April 13, 2021

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.

From the Desk of Mrs. Tiezzi

Dear St. Rita Parents,

Happy Easter!! I hope you all had a glorious and blessed Easter celebration with your family, and a relaxing spring break as well. Despite being closed for the past week there were many projects undertaken during vacation. The front planter boxes were cleaned and beautified courtesy of Mrs. Palma and her daughter, Charlotte. The statute of the Blessed Mother and legacy walkway, which was originally on the St. Stephen’s campus, was relocated to the hillside outside the gym. This space is an extension of our outdoor classroom and is also a prayer garden, a place where students, teachers and families can sit and pray to the Blessed Mother. Please be respectful of this sacred space. And finally, in order to be more energy efficient we are currently upgrading our interior and exterior lighting with LED and motion sensitive fixtures.

Your re-registration paperwork and deposit fee are now due. The deposit must be paid by cash or check at the time of your re-registration. It is very important that you send in your registration this week in order to guarantee your child’s spot for the 2021-2022 school year. This Saturday we will continue screening students who have applied for admission to St. Rita for the upcoming school year. This past year we capped class size due to COVID and may need to do so again this coming year. Please understand that priority will be given to our current families. However, now that the re-registration deadline has passed, new students will be offered acceptance. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

IOWA Testing for students in grades 3 - 7 will be held on Tuesday, April 27, Thursday, April 29, and Wednesday, May 5. All students in grades 3 - 7, whether remote or in-person learners, are expected to participate. Remote parents have already been notified regarding the specific times and location of the testing. Results of the testing will be sent home to parents at the end of the school year and will be used to help determine programming for our students.

Registration for our summer academic program is currently underway. The academic program is open to students entering grades 1-8 and will run for the month of July. You may sign your child up for any of the weeks and have your child receive small group instruction in the areas of math, reading and writing. The cost of this program is much less expensive than hiring a private tutor for your child. Your child’s program will be geared toward his/her current academic level. Remedial and/or enrichment opportunities will be provided. Help prevent the summer slide by giving your child this amazing opportunity. Click HERE to download the Academic Program flyer. Click HERE to download the registration materials.

Please be advised that our Art teacher, Mr. Kendall Shanklin, is currently on leave of absence for the foreseeable future. Retired St. Rita teachers, Mrs. Patty Landino and Mrs. Kathy Halloran, as well as past SR parent and current substitute teacher, Mrs. Suzanne Hamling, will be covering the various art classes. Mrs. Landino will teach the Wednesday art classes, Mrs. Halloran the Thursday art classes, and Mrs. Hamling the Friday art classes.

Before vacation we had a case of COVID-19 within one of our sixth grade classes which resulted in that class and a number of teachers in quarantine. The child was last in school on Tuesday, March 30 and the proper contact tracing has been completed. I am most appreciative of our parents who are keeping their child/ren home following out-of-state travel and those of you having your child/ren COVID tested before returning to school. Your assistance in helping to keep us all safe and healthy is appreciated.

If your child is currently in grades 5 - 7 and interested in being a part of our Student Council (STUCO), Mrs. Landino hosted an on-line pre-campaign informational meeting today. Students were given a Campaign Guide hand-out and I ask that you take some time to review this hand-out with your child if he/she is interested in running for office. The on-line application (petition form) is due in the school office by 5:30 P.M. this Friday, April 16. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Thank you for entrusting your child/ren to our care. Enjoy the beauty of the Easter season and remember to look for the signs of God’s handiwork and blessings wherever you go! Stay safe and be well.

God Bless,

Mrs. Tiezzi

Principal

Lenten Service Project Update

Many thanks to all our school families for your generosity to our school-wide Lenten Service Project. As you know, we were raising funds in support of the Connecticut Food Bank and the Divine Mercy Parish Food Pantry. Both these programs provide help to food insecure families, including the many children throughout our state who are affected by hunger. We are especially grateful and proud of our St. Rita School students who have donated their own money, including their snack money, toward helping those in need.

To date we have raised $5,186.62.

Again, thank you for your contributions and your continued help with this important and essential project.

We are overwhelmed by your generosity. There is still time to send in your donation if you would still like to make a contribution, please send it in by Friday, April 16.

Lunch

All policies and procedures in the Return to School Plan supersede anything in this handbook until further notice.

Students have the option of bringing their lunch from home or purchasing hot lunch on a monthly basis. All lunch orders will be placed on-line using Hotlunches.net and payment will be made via Paypal. All families must register and create an account to access the hot lunch program. Milk may be purchased on a yearly basis.

Any beverage brought from home must be in unbreakable containers.

Parents should not bring lunches from carry-out restaurants, nor should they schedule delivery of lunches from these restaurants directly to the school.

To lessen the risk of causing an allergic reaction in students with food allergies, students are asked not to share food with anyone.

For students with food allergies, a specific table is provided for eating lunch. Parents/guardians in grades 3-8 may opt to have their child sit at lunch tables that are not specifically designated for students with food related allergies. A form for this option must be requested.

