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Academics
The Launch of Lion Term
Lion Term classes launched yesterday, May 24. Faculty kicked off the day with a flash mob in the Class of '45 Hall. If you have not seen the video already, you're in for a treat. View it on our SMLions Instagram account, and don't forget to mark your calendars for the Lion Term Exhibition of Learning on June 7!
No St. Mark's Saturdays Classes This Weekend
SM Saturdays classes will NOT meet this Saturday as SM Saturdays have concluded for Spring 2023.
No Classes on Monday, May 29
In observance of Memorial Day, there will be no St. Mark's classes on Monday, May 29. Boarding students are expected to return to their houses by 7:00 p.m. Monday evening in preparation for Lion Term classes on Tuesday. Enjoy the long weekend!
Admission
OVERDUE: FACTS Tuition Management Sign-up for 2023-2024
If you have not already done so, please sign up for FACTS immediately, as the extended May 19 deadline has come and gone! New this year, we are requesting that all families sign up for FACTS regardless of their payment plan choice. The FACTS system is now being used for recording all tuition payments from each family, and enrollment also helps ensure access to your tuition statements. If you have received your countersigned enrollment contract notification email from the Admission Office and have not already done so, please follow the link to FACTS from the checklist item in the Enrollment Portal. You may also view the FACTS FAQ PDF brochure here.
Please note:
- If you wish to pay tuition via wire transfer or check, you still need to set up a FACTS account. Please select "invoice" as your payment option during FACTS setup if you will pay with a wire transfer or by check.
- FACTS sign-up will not be complete until you have completed the "Review and Authorize" step within FACTS.
If you have already sent a tuition payment to the Business Office, please understand that it will not yet appear when you first register for FACTS. The payment can only be applied to the account after you have finished signing up for FACTS for the upcoming year. Please allow a few business days for the payment to be applied.
Athletics
Groton Games this Friday and Saturday
This Friday and Saturday, May 26 and 27, the Lions will once again face the Zebras at home for the final Groton Games of the year! A complete schedule of contests can be found here on our Athletics page.
2023 NEIRA Championships
Congratulations to our boys and girls crew teams for qualifying for the 2023 New England Interscholastic Rowing Association (NEIRA) Championships on Saturday, May 27, at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.! Both teams will be fully represented, as all varsity boats (1-4) qualified for NEIRAs. The heats will begin with the boys 4V boat at 8:27 a.m. and continue throughout the morning. The full schedule can be found here.
Race map and parking information can be found here. Go Lions!
Community and Equity
Weekly Reflection
Mr. DaSilva and Ms. Jones would like to thank the SM community for a school year’s worth of reflection and growth.
We are so proud of the attention, commitment, and appreciation given by this special pride. As we wrap up academic classes for the year and embark on new adventures during Lion Term, we want to remind you of this:
"It is never too late to be who you might have been."~George Eliot
Community Life and Student Engagement
Weekend Activities
Want to know what's happening this weekend? Check out the Weekend Activities Google Doc for on-campus events and trips to off-campus locations.
Planning Ahead for Moving Out
Students and families are encouraged to begin packing up for the end of the year. If your student is traveling home or to a family member’s house over the next two weekends, please encourage them to bring home items such as school supplies, academic clothing, winter gear, and athletic equipment. Prize Day is a busy and exciting day, but parking is limited and move-out can be challenging if students do not plan ahead. Thank you in advance for your support and partnership! As a reminder, students are encouraged to donate unneeded items to the Green Move Out bins. Lost room keys incur a charge of $30 per student, and messy, unpacked rooms incur a charge starting at $200 per student. Please encourage your student to start packing today!
Summer Departure Information and Orah
Summer is right around the corner! The summer Orah pass (light blue) is required for all students, including Burnett (day) and graduating VI Form students.
Local III, IV, and V Form boarding students may move out early and become temporary day students on Thursday, June 8, or Friday, June 9, provided they can be driven to campus by an adult and can attend all required School commitments. This is very helpful for those who wish to move out when there is no traffic on campus! Students interested in this option should select June 8 or June 9 on their Orah pass, but they should note that they are “temporary day students” and still attending commitments. Room keys will need to be turned in, and rooms will need to pass inspection before these students can depart.
2023-2024 Housing Update
The student housing process has concluded with the selection of double rooms in houses for 2023-2024. As a reminder, students select a House, not a room. Room assignments are made over the summer, and they are finalized and published when students return in September.
Questions about the housing process can be directed to Maggie Caron, dean of student engagement.
Check Your Student's Lion Card Balance
As we approach the end of the academic year, please check your student's Lion Card balance and ensure there are adequate funds for any end of year expenses. You can login to your account here or quickly add value here.(Note: you will need your student's ID #). Any Lion Card questions can be directed to Liz MacArthur in the Business Office.
