January 14, 2021 RE-ENROLLMENT! OPEN HOUSE! Vol. 15

MASS FOR MK-K-1-2 TOMORROW

Tomorrow our Montessori Kindergarten through Grade 2 kiddoes will be attending the 9:00 Mass in the

Church. Live streaming is up and functional once again!

MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR DAY ON MONDAY

This is just a reminder that we’ll be having a holiday on Monday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

IT’S RE-ENROLLMENT TIME!!

We’re already filling up for next year! Please be sure to return you paperwork and hold those spaces that

you’ll need for next year! We’re planning our Open House for new enrollment on January 31st, and want

to be sure that our current students and their families have “first dibs” on classroom seats for next year!

OPEN HOUSE IS HAPPENING!

…It’s virtual, but it’s going to be AWESOME, with classroom tours, teacher descriptions of their work,

and live classroom chat rooms at each grade and subject level. Please join us and let your friends

know that our premier of tours begins at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 31st, and live meetings with

teachers begin at 12:15 through 2:00 p.m. All this (and more!) will be accessible through our website

at www.stmaryschoolswormville.org . Come see your child’s class for next year!!

COVID TESTING

We’ve resumed our monthly 20% random testing protocol this week, and all is well, and all are healthy!

We are so blessed! Now that Group 1b (which includes school faculty and staff0 are eligible for the

COVID-19 vaccine, we have all been scurrying to obtain appointments! We’re definitely headed in the

right direction!

We ask that you continue your safe practices: keeping children home that do not feel well and avoiding

gatherings, sleep-overs, play dates, etc. until we are over the “hump” of this post-holiday spike in cases.

Thank you so much for all you do to support safety and health at home and at SMS!!

S A I N T MARY ’ S BU Z Z

JANUARY’S VIRTUE: JOY

OUR CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY: VISIT THE SICK

OUR SERVICE PROJECT: HYGIENE FOR THE HOMELESS

May our children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

1 Thess. 1:6

GIVE CAREFUL THOUGHT TO YOUR WAYS (Haggai 1:5)

GO BILLS!

We’re celebrating the Buffalo Bills all through January, and helping the homeless with special

hygiene needs, while doing so! Plan on a jeans/Buffalo Bills day every Tuesday with the following

“admission” requests:

Tuesday, January 19: A packaged bar of soap for the homeless

Tuesday, January 26: Packaged deodorant for the homeless

Thank you and GO BILLS!!

THE BISON TUITION ASSISTANCE FUND

The BISON Fund, which provides qualified families with tuition assistance, is accepting K-8 pre-

applications for funding for the 2021-22 school year. Families should apply online through our website

at http://bisonfund.com/our-scholarships. Our pre-application deadline is February 28th

. A lottery

drawing to award the scholarships will be held on March 1st. Lottery winners will receive an email

directing them to complete a full application to receive a scholarship. Waitlisted families will also be

notified by email.

The pre-application is only for new families. Current families do not need to fill out a pre-application,

they will be emailed a link to complete the requalification process on February 22nd

.

LUNCH UPDATES

FYI – Tuesday’s lunch has been changed to “Chix and Curly Fries” m-m-m-m good!

We ask that you make note of the days for which you placed orders. After each week's deadline, we will

be removing the sign-up to ensure that our counts are accurate. Therefore, it will no longer be available

to reference nor will reminder emails be sent. Thank you very much for your assistance.

SPORTS UPDATES

FYI: Not surprisingly, winter sports have been canceled amid the COVID-19 surge. We’re looking

forward to a bright, new, and sports-filled 2021-2022 school year!! Thanks for your understanding!

HSA NEWS:

SNOW ME THE MONEY

There is still time to get your tickets for these incredible prizes!

Grand Prize - $10,000

2nd Prize - $2,500

3rd Prize - $1,000

4th – 6th Prize - $250

7th – 9th Prize - $100

10th – 13th Prize- $50

If you have not received your raffle tickets in the mail, contact Mrs. States so you do not miss out on the

$10,000 Grand Prize! Tickets are only $20.00 each!

This is one of the primary fundraisers that directly affect our tuition which is why we need 100%

participation from all school families If you have not had the chance, please see the flyer below or check

out the details on our website.

CONNECT WITH OTHER SMS PARENTS

If you haven’t already joined, please check out the NEW Facebook Group – St. Mary School Parent

Community.

NIAGARA CHOCOLATE SALE

Save money and time ordering your Easter candy online, tax free. Please see attached flyer with

instructions.

The sale will run January 19 – February 5 with a pickup date scheduled for March 3.

HSA’s St Mary’s Supper is right around the corner – stay tuned for details on how you can support

Stockman’s, a local small restaurant and St Mary’s at the same time by ordering Creamy Chicken Wing

Soup – YUM.

