Mrs. Mulvanerty's Update

May 31, 2025

Hello SKS!

Welcome to the Beginning of the End!

My dad used to say—often and with great enthusiasm—“This is the BIG PUSH!” It was his go-to rallying cry anytime we were wrapping up a semester, a school year, or really anything that required digging deep and finishing strong. I’m pretty sure I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again. But that’s because it’s true. We are in the final stretch, and this is the time to stay motivated and keep our eyes on the light at the end of the tunnel.

Final Exams

Final exams can feel overwhelming, but they serve an important purpose. They give students the chance to reflect on what they’ve learned, demonstrate their growth, and gain a sense of closure on all they’ve accomplished. While they aren’t the only measure of success, they do help reinforce skills like time management, study strategies, and personal discipline—all things that benefit our students well beyond the classroom.

How to Support Your Student During Finals

This can be a stressful time, but with a little support from home, students can face finals with confidence and calm. Here are a few ways you can help:

1. Encourage Good Sleep and Nutrition
Rested minds think more clearly. Try to maintain regular sleep schedules, even when things get busy. Healthy meals and snacks also keep energy levels up and help with focus.

2. Create a Quiet Study Space
A consistent, distraction-free area at home can make a big difference in helping your child focus and retain information.

3. Prioritize Downtime and Breaks
Balance is key. Encourage your student to take short breaks, go for a walk, or do something relaxing to recharge during long study sessions.

4. Practice Positive Talk
Your words matter! Remind your student how proud you are of their effort and growth this year—regardless of the grades. A little encouragement goes a long way.

5. Offer to Quiz or Review
Sometimes, just having someone to bounce ideas off or review flashcards with can help boost confidence and memory.

Prayers Help!

My mom used to make the sign of the cross on our foreheads as kids -- a small sign that she was calling on God to bless us and give us strength in times of challenge. She'd always tell us that she was praying for us. I have one more son still in college, and my mom STILL texts him during exam time to support him with her prayers. It matters. It feels good! Here is a simple prayer you might want to pray with or for your student during this time:

One More Note to Parents

Please make sure to read all final announcements and emails carefully—there are many important reminders about end-of-year events, early dismissals, and other details. We don’t want anyone to miss out!

Let’s finish strong, support one another, and trust that God is walking with us—every step of the way. You’ve got this. And so do your kids!

G.B.Y.*,

Mrs. Mulvanerty

*God Bless You!

Our 8th grade students have been working hard on their WWII Museum! Come on out and visit the gym on Monday 1pm to 2:30 or Tuesday 10-2 next week to check it out and explore this wonderful project. This is also a great way for parents of younger students to see the types of projects that await students headed into our fabulous Middle School! Thank you to David Heacock and Jackie Sevag for their leadership on this project.

Current 4th Grade Families - Band/Chorus Preference Form

We are thrilled to begin our new musical pathway program next year with our incoming fifth grade class. Please complete and return the Band/Chorus Preference Form by tomorrow, Monday, June 2nd via email or printed copy, linked here for your convenience! If you have any questions in the meantime, reach out to Ms. Riley Parker at rparker@sksschools.org.

Throughout the year, we’ve gathered thoughtful feedback from both parents and teachers about our current dress code. Here’s what we consistently heard:

• Too many options in our dress code made purchasing confusing for families

• Students don't look in uniform -- items from different vendors are not of the same likeness and style, causing a lack of uniformity

• Our community wants a more polished, put-together look

• Comfort matters — students feel better when their clothes feel good, too

After an exhaustive review and update process with input from Home and School, Faculty, and our uniform vendors, we have updated our dress code. We’ve also been mindful of cost — many items remain the same, so there’s no need to purchase an entirely new uniform. Our goal is to reduce confusion and bring more clarity, while helping students look and feel their best.

In response, We’re excited to share that:

• We’re moving to one uniform vendor: Flynn & O’Hara

• They’re offering free shipping on all online orders over $100

• Fewer options = easier shopping and greater consistency

What’s changing?
You’ll see all the updates in the slides below, but here’s a quick summary of the key changes:

• K–4 girls:

  • No more skorts in the spring — jumpers will be worn year-round

  • New white Peter Pan collar shirt in a soft golf-shirt-style material for improved comfort

• Sweaters: Switching to a fine gauge style for a softer, more comfortable feel

• Shirts:

  • White only for K–4 boys and all middle schoolers (no more blue)

• Quarter-zip change:

  • The current sweatshirt will be replaced by a quarter-zip sweater for a more polished look

  • Quarter-zip sweatshirts may still be worn for gym

• Girls’ gym shorts: Now offered in updated, more modern styles

• Socks: No more white socks, at any time; blue socks pictured here are acceptable. No "no-show" socks.

