October 3, 2012
Strive to be more
Early Dismissal Friday 

Friday, October 5, 2012
11:30 am

No Extended Day
Coffee and Muffins 
Join the PTO on October 5, 2012 at 8:00am for used uniform sale, Auction 2013 information and VIRTUS information. 

See flyer for more details. 

Student Council Event: 

 

Tourist Dress Down Day!

 

October 4, 2012

 

In honor of our first tourist,

 

Christopher Columbus

 

Cost to dress down: $1.00

 

Reminders: 

Winter Uniforms 
Winter Uniform begins October 9, 2012. Please refer to Student Uniform Code for details.  
 
Picture Day  
 
St. Thomas More's Individual Picture Day is next Wednesday, October 10.  Packages may be ordered and these are the pictures which will be used in the yearbook. Students have received order forms from their teachers and should return their forms and payments (in the form or check or money order) to their teachers before next Wednesday. 

 

If you have more than one child at STM, please send a separate order form and payment for each student so as to avoid confusion and incorrect orders.

 

If you are a parent and you would like to volunteer to help on Picture Day (from 8:15-11:45), please e-mail Nancy Meehan at nmeehan@stmschool.org to volunteer. 

 

Thanks in advance for helping to make Picture Day a smooth operation!
2013 - 2014 Registration
Really - You want me to do What!??!
 
Yes, we know it sounds absurd but we need to know your intentions for the next school year.  We have families already lining up to register for the 2013 - 2014 school year.  They have heard about the great programs at STM.  We want to ensure that we have a space for every one of our current students and their siblings. Please complete the attached form and return it to the office with your registration fee of $250.00.  If you have a hardship and cannot pay the $250.00 now, please contact the office and we will work with you.  
 
Registration Dates: 
October 1 -  Open to Current Families and Siblings
November 1 - Opens to New Catholic Families
December 1 - Opens to All Other Families  
International Festival

 

October 13, 2012   12-4 pm
 
THE COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR AN OUT OF THIS WORLD INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
 
2 weeks and counting!
 
We will be sending out Country of Origin sheets this week, please complete and return them by October 11 via backpack mail to Jose Dimas c/o Hannah Dimas (Magruder).  If you are unable to attend the Festival, please complete one anyway so that everyone can know where your family name originates.
There will an International Festival preparation meeting on October 4 at 6:00 p.m. in the STM cafeteria.
Plan to join us for a day of great fun and food from all over the world! Bring ONE DISH or DESSERT from your US State, Country, or Continent of origin to serve 8-10 people.
Win an IPOD Touch, Lego Space Shuttle Expedition, Nook e-reader, American Girlof the Year - McKenna, or new American Girl Caroline. Raffle and cake walk tickets are $2 per ticket or $5 for 3 tickets.
Please RSVP, volunteer and/or make an International gift basket or other donation for the raffle (every $10 donated is equivalent to 1 volunteer hour).
Please contact Jose Dimas or Carolyn Majowka at 
  International Form
Who is coming list
 
Nurse's Note 

Arlington Prepares-Emergency Preparation Week was last week. 
 Click here for more info on how to sign up for Arlington Alerts.  
Arlington Alerts or go to this website for more info.  

Make a Plan, Sign up for Alerts on your phone, Make a go-pack of emergency supplies for your family.  Everyone is asked to do something to prepare for the unexpected this week.  At St. Thomas More, we have had several fire drills and a tornado drill already with the school children.  In addition, parents have been asked to update their emergency forms on back to school nights so all information is current. We are preparing--are you?

Confidential Health Updates: October is the month we perform confidential hearing and vision screenings and also update the children's medical record with their growth pattern.  Kindergarten students will be screened with picture vision charts/audiometer on a later date with the nurse.  The Lion's van will be here on October 24, 2012 for Grades 1-8.  The van has specialized vision equipment and hearing booths to check your student at NO COST. This is the link to the form under nurse forms if you want your child's hearing/vision tested.  If you do not complete and turn in a form by 10/19, your child will not be screened.  Screening Form  

If you do not want your child to participate in the confidential medical record update, please send a note for their file by October 17th-opting out of hearing and vision or medical record confidential growth updates(height and weight).  These readings are done privately, one student a a time, without anyone seeing the results, and are important for medication dosage and emergency use. No letters are sent home regarding these results. More information on nurse's page.