TEACHER LUNCHES

Upcoming Teacher Lunches: A time honored tradition at St. Mary’s is hosting monthly teacher lunches.

Our teachers enjoy one lunch a month on us and each month is a different theme! We ask that each

family sign up to contribute funds for at least one lunch throughout the school year. Lunches are posted

on Sign Up Genius.

Catholic Schools Week – Snacks ****** We need items beginning Feb 1 – please help *******

February – Taco Bar

March – Wegmans

PARENTS ONLY

Parents’ Night Out: Unwind from the holidays and escape the winter blues with a fun, parent-only

Virtual Wine Tasting event. We are hoping to secure January 22nd

, so save the date. Further details will

be provided soon.

UP AND COMING AT SMS

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HOLIDAY………………………………………………….. Monday, January 18

RE-ENROLLMENT FORMS DUE………………………………………………………….. Friday, January 22

PROGRESS REPORTS…………………………………………………………………………. Friday, January 29

SNOW ME THE MONEY!!!..................................................................... Saturday, January 30

VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE………………………………………………………………………. Sunday, January 31

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK………………………………………………………………… January 31–February 7

CLASSROOM VISITS AND MORE!

OUR GRADE 4

ENVIRONMENTAL

SCIENTISTS ARE

STUDYING EROSION

WITH SUGAR CUBES!!

HOW SWEET!!

OUR GRADE 3 STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS HAVE

BEEN STUDYING FORCE AND LEARNING

ABOUT BRIIDGES IN SCIENCE.THEY WERE

CHALLENGED TO BUILD THEIR OWN BRIDGES

AND PROVE THAT THEY COULD SUSTAIN

CERTAIN WEIGHTS. WELL DONE!!

AND THIS WEEKEND:

HAVE FUN WATCHING!!!

GO BILLS!!!!!

All orders will be entered online at the completion of your sale. When you are finished selling, please use your computer, tablet or

smartphone to enter orders at: catalog.ncfr.me

You will need to register with your organization code. For those placing an order that do not have a student in the school please register

with YOUR first and last name. You will use the same link to register as parents. Enter your order summary as prompted.

Our Organizational ID is: STMAR24S

Steps for a Successful Sale:

1. Register for the sale at catalog.ncfr.me (PARISHONERS AND PARENTS USE THE SAME REGISTRATION LINK) 2. Please share your brochure and order form with your family, friends, and co-workers. There is an electronic copy available at

catalog.ncfr.me. We do not encourage door-to-door selling by minors. 3. Use the order sheet to fill in your customers’ orders, thank them and let them know when you will be collecting money and

when to expect their orders. 4. Our organization is TAX-EXEPMT. Please be sure to let your customers know the correct total of their order. 5. Checks should be made payable to ST. MARY SCHOOL 6. Once you are done selling, go to catalog.ncfr.me. Register using your Organization Code and enter your order summary. Order

entry may only be placed one time. 7. Money for your orders is due March 3

rd when you pick up your chocolate (cash or check).

8. Keep your catalog and order form for your records once the chocolate arrives!

Orders are due online by: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH

Chocolate pick up will be:

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3 7:30 -10:00 AM AND 1:00--4:00 PM

If you have any questions, please call Leah Valentine (chairperson)

at (716) 544-0609

Thank you for your participation. The success of our fundraiser depends on you!

Place catalog orders at catalog.ncfr.me

OUR ILLNESS PROTOCOL

If a child presents with any of the following signs and symptoms:

Temperature of 100°F or greater Headache

Chills Loss of taste or loss of smell

Cough Sore throat

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Nasal congestion or runny nose

Fatigue Nausea or vomiting

Muscle or body aches Diarrhea

These signs and symptoms may be consistent with COVID-19 and will require immediate follow-up

with your child’s healthcare provider. In order for your child to return to school, medical documentation

must be submitted to the school nurse and he/she will need to meet the following criteria:

Students with any COVID-19 symptoms (above) should not be at school and should stay at home

until:

- A note from the student’s medical care provider with an alternative diagnosis is provided,

OR

- The result of a NEGATIVE COVID-19 test is provided, OR

- It has been at least 10 days since the individual first had symptoms; AND

- It has been at least 3 days since the individual has had a fever (without using fever reducing

medicine); AND

- The individual’s symptoms have improved, including cough and shortness of breath

If a student tests positive for COVID-19, the following criteria must be met before the student may

return to school:

- It is at least 10 days after COVID-19 symptom onset or 10 days from their first positive test

if asymptomatic, AND

- The child is fever free for at least 72 consecutive hours (3 days) without the use of fever-

reducing medicine, AND

- Respiratory symptoms are improving

TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A FREE COVID-19 RAPID TEST, PLEASE CALL 858-2929