Dear Parents,

Tonight, is the big night …our first annual Spring Sing!  It will be wonderful to hear the uplifting music and see all our students performing one last time before our summer break.  Our program begins at 6PM.  Students should arrive no later than 5:45.

Please remember that tomorrow evening at 5:30 we will be hosting a special presentation for parents regarding social media and how to keep our children safe.  All parents of children in grades TK-8^th are welcome.  Please feel free to bring friends who want to learn more as well. PLEASE, NO CHILDREN.  There will be extremely sensitive topics addressed that may not be appropriate for children.

Aftercare reminder…because of the Memorial Day long weekend, there will be NO AFTERCARE this Friday.  All students should be picked up at the 12:30 dismissal time. 

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Dear Parents,

Many thanks to all of you who participated in today’s International Lunch! Another SMA tradition has returned!!! Special thanks to Senora Pina, Miss Debbie, and Mrs. Moreau for organizing this wonderful event celebrating our many cultures!

Speaking of delicious food…don’t forget to support SMA and a local business today beginning at 3:00 today. Please see the flier in today’s newsletter for American Pizza Manufacturing. A portion of the proceeds will go back to SMA! This is a great way to support our school as well as a great local business. Order online for quick and easy pick-up.

Coming up next week…

Wednesday, May 24 – Our 1st Annual Spring Sing! 6:00 PM in the parish hall. All students will be performing. You don’t want to mis this fun-filled evening of show tune music!

Thursday, May 25 – Parent presentation regarding the dangers of social media and how to keep our children safe. 5:30 in the parish hall. This is for parents only…please no children due to the sensitive content that will be discussed by our school therapist Kelly Dobelstein MA. Med. PPS. Al parents are welcome TK-8th grade.

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Dear Parents,

Aloha and Mahalo to all our parents, friends, teachers, and parishioners that supported our “Aloha Nights” Gala last Saturday. What an enjoyable evening filled with music, food, beverages, and support for our wonderful school! We are currently running a “Second Chance Silent Auction” for items that were not bid on or for items that were purchased and re-donated for another round of bidding. Please note that this auction is located on the same site as the previous auction. It will be active through May 15. Special thanks to Bianka Escobedo, our gala chairperson as well as her committee members…Mayling Garrison, Karla Onstott, Elena Rubio, Shannon Mann, Jessica Duran, Meghan Matthews, Jessica Wackenstedt, Laurence Frost, and Lisa Greene. What an amazing team! Let’s not forget our auctioneer, Fr. Pat, and his assistant Jim Watson!

I hope to see many of you at this evening’s “Night of Art and Music”. Our school band will perform from 5:00-5:40 then our student art will be on display from 5:40-7:00 PM. This is a wonderful opportunity to come together to show our appreciation for the amazing fine arts opportunities our students participate in.

This is such a busy month! Summer will certainly be here before we know it! Please mark your calendars for the following events…

May 12 – Student of the Month Assembly (8:05)

Fr. Pat’s Birthday

May 13 – 1st Eucharist (11:00)

May 17 – International Lunch

May 23 – Parent Presentation Regarding Online Safety for Children (5:30)

May 24 – Spring Sing (6:00)

Whew! I am tired just looking at this list!

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Aloha SMA Parents,

We are just days away from our “Aloha Nights” Gala.  Please make sure you have registered for the silent auction. There are so many amazing items up for bid.  Did you know that you don’t have to attend the event to place a bid?  Just scan the QR code in today’s newsletter, register, and begin the bidding fun.  I must admit…it is rather addicting in an enjoyable sort of way! I am looking forward to seeing many of you there decked out in your Hawaiian attire and enjoying the “Island” atmosphere.  So, let’s all get ready to have an enjoyable evening while supporting our wonderful school and our window replacement project!  Special thanks to our Gala chair, Bianka Escobedo and her amazing, hardworking committee members for putting so much work and time into this important fundraising event.

Mahalo!

Francie Moss

Dear Parents,

Happy Easter to everyone!  I hope you all had time to enjoy some rest and relaxation!  We are now in the “home stretch”!   This school year has flown by!  These final weeks will be filled with several events that will celebrate our wonderful school community. 

Congratulations again to Coach “D” and all our students and their families on an incredibly successful “Spirit Run”!  The total raised, after expenses, was $18,000!  These funds will be used to purchase some new athletic team uniforms for next year’s teams representing SMA.  We will also access these funds to celebrate and thank our parents that volunteered their time to coach our students this past year with a dinner this evening.  Some additional, and much-needed, sports equipment will be purchased as well.  Well done SMA and Coach “D”!

We are anxiously awaiting the evening of our “Aloha Nights” gala!  There are so many amazing items for silent and live auctions.  Remember, you do not have to be present to bid and win!  Just click on the link in today’s newsletter or scan the QR code on your ticket.  This will be the only way you can bid on silent auction items.  So, register to participate today!!!

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Dear Parents,

Happy day after Valentine’s Day! We had many wonderful celebrations at school. It’s hard to believe that we have a little over one trimester left before our school year comes to an end. It will go very quickly.

Please make sure you complete your registration paperwork for the upcoming school year by February 28. We will begin accepting applications from new families beginning March 1. This will limit some of the space available in some of our classes that are near capacity. It is important that we offer current families the ability to register prior to new families.

