March 10, 2023 Volume IX, No. 26 |
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From The Desk Of The Principal |
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Greetings!
Next Friday there will be no school for the students due to March Parent/Teacher conferences. Unlike the first conference, where the first quarter report card is reviewed, this conference focuses on the growth the child has made thus far this year, and identifies areas of growth to be addressed in the future. It is recommended for this conference that the students (Grades 3-8) attend as well. Their attendance at this growth conference will help to promote individual accountability and allows everyone to be on the same page.
Our students had the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Penance this week and we thank the many area priests who came to hear the students' confessions. We also prayed our second week of the Stations of the Cross and were led by our 6th grade students. Lent provides an opportunity for us to set aside some time for reflection and to prepare ourselves for Easter. Participating in confession and praying the Stations of the Cross are two ways we can help to prepare ourselves.
We also want to extend an invitation to the community to attend our "Living Stations of the Cross" which will be held on April 5th at 1:30 p.m. and repeated at 6 p.m. in the evening. This re-enactment of Jesus's passion and death on the cross is superbly done by our 8th grade students and you won't want to miss it.
And lastly - don't forget to "spring ahead" with your clocks this weekend!
Peace and God's blessings.
Ms. Ann E. Dougal
Principal
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Please Make Note Of These
Upcoming Events
Tuesday and Wednesday, March 14 &15 5:30-6:30 p.m.
U6 & U8 Soccer sign ups- SMA Gymnasium
Thursday, March 16, 2023 1:30 p.m.
Kindergarten Grandparent event
Friday, March 17, 2023
NO SCHOOL- Parent teacher conferences
Friday, March 31, 2023
Registration Materials Due for the 2023-24 Year
Mark Your Calendars!
Living Stations of the Cross
April 5th at 1:30 and 6 p.m.
Holy Cross Church
All Are Invited!
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Attention All Parents
Important Tuition Assistance Information!
IMPORTANT and NEW this year!
All tuition assistance applications for the 2023-24 academic year MUST be filed by June 30th for BOTH SMA Assistance and Diocesan Assistance. Applications are currently open! The same application is used for both avenues of assistance and should be submitted ASAP. Assistance for returning students will NOT be awarded after the June deadline.
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From The Classroom of Mrs. Morrill - Gr. 3 |
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Exploring the Wild World of Writing
In Grade Three, we have been learning about types of expository nonfiction. Using animals as a topic, we examined the various ways authors choose to present factual information. After a couple weeks of looking at many examples, students picked an animal to research. They took notes and wrote rough drafts, working through the editing process to make their best product.
Since there were so many different ways to share the information, we added another! Students created pyramid displays with their research on the back. They used what they learned to create a suitable habitat for their organism and a pop-up animal to live in it. This was a great study to prepare for our upcoming field trip to the Springfield Science Museum, where we will continue learning about animals.
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We have also started participating in “The Great Mail Race,” where third graders across the United States trade letters about their school and life, trying to complete a collection of letters from every state. We were invited to join the race by a class from St. Joseph Parish School in Hawai’i. Everyone is excited to learn more about schools in our country as the letters return to us in the coming weeks! |
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Thank You Mr. Garcia!
Thank you to the Garcia family and Domino's Pizza for generously donating pizzas to the 1A classroom. 1A received this special treat for being the classroom that raised the most money for the Walk-a-Thon. We greatly appreciate the ongoing generosity and support from the Garcia family!
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Students Excelling In Violin Program
We throw out a big pat on the back to our 2nd grade students who have been learning the violin. The violin program is brought to SMA through The Community Music School of Western Mass and made possible by Mass Cultural Council STARS Residency Grant..
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Parent/Teacher Conferences |
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Mark Your Calendars!
FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2023 there will be NO SCHOOL and we will have our second round of Parent/Teacher conferences. Please make sure to sign and return your scheduled conference form as soon as possible.
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Did You Know SMA Has A Student
Banking Program?
Did you know that Freedom Credit Union comes to St. Michael's Academy every Thursday? They provide a banking program for our students to help teach them the importance of saving money! If your child is not taking advantage of the program, encourage them to start saving!
