Principal's Newsletter
October 26, 2018
Dear School of St. Mary Parents,

In honor of Red Ribbon Week, Andy Duran from LEAD held a Q & A for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. LEAD is an organization based in Lake Forest that focuses on helping teens build healthy relationships and find alternatives to using drugs and alcohol. Andy Duran, who is now the Executive Director of LEAD, used to be our Youth Minister. His presentation focused on bringing awareness to the harmful effect of drugs and alcohol. He also encouraged students to ask questions they have about drugs and alcohol. Our students had so many questions that we hope to have Andy Duran come back to School of St. Mary for another Q & A this year!
In addition, we have asked students to sign a pledge to stay drug free and encourage their friends to do the same. It was great to see how many students participated in taking the pledge. We hope the students enjoyed Red Ribbon Week here at School of St. Mary!
We will celebrate Halloween at both campuses on Wednesday October 31st.  Please take note of our Halloween costume guidelines.  Wearing costumes is optional; students do not have to participate if they do not want to.  The following guidelines are designed to help you select appropriate Halloween costumes for your child.  These guidelines are in place to make sure everyone has a safe day at school.  Students whose costumes are inappropriate will be told to call home for a change of clothes and will not be permitted to wear their costume that day.  We thank you in advance for your cooperation!

  • Our Halloween activities are meant to be fun and safe activities,
  • All costumes must meet dress code guidelines as specified in the Parent-Student Handbook (length of skirts, under-garments showing, bare midriffs, etc.)
  • Students are not allowed to wear a mask. This is a safety issue because when students are wearing this, the staff cannot always identify the student.
  • Students must be able to sit in their regular seats and participate in all school activities while wearing their costumes.  Costumes that prevent them from fully participating in school are not permitted.
  • Costumes that depict extreme violence or gore are not permitted.  This includes the use of fake blood, wounds, etc.  Some of the more gruesome costumes are particularly frightening to our younger students.
  • NO TOY WEAPONS OF ANY SORT ALLOWED AT SCHOOL. While weapons are often popular accessories on Halloween, at school they are not allowed. Additionally, when toy weapons are brought to schools, they often are a source of conflict as students often wish to handle and play with the toy weapon in a manner that is inappropriate for a school
  • Skateboards, roller blades, scooters, etc. are not appropriate for any costume.

Dave Wieters
Principal


     
 
     

Parents Association Update
The parents of the third grade, along with Fr. Augustine,
Fr. Nacius, Kathy Thompson and the third grade teachers enjoyed a fun night at the Winter Club  of Lake Forest on October  13. There were some competitive games of paddle  while others enjoyed a cozy atmosphere inside the paddle hut. We had a great  turnout and a lot of laughs! A fun time was had by all!

We are also pleased to announce that the new items for our S.T.E.A.M. lab have been purchased and we will keep you updated on when they arrive. 

If you would like to help support the school you can make a donation to the Annual Fund by clicking here. 
Basketball Socks from Crusader Wear
As we are preparing for the new basketball season at SOSM, please remember we have basketball socks IN STOCK through Crusader Wear!
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They come in dark blue or a lighter blue and read SMS on the side. The sizes are intermediate or adult. Please contact Carlotta Plotner if you would like to purchase a pair for $15.00 by clicking here. 
Blessings Recieved and Shared in Faith
How have you and/or your family felt blessed by our church community? What are you most grateful for in your life? Please share your answers to these questions and share them with Lore Nugent our Pastoral Associate and Fr. Mark our Associate Pastor. We look forward to including these in our  Thanksgiving Mass on November 22 nd !  Please drop off at the Parish Office or email lnugent@churchofstmary.org or maugustine@churchofstmary.org your blessing by Wednesday, November 21.
Hot Lunch Orders
Please make sure you are placing your orders for hot lunch by clicking here.  We are happy to again be working with such a great organization to bring our students hot lunches, for more information on this great program please read this story from the AP about how they are changing school lunches. 

