OUR MISSION:
St. Rita School inspires students in Pre-Kindergarten through grade eight to achieve academic excellence in a safe, nurturing and faith-filled Catholic environment.
We prepare students to be morally responsible, innovative thinkers who, in today’s technology-guided global community, live and share the Love of Christ.
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From the Desk of Mrs. Tiezzi
Dear St. Rita Parents,
The month of February is recognized around the country as Black History Month. St. Rita students at all grade levels have been learning about the contributions of many African American citizens who helped shape the history of our great country. Every day during this month at morning opening, an historical event and inspirational quote featuring prominent African Americans are shared. Various classes are learning about outstanding African American citizens through lessons, projects, stories, and videos. Hopefully, by focusing on Americans of all colors and on the contributions African Americans have made to our country’s rich history and culture, citizens, young and old, can develop an appreciation of the diversity of the United States and can come together in unity.
The liturgical season of Lent begins next Wednesday, February 17, Ash Wednesday. As we all know, Lent was the time that Jesus retreated into the desert for 40 days to prepare for His ministry. It was for Him a time of reflection and contemplation. Throughout these 40 days of Lent, our faculty and students will focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Our goal is to get our students to think beyond themselves and focus on kindness and mercy. We will be distributing ashes to the students following a Lenten prayer service which will be held in school next Wednesday.
Over the last few weeks parents have requested that their child be allowed to switch from in-person learning to on-line learning for a day here and a day there, for various reasons, none of which are related to exposure to COVID. In some cases a child just shows up without any communication to the teacher or the school office. Please understand that switching back and forth between on-line and in-person learning is not allowed for any reason other than quarantining due to COVID or COVID exposure. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Our second trimester will be ending on Friday, March 12 and the 3rd and final trimester will begin on Monday, March 15. At this time remote learners will have the opportunity to switch back to in-person learning and students currently in-person my transition to a remote learner for the remainder of the school year. In order to begin planning for the return of some of our remote learners, we will be sending out an on-line survey to remote learners only. If your child is currently in-school and you would like to have him/her transition to remote learning for the entire third trimester, please contact the school office directly. Once the trimester begins your child may not switch.
If you have not yet completed our re-enrollment survey, please click HERE. It is important for us to know the number of returning students we will have for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year in order to determine staffing and space availability for new students. If you have not yet completed the survey please do so this week. New enrollment for the upcoming school year is now open at all grade levels. We will give enrollment priority to siblings of students currently enrolled at St. Rita. If you are interested in enrolling a new student for the upcoming school, year please contact Mrs. Bruno our admissions director.
As of today, St. Rita School has one additional case of COVID-19. A staff member tested positive and was last in school on Thursday, February 4. The entire third grade class and both teachers will be on quarantine until February 16.
Many male students continue to wear hair styles which are not in compliance with the school dress code (boys’ hair styles should be above the shirt collar, trimmed around the ears and should be appropriate for school). Girls must wear hair styles that are moderate and sensible and do not include vivid hair color. Students should be in proper uniform including footwear daily. Sneakers should only be worn with the gym uniform. Sweatshirts that do not have the St. Rita logo are not considered part of the school uniform and are not to be worn at school. Parents are asked to see that their child is in proper uniform and neatly attired (including hair styles and color).
Finally, the St. Rita Summer camp will be back again this year beginning once school ends in June and continuing through July. The details are still being worked out by Mrs. Fortuna and Ms. Artaiz who will be running the program. We will be sending out a survey to gauge interest in the next few weeks.
Thank you for entrusting your child/ren to our care. Your continued support during this very unprecedented school year is greatly appreciated. Working together, we will continue to persevere in order for your child/ren to benefit from an outstanding academic education (in-person or remote) in a faith-filled Catholic environment. St. Rita School is surely the place to be in Hamden and beyond!
God Bless,
Mrs. Tiezzi
Principal
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Scholarship Opportunities
The Archdiocese of Hartford Foundation for Advancement of Catholic Schools and the CEO Foundation (www.ceoct.org) have scholarship opportunities available for students who attend Catholic schools. Please click the links below for the guidelines and criteria and the application which are due to the office by February 1, 2021. Please be sure that all the supporting documentation accompanies the application. Applications for the CEO Foundation will go online at 12:01 am on Monday, March 1. These scholarship opportunities are distributed very quickly so please do not miss the deadlines.
Guidelines and Criteria for 2020-2021
Click HERE for the FACS Scholarship Application
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Order your 2020-2021 school yearbook today!
Order before January 31 to
receive special pricing! of $25!
Yearbooks ordered after January 31 will be $30.
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Update to Covid Quarantine guidelines.
These are the guidelines we are now following as part of the CDC’s newest guidelines when it comes to Covid 19.
If an individual does not have Covid-19 symptoms but had close contact to someone diagnosed with Covid-19:
Remain home in self-quarantine for the recommended 10 days from last exposure to the person diagnosed with Covid-19. If symptoms occur, contact your health care provider.
