Dear St. Maria Goretti Catholic School Families,

It is so nice to have the students back on campus. I hope that they came back energized and full of good things to share with you.

In the morning carline please pull forward as far as you can and let your students out in the coned areas. Please do not get out of the car. We have staff members available to help your child. Afternoon carline begins this week. Please review the maps in the family handbook. and have your carline cards visible to staff members in the carline. You will be in the carline of your oldest child. Cell phones are not allowed while in the carline. Please be patient with the students, staff, and families in the carline.

Below is the letter from Bishop Olson outlining the COVID protocols for the Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Fort Worth. He reminds us to stay home if we are not feeling well. It is extremely important that you notify the front office that your child will be out and email Nurse Beth when your child is ill. Please keep in mind that as the parent, if you or your children have been exposed to someone who is COVID + or you are going to get a COVID test, please notify Nurse Beth. We want to keep our school community healthy and we can only do that if we make sure that we communicate with each other.

I know that COVID and COVID protocols are ever-changing. Please be aware that all meetings, gatherings, and dates are subject to change. I will communicate with you when and if that becomes necessary.

Please continue to pray for our students, teachers, and staff as we begin our first full week of school.

St. Maria Goretti, Pray for Us!

Blessings,

Amy Utendorf, M.Ed.

Principal

This year students will be attending the 8:00 AM Mass on Wednesday mornings. Parents will be welcome to join us. As stated in the SMGCS Family Handbook, parents may not sit with their students.

The first Mass this year will be on August 18th. Please make sure that students arrive on time on Mass days. Teachers will be heading to Mass shortly after the bell rings at 7:50 AM.

While sweaters are a required part of the Mass uniform, students do not have to wear them to every Mass until October 6, 2021.

To participate in athletics next school year (Junior High or High School), students will need a physical dated on or after June 1, 2021. If your child plans to participate in sports during the 2021-2022 school year, they must have a current physical examination, and the form below must be completed and on file before the student may participate in school or diocesan sports.

https://smgschool.org/documents/2020/5/Physical%20Exam%20Form%202020.pdf

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 on how to register for a renewal session.

We are in the process of planning the Kountry Karnival Food Festival.

Mark October 2nd and 3rd on your calendar!

We need volunteers to help plan this event. If you are interested in helping please reach out to Mrs. Laura Perez at development@smgschool.org.

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

Mrs. Pennell encouraged her 7th and 8th grade literature students to visit the Amon Carter Museum for extra credit over the summer. Their assignment was to locate specific paintings, document the paining name and artist, then take a picture and send it in.

“A visit to a museum is a search for beauty, truth, and meaning in our lives. Go to museums as often as you can.”

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!