Friday, October 4th. Since October 4th is a noon dismissal, the school office will only be opened until 3:00PM that day. Visit the link below to purchase.
Also, there's still time to register for the KK Fun Run, which will kick off the Kountry Karnival on Saturday, October 5th. You do not have to be a runner to participate--walkers are welcome too! See below for more information.
Many volunteers and donations are still needed! Remember, all families are required to earn at least 10 Spirit hours donating time or talent to support the Kountry Karnival. Please visit the SignUp Genius on the school website for all of the opportunities to get involved and earn your KK hours. https://smgschool.org/volunteer-opportunities
Finally, in an effort to alleviate long ticket lines, this year we are offering two ways to pre-purchase KK tickets. Please see the information below for details. Also, tickets can be purchased at the Kountry Karnival using cash or credit card (service fee applies) this year.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
St. Maria Goretti, Pray for Us!
Blessings,
Laura Behee, M.Ed.
Principal
Reminder: Friday, October 4th is an Early Dismissal Day! Dismissal at 12:15PM! No SMEED or Lunch Service!
OCTOBER VIRTUE: STUDIOUSNESS-Seeking Knowledge to Grow Closer to Truth
Studiousness is the virtue of the month for October. All of us are born with the desire to know things. The virtue of studiousness helps us to curb our desire to know things that would lead us away from God and to choose to know the things that bring us closer to God. When we fill our minds with unimportant information or with popular news and gossips, we do not leave room or energy to seek to know the truth. Studiousness makes us eager to gain the kind of knowledge that leads us to God. There are many saints who exemplified the virtue of studiousness. Three who we are going to be learning about this month are:
Saint Albert the Great: Feast Day – November 11
Saint Albert joined the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans) and became a great teacher. But even before he was a teacher, he was always a great student! Saint Albert loved to learn about the world God created. Knowing more about creation helped him grow in loving what was real – the Truth. And loving the Truth means loving God. Because of his study of nature, St. Albert was also one of the first people to be called a scientist!
Saint Thomas Aquinas: Feast Day – January 28
When he was five years old, Saint Thomas’ parents sent him to be a student in a rich monastery. Even at that age, Saint Thomas was very smart, and asked his teachers, “What is God?”
Saint Thomas’ parents wanted him to become a monk at an important monastery, and to be the abbot, or superior. But one day Thomas met the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans, and knew that God was calling him to join this new religious community. His family was unhappy with this, because Dominicans were poor, and Thomas would be a beggar instead of a powerful man. They tried everything they could to stop him, but Saint Thomas won and became a Dominican.
The other student brothers made fun of Saint Thomas. He was big and never spoke in class, so they called him “the dumb Ox”. But Saint Albert the Great, one of the teachers, told the brothers to stop saying that because one day Thomas’ voice would be heard around the world. He knew that Saint Thomas was quiet, but a genius.
Saint Albert was right, and over time Thomas became famous for writing brilliant books about God which people still use and study today. One day, Jesus spoke to him and offered him a reward saying, “You have written well of Me, Thomas. What would you have?” But Thomas replied, “I want nothing but You, O Lord.”
Saint Thomas is the patron saint of Catholic schools and of students.
Saint Edith Stein: Feast Day – August 9
While at a friend’s house one evening, the young Jewish philosopher Edith Stein found the biography of Saint Teresa of Avila, a sixteenth century Carmelite nun, mystic, and Doctor of the Church. Edith stayed up all night to finish the book, and when she closed the cover, she declared, “This is Truth.”
Born into a Jewish family in Germany, Edith demonstrated extraordinary intellectual gifts from a young age. However, by the age of 13 she had come to doubt the existence of God and eventually abandoned all practice of Judaism. Edith's strong desire to know the truths of human existence lead her to study philosophy, and she completed a doctorate in this subject by age 25. Throughout her academic career, Edith was intrigued by the strong Catholic faith of some of her equally learned friends. Undertaking to know the truths of Catholicism, Edith affirmed the necessary relationship between faith and reason and was baptized into the Catholic Church in 1922. Responding to the call of consecrated life, Edith entered the Carmelite Order in 1934 and took the name Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
By 1938, the Nazi persecution of all Jews forced Sister Teresa Benedicta to take refuge in a Dutch convent, where she was eventually captured and taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Embracing true wisdom, the “science” of the Cross, sister Teresa Benedicta was executed in the gas chambers on August 9, 1942, and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1998.