If you test positive:
Remain home until 10 day’s have passed since date of positive Covid-19 test or if you have symptoms, 10 days since symptoms began.
There was an addendum that had to do with testing on day 5 of an exposure and exiting quarantine after 7 days but our school district is NOT implementing that at this time.
Just a reminder of isolation vs Quarantine
Isolation = When you are experiencing symptoms or have a confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19
Quarantine = when you have been exposed but you are not experiencing symptoms
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Thank you to everyone for keeping your children home when they are not feeling well and keeping us informed of any illnesses. With your cooperation we will continue to keep our school community safe.
Just a few reminders:
- If your child is home sick for more then 24 hours we will need a doctors note in order for them to return to school.
- This year with COVID-19 continuing to be active the State Department of Public Health is encouraging everyone to receive an Influenza Vaccination by the end of October. The vaccinations are now readily available. Once your child receives the vaccine, please send proof into school for the nurse to document.
- If your child is home sick and the doctor recommends a COVID test please do not get a rapid test. We will only be accepting the PCR test in order to return to school.
- many of us suffer from seasonal allergies and may experience symptoms similar to COVID-19.
Symptoms more common of seasonal allergies and not COVID-19 are itchy or watery eyes and sneezing.
Symptoms more common if COVID-19 are fever and chills, muscle and body aches, new loss of taste or smell, nausea or vomiting and Diarrhea.
When in doubt call your pediatrician.
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Our 2021 SRS Auction planning is back on and scheduled for the last weekend in February. SRS is counting on us to make the auction our biggest fundraiser, and we need your help to make the event a success. There are many ways in which you can help, but the most pressing is by donating items for the auction! ALL donations are welcome and very much appreciated! Below are a few suggestions for ways you can contribute:
Organize a donation from your student’s class or grade! In the past, room parents and teachers have helped students create a piece of art or item to be auctioned off. Given that we do not have room parents this year, we are hoping parents from each grade will be interested in helping to manage these projects. You have the freedom to make whatever you want! If you’re interested in taking the lead or helping with your child’s grade, please let us know by emailing hsasrs.stritaschool@gmail.com
Experiences: Do you have an Airbnb in a cool location? Work someplace interesting that charges admission? Have season tickets and willing to part with one night’s entrance? We would love to auction off fun and unique experiences; any ideas are great!
Gift Cards: We love gift card donations! Depending on the venue and the value, we can auction these off individually or as part of a basket, so any place/value is helpful.
In-Kind Donations: Ask your kids’ swim instructors, check with your hair stylist, donate your own professional services, or stop in local, favorite businesses to solicit support for SRS! Alternatively, maybe you have a new, unused item or even a valued vintage piece with which you’re willing to part? Anything and everything is welcome!
Sign-up Parties: Support the Auction by hosting one of these fun events! Think of a neat (virtual or socially distanced) idea for a party. Tell us what you’d like to do, where and when you’d like to host, and how many people you’re willing to entertain. On the night of the Auction, guests can sign up for your party, and all of the money pledged will go to St. Rita School.
Let us know if you have questions or if you have an item/experience to donate! Email us at hsasrs.stritaschool@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your help!
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HELP US EARN CASH AND SUPPLIES THROUGH FREE REWARDS PROGRAMS!
Each year, St. Rita participates in several rewards programs. Local grocery stores (and Amazon!) allow you (the shopper) to identify St. Rita as the school you’d like to support; every time you shop, we get a percentage of the sale in the form of points (that can be used for school supplies) or cash. Last year we earned over $1600 through Stop&Shop’s program and over 150,000 points through ShopRite! We have big goals this year, and we need your help to achieve them. Please click on the links below to register your store cards, and ask your local family and friends to do the same!
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Planning to order Christmas cards or photo
gifts this holiday season? Shop through our Shutterfly Storefront, and SRS will earn an 8% commission! It may not sound like much,
but there’s no extra fee for you, and every
$1 makes a difference for our school.
Click here to shop Shutterfly via our StoreFront.
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Visit amazonsmile.com, and anytime you purchase an eligible item, Amazon will
donate a portion of the profit to our school! Select “Divine Mercy Parish
Corporation” as your charity, and St. Rita School will benefit every time you shop.
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Link your Stop & Shop Card to St. Rita School, and we’ll earn
CASH when you
buy groceries! Click here and use School ID: 06434.
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!! |
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Winter Sports Season -- The AIAC has cancelled the interscholastic sports season so we will be unable to have basketball teams this year. We are looking forward to having spring sports for our students pending AIAC approval. We will have more information in late March |
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Remember all those who are suffering or have lost a loved-one during this pandemic. |
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Please pray for all of the deceased members of our
St. Rita School community.
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Click HERE to access the Weekly Health Screening Questionnaire
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St. Rita School
1601 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, CT 06517
Phone: (203) 248.3114
Fax: (203) 248.1016
www.stritaschool.org
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