Please remember Monday, September 14th is a full day of school. Dismissal is at 2:10pm. Please click here to download St. Mark School's Emergency Contact Form and send it to school with your child, if you have not done so already.

Attached here are Diocese of Bridgeport Reopening FAQ's that can be found on the Diocese of Bridgeport Catholic Schools' web page. As cases or exposures of COVID19 begin to pop up, the State of Connecticut has given specific guidance that will be followed in concert with the Stratford Health Department. Further information on how the Stratford Health Department will conduct contact tracing, in partnership with our school nurse, can be found here. If you have specific questions about the Stratford Health Department or State guidance, please email nurse Wendy Frate at fratew@stratk12.org.

If you have any COVID related questions, you can also reach out to our COVID Response Team at covidresponse@stmarkschool.org.

I realize the line of cars to drop off in front of the school building in the morning was especially long last week, and the heavy rain did not help matters on Thursday.

I'd like to thank our parent volunteers who helped keep the flow of cars moving, as well safely crossing our K-2 students from the Goodbye Zone. Their assistance helped to cut down on some of the wait time on Friday.

After observing the flow of traffic over the first 3 days, we ask that the following adjustments be made in order to keep the line of cars moving as efficiently as possible:

Please bare in mind, rainy days will slightly delay these procedures. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work together to streamline our drop off procedures.

As Catholic schools open in the era of COVID-19, MyCatholicDoctor can provide an additional level of support to keep students and faculty safe and prevent the spread of illness.

The registration process is a simple one, and the information provided is stored in a secure electronic health record system that is only used by MyCatholicDoctor for student care. Please click here for more information.

This year more than ever, it is important to label all supplies including scissors, glue, folders and crayons. Don’t forget to also label sweaters, sweatshirts, jackets, lunch boxes, water bottles and anything else sent to school.

Please speak to your children about the importance of bringing everything home at dismissal. Once students are dismissed from the building, they will not be permitted back into the classrooms. I have instructed the classroom teachers to give a little extra time for packing up at dismissal to help get the students back into routine.

Be sure your child can tie their own shoes. For the safety of all, teachers will be unable to tie shoe laces like in past years. Velcro and slip on shoes will prevent students from touching laces that have been in high traffic areas such as the restroom floors.

As a reminder, the 2020 Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge is coming to an end. All completed Summer Reading Journals for students in Grades 1-8 should be turned in to their classroom teacher by Friday, September 18.

Participants will be acknowledged in the first quarter of the school year. The class that returns the highest percentage of their Reading Journals will receive special recognition. Furthermore, certificates will be awarded to schools with the highest books-per-student count and highest participation. Winning schools will be recognized in a special ceremony by the Governor's Office.

For Parish information, visit: https://www.saintmarkchurchstratford.org/

For important information and updates on COVID-19, visit the

Diocese of Bridgeport Catholic Schools website

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.