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Our 6th grade students led us in the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross, commemorate Jesus's passion and death on the cross. Each station depicts a moment on his journey to Calvary.
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SMA Basketball Highlights |
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3rd and 4th Grade Girls Win!
On Monday, March 4th, the 3rd and 4th grade SMA Girls' Basketball Team prevailed over Wilshire in their playoff game, with a final score of 20-4! They're headed to the finals on Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Boys and Girls Club of Holyoke, where they'll play against Southwick.
Please join us in wishing the girls the best of luck in their Championship Game!
Let's Go SMA!
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WOW - 7th and 8th Grade Girls Win
In Overtime!
Hooray for the SMA 7th and 8th Grade Girls Basketball Team who took one step closer to winning their CYO bracket tournament! The girls pulled off an OVERTIME victory against the St. Patrick's team from South Hadley with a 30-28 win! Believe it or not, they will need to play St. Patrick's again this Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club to be the bracket champs!
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Soccer Sign-Ups!
St. Michael's Academy will be holding Soccer Sign-ups on March 14 & 15th from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the gymnasium for U6 & U8 spring teams. U6 will take players beginning at 4 1/2 years old. The cost is $65 and includes uniform shirts.
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4th Grade Student Invited To Speak At Public School
We are proud of St. Michael's Academy 4th Grade student, Zaiden, who was invited to speak at Brightwood Elementary School in Springfield. Zaiden wrote and published his own book entitled, The Adventures of Zaiden and his Friends.
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Symposium on Pastoral Response to Addiction to be held at Elms College March 11th
CHICOPEE – An all-day free symposium on the pastoral response to addiction will be held Saturday, March 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee. The program, “Addiction in a post-COVID world: A Pastoral Response,” will feature talks by experts in the field and a personal testimony by Scott Weeman, the founder of Catholics in Recovery, a non-profit based in California which supports parishes and communities. Weeman found healing through a12-step program and his Catholic faith.
This is an event to inform the public of the nature of addiction, the problem that we face in western Massachusetts and how people can help support those suffering with addiction. This event is an opportunity for people to learn about the nature of addiction, and most importantly, that it is all around us and together we have a better opportunity to help those that need us most.
Dr. Wayne Gavryk, M.D., who is board certified in addiction medicine and is affiliated with Baystate Franklin Hospital, will also be a keynote speaker.
The symposium is sponsored by the Diocese of Springfield and the College of Our Lady of the Elms and is open to parish and school staff; catechists; youth ministry leaders; parishioners; parents and all interested in learning about the hope of recovery. The day will conclude with a 4 p.m. Mass at the college chapel.
While there is no charge for the event, people are encouraged to contact Labbe to ensure a seat at c.labbe@diopsringfield.org or by calling (413) 452-0841.
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Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
I have called you friends.
John 15:15
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel invites you to:
"Evening of Reflection in Lent"
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
OL Mt. Carmel Church and Center
123 William St., Springfield
6:30 p.m. Confessions
7 p.m. Mass
7:40 p.m., Guest Speaker
Dr. Heidi Miller: Adult Friendship
No cost, all are welcome.
Refreshments to Follow
Heidi Miller, Ph.D., will consider these topics: What needs do we have for friends? How can people best function for others? How can we make good decisions about others?
Dr. Miller interned at Yale Med Center, and received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kansas in 1985. Prior to her 34-year private practice in Springfield, she was the chief psychologist at Baystate Medical Center.
Cosponsored by the Women’s Guild and
The Spiritual Life Committee.
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"Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious."
–St. Thomas Aquinas
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St. Michael the Archangel,
Pray for us!
We pray for our brothers and sisters across our nation and across the world. May God give everyone strength during these especially stressful times.
We pray in a special way for all of our families and friends in need.
We pray for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and surrounding areas who are experiencing the pain and disruption of war. May God protect them.
We pray for the people of Turkey and Syria who have experienced such devastating earthquakes. May God help them.
We pray 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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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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