For more information on the Virtues in Practice Program, visit:
https://www.nashvilledominican.org/apostolate/evangelization-and-catechesis/virtues-in-practice/
Upcoming Events and Activities
Pet Blessing - Friday, October 4th!
A blessing of animals, which takes place on Friday, October 4th, the Feast Say of St. Francis of Assisi, is conducted in remembrance of Saint Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures. Join us behind the Saint Maria Center at 11:00AM.
Get Your Kountry Karnival T-Shirts and Register for the KK Fun Run!
Get your Kountry Karnival T-Shirts! The KK store is open one last time through Sunday, September 29th. All orders placed will be delivered to the school on Friday, October 4th and either sent home in Friday Folders or can be picked up at the Front Office until 3:00PM that day. There will be a very limited supply of KK t-shirts available for purchase at the Kountry Karnival, but when they're gone, they're gone! Purchase your KK t-shirt at:
https://esixsportswear.com/smg_kountry_karnival/shop/home
There are still many opportunities to get involved with Kountry Karnival! Visit SMG website for volunteer opportunities.
Registration for the Kountry Karnival Fun Run is open! Runners (and walkers) can register for a 1-mile and 5K event and the course is certified. Visit the link below to register and for more information. http://thedriven.net/SMG5K2019
Kountry Karnival Advanced Ticket and Wristband Sales
This year, we are offering KK patrons the opportunity to purchase Kountry Karnival Food/Game Booth tickets and Game/Bounce House wristbands in advance to avoid long lines. Advance tickets can either be purchased by completing the KK 2019 Pre-Sale form or online through OneCause. Please follow the links below for details.
https://smgschool.org/kountry-karnival-ticket-pre-sales
http://2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/12396/documents/2019/9/KK%20Advanced%20Tickets%202019.jpg
Kountry Karnival Book Drive!
Kountry Karnival Volunteers and Wish List Items Needed
Also, the KK Chairs have created a wish list of items and donations needed to make this year's Kountry Karnival a success. Please visit the link below to view the KK Wish List.
https://d2wldr9tsuuj1b.cloudfront.net/12396/documents/2019/8/KKwishlist2019.pdf
Kountry Karnival Entertainment
SMG Art Club
We are excited to announce the formation of the SMG Art Club, and after school enrichment art club for 1st-5th Grade students, that will begin Thursday, October 10th! This is an 8-week session where peer mentors (6th, 7th, and 8th grade students) will work in pairs to co-lead groups of 4-6 younger students in weekly sessions in which students will be exploring a variety of art medium through exciting hands-on art making experiences.
Please follow the link below for more information, as well as a SignUpGenius link to sign up.
https://d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/12396/documents/2019/9/SMG%20Art%20Club%202019.pdf
Save the Date: Join Us for A Parent’s Introduction to Classical Education
What is Classical Education? What makes an education “Classical”? How does a Catholic Classical Curriculum form students to identify Truth, Goodness, and Beauty? For answers to these and other questions about Classical Education, Join us as DeAnn Stuart, Ph.D. presents on this topic!
When: Monday, October 14, 2019
Time: 6:30PM
Where: SMG Catholic School Cafetorium
Sponsored by the SMG Catholic School Home & School Association
Note: Parents/Adults only please.
DeAnn Barta Stuart earned her B.A. and M.Hum. from the University of Dallas and her Ph.D. in English Literature from Baylor University. Over the years, she has received various teaching awards at the middle school, high school, and college levels and has spearheaded curriculum-writing teams and mentored new teachers at all levels. She currently works as Associate Director at the Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture and as a consultant to Catholic schools transitioning to the classical model within the Austin Diocese. DeAnn loves to host dinners with her husband and to go on long walks with her two-year-old son.
