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St. Mark School
A National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
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St. Mark School is a Christ-centered learning environment that teaches Gospel values and fosters academic excellence. Aware of the dignity and uniqueness of all students, we are committed to the spiritual, intellectual, moral, social, and physical development of each child.
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Dear St. Mark Families,
I'm happy to share with you that our January Open House was an overwhelming success! Thirty families visited our school and all were impressed with our welcoming community and what our school has to offer. I'd like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to everyone who made the day possible, including our St. Mark School Marketing Committee, our entire faculty and staff, our parent and student ambassadors, and School Advisory Board Members. Thank you for taking the time to share what makes our school community special with perspective new families.
Yours In Christ,
Melissa Warner
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This week, Grade 6 created down hill skiers in Science class. The hands-on and engaging project is an example of the human-centered design process. Human-centered design
is a creative approach to problem solving consisting of 3 phases: inspiration, ideation, and implementation. Students were given the problem of getting their skier down 1 of 2 ski slopes. They were tasked with designing their skier, testing it, and making adjustments to their design to achieve a successful ski run.
Click on the above video to see Grade 6 and their skiers in action!
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Personalized Learning Information Session Follow Up
I would like to thank those parents and families that took time out of their week to join us on Wednesday, January 22nd, for our Personalized Learning Information session. I hope those in attendance found the session informative, and your questions answered.
If you were unable to join us, please
click here for more information about what personalized learning is, and how it relates to classroom instruction at St. Mark School.
PowerPoint presentation by Stacy Clements, Personalized Learning Coach, can be
viewed here.
If you have questions about the presentation, or would like to follow up with Ms. Clements, her contact information is:
Stacy Clements
Personalized Learning Coach
Tel: (203) 416-1378
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This week, students in second grade read
Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday
by Judith Viorst. A story about a boy named Alexander, who loves money, but can't seem to save it.
During Math, students in personalized learning groups figured out how much money they had by counting up all the coins. The students enjoyed being able to take their reading book and use it during math money unit.
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Fire Prevention Poster Contest Winner
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Congratulations to Molly Kery, in Ms. Mahar's 5th Grade Art Class! Molly's original artwork has been chosen by Stratford's local Fire Marshall representative as the grade 5 entry into the Fairfield County Fire Prevention Poster Contest. If selected, Molly's poster will move onto the state competition in February.
The purpose of the Fire Prevention Poster contest is to make school children and their families aware that preventing fires requires everyone being alert everyday to those acts, omissions, and dangers which cause fires, and to develop an interest in fire prevention/fire safety through a poster recognition program for the fourth and fifth grade students, and to promote a joint education effort between schools and the fire services.
The annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest is a cooperative effort of the office of the State Fire Marshal, Connecticut Department of Education, Connecticut Fire Marshal’s Association, Connecticut Fire Chief’s Association, and the Connecticut FAIR Plan, which represents the Connecticut Insurance Industry.
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New Faculty
With new students to our Preschool program, we welcome Ms. Amelia Justo as a new faculty member to our school community. Ms. Justo is a graduate of Lauralton Hall and Sacred Heart University. She is currently taking coursework at SHU to complete her Master's Degree in Education. She will be working with Mrs. Larracuente, Miss Lisa, and Mrs. Grant, as a preschool aide. Welcome Ms. Justo!
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Catholic Schools Week: Care and Share Day
On Tuesday, January 28th, will be participating in a Care and Share community service project as a part of Catholic Schools Week 2020.
To participate in Care and Share Day in your own way, be sure to check your email inbox for an e-vite to join in St. Mark School's 2019-2020 Annual Fund.
Because of the generosity of our current parents, grandparents, faculty/staff, and board members, students continue to benefit from opportunities to learn, grow, and excel.
To help us reach our goal, please click
here
to visit our school website and give online. Gifts to St. Mark School are tax deductible to the extent provide by law and are eligible for matched giving.
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The Annual Fund makes a difference in the lives of our students. It's not the size of the gift that matters, it's your participation. Thank you!
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Cold and Flu Season
In an effort to keep our school community healthy, please consider keeping sick students home when cold, flu, or strep throat symptoms appear.
As a reminder to our school policy, students must be free from fever, diarrhea, or vomiting for 24 hours before they can return to school.
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Catholic Schools Week
January 26th-February 1st
National Catholic Schools Week (CSW) is an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States.
This year’s theme is
Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.
This theme encompasses the core products and values that can be found at St. Mark School and in Catholic schools across the country. Not only are we teaching students to become future servant leaders, faith-filled disciples and enriched citizens in our communities, we, as educators, are growing with them. In Catholic schools, we are all learners, servants and leaders.