Parent Volunteers Needed for Lion's Van  Vision and Hearing Testing Van will be here October 24th from 8-1.  We need 6-8 volunteers for the whole time to allow the screening to run efficiently. Volunteer hours given for helping with this important testing of our children! Contact clinic to sign up!

Flu season is right around the corner-Get your flu vaccine now for yourself and your children if your doctor recommends it.  See link for more information. 
Food Safety  Please make sure if you are sending perishable food, you have included an ice pack in your child's lunchbox.  We have had many instances of warm yogurt, "lunchables" and warm meat/cheese sandwiches that the children have brought from home. Thank you.

Donna K Lorge, RN, BSN
STM School Nurse

St. Thomas More Band

Fundraiser Informaiton
Use the following link to purchase wrapping paper, gifts and other items to help support the STM band.  

Band Schedule
Thursday, October 4th
 
Advanced Band Class Schedule
Group 4 All Adv. Baritone, Tromb. Bass Clar.  5th - 8th Grade at 9:05
Group 5 All Adv. Trumpets 5th - 8th Grade at 9:30
Group 6 All Adv. Drums at 11:30 5th - 8th Grade at 10:00
Group 1 All Adv. Flutes 5th - 8th Grade at 10:30 A.M
Group 2 All Adv. Clarinets 5th - 8th Grade at 11:00
Group 3 All Adv. Alto / Tenor Saxes 5th - 8th Grade at 11:30
 All students are asked to attend lessons and full band practice, with or without their instrument, hopefully with!

Yes - Band Lunch from 12:00 to 12:20
Full Band Rehearsal (5th,6th, 7th, and 8th Grade) - 12:20 - 12:55 P.M.
 
Beginner Band Class Schedule
Group 10 Beginner Alto Sax and Drums at 1:00
Group 7 Beginner Flute at 1:30
Group 8 Beginner Clarinet at 2:00
Group 9 Beginner Trumpet and Trombone at 2:25
 
Advanced Assignments:  All adv. students are asked to practice 20 minutes each day.  New music was handed out:  Warm Up and 3 - Solos including When the Saints Go Marching in; new band music includes Pirates Cave and Frenzy.  All Clarinet and Sax students are asked to have 2 1/2 Vandoren Reeds, and brass need to oil instruments.  Parents please support the routine of practice and bringing Instruments on Thursday.
 
Beginner Assignments :  Many beginners are starting to show improvement skills on hands, putting together the instruments and mouthpiece blowing, continue to practice this basic skills. Check the instrument out and get extra reeds and have oil for brass.  Practice the start of the new worksheet for a first song, Mary Had A Little Lamb. Good lessons last Thursday, keep up the good work.

Upcoming Events
Cherrydale Fund raiser - Sept / Oct.  - Your efforts and sales help the cost of your trip.  Cookie Dough - Everyone like cookies! Right.  
School Christmas Concert - December.
 
The band will be traveling to Kings Dominion for the Music Festival on May 3rd.  The adv. band was informed that it will be performing for a famous band composer at the kings dominion festival in May and hopefully playing his music for judging.  
Issue: 6
In This Issue
Early Dismissal
Coffee and Muffins
Student Council Event
Winter Uniform
2013 - 2014 Registration
International Fesitval
Nurse's Note
STM Band

Looking Ahead: 

 
October 5, 2012
11:30 Dismissal 
No Extended Day
 
October 8, 2012
Columbus Day 
No School
 
October 9, 2012
Winter Uniform Begins
 
October 10, 2012
Picture Day 
 
October 13, 2012

International Fesitval

12:00pm to 4:00pm

 

October 17, 2012

Astronaut Joe Allen Visit

9:00am 

 

October 21, 2012

Open House

Prospective Pre-K and K

 

October 31, 2012

Charity Walk 

 

December 8, 2012

Barnes and Noble Book Fair at Seven Corners

EBlast

Submissions for the EBlast are due on the Tuesday before the Wednesday Eblast.  Send articles to:

Eblast@stmschool.org

Thanks!  

Please join us at 

Mass on 

Friday, 

September

28, 2012

at 10:00am in the Cathedral.  
STM teaches faith!