Defender News

School Day Office Hours:

7:30 am - 3:30 pm

Office Phone Number: 419-423-2738

Fax Number: 419-423-2720

The school must be notified by 8:00 am of a student absence. Please advise school of symptoms and expected length of absence.

Phone: 419-423-2738

Email: attendance@findlaystmichael.org

Sept 6 - MAP Reading test (K-8) - 8:30-10:30 am

Sept 8 - 2nd Grade Retreat for First Communion - 1:00 - 4:00 pm

Sept 9 - Athletic Boosters Meeting - 8:00 pm

Sept 10 - MAP Math test (K-8) - 8:30-10:30 am

- Beginning Band Mtg (5th grade) - 7:00 pm (auditorium)

Sept 12 - Mass - 8:35 am (7B)

-MAP Science Test (5 & 8) - 9:45 - 11:00 am

Sept 13 - Student Council Elections

Sept 17 - Picture Day

-1st Quarter mid-term

Sept 18 - MAP ELA test (3-8) 8:30-10:30 am

-1st Reconciliation Meeting 6:00 pm

Sept 19 - Mass - 8:35 am (6A)

Sept 26 - Mass - 8:35 am (all grades)

-Reconciliation grades 5 & 7

Sept 27 - All School Adoration - 1:00 pm

Sept 29 - Feast of St. Michael

Our lines are longer this year due to a significant increase in cars utilizing drop off. If you want to avoid the longer car line, plan to drop off from 7:30-7:40 am.

YOU can help make the line move quicker in the following ways:

1. Say your goodbyes at home or in the car line as you wait to get to the curb.
2. Have your child unbuckle as you near the unloading curb zone.
3. Pull as far forward as possible without leaving large gaps between cars.
4. The parent should stay in the car. Staff will spread out to help with kids if needed.
5. Students should be ready to quickly exit the vehicle.
6. Pull away as quickly and safely as possible once unloaded.
7. If your child is having a difficult day exiting the vehicle, please pull forward to the bell tower area and unload from there.
8. Please patient as we do have young learners learning to exit car seats, open heavy doors, and get them shut as quickly as they can!

It is not too late to still apply for our K-8 families to apply for extra tuition assistance and/or assistance to pay your $50 school fees through the Diocese of Toledo SGO. Be sure you apply by October 11. Awards will be posted in November and then applied to your accounts!

Diocese of Toledo SGO (Grade K-8):

• Scholarship can cover tuition and classroom fees

• All students are eligible to apply for and receive a scholarship

• Awards amounts will vary and be prioritized for students with demonstrated financial need

• Families can apply at https://www.dotsgo.org/apply-for-a-scholarship

• Scholarship window is open now through October 11, 2024.

If you have not already paid your classroom fees, please send that in next week.

Academy of Angel Classroom Fees - $60

K-8 Classroom Fees - $50 (can apply to the SGO for fee assistance; see above information box)

Checks need to be written separately for each child as they are placed in homeroom accounts. Checks can be made to St. Michael School.

Students are earning Defender Dollars as they meet school and classroom expectations. They will be able to spend their earnings at the Saint Shop throughout the year. If you have goodies you want to donate or freebies from your workplace we can help stock up the store for our saintly shoppers. Trinkets, stickers, bubbles, pens, bookmarks, and similar ideas are great ideas.

If you have completed your VIRTUS training and have a little spare time over the lunch hour, we would love to have your support in monitoring the cafeteria and playground.

You can sign up to volunteer HERE.

Family vacations taken during the school days of attendance are discouraged. It is impossible for a student to make up all the instruction given by teachers during the missed class time. If a vacation must be taken during attendance days, parents are required to complete a Personal Convenience Absence form one week prior to the absence (not involving illness or funerals). This form can be obtained in the school office or SMS website. Teachers will not give work in advance for vacations. Teachers will issue a record of assignments missed upon return from vacation. Students will have as many days as they were absent to turn in work unless other arrangements are made with the teacher.

The 2024 - 2025 Parent/Student Handbook is on Final Forms and on our school website. Please be sure it is read and understood.

Grades K-5:

Some students are still wearing old SMS t-shirts on gym days. Please wait to wear a t-shirt until the new spirit wear shirts are in. For now K-5 students should wear their regular uniform top.

Picture Day is coming up on September 17! P3 students and those absent will be photographed on retake day in November.

Academy of Angel students will wear an outfit of their choice.

K-8 students wear their uniforms.

Paper order forms will be coming home soon. You can also order online at https://inter-state.com/FlyerEntry/87432HF. Order before Picture Day to receive free shipping to the school. .

