MSM Family Connection Newsletter
September 13, 2024
Welcome Back Mounties!
We are so happy that our halls are once again filled with the sound of Mounties!
The opening week of school was a busy one as old friends reunited and new Mounties joined our growing MSM family.
On Friday, September 6, Student Council treated students to an afternoon of fun & games, ice cream truck treats, and everyone's favorite tradition, "Pie the Teacher!"
Here’s to a fantastic school year ahead filled with friends, fun, and many joyful moments!
Join Us for Meet the Teachers Night: Thursday, September 26th
Dear MSM Parents and Guardians:
We are excited to invite you to our annual Meet the Teachers Night! Join us on Thursday, September 26, for an opportunity to meet your daughter's teachers and learn about the exciting year ahead. This is a great chance to ask questions, discuss your daughter's goals, and get to know our dedicated MSM faculty and staff.
The evening will begin at 6 pm in the AUD with a short presentation by the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention.
Please click HERE or anywhere on the flyer below to let us know you will be attending.
Welcome New MSM Faculty and Staff!
We are thrilled to welcome several new faculty members to our MSM family!
As we begin this exciting school year, we are fortunate to have such a talented and dedicated group of educators joining us. Their diverse experiences and passion for teaching will be a wonderful addition to the MSM community. Please join us in extending a warm welcome as they step into their new roles here at MSM!
Pictured front row (L-R): Camdyn Rice '18, Visual Arts; Chelsea Gilbert '09, Biology, and Louie, member of MSM Therapy Dog team; Kristi Carson, Special Education, Marissa MacTurk, Interim Counselor, grades 9 & 10.
Pictured second row (L-R): Sr. Lori High, SSMN, Religion; Julia Grant-Rooney, School Counselor, grades 11 & 12; Yanava Hawkins, Community Engagement Associate; Anne Pacouloute, French; Luca Sicuso, Physics.
Not pictured: Erica Bazzell, Health adjunct, and Francesca Harvey, Journalism adjunct.
MSM Lawn Signs Now Available!
Do you want to show off your MSM pride and help advertise for Open House/Fall events?
Contact the Office of Admissions for a lawn sign! Every MSM family who stakes one on their lawn and sends in a photo to Ms. Hawkins (ykawkins@msmacademy.org), will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Starbucks gift card for their Mountie!!
Stop by Admissions today!!
Turn Your Dash's Receipts into Dollars and Support MSM's Music Program
Do you shop at Dash's Market? We need your receipts! There is no totaling or organization needed, simply save them up, put them in a bag or envelope and drop them off at MSM. There is a designated drop-box in the parking lot by gym door #9, or your student can bring them into the Main Office.
MSM band members sort and tabulate the total sum of the receipts and Dash's gives FREE money (2.5% on the dollar) to schools that participate in their "Tape Saver" program.
The receipts add up quickly and money earned directly supports the MSM music program.
Please support our talented MSM musicians and start saving your Dash's receipts today!
MSM Spirit Wear Back to School Sale!
Gear up for the new school year with our back-to-school sale on spirit wear! From cozy hoodies and stylish tees to MSM scarves and baseball hats, we’ve got everything you need to show off your Mountie pride. Enjoy fantastic discounts on all your favorite designs, and don’t miss out on 30% off sitewide when you shop early.
Whether you’re gearing up for game day or just want to represent your favorite Mountie in style, our spirit wear sale is the perfect opportunity to refresh your wardrobe and support MSM.
Click HERE to shop now and get ready to make this school year the best one yet!
Auditions Announced for MSM's Fall Musical!
From the Desk of Ms. Joann Mis:
Auditions for MSM's fall musical, Disney's The Little Mermaid, will be held on September 16 & 17, 2024!
See the flyer below for more information.
Questions? Please contact Ms. Joann Mis at jmis@msmacademy.org.
MSM's First Ever "Summer Reading Takeover" Was a Huge Success!
From the Desk of Ms. Kelsey Novits:
On August 22, MSM's Languages Division sponsored the first ever MSM Summer Reading Takeover. Groups of students and teachers set up blankets and chairs on the front lawn of MSM and gathered together to read their summer reading books and eat popsicles.
We are looking forward to an even bigger showing next year!
Pictured below are MSM freshwomen: Julia Cabin, Ryan Bronson, and Lucy Nudell.
Don't Miss Out! Get Your FREE MSM Car Magnets Today!
Drive around and show off your Mountie pride! If you'd like an MSM car magnet, take advantage of this one-time back to school offer; they are FREE from the Office of Admissions for the month of September! Have your Mountie stop by today! Limit 2 per family.
It's Reverse Raffle Time!
Get ready for an evening of excitement at MSM's 14th Annual Reverse Raffle sponsored by Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel!
This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a 1 in 400 chance to win the $10,000 Grand Prize, along with a chance to win other cash prizes totaling $1,600!
Unlike traditional raffles, in our reverse raffle, the last ticket drawn wins the grand prize, keeping the suspense high and the fun going all night long!
Purchase your Reverse Raffle tickets HERE and be part of this unforgettable event!