Important Prize Day Reminders
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Please remember that St. Mark's is a tobacco-free campus. For Prize Day, we want to remind parents that St. Mark’s is a tobacco-free campus. We ask that all tobacco products, including celebratory cigars, remain off-campus. Thank you.
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Preferential seating for those with mobility impairment. For guests in need of preferential seating due to mobility impairment, we kindly request that you notify the Executive Assistant to the Head of School Marissa Papazian ahead of time so that we can plan accordingly for your Prize Day arrival.
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The 158th Prize Day ceremony will be held on campus Saturday, June 10, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. under a tent on Belmont Field.
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For more information about Prize Day, as well as answers to frequently asked questions, please visit our Prize Day webpage. Additionally, digital swag and printables are available online at this link.
Health & Insurance Forms Must Be Completed By July 1
In preparation for the 2023-2024 school year, we ask that returning families please complete both the health and insurance form packets by July 1. Links to forms and more information can be found here.
REMINDER: Student Summer Storage with OnDemand Storage
We have partnered with OnDemand Storage once again to store items during summer break. A representative from OnDemand Storage was at St. Mark's during lunch yesterday, May 24, to discuss specific questions that students had and to sign students up for their storage service. Please see the attached flyer for information, and sign up using the link provided. Select “Click here to schedule” and choose “St. Mark’s School” from the school drop-down menu. There is also an option for returning students to select delivery directly to their new rooms for a charge!
Please stop by the Dean's Office or contact Jeanmarie Morey with additional questions.
REMINDER: Yearbook Orders Charged to Lion Card
A note to St. Mark's families from Yearbook Advisor Lauren Kelly:
It's that time of year again—the St. Mark's Yearbook will be coming out soon! Most students have ordered a copy, but for the process to go smoothly, please ensure your student has enough funds on their Lion Card for the charge. This year, the yearbook costs $75.
REMINDER: Probation Period for All VI Form Students
All VI Formers have been placed on a “probationary like” status until after Prize Day. Any Level I, II, or III rule violation may jeopardize their privilege of marching at Prize Day and/or graduating from St. Mark’s. This is something that St. Mark’s and other boarding schools have done over the years to set expectations as we approach Prize Day. Some schools set this probation period before graduation for a couple of weeks, others for the whole spring semester. It is not meant to be seen as a punishment for any student, but as a reminder to reduce temptations that inevitably arise when the weather gets nicer and graduation gets closer. Ultimately, we want everyone to graduate and to walk at the ceremony; it has been our experience that this probation period helps with that important goal.
REMINDER: A Note About Off-Campus Parties
Now is the time of year when deans of students at independent schools in Massachusetts become very concerned about off-campus parties. With the end of the year excitement, some parents choose to host parties and allow alcohol to be served to underage students. While rumors of party plans arise, we need to remind all parents of the Massachusetts Social Host Law and of the School’s expectations around substance use. "Social host liability" is the legal term for the criminal and civil responsibility of a person who furnishes liquor to a guest. We have all heard the horror stories of how good kids made bad decisions, and how well-meaning hosts painfully discovered that the parties they thought were harmless quickly turned into catastrophes. We are asking parents to be aware of the Social Host Law, and the liabilities that may result in civil and criminal charges, as well as the potential consequences to a student’s college admission. We expect students to obey the rules of the School and the laws of the Commonwealth concerning the use of alcohol and drugs, and we continue to expect our parents to support the health and safety of our students in this effort. Thank you!
REMINDER: VI Form Dance Information
This presentation was shared with St. Mark's students and includes information on the VI Form Formal, which will take place at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf on Thursday, June 8, at 7:00 p.m.
Advancement
VI Form Parent Potluck, June 8
VI Form Parents are invited to a potluck at Choate House on Thursday, June 8, at 5:45 p.m. after taking pictures for the VI Form Dance. Thank you to our organizers Namerta Sahani P’20, ’23, Shalini Yerabothu P’20, ’23, and Navneet Anand P’23, ’24. Sign up to contribute a dish and attend.
Save the Dates for Parent and Alumni Summer Events
St. Mark’s will be hosting events for parents and alumni this summer, one in Maine on August 17 and one in Martha’s Vineyard on August 23. To ensure you receive event invites and updates, please send us your summer address. We hope to see you soon!
Around the Quad
The Search for our Next Head of School
The Head of School Search webpage provides information for our community on the search for St. Mark's next Head of School. On May 3, this update on the search was shared with our community. Please stay tuned to this newsletter for future updates on the search as it progresses.
SALE at the Online School Store
Looking for a St. Mark's gift and can't make it to campus? Shop the online St. Mark's School store here. For the month of May, receive 20 percent off eco-friendly products. Plus, orders totaling $50 or more receive free shipping. Happy shopping!
For More on What's Happening Inside the Pride
View photos from campus on our School's SmugMug page.
Read the latest news stories on our website.
Watch videos from St. Mark's on YouTube.
Enjoy the latest issue of St. Mark's Magazine.
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