What's the Buzz?
10/24/2024
Upcoming Dates
Remember to utilize our SMS Google Calendar subscription (click here to view), or view the “Events” page on the SMS website.
Oct. 25: 9am School Mass led by St. Scholastica Faith Family (Mrs. Laderer)
Oct. 25: 6pm Trunk or Treat
Oct. 26: Last day to register to vote in NYS
Oct. 28: HSA Bills Dress Down Day (bring $2 or purchase pass)
Oct. 28: SMS Pumpkin Carving Party at Spoth's - Reservations due by 10/18
Oct. 29: Red Ribbon Day - Uniforms with red shirts and socks may be worn - FREE
Oct. 31: Halloween
Nov. 1: All Sants' Day - 9am School Mass led by grade 3 students, reception for 3rd grade students and parents to follow
Nov. 2: HSA Meat Raffle
Nov. 4: HSA Bulls Dress Down Day (bring $2 or purchase pass)
Nov. 4: HSA Meeting, all are welcome! 7pm, Cafeteria
Nov. 8: 9am School Mass led by St. Joseph Faith Family (Mrs. Picone)
Nov. 8: HERO BOX Dress Down Day for Veterans (bring $2 for charitable donation to veterans, not included in HSA pass)
Nov. 8: Early Dismissal at 11:30am
Nov. 11: Veteran’s Day - NO SCHOOL
Nov. 13-15: SMS Book Fair
Nov. 15: 9am School Mass led by St. Gemma Faith Family (Miss Kirwan)
Nov. 15: School Adoration following Mass
Nov. 15: Drama Club Fall Play - Holy Mother of Bingo!
News from the Cafe
Lunch Room Volunteers
If you are interested in helping out in the lunchroom and are VIRTUS trained please sign up below using the buttons. If you have any questions, you can email Mr. Mangione at attendance@st.maryschoolswormville.org.
Water Bottle Reminder
If your child is bringing a water bottle to school it should be plastic and be able to be closed easily. No straws, no glass (we have had 2 of these shatter), and no huge metal bottles. Spills and bottles "sweating" on the desks can be quite problematic, especially with Chromebooks. Children are also able to go to the water fountain if you don't send in a water bottle.
As we wrap up some Fall Sports…
Please remember to wash & return your students' Fall sports uniforms to Mr. Reeds when their seasons finish & the last games/practices are over. We’d like to congratulate all of our students who participated in Swimming, Baseball & Volleyball this Fall - whether you won games, achieved personal bests, or learned something new, we’re proud of your growth & commitment to an active, healthy lifestyle! We’re looking forward to our Winter Sports season beginning soon with Basketball! Click here for more info on the SMS Sports Program.
The change of seasons offers a great opportunity to donate your old shoes!
Don’t throw out those old shoes, send them in for our 8th grade class shoe drive. Collection bins have been placed outside the school office & church vestibule & have been filling quickly, but we will take all we can get! Shoes, sneakers, cleats, hiking boots, rain boots, water shoes & sandals are acceptable. They will not accept single shoes, ice skates, roller skates, wet or moldy shoes, or shoes with holes or tears.
Holy Mother of Bingo - Fall Play Tickets are still available!
Tickets for the highly anticipated 2024 SMS Drama Club Fall Play are now on sale to the public! Click here to purchase if you haven’t already as the show may sell out. It is an incredibly fun play where the audience is involved and plays 5 rounds of bingo with your students! Mrs. Baker will be sending over seat assignments later on. In an effort to save paper, you will not need a physical ticket.
If you haven’t sent your photos & wording for any Drama Club Program Ads or Shout Outs purchased, please be sure to send them to rkisailus@stmaryschoolswormville.org ASAP.
Get ready to Trunk or Treat tomorrow night!
All SMS students, Montessori - Grade 8, and immediate family members are invited to dress up in Halloween costumes and join us for trunk-or-treating in the school parking lot! Click here to view the flyer that was sent home with more information, and here if you’d still like to sign up to decorate a trunk!
See you Monday, 10/28 for Pumpkin Carving at Spoth’s!
For over 20 years, Spoth’s Farm Market has hosted, and Dengler, Roberts, Perna Funeral Home have sponsored a pumpkin carving party for SMS students! Cider, treats, pumpkins & carving tools are all provided, you just bring the creative carving ideas & get ready to have some fun. This yearly tradition is one of the highlights of the fall for our students, sign-ups for a time-slot to carve were due by 10/18. We look forward to carving with those of you who have signed up!
