SMA Banner 
       "The Messenger"


          November 27, 2018
  Vol. VI, No. 16
St. Michael's Academy
Quick Links
Like us on Facebook!

Like us on Facebook


Follow us on Twitter!

Follow us on Twitter

Join Our Mailing List
St. Michael's Academy 
 :
 
Happy Friday to all!  We enjoyed a quiet first week back after the Thanksgiving break.  

Next week we begin the special season of Advent. This is a time when we open our hearts and prepare to welcome our Saviour and newborn King. It is a season to put aside the hustle and bustle and plan some time to remember the true meaning of Christmas. Read some gospel passages with your children. Have your own Advent wreath and pray as a family as you light each candle. Explain the meaning of each candle. Help them to remember that the greatest gift of all, is the gift of Jesus.

Open your heart and prepare a way for the Lord!

Peace,

Ms. Ann E. Dougal  
 

  Important Dates
 
Please Make A Note Of These Important Dates 


Banking and Drumming every 
Wednesday
Violin every Thursday

Monday, December 3, 2018
Confessions

Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Confessions

Tuesday, December 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Home School Executive Committee Meeting
2nd Floor Conference Room

Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Confessions

Wednesday, December 5, 2018 from 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Middle Level Christmas Dance
Gymnasium

Thursday, December 6, 2018
Confessions

Friday, December 7, 2018 at 9:30 a.m.
School Mass
Grade 3 Readers

Saturday, December 8, 2018
Feast of the Immaculate Conception


Please remember to attend Church as a family

Attendance
 
Good Attendance Pays Off ! 
 
Congratulations to our perfect attendance dress-down winners! In order to qualify for the weekly drawing, a student must have no absences, tardiness or early dismissals the previous week of school. We select one from PreK - 2nd grade, one from 3rd - 5th grade and one from 6th - 8th grade.  Congrats to last week's winners!

               Kenisha - 2B                                  Katharina - Gr.6A



From The Classroom of Mr. Van Dyk - Gym

Invading the Gym for 2018/2019

To kick off the first part of the year in gym class, we have been focusing on cooperative and invasion games. The first few weeks of cooperative games were designed to get to know everyone and then we transitioned into invasion games with every grade level. The overall topic we are focusing on is a concept called transfer of knowledge. What this means is that all of the skills learned for one game can be easily applied for other games in the same category. Later in the year when we move onto net wall games, the skills learned then will transfer across any net wall game.

We have been playing a number of invasion games including ultimate ball, handball, castle ball, capture the flag, and flag tag. Tag games serve as a great warm-up for the students. By keeping the same game category, students can work with the same skills and tactics learned in other invasion games .

By incorporating transfer of knowledge into gym class, we can create a bridge of learning across all age levels where the knowledge and skills are compounded year after year. This results in the student's ability to continue to improve their skills, movement patterns, and game knowledge as they grow.




 Student Fun!

Arriving To School In Style!

Today was a special day for six students who were the top middle level fundraisers from the Walk-a-thon.  Their prize? A limo ride to school!  We rolled out the red carpet for Andrew, Stephen, Keegan, Isabella, Sophia and Allison and raised a glass of orange juice as the rest of the SMA students lined the red carpet and cheered them on!

Picking up the last student!
Riding in the limo!
 
Arriving at school with an orange juice toast!

Getting cheered on by the WHOLE school!


And we send out a special thank you to Anna and Morgan's grandmother who happened to be the limousine driver!  Thank you to Michael's Limousine who donated this fabulous prize!




 Alumni News

Alumni Spotlight

We send a special "shout-out" to Grace Bedore, SMA Class of 2018, who currently attends Springfield Central High School.  Grace has been an integral member of the Central Cross Country Team this year.  At the end of the season Cross Country Banquet this week, Grace was awarded the "Perseverance Award" and was in inducted into the "League of Stars" for consistently placing in the top 3 at meets.

Congratulations Grace!



We'd love to hear from more of our alumni!  Send us a quick update and let us know what's gong on with you! 


 
   
The Christmas Pageant Is Coming!

The students are encouraged to practice the music for the pageant at home and a special YouTube channel has been set up to help them do exactly that!   Please  click here to access music.

There you can sing along with all the music associated with the Pageant!




 Teamwork

Kindness Matters!

Hey...great teamwork Kindergarten teachers putting up a new bulletin board with an important message - kindness is important!


Food For Thought

"If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes."
                             - St. Clement of Alexandria
 
Parish News
   
Holy Cross

Calling all Shepherds and Angels
  


Holy Cross Parish is looking for Shepherds and Angels to participate in the Christmas Eve Family Liturgy.  Please respond to the Religious Education Program by Friday, December 14th  if your child is interested so that we can prepare for the angel and shepherd costumes. They may be contacted at  [email protected]  or by calling (413) 372-6239.




***********************************************************************************

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish invites you to "Breakfast with Santa" on Sunday, Dec. 2nd from 9 a.m. to 12 noon in the Mt. Carmel Center, 103 William Street in Springfield.  
There will be door prizes for children. Tickets are $5, $2 under the age of 10.


Also at Mt. Carmel Church


Warm up your vocal chords and head to Mt. Carmel on Sunday, Dec. 9nd for "A Christmas  Carol Festival" from  2-4 p.m.  We will begin in church for the bell choir, caroling fun facts and singing. Hear the first Christmas Carol of North America,  and two personal stories. See a living Nativity scene, offer your prayer intentions. Proceed to the Center for homemade Christmas cookies and a free gift to bring home. 

No cost, all welcome.

Prayer Corner
 
 
St. Michael the Archangel, pray for us! 

We pray for all St. Michael's Academy students, families, faculty, and staff, and their special intentions.

And we pray in a special way for our recently departed.

Kevin O'Brien


Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. 



Thank you for your interest in St. Michael's Academy. To ensure receipt, please add [email protected] to your address book. 

You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our newsletter and emails.  Please note this will remove you from ALL St. Michael's Academy communications.  Thank you!


St. Michael's Academy 
153 Eddywood Street - Springfield, MA 01118
www.smaspringfield.org
413.782.5246 office 
413.782.8137 fax