What's the Buzz?
11/30/2023
Upcoming Events
Remember to utilize our SMS Google Calendar subscription (info on how to subscribe here), or view the “Events” page on the SMS website.
Dec. 1: NO SCHOOL- Zoom parent/teacher conferences - 8-11am
Dec. 3: First Sunday of Advent
Dec. 4: HSA Meeting - 7pm
Dec. 6-8 SMS “Merry Moose” Christmas Shop
Dec. 8: 9 am Mass - led by Grade 5
Dec. 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Holy Day of Obligation
Dec. 8: 11:30 am Early dismissal
Dec. 8: HSA Family Movie Night - 6-8pm
Dec. 11: Bills Season Pass dress-down
Dec. 13: Christmas Concert - 6:30pm
Dec. 15: 9 am Mass - led by Grade 4 - Virtue Awards
Dec. 15: Virtue Certificate Recognition - following Mass
Dec. 18: Bills Season Pass dress-down
Dec. 22: 9 am Mass - led by Grade 3
Dec. 22: 11:30 am Early dismissal
Dec. 25 - Jan. 1: Christmas Recess, NO SCHOOL
Dec. 28: Early Bird Drawing Deadline for Snow Me the Money
Jan. 1: Solemnity of Mary Mother of God, Holy Day of Obligation
Jan. 1: Snow Me the Money Early Bird Drawing after 9 am Mass
Jan. 2: School Resumes
Jan. 5: 9 am Mass - led by Grade 3 (Ziomek)
Jan. 6: Feast of the Epiphany
Jan. 9: HSA Meeting - 7pm - location TBD
Jan. 11: LEAD Night (Lower Elementary Academic Discovery)
CAFETERIA
We'd love to have you help out during lunch
As the weather starts to change, some of our students would rather stay inside. In order to accommodate students who want to stay inside and others that would like to go outside, we will need to have three adults present for safety. Please consider helping out.
Thank you so much to those who have been able to volunteer and help out in the lunchroom. It is such a blessing to have dedicated family members who are willing to help out!
A Note from the Cafeteria
Monday 12/4 the lunch has been changed from Garlic French bread Pizza to Bosco Sticks (which are bread sticks stuffed with Mozzarella) and a side of Marinara Dipping Sauce.
Lunch orders for the week of 12/11-12/15 are due by noon on 12/4. Please remember that this is a hard deadline and the link is disabled at noon.
Friday, December 8th is a half day and there is no lunch.
New Sign In System
The Raptor system is being implemented as a part of our campuswide security. We have begun testing the system with some of our guests and volunteers. Beginning on Monday, December 4th the sign-in procedures will be changing. When you enter, you will be asked to provide a picture identification (driver’s license, passport card). This ID will be scanned and do an immediate background check. The process takes about 20 seconds. A visitor pass will then be printed with your name, time of sign in, reason for visit, and your picture. When you leave the building, please turn in this visitor pass and you will be signed out of the building. Once you are in the system, you will only need to check in at the window to receive your visitor pass. You may be asked for your identification randomly to make sure that our system has the most updated information. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work to ensure that our campus is safe for our children, staff, and parishioners.
It's that time of year again...SNOW CLOSINGS!!!
St. Mary School closes when Williamsville Public Schools close for inclement weather. In rare occasions, if our immediate area is affected, we may need to close as well. In any event, we attempt to communicate this information as soon as possible to you. Our primary means of communication is our text alerts. We will also send an email, post to our social media account and web site, and add our school name to Channels 2, 4, and 7 on the television.
Although I don't like to send out text messages later in the evening, I will do so if school will be closed the next day. I want to offer you as much time as possible to make any needed arrangements.
Let's pray for a mild winter!
St. Agnes Service Project
If you are in need of information or clarification regarding this month's service project for the children of St. Agnes in Buffalo, please click on the button below. Thanks to our 8th grade students, Amelia and Avril, for spearheading this service project.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Bottle Caps for Mrs. Bishop
Mrs. Bishop is in need of plastic bottle caps for a STREAM activity next week. Any size/color would be appreciated! Please send caps in a bag labeled "Mrs. Bishop" by next Tuesday (12/5). Thank you!