• Shoes: Hey Dudes are no longer permitted
  
  

Please view the full uniform slides here to help you shop for your child's back-to-school clothes. Thank you for your continued support as we implement these updates. We believe these changes will help our students look good and feel comfortable, confident, and ready to learn each day.

If your students are bus riders -- please check out the schedule above to ensure you know your district's transportation schedule for that last week of school.

By now you should have received your child's Terra Nova results. Envelopes for all students in a family were sent home with the oldest child.

As I explained in the accompanying letter, The TerraNova assessment provides a snapshot of your child’s academic performance in core content areas such as Reading, Language, and Mathematics, and may also include Science, Social Studies, and cognitive abilities depending on your child’s grade level. The front page of the report summarizes their achievement using a visual graph, showing how your child’s performance compares to national norms. Further pages offer a breakdown of specific skills and mastery levels to help you understand areas of strength and areas that may need further support.

It is important to remember that these test scores represent one moment in time and should be considered alongside your child’s classroom work, daily participation, and overall growth. As a Catholic school, we are deeply committed to nurturing the development of the whole child—academically, spiritually, and socially. These assessments are one of many tools we use to partner with you in that mission. If you have any questions about your child's results, please contact your classroom teacher.

We had 2 relay teams win GOLD! Out of all Philadelphia CYO teams this is a huge accomplishment.

Cadet girls won the 4 by 200 meter relay

Novice girls won the 4 by 100 meter relay.

We also had several athletes medal in individual events.

The novice girls relay is all prep students so no actual SKS students but Cadet girls is Kate Fisher (
) Charley Ryan, Emily Elliott and Isabel Schaal

The SKS Fall Classic on October 6, 2025 is a tremendous opportunity to bring our entire SKS community together, while raising some significant dollars for the school!

The day is a combination of events that start with a racquet outing at Overbrook Golf Club, a golf outing at Philadelphia Country Club, and a reception at Philadelphia Country Club that evening. It is open to all friends of SKS, which means we are casting our fundraising net beyond the current parents that includes alumni, alumni parents, and parishioners. All proceeds will go to benefit the school through the governance of the annual fund. We have the capacity for 30 foursomes, around 50 racquets players, and 250 dinner reception tickets. Some portions of those categories have been pre-sold as part of larger sponsorships, so I strongly encourage anyone with interest to jump on the ticket information here to register.

Thank you for your continued support of SKS and we look forward to seeing you on October 6th!

Tom and Moira Hobson, Event Chairs
Bud Tosti, Coordinator of Development and Alumni Relations

There are some great new camps open for summer! Please click here for more details about after school clubs and summer camp opportunities.

K-7th Grade Families - Summer Instrument Lessons at SKS

Ms. Parker will be offering summer instrument lessons at SKS in the music room in the Parish Center this summer!

Current K-2: Piano only

Current 3-7: Instruments listed on flyer

This is open to all SKS students! If your child is interested, please review the flyer here and complete the sign-up form here!

For more announcements about SKS activities and clubs, CYO, and parish activities, click here!

June 2 - 6 - Final Exams

June 2 - WWII Museum - 1-2:30

June 3 - Kindergarten Graduation, WWII Museum - 10-2

June 5 - New Family Ice Cream Social 4pm, 8th Grade Graduation Party

June 9 - Spirit Day, Noon Dismissal

June 10 - 8th Grade Graduation, Yellow DDD in honor of Julian Mittman, Noon Dismissal

June 11 - SKS at the Phillies, Noon Dismissal

June 12 - No School - Faculty In-Service

June 13 - Last Day of School! Closing Mass with Dismissal immediately following

Students decorate folders to carry home all of their artwork for the year.

Third grade told me one of their favorite subjects is MATH! Here they are working on some math centers this week in Mrs. Bondi's class.

Second graders learn to tell time -- the old-fashioned way!

Congratulations to CYO TRACK and their Coach, Mrs. Fisher!

Fifth grade students visit their St. Pius Pen Pals!