What's the Buzz?
10/10/2024
Upcoming Dates
Remember to utilize our SMS Google Calendar subscription (click here to view), or view the “Events” page on the SMS website.
Oct. 11: NO SCHOOL, Superintendent's Conference Day
Oct. 12: HSA Family Tailgate Party
Oct. 14: NO SCHOOL, Columbus Day & Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Oct. 18: 9am School Mass led by St. Thomas Aquinas Faith Family (Mrs. Baker)
Oct. 21: HSA Bills Dress Down Day (bring $2 or purchase pass)
Oct. 22: 8th Grade Mass at the Cathedral
Oct. 23: School Picture Day
Oct. 25: 9am School Mass led by St. Scholastica Faith Family (Mrs. Laderer)
Oct. 25: 6pm Trunk or Treat
Oct. 28: HSA Bills Dress Down Day (bring $2 or purchase pass)
Oct. 28: SMS Pumpkin Carving Party at Spoth's
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: HERO BOX Dress Down Day for Veterans
Nov. 8: Early Dismissal at 11:30am
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.
BASKETBALL REGISTRATION
We are now utilizing the SportsEngine app to do our winter sports registrations for basketball. We need to know by next week who will be participating in grades 3-8. Complete your registration through the app, however even though it says to have your credit card ready, we do not have that set up yet. Your participation fee will still be added to FACTS.
Don’t throw out those old shoes, send them in starting Tuesday!
Our 8th grade class is hosting a shoe collection! Bins have been placed outside the school office. They have a goal of 2500 shoes so they appreciate all the support they 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. The company that they are collecting for, Funds2Orgs, works to support individuals who create micro-businesses in developing countries to combat the effects of systemic poverty and a lack of education and economic opportunity.
Exciting News!!!
We are excited to welcome Mrs. Pam Daigler to our SMS family. Just in case you haven't heard from your child already, Mrs. Daigler will be teaching music to our students and accompanying them when singing during Mass. She will be here on Thursdays and Fridays.
Fall Play Sponsorship Packages Only Available until this Tues., Oct. 15!
Sponsorships are now available to purchase online for the SMS Drama Club! Sign up your family or business for year long patronage and receive exposure in both our Fall Play & Spring Musical programs. PLUS, receive online exposure as a “Spotlight” sponsor! Multiple sponsorship levels are available, choose the package that best fits your family or business’s needs. Your generous, tax-deductible gift will help purchase costumes for our students & help refurbish sets!
Get ready to Trunk or Treat on 10/25!
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 being sent home this week with more information, and here to sign up to decorate a trunk!
Sign up for the Pumpkin Carving Party at Spoth’s on 10/28!
For over 20 years, Spoth’s Farm Market has generously hosted, and Dengler, Roberts, Perna Funeral Home have generously 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.
CLASSROOM HALLOWEEN CELEBRATIONS: 10/31
All students are allowed to dress up for Halloween! They may stay in costume all day and all students will be walking in the annual "SMS Halloween Parade" at 1pm. Please nothing gory, no blood, no masks covering the entire face, no weapons or anything resembling a weapon for costumes. Shoes must be safe for navigating the stairs. Your children may also be enjoying Halloween activities, crafts, parties, snacks, etc. on Halloween as organized by their teachers and HSA Room Parents. Please refer to communications that have (or will be) coming home from their individual classrooms for more info on the festivities planned for each class.
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.
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.
Come Join Cub Scouts!
Cub Scout Pack #92 is looking for new scouts! No prior scouting experience is necessary, they are looking to grow the pack, one new scout at a time! In Cub Scouts your child will have lots of fun, learn new things and make new friends. Scouting is a family oriented organization which helps children develop character, leadership, communication skills and good citizenship. If you are interested in joining our local Pack, please contact either Geoff Charland (GCharland2001@yahoo.com) or David Mineo (lawmineo@aol.com)
Girls in Grades K&1, check out the new Girl Scout Troop!
Mrs. Lang, Mrs. Baker & Mrs. Kisailus will be leading a new Girl Scout “Daisy” Troop for girls in Kindergarten & Grade 1. If your student is interested in joining, please contact Mrs. Kisailus at rkisailus@stmaryschoolswormville.org to find out how to register. If you have already expressed interest in joining you will get a welcome email with information on how to sign up online this weekend. Meetings will be held Thursdays after school in Mrs. Baker’s 4th grade room starting Oct. 24th.
