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Wildcat Weekly
A Weekly Newsletter from St. Mary's Academy 
A Fun Coincidence in the Academy President's Blog: 

These past eight weeks has been our Eight Weeks of Giving campaign leading up to Colorado Gives Day. And, boy oh boy, this St. Mary's Academy community knows how to give! 


Deirdre V. Cryor
Academy President


Eight Weeks of Giving is a Wrap!
Eight Weeks of Giving was an amazing few weeks for St. Mary's Academy culminating with yesterday's Colorado Gives Day. Yesterday alone, SMA raised $157,553 thanks to the generosity of 200 donors!  

All members of SMA's community, from faculty to parents to alumnae, grandparents, and friends of SMA contributed to the Eight Weeks of Giving campaign helping the Annual Fund to reach $301,108 to date.  We are almost to the $350,000 goal. Thank you for all that you do!
Hour of Code Sweeps Across Campus

Some of SMA's High School students and Mouse Mischief Club are even taking the reins from teachers in Lower and Middle School classes to teach our younger students about coding and guide them through game building for Minecraft, Star Wars and Frozen. It has been a wonderful learning opportunity for all participants so far and we still have a few days to go!

Community News
  • Giving Trees are now in the Lower School and Middle School entrances. Each year, SMA collects gift cards to benefit families in our own school community and we need your help. Gift cards are available for purchase in the Business Office, Middle School Office and Lower School Office through Friday, December 11.
  • The Standing O's would like to give a big ovation to the parents who helped provide cookies during the Lower School and High School Music Concerts. Thank you to each of you.  Without you, we could not have a reception following the concerts. Your efforts are appreciated and we thank you all: Seigh Augustine, Kathleen Dammen, Sherry Fitzpatrick, Mary Fox, Jenni Hampers, Heidi Hanzel, Kim Hartman, Amy Hicks, Leigh Hickerson, Jane Hoogerwerf, Vickie Leen, Viara Lewis, Margo Livadariu, Michael Lorance, Lynn Malik, Cathy Musselwhite, Sandy Montville, Kim Obourn, Jennifer Parsons, Ellen Putze, Rowena Cipriano-Reyes, Traci Sanders, Lori Stefanoudakis, Stacie Straffon, Michele Walsh.

  • SMA's 150th commemorative book is the perfect gift for grandparents or a family keepsake. Sister Regina Drey is happy to personalize, gift wrap and mail copies. Books are available in school offices, in the Sanders House or by email. One book is $40; two or more books are $35 each.
Lower School News & Events
News:
  • Congratulations to the Lower School Beginning Orchestra and Beginning Band for their first concert on December 2. Their performance was music to our ears and put everyone in the holiday spirit! 
  • Artist Amy Laugesen visited Kelly Mansfield's fifth grade art classes to present about public art and the process that takes place for public art installation. A mixed media sculptor, art teacher and artist-in-resident at various Denver institutions, Amy has commissioned large-scale public artworks that are in private and public collections around the country. She will join the classes again in January and February to work with students as they create a mock proposal to the Denver International Airport Art Program for their expansion of public art. Students will come up with sculptural ideas for what represents Colorado and the Rockies, create model maquettes, and learn about the proposal process.
  • Lower School will be collecting cash and checks for The Katie Adamson Conservation Fund for the December Late Start Great Start Service Project. Collection will run through December 18. Please click here for more information.
     
  • Congratulations to the LS Band for their performance before the Colorado Wind Ensemble Concert last Saturday. Under the guidance of music teacher Sharon Gayley, they presented a wonderful concert!
  • Giving Trees are now in the Lower School, Middle School and Community Center entrances. Each year, SMA collects gift cards to benefit families in our own school community and we need your help. Gift cards are available for purchase in the Business Office, Middle School Office and Lower School Office through Friday, December 11.
  • The SMA Presto Orchestra will have the honor of performing at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, prior to a Colorado Ballet production of The Nutcracker. This event will take place on Saturday, December 12. The matinee begins at 1:00 PM, and our orchestra will perform for a full 45-50 minutes in the lobby of the Ellie Caulkins, once the doors open at 12:00 PM to the general public. To place a ticket order, please contact Cherie Swisher. 
Events: 
  • Tonight, December 9; 7:00 PM: Lower School Concert in Forum
  • Thursday, December 10; 8:00 AM: Middle School Preview beginning in the Community Center
  • Tuesday, December 15; 10:00 AM: All Academy Sing Along in BESC
  • Friday, December 18: Half Day of Classes, no EDC / JKAC
Middle School News & Events
News:
  • Congratulations to the MS Band for their performance before the Colorado Wind Ensemble Concert last Saturday. Under the guidance of music teacher Sharon Gayley, they presented a wonderful concert!  Students are pictured at right.
  • Giving Trees are now in the Lower School, Middle School and Community Center entrances. Each year, SMA collects gift cards to benefit families in our own school community and we need your help. Gift cards are available for purchase in the Business Office, Middle School Office and Lower School Office through Friday, December 11.
  • Save the date! The Middle School social of the year is Friday, February 19.  Mark your calendars and plan to spend an evening with your SMA Middle School friends and enjoy great music and beach volleyball at The Island. More information to come.
Events:
  • Friday, December 11; 11:40 AM: Middle School Mass in the Commons
  • Tuesday, December 15
    • All Academy Sing Along: 10:00 AM in BESC
    • Middle School Concert: 7:00 PM in Forum
  • Friday, December 18: Half Day of Classes, no ASA
High School News & Events
 News: 
  • This year, the Junior Class organized a charity gift-giving for its Christmas project. The entire class had a wrapping paper party on Tuesday and wrapped the gifts they donated for children in foster care this Christmas. Some of the junior student council representatives will attend a Christmas Party next week at Casa Bonita with the foster agency Kids Crossing. This celebration will culminate with SMA juniors personally presenting their gifts to teens in foster care throughout the Denver area. Merry Christmas! 
  • SMAbotics had a wonderful time at BEST Robotics Regionals in Arkansas. The team achieved ninth place overall, received the Best Marketing Presentation and took home the prize for the third most photogenic robot! Congratulations to the team, pictured at right!
  • Latavia Pineda, Daria Boulos, Erin Curley, Alex Ferguson, Aleema Abbasi, Sarah Burkeholder, Annie Hess and Sarah Gamel competed in an overnight meet at The University of Colorado, Boulder on December 4 and 5. Junior Daria Boulos (pictured below at left) won an "Outstanding Delegate" Award for her portrayal of Jesus Millan, Rear Admiral and Flag Officer of the Phillippines Navy, in the Advanced Crisis Council.
  • Students Ping Wolf, Kierstyn Leo, Morgan Naake, and Allie Lupiba (pictured below at right) attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference with teacher Debbie Horning, who participated in the People of Color Conference, which took place concurrently. The keynote for both sessions was Mae Jemison, astronaut, physician and STEM pioneer and the closing keynote was Sarah Kay a spoken word Poet. This year's theme was Learning to Listen and Listening to Learn: The Art of Dialogue and The Science of Living Justly.

