Dear School of St. Mary Parents,

Following Mass on Tuesday, our School of St. Mary Eighth-graders took part in the Annual Ribbon Pinning Ceremony. The purpose of the ribbon pinning is to spotlight our upcoming graduates. The ribbons were presented following a brief presentation by our Seventh graders. Our graduates were reminded of the many ways that the School of St. Mary has impacted their academic growth, faith formation, and emotional and psychological development over their time here at the school. In less than three weeks, we will be celebrating their graduation and saying goodbye!
Following the Ribbon Pinning, we hosted our Good Bye, God Bless celebration for those parents whose youngest and  final child is graduating from the School of St. Mary this spring. It was a beautiful  event where parents reminisced about many of the notable things they have done to support their children and our school during their time here. Thank you to Madeline Slingerland for coming back to host this beautiful morning of reflection. It was a memorable experience for all in attendance. 

Throughout the school year, Margaret Hogan's Seventh-grade English class has been  writing letters to students at Kenya Connect, a school located in Kenya, Africa. One of our School of St. Mary alum, Lexi Kedo, taught at Kenya Connect for a few years after college and helped coordinate the pen pal project with the School of St. Mary. In past years, students at SOSM have collected gently used school supplies and raised funds to help offset the cost for students attending Kenya Connect. On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, Mrs. Hogan's class held a bake sale during the lunch periods to raise money to provide a scholarship for a student to attend Kenya Connect. Great work, Crusaders!

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week, with next Friday, May 24, being Teacher Appreciation Day. There is perhaps no better time for a shout-out to and celebration of the men and women who make our students' lives better. Let's join together to recognize those who embrace and embody Catholic education in words and actions and ways big and small.

Since I started here at the School of St. Mary, one of the things that I have said repeatedly is that our teachers are more than just a faculty. They are a family. And just like your family, they put the interests of our children first. They care about them, worry about them, celebrate with them, and pray for them - each and every day.

Our teachers don't just teach, (although they do that very well!), they also listen. They get to know each student individually - their strengths, their shortcomings, their hopes, and their fears, their personality, and their character. Our faculty helps shape that character, not only through the delivery of powerful content in an engaged classroom, but in the quietness of private conversations before and after class, in the hallway, at liturgy, and on the playground.

Our teachers here truly care. They endlessly give of their time, talent, and treasures. They jump in wherever they are needed, taking on more and greater responsibilities. They come in early and stay late to work with students, answer countless emails and phone calls, grade mountains of papers, attend curriculum meetings and workshops, spend their prep time filling in for a coworker who is called away, supervise in the cafeteria and at recess, plan field trips, etc. Our teachers do ALL this and more, and they still manage to have a smile on their faces, a bounce in their steps, and an uncanny way of knowing where they may be needed next.

Our teachers are enthusiastic. They, too, are learners. They are researching new material and methods, embracing professional development opportunities, and collaborating. Their enthusiasm is fueled by knowing each class they teach is unique, and so is each one of the students who are part of that class. It makes every day different, and it keeps them on their toes. (And it's also why winter and spring breaks are necessary and welcome respites!)

Our teachers here are remarkable! Please join me in recognizing and celebrating our teachers next week - they are treasured assets, unsung heroes, and guardian angels for your children. May God continue to bless them!

Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 21 at 6:30 pm. The School of St. Mary will be hosting it's first-ever Preview Night and Volunteer Fair. The PGC gym will be the place to go to learn all about the many volunteer opportunities we have available for the next school year. It will also be a night to learn more about the exciting events that are planned throughout the summer and next school year. We will have refreshments and drinks available as well. I hope to see everyone there.

Due to the Preview Night and Volunteer Fair, the last Coffee with the Principal on Friday, May 24 has been canceled. Please plan accordingly.

David Wieters
Principal
New Family Referral Program: Click Here for the Form
Crusader Challenge Week 3 Update
Save the Date: Preview Date and Volunteer Open House
School of St. Mary Football 2019-2020





















School of St. Mary Summer Parade Floats
We're back on the parade circuit! The School of St. Mary will have a float in the Lake Bluff 4th of July Parade and the Lake Forest Days Parade! 

We need your help! If you are skilled in designing or have construction/ crafting abilities and want to assist with the float, please join the float committee! 

For more information, please contact 
Kim Egan: (312) 720-9614 or 
Kelly Rynes: (847) 987-6296 

We love our Crusader community! Mark your calendars! 
JOIN US and show your CRUSADER PRIDE! 

June 28 and 29: Float Creation Days! It's a family affair! Come out to the UGC parking lot and have some fun while constructing the float! 

