Formed in Catholic tradition, the mission of St. Michael the Archangel High School is to foster the spiritual,

intellectual, and personal development of young people as committed disciples of Christ.

ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL

JANUARY 2019 NEWSLETTER

17521 Monitor Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70817 Phone: (225) 753-9782

P.O. Box 86110 Baton Rouge, LA 70879-6110 Fax: (225) 753-0605

SPIRITUAL LIFE

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK: We will celebrate Catholic Schools Week January 28—February 1. Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, January 31, at 8:50 AM in the SMHS gym. Students are to wear their dress uniform. All parents are welcome to join us for this beau-tiful liturgy. Please sign in at the front desk before going to the SMHS Gym.

Every year for Catholic Schools Week, each school in the Diocese is asked to collaborate and bring items for Catholic Charities. Our items help Catholic Charities to continue their mission and help each family that is in need of a new start. This year, St. Michael has been requested to bring linens. Gift cards, all size sheets and blankets, pillows, towel sets, shower curtains and rings, and rugs. We are asking every student to donate at least $1 to this drive. We will collect money from Wednesday, January 9, through Thursday, January 17.

MARCH FOR LIFE: This year there are two March for Life events that St. Michael students will be participating in, one in Washington, D.C. and one right here in Baton Rouge.

The Louisiana Life March will take place in downtown Baton Rouge from 10:00 AM-noon on Saturday, January 26. “A” service hours will be of-fered if you sign in with a St. Michael teacher. More information is avail-able at www.prolifelouisiana.org.

Once again we will be traveling to Washington, D.C. for the National March for Life, with 460 participants from across the Diocese. We will depart on Monday, January 14, after school and return Saturday, January 19. You are invited to pray for us during this journey by reciting the March of Life Novena found on the website: www.youthmarchforlife.org.

MP3: There will be an MP3 on Saturday, January 26, from 5:00-9:00 PM in the SMHS Cafeteria. This event will be a reunion for all the March for Life participants, as well as an opportunity to share the beauty of the March with other youth who were not able to attend. It will be a night of music, fun, witness and prayer – including Adoration and Confession. Cost is $5 to attend. Food will be served.

INTELLECTUAL

CLASSES RESUME: Classes will resume on Monday, January 7. EBR Parish school buses and the St. Michael shuttle bus will run their regular sched-ules.

INCOMING FRESHMEN INTERVIEWS: Interviews for prospective 2019-2020 9th grade students will be conducted on Wednesday, January 9, and Thursday, January 10, from 4:00-7:00 PM. If you know anyone who tested but did not receive an interview card by January 4, please contact Mrs. Cara Land-ry, Registrar, at 753-9782, Ext. 12.

Admission letters will be mailed on Thursday, February 21, with the deadline for returning registration forms and fees on Friday, March 15.

JUNIOR PARENT NIGHT: Junior Parent Night will be delivered through an online presentation and followed up with an opportunity to meet with the counselor. The presentation will discuss topics that include graduation require-ments, Board of Regents requirements, TOPS, ACT/SAT testing and college readiness. Information from the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assis-tance, Southeastern Louisiana University and Louisiana State University will also be included. Please be on the lookout for an email from Mrs. Zylicz, the junior counselor, with the presentation link and dates for Coffee with the Coun-selor in mid-January. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Zylicz at kzylicz@smhsbr.org.

LATE START FOR STUDENTS: On Tuesday, February 12, school will

begin two hours later than usual due to Faculty Professional/Development.

Dismissal will be at the regular time. The first bell will ring at 9:10 AM. The

library will be open at 6:50 AM for any students that have to be dropped off

early. EBR Parish school buses will run at their regular time. The St. Michael

shuttle bus will run two hours later than usual in the morning.

RE-REGISTRATION FORMS: Registration forms for returning students will be handled online. Current parents will receive an email in early February with a link for re-registration and instructions on how to complete the process. Deadline for re-registration and payment of fee is Friday, March 1.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY: There will be NO school on Monday, January 21, in ob-servance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

REQUESTS FOR COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE LETTERS: In order to assist in college preparation and planning, it is critical that seniors and their parents provide Ms. Montgomery with copies of all letters of acceptance and any scholarship and financial aid awards from colleges and universities, wheth-er or not the senior will eventually attend that particular school. Please send copies of these documents via email to cmontgomery@smhsbr.org, or by fax or in person. The names of the colleges and universities to which the senior has been accepted will be published in the Graduation Program, while a list of the scholarships which were offered to the student will appear in the Baccalaureate Mass & Senior Honors Convocation Program. The only way we may pub-lish this information is if parents and students share this information with us. Please provide Ms. Montgomery with copies of acceptance and schol-arship letters as soon as they are received.