PTC is looking for volunteers for the planned activities during the year. Take a look at the link HERE to see where your time and talent might best be suited to help make our Defender community stronger together!

Parent Teacher Officers for 24-25

PTC President - Lindsey Hosler

PTC Treasurer- Brigette Sadowski

PTC Secretary - Anne Kremer

Calling all SMS Athletic Supporters!

If you are interested in SMS Athletics, please join us for our first meeting of the 2024-2025 school year!

The meeting is on Monday, September 9th at 8pm in the teachers lounge. Please park in the front school lot, and enter through the main school doors. A booster member will be there to greet you and help you find the teacher's lounge!

Ladies in grades 4-8 can join our winter cheerleading squad. Any student or parishioner may join.

Complete the registration at https://forms.gle/YazU734NnuTgfdQP7.

Please complete the registration form, https://forms.gle/mJwKaroJpPWMnHkF7, for any athlete in grades 3-8 for the 2024-2025 school year interested in participating in the St. Michael Basketball program. Any athletes who are St. Michael parishioners and/or students are able to participate.

3rd-6th Grade Boys & Girls Fall Basketball League through Findlay YMCA. Session 1 runs October 21st-December 14th and session 2 starts in January. Do not register through the YMCA if you plan to play on the SMS team.

Grades 7-8 will primarily play in non-league games against local schools.

The Athletic Boosters have SMS hats and cold weather knits for sale in the concession stand for $25 each. Pick one up next time you're watching our Defenders or email smsathleticconcessions@gmail.com to have one sent home via backpack mail today! Cash, check or Venmo are accepted.

All students who plan to play a sport at St. Michael School will need a sports physical. Please take all paper work to be signed by a physician and then upload to Final Forms. Physicals must be completed before the athlete will be able to begin practices or play in games with the team.

As you may have heard by now, St. Michael Parish is discerning the addition of a high school. The model they are looking at is Chesterton Academy. You can learn more at their website, findlaychesterton.org, or by attending the information session on September 15 following the 10:00 am Mass.

My name is Scott Miller and I am the Findlay High School lacrosse coach.

The Lil' Laxers program which is going to be held on Tuesdays from 6-7PM. This is going to start on September 10th and run for 7 Tuesdays. This is aimed at 1st-6th grade students who would like an introduction to lacrosse. This is going to work on the basics of lacrosse such as cradling, passing, shooting, ground balls and most importantly having fun with the sport. Registration for this is here. There will be sticks provided, and we will be using "soft balls" for safety.

K-8 School Mass: Thursdays at 8:35 am (during school year only)

Parish Mass Times:

Weekday mornings: 6:45 am (main church)

Saturday: 8:00 am & 4:30 pm (main church)

Sunday: 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm

9:00 am (downtown chapel)

Findlay City Schools have partnered with Sodexo to provide a hot lunch option to our KR - 8th grade students.

1. The meal cost will be $3.25/milk a la carte $0.55
   

2. You can find the lunch menu for our building here, or download the Nutrislice app! These menus can be translated into multiple languages by clicking the sidebar on the right.

3. Complete the free/reduced lunch application on PaySchools!

4. Load money on your student’s lunch account within PaySchools. You will need your student ID which can be found by signing into FACTS. Information on signing in is found in the FACTS section of the newsletter.

If you have any questions about school lunch, please email Christian Martinez.

All families are enrolled in the Family Portal of FACTS using the email and cell phone provided on student enrollment forms. This allows families to:

• check student grades
• access your child's ID number to make a hot lunch account
• track student attendance
• receive behavior notifications
• check the school calendar

To access your account visit https://factsmgt.com/login/

Our district code is SMS-OH.

Any new family will need to "Create New Family Portal Account" where it will prompt you to enter the district code and your email provided to the school at registration.

All student information forms and handbooks are on Final Forms.

Please visit https://findlaystmichael-oh.finalforms.com/ to complete forms or find the information.

Shopping for Dollars orders can be placed online, through the RaiseRight app, or through school. School orders are placed on the second and fourth MONDAYS of the month August - May. Order are usually here for distribution on Thursdays.

For more information please contact, Lynnsey Jordan at ljordan@findlaystmichael.org

Educational Apparel is our approved uniform vendor. You can shop online or visit their store in Columbus.

Any items sold or purchased through the Used Uniform Sale need to math these items in pattern and design.

Principal: aholzwart@findlaystmichael.org

Dean of Students: dhenley@findlaystmichael.org

Director of Preschool: panderson@findlaystmichael.org

Attendance Secretary: attendance@findlaystmichael.org

Website: http://www.findlaystmichaelschool.org

Phone: 419-423-2738

Fax: 419-423-2720

723 Sutton Place, Findlay, OH