  
Events:
  • Thursday, December 10: Archdiocese Visiting Team at St. Mary's Academy
  • Tuesday, December 15; 10:00 AM: All Academy Sing Along in BESC
  • Wednesday, December 16: Exams begin
  • Friday, December 18: Half Day of Classes
Admissions News & Events
  • Middle School Preview Day is December 10 from 9:00-10:30 AM. Please invite your friends and neighbors! Click here to RSVP.
  • SMA Junior Kindergarten/Kindergarten Siblings: Please contact Admissions to RSVP for the required group visit.  
      • Junior Kindergarten Applicants: December 16 or January 21; 9:00-10:00 AM. RSVP now!
      • Kindergarten applicants: January 13; 9:15-10:45 AM or January 26; 8:30-10:00 AM. RSVP now!

     
    Click here for the online application, parent comment form and teacher recommendation. 
  • Financial Assistance Portal at sss.nais.org began November 1. New and returning SMA families are encouraged to begin the process of applying for financial assistance. Please apply at sss.nais.org and begin uploading documents requested. For additional information, and to reference the list of documents needed, click hereIf you have any questions, please email Gracie Carr.
  • SMA HSPT Test welcomed students from 23 different Middle Schools across the Denver Metro area.  Thanks to all who braved the test and left with smiles! Congratulations! The results of the test should be mailed by December 18. 
  • Thanks to all the parent and student volunteers who will be assisting with the MS Preview this week.
  • Shout out of thanks to: Tima'ar Michael, Mathilde von Thun, Marla Loya, Michelle Hanley and Kristin Zinis. We are so grateful for your kind recommendations.
If you have any questions please contact Gracie Carr or Seely Greenberg in the Admissions Office.
Advancement News
  • Holiday shopping is upon us!  Need a teacher gift? Gift for the babysitter? Dog sitter? Friends?  We have a wide variety of gift cards for all your shopping needs. Click here for the order form or stop by the Business Office any time.
  • Shop at Amazon? Please use AmazonSmile and help SMA earn .5% of all purchases. Simply log into https://smile.amazon.com/ and select St. Mary's Academy for the Sisters of Loretto. Once you do this Amazon will remember it for future purchases as long as you log in using https://smile.amazon.com/.
Alumnae News
  • Thank you to the many alumnae who made a gift to SMA on Colorado Gives Day! The support of our alumnae is greatly appreciated and impacts each and every student on campus.
  • Upcoming Alumnae Events: For more information and to RSVP, click here.
    • Friday, December 18 & Tuesday, January 5 - Young Alumnae Coffees
    • Tuesday, December 22 - Alumnae Basketball Reunion 
Athletic News
  • This past Friday the Wildcat Swim Team participated in the Denver Public School Pentathlon, where each swimmer swam every event in either a 50 or 100 distance. With many outstanding performances, we had sophomore Isa Faddick take third place overall in the 50's division. Isa is no stranger to giving stellar performances, and she did just that at this meet. In the 100 Individual Medley Isa placed third out of 102, in the 50 Free she took second out of 154, in the 50 Breast she took second out of 108, in 50 Back she took first out of 143, and in the 50 Butterfly Isa took fourth out of 73! With her continued hard work and perseverance for excellence, Isa is bound for another outstanding season that will mimic last year.  
  • Varsity Basketball works their way to 3-0! Congratulations to our SMA Varsity Basketball for picking up their third straight win of the season against Middle Park. Our Wildcats fought their way back from behind to finish with a  57-47 win against the panthers. We look forward to cheering them on as they play Arvada High School, away, this Thursday at 7:00 PM
For details and schedules, contact the Athletics Office, check the calendar on the St. Mary's Academy mobile device App, or visit the websiteGo Wildcats!


   
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