In December, Dr. Andry and SMHS band students visit-

ed Old Jefferson Community Care Center to play Christ-

mas music and sing Christmas carols with the residents.

SEVENTH SEMESTER TRANSCRIPTS: Parents, if your senior ap-plied to a private and/or out-of-state college or university which requires that a 7th semester transcript be submitted, please remind him/her to email or drop off to Ms. Montgomery a signed Document Request Form in order to mail a transcript. Seniors who have applied to in-state public institutions do not need to follow this procedure as their 7th semester transcripts are made available to colleges and universities electronically through the Stu-dent Transcript System (STS).

TOPS APPLICATION: Parents, in order for your senior to receive a possible TOPS scholarship, please assist your child in completing the FAF-SA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the only applica-tion for TOPS. Visit www.fafsa.gov to begin. The deadline for TOPS eligi-bility is July 1. Visit www.osfa.la.gov for TOPS eligibility criteria.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

FOOTBALL CONVOCATION: The SMHS Football Convocation will be held Thursday, January 24, starting at 6:00 PM in the SMHS Cafe-teria. Players and parents are invited.

PEP RALLY: The Spirit Club will host a Pep Rally honoring Winter Sports on Friday, January 11. Join the fun, including mini Class Cup com-petition games.

SENIORS: Balfour will be on campus Thursday, January 10, during all lunch periods, to collect the final payment for senior graduation packets.

WINTER DANCE: The Winter Dance presented by the Student Coun-cil will be Saturday, February 9, from 8:00-11:00 PM. Any student bring-ing a guest from another school must fill out the guest contract form.

EVENTS

**ATTENTION SOCCER ALUMNI**

Click the link below to register! https://goo.gl/forms/mE1xyvDgGE3inE4r2

MOONLIGHT AND JAZZ What: SMHS Band’s ONLY fundraiser

When: Sunday, Apr il 7, 2019~ Seating is at 5 PM/Concert is from 5:30 -7:30 PM

Where: White Oak Plantation~ Enjoy fine dining, wine served while jazz band performs. Questions: Kris Hardee smhswarriorband@gmail.com Tickets: https://forms.diamondmindinc.com/smhsbr/

moonlightandjazz2019?token=1355320342

THANK YOU to everyone who made 2018’s

30th annual Warrior Golf Classis a huge success!

Thanks to your generosity, over $80,000 was raised for the athletic teams and clubs of

St Michael High School.

The St. Michael Robotics Club, Forensics Class, and

Engineering Class set up demonstrations for the St. Alo-

ysius Catholic School STEM night. The demonstrations

were visited by students in grades K - 5.

LOOKING FOR OUTSTANDING PEOPLE

The Alumni of the Year Award is given every year to an alumnus of St. Michael High School who has been graduated five or more years. The alumnus should be someone who has an established career. It should be evident that this person holds a sense of pride for the school and has actively given back to the school and his/her own community. This individual should participate in school related events, fundraisers, and/or school organizations.

Nominate a Candidate:

https://www.smhsbr.org/alumni/alumni-of-the-year/

The Warrior Sword Award is awarded annually to an individual whose selfless dedication to both St Michael High School and the Baton Rouge community is beyond compare. He or she must exemplify basic Christian values and the spirit of good will through his/her actions on behalf of St. Michael High School and its mission. The nominee must be a role model of faith for students to emulate, and must demonstrate service to the Church and community.

Nominate a Candidate:

https://www.smhsbr.org/giving/warrior-sword-award/

For additional information, please contact Mr. Josh Galasso at 225-755-3618 or Advancement@smhsbr.org.

The Mother Seton Award is presented annually to honor one individual from the Home and School community who emulates the qualities and service of Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton for whom the award is named. The guidelines for this nomination are as follows:

Be a current member of the Home and School Association (SMHS parents/guardians are members)

Be a parent, grandparent or guardian

Be recognized as a volunteer, not an employee of the school

Qualifications of the individual must include:

At least three years of involvement within the local Home and School organization

Dependable, hard working, self-sacrificing, attuned to the needs of the children and the school

Enthusiastic, generous, supportive of the educators and the administration

Concerned and ready to go the extra mile for Catholic education

A model of living Gospel values

Please submit your nomination with qualifications to SMHS Home and School by Tuesday, February 5.