Support School of St. Mary with 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. 

 

Upper Grade Center Book Fair
School of St. Mary Sacrament Schedule
Newspaper Collection Drive
Community Events and resources for School of St. Mary Families
Lake Forest / Lake Bluff Learning Differences Association (LDA)

The Lake Forest / Lake Bluff Learning Differences Association (LDA) met on September 26, and invites you to join us for our monthly meetings.  We regularly meet on the last Wednesday of every month at the West Campus of Lake Forest High School from 9:30-10:45.   All parents are welcome to come learn about the many resources, trends and issues our students with learning challenges experience.  It is a friendly group that talks with District / school administrators, hears about grant and financial updates and provides support for families.  We meet on the second floor of the West Campus of Lake Forest High School on the following days this year: October 31, November 28, January 30, February 27, April 24, and May 29. 
You Matter-Blessing Bags

You can help people who find themselves in need either from a natural disaster or a result of personal challenges. The kind words "You Matter" can make a big difference. Please help School of St. Mary 3 rd 
grade Brownie troop (45283) to collect items for Blessing Bags. The troop will assemble them and get them to those in need. Below you will find a list of items we are collecting from November 1 through November 30.

Baby Wipes
Band -Aids                                                          
Brush, comb, elastic bands
Deodorant
Face and body care-travel size
First Aid Kit (travel size)
Lip balm
Mylar Survival Blanket
Shampoo-conditioner (travel size)
Soap                                                                                                       
Toothbrush/Toothpaste/floss
Hand warmers "hot hands"
Socks
Gloves
Scarf
Wash cloth 
Winter hats
-Gift Cards for McDonalds, Wendy's or easily located fast food.

Please drop off your donations at the Upper Grade Center box, the Primary Grade Center box or the box located at the Church of St. Mary. All donations  matter! Let's warm up some hearts together! 

Prospective students and their families are encouraged to attend Carmel Catholic High School's annual Open House. Learn more about our current offerings as you tour our campus and meet our faculty, staff, school administrators, and current students. Discover Carmel Catholic's unique high school experience, including programs that support academic, social, and spiritual growth.

Free giveaways, free food, and so much to explore. All are welcome. Register your family at carmelhs.org/openhouse.

School of St. Mary Calendar
October 27 - November 9
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Sunday, October 28, 2018
  • 7th Graders attend 10:00am Mass @ St. Mary Catholic Church
Monday, October 29, 2018
  • Book fair @ UGC Multipurpose Room from 8:45am to 1:30pm
  • 6th Grade Volleyball @ St. Norbert @ 6:00pm
  • 8th Grade Volleyball @ St. Norbert @ 7:00pm
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
  • Book fair @ UGC Multipurpose Room from 8:45am to 1:30pm
  • Woodlands Academy 8th Grade Shadow Day
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
  • Book fair @ UGC Multipurpose Room from 8:45am to 1:30pm
  • Halloween Parade @ PGC @ 1:15pm followed by parties @ 1:45pm
  • Halloween Parade @ UGC @ 2: 15pm followed by parties @ 2:45 pm
Thursday, November 1, 2018 - All Saints Day
  • All School Mass @ 10:00am @ St. Mary Catholic Church 
Friday November 2, 2018
  • Regina Dominican 8th Grade Shadow Day
Sunday November 4, 2018
  • Carmel Catholic High School Open House 
Monday November 5, 2018
  • 2nd Grade Candle Service @ 7:00pm @ St. Mary Catholic Church
Tuesday November 6, 2018
  • UGC Mass @ 9:00am @ St. Mary Catholic Church
Wednesday November 7, 2018
  • PGC Mass @ 9:00am @ St. Patrick Catholic Church
Thursday November 8, 2018
  • Early Dismissal Day
  • Parent Teacher Conferences @ 3:30pm - 8:00pm
Friday November 9, 2018
  • No School
  • Parent Teacher Conferences @ 8:00am- 12:00pm
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