The Trojan Times
St. Maria Goretti Catholic School August 16, 2020
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.
St. Maria Goretti Catholic School aims to form what is True, Good, and Beautiful in the souls of our young disciples of Christ.
Principal's Message
Dear St. Maria Goretti Catholic School Families,
What a wonderful first week back we had at SMGCS! Though the events of the last six months have been most unexpected and unprecedented, the excitement and enthusiasm expressed by our students, faculty, staff, and parents as we were finally able to return together at school made many hearts full! God is good!
A few events coming up this week:
- Band Parent Information Meeting - Monday, 8/17 @ 6:00PM in the cafetorium
- Tomorrow, we will kick off the Kountry Karnival 2020 Raffle! Though the Kountry Karnival has been canceled this year due to COVID-19, we will still host the KK Raffle! Tickets will be sold virtually through BidPal and we are excited and grateful to two very special donors who generously donated this year's fabulous prizes!
- School Picture Day - Wednesday, 8/19 in the cafetorium
- School Mass-New Time @ 9:30AM on Wednesdays until further notice
- SMGCS Spirit Wear is on sale NOW until August 28th through the virtual spirit store
Please see below in this newsletter for details on all of the above events.
We experienced very minor issues that were easily addressed as teachers transitioned to teach to the students on-campus while simultaneously delivering instruction to our distance learners. If your distance learning student(s) experiences issues with connectivity, audio, video, etc. while learning remotely, please let us know and we will make every attempt to address the issue as soon as possible.
Please be assured that whether your students are learning on campus or remotely via distance learning, we are ready and committed to providing students challenging academics, hands-on learning experiences, and faith formation rooted in Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.
May God continue to bless you and your family always.
St. Maria Goretti, Pray for Us!
Blessings,
Laura Behee, M.Ed.
Principal
School Pictures this Wednesday!
Glamourcraft will be on campus this Wednesday (8/19) for Picture Day! Students should be in Full-Dress/Mass Uniform (including cardigan sweater and tie). No money will be due on picture day. All students will be photographed for the school yearbook. Individual photographs will be emailed to parents approximately 2-3 weeks after picture day, allowing you to view and purchase your portrait packages online. All packages will be shipped directly to your home and are 100% guaranteed.
Students who are Distance Learning are invited to have their picture taken that morning as well. Please contact the front office by the end of the day Tuesday to let us know if you wish to have your distance learning student's picture taken Wednesday morning.
Arrival & Dismissal Procedures
School Day Schedule and Arrival/Dismissal Procedures
Morning Arrival and Afternoon Dismissal moved along fairly well last week, considering all of the protocols and procedures we have put in place related to COVID-19. Please remember: 1.) ALL students (PK - 8th) must be dropped off in the morning using the morning carline in the back (west) parking lot; 2.) Parents/guardians may not enter the building to walk their students to the classroom. We will again have our Junior High Safety Patrol students and plenty of faculty/staff in the back lot during carline to walk little ones to their classrooms. Please understand, this is in an effort to limit the number of people entering and moving through the building for the safety of all our students, faculty, and staff; and 3.) Parents/guardians must download the Healthy Together app on their cell phone. Parents/guardians must show the completed screening to car line personnel each morning before their children will be allowed out of the car to enter the school.
The entire arrival and dismissal procedures can be found on the link below and is also outlined in the SMG Family Handbook, which is now available on the school website. Please Note: There may be changes to the Arrival/Dismissal procedures as we begin the school year and adjust to the safety protocols we must adhere to due to COVID-19. Any necessary changes to the Arrival/Dismissal procedures will of course be communicated to parents.
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures: https://smgschool.org/documents/2020/8/Arrival%20%20Dismissal%20During%20COVID%20%20Addendum.pdf
Healthy Together App
By now, most have downloaded the free Healthy Together app (found in the App Store). Please continue to complete the app before arriving in carline and be ready to show the completed screening to a faculty/staff member on duty in carline each morning. Multiple students can conveniently be added to one app. Please call the front office if you have any questions about how to install the app.