You may fax to school 225-753-0605 or email homeandschool@smhsbr.org.

SMHS

Holly Volleyball 2018

Team Winner-

Young Savages

St. Michael Students Give Back

The Student Council partnered with the Live2Serve organization to host a school-wide Toy Drive December 3—11. Over 800 toys were collected and given out at the Live2Serve’s annual Christmas Drive. The success of the drive was due to a contest among home rooms:

3rd Place-Mrs. Ducote & Mr. Ladouceur; 2nd Place-Dr. Bourgeois; and 1st Place-and winning donuts-Ms. Krause

Class Order: 3rd Place-Freshmen; 2nd Place-Sophomores and 1st Place-Seniors

A Message from the Principal

Here at St. Michael, we welcome 2019 as a year of growth and vision. Daily we see the progress of the construction of our new Multi-Purpose

Building, which will enhance the educational experiences of our students here. We are completing one phase of our Strategic Growth Plan and

beginning another to ensure continuous school improvement and growth.

We are grateful to all the carpool parents for their patience as we navigated the construction crane that sometimes blocked our way. There is a

little more mud and mess on campus than we are used to, but we know it will be worth the sacrifice when the new facility is completed. The walls

are up, and the slab is scheduled to be poured soon. This is an exciting time of growth here at St. Michael.

Our current Strategic Plan, which was developed in 2015 by a variety of stakeholders, challenged us to continue our growth in the areas of enroll-

ment, financial planning, course offerings, Catholic Identity, math and science achievement, and communication. As a result of our efforts, we

now have Shadow Days for middle school students, middle school MP3’s, a text messaging system for our parents, a facilities plan, new academic

courses (Russian, Computer Science, AP Biology, AP Calculus, Chemistry II, Engineering, Algebra III), dual enrollment courses, an ACT Prep Course,

and a focus on celebrations. These are just a few of the successes that are now a part of SMHS because of our Strategic Plan. We look forward

to developing a plan of growth for the next three to five years at St. Michael.

At the end of January, we will join with Catholic schools throughout our country in celebrating Catholic Schools Week. Catholic schools are an

investment in your children that has value well beyond the years that the students spend here. Faith formation, academic excellence, and person-

al development are the foundation of our mission. The administration, faculty and staff join me in thanking you for your trust and your sacrifice in

sending your students to St. Michael High School.

As we begin this new calendar year together, I ask you to pray for our students and our families. May we all recognize the blessings of Christ in

our lives.

Happy New Year!

Ellen B. Lee

Warrior Fund for Excellence – Annual Fund

In a little over 6 weeks, thanks to the generosity of over 140 donors, we have successfully raised just over

$34,000 and are over half way to reaching our annual fund goal of $60,000 from parents, alumni, grand-

parents, and friends.

The Warrior Fund for Excellence is vital to the development and growth of each of these programs at

the school. This year you have the opportunity to give to one of three pre-designated areas including ac-

ademics, scholarships, and athletics. You can also select to give to the greatest area of need at St. Michael

High School.

Make your gift today at www.smhsbr.org/giving and help us reach our goal!

Honorary Chair Families

Class of 2022 – Ronald & Lisa Pike

Class of 2021 – William & Faye Duncan

Class 2020 – Jason ’94 and Katey ’92 McCann

Class of 2019 – Dr. Beau ’92 and Vanessa ’89 Clark

Alumni Chair Family – Shane ’01 and Tiffany ’01 Mouton

Thanks to our NEW Warrior Fund for Excellence Donors

Anonymous (3) Hector & Joanna Barrazza

Mark and Cindy Beuerle Robert Bogan, Jr.

Leandro & Keysha Dixon III Michael & Brandy Freeman

Angelina Gainey Hugh & Martha Johnson

Allyson LaBorde Patrick Luckett

Chad & Lori Mason Mary Mayeux

Benjamin and Abby McCurry Edward and Roberta McCurry

Jeffery & Sherry Patton Jason and Susan Templet

David and Anna Vanhaverbeke

Capital Campaign Update: The walls for the multipurpose building are finally up and the structural joists were recently installed as

construction continues on the Continuing the Warrior Legacy Capital Campaign project. The contractors will begin installation of

the roof decking and pouring the concrete slab.