At St. Mark School we will be celebrating our students, faculty and staff, parish, and community through a variety of special events, service projects, and fun!
Schedule of events:
Sunday, January 26th: Open House, 10am-1pm
Monday, January 27th: Silly Sock/Silly Hat Day Wear a silly hat and/or socks. Donate a warm winter hat or socks to benefit the homeless and less fortunate.
Tuesday, January 28th: Care and Share student service project
Wednesday, January 29th: Student Appreciation Day
Thursday, January 30th: Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day
Friday, January 31st: Color Wars
Friday, January 31st: Grade 8 vs. Faculty Volleyball Game at 1pm
Friday, January 31st: PJ Party, 6:30-9pm, Grades PreK-5
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A great big, THANK YOU to those who helped promote our Open House by posting a sign!
Please return your lawn sign with your child or return it to the Main Office and consider exchanging it for a St. Mark Pride sign, that can be displayed year round!
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Special thanks to all the families that promoted our Open House on social media. It was so great to see all the smiling faces of our students on the school's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feed!
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Bishop's Scholarship Fund
Bishop’s Scholarship Fund (BSF) provides tuition assistance to help families afford a Catholic Education.
Applications Open Feb 1st!
All families with students in next year's grades Kindergarten-Grade 8 are eligible to apply.
Families with multiple children registered in a Catholic School are automatically awarded a scholarship, regardless of income.
Families apply online via FACTS Grant & Aid, making certain to complete all questions regarding BSF, submit supporting documentation and the $30 FACTS processing fee.
Application requires the entire 2018 IRS Federal tax return along with 2019 W2s. If applicants do not receive W-2s, then they must submit 2019 tax return.
- Deadline to apply - March 15 for current families; April 15 for new families
- Award notifications - Early May for current families; Late May for new families
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St. Joseph High School Merit Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations to students from St. Mark School's Class of 2020 for being recognized for their outstanding scholastic achievements, including academic credentials and entrance exam performance, by St. Joseph High School.
Nikolas Nemergut
Jessamyn Ramonas
Julia Lacasse
Nikolas, Jessamyn, and Julia have been awarded a combined $44,000 in Merit Scholarship monies over 4 years to St. Joseph High School. Congratulations!
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Catholic Schools Week Essay Contest Winners
It has been a tradition at St. Mark to invite students to share what they love and appreciate about Catholic Education and St. Mark School with parishioners at Mass during the weekend of Catholic Schools Week.
Congratulations to the following students as being selected to read their essays during Mass on Saturday and Sunday, January 27th and 28th.
Bennett Aloi, Grade 1
Madeline Festa, Grade 3
Christopher Fomato, Grade 7
Caiden Flaig, Grade 8
Ceira Gallagher, Grade 8
The top 3 best written works from grades 1-8 have been printed in a booklet to be sent home to all of our families next week, 1 per family.
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Thank you to members of St. Mark Father's Club for lending their time and tool boxes to assemble additional furniture for our Innovation Zone. Volunteers assembled a storage unit and cubbie shelf. They added to our Lego Wall, and contributed their handiwork to make repairs to the boys and girls bathrooms.
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Please visit our school website regularly at
www.stmarkschool.org
. Important school updates including copies of notices, newsletters, HSA links, and school calendars can all be accessed on the website.
Please also visit our social media pages for updates on our school community.
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January 26th: Open House, 10am-1pm
January 26th: February 1st: Catholic Schools Week
January 27th: Silly Sock/Silly Hat Day Wear a silly hat and/or socks. Donate a warm winter hat or socks to benefit the homeless and less fortunate.
January 28th: Care and Share student service project
January 29th: Student Appreciation Day
January 30th: Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day
January 31st: Color Wars
January 31st: Grade 8 vs. Faculty Volleyball Game
January 31st: PJ Party, 6:30-9pm, Grades PreK-5
February 3rd: Father's Club Meeting, 8pm
February 7th: First Friday Mass
February 11th: HSA Meeting, 7pm
February 13th: Dress Down Day $1 (rescheduled from January)
February 14th: No School
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A fun time was had by all our families who attended Game Night to kick off Winter Weekend 2020. Thank you to our St. Mark Father's Club and Pete Baird, event chairperson for hosting this event!
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500 Wigwam Lane, Stratford, CT 06614
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A good school provides a rounded education for the whole person. And a good Catholic school, over and above this, should help all its students to become saints.
Pope Benedict XIV
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