New Lunch Order Procedure
Our lunch service, Food for Life, has changed the procedure for placing lunch orders and is now requiring that all lunch orders be placed at least the day before. Therefore, we are no longer able to accept lunch orders for the day each morning. For example, lunch orders for Mondays need to be placed by Friday, etc. As a result, we have created a lunch order form that will be texted on Thursday afternoon/evening each week, which will allow parents/students to place lunch orders for the upcoming week. It will also be on the school website and in the weekly Trojan Times. The form has a link with the menu attached as well.
Click below for the order form:
New School Mass Time on Wednesdays: 9:30AM
Until further notice, students will be attending Mass on Wednesday mornings at 9:30AM, instead of 8:00AM. The mandated social distancing requires more pews than are available at the 8:00AM Mass. The Mass will continued to be live-streamed on the school Facebook page (facebook@StMariaGorettiArlington), or can be accessed on the the church website (smgparish.org).
Music Learning Band Parent Information Night Tomorrow!
Music Learning Band will be on campus tomorrow evening to host a Parent Information Meeting for parents of any 4th - 8th Grade student interested in participating in Band during the 2020-2021 school year. The meeting will begin at 6:00PM in the cafetorium. All who plan to attend are asked to complete the Healthy Together screening ahead of time and have it ready to show at the cafetorium doors.
Student Email Accounts and Google Classroom
All students, whether learning On-Campus or via Distance Learning, have school email accounts that they generally access during computer class, and will also need to access Google Classroom. Last Friday, parents of students in Grades 4th - 8th who are attending classes On-Campus were sent information and instructions for their student(s) to access their email accounts, log-in to Google Classroom, and create a bookmark on their home devices. Students will also be given this information during computer class this week, as many 4th-8th Grade teachers provide feedback on assignments, etc. to students via Google Classroom. As well, being familiar with logging in to Google Classroom will be helpful should we ever need to move to distance learning during the school year. If you did not receive your student's log-in information or have questions, please contact Mrs. Daly (jdaly@smgschool.org).
As well, please check out the following tutorial for detailed instructions on signing into Google Classroom.
SMG 2020-2021Family Handbook
The 2020-2021 Family Handbook has been updated and has been posted on the school website (http://smgschool.org). Please note, there was an addendum related to COVID-19 placed at the end of the handbook, before the acknowledgement page. Please be sure to read the handbook then print, sign, and return the acknowledgement form at the back of the handbook indicating that you have read and understand the handbook. A signed acknowledgement form from each family is due back to the school by Friday, August 28th.
Trojan Spirit Wear on Sale NOW!
Check out the new collection of Trojan Spirit Wear available for purchase on our virtual store! There are exciting new designs on t-shirts, sweatshirts, drawstring bags, and even masks! Click on the link below and place orders before the store closes on August 28th.
2020-2021 Academic Calendar
Please click on the following link to view the 2020-2021 Academic Calendar. It can also be found on the school website at smgschool.org.
https://smgschool.org/documents/2020/5/SMG%202020-2021%20Academic%20Calendar%202.pdf
Kountry Karnival 2020 Raffle Tickets on Sale Tomorrow!
COVID-19: Safety Procedures and Protocols
Please see the SMG Safe Return to School plan that was sent to all school families last week, by clicking the following link.
Virtus Training
VIRTUS Safe Environment training for volunteers will begin to expire in September 2020. Parent volunteers will need to renew their VIRTUS training in order to continue volunteering. The VIRTUS renewal program is called "Keeping the Promise Alive" and must be attended in order to keep Safe Environment status current. Our school Safe Environment coordinator will email parents with information for how to register for a renewal session. Please email smalloy@smgschool.org with any questions.
