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St. Michael's Academy
:
 We have been busy gearing up for Catholic Schools Week!
This special and fun week will begin on Sunday with our Open House and Curriculum Fair. I hope you will plan to attend and view the many items that the students will have on display. Also, if you know of anyone interested in possibly attending St. Michael's Academy next year, please invite them to attend the Open House presentation at noon for prospective students.
The week is always packed with something every day and events are described farther down in this newsletter. Our 7th grade students will be hosting our School Mass on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. and we invite you to join us. The week will wrap up with our Mangia Mingle or Pasta Supper next Saturday evening from 5-7 p.m. The evening is always a great way to meet and socialize with other families, have a great meal and perhaps win a raffle basket or even better, some cash in our calendar raffle!
I did want to mention that I was checking on the status of our Calendar Raffle and I am a bit concerned. Last year, we sold a total of $15,000 and this year, with only one week to go, we have only sold $6,000. My concern centers around the fact that this is one of just two major fundraisers that we do and we rely heavily on the proceeds from both events to fill the gap between the cost of educating a child and the amount of tuition charged per student. I know SMA is really good at photo finishes, but we really do need everyone to sell their five calendars...
Be well and I hope to see everyone on Sunday!
Peace and God's blessings,
Ms. Ann E. Dougal
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Important Dates
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Please Make A Note Of These Important Dates
Sunday, January 27th from noon to 2 p.m.
**OPEN HOUSE AND CURRICULUM FAIR
**
Presentation for prospective students promptly at
noon in gymnasium
Monday, January 28, 2019
Pastor Appreciation - Bookmark Gifts
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.
Warm Winter Wishes
Grade 2 Grandparent Event
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.
School Mass - Grade 7 Hosted
Thursday, Janaury 31, 2019
Teacher Appreciation Luncheon
Friday, February 1, 2019
Student Appreciation Day
Dress Down Day - Theme "Twin Attire"
"Get Up and Move"
"Class Buddies" make Valentines for Soldiers
Please remember to attend Church as a family
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Advancement
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24 Hours of Giving!
 St. Michael's Academy needs your help!
Next week on Tuesday, January 29th, from 12:00 noon until noon on Wednesday, January 30th, St. Michael's Academy will be participating in a 24 hour day of giving sponsored by the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) and the FACTS Tuition Management company. It is a national campaign designed to give back to local Catholic schools.
 During this 24 hour period, you will have the opportunity to support St. Michael's Academy online! All you have to do is
click on this link and make a donation! It's that easy!
We also have generous MATCHING CHALLENGE DONORS who have kindly pledged to match our first $3,000! What an amazing opportunity to turn $3,000 into $6,000 instantly!
You may remember that the school participated in the Valley Gives Day for the past few years, but that event is no longer being held. This event will take its place!
Please consider helping us by making a donation. Any and all gifts are appreciated!
Thank you for your support of SMA!
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Attendance
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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 winner.
Damani - Grade 2B Kevin - 7C
Photo Unavailable Photo Unavailable
Asia - Gr. 3B
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From The Classroom of Mrs. Nicoliello - Gr. 7
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Happenings in Literature Class
A utopia is a place of perfection, where everyone is happy and equal. There are no problems or conflicts, and everyone is treated fairly. Sounds like a wonderful idea, right? The seventh graders recently finished a novel, The Giver, which tried to show an example of a perfect community that eventually fails when the citizens realize they have no choices and no real feelings.
After learning a lesson about utopias (and how they can fail) from the novel, the students are now being tasked to create one of their own. Working in groups, they will construct (on paper) the perfect community. They will have to decide on the form of government, law enforcement, family structure, climate, money system, jobs that are needed in the community, types of transportation, and technology that can make people's lives easier. They will create a written proposal and a detailed map of what their community will look like. The students will also be challenged with working together as a group, learning what "community" is all about. Their utopia may not be "perfect," but it will be one where everyone will be happy. They don't want their utopias to turn into a dystopia (a place of chaos and destruction).
When the projects are completed, they will present their utopias to the class and we will vote on which place we would most like to live.
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Catholic Schools Week
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Catholic Schools Week
January 21, 2019 - February 2, 2019
Sunday, January 20 & 27, 2019 - In Our Parish
- SMA Students speak at Masses in local parishes (January 19-20, 2019)
- Open House for prospective students 12:00 PM in gymnasium
- Curriculum Fair for all families 12:00-2:00 PM in classrooms and throughout building
- SchoolsNEXT awards announcement 1:45 PM in gymnasium
Monday, January 28, 2019 - In Our Vocations
- Pastors receive student Bookmark Bundles
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 - In Our Volunteers
- "Warm Winter Wishes" reception for Gr. 2 Grandparents, school volunteers, donors, hosted by SMA students
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 - In Our Community
Thursday, January 31, 2019 - - In Our Faculty & Staff
- Teachers and Staff enjoy a special luncheon prepared by SMA families
Friday, February 1, 2019 - In Our Students & Nation
- Student Appreciation Day
- Dress-down day - Twin Attire
- Get up and Move - dance throughout the day - everyone dances, wherever they are (except the students eating lunch)
- Students create Valentines for Soldiers with buddies
Saturday, February 2, 2019 - In Our Families
- Mangia & Mingle Pasta Supper / Basket Raffle - 5:00-7:00 PM - school gymnasium
School Wide Collection for Gray House
- Food and clothing drive - click here to see grade specific items
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SchoolsNEXT
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And The Winners Are....