July 4 and August 7 - Ride or walk the route with us! More details to come! 
Amazon Smile
AmazonSmile  is a website operated by  Amazon  with the same products, prices, and shopping features as  Amazon .com. The difference is that when you shop on  AmazonSmile , the 
AmazonSmile  Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the School of St. Mary. 

To use amazon smile go to smile.amazon.com and then select School of St. Mary Lake Forest, IL as your organization of choice. Then just use amazon as you normally would you will be supporting the school without even thinking about it. 
Hot Lunch Orders
REMINDER: KIDDOS LUNCH IS ONLY SERVED THROUGH MAY 31st

Please make sure you are placing your orders for hot lunch by clicking  here .  We are happy to again be working with Kiddos Catering to bring our students hot lunches. For more information on our hot lunch program please read this  story  from the AP about how they are changing school lunches.  If you need assistance with the Kiddos Catering program, please contact them  at support@kiddoscatering.com. 
Community Events for School of St. Mary Families
FORE THE KIDS
Monday, June 24, 2019
Chicago Highlands Golf Club, Westchester, Illinois
Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools Golf Outing

$300 per golfer
$1,200 per foursome
Registration open now click here

For questions or additional information, please contact Teresa Battaglia at tbattaglia@archchicago.org 

Proceeds from Fore the Kids benefit emergency tuition assistance and academic innovation. Emergency tuition assistance provides scholarships to economically challenged students, enabling them to continue their pursuit of academic excellence through Catholic education. Academic innovation includes updated classroom technology and equipment, dual language immersion, and resources to serve students with defined learning needs.


School of St. Mary Calendar
May 17 - June 7
Friday, May 17
  • 8th Grade May Crowning at St. Mary Catholic Church at 9:00 am 
  • May Crowning at the PGC at St. Patrick Catholic Church at 11:15 am
  • Preschool 4's and Junior Kindergarten Field Trip 12:45-3:00 pm
Sunday, May 19
  • PGC Choir sings at 10:00 am Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church
  • Preschool and Kindergarten attend 10:00 am Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church
Monday, May 20
  • Teacher Appreciation Week
Tuesday, May 21
  • Teacher Appreciation Week
  • UGC Mass at 9:00 am at St. Mary Catholic Church
  • 8th Grade Field Trip to Holocaust Museum 10:30 am - 3:00 pm
  • Preview Day and Volunteer Open House at the PGC at 6:30 pm
Wednesday, May 22
  • Teacher Appreciation Week
  • PGC Mass at 9:00 am at St. Patrick Catholic Church
  • Band Concert at 7:00 pm at UGC
Thursday, May 23
  • Teacher Appreciation Week
  • 4th Grade Living Wax Museum 2:10-3:40 pm at the UGC gym
Friday, May 24
  • Teacher Appreciation Week
  • Casual Dress Day at UGC and PGC
  • Early Dismissal Day: PGC at 11:45 and UGC at 12:15
Monday, May 27
  • No School - Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 28
  • Athletic Ceremony & Honors Night - 7th and 8th Grades 6:30 pm in the UGC gym
Wednesday, May 29
  • Last Day of School for Monday, Wednesday and Friday Preschool
  • All School Mass at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church
Thursday, May 30
  • Last Day of School for Tuesday, Thursday Preschool
  • 8th Grade Graduation Dinner/Dance 6:00 p.m. at Deer Path Inn 
Friday, May 31
  • No School for Eight Graders
  • Last Day of Kiddos Hot Lunches
  • 4th Grade Field Trip to the Shedd Aquarium 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
  • 3 & 4 year old Preschool Family Picnic 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
  • 6th Grade Pen Pal Picnic 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at West Park
Monday, June 3
  • Last Day for 8th Grade
  • Fly-Up Day grades 3-6 from 9:15 - 10:15 a.m. at the UGC
  • No hot lunch served
Tuesday, June 4
  • UGC Mass at 9:00 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church
  • 8th Grade Graduation Mass at 5:30 p.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church
  • No hot lunch served
Wednesday, June 5
  • 7th Grade Field Trip to Old World Wisconsin 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • Kindergarten Celebration 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. at the PGC
  • No hot lunch served
Thursday, June 6
  • UGC Math Carnival 8:00 - 11:30 a.m. 
  • No hot lunch served
Friday, June 7
  • Casual Day at PGC and UGC
  • Early Release Day PGC at 2:00 p.m. and UGC at 2:20 p.m.
  • End of the 4th quarter
  • Activity Day at the PGC
  • Field Day at the UGC
  • Last Day of School
          
    


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