October 4, 2023

“All things of creation are children of the Father and thus brothers of man. God wants us to help animals if they need help. Every creature in distress has the same right to be protected.” — St. Francis of Assisi

Click here to view photos from today's Blessing of the Animals ceremony.

A reminder that all full-day students will be dismissed at 12:00 PM on Friday, October 6, and there will be no school on Monday, October 9. Aftercare will not be available on either day.

Please review the following dismissal procedures for Friday. We appreciate your patience with this process!

• Infant Community will be dismissed between 11:15 and 11:30 AM with their older SCM siblings. The older siblings will meet parents in the Welcome Center. 
• All ½ day Primary will be dismissed at 11:30 AM with their older SCM siblings in the carpool line. 
• All full-day Primary, Elementary, and High School students will be dismissed at 12:00 PM (unless they have an Infant sibling or ½ day Primary sibling, in which case they will be dismissed at times stated above). 
• Please do not arrive before 11:50 AM for the 12:00 PM dismissal. In the event you arrive while 11:30 AM dismissal is in process, we will ask you to circle the line until our 11:30 AM dismissal is complete. 

If you know any families who may be interested in St. Catherine’s, please share that we are now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year. The first step in the process is to complete our Inquiry Form to schedule a tour. For more information, families can visit our Admissions pages or email [email protected].

Additionally, St. Catherine's will host an open house for prospective families on Thursday, October 19 from 9:00 to 10:30 AM! During this adults-only campus tour parents will learn about St. Catherine’s and how the Montessori method embraces not only a unique education alternative but a way of life that values independence, respect, and inquiry.

Prospective families interested in attending should RSVP here or contact Amy Walz, enrollment management director, with any questions about the event or our enrollment process. 

INSIDE THE CLASSROOM

For a glimpse of what's happening inside (and sometimes outside) our classrooms, click on the image above.

PARENT SERVICE ORGANIZATION (PSO)

You're Invited to the Sociables Sign Up Soirée!

On Thursday, October 12 we will kick off Sociables ticket sales at the Sociables Sign Up Soirée. This adults-only event will take place on campus from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. You’ll be able to purchase your Sociables tickets for the year while sipping a drink, having a nosh, and visiting with other St. Catherine’s parents.

Kindly RSVP here by Monday, October 9 to help us with Soirée planning.

This is a don't-miss evening! Sociables tickets can go fast, so be sure to attend and come ready with your game plan. 

Click here to review the Sociables Catalog, which has all the details on the 20 parties planned for this school year.

A huge thank you to our fantastic Sociables hosts for giving our community the gift of these events. We're looking forward to seeing everyone at the Sign Up Soirée on October 12th and at Sociables throughout the year!

Dominican Study Group Meets Tomorrow

The first meeting of the Dominican Study Group is this Thursday, October 5 in the gym after 8:00 AM drop-off. Please join us to learn more about Dominican teaching and its role in the identity of St. Catherine’s Montessori.  

Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

PSO Fall Fest

Save the date! Fall Fest is coming up on Saturday, October 21 from 4:00-6:00 PM.

A beloved St. Catherine's tradition, Fall Fest is one of two PSO-sponsored potluck picnics hosted on main campus grounds each year. Every member of our community is invited for food, fun, fellowship, music provided by SCM alumni parent - Nuri Nuri.

Food

Please bring a dish to feed 8-10 people in a reusable or compostable container and your reusable water bottles. Please remember that St. Catherine's is a nut-aware campus.

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are needed the day of the event to help set up, manage food and beverage stations, supervise activities, and clean up. Please sign up for an available volunteer shift using this SignUpGenius. Your help and company is much appreciated. 

Thank you. We look forward to a great event!

Jaime Middleton and Sabina Vizinat

Fall Fest Chairs

Call for Pumpkins!

Next week, we will be decorating the school entrance for the fall season, and we invite you to be a part of it. Please consider donating one or two pumpkins to contribute to our decorations. We welcome pumpkins of any size, shape, or color!

Friends of the Garden Seeks Volunteers for Garden Work Day

SCM Families: Help us prepare the school grounds for Fall Fest! Join Friends of the Garden at our Garden Work Day on Saturday, October 14 from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. We'll have projects suited for all ages, including planting seeds, mulching, pruning, and plant identification.

October Garden Teaching Day Event

Stop by this month's Garden Teaching event on Tuesday, October 17 at 8:00 AM. We will be making marmalade and preserves!

Book Club Selections

The PSO Book Club is excited to announce our book selections for the upcoming school year.

Our first book, "Education and Peace" by Maria Montessori, will be the focus of our first Book Club meeting on Friday, October 20 at 8:30 AM in the gym. All are invited to join the discussion and you do not have to complete the book to attend.