Mark Your Calendar-Spirit (Dine Out) Night at Danielita's!
Please mark your calendar to join us at Danielita's for our first Spirit (Dine-Out) Night of the school year, Wednesday, September 16th!
Box Tops - Earn Money for SMG!
Box Tops makes it easy for families to earn cash for schools and help teachers get the supplies they need. Traditional Box Tops clips are being phased out of production, but may continue to be found on many products throughout the store. Although you may still clip coupons, there is a NEW and EASY method:
- Create a Box Tops for Education account via the Box Tops app or website - View the video: How it Works, Join For Free
- Buy Box Top Products
- Use your app to scan the store receipt within 14 days of purchase -View the video: How to Scan
2020-2021 Enrollment & Registration
Registration & Enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year can be found on our school website. There are still spots available at most grade-levels. As a reminder, tuition assistance is available and we are committed to making a Catholic education a reality for any family who wishes one for their child(ren). Please contact Mrs. Behee (lbehee@smgschool) or our Registrar, Mrs. de la Pena (jdelapena@smgschool.org) with any questions or concerns.
Last Week at SMG.....
Meet the Teacher Night
It was great to see students, parents, and our school community at the Meet the Teacher event last week! Teachers distributed books and materials to distance learners while welcoming back students to the classroom. Whether learning from home or at school, SMG teachers and faculty are ready to welcome students back after the extended quarantine!
2020-2021 School Year: 1st Day of School
Students reported back to school on Wednesday, some were physically present in the classroom, others joined remotely via Google Classroom. Teachers reviewed class schedules, learning and behavior expectations, and had students store supplies and set up binders. In addition, COVID 19 precautions were discussed. We are all glad to be back and are working hard to make SMG a safe environment for our students and staff.
Morning Car Line
Parents/guardians must download the Healthy Together app on their cell phone and show the completed screening to car line personnel each morning before their children will be allowed out of the car to enter the school. Thanks to all of you for helping us with the new Healthy Together procedures. We have extra staff to make the line move as quickly as possible.
1st School Mass of the 2020-2021 Year
Students, faculty, and staff attended the first Mass of the 2020-2021 school year while social distancing and adhering to COVID 19 regulations put in place for the protection of our school and church community.
Kindergarten
Some kinder fun today! Making Pigeons from the Pigeon Has to Go to School book and using "boxes of fun" in math.
Visit this link to hear a happy and excited new SMG Kindergarten student. https://app.seesaw.me/#/item/item.7cd3ff47-9877-4ed5-b452-56ba3327759b/share/gnb3EW-7S8Gts6lWtudlYQ
First Grade
First Grade students practiced their writing while sharing information about themselves with their classmates. They spent their first week of class learning and practicing First Grade rules and expectations.
Band Demonstration
Fourth and fifth grade students attended an assembly to introduce the various band instruments. Watch the live stream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zzCX-VIvKg&feature=youtu.be.
Join us Monday, August 17th, at 6:00PM in the SMG Cafetorium for a Parent/Student Band Meeting. All new 4th–8th band students are welcome.
Calendar Notes
- Monday, 8/17: 6:00PM Band Parent Meeting in Cafetorium (note corrected date); Kountry Karnival Raffle begins
Wednesday, 8/19: 8:00AM Individual Pictures, 9:30AM School Mass
- Tuesday, 8/25: Back to School Night - Event is Tentative at this time
Friday, 8/28: Signed Family Handbook acknowledgement form from each family due back to the school
- Monday, 9/7: Labor Day - No School
- Friday, 9/18: Early Dismissal at 12:10PM - No Lunch Service - Progress Reports Emailed
- Friday, 10/9: 1st Quarter Ends
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.
Like Us on Face Book!
We are hoping to update our official Facebook page with some more recent, positive reviews, likes, and shares. Please visit our official Facebook page (Facebook@StMariaGorettiArlington) and help us spread the word about our great Catholic school!
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/