Outdoor Learning Center
Excavation for the Outdoor Learning Center & Garden is scheduled to begin in October, and we need your help! If you are interested in helping to build raised beds, install edging, planning, and helping to maintain the garden, please email Mrs. Behee (lbehee@smgschool.org).
REMINDERS
Uniform Requirement: Cardigan Sweaters
Wednesday is October 2nd and the date by which students must have the required cardigan sweater as part of the Full Dress/Mass Uniform. There will be a short grace period until October 9th before students will be issued a uniform demerit and parents will be notified. Students in PK-5 wear the red sweaters and 6-8 grade students wear the navy blue sweaters. Please visit Mills Uniforms to purchase at https://www.millswear.com/UPL/3424.upl.html.
Wear you Kountry Karnival Shirt Mondays and Fridays! Spirit Wear every Friday!
KK T-shirts and Spirit Wear Guidelines:
- September 30 - October 4: Students may wear their KK T-shirts (with uniform bottom) everyday, except Wednesday. SMG school uniform is required for Wednesday Mass.
- Every Friday: SMG spirit wear may be worn with uniform bottoms on Fridays throughout the school year unless otherwise specified.
The KK store is open one last time until Sunday, September 29th. Please see above for KK t-shirt information.
Virtus Training
All school volunteers over the age of 18 must complete the required Diocesan Safe Environment training, also referred to as VIRTUS training, prior to volunteering.
This training consists of an in person class and a criminal background check. After completing the training, your certification is good for 2 years. After 2 years, you will need to complete a renewal course. You may not volunteer at school until we receive notification of your completion of the training course, and until your background check clears. This includes all school related activities such as lunch monitor, playground monitor, field trip chaperone, class party helper, library volunteer, Kountry Karnival worker, and many other opportunities.
**You may not volunteer in any capacity without first completing this training. You will not receive SPIRIT hour credit for hours completed without training.
Here is the link to set up a VIRTUS account and to sign up to attend a session.
https://fwdioc.org/training-sessions
You may register and attend a session at any parish in the Fort Worth diocese. Please email smalloy@smgschool.org if you have any questions or need assistance. Thank you!
LAST WEEK AT SMG.....
Love One Another As I Have Loved You. John 15:12
SMG Awarded Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation Grant
The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation has awarded St. Maria Goretti Catholic School an $8300 grant to be used for improvements to our baseball/softball field!! Mrs. Behee and development coordinator, Mrs. Souders, attended a special pre-game ceremony to honor all of those who received grants this year, and were also invited to enjoy the game following the ceremony.
Special thanks to SMG alums Michelle Anish Wessel for the lead, Ashley Benson for writing a letter of support, and to Erin Vader for helping to write the grant proposal. Way to Play Ball!! ⚾️🥎❤️
Safety Patrol Helping With Car Line
PK3: Learning to Spell Our Names!
Kindergarten Playing "Roll and Color" With Johnny Appleseed
2nd & 3rd Grade Using Math and Science Skills
5th Grade Church Scavenger Hunt
Hallway Happenings
Music
PK3 - The 5 Senses
PK4 -The Letters B & C
Learning about Creation in Religion: 1st & 2nd Grade
2nd Grade Point of View
Computer Class - Inserting Photos in Text
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
- Friday, 10/4: Pet Blessing @ 11:00AM; Early Dismissal at 12:15PM; No SMEED-Faculty Inservice
- Saturday, 10/5: 1 Mile Fun Run at 7:30AM; 5K Fun Run begins at 8:00AM; Kountry Karnival opens 10:00AM-7:00PM
- Sunday, 10/6: Kountry Karnival, 10:00AM-4:00PM
- Monday, 10/7: Robotics 6:00-7:30PM
- Friday, 10/11: End of First Quarter
- Monday, 10/13: A Parent's Introduction to Classical Education Presentation-6:30PM in the Cafetorium
- Tuesday, 10/15: 8th Grade Shadow Day at Nolan Catholic High School
- Wednesday, 10/16: 7th Grade Vikathon at Nolan Catholic High School
- Thursday, 10/17: Nolan Catholic High School Parent Information Night - 6:30-7:30PM in the SMG Cafetorium
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/