Looking ahead, here are our selections for the rest of the school year:

• January — "The Emotional Lives of Teenagers" by Lisa Damour
• April — "The Catholic All Year Compendium: Liturgical Living for Real Life" by Kendra Tierney

Saturday Soccer Volunteers Needed

Hello SCM families,

We write in our capacity as chairs of PSO Friends of Athletics. We need at least four parent volunteers to help coach Saturday Soccer to be able to run the program, which is a fun way for our Primary and Lower Elementary-aged kids to learn some of the fundamentals of soccer, develop a foundation of good sportsmanship, get moving, and have fun. No prior experience with soccer is required to volunteer, though we are hoping at least some of the volunteers have some basic knowledge of soccer. If we get enough volunteers to have Saturday Soccer this fall, we would meet on the school athletic field for about six Saturdays starting later this month from 9:30 AM until 11:00 AM.  

If you are interested in learning more or willing to volunteer, please contact Kristin via email or call/text her at 773-965-2194.

Thanks, 

Kristin Zipple-Shedd & Jennifer Wu

Friends of the Athletics Chairs

Christian Meditation for Parents on Wednesdays at SCM

All are invited to join Friends of the Atrium for Christian meditation, for 20 minutes on Wednesday mornings at 8:05 AM.

Meditation is prayer in a simple form that dates back to the earliest Christian tradition. When we sit silently in the presence of God, simply enjoying the comfort of His presence, what grows is a communication that is deeper than words. Meditation develops our relationship with God and increases our faith.

SPORTS

Varsity Soccer currently remains unbeaten as the season rolls on with a busy schedule in October. The C-team is looking to take to the field today for their first game of the season. 

Varsity Volleyball passed the halfway point of their season last week firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot. 

C-team Volleyball hit the court last week for two games winning, one and losing the other in a closely fought game. 

High School Volleyball played their first game last night against Saint Constantine. They will be playing several more games throughout the month of October. 

Go Owls!

Coach Sam

HIGH SCHOOL CORNER

Dear SCM Community,

In the High School this year we have welcomed two guest teachers into our environment to teach Creative Expressions. Click here to read and view photos of what they have been teaching!

Sincerely, 

Caroline Lewis 

Thursday, October 5

• Dominican Study Group, 8:00-9:30 AM (SCM Gym)

Friday, October 6

• Early Dismissal. In-service Afternoon. After-School Program Closed.
• Parent Education: The Montessori Journey, 6:00-8:00 PM (SCM)

Saturday, October 7

• Parent Education: The Montessori Journey, 8:30 AM-3:00 PM (SCM)

Monday, October 9

• No School: In-service Day. After-School Program Closed.

Tuesday, October 10

• No School for High School - College Visit Day
• Friends of the Library Workday, 8:00-9:00 AM
• Varsity Soccer Game vs. St. Francis de Sales Catholic School, 4:30 PM (SCM Athletics Field)

Wednesday, October 11

• No School for High School - College Visit Day
• Parent Meditation Group, 8:05-8:25 AM (Check front desk for location)
• C-Team Volleyball Game vs. Holy Rosary Catholic School, 4:30 PM (SCM Gym)
• Varsity Soccer Game vs. St. Thomas More Parish School, 4:30 PM (SCM Athletics Field)
• Varsity Volleyball Game vs. Holy Rosary Catholic School, 5:30 PM (SCM Gym)

Thursday, October 12

• HS Girls Volleyball Game @ The Briarwood School, 4:00 PM (Briarwood School; 12207 Whittington Drive Houston, TX 77077)
• Sociables Sign-up Day, 6:00 PM (SCM Gym)

Friday, October 13

• C-Team Soccer Game vs. St. Augustine Catholic School, 4:30 PM (SCM Athletics Field)
• NEW DATE Varsity Volleyball Game @ Holy Ghost Catholic School, 4:30 PM (Holy Ghost; 6920 Chimney Rock Road, Houston, TX 77081)

Saturday, October 14

• Garden Work Day: Fall Fest Preparation, 9:00-11:00 AM (SCM Grounds)
• Parent Potluck: Adolescent Community, 7:00 PM (Jones Residence) See classroom communications

Monday, October 16

• HS Volleyball Game vs. Post Oak, 4:30 PM (SCM Gym)
• Varsity Volleyball Game @ Corpus Christi Catholic School, 4:30 PM (Corpus Christi; 4005 Cheena Drive, Houston, TX 77025) 

Tuesday, October 17

• Garden Education Day, 8:00 AM
• Friends of the Library Workday, 8:00-9:00 AM
• HS Volleyball Game vs. The Saint Constantine School, 4:30 PM (SCM Gym) 
• Varsity Soccer Game @ Holy Ghost Catholic School, 4:30 PM (Holy Ghost; 6920 Chimney Rock Rd, Houston, TX 77081) 

Wednesday, October 18

• Mass, 2:15 PM (SCM Gym)
• C-Team Volleyball Game vs. Saint Theresa Catholic School, 4:30 PM (SCM Gym) 
• Varsity Soccer Game @ Holy Rosary Catholic School, 4:30 PM (Holy Rosary; 1426 George St, Rosenberg, TX 77471) 
• Varsity Volleyball Game vs. Saint Theresa Catholic School, 5:30 PM (SCM Gym) 

For more calendar events please check our website.