SMS “MERRY MOOSE” CHRISTMAS SHOP, 12/6/23 - 12/8/23
Flyers and budget envelopes should have come home with your students this week! The “Merry Moose” shop will be open Dec. 6-8, and feature affordable items that your child(ren) can purchase for their siblings, parents, friends, etc. Younger students will have the opportunity to shop with an older student as a “buddy” to assist them, or you may shop with your student during the HSA Family Movie Night on the evening of Dec. 8 from 5-6 pm. We are still in need of parent volunteers to help make the shop a success, especially for set-up on Mon. and Tues. of next week! Please sign up here if you are able to help.
“THE GIVING MANGER” IS COMING TO SMS
Advent starts this weekend, and to help your children mark the season, SMS and HSA are working together with Faith Formation to create a “giving manger” in the school. The billboard near the ramp/stairway will be transformed into a nativity scene awaiting Baby Jesus, and students are invited to add straw to it that they earn by doing good deeds at home or in school. Read more about the project here and look for your family’s envelope of straw to come home early next week. To watch a video of the book “The Giving Manger” read aloud with your family, click here.
Christmas Concert
Our Christmas Concert is coming up quickly. It will be held in the new church at 6:30pm on Wednesday, December 13th. There will also be other events happening on campus that evening for our family of parishes, so we are suggesting that you use the back parking lot by the playground and come in the back door that evening.
Mr. Polen will share more with us next week.
We know how good we are, but does the community?
We want to be sure that we are getting the message out there that if you are looking for a quality Catholic Education, St. Mary's is the place! Please take a moment to complete the brief survey below to guide our marketing efforts for the upcoming school year.
SAVE THE DATE: HSA FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT, 12/8/23, 6-8 pm
Save the date for a festive night with friends in the school gym watching the animated 2018 version of “The Grinch”. You’re welcome to bring your own snacks and beverages. Pizza, water, and kids movie treat boxes (including a slice of pizza, treat, and juice box/water) will be available for purchase. Join in the fun and click to SIGN UP!
THE SNOW HAS ALREADY ARRIVED, & "SNOW ME THE MONEY” IS ON IT”S WAY!
Look for an envelope to come home in your youngest child’s backpack in about a week with tickets for our annual HSA “SNOW ME THE MONEY” Cash Raffle! Just a $25 donation per ticket affords you multiple opportunities to win cash prizes totaling $15,000! Plus there’s a $250 early bird drawing, and SMS students will be given the special opportunity to win prizes or experiences if they are the individual or class selling the most tickets! So purchase your own tickets, give them as stocking stuffers, split the cost with others, encourage family, friends, neighbors, & coworkers to join in the fun and give the gift of support for Catholic education this year.
We’ll need some volunteers to help count tickets... If you are available M-F between 8 am and 5 pm during the months of Dec. and Jan., please consider donating a few hours of your time to help count tickets for the drawing. Please contact Rebecca Kisailus if you are able. We have some wonderful volunteers from previous years but many hands make light work!
This year we’re also looking for businesses to participate! If you own or work at a business such as a pizza parlor, bowling alley, bar/restaurant, liquor store, or any place of business where your customers would be interested in buying “SNOW ME THE MONEY” tickets, let Rebecca Kisailus know! (rkisailus@stmaryschoolswormville.org, 716-867-9642) She’ll get you set up with a selling kit including a small easel-backed poster and number of tickets. The more we can sell, the more good we can do for our school!
NEW - CASINO NIGHT, Friday 1/19/24
Mark your calendars for Friday, January 19th…more information about our NEW HSA CASINO NIGHT with our SNOW ME THE MONEY Drawing coming soon!
St. Mary School
Email: office@stmaryschoolswormville.org
Website: stmaryschoolswormville.org
Location: 6919 Transit Road, East Amherst, NY, USA
Phone: 716-689-8424
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StMarySchoolSwormville/