In this Sunday’s Gospel Reading Luke 6:39-45, Jesus’ parables are a reminder of the importance of continued learning, prayer and reflection, and humility in our discipleship. We shine God’s light in the world when we are “lit from within” with God’s grace, willing to examine our own conscience and recognize our own need for transformation through Jesus. As partners in your child's Catholic education, together we are responsible for each child's physical, emotional, and spiritual growth. As disciples ourselves, we may sometimes be challenged to find time and energy to care for and attend to our own spiritual growth. Yet doing so can improve our personal relationship with God and help us guide all St. Mark students in their faith. © Loyola Press Sunday Connection

Please do not reply to this email. As a reminder, I have an open door policy for all parents and students. If you ever have any questions and/or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at any time.

As you may know, Governor Lamont officially eliminated the statewide school mask requirement effective February 28, 2022. As such, in keeping with diocesan policy, masks will be optional inside St. Mark School effective Monday, February 28, 2022. Masks for students, faculty members, and visitors inside St. Mark School and indoor school events will be recommended and welcomed, but not required.

According to Federal Regulations 70.2, 71.31(b), 71.32(b), face coverings remain required on public transportation, which includes school buses. (This mandate is not within the control of local or state officials). If your child rides the school bus or van home from school, please ensure that they have a supply of face masks with them in their backpack.

In accordance with the CDC guidelines, individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, who are no longer experiencing symptoms after 5 days of isolation, and wish to return to school, are to continue wearing a mask for the additional 5 days.

For parents who wish for their child to continue wearing a mask while in school, this will be allowed and welcomed. However, St. Mark School staff can not be required to monitor or correct mask wearing for these students. Please work with your child to ensure that they understand your wishes.

St. Mark School administration will continue to work with the Office of the Superintendent for Schools for the Diocese of Bridgeport and the Stratford Department of Health to be cognizant of local infection rates and vaccination rates. St. Mark School has the authority to make changes in these procedures in the future if the need arises.

Please note that during this transition period, there may be times when students may be asked to put on a face mask. For example, during indoor whole school gatherings. We appreciate the continued partnership and support of our St. Mark families by ensuring that your child has a face mask with them in their backpacks at all times. This is most important for students that rely on school buses and vans for transportation.

We have received requests by St. Mark parents to continue use of plexi-dividers in classrooms and the cafeteria. To be respectful of the wishes of everyone, some free standing dividers will be available for any student whose parent wishes their child use them. Please work with your child to ensure that they understand your wishes.

Student desks will remain 3 feet apart, seat to seat. A common practice of classroom seating arrangements is for student desks to be arranged in groups or “tables”. This type of arrangement lends itself to a classroom environment of group work and collaboration. As we loosen some of our mitigation strategies, classroom teachers will have the option to arrange classroom seating into “tables” or groups.

Beginning on Monday, February 28th, students in Grades 6-8 will return to switching classrooms for different subjects.

As we transition to a new approach to the management of COVID-19, I would like to remind families to be cognizant of the health of your child. Most importantly, please keep your child home if they feel sick or have any COVID symptoms. 

Click here for the updated guidance from the State DPH and CSDE regarding the new approach to COVID-19 management in schools and settings outside of school.

We will continue quarantine/isolation guidance for those individuals who test positive or are not feeling well and are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. Please see the chart below for this information and click here to read the guidance in its entirety. Please note that if an individual tests positive for COVID-19 they may return on day 6 as noted below. The individual will need to wear a mask for days 6-10 upon return to school.

Please be advised that as of Monday, February 14th, students are no longer permitted to walk out to parent cars for an early pickup. If your child needs to be dismissed early for any reason, please come into the office to sign them out.

For safety and the efficiency of our dismissal process, students will not be dismissed early from the office after 2pm. If you need to pick up your child early from school, please do so no later than 2pm. Thank you for your continued cooperation.

Please be advised that school will be closed for students. There will be no virtual learning on March 14th. This will not add an additional day to the end of the 2021-2022 school year calendar.

St. Mark School returning student registration is now open. Please contact the school main office if you need additional registration information.

The Current Family Registration form, registration fee, and tuition agreement must be submitted for your registration to be complete. We will begin accepting enrollment from new families after February 25th, 2022.

St. Mark Parish’s Social Events Committee will be hosting a Corned Beef and Cannolis event celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day on March 19, 2022, at 6:00-9:30 p.m. in the Parish Center. Entertainment includes Brennan- Lucey Irish step dancers of River Dance Fame, Shooting Star Music, and Italian music and memories with Richard DeLibro.

Seating is limited, $25, RSVP to cbc2022@stmarkstfd.org

St. Mark Parish Youth Group invites students in Grade 8 to attend the Steubenville East Youth Conference July 29th-31st. More information with videos and photos can be found here.

Students in Grades 6 through 8 are invited to the Youth Group Spring Kickoff Mardi Gras party on Sunday 2/27 at 6pm in the Church Hall. To RSVP contact St. Mark Youth Minister, Jared Forcier jared@stmarkyouthgroup.org

Thank you to those that submitted entries to the Yearbook Cover contest. We had many wonderful submissions, it will be a hard decision for our Grade 8 class. The winning cover design will be announced in the late spring, when the yearbook arrives. 

Thank you for your attention to ensuring our students are wearing shoes to school that align with the dress code. We understand that it is cold outdoors, however with the exception of Grade 8, sweatshirts are not permitted as part of the school uniform unless it is gym day.

Grades K-8 sweater: If a student chooses to wear a sweater, it must be plain navy blue with or without our school name

Grades K-4: If a student does not wear a sweater, he/she must wear a knit navy vest with our school name. This is a part of our school uniform and not an option.

Grades 5-7: If a student does not have a sweater on, he must wear a zip up navy fleece vest with our school name.

Grade 8: Students may wear their Class of 2022 sweatshirt or their chosen high school sweatshirt. All other sweatshirts are a violation of the dress code.

Repeated violations of the dress code may result in disciplinary action.

Mrs. Nettleton will visit Grade 8 students on Wednesday mornings and Grade 7 students on Thursday mornings to prepare for Confirmation. Instruction will be a combination of textbook and video lesson format called Chosen. The program is geared for young people eager to learn why they indeed have been "chosen" by God. The book and video feature a nationally known speaker/writer Chris Stefanick and many other notable figures in our Catholic faith, such as Father Mike Schmitz and Sarah Swafford. Each week the chapters include stories of faith, morals and lessons on being an adult in the faith. There are stories of various saints and how they led their lives of holiness. Posing compelling questions and intriguing ideas are only the start as to why and how we have been Chosen. 

Our 2022 St. Mark Basketball Tournament is off to a fantastic start! Our Boys Varsity team won their first game against St. Thomas 59-44. Our Girls Varsity played a fantastic first game with a 42-8 win over St. Thomas. Come cheer on our St. Mark teams, as games continue this weekend through March 12th! Click here for more info on the tournament and here for the master schedule. Be sure to check the schedule often as game times are subject to change.

Please join me in congratulating our members of the Class of 2022 who will be representing St. Mark School on the court for the last time this season as Varsity Team players:

Robert Rosati

Skylar Hinton

Madisyn Markland

Francesca Pagano

Ava Witting

Good luck to all our St. Mark teams and May God bless you.

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.

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