During this important time of growth for our school, we ask that you pray over your commitment to this special campaign. Togeth-

er, with your support, the St. Michael family can build for the future and continue our strong commitment to a quality, Catholic edu-

cation.

Help support this growth and make your gift online today at https://www.osvonlinegiving.com/1587/Home/NewQuickGive

or contact Advancement Director Josh Galasso via email at jgalasso@smhsbr.org or phone at 225-755-3618 for more information.

Thank You to our NEW Warrior Fund for Excellence Donors

Anonymous (4) Josh & Tiffany Galasso Joey Jarreau

David & Angie Lakvoid Megan Lewis Phil & Debbie Pike

Cherie Schlatre Jack & Angie Toney

SMHS AUCTION

Auction Committee Leaders-

Procurement Chair: Tammie Angel & Lisa Pike

Decoration Chair: Simone Hamilton & Tara Button

Ticket Sales Chair: Jason & Katey McCann

Sponsorship Chair: Amy Allemond

We are in need of additional event volunteers and procurement team members. The next auction meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 15, at 12:30 PM at the school in Room 1. If you would like additional information on how you can be involved in the auc-tion, please contact Advancement Director Josh Galasso at JGalas-

so@smhsbr.org.

Dear Warrior Parents,

Thank you for making the decision to send your student to St. Michael. This statement of support means you rec-

ognize the value of providing your child with a quality, Catholic education.

As a parent, your financial support is vital to the continued growth and development of St. Michael High

School. We encourage you to explore the opportunities and events that we offer to help keep our school commu-

nity thriving. Please look forward to receiving a personal invitation to participate in the following:

Warrior Fund for Excellence – This is our annual giving campaign launched in September. The funds from this drive are used to sustain and maintain excellence in our academic and instructional programs, extra-curricular and athletic programs, and day to day building & operations.

Continuing the Warrior Legacy Capital Campaign – This campaign is the building campaign for the school, and will provide the school with an additional gym, new auditorium and stage, black box theatre, and parking improvements.

Warrior Lei’dback Luau – March 23, 2019, at St. Michael High School. The proceeds from this event pro-vide funding for academic programs and enhancements on our campus.

Corporate Partnership Program – This program offers businesses the opportunity to advertise and partner with our school through a variety of outlets.

We challenge you to help make St. Michael a better school every day through making a financial commitment in

support of our school. If you would like to make a gift, please visit www.smhsbr.org/giving or contact the Ad-

vancement Office. For additional information on giving opportunities at St. Michael High School, contact Ad-

vancement Director Josh Galasso via email at jgalasso@smhsbr.org or phone at 225-755-3618.

Yours in Christ,

Ellen B. Lee Josh Galasso

Principal Advancement Director

Mother Seton Award Nomination

The Diocesan Home and School Association is a Catholic parent organization that serves as a liaison among the lo-

cal home and school associations, Catholic schools, and the Catholic Schools Office. We are committed to enhancing

the overall education of our children through the promotion of Gospel values, Catholic tradition, communication, and

service.

WORKSHEET:

NAME OF NOMINEE: _______________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS OF NOMINEE: ____________________________________________________ PHONE: _________________

PARISH /CHURCH AFFILIATION: ______________________________________________________________________

NOMINEE FAMILY INFORMATION (Name of Child/Children, grade, and school attending):

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

LIST THE VOLUNTEER EFFORTS OF THIS INDIVIDUAL (attach additional sheet if necessary)

HOME AND SCHOOL VOLUNTEER EFFORTS

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

NON - HOME AND SCHOOL VOLUNTEER EFFORTS (Church, Parish, School, Civic)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

WHAT CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTRIBUTES OF THIS INDIVIDUAL MAKE HIM/HER A PERSON DESERVING OF THIS

AWARD?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Has this individual been a St. Michael High School Mother Seton Award recipient in the past? __Y / N__

An individual may receive this award more than once if presented by a different school.

Please submit your nomination and their qualifications to SMHS Home and School by Tuesday, February 5, 2019.

You may fax 225-753-0605 or email: homeandschool@smhsbr.org