CLASSROOM HALLOWEEN CELEBRATIONS: 10/31
Parents are invited to watch our parade at 1pm if desired. Hopefully we will have a sunny day and can parade over to our parish offices and around campus.
Grades 5-8 Morning Intramurals
Mr. Harrison Reeds, Mr. Brendan Dolan, and Mr Parker Kelly will be conducting Intramural Fall Session #1 2024 | November 5th- December 19th. You must complete the sign up and send in payment for each student that is participating.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Days: Tuesday/ THursday
Grades: 5-8
Time: 630AM-730AM
Cost: $75
Intramurals start promptly at 645AM! If you are not here on time, you will have to show up at 730AM for school
We will not allow siblings that are Below Grade 5.
Students will wear their PE Uniform to Intramurals
Deodorant strongly suggested
SMS requires a 75% or better in all classes to attend intramurals! Intramurals are a privilege, and school comes first.
Intramural privileges can be revoked if Disciplinary issues arise, during school/ SMS sports, as well as during intramurals
Showing up in PE Uniform is encouraged (to save time)!!
Sequence of Events
6:30-6:45AM - Drop off at Door B1
6:45-6:50AM - Changed into Uniform
7:15-7:20AM: Returning to gym (if outside), and putting away equipment
7:20-7:30AM: changing into SMS Uniform, preparing for school day
Pray for Vocations, Host the “Traveling” Chalice & Paten
Recently Mrs. Christina Egleston, Catholic Education Director, gave a presentation to students about how with their families, they can enjoy learning more about vocations and spend time praying for those called to say yes to God by hosting the “traveling” Chalice & Paten in their homes! Through your prayers, we believe more men and women will hear God's call to seek out their religious vocations. You are invited to sign up to have the Chalice & Paten that Father Tom has blessed in your home. At least once a day, gather your family in the presence of the Chalice and Paten and pray. At the end of the week, return all of the contents the way it was originally packed back to school for another family to host.
Click here for more detailed instructions.
Click here to sign up to be a host family.
Questions? Please contact Mrs. Katie Bishop, kbishop@stmaryschoolswormville.org or the Catholic Education Office at 716-688-0599.
Your student is #BuzzWorthy!
Has your SMS student achieved something notable outside of school recently in sports, scouts, or another community organization? Do you have news to share with our community as an alum? If so, tell us about it! We’d love to share the #BuzzWorthy news on social media or in an upcoming “What’s the Buzz” school newsletter. Simply email any photos and a short description to buzzworthy@stmaryschoolswormville.org.
Give to SMS by Sharing a Review!
Google searches, word of mouth, and school search & review platforms account for 72% of how parents first discover the schools they consider for their children. With this in mind, SMS is launching a campaign this Fall to encourage alumni, current school families, parishioners and community members to become brand ambassadors for SMS! Talk to your neighbors & friends about SMS, share our social media posts with your networks, and share your personal review of the school! There are a few ways you can do this:
- Visit https://tinyurl.com/4269mbtb to share a Google Review
- Visit https://tinyurl.com/57jtaxcu to share a review on niche.com (the leading school search & review platform)
- Email your review to rkisailus@stmaryschoolswormville.org to have it featured on our website. Feel free to include photos as well. We have a number of great reviews from families from the past, but would love to feature a few more recent alumni success stories, or anecdotes from families whose lives have been positively impacted by SMS.
HSA Events Flyer - Stay up to date with all the exciting things the HSA has planned for this Fall!
Spirit Wear went home with students today! If you have any questions please contact Rebecca Kisailus at rkisailus@stmaryschoolswormville.org.
Meat Raffle Tickets are still available, Volunteers, Basket & Gift Card Donations Still Needed!
Regular priced tickets are still available for $20 each, or $140 for a table of 8. Purchase online to ensure you get a seat, or take your chances at the door on 11/2. We also still really need donations for our theme baskets & gift card raffle! If you own a business, or just cannot attend on 11/2, please consider helping us make the Meat Raffle a success by donating a gift card to a local store or restaurant, or making up a theme basket for our basket raffle, or donating some items and we can make up the basket! See the SUG link below to sign up.
Click here to sign up to volunteer or donate items for our gift baskets.