Summer Camp/Enrichment Program Information

Click HERE to download the Summer Camp Flyer

Click HERE to download the

Summer Camp Registration Packet

Click HERE to download the Summer Academic

Program Flyer

Click HERE to download the Summer Academic

Program Registration Packet

Re-enrollment for 2021-2022

Tuition agreements have been sent home with your youngest child or through the mail. Signed agreements, including a $150 deposit per child, are due back to the office by Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

If you are in need of another copy of the tuition agreement, please click HERE to download.

Uniform Reminder

All students should be in proper uniform every day, including footwear, sweatshirts, and hair styles. Summer uniform changeover begins on Monday, May 3, 2021.

Xavier High School

On May 1 at 9 am, Xavier will offer the opportunity for 7^th graders to take the PreHSPT. This test is similar to the test that students take as part of their application to Xavier. By taking the test, students will gain a familiarity with the format, timing, and question types. A detailed score report will be mailed after the test administration to help students understand their areas of strength and weakness. Students who score in the 90^th percentile or higher will earn a $500 scholarship for their freshman year at Xavier. It will be conducted online so students will just need access to a computer with a camera to take it. The testing fee is $10 and registration for it can be done online. Contact Nicholas Grasso, Director of Admissions, nmgrasso@xavierhighschool.org with any questions.

Enrollment Open for New Students

Enrollment for new students for the 2021-2022 school year is now open. Please click here to visit our enrollment page and to download an application, or call Mrs. Bruno, our Admissions Director, if you have any questions. Please spread the word - we have no better ambassadors than our current families.

Nurse's Corner

Dear St. Rita School Community,

We were recently notified that Hamden Public Schools will be following the CDC guidelines for travel and return to school. St. Rita will also be following these guidelines.

There have been many questions surrounding guidelines for travel outside of Connecticut. The State of Connecticut recommends individuals follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines as follows:

If you are eligible, get fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
Wait two weeks after getting your final vaccine dose to travel, as it takes time for your body to build immunity.
Get tested 1-3 days BEFORE you travel. Keep a copy of your test results with you during travel. Do not travel if you test positive.
Get a PCR test (not a rapid-test) 3-5 days AFTER you travel, AND self-quarantine at home for a full 7 days after travel.
Continue to stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel, even if your test is negative.
If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
If you do not get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for a full 10 days after travel.
Wear a mask over your nose and mouth when in public settings.
Masks are required on most forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States. Please keep in mind that when you use public transportation, you may be exposed to a larger number of individuals who may not always practice the appropriate mitigation strategies (distance & mask-wearing).
Be advised, that face shields do not meet the requirement of the CDC order but can be worn so long as a face mask is underneath.
All air passengers coming into the United States, including US citizens, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding a flight to the United States.

Remember to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 while in quarantine, referring to the Daily Health Assessment. If at any time during your quarantine you develop signs and symptoms of COVIS-19, self-isolate (including away from other members of your travel party), contact a healthcare provider, and obtain a PCR test and inform your child’s school.

According to the CDC, travel remains a risk. These recommended actions above are intended to mitigate that risk to protect the health of students, families, and staff and help keep our schools safe for in-person learning.

While it has been a long winter and we all need a break, we need to keep each other safe to keep our school open. I hope the above guidelines can help you and your family enjoy this beautiful spring season. Unfortunately, viruses don’t take breaks, so we need to continue to work together to protect ourselves and others.

Home/School Association

NEW HSA DATES AND INFO BELOW!

Coming Up In April:

· April 29^th: Movie and Popcorn Afternoon! Thanks to our generous Auction donors, EVERY SRS class will have a fun afternoon of movie watching and popcorn munching!

Coming Up In MAY:

· May 1^st: SHRED DAY! Bring your sensitive documents to the St. Rita School parking lot, and you’ll receive a disposal box for $10. We’ll handle the rest! This event is for the community, so please spread the word!

· May 14^th: CASH RAFFLE DRAWING! Check your students’ folders for more details about the First Annual SRS 50/50 Cash Raffle! Tickets are on sale now!

· May 21^st: Family Bingo Night! Join us for an evening of (virtual) family fun! Details will be announced soon; save the date in the meantime!

· May 24^th: SRS Golf Tournament to be held at New Haven Country Club. Please watch your email for details, including sponsorship opportunities and how to register to play. Please note that the Golf Tournament is a community event. We welcome family, friends, and anyone who likes to golf! Also, all sponsorships will not only help tremendously with our fundraising efforts, 60% of any donation via sponsorships will count toward your HSA assessment.

· May 28^th: Pizza Party Lunches! Thanks to our generous Auction donors, EVERY SRS class will be enjoying a pizza party with treats for lunch. This Friday is an half day; teachers will be ending lessons early, and students will finish the day with a yummy lunch. Dismissal will be at the normal ½ day time.

· Plant Sale! Our annual plant sale will take place in early May. Get ready to spruce up your gardens and planters!

Coming Up In JUNE:

· June 2^nd: School-wide Dress Down Day, thanks to our generous Auction donors!

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!

Do you enjoy event planning? Want to be more involved in your school community? Please join us on the HSA Board! If you’re interested in learning more, email us at hsasrs.stritaschool@gmail.com.

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!