Dear Parents,

I hope you all had a restful few days. We are ready to get back to our routines and begin the contemplative season of Lent.  Many thanks to our pastor, Fr. Pat for welcoming all of our students to the beautiful patio outside of the parish offices for ashes and some inspirational words to help us begin this 40 day Lenten journey.

Please watch your email for your tuition agreement for the 2021-2022 school year.  Our goal is to register all returning students by the end of February.  Please do not hesitate to contact myself or Mrs. Hollis with any questions or concerns.  We remain dedicated to helping our families during these unprecedented times.

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Dear Parents,

It is that time of the year again when we look towards the upcoming new school year. We will be emailing you important information regarding tuition rates and registration for the 2021-2022 school year at approximately 6:15 this evening. Please watch carefully for it. We are asking that our current families respond with their commitment no later than Friday, February 26. We will begin contacting prospective families during the first week of March and scheduling students for prospective student assessments.

With the recent enrollment interest in our school, we have, understandably, had some questions regarding the impact on our class sizes for the next school year. We have made the decision to keep our numbers at a modest 20-25 students per class. This has traditionally been regarded as a preferred number for a healthy classroom environment. As always, I thank you for your support, understanding and cooperation as we maneuver through these new, uncharted waters. Should you have any questions or concerns, please know that my door is always open.

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Dear Parents,

Happy Catholic Schools Week one and all! We have celebrated, and will continue to celebrate, for the remainder of the week. Many thanks to those of you who have been so very gracious with your expressions of gratitude to all of us. We are definitely being spoiled this week. Please check our website and Facebook page for some snapshots of each day’s celebrations. The students are definitely looking forward to bringing a special “gift” home to appreciate you tomorrow and for Grandparents on Friday. Have I told you lately how blessed we are to be part of this SMA family?

Please watch your emails and listen for a phone call from me this Friday with some exciting news on a school lunch program that we will begin starting on February 17. Finally, some relief from packing those daily lunches!!!!

We look forward to a great rest of the week!

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Do you want to share your love with your student? We would LOVE to add your love lines to the yearbook. Love lines are due Friday, February 19th. CLICK HERE and submit your love line!

Dear Parents,

Happy Wednesday to all! As we approach Catholic Schools Week, January 31-February 5, we are reminded that even though this year’s celebration may look “different” we can still count our blessings for this wonderful school and our SMA family. Our Student Leadership Team has planned a fun-filled spirt week for our students. I cannot thank our PTO enough for assisting with the planning of so many wonderful celebrations this week as well…

Saturday/Sunday – Catholic Schools Weekend Kick-off!

*Mrs. Moss to speak at all Masses

Monday – Community Appreciation Day!

*Mrs. Moss will visit local businesses with notes of appreciation and prayers for our local small businesses during these difficult times.

*Student Leadership Team Spirit Day – Disney Day

Tuesday – Student Appreciation Day!

*Student and Staff Lunch from Urban Pizza Food Trucks!

(Cost covered by PTO)

*Student Leadership Team Spirit Day – Student Free Dress

Wednesday – Teacher Appreciation Day!

*Many wonderful surprises for the teachers. (Thank you PTO and Room Parents)

*Student Leadership Spirit Day – Character Day

Thursday – Father Pat and Principal/VP Appreciation Day!

Parent Appreciation Day!

*More surprises! Special projects for parents will go home (Thank you classroom teachers and students)

*Student Leadership Team Spirit Day – Tacky Tourist Day

Friday – Grandparent Appreciation Day!

*Special “gifts” projects from students for their Grandparents will go home (Thank you classroom teachers and students)

*Student Leadership Team Day – Show Your School Spirit Day!

**Please note that additional clarification regarding “Spirit Day” activities is included in today’s newsletter.

In closing…please watch for some exciting information regarding a new Hot Lunch program coming to SMA very soon!

Blessings for a joyful Catholic Schools Week!

Mrs. Moss

Click here for Spanish

Dear Parents,

Welcome back from the long weekend! We are back to our daily routines…what a blessing!

We are currently planning for a fun-filled Catholic Schools Week beginning Sunday, January 31. It will look considerably different this year, but still an amazing opportunity to celebrate Stella Maris Academy and our commitment to Catholic education. Watch for the schedule of events in next week’s Parent Newsletter. I would like to offer special thanks to our PTO officers and room parents for all of the support, great ideas and extra effort they have put forth for Catholic Schools Week and this entire year to help bring joy and celebration to our students and our staff. Please know how much you are loved and appreciated!

Have you purchased your new “spirit wear”? It’s not too late…stop by the school office to see the display and take some home!

A million thanks for all of your continued support as we continue to utilize our creativity to make this school year both memorable and enjoyable for us all.

Stay Strong Stella…We Got This!