Important Emergency Drill Information
From the Desk of Ms. Anne Kohl:
With the beautiful weather lasting into the start of the school year, we have already begun our annual Emergency Evacuation Drills. New York State requires that we run both Evacuation and Lockdown drills each Fall. Next week we will be running our Lockdown drills and I wanted to give each of you advanced notice.
We know that drills of this type can cause additional stress for many of us, therefore, our first drill will be more of a guided drill with detailed instructions, while the remaining three will be run more independently.
Two of our drills will take place during the lunch periods and our School Resource Officer from the Town of Tonawanda Police Department will be in attendance. Officer McCormick will be on-site to assist with evaluating and improving our procedures.
If you have specific questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me directly at akohl@msmacademy.org or 716-877-1358 ext. 151.
Volunteers Needed for Open House!
From the Desk of Mrs. Suchan-Reitz:
We are in need of parent and student volunteers for one of our most important events, OPEN HOUSE!
Sunday, October 6 | 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and Monday, October 7 | 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Parents can help with hospitality in the cafeteria and welcoming prospective families. Students can give tours, show off their team/club displays, and more.
Please email the Office of Admissions, esuchan-reitz@msmacademy.org, if you're interested, or have ideas!
Important Reminders from the Health Office
From the Desk of MSM School Nurse Patricia Fairbanks:
Grades 9 and 11 are required by law to submit a current NY State physical performed after 9/1/2023. Parents who have been notified that their daughter is missing a physical need to respond to the notice that was sent home last week. It is important to the health and safety of all students for the Health Office to have up-to-date medical knowledge of any existing health conditions and concerns.
Notifications went home this week requesting updated orders for any medications your daughters will be taking while in school this year. This includes any medications they will be self-administering as well. New orders from your physician and your parental permission are required each school year.
Questions? Please contact MSM School Nurse Particia Fairbanks at: nurse@msmacademy.org, or (716) 877-1358 (Ext.222).
Marching Band to Perform at the Niagara Celtic Festival
The Marching Band will be performing on Sunday, September 15th, at the Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival at the fairgrounds in Lockport. There will be an outdoor stand-up concert at 11:00 am, and parade at noon!
Important School Closing Information
In the event that school is closed due to inclement weather and/or in an emergency, the staff at MSM will do our very best to communicate with our families as soon as we can.
Please note that MSM is within the Ken-Ton UFSD. If Ken-Ton closes, MSM must close. Ken-Ton schools will notify closure to all Buffalo TV stations: WGRZ-TV 2, WIVB-TV 4, WKBW -TV 7 and Spectrum News.
However, we will announce independently of the district in the following ways:
Email will be sent out via Blackbaud system to students, staff, and families.
A school-wide announcement will be placed on grade-level Google Classrooms, MSM's Website and Blackbaud.
A closing message will be shared via the local news stations - Channels 2,4,7
Counselor Connections
Counselor Connections provides the Mount St. Mary Community with a monthly communication tool from our Wellness Department. The newsletter will be published and sent to your inbox on the second Tuesday of each month. You will also find a link here in the Family Connection Newsletter. Please click on the link below for this month's Counselor Connections.
Cafeteria Payment Portal Information
Dear MSM Parents & Guardians:
Metz Catering continues to be Mount St. Mary Academy's school lunch provider.
As part of the LunchTime suite of software, the School Payment Portal is a safe, secure, and convenient way for parents and guardians to manage school lunch payments by tracking purchases, creating reminders, and setting up automatic payments.
The automatic payment portion is ready for you to set up your account and view your student's daily transactions.
If you do not wish to pay online and prefer to continue sending in money with your student, you can still create a username and password to track your student's purchases and see how much money is in the account.
To set up your account in the payment portal, please visit: https://www.schoolpaymentportal.com
Questions? Contact Jennifer Coram, General Manager, Metz Culinary Management at (716) 877-1358 ext.417 or via email at ma1144@metzcorp.com
MSM Soccer Alumnae Event
Support the MSM soccer team with your former teammates at the MSM Soccer Alumnae Event! Please join us on Saturday, September 28th to cheer on the MSM Varsity Team as they play Buffalo Seminary at 2:00 pm at Elmwood Commons. Following the game, enjoy Happy Hour at Fattey Beer Company in Kenmore to visit with friends and raise money for the team!
To R.S.V.P. for the event, click the following link: MSM Soccer Alumnae Event
MSM Thunder Athletics Calendar
Click the link below to visit the official Mount St. Mary Academy Thunder Website for a calendar of upcoming athletic events. Come out and support our Mounties in action!
Archived Family Connection Newsletters
Mount St. Mary Academy
Mount St. Mary Academy, founded by the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, is a Catholic, private, college preparatory school for young women. Within a nurturing and academically challenging and inclusive environment, the Academy strives to develop the whole person’s gifts and potential. Guided by our Catholic tradition, and rooted in Gospel values, we empower scholars to be leaders dedicated to lifelong learning, moral integrity, social justice, and service to and inclusion of others.
We Believe in You!
Email: information@msmacademy.org
Website: https://www.msmacademy.org
Location: 3756 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY, USA
Phone: 716-877-1358
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msmacademy
Twitter: @msmacademy