Please mark your calendars for our first, post-Covid, “State of the School” presentation. It will take place on Tuesday, February 28 at 6:00 PM in the church. We will share current news and information regarding budget, tuition, and capital improvements as well as future plans moving forward. This is an important tradition at SMA which I am happy to bring back. I look forward to sharing the great news about our amazing school.

I hope you have a restful Presidents Day break (it used to be called Ski Week). We will see you back on Ash Wednesday. You are welcome to attend our 10:30 school/parish Mass.

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Dear Parents,

It is difficult to believe that it is already the time of year for our families to re-register for the upcoming school year. Please watch your email for the required registration material for returning families. We will open registration for new families beginning March 1st.

I am happy to bring back yet another SMA tradition… the State of the School Address. This is an opportunity for the administration to make a presentation to the school parents sharing information and facts that have led to decisions for the upcoming school year as well as the future trajectory of Stella Maris Academy. This meeting will take place following the Presidents’ Day break. Please watch next week’s newsletter for the exact date.

On behalf of the entire SMA faculty and staff, I would like to welcome back Miss Clariza. We are so glad she has returned. We are doubly blessed that Miss West will continue on with us through the beginning of June to assist with the monumental paperwork that the registration process generates. What a great team these two make. God continues to shower us with His blessings!

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Dear Parents,

Now that Halloween is in our rearview mirror we are headed towards Thanksgiving.  Please watch your email for information from your room parent regarding our annual Thanksgiving Basket donations.

In last week’s newsletter, I shared that I would present our school discipline policy this week.  Please note that you can find that policy below this letter.  You will also find a link to the parent presentation that Jodee Blanco shared with our parents in September. 

While we are on the topic of school discipline, I encourage parents to remember that we are diligently working to foster good habits and provide engaging lessons that promote positive choices and kind and thoughtful behavior among all our students.   I also recommend prudence for all parents if you are participating in classroom “chats” or any other social media platforms involving other school parents.  Speaking and sharing information regarding children other than your own can become divisive, can be misunderstood, and can lead to an environment where others feel excluded and judged.  We are not a private school…We are a Catholic school where we support one another in difficult times and celebrate one another in good times.  Should you have concerns, the most effective plan of action is to speak with your child’s teacher.  It is easy to get caught up in the “talk” when we are part of a small community.  So, let’s keep that “talk” positive and productive and focused on the accomplishments of your own beautiful children.    

As always, I thank you for your support and continued prayers!  I thank God every day for this wonderful school, and you are all a big reason that it is so amazing!

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Dear Parents,

Many thanks for all the trust and support you have shown to us over the past week The SMA community is truly one of empathy and compassion. We will continue to remain vigilant and committed to the safety of our students and staff.

This is an exciting week for our school community. On Friday we will celebrate All Saints Day (a bit early) by dressing up as our favorite saints. We will gather in the parish hall at 10:45 to learn some interesting facts about the lives of the saints. We will then proceed out of the hall to Girard to begin our annual “Saints Parade” led by our music teacher Mrs. Andersen and myself. Parents are welcome to join us as we walk around the block and back into the church to begin Mass. We are so appreciative to our Friday Mass security officer and SDPD for their presence to ensure our safety as we share our faith with our neighbors in “The Village”.

The fun will continue into the evening as we celebrate our annual “Family Fun Night”! We are so excited to be bringing this event back into the junior yard. Our Dads Club will be grilling hamburgers and hot dogs outside of the parish hall. Also in the parish hall, our 7th grade Spanish class will be selling some treats. All cash donations for these treats will go directly to Hurricane Relief in Puerto Rico. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated by the community of Ponce that I visited this past summer with Dr. Amador. Back in the junior yard there will be music, dancing, games, a Haunted Trail, and tons of fun with an energetic DJ and his crew. We cannot forget the opportunity for some lucky students to throw a pie at the face of a teacher, the principal or even our own Fr. Pat! Don’t miss out on the raffle for this memorable experience. Special thanks to Celia Helliar and her PTO team, as well as classroom parents for all of their work on this, much loved, event! See you, this Friday for some family fun from 6:00-9:00 p.m.

I have been able to acquire a copy of the talk that the anti-bullying speaker, Jodee Blanco shared with some of our parents in September. Please watch for that video in next week‘s newsletter.

As we continue with our preparations for our accreditation visit next school year, I ask that you please review the revision of our Schoolwide Learning Expectations that can be found below this message. If you have any input, please feel free to let me know. These expectations are to be concise and measurable, while aligning with our school Mission Statement. Thank you for taking the time for checking them out.

Blessings,

Francie Moss

Click here for Spanish

Dear Parents,

Greetings to all during this very busy week! Please join me in thanking our very own Senora Pina, her students, and their parents for what promises to be a wonderful “Taco Fest” tomorrow. We are all looking forward to this special treat celebrating a culture rich in traditions!

This Sunday is Holy Rosary Sunday, SMA will acknowledge this special day with a Living Rosary on Tuesday, October 11 at 9:30 a.m. in the church. All are welcome to join us.

A quick reminder that this coming weekend is a 3-day weekend. Because of the long weekend, there will be no extended cub care this Friday. We will still be holding our after-school chess class. Parents will need to pick up their children immediately following the conclusion of chess class at 1:45.

Blessings,

Francie Moss