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Click here for Spanish

Dear Parents,

As we continue to navigate through these difficult times for our families and our country, we thank God for the opportunity to interact with our students on a daily basis.  We will continue our vigilance in all of the safety protocols to keep our community as safe as possible.  I diligently attend the weekly county health Zoom meetings to stay up-to-date on all of the latest recommendations and mandates as well as staying informed regarding the availability of the vaccine for our faculty, staff and students.  I will share this information as it becomes available.  As of today, phase 1A of the vaccine is being administered.  Our faculty and staff are considered to be essential workers. Therefore, we will be included in phase 1B.  There has not been any information regarding a timeline yet.  I will keep you posted.  Please note that the quarantine for out-of-state travel remains in effect.  If you choose to travel out of California over this long weekend, you are required to self-quarantine for 10 days before returning to school on the eleventh day.  A negative COVID test does not change your length of quarantine.   I thank you for cooperating with us to keep our entire community safe and healthy.  Enjoy your long weekend (Friday, January 15-Monday, January 18).  We will see you all back on Tuesday.

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year and welcome back to school!  As we proceed forward with “re-entry” into our daily routines, we appreciate your patience, cooperation and support.  These first couple of weeks back to school requires consistency and follow-through by teachers, students and parents.  Our first two days have gone well and have set the stage for a continued smooth transition into the remainder of our school year.  Thank you to our entire SMA community!

To keep us all up-to-date on the current status of COVID mandates, recommendations and policies set forth by our state and local health officials, I attend a weekly Zoom meeting with representatives from the San Diego County Health and Human Services Department.  Yesterday’s meeting confirmed that a 10-day quarantine for anyone traveling out-of-state remains in effect until further notice.  Therefore, we will continue to support these guidelines as we move forward and continue on with our school year.  Vaccination availability for our teachers and staff was also discussed at the meeting.  School teachers and employees are considered to be “essential workers”. Therefore, vaccines will be made available to us in the 1B section of vaccine distributions.  As of today, no specific date for distribution has been determined.

Please join myself and our entire SMA faculty and staff by welcoming Ms. Megan Hughes to our SMA family as our 8^th grade homeroom/ religion teacher and middle school science teacher.  We look forward to a great second half of our school year! She has already commented to me on how “nice” our students are…way to go SMA!

In closing, I would like to share with our families that as Catholic Schools Week approaches (January 31- February 5) please be aware that the events we have come to know and love as tradition, such as Catholic Schools Sunday Mass/Open House and Grandparents’ Day will look very different.  We are working together to brainstorm creative ways to celebrate these days, understanding that celebrating together in person will not be possible this year.  Please continue to watch for updates in our weekly newsletters.

Blessings,

Mrs. Moss

Dear Parents,

Christmas is in the air!  Fun and joyfulness are alive and well at SMA!  Christmas clothes, Christmas program recording, and pajama day on Friday!  We are so blessed that our students are on campus and that we can all celebrate this wonderful time of year.  The promise fulfilled by the birth of the Savior in a manger is reason to pause and take time to thank God for all He has given to us.  We must also spread this joy through our daily actions this Christmas season and throughout the entire year.  Small acts of kindness go a long way. Many thanks for your generosity with our Christmas “Angel/Giving Tree” outreach project.  We collected $1,000 in cash and grocery gift cards for Fr. Joe’s Village and $800 in cash and grocery gift cards for Doors For Change.  Thank you for helping to make it a brighter Christmas for those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

Amid all of this joy, I unfortunately, must share the news that Mrs. Jones, our 8^th grade homeroom/Middle School Science teacher will be moving to Colorado over the Christmas break.  She will be missed terribly.  Her caring attitude and love for her students and for teaching has been such a gift to SMA.  We wish her well on this new venture.  Upon our return on January 5, we will welcome Miss Megan Hughes to SMA as our new teacher.  She comes to us with the highest of recommendations from her experience at Valhalla High School.  Miss Hughes is a graduate of San Diego State University and Point Loma Nazarene University.  She has earned multiple subject credentials in General and Bio/Life Sciences with relevant coursework in Physics, Biology and Kinesiology.  Miss Hughes has also expressed interest in beginning an after school cross country team.  I am confident that she will be a wonderful addition to our SMA family.  Please join me in a grateful farewell to our Mrs. Jones and a warm welcome to Miss Hughes.

Thank you, in advance, to those families that will travel out of state over the Christmas break.  We ask you to follow the state and county guidelines and quarantine for 10 days prior to returning to school.

In closing, on behalf of the entire faculty and staff of Stella Maris Academy, I would like to wish you and your families a joyful and blessed Christmas.  May 2021 bring us health and restore peace to our country. 

With Blessings and Much Love,

Francie Moss