SMS Boys 11 years old or older can join Boy Scout Troop 92!
Boy Scout Troop 92 is chartered here by St. Mary's Church. We meet weekly on Monday nights from 7:00-8:30 pm. From camping and hiking, to First Aid and earning Merit Badges, there are many experiences to be had! If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Margaret Terrill at mterrill44@yahoo.com or 716-908-7684.
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.
Please Send in Your Donations if you haven’t already!
We are working on calculating the grand total raised from the Marathon, but haven't yet received all your donations! If you still need to send in the money collected from your pledges, please do so ASAP.
See You This Sat. For Family Tailgate Fun!
The St. Mary’s HSA & the UB Bulls invite SMS families to “Kids Day” on Sat. Oct. 12th. Discounted tickets in section 306 are available for the Bulls vs. Toledo Football game (kick-off time is at 12 noon), and pre-game entertainment will include a Reptile Show, Inflatables, “Dress Like a Bull”, Photo Ops, Yard Games & more! Purchase discounted tickets to the game, enjoy the pre-game entertainment, & hang out with other SMS families at the game. Families can meet in the field house at 10:30 am for the pre-game entertainment. Questions on tickets? Please call Steph Bielec: 716-645-6759.
Don’t Miss your Chance for Pre-Sale Tix, Basket & Gift Card Donations Needed!
Join us in the gym on 11/2/24, from 6-10 PM for chances to win delicious cuts of meat, a 50/50 Split, & theme basket and gift card raffles. Bring singles & all your friends! Ticket price includes open bar of unlimited soda, draft beer & wine. Pesci’s pizza, seltzers & craft beer will be available for purchase, snacks welcome. First spin at 7 pm. No outside alcohol permitted, this event is strictly 21 & older. Tickets are $15 Pre-Sale, or $100 for a table of 8. Pre-Sale Ends Oct. 23rd, so don’t delay! Tickets will be $20 at the door. All proceeds support St. Mary School Swormville, funds raised are restricted to St. Mary School Swormville HSA.
Click here to purchase tickets!
Click here to sign up to volunteer or donate items for our gift baskets.
If your family participated in the “All In” HSA Family Commitment at the beginning of this school year you automatically receive 2 tickets to the Meat Raffle. Please email Kim Chilcott, event chairperson, atkimmer923@aol.com, to RSVP.
Fall Book Orders Due Tuesday, 10/15!
Keep your students reading new, interesting books that are hand-picked for their grade level all year long! Click here for the flyer with curated book selections based on teacher recommendations and Monkey See, Monkey Do... picks. Families may also special order any book title (children and adult titles) by simplying adding the title/s to the online form in the “SPECIAL ORDER” section or by calling 716-204-8417. NYS sales tax will be added to the total shown on the form. Please place all orders via this link, or by scanning the QR code from the flyer. All book orders will be delivered to St. Mary School and sent home with students. If you would like to pick up your book order instead, please call the school office to let us know at 716-689-8424
Community Opportunities
Cool Weather, Pumpkins, Homecoming and more! Come to Breakthrough to unwind and share!
- An opportunity for Middle School through High School teens to grow in faith through games, interactive activities, prayer, food and conversation.
- Build a connection between scripture and living our faith while getting to know other teens in our parish and community.
- Gatherings are scheduled from 6:30 pm - 8 pm on 1 Friday and 1 Monday each month. Check the white board inside the parish center for gathering locations.
Contact St Mary's Youth Ministry for further details or with questions: (716) 688-0599, youth@stmaryswormville.org
Sign Up to attend and Invite a Friend. | Are you Confirmed and looking for Volunteer Hours? Sign Up Here.
Let the Children Come to Me
Parents with children ages birth through 4 are encouraged to borrow this specially packed bag filled with many ways to help you teach and share our faith at home as a family.
What's in the bag? Hands on activities to share as a family and ways for parents to continue to grow in faith.
Contact the Catholic Education office for more details (716) 688-0599
WNY Catholic High School Open Houses
A number of our local Catholic high schools are holding Open Houses & offering shadow day experiences this Fall. Click the links below for more information.
Bishop Timon - St. Jude High School
Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart