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The Messenger
January 31, 2014
Vol. I, No.21
 
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St. Michael's Academy 
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Greetings! 

 

Sunday we had a wonderful and exciting afternoon at St. Michael's Academy, as we began our celebration of Catholic Schools Week!  But what is it, exactly, that we are celebrating? 

 

The Curriculum Fair?  Open House? School of the Future Projects?  Passing the Torch?  Honoring military personnel? Honoring Friends of St. Michael's Academy?  Student and Teacher Appreciation Days?  Our coming together as a school family and sharing a great Pasta Dinner?  Our service project; donations for the Gray House? 

 

No! These are not what we are celebrating!  All these awesome things are how  we celebrated.  What we are celebrating is St. Michael's Academy, and all Catholic Schools.  We are celebrating that we have the opportunity to teach and share our Faith.  Catholic schools seek to guide and prepare students to proclaim the Gospel and to put this proclamation into action.  Catholic educators believe that we have a mission to build up the Church by nurturing the mind, body, and spirit of each of our students. 

 

We are privileged to have the opportunity to aid parents in modeling our faith and instilling a sense of Gospel values in the minds and hearts of our students.  We intend to help students to develop their God given gifts and to grow into adults who know, love, and serve Christ and others. 

 

Pope John Paul II said, "Community is at the heart of all Catholic education, not simply as a concept to be taught, but as a reality to be lived...Your students will learn to understand and appreciate the value of community as they experience love, trust, and loyalty in your school and educational programs, and as they learn to trust all persons as brothers and sisters created by God and redeemed by Christ."

 

So let us continue to celebrate!  We celebrate our school and our faith.  We celebrate the gift of being able to join with others who share our beliefs and to pass these gifts on to each other and to future generations!  We celebrate being part of St. Michael's Academy! 

 

Peace,

Ann E. Dougal, Principal   

 
Reminders
  • Mangia & Mingle Pasta Dinner is tomorrow, February 1st. We hope to see you all there!
  • If you are planning to apply for Tuition Assistance for the 2014-2015 school year, please complete the online application by going to www.factstuitionaid.com.
  • Please mark March 21st as a Professional Development Day on your calendar. There will be no school on that day.
  • Save the Date: State of the School, Thursday, February 27, 2014 6:30 pm in the cafeteria. 
 
Thank you 
 
Thank you to all who gave so generously to the Joseph Family in their time of need. 
Donations are still being accepted on their behalf. 
 
Admissions Update
 

I am very happy to report that close to 50 prospective students came

through St. Michael's Academy on Sunday for our Open House! Thank you to all of our faculty and staff for their help in hosting this marvelous event.

 

Also, I would like to thank all of our current parents. Word-of-Mouth is the best form of advertisement and many of the families that came through the doors on Sunday said they were referred to St. Michael's Academy by a friend, fellow parishioner, family member or neighbor. Once again, thank you to everyone who made this event such a success. 

 

Advancement Update
  
 How Close Are We?
   

As of today, January 31, 2014, we have secured 411 donors with a total amount pledged/donated of $72,060.  To date, we have collected $64,112.  We still need to secure 425 donors and $75,000 in order to meet both goals set by The D'Amour 425 Gifts Challenge.  Your gifts help St. Michael's Academy continue its commitment to academic excellence by providing enrichment programs and greater financial assistance for students in need. 

 

Michele and Donald D'Amour  have provided us the opportunity to raise over $150,000.  One of the easiest ways to help us reach both goals, established by The D'Amour 425 Gifts Challenge, is by donating a gift online.  Once you access our website, www.smaspringfield.org , you can then click on the Donate Now button.  You are also welcome to mail in a check made out to The Fund for St. Michael's Academy.

 

Our sincere thanks to everyone who has participated in our Annual Fund these past few months.   If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Advancement Office, (413) 782-5246 Ext. 1202.     

 
  
Catholic Schools Week
January 26-February 1, 2014

   

 

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Springfield Falcons Game

 

 

 

"God Bless America"

 

 

  Sunday, January 26, 2014 

Open House and Curriculum Fair

 

  
School of the Future

 

 

Winners of the School of the Future competition
were also unveiled on Sunday.   

 

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Patriotic Ceremony

 

 
 
Wednesday, January, 29, 2014
Warm Winter Wishes
 
At Warm Winter Wishes, we thanked Friends of 
St. Michael's Academy for all that they do for us.
The second grade provided some great entertainment!
  Our eighth graders acted as hosts for the morning.
 
 
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Student Appreciation Day
 
Throughout the day, our students participated in "Get Up and Move". They had a blast dancing in their classrooms, the cafeteria and even the hallway! 
  
 

  

Friday, January 31, 2014
School Mass
Teacher Appreciation Day 

  

 

 

Saturday, February 1, 2014
Mangia & Mingle Pasta Dinner
5-7 p.m.

  

We hope to see you all tomorrow at the annual Mangia and Mingle Pasta Dinner beginning at 5 p.m. in the gymnasium. We will be raffling off gift baskets as well as pulling all the winners for the February Calendar Raffle. We are still looking for volunteers to help with set up from 2-4pm in the Gymnasium. Also, we are looking for additional desserts. Please feel free to bring something to share. 

  

From the Teacher's Desk...
 
MathCounts!
 Mrs. Wozniakowski
 
 

Four mathletes from St. Michael's Academy will be matching wits with the best and brightest of the Connecticut Valley in the annual Mathcounts competition.  Eighth graders, Chiara Sarno and James Rocca, along with seventh graders, Ben Russell and Claire Hickling, were selected to represent their school for the annual math competition held at Hamden Charter School in Chicopee on February 1st.   To be chosen for the team, these students scored the highest on a Mathcounts school competition test.  Testing for Mathcounts is highly competitive and being part of the competition is a great achievement for these students. The students competing for the spots are members of the Mathcounts club here at St. Michael's Academy.  To be chosen for Mathcounts, a student has to show an appreciation as well as an aptitude for math. 

 

Mathcounts is "a national enrichment club and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement in every U.S. state and territory."  It combines the competitive spirit of athletics with academics to create an enjoyable and engaging way to demonstrate an interest in mathematics.

 

 A Message from the Brownies

 

Dear SMA Families,

 
It's Girl Scout Cookie Time again for the Girl Scouts at SMA!  The Girl Scout cookie program is a major source of funding for Girl Scout activities throughout the year and is directly related to our purpose of helping all girls realize their full potential and become strong, confident, and resourceful citizens. 

 

If you already know a Girl Scout who is  near and dear to your heart, please continue to support the girls in that troop...their funding depends on it.  However, if you are looking for a Girl Scout Cookie connection, please consider supporting our Girl Scout Troops at SMA by filling out the order form that was sent home and return it  by  Friday   February 7th (Delivery will be by Friday, Feb 13th).  
The cookies are $4 per box.   Checks may be made out to: GS Troop 11929  (returned checks will be assessed an additional fee).
 
The girls of Troop 11929 have decided to designate a portion of their proceeds to benefit SMA as well as participate in Project Care and Share, which sends cookies to the Military serving our country.  For more information about our troop, the cookie program or Project Care  Share, please contact us at [email protected]
 
Thank You!!
Brownie Troop 11929"
 
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, February 4: 
Suzuki Violin Lessons

Wednesday, February 5: 
wire-bound-pad.jpg
Banking

Friday, February 7: 
Fun Fact Friday

Prayer Corner
St. Michael the Archangel, pray for us!

We pray for all St. Michael's Academy students, families, faculty, and staff, and their special intentions.

This week we pray in a special way for these friends of SMA: Sandra Pallotta, Anne Falcone, Cathleen Curran, Elizabeth Sullivan, Thomas Fitzgerald.

We also remember in our prayers the recently deceased: 
Maria Cieplik

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.  May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
St. Michael's Academy - 153 Eddywood Street - Springfield, MA 01118
413.782.5246 office - 413.782.8137 fax