The research is complete, the models have been built and the teams have presented to the judges. Now....who will be the winners?! We are talking about the SchoolsNEXT projects that the 8th grade students have been working hard on since October.
Yesterday, our panel of outside judges received a formal presentation by each of the twelve teams and were able to view all the completed models. The winners will be announced at 1:45 p.m. in the Gym during the Open House and Curriculum Fair on Sunday.
All of the projects will be on display throughout the building on Sunday. You will also have the opportunity to vote for your favorite so don't miss the chance!
Good luck to everyone!
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PreK-4C Grade Happenings
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"The Mitten" Comes Alive!
The PreK-4C Class recently read the story, "The Mitten" by Jan Brett. The best part was that the children were able to act it out! They each got a turn to be one of the animals in the story and crawl into their own "mitten" as their animal was mentioned in the story.
Looks like those animals are pretty cozy!
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Chess
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CHESS IS BACK!
A message from Mr. Gustafson ("Gus") our chess coach:
It is my absolute pleasure to continue volunteering at St. Michael's Academy to run the Chess Club for another year! I am looking at expanding the program this year to accomodate more levels.
If you have a child who is interested in chess club, please look for a sign-up flyer to come home with your child next week. In the meantime, please consider what category is most appropriate for your child's
chess experience level:
a)
Novice - ooh there's a horsey!
b)
Beginner - I can name the pieces and describe how they move.
c)
Journeyman - I can play through a game.
d)
Apprentice - an adult actually has to pay attention in order to beat me in a match.
e)
Bobby Fisher - I beat up on strangers and A1 programs in online matches and watch chess videos in my spare time.
We will be starting after February vacation and bringing on another coach, Mrs. Stephanie Lapierre. Chess is a great game that benefits children in many ways. I hope you will encourage your child to participate!
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Food For Thought
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"If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently and replace it tenderly in its Master's presence. And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back and place it again in Our Lord's presence, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed."
- St. Francis de Sales
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Pope Francis Prep
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Pope Francis Prep School's Placement Test will be administered on Saturday, February 2, at 9 a.m. at 99 Wendover Road, Springfield.
Decisions of acceptance are made based on the student's overall middle school record (grades and conduct), standardized test scores, the results of the High School Placement Test (HSPT), and personal interview. Registration for the Placement Test is included
in the application for admission.This is a required step in the admission process. Registration is required for this test and can be done by
clicking here.
Please call Ann Rivers, Director of Admissions, at 883-999-7673 ext. 1132, or email at [email protected] if you have any questions.
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Parish News
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St. Michael's - East Longmeadow
St. Michael Parish in East Longmeadow invites you to join Fr. Gary Caster for an "Evening with St. Joseph." The event will be held on Wednesday, February 27th at 7 p.m. in the Church.
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St. Elizabeth's - Ludlow
Healing Hearts with Hope Support Group
Help and Hope for birth parents and others affected by adoption. The first meeting of Healing Wounded Hearts Support Group will be held on February 5, 2019 at St. Elizabeth's Church, 201 Hubbard Street in Ludlow. The group will meet in the Jordan Room at the parish center at 7 p.m. This group has formed with the intent of being of support to anyone affected by adoption, whether they are birth parents, adoptees, adoptive parents or siblings and family of adoptees. Please join us and help us help each other!
The Eucharist: A Sacrament of Healing & Hope
 Join us as we explore the nature of addiction, the dynamics of recovery, and the power of the Eucharist to transform lives shattered by addiction on February 6, 2019 @ 6:30pm in the St. John the Baptist Pastoral Center. located on 201 Hubbard Street Ludlow.
Rev. Mark S. Stelzer, S.Th.D. College Chaplain, Associate Professor of Humanities College at Our Lady of the Elms will be our guest speaker.
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Holy Cross
The Holy Cross Knights of Columbus are hosting their 5th annual Sweetheart Dance on Saturday, Feb. 16th in the St. Michael's Academy gym, 153 Eddywood St. Springfield, MA. Tickets are $30 a person; singles welcome!
Arrive at 6 p.m. sharp for a Cheese & Cracker Social. Gourmet catered dinner is at 7 p.m. with a DJ and dancing until 11:00 p.m. BYOB if you'd like a beverage with dinner.
Tickets may be purchased securely through Yapsody
(click here) using debit/credit/or PayPal by visiting holycrosskoc.yapsody.com. Tickets are limited and will only be on sale until February 10th. Please call Bob Bys at 413-563-1147 for more info.
Also at Holy Cross
25th Anniversary Celebration
On Saturday,
June 8, 2019 at 5 p.m. there will be a celebration for the 25th anniversary of Father David Darcy's ordination to the priesthood. More details will follow!
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Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
On Superbowl weekend, Mt. Carmel will be among at least eight parishes
asking worshippers to put $1 per person out of their Big Game snack costs, into big soup pots on their way out of church. This will go to the annual national SOUPERBOWL collection for hungry people in our own area.
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Prayer Corner
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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.
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.
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Thank you for your interest in St. Michael's Academy. To ensure receipt, please add [email protected] to your address book.
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St. Michael's Academy
153 Eddywood Street - Springfield, MA 01118
www.smaspringfield.org
413.782.5246 office
413.782.8137 fax
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