SMA Newsletter • March 9, 2023
Mission Statement
St. Martin of Tours Academy fosters confidence, curiosity, and independence through a climate of cooperation and trust by preserving dignity throughout the learning process, accentuating all children’s God-given gifts in a Catholic environment.
Dear St. Martin Community,

SMA's Lenten journey continued with a special presentation by performer Mark Price as Simon Peter this week. Simon Peter shared stories such as the miracle of plentiful fish filling the downtrodden fishermen's nets simply by listening to where and how Jesus instructed them to cast their nets. Please join us this Sunday at 9 am for our school-sponsored Mass and 2nd grade bake sale. I hope to see many of our families there!

We are very proud of our students who spent Saturday at Saint Augustine H.S. competing in the Academic Decathlon. They were recognized on Monday morning at the assembly. On top of all their regular school work and after school activities, they studied their particular subject area diligently to prepare for this competition.

You may notice work being done on campus in our 7th and 8th grade classrooms. Ever since the overhang was removed in 2018 to make way for new windows, that front facing wall has been taking a beating during our rare heavy winter rain storms. Years of storms have led us to the point of contacting the construction company to make necessary repairs due to recent water intrusion. In addition, our faculty lounge was flooded on New Year's Day. We will be temporarily moving the lounge off the library to allow space for staff to relax and eat lunch. Once new flooring is installed, we will get everything back to normal. We thank all our faculty and staff for their flexibility during this less than desirable timing.

St. Patrick's Day is quickly approaching. Students can wear a GREEN top next Friday, 3/17 with a minimum $1 donation. Proceeds go to the Holy Childhood Association. We will be entertained by Irish dancers in the hall at 8 am. Please arrive to school on time for the brief walk to the hall. Parents are welcome!

Lenten Blessings,
Jennifer Miller, Principal
SIGN UP NOW FOR CONFERENCES
Conferences are Wednesday, 3/15, Thursday, 3/16 and Friday, 3/17. School is dismissed at noon. Student-led conferences are 15 minutes in length. All families should take advantage of this precious time to learn about their child's progress and ask questions.

Signup NOW for your family conference through SchoolSpeak.com
Scholastic Book Fair during Conferences.
Hello SMA Families: Our tradition of having Scholastic Book Fairs is back. We will be set up during the week of conferences. Please stop by the library between 12:00 and 3:00 Wednesday through Friday and check out all the new and fascinating books your children love. Your child’s teacher/s also have filled out a wish list for their respective classroom libraries. The library will take cash, check or credit card.  Hope to see you all there….Mrs. Malecek, Librarian
Re-Registration 2023-2024 -
Last Day to Register 3/31/23
Click HERE to register your child(ren) for the 2023-2024 school year. Registration is through SchoolSpeak.com. Registration is $400 per child. Please complete your child's registration by Friday, March 31st. This is also the final day to apply for financial aid.
Syria/Turkey Earthquake Relief Fundraiser
Wednesday through Friday, Student Council will be selling mood color-changing pencils and motivational stickers from 1-3 pm for $1 each (while supplies last).
32nd Annual Walkathon
Time to place order for LUNCH!
The Walkathon is 2 weeks away! On March 23, we will walk the track - Olympic style. Each class will be representing a country. Below are some new incentives to get closer to reaching our goals.

THE LUNCH BOX will be supplying the lunches for the Walkathon. Choose turkey, tuna or vegetarian. Cost is $7.50. It will be a half sandwich with with lettuce, tomato, mayo and mustard. Lunch will come with a cookie, chips and drink. ORDER by MARCH 15TH to guarantee your lunch.
BONUSES
-If our kids raise $25,000, Principal Miller will kiss a horse!
-If our kids raise $30,000, our school will host a dance party with bubbles during recess.
-If our kids raise $35,000, the PTG will rent a shaved ice truck for a treat for the kids on a day featuring free dress for all!
-If our kids raise $40,000, Principal Miller will dye her hair for the day and the color will be selected for her by the top-earning class. (Thank you, Principal Miller, for being so game!)

99Pledges is an easy and exciting way to raise money for our Walkathon. The letter invites friends and family to sponsor them in the walk for SMA. Each student is asked to raise at least $50 to earn a free Walkathon shirt.

We are fundraising for a digital marquee for the front of the school to keep everyone up-to-date on the fabulous things going on at SMA, shaded basketball/volleyball courts, and a new and improved field (turf).
Students have raised $21,247.00 as of March 9, 2023!
$4,094 Team 8th Grade
$3,908 Team 2nd Grade
$2,550 Team 5th Grade
$2,105 Team Kindergarten
$1,815 Team 3rd Grade
$1,600 Team 1st Grade
$1,565 Team 7th Grade
$1,370 Team 6th Grade
$1,181 Team Preschool
$1,059 Team 5th Grade
Thank You Sponsors!
Thank You Family Sponsors!
Hedberg Family
Pozniak Family
Sumner Family
McCarthy Family
Rager Family
Suzuki Family
Mesnik Family
Shafer Family
Registration is open for track
through 3/10 ($20)

Sign up on SchoolSpeak. Track practice is every Tuesday from 2:45pm - 4PM. Thank you to coaches, Jeff Galford, Peter Connolly, and Dennis Crowley for volunteering. The track & field event will be held at Cathedral Catholic High School most likely at the end of March. Date TBD.
Academy & Preschool Summer Camp!
St. Martin of Tours parish and academy children are invited to participate in SMA’s summer camp. Deadline to register is May 1, 2023. 

Sign up on SchoolSpeak.com.
Login and look for QuickLinks on the left side - Summer Camp
REMINDERS
PLEASE HELP - Lunch Volunteers Needed!
Please consider supervising for lunch from 10:50 to 11:45 am any day, Monday through Thursday. When we don't have enough volunteers, the teachers do not always get a break for their lunch. Sign up on SchoolSpeak! Thank you to those of you who come each week.
After School Parking - Important
Do not park in the designated parish parking spaces in front of the parish office at any time. These spaces are for parishioners and parish staff. Park by the parish hall or in the school parking lot.
School closed tomorrow, Friday 3/10
Conferences: 3/15, 16, 17 - Minimum Days -Spartan Care open until 6pm.
Yoga class runs from 3/7 to May 16th. Fee will be prorated if your child would like to join the class in the Peace Garden. Click HERE to enroll.
Campus Highlights
First grade students observed the sky and colored what they saw as part of our Astronomy unit.
3rd Grade created state paintings inspired by artist Jasper Johns.
6th grade students learned about various people, past and present, that practiced non-violent resistance, such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malala Yousafzai. They chose a person who protested something they were passionate about in a way that did not harm others. The students had the option to present their biography in whatever way they preferred, such as an essay, poster board, or slideshow. 
† Prayer Requests

Please keep Trinidad Kenny, grandmother to John (7) and Ben (5) Russell, Carol James, grandmother to Jillian Crockett (7), Maria Louisa Santiago, grandmother to Bert Meza, Jerry Crouch, brother in law to Joni Malecek, in your prayers for healing.
St. Martin of Tours Parish
There are several opportunities to enhance your Lenten journey at the parish.

Lenten presentation, fish dinner and Stations of the Cross every every Friday, beginning at 5pm in the parish hall. Click HERE for parish schedule.

Visit of the relics of the Passion 3/16 - church
Best Lent Ever - "Discover the REAL You!"
Sign up online for daily inspirational videos from Dynamic Catholic.

St. Martin of Tours Academy